Publisher: Harlequin (Harlequin Historical January 2008)
ISBN-13: 9780373294824

Michelle Willingham's medieval historical romance Her Warrior King has dramatic and intimate romantic conflicts, superb characterization, and a suspenseful plot. A vivid internal and external landscape pits the heart against the circumstances of war, making both come alive for the reader.

Suddenly, Isabel de Godred's father has chosen a husband for her. Without even as much as seeing her betrothed, Isabel's father has the wedding all arranged in haste. As soon as she can design an escape, her plans are cut short. Here he comes, dressed in mid-covered rags and riding alone without servants and a sword drawn ready to cut down the weeding guests. Can this man really be a king? Even if he does take the breath away with his dramatic entry, he sure doesn't seem like any king! More like a savage barbarian! When her betrothed tells her the stakes involved if she does not marry, she knows that the pleasure of freedom can never be enjoyed for that price. Patrick MacEgan is blackmailed into marriage to the Norman lady Isabel by her father, but that doesn't mean he has to submit in all ways. She will NOT be a queen to his people! He has his tribe to consider first even if his body and heart begin to tell him otherwise. An Irish king and a Norman lady have been forced into marriage in war --- a marriage that might ruin them both. Can they somehow find a way to love when everyone plots against them?

Michelle Willingham's Her Warrior King combines brilliant characterization and romantic conflict. Isabel is a fantastic heroine. Forced into her role, isolated in almost captivity away from Patrick's tribe in her new Irish home, she has such courage and bravery. No one or no situation is going to get the better of her. Despite being rejected from her husband's bed, the brave Isabel does the hard work, the everyday work that it takes to build something great. Through Isabel, Michelle Willingham allows the reader to experience the drama and courage of the lives of medieval women and indeed perhaps women of all ages living during a time of war or occupation.

Through Patrick, Michelle Willingham allows the reader a glimpse into the conflicts and tensions with medieval kings and warriors. Patrick, the king of a conquered tribe, must keep the Norman occupying his land and his men from killing each other. They do not speak the same language and the slightest look or misunderstanding might provoke a slaughter. The dangers outside might even be greater and kill them all. In the midst of war with so many lives at stake, how can he ever consider his personal desires? Patrick is the true servant king. Michelle Willingham reaches into the very heart of medieval literature with its theme of the servant king, making it come alive in her characters' hearts and daily lives.

Putting Isabel and Patrick together was a brilliant move --- at heart they feel destined for one another on the deepest level but they must work hard to get their happily-ever-after --- and that very work that reveals their destiny and the depth of their love. Michelle Willingham has an expansive view of love, combining passion something so much more. Love isn't just about the desire of one man and woman. Their love expands outward to others and is, in fact, perhaps born from their compassion for others. At the same time, they have to work to discover themselves as individuals and their individual desire. These conflicts and balance between the individual and others arise naturally from the plot and characters she creates. Brilliant!

In her third book, one sees common characteristics in her writing in all three books. Michelle Willingham writes secondary characters that steal the reader's heart. In all three of the MacEgan books, her writing reveals the very soul of her hero and heroine, a soul wounded yet brave and full of inner passion. Michelle Willingham is a fresh, stunning new voice in medieval historical romance that will appeal to romance and medieval fans alike.

Previous books in the MacEgan Series:
Each book works well as a stand alone and as part of the series.
The Warrior's Touch
Her Irish Warrior

Publisher: Harlequin (Harlequin Historical September 2007)
ISBN-13:9780373294664

Michelle Willingham's The Warrior's Touch is a heart-moving historical romance between outcasts set in Medieval times. Strong characterization draws the reader into the heart of the story while layers of suspenseful detail emerge as the hero and heroine reveal their desire. The Warrior's Touch is an outstanding second book of what is turning into a magnificent MacEgan brothers series.

Connor MacEgan is a warrior until he is found near death. Despite being banned from healing, Aileen O Duinne must disobey her tribe and the curse on her and try to save him. Connor finds death preferable to never being able to brandish his sword. His manhood and his position is dependent upon the health of and strength of his hands. Can Aileen's herbs, splints and love bring life back into this warrior's heart and body or will her tribe banish her, cursed as they think she is? As Connor and Aileen grow closer, past secrets, former promises and layers of deception threaten their growing passion. In the end, which is riskier and more noble, the battle of swords or the battle of the heart?

