Claire Delacroix

Delacroix kicks off an exciting new medieval romance series with this introduction to young Alexander, Laird of Kinfairlie, who has three unmarried sisters. Now that their parents are dead, Alexander has no choice but to see each of them wed in haste. Original.

The Beauty Bride

Determined that her daughters marry for love, recently-widowed Countess Eglantine moves them all to a remote Scottish estate, then finds her matchmaking plans upset by the arrival of the infuriating yet attractive Scottish chieftain, Duncan MacLaren.

The Countess

The first in a trilogy featuring three very different brothers searching for the perfect bride chronicles the tempting of Luc, a solitary knight and confirmed bachelor, by the headstrong princess of Ireland, Brianna. Original.

The Princess

Rowan Fitzgavin journeys to Ireland in search of an heiress bride, but his plans go awry when he purchases a beautiful and spirited young woman from a slave merchant

The Heiress

Burke Fitzgavin, a young knight, returns to Kiltorren Castle determined to regain the trust of Alys after the manipulations of her uncle kept them apart

The Damsel

Determined to be appreciated for her intelligence and wit, famed beauty Jacqueline de Crevy rejects her many suitors to become a nun, but on the way to the convent, she is abducted by Angus MacGillivray, a one-time crusader determined to seek revenge of the man responsible for the massacre of his family and the seizure of his birthright. Original.

The Beauty

The Nutcracker Reimagined

A warrior and widower is tempted to love again but has to reclaim his lost legacy before he can offer for the hand of the merry maiden who has stolen his heart.

A Medieval Scottish Romance

The Crusader's Handfast

She enchanted him with a kiss-but winning her love would demand all he possessed. After eight years abroad, Malcolm returns to Scotland with a fortune, a companion even more hardened than he, and a determination to restore his inherited holding. But when that companion falls into peril, Malcolm seizes the chance to repay an old debt, trading his own soul for that of his doomed comrade. Knowing his days are limited and determined to leave a legacy of merit, Malcolm rebuilds Ravensmuir with all haste, though he fears he will never have an heir. A night of violence has left Catriona with no home and no faith in the honor of men. She expects little good from a visit to her lady's brother, Laird of Ravensmuir, a known mercenary. But the handsome laird challenges her expectations with his courtesy, his allure-and his unexpected proposal. Knowing it is her sole chance to ensure her child's future, Catriona dares to accept Malcolm's hand. She soon realizes that this warrior fights a battle of his own and that she holds the key to his salvation. Little does she realize her past is in hot pursuit, seeking to destroy all she holds dear-including the laird who has thawed the frost of her reluctant heart.

