'He was no barbarian. And certainly no gentleman.'

The Scot Beds His Wife (Victorian Rebels #5)   by Kerrigan Byrne

Complex situations, begat by desperation, lies, bad choices, childhood abuse and oh so many other factors dog the pages in this very different story in the Victorian Rebels series. I keep thinking Annie Oakley meets a Scots Celtic god, whose soul holds close hidden horrors a la Dorian Gray. Gavin St. James, Earl of Thorne's emotional burdens weigh him down.  Although there is no painting in the attic, Gavin has suppressed regrets and terrible memories, that he's spent a life time attempting to forget by cutting a path through the bedrooms of the rich and needy using his exceptional charm.

Samantha Masters was part of a gang including her husband and his brother who are train robbers. This time the robbery goes awry and in the ensuing confusion and aftermath Sam commits murder and exchanges places with an heiress, Alison Ross, and flees to the Highlands, having taken on Alison's persona.

Well of course this cattle herding, fast shooting Amaerican gal comes as a complete shock to Gavin who had plans of frightening her into selling her lands to him ... or marrying her. Whichever will work.

Naturally both of their pasts manage to catch up with them, not before a last resort wedding, unexpected attacks from angry westerners pursuing Sam, sexually charged situations, and a whirlwind of emotional angst.

I loved the secondary characters, the gruff shepherds and other members of the clan who take Sam into their hearts.

Certainly a highland historical Victorian era novel with a difference. I am still unsure about the Wild West confrontation with the Highland Warriors but if anyone can pull it off its Kerrigan Byrne.

A NetGalley ARCu

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