The Jewel of the Glen by Michelle Deerwester-Dalrymple
What happens when a striking Scottish beauty finds herself at the mercy of kings and lords?
When Caitrin MacCollough returns to her brother’s lands, she believes she has found a safe haven, a sanctuary. A striking beauty, one that is legendary in the Highlands, she attracts attention from everyone, including the king of Scotland, Sir Robert the Bruce.
But after a lifetime of loneliness, the pandemonium of Clan MacCollough doesn’t sit well with the young Caitrin. To hide from all the chaos, she often hides her looks and retreats to animals in the barn, finding peace and quiet.
When the King decides that a beauty such as Caitrin shouldn’t be hidden away, but instead used as a bartering chip to make alliances with another Highland chieftain, panic consumes her.
With the help of the MacCollough giant, Torin, they embark on a radical, secret plan that amounts to treason. To accomplish this task, however, Torin must give up his own solitary life and do something he hasn’t done in years: open his heart to another.
They believe their secret plan successful, only they don’t know an English Earl has his own plans for the Scottish lass.
Amid a rich backdrop of fighting to reclaim a nation and a crown for Robert the Bruce, Caitrin and Torin must rely on each other to survive. Can they open their darkest hearts and find love with one another?
Description
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Michelle is a writer, college professor, avid reader, and mom of five. Her first book, To Dance in the Glen, was a Top Ten Finalist in the Author Academy Awards, and her next two books in the series are shortlisted for the 50 best indie books of 2019. She has always had a passion for romance, especially historical romance.
What inspired you to write your book?
I am a huge fan of Diana Gabaldon and Kathryn Le Veque, and after reading those and several other historical romances, I decided to give it a try. I never imagined I would be finishing book 4 and starting book 5!
Here is a short sample from the book:
“Wooing is more than just anticipation of marriage. Wooing is, uh, to encourage excitement. To build passion. A passion that rises until it’s consummated on a wedding night, or any night a man and wife spend in bed. Ye deserve that, to be stroked, to feel that building passion. I fear this night will no’ be the most welcome, I will no’ be welcome, because ye didn’t get to feel that passion build over time.”
“‘Twas it like that for ye and your wife? Janet?”
Torin’s insides cringed and folded in sharp agony at the sound of his handfast wife’s name. They were young when they met and fell in love, and their love for each other was inflamed by those passions of youth. When she died, he’d had the misguided sense of nobility to think he wouldn’t lie with another woman again.
That lasted about a month before he sought solace with a local whore. ‘Twasn’t the same, he felt that well, and only bedded a willing woman when his need built to a screaming crescendo. But to woo another? Wed another? To share a loving embrace? Share that intimacy? As he grew older, he understood the folly of his youthful vow to never love again. Yet, here he was, having vowed before God to love and protect this woman, and she deserved to be loved, as wholly and passionately as a woman should be. At least on his end, Torin had a good start on loving passion, but he wanted Caitrin to feel the same.
“Aye,” he finally answered. “We wooed and loved much. But with ye, I would give ye the same, more, now.”
He turned on the bedding to admire her delicate features as he made another vow to her — one that he would take more to heart than even the vow they just made before the priest. “I am older, I ken more about the world, about women, but no’ perchance about love. I would have us travel that road together. Ye deserve that. I would have us be passionate and loving with each other.”
His heartfelt words were heavy with emotion and tore at Caitrin, her heart weeping for the man who suffered such a loss, lived as half a man, and presently forced his own hand to wed again to save her from an uncertain fate. Just as he said she deserved to be wooed and loved, so did this giant of man ‘afore her, even if he didn’t know it.
Caitrin studied his face, making her own silent vow to be as good a wife, in all ways possible, to the gentle giant that was now her husband. Torin sacrificed much for her, and she vowed to do the same. Placing her other hand over his that cupped hers, she entwined her fingers with his. ‘Twas the boldest move she’d taken with a man, with any person. And she felt the heat of his racing blood flow through his hands and arms. Yet, he still didn’t move any closer.
He was letting her take the lead. Caitrin could see ‘twas taking all his effort to remain rooted in his spot, out of respect for her. His giant body was naught more than a shell to show the world that held a soft, caring man.
“Then why don’t ye woo me now?” she asked in a hushed tone.
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