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Daughters of Fortune #1

The Outlaw and the Lady

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Innocent Angela Bainbridge knows her dreams of a fairy-tale wedding and finding passion in a man's embrace can never come true. So when she's swept into the arms of—and kidnapped by—notorious Lee Raven she's both righteously angry... and curiously captivated. There's something about this brazen outlaw that awakens Angela's desires. She knows any crimes he's committed are for the protection of his family, but Angela realizes that a lifetime together with Lee can never be...

Lee Raven knows he's only two steps ahead of the law. But this innocent beauty has his head spinning and his heart longing for something more than a life on the run. She's made it clear that she's determined to discover all of his secrets—but how can he let her learn what's hidden in his past? And how can he let her give him her heart today, when he can't even promise her tomorrow?

375 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published October 2, 2001

114 people are currently reading
2223 people want to read

About the author

Lorraine Heath

90 books4,383 followers
Also writes Young Adult under Rachel Hawthorne, Jade Parker, and with her son as J.A. London.

Lorraine Heath has always had a soft spot for emotional love stories. No doubt because growing up, watching movies with her mom, she was taught that the best movies "won't half make you cry."​​​​​​​

She is the daughter of a British beauty (her mom won second place in a beauty contest sponsored by Max Factor® during which she received a kiss from Caesar Romero, (the Joker on the original Batman TV series) and a Texan who was stationed at Bovingdon while serving in the air force. Lorraine was born in Watford, Hertfordshire, England, but soon after moved to Texas. Her "dual" nationality has given her a love for all things British and Texan, and she enjoys weaving both heritages through her stories.

When she received her BA degree in psychology from the University of Texas, she had no idea she had gained a foundation that would help her to create believable characters—characters that are often described as “real people.” She began her career writing training manuals and computer code for the IRS, but something was always missing. When she read a romance novel, she became not only hooked on the genre, but quickly realized what her writing lacked: rebels, scoundrels, and rogues. She's been writing about them ever since.

Her work has been recognized with numerous industry awards including RWA's RITA®. Her novels have appeared on bestseller lists, including ​​​​​​​USA TODAY and the New York Times.

The author of more than 60 novels, she writes historical and contemporary romance for adults and historical romance for teen readers.

Under the names Rachel Hawthorne and Jade Parker, she writes popular contemporary, historical, and paranormal r​​omance for teens readers. She also writes young adult novels with her son under the name J. A. London.

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5 stars
632 (31%)
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774 (38%)
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442 (21%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 220 reviews
Profile Image for Jessica .
2,651 reviews16k followers
March 26, 2022
I love Lorraine Heath, but I think westerns just aren't my thing? Our heroine gets kidnapped by an outlaw robbing a bank. He ran into her and was worried she would turn him in, so he takes her with him. Little does he know, Angela is actually blind. He continues to take her to his home in Mexico and the two grow closer. Angela was definitely the star of this book and I really loved her character. But they stayed at his home for too long and I got really bored throughout this book. In typical Lorraine fashion, there was a fun twist at the end and definitely some emotion, but I just didn't love this one overall.
Profile Image for Ingie.
1,481 reviews167 followers
November 28, 2015
A short listening brake for other audiobooks...

Written November 28, 2015

DNF @37%

2 Stars - Sometimes you have to accept fact and stop


Started the audiobook, 9:48 hrs Western HR narrated by Moe Egan, already in July this summer and I've tried a lot of times but this audiobook edition just isn't for me.

Maybe is the story too outdated and "oldish" (first published 2001 so it shouldn't be) — when listening. Maybe was it the narrator (my first by her). Either way, I just get that unpleasant embarrassing feeling and keep rolling my eyes. I honestly tried time after time but always ended up wanting to move on to something else. Enough now.

I did almost half of it (nearly four hours listening) and feel that I can leave a star rating without being unfair.

