historical fiction

Lief by Celeste Barclay

Fate brought them together. Free will binds them.
Leif Ivarrson wants nothing more than to enjoy the comforts of home after sailing for months. When a neighboring jarl arrives bearing news of a threat to their land and security, Leif knows there will be no rest for him. Tasked with finding and bringing back this jarl’s niece, Leif departs on a journey that fate designed but he chooses to carry out.

Sigrid Torbensdóttir’s visions have been both a gift and a curse since she was a young girl. Now a woman, Sigrid’s position as a seer puts her in danger when enemies seek to take advantage of her gift for their benefit and to keep her from saving her family. Sigrid knows she cannot defy fate, and when Leif comes to her rescue, Leif discovers destiny cannot be ignored.

Leif and Sigrid struggle to reconcile the future the gods have shown her with the shifting fate their enemies attempt to control. Will a new love survive the tests of war and family? Can a match created by fate withstand the machinations of man?

If you love edge of your seat, breathless Viking romances with fantastic characters, then you’ll love Celeste Barclay’s steamy and passionate Leif.

Viking Glory is a steamy historical series that will transport you back to the world of the ancient Norse with brave heroes and even stronger heroines. The series follows the lives and loves of five friends. Brother and sister, Leif and Freya, along with their cousin, Bjorn, and their friends Strian and Tyra sail the seas and conquer hearts. This is a five book series where each book can be read as a standalone but is best read as part of the series.

His Highland Lass by Celeste Barclay

By Book Lovers Magazine

His Highland Lass by Celeste Barclay

An undeniable love… an unexpected match…
Faced with a feud with the Sinclairs that is growing deadly, Laird Tristan Mackay is bound by duty to his clan to make peace with the enemy. Tristan arranges a marriage for his stepbrother, Sir Alan, but never imagines that he would meet the woman he longs to marry. When things sour quickly between Tristan’s stepbrother and Lady Mairghread Sinclair, Tristan is determined to make her his. A choice that promises to change his life forever.

Raised with four older warriors for brothers and as the only daughter of the Sinclair laird, Mairghread is independent resourceful, and loyal to her family. When her father arranges a marriage to a man she has never met for the sake and safety of her clan, Mairghread tries to accept her fate. Mairghread is betrothed to one man but it is the dark, handsome, and provocative laird who catches her eye. Arranged to marry Sir Alan, Mairghread finds herself drawn to Laird Tristan Mackay. After meeting her intended, Mairghread knows she cannot go through with the marriage, but she must find a way to end the feud that is tearing the two clans apart.

When the wedding is called off by Mairghread’s father, Tristan and Mairghread see an opportunity to be together. Neither of them imagined that they would find the passion that grows between them. However, a spurned mistress and a jilted suitor stand between Tristan and Mairghread’s happiness. Tristan and Mairghread must fight for the love they have found with one another.

Destined for another…
Mairghread Sinclair is not prepared for the danger that awaits her while visiting the Mackay clan. She must use her wits to keep herself alive when dangers pulls her away from the man she loves.

Fated to be together…

Laird Tristan Mackay was not looking for a wife, but could Lady Mairghread Sinclair be the one to open his heart and bring peace to their clans, or will their passion tear the two clans apart?

If you enjoy a romance with strong women and men who can protect, love, and respect them, then you’ll love Celeste Barclay’s steamy His Highland Lass.

Meet the members of Clan Sinclair in this STEAMY first installment of the five book Highland romance series. The Clan Sinclair features Mairghread and her four brothers, Callum, Alexander, Tavish, and Magnus. Each member of the Scottish clan faces challenges as they meet their fated match, but all of the Sinclairs find their HEA. Each STEAMY novel in the series is a standalone, but they are best read together.

A Spinster at the Highland Court by Celeste Barclay

By Book Lovers Magazine

A Spinster at the Highland Court by Celeste Barclay

A spinster lady in waiting…
After four broken betrothals, Elizabeth Fraser believes her father’s political ambitions will keep her from ever finding a husband. Content to be considered on the shelf, Elizabeth would rather be left in peace as one of the queen’s ladies in waiting than engage in flirtations that lead nowhere. She never expected one chance encounter months ago would alter the future she had accepted. Will Elizabeth give Edward a second chance to prove he wants more than a dalliance?

