The Warrior Trainer

Stones of Destiny #1

by Gerri Russell

Scotia's duty is to protect the Stone of Destiny--the key to Scotland's salvation, and the reason she and the women who guarded the Stone before her had become the best warriors in the world. Yet those women had never met a man like Ian MacKinnon.

He's journeyed to her castle to learn her legendary skills so he can exact vengeance against the English. His viciousness on the battlefield stands in stark contrast to his tenderness in the bedroom. But he will soon move on, leaving Scotia to face a conflict for which she has no training: her duty to the Stone versus her desire to follow her heart.

Genres: Romance, Historical Romance, Historical, Medieval, Historical Fiction, Scotland, Fiction

321 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Gerri Russell is the award-winning author of historical and contemporary novels including the Brotherhood of the Scottish Templars series and Flirting with Felicity. A two-time recipient of the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart Award and winner of the American Title II competition sponsored by RT Book Reviews magazine, she is best known for her adventurous and emotionally intense novels set in the thirteenth- and eighteenth-century Scottish Highlands. Before Gerri followed her passion for writing romance novels, she worked as a broadcast journalist, a newspaper reporter, a magazine columnist, a technical writer and editor, and an instructional designer. She lives in Bellevue, Washington, with her husband and three black cats.

Reviews

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5+ stars

I really liked this book, but the main characters go through such inner turmoil. At times, they both seem "stuck" in their heads... and so the book feels "stuck" at times, too.

The big reveal isn't such a big reveal - not if you're into mysteries. But it's still a great moment!

The training scenes are wonderful! I love that Scotia uses Strategy as one of her biggest weapons. And that she "reads" body language so well. Scotia reminds me of Xena: Warrior Princess, except that this Heroine/Warrior definitely has a softer side that shows through right away. Her history is so... tragic. And the responsibilities and burdens she feels are so heavy. It's tough to imagine WHY she didn't ask Maeve and Brodie earlier about why none of her "people" are coming to train with her. That's puzzling.

I really like Ian. He's got a lot going on in his head, too. And it does get weary, him trying to decide whether to stay or go. But, of course, he does what he needs to do when it's time. And he uses Scotia's lessons well. As does his brother.

Good book. Interesting tangle of history, if you read the author's notes. It almost sounds as if the real Scotia and her ancestors could be tied to the Milesians, who are the fabled "conquerors" of the Fae - or at least the humans who forced the Fae to make the Compact with Man. I wondered if this author would pursue that storyline, but I've already started book 2, and it doesn't appear so. But it's interesting stuff....

[Seon Ji (Dawn) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strong warrior heroine and sweet hero.
It started out good but slowly declined. Too bad the ending was cheesy, and the antagonist cartoonish.

I really hate it when instead of the antagonist killing the hero right out when the opportunity arises, that a conversation ensues. It felt like the Star Wars-like "Luke I am your father" thing was happening. Predictable. The conversation was not reason enough to hold off killing him.

I also didn't like that there was nothing much said about why this stone is so important to protect and what makes it so special.

The ending is what killed it for me.

Lastly, the love scenes could have been much better.

These appear to be stand alones, as I am currently reading the 2nd book, and it appears that the characters are not connected to this book and the stone is not even mentioned so far.

I forgot to mention that the villain's dialogue was very comic book like. Melodramatic. It's the same with the second book. This author needs to refine the antagonists in her work. Just MHO

[Kai C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now this is what I am talking about! A strong female character right here. When she says she wields a sword, she means it! I sorry but this is just exciting because whenever I read any books about a women who wants to be a warrior or claims to be a fighter. They frankly just are not, because all those women still get captured and then are just admire for attempting to be brave. This does not happen in the Warrior Trainer! The main character actually gives a good beat down to those who challenge her and she actually fights! She is no joke and she means business. the way she used her blade I was just dazed and she actually made me so proud of her. She shows what women of any power deal with struggle of identity. A women, a fighter, a protector, a lover, a mother and more! This book was just refreshing and i enjoyed that she had meat on her. She was not the typical size highlander books usually describe women ( super tiny)! Women come in all shapes and sizes so its nice reading it. the Book was great, good romance, good action, great female character, and is a 5 star rating for sure.

[Laney · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the moment I read the first paragraph of this book I was hooked. I was engulfed in the history of Scotland and the imagery of the rolling hills of green. I felt the compassion, drive, and determination in one's duty in both the lead characters. I yearned for them both and begged for them never to leave my side. I am looking forward to reading more from this author and becoming seduced by her words over and over again.

[Eastofoz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Original story, great heroine and excellent hero who meets his match but is in no way wishy washy.

