First published 1869
Young John Ridd watches his father die at the hands of the Doones, a brutal clan that terrorizes the moors of seventeenth-century England. The boy grows into a farmer, but curiosity draws him to the forbidden valley where the outlaws live. There he meets Lorna, a beautiful girl raised among his enemies. As they mature, their childhood friendship transforms into deep love. John must choose between his desire for revenge and his devotion to Lorna. When winter storms trap her in the valley, he risks everything to save her. His rescue ignites a deadly feud with Carver Doone, Lorna's violent guardian who claims her as his own. The conflict escalates through the religious and political upheavals that shake England, forcing John to confront both his personal demons and the savage world that shaped them. Set against the wild landscape of Exmoor, this tale follows a man torn between love and vengeance.
Genres: romance, historical-fiction, adventure, 19th-century
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, forbidden-love, revenge
Setting: England, Exmoor
Period: 17th Century
800 pages · Paperback · Penguin Classics
Content warnings: violence