Cathy MacRae's Blog

FREE for a limited time! The Highlander's French Bride

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A Scottish warrior faces his worst fears in war-torn France--and discovers the one woman who can make him whole again.

Amazon link: https://www.amzn.com/dp/B018OHXKHK

Fall in love with Melisande and Kinnon--and a fiercely protective dog named Jean Baptiste--in The Highlander's French Bride.

Ultimate Summer Reads Extravaganza!

Well, the title says it all, doesn't it? Check out the lovely authors involved and the awesome prizes!
​Want to enter? Read on . . . 26 of your favorite Historical Romance authors have banded together to bring you an amazing giveaway! It's all about summer fun, summer relaxation, and summer reads in this hot-as-summer exciting event! Enter for a chance to win:
Grand Prize: One (1) winner will win a Lenovo laptop!
Runner Up Prizes: Four (4) winners will receive an Amazon Gift Card worth $25
So, click on the entry link and enter to win one of these amazing prizes in the Ultimate Summer Reads Extravaganza!!!
Thank you so much for your support from your Ultimate Historical Romance Authors!
(Please see contest rules for terms and conditions. Void where prohibited)
Here's the link: http://bit.ly/UltimateSummerReadsExtravaganza
Best of luck, and enjoy a summer of reading!

Medieval Monday First Kiss Theme Wrap-up with The Highlander's Pirate Bride by Cathy & DD MacRae

                     Medieval Monday
                          final week

Will the theft of the wrong ship land her in a hangman's noose?
Or in the arms of a Highlander?

Thank you for joining me today as we wrap up the Medieval Monday First Kiss Themed Blog Hop of 2021!

I hope you've enjoyed the snippets as they led you right up to that enticing moment when the hero and heroine take that step into intimacy.

Here's the First Kiss Scene from The Highlander's Pirate Bride...
Excerpt:

A single thud on the heavy portal announced their time in private was coming to an end.
Rona heaved a reluctant sigh. “Shall we open the door?”

Pedr shook his head. “Nae until we reach an accord. I would have ye sign yer name willingly to the contract. A reluctant or rebellious wife isnae my intention.”

Rona chewed her lip. Whether she was ready to wed or nae, she wasn’t likely to receive a better offer. A different pang tugged at her heart. She’d been so busy protecting her clan, she’d given no thought to what her heart would desire. Could marriage with Pedr MacLean be more than a clan alliance—and a way to avoid the noose? Was she foolish to wish for more?

“Even were I nae facing a hangman’s noose, my options would be between ye and the next male who is of an age to sign his name,” she pointed out. “Da willnae relent.”

Pedr spread his hands wide. “I’m nae such a bad catch, Rona. I care for my own and dinnae abuse women nor children.” His eyes twinkled. “And I’m still in possession of all of my teeth. I could show ye if ye like.”

A laugh bubbled unexpectedly in Rona’s throat. Why not wed the MacLean’s youngest son? No matter what she did, her days of striding the planks appeared over. An hour ago, the admission had embittered her toward men of all ages—especially those who claimed to only have her best interests at heart. Now? The scoundrel appealed.

“Mayhap marriage to ye would be preferable to the hangman’s noose,” she allowed, fighting the beginnings of a smile.

“Spoken like a woman who knows her own mind,” Pedr declared. “Pragmatic and insightful. Shall we seal the bargain with a kiss?”

Her smile vanished. Entering into a contract with Pedr was one thing. Allowing intimacies was another. Yet, there was no separating the two. Marriages formed alliances. Alliances grew dynasties. Children were required to inherit those dynasties.

She reined in her thoughts before they became full panic. He asked for a kiss, not a tupping on her da’s desk. Inhaling a slow breath, she composed herself and gave a nod.

“Preparing for battle, eh?” Pedr shook his head. “I’ll nae storm yer decks, cutlass in hand. I’ll nae be that sort of husband. Ye have my word. I’ve a different sort of wooing in mind.”

An exhilaration not unlike facing a storm at the bow of a ship rushed over her. She swallowed, throat suddenly dry. “This isnae going to be a peck on the cheek, then?”

