Medieval Monday is upon us again and this week I have Laurel O’Donnell on my blog. Today Laurel will be sharing an excerpt from A Knight Before Christmas. Happy reading and enjoy, my lovelies!

Excerpt:

She shook her head, bowing her head to her chest. “I will embarrass him. I will –”

“No, Eve. You are far from an embarrassment. You –”

Her small body shook with a tremor of tears. “I don’t want to marry him,” she whispered.

The words echoed through the room and even though they did, Gabriel wasn’t certain he had heard her correctly. He stood, unsure. He should confront Michael about the way he treated her. He should take her far away from this place. But he wasn’t certain that was what she wanted. He wasn’t certain it was just a moment of weakness.

Read more of the excerpt from A Knight Before Christmas next week at Judith Sterling’s website – https://judithmarshallauthor.com/

A Knight Before Christmas
By Laurel O’Donnell

Blamed by her father for her twin sister’s death on Christmas Eve, Lady Eve Chandos agrees to marry a man she does not love to please him and appease his years of wrath. Betrayed by his brother at an early age, Sir Gabriel Bedford decides it is time to make amends and attends his brother’s marriage, but he is unprepared for the beauty Lady Eve has grown into and the attraction that quickly sparks between them.

As Christmas approaches, can Eve and Gabriel find the happiness they seek, or will the secrets of their past doom them to remain apart forever?

Buy Link –

Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YZS3D3B
Amazon UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07YZS3D3B
Amazon CA – https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07YZS3D3B
Amazon AU – https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07YZS3D3B

Welcome to the first Medieval Monday for the year! I have the fabulous Lane McFarland who will be ringing in week seven on our Celebration theme with an excerpt from Cameron. Enjoy this next excerpt, my lovelies!

Excerpt:

He clutched her hand, intertwining his strong warm fingers with hers, and shivers of excitement slithered through her body. He led her out a dark oak gate and through a corridor. A steep flight of stairs ascended to the right, and she followed him up and onto the battlements overlooking Graham Castle.

The dramatic sight stole her breath. Large torches positioned around the massive bailey threw blazing flames into the dark sky. Flags, of Scotland and the Graham family crest, vigorously waved and slapped their staffs. Armed men, with swords strapped to their backs, patrolled the gates.

She leaned over the waist-high grey stone enclosure and peered into the bailey. “It’s beautiful up here.”

“It’s a favorite place of mine.”

The wind whipped around her, and she rubbed her arms.

“Ye’re cold?”

“A bit.”

 Follow along next week on Barbara Bettis’ blog http://barbarabettis.blogspot.com/

Cameron
By Lane McFarland

Determined to band Scots together against English tyranny, Laird Robert Graham seals a truce with his feuding neighbor, the MacDougalls. But after his brother is nearly killed in a treacherous attack, Graham kidnaps the laird’s daughter in an act of revenge.

Cameron MacDougall has devoted her life to the healing arts. She’s long rebelled against her father’s feuding ways, but when Robert Graham abducts her, she’s finds herself at the center of the dispute between their families. She expects the anger she feels, not the simmering attraction to the powerful warrior, or the love she develops for his clan.

Can she stop further violence between the clans with her escape? Or will she find her surrender leads to a lasting peace and her own heart’s desire?

Buy Link: Amazon

Our celebration theme for Medieval Monday is just flying by, isn’t it? This week, please help me welcome author Ashley York to my blog. Ashley has her sixth excerpt from Daughter of the Overking. Happy reading and enjoy!

Excerpt:

“Do they really plan to witness my deflowering of the lass?”

Tadhg frowned. “Do not be so crude.”

Pressing to a halt, Darragh frowned at his father. “Certainly ye do not believe I would be unkind?”

Others continued past them, headed toward the refreshments lavishly displayed for their consumption. Tadhg moved closer to him. “I do not.”

The crowd passing to either side of them seemed to never end, and the longer Darragh had to wait to have his say, the angrier he became. Finally alone, he pierced his father with his glare.

“I did not wish to take a woman to wife who was so opposed to the idea, as I said. Over and over again. ’Twas not I that insisted.”

Daughter of the Overking
By Ashley York

A mistaken identity. A gruesome murder.

Trained as a warrior…

Brighit of Clonascra despises the trappings and demands of womanhood and is far more comfortable training for battle. Long held alliances require she set aside selfish dreams and take Darragh as her husband. The union intended to promote peace between the clans is interrupted by the shocking murder of a neighboring king and she quickly discovers there are far worse things than being wed.

