Bride of the High Country
Irish immigrant Margaret Hamilton lost her family at a young age and was the victim of devastating abuse at the hands of a brothel owner. Though she was saved from a life of prostitution, the wounds of her past still haunt her. Determined to never be a victim again, Margaret plans to marry Doyle Kerrigan, a railroad tycoon whose Irish heritage makes him an unsuitable match for the blue-bloods of New York. Kerrigan’s wealth will allow Margaret to control her own destiny – or so she thinks. When Margaret discovers the dark secret of her fiancé’s past, she jilts him at the altar and flees for the West, where she reinvents herself yet again, taking the name Lucinda. But Kerrigan’s business partner, Tait Rylander, is hot on Lucinda’s trail, and the time they spend together on the westbound train awakens their passion for each other.
Warner’s love of the Western U.S. and the era of westward expansion is apparent in her rich detail and lovely descriptions of frontier life. Though this is the third in Warner’s Runaway Brides quartet, it stands well on its own. However, readers familiar with the two earlier books in the series will enjoy seeing Lucinda’s perspective on the events that took place in previous books. Fans of frontier romances will enjoy this engaging, fast-paced novel.
