New Release -- The Viking and the Pictish Princess: The Rose and the Sword by Lindsay Townsend

 

Eithne’s cruel father sold her mother into slavery and gave her away. Despised by her siblings as a bastard, beautiful Eithne has lost everything, including her name.

Now called Bindweed, the illegitimate daughter of King Giric has made a life for herself on Maiden Isle as a respected wise-woman. She is determined to hold fast to that position and her little home, no matter what—or who—may come to try to steal it.

But when a fleeing Norseman appears dripping from the loch to seek shelter on Maiden Isle, Bindweed traps him – is he friend or foe? What is his purpose here on her isle? When ruthless raiding Gaels invade, Bindweed and Olaf must unite and fight together, if they plan to survive.

Can The Viking and a Pictish Princess work together to save the last people of the Black Broch before a harsh winter and more devastating raids destroy them?

EXCERPT

The lone figure rose silently from the loch. Emerging from the grey shimmer of a winter morning with water sheeting off his body, he glided over the submerged boulders onto the shore of her island. Bindweed scrambled into a holly tree and dropped to the parched ground. She gritted her teeth against the shout surging up her dry throat, old fears from the past made real.

Viking!

He was big, this invader, big as a king stag of the forest, tanned, barrel chested and with arms thicker than her legs. His black hair, dark as December pinecones, matted itself to his skull in long streamers of shadow and eyes, the colour of storm clouds, were quick and piercing.

“Black Norse,” Bindweed muttered, not daring to stir as that fierce grey gaze swept over her hiding place. His thick gold collar and armlets flashed when he strode by, arrogant as a lord. He moved with the swift, quiet grace of a warrior, the low winter sun illuminating his leather tunic and trews, the long dagger strapped to one thigh, his sword on the other.

Spy or assassin, Bindweed wondered, watching his retreating back. He made for her cave-house as if he had walked the path a hundred times, though she doubted he sought her skill in herb-lore. Still, she did not stir.

The first snare on the trail he avoided with a snort of humour, the second, set below a seeming bed of innocent pine needles, swallowed him whole. Bindweed was out of the holly and sprinting before the Viking had stopped his bellow of surprise. A quick jerk of the rope hidden by ivy had the nets and timber unravelling and the trap closed. She quickly pinned it down, panting hard as she rolled the lock-stone in place.

Book Review: Knight of the Red Rose by Cynthia Breeding

Blurb:

French emissary Stephen Picard arrives a day early in London to attend King Edward’s masquerade ball in order to get a feel for how much support there would be to restore the Lancasterian King Henry to the throne.  Although he is on an official mission from King Louis to work on a treaty with England, secretly he’s on a double mission for his aunt, Margaret of Anjou, wife of the imprisoned King Henry.  He just doesn’t expect to meet a warrior maiden dressed as Boudicca—a Celtic queen even more formidable than his aunt— at the ball.

Luciana Howard, daughter of the Duke of Norfolk and one of the Queen’s personal attendants, spots the handsome, mysterious man dressed as a pirate immediately, and wonders who he is.  She recognizes him instantly the next morning when he is introduced to the English Court, and when asked, she is more than happy to act as the official scribe to the treaty talks.

Only, she isn’t just a scribe.  She’s also been asked to spy on the emissary to make sure he does not secretly support Queen Margaret, who is in exile in France.

But spying becomes more difficult as she and Stephen are more and more attracted to each other, and she is torn between her duty to her York king and her love of a Lancaster knight.  Can there be a future for Luciana and her KNIGHT OF THE RED ROSE? 

My review:

I was delighted to discover I chose well when I picked up Knight of the Red Rose. I was needing another easy-to-get-lost-in story and the charm behind Stephen and Luciana's delivered all the feel goods I wanted.

I loved the history lesson and intrigue of the setting, even though keeping track of the who, why, and hows of royal political games and court drama kept me on my toes. But that fit in perfectly because even our hero and heroine were playing their own games, and not just with each other.

I adored Luciana and how she wasn't the typical female of the time. She was educated and wasn't afraid to show it, and had the smarts to hold her own no matter who she was verbally sparing with - but especially her brother, those were some awesome moments. She was refreshingly real and accepting of herself. She knew what she wanted, and due to how she was treated, found her bravery to grasp hold of the good.

Stephen, a undercover knight, quickly recognized the treasure and delight he found in Luciana and set about pursuing her the only way he could. I loved watching him fall for her and protect her. Their connection was a strong foundation for weathering the betrayals and political games swirling around.

