The Highlander (Victorian Rebels)

Kerrigan Byrne’s The Highlander attracts readers with intense, interesting characters and detailed scene-setting.

Mena Lockhart used to be a viscountess, but her abusive husband sent her to an asylum where she was further abused. After the institution was raided and closed, Mena was ferried away to Scotland to live out her life as a governess to the “Demon Highlander,” Liam MacKenzie, whose exploits in war were all but legendary. The attraction between Liam and Mena is undeniable, but they must resolve their own inner demons before they can be together.

The Highlander is an intense story that tackles some pretty serious material such as domestic violence, marital rape, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Between Mena’s life of abuse and trauma and Liam’s history of being through war and bloodshed, there is more than enough baggage between the two protagonists. I appreciate that their trauma isn’t simply explained away with their romance but is an issue each of the protagonists needs to address on their own. Harrowing scenes at the beginning will make readers latch onto the characters, and a mysterious story arc will drive them the rest of the way through. This is the kind of story romance novel naysayers shouldn’t underestimate.