One stolen kiss. Two enemy clans. A Yuletide wedding to warm the heart.
Adelaide burns with embarrassment to find herself at the Yule feast of her former intended. After he married another, she was set aside, the discarded fiancée. To make matters worse, she is caught under the mistletoe—alone. Fillan MacVale, Laird of an enemy clan, comes to her rescue, offering a kiss to soothe her pride. But when her father catches them, Adelaide and Fillan are forced into a swift marriage. Now Adelaide fears she is the unwanted bride yet again.
Fillan is determined to atone for his father’s sins and forge a new peace with his neighbors. But after a fateful kiss that leads to a hasty marriage alliance, Fillan is convinced he’s saddling Adelaide with a life of hardship and humiliation. Born with a clubfoot, Fillan doesn’t believe himself worthy of love—or the bonny daughter of his clan’s enemy. Can Yuletide heal their wounded hearts and bring their clans together?
This novella-length Scottish historical romance is holiday-themed, but can be enjoyed any time of the year. Pick up your copy today!
USA Today bestselling author Emma Prince whisks readers away to another time and place with her steamy historical romances—where the passion is legendary, the adventure never ends, and the happily ever afters are guaranteed!
After several years as a college English instructor (where she savored her “fun books”—usually historical romances—on the side), Emma turned her love of page-turning, richly historical stories into a career. She lives in drizzly Seattle with her husband, their daughter (the wee lass) and a crazy cat named Oban (after the town in Scotland or the whisky made there, depending on who you ask).
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This was another Christmas novella introduction to an author. I loved it! Both the H and h were emotionally scarred and self-conscious; but they were also sweet, kind, and desiring of love. I will definitely seek out some more stories by Emma Prince.
A lovely novella with a truly romantic story. It moved along swiftly with out losing anything of the tale itself. Fillan MacVale was a wonderful hero who wasn't quite perfect. I loved this about him. Adelaide was sweet and kind and my heart went out to her from the very beginning. There were the usual misunderstandings but they weren't drawn out or tedious. I was hooked on this book from page one. I was about to congratulate myself on getting a book about a highlander which wasn't riddled with sex when I came to the end and low and behold here we go. There's one steamy chapter. I skimmed it and didn't miss anything important and it didn't spoil the hea for me. Would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical romance.
❤️❤️❤️❤️ 💋 I’m officially in love with Fillan and Adelaide , the perfect couple. Both appeared in book 6 of this series, and quite definitely were made for each other . Fillan is the son of probably the worst of the Villains in this series, but he is one of the nicest and most genuine characters. Adelaide is the sister to Reid’s fist wife , who died in childbirth . She’s shy , lacks confidence and is generally put down by her father, due to his lack of thought and tact . Emma Prince has written a blinding story for these two giving them both a most deserved HEA . Great story , great characters and another wonderful addition to this series.
This is novella, which can be read in an hour or so. The studly hero in this book is Laird Fillan MacVale🐺🍆🌋🔪, a perfect man except for being born with a club foot. He is young, 💪strong, handsome, and virile, though, and gets around great with a cane. He has His eye on Adelaide MacDonnell💃. Both are attending a yuletide festival at Eilean Donan Castle🏰.
Fillan🐺🍆🌋🔪 wants to make a move on Adelaide💃💋, but he isn't sure if she feels the same way, or can deal with his club foot.
This is an interesting book and it's basically a 💘love story only.
I love stories that take place during the holidays. It seems anything is possible and that is true in the case of Fillan and Adelaide. They are from enemy clans and find themselves in a innocent situation that results in their marriage. Adelaide had already been put aside by a former fiance and now feels no hope. Fillon has his own burdens and feels a little unwanted himself. But tis the season for miracles and you will have to read to see what happens. A heartfelt story guaranteed to bring a smile.
Sweet story. Hero is a sweetheart. Misunderstandings from both so they feel neither want the marriage. No intimate scenes other than the Hero and heroine. No other woman drama. Heroine was supposed to marry another man but she didn't want to, he is present at the family celebration married to someone else. HEA. Epilogue.
Serlon’s voice still echoed in his head. Ye are worthless. A weakling and a cripple. No heir of mine will shame me as ye do. ~~Serlon MacVale, Fillan MacVale's father
How words can haunt people all through their lives, even after the person who said them is dead. Such is the case for Fillan MacVale. How my heart broke for him. He was born with a club foot and walked with a cane. While he was growing up, his father beat him and berated him, saying such things as the quote above. But his father is dead now and Fillan is laird. He's trying to restore honor and respect to his clan and himself so when he's caught kissing Adelaide MacDonnell on the battlement at his half-brother's after she found herself alone under the mistletoe, her father declares her sullied and ruined.
