Reviewer: Robyn Roberts
Title: Surrender - First in MacKinnon Brothers Trilogy
Author: Pamela Clare
Publisher: Dorchester Publishing
ISBN: 0-8439-5488-4
Release Date: March 2006
Genre/Sub-genre: Historical Romance
Year/Setting: 1758, New York Frontier
Overall rating: 4.5
Sexual content rating: Subtle/Sensual
Language (profanity) rating: Mild/Moderate
Pamela's Website:
www.pamelaclare.com
I don’t know about you, but I’m a real sucker for a Scottish warrior in a kilt. Something about that makes me want to fly through time and space to be his captive. I was pleasantly surprised by the character of Iian MacKinnon and finding out about his Scottish background. Here’s a warrior who has been banished from Scotland to the "new British colonies" (America) and is living with his brothers in the New York colony. He’s a fair man who will help out the underdog. Unfortunately, his helpful spirit and ability to win fights catches the eye of a British Lord who is in charge of battles in the colonies. Lord William "encourages" Iian to join the Ranger Corps and help lead the British to victory over the French. (We’re in the 7 year war that eventually turns into the American Revolution.) I’ll let you see the kind of persuasion Lord William uses. Iian’s two brothers join him as Rangers and they work for the British trying to get the war over so they can go back to farming. They have help from the Muhheconneok Indians, who have adopted Iian and his brothers as part of their tribe.
Now, when such an honorable man stumbles across a scene where a beautiful Scottish woman is about to be raped and killed by the Abenaki Indians who are the French scouts. Something in her refusal to quit in the midst of an outnumbered fight. He breaks every Ranger rule to try to save her life. After saving her, what to do with her? She’s out of her head with fear, cold and shock. So he starts carrying her through the wilderness towards the fort.
As they get to know each other, she becomes a bigger and bigger mystery. Why would such an apparently gentle born woman be in the colonies working as almost a slave for her aunt and uncle? She is trying to hide the fact that her devious uncle, had her branded a thief and sent her as a slave to the colonies. Especially when she starts to realize that her savior is really the one and same man as the barbarian who killed her father and brothers back in Scotland. They are on opposite sides of the Scottish war. She’s from the accepted ruling lineage and he’s the barbarian. But, the barbarian seems to be so nice all the time. How do you reconcile the two images of the same man?
I don’t want to give away too much of the suspense involved with them getting to the fort. I’ll let you in on the secret that they do make it to the fort, only to find all kinds of other dangers lying in wait for them. Will they ever acknowledge their feelings for each other? Can either one finally tell the truth to the other?
Ms. Clare writes a compelling story that I found difficult to set aside. I was totally submerged in the characters and the story through the very end. I’m anxiously awaiting the next two novels where we will learn more about Iian’s brothers.
Robyn
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