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Rating: 
Summary: Neither original nor believable.
Review: Edmund Neville Fitzgerald, Earl of Clonmore, leads a dangerous dual life as Gentleman Niall, a Robin Hood type bandit stealing from the rich of England and Ireland to help the Irish poor. To gain a strategic piece of land, he forces the hand of a card playing opponent and wins Kilmara. What he does not know is that the land is entailed, and he is now saddled with a bride-to-be, Lady Elizabeth Wentworth. He is now faced with the dilemma of maintaining his distance from an all too attractive and knowing wife while attempting to commit one last daring deed as Gentleman Niall. Anne Kelleher has a delightful writing style that combines plenty of description with straightforward narrative. The plot of the story, however, leaves something to be desired as far as originality is concerned. Also, she asks the reader to suspend
belief on a critical turning point in the story. Lady Elizabeth recognizes her masked husband after one brief encounter with Gentleman Niall when the people of the community have failed to make the connection for a number of years. This improbable event combined with too many trite plot devices leaves a bad taste,
which is a sad thing given the author's abilities.
Rating: 
Summary: Kelleher delivers again!
Review: I have been following this author through several romances, and for my taste, she is one of the strongest writers in the genre. Her characters are human and appealing, and the background details are always fascinating and thoroughly researched. I never fail to finish one of Anne Kelleher's books feeling both entertained and a little bit more educated.
*
In "The Highwayman," Elizabeth and Lord Neville are a well-matched pair, alternately romancing and distrusting each other. As their story unfolds, we see the face that Neville shows to the world, while Elizabeth slowly discovers the man he truly is. The growing tension between the couple, well after they have taken their marriage vows, allows the reader to savor the passion that must come once the two lovers finally believe in each other.
*
It's a great read. Don't miss "The Highwayman," and catch up on Ms. Kelleher's other books.
Rating:
Summary: A hero that breaks the mold!
Review: I thought this was a fantastic read! The hero did not conform to the sterotype so often found in romance novels - he was feeling without being wimpy and strong without being heartless. The dialogue was intelligent - so often books written about Ireland or with Irish characters write the dialogue in the most unbelievable fashion - playing on all the stereotypes about the Irish. This is another thing that I liked about the book - it was historically accurate and avoided so many sterotypes people make about the Irish. I read many romance novels and am aware of many of the conventions that appear in every romance novel (i.e. there's always a happy ending), but I think that this novel has a certain freshness about it that I found very enjoyable.
Finally, I'd like to address the criticism that the book asks the reader to believe the heroine recognizes the hero even when no one else does. This overlooks one of the central conventions of the romance novel - in this medium, lovers always have a special connection, so it didn't surprise me at all that she recognized him. Further, I think the reason that Elizabeth is able to recognize Neville is because she is new to the community and has not been subjected to the preconceived idea that he is incapcitated, etc.
I think that people who enjoy a good romance will find this a supremely satisfying read!
Rating: 
Summary: A good romance
Review: Irish aristocrat Lord Edmund Neville Fitzgerald wears a mask to cover a scar that mars his visage. However, at night he wears a mask, stealing money from his peers and giving it back to the poor like a Robin Hood hero. The local aristocracy loathes Gentleman Niall. In a card game with Lord Wentworth, Neville wins the Kilmara estate, but must marry his opponent's daughter Elizabeth, to whom the land is entailed, to gain the land.
Lady Elizabeth travels from her home in Ireland to meet her new betrothed Neville in Ireland. Nasty highwaymen attack her coach, but Gentleman Niall rescues her from the vile thugs. Elizabeth finds herself attracted to her savior, but knows she must marry her intended Lord Neville. When she meets her fiancé, Elizabeth realizes he is Gentleman Niall, who does not trust his new spouse as his enemies have hired a bounty hunter who believes Elizabeth can identify Gentleman Niall. To his chagrin, Neville wants his wife who loves him with all her heart.
The lead characters and the support cast feel genuine and the fast-paced story line is loaded with action. However, the attraction between Neville and Elizabeth takes a long time to start and even longer to connect, leaving the audience to wonder if the novel is historical fiction with a touch of romance instead of historical romantic suspense. Still, the tale is well written for those historical fans that enjoy a strong plot with the romance serving as a secondary vehicle. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: A good romance
Review: Irish aristocrat Lord Edmund Neville Fitzgerald wears a mask to cover a scar that mars his visage. However, at night he wears a mask, stealing money from his peers and giving it back to the poor like a Robin Hood hero. The local aristocracy loathes Gentleman Niall. In a card game with Lord Wentworth, Neville wins the Kilmara estate, but must marry his opponent's daughter Elizabeth, to whom the land is entailed, to gain the land.
Lady Elizabeth travels from her home in Ireland to meet her new betrothed Neville in Ireland. Nasty highwaymen attack her coach, but Gentleman Niall rescues her from the vile thugs. Elizabeth finds herself attracted to her savior, but knows she must marry her intended Lord Neville. When she meets her fiancé, Elizabeth realizes he is Gentleman Niall, who does not trust his new spouse as his enemies have hired a bounty hunter who believes Elizabeth can identify Gentleman Niall. To his chagrin, Neville wants his wife who loves him with all her heart.
The lead characters and the support cast feel genuine and the fast-paced story line is loaded with action. However, the attraction between Neville and Elizabeth takes a long time to start and even longer to connect, leaving the audience to wonder if the novel is historical fiction with a touch of romance instead of historical romantic suspense. Still, the tale is well written for those historical fans that enjoy a strong plot with the romance serving as a secondary vehicle. Harriet Klausner
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