Mairi makes no secret of the fact that she would rather be out taking down a wild pig with her childhood friend Iain, the fletcher’s son, than plying a needle with the women. Her mother despairs of her, and never stops comparing her to her beautiful and successfully married sister Una. Her father, tired of her rejection of one suitable match after another, finally presents her with an ultimatum: Marry Alastair Maclean or spend the rest of her life in the priory. Mairi knows that she would never survive in a priory, locked away from her beloved outdoor pursuits. But nor can she endure the thought of a loveless marriage to Alastair, who has never stopped mourning the loss of his adored first wife Madeline in childbed. Left without choices, Mairi becomes Alastair’s wife. Life is every bit as bad as she feared. Alastair’s sister Rhona clearly does not want to see her brother married to the Chisholm wildcat, and Alastair himself is as cold as the frigid wind that blows across the Highlands. Mairi resolves to resign herself to the demands of the marriage bed, and devote her life to raising bairns with the love she was never shown. But one day, she finds herself in more danger than she has ever known… and everything changes.

    

    Fate finally shows her a better path when she catches the dashing Duke of Bersard's fiery eye… While assuming his duties as the new Duke of Bersard, Wesley Fifett comes across something unexpected but also disturbing: his father’s will. Forced to take a wife within a year, he keeps it a secret from the ravishing Lady Sophia, who has made a home for herself both in his thoughts and his heart. But rumor travels fast... Desperate to keep Lady Sophia from slipping through his fingers, Wesley's trail leads him to a baffling place. Back to the beginning, where it all started. His father's will, that just might be the key to unraveling a ploy that reaches deeper than his own familial roots...

    Feeling deceived and betrayed into a loveless marriage, Lord Reese Harrington wants nothing to do with his new wife. Trapped in a marriage with no escape, the beautiful young bride must battle the demons of her husband's past and hope that she can weather the storm his brutish behavior unleashes.This is a medieval romance novella.Adult-content rating:This book contains content considered unsuitable for young readers 17 and under, and which may be offensive to some readers of all ages.First published as part of the anthology Blushing Brides in 1998

    Escaping deportation to an extermination camp by hiding in the home of a Polish woman and using the papers of the woman's deceased, illegitimate daughter, Gerda never let go of the hope that she would one day reunite with her beloved father. Here, she tells her amazing story. Gerda's determination is what led her to survive the terrifying experience of the Holocaust. Since arriving in the United States as an immigrant, she has spoken about her experiences to community groups, schools, churches, and synagogues. She hopes to spread her message of peace, hope and tolerance to as many people as possible.

    Aishlinn never told them she knew the truth; she was the daughter of a Highlander. She had given up all hope of ever finding her real family, of ever having a family of her own, or of ever living a life beyond a meager existence. Until fate intervenes one horrifying night when she is forced to flee England for the Scottish Highlands. When she is rescued by a fierce band of Highland warriors, Aishlinn soon learns that kind and honorable men do exist. In the loving arms of their clan, she soon finds an inner strength she never knew she possessed. That strength and determination will be tested to its very limits when she is forced to make the most difficult decision of her life; allow the English to kill those she has come to love or surrender for the crime she committed.Duncan McEwan, battle hardened Highland warrior has never thought of anything beyond his next battle or the day he would become chief of Clan MacDougall. Until the day he rescued a severely beaten English lass from a bitterly cold English stream. Torn between what he wants and what he believes he should never attempt to possess, he fights a long and hard-fought battle. No matter how hard he fights it, he cannot argue the fact that he loves her more than his next breath. He will do everything in his power to keep her safe and out of the hands of the English.Including fighting to his own death.