Trained to be king…

Darragh of Drogheda has no wish to be king, but he is an obedient son and supports his father’s plans. His marriage to Brighit, however, will be no hardship at all since he finds her most intriguing when she fights him at every turn. A she-warrior indeed. Her persistent dismissal of him merely blows the fire aflame and sets him down the path to discovery of all her most tightly held secrets—secrets that could cost him his life.

Available in e-book or paperback  https://www.ashleyyorkauthor.com/daughter-of-the-king

Another Medieval Monday is finally here and today I have Barbara Bettis with an excerpt from her novel For This Knight Only. I can’t wait until next week to see what happens! Read on, my lovelies, and enjoy.

Excerpt:

“Hold still.” A smack to her bottom punctuated his words. “And that was a command.” God’s elbow. Another act guaranteed to increase her ire. Would he ever learn?

A few of the servants had gathered eagerly below, peering up at the entertainment.

“The day has been such a trial to my lady,” Roark announced to them, “I thought I would assist her.”

As they reached the bottom of the steps, he set her on her feet and gently patted her back as if she were a babe. He could feel the tension in her body, and he knew it took all her control to keep from slapping him.

Will she give in to her impulse? See next week on Ruth A. Casie’s blog:    http://ruthacasie.blogspot.com/

Read last week’s snippet here: https://bambilynnblog.wordpress.com/

For This Knight Only
Knights of Destiny
By Barbara Bettis

He’ll do anything for land, even marry her; she’ll do anything for her people, except marry him.  If only either had a choice.  It’s a marriage only love can save.

Sir Roark will do anything to gain land, even beguile an unwilling lady into marriage. He knows she’s much better off with a man to take control of her besieged castle, to say nothing of her desirable person. But it isn’t long before he discovers that, although her eyes sparkle like sunlight on sea waves, her stubbornness alone could have defeated Saladin.

Lady Alyss is determined to hold her family’s castle, protect her people, and preserve her freedom— until her brother’s dying wish binds her to a stranger. Still, she’ll allow no rugged, over-confident, appealing knight to usurp her authority, even if she must wed him. Especially since he thinks a lady’s duties begin and end with directing servants. Alyss has a few surprises for her new all-too-tempting lord.

But when a common enemy threatens everything, Roark and Alyss face a startling revelation. Without love, neither land nor freedom matters.

Buy Links:
Amazon   B&N  iTunes

Welcome to week four in our Medieval Monday hop! Today I’m welcoming back Cathy MacRae who has a snippet from The Highlander’s Crusader Bride. I do so love a good celebration along with a stunning cover, don’t you? Happy reading and enjoy, my lovelies!

Snippet:

The crowd followed. Pausing at the door to the castle’s small chapel, Arbela and Caelen exchanged their vows. Caelen’s voice flowed solemnly to Arbela’s ears.

“I receive ye as mine, that ye become my wife and I yer husband.”

She repeated the words back to him. “I receive ye as mine, that ye become my husband, and I your wife.”

THE HIGHLANDER’S CRUSADER BRIDE
By Cathy MacRae

Born in the Holy Land to a life of danger and adventure, Arbela MacLean is not the bride Caelen expected.

Born in the Holy Land only a few years after the Third Crusade, half-Armenian, half-Scot Arbela MacLean is a true daughter of the desert, beautiful and untamed. Trained to be a warrior to avoid her gentle mother’s fate, Arbela has honed her skills with Turkish bow and arrow, sword, and throwing darts—and dreads the day her father choses a man for her to marry.

After more than thirty years in the Holy Land, Donal MacLean, Baron of Batroun, is recalled to Scotland, the last son available to take up leadership of clan MacLean. He brings with him knights, treasure, trade—and a daughter of marriageable age.

Caelen MacKern, known as the Bull of the Highlands, is cynical about women. His first marriage formed an alliance, and he did not grieve when his spoiled, immature bride passed away. He has agreed to marry again—against his better judgement—for the men, means, and coin to recover from a devastating pestilence that all but wiped out his clan.

More than a little resentful at finding himself forced to remarry, Caelen’s proposal to Donal MacLean’s headstrong daughter nevertheless piques her interest. Each will receive what they want most from life—the ability to live as they please without interference from a meddling spouse. But their marriage of indifference will soon change to one of passion that neither Arbela nor Caelen could have predicted.

Buy links:

Amazon: https://www.amzn.com/dp/B0762TL89Z
B&N: http://bit.ly/THCBB_N
Kobo: http://bit.ly/THCB_Kobo

Follow Cathy for next week’s snippet on Ruth A. Casie’s blog: http://ruthacasie.blogspot.co.uk