The Highwayman's Letter

The Highwayman's Letter

by Martha Keyes

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He waylays her carriage and runs off with her property. Can she keep him from stealing her heart as well?

By day, Reginald Sinclair works in the post office, but by night, he is the increasingly infamous Paladin, the gallant highwayman making young women swoon all over Somerset. With a vendetta against the wealthy that spans both past and present, Reggie's escapades allow him to take justice into his own hands while helping his uncle avoid insolvency.

Joanna Carmichael's father has finally chosen her a husband. While she is not thrilled with her father's selection, Joanna understands it as a business arrangement, something which suits her practicality perfectly. Her father hopes her good sense will exercise a beneficial effect upon her younger sister, Frances, who is regrettably prone to romantics. Frances's preoccupation with reports of the Paladin threaten to overshadow Joanna's coolheaded example, but Joanna is determined to show her sister how foolish and unworthy of admiration the outlaw is.

During their encounter, though, the maddening highwayman takes an item of Joanna's—then has the audacity to send her a letter with instructions on how to recover it, beginning a battle of wills that brings Reggie within reach of the people responsible for his family's ruin and forces Joanna to reconsider the desirability of her business arrangement.

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Genre
Historical Romance
Subgenre
Regency (1811–1820), General Historical, Georgian (1714–1837)
Series
Sons of Somerset • Book 5
Audience
Adult
Bell Peppers
🫑
Profanity
2 Mild
Violence
2 Mild
Drugs, Alcohol, Tobacco
2 Mild
Publication Date
November 6, 2021
Language Versions
English
Narration Type
Human
Fiction Form
Novel

Customer Reviews

Based on 7 reviews
71%
(5)
29%
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L
Lindsay
Loved it!

I loved reading this book! It was intriguing, well-written, and I learned some historical things that I hadn’t known before.It was really interesting to read about the post and the unfairness of franked letters. I felt so bad for the people in the story who couldn’t afford to pay and receive their mail, and I loved the parts where Reggie helped them. This isn’t a retelling, but robbing the rich to help the poor is reminiscent of Robin Hood, and I liked that part of the story! I also loved the realizations that Reggie comes to; his character arc is so well-done.Joanna is such a great character too! She prides herself on being practical and is seemingly not initially bothered by the thought of a loveless marriage. I loved her arc and how she begins to enjoy the lure of adventure instead of always being respectable and practical. There’s nothing wrong with those two qualities of course, but I appreciated how it’s shown that life is meant to be lived with love, not just something to be endured.Here are some of my favorite things from this book:-Hidden identity trope 🤐-Following clues 🧐-Letter locking ✉️-The masquerade 🎭-Romantic balcony scenes 🥰-Dancing in the rain 😍I highly recommend this book and this series! Martha Keyes is one of my favorite authors and I can’t wait to read whatever she publishes next!5/5 stars!

W
WA amazon customer
lovely quick read

While the premise is rather preposterous, she does an excellent job of incorporating colloquialisms from the time period far better than most. Well written and a fun read. I highly recommend!

t
tiffany r mirisoleiman
Loved this gem!

Loved this story, the characters & plot development, and especially the clever dialogue & humor! Enjoyed meandering the streets of Bath with this cast & learning so much about the post service. I especially applaud Martha’s representation of Sir Leonard & Joanna’s ensuing respect & kindness. Another gem!

J
Jessica Christian
Fantastic regency!

This was a DElight of a Regency read! Do you ever have a grin on your face while reading a book? I had a perma grin during this one! I adored the two main characters-they both are good people trying to do the best they can. I adored Reggie, and his perspective as a mail clerk was so unique for this time period. Which was the whole theme of the Sons of Somerset, allowing the working class Regency men have a spotlight. Me likey. He had such depth to his character, and I loved when the Paladin made his appearances! Joanna is such a kind and thoughtful MC, really loved her side of the story!The hidden identity trope works SO well here and kudos to you @authormarthakeyes because at times I wasn’t sure how you were going to pull everything together! But you did in the most tantalizing, lovely, butterflies in my stomach, way! I LOVED any and all scenes on a certain balcony.😏 These two have such chemistry and their banter is spot on. The story is paced perfectly and all the side characters are fleshed out and quite funny! A favorite of mine was a bee loving would-be beau. Also her sister Frances! I wouldn’t mind a book with her love story. 😉 I actually adored Joanna’s whole family, and gosh if a certain part didn’t make me tear up.Do not miss this amazing conclusion to a fantastic Regency series! It comes out November 6!I received an ARC of this book, all thoughts are my own.

J
Judy
drawn in to the characters from the first to the last

this book is a wonderful read. i couldn't put it down when i got to the last 100 pages. martha keys writes so well. i have read at least one other by her and remembered the same connection to her characters. her plots are so well written that you cannot fathom the ending turning out well. somehow it does. thanks for sharing your talent!

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