A novice nun stolen away by a ruthless clan-chief. The warrior who must turn his back on everything to save her. The emotional tale of a woman in jeopardy and a reformed rogue in Medieval Scotland. Leanna MacDonald never wanted to become a nun—but it was the only way her father could protect her from the attentions of a cruel man who wanted her as his wife. However, when Leanna’s father … However, when Leanna’s father unexpectedly dies, her recently widowed former suitor decides he will have her no matter the cost.
Ross Campbell has served Clan-chief MacKinnon loyally for years. But his allegiance is tested when MacKinnon orders him to steal a novice nun away from Kilbride Abbey. Ambitious and arrogant, Ross has worked hard to gain his position as MacKinnon’s right-hand. He doesn’t want to tear this young woman away from her cloistered existence, yet he won’t risk everything he’s worked so hard to obtain.
Leanna’s abduction is the turning point in Ross’s life. He soon realizes that MacKinnon will ruin this brave, spirited young woman—and when she pleads with him for help, Ross must make a decision. How far will he take his loyalty to a man who doesn’t deserve it?
AWOKEN is Book #2 in The Sisters of Kilbride series set in 14th Century Isle of Skye, Scotland. Readers who enjoy Diana Gabaldon, Cecelia Mecca, and Donna Fletcher will love this action-packed, emotional Scottish Medieval Historical Romance.
Preorder your copy now and AWOKEN will be delivered to your Kindle on April 23, 2020!
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Wow. Loved Leanna and Ross. She’s a novice nun and he’s a warrior who’s loyally served the MacKinnon. A cruel and evil man who is determined to have Leanna. Ross must make a decision that will change his life forever
Lots of suspense, drama, loss and great passions. Highly recommend.
I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Clan-chief MacKinnon is determined to make Leanna MacDonald his bride after the death of his wife. He sends two of his best warriors to kidnap her from the Kilbride Abbey. Leanna MacDonald was placed in Kilbride Abbey for protection from MacKinnon. Kidnapped and once in his clutches she’s fighting for her life. The one man she begs to help her, steals her away and gives up everything he worked for. On the run, where can they live in safety and peace? A heart pounding rush. The story continues in the next book. Steamy. This series is addictive!
This was just okay. I prefer the author’s Pict series. This sub genre is ubiquitous whereas the other is more original.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Awoken: A Medieval Scottish Romance (The Sisters of Kilbride Book 2) by Jayne Castel. 4 Stars
A woman sent to live as a nun to save her from a cruel clan chief hell bent on making her his wife, and his right hand man who fell in love with her and would give up his life to protect her from the man he swore fealty to. Awoken is the second book in the binge worthy series “The Sisters of Kilbride”. Engaging characters and a storyline with action, drama, danger, betrayal, integrity, and a steamy romance that leaves a blush!
Happy Reading
Content Notes: Adult, steamy 4 out of 5 flames , open bedroom door romance with some explicit description.
This is book two of the Sisters of Kilbride. It has action and adventure that keeps your attention from the start to the finish.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Wow, I have to say I have thoroughly enjoyed every book I have read by this author and this was no exception. Her characters are well defined with her strong heroes and equally as strong and beautiful heroines.
How terrible would it be to have to hide away from an evil man for fifteen years? Lady Leanna had been at Kinbride Abbey for that long by her father, so that she would be beyond the reach of Duncan MacKinnon. But that comes to a stop when her father passes away and she leaves to go home his funeral.
Ross Campbell had loyally serves the MacKinnon and had earned his place in the guards. But when he is asked to find Lady Leanna, take her and bring her back to him, he feels some unease. As he takes her back, he begins to realize all may not be what it should.
Jayne Castel is such a magical storyteller that transports us to another place and time to the point you can envision the landscape and characters. I become totally enthralled as the words make the story unfold and can feel the emotions swirling. This time in history was brutal in so many aspects and the suspense, violence, loss and unbearable passions bring this tale to a journey not soon forgotten. Well done and I highly recommend.
This book 2 in the The Sisters of Kilbride Series is very well written with good characters. I was caught up on the story from page one, unfortunately I had not read the first book in the series, I will be reading it now.There was adventure, love,suspense all through the entire stories, and a great Scottish romance. These characters are well constructed. When an accident sees Leanna’s father dead, her former suitor, now conveniently widowed and very cruel, sees his opportunity to have her. MacKinnon orders Ross to kidnap a novice nun from an abbey. Ross has no desire to take her, but he has orders. As they get to know each other can her help her and will they fall in love?
