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Lions #3.5
Kara's Gift
A pagan healer falls in love with the Christian knight who is destined to save her dying clan.
96 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 1997
5 people are currently reading
127 people want to read
About the author
Suzanne Barclay
63 books26 followersCarol Suzanne was born on 20 December 1945 in USA, daughter of Phyllis and Whit Hoose. She married Kenneth E. Backus, and obtained four stepchildren.
Published since 1992 as Suzanne Barclay, was an author for Harlequin Historical, specializing in romance set in the Medieval era. She founded the Lake Country Romance Writers in 1993, and served as the chapter's first president. She passed away on 15 September 1999 after a long battle with cancer.
Published since 1992 as Suzanne Barclay, was an author for Harlequin Historical, specializing in romance set in the Medieval era. She founded the Lake Country Romance Writers in 1993, and served as the chapter's first president. She passed away on 15 September 1999 after a long battle with cancer.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
July 31, 2015
Three medieval Christmas tales...
Suzanne Barclay's Kara's Gift was an enjoyable if not wildly memorable read where a knight returning from the Crusades finds true love with admittedly pagan healer. Some lovable but meddling kinsfolk round out the cast.
The Twelfth Day of Christmas by Margaret Moore was nearly a DNF for me. The overly old-school feel combined with what felt like wildly fluctuating images and perceptions of the hero and heroine dismayed me, and I barely cared how things turned out for them.
Deborah Simmons's A Wish for Noel was quite charming--the hero is a knight returning from war to discover that he has acquired a ward while he was away. He's ready to turn her out but her careful competence has him admiring her skills as a chatelaine, her sunny attitude warms all those around, and he discovers that her innocent kisses have him panting to become more than her keeper. A delightful read.
Suzanne Barclay's Kara's Gift was an enjoyable if not wildly memorable read where a knight returning from the Crusades finds true love with admittedly pagan healer. Some lovable but meddling kinsfolk round out the cast.
The Twelfth Day of Christmas by Margaret Moore was nearly a DNF for me. The overly old-school feel combined with what felt like wildly fluctuating images and perceptions of the hero and heroine dismayed me, and I barely cared how things turned out for them.
Deborah Simmons's A Wish for Noel was quite charming--the hero is a knight returning from war to discover that he has acquired a ward while he was away. He's ready to turn her out but her careful competence has him admiring her skills as a chatelaine, her sunny attitude warms all those around, and he discovers that her innocent kisses have him panting to become more than her keeper. A delightful read.
August 22, 2018
Kara’s Gift - Suzanne Barclay - 4 /5 - Duncan Mclellan comes back from the Crusades a wealthy man and able to marry his sweetheart Janet. But before he can make it, his injury waylays him in a secluded valley with a pagan (sort of) clan being persecuted by their neighbors. He’s a dream come true for them because he’s a soldier and could help them defeat the MacGory clan. But Duncan has no desire to fight another man’s war again. But he soon learns that he’s been robbed of his portable wealth, and without he it cannot marry even if he does get home, so he stays to help….partly also to please Kara, the beautiful young woman who nursed him back to health. As he begins to fall in love with Kara, he forgets about his previously planned future. But when his wealth is returned to him, honor demands he do the right thing.
This was pretty cute, but a bit too short for me to believe that Duncan’s love had grown strong enough for such an honor-bound man to set aside his promise without first talking to Janet. Maybe if this had been longer their relationship could have been built up to have me believing it. It is a good origin story for the Sutherland series though. I did like it.
The Twelfth Night of Christmas - Margaret Moore - 3 /5 - After determining that marriage must be like a prison, Giselle asks her guardian uncle for a boon - to be able to refuse a man’s hand in marriage if she feels she and her groom do not suit. Unfortunately, her uncle reveals that he has already betrothed her to Sir Myles Buxton, but if she performs duties as a chatelaine for Twelfth Night festivities, she may refuse him. This sets Giselle’s mind towards that one goal. She wants her freedom. Fortunately, Myles seems to be an arrogant hypocrite with no understanding towards a woman’s insecurities and worries about marriage. But there’s a sensitive guy underneath and he’s able to charm Giselle so she considers marriage, but is she ready to sacrifice her freedom for him?
