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de Piaget #3
Dreams of Stardust
In the 1200s, Amanda of Artane has one summer to choose from her suitors—and find love forever.
Jake
Jake Kilchurn travels the world to unearth exquisite stones for this one-of-a-kind creations, but it is during an unexpected side trip to Seakirk castle that he meets a cadre of ghosts discussing a timeless beauty who lived centuries ago.
Amanda
Amanda de Piaget is busy doing what she does best—fending off suitors—when she stumbles on a different kind of man. He is unconscious, dirty, and oddly clad. But unlike the other men who find themselves at Artane, Jake knows nothing about her—and Amanda finds herself strangely drawn to him.
Artane
Time has brought them together to the safety of its walls, but only time will tell if they'll escape those who would try to tear them apart...
Jake
Jake Kilchurn travels the world to unearth exquisite stones for this one-of-a-kind creations, but it is during an unexpected side trip to Seakirk castle that he meets a cadre of ghosts discussing a timeless beauty who lived centuries ago.
Amanda
Amanda de Piaget is busy doing what she does best—fending off suitors—when she stumbles on a different kind of man. He is unconscious, dirty, and oddly clad. But unlike the other men who find themselves at Artane, Jake knows nothing about her—and Amanda finds herself strangely drawn to him.
Artane
Time has brought them together to the safety of its walls, but only time will tell if they'll escape those who would try to tear them apart...
383 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 29, 2005
59 people are currently reading
963 people want to read
About the author
Lynn Kurland
69 books1,567 followersLynn began her writing career at the tender age of five with a series of illustrated novellas entitled Clinton’s Troubles in which the compelling hero found himself in all sorts of . . . well, trouble. She was living in Hawaii at the time and the scope for her imagination (poisoned fish, tropical cliffs, large spiders) was great and poor Clinton bore the brunt of it. After returning to the mainland, her writing gave way to training in classical music and Clinton, who had been felled with arrows, eaten by fish and sent tumbling off cars, was put aside for operatic heroes in tights.
Somehow during high school, in between bouts of Verdi and Rossini, she managed to find time to submerge herself in equal parts Tolkien, Barbara Cartland and Mad Magazine. During college, a chance encounter with a large library stack of romances left her hooked, gave her the courage to put pen to paper herself, and finally satisfied that need for a little bit of fantasy with a whole lot of romance!
Somehow during high school, in between bouts of Verdi and Rossini, she managed to find time to submerge herself in equal parts Tolkien, Barbara Cartland and Mad Magazine. During college, a chance encounter with a large library stack of romances left her hooked, gave her the courage to put pen to paper herself, and finally satisfied that need for a little bit of fantasy with a whole lot of romance!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
May 6, 2011
Amanda has had it with eager suitors. Not one of them cares for her - all they see is that she is a really rich heiress. She decided long ago that she wants to marry for love, just like her parents did. But, as she realizes that may be impossible, she decides to run away. That might have worked if she didn't find a clearly hurt man and stopped to help him.
Jake's life has taken an unexpected turn. One moment he was in his car driving to Artane, the next he wakes up in medieval England, and he's looking at the most beautiful woman he's ever seen. From the start they are attracted to each other, and there are obstacles stopping them from being together. The fact that Jack's from the Future doesn't even merit a thought. It's his occupation. He's not a nobleman, not even a knight, just a merchant. But, they still can't resit each other.
My main problem is Amanda. When she thinks Jack's not coming back, she acts stupidly and only complicates thing even more. I didn't like her at all, even without that one TSTL moment.
Jack is okay, and I like him. His patience and the way he courts Amanda. Also the way he tries to learn to ride and to fight with swords. He tries hard to impress Amanda and her family.
And that leads me to the best part of the book - de Piagets. I just love the entire family, and I will definitely be reading more about them. But they do have an extremely complicated family tree.
BTW, I did noticed that there were some mistakes in the timeline. I even checked it. From the first book in the series (Another Chance to Dream) it was evident that Amanda was born in 1203. This book is set in 1227. So that would mean that she is 24, but her age is given as 21. That's not much, but I tried to make a detailed family tree with the years of birth in them, but after that, I decided to stick to names only. :-)
Rating:
3.5 stars.
Jake's life has taken an unexpected turn. One moment he was in his car driving to Artane, the next he wakes up in medieval England, and he's looking at the most beautiful woman he's ever seen. From the start they are attracted to each other, and there are obstacles stopping them from being together. The fact that Jack's from the Future doesn't even merit a thought. It's his occupation. He's not a nobleman, not even a knight, just a merchant. But, they still can't resit each other.
My main problem is Amanda. When she thinks Jack's not coming back, she acts stupidly and only complicates thing even more. I didn't like her at all, even without that one TSTL moment.
Jack is okay, and I like him. His patience and the way he courts Amanda. Also the way he tries to learn to ride and to fight with swords. He tries hard to impress Amanda and her family.
And that leads me to the best part of the book - de Piagets. I just love the entire family, and I will definitely be reading more about them. But they do have an extremely complicated family tree.
BTW, I did noticed that there were some mistakes in the timeline. I even checked it. From the first book in the series (Another Chance to Dream) it was evident that Amanda was born in 1203. This book is set in 1227. So that would mean that she is 24, but her age is given as 21. That's not much, but I tried to make a detailed family tree with the years of birth in them, but after that, I decided to stick to names only. :-)
Rating:
3.5 stars.
