Bücher von Laura Strickland

Benjamin Ambrose has an interesting problem: he keeps dying without cause and with very little warning. So far, he's died over a dozen times and been brought back again. It's disconcerting, and he needs a solution. Magenta Rask, of mixed race and limited education, grew up rough on the streets. She's been told her talent for connecting with people's energy could provide healing, but she's not convinced. When Benjamin seeks Magenta's help, she sees a quick way to make money and seize independence. She has no idea that two Buffalo-born opposites together will have a powerful effect on a city brought to its knees by a monster blizzard. Or that sometimes a girl must risk all she is for the sake of love.

He chooses laughter, and she chooses compassion. Will they both choose love?Ever since her mother's death, Rhian MacBeith has kept the flame burning at the heart of her family. A healer and born nurturer, she stepped in where needed without a thought for herself. Now her clan is at war with the MacLeods across Glen Bronach. Her older sister, who leads clan MacBeith, has taken a MacLeod outcast for her lover. The last thing Rhian expects when she ventures out in the aftermath of a battle is to stumble over a wounded MacLeod warrior, a handsome mountain of a man named Leith. Mercy prompts her to tend his vicious wound. It's something else that keeps her from calling her warriors to end his life.Leith MacLeod is a man who will always choose laughter above strife. But he is cousin to the MacLeod chief as well as his heir, sworn to him in fealty. He half believes the bonny woman who tends him on the battlefield is an angel. Instead, he discovers she's his sworn enemy. That can't change the way he feels about her, because the more he learns about Rhian MacBeith, the more he sees that her beauty extends clear through to her spirit.And that makes him long to lay aside his sword in favor of peace.The Three Sisters MacBeithKeeper of the GateKeeper of the HearthKeeper of the Light

It's the Christmas season at Clarendon, and Genevieve DeClare is determined to provide a joyful holiday for her mother and sister, despite the losses they've endured the past year. The castle is decked with greenery and she's planned a lavish feast. Awaiting her guests, her heart longs for one more thing: the return of her betrothed, Maddox DeVille, who departed on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land a year ago. But when an unexpected guest arrives, he's a stranger. Tomas Monmercy, a knight newly returned from the Crusades, has traveled many weary miles to fulfill a promise and bring Genevieve the talisman she entrusted to Maddox-a mistletoe heart. Tomas considers it a sacred duty. He certainly never intends to fall in love with the beautiful maiden his friend loved so well.

Born enemies, is their destiny to become lovers?Since time out of mind, two clans have contested for dominance in bonny glen Bronach, known as the glen of sorrows. But now, fierce young Rory MacLeod has taken over as chief of his lands and vowed to seize all rival MacBeith holdings. Moira MacBeith, the eldest of chief Iain MacBeith's three daughters, finds herself with her back to the wall and a sword in her hand. A born defender, she's not afraid to don armor and march out to fight. But if her enemies discover her secret, that her father has fallen in battle, it will be seen as a weakness. She has no choice but to assume his place and fight on. And then there's the dratted MacLeod captive who's fallen into her hands...Farlan MacLeod is Rory's lifelong best friend, sworn to follow him in good times and bad. Being seized during a bloody battle was not part of the plan, and the accursed woman who appears to lead clan MacBeith means to use him as a weapon against his chief. He knows he should hate her. Instead, there's a wild, undeniable attraction growing between them. He can't possibly be so weak as to give into it, even though he's never seen a woman to match her for beauty or strength.And even though his heart has begun whispering to him about destiny.The Three Sisters MacBeithKeeper of the GateKeeper of the HearthKeeper of the Light

A year ago, Magnus Tolljursson helped repel a treacherous attack from his father's enemies, and discovered he carries the berserker's seed of madness. Now he must sail to the settlement from whence those attackers came, and fulfill a promise to a friend. He doesn't know what he'll find in Husavik and never suspects he may lose his heart. In her father's absence, Embra Fritisson has been engaged in a desperate battle to keep leadership of the settlement. When Magnus arrives saying her father is dead, she fears her unstable family will splinter into factions and destroy one another. She must retain control, but how can she hope to keep her head while falling in love with the enemy?