The MacVale's and MacDonnell's have a bad history. Fillan's father was a rapist and a marauder and had attacked the MacDonnell clan, taking their food supplies and razing their fields, leaving the MacDonnell clan with very little to survive the winter. Fillan is trying to right this wrong and make restitution and amends. He liked Adelaide, but rejected the idea of marrying her because of his disability. He didn't think he was worthy of any woman, especially her.
Adelaide had some baggage of her own, but she was so sweet. I just loved her. She was shy, demure, and knew nobody wanted her. There was really nothing wrong with her that made her unattractive to other men, but she was very sensitive, easily embarrassed, and her father unwittingly humiliated her time and again. She took Fillan's objection to marrying her as something wrong with her.
There were so many feels in this short book. There were a couple of times when I said, "Aww..." There was one steamy scene for those of you who keep track. It was heartfelt yet passionate. I was surprised to see it considering this is novella, but it was far from being gratuitous.
Everything he did he did for her and everything she did she did for him. I loved everything about this book. Just everything.
This is the first book I've read by this author, but it won't be the last. I might read the whole series now.
*This book is part of a series, but can easily be read as a stand-alone.
Really good. I may consider reading more by this author.
Themes of miscommunication between H & h. Loved them both.
Sweet romance.
Both H & h had daddy issues. The H was berated by his father because he has a clubbed foot, and was deemed weak in his father's eyes. His father was a brute who ravaged the h's clan and caused a serious rift between them. The H has been working hard to make restitutions now that his father is deceased, but the h's father ( the Laird of the ravaged clan) still doesn't trust the hero.
The h was supposed to marry her dead sister's widowed husband, but he met someone else. So the h feels unworthy of a husband as much as the H feels unworthy of a bride.
Nevertheless, they end up getting married and eventually end up clearing up all the miscommunication.
This Is the sweetest, tender, and romantic Love Story. It started out as a very sad time for Fillan and Adelaide. Such two broken-hearted people, with sad pasts. It seemed hopeless for either to find happiness. Fillan was so damaged, but turned out to be so inspirational, how he overcame his flaw. Adelaide so shy and had such a sad past. They both thought they would never find true love. He was so kind, loving, gentle,and caring. She felt unwanted and past over, but she was a very kind, sweet,and loving person it turned out they were to be soulmates. It was such an inspirational, tender and loving story, with just a little steam, in good taste. The only problem, it was way to short. I wanted to learn more of their loving relationship and future I hope to learn a lot more about them. I do so recommend this, as I do all of this author’s books. It is best to read this series in order, because of reoccurring characters.
Such a sweet novella! I would love this story to be a full-length book. It has a great premise of a hero with a disability and a shy female character who does not really believe in herself. They are both beautifully self-conscious and reserved people who just want to be loved and love in return. What transpires is the hero's feeling of shame, embarrassement, and self-loathing, and the heroine's feelings of being always rejected and being a burden. And they are both so wrong!!! I loved what the author did with this story - the secret crush the hero has on the girl, her shy nature which conquers his heart, his sense of being inadequate and undeserving of love which Adelaide never sees in him. There are so many feelings packed into this short novella. I sooooo wish this was a fat book instead!!! :-)
Honor and love can overcome cruelty and adversity and lead to HEA!
His club foot is no true deterrent for this honorable Laird who proves that true worth comes not from physical outer appearance but comes from the soul. Fillan McVale has overcome so much physical and emotional abuse throughout his life from the one person that was supposed to show him unconditional love and yet he becomes a moral, chivalrous and honorable man who finally allows himself to open up to find love and healing with his greatest adversaries daughter, Adelaide. I am truly pleased that the author wrote this story to give us Fillan and Adelaide's HEA and loved the short history lesson on yuletide traditions and their medieval roots!
The Laird's Yuletide Bride is a fabulous historical romance by Emma Prince. This is a fairly quick read, perfect for those with limited reading time. Ms. Prince has provided readers with a well-written book populated with outstanding characters. Adelaide was glad when her marriage to Laird Mackenzie fell through, but it brings her embarrassment to be visiting his home. Fillan has had feelings for Adelaide for years but his deformed foot prevented him from approaching her. Fillan and Adelaide's story is loaded with drama, humor and spice. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from Emma Prince in the future. The Laird's Yuletide Bride is book 9.5 of the Highland Bodyguards Series but can easily be read as a standalone. This is a complete book, not a cliff-hanger.
