The heart’s most extraordinary battle is the one fought for love.Haunted by a family legacy that threads magic through the ages, Captain Ewan MacDougall and his ghostly crew sail between worlds—freeing enslaved people. A worthy goal, yet he longs for what eludes him—true love. When he crosses paths with a legendary siren of the sea, bound to a cruel, power-hungry madman, Ewan finds the woman destined to claim his heart.
Trapped and forced to use her voice to lure ships into the clutches of evil, the spark in Ewan’s eyes awakens hope in Lorelei’s soul—a chance to break free and protect her Fae family. Yet, the wicked monster holding her captive will stop at nothing to kill the human who touches and loves her as no one has ever done before.
Will the fated connection they share break the chains of dark magic or claim two more victims in a quest to find the Stone of Faith?
Did you know the ocean setting was chosen kind of by accident? In Stone of Lust, the Stone of Faith was briefly recovered and then lost at sea. That single moment set the stage for an entire ocean-bound adventure and led me straight into siren legends.
Lorelei’s name comes from German folklore. The Lorelei is a famous siren whose song lured sailors to wreck on the rocks of the Rhine River. I reshaped the legend into a character bound by dark magic who had to reclaim her own voice.
Ewan MacDougall is Brielle’s son. Brielle was the heroine of Stone of Love, the very first book in the series. Writing her son’s story in Stone of Faith felt like coming full circle in the saga. He also has a twin sister, Evie from Stone of Doubt, book 5 Stones of Iona Series. The name Ewan comes from the MacDougall family tree.
The ghostly crew has historical roots. I researched privateers and pirate lore from the 17th century and blended it with Celtic myth to create Ewan’s spectral sailors—men cursed to roam the seas until their captain finds redemption. Ewan’s crew are sailors who served his ancestors.
The Kópakonan statue—The Seal Woman—in Mikladalur, on the island of Kalsoy in the Faroe Islands inspired Lorelie’s character. The sculpture shows a selkie caught in that haunting moment of transformation, stepping out of her seal skin beside the sea. It’s beautiful and tragic at the same time, because it captures both freedom and vulnerability.
When I first saw images of that statue, I thought of Lorelei. She, too, is trapped between worlds—bound by dark magic to serve another’s will, yet aching to reclaim her true self. The power of that image, a woman caught in the act of shedding her chains and choosing her own form, became a touchstone for how I wrote Lorelei. She isn’t just a siren with a beautiful voice; she’s a woman fighting for her freedom, her family, and the right to love on her own terms.
“Come lass, let me hold ye.” Ewan sat and settled her onto his lap. He took her in his arms, and she rested her head on his shoulder like she had when they lay side by side before. She hummed without magic as he rocked her a bit, content in his care.
“My da holds my ma this way when she’s sad.” He squeezed her once. “My ma says his care chases her tears away.” Lorelei exhaled, thinking of home and her people.
The humans were so different. “What is your family like?”
Ewan chuckled. “A pain in the ass sometimes.” She sensed a teasing manner in his response. He took a deep breath and let it out. “Loving, caring, kind people they are.” He chortled. “I have a sister, a twin. We got into so much trouble when we were young.” A whisper tickled her ear. “Still do.” She smirked, thinking of her eleven sisters and all the antics they pulled in their youth.
The teasing reminded her that Ewan had mentioned someone earlier. “Who’s Mrs. A? Your mother?”
Ewan grunted. “She acts like it, but no. She’s the housekeeper, but more than that. She’s family.”
The way he said that word family seemed to resonate in his soul. His feelings reached her, what the meaning that the word was to him. Sure, in her realm, she had her sisters and her father. But the way Ewan spoke of his. The way his emotions vibrated, spoke of so much more. She craved that—wanted more than anything to have someone feel that way about her and her about him.
Ewan sat back till their gazes came even. “Ah, see, lass.” His thumb skimmed her cheek. “No more tears. That’s how I like to see yer face, Lorelei, tearless.”
Previous books in the series, Stone of Love, book 1, Brielle and Colin’s 18th century Scottish story. Stone of Fear, Book 2, Marie and John’s 13th century Scottish story. Stone of Lust, Book 3, Ainslie and Rannick’s Viking tale. Thistle in the Mistletoe featuring a couple in the past from Stone of Love.
Next in the series: Holly and Ivy, a Christmas companion book. Stone of Faith, book 6. Stone of Destiny, book 7. Evergreen Evermore, a Christmas companion book.
This series leads into another connected series, Dragons of Tantallon, a dragon-shapeshifter series revolving around the magic Iona Stones.
Margaret Izard is a multi-award-winning author of historical fantasy and paranormal romance novels. She spent her early years through college to adulthood dedicated to dance, theater, and performing. Over the years, she developed a love for great storytelling in different mediums. She does not waste a good story, be it movement, the spoken, or the written word. She discovered historical romance novels in middle school, which combined her passion for romance, drama, and fantasy. She writes exciting plot lines, steamy love scenes and always falls for a strong male with a soft heart. She lives in Houston, Texas, with her husband and adult triplets and loves to hear from readers.
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Thank you so much for featuring STONE OF FAITH today.
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