Since I've finished three series (The Agents of the Crown, The Donet Trilogy and the Medieval Warriors), I'm heading back to the Medieval Era to begin a new series: The Clan Donald Saga.

Book 1 in the series will be Summer Warrior. It's the story of Somerled, the Norse-Gael who forged the Kingdom of the Isles and became the founder of Clan Donald. See the new book page and read the description:

     His parentage was noble, of the Norse line of the Kings of Dublin, the royal house of Argyll and the great Ard Ri, High King of Ireland. But with the coming of the Northmen, his family fortunes had fallen miserably. The Gaels despaired of ever being free. When all hope was gone, Somerled rose to the fore, sweeping across Argyll and the Isles like a fast-moving storm, drawing the disenfranchised to him in great numbers--the Scots, the Gaels and the Irish who longed for one to lead them.

     Having lost one wife, Somerled had no thought to seek another, much less did he expect to find love. Yet one look at Ragnhild galloping on a magnificent white horse across the green hills of Man and he never forgot her. Olaf the Red, King of Man and the Isles, had plans for his only daughter that did not include marriage to an upstart foreign Gael.

     Brilliant in strategy and fearless in battle, Somerled began retaking his ancestral lands, driving away the invaders and freeing the people from the Norse stranglehold. In doing so, he would win the title Somerle Mor, Somerled the Mighty, Lord of Argyll, Kintyre and Lorne. But could he win the heart of a Norse king's daughter and convince her father to give him her hand?

Coming this summer!

Sometimes when I talk to fellow readers of historical romance, or even authors, and I mention a name from the past, an author who helped shape the genre, like Kathleen Woodiwiss or Rosemary Rogers, I get a blank stare in return. It occurred to me that as lovers of a genre it might be helpful to read some of the classics to see where we’ve come from and to enjoy the greats who have contributed so much to the craft.

Except for several novels of note in earlier decades, I’m starting in the 1970s. And while I may not have included your favorite author, by reading the romances on this list, you’ll have a good idea of our beginnings and what so many wonderful authors have done for the genre. Think of it as a Recommended Reading List for the Uninitiated in modern historical romance.

So, here’s the list of those I recommend, a sampling meant to give you a picture of how the genre has developed. Some may require you to shop online for a used book though many are available as ebooks. Most are novels I’ve rated 5 stars, so I promise you won’t be bored.  See the list HERE.