Four and Twenty Blackbirds by M.J. Schiller

Four and Twenty Blackbirds

by M.J. Schiller

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Once upon a time, a woman fell in love with a prince…and married his brother.

Book Blurb:

Once upon a time… 

A young lady named Izzy was abducted by marauders and forced into slavery. Upon her arrival at the castle, she was taken in by one of the king’s advisors, a wise and kindly man. As time passed, she fell in love with a young man whom she later discovered was the prince. 

This prince, Trevarius, as he was not the direct heir to the throne, enjoyed a rather carefree lifestyle. But he found Izzy fascinating and was drawn to her. To his dismay, his brother chose Izzy as his wife to spite Trevarius.  

Will Izzy and Trevarius lose their happily-ever-after? 

Excerpt:

 The birds began to sing. Or rather, shriek. The high-pitched noise was followed by the loud whir of wings as they lifted into the air. Isadore crooked her neck and watched them rise into the sky, obliterating the sun for a second; then, she was forced to shade her eyes from its glare. Subtly, another noise replaced the first, coming from the same direction as the birds had and getting louder and louder with each passing moment. 

What is…horses! 

A chill washed over her that had nothing to do with the frigid water she was standing in. She had come with a dozen others to wash clothing in this stream. The water wasn’t as deep as their normal creek bed; however, it was closer to home, which is why they had chosen it. Nearby villages had been raided of late, and parents wanted their daughters nearby. She scanned the horizon and saw it. The wisp of smoke that meant others had been to their village.  

Her warning burst from her mouth at the same time the mounts erupted from the tree line surrounding the watering hole. 

“Riders!”  

She moved as quickly as she could in the waist-deep water, releasing the shift she had been washing, letting it slowly drift away as the quiet, idyllic scene of moments before changed into a nightmare. Horses came charging into the water from the banks, and women screamed as they attempted to flee but were caught up in the hands of riders. She searched for her sister, Ysmay, and caught sight of her red dress. A man had his arm around her neck and shoulders as he dragged her from the water, kicking and wailing. 

“Nay! Ysmay!” She began to wade in that direction, frustrated by the resistance of the water and the weight of her dress. All she could do was cry out and watch as the man hauled her sister onto his mount and plopped her in front of him. He laughed and pulled on his horse’s reins, twisting its head back to the bank. “Nay. Release her.” Ysmay at fourteen was two years her senior; yet, as she was smaller framed, people often mistook them for twins.  

Ysmay turned. Isadore couldn’t hear her but read her lips. “Flee, Izzy!” 

Her view of Ysmay was cut off when a soldier and his steed cut between them, a yard away. The man grabbed a younger girl, who couldn’t have been more than ten, and she screamed. With dismay, Izzy realized that it was too late to help Ysmay; on the other hand, maybe she could at least save this one girl. Isadore struggled forward and lunged at the last second to latch onto the girl’s leg before she could be plucked from the stream. Getting her feet under her, Isadore reached further to try to claw the girl from the man’s grasp and almost succeeded. However, she was so focused on prying his fingers from the girl’s arm that she didn’t see the sword in his other hand until it was too late.  

She managed to whirl so that the broadside of the sword didn’t connect with her face, still the solid blow to the temple area knocked her several feet. The fury of noise about her was drowned out as she sank under the surface of the water. Everything was muffled, save for the ringing in her ear, although she was unable to determine if that was a sound or simply a sensation. Her head was heavy, and she would have slipped into unconsciousness and drowned had she not, in her flailing, cut her foot on a rock. The sharp pain kept the blackness at bay. She blinked, looking up as a splotch of crimson floated eerily by. Something knocked against her, and she spun to find herself nose to nose with a corpse. Mistress Blackny drifted past, her eyes wide though unseeing, her throat slashed, and a steady stream of blood coloring the water surrounding them. The mistress was her best friend Thea’s grandmother and was more of a grandmother to Isadore than her own. In her horror, Isadore scrambled upright again, breaking the water and sputtering, disconcerted by the return of the noise and action all around her, and the fact that the girl she’d been trying to save, and the rider who had been attempting to steal her, were nowhere in sight. Had she lost her senses after all?  

