Lynn Kurland is an author who I have been reading for several years. I was introduced to her by my aunt and together we share an enjoyment of her books. These books are normally filled with time travel, a touch of paranormal, and romance. And Ever My Love is no exception.

Ever My Love can be read as a stand-alone but, it may get confusing if you are not familiar with Lynn Kurland and her de Piaget/MacLeod romance series. This is a series that has been being written and added to since 1996 and I believe is currently at 22 books total. I have read several of these books but still have a few left to read. The reason I said it can be confusing is because although each book is a stand-alone, characters from the other books do often appear and usually have some sort of connection to the main characters.

Ever My Love is set in present day Scotland and is filled with Highland magic. On the surface, Nathaniel is a modern man but, he has a secret – he can actually time travel back to the 1300s – and when he accidentally crosses paths with modern day Emma in the past everything changes for both of them. Lynn Kurland’s romances are not filled with sexy moments but instead has longing looks, simply touches and gestures, and angst. It is more about a love formed through connection and shared experiences than sex. That being said there is still good banter between Nathaniel and Emma.

Both Nathaniel and Emma are great characters. They are enchanted by each other but also frustrated by each other and their circumstances. Nathaniel has a tendency to be very humble and charming and has a decent sense of humor. Emma goes to Scotland to get away from the troubles in her life – only to find a different type of trouble. She has a bit of a stubborn streak and is resistant to Nathaniel’s need to protect her. In fact, she is trying to protect him most of the time, and this where their bantering, longing looks, and emotional connection begins to come into play.

Overall, I enjoyed Ever My Love. It had all of the components that have made me continue to read Lynn Kurland – sweet romance, adventure, time traveling, and a touch of the paranormal. If you’re looking for something that is a little bit different, I would recommend that you check this series out – and although I haven’t read it myself yet, I have heard that A Dance Through Time may be a good place to start.

**Rated: 3.5 Stars**

I loved the latest entry into the MacLeod series. Emma is an American looking for a fresh start after a bad break up. The trip to Scotland was just what she wanted for inspiration. Emma is a bit of a romantic, hence her visit to magical Scotland, but she is also a fairly practical woman. When she first arrived in the village she overheard conversations in the pub talking about the odd things that happen, comments about the local laird and his brother and who they really are, and a few other things that just make her roll her eyes. She also overheard some women discussing the local recluse, who is young, handsome, and extremely rich, and the best ways to hunt him down. All she wants is some peace and quiet and the opportunity to get her jewelry business restarted. Things took an unexpected turn for her when she witnessed what appeared to be a Medieval reenactment before the participants vanished into thin air.

Nat is a Scotsman whose life jumps from one crisis to the next. Our first sight of him was as he's dining in the pub and listening to the women who are hunting for him, feeling very much like Nessie. He has his very successful business as a venture capitalist that kept him extremely busy. Then there were the regular confrontations with his grandfather, who wanted something Nat has and won't give up trying to get it. But the thing that had him most in turmoil were the frequent trips to a century not his own. He had no idea why, and he never knew when the need would come. When one of these trips was inadvertently witnessed by Emma, his life became even more complicated.

I liked both Emma and Nat. They are both intelligent, easy to like, tenacious, and surprisingly optimistic considering their current lives. Each of them also has secrets and unexpected abilities. It was sweet to see the protective Nat jump right in when he saw the smoke pouring out of Emma's cottage. His brief glimpses of her before intrigued him but that gave him the chance to get to know her a little, and he liked what he learned. Emma's curiosity was just as intense, as she recognized him from that moment in the woods. Though interrupted by yet another call to the past, Fate threw them together the next day. Yet again, Nat's protectiveness kicked in as he offered his assistance. I loved their conversations, which were fun and riddled with teasing. Things took a turn for the weird during a sightseeing visit. I ached for Nat, who didn't know why he was so affected by what he saw. I loved how it was Emma's turn to take care of Nat. Her curiosity was stirred, also, which ultimately led her where she shouldn't go.

Two unexpected trips to the past, and two rescues by Nat, and it seemed that he and Emma were now inexplicably linked. Nat was determined to protect Emma and get to the bottom of why she was involved at all. Emma was not the type to sit back and wait for others to figure things out. It was fun to see them dance around the truth at first, neither one wanting to appear crazy, but needing to figure out what the other one knows. Once the truth was out there, they teamed up to search for answers. And what fun that search was. Their trip to Edinburgh had me in stitches at places. I love it when a MacLeod crosses paths with a de Piaget, and the conversation between Nat and Stephen had me laughing out loud. There were also darker moments, and the presence of a particular dagger in an armaments museum raised further questions.

