To Tempt a Knight (The Brotherhood of the Scottish Templars, #1) by Gerri Russell
1331 This book summary fascinated me as I seek information about Templars and what makes them so great and sacred.
This story starts with Sir William and he arrives at the castle to determine the young lady, Siobhan is the only one there. He informs her of others had taken her father.
He had warned her to get the scroll. She has no idea what's on it but had always been told as a young child that it was sacred, his life’s work on it.
Sir William stops her and as they notice a band of men are arriving they head out in a different way. He takes her to the cliff area and they find a cave and she gets to talk a bit about her father, her house that is now burnt to the ground and everything with it, all but the scroll which he had rescued for her.
She hopes to see her father once again and knows Sir William is the only one who can make that happen. He hopes to reunite them and to find out if information on the artifacts is written down on the scrolls as to their location.
They are chased many times over before they get to safe location.
Like travel, purpose of mission, betrayals, loyalty, locations and friends who help, strategies against bad guys and how logic works. Lots of fighting excursions.
Adult situations. Love author's notes at the end and why she wrote the story as she did, so many explanations about mysteries and legends.
Love gift for dedicated garden, so touching! Afterword, I treasure more because it's about the research the author did wrapping history with her story, the intricate details, travels of the Spear. Other works by the author are listed.
Received this review copy from the author and this is my honest opinion. ( )

Sheltered and secluded with only her father for company for all long as she can remember, the heroine has always craved adventure like in the stories her father tells her. But she didn't mean for her life to change so drastically so quickly. In the span on a few minutes, her father is kidnapped, her home is burnt to the ground and she's now on the run from men who want to possess the treasure her father had given to her for safe keeping. Then her hero comes out of the darkness on a white steed and pledges to see her and her father safe upon his word as Templar. The hero is tormented by guilt and loss. He's bore witness to so much death that it's turned him inside out. He's a harsh and stern man who's only purpose in life is the Templars, but even now his brethren has been branded heretics and forced into hiding. But he can still do his duty. Though his duty has never before come in such a temping package as the heroine. With her he confides all his deepest darkness secrets and fears as he feels such a connection with the girl. Truly, they did seem to be so in tune with one another as they travers the mountain side seeking the hiding place of the Mythical and powerful Spear of Destiny. Desire and passion runs hot between them and try as he might, the hero finds it near impossible to remain true to his vows. All he's ever had was his vows and the Templars but she makes him want for something more. A family, a wife and children and the chance at love. She makes him want to renounce his vows and become a man. As they first fight the maze that leads to the hidden resting place where her father secured the treasures, then battling to stop a mad man from using the spear for evil deeds, the hero must decide what he truly wants in life and fight for it with everything he has. This book was styled after an action flick but set in historical Scoltand. This is mainly because of the intense and fantastical battles the hero finds himself in frequently. Battling 14 men here while severely wounded. Climbing a mountain while trying to recover from said wounds as well as the heroine having a concussion. And lastly, fighting off 40 men with a dagger and suffering from whipping marks. It was crazy and so unbelievable it was almost comically. Yet regardless of this 100% inaccurate portrayal of life as this period in time, I did rather enjoy this book. I found it to be easy to read and it had a certain type of smooth fluidity about it. I adored the hero. I found him to be charming and tortured and sweet. He has had such a hard life yet with the heroine he's able to smile once more and be happy again. I enjoyed the heroine but some of her actions proved to be so incredibly stupid. She did flip flop from being this easy going girl who listened to the strong knight and took directions well, to just suddenly throwing herself into danger on a whim. I found their romance to be believable and rather sweet and therefore the over the top kill bill action sequences were bearable. ( )