“Love is quite like reading, I expect. Once you know how, you can never imagine not doing it. ”
We were in the mood for a historical romance and have always wanted to read The Highwayman by Kerrigan Byrne, an Author whom we already love dearly. And we were absolutely blown away like we knew we would be. It was dark, emotional, incredibly visual, passionate, harrowing and so very tender too. There was so much beauty amongst the ugliness and so much hatred amid the purity of love. The writing is exquisite, the characters sublime, in their own unique ways, and the storyline is utterly captivating. This is without question a historical romance that needs to be added to your reading list if it’s not there already. Sheer perfection! We could not put this epic love story down!
“I’d never leave you, Fairy.”
“Truly? Not even to be a pirate? ”
“I promise. I might be a highwayman though. ”
“Will you try to love me, too?”
“I’ll try Fairy, but I havena done it before.”
“I’ll teach you.”
Right from the start, the depth of emotion was just wonderful, yet so very tragic. We meet Dougan and Farah, orphans in a home where neither finds much love nor comfort. Rather, their sad beginning sets the tone of what’s to come, one fairing a less horrific path compared to the other. This book, we suppose, is somewhat of a nod to Beauty & The Beast. In Dorian Blackwell, the Blackheart of Ben More, we have a self-loathing, tormented and scarred anti-hero who runs the darker side of London yet prefers his castle in Scotland where he can have a semblance of peace. Then we have a ‘fairy-like’ and wise heroine in Farah Leigh Mackenzie, who has the kindest heart and most beautiful soul with a spine forged in steel. We loved both characters with all our hearts.
Here they were again. A cold storm. A stone wall. A wounded boy. A lonely girl.
“Tell me why you’re crying?”
We could definitely see this story playing out as we read. From humble and tragic beginnings, we meet the characters as mere children wise beyond their years due to circumstance. Then we re-join Farah seventeen years later, a widower and clerk at Scotland Yard which is where she meets the Blackheart of Ben More, face to face. He is the epitome of everything dark and dangerous. Violent in his retribution and threatening in his menacing stature. Broken, brutal, and intense, he consumes Farah’s very being. But why? Well, you will have to read it to find out, and let us tell you, it’s emotional, tear-inducing, and tragic. You will love, laugh, and cry!
Of course it’s all-consuming, but love- real love- does not destroy or smother. It’s the very opposite of weakness. Love strengthens. It liberates. It molds itself to every fiber of your being and fortifies you where you may be broken. ”
The Highwayman stole our hearts. It was addictive, sexy, harrowing, suspenseful and it brimmed with tension and passion throughout. It had everything we love and crave in our historical romance. We’re also huge fans of epilogues, as more often than not, it’s that last satisfying morsel after a long and arduous journey that makes us sign with contentment. Well, let us tell you, the epilogue in The Highwayman was superb and finished us off completely!
“Is there nothing left of him?” she whispered.
“Only the way he – remembers you.”