December 19, 2021
After reading "A Lovely Day Tomorrow," Lynn Kurland's latest in this series (published 12/16/21), which features Jackson Kilchurn, I had to go back and re-read this book. This is the story of Jackson's parents, Jake Kilchurn and Amanda de Piaget. Jake is a "current day guy" who falls through a time gate and meets the legendary medieval beauty Amanda de Piaget. Can an untitled guy who can't speak the language, without a penny to his name in the current century he finds himself in win the feisty medieval titled beauty against all odds?
In "A Lovely Day Tomorrow" (which I HIGHLY recommend), Jackson is a medieval man of the past who falls into a time gate and meets a "current day gal." In "Dreams of Stardust," the situation is reversed. Like father, like son, those time gates mess with them. "Dreams of Stardust" has always been one of my favorites of the entire series not only because Jake is such a fabulous character, because the entire family of Gwen and Rhys de Piaget ("Another Chance to Dream") play big parts in this love story. And, what a family they are! And, this love story is so touching. It's simply adorable. It's a winner, no matter how many times I have read it. And, that would be five times to date. What can I say? I love this series! ;)
In "A Lovely Day Tomorrow" (which I HIGHLY recommend), Jackson is a medieval man of the past who falls into a time gate and meets a "current day gal." In "Dreams of Stardust," the situation is reversed. Like father, like son, those time gates mess with them. "Dreams of Stardust" has always been one of my favorites of the entire series not only because Jake is such a fabulous character, because the entire family of Gwen and Rhys de Piaget ("Another Chance to Dream") play big parts in this love story. And, what a family they are! And, this love story is so touching. It's simply adorable. It's a winner, no matter how many times I have read it. And, that would be five times to date. What can I say? I love this series! ;)
December 4, 2019
Reviewed for THC Reviews
Dreams of Stardust is the third book I’ve read by Lynn Kurland and the third in her de Piaget series chronologically. This one is the story of Rhys and Gwen’s daughter, Amanda, and Jake Kilchurn, who travels back in time nearly eight hundred years to meet and fall in love with her. Unfortunately, though, he holds no title to make a claim to marry her despite being very wealthy in his own time, so he must not only train in knightly combat to be able to impress her father, but also find a way to convert his modern-day funds into medieval ones in order to buy a title and hopefully win his bride. I waffled a lot on how to rate this book. Parts of it are very slow-paced with not much happening, and the romance is pretty subdued compared to the first two books of the series. I also saw some missed opportunities for character and relationship development. However, I did very much like the characters, and at this point, I feel fairly well-invested in this family’s greater story arc. So after much debate, I settled on four stars. The book wasn’t perfect, but it did have it’s good points that I enjoyed.
Jackson Alexander Kilchurn IV comes from a wealthy family, but he’s basically the black sheep. Having no real interest in his father’s business dealings, he struck out on his own and became an adventurous hunter of rare gems and designer of expensive jewelry. As the story opens, Jake’s father has sent him on an errand to deliver business documents to Gideon de Piaget, a many generations removed descendant of Rhys and Gwen. When Jake is taken with a photograph of Artane, Gideon’s ancestral family seat, Gideon invites Jake to come visit the castle. Jake is rather dubious, but the promise of being able to view some exquisite antique jewelry makes him agree. However, he never quite makes it all the way to Artane. Instead his car breaks down outside Seakirk castle, which unbeknownst to him at that time is also owned by a de Piaget. While spending the night in the haunted castle, Jake overhears the ghosts arguing over which lady was more beautiful, and they end up agreeing it was Amanda de Piaget. More than happy to leave the supernatural goings-on at Seakirk behind, Jake leaves the next day, only to find his car careening out of control and him spinning nearly eight hundred years into the past, where he meets the lovely Amanda for himself, as well as her large, colorful family. Jake is a sweetheart and definitely more of a beta hero. Being an adventurer, he adjusts pretty well to being a man out of time, and once he falls for Amanda, he fully commits to intensive knight training to be worthy of her and manages to hold his own against all her brothers. However, what really solidified his love for her in my mind was his willingness to give up all his wealth, as well as his comfortable life in the present, on the mere hope of ensuring a future for them, living with her in the past. The only thing about him that was a little odd to me was that a thirty-two year old, 21st century man would suggest waiting until the wedding to even so much as kiss Amanda. Ultimately he doesn’t, but still it was a bit unbelievable to me nonetheless.
Amanda is a headstrong lady who has thus far been unimpressed with all the men who’ve come to Artane to present themselves as potential suitors. Although her father is a good man, he’s becoming eager for her choose a husband and has given her until the end of summer to do so. Feeling there’s no one out there for her and not wanting to be saddled with an unsuitable man, she’s determined to run away at the first opportunity and most of her family leaving Artane presents the opening she’s been looking for. However, along her way, she encounters an unconscious man in the grass and stops to see if she can help, which unfortunately allows her two youngest brothers the time to catch up and foil her plans. They take Jake back to the castle, and when he awakens and Amanda begins to get to know him, she thinks she’s finally found someone she could spend her life with. But Jake is naught but a mere merchant, leaving her with little hope of a future between them. When he leaves to set his affairs in order with a promise to return for her and to find a way for them to be together, she’s hopeful, but when months pass by without him coming back, she decides to take matters into her own hands. Amanda can definitely be feisty, holding her own against five stubborn brothers, and she’s a woman who knows what she wants but hasn’t found it until Jake appears. She can be rather impetuous and lacking in patience, something that gets her into a bit of trouble, but she’s also a caring soul who loves her family dearly, even though she banters constantly with her siblings.
