Twelfth Knight’s Bride by E. Elizabeth Watson is a captivating story full of mystery and intrigue. A story that grabs your attention and keeps you second-guessing until the end. The author's writing is so smooth that you can picture the story in your mind.

Lady Aileana Grant just wants to help her starving clan at Christmastide. So she pilfers some vegetables from the bastard Laird James MacDonald--the Devil, they call him. When the Devil shows up and demands marriage as recompense for the thievery, Aileana can’t believe it when her brother agrees. Even if she’s able to negotiate a severance on Twelfth Night, that’s still two weeks to put up with the laird in enemy territory. James needs to marry an enemy bride in order to inherit his fortune. He’d been unable to look away from Aileana’s untamed beauty ever since she squared off with him. He might as well handfast with the infernal lass.
A well written engrossing read that I was drawn into from the first page & captivated until the last. I loved the feisty Aileana who was caring & generous, she was willing to help her new clan even though they were less than welcoming & I loved how she won them over. Jamie was nothing like his moniker & was loving & caring. The banter between the pair was a treat & their attraction grew & grew as did their feelings for each other.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

It's one of the best historical romance I have read this year. The story is so well-written, and both the main characters are brilliant. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone looking for good historical fiction to read.
Can two clans that are always fighting find peace? Lady Aileana Grant didn't know what to expect from the 'devil' of the clan MacDonald, but she surely didn't expect kindness. Or is it just some elaborate scheme James concocted to overpower her clan? She needs to know before it's too late.
James didn't expect to like Aileana. She isn't anything like the enemy he considers her to be. But can he keep his heart intact?
The two of them are forced to marry, but now, it's up to them to find a way and make this marriage work. Not only for themselves but also for their clans. There has already been too much loss on both sides, and the feud needs to end now.
A well-paced story that will keep you entertained throughout. I enjoyed every minute of it!

This is an amazing book that put me in the Christmas spirit! I loved the hate to love between the characters and how they grew as people together. I'm glad they figured out that each clan hurt each other, but they also had the same experiences and pain because of that.

Such a sweet book! I went into this expecting cheesy hallmark type romance but instead found a story more about forgiveness and finding love when you don’t think you deserve it. I was also really impressed with the imagery of the book. I could fully picture the Scottish highlands at Christmas.

I've read a few books by E. Elizabeth Watson and enjoyed them all. Twelfth Knight's Bride doesn't disappoint. It is a well written story set during the Christmas season. The book is based upon two feuding clans, the Grants and the MacDonalds. This is an enemies to lovers trope. The hero and heroine are likable characters. During a temporary handfast they realize that both clans have misjudged each other. I read an ARC via NetGalley and chose to leave a review.

3.5 🦄

This book was a very sweet and provides the HEA (happily ever after) that one would hope to get from such a romance—after all, is that why we read them?

The aspects that prevented this book from being 5/5 for me were all tied up in the way this was written. That’s not to say that it was written poorly. However, it is my personal preference that the foreshadowing not be so heavy handed and the attraction more subtle that an anvil falling fro the sky. Everything felt so constructed into the romance mold and reinforced that mold to the point that it didn’t feel natural, organic. The insta-lust/insta-attraction was immediate and explicit. Just from the beginning of the book I could tell you exactly how this story would unfold. For me, that was a negative. It didn’t give me that feeling that I wanted to read more/couldn’t put it down. The use of written dialect contributed to this because it felt overdone. If I’m focusing on a romance, I don’t need a written accent. This story isn’t aiming for historical accuracy or in depth world building so it was just another way the book got in its own way.
Now I know that seems like a harsh assessment but obviously I did not hate this book.
The place where this book excelled was in the couple’s interactions with each other and the people around them. The characters are very likable and well suited. Their interactions are sweet and romantic. They deal with a lot of prejudices and past incidents to come out on the other side of this feud. While some of that development is superficial, this book isn’t about dealing with grief and past grievances in depth—it’s about a romance, which is where the focus remains. And the romance is the part that is done really well. This story filled me with warm fuzzy feelings. It made me smile again and again. For that reason, I really did end up enjoying this book. I liked being able to escape for a short while to a romantic, Scottish fantasy set at Christmastime. It’s a quick read not requiring a ton of mental energy to process making it a little brain vacation much needed in 2020. So if you just want something lovely and warm to distract you from the world, check out this book.

I enjoyed this book; it had really good main characters and plot.. And the dedication was a sweet salute to the author's support group (Morning Writer Chicks) that made me smile.

Speaking of spunky chicks, Aileana was one. Even though she is noble born, she is not afraid of hard work. She works hard and pitches in wherever she is needed. Her clan are slowly starving and she feels their pain. She's a clever lass who is also loving and loyal to people she cares about.

James was a fierce warrior but there is also so much more to him. Something that we get to see over time when James isn't sparring with Aileana. He had quite the sweet, tender side that he mostly keeps hidden from others. His sister is the only other person who has really seen that side of him. He also carries some heavy griefs.

