A lady’s maid and a future chief. Can St. Valentine’s Day magic bring them together?Rory Kennaugh is perfectly happy to remain his brother’s second indefinitely. Or so he tells himself. Their father served as both clan chief and earl, after all, and despite Terric’s long residence in England, there’s no reason to believe his brother will relinquish the title. But his perception of himself and his … of himself and his future in the clan is transformed by a surprising revelation on Saint Valentine’s Feast Day.
Cristane has ascended to one of the highest position possible for a servant: lady’s maid. Only her lady Cait, now the countess of Licheford, has not yet sent for her, and her foolish heart has attached itself to Cait’s brother. She knows perfectly well Rory can never return her love, which is why she keeps her feelings to herself—until the Valentine’s feast, when the traditional games reveal her mortifying secret to the object of her affection.
The revelation about Cristane’s feelings changes Rory, unlocking his heart, and a new challenge to the clan gives him the chance to prove his mettle. But can a chief, or even a second, dare to love a lady’s maid?
WARNING: Rory and Cristane’s love story will melt your heart. If you have a weakness for friends to lovers romance, proceed with caution.
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The Chief: A Medieval Friends to Lovers Romance (Order of the Broken Blade Book 5)
OH, HAPPY VALENTINES TO ME
I’ve been throughly seduced and lovingly swept away by this amazing story.
This is a beautifully written love story with amazing characters, thrilling action, and an emotional intensity, I couldn’t help but getting lost in every page! And, the heart melting romance… well, let’s just say, “Happy Valentines Day”
Dislikes: it’s over!
I Truly Loved, Loved, Loved this story and series! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Happy Reading
Just wow. A perfect ending to the Broken Blade series. I was so happy to find out Ceecila was suprising us with Rory’s story. He is the twin brother of Terric. We get glimpses of him throughout the series so I highly suggest all the other books if you haven’t read them yet. Rory and Cristane have such a romantic story that you don’t want to miss! This Valentines Day feast is all you’ll need in the name of love. Thank you Cecelia for another fantastic read!
Cecilia Mecca really up her game with this surprise novella; the hero and heroine’s fumbling around each other was equal parts frustrating and hilarious. While a cliché idea, the author really made it fun and engaging. Hope to see more of this trope in future.
With “The Earl” I felt that Cecelia Mecca’s Order of The Broken Blade Series had reached an epic conclusion. I loved the series so much that I hated for it to end. And then she brings us a novella “The Chief “ which is packed with all the heart and soul, danger, family, love and passion found in the series. The entire series is a must read and the addition of Rory’s story is it’s true completion. Her characters are magnificent, her descriptive imagery is perfect and her ability to leave you satisfied but still wanting more is a testament to her excellence as an author. Thank you so much Cecelia For such a fascinating stories of adventure and love.
It’s a short, sweet, read. Cristane and Rory have grown together as friends for years, he as privileged son, she as lady’s maid. Cristane has long harboured feelings beyond friendship for Rory. The revelation of Cristane’s feelings will have Rory choosing between his heart or his clan.
I have loved this series! Rory and Cristane were a wonderful couple. The book was short and sweet with a little heat. I am looking forward to more books in this series.
What a wonderful addition this book is to the Order of the Broken Blade series. Rory certainly comes into his own in this story. His confidence grows stronger and when his leadership skills are put to the test, he comes through with flying colours. Cristane has risen from a lowly maid to lady’s maid for Rory’s sister Cait. She has had feelings for Rory for a long time but knows nothing can ever come from them. Circumstances keep putting these two delightful characters together, but will love ever win through? I really enjoyed this story and am glad Rory was given his own tale. Don’t miss this one.
Rory Kennaugh’s been left in charge of the castle while his Terric, his brother is away in England securing his earldom. Rory doesn’t truly expect Terric to release his second title of Chief of Clan Kennaugh in Scotland to him. Rory begins to see how others see him at the festival, how his perception differs from his Clan’s.
Cristane is his brother’s wife lady’s maid and she’s been love with Rory for as long as she can remember, but she knows she’s below him in status. There’s a surprising revelation on Saint Valentine’s Feast Day when the first male she see that day is Rory and legend says she’ll marry the first one she see. Rory has always thought of Cristane as a close friend and he soon discovers she’s grown up into a beautiful young woman, but can the Laird’s second in command every marry a ladies maid. A terrific ending to the series I love these characters their heartwarming , caring as love bloom between them. An excellent story I loved and I voluntarily wrote a review.
Bradon Moor Castle, Scotland 1215
“It had begun innocently enough. The boy who’d always had dirt on his cheeks…the lad who’d sat in the stables with so many sick and orphaned horses…..he had become a man.” Such were Cristane’s thoughts of Rory, brother of Terric, Clan Chief, who she had know since they were young. Yes she loved him but she was a ladies maid to his sister and would never be high enough for him.
But it was the “Feast of St Valentine” day and who knew what would happen! Rory acted so carefree, but it hid some of his deeper feelings.
When an innocent game revealed Cristane’s feelings to him, his first thought was it could never be. Fortunately, he starts thinking and finds his heart already engaged with hers, but would it work?
I truly loved these two and they were just so right together! The heart knows what the heart wants and it seems it was always right there in front of them.
Cecelia Mecca again brings a story I was so glad to see and find out what happened with Rory. Such a great ending to this amazing series!
THE CHIEF by Cecelia Mecca is book 5 in the Order of the Broken Blade Series. This is the story of Cristane and Rory. I have read the previous books (and Loved Them!) but feel you could make this a standalone book if you wish to do so. Rory is the slightly younger twin to his brother Terric who like their father has the title of Earl and Chief of Clan Kennaugh. Rory never thought that his brother wouldn’t keep both titles but when Terric goes off with the other members of the Broken Blade to fight the British tyranny, he is left to oversea his clan. Cristane has worked her way to ladies maid to Cait who is married to Terric. But Cristane secretly has feelings for Rory, who she knows could not return them due to their class differences. But when it is Saint Valentine’s day, her secret about her feelings gets exposed to Rory. Rory and Cristane have always been friends and he never looked at her any other way, but now that he knows of her feelings he starts to see how beautiful she really is. But Rory has a fight on his hands keeping his clan safe in addition to discovering his new feelings for Cristane
Loved this series and of course this author’s writing.
Very Pleased to Get Another Story in this Brilliant Series!!
Rory is happy to remain a second to his brother who is currently Chief. Cristane moved up to lady’s maid, but with her Lady away – does not know where she belongs. As she has risen above her prior station, she can no longer work in the kitchen. Spending time in the stables, she runs into Rory frequently.
A Feast of St. Valentine superstition, concern over altercations, finding where you belong and following your heart are wonderful themes in this “bonus” story from the Order of the Broken Blade.
**I am voluntarily leaving my honest review of this book**
What an awesome series of books. I hate to see the Order of the Broken Blade series end, but I am so glad Rory found some happiness. All the characters in the series were wonderfully created. Rory and Cristine are terrific together. They have a great passion for each other.
I loved this additional story to the Order of the Broken Blade Series by Cecelia Mecca! Great characters!
So glad you added Rory’s story! The Valentine’s Day celebration opens Rory’s eyes to what he his heart has felt for Cristane, and he has ignored, for years. Good ending to the series. I received an ARC of this book.
A wonderful ending to a wonderful series. This is the oh-so-sweet love story of Rory and Cristane. I’m glad he got his HEA. I just wished this had been a novel. It was over way too soon.
Rory is second to his brother the Chief of Clan Kennaugh and does not feel he could be as good of a leader as Terric. His brother is not only Chief but also Earl of Dromsley so he needs Rory’s help. Cristane is a lady’s maid and has known Rory a long time. She has confidence in him and believes he would be a great leader. She tries to get Rory to see himself as others do. Cristane has loved Rory but knows they can never be together because of the differences in their stations. There are conflicts on their boarders that must be taken care of and now Rory has to make difficult decisions on top of dealing with his feeling for Cristane.