Dreams of Stardust boasts an extensive cast of supporting characters from both the de Piaget and MacLeod series. Most importantly are Amanda’s wonderful family. Her parents, Rhys and Gwen (Another Chance to Dream) don’t come into play until the end, but they both support Amanda and want nothing more than her happiness. All of her siblings are at least seen, but it’s primarily her brothers who steal the show. We get to see Robin and Anne (If I Had You) and their growing family. Robin is still the hard as nails warrior, but he becomes a surprising ally to Jake. After briefly courting Anne in the previous book, tender-hearted, chivalrous Nicholas finds himself having feelings for Amanda (although they grew up as siblings, they aren’t related by blood), and although she returns his affection on some level, them marrying would never fly with the king because of their familial connection. Nicholas is a character I’ve grown to love in this series, and I look forward to seeing him finally get his own HEA in the next book, When I Fall in Love. Amanda’s middle brother, Miles gets a story in the novella, "The Gift of Christmas Past" from the anthology, Love Came Just in Time. Then there are her two younger twin brothers, John and Montgomery. Montgomery is a sweetheart who always has Amanda’s back and who likes Jake from the start. He gets his story told in the book, One Enchanted Evening. Then there are the de Piaget descendants who Jake meets in the present. Robin and Anne’s son, Kendrick, who has a supernatural romance of his own with Genevieve in Stardust of Yesterday, after centuries of being a ghost, is now the owner of the haunted castle, Seakirk. Gideon, the current owner of Artane and the many generations removed nephew of Kendrick, and his wife Megan have a story in “The Three Wise Ghosts” from the anthology, Christmas Spirits. And last but not least, Alexander Smith, cousin-in-law to Gideon and a man who did some time-traveling of his own in The Very Thought of You, offers his attorney skills to help Jake out of a tight spot.
Dreams of Stardust has a great cast of characters I very much enjoyed reading about. However, IMHO it did have some weaknesses, mainly in the plot and relationship development. The first two hundred pages moved a little slowly for me. This part primarily seemed to consist of Jake learning knightly skills with Amanda’s brothers. He starts with the young twins, but as the older ones return home one by one, each taking over the training, the challenge they present becomes increasingly more difficult. During this time, there are a couple of mildly romantic interludes between Jake and Amanda, but nothing that really put paid to their emotional connection for me. I did feel that Jake’s actions spoke of his love, but I simply couldn’t put my finger on exactly why they fell in love with each other. This author doesn’t write descriptive love scenes, which isn’t necessarily a detractor for me as long as I can feel the connection, but in this book, it kind of was. At least in the first two books there was some light sexual tension and a few closed-door implied love scenes, but in this book, there was nothing of that nature at all. It was totally squeaky clean in this regard, which only added to the lack of romance in my view. At least it does end on a romantic high note and I finally felt that all-important spark at the end but it took too long to get there. Also there wasn’t quite enough conflict for my liking. Again the first two books had evil villains who presented a constant threat, but in this story, they only make rare appearances for the sake of the plot to stir up a bit of trouble that never really goes anywhere. They also don’t have much motivation to speak of. In fact, someone tries to detain Jake when he returns to the present, but I never understood this character’s reasons for doing so. Otherwise, Dreams of Stardust is a decent story. Having totally likable characters helped a lot to elevate it and the latter half of the book was better than the first, so even though there were parts that dropped into the three-star range, I decided in the end to go ahead and give it four. It’s not my favorite of the series so far, but it had its good moments that made me smile.
Dreams of Stardust is the third book I’ve read by Lynn Kurland and the third in her de Piaget series chronologically. This one is the story of Rhys and Gwen’s daughter, Amanda, and Jake Kilchurn, who travels back in time nearly eight hundred years to meet and fall in love with her. Unfortunately, though, he holds no title to make a claim to marry her despite being very wealthy in his own time, so he must not only train in knightly combat to be able to impress her father, but also find a way to convert his modern-day funds into medieval ones in order to buy a title and hopefully win his bride. I waffled a lot on how to rate this book. Parts of it are very slow-paced with not much happening, and the romance is pretty subdued compared to the first two books of the series. I also saw some missed opportunities for character and relationship development. However, I did very much like the characters, and at this point, I feel fairly well-invested in this family’s greater story arc. So after much debate, I settled on four stars. The book wasn’t perfect, but it did have it’s good points that I enjoyed.