*********************************************************

Fortune, Texas 1891

Angela Bainbridge witnesses a bank robbery and is impulsive kidnapped by the famous (and dangerous) outlaw Lee Raven. Angela is a very brave young girl and « she's both righteously angry...and curiously captivated. There's something about this brazen outlaw that awakens Angela's desires. »

A sweet old styled romance story that started intriguing and promising. Maybe I will try to READ The Outlaw and the Lady some day. I know this writer does it really well and Angela & Lee's love-story might be worth it.

*********************************************************

I LIKE - NO, I'm sorry to say
Profile Image for Seon Ji (Dawn).
1,051 reviews275 followers
April 30, 2020
Re-Read. Loved it even more the second time

5 stars!!! Again Heath does not disappoint!

Sweet tender romance. Strong heroine, and a perfect hero. Some surprises.


Spoilers



Profile Image for Anne.
667 reviews116 followers
July 6, 2021
”I am not your ordinary outlaw,” he stated confidently.

The Outlaw and the Lady caught my attention when the Historical Romance Book Club listed it as the July read. Having had a less than stellar experience with my first book by Lorraine Heath, Texas Glory, I decided to give this book a try. Happy to report liking this story well, though it crossed the line on my tolerance for violence in romance. Had I not liked the hero and heroine so much, I may have not finished it based on my reading preferences.

Twenty-four-year-old Angela Baninbridge, out for a stroll in Fortune, Texas, 1891, ends up in the wrong place, just in time to be caught up in the rush as Lee Raven – convicted murderer and bank robber – is fleeing town. When Raven believes she has seen his face, he brings her along as he leaves.

She acts more angry than afraid, and this makes him curious about her, realizing she is “no simpering female.” Despite being abducted, Angela notices how gentle his touch has been and how he’s protected her from the elements. His actions don’t seem to align with the type of man she would have expected.


I liked the hero and heroine right from page one. Neither turn out to be what the other expected. He was an outlaw but gentle, protective, and kindhearted. She was blind but willful, brave, and cunning. Their attraction and chemistry were noticeable from the start. “She was drawn to him like metal to a magnet, always knew when he was near.” And when he kissed her, “her responding moan shimmered through him clear down to his boots.” Planning to return her to her home when the posse had stop searching, he feared not finding “the strength or the willingness to remove her from his life.”

Angela challenged Raven frequently with her temper and insight. She took him to task over calling her honey.
"I was under the impression that our relationship was one of secrets.”
“We have no relationship, querida.”
"Then don’t call me querida.”
"I don’t call you—”
"But he did…God help him, he did.”

The tragedy in both their pasts slowly unfolded. These pieces were doled out at the pace to hold my interest throughout the book. It's mainly about their loved ones who had suffered from violence. Raven was especially affected and had nightmares and difficulty sleeping. For the most part, the violence was told in past tense with restrained language. But around 75% confession were made and while the events were recounted in past tense, they gave me a clearer picture than I prefer.

The plot, both past and present, was engaging and concluded with a twist that I suspected about midway but, nevertheless, enjoyed. The final scenes were somewhat predictable, though satisfying.

I would recommend this for anyone who enjoys historical romance in a “wild west” setting and don’t mind a story with characters who have suffered from a violent past.



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Profile Image for Moonlight 🌸.
663 reviews97 followers
August 31, 2021
This book was wonderful and so sweet.

Firstly, Angela’s father was amazing. I was already loving Angela’s vibe but when it was revealed that she was blind my heart melted. Lee was definitely captivating and when he was befuddled by Angela’s swearing, I chuckled! I loved how gentle he was with her during their travels. It was proof that they fit perfectly together, because while he didn’t smother her like other men from her past, he knew just how to care.

I’ll admit I did wish there were times he asked first before kissing her or touching her intimately though. It’s good that she was always interested when he was.

Juanita was a sweet character and learning what she suffered, what her entire family suffered, I had to keep reminding myself it’s not real life not to cry. It was horrible. Lee was great with his siblings.

So many of Lee and Angela’s moments gave me butterflies and tingles in my belly. When the betrayal moment came, omg I was not ready at all!! I’m so happy it didn’t turn out as badly as I had feared! I also appreciate how killing isn’t treated casually in this book. Usually in most books , the killing of many, especially criminals are waved off, but here it’s emphasized how it takes a toll on one’s soul.

