C2’s review of One Magic Moment (de Piaget, Book 14) by Lynn Kurland
Time travel romance published by Jove 3 May 11

Everyone has comfort reads – those books that you always enjoy and pull off the Keeper Shelf when you’re in the mood to read something you know is going to be good – and some of us have comfort authors, too.  For me, Lynn Kurland is a comfort author – lots of authors write romance novels but Ms. Kurland writes romantic novels.   So if she has a new book, I know odds are practically 100% that I will enjoy it.  I mean, how can you go wrong with knights, castles, sword fights, and cell phones?

Now, if you’ve never read one of Ms. Kurland’s books, you may be saying “Hold up!  Cell phones??  One of these things is not like the others, C.”  Calm yourself, faithful reader.  Most of Ms. Kurland’s books have a time travel element so those things do go together, I swear.  And she doesn’t just drop time travel into her books to get her characters where they need to be for the story – the time travel and fall out connected to moving through centuries not their own and how the characters deal with it all are an important part of the story too.  So there isn’t a lot of “Oh look!  Here I am in a century with no indoor plumbing, no real medical care and no chocolate – wheeeeeeeeeee!  I fit in perfectly!  I think I’ll stay forever and be blissfully happy!” Because, for crying out loud, that so would not be the reaction most people have.  Jeez.

Onward!

John de Piaget recently purchased a garage in a small village.  He enjoys working on his own cars and has someone else to work on everyone else’s.   It’s a good investment and should allow him to live quietly, as is his preference.  The last thing John expects is to meet (and be instantly attracted to) a lovely woman who, apparently, is struck dumb at the sight of him.  Still, he has no interest in starting up a relationship with anyone…he has too many secrets.

Tess Alexander is a scholar – her specialty is medieval political thought – and has recently been given a castle.  The former owner decided to retire to France and wanted to leave it in good, appreciative hands. Tess has events there – dinners, re-enactments and whatnot – and still gives the occasional lecture at Cambridge.  At the beginning of One Magic Moment, Tess is in a bad place.  She is dealing with the loss of her sister Pippa – whose story you can read in One Enchanted Evening – and struggling to wrap her brain around the idea that her sister is now living in the medieval version of the very same castle Tess now runs in the 21st century.  So imagine her reaction when she takes her car to the local garage and comes face to face with a man who looks exactly like her 13th century brother-in-law.  And certainly, no matter how attracted she is, Tess already knows how it feels to lose a loved one to another century, so she isn’t interested in a relationship with John either.

Fate, however, has other plans.  Tess and John are thrown together again and again.  And you can’t fight Fate, right?  But both have secrets and neither wants to start the discussion that would reveal those secrets…so Fate (with a little help) gives them a push.  Literally. And Tess and John find themselves in the 13th century, being stalked by an unseen enemy.  Of course, John knows people and knows how things work in the 1200s, so they are able to find their way to the castle of his brother Nicholas (love him!) and the awkward Secrets Discussion happens, finally.

Seeing John in his own time and surrounded by family, Tess cannot imagine that he would ever want to return with her to the 21st century. Even though he says he wants to.  But John sets out to convince her his feelings are real and watching a medieval lord start up the determined woo-age is nothing but fun.  He is so sweet and clueless.  And Nicholas is such a determined chaperon – and annoyance to his younger brother, which is the main goal.

Eventually most of the family gathers together because John’s grandmother is ill.  It is always a joy to see previous couples pop up – so much love and so many children!  But Fate isn’t finished with them yet and their enemy finally makes his move.  Will they get their happy ending?  Oh, faithful reader, would I even be talking about it if they didn’t?

Admittedly, the villain of the piece doesn’t get a lot of page time. And really that part of the plot is mostly manufactured to get them back in time.  It is resolved quickly with a little swordplay.  And it does explain some things that happen earlier in the book.  Tess is often sad, but it is understandable to the reader why so it isn’t too annoying.

So, does this book stand alone?  No.  But you don’t have to read all of the series to be up to speed.  I would suggest reading Nicholas and Jennifer’s book and Montgomery and Pippa’s book first – especially Montgomery and Pippa’s.  Also, if you are looking for a book with sexytimes on every third page, this is not the book for you. However, if you are looking for a sweet, romantic read with medieval folks who know a bit more about the future than they strictly should (and with a lot of sword fights), this series is definitely for you.

Lynn Kurland has a distinctive voice.  Her books are filled with whimsy and gentle humor and have their own touch of stardust.  Her books don’t work for everyone, but if you are at all on the fence, I definitely recommend trying one.  She might become a comfort read for you too.

Grade: A-

Summary:

THERE’S NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT…

Tess Alexander has it all: family within reach, work she loves, and the chance to live in a perfectly restored medieval castle.  But then a trip to the village brings her face-to-face with the owner of the local garage, who looks a great deal like the man who married her sister…eight hundred years in the past.  She’s determined to remain objective about magic and destiny, yet she can’t help but wonder about that mysterious, sword-wielding mechanic…

IF YOU’RE RUNNING FROM THE PAST.

As far as John de Piaget is concerned, he has no past; it’s safer that way.  The last thing he needs is the nosy medieval studies scholar from the nearby castle dredging up ancient history – his ancient history.  But from the moment he lays eyes on Tess, John can’t help but wonder how he ever took a decent breath without her…or how he’s going to protect her from the treachery that threatens both their futures.

Sadly there is no excerpt available. O_o

Closely connected books:

Other directly connected books:

Other loosely connected books:

The rest of the series:

For reading order info, click here.

Sandy M’s review of Haunting Warrior by Erin Quinn
Paranormal Romance published by Berkley Trade 4 May 10

I am just in total awe of Ms. Quinn’s Haunting books. These first two books are some of the best I’ve read in the last year. Her writing has a haunting quality all its own to go along with the titles and the storylines she’s given readers. And her characters, especially the hero of this book, are intricate and simple at the same time. I’m amazed at her talent.

Though we have the same characters in these first two books, it’s really the Book of Fennore that ties everything together. This evil tome draws these people to it for its own purposes. It has torn them apart over the years, but in doing so, it has also given them their destiny and the happiness with which to live that destiny.

Rory’s life came apart when he was twelve years old. Literally. The night his father disappeared with the Book of Fennore, Rory nearly disappeared right along with him, but his sister, Dani, used her power to bring him back. Though he was safe after that, he was significantly changed. So much so he was eventually sent from his home in Ireland to California to live with his aunt and uncle, his mother not able to deal with him.

The plan was for Rory to eventually go back home, but he never did. He found he liked his new and simple life, with no other worldly goings-on to give him the creeps. And he’s always known his family has been better off without him and his troublemaker attitude.

Now out of the blue, however, his grandmother decides to give him a little haunting after her death, telling him it’s time to come home, his destiny awaits. He wants to ignore such a crazy idea, but the next thing Rory knows is he’s back in Ireland, back where memories assault him, as does his dream lady who has haunted his sleep for some time now.

Saraid isn’t a dream, though. She’s from the distant past, and she calls Rory to her after she also receives a visit from his grandmother. Rory is the salvation of her people who have been under the rule of a cruel, evil father and son team. Finding himself thrown into Saraid’s time, Rory discovers the other half of himself that had been torn from him that fateful night he lost his father. That other half is the Bloodletter, the evil son who kills without conscience or remorse.

