Highland Gladiator
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4.1 • 21 Ratings
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- $7.99
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- $7.99
Publisher Description
Gladiator meets Fight Club in the Scottish Highlands in a new romance from USA Today bestselling author Kathryn Le Veque
"The epic Medieval Romance is back—thanks to Kathryn Le Veque!"—Claire Delacroix, New York Times Bestselling author
When Lor Careston's quiet Highland village was attacked and burned, he felt helpless against the raiders who destroyed his home. Seeking revenge, but lacking the fighting skills needed to execute his mission, he sets out to find the Ludus Caledonia—a mysterious fight guild that turns men into warriors.
Lor trains hard, proves himself in the ring, and earns a place within the very clan that decimated his home. He knows he can set his plan for revenge in motion from the inside. But his plan didn't include Isabail Keith, a beautiful warrior lass who prefers broadswords to embroidery. Lor thought the Keiths were his enemies, but when Isabail is threatened, he'll have to decide what he's willing to risk for the woman who has captured his heart and the clan that has become his home.
Truth. Justice. Revenge. Behind these stands the Scotsman's sword.
Scots and Swords series:
Highland Gladiator (Book 1)
Praise for Kathryn Le Veque:
"Vivid world-building, pitch-perfect prose… Kathryn Le Veque has made a fan of me."—TopShelf Reviews
"Medieval Romance just doesn't get any better than this."—Uncaged Book Reviews
"Le Veque writes winning epics."—Publishers Weekly
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
The sensual, swashbuckling first Scots and Swords romance from Le Veque (Lord of the Sky) transports readers to the Scottish Highlands of the late 1400s, where clans battle for power. As a young wild child, Isabail of Clan Keith tries to mug Lor, a young traveler from Clan Lindsay, for the bird eggs he carries. Years later, the pair meet again by chance. As young adults, their attraction is instantaneous despite the fierce rivalry between their clans, and they embark on a passionate, if somewhat unbelievable, affair. The slow start picks up steam when Lor's village burns to the ground and Lor swears vengeance against the arsonists. He searches out the Ludus Caledonia, an infamous fighting guild, to train as a warrior. Believing Lor died in the fire, heartbroken Isabail dedicates her life to helping her clan. The trials Lor must undergo with the Ludus Caledonia test his body and mind but his eventual reunion with Isabail tests his heart. Though the slogging beginningmay put off some readers, it's highly satisfying to watch both Isabail and Lor come into their own as leaders, and the eventual balance of action and intimacy is masterfully done. Those who stick with this will be happy they did.
Customer Reviews
Highland Gladiator
I love your books, this one wasn’t intense as your others but it was still good.
Great new series
I really enjoyed this story, though it took me a few chapters to really get into the characters. It seemed rushed for the romance right off, but once the story got past the burning of Lor Caresten’s village, and you have him traveling to the fight guild known as Ludus Caledonia, his character becomes much more rounded, and you feel his pain, his motivation, and his love for the woman from the Kieth Clan that his clan has been rivals with generations.
Isabail Keith is a character that is a strong female who is believable to have existed in the time period, though she would have been atypical of most women. Though I feel the story was focused more on the story of Lor and his revenge, I loved it when the point of view was more from Isabail’s perspective. I would have loved to have had more scenes with her, including the gap years from when the two first meet as children, and when they meet again as adults.
I also felt the background stories of some of the minor characters were well done, and could have had their own stories. Which, since this is first in the series, might actually happen. It would be fun to explore them further. Especially those from the Ludus Caledonia.
Overall, this was a well done romance with enjoyable characters, and a well told narrative. If one is reading this, and feels like I did in the first couple chapters, hang on, the ride gets way better. It is worth sticking with the story.
I have not read from this author before, but this first in series whets my appetite for others by her. I highly recommend this book as a nice romantic getaway.