Hanabatake

Mackenzie Series (Linda Howard)

Mackenzie’s Mountain, Mackenzie’s Mission, Mackenzie’s Pleasure, Mackenzie’s Magic and A Game of Chance.

Sometimes, when I’m in the mood for a comfort read, I reach for Linda Howard’s Mackenzie books.

For one thing, they are quick reads.

And for another, they are good reads.

Beginning with Mackenzie’s Mountain (Published with Mackenzie’s Mission in Mackenzie’s Legacy), she creates a family of characters who are lusty, loving, and just plain tough guys who have soft spots for their loved ones.

It’s like seeing a big tough warrior holding a soft kitten with love. Utterly adorable. At least in a book.

Anyway, the series follows Wolf Mackenzie as he falls in love and continues with the stories of several of his 5 children. Each character is flawed (or just stubborn). Linda Howard’s humor and ability to create sexual tension is evident in each of these books.

Her penchant for military/FBI agent lead characters can be seen in all of the books. And there are several moments of quiet emotion in each story.

The Mackenzie books were originally published as category romance and are shorter — around 300 pages long each story. Linda Howard is able to get a lot of texture into this short format. All the text is devoted to building the main characters up and getting them to fall in love.

Reading older category romances written by best sellers really shows you how these writers have built up their skills. Like Iris Johanson, Linda Howard has honed her talent in a format that leaves little room for error. These stories move and move fast. 

While I think Mackenzie’s Magic is the weakest of the stories, I still enjoy reading about the only daughter in the Mackenzie clan. These books have a place on my keeper shelf. And seriously, I do read them over and over again.

In chronological order, the stories are

• Mackenzie’s Legacy (Originally published as The Mackenzies)

1. Mackenzie’s MountainWolf Mackenzie
2. Mackenzie’s MissionJoe Mackenzie

• Mackenzie’s Honor (Originally published as The Mackenzie Family)

1. Mackenzie’s PleasureZane Mackenzie
2. Mackenzie’s MagicMaris Mackenzie

• A Game of ChanceFeaturing Chance Mackenzie.