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Wonderful Second Installment After a Disappointing First
I enjoyed this author’s other series set on the Isle of Skye in medieval Scotland, the Brides of Skye, so when I saw she had a new medieval series also set on the Winged Isle, I picked up the first book in the series. Unfortunately, I was not that wild about that particular book. To me, it had some grievous errors with characterization and plotting. But I so enjoyed that first series that I had to pick up the second book of this one, hoping it would be as wonderful as the other series. I am glad I did. I enjoyed this book so much, and certainly it so much better than the first one in this series.
We met the heroine of this story in book one, where she was a good friend of that heroine. As the book opens, we learn that her father has died in a tragic hunting accident, and this spurs the man who has an obsession with her to take a drastic step, asking the captain of his guard to kidnap her. The hero of this book is the captain. He is a hard man to like at first when we see his willingness to perform this terrible act. but over the course of the book, he grows as a character, which I always love to see. He starts to question what he sees his liege lord do. At first he just questions, but then he starts to act. It seemed like a natural evolution for a thinking man who has not wholly abandoned morality and goodness, even if he works for an evil man. He sees his clan chief increasingly descend into madness, requiring some soul-searching to consider how much evil he will accept as perpetrated by the man he has sworn fealty to or even sometimes be a part of. I quite liked the heroine as well. The author made her fear and terror palpable, but she still had some real backbone on occasion. The story is an absolute delight, and I recommend it highly.
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
This book is so awesome, I loved all the intrigue, suspense, surprises, and twists throughout this awesome read. I was pulling for Leanna and Ross the whole time. I’m so glad they got the best of Duncan. They way they did it and what they went through kept me going through it all.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
A novice nun and a warrior such a great combination. This was an engaging story and the characters were well developed, so interesting and fast paced.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
How much is too much? When MacKinnon’s evil gets out of control and begins to harm the women in his keep, will Ross Campbell stand up to him or keep his position that he has worked so hard to obtain? When Leanna MacDonald defends herself from a near rape, Ross is forced to act.
I loved this book and the characters, and am eagerly anticipating the third novel in this series!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Chief Duncan MacKinnon wants Leanna MacDonald has his wife and because he is cruel man her father sends her to the Abby to safeguard her from him. Ross Campbell is sent to the Abby to capture and bring her to him Ross has come to a turning point in his life and his loyalty to MacKinnon. This book has action and suspense along the way and there is also the unexpected romance.
This is a story of a bad boy who turns into any amazingly, wonderful good boy and a good girl who runs away out of fear who turns into a strong, vibrantly awesome girl.
The characters are deep and very well written with dialogue that is detailed and allows the reader to see into the soul of each character. They will also reach into the very core of your being and allow you too root for good to triumph over evil, and trust me, you will meet evil so horrendous it becomes your nightmare. You will also experience love and passion so intense and strong that it leaves you yearning and craving more.
I’m not going to summarize this story, the summary does that for you, but I will tell you that you need to experience this book. It’s AMAZING and I really can’t recommend it enough. It’s actually worth way more than 5 stars, but that was the most I could give.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I really enjoyed Awoken by Jayne Castel. This is the type of book where the housework suffers and supper is cooked with the book on the counter.
I loved watching the characters change and mature during the story. The prologue introduces the reader to Ella, a very much in love young woman who experiences the worst heartbreak. Ross, her love, must marry another to satisfy the family obligations. Eighteen years later you find a very different Ella. She is now Sister Ella in Kilbride Abbey. Ella and the other women in this story are strong and capable especially the abbess who brings a surprise to the way she trains the women under her care.
If you love books based in the past, with strong female characters you will love this one.
