Surrender - Pamela Clare

Synopsis:
Iain MacKinnon and his two brothers, powerful Highland warriors trained in native American warfare, are falsely accused of murder and forced to take up the banner of their enemy King George in the French and Indian War. While on patrol, Iain rescues a Scots woman who calls herself Annie Burns from the French and Abenaki soldiers who raided her home. Annie, who hides a tragic past of family betrayal and indentured servitude, struggles with her newfound freedom and the mixed feelings she has for her saviors-so much like the Jacobite warriors who cut down her Loyalist father and brothers in battle. 

Review:

Surrender is the first in the MacKinnon Ranger series.  Iain MacKinnon, the leader of the MacKinnon rangers, had been forced to serve the British crown, but compassion urged him to save the lovely girl facing certain death at the hands of the Abenaki indians. He defied his orders, endangered his brothers, his men and his mission, all for a woman whom he had never met before. But when he held Annie’s sweet body in his arms, he could feel no regret. Though he sensed she was hiding something from him, it was too late to hold back his heart. Annie with her secrets and longing for a life of freedom becomes the wild card in a land and livelihood she knows nothing of. At first she survives purely on instinct and having the luck of Iain by her side. Slowly you see a woman who grows into her own and learns which battles in her life are worth waging. You would almost think with so much horror surrounding a woman she becomes detached but through her own actions she gains the loyalty with the Rangers and ultimately the man she has set her heart on. With so much going against her at the beginning I loved to read the journey of Annie and Iain.  I loved getting to know the whole cast of characters and was surprised by Annie's unlikely ally in the end.

Notable Quote:
She was solace. She was beauty. She was life. And the wanted her. (Iain's thoughts of Annie)

Rating:

I am not a person who usually enjoys historical romance, but I thoroughly enjoyed Iain and Annie's story.  This isn't your typical historical, there is no frill and no lace.  Annie has grit and spunk and is loyal to the core and will fight for anyone she deems fit.  Iain is resigned to his fate, does his job and does it well until...Annie.  All that is left is to SURRENDER!!!  The historical accuracy was meticulous, flawlessly woven into the tale, never appearing as though it were flung up like scenery in the background. Creating a Battle of Ticonderoga scene sufficiently convincing and captivating that one is not tempted to skim through on the way to the good stuff is quite a feat.  I am very much looking forward to Morgan's story "Untamed".