One of Kirkus' Best Fiction of 2019
One of Kirkus' Best Romance Novels of 2019
"[Tantalizes] readers with the couple’s teasing and building passion." - Publishers Weekly on How To Love A Duke in Ten Days
"An un-put-down-able story that combines sensuality, tenderness . . . and memorable characters." - Kirkus starred review on How To Love A Duke in Ten Days
"In this brilliantly conceived start to her captivating new Devil You Know series, Byrne once again delivers the beautifully nuanced characters and seductive storytelling her readers have come to expect, while at the same time deftly conjuring up the spirit of Victoria Holt’s classic gothic romances," - Booklist on How To Love A Duke in Ten Days
"An amazing story of how two broken people find a way to heal each other . . . even when some scars can’t be seen. [...] A beautifully written historical romance that was impossible to put down." - Affaire de Coeur on How To Love A Duke in Ten Days
Praise for The Victorian Rebels:
"Byrne weaves in such undeniable thrills and a sweeping sense of all-consuming passion that you may just end up falling for the story against your better judgment." — Entertainment Weekly on The Duke With the Dragon Tattoo
"Another winner in a stellar series." — Library Journal starred review on The Duke With the Dragon Tattoo
"Everything about this deliciously dark and dangerous historical romance is done to perfection." — Booklist starred review on The Duke With the Dragon Tattoo
"There's a lot to love about this awesome book...Byrne's sexy scoundrels and complex heroines deliver, as always." —Kirkus Starred Review on The Scot Beds His Wife
"This sexy romp has it all—a mystery, a feminist heroine worth rooting for, and moments of heat so intense they might need a nurse." —Kirkus Starred Review on The Duke
"This [is a] page-turning novel full of historical details and sensuous romance." —Publishers Weekly Starred Review on The Duke
"Another hit from the phenomenal Byrne." —Library Journal Starred Review on The Highlander
"A rich, emotional love story." —The Washington Post on The Highlander
"Captured me from page one and never let go. Romantic, lush, and suspenseful." —Suzanne Enoch, New York Times bestselling author on The Highwayman
"A passionate, lyrical romance that takes your breath away. From the first page, you'll fall in love." —Elizabeth Boyle, New York Times bestselling author
"Byrne makes a stunning debut with a beautifully written, intensely suspenseful, and deliciously sensual love story." —Amelia Grey, New York Times bestselling author
The dark, violent side of the Victorian era blazes to life as a caring, competent heroine living under the radar is abducted by a notorious crime lord with wonderfully gratifying results in this exceptional and compelling vengeance-driven romantic adventure. —Starred Library Journal Review on The Highwayman
The romance is raw, edgy and explosive...the path they take through adversity makes the triumph of love deeply satisfying. —Publishers Weekly on The Highwayman
A truly mesmerizing series that highlights dangerous heroes who flout the law and the women who love them. —Library Journal Starred Review on The Hunter
★ 2019-06-19
In late Victorian England, a sexual assault survivor and a scarred nobleman nicknamed the Terror of Torcliff marry for practical reasons but become enamored with each other—within 10 days, as the title promises.
Dr. Alexandra Lane is a successful archaeologist, but she is haunted by her own history of having been raped by her boarding school headmaster when she was 17. Though Cecelia and Francesca, her two best friends, have been supportive, Alexandra has kept something from them since then, and now, 10 years later, her secret is at risk of exposure. When she meets Francesca's almost-fiance, Piers, at his ancestral estate on the Devonshire moors, she proposes to him, which will help her keep her secret (and because she knows Francesca doesn't want to marry him). Piers is an angry man, especially furious with his promiscuous mother and an unfaithful former lover. But Alexandra, with her scholarly bent, fearful demeanor, and sporadic acts of courage, catches his interest. Byrne (The Duke With the Dragon Tattoo, 2018, etc.) begins her Devil You Know series with an absorbing mix of old-school gothic romance with a woman in peril and the #MeToo era, celebrating the strength of survivors (as she writes in the book's dedication). After initially misunderstanding his wife's past, Piers transforms from a self-centered duke with a marked sense of entitlement to a supportive spouse once he learns of her trauma. Whether a change like this is wishful thinking or a realistic depiction of the allies that some women might have had under pre-feminist patriarchy, it makes for a heartwarming romance. Even more empowering is the friendship among the three women, who model female solidarity and whose personas (and nicknames: Alexander, Cecil, and Frank) reject restrictive gender roles. The story's overt politics sit in somewhat awkward proximity to the melodramatic end of the gothic plotline, but even that conclusion is enjoyable in its own way.
An un-put-down-able story that combines sensuality, tenderness, slightly far-fetched dramatic scenes, and memorable characters.