Turns out yes, she is, and she ends up seeming like an indecisive female as a result. She wants him, then she doesn’t, then she remembers he’s arrogant, then she’s charmed again, then she’s suspicious, then she’s despondent that she’s successfully pushed him away. There is a lot of push/pull here and most of it is coming from the heroine. I admit, I did like the idea that she simply wanted Myles to see HER, to consider her wants and needs, rather than his own, and she does get what she wants. But I understood his frustration. Myles does take a while to like...at first, he’s sort of cluelessly arrogant, but the author very cleverly brought out those moments of vulnerability and self-doubt and made him much more human. Myles, I think, more than Giselle, really grew as a character and I liked that about this story.
A Wish for Noel - Deborah Simmons - 3 /5 - Sir Benedick Villiers is a hardened, embittered knight just looking to return to his holdings so he can live the rest of his life in peace and comfort. He’s surprised to return to his dark, gloomy castle and discover it has been transformed to a comforting, homey place, thanks to his ward, Noel Amery. Noel first met Benedick when she was 12 and told herself then and there that she would marry the knight, and everything she has done since is in pursuit of that goal. She is not put off by Benedick’s surly nature or his lack of appreciation for her hard work or even his outright refusal to marry her. She will make him love her and she will entice him back to the life. This was just mediocre for me. I think I had issues with how young and naive Noel felt in comparison to the old, dark soul that was Benedick. It also didn’t help that he constantly referred to her as a child and then found himself constantly lusting after her. For that matter, Noel started out with a hero-worship kind of love, that wasn’t even in the least sexual...not until he kissed her. Then she started thinking of the carnal aspect of their eventual relationship, but at no point did it feel like she got to know him and fell in love with him for who he was. She claimed to love him but she didn’t know him, so her declarations of love felt false. Even there at the end, I got the idea that Benedick was just a means to her larger goal, that of a home and family...Benedick was just the guy she pinned those goals to. Highlight of this story though was the chemistry and UST that simmered between the characters.
This was pretty cute, but a bit too short for me to believe that Duncan’s love had grown strong enough for such an honor-bound man to set aside his promise without first talking to Janet. Maybe if this had been longer their relationship could have been built up to have me believing it. It is a good origin story for the Sutherland series though. I did like it.
The Twelfth Night of Christmas - Margaret Moore - 3 /5 - After determining that marriage must be like a prison, Giselle asks her guardian uncle for a boon - to be able to refuse a man’s hand in marriage if she feels she and her groom do not suit. Unfortunately, her uncle reveals that he has already betrothed her to Sir Myles Buxton, but if she performs duties as a chatelaine for Twelfth Night festivities, she may refuse him. This sets Giselle’s mind towards that one goal. She wants her freedom. Fortunately, Myles seems to be an arrogant hypocrite with no understanding towards a woman’s insecurities and worries about marriage. But there’s a sensitive guy underneath and he’s able to charm Giselle so she considers marriage, but is she ready to sacrifice her freedom for him?
Turns out yes, she is, and she ends up seeming like an indecisive female as a result. She wants him, then she doesn’t, then she remembers he’s arrogant, then she’s charmed again, then she’s suspicious, then she’s despondent that she’s successfully pushed him away. There is a lot of push/pull here and most of it is coming from the heroine. I admit, I did like the idea that she simply wanted Myles to see HER, to consider her wants and needs, rather than his own, and she does get what she wants. But I understood his frustration. Myles does take a while to like...at first, he’s sort of cluelessly arrogant, but the author very cleverly brought out those moments of vulnerability and self-doubt and made him much more human. Myles, I think, more than Giselle, really grew as a character and I liked that about this story.
