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de Piaget #11
One Magic Moment
Medieval studies scholar Tess Alexander is thrilled for the chance to live in a medieval castle. But then a trip to the village brings her face-to-face with the owner of the local garage, who looks a great deal like the man who married her sister...800 years in the past. She's determined to remain objective about magic and destiny, but she can't help wondering about that mysterious, sword-wielding mechanic.
368 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
114 people are currently reading
944 people want to read
About the author
Lynn Kurland
69 books1,568 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 168 reviews
December 23, 2021
Re-reading.
Original review: I have to say that in order to truly appreciate this book, one should read the preceding one "One Enchanted Evening." The reader would have an better understanding of the situation the main character, John de Piaget, finds himself in and how important it is that Ms. Kurland finally wrote his story. His character appeared in several of her books, along with a mystery as to his unexpected disappearance. The reader would also have better insight into the background characters and the important and fun roles they have played in many of her books. Another lovely "Magic Moment" from Lynn Kurland. :)
Original review: I have to say that in order to truly appreciate this book, one should read the preceding one "One Enchanted Evening." The reader would have an better understanding of the situation the main character, John de Piaget, finds himself in and how important it is that Ms. Kurland finally wrote his story. His character appeared in several of her books, along with a mystery as to his unexpected disappearance. The reader would also have better insight into the background characters and the important and fun roles they have played in many of her books. Another lovely "Magic Moment" from Lynn Kurland. :)
November 27, 2011
Could y’all hear my heartfelt and happy sigh out there when I turned the last page of this book? I always have the best time when reading Lynn Kurland. She has a seamless way of bringing the past and the future together with characters who are so personable and charming, it’s like you’ve been best friends forever. You want to be there for them, give a shoulder to cry on, share in the laughter as well as the sadness, cheer them on, and revel in their happiness when it finally comes.
I wish I had the time to sit down and read all of her time travel books back to back, only because when so much time passes between books, some of those very important and salient moments are dim and sometimes forgotten from two or four or more books ago. And it would also help to keep all the characters straight. There are a wide variety of family on both sides of the timeline in these books that it’s difficult to remember them all. But it does come back to when you meet them again, if it’s their turn for an appearance or two.
So all I can say with regard to John de Piaget before One Magic Moment is that he is talked about, the son and brother who left home one day and has never been seen or heard from again. Some of his family assume and hope he did go to the Future, but they just don’t know. Luckily, John did make it and he’s been living a solitary but comfortable life in the English countryside where he doesn’t have many folks around to ask questions he doesn’t want or can’t answer due to his time traveling circumstances. He now owns a small garage in a small village and life is pretty good. Until the day she brings her car in for some work. That’s the day that everything changes for John, despite his efforts to keep away from her and keep his secrets safe.
Tess has inherited a castle, which is a dream come true, considering her love of things medieval. She’s an expert in that field, especially the politics of the day, teaching, giving lectures, and holding events in her new home. She’s still somewhat melancholy over the loss of her sister Pippa, who now lives in 1241 with her husband, Montgomery de Piaget. When she meets the new garage owner, she’s either seeing double or this man is related to her brother-in-law. Since he obviously is hiding his past, Tess says nothing and figures they won’t cross paths all that much anyway.
John pretty agrees with that - the less he sees of anyone, the less they can find out about him - but every time he turns around, he and Tess do cross paths. And then John finds himself offering to help out or take Tess places. He knows he should keep his distance, but this is the first woman in the Future he’s found interesting. And annoying but sassy. Definitely intelligent. Then out of the blue, little out-of-the ordinary things begin to pop up to make John suspicious and has his instinct kicking into high gear. Some things a man never forgets, and though John doesn’t need a sword to survive in today’s world, he still listens to his gut when needed. Someone is stalking Tess, and he’ll be damned if he’ll let anything happen to her. Not after finding her after all this time.