I enjoyed watching how everything played out, especially since several twists were thrown in that I wasn't sure how they'd sort things out. But love is powerful. And it shines bright in this story.

Purchase Links:

     

New Release -- The Master Cook and the Maiden by Lindsay Townsend

Vengeance…or love? Will Alfwen have to choose between them? And what part will the handsome Master Cook, Swein, play in her life?

Thrust into a convent against her will by her selfish brother, Walter, Alfwen hears nothing more from him for eight long years. But one fateful day, Walter’s dog, Teazel, appears at Saint Hilda’s convent. Around his neck he carries the dark message, “Avenge me.”

Alfwen now knows Walter is dead, possibly murdered. He demands vengeance from the sister he wronged so long ago. What will she do?

Swein is a Master Cook, generous and proudly independent, the youngest of a loving family and heir to a powerful crusader and a witch. When he rescues a strange girl from the river, even Swein cannot foresee the dangers and adventures he and Alfwen will need to overcome.

Facing down outlaws, bullies, potential poisoners, a corrupt priest, and brutal knights, Swein fights with Alfwen to recover her lands and title as Lady de Harne in her quest to find justice for Walter. But can they rescue each other from a deadly conspiracy? And will their marriage of convenience ever truly become one of love?

EXCERPT

     The bell for Terce continued to toll, and Alfwen detested its sweet intrusion.

     Anger sharpened her, tempered her dull acceptance of convent life into more than resentment. In a blast of sudden added colour, she saw the white and pink daisies by her feet, the blue glow of a kingfisher farther down the riverbank, the glint of gold amidst the dirty yellow of Teazel’s collar.

     He has something pinned to his collar.

     A shadow fell across Alfwen before she could unpin the tiny roll of parchment, but thankfully it was merely a cloud, not a nun coming to drag her to service.

     No, the good sisters of Saint Hilda’s will be hastening to church. I will not be missed until after the latest holy office.

     Alfwen flinched as the gold brooch scratched her fingers, and then the thing was undone. Heart hammering, she smoothed out the parchment.

     Two words, only, in her brother’s hand, but a message to her, all the same.

     “Avenge me.”

     

Book review: The Viking's Yuletide Woman by Cynthia Breeding

Blurb:

866 A.D.

Ruthless Viking Prince Ivar is determined to avenge his murdered father—even if it means marrying a Saxon princess who will do whatever she can to escape him. Ivar and his men take over the Saxon stronghold of York, England, in the hope of forcing King Aelle to surrender. He holds Princess Aethelthryth, King Aelle’s daughter, as a prized hostage---or so he believes.

But the “princess” captive, Ella, is a lowly maid who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. She bears a striking resemblance to Princess Aethelthryth who has been spirited away to safety. Ivar’s captain, Bronwolf, mistakes her for her mistress. Though he is attracted to Ella, Bronwolf turns her over to Ivar, as is his duty…but the fires of desire have already been kindled between the captain and the maid.

Ella continues her pretense of being the true princess in order to protect herself from the brutish Viking prince and his men, but her plan is turned on her when Ivar decides to make her his bride to seal the alliance between their people.

When Bronwolf learns her true identity, there is only one thing he can do to save her from Ivar’s fury at being duped—he must find a way to get her to safety. Can he protect Ella from the barbaric Prince Ivar, or will it cost both of them their lives? Will Ella consent to his plan and become THE VIKING’S YULETIDE WOMAN?

My Review:

Ohh!  It’s been a long, long time since I’ve traveled to Viking days, and now, thanks to Ella and Bronwolf’s story, I’m wanting to stick around more!

The barbaric Vikings aren’t warring according to normal rules (hahaha! But of course!) and Ella finds herself playing the part of the princess hostage.  Which may have been the right decision to make...or maybe not…  Balancing between acting the princess and standing up to the Viking invaders, and bowing to the evil prince and keeping him at arm’s length, Ella finds herself also fighting off an attraction to Bronwolf. Which is hard to hide as well as deny.  And really, who would want to deny Bronwolf?

Bronwolf, while one of the prince’s closest men, stands apart from his fellow Viking warriors.  He’s been able to keep a hedge around himself to prevent the evil from his prince to leak into his heart.  And because of that, has devoted men and a presence that draws others to him.  Especially a particular princess-playing maid.  His ability to command, to lead, and to protect just make his struggle-filled pursuit of his Ella all that more swoony-sigh worthy.