Jackson Alexander Kilchurn IV comes from a wealthy family, but he’s basically the black sheep. Having no real interest in his father’s business dealings, he struck out on his own and became an adventurous hunter of rare gems and designer of expensive jewelry. As the story opens, Jake’s father has sent him on an errand to deliver business documents to Gideon de Piaget, a many generations removed descendant of Rhys and Gwen. When Jake is taken with a photograph of Artane, Gideon’s ancestral family seat, Gideon invites Jake to come visit the castle. Jake is rather dubious, but the promise of being able to view some exquisite antique jewelry makes him agree. However, he never quite makes it all the way to Artane. Instead his car breaks down outside Seakirk castle, which unbeknownst to him at that time is also owned by a de Piaget. While spending the night in the haunted castle, Jake overhears the ghosts arguing over which lady was more beautiful, and they end up agreeing it was Amanda de Piaget. More than happy to leave the supernatural goings-on at Seakirk behind, Jake leaves the next day, only to find his car careening out of control and him spinning nearly eight hundred years into the past, where he meets the lovely Amanda for himself, as well as her large, colorful family. Jake is a sweetheart and definitely more of a beta hero. Being an adventurer, he adjusts pretty well to being a man out of time, and once he falls for Amanda, he fully commits to intensive knight training to be worthy of her and manages to hold his own against all her brothers. However, what really solidified his love for her in my mind was his willingness to give up all his wealth, as well as his comfortable life in the present, on the mere hope of ensuring a future for them, living with her in the past. The only thing about him that was a little odd to me was that a thirty-two year old, 21st century man would suggest waiting until the wedding to even so much as kiss Amanda. Ultimately he doesn’t, but still it was a bit unbelievable to me nonetheless.
Amanda is a headstrong lady who has thus far been unimpressed with all the men who’ve come to Artane to present themselves as potential suitors. Although her father is a good man, he’s becoming eager for her choose a husband and has given her until the end of summer to do so. Feeling there’s no one out there for her and not wanting to be saddled with an unsuitable man, she’s determined to run away at the first opportunity and most of her family leaving Artane presents the opening she’s been looking for. However, along her way, she encounters an unconscious man in the grass and stops to see if she can help, which unfortunately allows her two youngest brothers the time to catch up and foil her plans. They take Jake back to the castle, and when he awakens and Amanda begins to get to know him, she thinks she’s finally found someone she could spend her life with. But Jake is naught but a mere merchant, leaving her with little hope of a future between them. When he leaves to set his affairs in order with a promise to return for her and to find a way for them to be together, she’s hopeful, but when months pass by without him coming back, she decides to take matters into her own hands. Amanda can definitely be feisty, holding her own against five stubborn brothers, and she’s a woman who knows what she wants but hasn’t found it until Jake appears. She can be rather impetuous and lacking in patience, something that gets her into a bit of trouble, but she’s also a caring soul who loves her family dearly, even though she banters constantly with her siblings.
Dreams of Stardust boasts an extensive cast of supporting characters from both the de Piaget and MacLeod series. Most importantly are Amanda’s wonderful family. Her parents, Rhys and Gwen (Another Chance to Dream) don’t come into play until the end, but they both support Amanda and want nothing more than her happiness. All of her siblings are at least seen, but it’s primarily her brothers who steal the show. We get to see Robin and Anne (If I Had You) and their growing family. Robin is still the hard as nails warrior, but he becomes a surprising ally to Jake. After briefly courting Anne in the previous book, tender-hearted, chivalrous Nicholas finds himself having feelings for Amanda (although they grew up as siblings, they aren’t related by blood), and although she returns his affection on some level, them marrying would never fly with the king because of their familial connection. Nicholas is a character I’ve grown to love in this series, and I look forward to seeing him finally get his own HEA in the next book, When I Fall in Love. Amanda’s middle brother, Miles gets a story in the novella, "The Gift of Christmas Past" from the anthology, Love Came Just in Time. Then there are her two younger twin brothers, John and Montgomery. Montgomery is a sweetheart who always has Amanda’s back and who likes Jake from the start. He gets his story told in the book, One Enchanted Evening. Then there are the de Piaget descendants who Jake meets in the present. Robin and Anne’s son, Kendrick, who has a supernatural romance of his own with Genevieve in Stardust of Yesterday, after centuries of being a ghost, is now the owner of the haunted castle, Seakirk. Gideon, the current owner of Artane and the many generations removed nephew of Kendrick, and his wife Megan have a story in “The Three Wise Ghosts” from the anthology, Christmas Spirits. And last but not least, Alexander Smith, cousin-in-law to Gideon and a man who did some time-traveling of his own in The Very Thought of You, offers his attorney skills to help Jake out of a tight spot.
Dreams of Stardust has a great cast of characters I very much enjoyed reading about. However, IMHO it did have some weaknesses, mainly in the plot and relationship development. The first two hundred pages moved a little slowly for me. This part primarily seemed to consist of Jake learning knightly skills with Amanda’s brothers. He starts with the young twins, but as the older ones return home one by one, each taking over the training, the challenge they present becomes increasingly more difficult. During this time, there are a couple of mildly romantic interludes between Jake and Amanda, but nothing that really put paid to their emotional connection for me. I did feel that Jake’s actions spoke of his love, but I simply couldn’t put my finger on exactly why they fell in love with each other. This author doesn’t write descriptive love scenes, which isn’t necessarily a detractor for me as long as I can feel the connection, but in this book, it kind of was. At least in the first two books there was some light sexual tension and a few closed-door implied love scenes, but in this book, there was nothing of that nature at all. It was totally squeaky clean in this regard, which only added to the lack of romance in my view. At least it does end on a romantic high note and I finally felt that all-important spark at the end but it took too long to get there. Also there wasn’t quite enough conflict for my liking. Again the first two books had evil villains who presented a constant threat, but in this story, they only make rare appearances for the sake of the plot to stir up a bit of trouble that never really goes anywhere. They also don’t have much motivation to speak of. In fact, someone tries to detain Jake when he returns to the present, but I never understood this character’s reasons for doing so. Otherwise, Dreams of Stardust is a decent story. Having totally likable characters helped a lot to elevate it and the latter half of the book was better than the first, so even though there were parts that dropped into the three-star range, I decided in the end to go ahead and give it four. It’s not my favorite of the series so far, but it had its good moments that made me smile.