The perfect holiday story! I remember these characters from a previous book in the series and am so glad they got their own happily ever after. Both are wounded from past events, but they are able to come together in a sweet (plus a little heat) love story. Definitely a heartwarming story of overcoming old scars. I also loved all the holiday touches like the yule log, mistletoe, and yule celebrations, and the author's note at the end explaining real medieval yule traditions. This can definitely be read as a stand-alone story, but the whole series is so good that it may make you want to read them all.
Emma is amazing as always . I can’t quite call this book a novel, it’s more of a novella since it’s quite short being only 20 chapters and an epilogue. I actually read it straight thru in about 2 hours I enjoyed it that much I didn’t want to put it down so I’m kind of glad it was short . But although it’s short in length, it packs plenty of confusion and misconceptions enough to wonder if Adelaide and Fallan would achieve their happy ending. I’m not telling if they did or not so you’ll read it yourself to find out. You’ll find it a very pleasant way to spend a few hours and to relax s bit during thus busy holiday season
Short yet emotionally engaging story. Fillan and Adelaide are a charmingly delightful couple, with moments of sizzling chemistry. Their deepset insecurities pull at your heartstrings making for some very touching moments and stomach churning misunderstandings. My enjoyment was not hindered from not having read the previous books but it is now with great certainty and curious eagerness that I will be hunting out the rest of the series thanks to the inclusion of some tantalisingly spirited subcharacters and clever writing from Prince. Hope this isn't the last time we meet the pair - fabulous!!
You know you've just finished reading a great story when you give a big sigh and have a huge smile on your face! Such a delightful novella with wonderful characters that touch your heart. Fillan doesn't think he deserves someone like Adelaide because of his club foot (he doesn't want her saddled with a "cripple") and at first there is a huge misunderstanding but it doesn't take long before their true feelings for each other comes out:) I really loved this story, it just goes to show that even if you're not physically perfect, you still deserve to be loved and have your HEA.
This story brought to the front the pain suffered by those afflicted with a Club Foot as well as the emotional pain of those rejected because of a physical handicap or feelings of being unworthy of love. How sad to realize a time in history where there was no doctors to help correct as much as possible the handicapped and Counselors for the emotionally abused. We have much to be thankful for. This was an example of love doesn't care about the outward appearance, but the heart and love no bounds. We are all entitled to be loved and to love.
Adelaide and Fillan's story may be shorter than Emma's other adventures in this series, but it is packed full of emotion, passion, and love. I could not put this novella down, and the fact that previous characters who we already know and love appear in this Yuletide gathering, makes it all the more sweeter. Descriptive, magical, compelling, Emma spins her usual magic to make this love story completely addictive. Thoroughly recommend it.
A sweet short Christmas love story. You can't help but fall in love with Fillan and Adalaide's chemistry. They overcome their own insecurities with the help of the other and grow from each other's love. I love the Highland Bodyguards series and thoroughly enjoyed this book.
This was a really sweet, kinda hot short story that you can read as a stand alone, although series fans will like seeing their favorite characters again. They were both so insecure, some founded some unfounded, that they couldn't see what was in front of them. Thankfully they worked it out and it made for a satisfying, eye opening in some aspects, story.
This is a lovely book. It is short but has a wonderful story. Two quiet, shy people who were both lonely caught kissing and forced to marry. But both found they cared for each other and then realised that it was love they felt. I enjoyed it very much.
Caught in a compromising position, two misunderstood people are forced into a quick marriage. Unsure of the others feelings, can they overcome doubt, mistrust, and lack of confidence and fall in love?
This was sweet little novella. Two very shy people get to marry ,because they are caught kissing. But neither one thinks they are good enough for the other. I can't wait for the next book.
Laird Fillian MacVale can't help his attraction to the daughter of the neighboring clan. With his club foot, Fillian has no hope she could be his wife. A kiss changes everything. A novella of hope and love during the holidays.
Thanks be that there is no end to Emma Prince 's series. The flow between the book's characters and storyline keeps alive the basic concept of the series. Looking forward to more exciting reading!
I enjoyed the Yuletide adventure. The characters were very believable and the story line was great. This is a wonderful Christmas tale to read as it does give you an insight into how they lived and celebrated. I would recommend this as a traditional holiday adventure.
I really liked this story. Two people who believed they were not good enough are forced to marry when they are caught in an intimate kiss. My heart went out to both these people and at times I was brought to tears.