The Frost Maiden's Kiss

A Regency Romance Novella

Something Wicked This Way Comes

The maiden was just another treasure to be won—until she stole his heart and changed his life forever. Outraged that her beloved brother’s soul is to be the Fae tithe to Hell, Elizabeth knows that she must save him. She is the only one in her family who can see the Fae, after all, and is already cursed by their king herself. Malcolm may have offered to replace his comrade out of honor, but Elizabeth knows who better deserves to live—and it is not the handsome rogue, Rafael, who is concerned with his own welfare alone. It should be easy to make a wager with a mercenary, especially as Elizabeth does not care about the cost to herself. To her surprise, though, Rafael proves to be the man who not only takes her dare, but banishes the Fae king’s curse with kisses that turn her blood to fire. Could this hardened warrior, who appears to have no heart, be the destined love she has awaited? At first glimpse, Rafael believes Elizabeth to be an angel sent to judge him—and he knows what her verdict will be. He has made choices in order to survive, and is not proud of them. But Elizabeth dares him to change, with an audacity that awakens a nobility of purpose that Rafael has forgotten he possessed. Can this bold maiden heal the wounds of his past? Can Rafael earn the right to grant her the life she deserves—and do so before the Fae king springs his trap, making Elizabeth his captive forever? ***** I’ve written many series set in my fictional medieval Scottish world of Ravensmuir, Kinfairlie and Inverfyre. This is the order in which the stories take place, although you can start with any series. I recommend you read each series in order. There’s a tab on my website for ALL books in this world: http://delacroix.net/ravensmuir/ I. The Rogues of Ravensmuir This is the first series to take place in this world. These three books are a bit more gothic in tone and less tightly linked to each other than the books in subsequent series. 1. The Rogue Merlyn and Ysabella’s story is a second chance romance with a bit of intrigue and suspense. Their relationship is a class war - he’s the laird and she’s a village girl - but there’s an immediate attraction between them. Can Merlyn trust in love at first sight? Can Ysabella trust her rogue of a husband when he returns five years after their parting to ask for her help? This is the first book featuring Ravensmuir and in it, we learn the story of its sister holding, Kinfairlie. 2. The Scoundrel Can a notorious bad boy like Merlyn’s brother Gawain be redeemed by love? In this story, Gawain meets his match, the enticing Eglantine, who is not just as adept a thief as he is but is prepared to seduce him to regain the prize she desires. This is cat-and-mouse story of action, adventure and intrigue takes us from York to the highlands of Scotland, to Eglantine’s home at Inverfyre. 3. The Warrior At the end of The Scoundrel, Inverfyre is lost to the notorious MacLaren clan, but years later, Eglantine and Gawain’s son Michael - the Hawk of Inverfyre - returns to reclaim his legacy. He has need of an heir so he abducts Aileen to be his bride, never guessing that these two have shared a great passion in their past lives. At Inverfyre, Aileen is plagued by visions and fears she is going mad, while the Hawk is uncertain whether his beguiling new bride can be trusted—or whether she has let the MacLarens in the gate. This medieval Scottish romance has some fantasy elements as it’s a reincarnation story. II. The Jewels of Kinfairlie At the end of The Warrior, there is a family gathering at Inverfyre. We briefly meet Merlyn and Ysabella’s son Roland, his wife Catherine, and their eight children. This series begins several years later, after Roland and Catherine’s tragic death, when their oldest son Alexander suddenly becomes laird. The treasury is empty. The harvest will be poor. Alexander needs to see his sisters married as quickly as possible, but they wish to wed for love. 1. The Beauty Bride Alexander arranges an auction for the hand of his defiant sister, intending to manage the list of bidders - but a notorious mercenary, Rhys fitzHenry, pays the highest price. This arranged marriage doesn’t begin well, as Madeline is a runaway bride, but Rhys pursues her, saves her, and tries to court her. I love that Rhys tells Madeline stories to win her heart, and that she quickly figures out that each choice of story reveals one of her husband’s secrets. 2. The Rose Red Bride Alexander thinks he’s learned his lesson and is thrilled when Vivienne’s former suitor, Nicholas Sinclair, wants to claim her hand. It’s a little uncommon that Nicholas wants to abduct his bride, but Alexander is sure that Vivienne will think that a romantic gesture, and when the wedding is held in the morning, all will be well. But the highlander seeking Alexander’s agreement isn’t Nicholas - it’s his brother Erik in disguise, a man who needs a wife only because he needs a son to claim his legacy. He’s not counting on Vivienne stealing his heart, too. 3. The Snow White Bride It’s Christmas at Kinfairlie and a mysterious noblewoman seeks refuge in the chapel. When the sisters learn that she’s a widow in need of protection, they decide to play a trick on Alexander and arrange his marriage. Eleanor thinks husbands are all the same, so is agreeable, although she isn’t counting on Alexander’s youth, charm, and desire to claim her heart. When her past catches up to her and Kinfairlie is at risk, how much will Eleanor sacrifice to see her new husband safe? What price will Alexander pay to defend his bride? 4. The Ballad of Rosamunde Rosamunde, the pirate queen and aunt of the siblings at Kinfairlie, was adopted by Gawain in The Scoundrel and trapped in the realm of the Fae in The Rose Red Bride. In this short story, a friends-to-lovers story, Padraig rescues Rosamunde, his valor making her realize that she loves him, too. III. The True Love Brides At the end of The Snow White Bride, Alexander decrees that his remaining sisters will marry for love. The portal to the realm of the Fae has been opened, though, and the Fae king Finvarra desires Elizabeth. Finvarra agrees that he will abandon his suit if four of the siblings marry their true loves, although Elizabeth knows that the portal to the Fae realm has to be closed as well. 1. The Renegade’s Heart Isabella is smitten with a rogue knight, come to Kinfairlie to demand the return of his family’s stolen treasure. She takes Murdoch’s cause against that of her brother, then learns that Murdoch has been claimed by the Fae queen - who holds his heart still. Can a mortal maiden defeat an immortal queen by winning Murdoch’s love for her own? 2. The Highlander’s Curse Garrett is cursed to hear the thoughts of others as clearly as his own, a spell intended to make him an outcast so his legacy could be stolen. He finds solace in the company and the touch of gentle Annelise. Can Annelise’s love heal him so he can recover his stolen legacy and give her the home - and the husband - she deserves? 3. The Frost Maiden’s Kiss Malcolm returns to Ravensmuir after years as a mercenary with a hoard large enough to finance the rebuilding of his legacy and his soul due to the Fae. When pregnant Catriona arrives at Ravensmuir, Malcolm knows he can give her a future with a marriage of convenience that makes her child heir to Ravensmuir. Catriona expects nothing of men, but Malcolm’s kindness and strength earns her love - and makes her determined to save his soul, regardless of the price. 4. The Warrior’s Prize The mercenary Rafael thinks his companion’s sister, Elizabeth, could be an angel come to earth, and one who will hold him accountable for his sins. Challenged by her and enticed by her, Rafael offers himself instead of his comrade Malcolm and begins to change his life with his choices. Can he save Elizabeth from Finvarra? He’s determined to try, no matter what the risk to himself - and Elizabeth cannot resist a man who chooses nobly, just for her. IV. The Brides of Inverfyre There is one sibling left unmarried (Ross) and we follow him to Inverfyre, where the children of the Hawk and Aileen also need to be married. 1. The Mercenary’s Bride This Scottish medieval romance is a Christmas novella, the story of a knight returning to Inverfyre to keep his promise to the laird’s daughter. Having been attacked and left for dead, Quentin is no longer the man he was and he blames the Hawk for the change in his fortunes. But his bitterness melts before the admiration of Mhairi, for the maiden he admired has become a beauty he would die to serve. 2. The Runaway Bride Even though Aiofe is a beauty and an heiress, she wants to marry for love. Her marriage is arranged to the oldest son of the Hawk of Inverfyre, but she chooses to flee instead, hoping that his cousin, Ross, will be sent after her. Aiofe intends to claim Ross’s heart, no matter the price, for she knows with one glimpse that he’s the man for her. Ross is caught between his duty and his heart - and the wicked MacLarens who would use Aiofe as a pawn in their own plan to possess Inverfyre. There will be more stories in this series, too. There are Family Trees for Inverfyre, Ravensmuir and Kinfairlie available as free downloads in my online store. The links are on my website, right here: http://delacroix.net/ravensmuir/family-trees/ ***** medieval romance, historical romance, scottish romance, marriage of convenience, runaway bride, outlaw hero, beauty and the beast, scotland, wales, action adventure, intrigue