Altogether this book was just what I needed. It wasn’t fast paced but slower and an experience altogether. I’m glad I read it!
Profile Image for Zoe.
766 reviews203 followers
November 2, 2015
I was very surprised that Lorraine Heath wrote this. I even bothered to check in which year this book was originally published. 2001, 14 years ago. Her regency novels came a few years later so I can only assume that the Heath I knew before this book has matured as a writer.

(The review may contain spoilers.)

In this book you could already see that Heath has good ideas for plots and characters. Angela (24) was blind. She was abducted by Lee (20) during one of his bank "heists" because Lee thought Angela had seen his face. Lee was on the run. He killed a man to avenge his family and his sister and had been waiting for his eventual capture by the authority, though he did attempt to postpone the "unsavory" event. Instant attraction, lots of horse-riding, I cannot be with you beacuse I am an outlow (Lee), I love you anyways (Angela), boom lots of sex and the a-ha moment when Lee's family mystery came to light.

I do find it interesting how Heath built the plots. It became gradually clear to me who really mothered the little boy and who Lee truly was.

But, these rather interesting elements don't really fit together. I feel that I am just muddling through the story and keep making very odd turns. I had a lot of "huh?", "what?" and "eh?" moments in this book. If I were an expert writer myself, I would probably say that the book was an amateurish attempt. But as a reader I can only say that I was often confused and had the feeling that I had to "catch up" because the story just jumped from one place to another.

I don't mind a younger man in a relationship nor do I mind it in a romance. But Lee and Angela kind of grossed me out because How sick is that?! (Am I alone in this??)

I have heard that Heath's Texas trilogy are great reads. Seeing that the Texas trilogy was probably written around the same time as this book, I am reluctant to try.
Profile Image for Joanna Loves Reading.
633 reviews260 followers
July 20, 2021
A sweet story, intriguing plot. I liked it a lot, and the h&h were great, definitely worth rooting for. I thought the plot a little too conveniently coincidental. It seemed pretty clear to me what the big reveal would be early on. Also, I am super disappointed that none of the Rodriguez family are featured as future h or h’s. I thought about continuing the series but I don’t think I will for the time being.
Profile Image for guiltless pleasures.
600 reviews65 followers
December 20, 2023
OK, I would first like to perform an appreciation for the fact that there is a dress shop called Damsels in Dis Dress in this book. Please sign my petition to give the proprietor her own story.

Moving on, this ain't my first Lorraine Heath rodeo, and I'm reminded again how perfect her writing style is for a western. She manages to pack such emotional punch despite her relatively spare style, and that's not even to mention the horrific events that made Lee Raven what he is today.

Call me stupid, but I did NOT see that twist coming, and I am SHOOK. Even two days after finishing the book. BANANA PANTS.

I think this would normally have been 4 stars for me, for no particular reason other than I wasn't completely obsessed with it, but it's going up to 5 due to the twist, the dress shop name, how Lee just carries Angela past his whole family and up the stairs to the bedroom unashamedly, and the I Am Spartacus moment, which was so cute.
Profile Image for Lady Tea.
1,799 reviews126 followers
January 15, 2022
Rating: 4 / 5

Sometimes it amazes me--my own reaction to things, I mean. Not oftentimes, but sometimes my reaction is exactly the opposite of what I expected it to be. In some cases, it may be that I end up loving something that I only thought I'd be "meh" on; in other cases, I'd end up being just "meh" or lukewarm on something that I thought I'd absolutely adore.

The latter case happens to be what happened for this novel.

In essence, I expected to fully and without reserve love it, as pretty much the title, description, and absolutely everything I'd heard about it before reading it would suggest that it'd be an instant 5-star book.

Not so, it seems.

