Blog Tour: Promised to the Highlander by Kate Robbins

Today, it is my pleasure to feature PROMISED TO THE HIGHLANDER by the lovely and talented Kate Robbins. Published by Tirgearr, PROMISED is book two in Kate's wonderful Highland Chiefs series.

Here's the 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?

Here's an excerpt:

William paced while Fergus leaned back in his chair with his long legs stretched out and his arms crossed over his chest. Stephenson was late, not by much, but enough to make William fidget and Fergus take notice. Their three younger siblings, Freya who was in her sixteenth year, John who was fourteen, and eleven-year-old Stephen, waited as well, all in various states of impatience.

The great hall was large and welcoming with dark wooden beams framing the ceiling and walls. Fergus had counted the eighteen beams along the length of the room about a hundred times. William had worn a permanent path on the wide plank floor in front of the red sandstone hearth beneath the many MacKay hunting trophies. Young John sighed again.

“You know, 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 leather sleeveless tunic. William’s long hair was tied at his nape while Fergus’s was left hanging loose. Fergus recalled having to take extra pains upon his betrothal. Thankfully, those days had passed and he needn’t overly worry 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, announcing 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 led the stout man into the great hall.

“Aye, the road was a bit rough with a wagon in tow.”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.” 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 proudly 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 was more so in a woman. The gentler sex usually cowered before him—not this lass.

Fergus stared at her, his heart drumming hard inside his chest. 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’s 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 drew his brows together. What did she want?

Here's my five-star review of the book:

It’s the rare book that sets its hooks so deeply I find it hard to put down and, even when I must, can’t get it out of my mind. Promised to the Highlander was such a book. Author Kate Robbins hooked me at the start and kept reeling me in page after page. I stayed up past my bedtime to find out what happened next and couldn’t wait to get back to it at the end of the day.

Promised to the Highlander tells the story of the frustrated love between Fergus MacKay and Nessia Stephenson, the bonny lass he’s arrange for his younger brother to wed. The instant they set eyes on one another, the chemistry is scorching. MacKay’s brother, William, is a good man neither would dream of betraying. Both do their duty, but the magnetism between them only grows. Shades of Tristan and Isolde, yes, but with a far more satisfying ending. (Not to mention, a nail-biting plot and deliciously detailed love scenes.)

Promised to the Highlander is Book Two in the Highland Chiefs series. Though I thoroughly enjoyed Book One, Bound to the Highlander, I found the sequel even more compelling. Well done, Kate Robbins!

Ebook available at these links.

Here's Kate's Bio:

Kate Robbins, author

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.

Kate loves the research process and delving into secondary sources in order to blend authentic historical fact into her stories. She has travelled to Scotland twice and visited the sites described in her Highland Chiefs series.

Her Highland Chiefs series is set in 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 man-beast and two man-cubs.

 

Cover Reveal: The Bride Gift by Sarah Hegger

The Bride Gift by Sarah Hegger

will be released by Soul Mate Publishing on May 14.

Here's the blurb:

It’s 1153 in the period dubbed ‘The Anarchy’, King Stephen and Empress Maud are not the only ones embroiled in a fierce battle of the sexes.

Determined to control her own destiny, wilful Helena of Lystanwold has chosen just the husband to suit her purposes. But, when her banished guardian uncle attempts to secure her future and climbs through her bedroom window with a new husband by a proxy marriage, she understandably balks. Notorious warrior Guy of Helston is everything Helena swore she would never marry; a man who lives by the sword, like the man who murdered her sister.

This marriage finally brings Guy close to his lifetime dream of gaining lands and a title. He is not about to let his feisty bride stand in his way. A master strategist, Guy sets out to woo and conquer his lady.

 Against a backdrop of vengeance, war and betrayal, Guy and Helena must learn to forge a united front or risk losing everything.

This is Sarah's very first cover and it marks on of those milestones for her as a writer. "I’m still struggling to get past my name on the cover," says the debut novelist, who welcomes feedback from the romance reading public.

You can find Sarah on the Internet at the following locations:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Blog Tour: Saved by a Rake by Em Taylor

Today, it's my pleasure to welcome Em Taylor, author of SAVED BY A RAKE, an indie-published historical regency romance now available on Amazon.

SAVED BY A RAKE tells of the relationship between Lady Rebecca Eversley and Lord Daniel Ramsey. Rebecca is facing ruination after being ravished by an Earl. Now she must decide: will she swallow her pride and face the viscous gossips of the ton or live out her days as a country spinster. Lord Ramsey, a notorious rake, has been given an ultimatum, marry before his father dies or lose the majority of his inheritance. Rebecca seems the perfect candidate, especially once rumours about her start to circulate in the drawing rooms of Mayfair. The murder of the scoundrel who ruined Rebecca soon puts a kink in the couple's wedding plans.