A Wish for Noel - Deborah Simmons - 3 /5 - Sir Benedick Villiers is a hardened, embittered knight just looking to return to his holdings so he can live the rest of his life in peace and comfort. He’s surprised to return to his dark, gloomy castle and discover it has been transformed to a comforting, homey place, thanks to his ward, Noel Amery. Noel first met Benedick when she was 12 and told herself then and there that she would marry the knight, and everything she has done since is in pursuit of that goal. She is not put off by Benedick’s surly nature or his lack of appreciation for her hard work or even his outright refusal to marry her. She will make him love her and she will entice him back to the life. This was just mediocre for me. I think I had issues with how young and naive Noel felt in comparison to the old, dark soul that was Benedick. It also didn’t help that he constantly referred to her as a child and then found himself constantly lusting after her. For that matter, Noel started out with a hero-worship kind of love, that wasn’t even in the least sexual...not until he kissed her. Then she started thinking of the carnal aspect of their eventual relationship, but at no point did it feel like she got to know him and fell in love with him for who he was. She claimed to love him but she didn’t know him, so her declarations of love felt false. Even there at the end, I got the idea that Benedick was just a means to her larger goal, that of a home and family...Benedick was just the guy she pinned those goals to. Highlight of this story though was the chemistry and UST that simmered between the characters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 12, 2019
I read this one as part of a medieval anthology quite a while ago.
Duncan Mclellan comes back from the Crusades a wealthy man and able to marry his sweetheart Janet. But before he can make it, his injury waylays him in a secluded valley with a pagan (sort of) clan being persecuted by their neighbors. He’s a dream come true for them because he’s a soldier and could help them defeat the MacGory clan. But Duncan has no desire to fight another man’s war again. But he soon learns that he’s been robbed of his portable wealth, and without he it cannot marry even if he does get home, so he stays to help….partly also to please Kara, the beautiful young woman who nursed him back to health. As he begins to fall in love with Kara, he forgets about his previously planned future. But when his wealth is returned to him, honor demands he do the right thing.
Duncan Mclellan comes back from the Crusades a wealthy man and able to marry his sweetheart Janet. But before he can make it, his injury waylays him in a secluded valley with a pagan (sort of) clan being persecuted by their neighbors. He’s a dream come true for them because he’s a soldier and could help them defeat the MacGory clan. But Duncan has no desire to fight another man’s war again. But he soon learns that he’s been robbed of his portable wealth, and without he it cannot marry even if he does get home, so he stays to help….partly also to please Kara, the beautiful young woman who nursed him back to health. As he begins to fall in love with Kara, he forgets about his previously planned future. But when his wealth is returned to him, honor demands he do the right thing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 9, 2022
This is the only book I read in the series. It’s made up of 3 smaller books which are not connected. Each story seemed to be confused on the time period and things associated with it. The first story was really noticeable in this and the last not so much.
December 13, 2018
Very short very christmasy. The heroines were pretty bland and all the heroes were grumps. But if you need a quick holiday anthology this one will do.
January 19, 2023
2.5 stars
March 31, 2023
I really enjoyed this anthology of Medieval knights and Christmas magic.
August 10, 2017
Read for Christmas in July during the High Summer Readathon, part of Seasons of Reading!
Ugh, there's a reason I don't read plain old romance anymore... I think I enjoyed them more when I was younger, sneaking my mom's Harlequins, when it was taboo. This was just gratuitous. I just didn't need it and don't want it. That means I have a lot of romance novels to parse through and thin out! Because I got quite a few from my mom's collection when she downsized. I just didn't like or connect with any of the stories and it took me far too long to get through.
Ugh, there's a reason I don't read plain old romance anymore... I think I enjoyed them more when I was younger, sneaking my mom's Harlequins, when it was taboo. This was just gratuitous. I just didn't need it and don't want it. That means I have a lot of romance novels to parse through and thin out! Because I got quite a few from my mom's collection when she downsized. I just didn't like or connect with any of the stories and it took me far too long to get through.
March 6, 2014
Yup, it’s officially a theme. MORE SHORT STORIES. These ones are a little more like novellas, though.
