Customer Reviews

Mackenzie's Mountain

5 star:		(52)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Wolf is a fantastic hero. He's strong, capable, and reserved. He's also very sexy! Mary is a dedicated schoolteacher. She is not gorgeous or flashy, but she is very determined. She is exactly what Wolf and his son Joe need. Mary wants to help Joe finish his education and try to get into the Air Force Academy. She also wants Wolf! Although she is innocent, she is irresitibly drawn to him. Wolf is the one holding back because of his past and his indian blood. When he finally unleashes his passion on Mary, she is overwhelmed. These two strike sparks! This is a fantastic intoduction to the Mackenzie family. Thoroughly entertaining!

I came to the MacKenzie Family saga backwards - I purchased the combined stories of Zane and Maris in MACKENZIE'S PLEASURE and MACKENZIE'S MAGIC, liked what I read, looked at the list of her prior books, and started hunting for them. I found a well-thumbed copy of MACKENZIE'S MISSION in the paperback section of my local library, but I could not locate MACKENZIE'S MOUNTAIN until its reissue this month, despite looking for at least a year...I snapped it up!

Wolf Mackenzie is the premier male lead character - a powerful, mysterious, sensual, and flawed Viet Nam veteran (yes, he's very domineering - all in character, I suppose). Mary Potter is a wonderful foil - unattractive except to Wolf, cerebral, unaffectedly honest to a fault, and, fortunately, willing to tolerate Wolf's less endearing qualities. Their relationship unfolds with Ms. Howard's trademark sizzle-factor, but not too unbelievably fast (as is unfortunately the case in many other books of this genre). I'm hooked on this family's adventures, and now that I've read the foundation story of Wolf and Mary, I plan on rereading the later ones for a fresh perspective.

I did get confused on the time line for all three stories. I couldn't figure out how there was time to let two decades elapse betwen this story and MACKENZIE'S PLEASURE, so that Joe would be well into his middle age by then. Joe was born during the Viet Nam war, and by my calculations, he couldn't have been as old as he was portrayed, so some kind of reference date for MACKENZIE'S MOUNTAIN would have helped. Oh, well, it's fiction anyway.

Wolf MacKenzie's story of falling for a 'mousy school' teacher is probably more realistic than many of us would like to believe. Having just finished a course of History of the 60's I understand more and more how small towns and America have grown up. This book gives a reader a very good idea of the prejudices and small-mindedness that haunts small towns. It also shows that love can overcome and heal many of the wounds that are caused by these frailties of the human race. Wolf is a warrior and his life has carried many battle scars that soften and allow a 'mousy schoolteacher' to worm her way under his skin and into his heart. The saga of the Mackenzie family is a wonderful story of love and those special men and women who find their way into the other's heart.

How can you tell when a book is a classic? Let me put it to you this way....How many people do you know can quote the first line from a specific book ~ verbatim?? This book has the distinction of being consistently voted as one of the Top Ten books of all time by romance readers.

Mackenzie Mountain has all the elements of a classic romance novel. A Great plot, snappy dialogue, plus an alpha male hero and his fiesty heroine, and those intensely sensous love scenes. Wolf Mackenzie is an outcast, who had been wrongfully imprisoned for a crime he did not commit. He now lives with his son, Joe, on Mackenzie Mountain and has a wary truce with the townspeople. Of course that is until Mary Elizabeth Potter ,a spinster school teacher, arrives. As their attraction for each other grows into love; a dangerous force is ready to tear them apart forever...

Linda Howard fans abound and for good reason. Inspite of her well deserved rise to hardback publication. She has continued this classic with sucessive stories of the Mackenzies. They are Mackenzie Mission, Mackenzie Pleasure, Mackenzie Magic, and what she states as her last, A Game of Chance. Read them all! Then prepare yourself to join the legion of Linda Howard fans that beg for more!!!

In my opinion, this is the best series romance ever written. It has everything - innocence, compassion, caring, concern, sacrifice of self, support, and most of all, an incredible love between Wolf and Mary. I only wish that all of Ms. Howard's (and other writers as well) had this kind of strong relationship, respect for each other and emotion.

If you have never read this book, beg or borrow it from someone and keep an eye out for a reprint or used copy for yourself. This is one to keep and read again and again, esp. when your world looks gray; this one will lift your spirits and give you hope again. A rousing 5 stars, (which I never give) to Ms. Howard for this fabulous story!

Chance MacKenzie's story will be released in August, 2000 as a Silhouette Intimate Moment entitled "A Game of Chance". Also, MIRA Books will reissue Joe's story "MacKenzie's Mission" in July, 2000. Let's hope Linda is back to stay at Silhouette.

Wolf MacKenzie. Mary Potter. Joe MacKenzie.

Wolf is part Native American and part Scot, and has grown up with the prejudices offered by all peoples. He has never had anything easy in his life. He was convicted and served time for a crime he didn't commit. He lost his son, Joe, for the time he was in prison. Wolf managed to buy a ranch, and is sought out for his abilities with horses.

Mary grew up in a strictly moral, old-fashioned household, having been raised by a spinster aunt. She considered herself non-discript, mousey, uninteresting, and plain. She's a school teacher. She comes to Wyoming from the deep South, and is unprepared for the weather, the culture, and people of her new home.

Joe has a deep desire to be a pilot in the USAF, but doesn't even consider this a possibility...until Mary comes to town.

This is one of the most intense love stories I have ever read. I was fulfilled on all levels. The characters are three dimensional, full of life, and are like old friends. I have lost count of how many times I have read this story.

This is not one of the new breed of romance/suspense novels. Although there is some suspense and a bad guy in this work, the main focus is on the building of a family, with Wolf, Mary, and Joe.

Read it. You won't be disappointed.

This book is the one that starts the whole Mackenzie saga off. It all that you need to keep you believing in love and that it does conquer all that stand in it's way. The way Linda Howard really bring the characters to life that you would think they exist. This book stole my heart from day one and still remains one of my favourites to this day.

Okay, so maybe I am a little mad - but I really enjoyed these stories - but then I'm a MacKenzie groupie. Linda, hope you have the next three stories ready - Josh, Mike and Chance are crying out to be written. Believe me, I'll be among the first to buy them.

I love this book. It is a definite 'keeper' in my opinion. The heroine, Mary, was a great match for Wolf. I thought DREAM MAN was my favorite Linda Howard book, but now it's #2 after MACKENZIE'S MOUNTAIN. Well, I'm off to read about Wolf's son, Joe, in MACKENZIE'S MISSION!