A fanciful, romantic tale of passion and faith that invites readers to the "God-graced mountains and plains" of Ireland. Maire, Gleannmara's warrior queen, finds her fierce heart is gentled when she takes a reformed mercenary—a Christian, no less—as hostage during a raid. At first she wonders what kind of God would make a fine warrior like Rowan of Emerys such a coward. But as she comes to know Rowan and witnesses the force of his beliefs, she learns that meekness and humility to the one true God are stronger than any blade of steel. And in the process, Maire discovers the transforming power of love and faith.

Kieran, the proud king of Gleannmara, great-grandson of Queen Maire and King Rowan, was once rejected by Riona of Dromin. But this time the willful lady will have no choice. Kieran promised his dying best friend, her brother, to protect Riona as her lord and husband. She must give up her absurd dedication to a fickle God who lets the good die while the vile go unpunished. Kieran's sword and lifelong love is all she will need. When Riona takes to heart three orphans, she begs God for guidance. What of her plans to join the church? Besides, how can she adopt a family without a husband? But when the arrogant Kieran of Gleannmara rides through the abbey gate, Riona cannot believe this is God's answer! She could never accept his swaggering arrogance—or his anger at God. Kieran is framed for murder. Suddenly the prideful king becomes a fugitive, fleeing for his life. His only hope? The faith and wit of a would-be nun, her prodigal band of homeless waifs—and the very God he has so fiercely denounced. These unlikely cohorts are joined in an adventure of faith, hope, and love—an adventure that, for Kieran, can have only one end: acquittal...or death.

Deirdre, princess of Gleannmara, is kidnapped when she sets sail to Albion with a king's ransom to redeem her abducted brother. No matter that she'd rather run the Saxon raiders through with her ancestor's legendary sword. Though why her priestly companion wants to save the souls of such savages is beyond Deirdre's grasp—especially when their ship is captured by a brash Saxon pirate! In the face of faith-battering desperation, Deirdre becomes a heavenly—albeit reluctant—instrument, endowed with an unsettling gift and charged with the ultimate challenge: love thine enemy. Alric of Galstead has one god: ambition. The illegitimate son of a Saxon king and an enslaved Scottish princess, Alric no more believes in his mother's deathbed vision of his "kingdom" than he does in her Christian God. But when he captures an Irish princess and her treasure, what was incredible no longer seems so. Alric is willing to risk his very life for his destiny...but now his heart is at stake too. Is this prickly Irish rose the prophesied key to his birthright...or the herald of his downfall?