Much Ado in the Moonlight

Title: Much Ado in the Moonlight
Author: Lynn Kurland
Series: MacLeod (Book 9)
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Ghosts, Time Travel



At the end of My Heart Stood Still Thomas decides that he thinks Victoria and Conner should meet, and maybe drive each other a little crazy. Thomas "gives" Victoria his haunted castle for her to do a production of Hamlet in with her troupe. She sends them all over to Scottland and soon starts having ghostly encounters.

She and Conner meet and seemingly effortlessly fall in love. Victoria, much like her brother, needs to go back in time to save Conner from before he was murdered.

Even though there is a book between MHSS and MAM, I am glad that I read them one after another. It seemed like a fantastic transition between the two couples. I was, however, left with a little lackluster feeling in the romance department between Victoria and Conner. Where with most of the other couples I have felt the longing, I just didn't feel it between these two. I also felt that Conner wasn't the same gruff Conner that we met in MHSS. This is not to say I didn't enjoy the story, I just felt it wasn't as superb as the rest of the series.

That being said, I'm done with the MacLeods and on to the De Piaget.

My Heart Stood Still

Title: My Heart Stood Still
Author: Lynn Kurland
Series: MacLeod (Book 7)
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Ghosts, Time Travel


Iolanthe MacLeod is murdered by the man her family sold her to when she's a young woman. She haunts the keep where she died for the next 600 years, living a fairly unremarkable existence. Until He comes.

Thomas McKinnon has bought a castle unseen. His sister Megan (The Three Wise Ghosts) owns the little inn just by it. Thomas has decided to come and restore his castle. Then he meets Iolanthe.

The two start to have a meaningful relationship and eventually fall in love. How unfortunate the Iolanthe is a ghost. Thomas learns the secret of the time traveling gates and visits Jamie to learn swordplay and how to swear in Gaelic. He goes back in time to save Iolanthe, and when he does he brings her back to the future. The only problem is, since she never spent her time as a ghost, she doesn't remember him.

Although this story started out a little slow, I felt as if it's one of my favorites in the series. It's such an unique storyline. I love that not only did Iolanthe come to the future and have to learn her way there, but that we got to watch Thomas and her struggle to have the relationship that once existed before.

I am really starting to see more of the connections between the two books. Characters that show up again and again. Only one more left in the MacLeod series.

The Three Wise Ghosts

Title:The Three Wise Ghosts (Anthology: Christmas Spirits)
Author: Lynn Kurland
Series: MacLeod (Book 6)
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Ghosts


Megan MacLeod McKinnon has a hard time holding on to a job. Most recently, her brother has given her the "job" of traveling to Scotland to see his castle and report back to him. Little does she know, but her brother was persuaded by three ghost ancient relatives to give her this job.

Gideon de Piaget is a workaholic and is sent on a holiday by his brother to the same inn in Scotland that Megan is at. The two meet and through some slightly comical circumstances, get together and fall in love.

I think I liked this short story the least of the few I've read recently. The two seem to get engaged pretty much overnight. It seemed a little too far fetched (I only feel like this can be allowed in some areas, such as time travel)

The Icing on the Cake

Title: The Icing on the Cake (Anthology: Opposites Attract)
Author: Lynn Kurland
Series: MacLeod (Book 5)
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Samuel MacLeod is a writer and at home chef. Sam is not your average guy, he doesn't know how to chop wood, or use tools. What Sam does know is cooking and baking. He has moved to the Alaskan wilderness for a while and has rented a room in a cabin. Little does he know, but the cabin is also home to a woman.

That woman is Sydney Kincaid, who is very surprised when she learns that this handsome man is staying in her cabin. If you haven't guessed, Sydney is also not your average woman. She can't bake or cook, but is really good at things like fishing, chopping wood and using tools.

The two clash a bit at first before they realize that they like each other. Neither tells the other but uses the excuse that they are learning from each other so they will have good prospects for future relationships.

One interesting thing about this short story is that neither of the main characters is a time traveler, nor does any of it take place in Scotland or have anything to do with any other characters we know. This seems more like a stand alone story. Change Sam's last name and it wouldn't matter.

Only one more short story in the MacLeod series and I am grateful. I'm tired of reading this less interesting and developed then normal stories. I'm ready to sink my teeth into the last two full novels of the series (well, last two that I haven't read). But first, one more short story.

The Traveller

Title: The Traveller (Anthology: A Knights Vow)
Author: Lynn Kurland
Series: MacLeod (Book 4)
Genre: Time Travel, Historical Romance

Julianna is having a rough time in life. She's unemployed, broke, boyfriendless and trying to eat right - carob covered carrots?! She decides on a whim to write her friend Elizabeth. Elizabeth sends her a copy of Jamie's time traveling map and tells her to watch where she goes. Julianna is a bit cocky and goes to sit on The Bench that Elizabeth herself sat on (A Dance Through Time). She is transported back in time where she meets William.

William is the second son of an unsuccessful second son. He doesn't have much, but is given a keep as inheritance. His father steals the keep for himself and William is trying to get it back when he finds Julianna. In the end he trades his father the keep for Julianna and they go to the future.

Another 100 page quickie in an anthology. I adore when William comes to the future. It's another light hearted with characters that I don't recall seeing come up again yet. William is a de Piaget - I just realized this and wonder why it is in the MacLeods' grouping on the website but not the de Piaget. Hmm.

And the Groom Wore Tulle

Title: And the Groom Wore Tulle (Anthology: Veils of Time)
Author: Lynn Kurland
Series: MacLeod (Book 3)
Genre: Time Travel, Historical Romance

At some point in the series we have previously learned that Ian MacLeod is wasting away in a dungeon. Eventually, his captors believe that he is dead, so they remove him from the dungeon and throw him into the forest on his own land to make his people angry. Fortunately for Ian, instead of waking up in his own time, he wakes up in a Bridal Shop in the 20th century.

Jane is getting walked on at her job at the Bridal Shop. She never imagined she'd be designing gowns and letting someone else take the credit for it. She's working another long holiday weekend (alone) when she finds Ian in the backroom.

Immediately, Jane takes Ian in, buys him clothes, feeds him, and gets on a plan with him to Scotland to find Jamie (A Dance Through Time) They find/meet Jamie and bam! Decide to get married.

Because this is in an anthology and somewhere around 100 pages, there is little development between the main characters. Aside from that, and the fast pace, it was a decent and quick read that gets Ian married off.

The Very Thought of You

Title: The Very Thought of You
Author: Lynn Kurland
Series: MacLeod (Book 2)
Genre: Time Travel, Historical Romance



Alex Smith, Elizabeth's brother (A Dance through Time) has found Jamie's Time Traveling Gate Map and decided that some time in Barbados soaking up the sun sounds like fun. Unfortunately, he's not the best map reader and instead ends up in Medieval England. He almost immediately finds himself somewhat between a feud between neighbors. He is kidnapped by Margaret as part of the feud.

Margaret has been overseeing her keep for the past 10 years since her father died. But now, it seems that the king is going to force her to get married to a man who wants to rule her and her lands. She is most unaccepting to this plan - hence the feuding. She is somewhat of a tomboy, always wearing mail and training in the lists with her man. Never has she gotten that tingly feeling from a man or wished to be more womanly. Until she meets Alex.

Alex and Margaret work together to try and save both Margaret and her lands from falling into the wrong hands and along the way fall in love.

I seemed to have a harder time getting into this story then the others I've read so far in the series, so I'd say it was a little slow. It did still contain those laugh out loud moments that I've come to love about this series.

Although I had mentioned before how the fabric of time seemed to be a new concept in Zachary's later book, I've since noticed that it is indeed in both this book and the first book in the series. Perhaps it just takes a backseat during the middle stories, or maybe there is some more development about what it happens.

A Dance Through Time

Title: A Dance Through Time
Author: Lynn Kurland
Series: MacLeod (Book 1)
Genre: Time Travel, Historical Romance



Elizabeth is engaged to a "wimp" of a man who has readily admitted that he never actually wants to get married. She is fed up with her small NYC apartment and has just dreamed about her dream guy. When she awakens, she finds that she can still hear his voice and thinks she's going a bit crazy. She decides to take a walk and then take a nap on a bench in the park. Surprisingly, when she wakes up, she has found her self in 14th century Scotland.

Jamie MacLeod is the laird of the keep. One of his rules, passed down from his father, is no women in the keep. When his trusted adviser, Angus brings a woman home, Jamie is none to pleased. She is kept briefly in his chamber before he decides to throw her into the dungeon/pit.

Eventually Jamie has a turn of heart and lets her out. The two struggle to find a comfortable relationship, with Jamie being hard headed and at times rude and Elizabeth wishing for some romance, but with a spine of steal. The two come to the time when Jamie should have died, but lived because Elizabeth is in his time. The two then decide to jump forward to Elizabeth's time.

After reading this book, I really wish I would have read them in order. There were little things that I remembered from books further in the series that connected with this one. Such as the Inn/Innkeeper where Madelyn (Garden in the Rain) stays at is the same place Elizabeth and Jamie stay when they come to the future.

One thing I did struggle with, is I felt the Jamie of this book was nothing like the Jamie of the books later in the series. Maybe his being with Elizabeth has mellowed him 0ut and that's why he's slightly different in my opinion.

I find it interesting that usually I love the first book of a series the best. I always wondered if it had something to do with the author writing the book first or because I read it first. Although I did enjoy A Dance Through Time, I feel like I enjoyed some of the later novels more. This also could have something to do with the fact that there are more familiar characters later on, where in this book there are very few.

I do admit that this book had me both laughing aloud as well as crying (while waiting for a orthodontist appointment ...how embarrassing) It still was of the PG-13 nature that I now know the author is known for, although it is a little more intense sexually then her later books, which she has addressed on her website.

Till There Was You

Title: Till There Was You
Author: Lynn Kurland
Series: MacLeod (Book 12) / De Piaget (Book 12)
Genre: Time Travel, Historical Romance

Zach, Elizabeth's brother (Jamie's wife; A Dance Through Time) has sworn off time traveling. Although he's done a lot with Jamie in the past, he wants to turn his life around. So he makes a list of all the things he's not going to do. Of course, this means that he is going to end up doing exactly all of those found on the list. He visits Artane and while stepping through a doorway in the keep is transported to the 13th century where he meets Mary.

Mary is somewhat of a tomboy. She loves to muck out horse stalls and care for her horses in general, including training/breaking them. Her father mentions several times that he went wrong when he set her on a horse for the first time. She is being forced into marrying a man from her time, but fears for her life.

Zach and Mary seem to fall for each other the minute the meet. Zach then continues to unintentionally woo her with his chivalrous side. The rest of her family treats her like one of the guys, so to be treated as a lady, yet accepted as she is makes her fall for Zach.

Unfortunately, Zach has had it drilled into him throughout his travels with Jamie that he cannot change the past or leave any "footprints." He suffers through knowing he can't have Mary but seems to come to terms with it. That is until he remembers that he saw her death date and it's only a few days from where he is. He throws caution into the wind and tries to save the one he loves.

I spent a lot of time consulting the family trees that are included in the back of the book. I feel like I'm really starting to get a handle of them. I definitely didn't do myself any service reading the books in a mixed up order. There is also a lot of references to previous books that I often don't understand.

Aside from that, I enjoyed Mary and Zach's story, but had one problem with it. I didn't feel like in any of the previous books leaving footprints seemed to be an issue. People were flying back and forth between times, taking items and animals through to different times and no one mentioned anything. Then, in Till There Was You, leaving a footprint is one of the main concerns. I feel like it kind of came totally out of left field.

Because I read the stories out of order, this is the first time that I am able to see a character from the past have to come to terms with living in the future. Previous to this, all of the past characters living in the future have already acclimated before their story takes place. I enjoyed hearing Mary describe the marvels of the future.

This is currently the last book in both the De Piaget series and MacLeods series. I've gotten my hands on all but 2 of the MacLeods series, and those two are on hold at the local library. This means I'm starting over at the beginning. Hopefully it will all come together.

With Every Breath

Title: With Every Breath
Author: Lynn Kurland
Series: MacLeod (Book 11)
Genre: Time Travel, Historical Romance


Sunshine, Madelyn's sister (Garden in the Rain) has been living in Scotland since her sister moved there, as the MacLeod witch. She wants a real reason to stay and is contemplating moving back to the states. Then one evening a man knocks on her door because he says he needs the MacLeod witch.

The man is Robert Francis Cameron mac Cameron, Cam for short. His brother is on his death bed and he risks it all to steal away with Sunshine. Little do either of them know, but Sunshine's doorstep has turned into a time gate. Sunshine jumps from present day to the 1300's (Cam's time) when she walks through her doorway.

Cam's life as Lord at his keep is not too fantastic. His cousin is trying to turn all of Cam's subjects against him and is suspected to have poisoned Cam's father and uncle. Once Sunshine arrives, he tries to drown her and mark her as a witch. Cam is able to save her and the two have a little medieval romance. They then go back through the time gate to be in the future together.

Unfortunately, they do not end up in the same year. Sunshine arrives and is devastated to find that Cam isn't with her. Imagine her surprise when she runs into him at Jamie's castle and he doesn't know who she is.

