Temptation of the Warrior (The Warriors, 1)

by Margo Maguire

Book Overview

A new land, a new time . . . To protect his people from a great evil, Merrick Mac Lochlainn, newly crowned high chieftain of his clan, must travel forward in time nearly 1,000 years. But when he... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0061256374
• Release Date: March 2008
• Publisher: Avon
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 6.8" x 1.0" x 4.2"

Customer Reviews

B+, Good, but not Amazing

SYNOPSIS: Handsome Warrior from Past Travels to Future To Meet His Future HANDSOME WARRIOR: An evil one has killed my father and now she is out to destroy us! I must travel to the future, find the stone and destroy her. HANDSOME WARRIOR'S COUSIN: Remember what the oracle foretold! Your wife will be there! HW: Pssssht. I must go. Save our world. To the future I go! HWC: Remember not to use magic or else the evil ones will find you! HW: HW: Unhand that woman, you scoundrels! DAMSEL IN DISTRESS: Oh, dear! Help me! HW: I'll save you! DID: Are you okay? HW: No, I do not know who I am. Who are you? DID: I am your wife, Jenny. Let us travel with the gypsies who will help us while you recover. HW: Ok. DID: You're hot. HW: No, you're hot. DID: I want you! But I can't have you. You're probably already married or betrothed. HW: I don't think so. Let's do it. DID: No. Yes. No. Oh, okay. HW: You're good. DID: Now, I must find my locket. HW: Okay, since I don't have anything else to do. HW: I remember who I am (talking to himself). I must find the locket. I think it contains the stone. I love Jenny, but she is not mine, so not verra mine. I cannot take an earthling to Scotland, but not Scotland. HW: I found the locket/stone! DID: The evil headmaster has found me. He knows I know his secret for spanking bare little girls' bottoms! EVIL SORCERER: That's mine. Hand it over. HW: I don't think so. We're running off to Coruain. See ya. Wouldn't want to be ya. HW & DID: Let's destroy him together. Handsome warrior, you have spells and you're not an earthling. Jenny, you're really not an earthling, you're one of the descendants of our people. ES: Aaaaagh!!!!! I'm mellllllllllll-ting. HW & DID: We did it! Now we can live together in Scotland, but not Scotland and live happily ever after so we can shag non-stop. The End.

Historical paranormal romance

Although the spine of this book labels it a 'Historical Romance' it actually has a considerable dollop of paranormal woven through the pages. Merrick Mac Lochlainn has to travel through time to protect his people from a great evil. His journey is from the Isle of Coruain in the year 981 to 19th century England where he seeks a special stone, one of two that exist somewhere in England, with just the prediction that he needs to find 'Keating' on the Carlisle Road. As Merrick arrives on the Carlisle Road he sees a woman being attacked by four men and wades in to help, knowing that he can't use his usual magic in this situation as it will alert his enemies as to his location. Jenny Keating, the young woman the mysterious man helps, has her own secrets. She's recently left a school where her treatment had been decidedly Jane Eyre-esque with beatings from the Reverend Usher, the Headmaster. Her one item of value, a special pendant left to her by her parents, has been stolen and she's on the train of her erstwhile roommate Harriet whose brother apparently lives in Carlisle. Jenny decides to travel to Carlisle to find the pendant before taking up her new position as governess just north of Carlisle. Her strange abilities to affect objects when she feels emotions strongly have made her keep herself to herself - along with the fact that everyone she has ever trusted has left her. When the man who helped Jenny against the assailants wakes up from a crack on the head he has amnesia. Jenny names him Matthew and says he is her husband so that a band of Gypsies will help them. But Merrick remembers nothing of his mission and believes that he is Jenny's husband. As the band travels slowly towards Carlisle Jenny finds herself getting more and more attached to Matthew but she fears that a man such as he must have a wife whom he will remember. The story moves on as they hunt for the pendant, Merrick's memory returns and Jenny and he realise that they have no future. But is there more to Jenny than meets the eye and are the prophecies about Merrick's future wife misleading? This was an enjoyable book with some interesting settings with the band of Gypsies and moving around Carlisle in the search for the pendant. Jenny and Merrick were both believable and likeable characters although Reverend Usher seemed rather a pantomime villain. The paranormal aspect of this story felt sometimes a little of a distraction and the short scenes back in Coruain were, for this reader at least, rather spurious. However it was a good read overall. Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book © Helen Hancox 2008

