The Stolen Mackenzie Bride
MacKenzies & McBrides, Book #8
By Jennifer Ashley
IBSN: 9780425266021
Author’s website: http://www.jenniferashley.com
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Una
Summary 
The New York Times bestselling author of Rules for a Proper Governess returns with an engrossing tale that promises to delight lovers of Outlander.
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.
Review
This is Scottish fiction at its best. The Scottish pride and spirit as well and love of family and clan is prominent in the character of Malcolm Mackenzie. Malcom is the youngest of the Mackenzie brothers and is known for being wild and rambunctious however he has decided that he must be the caretaker of his brothers and his father. He is strong clever and a threat to any enemy as he protects those he loves. When he sees Lady Mary Lennox for the first time he decides then and there that she will be his. Malcolm aids her sister and her intended in marrying and helps them leave England. The fact that Mary is English and promised to another is just a loophole Malcolm must conquer. Knowing her underlying passion Malcolm steals moments together until he can whisk her away. When Mary becomes his he brings her home and finds that only she can handle his father. When the Highlanders war with the English Malcolm is forced to fight and the consequences are high. I loved how Mary became stronger as the battle brought disastrous results.
Mary Lennox had always been an obedient child and was quite prepared to do her duty and marry the man her father had chosen. By accident she runs into a Scottish warrior and sees that passion is possible in a relationship. Starting to see her chosen partner for the scheming and brutal man that he was, she allows herself to choose a life much different than the one she has known. She loves Malcolm fully and sees him as a protector and a man of word. So when he tells her that “death won’t keep me from you” she sends him out to battle. But will he be true to his word?
I thoroughly enjoyed this book as I did the Rules for a Proper Governess. Jennifer Ashley has the ability to able to immerse the reader in the time period and, with an exciting story line keep them turning pages using character development, and, using the battles not only between the English and Scots but within the families themselves. I certainly will look forward to more Jennifer Ashley books and would highly recommend this one.
I have read most of Ashley’s Mackenzie series and enjoyed all.