Fantasy has deep roots in mythology, and it’s easy to see why so many fantasy romance readers love stories based on Celtic lore. Author Hannah Carey is on the blog today with six recommendations for Celtic fantasy fans.
I have always been fascinated by Celtic history and mythology and if there is one thing I love, it’s fantasy romance novels that have Celtic ties. From the faeries, to the Irish bean sidhe, to the Scottish kelpie, so much of Celtic legend and lore lends itself to being perfect for fantasy romance. Here are six Celtic and Celtic inspired fantasy romances from my shelf:
Son of the Shadows by Juliet Marillier
Low Fantasy (Historical)
Heat: Smoldering
Beloved child, dutiful daughter, Liadan embarks on a journey that opens her eyes to the wonders of the world around her…and shows her just how hard-won was the peace that she has known all her life.
Liadan will need all of her courage to help save her family, for there are forces far darker than anyone could have guessed and ancient powers conspiring to destroy this family’s peace–and their world. And she will need the strength to stand up to those she loves best, for in the finding of her own true love, Liadan’s course may doom them all…or be their salvation.
The Rose Gate by Hannah Sandvig
Portal Fantasy
Heat: Sweet/Clean
All Isobel wants is a quiet place to read, but apparently that’s too much to ask. She only needs to make it through one last summer with her broken family before she can leave for university and get on with her life.
Caught out in the forest after dark, Isobel is pursued by a disturbingly intelligent pack of wolves. When the grizzly bear who rescues her turns out to be a cursed fae prince, she realizes her life isn’t the only thing in danger. She could lose her heart.
Trapped by the wolves at the prince’s home in Faerie, Isobel tries to unravel the mystery behind the surly prince’s scars. Because time is running out for the castle’s inhabitants, and if Isobel can’t find a way to break the spell and save the prince from the Unseelie Queen, she may lose everything she’s come to love.
Heart’s Blood by Juliet Marillier
Low Fantasy (Historical)
Heat: Smoldering
Whistling Tor is a place of secrets, a mysterious, wooded hill housing the crumbling fortress belonging to Anluan—a chieftain whose name is spoken throughout the region in tones of revulsion and bitterness. A curse lies over Anluan’s family and his people, and the woods themselves hold a perilous force whose every whisper threatens doom.
Then the young scribe Caitrin appears in Anluan’s garden, admiring the rare plant known as heart’s blood. Retained to sort through entangled family documents, Caitrin brings about unexpected changes in the household, casting a hopeful light against the despairing shadows.
But even as Caitrin brings solace to Anluan, and the promise of something more between them, he remains in thrall to the darkness surrounding Whistling Tor. To free Anluan’s burdened soul, Caitrin must unravel the web of sorcery woven by his ancestors before it claims his life—and their love…
The Hunter: Tales of Pern Coen by Hannah E. Carey
Epic Low Magic (Other World)
Heat: Sweet/Clean
Forced to flee her uncle’s palace in the dead of night in order to save her own life, Duchess Rhiannon of Solis finds herself pulled into an ongoing war. She seeks safety on the shores of the island of Pern Coen, though she knows little of the strange land and its even stranger Spirits. A stroke of fate leaves her at the mercy of a band of rebels led by a notorious outlaw, a man the people of the island call the Hunter.
Conor has lost his family and his home. Forced to live in exile, he dreams of the day that the people of Pern Coen win back their freedom. He has no love for the Empire of Kelnore, but when he finds an injured Kelnorian noblewoman, he can’t bring himself to abandon her. Against his better judgment, Conor offers Rhiannon his protection, but the more time he spends with her, the more he finds his feelings toward her shifting. He’s already had his heart shattered once, does he dare take that risk again with a woman who should be his sworn enemy?
Awakening the Celtic Gods by Kristin Gleeson
Low Fantasy Urban
Heat: Smoldering
Soairse knows playing traditional music once a week in a local Dublin pub won’t get her a career, but it’s all she’s got, especially after she’s fired from her barista job. But then her father dies and her life is set into a spin, especially when an unknown grandmother comes calling..
Music is Smithy’s one joy that is left to him that has a residue of the magic he lost long ago. Creating things in his forge, tucked away in rural Cork, increasingly reminds him of what he’s lost and why he must resist the requests of the Tuatha De Danann. They want him to join their efforts to battle their biggest nemesis, who is threatening the destruction of Eire, the land they hold so dear.
But events and gods conspire to bring Saoirse and Smithy to the path that was meant to be. It’s time for the gods to awake and answer the call to defend the land.
The Faceless Woman by Emma Hamm
Epic Swords and Sorcery
Heat: Smoldering
A town will only suffer the presence of a witch for as long as she is useful. Aisling watches the flames lick her thighs and prays for a quick death. But when an Unseelie prince appears through the smoke, she does what any self respecting witch would do.
She curses him.
Bran should never have traveled to the human realm, and is shocked when a witch binds them together. His life is hers and he refuses to die. He saves her from the fires, casts a hex on the townsfolk for good measure, then whisks her away to safety. His only stipulation? She has to remove the binding curse.
Unfortunately for them both, she can’t. Witch and Unseelie must travel across the Otherworld to break the ties that bind them. Secrets and lies stand between them, but both will stop at nothing to save themselves.
Hannah began telling stories from a young age and hasn’t stopped since. She read her first romance novel as a young teen, quickly falling in love with the genre. Most of her stories are a blend of romance and fantasy, inspired by her love of mythology. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her reading romance novels and spending time with her husband, horses, and dog on her small hobby farm. Learn more about her and her books at hannahcarey.com.