Cover Reveal: Promised to the Highlander

PROMISED TO THE HIGHLANDER, the much anticipated follow-up to Kate Robbins' besteselling BOUND TO THE HIGHLANDER, is on the launchpad at Tirgearr Publishing. To whet your appetite, here's the stunning new cover for Book Two in the Highland Chiefs series.

Hungry for a wee bit more? Here are a few more tasty appetizers:

Blurb:

Nessia Stephenson's world was safe until a threat from a neighbouring clan forces her to accept a betrothal to a man whose family can offer her the protection she needs. The real threat lies in her intense attraction to the man who arranged the match—the clan's chief and her intended’s brother, Fergus MacKay.

When powerful warlord Fergus MacKay arranges a marriage for his younger brother, William, he has no idea the price will be his own heart. Fergus is captivated by the wildly beautiful Nessia, a woman he can never have.

 When the feud between the MacKay and Sutherland clans escalates, Nessia, William, and Fergus all must make sacrifices for their future. Longing and loss, honour and duty. How can love triumph under such desperate circumstances?

Excerpt:

“For a man who isn’t eager to meet his future wife, you’ve got quite a set of nerves there lad,” Fergus said to William.

William straightened his linen shirt and smoothed his tunic as he glared at Fergus. Yet, the comment was absorbed and William ceased his pacing to sit on a chair near the fire. Fergus watched his brother adjust his belt again. The young man wore his usual dress but had taken greater pains today to perfect his appearance. Fergus glanced down at his linen shirt and sleeveless leather tunic. William’s long hair was tied at his nape while Fergus’s was left hanging loose. He recalled having to take extra pains upon his betrothal. Thankfully those days had passed and he needn’t worry overly anymore. A young lass would surely find William’s neat, respectable appearance appealing. He hoped so, but before he could dwell on it further, a servant entered and announced the arrival of Thomas Stephenson, his daughter Nessia and several of their clansmen.

William sprang to his feet and crossed the floor in a few quick strides to greet them. He continued to fidget as Fergus sauntered up from behind.

 “Thomas! Welcome. We thought we’d have to send out a search party soon,” Fergus said as the stout man turned the corner leading into the great hall.

“Aye, the road was a bit rough with a wagon in tow,” Thomas said. The man’s brow was streaked with sweat and he looked weary from his travels.

“We’ve had a lot of rains this harvest there’s no doubting that,” Fergus said. In truth he would have gone searching himself had another hour passed. Earlier that day he’d heard more rumours about Ronan Sutherland. Apparently, the lad had agreed to his father’s suggestion and would commence his campaign in the coming days. Fergus sensed William stiffen beside him as Thomas began the introductions.

“Fergus, William, this is my brother Neville and these three are my sons, Colin, Robert, and Camden my youngest. And this is my daughter, Nessia.”

Fergus acknowledged each man in turn. When the introduction came to the girl and his gaze fell on her, his breath caught in his throat. With black hair and bright blue eyes she stood proud before him with her chin lifted and all the regal confidence of a noblewoman. She displayed no fear or reservation at all, something which was unusual in most men he met, but more so in a woman. The gentler sex usually cowered before him—not this lass.

Fergus stared at the girl, his heart drumming. His guts clenched as if he’d been punched. He had to force himself from moving toward her to touch her hair which looked like spun silk, for surely it could not be real. Fergus remembered his brother then and tore his gaze from her to find William eyes wide and his jaw slacked. An unexpected pang ran through him.

When he turned back it was to find her still staring at him, seemingly unabashed for staring openly at a man. A bold one, then. Fergus’s drew his brows together. What did she want?

Kate Robbins, Bio

Kate Robbins

Kate Robbins writes historical romance novels out of pure escapism and a love for all things Scottish, not to mention a life-long enjoyment of reading romance. Her journey into storytelling began with a short screenplay she wrote, directed, and produced which was screened at the 2003 Nickel Film Festival in St. John’s, Newfoundland. She has also written and directed several stage plays for youth.