    It all began with a woman.A battle. A crown. The conqueror. The conquered. Medieval England—forever changed by the Battle of Hastings. And the rise of the formidable Wulfriths.An honorable NormanChevalier Cyr D’Argent convinced himself he joined Duke William’s invasion of England to reform its church and place its rightful king on the throne. But after a decisive Norman victory, the truth of his quest is revealed when his search for fallen kin leads to a Saxon grieving a boy slain by one of his own. Certain the defiant young woman will become the pick of the plunder, he forces her off the battlefield. Following a pilgrimage of penance, Cyr returns to England to seek his missing brother and claim the barony awarded by King William who stipulates he end the rebellion on his lands. He agrees, only to discover the woman he cannot forget is among those he must vanquish—and may even be their leader.A rebellious SaxonOn a fateful autumn day in 1066, Aelfled of Wulfen’s mistake leads to the death of her lady’s son. Unforgivable—as is the silver-haired warrior who tempts her to put a blade in his back then does the unthinkable in protecting her from his fellow Normans. Now under the usurper’s rule, faith crippled by her people’s suffering, she finds her sanctuary threatened when she becomes a pawn of the rebel leader—and destroyed when betrayal delivers her into the hands of the man who haunts her dreams. As the fires of unrest scorch lives and lands, Aelfled struggles to shield her heart as well as her people. But perhaps love can unite Normans and Saxons. Perhaps she is meant to be here…with him…for such a time as this.

    Lord James Whitman is well aware of what others say about him. He has heard his name whispered behind closed doors and learned of his character being maligned without cause. But after his unearned reputation causes Iris to decline his marriage proposal, he is determined to show her the truth and win her love! Without her grandfather's guidance, Iris must decide whether to trust the London gossips or the tune of her own heart. Could she possibly love a man who is as horrid as some say he is? Or should she trust her instincts and what the duke tells her to be true? All Iris knows for sure is that Christmas day grows closer with each passing minute!

    

    In New York, she meets resistance to a woman doctor and feels she is no more than a midwife. When the opportunity arises for her to go to Montana and be the only doctor in the town of Mistletoe, she grabs the chance. Riley McCallister is sheriff of Mistletoe. When he learns the new doctor is a woman, he is shocked and vows never to let her treat him—no matter how beautiful she is. Slowly, Shannon’s skill wins his respect—and more. Shannon’s expertise and dedication during a measles epidemic convinces the town she is a good doctor—but does their acceptance come too late? Mistletoe Scandal by Sylvia McDaniel Everleigh Walsh’s uncle insists she come to Mistletoe, Montana to celebrate Christmas after a devastating tragedy. Trying to deal with the horrible events she has just left behind, she is stunned to discover her uncle's neighbor, Seth Ketchum, waiting for her at the train station. Just when Everleigh decides life can't get any more complicated, an unexpected blizzard forces her and Seth to seek shelter in the most unlikely place - his home! Seth moved to Mistletoe, Montana to escape after he was left at the altar. His plans to avoid women are waylaid when an unexpected accident forces him to make a promise to help his friend and neighbor, James Walsh. He quickly curses his chivalrous offer to escort Walsh's niece back to his ranch when they are caught in a wintry storm.  The weather quickly seals them together in Seth’s warm, cozy cabin, causing sparks to fly between him and the lovely Everleigh. Two broken lives are thrust together, caught in a winter wonderland where they must decide if they can build a new future together or choose a different path. Can the magic of a mistletoe kiss change their minds? Find out in Mistletoe. Mistletoe and Moonbeams by Merry Farmer Miranda Clarke is a respectable, proper woman. So when she inherits The Holey Bucket Saloon in Mistletoe, Montana from her Uncle Buford, she is livid. She feels she has no other choice than to travel to Mistletoe and keep the place open, since that’s what her uncle wanted, but it is certainly not the life she wants to lead. Randall Sinclair is a traveling brush salesman with dreams of bigger things. That is, his father has dreams of bigger things for him. And drives him relentlessly to achieve them. Randall himself would be more than happy to live a quiet life in a quiet town with a loving wife. Especially when he finds himself faced with beautiful and inimitable saloonkeeper, Miranda. Their acquaintance seems doomed to be a brief one, two ships passing in the night…until a blizzard traps them alone in the saloon together. With nothing to do but clean up the saloon and sort through their immediate and intense attraction, the final days approaching Christmas end up being anything but cold, but with so many expectations heaped on top of them, can “Randy” and “Randi” find a way to be together after the storm? Mail-Order Merry by Kirsten Osbourne Merry Winters wants something more out of life, but she feels beholden to her sister and brother-in-law, who have given her a home for the past four years. When a fire takes their lives, and leaves her with their two young children to raise, she agrees to move to Montana to be a mail order bride as long as she can keep running her business. Clyde Bellman has a plan for his life, and he’s at the point where that plan calls for a wife. He sends a letter to a matchmaker in Massachusetts hoping for a strong, independent bride. When Merry arrives with two young children in tow, he knows he needs to be the best uncle the two children have ever seen.