The Warrior's Prize

Gaston battled for duty and honor—until Ysmaine tempted him to fight for her love... When the Templar knight Gaston unexpectedly inherits his family estate, he knows he needs a wife and heir. A marriage of convenience to a widow in need of assistance is a practical solution and the newly-wed pair leave Jerusalem, entrusted with the delivery of a package for the Templars. Away from the life he has known for years, Gaston quickly realizes that little is following his plan—especially his mysterious wife, whose presence awakens an unexpected fire... Twice widowed, Ysmaine doubts she will ever wed again, let alone have a marriage of merit—until she is charmed by the gruff knight intent upon defending her. Ysmaine weds again, not only by her own choice but to a warrior whose honor she admires. She is determined to show Gaston that marriage has more to offer them both than an heir, but first she must win the trust of the wary man she has impulsively wed... Neither realize that Gaston has been entrusted with the treasure of the Templars—much less that someone in their small party is intent upon claiming the prize at any cost. In a company of strangers with secrets, can Gaston dare to trust his new bride? Can Ysmaine convince Gaston to confide what he knows? Can they solve the riddle together before the villain’s plan comes to fruition and all is lost? * * * The Champions of St. Euphemia series follows the quest of a group of knights entrusted with a treasure in Jerusalem which they must deliver safely to Paris on their way to their respective homes. They find adventure and peril on the way, as well as romance. Since the stories overlap and build upon each other, they should be read in order. 1. The Crusader's Bride 2. The Crusader's Heart 3. The Crusader's Kiss 4. The Crusader's Vow 5. The Crusader's Handfast * * * medieval romance, series starter, first-in-series, historical romance, Templar, knight, medieval, action adventure, quest, treasure, disguise, secret identity, lost heir, widow, arranged marriage, marriage of convenience, friends to lovers, scottish, highlander, may december, warrior, jerusalem, venice, paris, scotland, england, robin hood, fish out of water

