Things are really heating up as we near the finale of Medieval Monday. This week I feature a snippet from Judith Sterling's exciting tale, SHADOW OF THE SWAN. 

     A male voice rang out, “Forgive the intrusion.”
     Dominy twitched and spun around. “Cedric.”
     The bald priest stood at the chapel entrance. “Archdeacon.”
     “Priest.” From his tone, Dominy clearly meant to belittle his cousin.
     Father Cedric stepped forward. “I would speak with Lord Ravenwood’s guest.”
     “I don’t see why—”
     “Alone.” The priest’s voice echoed like a choir of angels off the vaulted ceiling.

Shadow of the Swan, the novels of Ravenwood, book 3:

Lady Constance de Bret was determined to be a nun, until shadows from the past eclipsed her present. Marriage is the safest option, but she insists on a spiritual union, in which physical intimacy is forbidden. Not so easy with a bridegroom who wields unparalleled charm! But a long-buried secret could taint his affection and cloak her in shadow forever.

Back from the Crusades, Sir Robert le Donjon craves a home of his own and children to inherit it. From the moment he meets Constance, he feels a mysterious bond between them. When she’s threatened, he vows to protect her and agrees to the spiritual marriage, with the hope of one day persuading her to enjoy a “real” one. She captivates him but opens old wounds and challenges everything he thought he believed.

Two souls in need of healing. Two hearts destined to beat as one.

Buy links:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
iBooks
Kobo 
Audible

Be sure to leave a comment for a chance to win digital copies of the first three books in The Novels of Ravenwood series, and follow along next week on Judith Sterling’s blog:
https://judithmarshallauthor.com/blog/

And for the next excerpt from my medieval Lady of Steel, visit Judith's blog:  https://judithmarshallauthor.com/blog/

This week's Medieval Monday features a snippet from Sherry Ewing's Scottish time travel, One Last Kiss. (Isn't the cover beautiful?)

     “Did you not take heed of my earlier words, dear lady? I am Gaillard de Rowen, and as soon as I may gain permission from Lord Dristan, you shall be my wife.”
      An unladylike laugh escaped her. “Yeah… sorry, buddy, but that’s not happening.”

Be sure to leave a comment for Sherry to be in the running for her giveaway – an eCopy of One Last Kiss. A winner will be randomly selected and announced on Medieval Monday, September 9th.

Miss last week and a chance to comment? Check it out here:
https://RueAllyn.com/blog

Follow Sherry to next week’s snippet (August 26 th ) here:
https://bambilynnblog.wordpress.org

Sometimes it takes a miracle to find your heart’s desire…
Scotland, 1182: Banished from his homeland, Thomas of Clan Kincaid lives among distant relatives, reluctantly accepting he may never return home… Until an encounter
with the castle’s healer tells him of a woman traveling across time—for him. Dare he believe the impossible?

Present Day, Michigan: Jade Calloway is used to being alone, and as Christmas approaches, she’s skeptical when told she’ll embark on an extraordinary journey. How could a trip to San Francisco be anything but ordinary? But when a ring magically appears, and she sees a ghostly man in her dreams... Dare she believe in the possible?

Thrust back in time, Jade encounters Thomas—her fantasy ghost. Talk about extraordinary. But as time works against them, they must learn to trust in miracles. Can they accept impossible love before time interferes?

One Last Kiss is a medieval/time travel in Sherry Ewing's Knights of Berwyck series. It first appeared in the Bluestocking Belles’ 2018 box set Follow Your Star Home. This novella is now available for individual sale. 

Buy Links:

Amazon US  |  Apple Books  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Kobo

And for those of you following the Medieval Monday excerpt of Lady of Steel, this week's snippet is featured on Sherry's blog:  https://sherryewing.com/blog/

Medieval Monday--THE HIGHLANDER'S ENGLISH WOMAN

This week's snippet is from Ruth Casie's exciting Scottish romance, The Highlander's English Woman. 

Be sure to leave a comment to be in the running for Ruth's giveaway – an eCopy of The Highlander’s English Woman. A winner will be randomly selected and announced on Medieval Monday, September 9th.

