Crown & Crosses Series by Violet Malvik

When Maisie met Magnus for the very first time, he was different from the men she grew up with and he was nothing compared to what she had heard. But, even after spending days in his company, she would rather remain his friend, than be forced to marry him... moreWhen Maisie met Magnus for the very first time, he was different from the men she grew up with and he was nothing compared to what she had heard. But, even after spending days in his company, she would rather remain his friend, than be forced to marry him. Will she ever acknowledge the fact that she enjoyed being with him? Will her relentless father be able to change her mind? Or will her passion to be a warrior overshadow her desire to start a family of her own? Magnus couldn’t shake the fact that Maisie was taller and prettier than he expected. Intrigued by the sparkle in her soft eyes, she seemed to understand and accept him for who he was. He envied the bond she shared with Graham, who secretly loved her. Confused by his drive to stay back and spend time with her, even though he had no intention of marrying her. Notwithstanding, he hoped that she would make a better man a good wife in the near future. Will Magnus reconsider winning Maisie’s heart? Or will he be consumed by his quest to stop the men trying to oust his father and take over his territory? less

Something sinister is brewing in the south…. No one had believed war was finally coming. No man was mad enough to rise against the Laird of the South, a brutal leader no one dared to question unless they held a death wish. After the vicious attacks that left no survivors and no clue about who might be behind them, Maisie and her father, Eanraig Ditka, arrive in the south, a land where the climate is as unforgiving as its people... moreSomething sinister is brewing in the south…. No one had believed war was finally coming. No man was mad enough to rise against the Laird of the South, a brutal leader no one dared to question unless they held a death wish. After the vicious attacks that left no survivors and no clue about who might be behind them, Maisie and her father, Eanraig Ditka, arrive in the south, a land where the climate is as unforgiving as its people. Eanraig has accepted the invitation to the gathering that will end it all but has done so with caution. As the future clan leader, Maisie feels it is her duty to be by her father’s side at all times, to be his eyes and his ears in this dangerous mission. Thanks to the upheaval, the matter of her marriage is finally forgotten, and romance is the last thing on her mind…until she happens upon Evander. The handsome stranger claims to be in town on account of his business as a blacksmith, but his eyes reveal there is much more to his visit than he would admit. Now, behind closed doors, the chieftains and lairds play an even more dangerous game –the one of diplomacy– and Archie can see that forming an alliance to clear every one of suspicion will not be as simple as he thought. Swallowing his pride after Maisie’s rejection, Magnus faces new trouble in the south. When disaster hits again, he realizes he would rather lead a life in disgrace than live under constant terror. Only one thing is certain: the attacks will only get bloodier and more lethal unless the gathering manages to put an end to them once and for all. But how can the clans form an alliance when enmity and suspicion have infiltrated a bond they once thought sacred? less

How far would they go to meet their destiny? With chaos raining down all around them during the bloody attacks in the south, the lords and lairds are about to sign the first peace treaty in nearly six hundred years... moreHow far would they go to meet their destiny? With chaos raining down all around them during the bloody attacks in the south, the lords and lairds are about to sign the first peace treaty in nearly six hundred years. Now the question burning in everyone’s minds is what if this peaceful agreement brings more trouble than it promises to solve? With turmoil brewing anew within the gathering and Keir nearly losing his mind over his son’s disappearance, Eanraig tries to protect his daughter at all costs. He is all too familiar with the ugly face of war, and this time he will not be taking any chances. Yet while everyone fights against their cunning, invisible enemy, Maisie refuses to sit idle. Yearning to be free to roam but confined by her father’s wishes, she resorts to training and becoming stronger, setting her interests and feelings aside for the time being. No one has more to gain from this state of unrest than Evander, but the blacksmith chooses to stay out of it all, trying to find Maisie in the shadows of terror that have claimed the south. But not even he can escape the menace of recent events–as he soon realizes when Archie approaches him with questions regarding the missing Magnus. As the son of Keir, Magnus has been neglected his whole life, and his enemies know it well. When they try to use his bloodline and his birth against him, will he find it in his heart to betray his cruel father, or will he risk losing his home and its innocent people? Nothing is set in stone, except for the one truth binding them all: no one is innocent, no one is safe, and the clock has just started ticking backward on the worst catastrophe these lands have ever seen. .. less

Love finds a way into their hearts while kingdoms crumble one after the other…. Desolation has spread its icy claws over the nine kingdoms. Olong has fallen, though not without a fight. Now, obscure whispers and rumors have it that the South is next, and the kingdoms are in a state of high alert... moreLove finds a way into their hearts while kingdoms crumble one after the other…. Desolation has spread its icy claws over the nine kingdoms. Olong has fallen, though not without a fight. Now, obscure whispers and rumors have it that the South is next, and the kingdoms are in a state of high alert. Skilled in the ways of vicious, long wars and–even worse–brief times of treacherous peace, Archie is doing his best to keep the troops in line and the lairds from making rush decisions they are going to regret. Dougal had it all in the palm of his hand. Victory and absolute power were his, so close he could almost finally taste them…until miscalculations and a single wrong step cost him everything he had bled to attain. With his last and only hope lying in his secret allies, Dougal fears his trust may have been misplaced as they have a reputation of being as helpful as they are lethal…. Wandering apart for too long, Evander finds purpose in protecting Maisie when he joins her in the efforts to reclaim Olong. Maisie finds her feelings for him blooming most unexpectedly while she tries to keep her head in the efforts to restore her homeland. Love was not in her immediate plans, but how can she deny her heart when destiny throws Evander on her path in every turn along the way? As a nation of fighters, Olong is licking its wounds after the brutal battle, preparing for the next one while the North shows its true intentions. But once the real threat comes crashing down on their land when they least expected it, they realize that this time the force of their foes may be well beyond their power…. Don’t miss the fourth book in this series from an exciting new voice in Scottish Medieval Romance. Perfect for fans of Tanya Anne Crosby and Kathryn Le Veque. less