The story itself, to be honest, starts off a little messy and confusing. Angela Cartwright walks around the town of Fortune at night, wishing that...well, as we learn later on, that she could see, since apparently she's blind. This is revealed early on in the book, but it isn't at all clear in the beginning, so it caught me unawares when her captor, the outlaw Lee Raven, first points this out. Now, what really had me being skeptical about this was that just being a woman out and about in an old western town in the 1800s is unlikely enough (you know, unless she's that kind of woman), but for her to be blind as well is just begging for trouble, and therefore, since she has parents who love her, this would honestly never happen.

But, I digress.

Lee Raven kidnaps Angela, at first thinking that she saw his face and therefore can identify him to the lawmen who are out to capture and hang him. When he realizes his blunder though, it's too late, and since he doesn't want to endanger his family (or give Angela up, seeing as he's attracted to her), it's too late to just take her back.

The rest progresses as you'd think a historical romance would, which ultimately leaves it as being...well, rather average. I'm still giving it a fair and good rating overall, just to be clear, but while this is a good book, there's nothing about it that stands out as great. That's all. That's literally all.

So, four stars it is, and on to the next read I go.
Profile Image for Jultri.
1,226 reviews5 followers
July 22, 2021
3.5/5. Strong writing as expected from Heath. Strong and appealing heroine who has a non-defeatist attitude to life. Nice and likable hero who is not quite as ruthless as his reputation suggests. The end unfortunately didn't work for me as it opened up a few plot holes.

She understood how failings fueled the flames of guilt, how they could eat at you, distort your memory until you knew what you should have done and forgot that you’d taken the only choice open to you. In retrospect, choices increased. In reality, only one ever existed, the one chosen.
Profile Image for Angela Maria Hart.
199 reviews353 followers
May 5, 2020
Since May, I’ve read this book three times. Soon to be a very happy fourth. While it is a historical romance, it is not a typical one by any means. I have to admit that I was very pleased when I realized that the heroine and myself had something in common – the same first name, Angela. She then went on to be brave, funny, loving, and fierce, making me like her as a three-dimensional character for far more reasons that just her name.

The story opens while she is walking through her local town square at night. Unbeknownst to her, a bank robbery is taking place nearby. As the outlaws are leaving the bank with their loot, they see Angela.

While everyone might know the name Lee Raven, no one knows what he looks like. Needing to keep his identity a secret, Lee abducts Angela and takes her with him. While she may have witnessed the crime, Angela didn’t see actually anything, she went blind many years ago when she was a child. After riding for several hours, Lee realizes that she can’t truly identify him, but having spent some time with her, he doesn’t want to let her go.

Drama. Suspense. Multiple plot lines. Great secondary characters. Twists and Turns. Tears. And Laugher. This book is captivating. Five out of five stars from me.

In case you missed it, I also contributed this review to Boobies & Noobies: https://boobiepodcast.podbean.com/e/s...
Profile Image for Jennifer Hammer.
43 reviews13 followers
April 11, 2025
I loved loved loved this story!! Never ever have I wanted an outlaws story to end so happily. Angela and “Lee’s” (Damon’s) story was so wonderfully written. If your read it you won’t be disappointed ❤️

*edit* This was such an amazing story I’m refraining from giving any details away. Just read it 🥰
Profile Image for Christi (christireadsalot).
2,810 reviews1,456 followers
July 11, 2022
The Outlaw and the Lady is the first book in Lorraine Heath’s Daughters of Fortune series. This series is a spin-off from her Rogues in Texas series which I really loved. In the Rogues in Texas series it followed 3 Englishmen whose father’s saw them as wayward sons and they sent them from London to Texas to make their own way. This series now features some of the children from those couples so is a second generation style series. I think coming into this book with that previous knowledge of the original series helped and made me enjoy this one more.

This book takes place in Fortune, Texas in 1891. Lee Raven is an outlaw who has been robbing banks with his brothers. He is in the middle of a robbery when the story starts when he meets the heroine, Angela Bainbridge. Angela grew up in Fortune and always wanted to be a cards dealer at her parents business, The Texas Lady. We first met her parents, Harry and Jessye, and The Texas Lady in Never Love a Cowboy (book 2 in Rogues in Texas). But when life didn’t go quite as planned and being a cards dealer was taken away from her, she’s been working as a seamstress instead. During one of her nightly walks she is happens across Lee, he thinks she has witnessed their robbery and he ends up kidnapping Angela. Later he realizes Angela really didn’t “witness” anything as she’s blind. Angela went blind when she was 12-years-old after a sickness and high fever. But Lee keeps her with him and even takes Angela back with him to his home where he lives with his brothers and sister.