A warrior wanting to return home…
Edward Bruce, the adopted younger brother of King Robert the Bruce, is tired of fighting the English in Ireland. Loyal to his brother but homesick, Edward returns to Robert’s Scottish court in hopes of settling down once more in the Highlands. Edward recognizes the beguiling Lady Elizabeth from a brief meeting that involved one dance and a rushed conversation on the terrace. He still can’t believe the rumor she started to protect her friends. Drawn to her dry wit and independent nature, Edward realizes that his new home will require one particular lady of the keep. Can Edward prove to his Highland lady that his intentions are sincere before time runs out?

A hidden threat…
When Elizabeth and Edward realize their lives are in danger, they must rely on the Sinclair brothers and their wives to help them investigate who might want them dead. Courtly intrigue follows them as their new love blooms and a home in the Highlands calls to them. If you love romance with intrigue and characters that come to life, then you’ll love Celeste Barclay’s steamy A Spinster at the Highland Court.

Welcome to Robert the Bruce’s Highland Court, where the ladies in waiting are a mixture of fire and ice. The Highland Ladies, spin-off series from Celeste Barclay’s The Clan Sinclair series, returns to the Medieval royal court for love and intrigue. A Spinster at the Highland Court is the much requested and highly anticipated story of Elizabeth Fraser who appeared in both His Highland Pledge and His Highland Surprise. She finally has her own steamy love story and HEA. This a full-length novel. The novella previously appeared in the Once Upon a Christmas Wedding anthology.

The Heart of a Hussar by Griffin Brady

By Book Lovers Magazine

The Heart of a Hussar by Griffin Brady

Exploiting Muscovy’s Time of Troubles, Poland has invaded the chaotic country. Twenty-two-year-old Jacek Dąbrowski is an honorable, ferocious warrior in a company of winged hussars—an unrivaled, lethal cavalry. When his lieutenant dies in battle, Jacek is promoted to replace him, against the wishes of his superior, Mateusz, who now has more reason to eliminate him.

Jacek dedicates his life to gaining the king’s recognition and manor lands of his own. Consequently, he closely guards his heart, avoiding lasting romantic entanglements. Unscathed on the battlefield, undefeated in tournaments, and adored by women eager to share his bed, Jacek has never lost at anything he sets out to conquer. So when he charges toward his goals, he believes nothing stands in his way.

Upon his return from battle, Jacek deviates from his ordinarily unemotional mindset and rescues enemy siblings, fifteen-year-old Oliwia and her younger brother, Filip, from their devastated Muscovite village. His act of mercy sets into motion unstoppable consequences that ripple through his well-ordered life for years to come—and causes him to irretrievably lose his heart.

Oliwia has her own single-minded drive: to protect her young brother. Her determination and self-sacrifice lead her to adopt a new country, a new religion, and a new way of life. But it’s not the first time the resilient beauty has had to remake herself, for she is not what she appears to be.

As Jacek battles the Muscovites and Tatars threatening Poland’s borders for months at a time, Oliwia is groomed for a purpose concealed from her. All the while, Mateusz’s treachery and a mysterious enemy looming on the horizon threaten to destroy everything Jacek holds dear.

Echo from Mount Royal by Dave Riese

By Book Lovers Magazine

Echo from Mount Royal by Dave Riese

Imagine you are 18 and fall in love with a handsome, wealthy young man. Your romantic dreams have come true – except his family hates you!

Montreal, 1951. Rebecca Wiseman, 18, a bright college student, lives with her working-class parents. At a local dance, she meets a handsome young man but has little hope of seeing him again. When Sol Gottesman asks her on a date, her joy mingles with disbelief when she learns he is the son of a wealthy businessman.

Sol takes her in his family’s chauffeured Rolls-Royce to the most expensive restaurant in the city, introducing Rebecca to a world of upper-class wealth and privilege. Rebecca is head over heels in love and believes her life is perfect.

But despite Sol’s outward charm, he lacks self-confidence and trust. He reveals the simmering conflicts in his family and his fears that his brother will drive him out of the family business. Rebecca, headstrong but naïve; wants to protect Sol and help him to stand up to the pressure from his family. Their engagement fulfills her romantic dreams, but his family ‘s resistance and the revelation of a shocking sexual secret threaten to tear them apart. Rebecca tries to convince Sol that her love and support is all he needs. A late-night telephone call threatens to change her life forever.

An absorbing romantic book spiced with family secrets and shocking revelations. Online Book Club.org
Vivid descriptions, crisp dialogue and a headstrong female protagonist. Contemporary-Books.com

Winner in the General Fiction/Novel category 2016 Next Generation Indie Book Award