This is a Harlequin Historical compilation, three short works set at Christmas. I thought it might be a somewhat entertaining read: a bit of fluffy medieval holiday romance. Well, I was right, sort of, in that it was fluffy (in a shallow way) and medieval (in its uneasy gender roles).
The first story, Kara’s Gift, was the one I actually liked. It has in common with its sibling stories awkward and somewhat off-putting description in the sex scenes, but the characters are at least likable, the story super-cliche but amusing. Duncan is a landless knight, back from the crusades with enough treasure to wed his childhood sweetheart, but instead he’s swept up in a Scottish clan-war and a wild-hearted pagan lass. It’s actually kind of sweet by the end, and the romance is whirlwind but the passion plausible.
Here’s the first problem with the other two stories: they have the same plot, more or less. The Twelfth Day of Christmas is about a young noble couple who have until the end of the Epiphany celebrations to figure out whether or not they want to marry. The lady challenges the gentleman to convince her to love him. A Wish for Noel is about a world-weary knight who comes home to find his neighbor’s daughter is obsessed with him, and he gives her until the end of Epiphany to clear out, which she takes as a challenge to make him love her.
Second problem: they both have couples that make my skin crawl, although they feel like standard romance fare. In the first, Giselle wants to get out of an arranged marriage because she’s convinced that having a husband is like an imprisonment. Sir Myles Buxton, her suitor, is pompous and self-absorbed, but apparently capable of the occasional romantic gesture, and revealed to be ‘sensitive’ by the end. The story starts out alright with misunderstandings and trickery and banter, but it bogs down in overly flowery descriptions of how twitterpated Giselle becomes, and the whole resolution of the plot made me grimace. In the second story, Noel is convinced that she can make her PTSD’d man all better with her (young, magical, virginal) love. Of course, because this is Harlequin, Giselle is wrong about the dangers of marriage, marriage is hearts and flowers and happiness and she was being foolish, and of course Noel can cause her knight to embrace life again with only a few well placed kisses and holiday games. Ugh.
Third problem: they both feel like stories that might have made at least some sense if they were set in the Regency period, but they are completely odd set in medieval Europe. Both authors, by their blurbs, also write Regencies, and Margaret Moore in particular seemed ill at ease writing about medieval life or celebrations.
All three stories are followed by a short blurb/ad for the author’s next book. Needless to say, I am not on the lookout for any of them.
1 Star - Didn’t Like it Much (But Give Kara’s Gift 2 Stars)
This is a Harlequin Historical compilation, three short works set at Christmas. I thought it might be a somewhat entertaining read: a bit of fluffy medieval holiday romance. Well, I was right, sort of, in that it was fluffy (in a shallow way) and medieval (in its uneasy gender roles).
The first story, Kara’s Gift, was the one I actually liked. It has in common with its sibling stories awkward and somewhat off-putting description in the sex scenes, but the characters are at least likable, the story super-cliche but amusing. Duncan is a landless knight, back from the crusades with enough treasure to wed his childhood sweetheart, but instead he’s swept up in a Scottish clan-war and a wild-hearted pagan lass. It’s actually kind of sweet by the end, and the romance is whirlwind but the passion plausible.
Here’s the first problem with the other two stories: they have the same plot, more or less. The Twelfth Day of Christmas is about a young noble couple who have until the end of the Epiphany celebrations to figure out whether or not they want to marry. The lady challenges the gentleman to convince her to love him. A Wish for Noel is about a world-weary knight who comes home to find his neighbor’s daughter is obsessed with him, and he gives her until the end of Epiphany to clear out, which she takes as a challenge to make him love her.
