The Highlander

August 10, 2015
Byrne’s gritty first Victorian Rebels novel doesn’t flinch from Victorian London’s darker side. When Farah Mackenzie is unexpectedly abducted, the last thing she expects is a second chance at love—especially with Dorian Blackwell, a shadowy figure in London’s criminal underground. Dorian learned harsh lessons of survival from his youth in Newgate Prison alongside Farah’s childhood sweetheart, Dougan. He knows all of Farah’s secrets, even her true identity as an heiress, and he offers her the opportunity to reclaim her inheritance and to avenge Dougan’s death. But all Farah wants is a child of her own. The romance is raw, edgy, and explosive. There are no flowers, soft words of poetry, or gentle strains of music. Farah alternates between fascination with and hatred for Dorian, simultaneously drawn to his ugly past and repelled by the violence and anger surrounding him. Dorian cannot deny Farah anything, but he also resorts to cruelty to keep her at a distance. Gradually they grow closer; Dorian offers her protection and all the resources at his disposal, and Farah reminds him of the softer, kinder, gentler side of human nature. Theirs is not a pretty tale, but the path they take through adversity makes the triumph of love deeply satisfying. Agent: Christine Witthohn, Book Cents Literary Agency.

Starred review from August 1, 2016

Statuesque, titian-haired Philomena Lockhart is nothing like the staid, elderly governess Laird Liam MacKenzie, Marquess Ravencroft, was hoping for--and he's not happy about it. For one thing, she's far too young to deal with two teenagers; for another, she's much too lovely and enticing for his peace of mind--she doesn't even have the sense to be afraid of him, the Demon Highlander. But Liam's children need help, and Mena is determined to stay, especially as the remote Highland keep is her only sanctuary from a man determined to destroy her--her husband. Engaging children, a fascinating, colorful supporting cast, and an eerie mystery keep the story moving in the right direction. VERDICT A fiercely protective, emotionally damaged hero and a heroine living in fear for her life find strength and healing in an intense story rife with chilling evil, brutal violence, and heart-melting sensuality that has issues of trust and honesty at its core. Another hit from the phenomenal Byrne (The Hunter); she lives at the base of the Rockies.

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