I really loved how smart and observant Angela is, she’s a capable and strong heroine who definitely stole the show. The romance between her and Lee was sweet and I liked seeing her friendship with his family as well. This book also a little bit of an age gap with an older heroine (she’s 24 and he’s 20). I really liked seeing Angela’s parents and some of their friends, also from the Rogues in Texas series, make appearances in this book. In classic Lorraine Heath fashion, we get some angsty times and twists (not that hard to see where the story would go, but enjoyable). This is a slower western historical romance with friendship first, but I really enjoyed it!
30 reviews24 followers
May 28, 2009
Heath delivers another novel that defines romance and renders me truly speechless with her storytelling.

Moving and beautiful. Grade A because even with few trivial 'bumps' and a fantastical plot, this novel provides great emotional impact and reminds me why I love reading romance. It left me with bittersweet feelings after having to close this book as I had to leave the lovers to live their HEA.
Profile Image for Ali L.
375 reviews8,483 followers
July 16, 2023
If Stockholm Syndrome and 23 & Me had a baby that was raised by that one scene in Spartacus, it would be this book. My mental fancasting of Diego Luna in the lead role disappeared into a puff of smoke about halfway through. This book will make you think you know Spanish even though you probably don’t. This story is 30% outlaws and 70% in-laws. Giddy up, I guess.
Profile Image for T. Rosado.
1,913 reviews60 followers
July 18, 2021

3.5 Stars
(rounded up after further contemplation)

Some random thoughts:

Great hero and heroine. Some fun surprises. The author isn't gratuitous with the violence, but there are definitely some terrible events that are attempted and/or recalled. Wonderful secondary characters and representation of family. The romance was good, but maybe not to my taste in a couple respects. Overall, nice read with a really entertaining climax.
Profile Image for Robin.
1,985 reviews98 followers
November 12, 2015
When notorious outlaw Lee Raven and his brothers are robbing a bank in the middle of the night, they literally run into Angela Bainbridge as they leave the bank. Afraid that she can identify him, Lee abducts Angela and rides for the border. When he discovers that she will not be able to identify him, he plans to return her to her home when the coast is clear. Angela doesn't know what to make of Lee Raven. He has a reputation as a thief and a cold-blooded murderer. But has she travels across Texas with him, she learns that he cares about his family and wants to make sure they are unharmed in his quest for revenge.

This is the first book in Lorraine Heath's Daughters of Fortune series. It's been a long time since I read anything by this author. I'm glad I picked up this book. Angela is a heroine who may have a disability, but doesn't let that slow her down. She has a backbone and isn't about to let any outlaws push her around. Lee is a fantastic hero. He will protect his family at all costs. We learn he has his reasons for a life of crime. We also discover he has many secrets.

I highly recommend this book, but recommend that you read Heath's Rogues of Texas series before starting this one. The characters in that series play heavily in this book. My rating: 4.5 Stars.
Profile Image for Linds.
1,149 reviews38 followers
July 19, 2010
I'm fond of Lorraine Heath's romantic westerns, and I though this was another solid entry.

Lee Raven's parent's and older brother were hanged to steal their land by a corrupt community leader. At fifteen he murdered the criminal responsible and has been on the run for the next five years.

He finds our blind heroine who knows who he is. He takes her along (ie kidnaps on impulse) because he doesn't know she's blind and thinks she will identify him.

On the trail together they start to fall in love. She feels seen for who she is and not her disability, and being a fugitive he hasn't had time to date, to put it mildly.

At times it's a little too coincidental but overall it's a good read. Lorraine Heath is great at conveying at emotion, not so great at dialogue, which can be stilted and too literal.