A Medieval Romance

The Crusader's Bride

Four popular authors--including Claire Delacroix, Lynn Kurland, Sharon Shinn, and World Fantasy Award-winner Patricia A. McKillip--come together to present a quartet of enchanting tales of magic, romance, and fantasy. Original.

To Weave a Web of Magic

Desperate to marry off his unwed sisters, Alexander, Laird of Kinfairlie, arranges for the abduction of his headstrong sister Vivienne by the suitor who had spurned her years before.

The Rose Red Bride

In the final book of Delacroix's playful and sexy medieval Jewels of Kinfairlie romance trilogy, the Kinfairlie sisters ask Lady Eleanor to wed their brother, Alexander. Eleanor agrees, expecting only to save herself from danger--not to fall in love. Original.

The Snow White Bride

She would risk everything to save his soul… Released from the captivity of the Fae, Murdoch Seton wants nothing more than to forget his lost years. Undertaking a quest to recover treasure stolen from his family seems the perfect solution - but Murdoch is not counting upon a curious maiden who holds both the secret to the theft and his sole redemption. Isabella is outraged to find her brother's keep besieged by a renegade knight -especially one too handsome for his own good or hers. After a single encounter, she becomes convinced that his cause is just and decides to unveil the true thief, never imagining that their single shared kiss has launched a battle for Murdoch's very soul. As the treacherous Fae move to claim Murdoch forever, Isabella seeks to heal the knight who has stolen her heart. But will Murdoch allow her to take a risk and endanger herself? Or will he sacrifice himself to ensure Isabella's future? ***** I’ve written many series set in my fictional medieval Scottish world of Ravensmuir, Kinfairlie and Inverfyre. This is the order in which the stories take place, although you can start with any series. I recommend you read each series in order. There’s a tab on my website for ALL books in this world: http://delacroix.net/ravensmuir/ I. The Rogues of Ravensmuir This is the first series to take place in this world. These three books are a bit more gothic in tone and less tightly linked to each other than the books in subsequent series. 1. The Rogue Merlyn and Ysabella’s story is a second chance romance with a bit of intrigue and suspense. Their relationship is a class war - he’s the laird and she’s a village girl - but there’s an immediate attraction between them. Can Merlyn trust in love at first sight? Can Ysabella trust her rogue of a husband when he returns five years after their parting to ask for her help? This is the first book featuring Ravensmuir and in it, we learn the story of its sister holding, Kinfairlie. 2. The Scoundrel Can a notorious bad boy like Merlyn’s brother Gawain be redeemed by love? In this story, Gawain meets his match, the enticing Eglantine, who is not just as adept a thief as he is but is prepared to seduce him to regain the prize she desires. This is cat-and-mouse story of action, adventure and intrigue takes us from York to the highlands of Scotland, to Eglantine’s home at Inverfyre. 3. The Warrior At the end of The Scoundrel, Inverfyre is lost to the notorious MacLaren clan, but years later, Eglantine and Gawain’s son Michael - the Hawk of Inverfyre - returns to reclaim his legacy. He has need of an heir so he abducts Aileen to be his bride, never guessing that these two have shared a great passion in their past lives. At Inverfyre, Aileen is plagued by visions and fears she is going mad, while the Hawk is uncertain whether his beguiling new bride can be trusted—or whether she has let the MacLarens in the gate. This medieval Scottish romance has some fantasy elements as it’s a reincarnation story. II. The Jewels of Kinfairlie At the end of The Warrior, there is a family gathering at Inverfyre. We briefly meet Merlyn and Ysabella’s son Roland, his wife Catherine, and their eight children. This series begins several years later, after Roland and Catherine’s tragic death, when their oldest son Alexander suddenly becomes laird. The treasury is empty. The harvest will be poor. Alexander needs to see his sisters married as quickly as possible, but they wish to wed for love. 1. The Beauty Bride Alexander arranges an auction for the hand of his defiant sister, intending to manage the list of bidders - but a notorious mercenary, Rhys fitzHenry, pays the highest price. This arranged marriage doesn’t begin well, as Madeline is a runaway bride, but Rhys pursues her, saves her, and tries to court her. I love that Rhys tells Madeline stories to win her heart, and that she quickly figures out that each choice of story reveals one of her husband’s secrets. 