His grin was pure seduction. “Nae, lass. I dinnae have pecks in mind.” He reached a hand toward her. “The first step is yers.”

“Och, thank God. For I dinnae know what the second step is.”

She took his hand and did not resist as he drew her before him. The room, boasting little more than a sullen glow of peat on the hearth, was suddenly much too warm, the walls much too close, her gown—albeit one she’d outgrown months earlier—much too tight.

Pedr closed the final distance, his cheek nesting against the top of her head. “Promise ye’ll always fight for those less fortunate than ye,” he murmured, his breath stirring her hair. “Promise ye will always tell me what ye think.”

A strangled chuckle escaped her. “Ye have naught to fear. I dinnae dissemble well. And, my heart will always be with those in need.”

“Yer sympathies, aye.” He pressed his lips to her hair, the corner of her eye, the ridge of her cheek. “Yer heart, my fair pirate, belongs to me.”

Rona swayed but held firm. It would do no good to hold him responsible for her predicament—though he didn’t have to look so pleased. She’d given her best endeavors to her duties as the Black MacNeill, she would not quail at giving like attention to her responsibilities as Pedr MacLean’s wife.

She would allow one kiss.

She awaited the rough plunder she’d witnessed from sailors and the women who met them at the ports. Pedr did not oblige.

His hands skimmed her shoulders in a languid fashion, setting up tingles that buzzed through her veins like the first swallow of a sparkling mead. His lips drifted lower to linger on the corner of her mouth. At his touch her face turned.

His lips brushed hers, soft, warm, inviting. A breath of anticipation separated them, hot, tantalizing, seductive. The tip of his tongue outlined her lips. A faint gasp fled Rona’s throat. Pedr deepened the kiss, then, when her world tilted firmly beyond her control, drew back. Her lips followed, pulling her up on her toes, hands splayed on his chest, fingers fouling the cloth of his tunic.

His arms swept about her and pulled her tight, his body rock-hard against hers. She pressed closer. A moment later, he lifted his head.

Pedr cupped her face in his palms. “Open the door, my pirate lass, and I’ll pen the appropriate words for our betrothal.”
                                                                                       * * *
                                                                                          The Highlander’s Pirate Bride
                                                                                               By Cathy & DD MacRae
Blurb:
As the pirate The Black MacNeill, Rona MacNeill has stolen more than one English ship to keep her clan from starving. With Yule only days away, will the theft of the wrong ship land her in a hangman’s noose? Or the arms of a Highlander?

Rona MacNeill has done everything she can to help her small, impoverished clan—except marry for money. Her luck seems to lie in stealing ships, not attracting suitors. Only days before Yule, she seeks one last ship with stores to keep her people fed over the long, harsh winter. Too bad her luck has run out.

Pedr MacLean is happy to be the younger (by three minutes) son of Baron MacLean. His days are filled with running the family’s shipping business and sailing the world. His heart belongs to the sea—or so he thinks, until one of his ships is stolen, and the woman responsible turns his world upside down.

Drawn to Rona’s strength and love of the sea, Pedr will agree to her father’s demand—information on the whereabouts of his ship in exchange for his daughter’s hand in marriage. Will Rona find herself caught between a marriage of convenience and a hangman’s noose? Or will she discover something far more compelling?

The Highlander’s Pirate Bride is the swash-buckling seventh addition to the Hardy Heroines series. If you like pirates, rags-to-riches, and swoon-worthy Highlanders, you’ll love Cathy & DD MacRae’s newest high-seas romance.

Buy link:  https://www.amzn.com/dp/B08WFJFT8D 

Medieval Monday with Daryl Devore'

                                     Medieval Monday

                                            week #14

This post marks the last of the blog round-robin of First Kiss snippets for Medieval Monday. I'm looking forward to next week with the wrap-up from each author with an eager eye to the next round.

