REVIEW: The Stolen Mackenzie Bride by Jennifer Ashley

In The Stolen Mackenzie Bride (Mackenzies & McBrides #8) by Jennifer Ashley, Malcolm Mackenzie knew the moment he set eyes on Lady Mary Lennox that she would be his one day. And when Mal sets his sights on something, he always gets his way. Of course in turbulent times with the Jacobites threatening an uprising, he knows a Scotsman falling for an English lady is asking for trouble. Mal doesn’t realize, however, that he’ll have to wage wars and risk everything he has for his beloved lass.

Malcolm loaded his pistols, straightened his weapons, and made for the battlefield and the sounds of the pipers.
‘I love ye, Mary,’ he said silently as he broke into a run.

Mary has always put her duty to her father and their family’s reputation first, hence becoming betrothed to a man she can barely stand. Then Malcolm changed everything. Mary finally understands her aunt’s stories about passion and love. She finds herself breaking every rule as she takes off into the night with wickedly charming Mal. As they fight to stay alive and avoid the battles waging in his homeland, Mary clings to the strength of the bond she and Mal have formed to see them through.

Mal’s intense golden gaze softened. He stroked her hair with a damp hand, his touch so tender Mary wanted to cry.
“Ye are for me, Mary,” he said in a quiet voice. “And I for you. And this always will be.”
In the breath of the moment, there was no other truth.

What an incredible story. The Stolen Mackenzie Bride took my breath away with the sweeping romance, the battle scenes, and the heroic Mackenzie men. I felt nothing but compassion for the family and the choices they were forced to make.

One day, though, this would be over. They’d all be together, his brothers, their families, his family. ‘I swear this,’ he vowed silently.

Mary and Malcolm’s arduous journey was absolutely compelling. Set in 1745 and filled with poignant, bittersweet moments, this does have a bit of a darker tone to it than some stories in the Mackenzies & McBrides series. But for true fans of history as well as romance, the details Jennifer Ashley added to each scene was worth the heartache we readers had to endure along with the characters so we could watch them find some happiness or at least redemption in the end.

The main focus might have been Malcolm and Mary, but the Mackenzie clan as well as Mary’s family were all very much a huge part of the plot. I felt like we got to know each character well and that helped me truly care about what happened to them. That was especially true during the skirmishes and battle scenes. It broke my heart with how some characters were betrayed and that clansmen found themselves having to square off against friends and family alike. But it was realistic and showed what they endured during the Jacobite uprising.

It goes without saying that I adored all of the Mackenzies as well as Mary. Mal was such a devil! He was smart, wily, courageous and loyal to a fault. And Mary was just as loyal, plus she was extremely caring. I loved how she was able to calm down Mal’s father the duke, who was always bellowing out orders and acted all gruff. So heartening. I also have to say that the tenderness between Mary and Mal was exquisitely written (and my favorite part) with their love shining through every scene they shared.

This story is exactly why Jennifer Ashley is one of my go-to authors. Malcolm and Mary’s epic love story will surely resound with historical romance fans of any age.

Book Info:

Published September 29th 2015 | by Berkley | Mackenzies & McBrides #8

1745, Scotland: The youngest son of the scandalous Mackenzie family, Malcolm is considered too wild to tame…until he meets a woman who is too unattainable to resist.

Lady Mary Lennox is English, her father highly loyal to the king, and promised to another Englishman. But despite it being forbidden to speak to Malcolm, Lady Mary is fascinated by the Scotsman, and stolen moments together lead to a passion greater than she’d ever dreamed of finding.

When fighting breaks out between the Highlanders and the King’s army, their plans to elope are thwarted, and it will take all of Malcolm’s daring as a Scottish warrior to survive the battle and steal a wife out from under the noses of the English.