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MacLeod #3
My Heart Stood Still
New York Times bestselling author Lynn Kurland captures the haunting beauty of England—past and present—and the exquisite tenderness of timeless love in this novel in the MacLeod series...
In a bleak, landlocked keep on the English moors, Iolanthe MacLeod dreams of the sea — and of a darkly handsome man to come rescue her. Centuries have passed and she feels she has waited in vain...until now.
Thomas McKinnon is used to attaining impossible heights, both in business and in the mountains he loves. But when the chance to restore a twelfth century castle comes his way, he gamely takes hammer in hand and crosses the Atlantic, expecting to find nothing more interesting inside his new home than cobwebs and weeds.
But in that ancient, crumbling castle, the fierce, restless spirit of a medieval Scottish woman lives on — a woman so haunting that he would do anything, go anywhere, risk everything to make her his forever...
In a bleak, landlocked keep on the English moors, Iolanthe MacLeod dreams of the sea — and of a darkly handsome man to come rescue her. Centuries have passed and she feels she has waited in vain...until now.
Thomas McKinnon is used to attaining impossible heights, both in business and in the mountains he loves. But when the chance to restore a twelfth century castle comes his way, he gamely takes hammer in hand and crosses the Atlantic, expecting to find nothing more interesting inside his new home than cobwebs and weeds.
But in that ancient, crumbling castle, the fierce, restless spirit of a medieval Scottish woman lives on — a woman so haunting that he would do anything, go anywhere, risk everything to make her his forever...
434 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
97 people are currently reading
895 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 82 reviews
June 9, 2019
4.25 stars.
very funny and sweet addition to the series.
The heroine is a ghost who haunting a castle where she had been murdered 600 years ago, and the hero is a modern guy who bought that ruined castle. The first time she saw him, she just realised he was the guy who haunted her dreams since she was 10 years old and still alive. Where was he when she had been abused and murder centuries ago?
I like this story very much:)
❤️
very funny and sweet addition to the series.
The heroine is a ghost who haunting a castle where she had been murdered 600 years ago, and the hero is a modern guy who bought that ruined castle. The first time she saw him, she just realised he was the guy who haunted her dreams since she was 10 years old and still alive. Where was he when she had been abused and murder centuries ago?
I like this story very much:)
❤️
December 27, 2021
Re-reading entire series.
I loved this just as much as the first time I read it. Such a sweet romance. Sigh. ;)
I loved this just as much as the first time I read it. Such a sweet romance. Sigh. ;)
September 20, 2011
This one definitely rated 5 stars - This was the best MacLeod series book so far. Thomas MacLeod McKinnon falls in love with a ghost who was murdered in the 14th century. It was a very sweet love story. He goes back to the 14th century to try and save her before she gets murdered. The problem is - she doesn't know him from the 14th century, only as a ghost in the 21st century. I really enjoyed this one. The story was very close to the de Piaget series book about Kendrick and Genevieve. Gotta love those ghosts, though!!
January 6, 2011
The saying "Don't judge a book by it's cover" rings true for me yet again. I found this book in a used book store, and though I was not expecting much based on the cover, found myself buying it anyway.
Kurland's need to impress upon the reader how purposeful and successful Thomas McKinnon's character was did not serve her well in the beginning. I immediately found his humor charming, but was unable to really enjoy him with the resume of achievements we first had to wade through. His determination and successes in all areas of his life spoke clearly enough throughout the book without having been listed in his introduction.
That having been said, I am a very big fan of Thomas McKinnon.
Iolanthe was an enjoyable character as well. I found her without a lack of gumption and thought the budding romance scheme was laid out quite nicely.
I thoroughly enjoyed the spirited garrison of Iolanthe's keep, and fell in love with just about all of Kurland's characters I got to spend any amount of time with. I was slightly disappointed by the lack of closure between a few of the relationships in the novel. Roderick, for example. Was he able to cope with the marriage? Did he follow the garrison to the colonies with pledged fealty? And for Mrs. Pruitt and Ambrose... I'm going to go to my happy place and imagine them contented with each others company by the fireside at the inn.
