The Highlander's Crusader Bride: Book 3 in the Hardy Heroines series - The Hardy Heroines

Trained as a warrior and raised to a life of danger and adventure, Arbela MacLean is not the bride Caelen expected. Born in the Holy Land only a few years after the Third Crusade, half-Armenian, half-Scot Arbela MacLean is a true daughter of the desert, beautiful and untamed. Trained to be a warrior to avoid her gentle mother's fate, Arbela has honed her skills with Turkish bow and arrow, sword and throwing darts-and dreads the day her father choses a man for her to marry. Caelen MacKern, known as the Bull of the Highlands, is cynical about women. His first marriage formed an alliance, and he did not grieve when his spoiled, immature bride passed away. He has agreed to marry again-against his better judgement-for the men, means and coin to recover from a devastating pestilence that all but wiped out his clan. Though more than a little resentful at finding himself forced to remarry, Caelen's proposal to Donal MacLean's headstrong daughter nevertheless piques her interest. Each will receive what they want most from life-the ability to live as they please without interference from a meddling spouse. Will their marriage of indifference bring them the happiness they seek? Or will they encounter love?