They’re rebels, scoundrels, and blackguards-dark, dashing men on the wrong side of the law. But for the women who love them, a hint of danger only makes the heart beat faster, in the stunning debut historical romance The Highwayman by Kerrigan Byrne. STEALING BEAUTY Dorian Blackwell, the Blackheart of Ben More, is a ruthless villain. Scarred and hard-hearted, Dorian is one of Victorian London’s … hard-hearted, Dorian is one of Victorian 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?
Read the Victorian Rebels
- The Highwayman
- The Hunter
- The Highlander
- The Duke
- The Scot Beds His Wife
- The Duke With the Dragon Tattoo
- A Dark and Stormy Knight
more
This historical romance from Kerrigan Byrne was so good. What I really enjoyed about this second chance romance was the dark element added to the characters. It’s emotional dark because of what Farrah and Dorian went through when they were kids. Their childhood is dark and sad but their love and the promises they make to one another is what ultimately saves them.
Yes, it turned Dorian into the criminal and ruthless man he is today but his love for Farrah is still stronger than ever. Oh my did I enjoy his alpha personality towards his love. He didn’t make it easy on Farrah but she’s a strong and very wise woman who doesn’t give up easily.
The secondary characters are great too. Especially Murdoch and Frank. This was the first book of the Victorian Rebels series and it was fabulous. Christoffer Argent was introduced and I can’t wait to read his book which is the next in the series. I’m off to a good start.
4 My Fairy Stars
Sooo good!!!!
Oh Holy Mother of Romance Novels. Kerrigan Byrne, you’ve been hiding from me. You’ve now been elevated to the Top Ten on my Kindle. The basic phrases that came out of my mouth while I read this book were: Holy Moly, he didn’t. Holy Moly, she didn’t. OMG, how hot. OMG, you go girl. And that was just in the first two chapters.
If you can live through the very first steamy scene in this without having your heartrate increase? You’re dead. Trust me, put a fork in it, you’re dead. I don’t know one person who would not have to read and re-read the wedding night scene and would do it in pure enjoyment. It was at that moment, not even half way through the book that I knew I must continue to read Kerrigan Byrne, and that she was now elevated to the top of the list.
Thank you to the Historical Harlots of Facebook for recommending this book in the first place. And thank you to the author for putting together a story that stays with you long after you put down the Kindle.
And my final comment – WOW. Enjoyable read, hot, dark, and just plain wonderful!
The Highwayman is the first book in the Victorian Rebels series by Kerrigan Byrne. It’s an emotional love story, a touching second chance romance with heartbreak, grief, torture, and a sweet and fully satisfying happy ending.
Dorian Blackwell was the king of the London underworld. He was an interesting character, a man full of conflicts. He was brutal and fearsome, yet gentle and caring. He was confident and calculative, yet insecure and vulnerable. He was cold hearted, yet completely loyal to his fellow prison mates. And it was only his Fairy, Farah Leigh, who could bring out the other side of him…
Farah Leigh had an unusual childhood, given her family background. I love her fierce innocent young love and her faithfulness to the broken boy who was sweet and protective of her. As an adult woman, she was overflowing with compassion and love, she possessed a gracious soul and a will of steel. And she was the only light who could clear away the darkness in Dorian.
I wanted to hate Dorian for breaking Farah’s heart, but I just couldn’t hold my grudge against him, as he thought what he did was to protect her . His painful past had scarred him physically and emotionally, and Farah’s love and patience slowly healed him and filled the void in his soul. I was crying so many times along their journey and weeping again at their sweet and touching reunion .
A 5- read, beautiful writing, captivating story plots, and full of emotions. Definitely a wonderful start of an intriguing series.
Dark and Dangerous
This book is not for the faint of heart. Darkness and violence surround the man known as Dorian Blackwell. His only salvation may be from the woman he’s been seeking for many years. A woman with a mysterious past, Farrah Mackenzie, works for Scotland Yard. When Dorian Blackwell is brought in for questioning, she’s sent into the room to take down his confession. Violence is not an unknown tool to use for a confession. This time she feels something different. A whisper of the past.
Talk about a heartbreaker! Tissues a must.
The best of this series, and they all are good.
I enjoyed this book. It was sad and tragic and joyful. The hero is damaged physically and emotionally. The female lead is lovely and strong. Great sex too.
Although it was interesting not very original. Some familiar themes were present though out the novel.
I absolutely loved the characters in this book. Read the whole series, it’s wonderful.
The innocence of childhood love, a promise of forever, the heartbreak of loss, then discovery.