I enjoyed very much the tale of Iolanthe and Thomas. I loved the construction of the novel, where Kurland took her time, gave us details many would have left out, and I believe it was not poorly used. A very recommendable book.
Kurland's need to impress upon the reader how purposeful and successful Thomas McKinnon's character was did not serve her well in the beginning. I immediately found his humor charming, but was unable to really enjoy him with the resume of achievements we first had to wade through. His determination and successes in all areas of his life spoke clearly enough throughout the book without having been listed in his introduction.
That having been said, I am a very big fan of Thomas McKinnon.
Iolanthe was an enjoyable character as well. I found her without a lack of gumption and thought the budding romance scheme was laid out quite nicely.
I thoroughly enjoyed the spirited garrison of Iolanthe's keep, and fell in love with just about all of Kurland's characters I got to spend any amount of time with. I was slightly disappointed by the lack of closure between a few of the relationships in the novel. Roderick, for example. Was he able to cope with the marriage? Did he follow the garrison to the colonies with pledged fealty? And for Mrs. Pruitt and Ambrose... I'm going to go to my happy place and imagine them contented with each others company by the fireside at the inn.
I enjoyed very much the tale of Iolanthe and Thomas. I loved the construction of the novel, where Kurland took her time, gave us details many would have left out, and I believe it was not poorly used. A very recommendable book.
May 13, 2012
Wow, what an ordeal this couple had getting to their HEA! He buys a castle in modern times, goes to check it out and finds a beautiful woman (ghost) haunting it. He pretty much falls in love at first sight, but he has to slowly grow on her. He goes back in time to save her life (she was murdered), brings her back to current century and of course she doesn't remember him, so she has to fall in love all over again. I really, really loved Thomas. He was a great hero. He was strong and sensitive and loyal and went for what he wanted with no hesitation. He was vulnerable where Iolanthe was concerned, had no problem admitting his shortcomings and did his best to overcome them. Iolanthe was a tougher pill to swallow. I never really got a good feel for her character and I couldn't really see her as someone Thomas would love. I could see him loving the IDEA of her, but in reality she was cranky and selfish and very wary. I wanted her to be warmer with him and open herself up, and she never did until the very end. I liked the book a lot, but it was not an easy read.
April 30, 2025
If you like ghosts, this book is filled with them.
November 6, 2015
I enjoyed the story. I absolutely loved all the ghosts! They added to the story in a way that made it not your average time travel romance and that is what I love about Lynn Kurland.
May 6, 2022
Time travel and back. This book shows the power of love. I like how they slowly fall in love both times.
July 19, 2008
This is my favorite of all Lynn Kurland's books. I read it first a couple of years ago as a library book. It has stuck in my mind all this time. When at B&N last week, I found it on the shelves and bought it. I read it again, and it is every bit as good as it was the first time. Now that I am even more familiar with the MacLeod family, it was even better.
Lynn is meticulous in setting her pace, from fast paced action to easy going camaraderie, from deep emotion to laugh-out-loud humor. She shares enough of the setting to make you feel you are right there beside the main characters.
Even though I personally don't believe in ghosts, Lynn's paranormal characters are so full of, well, character that you can't help but like them, and be willing to suspend disbelief for the duration of the story. Never are her shades really horrible spirits, but rather fill the pages with humor and a feeling of humanity that blends well with the rest of the cast.
This is a truly delightful book, a keeper for sure.
Lynn is meticulous in setting her pace, from fast paced action to easy going camaraderie, from deep emotion to laugh-out-loud humor. She shares enough of the setting to make you feel you are right there beside the main characters.
Even though I personally don't believe in ghosts, Lynn's paranormal characters are so full of, well, character that you can't help but like them, and be willing to suspend disbelief for the duration of the story. Never are her shades really horrible spirits, but rather fill the pages with humor and a feeling of humanity that blends well with the rest of the cast.
This is a truly delightful book, a keeper for sure.
