With a start similar to Scottish classic 'Braveheart', we meet young Paul Fraser as he has to flee the highland croft or be hanged for a sheep raid by the overlord. Juliette Andrews, daughter of a well-off officer, sympathises but has no choice but to let her friend go.

UNRAVELED BY THE REBEL is in a series called Secrets in Silk. The story proper opens in 1811 as Paul, now an Edinburgh doctor, attends the wedding of Juliette's sister. The crofter families have been forced off the land to make room for more profitable sheep, and are camping out in bitter weather as they try to rebuild their lives elsewhere. Since Juliette's father came into his title, there is an uneasy situation and she tells Paul that he should not be interested in her. Juliette has a secret in her past however, and she believes that he deserves a wife who could give him children as she cannot.

As so often we see that war is a driving force. Uniforms are needed for soldiers to fight Napoleon, and wool is at a premium, so even Juliette's family are under threat as the landowner wants their property. The wedding is disrupted and her family has to seriously consider their future. One of her sisters, Victoria, makes garments from silk and satin for wealthy London ladies, but this extra income cannot begin to address the debts their father inherited. Juliette is good with accounts, and believes that she should live quietly in London. Paul is determined to win her heart but he will have to go slowly.... Paul also privately wants to bring about the ruin of the landowner who has wrecked the crofters' lives.

From these difficult circumstances a strong friendship begins to grow. A cottage industry helps crafter women, sewing dainty undergarments, and Juliette's family arranges the materials and sales. The contrast between Scotland and London is well described, with Paul's occupation as surgeon and physician explaining why he was not serving in the war like Juliette's father. His connection to a viscount allows him to attend parties, and he romances Juliette with her sisters' approval.

This adult romance builds a powerful relationship which is tested when the crafters and landowner come to blows and the couple have to take sides. Michelle Willingham has written a fine novel of contrasts in UNRAVELED BY THE REBEL and I always enjoy her work.