She didn’t have much time to consider it as a new agony assaulted her when her single braid was yanked, dragging her against a boot and stirrup. As the rider bent over his horse, his voice was near, although she couldn’t see him with her head forced down by his grip on her hair. She could, however, see the sword he threatened her with.  

“Get on this horse or I’ll run you through.”  

The blade was at eye level, giving her an idea. She took a breath and dove underwater. The sudden motion threatened to drag her captor from his saddle; so, like she’d hoped, he reflexively brought his sword hand in to brace himself against the side of the horse. The blade sliced her hair, freeing her and leaving him holding her limp braid.  

If she tried to swim away from the ruckus, he would no doubt catch her. Her only choice was to make her way once more into the middle of the fray.  

When she surfaced for air, she was in much shallower water and able to move more quickly than before. She heard the man with her braid cursing behind her and striving to rotate his horse. 

“Seize her!” he screamed, but everyone else was involved in their own skirmish, and she was able to make it ashore.  

Some of the raiders had hung back, out of the water; however, the nearest was several yards at a distance. Hearing the shouts, though, he twisted in his saddle and spotted her. He tugged on the reins and spurred his horse to pursue her. Trying to pull her wet skirts up to free her feet, Isadore ran as fast as she could, knowing he would be on her in seconds, and that all hope would be lost. Still, luck was with her, and the horse slid on the muddy bank giving her precious time to escape.  

Looking over her shoulder, she saw her neighbor, Avalon, who had also managed to make it to shore, captured by the man who had been chasing her and another from the group on shore. Izzy’s gaze connected with Avalon’s, and a stab of despair pierced her. She turned and kept running.

Author Bio:

M.J. Schiller is a retired lunch lady/romance-romantic suspense writer. She enjoys writing novels whose characters include rock stars, desert princes, teachers, futuristic Knights, construction workers, cops, and a wide variety of others. In her mind everybody has a romance. She is the mother of a twenty-eight-year-old and three twenty-six-year-olds. That's right, triplets! So having recently taught four children to drive, she likes to escape from life on occasion by pretending to be a rock star at karaoke. However…you won’t be seeing her name on any record labels soon. 

The McClintocks: A Family to Visit Again

 My mother, Caroline Clemmons, wrote many kinds of Western romance, but some of her most satisfying stories are the ones that invite readers into a family and make them feel at home there. The McClintocks is one of those series. 

Set in McClintock Falls, Texas, this complete four-book family saga follows members of the extended McClintock clan and the people whose lives become intertwined with theirs. The stories feature romance, certainly, but they also explore the realities of a changing Texas frontier: ranching, coal mining, prejudice, scandal, injury, community expectations, and the strength it takes to begin again. 

The McClintocks face hard times. They do not always agree, and they do not always handle trouble perfectly. But when a family member needs help, they show up. That enduring loyalty is one reason readers who enjoy family-centered historical romance may want to visit McClintock Falls again and again. 

For readers who loved the Kincaid family’s adventures, complicated relationships, and strong sense of belonging, The McClintocks offers another Texas family to treasure. 

Welcome to McClintock Falls 

The McClintocks series takes place in post-Civil War Texas, at a time when the West was changing and communities were being built through perseverance, hard work, and a willingness to help neighbors in need. 

McClintock Falls is not simply a background for the romances. It is a place where family reputation matters, news travels quickly, and one person’s difficulty can become a concern for the entire community. Ranchers, teachers, miners, healers, business owners, and newcomers all have a role to play in its developing future. 

Caroline used the setting to explore the rougher edges of frontier life without losing sight of hope. Her characters confront prejudice, personal loss, physical danger, scandal, and uncertainty. Yet they also find friendship, laughter, love, and the chance to make a home in a place that begins to feel like family. 