February 7, 2011
Another on of my favorites from Kurland!The story of Thomas McKinnon and Iolanthe MacLeod. This one reminded me of One Enchanted Evening with it sweetness and clean content. Before reading this book I would suggest reading Love came just in Time it is 4 short stories by this author and the couples in the short stories are all in this book. The Very Thought of you is also very good and clean and come before both of these books. Unfortunately I can't recommend the first book from this family about James and Elizabeth it was one of the worst Kurland books I have read and not clean. It was called a Dance through Time. I love almost all her books and even skipping over them is ok you still get a great love story even if you don't know some of the other characters back storys. Her websight also has a reading guide that I have followed, it just doesn't tell you about the Love Came Just in Time book, so a lot of the characters in here I was wondering about.
July 21, 2010
Lynn Kurland's books are always a nice, clean escape. This story was a little wordy and the heroine drove me crazy because she just WOULD NOT say "I love you". The hero, Thomas did everything, including risking his own life to help her. Yet, even after she accepted his marriage proposal, she refused to acknowledge her love for him. When her confession finally came, I found it was too little, too late. Her believability was lost and that, in turn, left a less than satisfactory ending.
July 28, 2023
Third in the MacLeod historical paranormal romance series and revolving around the MacLeod family. (It’s eighth in the combined De Piaget/MacLeod series.) The couple focus is on Thomas MacLeod McKinnon and Iolanthe MacLeod.
My Take
I did enjoy My Heart Stood Still. It’s lighthearted even with its betrayals and murders, the drama and tension leavened by clever ideas and ambitions.
It’s a battle of thoughts and emotions with Iolanthe wanting her privacy and Thomas wanting to rehab the castle. What’s worse is that each seems to know the other. Only, how?
Kurland uses a third person global subjective point-of-view with the primary perspectives coming from Iolanthe and Thomas. It’s a sad, sad tale of betrayal and murder with a potential rescue that may go awry. It’s also a tremendous confusion of memories for Iolanthe, as she died, exists, sort of dies, and then must come to terms with her past and her future. Why Iolanthe takes exception to her father trading her away to be a wife to a potential ally, I don’t know. This was business as usual in this time period.
Oooh, Thomas is a tricky boy. Jamie has this theory about not messing with history. You can only leave your time if you were “dead”, your thread snipped. And Thomas has a great idea. Naturally, it’s an idea that has its own stumbling blocks, secrets that Duncan has withheld, and I cried.
Nor does Thomas keep his sneaky ideas to himself. That must be why he’s been so successful in business.
It was sweet how Iolanthe takes such pleasure in her ghostly garden, growing what makes her happy. What does not make her happy is Thomas knowing her name. Hmmm . . . She also takes pleasure in reading — I know some people find it tiring to read, but Iolanthe and her guards have y’all beat, lol.
Kurland keeps an enjoyable pace with plenty of variety: protective protesters, business sharking, restoration, romance, ghosts, the back and forth of time travel and its effects on family, oy, an angst-ridden rescue, and plenty of introspection.
The Story
Trusted with her grandfather’s secret, Iolanthe will not betray him. Not even in her death. Not even when that brash lieutenant commandeered her keep back when they outlawed the wearing of the plaid.
Now a stranger is interrupting her peaceful non-existence in a bleak, landlocked keep on the English moors. No, no, he’s not a stranger, but what took him so long to get to her? Centuries have passed and she feels she has waited in vain . . . until now.
Thomas McKinnon, well now, he anticipates a year of hard labor getting in touch with the rocks that make up his castle, for he's used to attaining impossible heights, both in business and in the mountains he loves. He's not expecting to find anything more interesting inside his new home than cobwebs and weeds.
But in that ancient, crumbling castle, the fierce, restless spirit of a medieval Scottish woman lives on — a woman so haunting that he would do anything, go anywhere, risk everything to make her his forever . . .
