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< The Time Traveler's Wife > < Water for Elephants: A Novel > < Life of Pi > < The Thirteenth Tale: A Novel > < The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time > < My Sister's Keeper - Movie Tie-In: A Novel > Audrey Niffenegger

price：~~$54.99~~

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customer 's review
(Just Finished it This Morning)

(A Journey Through Time)

(Excellent Page Turner)

(Page turner)

(Fave)

This book was a thrill to read. The many plot lines were captivating and the characters effervescent and charming. I cried like a baby. Such a great idea for a story and Niffenegger painted this beautifully. However, I think it would have best been left alone, and not made into a movie. Highly recommended.
Book Review for: "The Time Traveler's Wife"
Written by: Audrey Niffenegger
ISBN: 978-0-15-602943-8
Harcourt Publishing
536 pages
$14.95
4 Stars

Niffenegger weaves a tale of intrigue and love - one that remains strong through decades of uncertainties. "The Time Traveler's Wife" is an unconventional romance and an atypical science fiction novel, blending both genres as well as sprinkling in a dab of social commentary to create a very human novel.

The novel starts with Claire waiting for Henry, a predominate theme in the book. Her husband, Henry, travels through time. He believes it's a genetic abnormality and he can't control it. The novel takes place between 1968 and 2008. Claire and Henry meet as adults. Claire is twenty. Henry, it is revealed, has been time traveling since he was five years old, after a visit to a museum, that had a profound effect on him. He recalls first traveling through time to visit Claire when she is six. Young Claire soon gets used to a man popping out of time to see her. She develops an eccentric relationship with the time traveling Henry, which to Niffenegger's credit, works and doesn't come off as creepy.

Early in the book, there is an unusual scene when Claire is thirteen which her father and brother keep her from Henry. Claire doesn't know what to make of it, but time marches on in a linear fashion for her, and soon she meets Henry at the library where he works. When they meet, he is twenty-eight.

Henry leaves his girlfriend, Ingrid, for Claire. Claire is used to Henry's time traveling and accepts him for what he is. After meeting each other's family, they marry.

The couple tries to live as normal a life as they can. Claire is an artist and Henry works in a library. After seeing their friends, Charisse and Gomez, have children, they try to have one of their own. Henry seeks out a genetic counselor. The reason for his time traveling abilities are given here, which to Niffenegger's credit, is a creative take on the concept.

Claire has several miscarriages before the doctors realize they have to suppress her immune system to get her to carry to term. Claire finally gives birth to a girl, Alba, when she is thirty. Soon, they learn that Alba can time travel, too.

Henry's time traveling takes a toll on his body. He gets frostbite on his feet which have to be amputated. Then he involuntarily time travels to the past, and since he can't run away, he's shot by deer hunters when Claire is thirteen. Claire is thirty-eight when he dies.

The plot is tight. Niffenegger's explanation of Henry's time traveling abilities is plausible, making the story work. The pace isn't fast, nor does the story drag. It moves from event to event with concise precision.
Niffenegger writes in a very "up front" style. It's easy enough to read, but very direct. Her characters are believable. In a way, Claire embodies a very traditional female role in waiting for Henry, while he has numerous adventures as a time traveler, taking on a more traditional male role. Toward the end, Claire sheds her traditional role to become a more modern woman.

The story is told using a journal entry form from Claire and Henry's perspective, which works well. If anything, the story lags a little since it blends romance and science fiction without committing to either. Henry and Claire are in love, but it seems a given and not a discovery.

What makes Niffenegger's story a gem, is her creative take on time traveling, making it a genetic condition, thus not conforming to traditional time traveling norms.

"The Time Traveler's Wife" is an intriguing read that will leave the reader experiencing Henry and Claire's highs and lows right along with them.

I loved this book, I felt it was well written&altho confusing at times when following the time travel, the most important questions were answered. I'm not an avid book club reader by any means, but I know a decent writer&book subject&this one has what it takes to keep you interested&involved with the characters. I see all the critisim&if you are a sincerer reader that can by-pass some ill-language&use your imagination a little, then you will be fine. Its a good read&I didn't want to put it down. I would recommend for the open minded, hopeless romantic anyday.
I very much enjoyed this book. It is a very quick read and it has you wanting more.
One of my favorites! It is such a good mix of science, fantasy, and love.
This extraordinary, magical novel is the story of Clare and Henry who have known each other since Clare was six and Henry was thirty-six, and were married when Clare was twenty-two and Henry thirty. Impossible but true, because Henry is one of the first people diagnosed with Chrono-Displacement Disorder: periodically his genetic clock resets and he finds himself pulled suddenly into his past or future. His disappearances are spontaneous and his experiences are alternately harrowing and amusing. The Time Traveler's Wife depicts the effects of time travel on Henry and Clare's passionate love for each other with grace and humour. Their struggle to lead normal lives in the face of a force they can neither prevent nor control is intensely moving and entirely unforgettable.
Rerations
< The Time Traveler's Wife > < Water for Elephants: A Novel > < Life of Pi > < The Thirteenth Tale: A Novel > < The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time > freaks

< Outlander > < Dragonfly in Amber > < Voyager > < Drums of Autumn > < The Fiery Cross (Outlander) > < A Breath of Snow and Ashes (Outlander) > Diana Gabaldon

price：~~$4.80~~
Delta(1998-08-10)
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customer 's review
(The only fictional character I would ever leave my husband for is Jamie Fraser!)

(My favorite series EVER!!)

(Outlander- the Audiobook Version)

(not great but not horrible)

(A great book)

Someone else wrote that in a review so I guess I will have to wait in line in case Jamie Fraser ever came to life. I haven't read romance since I was in middle school, but was so completely hooked by this book that I am devouring the rest of the series and can't wait for the new one in the fall. Yes, I do understand the criticisms of some of the other reviewers, particularly regarding the ease with which Claire adapts to the lack of moden conveniences and the lack of introspection she shows regarding her first husband. However, let's remember that TIME TRAVEL CAN'T HAPPEN, therefore, don't quibble with the details. I defy any woman to read about Claire and Jamie's wedding (and wedding night)¬ wish she were Claire.
Be warned, one day I was late for work because I couldn't stop trying to find the passage where they meet again. (Very hard to do on a Kindle, my only complaint about the Kindle so far.)
Truly addicting!
I can't imagine how someone couldn't love these books. You get so invested in the characters. They're like the best friends I've never actually met.
I won't review the book itself; there are plenty of those to go around and the book is simply wonderful. I want to review the audio version, narrated by Davina Porter. Again- wonderful! This English reader has a delightful English accent and yet can shift into the tones of a Scottish man without missing a beat. I am not even done with the book yet, but have ordered the second book in the series, read by the same talented lady.