But the culprit has an agenda, and the next thing John and Tess know, they’ve been forced back to medieval times - John’s home that he hasn’t seen, along with his family, for a lot of years now. And I have to say, these scenes, especially with John and his family, are some of my favorites in the book. It’s an emotional reunion with his brothers first and later with his parents. And now Tess is getting a whole new outlook on all things medieval, not sure if she’d be able to live in this time like her sister has chosen to do. But can she leave John, knowing he’ll now want to stay with his family after being away from them for so long? She can’t ask him to return to her time and leave his life and loved ones all over again.
And when the danger also follows them to the past, John has to finally be honest with Tess, tell her everything that’s happened and admit his feelings for her. This is where my only little nitpick comes in. Even after John has told her how he feels in no uncertain terms, Tess still has doubts - about John, about his option of staying or going, about his feelings. That just doesn’t make sense to me. Especially because she returns his feelings and tells him so. I would have preferred her embracing those feelings and working with the man to figure out the best thing for them to do together. That finally comes, of course, but it just should have been a little sooner. If John hadn’t made his feelings so clear, that might have made a difference to me. But the man couldn’t speak any plainer than he does.
I do enjoy the twists Ms. Kurland always works into her storylines, and this book is no different. We learn how it comes to be Tess inherits her castle and all the little side bits that go with it and other elements in the story. Everything is sewn together nice and neat after a surprise or two, and it amazes me every time how she does it.
If you’re a Lynn Kurland fan, this book will hit the spot. If you haven’t read her yet, well, I don’t know that this would be the best book to start with. Starting at the beginning would be a little daunting :) but at least read Montgomery and Pippa’s story, One Enchanted Evening, to become oriented with their families. Other members of the families you’ll just have to catch up with as you read other books. No way around it. But I know you’ll have fun doing so.
See my complete review at http://www.goodbadandunread.com
I wish I had the time to sit down and read all of her time travel books back to back, only because when so much time passes between books, some of those very important and salient moments are dim and sometimes forgotten from two or four or more books ago. And it would also help to keep all the characters straight. There are a wide variety of family on both sides of the timeline in these books that it’s difficult to remember them all. But it does come back to when you meet them again, if it’s their turn for an appearance or two.
So all I can say with regard to John de Piaget before One Magic Moment is that he is talked about, the son and brother who left home one day and has never been seen or heard from again. Some of his family assume and hope he did go to the Future, but they just don’t know. Luckily, John did make it and he’s been living a solitary but comfortable life in the English countryside where he doesn’t have many folks around to ask questions he doesn’t want or can’t answer due to his time traveling circumstances. He now owns a small garage in a small village and life is pretty good. Until the day she brings her car in for some work. That’s the day that everything changes for John, despite his efforts to keep away from her and keep his secrets safe.
Tess has inherited a castle, which is a dream come true, considering her love of things medieval. She’s an expert in that field, especially the politics of the day, teaching, giving lectures, and holding events in her new home. She’s still somewhat melancholy over the loss of her sister Pippa, who now lives in 1241 with her husband, Montgomery de Piaget. When she meets the new garage owner, she’s either seeing double or this man is related to her brother-in-law. Since he obviously is hiding his past, Tess says nothing and figures they won’t cross paths all that much anyway.
John pretty agrees with that - the less he sees of anyone, the less they can find out about him - but every time he turns around, he and Tess do cross paths. And then John finds himself offering to help out or take Tess places. He knows he should keep his distance, but this is the first woman in the Future he’s found interesting. And annoying but sassy. Definitely intelligent. Then out of the blue, little out-of-the ordinary things begin to pop up to make John suspicious and has his instinct kicking into high gear. Some things a man never forgets, and though John doesn’t need a sword to survive in today’s world, he still listens to his gut when needed. Someone is stalking Tess, and he’ll be damned if he’ll let anything happen to her. Not after finding her after all this time.
But the culprit has an agenda, and the next thing John and Tess know, they’ve been forced back to medieval times - John’s home that he hasn’t seen, along with his family, for a lot of years now. And I have to say, these scenes, especially with John and his family, are some of my favorites in the book. It’s an emotional reunion with his brothers first and later with his parents. And now Tess is getting a whole new outlook on all things medieval, not sure if she’d be able to live in this time like her sister has chosen to do. But can she leave John, knowing he’ll now want to stay with his family after being away from them for so long? She can’t ask him to return to her time and leave his life and loved ones all over again.
