The Radiance of the Moon

The Hebridean Shield, Book 1

By: Ashley Worrell

Narrated by: Guy Barnes

The year is 1383, and the Wolf of Badenoch has conducted a terroristic campaign across the highlands to increase his wealth and land holdings. Now he's turned his sights from Scotland to the Kingdom of the Isles. Seeking to keep the Wolf’s superior fighting forces out of his island nation, the King of the Isles turns to Chieftain Hector MacLean for help. A survivor of the Hundred Years’ War, Hector’s reputation precedes him. Brutal, clever, perhaps the greatest warrior Scotland or the Isles has ever produced—as if the man has a gift for killing. But after changing his life, Hector has no interest in returning to his old ways. As an alternative to war, he agrees to forge a marriage alliance with one of the Wolf’s allies, hoping to gain their fidelity and protect his family and clan.

After surviving a brutal first marriage, young Irish widow Cara O’Ballevan arrives in Lochbuie Clan Territory, her sole prayer to make a peaceful home with the MacLeans, but the clan is wary of her as an outsider. After praying for help, she happens upon a kind man beneath a bright moon, unaware that he is the chieftain and soon to be betrothed to another. Over a series of meetings, Hector and Cara help one another, encourage one another, and begin to come to terms with a past they’re both trying to leave behind.

When Cara faces a threat during a clan dispute, Hector discovers that the deadly combatant he used to be isn’t gone, but lurking just beneath the surface. This time, the lethal warrior within him takes up watch over Cara. As her gentle spirit roots deep into his heart, Hector knows she can never become his wife. A future with her could only lead to war and disgrace. Yet he cannot stop himself from falling in love with the one God entrusted to him – the woman he isn't supposed to marry.

©2024 Ashley Worrell (P)2024 Ashley Worrell

Lovely Story

🤍Thank you @byashleyworrell for the gifted audiobook! 🤍

First, I am just blown away by the fantastic writing of this debut! The history, the dialogue, the setting, it was all done amazingly well!

The romance was very swoony and I thought the progression of Cara and Hector’s romance was beautiful.

This story also didn’t shy away from tough subjects, and they were handled with grace and care that I loved.

I will say I didn’t love the narrator too much, and I struggled with the voice used for the FMC. It changed her tone and feel to me.

★ ★ ★ ★/5
Steam: kissing
TW: past abusive relationship, mild violence

Beautiful character-driven story

Radiance of the Moon fulfills my love of a character-driven story, with characters who
are willing to admit their faults, be redeemed, show personal growth, and treat others justly. These are some of the reasons I read Christian fiction. As far as the audio goes, the narrator has a strong brogue, but I adjusted to it quickly. If I had read this book, it wouldn't have been nearly as rich and immersive in my English reading. I highly recommend the audiobook!

The audiobook was provided to me by the author. This is my honest review.

Captivating story telling

I loved this book! The characters were well thought out and the story kept me on my toes. I can’t wait to see what the author does next!

Magnificent

I first read the book and then listened to the audio.
Perfection. Guy Barnes has a great accent and the grit of the voice needed for Hector. So good.

Story review:
Utterly Magnificent.
Hector and Cara are layered characters each with history of abuse (in different forms). Each have come to know the God of the universe and to put their trust in Him - but that does not make things easy. There are deep lessons to learn.
There is fast fall and slow burn here. Smoldering feeling.
Brashness that must be tempered. Trust that must be learned.
Mature and gorgeous writing.
As a reader, my faith was challenged and encouraged.
This is not a sickly sweet read. It is engaging, heart-racing, and at the same time, feels like home in the midst of the storm.
I could not possibly recommend it enough.
Started after dinner. 1:40 am now. Absolutely stunning.
The story is enchanting. The writing itself is beautiful.
Wounded, protective hero. Threads of Ruth and Naomi.
Deep longing. Hearts that ache for one another. A Divine command to "Protect her."
Imma just swoon away. This will be an author I will auto buy. Just phenomenal. I'm going to need a bunch of you to read this so we can talk through it.
On the practical side, the dates are shared at the beginning of each chapter which is so helpful. So. Well. Done.

A million stars, and grabbing my friends' hands so we can put a million thumbs up.

Closed door (married couple). Kisses. Up to PG / lower PG-13

Possible triggers: domestic violence, infertility, alcoholism, ptsd

Beautiful

This is the chef’s kiss! The voice actor did a phenomenal job bringing these characters to life. It was extremely entertaining and had me hooked. 10/10 definitely a great read/listen❤️

Excellent story

I am so full of emotion right now, I just completed this story, and it is so packed with all the things: Action, deceit, brotherhood & loyalty, battles, and family drama, love, romance, healing, acceptance, redemption... *sigh* ... this book is enthralling. The way that the main characters seek to put things right with God above all else is absolutely beautiful. They struggle with their human nature yet desire to please the Lord and seek His will, it is relatable. Even though this is a historical fiction novel, the reader will know the research was done thoroughly and that the story isn't far-fetched or completely unrealistic.

I switched back and forth between reading on KU and listening on Audible. The narration is really good; Guy brings Hector to life, and he also does well with Cara and the other characters in this story.

Definitely make sure to read and/or listen to this book as soon as possible.

Fantastic Medieval Romance!

What a fantastic debut! I have never read a medieval romance, but after this one, I am definitely ready for MORE!

I loved the late 1300s Scotland setting and seeing how the people back then lived. The growing tensions between clans and conquerors was so interesting and created a great forbidden romance.

There were several plot twists that kept the story moving and I was always dying to see what would happen next. It never went the way I thought it would and I loved every minute.

This book has strong Christian themes. Both of the main characters talk about their relationship with God and make sure He is a part of their lives. Redemption, faith, and prayer were major parts of this beautiful story.

Content: Closed door

Regarding the audiobook, the narration was fantastic and I loved being able to hear how names/places were pronounced. However, I did have a little bit of a hard time with the character voices, especially the women. For that reason, I switched to the ebook a little over through.

Beautiful Story + Excellent Narrator = Perfection!

I absolutely loved Hector & Cara’s story! With themes of forgiveness, grace and redemption, The Radiance of the Moon has a depth I don’t often find, even in Christian fiction. Ashley Worrell did such a beautiful job weaving together a story that broke my heart and put it back together all at the same time. I cannot wait for the next book to come out!

Also, the narrator was incredible! A lot of times I can’t listen to audiobooks where the narrator has a strong accent because I can’t understand what they are saying. But this narrator was perfect - his voice and pronunciation were crystal clear and his accent enriched the entire experience. ❤️

Christian Medieval Romance

Really enjoyed this story of redemption and forgiveness. The faith content was very well done and really beautiful. The narrator’s voice took some time to get use to but overall enjoyable.

Literally GORGEOUS

This book is an incredible story of redemption and love with a fair amount of well-written action interspersed. The narrators Scottish brogue is *chef’s kiss. Highly recommend listening while following along with the ebook for the full effect! Read/listen! You won’t be sorry!