by R. C. Ryan
Unfortunately, Ilysa’s chances grow more dismal still when Connor decides he must marry to gain an ally for the clan’s coming fight with the MacLeods. As I watched him consider one chieftain’s daughter after another, I knew not one of them was the right wife for him or the clan. What our chieftain needs is a woman who can heal the wounds of his heart—and watch his back.
But Connor is no fool. With a little prodding, he finally opened his eyes and saw that Ilysa is the woman he wants. Passion burns! Yay! However, my relief is short lived because the stubborn man is determined to put the needs of the clan before his own desires. Admirable as that may be, I can’t let him marry the wrong woman, can I?
Despite all my efforts, I fear Connor will lose everything before he realizes that love is the strongest ally. With Ilysa’s life and his clan’s future hanging by a thread, will he be too late to save them?
I hope you enjoy the adventurous love story of Connor and Ilysa. I’ve found it hard to say goodbye to them and this series.
You can find me on Facebook, Twitter, and my website, www.MargaretMallory.com. I love to hear from readers!
From the desk of Cynthia Garner
Dear Reader,
My latest novel, HEART OF THE DEMON, takes two of my favorite preternaturals—demon and fey—and puts them together. Tough guy Finn Evnissyen has met his match in Keira O’Brien!
I come by my fascination with the fey honestly. My family came to America from Donegal, Ireland, in 1795 and settled in the verdant hills of West Virginia. One item on my bucket list is to get to Donegal and see how many relatives still live there.
My fascination with demons, I guess, has its roots in my religious upbringing. Just as I have with vampires and werewolves, I’ve turned something considered wicked into someone wickedly hawt! I hope after reading HEART OF THE DEMON you’ll agree.
To help me along, my Pandora account certainly got its workout with this book. From my Filmscore station that played scores from Iron Man, Sherlock Holmes, and Halo 3; to my metal station that rocked out with Metallica, Ozzy Osbourne, and Rob Zombie; to my Celtic punk station that rolled with the Dropkick Murphys, Mumford & Sons, and Flatfoot 56, I had plenty of inspiration to help me write.
I have a more complete playlist on my website extras page, plus a detailed organizational chart of the Council and their liaisons.
Happy Reading!
[email protected]
http://cynthiagarnerbooks.com
Also by R. C. Ryan
Montana Legacy
Montana Destiny
Montana Glory
Quinn
Josh
RAVES FOR
R. C. RYAN’S NOVELS
Josh
“There’s plenty of hot cowboys, action, and romance in this heady mix of a series that will leave you breathless.”
—Parkersburg News and Sentinel (WV)
“A powerfully emotional tale that will connect with readers…Love a feel-good cowboy romance with a touch of suspense? Then pick up Josh.”
—RomRevToday.com
“This story is action-packed and fast moving. Just when you think it’s safe, it isn’t…a good solid story with fantastic characters and an interesting story line…Another really good romance with enough suspense to keep you waiting to see what will happen next.”
—NightOwlReviews.com
Quinn
“Ryan takes readers to Big Sky country in a big way with her vivid visual dialogue as she gives us a touching love story with a mystery subplot. The characters, some good and one evil, will stay with you long after the book is closed.”
—RT Book Reviews
“Quinn is a satisfying read. R. C. Ryan is an accomplished and experienced storyteller. And if you enjoy contemporary cowboys in a similar vein to Linda Lael Miller, you’ll enjoy this.”
—GoodReads.com
“Engaging…Ryan paints a picturesque image of the rugged landscape and the boisterous, loving, close-knit Conway family.”
—Publishers Weekly
“I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the Conway family and their ranch…a wonderful introduction to a new trilogy that looks to be unique and full of surprises.”
—NightOwlReviews.com
Montana Glory
“The child adds a lovely emotional element to the story, the secondary romance is enjoyable, and all loose ends are nicely tied up.”
—RT Book Reviews
“[The Montana Trilogy] is a good series of hunky cowboys and nail-biting mystery. Zane and Riley have great chemistry and are a read that you can’t put down.”
—Parkersburg News and Sentinel (WV)
“These not-to-be-missed books are guaranteed to warm your heart!”
—FreshFiction.com
“Wonderful romantic suspense tale starring a courageous heroine who is a lioness protecting her cub and a reluctant knight in shining armor…a terrific taut thriller.”
—GenreGoRoundReviews.blogspot.com
Montana Destiny
“5 Stars! Watching this wild rebel and independent woman attempt to coexist was so much fun…The author, R. C. Ryan, delivers an ongoing, tantalizing mystery suspense with heartwarming romance. Sinfully yummy!”
—HuntressReviews.com
“Ryan’s amazing genius at creating characters with heartfelt emotions, wit, and passion is awe-inspiring. I can’t wait until Montana Glory comes out…so that I can revisit the McCord family!”
—TheRomanceReadersConnection.com
“The series continues to intrigue, and each page brings you closer to finding the treasure. Another terrific story from R. C. Ryan.”
—SingleTitles.com
“[A] wonderful series…The characters are extremely well developed…I couldn’t put this book down. I can’t wait until Zane’s story comes out.”
—NightOwlReviews.com
Montana Legacy
A Cosmopolitan “Red Hot Read”
“A captivating start to a new series.”
—BookPage
“Heart-melting sensuality…this engaging story skillfully refreshes a classic trilogy pattern and sets the stage for the stories to come.”
—Library Journal
“Fabulous…a well-written story with fully developed characters that I easily came to care for.”
—HuntressReviews.com
“A fresh, entertaining tale that will keep you wanting to read more…We only get tantalizing hints of Wyatt and Zane, but I can’t wait to read their stories.”
—RomRevToday.com
Thank you for buying this e-book, published by Hachette Digital.
To receive special offers, bonus content, and news about our latest e-books and apps, sign up for our newsletters.
Sign Up
Or visit us at hachettebookgroup.com/newsletters
Contents
Welcome
Dedication
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Epilo
gue
A Preview of “Quinn”
The Dish
Also by R. C. Ryan
Raves for R. C. Ryan’s Novels
Newsletters
Copyright
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Copyright © 2013 by Ruth Ryan Langan
Excerpt from Quinn Copyright © 2011 by Ruth Ryan Langan
All rights reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher is unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), prior written permission must be obtained by contacting the publisher at [email protected]. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.
Forever
Hachette Book Group
237 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10017
www.HachetteBookGroup.com
First e-book Edition: February 2013
Forever is an imprint of Grand Central Publishing.
The Forever name and logo are trademarks of Hachette Book Group, Inc.
The Hachette Speakers Bureau provides a wide range of authors for speaking events. To find out more, go to www.hachettespeakersbureau.com or call (866) 376-6591.
The publisher is not responsible for websites (or their content) that are not owned by the publisher.