Profile Image for Petra.
397 reviews36 followers
July 22, 2021
I like Lorraine Heath Texas novels better than her English ones. They seem to have more humility and more original plots. This was no exception but toward the end, the plot seems to fall apart and I was not interested in the resolution it seemed very straightforward.
I like that we have a blind heroine who has not seen the hero, she has to sense him which she does really well. Even with her disability, she was so capable and our hero truly saw her strenght.
Profile Image for Darbella.
636 reviews
July 13, 2021
Angela and Lee. I think it was neat that we did not get to find out the hero's age until later on in the story and that he was younger than the heroine. I also like that he was a person who did not have to sow his oats so to speak to know that she was the love of his life.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Katherine 黄爱芬.
2,423 reviews291 followers
June 4, 2018
Saya sebenarnya tidak ada keberatan dengan heroine yg memiliki cacat sbg tuna netra. Tapi novel ini super banget mengganggu karena over glorification of main heroine sangat kebangetan delusionalnya. Berikut ini saya jabarkan poin-poin yg membuat saya gak bisa kasih rating mama peri yang baik hati.

Poin 1. Dikisahkan Angela adalah gadis berusia 24 tahun, yang sudah buta sejak usia baru akil balik. Ketika jalan di bank (aneh juga sebenarnya gadis yg buta tidak ada pendamping) tetiba dirinya diculik oleh Lee Raven, penjahat most-wanted saat itu. Bisa ditebak kemudian, Stockholm Syndrome Angela jatuh cinta pada Lee yg misterius yg mengingatkannya pada Damon, anak pamannya yg hilang semasa mereka kecil. Sebenarnya masih gak masalah soal jatuh cinta pada penjahat. Jamak banget di dunia romance.

Poin 2. Saat Lee tertembak, tetiba Angela mendadak bisa jadi dokter jadi-jadian dan menjahit luka tembak tersebut. Walau dgn alibi Angela sudah latihan menjahit selama dirinya sudah buta. Speechless saya. Gak tetanus aja udah harus bersyukur si Lee.

Poin 3. Angela bisa main curang dlm permainan kartu. Walau kartunya ditandai, sudah latihan sejak kecil keq, suka-suka lu dah, ketauan ganjil banget para pria bisa dikadalin sama gadis buta.

Poin 4. Setelah memerawani Angela, Lee akhirnya bisa tidur tanpa mimpi buruk yang selama ini menghantuinya. Bu Lorraine, kalau begini bisa-bisa perawan di Amrik habis buat obat insomnia.

Poin 5. Angela yang khawatir Lee bakal digantung jika tertangkap, tetiba bisa menulis surat kepada keluarganya. Tepok jidat lagi dah gw. Kalau tuna netra bisa membaca, mungkin lebih masuk akal ketimbang menulis, itupun jika bukunya menggunakan Huruf Braille.

Poin 6. Angela tipikal gadis plin-plan dan gak ngerti bahaya. Bukan tipe nekat tapi ngeselin dgn cara dan keyakinannya yg lugu-lugu tapi dungu. Misalnya, awalnya Angela mau dipulangkan, kemudian gak mau, lalu mau pulang lagi. Aduh, gw juga kalau jadi Lee bakal berumur pendek ngurusin gadis macam gini.

Poin 7. Klimaksnya, Angela bisa menembak mati musuh Lee.





Ini beginner's luck atau kebodohan yang sudah terkulminasi sih?

Bu Lorraine, lebih baik anda tidak menggambarkan si Angela buta total deh, mending rabun akut kalau begini, lebih pas.

Poin 8. Udah beres semua, tetiba Angela mengatakan Lee alias Damon, "Kau tidak bisa menikahiku, aku jauh lebih tua dari dirimu."



Kumat lagi plin-plannya. Semoga Lee beruntung mengurus wanita model gini.

Sudahlah.......

