“Want to be in a movie?” Not particularly. I might be the only person in Scotland that’s not fussed, one way or the other. But my friend, Lily, loves the idea. That’s how I wound up on the set, cast as an extra in a low budget movie set in a castle. I’m a freshly-trained history teacher about to begin my new career. History’s my passion and soon I’ll get to teach it all day long. There are so … long. There are so many other, more important things I should be doing right now, rather than standing in line waiting for a costume, then waiting for hair, then waiting for makeup.
When I agreed to this, to be part of the crowd scene, Lily was thrilled and promised me a special time. She delivered on that promise-rather too well. Sure, I love history, but that doesn’t mean I’m prepared to be thrust back in time, into our dark past. That’s what happens to me though. I suddenly find myself living the humble and horribly dangerous life of a Scottish lass in 1263. I was not ready for this. I’m a modern woman who likes modern things. I love the idea that there’s a doctor around the corner waiting to cure me. If I had to choose a place and time in history to stop for a while, it wouldn’t be medieval Scotland. That’s the end of the Viking era. It’s a tumultuous time in history when the Vikings still own small bits of Scotland, and are determined to hold on, no matter the cost. The Scots are equally as stubborn.
Nevertheless, this is where I end up, forced to deal with lawlessness, disease, lack of education, and an entirely foreign sort of man. In these wayward times, men are not like they are in my own century. Here, they’re wilder and a whole lot more frightening.
I need to find my way home before something really bad happens to me. I’m not blending in well in the past. Laird Bern is curious and itching to know more. He plans to keep me indefinitely, I think. But that’s not happening because I’m determined to get home again, back to my own time, to the place I belong.
Someone else has noticed me too—Storr, the Viking leader. It’s bad enough to be caught between warring Vikings and Scotsmen, but somehow I also find myself trapped in a tug of love. Do I want an ambitious Viking leader or a rugged, Scottish laird, one that is hellbent on getting his own way?
What I want is to go home.
more
Lots of twists and turns. Good read
What? Where? How? When she wakes up, it’s a whole new, old world!
May 4, 2019
Format: Kindle Edition
4.5stars
Time travel, romance and Scotland go together really well in this story of modern girl Caitlin and her medieval hunk of a Highlander Bern. Well-written, with a good pace, some thrill of battle and danger, and a glimpse into the hardships of daily life in rural medieval Scotland when the Viking invasions are winding down and before the age of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce. I thought the modern heroine’s reaction to the lack of hygiene and health care in medieval times was realistic. Not too much angst but enough to inspire my sympathies for Bern, who suffers uncertainty about his ability to keep his odd but beautiful Caitlin from leaving him. The poor guy, used to being in control of his clan, finds Caitlin a sweet enigma with a vocal mind of her own. Not too racy, but the couple do have their moments…. And, a plus for me, the Highland dialect is present but not overdone so the conversations are easy to read and understand.
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
Caitlin, a modern Scot, finds herself thrust back in time to 1263 where things are NOT up to par for this modern woman. Never mind the fact that she’s not fitting in well (and really doesn’t want to) but she’s also caught the attention of not one but two powerful men.
I love time travel because it’s always fun to see how the author can make a person out of time feel really lost and this was no exception. I also like Highlander stories because anything is possible in the wilds of Scotland. But no one ever said 1263 was a good year for a modern woman and this was no exception. Characters were well developed, although I thought Caitlin was too much a modern woman (it’s surprising she wasn’t burned at the stake a couple of times). Still there was romance, twists and turns and battles while she’s trying desperately to return to her own time and Bern is determined to keep her. Period. (I voluntarily reviewed an ARC).
After her father moved the family to Australia when she was just a kid, it didn’t take Caitlin long to realize that she wanted to go home to her beloved Scotland. She finally made it, and she put herself through college and earned her teaching certificate, she even has a job. Because of her childhood, she thought she understood the old quote,”there’s no place like home”, until she falls asleep in a historical castle near the village where she lives and awakens in 1263 Scotland.
Fascinating, well written, and I thought, unique characters. Caitlin meets and falls in love with Bern, Laird of the Mackenzie clan, but circumstances make her desperate to return to her own time. 1263 was a turbulent era when Scotsmen were battling the Vikings for their homeland, the wars were violent and bloody. Fantastic book, with interesting and unexpected twists. I loved it!
I am voluntarily leaving and honest and non-incentivized review of this ARC.
I love time travel books, however, this one was typical and very predictable. Nothing special, but a very quick read. Enjoyable, kind of like an appetizer and left me wanting for dinner. If you’re looking for a light, quick read, and enjoy time travel/romantic books this would be the ticket.
This has an interesting storyline. Time travel from present day to medieval Scotland. It is somewhat entertaining. The best part for me was Caitlin using her knowledge to help and heal people. I enjoyed how she cared and tried educating people of frequent washing of hands and bodies, keeping the floors clean and prepared daily for new rushes, even sharing home remedies. Another highlight was Bern’s adoration and love for Caitlin. Bern is the Laird of Tor Castle and under the kings orders he and his men were fighting the Vikings. Because Caitlin was a history teacher, she was able to remember what happened during that time period. The part that needs improvement on is the time travel. It was not built up in a mystical, incomprehensible and magical way. The ending was way too short and I wished there had been an epilogue of all the changes Caitlin would bring to Bern’s people’s lives. Like I said, I enjoyed the overall concept but there is room for improvement