The Characters
1382
Iolanthe MacLeod, the oldest girl of his first wife, has been traded away to an Englishman, Lord Charles. And her half-siblings are liars. It’ll be the death of Herself. William had been her grandfather; his father had been Jesse; and, his father had been James, ahem, MacLeod. Her elder brother, Alexandir, was murdered; her mother, Moira MacDonnell, wounded grievously. Iolanthe’s half-siblings included the whoring, drinking, witless Angus and Grudach, the younger daughter. Stephen is a cousin. Her father, Malcolm MaLeod, was a jerk.
Duncan MacLeod had been one of Iolanthe’s father’s cousins, and still there in 2001 as the captain of Herself’s guard. More ghosts are the too-Victorian, snuff-taking Lord Roderick St Clair of Herefordshire; Connor MacDougal, who dwarfs his six-foot broadsword; and, Robert, who is the clan bagpiper.
August 2001, Maine
Thomas MacLeod McKinnon is bored, not even climbing Everest did it for him. Mrs Murtaugh is his cleaning lady. John McKinnon is Thomas’ dad. Megan McKinnon is his sister who went and married a Brit, Gideon de Piaget, Lord Blythwood (Love Came Just in Time: "Three Wise Ghosts", 1). Now Megan owns the Boar’s Head Inn, which another Mrs Pruitt manages in between her fascination with paranormal investigations. Victoria is another of Thomas’ siblings, who runs her own theater troupe.
Thorpewold is . . .
. . . the castle Thomas bought, a castle no one has lived in since 1746. Burt and Charlie are construction workers Thomas has hired.
Ambrose MacLeod is Megan and Thomas’ several-generations-removed grandfather . . . the chieftain of the MacLeods in the sixteenth century and a ghost along with Fulbert de Piaget (he’d married Ambrose’s sister) and Hugh McKinnon, the former laird of the clan McKinnon, who’s just back from Disneyland, and another grandfather.
Nigel, Gerard, and Constance are a group of ghosthunters from the National Trustees Concerned with Preserving Ruins. Samantha Spade.
Tiffany Amber Davidson is Thomas’ newly ex-girlfriend and Victoria’s friend. Robby Saunders is Thomas’ ex-friend. Tiffany’s father, Arthur Davidson, is driving Thomas out of business. Jake is Thomas’ attorney. Anthony DiSalvio is a Davidson henchman. Marj is DiSalvo’s secretary and his mother.
Alex Smith, who used to work for DiSalvio, had been a barracuda; he’s also Elizabeth’s brother. Now he’s married to Margaret of Falconberg ( The Very Thought of You , 2/6). Elizabeth is married to Jamie MacLeod ( A Dance Through Time , 1), and they have a son, Ian. Zachary Smith, Elizabeth and Alex’s brother, is staying with the MacLeods. Patrick MacLeod is Jamie’s brother; Joshua is Jamie’s minstrel. Ian MacLeod is Jamie’s cousin who’s married to Jane Fergusson (Veils of Time: "And the Groom Wore Tulle", 2.5/8); Ian teaches swordplay. William de Piaget is married to Julianna (A Knight's Vow: "The Traveller", 2.6/12); they’ve just bought a large estate near the castle where William grew up in England.
The Cover and Title
The cover has an uneven pale pink background with an info blurb at the very top in black. Immediately below it is the author’s name in a shaded burgundy. A multi-petaled pink flower with a stem, two leaves, and a blue and orange butterfly perching on its right side is worked in crewel style on the left with a testimonial (in black) to the right. The title is below this in a shaded deep blue. Beneath that is a brief info blurb in black.
I suspect the title is what Thomas and Iolanthe each experienced when My Heart Stood Still.
My Take
I did enjoy My Heart Stood Still. It’s lighthearted even with its betrayals and murders, the drama and tension leavened by clever ideas and ambitions.
It’s a battle of thoughts and emotions with Iolanthe wanting her privacy and Thomas wanting to rehab the castle. What’s worse is that each seems to know the other. Only, how?
