Magnar (The Wolves of Clan Sutherland #1)

HISTORICAL:  Caught between two lands, Magnar McAlpin is the leader of the Wolves of Clan Sutherland and loyal to the King of Scotland. But, to many, he is just a heathen Northman. Elspeth Gunn is the sister of the slain chieftain of Castle Steinn. On the run with her nine-year old nephew, she stumbles into the hands of the king’s men. She and her nephew, the new chieftain, seem destined to meet a tragic end in the woods when help arrives in an unusual form. The king has a plan for her and his most fearsome warrior, but can the willful, headstrong woman and the wolfish heathen accept their entwining destinies? Their unlikely love might bind two lands and religions together, but the magic of the Gods may tear them asunder.

If readers have not yet read a book by Mary Morgan, jumping in with “Magnar” is like plunging into a raging river of pure writing force. Readers will be delightfully swept away by the chiseled language and elemental landscape. Magnar is everything one craves from a half-man, half-wolf, Scottish-Viking warrior. Elspeth’s honorable and utterly undefeatable personality makes a fiery match for this loyal, muscle-bound heathen. Extra points are awarded for smoothly paced story-telling that allows the reader to enjoy the gentle blooming of a genuine and tender love. The intimate scenes are delicious and rewarding. This is an exciting new chapter in Ms. Morgan’s lush, mystical, and swashbuckling world. “Magnar” does not disappoint.

Starling Gray