[Lovelee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good Medieval romance about love and trust, destiny and honor. Scotia - strong, independent, smart, warrior trainer, protector of the Stone of Destiny. Ian - strong but humbled warrior, training for revenge against the Four Horsemen. I loved that Ian wasn't a boneheaded brute and pretty much accepted Scotia for who she was. The story had its moments but very minor (insecurities and misunderstandings grew a little thin), dragged in some areas (bit of rehashing stuff we already knew) but I loved the ending. And enjoyed the Authors notes on her spin of the historical facts regarding the Stone of Destiny itself.
Bk 2 - Warriors Bride / Bk 3 - Warriors Lady

[Liza · Rating 2 out of 5]

2/3 of the way through the book, the typos began. Missing quotation marks and commas, 'here' instead of 'hear,' and one random period in the middle of a sentence (and not on purpose). Disappointing. Otherwise it was an ok read but nothing memorable about it.

[karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Scotia the Warrior Women back in the earlier years of Scotland. A lot placed on her shoulders following generations of Women Warrior Trainer and Protector of The Destiny Stone. What a responsibility to put on a young Women at the expense of her childhood and being a feminine women.
Ian is sent to train with Scotia by his foster father knowing that they are destined to be together and are the destiny to help protect Scotland.
The 4 horseman, Green, Red, Black and the leader White, are attacking and annihilating villages in the quest for the sacred stone and to kill the Warrior Trainer.
Lot of action, twists and turns, finding love, death, sadness, coming together and a surprise ending about the White Horseman that I never saw coming. Read on!

[Peggy Bechko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Against all conventions, the Warrior Trainer is a woman with a destiny and obligations which must be kept. There seems little room for love in a warrior's life though her heritage demands she continue the lineage of Warrior Trainers and protector of the stone, but somehow Scotia finds her love, one worthy of her.

A great read. It's filled with action, adventure, some hints at mysticism and romance.

[Petula · Rating 4 out of 5]

4**** a good highland romance. Scoti (the heroine) is a very strong warrior who has buried all her femininity under a tough shell. Ian(the hero)needs to train with her to enable him to get revenge for the death of his brother. They are both lonely people who believe they must stay alone to achieve all they must. Lots of action some men being taught that brute strength is not always the answer. A good read with a difference.

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the most helpful manual on how to forge swords, fletch arrows and bake scones over open fires, but a wonderfully unrealistic combination of alternating (hey, whoah, we almost died) romance and near death battles, with a smidge of actual Scottish lore tossed in so the English guys riding about raiding would fit in.

[Ashley Mayer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book! Scotia is a tough, independent, kick-butt warrior. Ian is a bent-on-revenge warrior that seeks the help of Scotia, the fabled Warrior Trainer. From the start there relationship is filled with sexual tension. Ian is the perfect man to break the icy chill surronding Scotia. This is a great story and I look forward to continuting the series!

[SuzyHD · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compelling Storyline

A tale of mystery, intrigue, and passion. The Warrior Trainer has inherited the responsibility of guarding Scotland's Stone of Destiny along with training willing warriors. Excitement and adventure at every turn keeps this story interesting to the very end. Highly recommend.

[Vivian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun feisty read with mythic overtones and a nice use of the cult fascination with the Apocalypse at the time. Love the strong heroine and a strong hero who acknowledges his weakness and grows. Quick and entertaining read.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad for a $.99 pick up on Amazon. Interesting story idea, but the characters seemed rather inconsistent, often doing things that seemed out of character. Not bad for $.99, but I wouldn't pay more than that.

[Jeanne Johnston · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting to have a woman as the warrior trainer, but she and her initial pupil (and love interest) are annoyingly stuck in their presumed missions of revenge and neither one bothers to talk about it, so there's too much ignorance from assumption. Other than that, not bad.

[A Book Matchmaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Female Warriors are the best!!!

I freaking love female warriors of any kind! Scotia is The Warrior Trainer! Such an awesome woman with such a burden to carry. Ian is such an amazing character as well! He really brings quite a bit to her and helps her with her mission

[Patsy Gazaleh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Story

Great love story with a great background of Scottish history. I love the idea of a female warrior trainer history mixed with stone of destiny. The love story is icing on the cake

[Lyssa F · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting story

A female warrior. Destined to fight and protect the stone like her mother. Battles, death, kindness, love all entwined in this book. Good vs evil. Who will win. Worth reading. Good characters.

[Cathie Hicks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!

Strong characters, whose lives you can't help but cheer ! An engrossing story, its hard to put down. Would recommend

[Elena · Rating 3 out of 5]

La vicenda è ambientata in Scozianel 1308 dove esiste una donna guerriero di nome Scotia il cui compito è custodire la Pietra del Destino, dalla quale, secondo una leggenda dipende la salvezza della Scozia ed addestrare tutti coloro che lo chiedono a nome dei capi dei clan scozzesi. Per tanto tempo si è pensato che la Donna Guerriero fosse morta per mano di uno dei Quattro Cavaleri inglesi che distruggono ed incendiano i villaggi della Scozia. La donna vive in un castello isolato, a Glencarron Castle, tra le nebbie della brughiera, inviano gli uomini migliori ad addestrarsi. Un giorno arriva da lei per addestrarsi Ian MacKinnon da cui si sente subito attratta, ma un dovere da compiere e una giustizia da portare a termine: il Cavaliere Bianco ha ucciso senza pietà sua madre. Molte convinzioni di Scotia vacilleranno e scoprirà una sconvolgente verità. Di per sé l'idea della trama non è male, ma perché le protagoniste femminili di questi romanzi da donne forti, indipendenti e mature si trasformano sempre in gatte morte quando arriva il bell'uomo di turno? Perché, pur essendo innamorate non possono continuare ad essere forti e indipendenti?