Kurland uses a third person global subjective point-of-view with the primary perspectives coming from Iolanthe and Thomas. It’s a sad, sad tale of betrayal and murder with a potential rescue that may go awry. It’s also a tremendous confusion of memories for Iolanthe, as she died, exists, sort of dies, and then must come to terms with her past and her future. Why Iolanthe takes exception to her father trading her away to be a wife to a potential ally, I don’t know. This was business as usual in this time period.
Oooh, Thomas is a tricky boy. Jamie has this theory about not messing with history. You can only leave your time if you were “dead”, your thread snipped. And Thomas has a great idea. Naturally, it’s an idea that has its own stumbling blocks, secrets that Duncan has withheld, and I cried.
Nor does Thomas keep his sneaky ideas to himself. That must be why he’s been so successful in business.
It was sweet how Iolanthe takes such pleasure in her ghostly garden, growing what makes her happy. What does not make her happy is Thomas knowing her name. Hmmm . . . She also takes pleasure in reading — I know some people find it tiring to read, but Iolanthe and her guards have y’all beat, lol.
Kurland keeps an enjoyable pace with plenty of variety: protective protesters, business sharking, restoration, romance, ghosts, the back and forth of time travel and its effects on family, oy, an angst-ridden rescue, and plenty of introspection.
The Story
Trusted with her grandfather’s secret, Iolanthe will not betray him. Not even in her death. Not even when that brash lieutenant commandeered her keep back when they outlawed the wearing of the plaid.
Now a stranger is interrupting her peaceful non-existence in a bleak, landlocked keep on the English moors. No, no, he’s not a stranger, but what took him so long to get to her? Centuries have passed and she feels she has waited in vain . . . until now.
Thomas McKinnon, well now, he anticipates a year of hard labor getting in touch with the rocks that make up his castle, for he's used to attaining impossible heights, both in business and in the mountains he loves. He's not expecting to find anything more interesting inside his new home than cobwebs and weeds.
But in that ancient, crumbling castle, the fierce, restless spirit of a medieval Scottish woman lives on — a woman so haunting that he would do anything, go anywhere, risk everything to make her his forever . . .
The Characters
1382
Iolanthe MacLeod, the oldest girl of his first wife, has been traded away to an Englishman, Lord Charles. And her half-siblings are liars. It’ll be the death of Herself. William had been her grandfather; his father had been Jesse; and, his father had been James, ahem, MacLeod. Her elder brother, Alexandir, was murdered; her mother, Moira MacDonnell, wounded grievously. Iolanthe’s half-siblings included the whoring, drinking, witless Angus and Grudach, the younger daughter. Stephen is a cousin. Her father, Malcolm MaLeod, was a jerk.
Duncan MacLeod had been one of Iolanthe’s father’s cousins, and still there in 2001 as the captain of Herself’s guard. More ghosts are the too-Victorian, snuff-taking Lord Roderick St Clair of Herefordshire; Connor MacDougal, who dwarfs his six-foot broadsword; and, Robert, who is the clan bagpiper.
August 2001, Maine
Thomas MacLeod McKinnon is bored, not even climbing Everest did it for him. Mrs Murtaugh is his cleaning lady. John McKinnon is Thomas’ dad. Megan McKinnon is his sister who went and married a Brit, Gideon de Piaget, Lord Blythwood (Love Came Just in Time: "Three Wise Ghosts", 1). Now Megan owns the Boar’s Head Inn, which another Mrs Pruitt manages in between her fascination with paranormal investigations. Victoria is another of Thomas’ siblings, who runs her own theater troupe.
Thorpewold is . . .
. . . the castle Thomas bought, a castle no one has lived in since 1746. Burt and Charlie are construction workers Thomas has hired.
Ambrose MacLeod is Megan and Thomas’ several-generations-removed grandfather . . . the chieftain of the MacLeods in the sixteenth century and a ghost along with Fulbert de Piaget (he’d married Ambrose’s sister) and Hugh McKinnon, the former laird of the clan McKinnon, who’s just back from Disneyland, and another grandfather.
Nigel, Gerard, and Constance are a group of ghosthunters from the National Trustees Concerned with Preserving Ruins. Samantha Spade.
