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MacLarens of Fire Mountain (Historical) #5
Deadlier Than the Rest
“A passionate, heartwarming story of the iconic MacLarens of Fire Mountain. This captivating historical western romance grabs your attention from the start with an engrossing story encompassing two romances set against the rugged backdrop of the burgeoning western frontier.”
Connor MacLaren’s search has already stolen eight years of his life. Now he is close to finding what he seeks—Meggie, his missing sister. His quest leads him to the growing city of Salt Lake and an encounter with the most captivating woman he has ever met.
Grace is the third wife of a Mormon farmer, forced into a life far different from what she’d have chosen. Her independent spirit longs for choices governed only by her own heart and mind. To achieve her dreams, she must hide behind secrets and half-truths, even as her heart pulls her towards the ruggedly handsome Connor.
Known as cool and uncompromising, Connor MacLaren lives by a few, firm rules that have served him well and kept him alive. However, danger stalks Connor, even to the front range of the beautiful Wasatch Mountains, threatening those he cares about and impacting his ability to find his sister.
Can Connor protect himself from those who seek his death? Will his eight-year search lead him to his sister while unlocking the secrets he knows are held tight within Grace, the woman who has captured his heart?
Read this heartening story of duty, honor, passion, and love in book five of the MacLarens of Fire Mountain series.
Connor MacLaren’s search has already stolen eight years of his life. Now he is close to finding what he seeks—Meggie, his missing sister. His quest leads him to the growing city of Salt Lake and an encounter with the most captivating woman he has ever met.
Grace is the third wife of a Mormon farmer, forced into a life far different from what she’d have chosen. Her independent spirit longs for choices governed only by her own heart and mind. To achieve her dreams, she must hide behind secrets and half-truths, even as her heart pulls her towards the ruggedly handsome Connor.
Known as cool and uncompromising, Connor MacLaren lives by a few, firm rules that have served him well and kept him alive. However, danger stalks Connor, even to the front range of the beautiful Wasatch Mountains, threatening those he cares about and impacting his ability to find his sister.
Can Connor protect himself from those who seek his death? Will his eight-year search lead him to his sister while unlocking the secrets he knows are held tight within Grace, the woman who has captured his heart?
Read this heartening story of duty, honor, passion, and love in book five of the MacLarens of Fire Mountain series.
- GenresRomance
159 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 3, 2014
145 people are currently reading
178 people want to read
About the author
Shirleen Davies
98 books919 followersShirleen Davies grew up in Southern California. She attended Oregon State University, and has degrees from San Diego State University and the University of Maryland. During the day she provides consulting services to small and mid-sized businesses. But her real passion is writing emotionally charged stories of flawed people who find redemption through love and acceptance. She now lives with her husband in a beautiful town in northern Arizona.
Shirleen loves to hear from her readers.
Write to her at shirleen@shirleendavies.com
Visit her at https://www.shirleendavies.com
Comment at her blog https://www.shirleendavies.com/blog.html
Facebook Fan Page https://www.facebook.com/ShirleenDavi...
Twitter her at http://twitter.com/shirleendavies
Shirleen loves to hear from her readers.
Write to her at shirleen@shirleendavies.com
Visit her at https://www.shirleendavies.com
Comment at her blog https://www.shirleendavies.com/blog.html
Facebook Fan Page https://www.facebook.com/ShirleenDavi...
Twitter her at http://twitter.com/shirleendavies
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
March 7, 2014
Connor can't find his sister, but he won't give up his search, which leads him into danger and discovery. As well as not a little romance. He falls for the aptly named Grace, who leads him into grave trouble as he goes about unlocking her secrets, and upsetting some heavy characters. The mix of romance and adventure is just right, and Connor's quest really keeps the pages turning. If you're anything like me, you'll devour it in a very short space of time.
June 13, 2022
5. Deadlier than the Rest, Book Five
4 stars
I purchased a copy of the historical 1800’s set western romance Deadlier Than The Rest (MacLarens of Fire Mountain Book 5): Connor by Shirleen Davies and this review was given freely.