A Scotswoman, Em Taylor was told as a child she had an over-active imagination—as if it were a bad thing. She’s traded her dreams of owning her own island to hoping to meet her own Mr. Darcy one day. But her imagination remains just as vivid. Unfortunately, Em was put off reading and writing by school and although she rediscovered her love of reading many years ago, she only tried her hand at writing again in 2011. After a year of writing fan fiction, she wrote an original short story for an anthology. This was followed up with two more shorts and four novella-length books--all published under a pen name. Having fallen in love with a new sub-genre, courtesy of books by Mary Balogh and Lynsay Sands, she decided to try her hand at her new favourite genre for reading—regency romance.

Having bitten the bullet, she has found her home in the 19th century, which also give her an excuse to watch as many hunks in breeches and tall boots as research demands (and we all know what a demanding mistress research can be for an author of historicals, eh?).

Em was born and raised in Scotland and now lives in a wee village where she has sole control of the TV remote. Outside of writing, she's a teacher.

Read on for my exclusive interview with this talented new author:

NM: What drew you to the genre?

ET: The decadence of the Regency period along with the fact that they are all very prim and proper on the outside but there is pure sexual tension running through everything.

NM: How would you describe your style/voice as a writer?

ET: I’m not a very flowery, descriptive writer. I use 50 words where other authors will use a chapter. But it’s definitely British, which I feel is necessary for Regency.

NM: Which character is your favorite? Tell us about him or her.

ET: Daniel is my favourite character so far. He’s a very honourable man deep down even though he put on the airs of a rake. He may be a bit of a lad about town, but he has real moral fibre.

NM: What other authors inspired you to write?

ET: Initially, I wrote Fan Fiction so I guess the Star Trek authors Brannon Braga, Rick Berman, Jeri Taylor and Christie Golden were my first heroes of the writing world. But growing up, it was Enid Blyton, closely followed by Francine Pascal, who gave me a love of books and storytelling.

NM: Who else do you read in your genre? 

ET: Mary Balogh, Stephanie Laurens, Ella Quinn. I’m still relatively new to the genre so I’m gradually working out who the big players are.

NM: Who’s your favorite author and why?

ET: I have a short attention span, so my favourite author changes every time I pick up a book. Probably right now it’s Mary Balogh. I love her stories and her characters. They fit into Regency just perfectly.

NM: What other writing projects are in the works?

ET: I am writing the story or Rebecca’s brother, James. I am also due to write a short story for an anthology that will be out soon.

NM: What are your marketing strategies?

ET: Get on Facebook as much as possible, do a blog tour and tweet and tumbl in between. Marketing seems to be a bit of a guesswork as far as I can see.

NM: How many years have you been writing? How did you decide you wanted to be a writer?
ET: I started writing fan fiction at the beginning of 2011. Then in November 2011 I took part in Nanowrimo. It gave me the confidence to try my hand at writing a short story for an anthology. I’ve had four books and three short stories published under a different pen name. Once I started writing, I knew it was what I wanted to do. After forty years I had found out what I want to do when I grow up

NM: How do you come up with your story ideas?

ET: I keep my eyes and ears open and I find that stuff that happens in everyday life or stuff I read sparks an idea which seem to grow and grow (especially when I’m in the shower, lol).

NM What is the most important thing you want people to know about you and your work?

ET: I want to keep my characters realistic and work hard to achieve that.

----

Read on for an excerpt from SAVED BY A RAKE:

As his lips briefly touched hers, the carriage jolted, pushing him closer to her. He caught her around the waist to ensure she did not bounce off the seat, then, without thinking, covered her mouth with his.

He noted a moment’s hesitation from her before she moved her lips and reached up to tangle her gloved fingers in his curls. Tentatively she touched her tongue against his, causing him to stifle a groan. He had been without a woman for over a month and now his pretty little wife had her arms around him, kissing him as if she had done it a thousand times. She was a quick learner as she explored his mouth with her tongue, pressing herself closer to him.

Devil take it. He had been struggling all day to stop himself becoming aroused. Her wedding gown had been low cut and her stays showed her breasts off perfectly. He had been distracted throughout the service and the wedding breakfast as images of disrobing her later had flitted through his mind. He wanted to see those breasts again.

He unfastened the three buttons on her pelisse, peeling the material away to her side, then pulled out of the kiss and began to pepper light kisses along her jawline. God, he wanted her, and he was most definitely aroused now.