[Monique Takens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ik heb de Nederlands talige versie gelezen : In de ban van Scotia - Candlelight Historische roman 730 .
Misschien niet het meest romantische verhaal wat ik ooit gelezen heb maar beslist de moeite van het lezen waard mits je van een sterke vrouw houd die een meesteres in de vechtkunst is .
Ik hoop dat het 2e deel in deze serie net zo leuk is . Ik begin er meteen aan !

[Annette Summerfield · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed the idea of the story. When I started reading it I was enjoying it. I couldn't read the repetitive thoughts they had. I think they whined a lot...lol.. especially for warriors. There is a lot of action as the book goes on, but it drags. I don't know what it was because it is a good story. I had a hard time sticking to it and had to flip through.

[Marcia · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bunk.

[Jillian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Resoundingly "okay."

[Paranormal Romance · Rating 3 out of 5]

Long ago the fabled Warrior Trainer was known to Scotland as the guardian of the stone, a
warrior of unmatched skill whom would offer her training to any and all that seek to learn.
Now, in most minds a legend / forgotten, Scotia sits alone in her keep with only a few to
keep her company. Waiting for a time when her services would once again be needed or wanted.
When word begins to spread that the legend of the Warrior Trainer lives again, she is not
greeted with students but competitors instead. Men looking to test their metal and in
killing the Warrior Trainer claim them themselves the best warrior in the land. Again and again
men come to her and again and again they fail and walk away beaten and humbled. Until Ian.

Ian is desperate for a means to kill the Four Horsemen who have killed and ravaged the lands
of his home. When his adoptive father sends him to the Warrior Trainer, he was not expecting
to find a woman. In his pride and fear that his search for skills would be in vain, he does what
all the others have done and try to win against the Warrior Trainer, doubting her ability to
best a man. But she does and with great ease. Humbled, he begs for a chance to train under her and
thus begins their teacher/student relationship however it soon becomes clear that what lays
between them is so much more then that.

But as the threat of the Horseman looms over them, Ian must make a decision - his love for Scotia
or his desire for revenge. Scotia must learn that no one man or one woman can defeat an enemy
that, if not killed - would mean the loss of everything they're ever loved.

While I can truly appreciate this story and the the message and the characters - I couldn't find
it in myself to LOVE it. But I think that's okay. There was a lot to this book that I loved.
Scotia being a shining example. She was from the start to the end - the main focus of this story
and her strength and bravery was a beacon to feminists everywhere. She never needed a man to save her or to fight for her but that didn't mean she couldn't allow a man to be her equal. Ian was a great supportive figure to Scotia throughout the book as he struggled to find his place in her world.
Being a male, with a female teacher and loving a warrior whom he could not get to or want to stop
from putting herself into danger. He never tried to retrain her, he only cared for her safety.
His confidence in her was so marvelous.

The story was of pride and arrogance. All characters had this trait to them, all found ways
to overcome it. The threat of the four horseman was a bit weak and the finally battle wasn't
want I was hoping it to be. However the message was great and I did enjoy the characters - all of
them.

[L Masters · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoined the strong, fierce heroine and our male lead who both accept change. Their characterization throughout the book was well done in that I felt like they neither immediately embraced change too quickly or dive their heels in. The plot was somewhat original, except for maybe the villains. The ending was a bit too predictable in my opinion, and wasn't very believable. I liked that there was never the feeling of deus ex machina or a moment where I wanted to roll my eyes at the incredulity of any of the action until a tiny bit at the end.

[Stacie]

Scotia is a woman who has been trained to teach warriors fighting techniques. She is also the protector of the seer stone for her country. The problem she has is that just about every male she meets wants to best her to prove that he is the best warrior in the land. Ian MacKinnon has been sent by his father to be trained by Scotia. Scotia is grateful when she realizes that he is there to learn not to best her in a fight.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an EPIC romantic adventure! I fell in love with Scotia and Ian's story so beautifully woven into Scottish history and folklore! Excellent story if you love medieval historical romances!

[C.M. Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Good Read

This was an exciting tale of Scottish brawn and the strength and bravery of a Bonny lass. In the midst of warrior training and village massacre grew a prophetic and timeless love.

A romance based on both fact and fiction.