Destiny takes over, reunites two halves into a whole, and Rory and Saraid begin their journey of trust, survival, and love. Saraid is a woman of courage, descended of royalty, and she and her brothers lead the last of their people the best they can. It is the call of peace that may lead them down the road to destruction, but with Rory by her side, they both unravel the mysteries surrounding themselves and the Book of Fennore.

And having said all of this, I’m not even coming close to what’s in this book. The story is much more complex, has much more depth, so many layers that are shorn away one at a time to give readers a haunting tale they will never forget. I know I’m not doing this book justice. You have to read it to understand, to get the full effect of what Ms. Quinn has done.

In the end, you will be left haunted.

Grade: A+

Summary:

A past he couldn’t forget.

Rory McGrath’s life changed the night his father mysteriously vanished after uncovering the secrets of the ancient Book of Fennore. The trauma turned Rory from an innocent boy into a troubled, cynical man. Leaving Ireland, he shunned his family, his heritage—and the very magic that has defined his people for centuries.

A dream he couldn’t ignore.

Then the dreams begin…dreams of an ethereal beauty whose touch is more real that any he’s known. And in these dreams, she has a message—a calling for Rory to return home to a destiny that will take him beyond the realm of anything he imagined.

A woman he couldn’t resist.

Lured to the castle ruins where his father disappeared, Rory is plunged back in time, and into the body of another man—a man betrothed to the very woman of Rory’s dreams. In possession of the secrets of his past, his family, and his identity, her hold on Rory is inescapable. For she is his doom. His salvation. And his destiny.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Sandy M’s review of The Last Bride by Sandra Landry
Historical Paranormal Romance published by Berkley 2 Aug 05

I’ve been into time travels again after reading and reviewing two last month.  In keeping with my monthly pull an old book out of a drawer to help the TBR pile dwindle some, I finally decided to read this book instead of passing it over like I’ve done for a while now. While the time travel and other paranormal elements of it are good, as is the medieval hero, it’s the heroine who gave me problems this time around.

Claire has had dreams of the same handsome man for years.  In fact, he’s pretty much ruined any other man for her and she’s just broken her engagement because she can’t love her ex-fiance like she should. She’s also experienced the appearance of a ghost over the years, so she’s one who’s open-minded about things that can’t be explained. So when her ghost gives her clues to head to France, hoping she might find the answers she’s been searching for, she doesn’t hesitate. When she finds herself standing on the familiar floor of an ancient labyrinth, she’s thrown back into the time of the man who has haunted her day and night.

Needing to find a bride to secure his family line, Aiden Delacroix has to search far and wide because a mixture of his past and a ghostly curse cause people to give him a wide berth. His home no longer enjoys the laughter of children nor the closeness of family, and a family is what he wants and needs. Knowing he will not find his bride among the women in his region, he heads to Chartres Cathedral to pray to the Virgin for help. And, heaven help him, his prayers are answered in the form of the most beautiful and the strangest woman he’s ever seen. Her uniqueness won’t deter him, however, as he hopes his past and his current life won’t cause her to see him as everyone else does.

I enjoyed Aiden quite a bit. He’s a lonely man because of a superstitious society, but he takes his duty seriously while still hunting for a mate. Claire is the one who really irritated me. Suddenly when she’s in the past, Aiden isn’t the man of her dreams any longer. She doubts him at every turn, is in a hurry to fix Aiden’s problem so she can return home and hopefully live a dream-free and question-free life. I was surprised the author took this path with Claire. She’d always turned down men because of Aiden, but when she’s face to face with him, the man can do nothing right for her. Even when she realizes she’s falling for him, her doubts are still front and center, and even if she talks herself into believing him about one thing, she finds something else to take its place. It just didn’t ring true after we were led to believe Aiden’s the man she’s been dreaming of and longing for.

I was also disappointed in the “ghost” part of the story. In fact, what we end up with in the end just didn’t make a whole lot of sense. Reincarnation also plays a big role in the book, which was quite interesting the way it was done, Aiden’s touch bringing on Claire’s visions. There are a couple of things left wide open with no resolution, the worst being the fate of Claire’s brother back in modern times. Again, it just didn’t make sense in the way the author chose to handle it.

An okay read, but nothing spectacular, especially compared to the time travel authors of today.

Grade: C

Summary:

Aiden sought to bury the past. Claire sought to unearth its secrets. The truth could tear them apart forever. Or finally unite them for all time.

A modern woman seeks her past. . .
Claire Peltier is convinced that the man who haunts her dreams was her lover in a past life. Determined to unravel the mystery surrounding him, she follows her instincts to France, where she walks a labyrinth at the heart of a magnificent cathedral. But at its center, instead of answers, she suddenly finds herself transported back to the Middle Ages and face-to-face with the man of her dreams. . .

A medieval warrior seeks his future. . .
Aiden Delacroix needs a wife and heir, or else after his death his lands will go to his enemy. But no woman in all of Christendom will consider becoming his bride, because they believe he’s haunted by the ghost of his former mistress. Desperate, he undertakes a pilgrimage to Chartres in search of some divine guidance—and encounters a woman so alluring he impulsively finds himself proposing marriage. .

No excerpt available.

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Once An Outlaw by Debbi Rawlins
Time travel historical western released by Harlequin Blaze 1 Mar 09

No one can accuse the folks at Harlequin Blaze of playing it safe, that’s for darn sure. Fast on the heels of their latest foray into historical settings, they’re now offering up readers a time travel. And not just any time travel, Debbi Rawlins’ latest is a time travel that takes place in Deadwood, South Dakota. Yep, you read that right – it’s a western! Well, y’all know as a diehard western fan that I just had to give this one a shot.

Dr. Reese Winslow is the daughter of two bonafide Hollywood movie stars. Her parents weren’t necessarily neglectful, more like indifferent. So Reese decided a long time ago that her brains were her ticket to personal self-worth. She’s now a respected doctor making the media rounds. However, she had to take time out from her busy schedule to accompany her sister to Deadwood, South Dakota. Their beloved grandmother has passed away, and they need to clean out her old Victorian house because the realtor finally has an interested buyer.

It’s while in the attic that Reese and her sister discover an old wedding gown. It looks to be about Reese’s size, so as a lark she tries it on. While her sister runs down to the car to get her camera, Reese discovers an old photograph of a man named Sam Keegan , propped up in a coffin. Seems the man was a horse thief and was hanged in 1876. This is when the funny stuff happens. Next thing she knows, Sam in the photograph is opening his eyes and starring at her! Then she stumbles, falls, hits her head – and voila! She wakes up in a brothel in 1876 Deadwood wearing a wedding dress and everyone thinks she’s the new whore. She high-tails it out of there lickety-split, and runs into a knight in shining armor. None other than the doomed man, Sam Keegan, who happens to own the livery in town.

What follows is Reese trying to get her bearings (darn, she wishes she’d paid more attention in history class!), and trying to discover a way to get back home to the 21st century. In the meantime, she’s helping the local doctor (who has problem with whiskey) patch up the local residents (mostly from gunshot and knife wounds) and trying to ignore the fact the Sam is the sexiest man she’s ever seen. She also has to figure out why she’s traveled back in time. Was it to save the doomed Sam? To bring modern medical techniques to backwards Deadwood?