Terlepas gaya kasmaran dan percintaan Lee dan Angela seperti film India (saya baru tahu bhw Meksiko dan India mirip ya?), drama pertemuan kembali Lee dan keluarga aslinya yang mengharu biru (eh iya gak jelas juga kenapa Damon bisa menghilang diculik dan terdampar pada keluarga Meksiko), saya sudah keburu ilfil dgn penggambaran super delusional dan super ngeselin di atas.

VAYA CONDIOS

Profile Image for Mina.
774 reviews32 followers
August 30, 2022
I didn’t know this book existed - if I had known, it wouldn't have taken me so long to pick it up. The story is simple - Lee Raven is a notorious outlaw who is wanted from Texas to Mexico. Angela is the town's sweetheart and beloved daughter of a known Ranger (their stories are told in Rogues in Texas Series) who happens to be walking around town at midnight. Lee is committing a crime and as he is leaving, he encounters a witness. He takes the witness just in case until he realizes that Angela is blind and won't be able to recognize him. But it's too late - they are being chased by the rangers and bounty hunters to leave Angela alone unprotected.

The story gave me all the feelings - love, happiness, angst, suspense, tears - everything. Lee Raven is the misunderstood cinnamon roll who is doing everything for his family’s welfare and ok - revenge. But he is a good guy who has been wronged and witnessed violence towards his family. Angela is an Angel who sees past Lee’s alter persona and begins to feel for him the moment she gets to know him. The secondary characters are so amazing - I wish we could read more about Juanita and Spence (is there a book about them? I wasn’t able to find much more than Grayson Rhodes, Harrison Bainbridge, and Kit Montgomery's stories.

I saw the plot twist a mile away but was happy to have my theory confirmed and see Lee get his questions answered and his HEA. Angela was able to forgive herself and move on with Lee.

A truly amazing story!

✨ 𝑸𝒖𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒔 ✨
“...she wanted his trust, unless it was his love, but she knew that she couldn’t possess true love without trust.”

✨ 𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒔 ✨
- Western
- Hidden/Missing Identity
- Visually Impaired Heroine
- Kidnapping
- Multicultural
- Older Heroine (by 4 years - gasps)
- Eachothers first
Profile Image for Kathy Anne.
217 reviews7 followers
September 20, 2011
This is a super good book,,and even tho it says it`s #1,it has to be the sequel to Never Marry a Cowboy because Kit Montgomery and his wife are in it.It ends with Kit`s son that is going to England to be the Earl of Ravenlegh-5*






Reread
Profile Image for Aoi.
862 reviews84 followers
July 17, 2016
The plot and writing style is definitely 'old school', but it didn't detract from my enjoyment. A very swoony (and stubborn) hero, lots of action and twists, and an interesting side cast. I'd have loved to know what happens to the Rodriguez siblings :)
Profile Image for Angela Hates Books.
746 reviews297 followers
March 17, 2024
Lorraine Heath is trying to kill me while she constantly tries to kill her heroes. These poor dang cowboys are just trying to live their lives and she’s just smacking them down incessantly! Give me a cowboy book without so much angst and awful circumstances!!

I’m just kidding. Keep on torturing away, LH, cause this ish is gooooood readin’.
Profile Image for Anna.
360 reviews76 followers
September 28, 2025
“The Outlaw and the Lady” by Lorraine Heath

5⭐️/5⭐️
2🌶/5🌶

“The intensity with which he longed to make her his was ludicrous. His mind knew it, but his body always listened to his heart, and his heart had never felt this incredible yearning to possess a woman.”

Oh. My. Goodness. The amount of yearning in this book had me kicking my feet! This book has been on my TBR for a couple years, and I’m so mad at myself for not reading it sooner.

Lee Raven is a notorious outlaw who robs banks with a specific purpose in mind: drain all the money in Vernon Shelby’s accounts. But instead of making a clean getaway after his most recent mission, he runs into a woman on a midnight stroll. Angela Bainbridge enjoys the solitary nightly walks she takes around town, and never expects to get kidnapped. Lee mistakenly thinks Angela has seen his face, only to find out later she is blind and has no clue what he looks like. There are multiple opportunities for them to separate, but they keep finding their way back together. This meeting, it almost feels like fate, or the universe righting itself and repairing the pain of the past…

Ooooh, there were so many twists in this book that had me gasping while I read. Some of them I kind of anticipated, others had me SHOOK.