This isn’t my first Jayne Castel book nor will it be my last. I can’t wait for the next book in this series!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
As usual Jane Castel is wonderful! Her trilogy’s actually make me feel better as a person, they give me strength! I say this because her women characters are so strong, independent, genuinely GOOD people. The story of a nun running away from someone terrible and finding her way, finding her true meaning in life and in love…its just lovely. I love Jane Castel, there is not one book of hers that I wouldnt NOT read a 1000 times. Read this and see for yourself!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
An exciting story of Leanna MacDonald, a young woman hidden in an abbey by her father to protect her from a cruel Laird (not that she wants to be a nun). Returning home for her father’s funeral, she is captured by Ross, the Laird’s captain, and brought to that very Laird. How Leanna and Ross escape the Laird’s castle and flee to safety makes for a riveting story. The H is strong, and finally “awakens” to the fact that his conscience will no longer allow him to serve the cruel master, clearing the path for a fine man to emerge. Our h has been trained to fight and uses those skills meaningfully in the story. Yes, they find their HEA, after ‘awakening’ to love for each other.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Book 2 from the series, The Sisters of Kilbride. The characters are awesomely written. Ross Campbell is a warrior who has dreams of working himself up in the ranks of Clan MacKinnon. Ross now serves as Chief MacKinnon’s right-hand man. Ross refuses no order given him by his Chief and serves without question. Leanna MacDonald is a novice nun who really has no desire to be a nun but was sent to Kilbride by her father to escape marriage to Duncan MacKinnon. MacKinnon has wanted Leanna MacDonald for a bride for as long as he can remember. Ross is sent to abduct Leanna from Kilbride so that MacKinnon can marry her.
While Leanna is a captive of MacKinnon’s, Ross begins to realize what kind of man he has been serving. This will force him to make some very difficult changes from what he saw as his future. Leanna is a very lonely women who is also strong-willed, outspoken and very determined to do just about anything to get the life she desperately wants.
This is another wonderfully written book by Jayne Castel. Adventure, suspense, danger, misgivings and romance are here. I could not put this book down. I absolutely recommend this book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
First of all, if you have not yet had a chance to read the first book in the series, I highly recommend it. I love how Jayne Castel weaves her other stories and characters into her new series. The title, Awoken, is most fitting for the main characters of this book. Both Leanna and Ross are guilt ridden about their devotion to their current circumstances that they have no spark for life. They have created each a cage for themselves. I think sometimes in life we can relate to these feelings. Either we’re not good enough, we don’t deserve something better or change just doesn’t seem possible. So as their hearts are awakened, a sweet romance blossoms. This is a great second book to the series. If you love Scottish romance, you’ll love this book. I did receive an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Enjoy!!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received this ebook as a ARC for my honest opinion, I was caught up on the story from page one.This is the second book in a series,unfortunately I had not read the first book,but I definitely will be reading it now.It is spring in the year 1349 AD,at Dunan broch Isle in Scotland.Leanna Mac Donald is a novice nun at Kilbride Abby.She and sister Coira are out hunting deer, Leanna is very good with the bow and arrow and just shot a deer,they went back to the Abby.Mother Shona the abbess of Kilbride,had to tell her ,her father had just died, her father’s knight’s had come to escort her home for the funeral. Her father Niall MacDonald had fell off his horse when he was hunting with his men, Leanna and her father were very close. Duncan MacKinnon Clan Chief of the MacKinnon clan, saw Leanna at a gathering two years before and asked her father to marry her, her father said No,as he knew Duncan was no good and cruel person.That was way she was sent to the Abby two years before. Ross Campbell is Duncan’s head man in his guard,and he sends Ross and Ross friend Carr to kidnap Leanna on her way home for her fathers funeral,and bring her to his castle to force her to marry him,he is obsessed with her. On her way home her father’s men are attacked by outlaws and killed, Ross and Carr then kill the outlaws and hold her hostage and bring her to Duncan MacKinnon castle. While at the castle she meets Duncan sister Drew,who appears to be a very cold person,. I wish I could tell you so much more what happened at the MacKinnon castle,but don’t want to give away the plot and ruin the story for you. Duncan MacKinnon has a half brother Craeg,who is a outlaw,and they hate each other, their are so many different directions this story travels you have to keep on reading.I was so caught up in Leanna and Ross story felt I was there with them. There was adventure, love,suspense all through the entire stories,if you love Scottish historical books as much as I do, get this series you will not be disappointed.thanks Jayne for letting me read your fantastic story.I will be reading many more of your books.
The book was well written and engaging. There were real human flaws in the male characters, and unexpected traits in some of the female characters. I didn’t feel the chemistry though, or any sense of being “awoken”. I do understand how it applies in this story, I think the awakening was meant to be the awakening of the Hero to what was important in life, I just didn’t feel it very strongly. It was a pleasant read, an interesting diversion, but, not a stand out, for me.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.