Sam is a haunted man with a tragic past. He stays as far away from the law as he can, and that suits him just fine. Unfortunately Reese brings with her unwanted attention. The local madam, Margaret, isn’t pleased that her new whore has run off, and the sheriff is sniffing around the livery. Now there are rumors that a woman is playing doctor. He also can’t seem to keep his hands and eyes off Reese. She certainly has peculiar notions, but damn if she’s isn’t a sexy little thing.

It takes a while for this story to get going. Time travels can be a little tedious with the details (Oh my gosh, I can’t possibly have traveled through time? Can I?), and with the shorter format of the Blaze line this is kept, blessedly, to a minimum. That said, it takes a while for Reese and Sam to get on the same page together and actually talk to each other. Mostly because Sam seems determined to avoid her as much as possible. Luckily, right around the time these two finally get naked together, they also finally start talking.

The second half of the story really picks up. Unfortunately by this point the page count is dwindling and the ending is really abrupt. No mistake, it ends happily, but there’s a pretty big plot hole. Without spoiling it too much, the past has not been put to bed and could certainly rear it’s ugly head. Also, there’s the small matter of Reese’s sister, who isn’t really addressed at all. The author does have a another time travel book coming out in May 2009, Once A Rebel, and one assumes that will be Ellie’s story. Although it’s hard to know for sure since the author’s web site (at the time this review was written) is lost in cyberspace.

Even though the ending didn’t tie things up in an entirely satisfactory manner, this was still a pleasant read with a handful of steamy love scenes. Sadly, for fans, the paranormal boom has not correlated into a time travel boom. While it’s not perfect, it’s sure to please hungry time travel fans in need of a fix.

Grade: C+

Summary:

In the rough-and-tumble town of Deadwood in 1876, cowboy Sam Keegan is about as hard as they get. Considered a real sexy piece of man by the local womenfolk, Sam runs the town livery stable. And he was last seen in the company of a pretty gal in a wedding dress, Reese Winslow…who escaped one of the local brothels!

The little lady claims to be a doctor—from the future, no less! Beware of her, as she’s causing no end of problems. Mostly for Sam, who is real skittish about the law. But trouble or not, the man can’t seem to stop himself from wanting Reese…and learnin’ firsthand what women from the future like to do with hot, hard cowboys!

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series.  Maybe?:

Sandy M’s review of A Highlander of Her Own (Daughters of the Glen, Book 4) by Melissa Mayhue
Time Travel Romance published by Pocket 27 Jan 09

I became an instant fan of Melissa Mayhue’s with her first Highlander book.  Loved everything about it.  Then she only got better with her Guardians in the next two books.  Those became my favorites.  While Ms. Mayhue’s writing is still on the rise, this time, in A Highlander of Her Own, something has happened and I wasn’t left as bowled-over as I had been after finishing her previous books.  You have no idea how it pains me to say that.

I realize that our favorites stumble every now and again in their writing, but to say it out loud or put it in writing makes it all the more distressing.  The writing itself, the storyline, the time travel, which is my a favorite read of mine, are still on par with what I’ve come to expect from Ms. Mayhue.  What didn’t work quite so well for me this time are the main characters.

They’re likable, you feel for them now and then.  But they had the same feeling as those from the first book in the series.  Modern woman gets tossed back in time and has a hugely hard time with the Highlander’s he-man attitude. Said Highlander doesn’t want or need a wife and only wants to protect the aforementioned modern woman. And the difference in the first book is the heroine decides to kick some serious ass and brings her military father and brothers along to help her out. This current book doesn’t give us that kind of wow factor.

While that is a stumbling block for me this time around, I know I’m also comparing it to the two Guardian books, Highland Guardian and Soul of a Highlander.  These books take a little different direction, away from the Glen, and focus on the portal between the human and fae worlds which are guarded by the strong, silent type Highlanders.  There’s terrific action in them, love the characters, even down to the most secondary ones, the villain is satisfyingly evil, and they’re just plain old fun to read. Maybe it’s not fair to compare the books, but I’m not sure I can’t not do that anymore after getting a taste of those Guardians.

We met Caden MacAlister in Soul of a Highlander when his family is betrayed by his betrothed.  So when Ellie wishes for a Highlander of her own and is thrown back to his time, he’s decided he can’t trust women and will never marry. Ellie is a descendant of the High Prince of the Fae but has just recently been given her magic powers, which includes an affinity to animals’ feelings and thoughts, all of which Caden is fine with.  Magic runs in the blood of his family.

My biggest problem with Ellie is if she wants a Highlander like she reads about in her romance novels, she should know he’s going to be a chauvinist to the core.  However, by the time she acknowledges this, it’s just too late. She’s been irritated with Caden one time too many for the way he is. She’s an intelligent woman and letting his attitude piss her off as many times as it does just fell flat after a while.

Caden is guilty of the same type of thing. Once his aunt tells him Ellie is of fae blood and she’s there to find her one true love, he gets it in his head his brother is that love.  I know he’s lost trust in women, but it would seem to me he could take another look at his aunt and his sister — then Ellie — and realize that, really, not all women are like his former betrothed.  He just waits too late to come to that enlightenment. Other than that, I did like Caden’s character the best. He’s next in line to be laird, takes his responsibility seriously — though he does guilt himself to death half the time — and the scenes when he’s held captive are quite compelling.

I really enjoyed the side story of Laird Blane and Lady Catriona’s romance.  I wish there had been a little more to that.  I hope Ms. Mayhue is going to write Drew’s story.  He’s Caden’s brother who was severely injured in the betrayal I mentioned before.  That’s a story that can be different and emotional, especially from a modern woman’s point of view. There’s a lot of other nice points in this book, the bathhouse scenes are quite nice, as is the mystery of the infected sheep and Ellie’s solution to it, Ellie’s gift with animals, and Lady Roslyn’s not-so-magic interference.  The he-man/modern time points of view, if kept for future books, just need a new twist to make them interesting again.

All of this said, I still look forward to Ms. Mayhue’s books. She’s given me some wonderful times in my reading and I know she will do so again.

Grade: C+

Summary:

TEXAS, PRESENT DAY. Ellie Denton’s world has spiraled out of control. A strange new birthmark, animals talking to her, and her mother’s ex-husband laying claim to the family ranch have her thinking life can’t get more complicated. But Ellie doesn’t know the birthmark’s connection to her Faerie ancestors. Complicated takes on a whole new meaning with her innocent wish to find her true love.

SCOTLAND, 1304. Caden MacAlister has more trouble than he can handle. With his brother held for ransom and the laird missing, the last thing he needs is another problem. But the Fae have other plans.

A mysterious woman shows up in his stables, sent by Faerie Magic to find her true love. Fighting his attraction, Caden insists she’s meant for one of his brothers. With his history, he has no desire for a woman in his life—especially a woman sent by the Fae.

Only the magic of the Fae can determine whether Ellie will find a Highlander of her own…

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Sandy M’s review of With Every Breath (The MacLeods, Book 11) by Lynn Kurland
Historical Time Travel Romance released by Jove 27 May 08

Once I pick up a time travel, the bug hits me all over again and I want another as quickly as I can put my hands on one.  Time travels are my favorite paranormals to read, and one of the best at them is Lynn Kurland.  I’ve not read all of her books yet.  I save them and savor them.  I don’t want to run out of her books and have to wait a year or more for the next to be released.  So, suffice it to say, I had a wonderful time reading this latest in her MacLeod series.