For the past five years, Nat did everything possible to avoid encountering either Patrick or James MacLeod. But the deeper the mystery over his trips to the past became, the more he realized that he had to talk to them. Things that Nat suspected, but didn't want to admit, suddenly became very important. I thoroughly enjoyed the "discussion" between Nat and Patrick. It was also fun to reacquaint myself with Robbie the piper and his friends. Even Emma received some unexpected attention. The conversation with James was a bit more difficult, as were some of the things he recommended. It all led to Nat's decision to force the issue of keeping Emma safe, and an unexpected twist landed him in graver danger than he expected. What was grand to see was that this time it was Emma's coming to his rescue. She had some unexpected help, which also cleared up some questions from the beginning of the book. The ending still had a couple of twists, but they were great ones.

The development of the relationship between Nat and Emma was pretty sweet. The connection was there from the start. I loved Nat's protectiveness, not just regarding the time traveling issue, but also in the present day. His interactions with Emma's father and ex were great. Emma was also equally protective of him and not shy about doing something about it. The effects of what happened gave both Nat and Emma ample opportunity to show the caring sides of their personalities, and I loved how those moments strengthened their feelings for each other. It was a bit amusing to witness Nat's awkward declarations, as the timing is never the best. I liked the epilogue and seeing how things have settled out for Nat and Emma. I am curious to see if they appear in any future books and if there is any more traveling. I also suspect that we haven't seen the end of Nat's cousin Gerald and that there is something up with Nat's sister.

Time Travel? Scottish Rogues? Rich do-gooder billionaires? Ever My Love has all this any more. What I didn't realize about this book was that is was #10 in a series. Very rarely could you pick up book ten in a series and not feel like you are out of the loop or missing vital information to understanding the story. Before this book I hadn't read any of Lynn Kurland's other work, but they have definitely made their way to my TBR pile. This book was so expansive that I felt like we'd reached the main climax only to realize I was only halfway through. The only part I felt needed more information was the understanding of the time travelling and why and how it works. I fully expect that information is in one of the other nine books I missed out out. Readers will love reading about Emma and Nat's adventures and romance. Romance is obviously a big part of this story, but many romance novels focus on that relationship and no other. While Emma and Nat are more often than not in each other's company their relationship progresses in the way real relationships do. They don't just fall into bed and Emma is not impressed with Nat's wealth.

Lynn Kurland has a very distinct style, and there is no one quite like her! Ever My Love is written as a standalone, but I highly, highly, HIGHLY recommend you read the others (by publication date) first, as there are a lot of characters in this, and it's easy to get lost if you're not familiar with them.

As a longtime fan of Kurland's, I had big hopes for this novel, and Ever My Love did not disappoint. Because she packs so many breadcrumbs into the storyline, I find that I always have to read her books twice to get the full impact. (I also, admittedly, speed read through it the first time because I love her writing, and her characters.)

The thing about Kurland's novels is that you have to go into them understanding her style. There's not a lot of heat (rarely do you get a kiss, even) and there's not a lot of chemistry build up between the characters. The hero jumps pretty quickly from acquaintance to wanting to marry the heroine (standard fare for a Kurland novel), but as the heroes tend to be rather medieval in nature, I've accepted this as the norm in this series (and her de Piaget series as well).

Somehow, the lack of strong or obvious chemistry between the characters doesn't detract from the overall story. It does feel at times that the romance took second place to the time travel (which is what I thought while reading it), but the truth is, Kurland's witty, fun writing style actually does give us a sense of chemistry (I thought after completing the novel). It shows us that love can develop between people of shared experiences, from longing looks and accidental touches.

Kurland's strength is in her heroes. Nathaniel is a great character - he's alternately frustrated and charmed by Emma. He's always tired because of the time traveling (there was a lot of sleeping in this one!), but he's never too tired to take care of Emma. He's also funny in a self-deprecating way. Like all Kurland heroes, he has money, looks, charm, and is conveniently single - and once he finds his forever mate, he is absolutely focused on her happiness.