Listening to books is my "treat" to myself as I drive to and from work. It's a 25 minute trip and listening to the book keeps me from speeding! This is a long one- 32 or 33 CDs, I think. Lots to listen to and lots to learn and enjoy.
Having read many of the other reviews posted here, I thought I'd offer a more measured one. I didn't love it and I didn't hate it. I agree with the various reviewers who said that the time travel plot was wasted here. Once Clare is back in the 18th century, little is done with what should have been a shocking experience on many levels. Yet, as she observes about halfway through the book, it seems that simply being willing to "rough it" a little is all that's required! The idea that people that long ago would have had completely different sensibilities isn't used by the author at all, which is a pity. That extends even to Clare herself, who seems more like a 21st century woman rather than one from the 1940s. The one scene that might have made the point that people back then were really, really different is the beating scene. Gabaldon could have used this to point out that such behavior was considered the norm then, and even the sensitive Jamie wouldn't be immune to such values. Yet, instead of Clare coming to reconcile herself to the idea based her recognition of deep cultural differences, she seems to conclude that she did in fact deserve it, which jars with the rest of her character as written. Also, there are several loose ends that are never tied up-- the one that annoyed me the most was who was the kilted man that Frank saw outside the house in the beginning?

As an archaeologist, I also can't help point out a few howlers in the beginning of the book. A henge is a monument with a bank and ditch, the ditch being on the interior of the bank. It might have stones or a variety of other structures inside it, but it is different in both structure and date than a stone circle. Clare found her entrance to the 18th century in a stone circle, not a henge. Also, there is no glaze on beakers (glazed pottery doesn't occur until the Middle Ages), the idea of beaker pottery representing a group of people (i.e. the "Beaker People") hasn't been current in archaeology in over 20 years, and while there are some beakers buried in stone circles, the association is only partial; in Scotland in particular, it would be incorrect to say that stone circles were built by people who also used beaker pottery. Okay, these are trivial, but apparently when the author was doing her supposedly meticulous research, she didn't bother extending this to archaeology!

All that said, if you have the ability to turn off your brain and enjoy a pretty good read, then the book is entertaining enough. Rather like the DaVinci Code, which was a very silly book from an historical, archaeological, or anthropological perspective but a fun book to read, Outlander also has some major flaws. But I was involved enough to want to know what was going to happen, and I may well get the second book at some point just to see what else happens. The plot mostly moves along pretty well (except for the middle, which for me dragged a bit), the characters are interesting, the politics complex, and the general tenor of the book diverting enough. If you are willing not to think too much, then it's an enjoyable enough book to keep you occupied on a long plane trip, which is where I read it.
I admit it: the book kept me riveted to the very end! I just felt a little bad for the husband left behind, and I think that more could have been done with the time travel aspect. Very romantic.
The year is 1945 and Claire Beauchamp Randall, a former British combat nurse, is on holiday in Scotland with her husband, looking forward to becoming reacquainted after the war's long separation. Like most practical women, Claire hardly expects her curiosity to get the better of her. But an ancient stone circle near her lodgings holds an eerie fascination, and when she innocently touches one of the giant boulders, she's hurtled backward in time more than two hundred years, to 1743.

Alone where no lady should be alone, and far from the familiar comforts of her other life, Claire's usual resourcefulness is tested to the limit. The merciless garrison captain so feared by others bears an uncanny resemblance to the husband she has just left behind. Her own odd circumstances expose her to accusations of witchcraft. And the strands of a political intrigue she doesn't understand threaten to ensnare her at every turn.

But of all the perils her new life holds, none is more disquieting than her growing feelings for James Fraser, the gallant young Scot she is forced to marry for her own protection. Sworn by his wedding vows to keep her from harm, Jamie's passion for Claire goes beyond duty. As she struggles with the memories of another lifetime, she is forced to make an agonizing and fateful choice, and learns ultimately that a man's instinct to protect the woman he loves is as old as time.
InOutlander, a 600-page time-travel romance, strong-willed and sensual Claire Randall leads a double life with a husband in one century, and a lover in another. Torn between fidelity and desire, she struggles to understand the pure intent of her heart. But don't let the number of pages and the Scottish dialect scare you. It's one of the fastest reads you'll have in your library.

While on her second honeymoon in the British Isles, Claire touches a boulder that hurls her back in time to the forbidden Castle Leoch with the MacKenzie clan. Not understanding the forces that brought her there, she becomes ensnared in life-threatening situations with a Scots warrior named James Fraser. But it isn't all spies and drudgery that she must endure. For amid her new surroundings and the terrors she faces, she is lured into love and passion like she's never known before.

I was lame and sore in every muscle when I woke next morning. I shuffled to the privy closet, then to the wash basin. My innards felt like churned butter. It felt as though I had been beaten with a blunt object, I reflected, then thought that that was very near the truth. The blunt object in question was visible as I came back to bed, looking now relatively harmless. Its possessor [Jamie] woke as I sat next to him, and examined me with something that looked very much like male smugness."

Gabaldon creates characters that you'll remember, laugh with, cry with, and cheer for long after you've finished the book.--Candy Paape
Rerations
< Outlander > < Dragonfly in Amber > < Voyager > < Drums of Autumn > < The Fiery Cross (Outlander) > freaks

< Dragonfly in Amber > < Voyager > < Outlander > < Drums of Autumn > < The Fiery Cross (Outlander) > < A Breath of Snow and Ashes (Outlander) > Diana Gabaldon

price：~~$5.12~~
Delta(2001-08-07)
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customer 's review
(BUY THIS SERIES)

(What happened?)

(Gabaldon's awesome Time Travel Romance still at its high)

(So good)

(The 2nd book in a masterful series of historical fiction!)

LOVE this book---and the whole OUTLANDER Series
TREAT yourself and get OUTLANDER, then Dragonfly--then keep on going because there are several more books in this series.
Totally ADDICTING>
I made it about half way through this one and i was bored out of my mind most of the time. Thats 350 pages so its not like i didn't give it a chance. I keep telling myself i'm going to pick it back up, that I probably stopped reading right when it gets good but i'm not sure i can. If i have to read about another dinner party or chess match or deciphering of letters my brain might explode from the tedium. I absolutely loved outlander but this one was too slow for me. In outlander there was very little downtime where as in this one it seemed thats all there was. Maybe I'll finish it someday and have a different opinion but until then i think I'm being generous with the two stars. Its a shame, really.
I'm only on book 2 and this series just continues to surpass my expectations and interest. What a ride! Dragonfly in Amber is the second in the Outlander series and still kickin' some literary tail. There's a lot of questions and things that I wished had happened in Outlander. Not necessarily because the story left that open per se but mainly because of what the characters went through, I wanted to see the continuation of the story (and maybe a lil payback for what our hero suffered). In that sense in delivering a certain type of justice (one I had wished on the villain) ended up happening so I was happy but as Gabaldon's events happen, it didn't end there.

Although not as adventurous and a go-a-minute ride as Outlander, Dragonfly does off some wonderful history and backstory. The story takes a risk right from the beginning zipping forward a few decades where Claire, our fabulous English heroine, is visiting Scotland again with her daughter Brianna (aka Bree). I will try to not give too much away in the spoilers as some folks haven't read this series so I'll just say there's a lot of moments where you think certain things are happening but they're not. Even though there's a jump, Claire takes us back to the moment her and Jamie ventured to France to start life anew in Jamie's Uncle's home.