And when the danger also follows them to the past, John has to finally be honest with Tess, tell her everything that’s happened and admit his feelings for her. This is where my only little nitpick comes in. Even after John has told her how he feels in no uncertain terms, Tess still has doubts - about John, about his option of staying or going, about his feelings. That just doesn’t make sense to me. Especially because she returns his feelings and tells him so. I would have preferred her embracing those feelings and working with the man to figure out the best thing for them to do together. That finally comes, of course, but it just should have been a little sooner. If John hadn’t made his feelings so clear, that might have made a difference to me. But the man couldn’t speak any plainer than he does.
I do enjoy the twists Ms. Kurland always works into her storylines, and this book is no different. We learn how it comes to be Tess inherits her castle and all the little side bits that go with it and other elements in the story. Everything is sewn together nice and neat after a surprise or two, and it amazes me every time how she does it.
If you’re a Lynn Kurland fan, this book will hit the spot. If you haven’t read her yet, well, I don’t know that this would be the best book to start with. Starting at the beginning would be a little daunting :) but at least read Montgomery and Pippa’s story, One Enchanted Evening, to become oriented with their families. Other members of the families you’ll just have to catch up with as you read other books. No way around it. But I know you’ll have fun doing so.
See my complete review at http://www.goodbadandunread.com
April 27, 2011
One Magic Moment by Lynn Kurland
Paranormal Romance –May 3rd, 2011
4 stars
One Magic Moment is a sweet and magical love story that is part of a time travel series.
Tess Alexander has just settled into a real castle! Things would be perfect if only she didn’t miss her sister and if the auto mechanic who fixed her car wasn’t so cold and handsome. But,Tess can’t get the auto mechanic named John out her mind. Not only is he attractive but he looks very similar to her brother-in-law. Her brother-in-law is a man named Montgomery de Piaget, but he and her sister are happily married in the year 1241! Could John be related to Montgomery or is Tess imagining things? What is John hiding? As their attraction for each other blooms Tess must figure out if a life with John will last.
As with all of Lynn Kurland’s books, this was a slow moving, gentle romance with deep characterization. If anyone can make a time travel series realistic, it is Lynn Kurland. However, because it is part of a series it could be a bit confusing if you have not read some of her previous books since characters interrelate. I liked this romance but I notice that I like the time travel books more when the heroine finds herself transported back in time and meets the hero. For me, those stories are more exciting. Since Tess already knows about time travel and most of the romance is in modern times it was sweet but not as thrilling as some of Lynn Kurland’s prior romances. So readers who love time travel romances may not get as involved initially.
Charming and delightful, this immersing romance is a book to savor.
Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
Paranormal Romance –May 3rd, 2011
4 stars
One Magic Moment is a sweet and magical love story that is part of a time travel series.
Tess Alexander has just settled into a real castle! Things would be perfect if only she didn’t miss her sister and if the auto mechanic who fixed her car wasn’t so cold and handsome. But,Tess can’t get the auto mechanic named John out her mind. Not only is he attractive but he looks very similar to her brother-in-law. Her brother-in-law is a man named Montgomery de Piaget, but he and her sister are happily married in the year 1241! Could John be related to Montgomery or is Tess imagining things? What is John hiding? As their attraction for each other blooms Tess must figure out if a life with John will last.
As with all of Lynn Kurland’s books, this was a slow moving, gentle romance with deep characterization. If anyone can make a time travel series realistic, it is Lynn Kurland. However, because it is part of a series it could be a bit confusing if you have not read some of her previous books since characters interrelate. I liked this romance but I notice that I like the time travel books more when the heroine finds herself transported back in time and meets the hero. For me, those stories are more exciting. Since Tess already knows about time travel and most of the romance is in modern times it was sweet but not as thrilling as some of Lynn Kurland’s prior romances. So readers who love time travel romances may not get as involved initially.
Charming and delightful, this immersing romance is a book to savor.
Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
September 7, 2011
This is a real romance. Yes it has time travel and some historical fiction stuff in it but the basic plot of it is mostly driven by the slow build up of the romance. Someone is after John and Tess but this takes mostly a backseat. Though I do usually like a bit more plot about stuff other than romance I did enjoy reading One Magic Moment because I am a romantic at times.
This is the first book I've read of this series and so there are probably things I didn't know about but really the only thing I was kind of confused about was the sister Peaches which is cleared up later.
Tess and John are a strange couple. I like a protective leading guy, really I do, and I must admit that I did feel pretty gooey when he was 'wooing' Tess but he was just so demanding. Saying Tess should know her place and he was always pushing her around, just having to protect her. Tess does mention how bossy he is and John does admit how hard he is to deal with though. But Tess gets saved a lot of times by John. Sure she 'kind of' saves him back once but that is compared to the dozens of recues that he did for her. It just dosen't make her seem as strong a woman as she is supposed to be for me.
In the end I think just a little more plot and a little less romance and I would've liked it better. And I do believe I'll be looking out for more from Lynn Kurland.
This is the first book I've read of this series and so there are probably things I didn't know about but really the only thing I was kind of confused about was the sister Peaches which is cleared up later.
Tess and John are a strange couple. I like a protective leading guy, really I do, and I must admit that I did feel pretty gooey when he was 'wooing' Tess but he was just so demanding. Saying Tess should know her place and he was always pushing her around, just having to protect her. Tess does mention how bossy he is and John does admit how hard he is to deal with though. But Tess gets saved a lot of times by John. Sure she 'kind of' saves him back once but that is compared to the dozens of recues that he did for her. It just dosen't make her seem as strong a woman as she is supposed to be for me.
In the end I think just a little more plot and a little less romance and I would've liked it better. And I do believe I'll be looking out for more from Lynn Kurland.
June 3, 2011
Don't let my 3 star rating fool you on this one. It gets three stars because I didn't like it as much as some of the 4 star ratings I have given to other books that Lynn Kurland has written not because I really don't like it. I also find that when I reread her books I like them better.
I enjoyed it and the nice thing about her books is that they are safe reading. I personally think A Garden in the Rain is my favorite book because it hit the happy medium of the passion I like with it being clean and safe for anyone to read.
I love how her books tie different people and the different families together. I always look forward to the next book.
If you like Time Travel you get it in this one.
I enjoyed it and the nice thing about her books is that they are safe reading. I personally think A Garden in the Rain is my favorite book because it hit the happy medium of the passion I like with it being clean and safe for anyone to read.
I love how her books tie different people and the different families together. I always look forward to the next book.
If you like Time Travel you get it in this one.
May 13, 2011
Originally posted at http://www.smexybooks.com/2011/05/rev...
Favorite Quote: “I’m not sure I’ll survive you.”
Tess Alexander is still trying to come to terms with the fact her sister, Pippa (One Enchanted Evening), is married to an honest to goodness 13th century knight and now lives in the 13th century with him. Though Tess, a professor of medieval history, has been deeded her very own medieval castle (Sedgewick), Tess remains with her feet firmly in the present. She has no time for fairy tales or mystical knights. When her car is in need of a minor repair she takes it to the small body shop in her village and sees him. The spitting image of her Pippa’s husband Montgomery. The husband who lives 800 yeas in the past. Tess refuses to get caught up in this nonsense again and does what any sensible rational person would do…she runs.
John de Piaget has no need for the past. His life is in the present and he plans to keep it that way. But seeing Tess fills him with emotion, memories, and fear as he finally understands what “love at first sight” truly means. And when Tess’s life and his past are threatened by an unknown assailant, John and Tess will have to trust in the past as time struggles to correct their future.
I have read Lynn Kurland for years. A Dance In Time was my first foray into her world and I never looked back. Ms. Kurland has a wonderful grip on the past and present as she gently guides her characters through the intricate rituals of time travel, betrayal, and love. What I truly enjoy about her stories is the air of innocence in them. The love affairs her characters embark upon are heart-stoppingly romantic. The “courting” will have you wishing for your very own medieval knight. Yet, the physical love scenes are almost none existence. Ms. Kurland relies on your imagination to produce those scenes. I also enjoy the fact you never know if they will stay in the present or choose to live in the past.
