Thursday, July 7, 2022

Danelle Harmon’s THE WAYWARD ONE – Revolutionary War Story with an Irish Hero

Set in 1779, this is the story of Irish Captain Ruaidri O' Devir, a commander in the American Continental Navy, selected by John Adams to sail to England and steal a new explosive formula developed by an English nobleman.

 

Lady Nerissa de Montforte, the youngest sibling in an aristocratic English family, is excited to accompany her brother to a demonstration of his new explosive invention. When her brother sends her to safety so she will not feel the device’s impact, it provides the perfect opportunity for Ruaidri to abduct her, thinking he will ransom her for the formula.

 

Having experienced the brutality of being impressed into serving the British navy, Ruaidri is contemptuous of all English and particularly the aristocracy. Nerissa finds the Irish captain both arrogant and attractive. Neither counts on falling in love, but they do and very quickly while the British Navy is searching the seas to reclaim her and do away with the Irishman.

 

This is a well-told story of second chances set against the time of America’s War of Independence. Nerissa’s fiancé jilted her and Ruaidri’s first love betrayed him with his best friend. In addition she is from wealth and title; he is from a poor Irish family. So, both carry baggage into their already problematic relationship. But Ruaidri is noble of heart, if not birth, and also a gentleman, so we want him to get the girl.

 

Harmon has included some exciting scenes of battles at sea with vivid descriptions and accurate nautical terminology. Those who love authenticity in their historical romances will appreciate her attention to detail.

 

This is book 5 in the de Montforte Brothers series and I recommend reading them I order. Also, Harmon’s various series are related and characters from one series may appear in another. From the beginning of The Wayward One, couples and characters from the earlier stories appear, some remaining to be characters in this story. If you want to understand who they are, best to begin at the beginning.

 

The de Montforte Brothers:

 

The Wild One

The Beloved One

The Defiant One

The Wicked One

The Wayward One

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