Book excerpt: Almond, Wild Almond is a romantic tale of a love in a war time, and it tells the story of Ranald Maclean and his beloved lady Bride Stewart, whose love gets disturbed by the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745. The storyline follows the exploits of Ranald Maclean before and after the battle of Culloden and his secret longings for his "Bride of the Gold" while struggling with his sense of honor. As he goes through numerous escapades on his thorny path, Ranald never stops worrying whether he will come back too late and see loved one gone, as she also struggles with various problems.