2. The Rose Red Bride Alexander thinks he’s learned his lesson and is thrilled when Vivienne’s former suitor, Nicholas Sinclair, wants to claim her hand. It’s a little uncommon that Nicholas wants to abduct his bride, but Alexander is sure that Vivienne will think that a romantic gesture, and when the wedding is held in the morning, all will be well. But the highlander seeking Alexander’s agreement isn’t Nicholas - it’s his brother Erik in disguise, a man who needs a wife only because he needs a son to claim his legacy. He’s not counting on Vivienne stealing his heart, too. 3. The Snow White Bride It’s Christmas at Kinfairlie and a mysterious noblewoman seeks refuge in the chapel. When the sisters learn that she’s a widow in need of protection, they decide to play a trick on Alexander and arrange his marriage. Eleanor thinks husbands are all the same, so is agreeable, although she isn’t counting on Alexander’s youth, charm, and desire to claim her heart. When her past catches up to her and Kinfairlie is at risk, how much will Eleanor sacrifice to see her new husband safe? What price will Alexander pay to defend his bride? 4. The Ballad of Rosamunde Rosamunde, the pirate queen and aunt of the siblings at Kinfairlie, was adopted by Gawain in The Scoundrel and trapped in the realm of the Fae in The Rose Red Bride. In this short story, a friends-to-lovers story, Padraig rescues Rosamunde, his valor making her realize that she loves him, too. III. The True Love Brides At the end of The Snow White Bride, Alexander decrees that his remaining sisters will marry for love. The portal to the realm of the Fae has been opened, though, and the Fae king Finvarra desires Elizabeth. Finvarra agrees that he will abandon his suit if four of the siblings marry their true loves, although Elizabeth knows that the portal to the Fae realm has to be closed as well. 1. The Renegade’s Heart Isabella is smitten with a rogue knight, come to Kinfairlie to demand the return of his family’s stolen treasure. She takes Murdoch’s cause against that of her brother, then learns that Murdoch has been claimed by the Fae queen - who holds his heart still. Can a mortal maiden defeat an immortal queen by winning Murdoch’s love for her own? 2. The Highlander’s Curse Garrett is cursed to hear the thoughts of others as clearly as his own, a spell intended to make him an outcast so his legacy could be stolen. He finds solace in the company and the touch of gentle Annelise. Can Annelise’s love heal him so he can recover his stolen legacy and give her the home - and the husband - she deserves? 3. The Frost Maiden’s Kiss Malcolm returns to Ravensmuir after years as a mercenary with a hoard large enough to finance the rebuilding of his legacy and his soul due to the Fae. When pregnant Catriona arrives at Ravensmuir, Malcolm knows he can give her a future with a marriage of convenience that makes her child heir to Ravensmuir. Catriona expects nothing of men, but Malcolm’s kindness and strength earns her love - and makes her determined to save his soul, regardless of the price. 4. The Warrior’s Prize The mercenary Rafael thinks his companion’s sister, Elizabeth, could be an angel come to earth, and one who will hold him accountable for his sins. Challenged by her and enticed by her, Rafael offers himself instead of his comrade Malcolm and begins to change his life with his choices. Can he save Elizabeth from Finvarra? He’s determined to try, no matter what the risk to himself - and Elizabeth cannot resist a man who chooses nobly, just for her. IV. The Brides of Inverfyre There is one sibling left unmarried (Ross) and we follow him to Inverfyre, where the children of the Hawk and Aileen also need to be married. 1. The Mercenary’s Bride This Scottish medieval romance is a Christmas novella, the story of a knight returning to Inverfyre to keep his promise to the laird’s daughter. Having been attacked and left for dead, Quentin is no longer the man he was and he blames the Hawk for the change in his fortunes. But his bitterness melts before the admiration of Mhairi, for the maiden he admired has become a beauty he would die to serve. 2. The Runaway Bride Even though Aiofe is a beauty and an heiress, she wants to marry for love. Her marriage is arranged to the oldest son of the Hawk of Inverfyre, but she chooses to flee instead, hoping that his cousin, Ross, will be sent after her. Aiofe intends to claim Ross’s heart, no matter the price, for she knows with one glimpse that he’s the man for her. Ross is caught between his duty and his heart - and the wicked MacLarens who would use Aiofe as a pawn in their own plan to possess Inverfyre. There will be more stories in this series, too. There are Family Trees for Inverfyre, Ravensmuir and Kinfairlie available as free downloads in my online store. The links are on my website, right here: http://delacroix.net/ravensmuir/family-trees/ ***** medieval romance, historical romance, scottish romance, marriage of convenience, runaway bride, outlaw hero, beauty and the beast, scotland, wales, action adventure, intrigue

