Reviewer: Casee
Untamed (MacKinnon's Rangers, #2) by Pamela Clare
Series: MacKinnon's Rangers #2
Also in this series: Untamed (MacKinnon's Rangers, #2)

Publication Date: January 1, 2008
Point-of-View: Third
Genres: Historical Romance
Pages: 347
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Series Rating:

In the breathtaking tradition of The Last of the Mohicans...

MacKinnon's Rangers

They were a band of brothers, their loyalty to one another forged by hardship and battle, the bond between these Highland warriors, rugged colonials, and fierce Native Americans stronger even than blood ties.

Though forced to fight for the hated British, Morgan MacKinnon would no more betray the men he leads than slit his own throat—not even when he was captured by the French and threatened with an agonizing death by fire at the hands of their Abenaki allies. Only the look of innocent longing in the eyes of a convent-bred French lass could make him question his vow to escape and return to the Rangers. And soon the sweet passion he awoke in Amalie had him cursing the war that forced him to choose between upholding his honor and pledging himself to the woman he loves.

I thought long and hard about what grade to give this book. After our Getting Back to Basics pledge, I’ve been very careful in the grades I give. 2009 has gotten off to a great start for me as far as reading goes. Still, until I read this book, there wasn’t a particular one that stood out and said “READ ME!”. I’ve read Pamela Clare since she came out with her first book. Her contemporaries are amazing and her historicals are just as amazing, but in a different way. There has been quite a wait between Surrender and Untamed, yet it was worth every.single.minute. I adored this book. That’s why it’s my first 5 of 2009.

As the Captain of the MacKinnon Rangers, Morgan can’t leave a man behind. Which is how he finds himself at the mercy of the French. Reviled by the French and Abernaki, Morgan knows that he’s going to meet a long and painful death. The last thing that Morgan expects to find while in French custody is Amalie Chauvenet. Morgan is drawn to her as he has been drawn to no other woman. He’s not the type to dwell upon what is, yet for the first time Morgan finds himself wishing that he could be fighting with the French against the British. Forced into service by Lord William Wentworth, Morgan and his men have a simple choice. Fight for the British or die by the noose.

Nothing in Amalie’s life prepared her for the vitality of Morgan MacKinnon. She knows he’s the enemy. She knows he led the men that eventually killed her beloved father. Yet as she nurses him back to health, she finds that she can’t hate him. Even more, she starts having feelings for the rugged Irish man. Amalie knows that she can’t bear watching Morgan be turned over to her Abernaki cousins only to be burned alive. She comes up with a daring idea of using Morgan as a spy for the French. To Amalie, it solves almost everything. Morgan won’t die and she can still be near him.

Pamela Clare did such a great job of getting Morgan’s feelings across. The last thing Morgan wants to do is fight with the British, yet his loyalty lies his men who have little choice. Morgan knows that Amalie is The One for him, but he also knows that they will never be together. In Morgan’s refusal to betray his men, he is betraying Amalie, something he knows she will never forgive.

Amalie was such a courageous heroine. She was raised in an Abbey, but willingly helps nurse wounded men and help anyone she can. Even after she learns of Morgan’s true intentions, she still can’t hate the man. Hating him for his fierce loyalty would be hating who he is, which is something she can’t do. She’s willing to do anything to be with this man she loves, even though they are technically against each other in the war.

This was an amazing love story. The odds were so against Morgan and Amalie being together, yet they wouldn’t give up. Even when it seemed like there was no hope, they both held onto their love. It sounds sort of cheesy, but it wasn’t. From cover to cover, this book was amazing.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

MacKinnon’s Rangers