Daryl Devore' joins me today with a snippet from her book The Last Dragon. You'll find my snippet from The Highlander's Pirate Bride on her blog here: https://daryldevore.blogspot.com/
Check out the other authors' links from the Medieval Romance Lovers Facebook page here:    https://www.facebook.com/groups/1401384450126130

Don't forget to come back here next week for the final installment from The Highlander's Pirate Bride!

Read on and discover a prince. A sorceress. And a heart-breaking secret. Snippet:
Derry stood. “Turn, please. I will remove my blouse and skirt and they can be hung to dry. My shift should dry as I sleep. Everything is wet?”
“Yes. The rain soaked through all. As this is not my horse and my things, I have no caparison to cover ye.”
As she removed her wet clothes, he moved to the mound of hay and shifted it to make a bed. She settled onto the dry, scratchy hay. Hawkyns removed his tunic and trousers, hung them next to hers then settled in the hay bed. “'Tis older hay and not sweet smelling, but 'tis dry.” He lifted handfuls of hay and placed it over her and then himself. “Lie close. Two bodies will give heat.”
                                                                                          * * *
See last week’s snippet on Barbara Bettis’s blog - http://www.barbarabettis.com/index.php/blog/
Follow the excerpt from the very beginning, starting with the first snippet on Daryl Devoré’s blog: https://daryldevore.blogspot.com/

Blurb:
What do dragons, knights and romance have in common? Grab a copy of multi-published author Daryl Devore’s medieval fantasy romance – The Last Dragon and discover the answer.
A sorcerer craving dominance merged with a dragon, the power overwhelmed him causing him to split into three dragons. Demora ruled thought, but was lost in time. Yidithe offered protection, shining like the light of the sun. Ayrradex craved chaos, revelling in destroying souls. 
Many knights died, attempting to slay the devil beast. One knight, Prince Hawkyns, did not fear death. He’d lost everything. Away on a mission when Ayrradex attacked his father’s kingdom, Penrythe, Hawkyns returned to find his noble father – feeble and defeated. His wise mother – crazed. His beautiful wife and unborn child - dead. Only a pile of ashes remained for him to bury. He knelt before his King and vowed to slay the devil-beast or be slain. 
Derry was born with powers that terrified her parents. They delivered her to a nunnery to be raised in secret. Jathe, a wise sorceress, discovered the young girl and trained her to one day use the secret hidden in her soul.
Legends spoken around campfires hinted the sole way to destroy Ayrradex was when the hearts of a knight and a golden dragon became one. But after a vicious battle with Ayrradex, the golden dragon was thought to be dead. 
Can Prince Hawkyns’s bravery and Derry’s powers end the reign of the devil-beast’s terror?
                                                                                         * * *
Buy Links:
Amazon - ebook - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08QPW4CVF
Amazon - print - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08QRVJ59P
Books2read – universal link - ebook – https://books2read.com/The-Last-Dragon
Books2read –universal link – print -  https://books2read.com/The-Last-Dragon-

Medieval Monday with Sophia Nye

                                        Medieval Monday

                                               week #13

Welcome back to the next round of First Kiss snippets for Medieval Monday! I hope you're enjoying these little teasers and have found a new book or two you can't wait to read.

Sophia Nye joins me today with her snippet from A Highland Autumn.
You'll find my snippet from The Highlander's Pirate Bride on her blog here: https://sophianyewrites.com/blog/

Sophia's hero and heroine are in quite the conundrum. Read on and see how a murder, a mix-up, and a midnight missive make for one unforgettable Highland romance!



Snippet:
“What of Lady Sybilla?” she asked, her voice shaking with emotion.
God, she was right. What was he doing? It was shameful enough that he had no intention of sharing a bed with his future wife. The least he could do was keep his hands off Adelina. Aye, for Adelina’s own sake he should leave her alone. The last thing he wanted was to become too involved with a woman he cared for. And whatever his intentions were, it was painfully obvious that he did care for her.
                                                                                                                                  * * *

See last week’s snippet on Barbara Bettis’s blog: http://www.barbarabettis.com/index.php/blog/
Follow along next week on Ruth A. Casie’s blog: www.RuthACasie.blogspot.com

Blurb:
When a fiery, red-haired Englishwoman falls for the laird’s charming, off-limits son, their passion ignites a fire that threatens to engulf the clan.
Ronan Calder, eldest son of Clan Calder's laird, is going to stay as far away from marriage as he can get. After losing his mother and beloved sister during childbirth, Ronan knows there is no way he could ever inflict such a fate upon any woman. Things get a little complicated when he meets the enchanting new scholar and mistakes her for his future bride. 
Adelina Matheson has every intention of becoming the first female scholar at Oxford, and the quick wit to prove it. The only thing she's missing is permission to attend lectures. When the masters challenge Adelina to serve as advisor to a Highland laird in exchange for entry, she is left with little choice. She agrees to the challenge - surely she can manage such a simple task to prove herself.
Except that once Adelina arrives at Calder Keep, she realizes that nothing about her task is simple. She must battle her alarming attraction to the laird's handsome son while enduring the laird’s beastly temper. The only other Englishwoman is also her competition for Ronan's affection, and the entire clan is under threat of attack at the upcoming Samhain celebration. Can Ronan and Adelina put aside their personal troubles and save Clan Calder, or will they doom the entire clan?
​
Buy link:
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08L8PRG18

Medieval Monday with Bambi Lynn

      




                               Medieval Monday

                                      week #12

Cheer your favorite in the lively tournament in A Knight in Rusted Armor by Bambi Lynn! The hand of a fair maiden is at stake, and she's determined to stack the odds in her favor.

You'll find my snippet from The Highlander's Pirate Bride on Bambi's blog here:
https://bambilynnblog.wordpress.com

​Now, let's take a look at the First Kiss snippet from A Knight in Rusted Armor. Snippet:

Even though she constantly reminded herself how much she did not want Thorin, she watched anxiously for his sudden appearances. Yesterday at the tournament, she had wanted to shake off Paul’s grasp and go to him as he balanced himself at the railing. She wanted to tell him she did not favor anyone other than him, tell him she felt—
She knew not how she felt. He made her smile when she wanted to claw at his face. He made her feel more than warm when she wanted to treat him with coolness. He made her tingle as much with a look as with a kiss.
“Kiss me,” she said suddenly to Paul.
Paul stopped talking immediately.
Probably a first for him, Allys thought. She lowered her eyes in a coy gesture. “Unless of course you do not want to,” she said.
                                                                                   * * *

Blurb:

Allys Stone would risk repute as a ruined woman to gain control of her life. Thorin Svenson would battle the most skilled knights in the realm to win her. Theirs is a love story of fairy tales and wild passion, a battle of wills as well as brawn.
Allys wants to choose her own husband, one who loves life and laughter as much as she does. One who considers her a partner instead of a possession. She has never had any choice but to live by her father’s decisions, and now he’s offering her as grand prize in a tournament.
Thorin must win the hand of a nobleman’s daughter to regain the wealth and position of his family. Consumed by guilt, he will risk his very life to win. Not even her attempts to sabotage his victory will get in his way.
BUY LINK: 
Amazon    https://www.amzn.com/dp/B08BGCJZBN

Medieval Monday with Jenna Jaxon

                                  Medieval Monday

                                         week #11

Welcome back! It's always a pleasure to host Jenna Jaxon on my blog, and she's here to share a First Kiss snippet from her book, Betrayal.

You'll find my snippet from The Highlander's Pirate Bride on Jenna's blog here: https://jennajaxon.wordpress.com/
​And links to snippets from the other Medieval Monday authors on our facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/14013...