The Renegade's Heart

Sharon Shinn

Sarah Monette

Lynn Kurland

Four enchanting tales of romantic fantasy--by Claire Delacroix, Lynn Kurland, Sharon Shinn, and Sarah Monette--feature the stories of a gifted seer who experiences a vision of the man she is destined to love, a mortal man and elven woman who find love, a young woman who is rewarded for saving a magically gifted child, and a warrior maiden trapped with a war-scarred man by a horrific storm. Original.

The Queen in Winter

Negado de seu legítimo legado, Maximilian de Vries elaborou um plano para vingar-se do pai e garantir seu próprio futuro. Aliado aos seus dois meios-irmãos, ele segue para a antiga e misteriosa Kilderrick, determinado a tomar a fortaleza prometida a ele, não importa o preço. Uma mulher que se diz bruxa é a única ousada o suficiente para desafiá-lo, mas Maximilian tem uma solução, ele a tomará como esposa, quer ela esteja disposta ou não, e selará a reivindicação. No entanto, este poderoso guerreiro ainda precisa ganhar uma batalha de mentes com Alys Armstrong, uma donzela com sede de vingança e uma fúria que pode exceder a dele. Alys não tem intenção alguma de se render ao ladino orgulhoso e poderoso que roubou tudo dela. Não importa o quão sedutor seu toque possa ser, e ela não compartilha da compulsão dele de lutar de forma justa. Inimigos amargos desde o início, Maximilian e Alys travam uma batalha de vontades. Quando a paixão se inflama, algum deles será capaz de resistir à tentação? E quando a própria Kilderrick está em perigo, será que os dois unirão forças para salvar as terras que ambos tanto valorizam, e o amor inesperado que tanto estimam, acima de tudo?

O Lobo & A Bruxa

In this fourth book of New York Times bestselling author Claire Delacroix's The True Love Brides series, Elizabeth challenges the mercenary Rafael to do what is right, tempting him to change his life.

The True Love Brides Book 4

A mercenary convinced that each man must see to his own survival first, Rafael has learned to savor the moment and its pleasures. He is interested solely in conquest and coin, not any promise of the future—until an alluring maiden challenges him, defying him to stake a claim. Rafael cannot resist Ceara with her flame-red hair and keen wits, but their cat-and-mouse game takes a dangerous turn when Ceara is stolen by her kin. Rafael cannot stand aside when the damsel’s survival is at risk—though if she has stolen his shielded heart, she must never know of his weakness… Ceara fled an arranged marriage, determined to wed for love or not at all. A horsewoman and huntress herself, she has encountered no man worthy of her affection—until she matches wits with Rafael, with his flashing eyes and seductive touch. She knows the handsome warrior seeks only one prize from her, but hopes to steal his heart. When she is captured and compelled to return to her betrothed, she is thrilled that Rafael lends chase. When he claims her as his own bride, Ceara dares to hope for more than a marriage of convenience. But Rafael appears to be interested solely in conquest and passion, and their match becomes a battle of wills. Will Ceara be cast aside when her newfound spouse is offered the prize he desires above all else? Warrior and damsel, can these two wounded souls learn to surrender the truth of their hearts—before their union is shattered forever?

Claire Delacroix

About

Books

Join the club