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 … 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.
Though 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.
Do you enjoy a colorful bit of history with your romance? Many second and third sons—Scots and English alike—took to the Crusades for a chance at glory and riches. Donal MacLean of our story followed Richard Lionheart to the Holy Land where he won the notice of Bohemond IV of Antioch, Count of Tripoli. He joined the prince’s service and was soon made Baron of Batroun, residing at Mseilha Castle where he guarded St. William’s Pass on the road from Tripoli to Beiruit. Donal, now Baron of Batroun, married an Armenian princess and settled down to live his life in the Holy Land.
Recalled some thirty years after he first left Scotland, his daughter Arbela, with her exotic eyes, dusky skin, and voluptuous body—heritage of her Armenian mother—will turn heads and engender gossip in Scotland where praises are sung to pale-skinned, bright-haired lasses, and her colorful clothing will raise more than a few eyebrows.
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Story Worthy Of More Then 5 Stars:
I loved this story and this author writes a fabulous all consuming story.
The characters were extremely interesting each in their own way. The plot
was very exciting and intense at times; especially the thrilling ending that also gave me a huge shock.
Good slow burn romance kept me turning the pages.
The pages were also filled with two wonderful dogs, a horses and a young son.
There were many heartfelt humorous moments that made me feel good.
This was an all engaging story from start to finish and a treat to read.
The Highlander’s Crusader Bride by Cathy & DD MacRae is a delightful and very impressive Medieval Romance. Book 3 in the “Hardy Heroines” series, but can be read as a stand alone.
This the story of Arbela MacLean, a half-Armenian, half-Scot and a true daughter of the desert. She is beautiful and untamed, as well as trained to be a warrior. Arbela has honed her skills with Turkish bow and arrow, sword and throwing darts, she dreads the day her father choses a man for her to marry. Well her day has come…..Enter Caelen MacKern, aka Bull of the Highlands, is cynical about women. After his first marriage ended in diaster, he did not even grieve when she died. She was spoiled, and immature bride. But he loves his son. He would do anything including marrying again for coin, alliance and the help they can give to save his starving clan.
Fast paced, well written with engaging characters and a plot that flows seamlessly and will keep you glued to the pages. I absolutely adored Arbela and Caelen! They are perfect for each other and of course you gotta love Caelen’s son. Filled with passion, danger, romance, betrayal, clans coming together to help each other, of course turmoil and finding a HEA. A not to miss tale of learning to love, with a few surprises, and some twists and turns. I couldn’t stop turning pages, I was so entranced and entralled with Arbela and Caelen’s story. Thete’s something for everyone. Pick up your copy today!
I received a complimentary copy, however, all opinions are my own.
Rating: 5
Heat rating: Mild
Reviewer: AprilR
I had the pleasure of critiquing this book before it was published. The tale pushed me to recall the historical details of the period. I have to say, I learned a lot–including information about a glorious horse breed. The Scottish Highlands put a bit of a strain on a princess born and raised in the desert of the Holy Lands. There’s much more to say about the book, but suffice it to say that I’ve loved this book from the first moment I turned a page. Cathy & DD really did their homework historically. Add to that realistic characters and a wonderful love story and you have story you won’t put down–even after you finish it.
4.25 stars-THE HIGHLANDER’S CRUSADER BRIDE is the third instalment in Cathy MacRae’s adult HARDY HEROINES historical, Highlander romance series. This is half-Armenian, half Scot Arbela MacLean, and Caelen MacKern’s story line.
Told from dual third person perspectives (Caelen and Arbela) THE HIGHLANDER’S CRUSADER BRIDE is a stand alone story line that follows the marriage of convenience between half-Armenian, half Scot Arbela MacLean, and Laird Caelen MacKern, leader of Clan MacKern in the Western Highlands of Scotland. Death and disease has ravaged the MacKern Clan, and with it comes the struggles to feed and support the numerous bodies within the Keep. To add insult to an already suffering Clan, Laird MacKern’s former father in law seeks revenge against the Laird for the untimely death of his daughter, Caelen’s first wife, plundering small herds and burning down the outlying crofts. Enter Laird Donal MacLean, who offers up his twenty year old daughter Arbela MacLean in exchange for provisions, repairs and additional security. What ensues is the marriage of convenience between the independent and warrior-trained Arbela MacLean, and Laird Caelen MacKern, and the potential fall out as Laird MacGillonay demands custody of Caelen’s only son attacking the Clan and the woman with whom Caelen is falling in love.
Arbela MacLean is half-Armenian, half-Scot, and royalty by birth, but our heroine is unlike any of the Scottish woman Caelen has ever met or seen. Warrior trained in both the defensive and offensive ways of war, the head-strong but beautiful Arbela is a one-woman army unto herself. Darker skinned with an attitude to match, Arbela will become the victim of racist slurs and savage attacks that accompany her marriage to a Scottish Laird. Five years earlier Caelen MacKern’s wife died leaving our hero a single father with a one-year old son. Discouraged by his first marriage Caelen vows never to remarry as he battles to maintain control of his struggling Clan. A marriage of convenience will aid in the resurrection of the MacKern Clan but a marriage that is doomed to fail as both Caelen and Arbela refuse to accept anything beyond a marriage in name only.
There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters. Not everyone is true to the MacKern Clan-there are traitors in the midst, some closer than others. The introduction of Bram MacKern softens our heroine’s heart as she grows to love the child as her own.
The relationship between Arbela and Caelen begins as an arrangement. Arbela had no plans for marriage; and Caelen refuses to enter into a marriage with another unhappy wife. Their unwritten agreement to keep separate lives is quickly extinguished when their palpable sexual attraction is heightened by threats against the people they love. The $ex scenes are intimate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.
THE HIGHLANDER’S CRUSADER BRIDE mixes historical facts with fiction creating a wonderful story line about two people pulled together by circumstance and love. There are moments of betrayal and devotion, hatred and friendship, discrimination and acceptance, romance and love. The premise is entertaining, revealing and engaging; the characters are real, colourful and charismatic; the romance is passionate and slow to build. Cathy MacRae adds another dimension to her Hardy Heroine’s –a series of strong, independent and beautiful women who find the courage to live and love.