There's a lot of political intrigue, French court drama and some very interesting characters that pop up throughout the story, especially in the first half. A mixture of royals, a frog-like apothecary, 18th century medicine, princes and pirates all make up just a few of the assortment of characters our hero and heroine meet up. It's a little slow moving at times but always interesting especially when you consider the history and genealogy of the characters. I'm definitely going to be rereading this again because I have a feeling that it's one of those books where you catch something new every time you read it. We also get some continuation of a good amount of characters introduced in the first book and explore their fates by the book's end. Figures that have only been mentioned in history books are brought to life here and seem like real complex characters with a mind and movement of their own. The second half deals with the famous battle at Culloden which goes into detail about the clans and their alliances to the Stuarts and explained in grisly detail from the battles themselves to the near famine and dangerous operations the soldier's face.

Gabaldon doesn't pull any punches with the time. It's a rough era to live in with much violence, sexual violence, and danger around every corner. She makes you feel like you're really living there with a rich detail for the settings and the flavors of different characters that pass through. Me being greedy wanted more Jamie and Claire and at times I felt like they wanted more of each other! But life dictated much to do that made their stolen moments all the more sweeter when they could grab them. The best and saddest part is toward the end which (like Outlander's events toward the end) had me in tears.

There are some wonderful gems that are beautifully written in from the dialogue from comedic moments, to real drama and a background of history and characters. One particular comic moment that quickly became my favorite was where a character gets their comeuppance through a description harsh medical procedure Claire would have to undertake in order to rid him of his illness. The description of the procedure and the way the characters around the dinner table responded had me laughing at the entire scene as it unfolded.

Before I started reading this series, I told a friend of mine that I wanted a series that was romantic but more deeper and layered than the romance books I've read lately. One where we get to see a couple mature and continue on throughout a series with some sensual love scenes that progressed and changed between a married couple as their relationship matured. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a couple reboot type of light romance series at times, but it was rare to find one where you follow the couple continuously as their family tree grows.

Reading this series has brought my wish back three fold and I couldn't be happier.

Not only do I continue to recommend this book to my fellow readers (especially the ones who love Scottish Highlanders and historicals for which I am now officially hooked!) but also for aspiring writers. This is the book series you want to pick up or at the very least pick up the first book in the series. Beware, it's like chips, you can't have just one. Gabaldon has a gift for telling a story with such visual panache that grabs the reader by the guts. The story unfolds slowly yes, but soon you realize that so many hours have gone by when you're just getting into it. I finished Dragonfly in Amber right now and am thanking my friend who told me to have Voyager, the next book in the series, nearby because I want to continue to see what happens after this cliffhanger! Although I have an inkling from what I've read on various boards, it's nothing like experiencing the events for yourself rather than hearsay.

Gabaldon tells the story as if you are right there with the characters and only then do you get the true impact of the story. Often they act in ways that are very much in character as we know them, not always pretty, but it makes sense because of who they are and what power or situation they are in. For instance, when Jamie does something that doesn't seem like him, we still love him because we see what his background growing up was or what dangers outweigh others at the current time. It's that mixture of life experience and setting that makes the story verra memorable. And still we love Jamie just the same. Personally he's probably my favorite romantic hero of all time.

Dragonfly in Amber also has some cool references to the title sprinkled throughout and continues the series beautifully. On to Voyager!
This book was a great continuation of the first book outlander. Loved the story line and the love story is so good
This book spans so much you don't want to put it down! Or at least I don't. I read this series the first time from paperbacks borrowed from a good friend. I loved them so much I decided to invest in hardcover. I will read these books for many years to come! Diana Gabaldon is a GENIUS with a wonderful storytelling ability. She paints a picture in your mind that's unique to whoever's imagining it.
With her now-classic novelOutlander, Diana Gabaldon introduced two unforgettable characters— Claire Randall and Jamie Fraser — delighting readers with a story of adventure and love that spanned two centuries. Now Gabaldon returns to that extraordinary time and place in this vivid, powerful follow-up toOutlander....

For twenty years Claire Randall has kept her secrets. But now she is returning with her grown daughter to Scotland’s majestic mist-shrouded hills. Here Claire plans to reveal a truth as stunning as the events that gave it birth: about the mystery of an ancient circle of standing stones ... about a love that transcends the boundaries of time ... and about James Fraser, a Scottish warrior whose gallantry once drew a young Claire from the security of her century to the dangers of his....

Now a legacy of blood and desire will test her beautiful copper-haired daughter, Brianna, as Claire’s spellbinding journey of self-discovery continues in the intrigue-ridden Paris court of Charles Stuart ... in a race to thwart a doomed Highlands uprising ... and in a desperate fight to save both the child and the man she loves....

Rerations
< Dragonfly in Amber > < Voyager > < Outlander > < Drums of Autumn > < The Fiery Cross (Outlander) > freaks

< Voyager > < Dragonfly in Amber > < Drums of Autumn > < The Fiery Cross (Outlander) > < Outlander > < A Breath of Snow and Ashes (Outlander) > Diana Gabaldon

price：~~$9.52~~
Delacorte Press(1993-12-01)
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customer 's review
(Diana Gabaldon Series)

(another exciting installment)

(Flawed but fun entry in the Outlander series)

(Voyager)

(the continuation of a heart-wrenching tale)

I truly did not want to read this series of books. I had just finished everything Sharon Kay Penman wrote, and was looking for something else to read. Outlander was highly recommended by a lot of Penman's fans, but a woman traveling back in time? Anyway, I thought what the heck and bought it. I LOVED IT. I am completely hooked, and bought the whole series, except for Drums of Autumn, and went out of my mind trying to order it ASAP. Just got that one yesterday, and already 300 pages read. When this series is over, I'm going to miss it like I did Jane Austen, Penman, Bronte sisters, Francis Burney, and on and on. Where is my Jaime? Why isn't my husband like him,,,,LOL.
I was hooked on this series from day one...the adventures of Jamie and Claire are thrilling, heart touching and exciting...you won't go wrong with these books...
I finished the third book in the series and I'm now more than ever convinced that this stuff is literary crack. Some goooood literary crack mind you but addicting nonetheless. I'm really enjoying Jamie and Claire's adventures and this book has to have the best reunion scene I've ever read along with some fabulous followups and twists and turns! Whoa. One needs to take a break in between heavy scenes for fear of overload.

Voyager takes place literary right after where Dragonfly in Amber stopped. Claire is still trying to track down Jamie and finally, with Roger and her daughter Bree's help, finds him. The beginning is interesting in the fact that it's sort of parallel. We see Jamie's live as he lives it in the past while his love tracks him down in the future. Poor Jamie still goes through some trials in war torn Scotland after the battle of Culloden still suffers from England's affects after the Jacobite Rising of the '45.