This story had plenty of emotions, and some of that comes from a little girl named Maudie. She also added some humor too! She made me smile more than once. She also had something in common with Aileana....she was a hard worker too. There are also some dangers, and a romance that I enjoyed.

All in all, I really liked it and stayed involved all the way through.


“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

I received this book as an ARC for my honest review.

This is my first book from E. Elizabeth Watson and I loved it. The meeting and how they get together is a unique spin on how the two main characters meet up from most historical romances that I have read. I enjoyed how Ailene and James get to know each other and see how their families fighting over the past hundred some years has really effected each clan. The whole book is a wonderful reflection on the difference between two clans and yet how much they have experienced the same situations/ problems.

Defiantly worth the read if you are looking for a cozy HEA winter/ yule time romance.

A nice, enjoyable read that occurs during the Christmas season, bringing enemies together in an unlikely way. Aileana detests the MacDonald clan with a passion, believing everything she has been told about them. She is strong and stubborn in her ways. However, an act of stealing to which she gets caught has her hand fasted to the laird himself. James has his own agenda when he becomes hand fasted to Aileana, but it quickly changes as he comes to know her. James is more than he appears, for he may be a Devil on the battlefield, but he has a kind and gentle soul. Both care for their people and will do what they can to keep the safe. However, secrets James is keeping will greatly affect Aileana's feelings towards him, for does he really love her or just what he gain from her?
I received this novel from net galley and the publisher as an ARC. Thank you! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

E. Elizabeth Watson has written an amazingly sweet, addictive, well written storyline. This is a wonderful quick read for those looking to cuddle up and relax. The characters are extremely well developed and the readers will absolutely love them. I received an advanced reader copy of this work from netgalley and all opinions expressed are my own. Regards, Anna

I will add my review to Amazon and Barnes and Noble on release day. The review will also be posted on my Instagram account, usually within two weeks of release.

“He was magnificent, not the beast she’d always conjured to mind when reliving the horrible day they had last been besieged, even if his face was filled with fury now. Her stomach twisted nervously as he managed the reins of cavorting destrier puffing steam into the air. Blast it, but she hadn’t expected handsome. Nor had she expected his gaze to hold hers as if she’d surprised him, too.”

Twelfth Knight’s Bride by E. Elizabeth Watson tells the story of two Scottish clans who have been at war with each other for generations. When her clan is starving, Aileana Grant dresses as a boy and steals food from their rival clan. When the head of that clan, Laird James MacDonald comes to the Grant castle to face the theif, he is surprised to learn that he was not robbed by a young man, but by one of the Grant daughters. He decides for recompense he wants to marry one of the Grant daughters. Aileana and her brother, the Laird fo the Grant clan, agree that Aileana will be hand fasted with James, but that she has the option to leave him and the marriage will never be official if she decides to on the Twelfth Night.

This story is so easy to fall for and it is the perfect holiday read. There is a lovely Christmas celebration as part of this story that is just so incredibly heartwarming. The chemistry and banter between James and Aileana was a delight to read. I also enjoyed so many of the side characters of this story, and would love for some of them to get their own books. I definitely recommend this warm and fuzzy romance and I will be keeping my eye out for other books by this author. I give this one 4 full stars.

With her clan starving, what else is Aileana to do but go steal food from an enemy clan! Unfortunately, the Laird of that clan, James, gives chase and before the day is over, they find themselves betrothed. A deal is set and they have until the Twelfth Night before Aileana can decide if she wants to stay with him or go back home. They have two weeks to get to know each other, put the past behind and not keep fighting like their ancestors before them.

A lovely and warm story with some sad parts and a slow burn that all takes place during Christmastide and Twelfth Night. I loved all the characters and their interactions with each other.

I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Utterly delicious!

I thoroughly enjoyed Twelfth Knight's Bride. The book is well-thought out so that even the end leaves you feeling complete. The description and narration are so catching that one can follow the story without breaks. It is one of those romances that places sex after marriage with so much subtlety. A great diplomatic marriage that ends with the couple falling in love.

Elizabeth Watson's writing is so tasteful that you can picture the setting in your mind's eye. It is oh so captivating that I confess to reading it from beginning to the end.

A masterpiece!

Thank you Author E. Elizabeth Watson, NetGalley, and publisher Entangled: Scandalous for giving me a free ebook arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This book makes for a quick holiday read! The author did a wonderful job of endearing the characters to the reader right away. Lady Aileana Grant was such a great heroine. I loved her sass, wit, and her heart for those she cares for. Laird James MacDonald, our swoon worthy hero, was such the alpha male, who found his match in every way in Lady Aileana Grant. They were so much fun! Their first encounter had me laughing out loud as well as their sweet moments of letting their guards down in order to create a real marriage rather than just one of alliance. What drew me to want to read this book was the premise of a romance set in Medieval Scotland. This was my first book that I have read by this author and it will not be my last. Overall, I recommend this book to those who want a quick yet sweet enemies to lovers Scottish romance.

