My Shadow Warrior

I truly enjoyed this series. There is so much depth and emotion in all three books. My Shadow Warrior concludes the story of the three sisters; Isobel, Gillian and Rose. Rose is a strong heroine, intent on saving her dying father at any cost. She seeks out the Wizard of the North, William in hopes that he will be able to save her father using his powers. After a rocky start he agrees to travel home with Rose to heal her father. The story is romantic and dark with lots of sexual chemistry. Deidra, William's daughter who is the heroine of My Immortal Protector (my favorite Holling book) is introduced in this book.

The fascination with the paranormal implies a big dose of imagination; Jen Holling is creating three heroines of different mystical powers: Isobel, Gillian and Rose MacDonell; in My Shadow Warrior, they merge the powers toward solving the mystery of the illness of Allan MacDonell, their father, and the fate of Lilian MacDonell, their mother. Must read the entire trilogy

This is the third installment of The Brides of the Bloodstone trilogy. It's the story of Rose, youngest of the three MacDonell sisters. While they were little girls, their mother, a powerful witch, was burned at the stake. In fear for their lives, their father hid them separately. Now many years later, and on his deathbed from a mysterious illness, the MacDonell has summoned his daughters home. Their lives are still in danger so he has arranged each of them to be married to men he can entrust with their safety. Rose, the youngest and blessed with the healing touch, is betrothed to Jamie MacPherson, a childhood friend she hasn't seen in years. Her wedding, however, has been postponed so she can devote herself to discovering the source of her father's illness. Despite her many efforts, her father continues to deteriorate. To Rose's mind, her only hope is William MacKay, a gifted healer also known as the Wizard of the North. Since her many letters to him have gone unanswered, Rose decides to travel to his fortress to see him in person. William is determined to shun the girl who has traveled many miles to see him, but curiosity forces him to disguise himself and seek her out. What he finds is a beautiful woman who is dedicated to helping others, even at risk to herself. His fascination with her finally forces him to see her and eventually agree to travel to MacDonell castle to see her father. But in truth there is a sinister plot behind the MacDonell's illness and his wife's death and this mysterious enemy will stop at nothing to get what he wants. This was such a great ending to a wonderful trilogy. The plot of the MacDonnell's illness and the mother's death at the stake is woven throughout all three books. It is finally resolved in this last tale but what an ending. Jen Holling has done a masterful job weaving several storylines together to create an enchanting tale of love, treachery, and greed.

I am not and never have been a romance reader, but I'll always read Hollings books. She is that good. And I have to agree with M. Rondeau: Holling saved the best for last. I didn't see how she could possibly do any better than the riveting first two books of the McDonnell series, but My Shadow Warrior is like the finale of a dazzling fireworks display. Rose is such an endearing heroine, and her dilemmas (saving her dying father, trying to escape a past of abuse at the hands of a 'foster' family) make for a heart of compassion as well as inevitable faults. Very realistic, very identifiable. And hero William McKay breaks the mold when it comes to love interests. His past is as tortured, if not more, than Rose's, and his heart is just as big. The darkness surrounding him adds tension to his and Rose's already tense and knee-weakening attraction. And readers of the first two novels will be glad to see Gillian and Isobel again as they work with Rose to get to the bottom of their father's illness. The climax you have been waiting for happens here!

It apparent that in the last of the MacDonnell Sisters trilogy, the author seems to have saved the best for last, or, at the very least, what I consider the most sensual, nail biting and tension-filled chapter to this wonderful medieval saga. Rose MacDonnell, the youngest of the three MacDonnell sisters, was also a witch whose mystical power lay in healing the sick. Unfortunately, try as she might she could not stop or heal the wasting sickness that was killing her father. After several letters pleading for the great healer, William McKay, wizard of the north, and receiving no response - the intrepid Rose, disguising herself as a boy, set out to go and beg him to come back and help. William McKay, had read all of the young woman's letters, burning most, but he'd kept one, not knowing why, but definitely intrigued with the woman who both begged his help and at the same time chastised him for his cold-heartedness. It wasn't that he wouldn't have liked to help but each `healing' physically drained him. Eventually, thru Rose's sheer perseverance, and a good deal of good ole fashioned sensual attraction, William agreed to travel to Roses' home at Glen Laire. Unfortunately, once he arrived there he discovered that her father's illness was not something he could cure. It was soon apparent that the work of a very powerful wizard using black magic and spells was stronger than either Roses' skill or Williams miraculous healing could combat. As Rose and her sisters sought to uncover the identity of the mysterious black wizard he turned his evil intentions against William and his daughter Deirdre threatening any future happiness Rose and William might find together. *** I truly enjoyed this offering from the very first pages right up to the last, and found it hard to set aside. In this character driven installment featuring the youngest MacDonell sister Rose and the wizard William McKay the characters were both very likeable and well matched, as well as complex. The secondary characters, including those from the previous installments all came back to fit within the plot very well in this stand-alone episode. Deidre, William's daughter with her gift of communicating with animals was wonderful and the child molestation aspect was also a rather unique element that gave an added dimension to the story. All in all, this was a highly original, sensual and beautiful love story that is sure to please the most discriminating of historical romance readers who like a touch of whimsy in their reads. ---- Marilyn, (...)