Book Blitz for The Highlander’s Enchantress by Violetta Rand (GIVEAWAY)……….

A strong willed heroine finds herself held captive in the middle of nowhere, forming a bond to an unexpected man, while dealing with the cruel machinations of her father.  Keep reading to get a tempting taste of The Highlander’s Enchantress by Violetta Rand, then add it to your bookshelf.  In honor of this enticing historical romance make sure to fill out the form below for the chance to win a $15 Amazon GC too!

If her cruel and domineering father were to be believed, Kali Bane is the worst of women. Defiant. Independent. Were it not for her beloved younger sisters, she would have sought her freedom long ago. When she refuses to wed an old, wine-soaked English lord, her father bans her to the McKay clan in the Highlands, warning them that she’s a witch.

There is no welcome at the McKay castle—only an aging laird prone to fits of temper who believes that Kali is, in fact, a witch. A sorceress. Here she is little more than a hostage, kept from sight from almost all but Adam McKay, the laird’s son, whose hypnotic green eyes make her long for something forbidden. It’s almost enough to make her abandon all thoughts of escape.
Kali is the only one who can protect her sisters from their father’s greedy machinations. But the longer she remains imprisoned in the McKay tower, the more Kali and Adam realize there are other forces at play. They’re both pieces in a silent, terrible game that could destroy everyone they’ve ever loved…including each other.

EXCERPT:

She thought of everything she had learned while in the north, all the people she had grown close to, the confidence she had found. She shook herself free from the guards and straightened her spine, holding her head high. “If I were in a nunnery, ye’d accuse me of being a whore, Father. There is no reasoning with ye.”
Bane’s face turned bright red as he slipped from the saddle and came to stand in front of her. “Ye have a wicked tongue, girl.” He slapped her hard across the face, but she didn’t react, stood her ground as bravely as any soldier facing his worst enemy.
He smacked her again. And when she didn’t cry out, he did it again to her other cheek. Not hard enough to leave a bruise, but hard enough to hurt.
“Ye’ve grown more frigid in the north,” her sire said.
“I’ve no’ grown cold, only stronger against a monster as ye.”
Valiantly, she held his gaze—caring little for what else he’d do to her. Let these strangers who accompanied him here see him for what he truly was.
 He shook his head. “None of it matters anymore,” he said. “Lord Nelson and these fine men have accompanied me here to make sure ye do as I bid. In three days, ye will marry Lord Nelson right here with Laird MacKay standing as witness. And in return for his loyalty, I will give yer sister Ariana in marriage to the MacKay. That way, our interests in the north and south are guaranteed.”
“No!” She wanted to maim him, to kill him. Betrothing his middle daughter to such a beast would kill Ariana. “How could ye hate us so much? Are we not yer own flesh and blood?”
Bane gripped her chin cruelly and turned her face. “Aye, ye are me daughter. I willna deny it. But ye are a willful harpy—unworthy of me tenderness. Ariana is a little better. But Keara, she is a gentle lass...perhaps the pearl of me heart.”
“W-what will ye do with Keara?”
“Well now,” her sire said manipulatively, “that depends on how ye conduct yerself from here on, girl.”
Once again, he played her, baited her, and controlled her with threats. He knew her weaknesses, her strengths. How to build her up and tear her down. How to silence her forever...

FIND AT GOODREADS here.

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AUTHOR INFO:

USA Today Bestselling author Violetta Rand was raised in Corpus Christi, Texas, and spent her childhood reading, writing, and playing soccer. After meeting her husband in New England, they moved to Alaska where she spent a decade working as a scientist before quitting her day job to pursue her dream as a full time writer.
Violetta still lives in Alaska and spends her days writing evocative romance. When she’s not reading, writing, or editing, she enjoys time with her husband, pets, and friends.

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Book Release Blast for Highland Justice by Heather McCollum…….

 A woman trying to protect others finds her heart, and her life, in jeopardy from a brutal Clan Lord in this third installment in the Sons of Sinclair series. Keep reading to get a tempting taste of Highland Justice by Heather McCollum, then add this thrilling and romantic tale to your bookshelf today!

As the new chief of Clan Mackay, Gideon Sinclair knows the importance of maintaining order at any cost. To keep the conquered clan in line, Gideon must mete out ruthless justice or risk losing their precious new peace. But from the moment he meets Cait Mackay—aye, from the moment the sweetness of her lips captures his—all of Gideon’s careful objectivity is well and thoroughly compromised.

Cait knows that kissing the brawny Highlander is a dangerous game. It was bad enough she picked his pocket to feed the children in her care, but sometimes a desperate woman must disguise her crimes any way she can. Only her act of deception has made things worse…Because one kiss with the Highland’s most brutal chief leaves her breathless and out of her depth.

Now Gideon must choose between his duty and his heart when his lovely thief is accused of treason against the king himself.

