Guest Post & Spotlight |Highlander's Holly and Ivy by Margaret Izard (A Stones of Iona Companion Tale)

A Christmas Companion book to the Stones of Iona Series.

🍒 Welcome

There’s something timeless about Highland stories—especially those set in winter, where ancient stones whisper secrets and love finds a way through history, magic, and snow-dusted landscapes. Today’s spotlight brings all of that together in Highlander’s Holly & Ivy by Margaret Izard, a paranormal romance that blends Scottish heritage, forbidden magic, and a Christmas-season love story shaped by fate.

This post is a little extra special. Along with shining a light on the novel itself, I’m thrilled to welcome Margaret Izard for a thoughtful guest post exploring the meaning behind names, storytelling, and the quiet coincidences that sometimes guide our creative paths. If you love romance infused with history, magic, and intention, you’re in the right place.

🔻 Keep scrolling to enter the giveaway! 🔻

📝 All About the Book

Highlander's Holly and Ivy
By Margaret Izard
Series: A Stones of Iona Companion Book
Published by Wild Rose Press on December 2025
Genres: Paranormal Romance
Formats: eBook, Paperback
Pages: 228

A Christmas Companion book to the Stones of Iona Series.

In a land torn by politics and heritage, Alex MacDougall—Scotland’s Lord Justice Clerk—balances loyalty to the British crown and his secret role in preserving outlawed Scottish traditions. When tasked with retrieving a mystical stone tied to Scotland’s destiny, he crosses paths with Lady Iris Erskine, an Englishwoman captivated by Scottish culture. Disguised as Ivy, Iris masquerades as a highland lassie to be close to the dashing highlander.

Love blossoms between Alex and Ivy as tensions simmer between the English and Scots. While Iris vexes over revealing the truth to her handsome Scot, Alex grapples with his family’s secret duty to protect magic Fae stones. With his beloved targeted and hidden truths emerging, the world he once knew dissolves before his eyes.

Can two hearts bound by fate be enough to stave off an evil Fae intent on destroying the MacDougall Clan, or will Alex lose all he loves?

📜 Excerpt from Highlander's Holly and Ivy

Before the magic fully reveals itself, Highlander’s Holly & Ivy invites readers into a moment of quiet transformation—where identity is shed, a new name is claimed, and fate takes its first careful step. In this scene, Iris steps into the Highlands not as herself, but as Ivy, setting in motion a story shaped by heritage, courage, and choices that can never be undone.

Iris strode down the street beside her faithful maid, Laurel. “Miss, yer Gaelic is awful, and that accent.”

Iris clipped her reply. “What of my accent?”

Laurel groaned. “It’s English, very English. Ye’ll stand out like a sair thumb among all the Gaels.”

She wrapped the plaid, no arisaid tighter around her. “Sair, you mean sore?” She kept walking. “I am dressed like you. I can walk like you. I’ve un-styled my hair.”

Laurel barked a laugh. “Ye walk like royalty, and no matter how much Gaelic ye learn, ye still sound like the Queen of England.”

Iris stopped and turned to her maid. “I want to meet your people. Not because of the novelty.” Laurel rolled her eyes, making Iris smile. “Well, aye, the novelty, but I want to learn the culture, about yer people.”

Laurel’s eyes crinkled. “Ye really want this lass?” Iris nodded. Laurel took her arm in hers as they continued at a slower pace. “Then we need a plan, a canny one at that.” She breathed. “Ye’ll be my cousin. Ye wear the Comyn plaid, so ye’ll be a Comyn. Stay beside me, and for all that is holy, don’t speak. We’ll say ye have a throat injury, so ye can’t talk.”

Iris stopped. “But what if I have a question or something to say?”

Laurel pulled her along the lane. “Ye don’t have anything to say, and questions are for later. Just watch and listen. No talking.” They came up to the bridge—many had already gathered as the slaughterhouse's smell blew their way. Iris held her wrap to her nose, wondering how they tolerated the stink.