Wick map Radoc has lost his direction. Following the death of his parents in a brutal raid, the Caledonian tribesman surrenders his place as chief and flees to the Scottish countryside. Tracked through snow by a band of enemy Gaels, he escapes by way of an unexpected transformation and stumbles upon a neighboring tribe, the Caerena. Is it chance, or has he been led there? Verica, widow of the Caerena's slain war chief, has lost her faith. Leading her tribe by raw grit and sheer determination, she awaits a miracle. When Wick arrives cloaked in enchantment, she hopes she's found the help she so desperately needs. Yet Wick doubts his own courage, and Verica has sworn she will never love again. Verica and Wick could restore one another's belief... Together, will they discover the true strength of a Caledonian heart?

When Gareth de Vavasour, nephew of the Sheriff of Nottingham, is captured by the outlaws of Sherwood Forest and held for ransom, he knows he will be fortunate to escape with his life. Amid the magic and danger that surround him, he soon realizes his true peril lies in the beautiful dark eyes of Linnet, the Saxon healer sent to tend his wounds. Granddaughter of Robin Hood, Linnet has always known she is destined to become a guardian of Sherwood Forest, along with her sister and a close childhood companion. She believes her life well settled until the arrival of Gareth. Then all her loyalties are tested even as her heart is forced to choose between love and the ties of duty, while Sherwood declares its own champion.

Abandoned as an infant at the edge of Dartmoor, Rum Paul Stillskin does not know his true name or parentage, but it's clear he's not completely human. The old man who raises him calls him evil. The village children, who throw stones, whisper the word faery. Shunned by all, he finds comfort in his rude, native magic, and tells himself he doesn't need love. Until he meets Mallie Goodman, who sees in him a wild beauty he cannot see in himself. As they grow into adulthood, the bond between Mallie and Rum Paul deepens. When a cruel fate separates them, Mallie promises she will return to him, however long it takes. Twisted by loss, his long wait turns Rum Paul into someone Mallie never knew. When Mallie returns, will lies and betrayal keep him from recognizing her? Will he ever believe he deserves love?

Mitch Carter's a hard man. He's clawed his way up from Buffalo's gutter through a combination of ruthlessness and stark loyalty to become the King of Prospect Avenue. But when he sees lovely Tessa Verdun, a crack appears in his tough veneer. He wants her for his wife even if making it happen requires coercion, dirty dealing, and a touch of blackmail. Mitch is the last man Tessa would choose to wed, but he's forced her into marriage, even though she's ready to give her heart to another man. Now he tries to win her with lavish gifts and watches her with veiled passion in his eyes. But when everyone else turns against Tessa, it's Mitch who's there offering strength. And when vying factions in the city place Tessa in danger, it's Mitch for whom she longs, though loving such a man is certainly a tough prospect.

Buffalo Police Sergeant Brendan Fagan, investigating a series of grisly murders spurred by clashes between humans and automatons, only wants to save his city. The last thing he needs in his life is a rule-bending, steam-cannon-toting, unpredictable female like Ginny Landry, a woman who could possibly bring down his career and the one woman he quite likely can't resist. Ginny means to settle the estate of her mother, an infamous madam, quickly and get out of town. She has no intention of becoming involved with any part of her inheritance or falling for Brendan. In fact, she makes it a point never to date handsome men. But when her rash behavior brings them together, the attraction can't be denied. And when the city erupts in chaos, forcing her to choose a moral side, can she deny what's in her heart?

Reynold Michaels might not be the smartest man in the city, but he knows a beautiful woman when he sees one. The lovely creature he watches disembark from the steam tram every morning simply cannot be a prostitute...or an automaton. Yet at the high-priced bordello where she works he discovers she's not only a hybrid mechanical, she's funny, vulnerable, and quite possibly the missing piece of his heart. Lily Landry understands that as an automaton she isn't entitled to make her own choices. She must do as instructed or face the ultimate horror of being shut down. But when she forms a bond with Reynold, she quickly learns what it means to desire a life of her own. In a city conflicted over automaton rights, can they hope for a future together?

Dorothea Sinclair has left her small home town in Maine and come to Boston to begin a career as a newspaper reporter. But so far her job on the Guardian has proved disappointing. More skivvy than reporter, she's even been subjected to a humiliating proposition from the chief editor's son. She needs a break but never expects it might come from a chance meeting with an Irish ruffian. There's a great deal of injustice in Boston, and O'Hare, embroiled in his fight for equality on behalf of Boston's Irish, is well aware of it. When he rescues Dorothea's hat on the waterfront, he's surprised to learn she's a reporter. And when she offers him the opportunity to state his case in the Guardian, what can he do but accept? It's the perfect chance to put his dreams into his own words-and the only sure way to see her again.

