Defiant (MacKinnon's Rangers, Book 3) [Mass Market Paperback]

Pamela Clare (Author)

Book Description

Release date: July 3, 2012 | Series: A MacKinnon's Rangers Novel (Book 3)

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 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. 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.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for the MacKinnon’s Rangers Novels

“[A] lush historical romance.”—Publishers Weekly

“Sizzling sensuality, touching emotions and great historical detail…Magnificent.”—Fresh Fiction  

From the Back Cover

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 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. 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.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Berkley; 1st edition (July 3, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425246116
• ISBN-13: 978-0425246115
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 4.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (57 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #178,848 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Colorado author Pamela Clare began her writing career as a columnist and investigative reporter and eventually became the first woman editor-in-chief of two different newspapers. Along the way, she and her team won numerous state and national honors, including the National Journalism Award for Public Service and the Keeper of the Flame Lifetime Achievement Award. A single mother with two college-aged sons, she writes historical romance and contemporary romantic suspense within view of the beautiful Rocky Mountains.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Love Story July 3, 2012

By Hesperia Loves Books

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Alright folks, I think that it is time to clear the air, set the record straight & come out of the closet. I've been hiding too long and I can't deny my true feelings any longer....I don't like Historical Romance. I know, I know, it's horrible and I know you're asking yourself "WTH is she doing reviewing this book if she doesn't like Historicals?" My answer is two words - PAMELA CLARE!! She was able to make this hard-core Contemporary/Erotica/PNR genre fan fall so in love with a Historical, that I placed it on my 2012 Favorite Reads list. After reading Defiant, I can now say that I no longer dislike Historicals....as long as the author is Pamela ;)

Defiant is third story in the MacKinnon's Rangers series and one of the most beautiful & touching love stories that I've ever had the pleasure to read. Connor & Lady Sarah's love is fierce, hungry, compassionate, understanding & all consuming. Connor never imagined falling for the niece of the man he hates the most in this world. Sarah never imagined having to go through the horrors that she experienced in the wild. Together, they are the balm that each needs to quiet the pain & hurt of their pasts.

Pamela Clare is a master at story-telling and sucked me in from the first page. Her imagery & stunning prose drew me back in time to the 1700's and I didn't want to come back. My usual turn off's to Historicals were immediately quieted and instead helped me visualize myself in Lady Sarah's shoes. The heartache and pain that she suffered living during a time where her wants & wishes were ignored, being considered second class just because she was female, the fear of being married to someone who only saw her as a means to gain more coin & never knowing anything beyond what her parents thought acceptable. I was propelled into the story and I became Sarah. I felt her every emotion - despair, joy, pain, bewilderment, wonder, lust, love & resignation. She had a quiet strength but that did not diminish its power and made me respect & admire her all the more.

Connor was just extraordinary. What started with his need to protect & save, quickly became his salvation. He fell for the one person he could never have, protected her & saw to her every need and want with a compassion that was rivaled by none. He showed Sarah all the beauty that his love could give her, even knowing that he would not get to keep her with him. His struggle with his need for revenge, the all consuming love he felt for Sarah, the despair he felt having to give Sarah up and his fierce need to protect had me bawling like a baby and is what truly made this story magic for me.

I will not go into plot, storyline or give away any spoilers to ruin the experience for you. This is one of those books that makes you want to hurry to the next page to find out what happens next but then makes you beg for it never to end.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is EPIC and I LOVED it! July 3, 2012

By Under The Covers Book Blog

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Defiant
Reviewed by Angela & posted at Under the Covers Book Blog

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' camaraderie were definitely awe inspiring. 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

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning, heart wrenching, jaw dropping, a must read! July 3, 2012

By Kati

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

***original review posted at Romancing Rakes For The Love of Romance***

Confession: I haven't gotten around to reading the first 2 MacKinnon's Rangers books *ducks head and waits for tomahawks to be brandished...only hears crickets* but Connor's book was Ah-Maze-Ing. Where do I even begin?

Top 7 Reasons to Read Defiant:
1. You've been waiting what seems like FOREVER to find out what happens to the youngest MacKinnon brother. This is the stunning, heart wrenching, totally jaw dropping conclusion to this trilogy. You don't want to miss it!

2. Connor MacKinnon is one headstrong, fierce, loyal and totally fearless man. He not only gets the best lines but he's willing to bring back Wentworth's niece even if he hates Wenthworth. Plus, after Pamela's uber sexy pictures from the trailer shoot, I can only imagine Connor as THAT guy in the pictures. *sigh*

3. Sarah Woodville is such an amazing character. She's been cast out of London by her parents due to a horrific, totally untrue scandal, sent to live with a governor who doesn't give one whit about her, tries to make her way to see her uncle Wentworth only to watch her companions die and almost forced to become the wife to a cruel Indian (Katakwa) and ends up getting rescued by Connor only to give up her virtue. If that description there doesn't make you want to see how she copes with all this, then I don't know what will.

4. Wentworth is such a totally hateable character (yup, just made that word up) yet his niece's plight shows a side of him that readers have never seen before. He actually has a heart and cares enough to send his best man--even if he doesn't like him--to rescue her. Wentworth's behavior in the end just sent me over the edge. Your jaw will drop. Seriously.

5. Joseph is Connor's brother from another mother. He sometimes acts as Connor's conscience and at times made me laugh with some quotable lines. Dear Pamela Clare, could Joseph please have a novella of his own? Please oh please?

6. The live action book trailer. I am a very shallow girl. It is simply awesome and I just cannot even begin to express into words how much I love it. I've watched it at least 20 times before the publishing of this review.

7. This: "She, Lady Sarah Woodville, great-grandaughter of His Majesty King George II, was in love with Connor McKinnon, colonial Ranger and son of Jacobites." *dies*

Favorite Quote:
Connor glared at Joseph. "We were attacked! What would you have me tell the Abenaki? 'I cannae fight just now. I'm makin' candy. Would you like a wee taste?'"

Overall: Oh Pamela Clare, you've done me in. I need to find time to read Iain and Morgan's books. Defiant had me running through the emotional spectrum. I laughed so hard at some of Connor's lines that I startled myself. I teared up when Sarah saw the Indians sewing her traveling companion's scalps to a wooden hoop. My heart broke for Sarah and Connor as they struggled to get away from the Mequachake Shawnee Indians even going as far as having to consummate their marriage in front of a tribe member so it would be legit. Defiant is utterly devastating, simply stunning, heartbreaking and absolutely jaw dropping. It will move you like no other romance and open you up to the real horrors of the Colonial frontier. Pamela Clare has done her research and it definitely shows. For all MacKinnon's Rangers fans, this is the conclusion you have been waiting for and you won't be disappointed. You might throw your book at the wall a few times but in the end, Ms. Clare deserves a standing ovation. Oh and Hollywood? I would love it if you made this series into a movie or miniseries. It's worthy of major screen time. Heck, you can even cast the guys from the book trailer to be two of your leads.

***Review copy provided by author. Pre-ordered a copy.***