A woman approached and took Laurel into a hug. “So glad I am to see ye today.” Laurel hugged her back. “Mabina, glad I am to be here.” She waved to Iris. “My cousin, who is mmmm…”

Iris’ eyes went wide. She didn’t want to use her real name and be found out before it was all over. She panicked and glanced around. The pub beside the bridge already had decorations for the holiday season, and holly and ivy graced the doorway.

She pointed to the ivy, and Laurel grinned. “Ivy. Ivy Comyn.” She leaned over, whispering to Mabina, “She doesn’t talk, an old injury from a redcoat who tried to have his way with her. Her throat don’t work no more.”

The woman tsked, “Sorry I am to hear it, Ivy.” Iris nodded as the plaid fell away from her head.

Mabina smiled. “Ye are a pretty thing, though.”

🎥Book Trailer

🛒 Where to Find Highlander's Holly and Ivy

Available on Amazon

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✒️ Guest Post by Margaret Izard

Names matter in this story. They carry history, intention, and the promise of who someone is becoming. That idea—of names as more than labels, but as threads of meaning woven through time—extends beyond the pages of the novel itself.

In today’s guest post, author Margaret Izard shares the inspiration behind her character naming, the quiet power of coincidence, and how a shared name sparked reflection on heritage, grace, and the subtle magic that shapes our stories. Thank you so much Margaret "Rae" for this thoughtful post.

Name Spotlight: Rae — A Celtic Thread of Grace

I’ve always believed that writers notice patterns for a reason. We catch the small, almost whispered coincidences that others might dismiss. Those quiet moments often spark characters, names, and entire storylines in my novels.

So, when I first visited Gina Rae Mitchell’s blog and saw her middle name—Rae, the same as mine—I felt that familiar tug of recognition. A little spark. A nudge. These are the moments that often guide my naming process. When a name appears at the right time, with the right resonance, it can feel as though the story itself has chosen it.

Although Rae has several cultural threads, its deepest and most enduring roots lie in Scotland and the Celtic world—exactly where my books take shape. Rae is derived from old Scottish surnames like MacRae or Mac Raith, which come from the Gaelic word raith, meaning ‘grace,’ ‘prosperity,’ ' one who is blessed,’ or ‘favored.’

In ancient Celtic belief, a name like this spoke not only of personal character but also of lineage. It suggested a family touched by fortune, watched over by ancestors, or held in the good graces of something greater than themselves. The name carried both gentleness and quiet strength, a balance I often seek when shaping a heroine or a guardian figure in my books.

That shared middle name with Gina wasn’t just a pleasant surprise—it reminded me of how often my creative choices begin with a moment just like this. A familiar word. A meaning that resonates. A small coincidence that feels like a thread the universe has dropped into my hands.

When I chose the names Alex MacDougall and Iris “Ivy” Erskine for Highlander’s Holly & Ivy, I followed the same instinctive path I often do—letting history, meaning, and a touch of serendipity guide me. Alex carries the strength and steadiness of a traditional Highland name, grounded in clan heritage and the resilience of Scotland’s past.

Iris, whose nickname Ivy becomes a symbol throughout the book, offered the delicate balance I wanted in a heroine: a name rooted in natural beauty, healing, and quiet determination. Together, Alex and Ivy felt like a perfect pairing—two names that echo the novel’s themes of winter magic, renewal, and love that grows where it’s least expected.

Will Rae become a name in a story of mine? I’ve used Margaret in other books to come, my cat’s name, Daisy, and others. But Rae feels too close to home to share. And that’s why finding it here, in Gina Rae Mitchell’s corner of the world, felt meaningful enough to share.

✍️ Meet the Author

Margaret Izard is a multi-award-winning author of historical fantasy and paranormal romance. With a lifelong background in dance, theater, and creative performance, she brings movement, emotion, and dramatic flair into every story she writes. She fell in love with historical romance in middle school, where deep emotion, sweeping adventures, and touches of magic first captured her imagination.