Tiffany Amber Davidson is Thomas’ newly ex-girlfriend and Victoria’s friend. Robby Saunders is Thomas’ ex-friend. Tiffany’s father, Arthur Davidson, is driving Thomas out of business. Jake is Thomas’ attorney. Anthony DiSalvio is a Davidson henchman. Marj is DiSalvo’s secretary and his mother.
Alex Smith, who used to work for DiSalvio, had been a barracuda; he’s also Elizabeth’s brother. Now he’s married to Margaret of Falconberg ( The Very Thought of You , 2/6). Elizabeth is married to Jamie MacLeod ( A Dance Through Time , 1), and they have a son, Ian. Zachary Smith, Elizabeth and Alex’s brother, is staying with the MacLeods. Patrick MacLeod is Jamie’s brother; Joshua is Jamie’s minstrel. Ian MacLeod is Jamie’s cousin who’s married to Jane Fergusson (Veils of Time: "And the Groom Wore Tulle", 2.5/8); Ian teaches swordplay. William de Piaget is married to Julianna (A Knight's Vow: "The Traveller", 2.6/12); they’ve just bought a large estate near the castle where William grew up in England.
The Cover and Title
The cover has an uneven pale pink background with an info blurb at the very top in black. Immediately below it is the author’s name in a shaded burgundy. A multi-petaled pink flower with a stem, two leaves, and a blue and orange butterfly perching on its right side is worked in crewel style on the left with a testimonial (in black) to the right. The title is below this in a shaded deep blue. Beneath that is a brief info blurb in black.
I suspect the title is what Thomas and Iolanthe each experienced when My Heart Stood Still.
November 6, 2020
1st half - 5 stars
2nd half - 2 stars
Thomas McKinnon’s character was introduced as a successful and driven man, but that was not the way his character came across during the story and I was glad of it. He was very agreeable and down to earth, and his sweetness in wooing Iolanthe (when he brought her flowers!), and everything he did to try to make her happy (the room he built for her!) was just adorable.
Iolanthe MacLeod. I loved her character, but mostly just when she was a ghost. I loved her poise, her haunting beauty, her garden, her sadness, her loyal garrison lol. Unfortunately, she was different when she was alive, which was understandable and part of the story, but her continued uncertainty and hesitation towards the end got old quick.
The beginning of the book started out kind of awkward, and I didn’t think I was going to like a modern day ghost story, but I was so pleasantly surprised. I really liked the author’s writing style, and loved how she wrote the dialect and thoughts of the 14th century characters. The bittersweet love that grows between the real life Thomas and the ghostly Iolanthe was so touching. There was much humor too. Unfortunately, the romance fell off and the story lost my interest three quarters of the way into the story and HEA was sort of lackluster.
My favorite part was when Thomas shows her the sea for the first time at Artane.
“And I meant you,” he said with a smile, “but it seems like a silly thing to argue about, doesn’t it? You watch the water, I’ll watch you, and we’ll both be content.”
2nd half - 2 stars
Thomas McKinnon’s character was introduced as a successful and driven man, but that was not the way his character came across during the story and I was glad of it. He was very agreeable and down to earth, and his sweetness in wooing Iolanthe (when he brought her flowers!), and everything he did to try to make her happy (the room he built for her!) was just adorable.
Iolanthe MacLeod. I loved her character, but mostly just when she was a ghost. I loved her poise, her haunting beauty, her garden, her sadness, her loyal garrison lol. Unfortunately, she was different when she was alive, which was understandable and part of the story, but her continued uncertainty and hesitation towards the end got old quick.
The beginning of the book started out kind of awkward, and I didn’t think I was going to like a modern day ghost story, but I was so pleasantly surprised. I really liked the author’s writing style, and loved how she wrote the dialect and thoughts of the 14th century characters. The bittersweet love that grows between the real life Thomas and the ghostly Iolanthe was so touching. There was much humor too. Unfortunately, the romance fell off and the story lost my interest three quarters of the way into the story and HEA was sort of lackluster.