The series is complete and includes four connected historical Western romances: 

1. The Texan’s Irish Bride 

2. O’Neill’s Texas Bride 

3. McClintock’s Reluctant Bride 

4. Daniel McClintock 

Each book stands on its own as a romance, but reading them in order gives you the richest view of the family’s relationships and the community of McClintock Falls.[carolineclemmons] 

A Texas Family With Irish Roots 

One of the distinctive elements of The McClintocks is the Irish-American family dynamic that develops when the O’Neill family becomes part of the larger McClintock world. 

The series begins with Cenora Rose O’Neill, a spirited Irish Traveler facing a desperate situation on her journey to Texas. To protect her family from a ruthless bully, she agrees to marry Dallas McClintock, a rancher with plans for a Texas legacy but no immediate wish for a bride. 

Dallas and Cenora’s marriage begins under pressure. When Dallas is seriously wounded while rescuing her, the arrangement becomes a test of honor, trust, and responsibility. Cenora’s warmth, humor, devotion to her loved ones, and Irish traditions bring a new energy to McClintock Falls. 

Her brother Finn O’Neill takes center stage in the second book. Together, Cenora and Finn help create a series that is not only about the McClintock surname. It is also about what happens when people from different backgrounds form a new family through loyalty, marriage, friendship, and shared struggle. 

The O’Neills and McClintocks do not erase one another’s traditions or personalities. Instead, the series lets those differences add texture to the stories. Family becomes something larger than blood alone. 

Book One: The Texan’s Irish Bride 

At the center of The Texan’s Irish Bride is a marriage of convenience shaped by danger. 

Cenora Rose O’Neill must make an impossible choice to protect her family. Dallas McClintock, meanwhile, must decide whether duty can grow into something more meaningful. Neither begins with a simple path forward, and neither has the luxury of ignoring the threats around them. 

This first book introduces several qualities that define the series: 

• A close and protective family network 

• A heroine whose courage is rooted in love for her family 

• A rancher hero whose sense of honor shapes his choices 

• Texas ranch life and the work of building a legacy 

• External danger that tests a new marriage before it has time to become secure 

Cenora and Dallas’s story also establishes the emotional heart of the McClintock family. Love is not presented as an escape from responsibility. It is something made stronger through responsibility, sacrifice, and the willingness to stand beside another person when life becomes difficult. 

Book Two: O’Neill’s Texas Bride 

The second book broadens the series beyond ranch life and explores a different, more dangerous aspect of frontier-era Texas: coal mining. 

Finn O’Neill dreams of owning a ranch, keeping horses, and creating a home of his own. But to earn the opportunity, he agrees to pose as a miner in Lignite, Texas, while investigating deadly disasters at the Farland Coal Mine. 

Stella Clayton understands the risks of the mining world better than most. After witnessing too much heartbreak in the mining camps, she is determined to keep her younger brother safe and has promised herself that she will never marry a miner. 

Then Finn arrives. 

The romance between Finn and Stella is shaped by suspense, secrets, competing loyalties, and the challenge of seeing beyond first impressions. Their story reminds readers that the Texas frontier was not defined by ranches alone. Mining communities carried their own dangers, economic pressures, and social tensions. 

O’Neill’s Texas Bride adds a layer of historical texture to the series while keeping its focus on individual hopes. Finn wants the future he has imagined. Stella wants security for her brother and herself. To build a life together, they must decide whether honesty and trust can survive the danger around them. 

Book Three: McClintock’s Reluctant Bride 

Every family saga needs a story about consequences, accountability, and the uncomfortable work of growing up. That is where McClintock’s Reluctant Bride comes in. 

Nettie Clayton has a carefully planned future. But Josh McClintock’s reckless, drunken mistake causes a scandal that costs Nettie her teaching job, damages her reputation, and upends the life she worked hard to build. A marriage follows, though neither of them intended or welcomed it at first. 