Today, she writes books filled with rich world-building, steamy chemistry, strong-hearted heroes, and heroines who fight for their freedom and their families. Margaret lives in Houston, Texas, with her husband and adult triplets — and she always loves hearing from readers.

Connect with Margaret Izard:
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Amazon | Goodreads | Threads | Bluesky  |  Twitter/X

❄️ Closing Notes

Stories have a way of finding us when we’re meant to hear them—sometimes through a name, sometimes through a moment of recognition, and sometimes through a love story that feels destined from the very first page. Highlander’s Holly & Ivy captures that sense of quiet magic, where history and heart are deeply entwined.

My thanks to Margaret Izard for sharing both her story and her reflections on the meaning woven into her characters’ names, and to Goddess Fish Promotions for bringing this festive Highland tale to the tour. Be sure to explore the book, enter the giveaway, and let me know in the comments—do you believe names carry a bit of magic of their own?

Good luck, and happy reading! 💛

🎁 Giveaway!

Enter below for your chance to win a Highlander's Holly & Ivy swag box* ($100 value)—courtesy of the author.

📚Stones of Iona Series

Stone of Love, book 1. 2024 Reader’s Favorite Honorable Mention Romance Sci-fi/Fantasy Award Winner! Colin and Breille’s story. American scholar starts a new life by renovating a Scottish chapel as a Fae’s prophecy sends her through time into the arms of the modern Scottish Laird, posing as his ancestor who must find a magic Fae stone to bring order to the realms.

Stone of Fear, book 2. John and Marie’s story. A Scottish expert on religious buildings finds herself kidnapped and forced to search for a magic Fae stone as a Fae prophecy sends her lover chasing her through time to save her and the realms from evil.

Stone of Lust, book 3. Ainslie’s story (Colin’s sister). A modern woman attempts to save her kidnapped sister-in-law when she comes face to face with the Viking warrior of her dreams as a Fae prophecy demands she search for a magic Fae stone, but is his love worth risking her future?

Thistle in the Mistletoe, a Christmas companion book. Mary and Roderick (Colin’s identical ancestor in the past). An innocent highland beauty seeks peace in a forced marriage to her clan’s greatest enemy as betrayal looms from within; she only hopes to find true love.

Stone of Hope, book 4. Dominic’s story (Brielle’s brother). Adrenaline junkie, special ops hunk, finds himself hunting a magic Fae stone as his niece and nephew, who possess Fae powers, land them in the middle of the 1930s Egyptian dig of an attractive archaeologist whose archenemy attempts to steal her work.

Stone of Doubt, book 5. Evie’s story. (Colin and Bree’s daughter) A human with Fae powers finds herself fulfilling an old magic stone prophecy as her lost dream boy, now a man, must rescue her from the cruel grip of an evil monster and save the realms. Here’s my spotlight on Stone of Doubt.

Highlander’s Holly and Ivy, a Christmas companion book. Features Alex MacDougall, Mary and Roderick from Thistle in the Mistletoe son. A forbidden love between a Highlander and an English lady intertwines with magic, betrayal, and the fate of a nation as they fight to unite their worlds and reclaim Scotland’s legacy.

Stone of Faith, book 6 Ewan’s Story. (Evie’s twin brother) A cursed pirate captain and an enslaved siren defy a power-hungry madman—and fate itself—to claim a love that spans centuries as they save the human and Fae realms.

Stone of Destiny, book 7. Katerine MacArthur, Evie’s BFF love story. A woman torn between fate and forbidden love must defy a Fae prophecy and battle dark forces to reclaim her future—and the heart of the Fae warrior she can’t forget. 

Evergreen Evermore, a Christmas companion book coming 2026

This series leads into another connected series, Dragons of Tantallon, a dragon-shapeshifter series revolving around the magic Iona Stones.

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