My favorite part was when Thomas shows her the sea for the first time at Artane.
“And I meant you,” he said with a smile, “but it seems like a silly thing to argue about, doesn’t it? You watch the water, I’ll watch you, and we’ll both be content.”
November 20, 2023
I am rereading all of the MacLeod/de Paiget series, trying to get them into some ort of order, not an easy task given that Lynn Kurland will write books later, but put them earlier in the series. Having said that, this was I think one of the better books in the Macleod/de Paiget series that I have read (apart from “A Dance Through Time) so far. Iolanthe Macleod (our heroine) is a ghost who was killed and then haunts this castle for 600 hundred years. Thomas McKinnon (our hero) buys the castle and sets out to restore it. They clash but slowly a relationship develops, and we see Iolanthe regretting her resentment and not willing to move away from the scene of her death. We see Thomas learn to appreciate a different life and be happy with a more calm, slow pace of live. I loved the ghostly garrison and even the 3 ghosts of Ambrose MacLeod, Hugh McKinnon and Fulbert de Paiget were as annoyi9ng as they have been in previous novels. I thought the build up was well done and the ending brilliant. I did enjoy meeting up with the MacLeods Elizabeth and Jamie as well as Megan McKinnon de Paiget.
A good read, better than some of the other books in this series.
A good read, better than some of the other books in this series.
June 16, 2021
Seriously I am so disappointed because I had a lot of high hopes from this one but that hope fizzled out by the time I reached second half of this book.
The leads' chemistry was really nice in the beginning and I was really liking the slow burn this book was serving, but everything was too slow which made me lose interest. Honestly, the time travel aspect felt tedious and didn't excite me at all.
The writing, however, was beautiful and clean. But even the gorgeous writing was no help because I had to force myself to read till the end.
The leads' chemistry was really nice in the beginning and I was really liking the slow burn this book was serving, but everything was too slow which made me lose interest. Honestly, the time travel aspect felt tedious and didn't excite me at all.
The writing, however, was beautiful and clean. But even the gorgeous writing was no help because I had to force myself to read till the end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 21, 2024
Poignantly Timeless....
A slightly different approach to time travel romances, poignant in that it is a love that is twice won, first in the heroine’s ‘unlife’ as she waits six centuries for the hero to rescue her, and yet again as she doesn’t remember him after she is rescued and brought to the Future.
Reminiscent of movies such as The Butterfly Effect and Sunshine Of the Spotless Mind, in that changing the past doesn’t always change the future.
A charming read, nonetheless.
A slightly different approach to time travel romances, poignant in that it is a love that is twice won, first in the heroine’s ‘unlife’ as she waits six centuries for the hero to rescue her, and yet again as she doesn’t remember him after she is rescued and brought to the Future.
Reminiscent of movies such as The Butterfly Effect and Sunshine Of the Spotless Mind, in that changing the past doesn’t always change the future.
A charming read, nonetheless.
September 19, 2021
Thought Provoking
Romantic, Fantasy/Supernatural /Time travel-Science Fiction story, all in one book. I liked the characters and the story. It was fun and easy to read. I would recommend it.
Romantic, Fantasy/Supernatural /Time travel-Science Fiction story, all in one book. I liked the characters and the story. It was fun and easy to read. I would recommend it.
July 6, 2018
Loved it!
I love the characters in my love the family Dynamics. the characters are humorous and yet very heartfelt and heartwarming. I would highly recommend the whole series!
I love the characters in my love the family Dynamics. the characters are humorous and yet very heartfelt and heartwarming. I would highly recommend the whole series!
September 20, 2019
Enjoyable.
September 20, 2021
This is one of the MOST romantic books I have ever listened to!!! The accents add so much to the story, to me!!! Thank you so much for making us be able to enter directly into the story!!!
July 24, 2022
Fantastic!
I love all of Lynn Kurland's books but this one is special because of it's originality. This was the 4th time I've read it over the years and it is better each time!
I love all of Lynn Kurland's books but this one is special because of it's originality. This was the 4th time I've read it over the years and it is better each time!
