ARC Review: Defiant by Pamela Clare

Defiant

by Pamela Clare

(MacKinnon's Rangers # 3)

I have to be honest, I have finished this book a few weeks back but procrastinated on writing the review. I feared that no amount of words would explain my feelings about this book. I know this to be true, so, I will keep it simple. This book is EPIC and I LOVED it!!!

Connor is the third, youngest and the last Mackinnon brother to work for Lord William Wentworth during the French/British and Indian war. Still under Wentworth’s blackmail, Connor and his close friend Joseph were sent on a mission. They were to rescue Lady Sarah from the Swanee Indians and if needed by all means necessary. Despite Connor’s hate for Wentworth, his loyalty to his brothers and the rangers has him following orders. And as it goes; everything happens for a reason…he meets Sarah, the very uptight Lady who will change his life forever.

Sarah, has inadvertently caused a scandal for her family and herself. As a last resort, she is headed to see her uncle William for advice. But on her long journey, she is taken for the pure reason of retribution. Sadly, it is one of the unavoidable tragedies of any war.

Connor and Sarah's coming together were not at the most romantic but despite the terrible consequence their love for each other just came through for them.

The love, devotion and hard work that were put in to this book shows with every page that was written. The research and the knowledge of the time setting are detailed and well incorporated into the story. But what drew me in is the empathy I felt while I read this book. I practically TRAVELED BACK IN TIME! I saw their surroundings in detail. I saw what the characters were doing and felt their emotions as if I were there. I remember Sarah’s fear and pain when the Indians captured her. I even felt the pain and understood the reasons of the Swanee’s hatred. Connors bravery and love for Sarah was sigh inducing. Joseph friendship and the Ranger/Mckinnon brothers' comraderie were definitely awe inpiring. Wenworths dichotomy of hate and love towards the brothers…well, now that, is exactly what I felt for him. I hated him with a passion and loved him for what he truly is, deep, deep, deep inside. Though this is the third of the trilogy, I am hopeful that this is not the last we see of the MacKinnons. I certainly would like to know more of Lord Wentworth and Joseph. 

*ARC provided by author

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Eagerly Awaiting...

Karen Marie Moning released this on her Facebook page. Yeah, it's blog-worthy because I am so damn eager for this book to come out! Behold...

"From #1 New York Times bestselling author Karen Marie Moning comes the first book in her hotly anticipated new urban paranormal trilogy, set in the world of her blockbuster Fever series.

The year is 1 AWC—After the Wall Crash. The Fae are free and hunting us. It’s a war zone out there, and no two days are alike. I’m Dani O’Malley, the chaos-filled streets of Dublin are my home, and there’s no place I’d rather be.

Dani “Mega” O’Malley plays by her own set of rules—and in a world overrun by Dark Fae, her biggest rule is: Do what it takes to survive. Possessing rare talents and the all-powerful Sword of Light, Dani is more than equipped for the task. In fact, she’s one of the rare humans who can defend themselves against the Unseelie. But now, amid the pandemonium, her greatest gifts have turned into serious liabilities.

Dani’s ex–best friend, MacKayla Lane, wants her dead, the terrifying Unseelie princes have put a price on her head, and Inspector Jayne, the head of the police force, is after her sword and will stop at nothing to get it. What’s more, people are being mysteriously frozen to death all over the city, encased on the spot in sub-zero, icy tableaux.

When Dublin’s most seductive nightclub gets blanketed in hoarfrost, Dani finds herself at the mercy of Ryodan, the club’s ruthless, immortal owner. He needs her quick wit and exceptional skill to figure out what’s freezing Fae and humans dead in their tracks—and Ryodan will do anything to ensure her compliance.

Dodging bullets, fangs, and fists, Dani must strike treacherous bargains and make desperate alliances to save her beloved Dublin—before everything and everyone in it gets iced."

PRE-ORDER NOW

You know you want to!