      Jamie didn’t care for bullies or being baited by them. He wouldn’t fight.
      “Here, here Bryce. That’s enough.” Richard grabbed his neighbor’s arm but Bryce shook him off. Reeve pulled Richard back.
      “Enjoy the spectacle. It’s time he learned his place,” Reeve said.
      “Stay out of this,” Bryce screamed at Richard, then turned to Jamie. “Fight, or are you a puny coward, too?”
      Jamie said nothing. He held his fists at his side and stepped back again.
      The fight started in the yard, progressed to the field, and finished near the pond. A small group of people followed and urged Jamie to defend himself. The next punch caught the Scotsman in the chest. He didn’t flinch.
      “You should be lying on the ground by now. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Jamie pulled up his arms to protect his face as best he could against the onslaught of punches. He didn’t retaliate. 
      His face cut and bloodied, he still didn’t strike back. 
      “Fight, damn you,” Bryce shouted and followed with a quick barrage of solid body punches.
      He held his position and didn’t fight back.

Follow Ruth to next week’s snippet (Aug 19) here: https://bambilynnblog.wordpress.org

Miss last week and a chance to comment? Check it out here: https://www.ashleyyorkauthor.com

Laura Reynolds is in love with her long-time friend, Jamie Maxwell Collins. She adores his playful sense of humor, caring nature as well as his strong sense of family and honor.

Jamie lives across the border in Scotland. Outwardly carefree, he hides a dark secret. He can’t involve Laura in this deception. He can’t give her hope for a future together.

Laura stumbles upon Jamie’s secret. In her heart of hearts she knows Jamie is innocent. Their relationship in tatters and with no hope of reconciliation, she plays a deadly game to exonerate Jamie, she agrees to a political marriage. She has no idea the entire game has been orchestrated by her future husband, Jamie’s greatest enemy.


Buy Links: Amazon |B&N  | iBooks | Kobo

And for this week's snippet of Lady of Steel, visit Ruth Casie's blog:  www.RuthACasie.blogspot.com

This Medieval Monday the Heroine Is Welsh!

This week's Villains and Bad Guys snippet features my favorite kind of heroine, a Welsh princess!  Cathy McRae's The Highlander's Welsh Bride, sounds wonderfully exciting. Don’t forget to leave a comment for a chance to win an ebook (kindle)!

A Welsh princess on the run from King Edward’s army, Carys finds herself embroiled with pirates pillaging the western coastline of Scotland. She has escaped their clutches twice before. Has her luck at last run out? 

A sailor dragged a long, deep chest across the deck. He unlocked it, opened the lid and dispensed weapons to the crew. Hanna slipped from the aftcastle to the deck, joining Carys at the chest. Birk ground his teeth as the startled sailor glanced up, seeking permission to arm the two women. Without waiting for his sanction, his mother and wife slipped daggers as long as their forearms into sheaths at their sides. Hanna plucked a short sword from the chest. Carys also selected a short sword and grabbed a bow and quiver of arrows from a passing soldier. Brody handed the weapons to her without fuss. He knew Carys could fight. He’d learned of her skills firsthand that day in the forest, and again when she’d bested his laird in the yard at Dairborrodal.

Follow the excerpt next week to Barbara Bettis’ blog:
http://barbarabettis.blogspot.co.uk/

It was over. Prince Llywelyn was dead, his soldiers fleeing before King Edward’s army. Carys, a distant cousin to the prince, herself a princess of Wales, had picked up arms alongside her husband more than a year ago. Now homeless, her husband buried beneath the good Welsh soil, she seeks shelter in the north, far from the reach of Longshanks’s men. Carys and Wales would never be the same again.

Birk MacLean has been ordered to take a bride and produce an heir. He grows weary of the lasses paraded before him, women of delicate nature and selfish motives. He desires a wife strong enough to help lead one of the most powerful clans in Western Scotland.One like the Welsh woman sitting in his dungeon, arrested for poaching MacLean deer. Can Birk convince Carys marriage to him is preferable to a hangman’s noose? And will the hard-headed Scot be worthy of a Princess of Wales?

From the towering Welsh mountains to the storm-swept Scottish coast comes a tale of betrayal and loss, deceit and passion. An epic tale of honor and the redeeming power of love.

Buy link: Amazon: https://www.amzn.com/dp/B07KNYTMPK

And for the next excerpt from Lady of Steel, visit Cathy's blog:  https://www.cathymacraeauthor.com/bits-n-bobs-author-blog