It was so interesting reading about a blind FMC. The book is in the third POV, but switches its focus between Lee and Angela. But whenever it’s Angela, readers gain an understanding of how she navigates the world without sight. Her other senses are so sharp, and she is able to understand far more than people give her credit for.

Her prickly personality paired so well with Lee, who falls deeper and deeper in love with her every single time she argues with him. I love it when the MMC’s attraction grows towards the FMC when she stands up for herself, and makes his situation all the more difficult.

There’s a ton of yearning in this book, first from Lee and then from Angela. The passion and angst hits you like a ton of bricks, it feels so intense. The stakes this couple has is really high, with Lee on the run and already sentenced to hang if he’s caught. And I loved the supporting characters! Lee’s family is such a delight to read about.

The way it’s wrapped up is really satisfying on multiple levels, and I know it’s a story I’ll be auto-recommending whenever I have a chance.
Profile Image for ToriLovesHea’s.
537 reviews98 followers
May 24, 2023
It’s been a while since I’ve ventured into Lorraine Heath land and I picked an absolute banger when I saw this was available on my Libby account.

I’ve been so stuck in Regency and Victorian England that I had forgotten how much I LOVE a good western romance. Especially when it’s an honorable outlaw and a lady with a spine of steel. And he kidnaps her. And they fall in love with 1,000 obstacles in the way. And you don’t know how they’re going to come out happy.

I really cannot review this fully without massive spoilers so I’m mostly sticking to how this book made me feel, y’know? And it made me feel like I HAD to sit up and finish it in spite of my eyeballs needing to be taped open. It’s action packed with a heavy dose of heart and a classic LH plot twist that had me chomping at my nails because I NEEDED to know how it all played out. I got to 70% and was like “LORRAINE WHERE IS THE HAPPY ENDING”. Oh ye of little faith, self.

Lee and Angela were just so perfect together. There’s this delicious forbidden aspect because A. He’s a man destined for the hangman’s noose and B. the odds are entirely stacked against them. I just wanted to wrap them in bubble wrap and hold them forever in this little cocoon they made for themselves away from the real world. I was anxious, I was crying, I was putting the kindle down and taking a lap around my kitchen LOL. I needed these two to come out victorious.

And honestly? The secondary cast was Phe. Nom. Enal. Lee’s siblings, Angela’s family and extended not by blood family (hey Rogues of Texas!) we’re just so fleshed out and I needed a happy ending for them too.

This was a tough read, I won’t lie. There’s some horrific reveals as the story wraps up. And while I guessed a good chunk of it ahead of time, it’s the WAY Heath wrote these reveals and the reactions to it that had me crying well into the night.

Truly, who does emotional upheaval like Lorraine Heath? No one, that’s who.
Profile Image for Netanella.
4,746 reviews41 followers
October 9, 2015
I think I'll liken this to an Oreo cookie - really good stuff in the middle, but the cookie shell was dry, brittle, and left me wanting.

"The Outlaw and the Lady" is my first time reading Lorraine Heath, an established and respected romance author, whose reputation is rightly deserved. The romance between Emily and Lee, in the middle of the book, is smooth, sweet, and vanilla. The couple is cute together - a headstrong, blind girl who's been kidnapped by a bank-robbing western Robin Hood type. They're both world-weary and innocent at the same time. Literally. And, it fits them.

I had annoyances, however, at the start and end of the book. As usual, I had a few difficulties with Emily's character at the start of the book and almost put it down to not finish it. I'm glad I progressed on, however, because the middle portion of the book was worth it.

And the ending - not too shabby, if a little overly dramatic and clichéd. But hey - it's a romance!

Good stuff.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Christine.
1,356 reviews15 followers
April 23, 2011
I adored this book and its characters. I probably won't continue with the series, though, because it doesn't look like it sticks with the same family, which is disappointing. I wanted to know what happened with Juanita.
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