Women Goddesses
History
Myth
Be swept away by stories of powerful women, epic adventures, and timeless love.
I write historical fiction fantasy novels, epic romances, and myth retellings set among the ancient Celts and Romans. Delve into the mists of Scotland and Ireland for heartrending love stories, legends come to life, warriors, goddesses, battles, priestesses, and queens.
My obsession? How women of the past could triumph in a brutal male world. And let’s not forget the love and spice! The enemies-to-lovers! The forced marriages! The defiance of kings, of tribes, of fates!
Swords and seers. Love lost and found. Steamy encounters in the heather. I’m here for it all!
If the books were a film? Braveheart, with Romans instead of English soldiers. TV? Outlander, with Romans instead of English soldiers. And a bit more Celtic magic.
Find blurbs, reviews and where to buy below. After they were traditionally published I am re-editing The Dalriada Trilogy ebooks. The White Mare will be available on Amazon stores any second now, and the others will be back up in fall/autumn. The Swan Maiden and The Raven Queen are still with Bantam Dell, and the ebooks are only available in the US. You can order the paperbacks from US Amazon to the UK.
I’m now writing something ancient Roman (an eruption is involved) that ups the spice to five chillies and is a pacier, snack-sized read. Stay tuned by signing up to my mailing list below.
The White Mare
Book One of The Dalriada Trilogy
Scotland battles Rome in this epic romance
AD 79 and Agricola, the ruthless governor of Roman Britain, turns his attentions to the last unconquered territory – Scotland. Rhiann is a Scottish princess and priestess scarred by a past trauma, who faces what for her is the ultimate sacrifice – a forced marriage – to protect the freedom of her people.
Eremon is an exiled Irish prince who must seek a foreign alliance to regain his throne. Will he prove himself the man who can unite the squabbling Celtic tribes against the more ominous threat of Rome?
With war looming, Rhiann is drawn into an unexpected journey of the spirit and heart. She searches the mists of dream and prophecy for her goddess, and mountains, forests and seas for allies, but is thwarted by the scars she carries.
She fights bravely for her people’s survival, but in the end is faced with the greatest challenge of all – can she surrender her full heart to another, and her soul to its true fate?
“With nods to Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series, an ancient Scotland tightly laced with romantic tension, treachery, and cliffhangers aplenty… Mightily appealing.”
Starred review: Kirkus Reviews
“Strong characters, a compelling story, and sound historical research make this a winner. A stunning debut novel.”
Juliet Marillier, The Sevenwaters Series
“It requires a special sort of imagination to create a plausible vision of Britain at the time of the Roman conquest. Watson rises effortlessly to the challenge.”
Daily Express UK
The Dawn Stag
Book Two of The Dalriada Trilogy
An epic battle will decide the fate of a country
Agricola, the governor of Roman Britain, now plans an invasion of Scotland.
Rhiann, a Scottish priestess and princess submitted to a political marriage to Eremon, an exiled Irish prince. But out of duty grew love – a powerful and desperate love that will bind them together through conflict and betrayal. Now in them lies the hope of a nation. For Agricola will crush this troublesome realm with a formidable army.
To the people of Scotland it is a wall of steel and fire advancing across their homeland, bringing with it desolation.
The predestined day draws near: the armies of Celtic Scotland and Rome will meet in an epic battle to decide the fate of a country.
Rhiann searches for guidance in the spirit world, little realizing the part she will play in this endgame. Eremon knows only that he must risk – and sacrifice – many lives, perhaps even his own.
“Wonderful. Watson does not tell the story, she lives it. Mystical and poetic, a tour de force. A magical and compelling recreation of the lost Celtic world.”
Rosalind Miles, Isolde, Queen of the Western Isles and Lady of the Sea
“Epic and spellbinding . . . The intriguing diversions into pagan mythology enhance this enchanting tale. Its emotional impact is significant . . . If the components of a novel are a volley of arrows, then Watson hits her targets every time.’
Starred review: Kirkus Reviews
“Brings first-century AD Britain to vivid life with just the right details at the right times, and successfully keeps the tension high, balancing violence and tragedy with romance and religious transcendence.”
Publishers Weekly
The Boar Stone
Book Three of The Dalriada Trilogy
Will the Scots triumph over Rome, and will love survive?
Roman Britain, 366 AD. Minna, a Roman serving girl, is cast into the brutal world to fend for herself. Desperate to reach her brother at the northern frontier, she falls in with acrobat Cian, a youth with no loyalty to anyone but himself.
A terrible mistake traps them in the wilds of barbarian Scotland, a land in chaos. The Romans send scouts north from their frontier. The dark Picts return the attacks, raiding Roman farms. Caught in the middle is Cahir, King of the Dalriadans. Year by year he watches his people fall under the Roman yoke, his shame growing.
