Review ~ The Highwayman ~ Kerrigan Byrne

Posted 24 July, 2019 by Brandee @ (un)Conventional Bookworms in Reviews / 7 Comments

Review ~ The Highwayman ~ Kerrigan ByrneThe 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
4.5 Stars

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?

2nd Chance - (un) Conventional Bookviews Adult - (un)Conventional Bookviews Historical - (un)Conventional Bookviews

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!

Brandee @ (un)Conventional Bookworms

About Brandee @ (un)Conventional Bookworms

Brandee is a mom of 3 and a soon-to-be empty nester. She is also an avid reader, a genre omnivore, and a compulsive one-clicker - but she's in recovery. Besides being a reader, she's also a writer and hopes to divide the vast quantities of spare time she'll soon have between reading and finally publishing her first book.

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 9,077 other subscribers

7 responses to “Review ~ The Highwayman ~ Kerrigan Byrne

  1. Stephanie - Bookfever

    This sounds like such a great read. I’m gonna add it to my wishlist! I’ve read a lot of historical fiction this year but no single historical romance yet even though I told myself I would. I’d really love to read this one sometime. Great review, Brandee! ♥

  2. jeneaw41

    Oh yes, this sounds wonderful! I’m glad that you enjoyed it so much. Great review!

  3. Ailyn Koay
    Twitter:

    that sounds pretty scandalous by the sounds of it. Farah would be a trying girl to beat i think

  4. RO

    Sometimes going back to find those older books can give us some true treasures, and this sounds like one of them! I love a story where there are witty and interesting conversations between the characters, and Dorian sounds like a bad boy I need to know. Never heard of this author either, but definitely adding her to my pile for future reading. Thanks for such a great review! Hugs, RO

  5. Aww!! One of my top favorite books of all time to read! This book really worked my emotions so much though. Seeing their beautiful bond and the strength behind it was powerful!!!

Thanks for commenting - chat soon!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.