A then and now story relating the tragedies experienced by Meggie beginning with her kidnapping at sixteen in Brooklyn, NY and ending with her abusive marriage as fourth wife to a Mormon in Salt Lake City, Utah is combined with her brother Connor’s search for her, Conner’s falling for Mormon runaway third wife Grace, and a story of ex-convicts seeking revenge.
Contains a fair amount of violence, multiple ironic moments, two weddings and two momentous reunions.
6. Wilder than the Rest, Book Six
4 stars
I purchased a copy of the historical 1800’s set western romance Wilder Than The Rest (MacLarens of Fire Mountain Book 6): Pierce by Shirleen Davies and this review was given freely.
A bit slow with some suspense.
A good update and integration of all the MacLaren clan is combined with an instant love-hate romance, a second chance at love romance, a reunion with three more MacLaren cousins, and an undercover Secret Service mission to stop an assassination.
Tricked into being partnered as a married couple, new Secret Service undercover operative Pierce MacLaren and Agent Mollie Jamison fight their attraction to and frustration with each other while trying to solve a governmental case where the city of San Francisco’s High Society and banking are the only clues.
4 stars
I purchased a copy of the historical 1800’s set western romance Deadlier Than The Rest (MacLarens of Fire Mountain Book 5): Connor by Shirleen Davies and this review was given freely.
A then and now story relating the tragedies experienced by Meggie beginning with her kidnapping at sixteen in Brooklyn, NY and ending with her abusive marriage as fourth wife to a Mormon in Salt Lake City, Utah is combined with her brother Connor’s search for her, Conner’s falling for Mormon runaway third wife Grace, and a story of ex-convicts seeking revenge.
Contains a fair amount of violence, multiple ironic moments, two weddings and two momentous reunions.
6. Wilder than the Rest, Book Six
4 stars
I purchased a copy of the historical 1800’s set western romance Wilder Than The Rest (MacLarens of Fire Mountain Book 6): Pierce by Shirleen Davies and this review was given freely.
A bit slow with some suspense.
A good update and integration of all the MacLaren clan is combined with an instant love-hate romance, a second chance at love romance, a reunion with three more MacLaren cousins, and an undercover Secret Service mission to stop an assassination.
Tricked into being partnered as a married couple, new Secret Service undercover operative Pierce MacLaren and Agent Mollie Jamison fight their attraction to and frustration with each other while trying to solve a governmental case where the city of San Francisco’s High Society and banking are the only clues.
May 18, 2019
Deadlier than the Rest (MacLarens of Fire Mountain Book 5)
The love of Grace and Connor and Meggie and Dodge. When Meggie was sixteen she was kidnap and sold. By the time she was 20 she was sold to a Mormon who marry her and mistreat her.
Connor has been looking for his sister Meggie for 8 years, he think he may have found her. He go to Salt Lake City he meets and falls in love with Grace. Will he find Meggie? Will love win out with all the secrets Grace and Meggie hold? Great story.
The love of Grace and Connor and Meggie and Dodge. When Meggie was sixteen she was kidnap and sold. By the time she was 20 she was sold to a Mormon who marry her and mistreat her.
Connor has been looking for his sister Meggie for 8 years, he think he may have found her. He go to Salt Lake City he meets and falls in love with Grace. Will he find Meggie? Will love win out with all the secrets Grace and Meggie hold? Great story.
March 12, 2022
Deadlier Than The Rest
Another great book in this series about the McLarens of Fire Mountain. This is the story of one brother who has spent the last eight years looking for his sister who was kidnapped and sold to other people, finally ending up married to a Mormon and who she eventually ran away from. This is my review and mine alone. Norma Gorrill
Another great book in this series about the McLarens of Fire Mountain. This is the story of one brother who has spent the last eight years looking for his sister who was kidnapped and sold to other people, finally ending up married to a Mormon and who she eventually ran away from. This is my review and mine alone. Norma Gorrill
December 23, 2021
Deadlier Than The Rest
The more stories that I read of Shirleen Davies the better I like her books. I've not read one book of hers that I did not like. This one is one of her best and I would recommend it to anyone.
