Two decades before the Roman invasion of Celtic Albion, or Britannia as the Roman’s called the island off the coast of Gaul, a love is born. Alina, daughter of the chieftain of the Durotriges settlement of Dun Limen, is duty-bound to serve her tribe, so when she’s chosen as the bride of her people’s king, Arthmael of the mighty fortress of Mai Dun, she feels honoured. Until she meets Garamaros. She didn’t expect to fall in love with a man from another tribe and of a different rank. Alina yearns for the Belgae craftsman with the muscled body of a blacksmith, the deep melodic voice of a minstrel, and a personality that charms everyone. He’s a man who possesses the artistic skills of the greatest goldsmiths of the Celtic world. A man who looks at her with hunger and cherishes her in ways she craves. A man whose touch ignites her body. Alina knows she will love no other man as she loves him.
Garamaros is the son of a druidess and a Belgae blacksmith. He’s been accepted by the Durotriges tribe and has found acclaim as a master goldsmith. When he falls in love with Alina, his only desire is to fulfil all her dreams for the rest of his life, but that’s impossible because she promised to the King of the Durotriges.
Alina must marry her people’s king, forsaking the man she loves. Accepting that Alina is lost to him, Garamaros vows to protect her from afar.
Will their love affair end in life-long despair or will they find a happy ending?
Beginnings is the prequel to The Divided Isles Saga. This novella is a spicy M/F love story featuring: love at first sight and forbidden love tropes.
The Divided Isles Saga, commencing in the first century AD, follows the lives and loves of the Celtic queen, Alina, and her female descendants over generations. Each book is set during a period of division in Britain caused by invasion, civil war, or religious, cultural, or political differences.
Forthcoming books in The Divided Isles Saga:
~Romano-Britain series
The Celtic King’s Daughter (book #1)
Sons of Rebellion (book #2)
The Rebellious Daughter (book #3)
~Viking series~
Enthralled
~English Civil Wars series~
Charity's Cavalier
Isabella Hargreaves is an award-winning historical romance author. She writes Romance through the Ages, with a story to tell from the Regency era to Ancient Britain and to 1920s Australia.
She was awarded the Romance Writers of Australia's Romantic Book of the Year 2022 (novella category); Romance Writers of New Zealand Koru Award 2018 (novella category); and Romance Writers of Australia ‘Little Gems’ 2018 short story competition and a finalist in a number of other awards.
Isabella lives in Brisbane, Australia, where she works as an historian and is butler to three moggies. When she's not reading and writing, Isabella loves horse-riding and scenic walks. She dreams of an around-the-world trip to indulge these passions.