Nettie has long cared for Josh, but private affection cannot erase public harm. Josh must face the consequences of his behavior, learn to take responsibility, and become worthy of the trust Nettie has every reason to withhold. 

This is a different kind of frontier challenge. There are threats from outside the family, but there is also the damage created by one person’s poor choice. Caroline did not make Josh’s growth easy. The romance depends on him learning that a true partnership requires respect, accountability, and consistent action. 

For Nettie, the story is about reclaiming a future after public judgment and personal disappointment. For Josh, it is about recognizing that love cannot be demanded or assumed. It must be earned. 

Book Four: Daniel McClintock 

The final book, Daniel McClintock, brings one of the series’ most moving themes to the foreground: healing. 

Daniel McClintock has been paralyzed for two years. Once active and hopeful, he has watched his world grow smaller as his optimism fades. His family’s love remains, but love alone cannot solve the practical and emotional realities of his injury. 

Clara Van Hoosan arrives in McClintock Falls to practice mechanotherapy, an early therapeutic approach focused on helping patients regain movement and strength. She expects to treat a teenage boy, not Daniel—a rancher close to her own age who is discouraged, talented, and still capable of more than he believes. 

Their relationship develops through patience and mutual respect. Clara sees Daniel as a whole person, not a problem to be solved or a man defined only by his injury. Daniel’s journey is not treated as a simple miracle cure. Instead, the story emphasizes hope, determination, dignity, and the courage to imagine a future again. 

Clara’s presence also adds another dimension to frontier life. The West needed healers, innovators, and women who pursued knowledge and meaningful work. Her role is central to the romance, but it is also central to her identity. 

Daniel McClintock closes the series with a story of love that supports rather than rescues. It is a fitting conclusion to a family saga built on the idea that people can help one another carry hardship without taking away one another’s independence. 

Why Kincaid Readers May Love McClintock Falls 

Readers who enjoyed The Kincaids will recognize much to love in The McClintocks. 

Both series are rooted in late-19th-century Texas and use an interconnected family structure to create a strong feeling of continuity. Characters face danger, secrets, betrayal, loss, and the practical difficulties of life on the frontier. But they also find support in family members and in the communities they help create. 

If you enjoyed in The Kincaids	Look for it in The McClintocks
A connected Texas family saga	The extended McClintock clan and the people who marry into it
Courageous women beginning again	Cenora, Stella, Nettie, and Clara facing very different challenges
Heroes who must grow and earn trust	Dallas, Finn, Josh, and Daniel each confronting his own  limitations
Romance mixed with danger and suspense	Threats, sabotage, family conflict, scandal, and uncertainty
A strong sense of place	McClintock Falls, ranch country, and the mining town of  Lignite
Themes of trust, healing, and redemption	Every book asks characters to move beyond fear, loss, or  past mistakes

The Kincaids’ stories are expansive, with adventure, secrets, romance, and a deep sense of legacy. The McClintocks offer a more compact four-book visit, but they provide the same pleasure of watching a family grow as new people are welcomed into the circle. 

In both series, a happy ending means more than a wedding. It means finding a home, earning trust, repairing relationships, and knowing that people will stand with you when life becomes uncertain. 

Visit the McClintocks in Order 

If you are ready to meet the family, begin with The Texan’s Irish Bride. You will meet Cenora and Dallas, see the first connections between the O’Neill and McClintock families, and begin your journey through McClintock Falls.

Then continue with O’Neill’s Texas Bride, McClintock’s Reluctant Bride, and Daniel McClintock.

Each story brings a different part of frontier life into view: ranching and family protection, the dangers of coal mining, the consequences of scandal, and the patient work of physical and emotional healing. Together, the four books form a Texas family saga about courage, belonging, second chances, and love that endures.

If you have missed the familiar warmth of the Kincaids, I think you may find another literary home with the McClintocks.