Readers wondering how Michelle Willingham could match debut romance Her Irish Warrior can rest assured ---- she did. Her second book adds a new dimension to the MacEgan Brothers' world. In The Warrior's Touch, Michelle Willingham turns her attention to the outcasts of Medieval society, a warrior who can no longer fight and a woman healer now cursed. Around them death and disease threaten them while inside both Connor and Aileen are haunted by the past and their failures. When romance and love are at stake, can Connor and Aileen battle themselves and all the forces outside who threaten their growing love? Without creating spoilers, the idea of curses and the medieval demons of disease here are indeed scary, especially to a world unable to combat them quite as easily as we do today. Michelle Willingham grabs the reader's attention and heart in her portrayal of the darker side of Medieval society, not sensationalizing it, but allowing the reader to feel some of fears of the medieval world from her characters' point of view.

As in Her Irish Warrior, Michelle Willingham once again demonstrates her ability to create intriguing minor characters, here in Ewan an Whelon, that reveal hidden sides of the main hero and heroine as they endear themselves to the reader's heart. In The Warrior's Touch, Michelle Willingham does an exceptional job of adding and integrating elements of Medieval literature into her stories. The mixed identity theme works very here as it creates secrets and romantic conflict while simultaneously and creating a literary echo to Medieval literary tradition. With her second book, Michelle Willingham has firmly established herself as a new voice to watch among Medieval enthusiasts.

Publisher: Harlequin (Harlequin Historical, May 2007)
ISBN: 0373294506

Her Irish Warrior, set in 12th century Ireland, is a heart-warming Medieval historical romance with excellent characterization, a scene setting made alive to the senses, a suspenseful plot and authenticity to the Medieval literature.

Genevieve de Renalt is engaged to Sir Hugh Marstowe. Although her father supports this marriage, Genevieve cannot allow herself to marry such a man now that she knows him and his true character. When her father cannot rescue her, she escapes. She comes across Bevan MacEgan, an Irish warrior, in the woods and pleads for his help and protection. Pulled between his duties as a warrior and the feelings she inspires, as well as his desire to recapture Rionallis, the land taken from him and now part of Genevieve's dowry, will he choose her and will his choice be made from a desire for her or the land? Will Bevan and Genevieve's past secrets come back to haunt them or can they find true love despite all the obstacles others pose? Can they open their hearts amidst or will oaths and duty win over love? In the Middle Ages and in the background of this romance, marriage was a political alliance. Add to this the fact that both Genevieve de Renalt and Bevan MacEgan have been hurt if not abused by previous partners. The heroine and hero are respectively a Norman lady and a Irish warrior who hates the Normans. Add all that together and more and the chances of these mixing pleasure with any possible marriage alliance seem pretty close to nil....but can hearts win out over both force and vulnerability?

Characterization is one of the strengths of this romance. Genevieve de Renalt's betrothed is a power hunger man who thinks love is dominating a woman. Genevieve is an excellent heroine, determined and clever, full of passion and tenderness and a wonderful contrast to Hugh. Michelle Willingham allows the reader to see both the warrior and the man in Bevan MacEgan, his strength and loyalty plus the scars from battle and in his heart. A suspenseful plot with some interesting turns and conflicts makes Her Irish Warrior a fast paced page turner. Hugh, her betrothed will stop at nothing to kill Bevan and take back his possession. In a world where marriage can be a political alliance, even King Henry has a say in Genevieve's marriage on account of her dowry, land that used to belong to Bevan! So many conflicts, so many secrets, so many hurts and past wrongs....will Genevieve and Bevan be able to find real love when all conflicts, inner and outer, seek to prevent their union? Michelle Willingham has a gift for creating a scene and details that are both faithful to the Medieval tradition and which also make this romance accessible to modern readers. One bedroom scene in particular takes a custom fairly commonly seen in Medieval stories and adds a nice heart-warming, romantic twist. Her Irish Warrior has several echoes from Medieval literature, but each time, Michelle Willingham adds details and context that heighten the tension and romance between the hero and heroine. Michelle Willingham's writing of the snow adds a tactile landscape into the scenes in a manner that makes the historical background feel alive. The vocabulary is authentic and yet accessible to the modern reader.

Personal details
Her Irish Warrior was a fun comfort read for me given my Medieval training. I set a reading goal this year of exploring a new genre, romance. Until this book, I have been hesitant to jump into Medieval historical romance. After studying Medieval literature for a decade in graduate school, what if I hated it? Her Irish Warrior was my first read in Medieval historical romance...and it definitely will not be my last of this author or the genre! This book will always hold a special place in my heart, not only because it was my first in the genre, but because it both inspired me and felt like coming home.

I hope the author breaks the three book convention of many romance series to also add Ewan's story...he was a great character! 

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