Kate loves the research process and delving into secondary sources in order to give readers the most authentic historical romance possible. She has travelled to Scotland and has visited the sites described in her Highland Chiefs series.

Promised to the Highlander is the second of three books set during the early fifteenth century during the reign of James Stewart, first of his name.

Kate is the pen name of Debbie Robbins who lives in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada with her hubby, the man-beast, and her two awesome boys, the man-cubs.

You can find Kate online at the following:

Into the Highland Mist

Twitter

Facebook

Goodreads

 

Book Review: Bound to the Highlander by Kate Robbins

They say indifference, not hate, is the opposite of love. And there’s not a trace of indifference in BOUND TO THE HIGHLANDER, the debut novel by Kate Robbins. The book won this year’s TARA Award for best historical romance, and it’s easy to see why. The settings, clothing, and politics of Medieval Scotland are impeccably described.

Aileanna Chattan learns upon the death of her beloved uncle and guardian that she’s been betrothed in a secret pact to James MacIntosh, the chief of Clan MacIntosh, who, though drop-dead gorgeous, also is a reputed womanizer. Tensions run high between these two would-be spouses from the moment they set eyes on one another—and not just the sexual variety (though, thankfully, there’s plenty of that!).

Aileanna is bewildered by her betrothed’s behavior—and justifiably so. One minute, he’s cold and distant; the next, he’s got his tongue down her throat. James is deeply conflicted and a bit clueless about his feelings, mainly because he suspects Aileanna is a conniving vixen—not the virtuous innocent she pretends to be. He determines, therefore, to bed her to satisfy his rapacious lust, but to break the betrothal—something only the King has the power to do. Calum MacIntosh, James’ brother, intervenes on his clueless sibling’s behalf—aware James has genuine yet unrealized feelings for the lass. At one point, Calum tells Aileanna the reason James is so distrustful: a past rejection wounded him deeply.

Meanwhile, the cousin Aileanna was supposed to marry all along turns out to be a scheming snake who makes a prodigious amount of trouble for her and James, some of which caught me by surprise (a good thing). The plot twist near the end so shocked me I gasped and cried out: “No! That did not just happen!”

All in all, I found BOUND TO THE HIGHLANDER a deliciously edifying read with compelling characters and a well-crafted plot set against a convincing and fascinating historic background. I especially loved the heat between the hero and heroine and the scenes at the royal palaces. My one complaint: too many typographical errors distracted from the flow and the author’s skillful prose. I hope book two in her Highland Chief series will be better proofread. Still, typos aside, I highly recommend this book to lovers of Scottish historical romance--as well as those yet to fall in love with this wonderful genre.

BLOG TOUR STOP: Kate Robbins, author of Bound to the Highlander

Kate Robbins lives in St. John's,
New Foundland, Canada with her
husband and two boys.

Joining me on ye olde blog today is Kate Robbins, whose award-winning debut novel, BOUND TO THE HIGHLANDER, was released last week by Tirgearr Publishing. The novel won this year's TARA award for best historical romance and the rave reviews are already pouring in. Leave a comment and you'll be entered to win a free download! I'm more than halfway through and finding it both suspenseful and sexy. Here's what Heart of Fiction had to say:

BOUND TO THE HIGHLANDER harkens back to classic Scottish romances written by the greats--Judith McNaught, Julie Garwood, Iris Johansen, Elizabeth Stuart, Bertrice Small . . . the list goes on. This story delves deeply into Scottish history but is equally played out against a love story so emotive you may find yourself sitting on the edge of your seat. Kate expertly weaves strong characters, rich culture, and a twisting plot that drives the reader forward through the story until the final page comes too quickly. For those who say Scottish romance has been played out in the industry needs to think again. This book is a fresh and welcome addition to decades long Scottish romance storytelling.

Nina Mason: Tell me about BOUND TO THE HIGHLANDER.

Kate Robbins: This is the first in my Highland Chiefs series set during the reign of James Stewart, first of his name. The early 15^th century in Scotland was a fascinating time with clan conflicts and plots to usurp the king. The high middle ages on the cusp of the renaissance saw the emergence of iconic writer Christine de Pizan and teenage warrior Joan of Arc. Women were testing the waters. And they were making quite an impact. I’ve explored that a little in BOUND TO THE HIGHLANDER.

