Veena’s review of Ever My Love (The Macleod Family) by Lynn Kurland
Time Travel Romance published by Berkley 04 Apr 17

I absolutely adore Ms. Kurland’s Nine Kingdom series and haven’t missed a single one. Of her time travel series, I have read a few now and again but haven’t been consistent. Perhaps I was missing some Nine Kingdoms action when I picked this one up. Unfortunately, I soon realized why my reading of these other series has been inconsistent and sporadic, even though there are some great characters and stories.

Emma Baxter travels to Scotland for a respite to get away from the supposed crazy mess her life has devolved into.  Her first foray into a little local grocery store in the corner of Scotland she’s chosen for her getaway is full of mystery.  What do the Xs on the map the grocery store owner hands her? And did she really stumble into the middle of a medieval battle while she’s going home through the woods? Before she can catch a breath, her ex-fiancé discovers her hideaway and she’s whisked away into a little cottage in the woods, thanks to some new friends she’s made.

Nathaniel McLeod is a reclusive bachelor who hides away from the world in the woods, even as society girls from as far as London try to romance him.  Poor man, unfortunately it seems, has got some unfinished business in the past, and at the striking of a clock or a bit of change, he’s thrust into medieval garb and into 14th century Scotland where’s he’s been able to fabricate a story about who he is and why he keeps disappearing from his family keep.

For all that Nathaniel tries to keep his time traveling secret, it turns out he’s amongst good company with many other time travelers around him, who also seem to move between time portals at will.  As Nathaniel will soon discover, his skills with the sword leave a lot to be desired when he’s tutored by a master. Both Nathaniel and Emma will be tested time after time before they have a chance to find their happily ever after.

The story of the young woman who kicks off the book comes full cycle, as we leave her sheltering with the young witch in the woods and then circle back to find out who she is and how she fits within the framework of this story is quite interesting and definitely a surprise. While the reader can start to piece together parts of the story before all is revealed, I was charmed at how it all played out.

All in all, not my cup of tea because I found it too slow paced and somewhat repetitive in parts but with some very charming and interesting characters.

Grade: C

Summary:

Two people are caught up in love—and in time—in the latest novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Stars in Your Eyes.

In search of a fresh start, Emma Baxter has traveled to Scotland to try to forget her rocky love life. Luckily, the gorgeous Highlander who owns the house up the path from her rental cottage might be exactly the kind of distraction she needs. But there’s more to his intriguing qualities than she can explain—although she certainly isn’t buying into the local legends of Highland magic.

Nathaniel MacLeod is a man adrift, all thanks to the unwanted gift that forces him to continually jump between centuries. He never knows if he’ll wind up in the present day or the fourteenth century, but when Emma follows him back through time, he suddenly has more to worry about than keeping his separate lives straight…

Someone has started to notice Nathaniel’s travels and now, no time period is safe, for him or for Emma.

No excerpt available.