August 6, 2012
MY FAVORITE DE PIAGET BOOK SO FAR!!! Absolutely loved this one. It is about Amanda De Piaget, the third De Piaget child and only girl. I loved this one so much because we are finally introduced to time travel! We get to meet Jackson (Jake) Kilchurn, who is a precious gem hunter and jewelry designer from 2005. He accidentally steps through a time gate located on the grounds of Artane and is thrust back to 1227, where he meets the stunningly beautiful and magnetically alluring, Amanda. They have instant chemistry, but he cannot explain where he is from, unless he wants to be accused of witchcraft. He is fast friends with most of the De Piaget boys and they proceed to teach him swordplay, horseback riding and other sorts of knightly activities. But he won't be able to even offer for Amanda's hand unless he has a title, land and money. So begins his plan to go back to the future to access his considerable fortune. But will he be able to bring any of it back to the past with him? Or will he be separated from his love for all of time?
SO romantic!!! Loved this one SO MUCH. Totally recommend. And don't forget, Lynn Kurland writes clean romances -- no sex, but plenty of intense romance!
SO romantic!!! Loved this one SO MUCH. Totally recommend. And don't forget, Lynn Kurland writes clean romances -- no sex, but plenty of intense romance!
October 9, 2018
It isn't bad, just bland. I'm disappointed. It just sounds so much better than it is... and I love time travel books - I'm always happy to find a new one.
The first half of the book is slow paced and quite boring. The second part is fast paced and full of action, but a bit chaotic. I'm not a fan of uneven books. For me, it's a major flaw.
Moreover, Kurland's simple style makes it quite hard to truly immerse oneself in the story... it's fine, the book just isn't captivating.
And there are a bit too many (even for a light, romance / adventure read) one dimensional characters. At least the main ones are fine, even if Amanda acts annoyingly irrational sometimes...
The first half of the book is slow paced and quite boring. The second part is fast paced and full of action, but a bit chaotic. I'm not a fan of uneven books. For me, it's a major flaw.
Moreover, Kurland's simple style makes it quite hard to truly immerse oneself in the story... it's fine, the book just isn't captivating.
And there are a bit too many (even for a light, romance / adventure read) one dimensional characters. At least the main ones are fine, even if Amanda acts annoyingly irrational sometimes...
January 10, 2012
This turned out to be about so much more than just Jake and Amanda, the relationship Jake built with all the brothers was more moving than his romance with her... I loved it, and Kurland dedicated enough time with each brother to make the bond believable, in fact, I wondered when he actually fell in love with her... It was wonderful, the way they harassed him, trusted him, taught him, believed in him, I love the de Piaget brothers, every one of them... Even so, I was completely skeeved out by Nicholas wanting to wed his sister, blood relation or not, Yuck! Anne I understood, no sharing of blood anywhere, but Nicholas and Amanda should not have gone there... Plus he was a prick throughout, sad since he was my favorite... And Robin stole the show... I love the connection from past to present and back again, the family ties... And then there was Jake, he was confident and humble, completely honorable yet very mysterious and with many admirable talents, one being his ability to fight with his bare hands, and also be so proud of what he was, even when it was considered less than in the century he was residing in... He was a lovable character... Amanda was impatient and at times selfish but not without the ability to acknowledge these flaws...
Kurland leaves all the sexy times to the readers imagination, she doesn't even skim, she barely insinuates, but you manage to fill in the blanks anyway...
I laughed at the image of Montgomery making fairy wing gestures behind Jakes back, having already read Montgomery's story, this is very much in character for him.
Kurland leaves all the sexy times to the readers imagination, she doesn't even skim, she barely insinuates, but you manage to fill in the blanks anyway...
I laughed at the image of Montgomery making fairy wing gestures behind Jakes back, having already read Montgomery's story, this is very much in character for him.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 9, 2025
Enjoyable and endearing
I love Kurland's style. The romance is there but without the pages upon pages of lovemaking. If you are looking for a blow by blow, this is not your book.
If you are looking for a family dynamic that makes you wish you could be part of a good story, a lot of sarcasm, and a little magic, then this is your book.
I have read several of her books and love every one of them. I am reading them again in chronological order and love them even more.
I love Kurland's style. The romance is there but without the pages upon pages of lovemaking. If you are looking for a blow by blow, this is not your book.
If you are looking for a family dynamic that makes you wish you could be part of a good story, a lot of sarcasm, and a little magic, then this is your book.
I have read several of her books and love every one of them. I am reading them again in chronological order and love them even more.
July 3, 2020
This is a cute time-travel romance. Slow starting but I still enjoyed it.
October 6, 2010
Amanda de Piaget of Artane is a noblewoman of the early thirteenth century. A wealthy and beautiful woman, she spends most of her time fending off suitors of varying titles and wealth. In the process of fleeing her home to avoid being married off to someman who only wants her dowry, she runs into Jake.