NM: Tell me about your hero and heroine.

KR: Raised by her uncle, Aileana’s the daughter of a nobleman who was sent to England as surety for the king’s ransom. He died there when she was little and so he despises the king and anyone who would support him. My hero, James MacIntosh, is a Stewart supporter who was talked into signing a betrothal contract binding him to Aileana by his father and her uncle. The story opens when her uncle dies.

NM: What compelled you to write Scottish historical romances?

KR: I love history and I love romance. Combining the two is as natural as breathing for me.

NM: Who’s your favorite author in the genre?

KR: Oh my. The list is long for Scottish historicals. Johanna Lindsay, Julie Garwood, Julianne MacLean, Nancy Jardine, Cathie Dunn, Deborah Hale. Wow, I could go on for days.

NM: What other authors have inspired you?

KR: Stephen King I would say is a huge inspiration. I love his attitude and I love his writing. He’s so vivid that no matter what he’s writing about, I’m convinced of it.

NM: What kind of research was involved?
KR: A lot!! Writing historicals is challenging because you want the reader to be immersed into the story and as such, into the setting as much as possible. Word choice is critical and the Merriam-Webster app on my phone has become my best friend when determining when a word was first used. No sense saying her heroine thinks the Laird is cool. That wouldn’t fly. I’ve also done a lot of research into the political climate of 1430 and of the social climate as well for the nobles of Scotland. I’ve scoured the internet and have purchased many, many history books in search of sometimes large pieces of information, sometimes teeny. I’ve visited Scotland twice now and have picked up all sorts of interesting impressions that I’ve since added to BOUND TO THE HIGHLANDER and am now adding to the second book in the series.

NM: How much real history did you include?

KR: A lot in the background. Much of what happened with the king was true; I’ve just set fictional characters around the political backdrop. The clan conflicts and alliances are based on historical assumption and so I’ve tried to weave that into the story as well. For example, the Chattan and MacIntosh clans really did merge by marriage, it was just earlier than the time BOUND TO THE HIGHLANDER is set. So I stay true when necessary and massage sometimes.

NM: What gave you the idea for the book and series?

KR: I was listening to two friends talk about a romantic scene in PS I Love You about when the hero and heroine meet on an old country road. From there, I just started writing.

NM: What projects are you working on now?

KR: Working on book two in the Highland Chiefs series, PROMISED TO THE HIGHLANDER. This one delves more into individual clan conflict and more of the reason behind the big plot to usurp the king that began in BOUND TO THE HIGHLANDER.

NM: How many years have you been writing? How did you decide you wanted to be a writer?

KR: I started writing about 13 years ago when I did a screenplay-writing workshop. I thought, ahhh, I’ll try it. I went on to film the short script I wrote that weekend and it was later screened at a local film festival. Later still, I tried my hand at stage plays for youth. I’d begun a youth drama group and every now and again when I couldn’t find exactly what I wanted to direct with the kids, so I wrote them instead. I wrote two 45-minute one-act plays that I also directed as dinner theatres. I’ve been writing novels for about five years.

NM: If you had one wish for your books what would it be?

KR: I just hope readers of Scottish historical romances like it. Readers of specific sub-genres expect a certain level of accuracy with original voice, theme, etc. I hope I can live up to the expectation.

NM: Any other thoughts or comments?

KR: Writing BOUND TO THE HIGHLANDER has been a wonderful experience for me and I really hope readers enjoy it. Thanks for having me here Nina!! I love your blog and think you have a wonderful site here. Keep up the good work!

Same to you, Kate. Thanks for stopping by today and good luck with your book and writing.

BOUND TO THE HIGHLANDER now available on Amazon!

BOUND TO THE HIGHLANDER, the award-winning debut novel by Kate Robbins, is out and available for purchase through Amazon.com. Buy it, read it, love it, and write a review so other lovers of Scottish historicals will know what a wonderful book my friend Kate has written.