I was zipping through the beginning like crazy in a sleep deprived mind continued to see when Claire made her way through the stones again and to the moment when she see an older Jamie. I couldn't wait to see what they talked about and how they would treat each other. It was very realistic in both were nervous to pick up where they left off. Wonderful stuff. The story then zips along with a bunch of things happening at once and we're (along with Claire) are introduced and re-introduced to side characters that have aged since we last saw them at the beginning of the book. A LOT of things happen that throw our fave couple for a loop including some re-appearances by some savory and unsavory characters alike. Especially our favorite little big mouth who ratted Claire out in Outlander. And tsk tsk tsk on Jamie. I love Jamie, perhaps more than any other literary hero in literature, but why!? I spoke with my friend recently and like her I was alternating between wanting to strangle Jamie and kiss him. (Seriously though, that chapter was superb when it all came out). The emotion in these books are immensely wild.

I LOVED the previous two books in the series but I had a few pet peeves in Voyager. I've made this review spoilerific because these are specific instances. Claire kind of got on my nerves comparing herself to every 18th century woman she came across because she was freaking out about being older. (He loved YOU woman, it didn't matter what ya looked like! lol). Plus it's a given she would be in better health considering the modern technological advances where she came from in the 1960s.

Also (said character stereotyping aside) Claire's reference to "the Chinaman" or "Jamie's Pet Chinaman" kind of rubbed me the wrong way. Claire comes from the 60s and I'm pretty sure from her travels she's been acquainted with Chinese people before. So I wasn't sure why she reacted like an 18th century woman.

I wasn't too happy with the Jamie and Geneva situation. I guess I'm a bit selfish in that I only saw Jamie for Claire. But considering he figured the love of his life may never return, he shut down AND he was coerced into it by Geneva. Not to mention there's a convo between him and Claire about the depths a man will go to stave off the dark pit of his loneliness. His family and tenants lives were also on the line, understood but I guess it kind of nagged. I am interested in seeing how Gabaldon picks this up and from the looks of the upcoming book this act and the result of it will be like war itself. Knowing her writing style now, I know she doesn't leave threads hanging and tends to pick them up down the line in one way or another which is always interesting to read.

These few instances aside (and an early throw away line Claire that also bothered me) I liked Voyager as the greater whole of the series but it didn't quite come up to the awesomeness of the first two books although it was good. It took awhile to bring back the same rush, excitement and consuming feeling as Dragonfly in Amber and Outlander especially. At times the characters didn't really seem like themselves based on how we got to know them from the first few books. Claire and Jamie seemed like two other characters with too many secrets held from one another (or maybe just Jamie from Claire) and their actions sometimes seemed a bit odd/out of character. Soon things fell into step and it was just like a continuation of the previous books especially once we got back to Lallybroch.

Voyager was a fun read no doubt and my favorite parts were everything that led up to the reunion and their first love scene. Things started really getting interesting back at Lallybroch and the ride had only just begun then. Towards the end the book turned into adventure mode with pirates, plagues and some bizarre oddities in 18th century Caribbean. I'd probably give this a 3.5 stars if I could. The first two books had a nice balance of low key scenes with the high suspense and action sequences while this one felt a little unbalanced especially towards the end. Just as things were advancing between the two characters another plot twist would arise and toss a wrench into everything that it felt a bit uneven. Towards the end more and more bizarre things kept happening that didn't feel like I was in the same world as I started.

Nevertheless, I can't get enough Jamie Fraser cause I'm hooked like a cold water trout.
This was the only book in the Outlander series that I hadn't read. I enjoyed all of the books
Such wonderful writing ability! A story so well described makes you feel like you're actually there. The books get better and better as the series continues yet I'm a little sad when I've finished. Then again, that means I can start all over! Such gigantic literary works of art that I can and will read over and over again.
From the author of the breathtaking bestsellersOutlanderandDragonfly in Amber, the extraordinary saga continues.

Their passionate encounter happened long ago by whatever measurement Claire Randall took. Two decades before, she had traveled back in time and into the arms of a gallant eighteenth-century Scot named Jamie Fraser. Then she returned to her own century to bear his child, believing him dead in the tragic battle of Culloden. Yet his memory has never lessened its hold on her...and her body still cries out for him in her dreams.

Then Claire discovers that Jamie survived. Torn between returning to him and staying with their daughter in her own era, Claire must choose her destiny. And as time and space come full circle, she must find the courage to face the passion and pain awaiting her...the deadly intrigues raging in a divided Scotland... and the daring voyage into the dark unknown that can reunite--or forever doom--her timeless love.
Rerations
< Voyager > < Dragonfly in Amber > < Drums of Autumn > < The Fiery Cross (Outlander) > < Outlander > freaks

< A Breath of Snow and Ashes > < The Fiery Cross (Outlander) > < Drums of Autumn > < Voyager > < Dragonfly in Amber > < Outlander > Diana Gabaldon

price：~~$7.99~~
Dell(2008-04-29)
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customer 's review
(I loved it)

(Jaime&Claire)

(Diana Gabaldon's Snow and Ashes = outstanding and the best part is, it's unabridged.)

(Actually 4 1/2)

(A Breath of Snow and Ashes)

another wonderful installment to the series...can't wait for Echo of the bone the last book....I will be sad to read the last book...but am looking forward to re-visiting Jamie and Claire for many years to come
She is the best. NO question. Better than Tony Hillerman and better than Joanne Rowling.

Honest.
Outstanding and the best part is, it's unabridged!
Snow and Ashes, I can listen to it again and again.
I have so enjoyed this series its so much more than a romance book which I think is the wrong genre for this series.This is historical fiction/fantasy( time travel).Gabaldon's writing is so great the books just flow don't let the length of these books scare you off you'll fly through them!This one was so full of action and adventure so many things happen *no spoilers*.Read it to find out.I am excited that she is writing a new book in the series to come out sometime later this year I will be reading it!
This is the last book in the series - everyone was as good as or better than the first, and that is saying a LOT. The sequel is coming out in September and I can hardly wait to get my hands on it! Diana Gabaldon is a fantastic story teller and I thoroughly love reading her books.
Eagerly anticipated by her legions of fans, this sixth novel in Diana Gabaldon’s bestselling Outlander saga is a masterpiece of historical fiction from one of the most popular authors of our time.

Since the initial publication ofOutlanderfifteen years ago, Diana Gabaldon’sNew York Timesbestselling saga has won the hearts of readers the world over— and sold more than twelve million books. Now,A Breath of Snow and Ashescontinues the extraordinary story of 18th-century Scotsman Jamie Fraser and his 20th-century wife, Claire.

The year is 1772, and on the eve of the American Revolution, the long fuse of rebellion has already been lit. Men lie dead in the streets of Boston, and in the backwoods of North Carolina, isolated cabins burn in the forest.

With chaos brewing, the governor calls upon Jamie Fraser to unite the backcountry and safeguard the colony for King and Crown. But from his wife Jamie knows that three years hence the shot heard round the world will be fired, and the result will be independence— with those loyal to the King either dead or in exile. And there is also the matter of a tiny clipping fromThe Wilmington Gazette, dated 1776, which reports Jamie’s death, along with his kin. For once, he hopes, his time-traveling family may be wrong about the future.

