Thursday, May 1, 2014

LitConnect Blog Tour + Giveaway + Excerpt: When a Laird Takes a Lady by Rowan Keats

When a Laird Takes a Lady
by Rowan Keats

Genre: Historical, Scottish Romance
Elements/Tags: medieval, 13th Century
Publisher: Signet Eclipse
Publishing Date: May 6, 2014
Series: Claimed by the Highlander, #2
Format: Print and Ebook
Words: 368 Pages

Back Cover:




Buy Links:

Meet Author Rowan Keats:


I love Scottish heroes. They maybe a little rough around the edges, but they fight for what they believe in...and that usually involves the heroine. Any Scottish warrior is worthy of a sigh, but a Scottish laird—especially a medieval one—can truly make your heart pound. What makes a Scottish laird so interesting?

He looks good, even when he also looks frightening...


When Isabail woke, the bothy was still dark. The howl of the winter storm had quieted but she had no sense how long she had been unconscious. Her last memory—the fierce face of the MacCurran swooping down upon her—was still vivid enough to make her heart pound, and she wondered if she'd taken a beating. Biting her lip in anticipation of pain, she shifted in her pallet. To her relief, there was almost none. Her hip was sore from lying in the dirt floor—the blankets beneath her couldn’t compare to the feather stuffed mattress she was accustomed to—but save for that, she felt perfectly fine.

Isabail looked around.

The fire was merrily blazing, having recently received a fresh log, and she lifted her head to find the person who had fed it. Her heart stumbled. Aiden MacCurran sat on the other side of the flames, sleeves rolled up, carefully tending to his sword. He seemed unaware of her, so she watched him for a moment.

Unlike his two henchman, the MacCurran chief’s chin was clean-shaven, and his hair appeared to have been recently washed. Not a typical Highlander, then, despite the warring nature of his clan. His forearms rippled with sinews as he worked, the hairs on his arms golden in the firelight. Isabail was woman enough to admit she found him attractive—from a distance. Broad shoulders and tapered hips were attractive in a man, no matter who that man might be. But it was also strangely comforting to watch him hone his sword—his hands were strong and sure as they worked, displaying a level of care and control over his weapon that belied the bestiality of his large fists.

“There’s more beef, if you’ve a hunger,” he said quietly.

Isabel swallowed dryly and sat up. “I’ve more a need for something to wet my mouth.”

He pointed to the door of the hut. “Fetch some snow.”

Isabail flushed. Why hadn’t she thought of that? Of course she could eat some snow. She scrambled to her feet and headed for the door.

“I’ve beat a good path to the woodpile,” he added. “If you must see to your needs, it’ll provide a measure of privacy.”

Her flush deepened, though she couldn't quite pinpoint why. A visit to the privy was a common enough event, and he was hardly giving the delicate topic excessive attention. But just the knowledge that he'd thought about her needs made her cheeks hot. Isabail escaped quickly.

Outside the bothy, the snowfall had ceased, but the sky was still sullen with cloud. The sun was little more than a smudge of brightness above the trees, but a pair of crossbills flitting through the branches thought it was well worth chirping about. For the briefest of moments, the notion of fleeing took hold, but she couldn’t leave without Muirne. Besides, where would she go?

Nay, as much as he frightened her, the MacCurran was her best hope of survival.

She ate her fill of cold wet snow, completed her ablutions, and returned to the cozy warmth of the hut. MacCurran had not moved—he was still polishing the fine steel of his blade with a purposeful attention to detail. For some reason, that eased Isabail’s tremulous thoughts. Surely a man capable of such focus could keep his temper under tight rein?

Giveaway Details:

Eight copies are up for grabs during the tour. (US/Canada only) Please follow the Rafflecopter directions.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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  1. I'm excited about this book!!

  2. Oh, and I love the cover too!

  3. Oh, Thank you for the chance! Beautiful cover and the story sounds like a wonderful read. :)

  4. Highland medieval romance is my favorite time period! Kilted warrior men. *sigh*

    Marcy Shuler

  5. My goodness, Rowan (love your name BTW), this excerpt has whetted my appetite for your book even more. I am so grateful for your tour so that I could be introduced to you! I can't wait to dive into your stories . . .