March 13, 2017
What a gorgeous book! I laughed so much, although it isn't a comedy. It is just such a good story. Well worth the read.
December 8, 2014
I love Kurland. I did not love My Heart Stood Still and has been the least enjoyable out of the many books of hers that I have read. It had a promising beginning but got stuck shortly after the hero and heroine met Sorry to say that I felt most of the book was about a 1 star and the last third about 3 or 3 plus to average around a 2/5 stars. I am still a big fan of Ms. Kurland and this won't discourage me from reading on.
September 10, 2011
Thomas is a shrewd businessman and mountain climber, used to hard work. He buys a castle on the English-Scottish border without seeing it, but when he ventures over there to fix it up, he realizes that he's seen it before--in his dreams. He also realizes that he sees more than he bargained for--ghosts, one of which he falls for.
I had no idea how this story could possibly work out, but it did. This is book 7 in the series and I don't think it's absolutely necessary to read them in order. I'm sure some of the relationships would make more sense, but, seeing as how my library doesn't have them all, I wasn't able to do that and the story still stood on it's own. A great story for lovers of romance, paranormal, and time travel.
I had no idea how this story could possibly work out, but it did. This is book 7 in the series and I don't think it's absolutely necessary to read them in order. I'm sure some of the relationships would make more sense, but, seeing as how my library doesn't have them all, I wasn't able to do that and the story still stood on it's own. A great story for lovers of romance, paranormal, and time travel.
August 15, 2010
Normally I LOVE a Lynn Kurland time travel, but when I first read this one it pissed me off because of how the time travel worked. The characters fall in love while one is a ghost. She's been dead a long time, and eventually the hero goes to the past to bring her back t the future before she died. Now if you fall in love with one person who has had hundreds of years of experience, if you go back before that then they'd have different personality and not be the same person. However, recently I re-read it and I felt better about the characters, that she begins to remember somethings about those experiences.
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May 16, 2012I finished this last Friday but haven't had a chance to review... It took me SO long to get this book read... I loved a lot of it, I didn't fall in Love with Iolanthe though... I adored Thomas... It was terribly romantic and it all came full circle... But for some reason I always felt like he gave more, felt more, Loved more, and deserved more... but if he's happy than who am I to complain...
November 21, 2016
Thomas MacLeod Mckinnon and Iolanthe Macleod
Murdered and a ghost, Iolanthe has spent 700 years haunting the castle where she died. Little does she know change is coming from the castle's new owner, Thomas McKinnon. This book ties back into the James Macleod time travel series but expands in in a ghostly direction which continues through the rest of the McKinnon siblings. Humorous banter and a ghostly matchmaking trio lighten serious trouble and romance.
Murdered and a ghost, Iolanthe has spent 700 years haunting the castle where she died. Little does she know change is coming from the castle's new owner, Thomas McKinnon. This book ties back into the James Macleod time travel series but expands in in a ghostly direction which continues through the rest of the McKinnon siblings. Humorous banter and a ghostly matchmaking trio lighten serious trouble and romance.
October 11, 2022
I simply ADORED this book!! I've loved every single book in this series, but this one is simply wonderful. I'm very glad I discovered Lynn Kurland. Can't wait to read the rest of her books.
10.11.2022 I just finished this book for the second time, and I loved even more than the first time!! Lynn Kurland has a way of weaving a good romance that will leave you wanting more and more. Her books are like potato chips, you can't eat just one!!
10.11.2022 I just finished this book for the second time, and I loved even more than the first time!! Lynn Kurland has a way of weaving a good romance that will leave you wanting more and more. Her books are like potato chips, you can't eat just one!!
May 31, 2010
Thomas McKinnon is a very wealthy man who takes on restoring a twelve-century castle. But he finds that the castle has ghosts living there, among them a beautiful medieval Scottish woman who gave her life in the castle. Is it possible to fall in love with a ghost. He finds he will risk everything including his life for her to make her his forever. Wow, I loved this story...
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