I have always adored John de Piaget (all the de Piagets in fact) but you do not get much more then glimpses of him in previous books so I was pleased he was finally getting his happily ever after. One Magic Moment is more quiet then the others. Ms. Kurland’s last couple of stories don’t have the same uniqueness to them that her earlier ones had. Smooth writing and a nice steady pace makes for easy reading but I didn’t feel the same edgy tension or sense of wonderment in here. Unfortunately, her last few novels show a surprising lack of imagination when it comes to the main conflict and plot lines.
Our Tess and John, our protagonists, are similar in personalities as they are both extremely cautious, quiet, yet full of surprises. Each of them has a secret that they do not want the other to know. I found extremely humorous each time they circled around each other, each saying they shouldn’t be doing this but unable to stay away. The romance is soft and sweet with remarkable chemistry that is felt off the pages. I found their personalities a little subdued compared to previous characters but it works for the storyline. I enjoyed watching John and Tess find love with each other.
Robin, Jennifer, Pippa and the rest of the past de Piagets all pay a visit and lighten up the story considerable. They’re bubbly personality and infectious humor added a much needed uplift to our solemn protagonists. Of course, Grandmere makes an appearance and she’s always good a few laughs with her dry wit and careful “handling”.
The main conflict is predictable as they hop through time to try and figure out what John did in the past to antagonize someone in the future. The ending was a bit pat with its necessary battle and the convenient “fairy hole”.
All in all, an enjoyable lightweight time travel romance; perfect for a lazy rainy day.
Rating: C
Favorite Quote: “I’m not sure I’ll survive you.”
Tess Alexander is still trying to come to terms with the fact her sister, Pippa (One Enchanted Evening), is married to an honest to goodness 13th century knight and now lives in the 13th century with him. Though Tess, a professor of medieval history, has been deeded her very own medieval castle (Sedgewick), Tess remains with her feet firmly in the present. She has no time for fairy tales or mystical knights. When her car is in need of a minor repair she takes it to the small body shop in her village and sees him. The spitting image of her Pippa’s husband Montgomery. The husband who lives 800 yeas in the past. Tess refuses to get caught up in this nonsense again and does what any sensible rational person would do…she runs.
John de Piaget has no need for the past. His life is in the present and he plans to keep it that way. But seeing Tess fills him with emotion, memories, and fear as he finally understands what “love at first sight” truly means. And when Tess’s life and his past are threatened by an unknown assailant, John and Tess will have to trust in the past as time struggles to correct their future.
I have read Lynn Kurland for years. A Dance In Time was my first foray into her world and I never looked back. Ms. Kurland has a wonderful grip on the past and present as she gently guides her characters through the intricate rituals of time travel, betrayal, and love. What I truly enjoy about her stories is the air of innocence in them. The love affairs her characters embark upon are heart-stoppingly romantic. The “courting” will have you wishing for your very own medieval knight. Yet, the physical love scenes are almost none existence. Ms. Kurland relies on your imagination to produce those scenes. I also enjoy the fact you never know if they will stay in the present or choose to live in the past.
I have always adored John de Piaget (all the de Piagets in fact) but you do not get much more then glimpses of him in previous books so I was pleased he was finally getting his happily ever after. One Magic Moment is more quiet then the others. Ms. Kurland’s last couple of stories don’t have the same uniqueness to them that her earlier ones had. Smooth writing and a nice steady pace makes for easy reading but I didn’t feel the same edgy tension or sense of wonderment in here. Unfortunately, her last few novels show a surprising lack of imagination when it comes to the main conflict and plot lines.
Our Tess and John, our protagonists, are similar in personalities as they are both extremely cautious, quiet, yet full of surprises. Each of them has a secret that they do not want the other to know. I found extremely humorous each time they circled around each other, each saying they shouldn’t be doing this but unable to stay away. The romance is soft and sweet with remarkable chemistry that is felt off the pages. I found their personalities a little subdued compared to previous characters but it works for the storyline. I enjoyed watching John and Tess find love with each other.