EXCERPT:

Gideon ran past close enough that she could hear him take a breath while she held her own. Past. He ran past.
The crashing footfalls silenced, and she sucked in a soft gasp. Gideon Sinclair had stopped. The small crunch of a footstep came from a few yards beyond her. She’d scoot around the tree to the opposite side, but she dared not move. Instead, she concentrated on becoming a part of the trunk. If only she could grow bark and moss along her back.
“I know ye are here somewhere,” Gideon said. “Your footsteps pounding through the brush went silent.”
Damn. In a full-out sprint, she couldn’t keep quiet any more than he could. Cait looked at the limb above her. Could she reach it with her rope? Climb up there before Gideon descended upon her like a bloodthirsty wolf?
No. Perfect stillness and a miracle were the only ways to outsmart the infamous Sinclair Horseman. When stars started to spark before her eyes in the darkness, Cait parted her lips and drew in a silent stream of air and released it the same way.
She listened to his footsteps as he walked along the trail on the other side of the tree. “Your kiss was cold and hard, lass. And it didn’t distract me enough for ye to escape.”
You are a cold fish of a woman. Benjamin’s words sneered in her memory.
“If ye come out, ye can give it another try,” Gideon said, his voice just on the other side of the thick tree. When she didn’t answer, not even with the crack of a twig, he went on. “What were ye doing up in my room? Did I interrupt a robbery? If you had braved my bedroom for a tryst, ye wouldn’t have jumped out the window.”
He walked a little farther up the trail. Could he make out her tracks in the dim light of the moon? Damn snow made them stand out. It seemed God wasn’t interested in trying to save her from this mess. It was all up to her.
Cait let her breath out slowly, listening to his footfalls crunch in the mix of snow and dead leaves. She nearly jumped when she felt a tug on the coil of rope that she held. Damn. The end had uncoiled several lengths on her run and lay on top of the leaves before the tree.
Cait tried to inhale, but her breath kept stuttering in her chest as Gideon slowly coiled the loose rope, which had become a trail directly to her. He rounded the side of the tree and stopped. The darkness cloaked him in shadow, making his solid form look even larger. Gideon Sinclair stared directly at her.

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PREVIOUS BOOKS IN THE SERIES:  HIGHLAND CONQUEST  |  HIGHLAND WARRIOR

AUTHOR INFO:

I’m Heather McCollum, writer of 16th century Scottish romance full of intrigue and sprinkled with humor, history, & spice. Brawny Highlanders with golden hearts & feisty heroines are my favorites! I’m a mom of 3, dog-mom of 1, & wife of a 6’4” Highlander. I love kilted heroes, dragonflies, watching birds, chai lattes, & eating popcorn for dinner on Friday nights.

WEBSITE  |  TWITTER  |  FACEBOOK  |  PINTEREST  |  INSTAGRAM  |  GOODREADS AUTHOR PAGE  |  BOOKBUB AUTHOR PAGE  |  AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Book Excerpt Tour for Highland Justice by Heather McCollum…….

 A woman trying to protect others finds her heart, and her life, in jeopardy from a brutal Clan Lord in this third installment in the Sons of Sinclair series. Keep reading to get a tempting taste of Highland Justice by Heather McCollum, then start counting down the days until this book hits shelves on April 26th!

As the new chief of Clan Mackay, Gideon Sinclair knows the importance of maintaining order at any cost. To keep the conquered clan in line, Gideon must mete out ruthless justice or risk losing their precious new peace. But from the moment he meets Cait Mackay—aye, from the moment the sweetness of her lips captures his—all of Gideon’s careful objectivity is well and thoroughly compromised.

Cait knows that kissing the brawny Highlander is a dangerous game. It was bad enough she picked his pocket to feed the children in her care, but sometimes a desperate woman must disguise her crimes any way she can. Only her act of deception has made things worse…Because one kiss with the Highland’s most brutal chief leaves her breathless and out of her depth.

Now Gideon must choose between his duty and his heart when his lovely thief is accused of treason against the king himself.

EXCERPT:

