Paula Quinn’s HEART OF ASHES – Enemies to Lovers Between a Scot and an Englishwoman in the time of Robert the Bruce

May is the month in which I review Scottish Historical Romances. I’m beginning with one by my fellow author and friend, Paula Quinn.

The story begins in Scotland in 1314 as the Scots are defeating the English at Bannockburn. Cainnech (Cain) MacPherson hates the English for their raid on his village when he was a boy, the day they killed his family and stole his brothers. They took everything including him and brought him up as an English warrior. But those days are now over and Cain serves Robert the Bruce.

When he raids a small castle in Northumberland, he faces a bold Norman lass who will wants him dead at any cost. Aleysia d’Argentan has been planning for four years how she alone will defeat the Scots with traps in the forest, poisoning the grain and wine and daggers hidden all over the castle. However, she did not anticipate Cain’s intelligence or his kindness to her.

For much of the book Aleysia and Cain battled each other but she could not hold out when her affection and respect for him grew. He protected her identity from his men as the women who had killed nine of his men and so his men came to respect her, unaware the castle was hers.

As the story progresses, we are introduced to some loveable characters and a few twists that surprise. When Robert the Bruce shows up, things get really interesting. And the ending is compelling. Great descriptions and well written. Lovers of medieval Scottish historicals will love it.