Alexander Kilchurn IV (Jake) is a "businessman" of the twenty-first century. Through a series of misfortunes, he finds himself stranded in the middle of 13th century medieval England. He is immediately drawn to Amanda, for her name has been whispered to his soul in days previous. Amanda is equally drawn to him, but knows nothing can come of any relationship with this stranger. He has no title, no land and no money... he is a mere merchant, or so she believes.
Jake must battle against all odds - past, present and future - to end up with the woman of his dreams.
Apparently the De Piaget series is quite long, which I was unaware of when I began reading these books. The ones I have read have been completely out of order. I very much enjoyed this book. I loved the interaction between Amanda's family and Jake, it was very fun to read. Reminds me of the way my family and I are when we are together. I just love the thought of a man willing to give up anything to be with a woman he cares about. The only things I didn't really like about the book were the dealings with Jake's family... that was just weird to me... and how "perfect" Jake and Amanda seemed to be. I'm sorry but in real life, no one looks that amazing/stunning or is that perfect. People have flaws, but oh well. Good book.
After getting a hint of Kendrick de Piaget in this book, I really want to read about his story. I'm especially interested after reading the reviews of my two sisters. I'll admit, I almost picked it up at the library a couple weeks ago, but was thrown off by the cover. I'm happy to read from the aformentioned reviews that the story inside is much better than the cover!
Alexander Kilchurn IV (Jake) is a "businessman" of the twenty-first century. Through a series of misfortunes, he finds himself stranded in the middle of 13th century medieval England. He is immediately drawn to Amanda, for her name has been whispered to his soul in days previous. Amanda is equally drawn to him, but knows nothing can come of any relationship with this stranger. He has no title, no land and no money... he is a mere merchant, or so she believes.
Jake must battle against all odds - past, present and future - to end up with the woman of his dreams.
Apparently the De Piaget series is quite long, which I was unaware of when I began reading these books. The ones I have read have been completely out of order. I very much enjoyed this book. I loved the interaction between Amanda's family and Jake, it was very fun to read. Reminds me of the way my family and I are when we are together. I just love the thought of a man willing to give up anything to be with a woman he cares about. The only things I didn't really like about the book were the dealings with Jake's family... that was just weird to me... and how "perfect" Jake and Amanda seemed to be. I'm sorry but in real life, no one looks that amazing/stunning or is that perfect. People have flaws, but oh well. Good book.
After getting a hint of Kendrick de Piaget in this book, I really want to read about his story. I'm especially interested after reading the reviews of my two sisters. I'll admit, I almost picked it up at the library a couple weeks ago, but was thrown off by the cover. I'm happy to read from the aformentioned reviews that the story inside is much better than the cover!
September 16, 2010
The story plods along with nothing special.
Only ok. I wouldn't recommend it. I wasn't laughing, surprised or delighted with anything. A few times, I found myself wishing the book would be over I liked the character Jake. I didn't like Amanda.
CAUTION SPOILERS:
Amanda was too impatient to wait for Jake's return and ran away to the Abbey which was a terrible decision. I did not like that part. I did like thinking about why Jake wanted to go back in time to live. They had no ice, no clean water, etc., but he liked the brothers and loved Amanda. His modern day family was terrible. His father tried to kill him. He didn't like any of his siblings. He loved the family from 1227 and wanted to live his life with them. That concept was a nice part of the book.
DATA:
Sexual language: none. Number of sex scenes: none. Setting: 1227 and 2005 England. Copyright: 2005. Genre: time travel romance.
OTHER BOOKS:
To date, I've read the following Lynn Kurland books.
4 stars. The More I See You. Copyrt 1999. Review Date 3/31/07.
2 stars. A Dance Through Time. Copyrt 1996. Review Date 6/23/08.
2 stars. Dreams of Stardust. Copyrt 2005. Review Date 6/23/08.
Only ok. I wouldn't recommend it. I wasn't laughing, surprised or delighted with anything. A few times, I found myself wishing the book would be over I liked the character Jake. I didn't like Amanda.
CAUTION SPOILERS:
Amanda was too impatient to wait for Jake's return and ran away to the Abbey which was a terrible decision. I did not like that part. I did like thinking about why Jake wanted to go back in time to live. They had no ice, no clean water, etc., but he liked the brothers and loved Amanda. His modern day family was terrible. His father tried to kill him. He didn't like any of his siblings. He loved the family from 1227 and wanted to live his life with them. That concept was a nice part of the book.
DATA:
Sexual language: none. Number of sex scenes: none. Setting: 1227 and 2005 England. Copyright: 2005. Genre: time travel romance.
OTHER BOOKS:
To date, I've read the following Lynn Kurland books.
4 stars. The More I See You. Copyrt 1999. Review Date 3/31/07.
2 stars. A Dance Through Time. Copyrt 1996. Review Date 6/23/08.
2 stars. Dreams of Stardust. Copyrt 2005. Review Date 6/23/08.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 12, 2009
Lynn Kurland is always fun to read. She just has a funny way of telling the story that I really enjoy. This is the 19th story I've read in the MacLeod/de Piaget series. I'm glad I read this so chronologically late because characters from eight other books march through the pages of this one. It certainly would have been easy enough to understand if I hadn't read the other books, but it was very nice to visit with these old friends and see how they are doing. :) How does Miss Lynn keep weaving the stories tighter and tighter without tangling the threads? I will be impatiently waiting for the next book in the series.