From the Hardcover edition.
Rerations
< A Breath of Snow and Ashes > < The Fiery Cross (Outlander) > < Drums of Autumn > < Voyager > < Dragonfly in Amber > freaks

< The Fiery Cross > < A Breath of Snow and Ashes (Outlander) > < Drums of Autumn > < Voyager > < Dragonfly in Amber > < Outlander > Diana Gabaldon

price：~~$9.50~~
Delacorte Press(2001-11-06)
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customer 's review
(not my favorite)

(Very Satisfied)

(A slower read than the others but still satisfying)

(SOOOOOOOOO boring.)

(The Fiery Cross)

I do love this series...but Firey Cross did not hold me spell bound the way the other books did..but still it's a part of the story..and has it's strong points...
I was very satisfied with this purchase. This book was the only one I was missing in the Outlander series. It arrived earlier than the estimated delivery date and in very good condition. Now I have the entire series and I am very pleased. Thank you--Carolyn Wright
This installment of Jamie and Claire's story was a bit of a tough read for me. Perhaps it's because they are settling into their new life on Fraser's Ridge and so many new characters are being introduced that its a slower read to get started. About halfway through it picks up speed and you can't wait to see what happens next.

I've been trying so hard to finish this book. The other Outlander books have been fantastic. I couldn't get enough of them, and I hear that the next one is better, but this one makes me not want to make it to the next one. Its drawn out and boring.
The fifth book in this series is wonderful. You have to read all five to follow the story, but it is romantic and adventurous and historical. I have read the whole series at least four times and never bore with it.
New York Timesbestselling author ofOutlander

Diana Gabaldon mesmerized readers with her award-winningOutlandernovels, four dazzling bestsellers featuring 18th-century Scotsman James Fraser and his 20th-century time-traveling wife, Claire Randall.

Now, in this eagerly awaited fifth volume, Diana Gabaldon continues their extraordinary saga, a masterpiece of pure storytelling and her most astonishingOutlandernovel yet....

The year is 1771, and war is coming. Jamie Fraser’s wife tells him so. Little as he wishes to, he must believe it, for hers is a gift of dreadful prophecy — a time-traveler’s certain knowledge.

Born in the year of Our Lord 1918, Claire Randall served England as a nurse on the battlefields of World War II, and in the aftermath of peace found fresh conflicts when she walked through a cleftstone on the Scottish Highlands and found herself an outlander, an English lady in a place where no lady should be, in a time— 1743 — when the only English in Scotland were the officers and men of King George’s army.

Now wife, mother, and surgeon, Claire is still an outlander, out of place, and out of time, but now, by choice, linked by love to her only anchor— Jamie Fraser. Her unique view of the future has brought him both danger and deliverance in the past; her knowledge of the oncoming revolution is a flickering torch that may light his way through the perilous years ahead — or ignite a conflagration that will leave their lives in ashes....

Grand, sweeping, utterly unforgettable, Diana Gabaldon’s new novel is riveting entertainment, a vibrant tapestry of history and human drama. Crossing the boundaries of genre with its unrivaled storytelling,The Fiery Crossis a gift both to her millions of loyal fans and to the lucky readers who have yet to discover her.

The fiery cross, once used to summon Highland clans to war, now beckons readers to take up Diana Gabaldon's fifth installment in the Outlander series featuring the time-traveling Frasers. Historical fiction fans who have waited four long years since the publication ofDrums of Autumnwill thrill to Gabaldon's trademark detail and sensuality, both displayed liberally throughout the nearly 1,000 pages ofThe Fiery Cross. In this pre-Revolutionary War period, Claire Fraser and her husband, Jamie, have crossed oceans and centuries to build a life together in the bucolic beauty of North Carolina. But tensions both ancient and recent threaten not only Claire and James, but their daughter, Brianna, her new husband, Roger, and their infant son, Jemmy, as well as members of their clan. Gabaldon delivers on what she does best: poignant storylines, empathetic characters, meticulous detail, and searing passion. Savor every carefully chosen word, readers; it may be a long time until the next installment!--Alison Trinkle
Rerations
< The Fiery Cross > < A Breath of Snow and Ashes (Outlander) > < Drums of Autumn > < Voyager > < Dragonfly in Amber > freaks

< Drums of Autumn > < Voyager > < The Fiery Cross (Outlander) > < A Breath of Snow and Ashes (Outlander) > < Dragonfly in Amber > < Outlander > Diana Gabaldon

price：~~$7.99~~
Dell(1997-11-10)
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customer 's review
(A series that will make you want for more)

(Fabulous Book!)

(Still a fantastic, evolving, story!!!)

(Drums of Autumn)

(Claire's Story Gets Lost)

I just got this book yesterday, and am already 300 pages in. From Outlander to this, the 4th in series. LOVE IT. I don't know what to read after these.
I love the Outlander Series! And this book is no exception! Diana takes us on another wild ride with no guess as to where it will go next! I must read!
After reading Drums of Autumn and reading several reviews I do not understand why some reviews have been so critical. I don't think that there were as many issues with the book as some have pointed out. In my opinion the story and characters have just evolved, which makes the
book(s) so enjoyable. In fact I nearly got to the end of Drums of Autumn before I even saw an issue, hence why I gave this book 4 and not 5 stars.

Basically the only problem I had about the book was the chapters dealing with Roger and that towards the end the book drifted away from "Jamie and Claries" story. I could have lived without learning of Roger, especially his trip to America. I just don't find Roger an interesting character and he seems like a wimp. I thought we could have stayed away from him except when Brianan mentioned him and still knew enough information.

I wish too we could have focused on Jamie and Claire more towards the end but once Roger and Brianna came through we saw less of them together.

As for Brianna I would have liked to have kept her too to a minimum but, I think she is significant to the story and its evolvement and I did get excited as she was about to meet her father Jamie. I agree she was whiny, but then again she came from a time were women were gaining their independence and rights that were not available to them before. Her era compared to her moms was significantly different.

Despite the small issues I saw I figured that Gabaldon has her reason for everything she writes and I have ordered the next two books and can't wait till book 7. So far nothing has compared to Outlander or Dragon Fly in Amber but I understand that the story, as life, evolves and I can't wait to see where Gabadon takes us next. Love, Love, Love this series!!!!!!!

I enjoyed this one the most so far. It was fast paced and with the varied parts of the world, very informative. I don't know how D. can do so much research!
This book is just not as good. I loved Claire's story with Jamie. And for that reason, Outlander is still my absolute favorite in this series, and one of my all-time favorite books. Unfortunately, as the series has progressed, Claire's story has become lost.

This book was primarily about Brianna and Roger, who are flat characters and not that interesting. The manner in which the perspectives switched from Claire's first person narration to third person with everyone else interrupted the flow of the book and was annoying.

Furthermore, the plot was not as exciting as the other three books I have read thus far. I think I would recommend stopping at Voyager (with the caveat that I haven't read Fiery Cross or Breath of Snow and Ashes).