Bloody hell! What was she doing? Gideon certainly wouldn’t let a lass dupe him like Ella had tricked his oldest brother with a kiss, to escape him when they first met.
Fingers tugging his hair, she pressed her lips hard against his. The kiss was clumsy, frantic, like a virgin caught in her first storm of passion. But when her warm palms caught his face, and she slanted across his mouth, deepening the kiss, he wondered if she possibly had some experience.
She stroked fingers through his hair, her warm lips moving over his, and her frantic desperation began to calm. As the stiffness he’d felt in her faded, so did his thoughts about Ella tricking Cain and whether this soft creature in his arms was a maiden or not. Even the questions about how she got in and her ultimate purpose washed away with the growing warmth of her response. Perhaps it was the darkness, or the mystery of who she was, or the scent that plucked at his memory, but fire ignited inside Gideon. His arms encircled her, pulling her soft body against his hard frame.
Gideon lifted her, backing her against the wall. She was all womanly curves and softness. His fingers tangled in the twist of hair at her nape. Pins fell, plinking on the stone window frame next to her, and her heavy braid slipped down over one shoulder. He pressed his face to it, inhaling along the thick length as they both pulled shallow breaths. It was silky and fragrant, tugging at that memory that wouldn’t reveal itself. Who was she? Would she stay the night?
His mouth fell upon her neck, tasting the light saltiness there as he trailed kisses over her smooth skin. Her head tipped back against the wall, her breath coming in shallow rasps. He moved back to her parted lips where the kiss swept them both up again. The woman’s scent, her warmth and curves, the mystery around her...It all ensnared him. Like a siren in Homer’s Odyssey.
He held her between him and the stone wall beside the open window. Cold air had no effect on him with such fire growing inside at her response. He captured her face in his hands, feeling the mask. It was wool and tied tightly. He reached behind her head to pluck at the knot. As if the lass had been under the same spell as he, his tugging on the ties startled her into action. She gasped, turning her face away before he could free the knot. She shoved at his chest, her knee rising, but he shifted so she missed his groin.
“Hold still,” he said, but her hand whipped out toward him, and Gideon felt the sting of a blade across his arm. Surprise made him release his hold for a second. Apparently, that was all the time the lass needed to hurl herself out of his window.
“Nay!” he yelled as she disappeared, leaping to her death.

PRE-ORDER LINKS:  AMAZON  |  BN  |  KOBO  |  POWELL'S  |  iBOOKS  |  GOOGLE PLAY  |  BaM  |  AUDIBLE

PREVIOUS BOOKS IN THE SERIES:  HIGHLAND CONQUEST  |  HIGHLAND WARRIOR

AUTHOR INFO:

I’m Heather McCollum, writer of 16th century Scottish romance full of intrigue and sprinkled with humor, history, & spice. Brawny Highlanders with golden hearts & feisty heroines are my favorites! I’m a mom of 3, dog-mom of 1, & wife of a 6’4” Highlander. I love kilted heroes, dragonflies, watching birds, chai lattes, & eating popcorn for dinner on Friday nights.

WEBSITE  |  TWITTER  |  FACEBOOK  |  PINTEREST  |  INSTAGRAM  |  GOODREADS AUTHOR PAGE  |  BOOKBUB AUTHOR PAGE  |  AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Book Spotlight on You’ve Got Plaid by Eliza Knight (GIVEAWAY).......

The daughter of his enemy soon becomes the woman he'll sacrifice everything for to keep safe in this exhilarating historical romance.  Keep reading to get a tempting taste of You’ve Got Plaid by Eliza Knight, then add it to your bookshelf.  In honor of this third installment in the Prince Charlie's Angels series make sure to fill out the form below for the chance to win 1 of 2 sets of Sourcebooks May releases too!

This Highlander is determined to help his enemy’s daughter get safely home, even if it means his own defeat...

Brogan Grant, a Jacobite soldier and bastard son of the Chief, fought savagely on the battlefield and barely escaped capture. On the run for his life, Brogan comes across what he thinks is a spy—a very bonny lass disguised as a lad, who happens to be the daughter of his clan’s enemy. He admires her bravery, but he knows what can happen to a woman alone in a war-ravaged land.

Lady Fiona MacBean is determined to do her part to ensure there is a Scottish king. Disguised as a healer, she delivers coded messages to rebels throughout the Highlands. There’s only one thing impeding her mission—a striking Highlander who’s determined to send her home.

Unfortunately, Fiona will not be deterred, no matter what the sexy Scot says. Left with little choice, Brogan agrees to join her mission if she agrees to return home when it’s over. Now the two must work together and risk everything to save the life of Bonnie Prince Charlie himself. If only their hearts weren’t at risk as well...

EXCERPT:

MacBean Lands Highlands, Scotland Summer 1725

“What are ye doing?”

Fiona MacBean, second of four children born to Chief MacBean and his stronghearted bride, turned around to see her three siblings standing obstinately in a line, hands on hips, feet tapping.

Her elder brother had a knowing smirk on his face, as though he’d caught her red-handed. Her younger brother, Ian, was emulating Gus to a T, and sweet Leanna, the youngest of the brood, waggled her brows at Fiona in a way that meant she had a secret and was having a hard time keeping it in.

Fiona pulled her hands away from the gap in the tree and tried to clear her expression of anything other than annoyance.

“I’m just looking for eggs in a quail’s nest.”

“Nay, ye were no’. Just tell us what ye found.” Gus narrowed his eyes, the same way their father often did.

“I told ye, the squirrel ran up the tree. He was running in a circle just here.” Fiona zigzagged in front of the tree, and then hurried behind it before coming around the front and pretending to scurry up the bark.

“We know what ye do when ye come out to the woods,” Ian said, looking up at Gus for approval.

“Aye, we know,” Leanna added, not wanting to be left out.

Fiona crossed her arms and scowled. “The lot of ye are a bunch of storytellers.”

“Och, who’s telling stories now?” Gus said, taking a step forward.

