KAREN’S KILLER BOOK BENCH: Welcome to Karen’s Killer Book Bench where readers can discover talented new authors and take a peek inside their wonderful books. This is not an age-filtered site so all book peeks are PG-13 or better. Come back and visit often. Happy reading!

~~~

HEART OF THE HIGHLANDS
THE RAVEN: PREQUEL
Protectors of the Crown Book 1
BY APRIL HOLTHAUS

Blurb

She’s accused of murder. He’s accused of treason.

Forced to wed a ruthless English Lord, Adelyn Scott welcomed death over marriage, but had no idea her wish would come true until she discovered her husband’s body lying dead in his chamber on the night of their wedding.

As commander for the king’s personal guard, Eamon MacLeish’s loyalty has never been questioned. Until the day a mysterious woman arrived seeking an asylum and stole his heart.

As Adelyn and Eamon piece together clues surrounding her husband’s murder, Eamon must choose between his loyalty or his heart. For one path would ultimately lead to her death, and the other his.

Heart of the Highlands: The Raven is the prequel to the Protectors of the Crown Series.

For hundreds of years, Scotland has battled the English for their freedom. Now, they face a new enemy. In a world divided by politics and religion, young King James V faces the threat of his own people rebelling against him. When civil war breaks out amongst the Highland clans, James recruits a secret group of warriors for protection. He called them the Protectors of the Crown.

HEART OF THE HIGHLANDS
THE RAVEN: PREQUEL
Protectors of the Crown Book 1
BY APRIL HOLTHAUS

Excerpt

Chapter 1

October 1529
Edinburgh, Scotland

A plume of hot breath escaped Adelyn Scott’s lips. Please God, dinna let ‘em find me.

Holding the reins in a white-knuckled grip, she braced herself atop the speeding horse. The sound of hooves stamping the ground echoed in the night like a brewing storm. She didn’t know how far she had come or how much farther she would go, but she would ride her horse into the ground if necessary.

The farther she traveled the pitted terrain, the more the jutted rocks and uneven ground rose before her like judge and jury. Even the weather held its conviction. Adelyn raced northward using only the constellations as her guide toward refuge from the bitter cold, although she had more to fear than mere frostbite.

The cloak of darkness slowly lifted as the horizon changed from a star-pitted sky to hues of pink and orange.

As the horse reached the highest peak, the towers of a castle came into view. The dying light of the torches atop the ramparts illuminated the curtain wall that spread across the mountainside like majestic wings. Perched high on the hill, she felt as vulnerable as a field mouse under the watchful eye of a hawk.

This was not a mere homestead of some neighboring clan. She recognized this place. Edinburgh Castle. She had been there once before, though it had been many years since she last set eyes on it. This was home to the James, the Scottish King. The only man who could save her. 

About Author April Holthaus…

Links to April’s website, blog, books, #ad etc.:

Amazon (ON SALE FOR $.99):
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B093J6BQZ5/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

Contact Links:

https://www.facebook.com/author.april.holthaus/

https://twitter.com/aprilholthaus?lang=en

https://www.instagram.com/authoraprilholthaus/?hl=en

https://www.amazon.com/April-Holthaus/e/B00FG76R9U/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1

~~~

Special Giveaway: April will give away a signed paperback of HEARTS OF THE HIGHLANDS: THE RAVEN (US Only) and a $10 Amazon gift card to one lucky reader who comments on her Karen’s Killer Book Bench blog. Good luck!

Happy Reading!

~~~

Thanks, April, for sharing your story with us!

Don’t miss the chance to read this book!