Jayne Castel’s HIGHLANDER DEFIED – Authentic Historical Romance Set in the Highlands

Highlander Defied is book one of the Courageous Highland Hearts series. The series follows the lives of four battle-hardened Highland warriors and the courageous sisters who capture their hearts.

What a pleasure it is to read a well-written story based on considerable historical research, making it authentic for the period and the actual history. Such is this one by Jayne Castel.

Confined to prison on Bass Rock by King James, Niel Mackay spent his youth away from his clan. While he was gone, the king is murdered and Neil’s father dies. Neil escapes and returns to the Highlands to take up his role as Chief of the Mackays. His goals? To have vengeance on his enemies, the Gunns, and gain an heir. Hence, he needs a wife.

Beth Munro, eldest daughter of the Chief of the Munros, needs a husband. On the cusp of spinsterhood, she’s had a run of ill-fortune with three of her suitors dying before she could wed them. When a proposal arrives from the Mackay, she is quick to accept.

There will be trouble for the couple as Neil is emotionally scarred from his time in prison and he is unwilling to share his heart with his new bride. Beth means to change that, but Neil resists her efforts, that is, until a battle gravely wounds Neil.

Historical romance readers who love a story tied to actual history will like this one. I enjoyed it.

 

 

Virginia Henley’s A YEAR AND A DAY – Superbly Told Tale of an English Nobleman Knight and an Innocent Scottish Lass—Wonderful!

May if Scottish month on Historical Romance Review. I’m a little behind but making up for it by bringing you a meticulous, fast-paced story set in Scotland in the 13th century. And it’s by one of my very favorite authors!

 

This is the story of Lynx de Warenne, English knight, heir to the Earl of Surrey and Edward Plantagenet's most prized warrior--and, Jane Leslie, a Scottish lass with a kind heart and special healing powers. When Lynx became Edward's Governor of Dumfries castle, he decided it was a perfect time to sire an heir. He asked his castle steward, Jock Leslie, to allow him to handfast his youngest daughter. While Jane wanted no man, when her father told her he had agreed to the handfast, she had no choice but to accept it.

 

This is a superbly crafted tale of two people who married for the creation of a child, but discover both passion and an enduring love. Lynx was a hardened warrior who didn't trust women; Jane was an innocent young woman afraid of men. Henley weaves a wonderful story of these two coming to love and trust each other as the winds of war between Scotland and England swirl about them. Once again, Henley crafts a wonderful romance then sets it like a jewel in a perfect setting of well-researched history and accompanied by a glittering cast of characters, both real and fictional, woven in seamlessly as only a master storyteller can.

 

I highly recommend this one and it's on my Best Scottish/Highlander Historical Romances list!