Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Heart Beneath | 2002 | Lindsay McKenna | Buy |
| 2 | Ride the Thunder | 2002 | Lindsay McKenna | Buy |
| 3 | The Will to Love | 2002 | Lindsay McKenna | Buy |
| 4 | Morgan’s Marriage | 1995 | Lindsay McKenna | N/A |
| 5 | Protecting His Own | 2002 | Lindsay McKenna | Buy |
The Ultimate Rescue sub-series came out almost entirely within the single year of 2002, with four new books hitting shelves in quick succession. The Heart Beneath, Ride the Thunder, The Will to Love, and Protecting His Own all share the rescue mission framework that defines the sub-series, with each book putting characters in immediate danger that has to be resolved alongside the romantic storyline.
Lindsay McKenna had been building her Morgan’s Mercenaries world for over a decade by the time these books appeared, and the Ultimate Rescue entries benefit from that established foundation. Readers who pick up any of the four main books will find familiar organizational structures and a sense of a larger world operating in the background, even if the central characters are new. Morgan’s Marriage appears in the list as a connective reference point back to the core series.
The compressed publication schedule means the books share a consistent tone and style. Ride the Thunder and The Will to Love in particular have been noted by fans as strong entries in the broader Morgan’s Mercenaries world. Starting with The Heart Beneath gives the most natural progression through this sub-series.