Let's have a look at the snippet from the second book in Jenna's Time Enough to Love series where The Worst Betrayals Come From Within... After learning that her beloved Geoffrey has been forced to marry another woman, Alyse is talking to Geoffrey’s best friend, Thomas, about her best option going forward--marriage to him.
Snippet:

He moved his hands behind her head, cupping the thick locks of hair, pulling her face toward his. She trembled as his warm lips met hers, but forced herself to stillness. ’Twas only a kiss, after all.
Thomas brushed his lips against hers, a sweet sensation that eased her fears. 
He would not expect more than she could give.
                                                                                                                       * * *
Last week’s snippet on Barbara Bettis’ blog: http://www.barbarabettis.com/index.php/blog/
Follow along next week on Ruth A. Casie’s blog: http://ruthacasie.blogspot.com/
                                                                                       * * *
Blurb:

After a night of passion with her betrothed, Sir Geoffrey Longford, Lady Alyse de Courcy is eagerly looking forward to her wedding. But when Geoffrey is forced to marry another, a heartbroken and possibly pregnant Alyse finds herself in her own private hell. She must either gamble with her reputation or marry someone she does not love.
A reputed connoisseur of women, Thomas, Lord Braeton, has dallied with many ladies of King Edward’s court, although he has favored none. However, as Geoffrey’s best friend, Thomas has sworn to serve and protect Alyse, an oath now sorely tested when he agrees to marry her—in name only—to guard her reputation. Yet, as they grow closer, and Thomas discovers Alyse’s sweet but spirited nature, he comes to desire a marriage in truth. 
Can he overcome her memory of Geoffrey, or is Thomas doomed to burn with passion for a woman he can never possess?
Buy Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I4IKQ8G/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i25
Smashwords,: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/403200
B & N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/betrayal-jenna-jaxon/1118591851?ean=2940045674331
iTunes: https://books.apple.com/us/book/betrayal-book-2-time-enough-to-love/id815348280
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/betrayal-book-2-time-enough-to-love

Medieval Monday with Judith Sterling

 




                                    Medieval Monday

                                          week # 10

Happy Medieval Monday! Today I have the lovely Judith Sterling on my blog with a First Kiss snippet from her book, Return of the Raven.

You can find my snippet from The Highlander's Pirate Bride on her blog here: https://judithmarshallauthor.com/blog/
Don't forget to check out the other authors' snippets through the links on the Medieval Romance Lover's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1401384450126130

​Now, let's take a look at the first kiss where True Love is Eternal!

Snippet:

They moaned at the same time, as though singing a duet. Every fiber of his being urged him to whisk her to his bed, to show her the tenderness she’d never known and give her all the pleasure she could handle. And then some.
But afterward, he’d be a lost man. She’d have the power to crush his soul, simply by leaving. For theirs would be a dance not of lust, but love.
No. This ends now!
                                                                                      * * *

Blurb:

Margaret, Lady Ravenwood, is trapped in a loveless marriage and firmly entrenched in the medieval world. Along comes Griffin Nightshade, a historian from the future whose soul resonates with hers. He persuades her to return with him to the 1950s, but heeding her heart means courting danger from a curse that could spell her doom.
Haunted by his parents' sudden deaths, Griffin knows all too well the pain born of love lost. He guards his emotions, but Margaret delves deep and goes straight to the soul. She's hard to resist…and harder to set free.
The heart's desire and history's demands don't always agree. Yet true love is eternal.
                                                                                     * * *
Buy links:
Amazon https://amzn.com/B08RYD2GW8
Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/Return-Raven-Novels-Ravenwood-Book-ebook/dp/B08RYD2GW8
Barnes & Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/return-of-the-raven-judith-sterling/1138556276
Apple https://books.apple.com/us/book/return-of-the-raven/id1547199256

Medieval Monday with Sherry Ewing

                                 Medieval Monday

                                        week # 9

Thanks for joining me today for another Medieval Monday First Kiss snippet! The fabulous Sherry Ewing joins me with a bit from her book, To Follow My Heart.

My snippet from The Highlander's Pirate Bride is on Sherry's blog here: www.SherryEwing.com/blog

You'll find the other authors' links on the Medieval Romance Lovers Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1401384450126130


Love is a leap. Sometimes you need to jump... Snippet:
“There is nothing to be afraid of, ma petite. Dristan will watch over you, and I will return before long.”
Her hands reached up and around his neck ’til she stood on the tips of her toes. God’s blood! How was he to leave her behind when she was awakening parts of him not stirred in such a long time? He clasped her to him ’til their bodies were molded one unto the other, but ’twas her words that ignited the fire within him that would surely become a blazing inferno.
“Kiss me, Fletcher,” she murmured softly, leaning further into him. “Kiss me, and prove to me you won’t forget me while you’re gone.”
                                                                                                            * * *
See last week’s snippet on Barbara Bettis’s blog: http://www.barbarabettis.com/index.php/blog/
Follow along next week and find Sherry’s snippet on Ruth A. Casie’s blog: www.RuthACasie.blogspot.com
Blurb:
After a gut wrenching break up with her fiancé, Jenna Sinclair heads to the coast to do a little soul searching. To say everything is subject to change is putting it mildly. Her world is not only turned upside down, but pretty much torn asunder when she is pulled through a time gate on the beach beneath the Cliff House and transported more than eight hundred years into the past.
Fletcher Monroe, captain of the garrison knights at Berwyck Castle, has wasted too much time pining for a woman who will never be his. When he finally decides to move on with his life and focus on his duties, he is suddenly confronted with a woman who magically appears at his feet. This could either be the best thing that has ever happened to him or another cursed event in a string of many.  He soon finds he is wildly attracted to her, but she’s scared to death of him - not a very encouraging beginning.
From the shores of California to twelfth century England and back again, Jenna and Fletcher must find a way to reconcile their two different worlds before Time forever tears them apart.
                                                                                * * *
Buy Links:
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/36xVWjI
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/to-follow-my-heart-sherry-ewing/1123848691?ean=2940158347498
Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/id1117257291
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/to-follow-my-heart

Medieval Monday with Ruth A. Casie

                                    Medieval Monday

                                           week #8

Happy Medieval Monday! I'm excited to host Ruth A. Casie today and a snippet from her book, Knight of Runes.

You can find my snippet from The Highlander's Pirate Bride on Ruth's blog here: https://RuthACasie.blogspot.com  I hope you'll visit!

Don't forget to follow the other Medieval Monday authors by checking their links on the post in Medieval Romance Lovers on Facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/14013...

Let's see what's happening with Lord Arik and Rebeka. 
​ Snippet:
Her hair fell softly around her shoulders, and a gentle wave escaped to cover her right eye. With his forefinger, he gently pushed the dark brown veil away and hooked the hair behind her ear. His hand lingered there. Her hair soft like fine silk. He crushed it in his hand as he brought her head to his chest in a gentle caress. He closed his eyes, enjoying the sweet torture as her body melted into his. Mine.

​                                                                                                                              * * *
Follow along next week (April 5) for excerpt #9 here https://www.anastasiaabboud.com/
Please leave a comment below. Miss last week and a chance to comment? Check it out here: http://www.barbarabettis.com/index.php/blog/

Blurb:
                                                                                                                  Knight of Runes
                                                                                           He is her key to return to the 21st century.
                                                                                               She is the only one who can save him.
England
May, 1605
When Lord Arik, a druid knight, finds Rebeka Tyler wandering his lands without protection, he swears to keep her safe. But Rebeka can take care of herself. When Arik sees her clash with a group of attackers using a strange fighting style, he's intrigued.
Rebeka is no ordinary seventeenth-century woman—she's travelled back from the year 2011, and she desperately wants to return to her own time. She poses as a scholar sent by the king to find out what's killing Arik's land. But as she works to decode the ancient runes that are the key to solving this mystery and sending her home, she finds herself drawn to the charismatic and powerful Arik.
As Arik and Rebeka fall in love, someone in Arik's household schemes to keep them apart, and a dark druid with a grudge prepares his revenge. Soon Rebeka will have to decide whether to return to the future or trust Arik with the secret of her time travel and her heart. 

“Ruth A. Casie, weaves an exciting and beautifully told legendary tale that is both rich and engaging.  It is full of, ‘on the edge of your seat’ suspense, mind-boggling drama and a forever-after romance. Ms. Casie's sparkling new novel, KNIGHT OF RUNES is a winner!” ~ Romance Junkies

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