The more stories that I read of Shirleen Davies the better I like her books. I've not read one book of hers that I did not like. This one is one of her best and I would recommend it to anyone.
July 15, 2018
All of these books are somewhat predictable but I REALLY love the stories and the characters. Have started "Wilder"and as always....I'm loving it!!! Will be sad to see this series end.
January 31, 2023
Seeking
After his sister was kidnapped 8years ago Conner had searched for her. Finally hearing she was seen in Salt Lake he searches there. Will he finally find her ?
After his sister was kidnapped 8years ago Conner had searched for her. Finally hearing she was seen in Salt Lake he searches there. Will he finally find her ?
May 9, 2014
Connor MacLaren is a man on a mission. He won't let anything deter him from finding his missing sister, Meggie. Grace, the mysterious waitress whose caught Connor's eye, is definitely a distraction. Connor is drawn to Grace, and for the first time in years, he considers settling down, but not until Meggie is found. Grace is a woman with secrets which have the potential to destroy any possibility of a future with Connor. And now that the criminals stalking Connor have set their sites on her as well, she's in more danger than she ever imagined possible.
My love for this series is no secret. I'm a hardcore Shirleen Davies fan and I'm happy to say this book met all my expectations. There's tons of romance in this book, but like all the books in the MacLarens of Fire Mountain series, romance is never easy. These characters are complex and have issues to resolve before they can share a life with someone else. For Connor, his personal hangups and sense of morality is his worst enemy. For Grace, her secrets are her downfall.
Like the other books in the series, Davies re-introduces the other beloved members of the MacLaren clan. For me, it's like seeing old friends. All the details of the previous books come flooding back and instantly transports me to Fire Mountain. The breathtaking scenery of the old West is brought to life within the pages of this series and it makes it so, so difficult to put the book down for any length of time. The author describes pre-state Utah and the dilemma faced by Mormons in plural marriages who suddenly found their lifestyles illegal, and she did an excellent job handling the sensitive aspects of the story line.
Deadlier Than the Rest earns another easy five star rating from me. I'm still in love with this series and can't wait to see what the author comes up with next!
My love for this series is no secret. I'm a hardcore Shirleen Davies fan and I'm happy to say this book met all my expectations. There's tons of romance in this book, but like all the books in the MacLarens of Fire Mountain series, romance is never easy. These characters are complex and have issues to resolve before they can share a life with someone else. For Connor, his personal hangups and sense of morality is his worst enemy. For Grace, her secrets are her downfall.
Like the other books in the series, Davies re-introduces the other beloved members of the MacLaren clan. For me, it's like seeing old friends. All the details of the previous books come flooding back and instantly transports me to Fire Mountain. The breathtaking scenery of the old West is brought to life within the pages of this series and it makes it so, so difficult to put the book down for any length of time. The author describes pre-state Utah and the dilemma faced by Mormons in plural marriages who suddenly found their lifestyles illegal, and she did an excellent job handling the sensitive aspects of the story line.
Deadlier Than the Rest earns another easy five star rating from me. I'm still in love with this series and can't wait to see what the author comes up with next!
March 17, 2014
This was another great MacLaren romance! This one was about one of the cousins of the original MacLaren brothers, Connor, on a quest to find his sister, Meggie, who was kidnapped eight years earlier. On the way, he meets a woman who distracts him in ways he has never been distracted by a woman before. He's not sure if he likes that or not. He wants to keep his attention on finding his sister. Little does he know that the woman he met is trying to help his sister too.
Meggie has been through quite the ordeal which plays out in memories throughout the book. The way everything works out is very interesting and full of twists and turns. For a lot of the book, the scene is Utah when Mormons are trying to decide whether or not to give up polygamy in order to become a state. I happen to live in Utah now and know a lot about the state's history, an Shirleen was very good with her details.
The love scenes are very sweet and romantic. Nothing too graphic which really works for this author. I love this series! I guess you could even read this one by itself if you wanted to, but I would recommend reading them all. Trust me, you won't regret it.