SETTING: A nice variation on “enemies to lovers” theme, with their respective clans being the enemies. The story delved into the hurtful acts each side had engaged in, and the subsequent effects on each clan. The Hero, James, is a strong and compassionate leader and the heroine, Aileen, is a hardworking young women who has not shirked her duties as a clan member despite being the sister of the Laird of her impoverished clan.

CRITIQUE: The story gets off to a strong start and moves along well, holding the reader’s interest. The events occurring are reasonable. The H and h seem to fall for each other rather quickly given the antipathy with which the clans view each other. I found myself skipping over the rather graphic love scene at the end. Then, despite their budding relationship, our heroine fails to trust her hand-fasted husband’s love (a bit weak-hearted heroine for my taste). So, a story that starts out extremely well, threatens to end on a weak note.

Desperate to feed her floundering and hungry clan, Aileana steals food from her most hated enemies. Certain they won’t miss the vegetables she took, Aileana is shocked when she is chased back to her castle by none other than Laird James MacDonald. The Devil, as he is widely known, believes he’s chasing a thieving boy back to his enemies castle. When he learns the identity of the thief is one of the Grant sisters, he demands a marriage to compensate for the theft.

Aileana and James handfast and return to his castle with the agreement that they will remain together for two weeks. Unbeknownst to Aileana, James needs to marry a Grant to inherit his fortune, and, like Aileana, plans for the union to end as quickly as possible. Neither expected to develop feelings for the other. Can these enemies put past grievances aside and admit their feelings? How will Aileana react when she finds out the real reason James married her? And how will these enemy clans with a long-standing feud ever accept a union?

Aileana and James have a fantastic enemies-to-lovers romance, and watching them go from suspicious and distrusting to captivated and besotted is lovely! Drawn to each other from the start, they are very attracted to each other but they also connect on a deeper level. Some of my favorite parts are when the couple talks about their pasts, their families, and their clans. I think they learn a lot about each other and themselves, as well as the long-standing feud between their clan and how destructive it is.

Spending time together forces them to see the feud from each other’s point of view, and, by spending two weeks with James’ clan, Aileana sees first hand how the feud affected James’ people. I think James and Aileana go through similar revelations, and once they start seeing each other and the clans as human beings and not just enemies, they change. I love how their respect and admiration grows, and their feelings slowly change. Plus, their chemistry is fantastic!

James is so different from the “devilish” rumors that surround him, and his devotion to his family and clan equals Aileana’s. Aileana, like James, is strong, smart, and bold. I love her free spirit, and her willingness to jump in when help is needed. Her actions, kindness, and thoughtfulness show everyone that she is as good a person and leader as James.

Twelfth Knight’s Bride is such a great historical holiday romance. I loved the characters, the enemies-to-lovers romance, and the messages of love, forgiveness, and moving on. Readers who enjoy swoon-worthy historical romance with fantastic characters and an epic love story will adore Twelfth Knight’s Bride! Thanks so much to Netgalley, Entangled Publishing, and E. Elizabeth Watson for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Lady Aileana Grant never thought she'd get caught as she stole a few vegetables from a traveling MacDonald crew, but Laird James MacDonald chases down the lad or so he thinks back to the castle. When he learns the identity of the thief he demands her in marriage as recompense. A deal is made that Aileana was handfasted to James for a fortnight only at which time she'd be returned to her clan unharmed. Neither James or Aileana could ever foresee what two weeks in each other's company can do.

This is the first book I've read by Ms. Watson and I really enjoyed it. The bits of history she interweaves in the story is interesting and makes the book more engrossing. I really liked James--he was so honorable and lived up to his part of the bargain at great personal loss for him. When Aileana jumped into action to help wounded soldiers when the MacDonald stronghold is attacked won her the approval of the clan. Both James and Aileana grow and learn to disregard previously held beliefs against the other's clan. With a few twists and turns this book winds down to a happily ever after ending.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

Overall a nice holiday romance, perfect for snuggling up with when Christmas comes around. The tone consistently matched the time of the story and the festivities make it a perfect book for the holiday season. The ending is a little bit cheesy, but I don't mind that for this type of story.

In an effort to help her starving clan at Christmastime, Lady Aileana Grant steals vegetables from the Devil Laird, James MacDonal. When James tracks her and demands marriage as restitution, Aileana can’t believe her brother would agree! The men negotiate a handfast, but Aileana is free to return on Twelfth Night if she doesn't want to stay married to James. What starts with animosity and suspicion, turns to acceptance and affection.

The cover is what drew me to this book. This is my first time reading this author and, while I liked the plot and characters well enough, I had trouble connecting with the writing. The dialog is written in a heavy Scottish accent and some of the word choices and spellings kept taking me out of the story.

* I received an ARC and this is my honest review. #TwelfthKnightsBride #NetGalley