Fiona clenched her hands, forgetting she held the slip of paper that had been folded neatly and shoved into the nook in the tree.

“Who’s it from?” Ian asked.

“Read it to us,” Leanna added.

“Hand it over. If ye dinna, we’ll only be forced to take it from ye.” Gus held out his hand.

At twelve years old herself, Fiona didn’t often take orders from her brother, born just shy of eleven months before her. But if he were threatening to tackle her to the ground, that was something entirely different. Gus was bigger than her, having just shot up another four inches in the past summer. But she was faster...

Fiona took off at a run.

As a little girl, she’d spent a great deal of time running through the forest, her feet slipping on leaves, boots catching on roots. She’d hidden in the hollows of trees, leapt over fallen oaks, slid down embankments. There was no nook or cranny in the forest she’d not claimed as her own. And as much as her siblings tried to find her in every single one, they were not always successful.

Her father didn’t like her traipsing off alone in the forest, especially not with the uprising. The damned loyalists, who she assumed were the English when he said it, had been a nuisance to all their hides for as long as she could remember.

Fiona had been born just a couple of years before the first Jacobite rising in 1715, and in fact, on her second birthday, her da had been away meeting with a war council along with other prominent Scots and titled men from England. Had fought beside old King James, and proudly showed his battle scars whenever he was a bit too deep in his cups. He’d been a sprite man of about twenty-five back then. There’d been a few more battles since, but none won, as yet. That didn’t mean they were going to give up.

Every year, Fiona went with her father to a secret meeting of the lairds and earls and other warriors to discuss their latest plans. They thought she was off gallivanting with her friends and siblings, not paying attention. Which she mostly was, but she was also very good at spying, and so the children often had her listen in on the talks, then bring back the news of what she’d learned.

There was one particular lad who seemed keen on her skills. His name was Aeneas but he asked her to call him Aes, and he had a smile that could melt the heart of even a lass who spent more time than not irritated with lads, namely her brothers.

He’d caught her one of the days listening in on an important conversation.

She didn’t see him in the hall with any of the other children, nor did she see him accompany any of the lairds. Aes was just as much a mystery to her as anyone else.

When she talked with her friends Jenny and Annie about him, they couldn’t figure out who Aes was, either, so they spent their days and evenings searching out the boy with the soot-colored hair and a mischievous grin. But he only seemed to show up when Fiona least expected it, and when her friends weren’t around, to prove he wasn’t a ghost.

Every year she saw Aes, and their fondness for each other grew. Just this past spring, he’d told her he didn’t want to wait until next year to see her again. Fiona suggested he write to her instead, to which he wrinkled his nose. If he was writing her letters, her father would want to know who he was, and he’d want to read them.

Fiona had asked what was wrong with her da knowing who Aes was, but he said it was best no one knew, so they’d sketched a map of the wood surrounding her family’s small lands, and she’d drawn an X on the spot where there was a tree with a secret nook that she often hid pretty rocks in. If Aes could find it and leave her letters there, their friendship was meant to be.

She’d been checking that tree for months, and today was the first time she’d found anything—a piece of folded paper, and she’d be damned if she was going to let one of her sticky-fingered siblings get their hands on it.

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AUTHOR INFO:

ELIZA KNIGHT is an award-winning and USA Today bestselling author of over fifty sizzling historical romances. While not reading, writing, or researching for her latest book, she chases after her three children. In her spare time (if there is such a thing...) she likes daydreaming, wine-tasting, traveling, hiking, staring at the stars, watching movies, shopping, and visiting with family and friends.

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Book Spotlight on Highland Defender by Kathryn Le Veque (GIVEAWAY).......

Fans of historical romances will find themselves drawn to this intensely emotional romance of past decisions and future possibilities that will keep you glued to the pages.  Keep reading to get a tempting taste of Highland Defender by Kathryn Le Veque, then add it to your bookshelf.  In honor of this second installment in the Scots and Swords series make sure to fill out the form below for the chance to win 1 of 5 copies of the previous book in this series too!

Gladiator meets Fight Club in the Scottish Highlands in a new series from USA Today bestselling author Kathryn Le Veque.

Ashamed of a decision he made in battle that cost good men their lives, Bane Morgan escapes to Edinburgh to forget his past. But the more time he spends away from his Highland home, the more he’s filled with regret and despair.

Lucia Symington knows something about despair. Forced to work off a family debt for a clan with little moral compass and a particular hatred for her, Lucia loses herself a little more each day. When a chance meeting with Bane gives them both a glimpse of what their future together could be, Bane pledges himself to the Ludus Caledonia, the warrior training club where he can reconnect to the fire for justice that still burns within him. The Highland Defender has returned...only to discover that his quest to free his lady could cost them both everything...

EXCERPT:

Oh, but there was a storm churning inside of Lucia, and the lightning she’d come to associate with Bane was flying in all directions. His close proximity had started a firestorm, and she was struggling to stay on an even keel.