And, it left off with a wonderful cliffhanger ending that sets us up for the next one. It looks like it will be about Connor and Meggie's brother, Pierce. I can't wait!!
Meggie has been through quite the ordeal which plays out in memories throughout the book. The way everything works out is very interesting and full of twists and turns. For a lot of the book, the scene is Utah when Mormons are trying to decide whether or not to give up polygamy in order to become a state. I happen to live in Utah now and know a lot about the state's history, an Shirleen was very good with her details.
The love scenes are very sweet and romantic. Nothing too graphic which really works for this author. I love this series! I guess you could even read this one by itself if you wanted to, but I would recommend reading them all. Trust me, you won't regret it.
And, it left off with a wonderful cliffhanger ending that sets us up for the next one. It looks like it will be about Connor and Meggie's brother, Pierce. I can't wait!!
March 9, 2014
I still don't know how she does it, but the MacLaren series just keeps getting better. The author has taken elements from her previous stories, developed them and given readers a real treat with Deadlier Than The Rest. I don't know if it's the romantic in me or the adventurer, but this book really has me hooked. Normally, I am able to make time for the books that I really want to read, but this week was different. I had very little time and that meant that every bit of time spent reading this book was that much more interesting and worth it. I looked forward to getting to read more and I think that may have effected my work in a good way, I got it done that much quicker and even went above and beyond!
Reading along as Connor's search for his sister is sidetracked by a romantic interest, I could feel the tension building as imminent danger was soon on the horizon for him. This is the kind of book that you could get lost in and I did 100%! The writing is superb, the story and the cast of interesting characters is award winning! Read this book if you want to get lost in a story that envelopes every part of your week.
Reading along as Connor's search for his sister is sidetracked by a romantic interest, I could feel the tension building as imminent danger was soon on the horizon for him. This is the kind of book that you could get lost in and I did 100%! The writing is superb, the story and the cast of interesting characters is award winning! Read this book if you want to get lost in a story that envelopes every part of your week.
March 9, 2014
Shirleen Davies is my favorite author ever but that doesn't have any bearing on my review. My review is based on the incredible story that I just read in Deadlier Than The Rest. She has really outdone herself with this book and the main character. Connor MacLaren is her best effort yet! This book is like three stories in one; you have danger, romance and mystery all tied together in a neat little package that will change the way you think about romance/ westerns. Aside from the characters being larger than life, the setting is the perfect backdrop for the story that unfolds. Adding the element of danger to an otherwise intense romantic tale is brilliant! This story has me convinced that Shirleen Davies is a verified genius! How else does she come up with the stories that she does?
This book is fast paced, true to itself and it provided this reader some much needed entertainment and an escape from the hectic world. I was able to sit back with a glass (maybe it was a bottle) of wine and imagine myself an essential part of the story. I'm going to read it again as soon as I get more time!
This book is fast paced, true to itself and it provided this reader some much needed entertainment and an escape from the hectic world. I was able to sit back with a glass (maybe it was a bottle) of wine and imagine myself an essential part of the story. I'm going to read it again as soon as I get more time!
March 13, 2014
Fire Mountain is Getting Hotter with Each Read!
Connor's sister Meggie has been missing for the past eight years and he feels responsible for her disappearance. Searching the country high and low to get some clue as to her whereabouts, he finally stumbles on a clue.
Meggie has had to endure a lot in the eight years they have been apart. Kidnapped and gagged, she is stolen away to be sold as some man's plaything - but no-one realised Meggie was an innocent. At the end of her long and emotional journey, she finds herself married to a Mormon and number four in his long list of wives. Mr Moser, her husband, is not a caring man and Meggie wakes up everyday seeking some way to escape.
Connor manages to find another of Moser's wives, Grace, who has already escaped his clutches, but will he be able to unfathom her connection in time and use the information to rescue his sister? And without losing his heart to a woman who is already married?