Brutally dispossessed during the Highland Clearances, Tam Sutherland comes to the hiring fair at Oban, Scotland hoping to find a job for the season. But his maimed right hand, inflicted by the same cruel factor responsible for his parents' deaths, means he's one of few men available when the beautiful woman makes her surprising announcement: she's looking not for a hand but a husband, not just for the season but forever. Annie MacCallum is under threat from a brutal factor also, back at her home farm-one who preys on unmarried women. If she's to protect all those who rely on her, including her beloved animals, she must have a husband, if only in name. Secretly glad when the attractive Tam takes up her proposition, she doesn't realize she's dragging him into a situation that will trigger old demons. Nor does she expect to give him her heart.

All her life, Topaz Hathor has denied her ability to see the spirits of the dead. She despises her father, an infamous spiritualist for exploiting his wealthy patrons and the souls that flock to him. But when the spirit of an attractive man appears in her bedroom claiming he's been drawn to Topaz rather than her father, she sits up and takes notice. Though not dead, Romney Marsh has been banished from his body while confined to an asylum and can't remember much besides his name. Yet he can feel Topaz's spirit calling to his, and he's not leaving until she agrees to help him. Through an increasingly violent spiral of danger and their discovery of unspeakable undertakings, they bond ever more closely. But can Topaz be in love with a man she's never touched, or would that be sheer madness?

Following the disastrous defeat of the clans at Culloden, Scottish Chief's son Diarmad Ramsay makes his dying father a promise. Diarmad will play the part of Bonny Prince Charlie in an effort to help the true Prince escape the Highlands. With only the fiery Mara MacIvor for guide and with danger on his heels, he must risk all for a Cause in which he no longer believes. Mara MacIvor considers Ramsay a poor substitute for her beloved Prince. Ramsay may be one of the bonniest men she's ever met and a braw sight with a sword in his hand, but his disillusionment makes a wide gulf between them. Pursued through the Highlands by Sassenachs and ruthless Highland renegades bent on claiming the price on Prince Charlie's head, their physical attraction soon becomes a conflagration. But will they ever be bound by more than Diarmad's vow of honor?

From a young age, Tansy Bellrose Gant has been getting into trouble and wanting what she should not have. Just because she can make certain things happen by wishing doesn't mean she's a witch. But when she rashly curses a neighbor, her fellow villagers tie her to a stake at the crossroads and threaten to send her to the Royal Commission for trial. Malcolm Montgomery is a man carrying an unbearable burden of guilt and obligation. The last thing he needs is an encounter with a troublesome wee lassie who just might be a witch. But once rescued, she won't go away. In fact, she insists on involving herself in his quest to ransom his brother, and she charms her way into his bed, as well. Has Tansy merely enchanted him, or has she claimed his heart? When she faces the ultimate danger, how will love be enough to save her?

Brendan O'Rourke hasn't had a decent night's sleep since he arrived back at the family home in St. John's, Newfoundland. The famed Celtic fiddler's being haunted by the ghost of his great-grandfather, Charlie, who's bent on keeping Brendan from ruining his life with the same selfish choice he made between music and the woman he loved. Grace Dawe was finished with Brendan O'Rourke eight years ago when he chose music over their relationship. So why can't she look at him now without going weak in the knees? And why, when he offers everything she's ever wanted, is she considering his welfare above her own? Not until a beautiful old tune shows them the true meaning of love will they find a way to play their own song.

Widowed following a marriage of convenience, Jeannie MacWherter has fled lowland Dumfries, Scotland, for the highland cottage bequeathed to her late husband by his brother-in-arms, laird of the glen. Though she's never met the laird, local rumor labels him both murderer and seducer-a wicked, dangerous man who Jeannie learns is determined to chase her from his land. Finnan MacAllister has come home to Glen Mhor in order to right past wrongs. He doesn't care that Rowan Cottage is the beautiful Widow MacWherter's only refuge. He's convinced she's a wanton who deliberately broke the heart of his best friend, Geordie, and he's vowed to get even with her: seduction is his weapon of choice. But will his own heart betray him?

Clara Allen needs a husband in order to keep a roof over the heads of her assorted dependents, a roof her nasty grandfather will re-appropriate unless she is married by her 21st birthday, only a few days away. Strong-minded, unwilling to take orders from any man, she decides to solve her problem by raising a murdered prisoner from the dead and marrying him. She expects an empty-headed puppet; she certainly never dreams he'll be so devastatingly handsome. Liam McMahon doesn't recall much about his life before his hanging in the prison yard, other than being Irish. He does remember the kiss Clara bestowed as she brought him back to life. Every time he looks at her, his desire gets out of hand. But his former life is chasing him down like a steam engine, and when a couple of mad geniuses decide he'd make a fine experiment, he wonders if he'll live long enough to claim Clara's heart or if he'll die all over again.

Curlew Champion, master archer, has always known his destiny. With his cousin, Heron Scarlet, he will become a guardian of Sherwood Forest and further his people's fight against Norman tyranny. But the third member of the triad is still to be revealed, the woman who will complete the magical circle and, perhaps, answer the longing in Curlew's heart. Anwyn Montfort has fled disgrace in Shrewsbury and come to Nottingham at her father's bidding. He wishes her to make a good marriage and settle down. But the wildness that possesses her refuses to quiet. She knows she's been searching for something all her life, but not until she glimpses Curlew does her spirit begin to hope it has found its home. Only the magic of Sherwood can bring them together, and only their union can complete the spell woven so long ago...

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Disgraced in her father's eyes, Isobel Maitland travels to Scotland, determined to purchase her sister's happiness at the cost of her own. But when her coach is held up and she is abducted by a dangerous highwayman, she faces an unexpected choice: suffer the loveless union to which she has resigned herself, or marry this ruthless, Scottish outlaw who can ignite her desire with a single touch. They call him "Diabhal Dubh" - Devil Black - and he spends his days terrorizing the countryside, trying to outdistance the memories that torture him. The King has decreed he must settle and take a wife. And when he steals the alluring woman betrothed to his enemy, Dougal MacRae sees a way to both answer the King's demand and obtain the revenge he has sought so long...

Captured by Gaels in a vicious raid, Caledonian shaman Tally is taken by force to the western kingdom of Dal Riada, where he falls into the hands of the Celtic chief's daughter, Alanna. Having lost every freedom, and fearing he may also lose his faith, he makes the goddess a sacred promise. If she sustains him, he will live for her and one day make it back home. Alanna, daughter of one of the three most powerful men in the area, has refused every influential match her father has proposed. She lives an independent life training ponies for war chariots and makes her own choices. But when she sees the young Caledonian slave with magic in his eyes, she knows herself lost. Alanna will do anything to keep Tally with her, but Tally is willing to die rather than remain a slave. Can the love growing between them survive?

From the moment Cindra is born, misshapen and ill-formed in face and body, her beautiful mother hides her away, allowing the world to see only her other three perfect children. Cindra, raised by an aged nurse and assigned humble duties in the kitchen, receives little affection and plenty of abuse from both her mother and sisters. Starved for beauty, she longs most of all for love. Prince Rupert, newly returned from an education outside the kingdom and forced to take over duties as king, sees the beauty of Cindra's spirit. In her sister-in-law's garden, he courts her with rare flowers and nearly makes her forget her mother's hate. But when war tears them apart, will Cindra have the courage to stand on her own? And when faced with the challenge of leading Rupert's subjects through a siege, will the strength of her compassion be enough to sustain a kingdom?

In defiance of her father, Caledonian tribeswoman Barta leads a daring raid against invading enemy warriors. But the fight goes badly, and her beloved war hound, Loyal, is killed. Unable to imagine existing without her dearest companion, she nevertheless must return home and accept blame for her terrible blunder. For the first time in his life, Loyal is unable to rise and follow his mistress. When he appeals to the Goddess for mercy, she grants him leave to return on one condition: it must be in the form of a man. And only if Barta recognizes him for who he truly is will he be permitted to stay. Loyal never suspects that, as a man, his connection with Barta will deepen, becoming passionate enough to transcend nearly any change. Will Barta recognize him before he's lost to her forever?

Accused of ruining Mae Ballard and faced with a shotgun wedding, Jefferson Lind knows exactly who's to blame. He's been taking the fall for Jedediah's sins as long as he can remember. Mae's a shrieking shrew, and he hasn't seen Jed, his identical twin, since they worked digging the Erie Canal together. If he'd been ordered to marry Mae's sweet younger sister Rosie, instead, he sure wouldn't complain. Rosie's the only member of her family who believes Jeff, and she'd go to any lengths to free him from her sister's clutches. But when Jedediah turns up with violent thugs on his tail, things quickly grow more dangerous. Gamblers from Buffalo seize both sisters as hostages, prompting a daring impersonation. Can Jeff and Jed shed their troubled past and win the hearts of the women they love?