Gazing up at him, she could feel his hot breath in her face as his right arm went up, casually bracing himself against the support beam of the stall over her head as he looked down upon her. The closer he loomed, the more the lightning sparked.

“I...I dunna hear it often.”

“From the men around here?”

“Never from them.”

“Then they’re fools.”

“Or mayhap they know their place.”

A grin spread across his lips. “I’ve never been accused of knowing my place,” he said huskily. “Even if I did, in yer case, I’d ignore it.”

God, he was so close. Lucia was having difficulty breathing and she turned her head, looking away from him because she was thrilled and intimidated at the same time. Looking at him made her feel as if she were losing control of herself. She could see him in her periphery as he leaned in, taking a long, deep smell of her hair.

It was enough to turn her bones to jelly.

“Bane...” she said breathlessly.

“Shush,” he murmured. “Let me smell ye. I want tae know what an angel smells like.”

It wasn’t just her hair he was smelling, but her skin. He sniffed her neck, moving to her shoulder and smelling that as well. All the while, he didn’t touch her. He didn’t make a move to make contact. But his face, his nose, was close enough that Lucia could feel him brushing against her. His heated breath spilled over her skin, blowing against her like the bellows of a smithy’s forge.

It was intoxicating.

“What does an angel smell like?” she managed to ask.

He moved so his face was next to hers. He was looking at her profile at close range as she looked away.

“Beauty,” he muttered. “Strength. Honor. It smells like everything a man needs in life.”

She sighed in utter delight as his words filled her ears. When his lips gently kissed her cheek, her jelly bones gave way and she slumped back against the wall. Bane swiftly moved forward, slipping his arms beneath hers and bracing her against the stall so she wouldn’t fall. As she turned to him, opening her mouth to speak, his mouth slanted over hers in a deliciously tender kiss.

The lightning exploded.

Lucia could hear little gasps as he kissed her, hardly aware they were her own. For all of Bane’s size and strength, his kisses were so very gentle, like the touch of a bird’s wings, something so delightful yet something that filled her with awe and wonder. She’d never been kissed before.

Not even close.

It was as if the sun suddenly burst out from behind the clouds.

Her arms went around his neck, holding him firmly against her as she responded to his heated kiss. Enfolded in his embrace, she was vastly aware of his body pressed against hers, the heat from his big frame filling her with a comfort she’d never known before. She could hardly breathe, but she didn’t care. She welcomed the giddiness. He was overwhelming her with the virile masculinity that had been buried beneath that street filth.

His scent filled her nostrils, too.

Glorious.

And then it was abruptly over.

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AUTHOR INFO:

With over one hundred published novels, KATHRYN LE VEQUE is a critically acclaimed USA Today bestselling author, a charter Amazon All-Star author, and a #1 bestselling, award- winning, multi-published author in Medieval Historical Romance and Contemporary Romance. She lives in California.

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Book Spotlight on Truly Madly Plaid by Eliza Knight (GIVEAWAY)......

Readers will find themselves quickly captivated by this battle for love and country that beautifully blends history with fiction to craft an epic historical romance.  Keep reading to get a tempting taste of Truly Madly Plaid by Eliza Knight, then add this highlander-fueled tale to your bookshelf.  In honor of this second installment in the Prince Charlie's Angels series make sure to fill out the form below for the chance to win 1 of 5 copies of the first book in this series too!

USA Today bestselling author Eliza Knight takes you into the heart of the Highlands, where these warriors are prepared to give up everything in the fight for their country.

Annie MacPherson’s world was torn apart when her family’s castle was ravaged during the war. Determined to aid her countrymen, she braves the battlefield and finds gravely wounded Lieutenant Craig MacLean.

Soon her heart belongs to the fierce warrior.

As the English dragoons draw closer to Annie’s makeshift hospital, Craig knows they have to escape together if they’ll have any chance to survive. But when they come face-to-face with the enemy and Craig is imprisoned, Annie will have to risk everything she has to save the man she can’t live without.

History and adventure come to life in Eliza Knight’s thrilling Scottish Highland romance. Annie is based loosely on Anne MacKay, Anne Leith, and Lady Maxwell, who risked their lives to protect Jacobite soldiers by hiding them, healing their wounds, and helping them escape from enemy forces.

EXCERPT:

April 5, 1746

This was a mistake.

Every hair on the back of Lieutenant Craig MacLean’s neck stood on end, as though each one wielded

its own sword against the enemy.

Without the protection of the fortress walls, they were sitting ducks tromping through the forest. An

army with most of its men on foot would not be able to escape should a legion of redcoats cut off their path.

Winter had not stopped the sieges. Winter had not stopped death.

A vulture flew overhead, accompanied by two cronies as they cut a wide circular path in the graying sky. Were he and the men the dead meat they sought?

“We should go back,” he said to Graham MacPherson. “Your invitation was appreciated, but I’ve no’ got a good feeling about this.”