One of the things I really like about this series is that everyone in the MacLeod family knows there’s time travel portals all over their property.  Jamie has even mapped the portals out and hands out a copy to everyone living there.  That includes Sunshine Phillips, whose sister did her fair share of time traveling and ended up married to Jamie’s brother, Patrick.  Sunny has decided to stay in Scotland at Jamie’s request.  She loves the rain and tending her garden.  She also longs for a man of her own, a man just like Jamie and Patrick, but knowing medieval men are hard to find in this day and age, she keeps dreaming while staying away from those portals.

Until one night there’s a knock on her door from someone asking for help.  She agrees to accompany this handsome man who thinks she’s the MacLeod Witch.  Well, in a way she is.  He takes her to the Cameron keep where she finds a man dying and unfortunately she’s unable to save him.  Eventually she figures out she’s no longer in modern day Scotland, but there in a time when dying in such a way is all too common.  Robert Cameron is the laird who has a tenuous hold on his clan, and when she finds the portal near her home is not willing to allow her to return home, she has no choice but to stay with Cam and hope he can protect her from those who would do her harm.

Having lost his brothers in this latest battle, Cam now has no one at his back whenever his cousin decides to take Cam out of the picture and make himself laird.  He’s tired of all the fighting, especially now that Sunshine is in his life.  When things don’t quite work out the way he planned, he tosses his duty aside and goes to the future with Sunny.  But those plans don’t work out just right either.  Cam ends up in a time not his own, but there’s an eight-year time span between him and his love, a love he now can’t remember.  And as much as Sunny wants him to remember once she finds him again, as much as she tries to help him remember, nothing works.  Again, duty keeps him from her, so she decides to go back to the states where she won’t have to see him, long for him, knowing she can never have him.

Cam has other ideas, however, once he spends some time in Sunny’s company.  He doesn’t know why, but she’s so familiar to him and he begins to fall for her.  Even having to deal with those MacLeods is fine by him if he can be by her side.  Asking Sunny to trust him, he goes about cleaning up the mess of his life, but even as careful as he is, Sunny gets caught up in the craziness.  There’s a couple of interesting turns the plot takes, so if you think you have it all figured out, you’re going to be wrong.

I enjoyed reading about Jamie and Patrick and their families again.  In fact, Jamie has always been my favorite Kurland character for a while now, but Cam is definitely giving him a good run for his money.  Though he’s a medieval warrior, I love his sensitivity.  The scene where Sunny and others pledge fealty to him is just wonderful.  He holds his own with those MacLeod boys.  Sunny goes through the ups and downs a woman does when faced with losing the man she’s waited so long for, but she always picks herself up and keeps going, making a decision when necessary and doing what she feels is right.  As with all of Ms. Kurland’s books, I’m thoroughly taken with this one.

Grade: A+

Summary:

Sunshine Phillips’ heart lies in Scotland, a land of rain, legend, and dangerously handsome Highland lords. She longs to call the magical place home, but after a day which includes such delights as blackening the eye of her lecherous boss and changing a flat tire in a chilly spring deluge, she’ll settle for an evening spent curled up in front of a fire with a cup of tea. But what Sunny wants is not what Sunny gets…

When Robert Cameron pounds on Sunny’s door, he isn’t paying a social call. With one brother killed in battle and another fighting for his life, the medieval laird has braved a trip onto enemy soil to fetch the MacLeod witch, a crone rumored to have healing powers. But the woman who opens her door to him is enchanting and young—and not from his century.

Now, it seems that they’ve both found just what they need—if only time will let them keep it.

No excerpt available.

Other books in this series (in suggested reading order):

Sandy M’s review of Highland Rogue by Tess Mallory
Historical Time Travel Romance published by Berkley 6 May 08

I always enjoy a good time travel, and Highland Rogue is a good one.  It starts a little slow before getting down to the nitty gritty, but once there we get some great action, an involved storyline, and the characters are interesting and true to themselves throughout the book.

In the beginning a little too much time is taken, for me, in getting to the traveling part of the story.  We learn about Maggie and her sisters, how they lost their parents and how she had to leave her dreams behind to raise the twins, and now that they’re grown she can’t seem to let go and finally start living her life.  The twins and Rachel, Maggie’s best friend, surprise her on her birthday with a trip to Scotland because she loves everything Scottish.  We even spend time in present day Scotland on an archeological dig where Maggie has to fend off the guy in charge while she’s trying to have some fun for a bit.  It all could have been condensed down to get to the meat of the story so much faster.

Once in the past things get much more interesting.  Quinn and his best friend Ian have turned to highway robbery against the man who killed Quinn’s parents while he also paid for Quinn’s schooling as a piper.  They’re ready to up the game and begin hitting the Duke of Montrose in his personal pockets, and this is when Maggie is thrown into their time.  As Ian is making his getaway from their most recent heist, she appears right in the middle of the melee causing Ian’s horse to shy as Quinn attempts to rescue her.  Ian is subsequently taken prisoner, and it is up to Quinn to free him from the Duke’s dungeons because Rob Roy MacGregor, Ian’s kin, won’t chance the repercussions to the rest of his family.

Needing some type of help, Quinn guilts Maggie into helping him by garnering employment in the Duke’s home to see what she can uncover of Ian’s fate.  We meet all sorts of characters there while also seeing how life was for people not born into the nobility.  By this time Quinn has feelings for Maggie and his duty ends up cleaving him in two to decide between friendship and love.  I really enjoyed Quinn’s character, even if he is a highwayman.  He’s exacting his own kind of vengeance, and it’s hard to believe the Duke didn’t make the connection between the thieves and their pipe playing after each successful robbery. There are a couple of twists and turns at the end that kept the storyline interesting.

Any time an author gives me a lot of traveling in my favorite type of paranormal, I’m usually pretty happy.  Ms. Mallory does a great job of that and does it in a little bit different way than I’ve seen before, not the usual picture or passing out and finding a body in another time or things like that.  This one is pretty believable and could happen to anyone who comes along at just the right time.  I like all things Scottish just like Maggie.  Wonder if I’d be as lucky traipsing through the Highlands?

Grade: B

Summary:

1711. They call him the Piper. A masked bandit seeking vengeance for his people, and Rob Roy MacGregor’s clan, Quinn MacIntyre leaves his victims with empty pockets, and a haunting tune played on the pipes that once gave him great joy. But when a flame-haired minx stumbles across his path, she awakens a new song in his heart. Now the outlaw faces a challenge more daunting than the Duke’s patrols: Let go of the past and embrace the future…

Present day. On her dream vacation in the Scottish Highlands, aspiring archaeologist Maggie Graham discovers a tri-spiral carving in the floor of an ancient cairn, and unwittingly sets its dormant magic in motion. Sent tumbling back in time 300 years, Maggie uncovers the most amazing find of all-a Scottish hero straight out of her wildest fantasies. There are just two tiny problems with this grand adventure: She’s trapped in 18th century Scotland, and the man she’s fallen for is an outlaw, a thief, a daring…Highland Rogue.

Read an excerpt.

