Where to Start with Ceci Giltenan
If you are new to the romantic worlds created by Ceci Giltenan, your ideal starting point depends on your favorite romance subgenre. For readers who love classic medieval Scottish historical romance, the best entry point is Highland Solution, the book that launches her signature Duncurra universe. If you prefer time-travel romance where modern career women find themselves swept back to the 13th century, you should start with The Pocket Watch, the first book in the Pocket Watch Chronicles.
The Duncurra Universe (Duncurra, Legacy, and Beyond)
The Duncurra books form a highly interconnected universe set in medieval Scotland. Characters grow, marry, and have children who later become the protagonists of subsequent series. To avoid spoilers and appreciate the family trees, reading these books in order is highly recommended.
1. The Duncurra Series (Highland Brides)
Originally published as the Highland Brides series, this trilogy introduces the MacIan clan and their struggle for survival, alliances, and love. While each book features a standalone romance, they are best read in order of publication to follow the overarching clan politics.
- Highland Solution (2013): The marriage of convenience between Niall MacIan and Lady Katherine Ruthven, designed to end a bitter feud.
- Highland Courage (2014): Connor MacIan's story as he struggles to balance his duty to his clan with his love for a woman from a rival family.
- Highland Intrigue (2014): Focuses on the challenges Duncurra faces from lingering outside threats and hidden betrayals.
2. The Duncurra Legacy Series
Set a generation later, the Duncurra Legacy series follows the children of the protagonists from the original Duncurra trilogy. It is highly recommended to read the original series first to fully appreciate the references to the parents' generation.
- Highland Redemption (2017): Also known as Tomas: A Highland Redemption, this story follows Niall and Katherine's son Tomas as he seeks redemption and unexpected love.
- A Wee Highland Predicament (2018): Follows the next generation of the clan as they navigate lighthearted adventures and high-stakes romantic tension.
3. Beyond Duncurra Series
This series expands the world to neighboring territories while maintaining the same rich atmosphere and historical details of the original Duncurra books.
- Highland Sins (2019): The story of Gennie MacDonnell and Aedan Munro, who must navigate the secrets of the past and a childhood betrothal.
The Pocket Watch Chronicles
The Pocket Watch Chronicles is a time-travel romance series featuring modern women who are transported back to 13th-century Scotland using a magical pocket watch. Many of the heroines have professional backgrounds in medicine—such as the obstetrician protagonist in The Midwife—drawing directly on Giltenan's real-life experience as an oncology nurse and medical writer.
Reading Order Advice: The author has explicitly stated that the Pocket Watch Chronicles are designed as standalone novels that can be read in any order. However, reading them in publication order is recommended to fully enjoy the recurring characters, family connections, and minor background cameos.
- The Pocket Watch (2014)
- The Midwife (2016)
- Once Found (2017)
- The Choice (2017)
- The Christmas Present (2017)
- Nothing to Lose (2017)
- What if I Fall (2017)
- The Gift (2018)
- Forever in My Heart (2020)
Fated Hearts Series
The Fated Hearts series is another set of medieval romances set in the Scottish Highlands, featuring intense clan rivalries, secret identities, and passionate romance.
- Highland Revenge (2015): A tale of vengeance and forbidden love in the Highlands.
- Highland Echoes (2015): Follows the resilient Grace Breive and Bram Sutherland as they face trials of trust.
- Highland Angels (2015): Concludes the main trilogy with another high-stakes romance.
Scrolls of Cridhe and Standalones
Scrolls of Cridhe Books
The Scrolls of Cridhe was a collaborative multi-author series set in medieval Scotland. Giltenan contributed to this shared universe, which is frequently listed alongside her solo series:
- Highland Flames; Guardians Of Cridhe (2015): A collaborative collection containing Giltenan's work.
- Highland Awakening (2015): Although frequently grouped with Giltenan's works on retail sites, this book was written by Kathryn Lynn Davis and published by Giltenan's independent company, Duncurra LLC.
Standalone Novels
- Trusting Tristan (2019): A contemporary billionaire romance set in Florida. This book was originally published under the pen name Lexi Hawthorne with the title Trust and Betrayal.
- The Lost Soul (2020): A standalone time-travel romance centering on a woman caught in a limbo state between life and death. While technically a standalone, it is highly recommended for fans of the Pocket Watch Chronicles due to its magical elements.