Kate's blog tour, which starts today at Heart of Fiction, will stop here on October 21, so be sure to come back to read my interview with this talented new author.

Kate, the pen name of Debbie Robbins of St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada, writes historical romance novels out of pure escapism and a love for all things Scottish, not to mention a life-long enjoyment of reading romance. Her journey into storytelling began with a short screenplay she wrote, directed, and produced which was screened at the 2003 Nickel Film Festival in St. John’s, Newfoundland. She has also written and directed several stage plays for youth.

Kate loves the research process and delving into secondary sources in order to give readers the most authentic historical romance possible. She has traveled to Scotland and has visited the sites described in her Highland Chiefs series.

BOUND TO THE HIGHLANDER will be the first of three books set during the early fifteenth century during the reign of James Stewart, first of his name.

Teasers from the book follow:

Aileana Chattan suffers a devastating loss, then discovers she is to wed neighboring chief and baron, James MacIntosh--a man she despises and whose loyalty deprived her of the father she loved. Despite him and his traitorous clan, Aileana will do her duty, but she doesn't have to like it--or him. But when the MacIntosh awakens something inside her so absolute and consuming, she is forced to question everything.

James MacIntosh is a nobleman torn between tradition and progress. He must make a sacrifice if he is to help Scotland move forward as a unified country. Forced to sign a marriage contract years earlier binding Lady Aileana to him, James must find a way to break it, or risk losing all -- including his heart.

From the wild and rugged Highlands near Inverness to the dungeons of Edinburgh Castle, James and Aileana’s preconceptions of honor, duty and love are challenged at every adventurous turn.

Near Inverness, Scotland, April 1430

A horse’s scream pierced the air sending a chill down her spine. Brèagha. Aileana Chattan quit pacing and dashed to the window. Thank God, they were home at last.

She strained toward the eerie quiet below just as the procession crested the hill beyond the gatehouse. She was right, it was her uncle’s horse Brèagha, but the poor beast hobbled as three men grasped his leather reins and struggled to keep the distressed animal in check. Bile rose in her throat when she spied the body face down across its back.

She tore through the hallway, down the winding stairs and raced out into the courtyard. Cold mud soaked her feet and her heart pummeled as the somber hunters approached. She looked to Andrews, her steward, to confirm her fear.

“I’m sorry, lass.” He shifted his weight, but did not look up.

Her gaze returned to the body. Fiery red hair hung in tangles and pale, limp hands were red streaked. Shivers coursed through her as she beheld his unmoving form.

Her uncle, their chief, was dead.

A soundless ‘No’ faltered on her lips. Men and horses spun around her, threatening her balance. She reached out to cling to something. Anything. Air slipped through her fingers as she stumbled forward. Andrews caught her the moment her knees buckled.

“I’ve got you, Lady Aileana. Come, we must get him inside.”

He placed one strong arm around her shoulder and kept her moving forward, her feet skimming the ground.

No one spoke as they entered the large stone and wooden stable. The huntsmen pulled her uncle’s body from the horse’s back and laid him at her feet. She dropped to the ground beside him. The foul stench of manure filled her nostrils and she fought the urge to retch.

“Why did you bring him in here?” The stable was no place for their chief.

“He ordered us. We had no other way to get the laird’s body home and he wanted us to save Brèagha for you,” Andrews said.
Her gaze shifted between her uncle’s body and the horse’s wild eyes. She swallowed the thick knot which had lodged in her throat.

“What happened?”

“We were tracking deer when something spooked him.” Andrews’s voice was low and grim. “Your uncle’s sword was drawn. They were both injured when they fell.”

The horse snorted and bobbed his head up and down. Aileana stood to view his injuries better. A deep gash oozed jagged crimson lines down his flank, pooling at his hoof. She moved to Brèagha’s side and buried her fingers in his mane. His coat was covered with a sheen of sweat.

“Dear God, you won’t see week’s end.” She must save him. “Andrews?”

“Get Argyle’s surgeon,” Andrews said. The stable hand took off to do his bidding.