Gwen’s review of Suite 606 by J.D. Robb, Mary Blayney, Ruth Ryan Langan, and Mary Kay McComas
Paranormal fiction anthology released by Berkley Jove 4 Nov 08

At first glance, this anthology seems to be a mixed bag of stories, covering all kinds of time periods and topics.  And, well, it is and it isn’t.  It all comes together in the end (wink wink).  It was very entertaining, even if I didn’t like all of the stories.  Read on to see what worked and what didn’t… 

Ritual In Death by J.D. Robb
Futuristic suspense thriller, 80-pages

The In Death books are less about the romance than they are the mystery and suspense.  Don’t get me wrong – the relationship between Eve and Roarke is still a key element – and, ohmigawd, is he ever still the HOTTEST hottie on paper – but it’s not why we’re here.  We’re here to solve a series of grisly deaths, one of which takes place in Suite 606.

We get a tiny taste of the paranormal in this story – more perhaps than has been present in the other In Death stories/books.  Remembering, of course, it’s set in the year 2060, so “paranormal” is subjective.  RID has more to do with “sensitives” and some woo-woo elements, but the key to the story is definitely solving the murder.  Something Eve, her man, and her crew does with rapid ease.

This was a very satisfying In Death story, if a little brief.  It’s not necessary to be familiar with the In Death world to enjoy this story.

Grade: B+

Summary:

J.D. Robb plunges Lieutenant Eve Dallas into the violent aftermath of a ritualistic murder — and into the mind of an alleged witness who can’t remember a thing to save his life.

Read an excerpt.

Love Endures by Mary Blayney
Historical paranormal romance, 79-pages

This story was a little more traditional paranormal romance than the Robb entry.  The hero, Stephen, is a bit long-suffering to be attractive to me, and he takes FOREVER to make his intentions known to our heroine, Summer (isn’t that an odd name for a Regency era heroine?).

This was a nice romance, but the woo-woo elements were a little too contrived to be totally believable.  The Suite 606 in this story is a special place couples can go to work through misunderstandings without the pressures of the outside world impinging on them, including time – days can be passed in a matter of moments to the outside world.

This was an entertaining, brief story, but largely forgettable.

Grade: B-

Summary:

Mary Blayney investigates the connection between a ghost, a magic coin, and a deception that has kept two lovers apart for years.

[From the author's site]  Despite the best efforts of a ghost, love stands the test of time as Summer Cassidy and Lord Stephen Bradley are reunited after a five year separation.

No excerpt available.

Cold Case by Ruth Ryan Langan
Contemporary & Historical romantic suspense, 70 pages

This was my least favorite of the four stories.  There’s a little bit of time-travel involved (not much of a spoiler to tell that about the story).  The premise is a little grim and there’s no real resolution to the story’s main tension.  It’s hinted at, but we never see the resolution.

In my opinion, this lack is in large part due to the story’s brevity.  Perhaps with more pages, we could have seen the hero solve the “old” crimes, put the ghosts of the past at rest so to speak, and begin living the life he envisions in this small Vermont town.  Sadly, Langan doesn’t take us there.  Instead, she spends far too much time in a grim farmhouse of the past, reliving two women’s very grim life.

Also, this story’s hero represents something of an overused character these days – a big city cop who is used up, just lost his partner in a shooting where he blames himself for the death, and is wandering in search of his soul.  Yawn.

This was well-written, but too dark for my taste, though perhaps others won’t have the problems with it I did.  The Suite 606 here is the room number our hero would have had in the original hotel and the one he gets in the Inn at the end of the story.  Not a horrible story, but I wanted a lot more.

Grade: D+

Summary:

Ruth Ryan Langan brings a lost man out of a pounding storm and into the arms of a welcoming woman to face a breathtaking twist of fate.

No excerpt available.

Wayward Wizard by Mary Kay McComas (no author site with current info found)
Time-travel romance, 95-pages

This was my favorite of the four stories, other than the In Death story – which, to be honest, is in a class all its own, I mean, Roarke? Thank you.  I really enjoyed McComas’s writing style, once I got used to it; she writes her character’s thoughts in a bit of a frenetic style that takes some practice.  This was the first of her writing for me but won’t be the last.  The characters are fresh, funny, real, and someone to cheer for.  The plot is interesting and unique.  The emotions were literally wrung out of me – I was tearing up several times (the mom in me) – and I loved the romance, loved the heroine’s confession, etc.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story and believe anyone reading the book will, as well.  I don’t remember which of the many places they stayed in was Suite 606.  And there’s an interesting tie-in to the other stories that I won’t spoil, but it’s a ton of fun.  The ending is a peach.

Grade: A

Summary:

And Mary Kay McComas follows a mother, her son lost in the threads of history and an impaired wizard who must return them to fulfill his own destiny — in time.

No excerpt available.

I enjoyed this anthology.  As with most anths, I felt some stories were better than others.  The clever twist in this one makes it a lot of fun to read.  I won’t spoil the twist, except to tell you that it had me going back and re-reading portions of each story to relive the moments.

I recommend this to anyone who is a fan of any of these authors, or anyone looking for a quick airport read.  You won’t be disappointed.

Overall Grade: B

Sandy M’s review of A Portrait in Time by Barbara Donlon Bradley
Time Travel Romance published by Hard Shell Word Factory 1 Jul 08

Oh, my.  What a time I had with this book.  And I’m sorry to say that I don’t mean that in the usual way when you hear that sentiment. This is another of those books I pulled out of the nearest drawer when my eReader needed some juice the other night.  I didn’t get nearly as lucky this time as I did with the prior surprise I pulled out of that drawer.  And not for the reason you might think.

I have this book, to begin with, only because it’s a time travel.  I fell in love with time travels after reading Linda Howard’s Son of the Morning years ago.  After that I scoured the internet looking for any and every one I could find.  I knew not every one I would find would be as good as the Howard.  I was willing to take that chance, though, and this book is one that didn’t pan out quite that well.

The biggest problem with the book is the errors in it.  Loads and loads of ‘em.  Sigh.  I was distracted three-quarters of the time when reading it.  I know mistakes happen, but these errors are the result of either the manuscript not being properly and thoroughly proofread or the proofreader(s) didn’t have a grasp of the English language and punctuation.  Horrible job.  Okay, I got that out of the way first thing.  Let’s talk about the story.

That part of the book is actually not bad.  Alexandra is called home to New Orleans by her grandmother, but the news is not as dire as she’d expected.  But it gives her a chance to relax and catch up, all the while grandma has other things else in mind  At a neighboring plantation something life-changing awaits Alex.

After going through their family history, Grams feels it’s time for a tour of the plantation.  When they come across a portrait, Alex is stunned to see her likeness in it.  Grandma tricks her into touching it and the next thing Alex knows is she’s not in Kansas anymore, Toto.  She’s been thrown more then 100 years in the past and has come face to face with handsome Trey Dalton.

It takes some doing, however, to get used to the man and his time.  She’s an independent 21st Century woman and living with all the constraints of a bygone era is difficult for her.  As she falls in love with Trey, though, all those things seem to diminish and life becomes easier. At least for a time.

Trey’s life is pretty simple before a beautiful, stubborn, and very odd woman invades his life.  She claims to be from the future, but even after all the things she tells him to convince him of those claims, he just can’t bring himself to believe.  He still protects her, however, and when his Aunt Rose comes up with the idea of Alexandra being his fiance because she’s an unmarried woman living in his home, he doesn’t refute the lie.