He kissed her neck and was about to place his hand over that beautiful inviting orb, when he sensed her tensing. He pulled away slowly, tugging the material of her pelisse back over her. When he looked into her eyes, they were bright with confusion, passion and fear, all clearly warring within her. He cursed himself for being too impatient. Then he cursed Newthorpe for what he had done and could not help thinking that death was too good for the blaggard.

“No. That’s the only word you ever have to say and I will stop,” he said simply.

“I am sorry, my lord. I just expected some time before… well I expected to wait until we were in the coaching inn tonight.”

“Yes, of course. It was very impatient of me. I beg your forgiveness.”

Rebecca nodded and looked out the window. The streets of London rushed by as they headed for the Great North Road. He studied the view out of the other window, and they sat in silence for a long time. Eventually Rebecca spoke in a small voice which sounded as if she was on the verge of tears.

“I fear I will not make you a very good wife if a mere kiss frightens me.”

He turned and took her hand in his. He wanted her to be comfortable and not think he was going to pounce on her and ravish her at any given opportunity.

“I have no doubt that you will make a wonderful wife, Rebecca. You just need time and patience and I have an abundance of both.”

She turned large, tear-filled eyes towards him. “You should take a mistress as soon as we reach Scotland.”

He could not possibly have heard correctly. She was giving him permission to have a mistress? Surely not. But her mouth was set in a firm line as if she had made up her mind. A stab of hurt hit him. She thought of him as a rake who would be unfaithful.

He pursed his lips and considered her. What should he do? He wanted to rail at her and tell her he had no intention of being unfaithful. He had taken vows only a few hours previously and yet now she was giving him permission to break them. But maybe the idea of him having a mistress brought her comfort. She was clearly terrified of intimacy between a husband and wife.

“We shall discuss it once we reach Scotland, my lady. I have no wish to think beyond our present journey.”

“Do you not see that I can only ever tolerate the marriage bed for the sake of giving you an heir,” she wailed, pulling her hand away from his. “He ruined me in more ways than you can ever know.”

“You are only ruined if you allow him that power. A skilful lover could make you feel very different about certain aspects of a marriage.”

“Well, I have heard enough tales to know that you are a skilful lover, Lord Ramsey. But I think you should save it for your mistresses.” Her tone was almost venomous but he ignored it, knowing that it was fear that drove her.
She turned her head to look out of the window again. He was at a complete loss. She thought him almost as bad as Newthorpe. Well, not quite but she did not think he would be faithful. A long silence stretched out between them as he considered what to say to her. Her back was rigid, and she swiped at her cheek with one gloved hand.

“What he did to you…”

“What he did has destroyed me, and I am not sorry that he is dead. I wish I had been the one to kill him.”
“Please, Rebecca…”

She burst into tears and fished in her reticule for a handkerchief, he presumed. He held his out to her and with a large sob she accepted it. He untied her bonnet and threw it onto the seat opposite before gathering her in his arms.

She tried to move out of his grip but this time he held firm, knowing that she would accept his comfort, which she did, weeping as she buried her face in his coat.

As her sobs turned into sniffles, which turned into silence then light snuffles of sleep, he held her and wondered how he was going to help his beautiful young wife over her fear of physical love.

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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.

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!

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.

Clans, Castles, and Clashing Swords

The Warrior by Margaret Mallory
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Okay, here's the story on this one. While at my first RWA national conference (my first writer's conference ever, actually), I stumbled into the literacy book signing event after killing a little time in the bar across the way . . . and basically just walked around feeling totally overwhelmed. There were so many authors, so many books! Where to begin? So, I just started walking around, talking to people who weren't otherwise engaged--and one of those people was Margaret Mallory. I'm all about Scotland and like historicals, tho', admittedly, I've read only a handful in the genre. Most of my logged reading has been with Diana Gabaldon. No half-naked men with glistening chests on the cover. I read what wins the Pulitzer or the National Book Award. Anyway, I bought Mallory's book (which she very kindly signed for me) and took it home with a mountain of others both purchased and acquired by what was called ... booty? Scat? No, something else. Dang. Can't remember now. Free stuff, basically. Giveaways. RWA was fabulous. Gave me a whole new respect for the romance genre and turned me on to lots of wonderful people who happen to write books (or authors who happen to be great people--whatever floats your boat).

So, getting to the point. I just finished THE WARRIOR and really, really liked it. The characters were quite lovely, the sexual tension good and tense, the sex pretty hot, and the plot a nail-biting adventure. Can you ask for more than that in an escapist read? I never groaned, rolled my eyes, or threw the book across the room once. Praise indeed--despite the bare chested lad on the cover. And, to the publisher's credit, this photo actually resembled the romantic hero!

Bottom line: I enjoyed the book, would recommend it to others who enjoy Scottish historicals, and would definitely read something else by Margaret Mallory.

View all my reviews