There was no telling when Cumberland’s men would make their move, and if the men were inebriated from drink and tired from too much celebrating, they’d not be ready for an attack.

Graham chuckled and tossed the end of a stick he’d been chewing at Craig. “Ye’re afraid of a few birds, are ye?”

“I’m no’ afraid of anything.”

“Let loose, MacLean. The men need to have some fun, and so do ye.”

The very last place that Craig wanted to be was riding toward Cullidunloch Castle. It wasn’t that he didn’t like castles or his host or the warm feast that Graham had promised or the ale that was certain to be flowing.

Craig liked all of those things quite a lot. More than a lot, if he were being honest. Toss in a bonnie wench or two to flirt with, and he’d be in his own version of heaven. But Cullidunloch Castle wasn’t only home to his best mate. It also happened to house a woman he’d been working hard to avoid for months. Graham’s sister Annie was very beautiful and very irksome. She was as brilliant as she was irritating, and despite that brilliance, the lass had conveniently forgotten the single encounter the two of them had shared.

He hadn’t forgotten. How could he? And now he was descending upon her home—her and Graham’s home—to partake of their hospitality. Her hospitality. If she was willing to give it. Hospitality he would really like to have, considering he hadn’t had a warm bath in weeks. He’d only managed to keep himself from smelling like a chamber pot by swimming—when the lochs weren’t covered in a sheet of ice. His clothes were getting stiff from use, and he was fairly certain that his last good pair of hose now had a hole where his big toe was greedily trying to squeeze through.

At least right now they weren’t dealing with snow, though it was only early spring and another storm was inevitable in the Highlands. The temperatures had been rising steadily, enough so that the men in his regiment weren’t so fearful of freezing to death anymore. Unless of course it snowed tonight and Annie MacPherson tossed him out with the last of the evening’s rubbish. He wouldn’t put it past her.

Craig would have to make nice with her, though he found the very idea absurd. Graham didn’t need to know what a termagant his sister truly was. He’d never told his friend what had happened when he’d found Annie retching after battle.

To everyone else she encountered, Annie was sweet as sunshine. Even the men she had to stitch up while they writhed in pain called her their angel—men in his own regiment, men he’d trained and led into battle. She was lauded for her nursing skills and her bedside manner, which stung even more. Of course he sent his men to her to be mended; she was the best damn healer he’d ever seen.

And that was about all the amount of niceties he’d extend. Why had he been the only unlucky fellow to have encountered her waspish side?

He would never be caught openly acknowledging the bonniness of her face. The way her chin curved into a petite point or the way her eyebrows arched delicately over her mesmerizing eyes. Eyes that were the most incredible amber color.

Bloody hell.

Every time he looked at Annie, every time she smiled, he saw that derisive sneer she’d flashed at him the night he’d tried to help her. He’d seen a side of her he was certain no one else had, and he’d run as far as he bloody could—after making sure she was safely taken care of, that was.

He wasn’t a complete monster.

But he was quite all right with her believing he was, if that meant she’d stay the hell away from him. “Is the pottage breakfast no’ agreeing with ye?” Graham’s teasing voice cut through Craig’s thoughts. He snorted. “I’ve an iron stomach, lad.”

“Lad? I think I’ve got a year or two on ye. And ye forget we’ve been living together on campaign for months. Bean pottage is no’ your friend, mate.”

Craig snickered. “Are ye saying that ye’re in need of a latrine?”

“Debatable.”

Craig was glad for his friend’s distraction. Though he didn’t want to talk about beans or what happened after he ate them.

“Annie’s sure to have a hearty meal for the lot of us this evening.” Graham sounded so wistful, as though he were talking about something more fantastical than food. Like the war ending with Prince Charles Stuart sitting on the throne. Now that was something to long for.

Craig’s smile faded, and he nodded, having hoped to avoid any further conversation about Graham’s chit of a sister.

“I’m honored to be your guest.” This much was true.

“Honored?” Graham let out a guffaw. “Ye’re my brother in arms, mate.”

While they’d known each other for years, they’d become closer friends after having saved each other’s arses at the battle at Falkirk the January past.

“I’m certain Logan will want to spar with ye,” Graham was saying of his younger brother, who’d been sent home from the front with a grave injury. “And Annie, she’ll be there to sew ye up.”

Craig laughed, but only half-heartedly. If he had his way, he’d keep Annie the length of a jousting stick away from him—preferably farther—at all times.

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AUTHOR INFO:

ELIZA KNIGHT is an award-winning and USA Today bestselling author of over fifty sizzling historical romances. When not reading, writing, or researching, she chases after her three children. In her spare time she likes daydreaming, wine-tasting, traveling, hiking, and visiting with family and friends. She lives in Maryland.

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Book Spotlight on Highland Gladiator by Kathryn Le Veque (GIVEAWAY)....

