Ravishing Romances: Defiant, The MacKinnon's Rangers Trilogy (by Pamela Clare)

Pamela Clare to appear on Ravishing Romances tomorrow!

Defiant rating: 5 stars

Release Date: July 3, 2012

MacKinnon's Rangers Trilogy rating: N/A (haven't read them all)

"Defiant" is the third and final book of The MacKinnon's Rangers Trilogy.

It can be read as a stand-alone novel.

How are the sex scenes?

This has never been hard to answer before. They're so different. Yes, there is sex. No, it's not BDSM. One scene has dark undertones, another is sad because of what it symbolizes, another is shocking because of what they do...so, varied?

The sex contributes to the story. What they do in the bedroom isn't just part of the plot, many times it IS the plot.

How are the story lines?

Better than the sex scenes. Amazing, shocking, sad, inspiring, nail biting...

Would you read it again?

I've purchased the entire series for that purpose.

Summary

Defiant is a 1760 historical romance located near Albany, New York during The French and Indian War.

Lord William Wentworth sends his greatest enemy - and best Ranger - Major Connor MacKinnon to rescue his niece Lady Sarah Woodville from the Shawnee Indians. When Sarah is found, Connor must watch Sarah endure torture before he can negotiate her release.

Negotiations fail, and Connor challenges Sarah's to-be Shawnee husband to a fight to the death for her hand. Regardless of the outcome, the Shawnee leader promises there will be a wedding and that the midwife will witness its consummation.

Review

Defiant. Wow.

I get that "wow" isn't much of a review, but that is my first reaction as I sit here to write.

The first time I read Defiant I was shocked by the Shawnee tribe's brutality. They burned people. They scalped people. They stole women and kept or discarded them at will. It's tragic. It's accurate...and they weren't the only ones who did it.

As Pamela Clare has pointed out, historical romance fans don't read novels about the French and Indian War. They read Georgian Era stories, London-based and full of ballgowns.

Defiant isn't your carriage ride in the park, sleep until early afternoon novel.

But it is your what happens to a highborn Lady banished from the ton novel.

In the midst of scandal, Lady Sarah Woodville is sent from London to New York where she writes a pleading letter to her uncle. Her uncle responds, asking she travel to meet him at Fort Edward. During that journey she is abducted by the Shawnee tribe. This is where Chapter One begins.

Sarah's hands are bound and she is terrified, surrounded by Indians whom she cannot understand. A pampered Lady of the ton is not bred to survive as a prisoner, but Sarah lives. Bravely. She endures running the gauntlet, walks amongst the Shawnees naked, accepts a forced marriage and then evades her captors all to be brought to her uncle where she must pretend nothing happened.

And her story's just getting started.

Connor MacKinnon is no stranger to the series, but Defiant shows him from a different perspective. The Epilogue tells Wentworth's "recruitment" of the brothers through Connor's eyes and explains his intense hatred - making the love between Sarah (Wentworth's beloved niece) and Connor that much more forbidden.

Defiant takes violence, acceptance of a sad fate, war, racism and hatred and creates a stunning, touching romance. The support Connor receives from his family - despite his prior mistakes - is heartwarming. The loyalty Connor's Chief extends to both him and Sarah defines trust and friendship.

Clare writes villains who aren't entirely evil and heroes are not blemish free.

Defiant delivers a blunt death to childish romantic notions and is the saving grace for all imperfect beginnings.

The other side of Georgian Era romance has never looked so good.

Read The MacKinnon's Rangers Trilogy

Surrender;

Untamed; and

Defiant.

Learn more about Pamela Clare and her upcoming titles on her website, blog, Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads.