Forced to abandon his crown to escape certain death, falling in love was the last thing on his mind.
Phillipe de Poitiers, a prince of Antioch, finds himself a breath away from wrongful execution. Risking everything, he leaves behind his crown, his family, his country–and a body sworn to be his by the Bishop, himself.
Free of court intrigue and drawn to Scotland by memories of a woman who once … a woman who once possessed his heart, Phillipe sells his sword to pay for his travels and accepts the task of guarding the daughter of Laird MacLaren.
When Maggie MacLaren’s abusive marriage fails, she want nothing more than to retire to her childhood home on the banks of Loch Lomond. Trouble follows her, putting her clan in danger, and she travels to the Isle of Hola, placing her safety in the hands of a mysterious mercenary with a haunted smile and a kind heart.
As Maggie and Phillipe struggle with their pasts, love blooms. But when a pirate’s treasure offers a seductive lure, will it free them–or prove the downfall of all they hold dear?
Phillipe of Antioch, briefly king of Cilicia, would be remembered by the world as an arrogant, presumptuous man, poisoned two years after his marriage to the queen of Cilicia, accused of crimes against his adopted country. This re-imagined telling of Phillipe’s life, one of court intrigue, distrust, and the lust for power, shines a different light (and ending) on the tale.
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What if….indeed!! This story was such an exciting and breathtaking adventure, I had a hard time to put down the book until I had finished it! Wonderful characters with a plot that was quite riveting makes this story stand out above the rest. It is one I will surely want to read again!!
Phillipe and Maggie’s story is one that will fill you with one emotion after another and will also make you wonder how they can possibly reach their HEA with everything that happens! You will cry at their failures and you will cheer their successes. Both have very strong characters and together, they will defeat their enemies and put their world right again.
I also must mention the falcon and the puppy, I love when animals are included and make for some very entertaining scenes:) Definitely recommend this book!!
Have enjoyed every one of the books in this series. Great strong heroines and all the characters and settings are well developed – so it’s great fun being pulled into their worlds for a bit of escapist reading with a happy ending especially during this pandemic!
The Prince’s Highland Bride by Cathy MacRae and DD MacRae is number 6 in the Hardy Heroines series. What a terrific book, mostly because of how different the plot was from most Highland romances. It also amazed me that even then, the world was so small that Phillipe worried all the way in Scotland that what had happened in the Levant would follow him and cause problems. Not often do we find a try foreign hero in a Highland story, but Phillipe de Poiters was a prince from Antioch, half French, a hundred percent clever and courageous in faking his own death and escaping from a marriage to a small child and a country full of people who wanted to kill him. Maggie MacLaren’s husband was abusive and non-feeling, not all that unusual for the time, any time, really, but he had done it before. His wives ended up dead or spent their lives in a convent, while he moved on to the next one. Interesting that in this time period, parents didn’t really welcome their daughters back home again, happy to see them married and gone. Also interesting that an island, with inhabitants, could be property passed from one owner to another. Life then was interesting.
The characters were as interesting as the story: Phillipe was courageous, but he was also feeling and cared about others; strangers and family alike. He was willing to fight for what he cared for. Maggie was independent: she was not going to put up with her husband’s and her father’s shenanigans;; she was going to set out on her own and make a life for herself and for those for whom she felt responsible. She was a non-typical character as was Phillipe and that made both of them more interesting and more likable. This was a terrific book, one that bears a reread. It is rife with battles, interesting characters, pirates, and a happily-ever-after. I recommend it.
I received a free ARC of The Prince’s Highland Bride from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions and interpretations contained herein are solely my own.
The perfect addition to the Hardy Heroines! I confess to staying up far too late into the night, unable to put this story down.
The excitement begins with the first sentence and doesn’t stop before the last period. This book has so many great twists and turns. The danger begins with Phillipe de Poitiers, a prince of Antioch, finding himself escaping a wrongful execution. His meeting the beauty that is Maggie MacLaren, recently cast-out of her marriage by the Earl of Mar, just crackles with excitement. Attempted kidnappings, a castle raid, an island raid, and more will keep you reading through the night.
Spanning from Sis, the capital of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, to the Ardnamurchan Peninsula, the westernmost lands of Scotland, the scenic descriptions will have you definitely adding locations to your travel bucket list!
Cameo appearances of characters from previous novels have you nodding as to an old friend.
Though this story could be read out of order, I’d suggest starting with the first book in the series to get a really great feel for each of the characters.
THE PRINCE’S HIGHLAND BRIDE is the sixth instalment in the adult, historical, HARDY HEROINES Highland romance series co-authored by Cathy and DD MacRae. This is Prince Phillipe de Poitiers, and Maggie MacLaren’s story line. THE PRINCE’S HIGHLAND BRIDE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary.
SOME BACKGROUND: THE PRINCE’S HIGHLAND BRIDE begins in 1224AD and focuses on some of the true events of thirteenth century prince of Antioch, Phillipe de Poitiers, a man whose reputation, and unfortunate politics ended his life in the dungeons of Cis Castle but Cathy and DD MacRae have chosen to write a “what if” storyline wherein the fictional Phillipe de Poitiers, escapes and eventually falls in love.