     Barwolf of Strangclyf wants to prove herself worthy of her new husband as he claims Strangclyf. After a life of drudgery under a father who despised her, she knows submission, but lacks manners. As they battle treachery in William’s court and later at Strangclyf, she proves everything he believed about the evil of women may not be true and he gives her hope for a future without domestic violence. Can the pair actually find love before a traitor destroys their lives?

    Deception endangers them. Only an impossible love can save them. When headstrong Elizabeth de Burgh’s evil father threatens to kill her beloved cousin unless she seduces his enemy Robert the Bruce, she begrudgingly agrees. But as she grows close to the arrogant leader of the Scottish rebellion whose savage good looks whisper of pleasure, she discovers that behind Robert’s facade of coldhearted traitor lies a noble fighter who will risk all for the freedom of his country. Now, she can no longer imagine aiding in Robert’s destruction. But does she have a choice? Fierce Scottish warrior Robert the Bruce would do anything to release his country from English rule and claim his rightful throne. Enemies on both sides surround him, however, and Robert must dance a dangerous line between truth and duplicity. One misstep could topple his nation and cost him his life. Yet one irresistible woman tempts him—and jeopardizes his mission—as no other ever has. Robert is in no position to entangle himself with the enemy, especially one who may be plotting his defeat, but the feisty, determined, blue-eyed beauty ignites a longing in Robert that he has never known. But is she his biggest threat or greatest source of strength? Bound by duty and honor but ensnared by uncontainable desire, Robert and Elizabeth must decide how much they are willing to sacrifice for the one thing they thought they’d never find—extraordinary love.

    She undertakes a perilous journey across the Scottish Highlands seeking the protection of the man she was betrothed to as a child; a nobleman she hasn’t seen for eight years. Shocked to discover his role in the assassination of a king has implicated her in his plot to take the throne, she finds herself in dire need of a champion. Rheade Robertson is duty bound to aid his older brother, the clan chieftain, in his sworn quest to capture the assassins of King James Stewart. Protecting Margaret from persecution will mean defying his brother. Can he bring the murderers to justice and save an innocent woman from the executioner’s axe? Or will family rivalry and a vengeful queen destroy his hopes for a future with the courageous lass he loves?

    Yet, the battle was not at all what he expected and he soon found himself alone and stranded in Scotland. Thirteen-year-old Kannak’s problem was just as grave. Her father deserted them and the only way to survive, she decided, was to take a husband over her mother‘s objections. Suddenly she was helping a hated Viking escape. Could Kannak successfully hide a Viking in the middle of a Scottish Clan? And why was someone plotting to kill the clan's beloved laird?

    Her prayer is heard and an angel is dispatched to assist Felicity in finding the answer to her heart's desire. Prescott Jones arrives in Appleton, Idaho with plans to build a cannery, find a woman to marry, and settle down. He and his partner have managed to acquire all the property needed—except for a plot of land owned by an old-maid seamstress. With the help of a large white cat named Angel, Prescott sets out to change Felicity's mind. About the cannery … and about him. A NOTE TO READERS:A Wish & a Prayer is a bit different from my usual fare. It was written for fun and is pure fantasy. It isn't meant to be anything more than that. It definitely isn't theologically correct when it comes to angels. The angels of the Bible are portrayed as quite different from Angel Emeline. Whenever angels appeared to mankind in the Bible, they did it in a human form, and the Bible is what we should trust for an understanding of all things spiritual, including angels.Still, I hope you'll enjoy reading this romantic bit of whimsy. It's a story that made me smile as I wrote it.Robin Lee Hatcher