October 20, 2013
3rd installment in the de Piaget series. This time it is eldest sister Amanda's turn to fall in love. Renowned across space and time for her beauty, she despairs of ever finding someone who will love her and not only her dowry. Jake Kilchurn is a wealthy American-born, English-educated jeweler from 2005 who finds himself transported back to medieval times and discovers love is worth fighting for. I enjoy these books for their strong romantic elements and historical setting. They are not a level of literature that will stretch my brain, teach me new things, or have me question already-held ideas, but they are a quick and fun escape from reality.
July 10, 2011
Lynn Kurland really knows how to develop characters - and keep the story intriguing. This book is #3 in the de Piaget series - and the first book that brings in the time travel stuff. I enjoyed reading this book very much. I look forward to reading the complete series. However, I think I need a break from the medieval language - I just might start answering "nay" or "aye" to questions - or saying things like 'what think you?" !!!
May 22, 2023
Now we get into time travel and the wee ghosties .
February 5, 2011
I think this one was setup too well, where the relationship was set to work out no matter what, but an excellent book anyway!
January 5, 2025
CAWPILE Review
5 = Characters
6 = Atmosphere
6 = Writing
6 = Plot
5 = Intrigue
4 = Logic/Relationships
5 = Enjoyment
Total Score = 5.3/10
3 Stars
Summary:
Review/Thoughts:
This book did not go very deep. The characters were all very surface-level and not a lot of difficult things actually happened.
Jake is handsome and charming so obviously everyone is in love with him. Despite no one having any idea who he is, he immediately gets accepted into the inner circle of the family because Amanda showed interest.
Allegedly, Robin and the older brothers are picky about who they train in sword fighting. For some reason they automatically decide to train Jake without any friction at all. Most of the characters didn't really add to the story and I wish the author could have narrowed it down.
The plot felt like it didn't move for the middle 100 pages (or more) and then had to throw in whatever plot device necessary to make sure the characters get what they want in the end. No real strife actually happens when Jake goes to the future except for the bizarre fever dream where he was drugged by his dad. If Amanda had waited for 2 more weeks for this person she allegedly loved so much, everything would have worked out just fine. The whole nun thing really didn't need to be included, but there is never actually a conversation between Jake and Amanda where they talk about feelings or develop a meaningful connection so maybe that was the only way to make it seem like Amanda cared.
January 11, 2024
3.5
I enjoyed this book, in the ongoing de Paiget/Macleod series, certainly ,more than some of the others that I have read. Amanda de Paiget (our heroine) and Jackson Alexander Kilchurn IV (Jake, our hero) are wonderful characters. They are both strong, determined, and intelligent people but Amanda is a 13thC woman, daughter of an Earl, and Jake is a 21stC man, a respected jewelry designer. This is where the fun starts. Jake has stumbled through a time gate back to 1227 to Artane and meets Amanda de Piaget and the extended de Piaget family. We see how the family is growing and they all ad something extra to this novel.
I loved Montgomery, Amanda’s younger brother, who believed that Jake was a Fairy. The other characters of: Robin and Anne; Nicholas’ Miles; John; and Isabella were fun and enjoyable. We also meet again the MacLeods/McKinnon’s in Jake’s time Megan and Gideon and Alex Smith, to balance things out. The plot was well planned, mostly credible and everything was woven together skillfully. However, I have noticed a couple of things with this series. Firstly as the series has progressed the books are getting longer, and sometimes this just makes them long winded. Secondly, it is becoming common for the books to have subplots, and sometimes these work, and sometimes they don’t. In this instance I do think that the subplot with Jake’s father does work, but it did make the book a bit long. Again, I did find as in Stardust of Yesterday, (the previous book in the series) the use of ghosts a bit distracting, and the Seakirk Abbey was just too OTT, but overall a good read.
I enjoyed this book, in the ongoing de Paiget/Macleod series, certainly ,more than some of the others that I have read. Amanda de Paiget (our heroine) and Jackson Alexander Kilchurn IV (Jake, our hero) are wonderful characters. They are both strong, determined, and intelligent people but Amanda is a 13thC woman, daughter of an Earl, and Jake is a 21stC man, a respected jewelry designer. This is where the fun starts. Jake has stumbled through a time gate back to 1227 to Artane and meets Amanda de Piaget and the extended de Piaget family. We see how the family is growing and they all ad something extra to this novel.
I loved Montgomery, Amanda’s younger brother, who believed that Jake was a Fairy. The other characters of: Robin and Anne; Nicholas’ Miles; John; and Isabella were fun and enjoyable. We also meet again the MacLeods/McKinnon’s in Jake’s time Megan and Gideon and Alex Smith, to balance things out. The plot was well planned, mostly credible and everything was woven together skillfully. However, I have noticed a couple of things with this series. Firstly as the series has progressed the books are getting longer, and sometimes this just makes them long winded. Secondly, it is becoming common for the books to have subplots, and sometimes these work, and sometimes they don’t. In this instance I do think that the subplot with Jake’s father does work, but it did make the book a bit long. Again, I did find as in Stardust of Yesterday, (the previous book in the series) the use of ghosts a bit distracting, and the Seakirk Abbey was just too OTT, but overall a good read.
July 26, 2017
I won this book as part of a Romance Writers giveaway. After years of languishing on my TBR “Shelf”, I am voluntarily reviewing it]
“ I believe,” she said,” in what I can touch, in what I can see, in what I can hold in these two hands. But,’ she admitted with a smile,” I am willing consider other possibilities”.