At Cahir’s fort, Cian and Minna struggle to survive. Cian retreats into the pain of his past, while an unexpected path opens for Minna. For what are the visions that plague her, of battles and bloodshed?
Compelled by an ancient prophecy, Minna discovers a destiny she shares with King Cahir, a path as seer and healer. Yet her journey to save them both has far-reaching consequences even she cannot foresee.
Love gained and lost. The truth of who she really is. And a war that will free Scotland from the Roman invaders forever.
"Epic historical fantasy in the vein of Morgan Llywelyn or Donna Gillespie, filled with memorable characters, tense action, romance, intrigue, and a little bit of magic all woven into a richly layered plot. The pages turned themselves, and the characters stayed with me long after I put the book down."
Historical Novels Review
“Watson has conjured up the mythic past, a land of Celtic legend and stark grandeur. Readers will find her world and characters fascinating and unforgettable.”
Sharon K.Penman, Devil’s Brood and The Sunne in Splendor
The Swan Maiden
The story of the Irish Helen of Troy
Deirdre was born with a blessing and a curse: she would grow into a woman of extraordinary beauty – and bring ruin to ancient Ireland. Ignoring advice to kill the infant, King Conor of Ulster hides Deirdre away. There, under the tutelage of a shamaness, Deirdre comes of age in nature and magic. And in the season of her awakening, the king is inexorably drawn to her impossible beauty.
But for Deirdre, her fate as a man's possession is worse than death. And soon the green-eyed girl, at home in the wildwood, becomes a woman who takes charge of her own fate by running away with three rebellious young warriors.
Among them is the handsome Naisi. His heart charged with bitterness towards the aging king, and growing in love for the defiant Deirdre, Naisi will lead them all far from Ulster – and into a war of wits, swords, and spirit that will take a lifetime to wage.
Brimming with life and its lusts, here is a soaring tale of enchantment and eternal passions – and of a woman who became legend.
“A perfect 10… The Celtic legend of Deirdre of the Sorrows is given a very human, yet enchanting retelling… Both glorious and heartbreaking, Watson uses her beautiful prose and Celtic knowledge to weave a stunning novel that is both uplifting and magical. For a wonderful love story, and some unforgettable characters, we highly recommend The Swan Maiden.”
Romance Reviews Today
"Watson's prose snatches the reader's full attention from the first sentence and refuses to let go until the final page. Irish myths and legends are famous for being complicated and detailed, yet the author painstakingly builds a world of druids, Irish kings and ancient heroes that is straight forward and sensible. A must-read for anyone who loves Irish folklore."
The Romantic Times
The Raven Queen
She was born to be a pawn, used to secure her father's hold on his lands. She was forced to advance his will through marriage – her own desires always thwarted. But free-spirited Maeve will no longer endure the schemes of her latest husband, Conor, the cunning ruler of Ulster. And when her father's death puts her homeland at the mercy of its greedy lords and Conor's forces, Maeve knows she must at last come into her own power to save it.
She risks the wrath of the hidden fae, her country’s oldest gods, to steal her father's sword from a sacred lake. There she meets the blind druid Ruán, a mysterious exile with an unexpected passion and a strange connection to the spirit world that puts Maeve at war with both her duty and her fate.
Soon Maeve is fighting the treachery and greed of men, relying on courage and wit to win the hearts of her people and be acclaimed queen. But beneath her bravado, Maeve returns to the dark paths of her past. She ignores Ruán's pleas for peace, and to protect herself against King Conor attacks him first, triggering the most famous battle saga in Celtic myth: the Cattle Raid of Cooley.
With secret skill and daring, Maeve proves herself the equal of any warrior on the battlefield. With intelligence and stealth, she learns the strategies – and sacrifices – of ruling a kingdom through treacherous alliances. But in so doing, she risks her only chance at love.
Like all my heroines, it is the journey she takes inside her soul – and the heart she must open – that hold the key to Maeve’s true power and the victories she seeks.
The legendary Irish warrior queen
“Other writers have tackled Ireland’s Iron Age legends and their compelling magic, a magic thoroughly mixed with the earthy business of cattle raids and ale. But no one has done it better than Jules Watson in The Raven Queen.”
Historical Novel Society
"Fans of Watson's The Swan Maiden will love this - it's even better! Once again Watson brings Irish lore to life with characters and issues that resonate with contemporary readers. Don't miss this one, it's a keeper."
The Romantic Times
"The Raven Queen is a fine, beautifully crafted rendition of a very exciting and magical legend. Maeve is strong, brave, and fearless, but doesn't lose the side of her that makes her all too human, able to love and to make difficult choices that could damage that love. All of the characters are richly presented, the historical research impeccable, and the writing is brilliant. Readers will find themselves totally immersed in the ancient Celtic world and will be cheering for Maeve. THE RAVEN QUEEN is a Perfect 10 all the way."
Romance Reviews Today
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