The Flame and the Sword by Sandra Gharabaghli

Their love burned brighter than the flame from the forge and stronger than the steel of his sword.

Elayne was a gifted blacksmith, and Cailean was a mighty MacPherson warrior and the laird’s son. Despite the vast differences in their stations in life, Cailean loved Elayne fiercely. How would it ever be possible for him to claim her as his wife?
At age five, Elayne’s parents and brother were brutally murdered and their castle set ablaze. Survivors were brought to the MacPherson clan. Apprenticed to the blacksmith, Elayne labored at the forge but yearned for more. Cailean spied Elayne, a young girl, attacking a tree with a sword. Intrigued by her determination, strong desire to learn, and keen intellect, he became her teacher and opened the world to her. Secretly meeting for years, they were separated by station, duties, and battles. At every turn, they faced seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

Captivated by Elayne’s beauty and grace as she grew into a woman, Cailean searched to determine if Elayne was the daughter of the murdered Laird Grant. When Cailean is thrown in the dungeon of a rival clan, it seems their love is doomed to failure. Yet their love was a beacon of hope in their darkest hour. Will true love prevail?

This steamy romance includes alpha males, strong heroine, assumed identity, forced proximity, and friends to lovers.