The magnificent saga continues....

It began in Scotland, at an ancient stone circle. There, a doorway, open to a select few, leads into the past--or the grave. Claire Randall survived the extraordinary passage, not once but twice. Her first trip swept her into the arms of Jamie Fraser, an eighteenth-century Scot whose love for her became legend--a tale of tragic passion that ended with her return to the present to bear his child. Her second journey, two decades later, brought them together again in frontier America. But Claire had left someone behind in the twentieth century. Their daughter, Brianna....

Now Brianna has made a disturbing discovery that sends her to the stone circle and a terrifying leap into the unknown. In search of her mother and the father she has never met, she is risking her own future to try to change history...and to save their lives. But as Brianna plunges into an uncharted wilderness, a heartbreaking encounter may strand her forever in the past...or root her in the place she should be, where her heart and soul belong....
Set in pre-Revolutionary War America, readers finally have the much awaited fourth book in what will probably become a six book series (The Outlander series). The talented Diana Gabaldon continues Claire and Jamie's romantic love affair, and introduces Brianna and Roger's story. Eight hundred pages, and several wonderful new characters later, we wonder why we were waiting for a conclusion. It'll be a long wait for book five, so I recommend you go back and rereadOutlander,Dragonfly in Amber, andVoyagerto keep yourself sane.
Rerations
< Drums of Autumn > < Voyager > < The Fiery Cross (Outlander) > < A Breath of Snow and Ashes (Outlander) > < Dragonfly in Amber > freaks

< Thirty Nights with a Highland Husband (The Daughters of the Glen, Book 1) > < Highland Guardian (Daughters of the Glen, Book 2) > < Soul of a Highlander (The Daughters of the Glen, Book 3) > < A Highlander of Her Own (Daughters of the Glen, Book 4) > < Into Thin Air > < Spirited Away > < Highland Guardian (Daughters of the Glen, Book 2) > < Soul of a Highlander (The Daughters of the Glen, Book 3) > Melissa Mayhue

price：~~$6.99~~
Pocket
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customer 's review
(30 Nights with a Highland husband)

(Easy read)

(Keep them coming!)

(been there, done that......)

(Fun read! Very Entertaining!)

I just happened upon "30 Nights" while browsing for books to purchase. The bonus was that it is book "one" of the series. Melissa Mayhue is a good storyteller. She didn't disapoint, her characters are terrific. I'm glad I stumbled upon her writing. Though I haven't found any of her books in the stores, they can be ordered online. I have already finished the second in the series and am waiting for book three to arrive.
I am waiting not-so-patiently for the next book in the"Outlander" series and picked this up by chance. Romance is not my first choice in a book, but this kept me intrigued and I found it finished before I knew it! Good storyline, hard to put down, and I just bought the second in this series. This might keep me going until Diana spits out my next book...
I have read all of the Daughters of the Glen books and they will not disappoint. They are fun, easy reads with predictable but happy endings and hints of future installments. Highly recommend!
this debut book started well in the prologue, in telling an interesting background of the Legend of the Fairie Glen. My high hopes for a great story were quickly dashed by the sadly cliched, one dimensional hero and heroine. While the hero wasn't so bad, as usual, the author gave all her creative cake to the male lead and left the heroine the crumbs.

Cate was your typical weak, low self esteem "modern" heroine who must continually be rescued by her Scottish Highlander. Unfortunately, this seems typical for most of the Scottish Time Travel Romances I've tried. Authors-please quit teaming such strong male leads with "too stupid to live" heroines!

From the family/lover treachery storyline to even the "instantly loyal" wolfhound, the book rang of an amalgamation of storylines done to death and then some. I'm being generous with a 2.5 stars as this is a debut novel, but I won't be bothering to read the other books in this series.
This books was very entertaining. It is a fun read full of handsome men, magic, adventure and romance. I really enjoy historical fiction but tend to shy away from time travel books. This book, even though it had the time travel component, was very well written and completely captured my interest. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romance, historical romance and a little bit of magic.
SCOTLAND, 1272.Connor MacKiernan, a descendant of the Fae Prince, is a warrior who lives only for honor and duty. Though he's vowed never to marry, that's exactly what he must do to save his sister. Enter a little Faerie magic, and the search for a bride is on.

DENVER, 2007.Caitlyn Coryell is having a really bad day -- she just discovered her fiancé with another woman! Imagine her surprise when she puts on some sexy lingerie and an antique pendant and Connor appears in her bedroom, begging for her help. He offers a simple yet outrageous adventure: travel to his time, marry him, and return home.

But nothing's simple when Cate is trapped in the thirteenth century. The wedding's delayed, someone's trying to kill her, and in the middle of all this, she realizes she's falling in love with a man who can only be her husband for thirty nights.
Rerations
< Thirty Nights with a Highland Husband (The Daughters of the Glen, Book 1) > < Highland Guardian (Daughters of the Glen, Book 2) > < Soul of a Highlander (The Daughters of the Glen, Book 3) > < A Highlander of Her Own (Daughters of the Glen, Book 4) > < Into Thin Air > freaks

< Spell of the Highlander > < The Immortal Highlander (The Highlander Series, Book 6) > < The Dark Highlander (The Highlander Series, Book 5) > < The Highlander's Touch (Highlander, Book 3) > < To Tame a Highland Warrior (Highlander, Book 2) > < Kiss of the Highlander (The Highlander Series, Book 4) > Karen Marie Moning

price：~~$4.99~~
Dell(2009-06-23)
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customer 's review
(Steamy and HOT !!!)

(Readable, but disapointing...)

(Time travel romance)

(UNromantic and unlike the author...)

(Most Sexy- and Romantic!- of Moning's Highlander Series.)

This book was wonderful, hot and steamy !! My husband was away working when I read this book and I was wishing he was home ! hehehe
This is definitely my least favorite of the Highlander series by Moning. The relationship started out very cute, but it quickly took a back seat to other story lines. In fact, the end was very truncated and we didn't get to learn how our couple fared. I think Moning realized this and tried to fix it by adding the author's note at the end, but it failed.

We do get to see old favorites, like Drustan and Drageus, but they continue to distract from the plot. I don't like investing 300 pages to a plot line that just doesn't get finished. Oh well...

Bottom line, if you are new to Moning, don't start with this one. If however, you have read the other six books, I won't try to dissuade you.
Never thought I would like books with future or the past in them. Time travel was not my thing till I read all of her books. Not one was easy to put down till you finished it. Been a while since I read this one, but I do keep them to read again. Her highlander is hot, sexy and makes you want to run off to Scotland to see if you could find one too. The stories keep you interested enough that you want to see it till the end. Not boring in the middle.
I have now read five out of seven of Moning's Highlander books, and just finished this one.
Unlike her other books, I really had to repeatedly talk myself into not slamming the book shut within the first few chapters. It was distasteful and crude, right from the beginning. Granted I haven't read the two books right before this last one, but the first four I read weren't this 'in-your-face' sex-wise. I mean, c'mon I read romance for romance sake, not to read the Fbomb repeatedly, especially in relation to sex. (how about 'making love'??) Or D!ck, b@obs, @ss, and any of the others.
In addition, the heroine was just TOO empty headed and shallow.
I had a few fluxuating thoughts while reading, that I couldn't decide on:
1. Ms. Moning can't be serious. She wrote this book as a joke.
2. Ms. Moning was in an extreme hurry/just didn't care anymore.
3. The publishers were breathing down her neck so she took a "I'll show you to make me hurry" attitude.
4. This book really wasn't written by Ms. Moning. And lastly..
5. This is actually the first book she ever wrote, but she thought it was too bad to publish, but for some reason has dragged it back out.