Second problem: they both have couples that make my skin crawl, although they feel like standard romance fare. In the first, Giselle wants to get out of an arranged marriage because she’s convinced that having a husband is like an imprisonment. Sir Myles Buxton, her suitor, is pompous and self-absorbed, but apparently capable of the occasional romantic gesture, and revealed to be ‘sensitive’ by the end. The story starts out alright with misunderstandings and trickery and banter, but it bogs down in overly flowery descriptions of how twitterpated Giselle becomes, and the whole resolution of the plot made me grimace. In the second story, Noel is convinced that she can make her PTSD’d man all better with her (young, magical, virginal) love. Of course, because this is Harlequin, Giselle is wrong about the dangers of marriage, marriage is hearts and flowers and happiness and she was being foolish, and of course Noel can cause her knight to embrace life again with only a few well placed kisses and holiday games. Ugh.
Third problem: they both feel like stories that might have made at least some sense if they were set in the Regency period, but they are completely odd set in medieval Europe. Both authors, by their blurbs, also write Regencies, and Margaret Moore in particular seemed ill at ease writing about medieval life or celebrations.
All three stories are followed by a short blurb/ad for the author’s next book. Needless to say, I am not on the lookout for any of them.
1 Star - Didn’t Like it Much (But Give Kara’s Gift 2 Stars)
November 30, 2014
The second and third stories are defiantly included in my all time favorites, I say skip the first story (I didn't like it at all).
Kara’s Gift by Suzanne Barclay- 1 star. I hate to give 1 star to any book that I actually finish, but it was just so boring, and I didn’t like the hero or the heroine, and it took me days to finish this short story (which was under 100 pages)! Kara is a pagan and Duncan a knight returning from the crusades with a wounded shoulder. Kara heals his wound, but can she win his heart? And if she does, can she convince Duncan to stay and aid her clan, even when he is promised to someone else?
The Twelfth Day of Christmas by Margaret Moore- 5 stars! This was such a wonderful story! I loved it, I read it all in one sitting, I couldn’t put it down! And I shed happy tears at the end; I can’t remember the last book that brought a tear to my eye! Lady Giselle finds herself practically betrothed to Sir Myles without her consent by her uncle. Giselle, yearning for a bit of freedom before being forced to into a marriage, makes a deal with her uncle. If she can give a flawless performance as chatelaine for the feasting of the 12 days of Christmas then she can refuse Sir Myles if she wishes (as the contract has yet to be signed). Sir Myles will do anything in his power to win the affections of his intended bride. This story has so much depth of character for just a short story it will leave you wanting a full length novel for this one!
A Wish for Noel by Deborah Simmons- 4 ½ stars. Almost 5, but not quite. This is a historical romance where the heroine is the hero’s ward, one of my favorite types of HR. Noel, orphaned five years earlier had been living at her guardian’s keep. Benedick, the “older world-weary” knight (at 26 years of age), returns to his lands, finds Noel, whom he had forgotten was his ward. At 17 she hardly looks like the child he had met long ago. Benedick informs her that she will be sent back home to her lands at Epiphany. Noel informs him that he will marry her. Now, she just needs to convince him of that…
Kara’s Gift by Suzanne Barclay- 1 star. I hate to give 1 star to any book that I actually finish, but it was just so boring, and I didn’t like the hero or the heroine, and it took me days to finish this short story (which was under 100 pages)! Kara is a pagan and Duncan a knight returning from the crusades with a wounded shoulder. Kara heals his wound, but can she win his heart? And if she does, can she convince Duncan to stay and aid her clan, even when he is promised to someone else?
The Twelfth Day of Christmas by Margaret Moore- 5 stars! This was such a wonderful story! I loved it, I read it all in one sitting, I couldn’t put it down! And I shed happy tears at the end; I can’t remember the last book that brought a tear to my eye! Lady Giselle finds herself practically betrothed to Sir Myles without her consent by her uncle. Giselle, yearning for a bit of freedom before being forced to into a marriage, makes a deal with her uncle. If she can give a flawless performance as chatelaine for the feasting of the 12 days of Christmas then she can refuse Sir Myles if she wishes (as the contract has yet to be signed). Sir Myles will do anything in his power to win the affections of his intended bride. This story has so much depth of character for just a short story it will leave you wanting a full length novel for this one!