Jackson Kilchurn is a jewelry designer and a gemologist who stumbles upon a whole new type of adventure when he, while on another adventure, makes a side trip into the impossible.
Amanda dePiaget, only daughter of an English lord,is busy trying to avoid the suitors that are more interested in the dowry than her. And she’s tired of it. Until she finds a barely alive man and nurses him back to health and discovers he knows nothing about her and her family. For that reason alone she is intrigued.
In this 2005 introductory romance, Lynn Kurland writes a page turning historical romance that makes you wonder why we all can’t go anywhere we want to to find our heart’s desire. Suspend reality and enter into the historical time that Kurland’s prose brings to you. Recommended
“ I believe,” she said,” in what I can touch, in what I can see, in what I can hold in these two hands. But,’ she admitted with a smile,” I am willing consider other possibilities”.
Jackson Kilchurn is a jewelry designer and a gemologist who stumbles upon a whole new type of adventure when he, while on another adventure, makes a side trip into the impossible.
Amanda dePiaget, only daughter of an English lord,is busy trying to avoid the suitors that are more interested in the dowry than her. And she’s tired of it. Until she finds a barely alive man and nurses him back to health and discovers he knows nothing about her and her family. For that reason alone she is intrigued.
In this 2005 introductory romance, Lynn Kurland writes a page turning historical romance that makes you wonder why we all can’t go anywhere we want to to find our heart’s desire. Suspend reality and enter into the historical time that Kurland’s prose brings to you. Recommended
May 12, 2025
Book Review
Book name: Dreams of Stardust
Author: Lynn Kurland
Genre: Historical Romance, Time Travel Romance
Intro: Amanda must choose a husband by the end of summer but her suitors are only interested in her money, until a mysterious stranger arrives.
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
My review: This book was adorable! A friend of mine recommended it as it’s a comfort read of theirs and I can see why! Our Amanda is witty and has an impeccable ability to cut you down with her tongue. Not only is Jake a quick learner who carries himself as a man of status but he also is wholly enamored with Amanda and will do anything to keep her. I have zero complaints on pacing or the structure of the story. This is a cozy closed door romance with a good bit of yearning!
February 9, 2017
Jake very mysteriously travels in time from 2005 to medieval England, where he meets Amanda De Piaget a beautiful princess. Amanda is living with her five brothers who are always watching her and protecting her. Therefore, when she meets Jake her life changes and she finds happiness because of him. Jake go through the impossible to make her his wife.
I Loved it!! I love reading stories about time traveling in general, but this one was very well written. It has moments of laughter and tears all together.
July 16, 2020
I'm shocked this has such a high rating. I found this to be both quite boring and densely written (long sentences that made me itchy). Jake and Amanda only meet around pg 90-100... and I know he has quite a distance to reach her (lol), but that's the amount (100 pgs) my attention span can handle without anything actually happening or the protagonists interacting. Also, Amanda is annoying and Jake is... vanilla. :-/ (Sorry!)
Skimmed.
Skimmed.
October 21, 2016
Jackson and Amanda De Piaget
Amanda is Robin's sister and the daughter of Rhys. She comes across a unconscious man lying in the dirt clad only in his underwear. Little does she know he's not only from the far future, he is going to be she own future. In the meantime, Jake awakens and ends up in Artane's dungeon. He's got a long way to go.
Amanda is Robin's sister and the daughter of Rhys. She comes across a unconscious man lying in the dirt clad only in his underwear. Little does she know he's not only from the far future, he is going to be she own future. In the meantime, Jake awakens and ends up in Artane's dungeon. He's got a long way to go.
March 29, 2018
Excellent read!
I was hooked when I read the first book in the series. This does not disappoint.A number of familiar characters appear and I couldn’t put it down until I finished it!
I was hooked when I read the first book in the series. This does not disappoint.A number of familiar characters appear and I couldn’t put it down until I finished it!
January 1, 2019
The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. It's hard to think this was written with just a combination of 26 letters, and some punctuation. Lynn Kurland is one of my favourite writers, contemporary or historical. Her pairings are wonderful, great banter and wonderful storytelling.
October 15, 2020
Another wonderful book by Lynn Kurland
I love Lynn Kurkand's books. They bring to life-life in the middle ages. There is suspense and mystery and romance. Hard to but down once you start.
I love Lynn Kurkand's books. They bring to life-life in the middle ages. There is suspense and mystery and romance. Hard to but down once you start.
February 20, 2021
I like the time traveling aspect. The slow burn was extremely slow during this book. And some pieces alluding to potential other books were confusing statements within this book and made it a bit disjointed in parts.
December 13, 2025
I never met a Lynn Kurland book that wasn't great. This one was hard to put down. I enjoyed reading it on my vacation. Love the ongoing side books for this large extended family. If you haven't started reading the collection of books, now is the time to try them.
December 11, 2017
Jake is going to Artane. However he lands in the wrong year. He is greeted by Amanda and the twins. Then the fun begins. This is a great and fun read.
May 8, 2018
4.5 it was good. There were probably 4 times I thought it was over before it really was. Definitely recommend and will read more of this author.
October 15, 2018
If you're looking for a sweet romance, this books is it. It is so cute and fun. I've read it multiple times and it really doesn't get old.
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