The book didn't pick up for me and get interesting until halfway through. I liked that she brought Dageus&Drustan into the story to make it a richer. Also, this book is decidely darker than the first four.
My favorite of hers that I have read will always be #1, with the Hawk&Adrienne. Now THAT'S a romantic tale! When I read that, I was telling everybody I knew what a romantic writer she was, how she incorporated bits of Shakespeare, how the main characters were deep, in love, and romantic. This book is nowhere near her finest work!
Although I know many love the entirety of Moning's Highlander series, I found them to be hit or miss. A frequent reread for me, Spell of the Highlander, the final in the series before the author took the series in a whole other direction, definitely falls in the "hit" category.

The story essentially begins when our heroine accepts a delivery for an unusual artifact while at work. Assisting a professor while working toward her PhD, Jessi St. James's curiosity gets the best of her- especially after the deliveryman forces her to help him uncrate the item before he leaves-visual verification needed.

The artifact, a mirror with ancient runes inscribed around it, cannot be as old as it seems- mirrors with that much clarity just weren't around until the last century or so. But when a mysterious man enters the room demanding the mirror and threatening her life, Jessi finds herself defending it. Suddenly, a voice is heard demanding she release a man who happens to be trapped inside the mirror- a man held there for a very, very long time. Certain she's dreaming, she plays along and speaks the words that will release one Cian MacKeltar from the dark magic that holds him imprisoned within the mirror. (Yes, that would be the 9th century ancestor of the infamous Mackeltar clan who populate the rest of Moning's highlander series!)

He, of course, rescues her from the sinister character threatening her life, but not before Jessi makes her attraction to the sexy, ancient highlander very obvious- it's a dream after all, why not taste the handsomest, most masculine man she had ever laid eyes upon?

All too soon, she realizes he is indeed not a figment of her imagination and that her life is in very real danger. Cian convinces her she must return him- and the mirror- to his homeland in Scotland so he can prepare properly for the final battle that will have to take place between he and the man who imprisoned him. While there, they meet up with Drustan&Daegus (Kiss of the Highlander&The Dark Highlander) and their wives, and convince his descendants to assist them on their quest to release Cian from his curse.

Of course Jessi&Cian fall in love in the process, a love Jessi thought would keep him by her side, but Jessi has no idea how far Cian will go to be set free- until she sees him about to give up his life.

Seductive and intensely romantic this story goes right to the heart. I found it to be the most romantic of the series- and the most sensual. I highly recommend it, even as a standalone, because once you've turned the last page, you'll find it's not enough and you'll want to go back and read about the rest of the noble, strong MacKeltar's Moning has created and just who are these fae wreaking havoc on their lives!

As I've mentioned, I re-read this one quite often, though I have no idea why I've never reviewed it before. If you like enticing romance mixed with time travel magic- you can't go wrong with Moning's Highlander series.

5 out of 5 form me!
Powerful. Sensual. Seductive. He is all that is shamelessly erotic in a man. In her sexiest Highlander novel yet,New York Timesbestselling author Karen Moning stirs up a sizzling brew of ancient mystery and modern passion as she brings together a devilishly handsome Celtic warrior trapped in time . . . and the woman who’s about to pay the ultimate price for freeing him. Age-old secrets haunt them. Deadly danger and irresistible desire shadow their every move. It’s a relationship for the ages. And all that separates them is a mere thirteen hundred years. . . .

Jessi St. James has got to get a life. Too many hours studying ancient artifacts has given the hardworking archaeology student a bad case of sex on the brain. So she figures she must be dreaming when she spies a gorgeous half-naked man staring out at her from inside the silvery glass of an ancient mirror. But when a split-second decision saves her from a terrifying attempt on her life, Jessi suddenly finds herself confronting six and a half feet of smoldering, insatiable alpha male.

Heir to the arcane magic of his Druid ancestors, eleven centuries ago Cian MacKeltar was trapped inside the Dark Glass, one of four coveted Unseelie Hallows, objects of unspeakable power. When the Dark Glass is stolen, an ancient enemy will stop at nothing to reclaim it, destroying everything in his path–including the one woman who may just hold the key to breaking the ninth-century Highlander’s dark spell. For Jessi, the muscle-bound sex god in the mirror is not only tantalizingly real, he’s offering his protection–from exactly what, Jessi doesn’t know. And all he wants in exchange is the exquisite pleasure of sharing her bed.

Yet even as Cian’s insatiable hunger begins to work its dark magic on Jessi, his ancient enemy is about to obtain the final and most dangerous of the Unseelie Hallows–and the ninth-century Highlander must stop him from getting it. Nothing less than the very fabric of the universe and two passionately entwined lives are at stake–as Cian and Jessi fight to claim the kind of love that comes along but once in an ice age. . . .
Rerations
< Spell of the Highlander > < The Immortal Highlander (The Highlander Series, Book 6) > < The Dark Highlander (The Highlander Series, Book 5) > < The Highlander's Touch (Highlander, Book 3) > < To Tame a Highland Warrior (Highlander, Book 2) > freaks

< Kiss of the Highlander (The Highlander Series, Book 4) > < The Dark Highlander (The Highlander Series, Book 5) > < The Highlander's Touch (Highlander, Book 3) > < To Tame a Highland Warrior (Highlander, Book 2) > < The Immortal Highlander (The Highlander Series, Book 6) > < Spell of the Highlander (The Highlander Series, Book 7) > Karen Marie Moning

price：~~$7.50~~
Dell(2001-09-04)
Usually ships in 24 hours

customer 's review
(Kiss of the Highlander)

(90% good, ruined by last 10%)

(Enjoyed This Book)

(A love story to span the ages)

(The magic of the Scottish Highlands)

Kiss of the Highlander is a awesome book. I have read the entire highlander series and would recommend it to everyone.
Once again, the ending of a Moning book has left me moaning. Not in so much agony as The Highlander's Touch, mind you, but it still left me stressed out and unhappy. By the end, so much is sacrificed that it's incredulous, bordering on ridiculous. All this flitting through time (backward, forwards, back again) is a jarring ride that leaves you wondering 'what's the point?'

The characters are cut and pasted from other novels (the smart but had-a-bad-life heroine + lusty, rippling manbot who is the only person in the universe to realize she is a hottie). You've been hit over the head so many times by their 'instant love/nuclear sexual attraction/sheer joy of smelling each other' that you may be ill.