A Wish for Noel by Deborah Simmons- 4 ½ stars. Almost 5, but not quite. This is a historical romance where the heroine is the hero’s ward, one of my favorite types of HR. Noel, orphaned five years earlier had been living at her guardian’s keep. Benedick, the “older world-weary” knight (at 26 years of age), returns to his lands, finds Noel, whom he had forgotten was his ward. At 17 she hardly looks like the child he had met long ago. Benedick informs her that she will be sent back home to her lands at Epiphany. Noel informs him that he will marry her. Now, she just needs to convince him of that…
December 4, 2012
Kara’s Gift (Barclay) tells of a seer, Kara Gleanedin, whose vision predicts a knight will come to save their valley from the raiding clan out to conquer them. Returning Crusader, Duncan MacLellan, is attacked and rescued by Kara’s clan. Now he must accept his new role as savior.
Twelfth Day of Christmas (Moore) tells of Giselle Wutherton’s imminent betrothal to Miles Buxton. She gets her uncle to give her the right of refusal if she can successfully manage all the12 days of Christmas activities. Miles arrives expecting to sign the marriage contract and finds he must woo his intended.
A Wish for Noel (Simmons) tells of Benedick Villiers return from years of battle to the purchased castle that will elevate his bastard status to successful knight. However, the expected run down castle is warm and homey due to the management of his ward, Noel Amery. Her goal is to get him to marry her and live a happy life at the castle. All he wants is this unknown ward out and a well-deserved rest.
All three were slightly above average novellas.
Twelfth Day of Christmas (Moore) tells of Giselle Wutherton’s imminent betrothal to Miles Buxton. She gets her uncle to give her the right of refusal if she can successfully manage all the12 days of Christmas activities. Miles arrives expecting to sign the marriage contract and finds he must woo his intended.
A Wish for Noel (Simmons) tells of Benedick Villiers return from years of battle to the purchased castle that will elevate his bastard status to successful knight. However, the expected run down castle is warm and homey due to the management of his ward, Noel Amery. Her goal is to get him to marry her and live a happy life at the castle. All he wants is this unknown ward out and a well-deserved rest.
All three were slightly above average novellas.
April 8, 2010
4/6/2010 Read Kara's Gift by Suzanne Barclay. The first of the 3 stories in this book. It was very good.
The Twelfth Day of Christmas by Margaret Moore was excellent!
I am going to eventually read some of her other books from that time period. This was such a sweet love story. Read 4/7/2010
Deborah Simmons wrote the final story in this book. A Wish for Noel.
It was a good story. Sometimes the overly pushy characters are a bit annoying though.
The Twelfth Day of Christmas by Margaret Moore was excellent!
I am going to eventually read some of her other books from that time period. This was such a sweet love story. Read 4/7/2010
Deborah Simmons wrote the final story in this book. A Wish for Noel.
It was a good story. Sometimes the overly pushy characters are a bit annoying though.
January 16, 2016
This is an anthology of three novellas that each deal with the magic of the Christmas season. My favorite story was 'A Wish For Noel' in which a feisty orphan called Noel has the twelve days of the Christmas Season to get her world-weary guardian, Sir Benedick, whom she has loved since she was a child, to fall in love with her. I give this book three stars.
July 16, 2009
3 headstrong ladies in times where women lead a very different life altogether... girl power!! I thought all three stories were touching, romantic, funny etcetc
December 14, 2011
Collection of 3 enjoyable, short stories all dealing romance, nobles and Christmas.
July 28, 2012
Loved thebook. Suzanne's story is a prequel to her other books. Margaret's story is part of her series set in Medieval England.
August 1, 2012
A fun trio of Christmas short stories that all take place in Medieval times. I always like to read about the old Twelth Night traditions.
December 26, 2015
This was ok.
December 8, 2016
Holiday fun wrapped up in three holiday themed stories.
Each brought a nice story of the holiday season and very enjoyable.
Each brought a nice story of the holiday season and very enjoyable.
Read
August 22, 2022Bof, trop à l'eau de rose
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