With just enough drama, heat, excitement, and danger, Ella and Bronwolf’s story enchants and keeps you turning the pages till you at last reach the last page and really consider begging for just another chapter, or two, or three….

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Medieval Gift Giving, plus Christmas Romance.

During the Middle Ages, Christmas was seen as a sacred time, the time for the three Christ-Masses. Charitable giving to the poor was encouraged on Saint Stephen's day, December 26, which we know as Boxing Day.  On Boxing Day in the middle ages, the poor received money in hollow clay pots with a slit in the top, nicknamed 'piggies'. Unlike modern piggy banks, these clay pots had to be broken to extract the cash.

A page from the Bedford Hours.

What about gift-giving among other classes?

Sacred gifts - of prayer books and so on - were seen as being appropriate for the holy Christmas period. Anne of Burgundy presented the Bedford Hours to Henry VI, her eight-year-old nephew, in 1430. The book is now at the British Library.

Gifts were sometimes given at the New Year. New Year's day, known at the time as the étrenne, a word derived from the Latin strena,  (used to mean both the gifts and the ritual exchange) was the traditional time to do so. Gifts might be food -Christmas was a time of feasting and, for example, it was considered bad luck to refuse a Christmas mince pie given by a host. A Christmas kiss of peace might be given under the green kissing bough of holly and other green-stuff and mistletoe, the plant of peace. Sometimes the 'gift' might be a joke, such as the 'book' given by the illuminators of Les Tres Riches Heures to the Duke de Berry, which turned out to be a block of wood. 

At times the gifts were part of very formal processions and ceremonies. At the courts of Henry Tudor and Richard II the king rose on the day of the New Year and seated himself in his chamber ready to give and receive presents, given and received in strict order or rank. Sometimes the heralds and messengers bringing such gifts could also find themselves rewarded, as happened in the court of Richard II when the carver of the King was given a gold cup by the French King Charles. Kings and Queens could exchange gifts, often of rich jewels, as a public show of respect and affection. Rulers were expected to be generous but at the same time the size and value of gifts were ranged in order of class - kings and queens, their families, nobles, servants, right down to laundresses and cleaning-women. In some years, certain symbols might be used in gifts. In 1422 at the court of Charles VI, small jewels shaped like peacocks were given out to courtiers -  the peacock being one of Charles's badges. 

In medieval England, such gift-giving also went on. People gave New Year’s gifts to those above and below them in the social hierarchy. For example, peasants who worked on landed estates brought gifts of farm produce to the local lord during the Twelve Days of Christmas. Custom dictated that the lord respond by inviting them to a Christmas feast. Personal gifts between people of equal status might have taken place but there are few records of such. In the records and for many kings and nobles, gift-giving meant ostentation and display.

Christmas and gift-giving features in several of my books. In my latest medieval romance, "Sir Conrad and the Christmas Treasure" I show my hero and heroine taking part in several medieval Christmas customs, including winter hunts, gathering and displaying Christmas greenery, Christmas fairs and dancing carols.






In the dark time of the year and the winter solstice, there might also be spirits and ghosts. My Christmas novella "Sir Baldwin and the Christmas Ghosts"
have Sir Baldwin and Sofia seeking to placate the restless dead in time for Christmas.



Lindsay Townsend

Book review: Sir Conrad and the Christmas Treasure by Lindsay Townsend

Blurb:

Maggie’s younger brother, Michael, is kidnapped by outlaws, and it’s up to her to rescue him. Appealing to Sir Conrad, the grim steward of the northern English high lands, is the very last thing she wants to do. With the very real possibility that the outlaws know of Michael’s talent—the ability to open any lock, to reveal any treasure—Maggie races against time to find him before his usefulness to the outlaws is ended.

Sir Conrad desires Maggie from the minute he sees her—she makes him feel alive again—and that has not happened since the death of his wife. Though he hasn’t known Maggie before, a strange feeling of familiarity nags, and he agrees to aid the beautiful peasant girl in this quest of finding her brother.

Joining forces, Maggie and Sir Conrad form a tenuous bond. When an assassin attacks Maggie, the pieces of the puzzle begin to fit, and Conrad realizes that even Maggie doesn’t know the power she holds. But Conrad not only must keep Maggie safe, he must thwart the dangerous devices of his spiteful older brother, Richard, who has lately returned from crusade.