Along with Alexandra has also come more and more dangerous and threatening happenings around his property, which he blames on a former friend, who just happens to be Alexandra’s great-great-great grandfather.  That danger is stepped up a notch when Alexandra is kidnapped and his enemy’s plans are finally revealed.

While I liked the characters, the storyline ends up being run-of-the-mill that we’ve read before.  The time travel aspect works fine and both Trey and Alex do okay at their disbelief of the phenomenon, but their emotion concerning that issue and others, including the love scenes, just fell short.  I never felt totally invested in their feelings throughout the book.  I’d say that was due to a combination of the writing and all the errors that pulled me out of the story so many times.

There’s too many other variables that can happen with a book to make readers not care for certain aspects that authors and these smaller publishers just need to do a better job with things like grammar and punctuation that are more controllable.  Such oversights don’t do the reader or the author any darned good.

Grade: C-

Summary:

Trey Dalton is having a very bad day. Someone is trying to destroy his plantation, his meddlesome aunt has come to visit, and some strange woman has appeared on his doorstep spouting some nonsense about coming from the future. Alexandra Tibideaux’s day isn’t any better. After racing from California to New Orleans because of an urgent message from her grandmother, Alex learns that all Grams wanted was to tour an old plantation, where Alex finds an exact likeness of herself. When curiosity causes her to touch the portrait, she finds herself trapped in the past with a man who is far too cute and too pig-headed for her taste.

Read an excerpt. (click link on left-hand side)

Sandy M’s review of Sword of the Highlands by Veronica Wolff
Paranormal Romance published by Berkley 27 May 08

While I enjoyed the characters and the time travel aspect of this book, even learning something new about Scotland’s history, I didn’t like the fact that the hero and heroine spent so much time apart.  I know the battles the hero faced and won for the Royalist cause at that time in history is important, but I felt bogged down, sometimes bored, with so much of it and then irritated with it because that’s what kept the main characters separated.

Yes, this is an historical time travel romance novel.  I usually thoroughly enjoy reading about another country’s history, especially Scotland.  I just had the hardest time with the length of time James was out fighting for his country, as did Magda at one point in the book.  I realize at this point in Scots history battles such as depicted in this book were basically the way of life.  But I’m reading a romance novel and I want more romance than I want fighting, battles, even talk of war.  For me, the only author who gets away with so much epic description is Diana Gabaldon.  In a book the third of the size of one of Gabaldon’s books I should be getting more conflict between my hero and heroine, not the hero and his enemies.

Okay, you know how I feel about that part of the story.  The other parts of the book I did enjoy.  I really did like James, a man of honor and duty, responsibility, which he takes all very seriously.  He’s even forward thinking enough to not be too wigged out when he learns Magda is from the future.  I did question his actions, however, when he kept charging into battle full speed ahead and at the same time waving Magda’s information of his death away, being cocky enough to tell her it won’t happen, that he’ll return to her no matter what.  Of course, we know that’s not going to happen and it’s up to Magda to save the day.  I felt it a little short sided of James to be as flippant as he was about it all while telling Magda he loves her and will return.

Magda is a modern day woman intrigued with history and works at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art, where she encounters a portrait of James and is thrown back to his time when she touches it.  She thinks it’s all a dream at first, but little by little she realizes she truly has traveled back in time.  She slowly begins to fall in love with James and knows she has to stay with him instead of returning home.

When James first goes into battle after Magda arrives in his time, she goes with him.  I know later he sends her to safety when the fighting escalates, but when I expected more of their time together after he comes home, all he does is pack up and take off again, much to Magda’s, and this reader’s, dismay.  Especially when she knows his death is imminent.  It was during these scenes of battle that I found myself skipping ahead.  They just carried on too long, keeping James and Magda separated way too much.

I think this is one reason why story ideas that originate from true facts in history don’t appeal to me.  Although some license is taken by authors during the length of their book, there’s only so much license they can take with certain parts of history.  I know Ms. Wolff did change things around a bit as needed for her story, but it just wasn’t enough for me to really enjoy the book more.  I’m definitely happy with ending I got and the author did devise an interesting way to extricate James from his enemies’ hands before it was too late.

But at the end for me, this was just an okay read because I just won’t remember all of those battles and the too little romance that I was given.

Grade: C

Summary:

SHE HAD TO GO BACK IN TIME TO FIND THE MAN OF HER DREAMS…

One minute, she’s New York heiress and art curator Magda Deacon, enraptured by the sexy Scotsman captured in an old portrait. The next, she’s falling through time to 17th century Scotland—and embarking on the most erotic journey of her life…

Infamous playboy James Graham, First Marquis of Montrose, doesn’t know what to make of the strange woman who’s stumbled into his life. Her accent may be foreign, but Magda plays golf and rides like a red-blooded Scotsman—not that James could ever mistake her succulent lips and curves for anything but deliciously female…

But war rages in the Highlands, the land for which James and his men will lay down their lives. And when Magda faces a terrifying enemy and a daunting choice, only her Scottish hero will be able to set things right…

Read an excerpt.

Devon’s review of Gothic Dragon by Marie Treanor
Paranormal Romance eBook released by Samhain 22 Jul 08

I’m not one for time travel romance. It seems too far-fetched. I mean, vampires and werewolves are one thing, but really! The mechanics of messing with the time space continuum, and the implications it may have for the HEA…my brain starts going into critical overdrive. However, Gothic Dragon was intriguing because it had to do with Gothic Literature (of the nineteenth century), a favorite period of mine. And I thought that a blogger with similar tastes to mine had read and positively reviewed this author. But I may have imagined that. Anyhoo, I’m glad I took a chance, because this was very entertaining, despite a couple of flaws.

Within the category length format, Marie Treanor was able to develop a great hero, an engrossing romance, and a fantasy world I wouldn’t mind visiting again. I wish the book had been longer, in fact, so that more time could have been spent developing the faux fifteenth century world of Costanzo and the romance, rather than on researcher/author heroine Esther’s present day life and the time travel bit. Esther seems a bit of a sad sack, saddled with a cardboard boor of a fiancé, wasting her life. Though she shows spirit, and made a calm foil for the mercurial Drago, it was hard to see what would have intrigued him, at first.

When Esther is pulled into the book she is reading, she finds herself face to face with the villain of the piece. Drago was a great character, and the reason I enjoyed the book so much. He has cultivated his mysterious, evil reputation to protect himself and his people. Drago is, in fact, a sorcerer, and he acts like a jerk at times. But his cutting wit and insouciance hide someone who is thoughtful, intelligent and feels deeply. And boy does he adore Esther! I fell for him hook, line and sinker. At times, the romance felt a bit rushed, but the chemistry and emotion was there. I just wish there had been more of him and Esther.

I liked him so much I was almost able to overlook the fact that he talked about rocking someone’s world. Almost. Now, this is a fifteenth century world created by a nineteenth century author, but “rock your world”? Really? And there were a couple of other astonishing anachronisms as well. I also grew increasingly confused by the time travel explanation. Towards the end, there’s a lot of bopping back and forth, and it was confusing and slowed the book down. I would have preferred a later resolution to the Drago/Esther romance, and less time spent on time travel and cardboard villains past and present.

Ultimately, I was able to overlook these issues, because I so enjoyed the plot, the settings and the romance. The backdrop of Esther’s literary research was interesting and a bit different. And the hero was great. The quibbles I’ve mentioned might bother some readers more than others, but I think it would be enjoyed by time travel fans. I would definitely check the author out again, because there was good stuff here, and it was kinda different, y’know? Not a bad way to escape for a few hours.

Grade: B-

The Summary:
Sometimes you can make your dreams a reality…

Stuck in an uninteresting job and settled in a safe but vaguely unsatisfying relationship, the only bright spot in Esther’s life is her writing. She’s fascinated by colorful life of her ancestor Margaret Marsden, a nineteenth-century Gothic romance novelist. A woman who mysteriously disappeared without a trace.

A weekend away turns into a hunt for clues when Esther stumbles across Margaret’s “lost” novel, The Prince of Costanzo. Though desperate to read it, every time Esther opens the book, she falls asleep—and headlong into amazingly vivid dreams about Costanzo.

But in this dream world where war, magic and poisoning are commonplace, nothing is as it seems. Least of all the supposed villain of the novel, the enigmatic sorcerer Prince Drago. She finds herself kidnapped to his castle and subjected to a seductive interrogation that curls her toes. As their feelings for each other grow more powerful, she begins to wonder…is he the real villain, or a hero who only wants to save his kingdom? All she knows is that now that she’s had a taste of Costanzo—and Drago—her real life troubles seem insignificant.

Until they come crashing around her, threatening to cut her off from the man she loves. Forever.

Read an excerpt here

Sandy M’s review of Master of the Highlands by Veronica Wolff
Paranormal Historical Romance published by Berkley 5 Feb 2008

As a time travel fan, I did like this book, but I’m also a little disappointed in it. Therefore, I’m unsure what grade to give it. Maybe those of you who have also read it will help me out.

What I like about the book is a number of things. I really like the writing. The author does a very good job of describing the characters and their surroundings, giving a feel of their emotions and their actions. I sometimes felt I was right in the middle of the Highlands. She doesn’t go overboard with historical facts and keeps the modern world well balanced with the old through the heroine.

I also enjoyed the characters themselves. Ewen is the typical clan chief everyone loves and respects and Lily is the lonely heroine looking for love but still wants to find a way home to her own time, even with a great looking man, hers for the taking, right in front of her. I enjoyed the addition of John, Ewen’s son, in the story and the development of their relationship once Ewen realizes he’s shortchanging both his son and himself by holding the boy at arm’s length. The slutty, power hungry Rowena is one of those villains you love to hate, along with Clan Cameron’s enemies, the MacKintoshes and the British redcoats.

The relationship between Ewen and Lily is nice, it grows along at a steady pace, each coming to their epiphanies about one another on their own and then letting their love flourish naturally. Even Lily’s winning young John over is a nice touch. I like the fact that Ewen isn’t taken in by Rowena, that he knows the better woman when he sees her, even before he realizes he loves her, and isn’t taken in by womanly wiles. I like the story in general, how Lily is transported back in time, the secret of Robert, and other little tidbits. The side story about Robert is interesting, and this is where my disappointment comes in.

So much more could have been done with that side story. Lily has the solution to that problem in her hands the whole time. Her grandmother sang a passed-down legend to Lily her whole life, so she knows the story she’s landed right smack dab in the middle of. But each time she thinks about the song and its relationship to her current situation, she either shrugs it off or ignores it. The heroine herself laments she should have used her information much sooner to help, but it’s much too late by the time she’s crying over the tragedy that ensues. Lily should have been able to change the outcome of her song. She knows exactly what’s going to happen and lets it happen anyway.

Even if she’d tried and the outcome is still the same, okay, fine. But her half-hearted attempt really irritates me. Heck, maybe poor Robert could have had his own book if Lily would have been a little more aware, which doesn’t make sense to have the heroine so slow-witted about the whole thing because she’s living her heritage, for heaven’s sake. If it weren’t for the romance found in the past, I would question why have Lily travel back in the first place?

Now my dilemma. I enjoyed more of the book than I was disapointed by it, but the disappointment is a big one in that the heroine isn’t more in tune to what’s going on. My indecision is which grade should I give the book?

Grade: B- or C+

Help me out – give me your grade and the why of it, please!

Read Gwen’s review here.

     From the back cover:

SHE’S BACK IN TIME… Lily Hamlin has finally realized that her life isn’t as perfect as she once thought. Making a pilgrimage to Scotland, a land she’s only heard about in lullabies, Lily hopes that she can find her place again. But while exploring the Highlands, she discovers an overgrown maze and a strange stone map–and lands in the Lochaber of 1654…

…JUST IN TIME FOR HIM. Ewen, Chief of the Clan Cameron, is a busy man who must figure out how to save his people from the brutal redcoats and has time for little else. Having sired an heir, the widowed Ewen has no need-or room-for another romance. Then into his life drops a saucy lass with a peculiar accent, no regard for his title–and an arousing body. Drawn to each other despite their differences, they both realize that they don’t want her to go back to her own time. But with battles brewing between the Camerons, the redcoats, and a rival clan, staying is a gamble.

     Read an excerpt.

Finn’s review of Highland Rogue by Tess Mallory
Time Travel romance released by Berkley Sensation 6 May 08

Highland Rogue is about Maggie Graham and how she put her life aside to raise her twin sisters. She has dreamed of meeting a guy like Rob Roy MacGregor, Scottish rogue and outlaw, and becoming an archeologist. Maggie’s sisters and best friend buy her a ticket to Scotland so she can full fill her dream, and maybe meet the man of her dreams. So off she goes to Scotland to work on this “tourist” dig.  She is making the best out of it when she falls in the cairn and makes a discovery. Maggie discovers a triskele, or tri-spiral, that would put her on the map as a renowned archeologist, if the leader of the dig didn’t take all the glory.

One night Maggie can’t sleep so she slips back into the cairn and starts walking the design of the triskele all the while saying the words of an ancient message also found in the cairn. Maggie goes back in time to 1711 and meets Quinn MacIntyre. The man of her dreams and a piper too. He and his cousin are actually highway robbers who play the bagpipes once they have left their victims. What follows is a grand adventure of trying to rescue Quinn’s cousin from the evil duke.

The story was good. Mallory writes her characters well. Maggie has to come to grips with being in 18th century Scotland and help infiltrate the duke’s household. Her desire to get home is evident but so is her growing love of Quinn. Quinn has to realize that Maggie is from another time and will be going home after they rescue his cousin, but he loves her.

You get to have some good laughs with this time-travel novel and read a great love story.

Grade: B+

     Summary:

     On her dream vacation in the Scottish Highlands, aspiring archaeologist Maggie Graham discovers a tri-spiral carving in the floor of an ancient cairn, and unwittingly sets its dormant magic in motion. Sent tumbling back in time 300 years, Maggie uncovers the most amazing find of all—a Scottish hero straight out of her wildest fantasies. There are just two tiny problems with this grand adventure: She’s trapped in 18th-century Scotland, and the man she’s fallen for is an outlaw, a thief, and a daring Highland Rogue.

     Read an excerpt (super short and you have to scroll down to get to it).