Lynn Kurland is fast being a favorite author of mine. Her stories are all different. Often I feel like an author finds a recipe and sticks to it a little to strictly. Same storyline, different characters. This is not the case here. They may all be centered around time travel - but they each go about it in a different way. As I've mentioned before, the books also seem to have so much substance and event to them.

One more to finish of the series before I start at the beginning.

When I Fall in Love

Title: When I Fall in Love
Author: Lynn Kurland
Series: MacLeod (Book 10) / De Piaget (Book 4)
Genre: Time Travel, Historical Romance



Jennifer (MacLeod) McKinnon isn't really happy with where her life is. She's living in Manhattan, an amazing and on the up violin player. But, her apartment was broken into (again), stuff was stolen (again) and she has no love interest. She visits her sister in England and decides to do a little sightseeing while in the area. Thanks to a few family ghosts, she is thrust through a time gate into the 1300s where she meets Nicholas De Piaget.

Nicholas is rumored (in modern day through family folklore) to be the most perfect and chivalrous knight. He automatically knows that Jennifer is from the future because his brother-in-law is as well. He falls for her almost immediately and is somewhat rude to her because he doesn't want to fall for her and then have her leave.

After Jennifer tries 3 gates and none of them work, she realizes that she may be stuck in the past. Nicholas hasn't let her know that he knows her secret, nor has she told him. The two decide to spend 2 weeks together without worrying about the future and fall in love.

This book belongs to both series, because it is a crossover between the two families and it's not the only one. I am loving the author more and more. I feel like in many novels, you get to the ending and feel like you wish there was just a little more to see what happens. I feel like the author gives that to me. Usually I think the novel would traditionally be over, but there are another 2 or 3 chapters where we still get to follow them.

I love the little Time Travel complexities such as Jennifer's family seeing her name in the past in the current family history books. I was also a fan that the time gates seem to be such a revolving door that they can go back and forth to visit and such. Amazing.

Up next is one book I get to actually read in order - MacLeod series book 11!

A Garden in the Rain

Title: A Garden in the Rain
Author: Lynn Kurland
Series: MacLeod (Book 8)
Genre: Time Travel, Historical Romance



Madelyn Phillips just arrived in Scotland. She gets to her first hotel to find that her ex-fiance has "stolen" her reservations. The ex-fiance, Bentley, is a rude dislikable guy. When he is done taking what she's brought with her and her home life, she is left with nothing. No clothes (at home nor in Scotland), no car, no money, no job and she will have to go home to live with her parents. He has also stolen her violin, her purse (with ID and plane ticket) and pretty much her self confidence and worth. Then she stumbles into Patrick.

Patrick MacLeod is not your average guy. He grew up in the 1200s and managed to walk through a time gate and was transported to present day, where he has been for almost the past decade. He lives in a crumbling castle, which he doesn't repair because he really doesn't see why he should. Patrick has tons of money from being a body guard to the rich. He cannot stand to see Madelyn so broken down, especially since he gets a funny otherworldly feeling when he looks at her.

He pampers her with clothing and anything else she could ever want, including a new violin. The two seem on their way to a wedding when Patrick's previous deceased wife's father comes and wreaks havoc. He decides the best thing for Madelyn is to be sent home and gets ready to do so.

Unfortunately, she falls through another time gate and ends up with the 1300's in the hands of the MacLeods' enemies. It's up to Patrick to save her and bring her back to the future.

Thanks to Amazon for recommending this book. I had been searching about another book and it recommended Lynn Kurland as a similar author.

This book to me was fascinating. I enjoyed how everyone seemed to either be from a different time or married to someone from a different time. The unexpectedness of the time gates throughout their properties, even if they weren't actually used too much in the story.

I'm having a hard time getting my hands on some of the books in the series, so I will definitely (but unfortunately) be reading them out of order. Now that I know the general idea behind them, I think it'll work out decent enough.

Something interesting about the author's writings, is that they are PG books. There is nothing above kissing mentioned. It is discretely suggested at otherwise with Madelyn being, "extraordinarily glad Dewey's brass bed had been too much for Uncle Frank's back." Uncle Frank having taken just about all furniture from the house, but that's it. It was very tasteful and I honestly didn't really even notice that it was missing.

After checking out the author's website, I'm still slightly confused by the family tree and through searching it seems I'm not the only one. It appears that the MacLeod series also intertwines with another series, which I'll probably get to after. Hopefully after reading all the books (albeit in the wrong order) I'll have a better idea of the family tree.