As love blossoms, Maggie and Conrad must protect one another. Evil is all around them, and doubt is a cruel enemy. Will their faith in each other keep them united? In the world of dangerous courtly intrigue, who is saving whom? Love is all that matters…but can that be enough?

My review:  

What do you get when you mix a resourceful, smart, and determined peasant girl with a good-hearted but tough knight? Sparks and insta-attraction that quickly ignite into something beautiful and sweet and worth fighting for!

Maggie is desperate to find her brother and is ingenious in finding help when she accepts she can't do it on her own.  Her drive, passion and smarts in working through both her desire to find her brother and her desire to pursue a relationship with Conrad captures your emotions.  Her skills in protecting others in her own way melts your heart and her worries about herself connects you closer to her.

Sir Conrad captures your attention with his honor, chivalry, and wisdom. But then he turns around and steals your heart with his protectiveness of Maggie - and in more ways that you think to expect.  Sometimes that care had some rough edges -which just made me love him all the more!  I adored falling in love with him along with Maggie and didn't want to let go when the last page was turned.

I appreciated how we got to see these two together from almost the first page.  I was charmed watching their insta-attraction grow into a forever bond.  We get to see things from both their perspectives and be in each of their heads, which I think added so much  more, because... after all... there's intrigue and danger and games at play within the ranks of nobility!

I was delighted to experience this Christmas story and get yet another wonderful taste of medieval story telling by a new-to-me author.  This longer novella delivers on the feels you'd expect from a longer length story, making it a wonderful holiday read!

Purchase Links:

New Release — Sir Conrad and the Christmas Treasure by Lindsay Townsend

Maggie’s younger brother, Michael, is kidnapped by outlaws, and it’s up to her to rescue him. Appealing to Sir Conrad, the grim steward of the northern English high lands, is the very last thing she wants to do. With the very real possibility that the outlaws know of Michael’s talent—the ability to open any lock, to reveal any treasure—Maggie races against time to find him before his usefulness to the outlaws is ended.

Sir Conrad desires Maggie from the minute he sees her—she makes him feel alive again—and that has not happened since the death of his wife. Though he hasn’t known Maggie before, a strange feeling of familiarity nags, and he agrees to aid the beautiful peasant girl in this quest of finding her brother. 

Joining forces, Maggie and Sir Conrad form a tenuous bond. When an assassin attacks Maggie, the pieces of the puzzle begin to fit, and Conrad realizes that even Maggie doesn’t know the power she holds. But Conrad not only must keep Maggie safe, he must thwart the dangerous devices of his spiteful older brother, Richard, who has lately returned from crusade. 

As love blossoms, Maggie and Conrad must protect one another. Evil is all around them, and doubt is a cruel enemy. Will their faith in each other keep them united? In the world of dangerous courtly intrigue, who is saving whom? Love is all that matters…but can that be enough?

EXCERPT

     Sir Conrad, the steward of the forest high lands, glowered at the latest miscreant to be dragged before him in the great hall of the northern sheriff’s castle. A castle that has never felt like my own, for all I am reluctant steward here.  
     Despite his instructions, Sir David, his under-reeve, would bring the wretches up in chains, even the women. Conrad gripped his sword hilt to stop himself from punching David, and rose from his chair to approach the small, slight figure before him.
     “What, where, and who?” he snapped at his shorter, stockier, second-in-command. The woman—girl, really—did not flinch, which surprised him. 
     Conrad knew he was harsh, unsmiling in his manner. Since Joan had died three winters ago, leaving him a widower and bereft at the age of twenty-four, he had been unable to be anything but cold to anyone. He had no interest in brief affairs. I witnessed too much heartbreak from my father and brother and their parade of mistresses to do the same. Although this girl—
     Now he was looking at her properly, he recognized two things at once. The first was that he wanted her, wanted her badly, with a raw force he had not experienced since he was a squire. Is it the chains? I would chain her to my bed, if I could. She was delicate, with a fragile profile, sweetly upcurving lips, masses of glossy blonde hair and eyes as blue and big as a summer sky. She seemed both graceful and slender, and at the same time, determined—standing straight, poised as a dancer, facing life head on. 
     That was the second thing he realized. The girl was brave. Dressed in her mud-coloured gown, her dirt-spattered, travel-stained tunic and threadbare cloak, in rough leather boots that were splitting at the seams and looked too small for her, she watched him with the poise of a cat, all barely-hidden fire. 

     If she smiles at me I will be lost, and yes, I would certainly like to chain her to my bed. But why did she seem familiar?