What a heartbreaking beginning. Two children in the worst conditions find each other and also find such innocent love. She becomes his touchstone but then they lose each other. Fast forward and you can guess what happens as they become adults.
I was in tears for so much of this book. You’d never guess it’s one of my all time favorites. Here’s a suggestion – read the whole series!
I have to say that The Highwayman is one of if not the best historical romance I have ever read. The connection between the hero and heroine is powerful and haunting and beautiful. Their journey from the touchingly sad prologue to the inspiring epilogue is filled with love as well as darkness and pain and suffering. There are moments when I cried. I have reread it as well as all the others in the series. Excellent writing!
I enjoyed it. The author writes well and I always fall for a tough tortured hero who hides a warm heart. I like the theme of loyalty and kept promises that runs throughout. It has cursing that may offend some readers.
One of the best love stories I have read. True love and commitment still can be true
Read ending twice!!
First book I’ve read from this author but, I’ve since bought 3 more. This story was fantastic
love this one really could not put it down
Unusual plot twists and lots of romance and steam make this a winner.
This was an exciting and surprising read. Great characters and plenty of romance. Loved spending time with this book.
My life is complete!!
I don’t know what makes me happier: finding a new historical romance or finding a new author. I feel like I have read a lot of historical romances and I was starting to lose hope about finding a book and/or an author to get excited about. Well, my dreams have come true!!! This book had me from the first page and I cannot wait to read the next book.
Dorian is everything I love in a tortured hero and Farah is the girl we all want to be. Their love story is tragic and beautiful and I didn’t want it to end. This book has restored my faith in historical romances.
“I make ye my heart At the rising of the moon. To love and honor, Through all our lives. May we be reborn, May our souls meet and know. And love again. And remember.”
From the very beginning when Farah and Dougan were just kids in an orphanage and they first met, the story was compelling. It steadily escalated from there and didn’t stop.
As children, Farah and Dougan had sworn themselves to love forever. He called her his fairy. But when Dougan kills a priest (good move, dude. Seriously), they are viciously separated never to see each other again.
Seventeen years later, Farah carries Dougan’s name of McKenzie and everybody believes her to be a young widow. Dougan is dead and she has no desire to marry anyone. She has a job at Scotland Yard as a clerk and goes with her boss to interview the infamous Dorian Blackwell, one of the Blackheart Brothers. He’s well-known for breaking laws and getting away with it. Her boss has him handcuffed behind his back and is beating him, something that Farah didn’t know he would ever do. She thought he was a fair man and Blackwell was at a disadvantage. But her boss is irate. Blackwell keeps slipping out of his fingers every time he gets him and this time is no different.
Farah is disturbed by the looming presence of Blackwell. He was a cold, heartless person with one dark eye and one milky blue one with a scar going over the blue one. He gives her chills. She was grateful to be dismissed from the interrogation.
As life goes, Carlton, her boss, takes her to the theater that night and when he walks her home, he kisses her and asks her to marry him. It was after he left that Blackwell made his move and kidnapped her and took her to his castle. She wasn’t okay with that, but when he told her her life was in danger and explained that one of her father’s old friends–a man she was betrothed to at seven years old–was after her and wanted to kill her for the fortune that she’d never claimed. She had no intention of claiming it until Blackwell told her she had to marry him. He didn’t give her an option to say no. But she had a stipulation of her own. She wants a family.
Dorian wants nothing to do with that. He’s emotionally wounded and physically scarred from his time in Newgate. He refuses to let her touch him and tells her to never reach for him. He also tells her that he will never sleep with her. He doesn’t touch her without gloves. He feels as if he is going to taint her if he touches her. He thinks he’s that bad and it’s sad. Until he got with Farah, I got the impression that he’d never been with another woman, despite his reputation of being a hedonist and having a harem of women at his beck and call. He was confident in what he was doing, but instinct will take one a long way.
There’s a lot of mystery in the story, as well. There were more than a few times when I thought Dorian Blackwell wasn’t who he said he was. Then something would happen and I would relax in thinking he was Dorian Blackwell. Then something else would happen that made me doubt it again. It was a roller coaster and kept me on my toes.
I couldn’t get enough of this book. I wasn’t sure I was going to get a happily ever after, but I got better than that. I loved Dorian through all of his wounds and brokenness and I loved Farah for being so steadfast yet not being a pushover. There wasn’t one bad thing about this that I can think of. I laughed and cried. I cheered and I groaned. I loved every second of it and when I was finished, I smiled with sigh. What a great ride that was.
It’s been a long time since I’ve been so captivated by a book that I ordered pizza to feed the family so I could get back to reading. It was that good.