Emma, I think, is the disappointment in this novel. She seems to be the sum total of all the Kurland heroines before her; there wasn't anything fresh or new about her that made me intrigued as to her back story. Her dialogue is witty, though, and her a-ha moment in the novel (when she's sitting in a board room) was wonderfully done. Emma's character seemed not quite fully fleshed out, but I can overlook pretty much anything in an LK novel, because the story is wonderful and the hero is swoon-worthy (and always fully fleshed out).

For longtime fans of Lynn Kurland, this is a 4 star read. For new fans, I feel you'd be lost and wonder where the romance is within the pages (like I alluded to earlier, the chemistry is subtle). I suggest starting at the beginning with A Dance Through Time. That's an old school romance, and once you fall in love with the MacLeods, it's a hard thing to not love every subsequent book.



reviewed by Nancy

As a fan of time travel stories, particularly Scottish historicals, I have been wanting to try Lynn Kurland for quite a while. I have actually been stockpiling her MacLeod/De Piaget books, but just haven't found time to fit them onto my reading calendar. When I saw this new release available, I decided that I would jump in here - even though its the 10th book in the series - and hope that it worked okay as a standalone.

If you have not read the earlier Macleod/De Piaget books (like me), I would recommend that you go back and read those first before starting Ever My Love. There is a lot of character crossover and I felt a bit lost as I was reading this one, and often had the sense that I was missing something. While this story didn't work as a standalone for me... the Scottish setting did make me want to go back and read the earlier books. Kurland's love of Scotland comes across in her writing and really make me want to visit (and find a Highlander of my own).

Emma Barton has escaped to Scotland following a failed business and personal relationship. She seems to want to be lost for a while, and have time to herself to lick her wounds and decide where her life will go next. It doesn't seem that she chose Scotland or the village of Benmore at random, as she has some connection to one of the MacLeod wives, which wasn't fully explained. I suspect readers of the prior books would know the answer, but I was feeling left out. Emma doesn't quite know what of her handsome, reclusive and rich neighbor... particularly when she suspects she caught him in medieval garb in the midst of a battle. She can't quite decide if she is losing her mind or if the rumors of Highland magic are true.

Nathaniel MacLeod has been struggling with a double life for the past 5 years... trying to balance his present world reality with his inexplicable pull to Medieval Scotland. His odd and unpredictable life don't leave much room for romance, but he isn't interested in the swarms of fortune hunting women who come searching in his woods. Fate seems to have other ideas with Benmore's newest visitor from Seattle, and Nathaniel seems to be encountering her at every turn. I really liked Nathaniel... and had more of an emotional connection to him than Emma. The turmoil he felt over the past and present came across clearly, and I liked his self-deprecating humor and humility.

This was a clean romance without any steam or sexual tension. I don't mind the lack of heat, but I was missing the chemistry between Emma and Nat. I didn't feel a great pull or grand passion between them, and they seemed more friends or acquaintances than romantic interests. Their dialogue was stilted sometimes, and I felt like I was missing innuendo or other aspects of the conversation that were vital to the story.

While this is a time travel story, the majority of events take place in modern day Scotland. The majestic setting and Highland magic aspect were my favorite part of the story. I also enjoyed Nat and Emma standing up to his grandfather and her father... and dealing with Emma's annoying ex, Sheldon. I definitely want to know the story of so many of the secondary characters we met, so I need to get to the other Kurland books before long.

I recommend this book to fans of Scotland and time travel romance in general. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from the publisher, Berkley.

Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com

This is the 10th in the series and I a can not believe I am just now reading it. What a great book. There is just something about a time traveling romance but this one has everything it should. Mystery, romance, drastically different era’s and a strong couple who can deal with everything.

I can’t imagine having the strength that Emma has. From her strength to leave everything she knows to start over in Scotland to the fact she is able to deal with the travel and her man going back and forth at any time.

I found this book compelling and I plan to go back and read the series if it is as good as this one.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I have been a fan of Lynn Kurland for years. I picked her A Dance In Time on a whim and was instantly hooked. To this day it remains one of my favorite time travel romances and I often reread it. Kurland’s wonderful voice has created a fascinating and convoluted world drenched in medieval charm with delightful narrative, witty characters, and delightful storylines. She is perfect for those who enjoy adventurous romances with hints of mystery and suspense. Another bonus feature of the stories is the air of innocence in them. Even though I do enjoy an explicit love scene as much as the next reader, the love affairs Kurland’s characters embark upon are fun and fit the general theme of this series with plenty of courting and wooing tailored to fit the personality of the woo-ie. And frankly, who doesn’t enjoy a good wooing on occasion? The physical love scenes are almost non-existence yet I don’t feel the reader or story suffers due to those blackouts.