Shootings, death threats, passion, emotion - Ms Davies manages them all superbly in what I think is the best Fire Mountain MacLaren novel yet.
Connor's sister Meggie has been missing for the past eight years and he feels responsible for her disappearance. Searching the country high and low to get some clue as to her whereabouts, he finally stumbles on a clue.
Meggie has had to endure a lot in the eight years they have been apart. Kidnapped and gagged, she is stolen away to be sold as some man's plaything - but no-one realised Meggie was an innocent. At the end of her long and emotional journey, she finds herself married to a Mormon and number four in his long list of wives. Mr Moser, her husband, is not a caring man and Meggie wakes up everyday seeking some way to escape.
Connor manages to find another of Moser's wives, Grace, who has already escaped his clutches, but will he be able to unfathom her connection in time and use the information to rescue his sister? And without losing his heart to a woman who is already married?
Shootings, death threats, passion, emotion - Ms Davies manages them all superbly in what I think is the best Fire Mountain MacLaren novel yet.
March 8, 2014
Already a huge fan of Shirleen Davis and the MacLarens I had high expectations for Deadlier than the Rest and boy did Ms. Davis deliver! I really should have expected no less, she’s proven again and again at being truly gifted at what she does.
What I love about Ms. Davis’ writing, and this series in particular, is she never repeats herself, never grows stagnate. Indeed each story has its own unique touches that separate them from each other. Deadlier than the Rest was a page turner, as much action and adventure as it was a romance. Connor is perhaps my favorite MacLaren yet, driven and honorable. And Grace was fantastic, both intricate and complex, which makes her all the more interesting. I won’t spoil it for everyone by giving it away but let me just say that the ending was immensely satisfying.
Another great book from a great series! I will hereby take it upon myself to start the chant for ‘more, more, more'!
What I love about Ms. Davis’ writing, and this series in particular, is she never repeats herself, never grows stagnate. Indeed each story has its own unique touches that separate them from each other. Deadlier than the Rest was a page turner, as much action and adventure as it was a romance. Connor is perhaps my favorite MacLaren yet, driven and honorable. And Grace was fantastic, both intricate and complex, which makes her all the more interesting. I won’t spoil it for everyone by giving it away but let me just say that the ending was immensely satisfying.
Another great book from a great series! I will hereby take it upon myself to start the chant for ‘more, more, more'!
March 18, 2014
Deadlier than the Rest is a wonderfully complicated story. With an intriguing plot that combines romance, history and elements of detective/crime, adventure and mystery fiction to spice things up even further, it offers much more than you expect to find in a usual romance.
Author, Shirleen Davies, writes great books – I have read all her previous Fire Mountain series books, but she certainly has excelled in the writing of this book. I was hooked from the very beginning and the tense opening scene of kidnap and desperation.
A great story with great characters – I couldn’t put it down!
Author, Shirleen Davies, writes great books – I have read all her previous Fire Mountain series books, but she certainly has excelled in the writing of this book. I was hooked from the very beginning and the tense opening scene of kidnap and desperation.
A great story with great characters – I couldn’t put it down!
January 6, 2015
Deadlier than the rest.
I have read five of your books .Enjoyed all of them. Those MacLarens are a busy bunch and keep on finding cousins. who's next.I pay each month to read free books. The first two this series were free,now I'm paying. Love them any way. Next is consumer's brother.
I have read five of your books .Enjoyed all of them. Those MacLarens are a busy bunch and keep on finding cousins. who's next.I pay each month to read free books. The first two this series were free,now I'm paying. Love them any way. Next is consumer's brother.
February 13, 2015
Great story.
This was a very well written saga. It took skillful writing to take Meggies past and tie it in with the present. On reviewer was super critical of this. She obviously does not recognize skillful story telling.
This was a very well written saga. It took skillful writing to take Meggies past and tie it in with the present. On reviewer was super critical of this. She obviously does not recognize skillful story telling.
December 24, 2018
This was an interesting story. I’m sorry to miss the tale of the town lawyer and school teacher but we did get two hea in this book. Brother and sister all in one tale is great.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews