Sandy M’s review of Highlanders Through Time by Sandy Blair
Paranormal Historical Romance published by Winn-Hampton Press 14 Oct 15
While I haven’t been in a full-blown reading slump lately, it’s been a difficult time for me when it’s come to authors who I’ve not read before. I go through this phase once in a while, and sometimes it works quite well, and other times, well, let’s just say I can’t wait to get back to my favorites for some reading comfort. Sandy Blair is one of those authors, combining charming characters with fun, laughter, time travel, and romance, ultimately aligning my reading stars so I once again don’t feel the need to throw a poor book across the room to hit the wall.
MacDuff’s Secret
My favorite part of this book is well after teacher Sarah Colbert and five of her students are thrown back through time to land in Hamish MacDuff’s secret pool. They’ve acclimated fairly well since arriving, and the boys get a terrific lesson from a man who knows honor, respect, responsibility, and discipline. A battle-worn warrior, Hamish lives in his own little world, away from towns and other folk. All that time alone, however, has not diminished his knowledge of what’s right. Those boys eat up the attention, as well as the common-sense admonishments they rarely receive in their own time.
This is also a big part of what causes Sarah, as well as the reader, to fall in love with Hamish. But she has a huge dilemma – while she has no family back in the future and wishes to stay with Hamish, these boys do have those who have to be frantic over their disappearance, and it’s up to her to make sure they return home. Hamish’s honor comes into play again when he realizes Sarah’s torment. These two definitely know exactly what love is all about, and they never once hesitate to act accordingly.
Grade: B
Her MacKinnon
Somehow this novella got by me when it was first published a few years ago, so it’s like reading a whole new story by Sandy Blair for me. I really like the time travel aspect in this book – Laird Alex MacKinnon met with a horrible betrayal and death, and for hundreds of years since, his soul has been bound in the signet ring of his clan, the same ring that has ruined Alex’s descendant, A.J., and his marriage. When A.J. awakens from an accident that should have him six feet under, it’s Alex who now lives and breaths, given a second chance at happiness.
Of course, Maggie MacKinnon is happy to still have her husband, despite the strangeness that has invaded him since he’s come home from the hospital. But when the man begins to take care of things he never cared about before, Maggie can overlook those strange idiosyncrasies. Though she has a more difficult time when Alex decides to come clean with her. I love when he explains – after he realizes himself – how it came to be A.J. chose Maggie for his life mate. This is definitely a love made to endure time.
Grade A
Overall Grade: A-
I enjoyed both of these novellas, but Her Mackinnon is my favorite. My only nitpick (aside from the publisher needing to do a better proofreading job) is the length, especially for MacDuff’s Secret. It seems to suffer just a tad, having to be wrapped up so quickly in so few words. But overall, these are two delightful and romantic stories that will feed the romance reader in you.
Summary:
MacDuff’s Secret ~ The last thing sixth grade teacher Sarah Colbert expected when touring Edinburgh with her five rambunctious students was to become a victim of a terrorist bomb and to be thrown back in time to the eleventh century.
Battle-scarred Shamus MacDuff has been a recluse by choice for the last decade. Embittered by war, he enjoys his solitude and is shocked to find he has guests, six strangers who claim to be from another time.Her MacKinnon ~ Maggie MacKinnon fell in love with and married a charismatic man who’s become obsessed with his family legend and the signet ring he inherited. Following an accident he shouldn’t have survived, she prays he’s learned his lesson and will turn his life around.
Laird Alex MacKinnon’s essence has remained with the signet ring his heirs inherit. When he awakens in a modern hospital in the twenty-first century, he discovers he’s been given a chance at love and to change the future and legacy.
No excerpts available.