Amnesia, Time Travel, gypsies and romance

As head of his clan, Merrick MacLochlainn feels the tremendous burden of protecting his people from the evil sorceress Elianor. To prevent her from taking over their clan, he and his brother must travel forward some 1000 years into time to the 1820's and collect sacred stones. Merrick finds himself in North England and when he spies a young woman being visciously attacked he comes to her aid. Jenny Keating has finally secured a position as a governess and is more than ready to escape the horrible conditions of her employment. She is teaching at a boarding school with a cruel headmaster. When she takes her leave she discovers that her roommate has stolen her locket, the only memento she has from her deceased parents. She is on a quest to retrieve the locket from the runaway girl. Unfortunately, she is waylaid by ruffians. When Merrick comes to Jenny's aid he is shot and suffers amnesia. Jenny realizes that their situation is dire and when a traveling band of gypsies rescue them she claims he is her husband. Merrick is attracted to Jenny and fully believes her story. Jenny is confused about her feelings for Merrick. She worries he may have a family back in Scotland. They have a passionate romance but Jenny is in a constant worry over Merrick's past. Jenny wants to be with him but also frets about her own strange mystical powers. She has never shared them with anyone. Merrick is running out time and when he begins to learn about his past, he realizes that his clan desperately needs him but so does Jenny. Merrick is a wonderful hero, kind of alpha male but never obnoxiously macho. His love for Jenny is powerful but it pulls against his duty to his clan. The ending was a bit rushed for me and there were a lot of characters to remember, good and bad especially in the last chapters. All in all, however, this is an enjoyable read.

Temptation of the Warrior

As his clan's newly crowned chieftain, Merrick MacLochlainn must travel 1000 years into the future to protect his clan from evil. A less that pleasant arrival to the future combined with a blow to the head, leaves Merrick with no recollection of his quest to find a sacred stone that will save his clan. Nor can Merrick remember Jenny Keating, the woman who claims to be his wife. Jenny Keating's life has been grim and brutal until the day she is saved by a heroic stranger. Posing as his wife to protect herself, Jenny finds herself falling for her handsome savior. With trouble not far behind, the pair must work together to save one another and realize their fate. Merrick MacLochlainn is as yummy as his brother, Brogan (A Warrior's Taking). Men with a brogue make my knees quiver. Heroes with a brogue, magical talents AND muscles to die for, bring me to my knees. Merrick left me on the floor begging for more. Don't miss Margo Maguire's Temptation of the Warrior! A time traveling romance with a battle against mortal evil and paranormal evil as well, Temptation of the Warrior is a must read! Annmarie reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

fascinating romantic fantasy

In 981 on the Isle of Coruain, High Chieftain Merrick MacLochlainn knows he has no choice but to do the mission in order to keep the Druzai safe from the malevolence of their long time enemy the witch Eilinora, who escaped incarceration, killed Merrick's father, and stole the scepter of power. The first leg of his quest is to retrieve sacred stones that will bring back powers to the Druzai. However to obtain the stones means he must travel forward in time to 1826. Merrick goes forward over eight centuries, but upon finding himself in Regency Northumbria; he is mentally confused and cannot recall his past let alone his mission. He also has problems with just who is Jenny Keating, whom he rescued from some attackers. They travel together until the reach a Gypsy camp where she claims she is his wife. Merrick knows that is untrue but does not expose her as he wants her safe while his mind heals. As he recovers and falls in love, Merrick believes Jenny is the source for his obtaining the stones. However, both know he must go back in time, but can she accompany her beloved if they retrieve the stones while his known foe and other death sorcerers cause mayhem. TEMPTATION OF THE WARRIOR is a fascinating romantic fantasy that employs time travel to bring together a Dark Ages Scottish warrior and a Victorian woman. The time travel is especially handled really well as he struggles with effect of the trip. The story line is fast-paced from the opening segue when Merrick tells his courageous female cousin Ana no that he not she will journey and never slows down until the confrontation. Fans will appreciate Margo Maguire's magnificent good vs. evil thriller and want to read Merrick's brother Brogan's tale (see A WARRIOR'S TAKING). Harriet Klausner