Iced by Karen Marie Moning

Charged with a crime they didn’t commit, the MacKinnon brothers faced a death sentence until they agreed to serve the British Crown in the Colonies and take up arms against the French. Allied with the Indian tribes who lived beside them in the wilderness, the Scottish Highland warriors forged a new breed of soldier…

MacKinnon’s Rangers 

Major Connor MacKinnon despises his commander, Lord William Wentworth, beyond all other men. Ordered to rescue Wentworth’s niece after the Shawnee take her captive, he expects Lady Sarah Woodville to be every bit as arrogant and contemptible as her uncle. Instead, he finds a brave and beautiful lass in desperate peril. But the only way to free Sarah is for Connor to defeat the Shawnee warrior who kidnapped her—and claim her himself.

Torn by tragedy from her sheltered life in London, Lady Sarah is unprepared for the harshness of the frontier—or for the attraction she feels toward Connor as he guides her first through the consummation of their forced union and then through the dangers of the wilderness. When they reach civilization, however, it is she who must protect him. For if her uncle knew all that Connor had done to save her, he would surely kill him.

But the flames of passion, once kindled, are difficult to deny. As desire transforms into love, Connor will have to defy an empire to keep Sarah at his side.  

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Defiant by Pamela Clare

ARC Review: Untamed by Pamela Clare

4.5 Feathers

Untamed

by Pamela Clare

(MacKinnon’s Rangers # 2)

Morgan MacKinnon, Brother to Ian and Connor, found himself taking charge of the Rangers after his eldest brother Ian received his release from service to live with his wife Annie.

As the war between the French, British and Abanaki Indians continues, so does Morgan’s service to the British Commander Lord William Wentworth. In one of his missions, he was captured and tortured by the French soldiers. He found himself at the mercy of a French/Abanaki woman who will care for him and eventually fall in love with him.

Amalie Chauvenet is the daughter a French Commander, who was recently killed. She found herself taking care of Morgan who could very well be the killer of her father. However, as a true Catholic, she is compelled to care for Morgan and even to a point of protecting him.

A true survival of the fittest, both H/h will have to make choices that will test their loyalties, beliefs and, in the process, falling in love.

We see a good amount of Ian, Annie, Joseph, Connor and Wentworth, which I truly enjoyed. It is nice to see how the books in this series are well connected and we get to see a good amount of the characters from book one.

This colonial period love story is NOT to be missed. I was enthralled with the love story between Morgan and Amalie. It is always the most satisfying when the H/h has to make hard choices just to be with their newly found love. And even more rewarding when you see them get their HEA.

The 3rd book DEFIANT of MacKinnon’s Rangers is to be released July 3rd, 2012

Note: Here’s a vid from Ms. Clare herself on her Trip to Ranger Island and Fort Elizabeth, present time. Morgan and the Rangers are not there. =( 

Ms. Clare’s Blog: click here

*******P.S. Morgan is a BIG guy….Just sayin’.*********

*ARC provided by publisher

Purchase Links: Amazon

Review: Surrender by Pamela Clare

 

 

Surrender 

(MacKinnon's Rangers # 1)

by Pamela Clare

Historical Romance

Iain, a roughened Highlander and his brothers Morgan and Conner are forced to serve in the British Army against the French and their allies. If they refuse, they forfeit their freedom and are condemned for a crime they did not commit. Left with no choice, Iain enslaves his life and his brother’s until the war ends.

But it is this decision that brings him to Annie Burns Campbell, a woman whose past is a rough and complicated one. When Annie oversees something that she is not supposed to, her Uncle Bain does everything in his power to punish her for it. Annie endures much more than a woman should, barely getting away with her life countless times and being branded as a reminder for her mistakes.

Although I slept through most of American History in my high school days, I found that Surrender was built on adrenaline. Terrible things occur, but it’s successful in driving the book forward. You can’t help but feel for the characters who endure so much during the war. Annie has a courage that is unshakeable and I really admired that.

But Iain is the reason why I loved this book so much. He has such honor and courage, always putting himself before his men or his woman. It was such an endearing quality. And paired with his roughness and dominant nature, he was the whole package that I wanted to tie up and take home with me!

If you liked this book, then you should definitely try out Maya Banks’s new Highlander trilogy. The first book of the series is called In Bed with a Highlander and I thought that Mairin, the heroine of that book shares a lot in common with Annie, especially her courage. If you're interested, you can find my review of In Bed with a Highlander here. 

I can't wait to delve into more of Clare's historical world. Rich with history and heart, I couldn't have expected less from a talented author as Clare.

 

 

 Purchase Links: Amazon