Winterblaze (48 page)

To me there’s nothing sexier than a strong, handsome hunk with a soft spot for kids and animals. That’s why, in Book 3 of my Wyoming Sky series, I decided that my hero, Jake Conway, would be a veterinarian, as well as the town heartthrob. Now, who could I choose to play the love interest of a charming cowboy who has all the females from sixteen to sixty sighing? Why not a smart, cool, sophisticated, Washington, D.C. lawyer who looks, as Jake describes her, “as out of place as a prom dress at a rodeo”? Better yet, just to throw Meg Stanford even more off her stride, why not add a surprise half-brother with whom she has absolutely nothing in common?

I had such fun watching these two try every possible way to deny the attraction.

But there’s so much more to their story than a hot romance. There’s also the fact that someone wants
to harm Meg and her little half-brother. And what about the mystery that has haunted the Conway family for twenty-five years? The disappearance of Seraphine, mother of Quinn, Josh, and Jake, chronicled in Books 1 and 2, will finally be resolved in Book 3.

In writing the stories of Quinn, Josh, and Jake, I completely lost my heart to this strong, loving family, and I confess I had mixed emotions as I wrote the final chapter.

I hope all of my readers will enjoy the journey. I guarantee you a bumpy but exhilarating ride.

RyanLangan.com

Twitter, @RuthRyanLangan

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Ilysa is in love with her older brother’s best friend. Sad to say, the lass doesn’t have a chance with him.

As her clan chieftain, Connor MacDonald is the sixteenth-century Highland equivalent of a pro quarterback, movie star, Special Forces hero, and CEO all rolled into one. And the handsome, black-haired warrior never even noticed Ilysa
before
his unexpected rise to the chieftainship.

Other women, who are always attempting to lure Connor into bed—and failing, by the way—are drawn to him by his status, handsome face, and warrior’s body. While no lass with a pulse could claim to be unaffected by Connor’s devastating looks, Ilysa loves him for his noble heart. Connor MacDonald would give his life for the lowliest member of their clan, and Ilysa would give hers for him.

Connor MacDonald is the hope of his clan, a burden that weighs upon every decision he makes. Since becoming chieftain, he has devoted himself to raising his people from the ashes. With the help of his cousins (in
The Guardian
and
The Sinner
) and his best friend (in
The Warrior),
he has survived murder attempts by his own kin, threats from royals and rebels, and attacks by other clans. Now all that remains to secure his clan’s future is to take back the lands that were stolen by the powerful MacLeods.

Through the first three books in The Return of the Highlander series, Ilysa has worked quietly and efficiently behind the scenes to support Connor and the clan. None of her efforts has made him look at her twice. Clearly, it’s time for me to step in and give Connor a shake.

The poor lass does need help. Her mother thought she was protecting Ilysa in a violent world by covering her in severe kerchiefs and oversized gowns and admonishing her to never draw attention to herself. Ilysa’s brief marriage left her feeling even less appealing.

But Ilysa underestimates her worth. After all, who helped our returning heroes in
The Guardian
sneak into the castle the night they took it from Connor’s murderous uncle? And who healed Connor’s wounds and brought him back from death’s door? Even now, while Connor fights to protect the clan, Ilysa is willing to employ a bit of magic to protect him, whether from the threat of an assassin or a deceitful woman with silver-blue eyes.

Unfortunately, Ilysa’s chances grow more dismal still when Connor decides he must marry to gain an ally for the clan’s coming fight with the MacLeods. As I watched him consider one chieftain’s daughter after another, I knew not one of them was the right wife for him or the clan. What our chieftain needs is a woman who can heal the wounds of his heart—and watch his back.

But Connor is no fool. With a little prodding, he finally opened his eyes and saw that Ilysa is the woman he wants. Passion burns! Yay! However, my relief is short lived because the stubborn man is determined to put the needs of the clan before his own desires. Admirable as that may be, I can’t let him marry the wrong woman, can I?

Despite
all
my efforts, I fear Connor will lose everything before he realizes that love is the strongest ally.
With Ilysa’s life and his clan’s future hanging by a thread, will he be too late to save them?

I hope you enjoy the adventurous love story of Connor and Ilysa. I’ve found it hard to say goodbye to them and this series.

You can find me on Facebook, Twitter, and my website,
www.MargaretMallory.com
. I love to hear from readers!

My latest novel, HEART OF THE DEMON, takes two of my favorite preternaturals—demon and fey—and puts them together. Tough guy Finn Evnissyen has met his match in Keira O’Brien!

I come by my fascination with the fey honestly. My family came to America from Donegal, Ireland, in 1795 and settled in the verdant hills of West Virginia. One item on my bucket list is to get to Donegal and see how many relatives still live there.

My fascination with demons, I guess, has its roots in my religious upbringing. Just as I have with vampires and werewolves, I’ve turned something considered wicked into
someone wickedly hawt! I hope after reading HEART OF THE DEMON you’ll agree.

To help me along, my Pandora account certainly got its workout with this book. From my Filmscore station that played scores from
Iron Man, Sherlock Holmes,
and
Halo 3
; to my metal station that rocked out with Metallica, Ozzy Osbourne, and Rob Zombie; to my Celtic punk station that rolled with the Dropkick Murphys, Mumford & Sons, and Flatfoot 56, I had plenty of inspiration to help me write.

I have a more complete playlist on my website extras page, plus a detailed organizational chart of the Council and their liaisons.