A warrior bent on revenge finds his heart involved when the woman who's been fighting by his side needs him to fight for her and the clan he once swore vengeance on in this thrilling historical romance.  Keep reading to get a tempting taste of Highland Gladiator by Kathryn Le Veque, then add it to your bookshelf.  In honor of this first installment in the Scots and Swords series make sure to fill out the form below for the chance to win 1 of 5 copies of this book too!

When Lor Careston’s quiet Highland village was attacked and burned, he felt helpless against the raiders who destroyed his home. Seeking revenge, but lacking the fighting skills needed to execute his mission, he sets out to find the Ludus Caledonia—a mysterious fight guild that turns men into warriors.

Lor trains hard, proves himself in the ring, and earns a place within the very clan that decimated his home. He knows he can set his plan for revenge in motion from the inside. But his plan didn’t include Isabail Keith, a beautiful warrior lass who prefers broadswords to embroidery. Lor thought the Keiths were his enemies, but when Isabail is threatened, he’ll have to decide what he’s willing to risk for the woman who has captured his heart and the clan that has become his home.

Truth. Justice. Revenge. Behind these stands the Scotsman’s sword.

EXCERPT:

The village of Brechin, Scottish Highlands Year of Our Lord 1484

He’d seen her before.

Lor knew that the moment he looked up from the business he was conducting with his grandfather’s friend. In the midst of a busy marketplace on a glorious spring day, he caught sight of a woman he recognized, which wasn’t unusual in itself, but with this woman, it was. Lor and the old man with the missing eye had been going over the purchase Lor was

making of slag material for his grandfather’s blacksmith stall when he glanced up and saw her. In truth, he saw her only from the back; it was the hair that had his attention. In the sunlight, the red curls glistened like molten fire.

Everything about her caught his eye. She was dressed in a long tunic and braies from what he could see, unusual for a lass, but she’d marched down the road with her basket of skins in her arms in a cadence that seemed much more like a man’s than a woman’s.

Purposeful.

Confident.

He’d seen that walk once before.

“Lor?"

The old man next to him was trying to get his attention, but Lor couldn’t take his eyes from the woman as she walked down the dusty avenue. She was weaving in and out among the villagers on this busy market day, and Lor didn’t want to lose sight of her.

He put up a hand to the old man.

“Wait a moment,” he said. “I’ll return."

He didn’t wait for a reply. Quickly, he headed out into the street while the old blacksmith watched him with some frustration.

“Where are ye going, lad?” he called after him. “If ye dunna come back, I’ll rob ye blind.

I’ll tell yer grandfather that it’s yer fault he was cheated out of a good price for his iron!"

The old man meant it as a jest, hoping Lor would return, but the young blacksmith simply waved him off as if he didn’t believe him, which he didn’t. His grandfather, Nikolaus, and old Albe had been doing business since before Lor was born. He didn’t much believe anything the old liars said.

At the moment, he was on the hunt.

The red curls were up ahead, and he followed them like a cat tracking a mouse. There was something about the woman that he remembered from long ago, and as he politely stepped aside to let a woman and her children pass by, it began to occur to him just where he’d seen that hair.

Gleann Deamhain.

The Vale of Demons.

It was difficult to say why an incident from eight years ago suddenly stood out for him. It had been a fleeting moment as far as moments in time went. But it had stayed with him: the young lass who had practically saved him from a band of bloodthirsty cutthroats. Never mind that they were only children; Lor remembered being as afraid of them as if they’d been the mightiest army of men.

Gòrach, they’d called him.

He’d been stupid once, but he wasn’t going to be stupid again.

This time, he was going to be careful.

Lor continued to follow the lass. She finally came to a stop at a merchant who dealt in hides. As he hid back in the crowd, watching, Lor could see the lass holding up the fine pelts she’d brought, negotiating a price with an old man who seemed to be smiling at her too much. At one point, he reached out and pinched her cheek.

She slapped him.

Lor laughed softly.

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AUTHOR INFO:

With over one hundred published novels, Kathryn Le Veque is a critically acclaimed USA Today bestselling author, a charter Amazon All-Star author, and a #1 bestselling, award-winning, multi-published author in Medieval Historical Romance and Contemporary Romance. She lives in California.

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Book Spotlight on The Rebel Wears Plaid by Eliza Knight (GIVEAWAY)

In this exhilarating historical tale a strong-willed woman fights behind the lines for what's right and finds herself caught up in an attraction to man who might be her enemy.  Keep reading to get a tempting taste of The Rebel Wears Plaid by Eliza Knight, then start counting down the days until this book hits shelves on June 30th.  In honor of this first installment in the Prince Charlie’s Angels series make sure to fill out the form below for the chance to win 1 of 5 copies of this book too!

Fraser encounters a mysterious rebel, and he can’t resist being recruited to her cause...

Toran Fraser is hell-bent on taking down the Jacobites. On a late-night mission, he’s intercepted by a woman known only as “Mistress J,” who’s determined to put Prince Charlie back on the throne of Scotland. Toran can’t resist her appeal—especially with her pistol pointed at his heart—and suddenly finds himself joining the rebellion...