I’m not a fan of novella’s but this was fast paced with a great ending to a wonderful series.
I received a copy of this book as a gift and this is my honest and voluntary review.
Cecelia Mecca’s “The Chief” was a nice surprise as I’d thought we were finished with The Order of the Broken Blade and boy was it cringe worthy. In a good way. Well, unless you’re Rory. And poor Cristane. So much so that when we finally get their happily ever after, we’re breathing a sigh of relief. And in between is all the good things we’ve come to expect from Ms. Mecca’s storytelling. What a nice treat!
She’s always admired him, despite her station. Could she dream of anything more?
Just as I was saddened to see the series end, this author reveals a surprise. A friends to lovers novella surrounded around Valentine’s Day. Whoop!!
Loved the way the story opened with humor immediately drawing you into an axe-throwing contest. Loved Rory from the very start (in previous books of The Order too). Not only was he brave, he had a good head on his shoulders and was capable of leading his clan. Only he didn’t think so and that title went to his older twin brother who held two titles, just as his father had.
Cristane had been moved up in the ranks to Cait’s lady’s maid but had little to do until she sent for her after her marriage to Terric. The other servants’ jealousy normally had her keeping her distance searching for something to do throughout the day, which gave her plenty of time to daydream about Rory. A man she secretly loved but could never have. They had been friends for a very long time and were quite comfortable with one another’s company but she knew it could never be anything more. Still her heart yearned for his kiss and affection, the treacherous organ that it was.
Until one day, during a Valentine’s celebration…her longtime-guarded secret is revealed. And Rory sees Cristane in a different light. But while his newfound discovery warms his heart, could they ever be together? Even as the second, he would be expected to marry to benefit his clan.
Alright, I’ve said it before…but this was certainly a perfect ending to the “Order of the Blade” series. One where Cinderella stories do come true and love brings a HEA.
I was happy to find out that the Broken Blades series was not quite completed and that Rory received his own story of love and just in time for Valentine’s Day.
Rory Kennaugh is Terric’s twin and also his second as chief to their clan. He has been friends with Cristane, who is his sister Cait’s maid, since they were younger. She has been in love with him ever since. She is waiting for Cait to bring her to her new home in England. But it is the day of the St. Valentine feast and Rory starts to see Cristane in a different light. But there is a conflict with another clan going on and the ever present question of Rory taking over as chief. Will they be able to get over their personal, social, and clan issues to be together? It’s a sweet, sexy and quick read that you don’t want to miss! I received an ARC of this book and chose to post my review.
Rory Kennaugh has always lived in the shadow of his beloved, slightly older, twin brother, Terric. Rory is content to serve as second and stand-in chief while Terric is in England securing his earldom and Rory doesn’t truly expect Terric to release his second title of Chief of Clan Kennaugh, despite being torn between two countries. But through a series of events on St. Valentine’s Feast Day, Rory begins to reevaluate his perceptions of himself and how others see him, mostly due to an encounter with a woman he has long considered a close friend.
Christane has risen to the highest castle position she can as lady’s maid to Rory’s sister Cait. But with Cait in England and having not yet sent for her, Christane’s position at Bradon Moor is precarious. It doesn’t help that Rory, the longtime friend she has long been in love with, is the first man she sees on St. Valentine’s Day and traditions lead to his discovery of the feelings she has managed to keep secret all this time.
This revelation changes how Rory sees most everything and when the clan is threatened Rory has a chance to prove himself at last, but will he stand up for what, and who, he wants, despite obvious challenges and class differences?
I’m so glad we got this book! I wasn’t ready to leave the world of the Order of the Broken Blade and Rory so deserved his story. This was a lovely, fast-paced novella and it was the perfect bow to wrap up one of my favorite series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.