BevQB’s review of Kiss of the Highlander (The Highlander Series, Book 4) by Karen Marie Moning, narrated by Phil Gigante
Paranormal historical timetravel fantasy romance Audio Book released by Brilliance Audio on 20 Jan 08

Kiss of the Highlander in audio format is the perfect mating of story and storyteller and I can’t imagine merely reading this story from a printed page ever again. Phil Gigante brings every minute of this pure escapist fantasy story to life. Audio books, in fact most Romance books, don’t get any better than this!

WAIT! WAIT! I know you are expecting me to once again squee about the aural pleasures to be found in Phil Gigante’s eargasmic portrayal of Drustan (and, oh, I will), but there’s much more to expound on in this absolutely spell binding audio book. (btw, did ya notice the big “contest” tag? Hmmmm?)

This is the fourth audio book release in KMM’s Highlanders series and centers on Drustan MacKelter and Gwen Cassidy. Containing both paranormal and fantasy (fae) elements, Kiss is set, through time travel, in historic and modern day Scotland. This is a standalone story, so it is not necessary to be familiar with the previous books in the series to enjoy this one, but, trust me; you’re going to want them all!

Have I ever mentioned just how damn ENTERTAINING Phil G’s narration is? In fact, I really hesitate to refer to what he does as mere narration. It’s a PERFORMANCE. The voices and effects he uses for all the characters, both lead and minor, are spot on. Often, when a man attempts a woman’s voice, it comes off as mocking. However, while no one will ever mistake Phil’s voice for a woman’s, I quickly was no longer conscious that a man was voicing the female characters. Yes, he uses a higher pitched voice for women, but there’s something else there too… a softness, a vulnerability… something… that does not scream “man mocking woman”.

Unless he wants to. One of the most entertaining moments in this audio book and one that showcases Phil G’s amazing talent is when Drustan is teasing Gwen and repeating her words in her “voice” . So we’re treated to Phil as Drustan mocking Phil as Gwen using Drustan’s version of Gwen’s voice. Trust me, Phil nails it!! Just hand him next year’s Audie Award now!

When I think of The Highlanders series, Kiss of the Highlander has always been the first one to come to mind. But if, like me, you are also a fan of KMM’s brilliant Fever series, you will have a lot of fun listening for Fever clues throughout the Highlander books. Kiss is the second book with a direct link to the later series (The Hallows appear in book 3, The Highlander’s Touch), and is the first of the MacKelter books (we meet Christian MacKelter, from Bloodfever, towards the end of Kiss). It’s fascinating to revisit all the Highlander fae lore that eventually comes together to spawn the complex Fever books.

But, the most compelling reason (besides my all-time favorite Nathan Kamp cover pic) to buy this (and all the rest of the series) in audio format is what narrator Phil Gigante does for your ears— and other body parts that are directly or indirectly attached to them. Be sure to use earphones when listening to Drustan’s seduction of Gwen- Phil uses a deep vibrating growl that you can seriously feel down to your toes! I’m not ashamed to admit that listening to Phil G’s Scottish brogue has become an addiction and an obsession for me.

	Grade: A Listen to a summary of the book followed by a sample of Gigante’s narration here. And oh, what a shiver-worthy sample it is!
	Click here to sample the rest of the Highlander series audio books.Book 5, The Dark Highlander, will be released 20 March 2008, followed by book 6, The Immortal Highlander, in May 2008. I highly recommend that books 5 and 6 be read/listened to in order AFTER this 4th book, Kiss of the Highlander. Go. Buy. Or borrow from your library. Audio books don’t get any better than these!

CONTEST!!

It’s no secret that everyone here at TGTBTU is unashamedly a fan of the Romance genre. Plus – we love nothing more than to share our love of the genre with anyone and everyone. So, I’ve decide to put my money where my mouth is.

I so love this audio book that I want to SHARE IT WITH ONE LUCKY DUCK AND WILL HAVE IT SHIPPED DIRECTLY TO YOU FROM AMAZON. Just comment on this post for a chance to win one copy of the unabridged KISS OF THE HIGHLANDER CDs.

One entry per IP address, U.S. residents only (sorry non-US folks).  The winner will be selected from comments made before midnight tomorrow, Tuesday, 18 March, according to the blog timestamp (we’re US Central timezone).

And, if you end up listening to Kiss of the Highlander, PLEASE let me know what you thought of it.

Read more from Bev at Cubie’s Confections.

Prince of Dreams by Lisa-who really needs to update her site-Kleypas has been sitting on the tbr pile for a while.

I think I was waiting to buy Midnight Angel but every time I find it, I end up putting it down. Hook for hand… yeah I will read it some day but well… hook for hand!

So when this came up as a cheater heroes aka ratbastard, I read it. I mean really when have I ever read books in order? (I have bought the books since I wrote this but still haven’t read it)

The first part of this is really what annoys me. The omg I will do anything to get this woman – ok got her – omg I can’t fall in LURVE with her plot.

Really I feel almost dirty to admit it but the everything Nikolas does to get her, I liked. Maybe I am just too into Kleypas bad guy heroes. But I hate the ‘must have her’ then the switch to ‘must keep her at arms length’ yes he has a tortured past and his daddy never lurved him. Whatever… you should have thought of that before asshat!

So really the coming home from some random (offscreen) slut’s bed, I could have lived with if it had gotten some good grovel and made the light go off that ‘hey you won and got the girl’. But it didn’t. It took that whole flashback/tt thing and really what the hell was that?

Time Travel doesn’t do much for me in general – some times it works but most often I just don’t care for it. And the middle here is somewhat interesting but just seems so out of left field and I didn’t feel like we were still with ‘Emma’ even though she is suppose to be ‘pre-Emma’. And I wanted to slap Emilia a few times, much more than Emma annoyed me. And you can’t think to hard about it. Why was he so drawn to Emilia if this was the past – his lurve for Emma hadn’t happened yet and he didn’t’ know Emilia. He was drawn to her because of Emma but so drawn to Emma because of this past great love that was really theirs. What? And then there is the fact that isn’t it saying Nikolas is fucking his great grandmother?

So yeah… no deep thought because it doesn’t seem to really make sense.

Anyway… but when he gets back from his ‘lil trip’ be it a dream, recalling what really happened, his reincarnated soul connecting with whatever… it seems to cheapen the whole relationship between Nikolas and Emma. I get the idea of – this is one great true love and will find itself over again no matter space or time. But who the hell was Nikolas in love with, other than himself?

It was more like he was in love with the idea of being loved. Was he chasing after Emma or Emilia? I felt bad for Emma and just didn’t buy the changed man or the time travel thing. I was more annoyed with him screwing Emilia than the random slutty chick we never see.

Go figure… not a horrid book but not one I see ever reading again. Hee and look… the set backs really haven’t changed at all have they. This was first published in August 1995.

Grade: D+

A wealthy and bitter exile, the most dangerous and desirable man in all England, he burns to possess a proud, headstrong beauty who is promised to another. But winning Emma Stokehurst’s exquisite hand through threats and determination does nothing to fill the empty spaces in Nikolas’s heart — until passion’s magic carries the handsome, tormented prince back to a bygone era of splendor and romantic dreams.For there his destiny awaits him in a distant life. And in one remarkable woman’s tender touch — achingly familiar but gloriously new — he must seek the elusive promise of ecstasy…and learn, at last, to love.