Have I become so jaded, or is this author slipping?

I think I'll read a spoiler for the next book and call it a day.

However, the garderobe scene was great, and I laughed quite a few times. Three stars for that!

This was a good book that I enjoyed reading. It was very comical and witty.
Set during a period that brings to mind impregnable castles, kilted warriors, and rugged mountains, Kiss of the Highlander is actually a cute love story with only a sprinkling of atmosphere. Karen Marie Moning's latest work is the furthest thing from an impressive, cathartic epic. I almost feel guilty for enjoying it.

During a trip to Scotland, Gwen Cassidy, neurotic prodigy and 25-year-old virgin, accidentally falls into an underground cavern and finds herself straddling a man who appears to be asleep. For several moments she ogles the rippling pectorals, long black hair, and striking face. Somehow she breaks the 500-year-old Sleeping Beauty-style spell on Highland laird Drustan MacKeltar, bringing him to instant wakefulness and - to her mortified delight - instant desire.

Shortly after he realizes that he's in the 21st century, Drustan enlists Gwen's help in going back to the past to save his doomed clan. What's refreshing about this book is that the time-travel element isn't merely a prop to put a modern-thinking character in a dramatic historical setting. Moning actually accounts for the ramifications of fiddling with time, bringing the reader into entertaining literary terrain.

You see, Drustan, whose ancestors were Druids and whose family is considered the clan's "keepers of knowledge," commits a mistake in the Druid ritual he performs, plunging them into a period when his past self exists. Because "the fabric of the universe would not suffer two identical selves in a single moment," his future self is cancelled out. He fades away before Gwen's eyes, leaving her stranded in 1518. Thus Gwen realizes that she must seek out Drustan's past self and convince him that his clan faces imminent dangers... and that oh, by the way, she is the woman he will fall in love with five centuries in the future.

Unfortunately, she finds the "past" Drustan disbelieving and determined to proceed with his betrothal to another woman. Kiss of the Highlander sags here a little a little because Gwen spends more time seducing him than actually "saving" his clan.

The book is more of a sexual romp than the grand saga you'd probably expect of a Scottish time-travel, a sub-genre indelibly exemplified by Diana Gabaldon's Outlander (a classic work against which all Scottish time-travels are condemned to be measured). In Moning's world, there are no sweeping journeys, no great wars, and no weepy reunions. But those suffering from Outlander withdrawal may find it a welcome change from Gabaldon's exhaustive descriptions of the flora and fauna in Scotland, her characters' often agonizing pasts, and the threat of immediate danger constantly looming over them. By contrast, Kiss of the Highlander has a comfortingly lighthearted tone and enough love scenes to satisfy those who can't stand long separations between the hero and heroine.

Drustan and Gwen hit it off tremendously in the twenty-first century. Their encounter in the dressing room of a sporting goods store is one of the most eye-poppingly hot scenes outside of erotica, and that's just a near-miss. But although their initial attraction is purely physical, they come to recognize many shared quirks: she's a physics major who once discovered - and obliterated - a formula that could destroy the world; he descends from a Druid lineage tasked to guard ancient knowledge and protect the universe.

The book has its flaws. Gwen awakens Drustan a convenient three days away from the autumnal equinox, when a bridge to the fourth dimension is supposed to open. Hundreds of things could have gone wrong but didn't, bringing about a ruthlessly contrived happy ending. Most glaringly, the hero hovers close to the stereotype that matches Moning's description of him: "He looked as if he'd stepped straight off the cover of one of those romance novels she ordered from Amazon.com." While there's nothing wrong with a mythically gorgeous hero, you do expect something to distinguish him from those other semi-naked hunks with Fabio's face.

Despite all this, though, I liked the brisk pacing, the mind-boggling references to time-travel theory, and Gwen's spunkiness. If you're in the mood for a lighthearted book whose ingenious plot and contemporary humor offsets a handful of flaws, you'll probably gobble up Kiss of the Highlander in one sitting. I know I did.
You know you have a great book in your hand when you find yourself reading past midnight right through the early hours of the morning. I have read the first three Highlander novels and, while I found them quite entertaining, none of them has managed to really captivate me. Indeed, I vacillated each time I grabbed this book and ended up reading five other novels before finally deciding to pick it up again. Talk about a long night, with every single delicious minute thoroughly enjoyed - reading this book, of course!

KISS OF THE HIGHLANDER is a highly enjoyable blend of time-travel, romance and magic. It's a story about a sixteenth century Scottish laird who finds himself enchanted by Gypsies and awaken in the twenty first century by Gwen Cassidy, a tourist who is having the worst time of her life until she literally lands on Drustan McKeltar's chest. If she was after adventure, then adventure is exactly what she's getting in the form of the big sexy sleeping Highlander. After the initial shock, which provides readers with some hilarious moments, both travel back in time to uncover the truth behind Drustan's enchantment. As anticipated, it's not to be a simple journey as they find themselves dealing with one problem after another.

What ensues is a witty and engaging read that I simply couldn't put down. I loved Drustan and Gwen. Their repartee was a joy to read and I found myself laughing silly at some of the scenes like the change room (wink, wink) and garderobe. Their characters are so well-suited that it was hard to picture them with another. Both possess strong personalities. Drustan is a real Alpha male but Gwen bravely matches him toe-to-toe providing some of the funniest moments in the book. She was such a great heroine, determined without being exasperating. I liked how she fought ferociously to get what she wanted.

I honestly didn't think it was going to be one of those books that thug at your heartstring, but I was wrong. What started off really comical turned out to be a touching read. There really wasn't a boring moment in the novel. Yes, it is formulaic, but I didn't grab this book expecting serious literature. And, frankly, I was happy to lose myself in this Highland magic and escape the daily grind.
A laird trapped between centuries...

Enchanted by a powerful spell, Highland laird Drustan MacKeltar slumbered for nearly five centuries hidden deep in a cave, until an unlikely savior awakened him. The enticing lass who dressed and spoke like no woman he’d ever known was from his distant future, where crumbled ruins were all that remained of his vanished world. Drustan knew he had to return to his own century if he was to save his people from a terrible fate. And he needed the bewitching woman by his side....

A woman changed forever in his arms...

Gwen Cassidy had come to Scotland to shake up her humdrum life and, just maybe, meet a man. How could she have known that a tumble down a Highland ravine would send her plunging into an underground cavern— to land atop the most devastatingly seductive man she’d ever seen? Or that once he’d kissed her, he wouldn’t let her go?

Bound to Drustan by a passion stronger than time, Gwen is swept back to sixteenth-century Scotland, where a treacherous enemy plots against them ... and where a warrior with the power to change history will defy time itself for the woman he loves....

Rerations
< Kiss of the Highlander (The Highlander Series, Book 4) > < The Dark Highlander (The Highlander Series, Book 5) > < The Highlander's Touch (Highlander, Book 3) > < To Tame a Highland Warrior (Highlander, Book 2) > < The Immortal Highlander (The Highlander Series, Book 6) > freaks

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