Ever My Love opens in the past to give us a hint of the adventure we are about to embark on. We then flash forward to the present to lay the foundation and from there proceed to travel back and forth between the 21st and the 14th century for the rest of the story. This particular story deals with two modern-day characters who are new to the series-Emma Barton and Nathaniel MacLeod. Kurland uses this couple to explain some peculiarities in the MacLeod family tree and to also close a couple of open-ended storylines from previous books. Remember ‘Father John’ from My Heart Stood Still? Well, he has a connection to the hero and we learn exactly how he ended up in the 14th century and why he’s never left.

Ever My Love is more definitely more energetic than the last few books though the sense of anticipation and wonderment that first drew me to this series remains missing. The same smooth pacing and steady hand is apparent but there was a time when Kurland took more chances. She made her couples work for their happily ever after and they suffered their fair share of bumps and bruises along the way. The heavy inclusion of the previous heroes/heroines now guarantees our couple will get all the answers and help they need with no real sacrifices being made.

Nathaniel (Nat) and Emmaline (Emma) are well developed characters and fun to follow behind on their journeys. Both are intelligent, witty, likable, unfailing optimists whose ability to handle the unknown is admirable. Especially poor Nat who has learned the hard way of his family’s pensity for time travel when he finds himself randomly tossed back into the 14th century anytime a certain number pops up. A number he soon learns has a very interesting history. Both of them have secrets that they are protective and cautious about revealing. I found it amusing but slow going as they each circle around the same subject, trying to determine what the other knows and how to broach it. The middle section of this book drags at times with its chatty narrative and repetitive thoughts and deeds.

The romance is slow burning with a soft but tangible chemistry. This couple doesn’t jump into love or even lust. There is a lot happening to them with Nat’s family and his time hopping issues. Emma has her own problems with her family and an irritating ex-boyfriend. I will admit the whole ex-boyfriend plotline reminded me of A Garden in the Rain. Lucky or maybe not this story isn’t as dark as that one was When Emma gets dragged into his mess, Nat finds himself at a loss on how to protect Emma. Emma does eventually surprise him with her own ninja skills though only after she has a realistic and well-earned meltdown.

Jamie, Patrick, Ian, Maddie MacLeod and various other relatives all come out of the woodwork to offer advice, a helping hand, some weaponry training, and a clue or few. They add to the overall personality and humor of the story. As any fan of this series knows, Jamie is a terrible busybody and his brother Patrick proves to be no better.

The main conflict is pretty standard fare for this series as Nat and Emma hop through time, following and rescuing one another while trying to figure out what their connection to one another is and the reasons for the time loop. The ending is enjoyable with a bit of action and suspense as the story comes full circle and all our questions are answered.

Ever My Love is an entertaining read that shows a spark of the ambition this series has been missing, giving readers a humorous and lightweight romance with plenty of supernatural adventure.

GRADE: C+

DNF (for now) @ 47%

This was my first Lynn Kurland book, and I'm not completely one-hundred percent on the DNF nature of this book. I know that's confusing, but I think what's making me DNF is how slow this novel is. I'm at 47% and I feel like nothing substantial has happened yet. I have no answers and everything is still up in the air, and yet the hero knows most, but isn't saying anything (even in his POV). Maybe it's because I haven't read the prior books, but I'm thinking even that is a stretch. I am just frustrated that I'm being lead on with no answers or conclusions, sort of like I'm being baited. I think what I feel is how the heroine must feel, and yet she doesn't seem to be demanding answers or questioning anything. I don't know how to explain it other than that.

The writing is beautiful, but long-winded and could be tightened up a bit more; I think that would help keep me turning the pages and be a bit better in regards to the patience required for the not knowing aspect. Mainly, I'm too frustrated to continue on, but I'm going to sideline it and come back to it when I'm ready to give forth more patience. Hopefully I can continue on at a later date. Unfortunately Ever My Love has been put in a time out, but I will put it back into play soon.