Told from several third person perspectives including Maggie and Phillipe THE PRINCE’S HIGHLAND BRIDE follows the building relationship between Prince Phillipe de Poitiers, and Maggie MacLaren. An unfortunate turn of events, and battle for power, lands our hero behind bars where he will soon discover he has been marked for termination. With the help of someone he knows, Phillipe will escape finding himself at sea as a mercenary soldier guarding Maggie MacLaren, a woman whose former husband disposed of our heroine when she was unable to conceive following twelve months of marriage. With her dowry no longer a viable option, Maggie is given the rights to a rocky isle where she is determined to spend to the rest of her life. As Maggie, Phillipe and their intrepid crew head to the Isle of Hola, a small island whose current residents are descended from the historical Norse, the island will reveal its secrets, secrets that are about to make the islanders and their land targets of pirates and the greedy few. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Phillipe and Maggie, and the potential fall-out as Maggie, Phillipe and the residents of the Isle of Hola must take a stand to defend the land and people they love.
THE PRINCE’S HIGHLAND BRIDE is a detailed and intricate story of history reimagined; a colorful and captivating tale of family, friendship, relationships and love. The world building is intricate; the premise is engaging; the characters are energetic and charismatic. THE PRINCE’S HIGHLAND BRIDE is a wonderful addition to the Hardy Heroines series.
Book:The Prince’s Highland Bride
By Cathy and DD MacRae
Series: The Hardy Heroine Series, Book #6
Release Date: May 13, 2020
Reviewed by: Barb Massabrook (of)
1)Tartan Book Reviews
2)Purple Tulip Book Reviews
3)Celtic World of Historical Book Reviews
4)Celtic Barb’s Tartan Book Review Blog
Heat Rating:
Book Rating: 5/5 Stars/Kilts
Prince Phillipe de Poitiers is the Prince of Antioch. He is forced by his father, into a political marriage to a foreign nine year old Queen of Cilicia, in the Mediterranean (Turkey). Due to others not accepting their union, including the new foreign King not accepting all their ways especially he not converting to their religion some evil characters him replaced. He finds himself in a dreadful circumstance, as he was framed for a serious crime that he never committed! The punishment for this false crime is death. He is about to be wrongfully executed, being a member of the monarchy will not save him. As this nightmare is one horrific mistake! Now he must escape from everything he cares about his family, country, and title. Due to his families political allies, his child wife’s safety and other dangerous reasons he must appear dead to them forever. Though he is relieved to be away from all the dangerous shenanigans and intrigue of Mediterranean court life. He keeps thinking of a more content and joyful time in his past. This includes a one sided lost love in Scotland who once owned his heart. To be able to get to his destination having no coin he must sell his sword. Now his new journey to Scotland begins.
Maggie has been married to the Earl of Mar, a brutal, unfaithful, uncaring, selfish, man. He just throws her away like a piece of garbage! All because she didn’t have a baby in their first year of marriage. Accusing her of being barren never blaming himself of course as it is always the woman’s fault according to the Earl of Mar and his nasty mother! He steals her dowry and gives her land on the remote Hola isle. It is near the western coast off the Ardnamurchan, but is probably worthless.
Then after this mistreatment and her own mother is not even very welcoming which was very extremely hurtful. Maggie feels coming home has no direction. Men make sexual offers, thinking she is an unwanted used wife, can be a mistress or worse and open for the taking. Plus these men don’t have to worry about unwanted pregnancy since she is supposedly barren. Now the women whisper about their bairns behind her back. This is another subject that makes Maggie uncomfortable, inadequate and heartbroken. She feels like a total failure as a woman for both her family and clan. On top of that one is obsessesed with her, which brings war to her clans door. It targets her clan, harming both her brother and father so she must leave home Narnian Castle, in Loch Lomond for their safety and go to this isle.
Maggie feels this is the right to do, her family worries that dark seeded characters like pirates and Vikings might occupy this isle. So they feel she needs a guard since their is no husband or male family member to protect her.
Now Phillipe de Poitiers is granted a job to make some coin from Laird MacLaren of Loch Lomond hired to check out the isle his daughter wants to live on. He also by becoming a guard to Laird MacLaren’s daughter Maggie, the former Lady of Mar. The attraction is immediate but many dangers occur too with this couple on this couple. Island raids, and pirates that could could put their very lives in danger.
Will Maggie open her heart and trust this man plus will they even survive as danger is on their tail. Can Phillipe open his heart again when he had nearly been killed by previous decisions and manipulations??Read and find out what the conclusion will be.
This is the sixth book A fast paced, page turning, riveting, romantic, adventure, filled with murder, raiding, mystery, treachery, attempted abduction, deception suspense, betrayal, faith, joy and love. all the elements Scottish historical readers enjoy. Another breathtaking setting with a captivating dialogue and multi dimensional characters. Yet the plotting just blew me away! Fans of the Hardy Heroine
Ba series will recognize appearances from favorite characters from this series too. A bit of a character reunion which is always heartwarming to see!
The Hardy Heroine Series
By Cathy MacRae
1.Highland Escape
2.The Highlander’s Viking Bride
3.The Highlander’s Crusader Bride
4.The Highlander’s Norse Bride
5.The Highlander’s Welsh Bride
6. The Prince’s Highland Bride
This book is definitely a must read that you can read as a stand alone book. I absolutely highly recommend this phenomenon book,
Disclaimer: I received a gift copy from the author for a fair and honest review. I voluntarily agreed to read, review and blog All words, ideas and thoughts are my own.
Buy Links:
https://www.amazon.com/Princes-Highland-Bride-Hardy-Heroines-ebook/dp/B086Z153VH/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Cathy+MacRae&qid=1588247105&sr=8-1
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-princes-highland-bride-dd-macrae/1136843207?ean=9780996648592&_bbid=14555861&st=AFF&SID=Barnes+%26+Noble&2
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-prince-s-highland-bride?utm_source=walmarthybrid&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=BookBub&utm_term=bookbubblogd&ranMID=