Review ~ The Highwayman ~ Kerrigan Byrne

The Highwayman by Kerrigan Byrne
Series: Victorian Rebels #1
Published by St. Martin's Paperback on September 1, 2015
Genres: Adult, Historical, Historical Romance, Romance
Pages: 356
Format: Paperback
Source: Library

STEALING BEAUTY
Dorian Blackwell, the Blackheart of Ben More, is a ruthless villain. Scarred and hard-hearted, Dorian is one of London’s wealthiest, most influential men who will stop at nothing to wreak vengeance on those who’ve wronged him…and will fight to the death to seize what he wants. The lovely, still innocent widow Farah Leigh Mackenzie is no exception—and soon Dorian whisks the beautiful lass away to his sanctuary in the wild Highlands…

COURTING DESIRE
But Farah is no one’s puppet. She possesses a powerful secret—one that threatens her very life. When being held captive by Dorian proves to be the only way to keep Farah safe from those who would see her dead, Dorian makes Farah a scandalous proposition: marry him for protection in exchange for using her secret to help him exact revenge on his enemies. But what the Blackheart of Ben More never could have imagined is that Farah has terms of her own, igniting a tempestuous desire that consumes them both. Could it be that the woman he captured is the only one who can touch the black heart he’d long thought dead?

The Highwayman was so good. Soooo good. That is all.

 

You didn’t believe I’d leave it at that, did you? 😉 KByrne – a new-to-me author – bowled me over with this gripping, intense, and emotional story. I’ll endeavor to do it justice.

Farah met Dougan MacKenzie in an orphanage when they were both young. They became fast friends thanks to Farah’s compassionate heart. One night, something terrible happens and Farah and Dougan are separated. But not before Dougan performs a hand-fasting. Years later…maybe 15 years?…Farah his living as a widow – Farah MacKenzie – and working as a clerk at Scotland Yard. She’s lived a chaste life despite the liberties she’d be afforded as a widow but she’s quickly approaching an age where the one thing she wants will be out of her reach.

Enter Dorian Blackwell, the Blackheart of Ben More. Dorian is a man on Scotland Yard’s most-wanted list but they can’t seem to make any charges stick. He’s amassed quite a fortune by nefarious means and when he meets Farah, he’s in the “dungeon” of Scotland Yard being questioned. It takes a little time before Farah is kidnapped by Dorian. You see, they have a shared acquaintance.

These two together were a lot of fun. Their banter is lively and snarky. And their chemistry is so strong I’m surprised the pages didn’t spontaneously combust. But The Highwayman is much more than an entertaining and steamy romance. It’s also about loyalty and forgiveness. It’s about a bond so strong nothing could crush it. It’s about learning to let go of the past, of things you had no control over, and realizing your worthiness of love, loyalty, and kindness shown to you.

Both Farah and Dorian were good people. They took care of others who couldn’t care for themselves for myriad reasons. The bond they forged was equally as strong as Farah and Dougan’s and linked them irrevocably. Or perhaps they’d always been irrevocably linked?

This was my first read from KByrne and I was vastly impressed. She created an extremely engaging story and wrapped it around a colorful cast of characters – both main and secondary. It was a fun read as well as an emotional one. And I’m beyond eager to continue this series!

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