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

Emma Baxter travels to Scotland for a respite to get away from the supposed crazy mess her life has devolved into.  Her first foray into a little local grocery store in the corner of Scotland she's chosen for her getaway is full of mystery.  What do the X's on the map the grocery store owner hands her? and did she really stumble into the middle of a medieval battle while she going home through the woods? Before she can catch a breath, her ex-fiancé discovers her hideaway and she's whisked away into a little cottage in the woods thanks to some new friends she's made.
Nathaniel McLeod is a reclusive bachelor who hides away from the world in the woods even as society girls down from as far as London to try to romance him.  Poor man unfortunately it seems he's got some unfinished business in the past and at the striking of a clock or a bit of change he's thrust into medieval garb an into 14th century Scotland where's he's been able to fabricate a story about who he is and why he keeps disappearing from his family keep.
For all that Nathaniel tries to keep his time traveling secret,  it turns out he's amongst good company with many other time travelers around him who also seem to move between time portals at will.  As Nathaniel will soon discover his skills with the sword leave a lot to be desired when he's tutored by a master. Both Nathaniel and Emma will be tested time after time before they have a chance to find their happily ever after.
The story of the young woman who kicks of the book comes full cycle as we leave her sheltering with the young witch in the woods and then circle back to find out who she is and how she fits in within the framework of this story is quite interesting and definitely a surprise. While the reader can start to piece together parts of the story before all is revealed I was charmed at how it all played out.
All in all not my cup of tea because I found it too slow paced and somewhat repetitive in parts but with some very charming and interesting characters.

This book was the right amount of sweet and romance. It is a perfect beach read and very entertaining! It made me get the rest of the series.

Another great time traveling story by Kurland in her Macleod series! Loved the characters and the story - will be putting on our shelves in the store!

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

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

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

Nathaniel MacLeod has been traveling back in time off and on for the past 5 years. When he hears or sees a certain date he feels the time portal open and he knows that he must get back to medieval Scotland as soon as possible. He doesn’t know why it’s him that has to go or what the purpose is of him being there but he’s determined to figure it out.

Emma Baxter is in England to get away from her life in England. She’s pretty much hiding from her ex-boyfriend an trying to figure out what she needs to do next in her life. She meets Nathaniel because his is a neighboring home to the cottage she’s staying in. They are instantly attracted to each other but Nathaniel seems to have so many secrets.

When Emma ends up stepping through a time gate and ends up in a dungeon it’s Nathaniel that has to save her. When she does it again and the exact same events occur Nathaniel knows that he needs to figure out what part Emma plays in his time traveling but he’s not sure he can fix it and keep her with him at the same time.

This was another good book by Kurland. I’ve only read a few books in the MacLeod series but I think after reading this one that I might have to go back and take care of that lack as meeting Nathaniel’s relatives, Patrick, Ian and Jamie was awesome. They helped both Emma and Nathaniel in many ways and seemed to be very good men.

While I really liked Both Emma and Nathaniel in this book and liked watching their relationship develop, there was a certain disconnection I felt with the book. I’m not sure if the term is “disjointed” but I felt like the story was all over the place. It may have been the lack of information we received about Emma and her situation back home as well as the secrets that Nathaniel was keeping about his work and family. This issue definitely got better as the book went on and we got more info on them. The latter part of the book was what saved this one for me.

I also was a little disappointed in the physical contact between Emma and Nathaniel. Yes, I know that Kurland’s books are clean – no sex – but this one had them kiss once. Once! And that was a peck if I remember correctly. I don’t mind clean books but I definitely think the H/h need to have a bit more contact throughout the book – at least more than a peck. But that’s just me. :)

While definitely not my favorite book in the series it was a good one that I found entertaining.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

This will post as a guest review on The Book Binge.
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I love Lynn Kurland. I can honestly say that she is my favorite author and I wait, with baited breath, for her new books! I love all her heroes and heroines! Such sass. Such chivalry. Such wit. Nathaniel and Emma are adorable, and I loved every minute of their story. I also love the weaving of beloved characters from prior books into the current story. Reading her books makes me want to go back to Scotland and find me a Highlander in an enchanted forest. :D

Emma was cute the girl would give anyone whiplash, “I wasn’t thinking about you,” she said, then she paused. “Well, I was thinking about you, but not in the way you’re thinking I was thinking.” Nathaniel was such a huge flirt, “when I’m dead, darling, and even then I imagine I’ll have aught to say. I think I can manage a shower on my own, though I’m not opposed to company.” I really liked this book, I loved Emma and Nathaniel.