By day, highborn Jenny Mackintosh runs her estate in the Highlands. By night, she’s one of Prince Charlie’s Angels—a band of Jacobite rebels. Scoffing at mortal danger, she raises coin, delivers weapons, and recruits soldiers for the rebellion. When she encounters a handsome Highlander who is clearly on the run, she is more than a little intrigued.

She isn’t expecting to be his enemy...

EXCERPT:

Toran jerked around. Suddenly, figures melted out from the shadows. Scots, but in the dark and dressed as they were, he couldn’t make out what clan they hailed from. At the center of the five men stood a lass. Aye, she wore trews and had her hair up under a cap, wisps of golden strands peeking through, but there was no hiding the curves beneath her shirt and waistcoat. In the moonlight filtering through the trees, she looked bonnie—high, arching cheekbones, a mouth that puckered into a frown. But what struck him most was the spark of fire in her gaze. Her eyes reflected the light of the moon, almost making her look like she was glowing.

And the muzzle of her pistol was pointed right at him. Outlaws... Of all the bloody luck. He reached for his own pistol tucked into his belt.

“Dinna move,” the lass said. Her voice was throaty, sensual. “Else I put a bullet through your heart.” A slow grin formed on Toran’s face. “What’s to say I won’t put a bullet in yours first?"

The lass looked down at Archie and then flicked her gaze back to his. “Ye’re outnumbered. Let’s say ye were willing to pull your weapon before I took my shot, and then ye were to waste your bullet, there’d be five more cutting through ye before ye were able to see the result.” Again, she looked at Archie. “And your friend doesna seem like he will be much help."

“We’re verra close to the English garrison, lass. Any shot ye make will be a beacon to the dragoons lurking about. And trust me, there are hundreds of them headed this way as we speak."

“Is that so?” She glanced at Archie once more. “A prison break? So ye two are rebels, aye?"

Toran didn’t answer. Let her come to her own conclusions.

“We have horses.” She kept her gaze on his, and he had the intense urge to draw closer. “Ye and your friend can have one when we return to my camp—for a price. Why not donate your coin to the cause and join us? We’ve a need for more rebels."

Toran did not want to join her. Now, if she’d asked him to join her for some mutual warmth under a plaid, that would be another story. Then again, she had a point about the bullets. And he truly did not want to die.

“I’m guessing from your current circumstances ye are in need of a helping hand, sir.” Her voice was smooth, even melodic, but still filled with authority. And considering that she was the one speaking, she certainly gave the impression that she was the one in charge. Fascinating.

A group of men led by a woman? Not a common thing, and intensely intriguing. Whoever she was, she had ballocks as full of steel as his own. And if he weren’t trapped in the woods with her, a hundred redcoats on his tail, he might have asked her to join him for a dram.

“Who are ye?” Toran asked.

A soft laugh escaped her, and her hand waved dismissively. “Not yet, sir. Ye’ll have to prove yourself first."

Prove himself? He gritted his teeth. “All right, we’ll join ye.” There really was no other choice. He and Archie needed a quick escape, and her horse would provide that. Just because he was taking her up on the offer now didn’t mean he had to stick it out. In fact, as soon as he could, he’d steal the horse and somehow get Archie back to Fraser lands where he could make certain the rest of his family was safe from Boyd.

“Good.” She nodded to Dirk. “Search them for weapons, and then help the wounded man onto your horse."

Toran stood still for the inspection, gritting his teeth as his weapons were removed. “I’ve said we’d join ye. Why then are ye treating me like a prisoner?"

The lass cocked her head to the side, a slight grin curling her upper lip. “We must first see that ye are trustworthy.” With an added challenge echoing in her words, she said, “Ye can ride with me. And dinna try any tricks, else ye find yourself verra dead."

The lass didn’t beat around the bush, and there was no hint of humor in her tone at all. She meant what she said.

Toran climbed onto the back of her horse, his cold, wet body flush to her warmer, dry back. Beneath the icy exterior was a lass full of lush curves. Mo chreach...Good heavens, but she felt good. Hesitantly, he placed an arm around her waist. She shuddered. “Blast, but ye’re soaked,” she hissed. “Ye should have warned me. And ye smell like the devil’s own chamber pot."

Toran chuckled. “A hazard of escape, lass."

Her back straightened, and she leaned forward, away from him. “Ye can call me Mistress J.” Mistress J? Why did that sound familiar?

“And ye are?” she urged.

“I’m called Toran,” he said slowly as realization struck him. The night had taken a very interesting turn. For he was holding onto the woman he suspected might be responsible for his mother’s death.

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AUTHOR INFO:

ELIZA KNIGHT is an award-winning and USA Today bestselling author of over fifty sizzling historical romances. Under the name E. Knight, she’s known for riveting tales that cross landscapes around the world. When not reading, writing, or researching, she chases after her three children. In her spare time she likes daydreaming, wine-tasting, traveling, hiking, and visiting with family and friends. She lives in Maryland.

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