There wasn’t much she could do for the faithful beast, but she had to try. Uncle Iain had wanted it. Aileana returned to kneel by her uncle’s side and brushed a lock of red, matted hair from his brow. She gathered his limp hand into hers and searched for any remaining hint of life, but there was none. Aileana closed her eyes, spilling tears onto her cheeks.

She pictured the two of them walking through the glen with the heather splashed mountains all around. She had loved his tales of legends and victories and could feel warm air caressing her skin and fluttering her skirts. He smiled, giving her all the comfort she needed.

Brèagha’s grunt brought her back to the present and her eyes flew open. In this story, there was no victory. Her velvet gown was no protection from the cold, uncaring earth beneath her, and the image of Uncle Iain and the colorful mountains faded to gray.

The men, her men, encircled her. They waited for her signal to move the body to his room for cleansing. Blood pounded in her ears as she struggled to do what she must, though she hated to release his hands. She cried out when she tried to fold them across his breast, but they slipped to the ground.

“Let me help, m’lady.” Andrews’ strong, weathered fingers covered hers and together they laid her uncle’s hands across his chest. Andrews pulled her up and held her close. His strong arms tightened around her, reassuring her as she tried to contain her grief.

“Move him,” Andrews said. “Now.”

Thank God for Andrews. He didn’t want his chief laying in filth any more than she did. The men nodded and encircled him.

“What’s this?” The familiar voice boomed from the doorway. “What’s happened?”

Gawain Chattan scanned the stable until his gaze landed on the body. His tall, thin frame was a silhouette against the gray sky and his expression was masked, even as he lifted his eyes to meet hers.

“The laird is dead,” Andrews said.

His words pierced her. This was really happening.

The Big Day Approaches

Tomorrow is the big day! The launch of Kate Robbins's award-winning debut novel, BOUND TO THE HIGHLANDER. To celebrate, Kate will embark on an international blog tour that will take her from Ireland to Scotland to the U.S. to Canada. Kate lives in New Foundland (which my teenage daughter keeps telling me is pronounced New Finland!). I'll post an interview with Kate here on October 15th, so be sure to pop back. And do be sure to buy her wonderful e-book first thing tomorrow at Amazon.com.Stay tuned for more. But right now, I must get back to reading her scintillating story of duty and desire. I'm totally hooked!

Lucky Number Seven . . .

Only seven more days to release!

Eight More Days . . .

Did you know there are eight yards of fabric in a good kilt?







Did you know there are no kilts in Kate Robbins' award-winning debut novel BOUND TO THE HIGHLANDER? (Because it's set in Medieval Scotland and they didn't wear kilts back then, of course.)






Did you further know that Kate's book will be out in just eight more days?

Speaking of nines and Scottish history . . .

How many days until the release of Kate Robbins' award-winning debut novel, BOUND TO THE HIGHLANDER?

Here's a hint:

Follow Kate on Facebook as she counts down to her book's October 10th release.

Why is the Nine of Diamonds called The Curse of Scotland?

There are many theories as to how this seemingly innocuous playing card came to be known as a curse to the Scots, but I like the one offered in the following passage from my paranormal WIP, THE QUEEN OF SWORDS. In the scene, Graham Logan, the hero, is recalling a long-ago conversation with his grandfather about the Battle of Culloden, which the old man witnessed as a wounded officer of Bonnie Prince Charlie's. At this point, he's just told Graham how the MacDonalds refused to charge with the rest of the Highlanders because of a perceived slight:

"Well . . . the MacDonalds let their pride go to their heads that day. And God swiftly smote them down . . . taking the rest of us down with 'em. Our brave lads fell in writhing heaps--the forerunners skewered, slashed, and gutted by English bayonets." He shook his head. "Poor devils! May God rest 'em. But they met their end as brave men should: fighting for what they believed in, toe-to-toe with the enemy." His granda paused then, released a heavy sigh, and bit his lip, overcome. After a moment, he began again with a strained voice. "We lost twelve hundred good strong lads that day . . . "
          Graham gulped at the number of dead. "D'ye think ye would have won if no' for the MacDonalds?"
          "No, lad. For the deck was stacked against us long before we took the field, I'm sorry to tell ye--starting with the card upon which the Butcher scribbled 'no quarter' at a gaming table the night before the battle." He turned to his grandson with sorrowful eyes. "D'ye ken what it means to give such an order?"
          Young Graham's heart was heavy with the answer. "It means that none can be taken prisoner . . . that all survivors must be kilt."
          "Aye." The old man shifted his gaze to the dying fire. "And the barbarity that followed is too gruesome for me to burden ye with at yer tender age. For now, let me just say that there's good reason the Nine of Diamonds will forever be known as the Curse of Scotland." He sat in silence for a moment before adding, "Now off to bed with ye. And be quick about it."

. . .

For more theories about how the Nine of Diamonds earned its ominous name, check out this article from The Scotsman.

Only Ten More Days to Release!

Mark your calendar, set a reminder, make a note, or do whatever you do to remember an important date--and do it now for October 10th--the release date for Kate Robbins' debut novel, BOUND TO THE HIGHLANDER. A searing tale of duty, passion, and political intrigue set in Medieval Scotland, the book won this year's TARA Award for historical romance. So it's gotta be good, right? 

BOUND TO THE HIGHLANDER, the first in a series, tells the story of two enemies who fall in love after a forced marriage during the era of King James I. 

No pre-orders, sorry. But the e-book will be available Oct. 1 at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and on Tirgearr Publishing's website. 

Count down with Kate on Facebook!

Now for a quick review (in case you weren't paying attention):

Q: What book are we talking about?

 

Q: What was that release date again?

Good job.

Now, one more thing: I'll be posting an interview with Kate during the BOUND TO THE HIGHLANDER Blog Tour on October 15! Be there or be square!

Exciting News and an Excerpt . . .

It gives me great pleasure to announce that BOUND TO THE HIGHLANDER, the forthcoming novel by Kate Robbins, has won the 2013 TARA Award for Historical Romance! The book tells the story of two people forced to marry by circumstances in the era of King James I. The award is given by the Tampa Area Romance Authors, a chapter of the Romance Writers of America. The contest judged the first 4,500 words and was open to unpublished and published writers, but for an uncontracted manuscript. At the time, Kate hadn't received her offer from Tirgearr Publishing. The book will release on October 10.

"This recognition only adds to the excitement building inside me about releasing my first novel," Kate commented about the news. "To the world. So anyone can read."

Here's an excerpt:

Near Inverness, Scotland, April 1430

A horse’s scream pierced the air sending a chill down her spine. Brèagha. Aileana Chattan quit pacing and dashed to the window. Thank God, they were home at last.
          She strained toward the eerie quiet below just as the procession crested the hill beyond the gatehouse. She was right, it was her uncle’s horse Brèagha, but the poor beast hobbled as three men grasped his leather reins and struggled to keep the distressed animal in check. Bile rose in her throat when she spied the body face down across its back.
          She tore through the hallway, down the winding stairs and raced out into the courtyard. Cold mud soaked her feet and her heart pummeled as the somber hunters approached. She looked to Andrews, her steward, to confirm her fear.
          “I’m sorry, lass.” He shifted his weight, but did not look up.
          Her gaze returned to the body. Fiery red hair hung in tangles and pale, limp hands were red streaked. Shivers coursed through her as she beheld his unmoving form.
          Her uncle, their chief, was dead.
          A soundless ‘No’ faltered on her lips. Men and horses spun around her, threatening her balance. She reached out to cling to something. Anything. Air slipped through her fingers as she stumbled forward. Andrews caught her the moment her knees buckled.
          “I’ve got you, Lady Aileana. Come, we must get him inside.”
          He placed one strong arm around her shoulder and kept her moving forward, her feet skimming the ground.
          No one spoke as they entered the large stone and wooden stable. The huntsmen pulled her uncle’s body from the horse’s back and laid him at her feet. She dropped to the ground beside him. The foul stench of manure filled her nostrils and she fought the urge to retch.
          “Why did you bring him in here?” The stable was no place for their chief.
          “He ordered us. We had no other way to get the laird’s body home and he wanted us to save Brèagha for you,” Andrews said.
           Her gaze shifted between her uncle’s body and the horse’s wild eyes. She swallowed the thick knot which had lodged in her throat.
          “What happened?”
          “We were tracking deer when something spooked him.” Andrews’s voice was low and grim. “Your uncle’s sword was drawn. They were both injured when they fell.”
          The horse snorted and bobbed his head up and down. Aileana stood to view his injuries better. A deep gash oozed jagged crimson lines down his flank, pooling at his hoof. She moved to Brèagha’s side and buried her fingers in his mane. His coat was covered with a sheen of sweat.
          “Dear God, you won’t see week’s end.” She must save him. “Andrews?”
          “Get Argyle’s surgeon,” Andrews said. The stable hand took off to do his bidding.
          There wasn’t much she could do for the faithful beast, but she had to try. Uncle Iain had wanted it. Aileana returned to kneel by her uncle’s side and brushed a lock of red, matted hair from his brow. She gathered his limp hand into hers and searched for any remaining hint of life, but there was none. Aileana closed her eyes, spilling tears onto her cheeks.
          She pictured the two of them walking through the glen with the heather splashed mountains all around. She had loved his tales of legends and victories and could feel warm air caressing her skin and fluttering her skirts. He smiled, giving her all the comfort she needed.
          Brèagha’s grunt brought her back to the present and her eyes flew open. In this story, there was no victory. Her velvet gown was no protection from the cold, uncaring earth beneath her, and the image of Uncle Iain and the colorful mountains faded to gray.
          The men, her men, encircled her. They waited for her signal to move the body to his room for cleansing. Blood pounded in her ears as she struggled to do what she must, though she hated to release his hands. She cried out when she tried to fold them across his breast, but they slipped to the ground.
          “Let me help, m’lady.” Andrews’ strong, weathered fingers covered hers and together they laid her uncle’s hands across his chest. Andrews pulled her up and held her close. His strong arms tightened around her, reassuring her as she tried to contain her grief.
          “Move him,” Andrews said. “Now.”
Thank God for Andrews. He didn’t want his chief laying in filth any more than she did. The men nodded and encircled him.
           “What’s this?” The familiar voice boomed from the doorway. “What’s happened?”
Gawain Chattan scanned the stable until his gaze landed on the body. His tall, thin frame was a silhouette against the gray sky and his expression was masked, even as he lifted his eyes to meet hers.
          “The laird is dead,” Andrews said.
           His words pierced her. This was really happening.

(Yes, Kate. This is really happening! So, enjoy.)

Cover Reveal: Bound to the Highlander by Kate Robbins

My dear friend Kate Robbins just unveiled the cover for her forthcoming Scottish historical, BOUND TO THE HIGHLANDER, book one in the Highland Chiefs Series.

The book will be released in three more weeks by Tirgearr Publishing. As we count down toward launch, I plan to publish an interview with Kate, news of launch events (including a giveaway of that gorgeous fly-paid brooch on the cover), as well as excerpts from the book.

So, stay tuned for updates! In the meantime, here's the blurb:

After a devastating loss, Aileana Chattan discovers she is to wed neighboring chief and baron, James MacIntosh--a man she despises. A man whose loyalty deprived her of her beloved father. Despite him and his traitorous clan, Aileana will do her duty, but she doesn't have to like it.

Or him.

Until he awakens something deep inside her--something so absolute and consuming, she is forced to question . . . everything.

James MacIntosh is a nobleman torn between tradition and progress. He must make a sacrifice if he is to help Scotland move forward as a unified country. That sacrifice cannot include a betrothal to a young, uncourtly woman. Forced to sign a marriage contract binding Lady Aileana to him years earlier, James must find a way to break it, or risk losing all--including his heart.

From the wild and rugged Highlands near Inverness to the dungeons of Edinburgh Castle, James and Aileana’s preconceptions of honor, duty, and love are challenged at every adventurous turn.