Robin, Jennifer, Pippa and the rest of the past de Piagets all pay a visit and lighten up the story considerable. They’re bubbly personality and infectious humor added a much needed uplift to our solemn protagonists. Of course, Grandmere makes an appearance and she’s always good a few laughs with her dry wit and careful “handling”.
The main conflict is predictable as they hop through time to try and figure out what John did in the past to antagonize someone in the future. The ending was a bit pat with its necessary battle and the convenient “fairy hole”.
All in all, an enjoyable lightweight time travel romance; perfect for a lazy rainy day.
Rating: C
April 11, 2012
A little out of the blue, we find out in One Enchanted Evening that Montgomery's twin brother John is missing. Although Montgomery doesn't say, it is strongly hinted that John may have just decided to try out one of the time gates his family has knowledge of. Unfortunately, Montgomery and Pippa never mentioned this to Pippa's sister Tess, who is living in modern day England. It probably would've been nice had they just made a quick mention of this. That way, when Tess walked into the local mechanics garage, looked up, and saw her medieval brother-in-law's identical twin, it may not have been such a shock to her. It might have made things easier. But then, Tess and John may never have found out how magical a single moment could be! :)
Here is the twist in this book. Instead of a de Piaget finding a Future girl to pamper and spoil in the past, a de Piaget is completely out of his league as he tries to court a Future girl in the future. Hey, maybe he should ask his many times removed nephew, Stephen de Piaget, future earl of Artane for help - NOT! He doesn't even think he can sit next to that guy. He is too eerily like his older brother. Instead, John will have to rely on his charm, his herding skills, and his phenomenal musical talents. Awww, too bad for Tess - such a rough life! :)
For the full review, please go to http://thewindowseat13.blogspot.com/2...
Here is the twist in this book. Instead of a de Piaget finding a Future girl to pamper and spoil in the past, a de Piaget is completely out of his league as he tries to court a Future girl in the future. Hey, maybe he should ask his many times removed nephew, Stephen de Piaget, future earl of Artane for help - NOT! He doesn't even think he can sit next to that guy. He is too eerily like his older brother. Instead, John will have to rely on his charm, his herding skills, and his phenomenal musical talents. Awww, too bad for Tess - such a rough life! :)
For the full review, please go to http://thewindowseat13.blogspot.com/2...
May 8, 2019
One Magic Moment by Lynn Kurland is the 11th book in the de Piaget series and the 17th book in the de Piaget/MacLeod crossovers.
Admittedly, Ms. Kurland is one of my favorite authors, but this book even stands above the rest for me. It's in my top five favorites by her. Our hero, John, has also become one of my top five favorite characters in her books. He's complex, difficult, stubborn and yet underneath he's tenderhearted and sweet. Our heroine, Tess, does not seem as complex nor as well-rounded as John, but she's likable.
The story line is well thought out and complex. Sometimes it will have you on the edge of your seat in excitement and other times, it'll be as calm and relaxing as a day on the beach. The settings seem just beautiful as well.
One of the reasons I like Ms. Kurland's books is because while they are part of a series, they can generally be read as stand-alone books as well. She provides enough detail so that newcomers aren't too confused and lost, but yet she doesn't bog down the veteran readers with too much repeated history.
Join John and Tess on their adventure and hopefully you'll love it as much as I do!
Admittedly, Ms. Kurland is one of my favorite authors, but this book even stands above the rest for me. It's in my top five favorites by her. Our hero, John, has also become one of my top five favorite characters in her books. He's complex, difficult, stubborn and yet underneath he's tenderhearted and sweet. Our heroine, Tess, does not seem as complex nor as well-rounded as John, but she's likable.
The story line is well thought out and complex. Sometimes it will have you on the edge of your seat in excitement and other times, it'll be as calm and relaxing as a day on the beach. The settings seem just beautiful as well.
One of the reasons I like Ms. Kurland's books is because while they are part of a series, they can generally be read as stand-alone books as well. She provides enough detail so that newcomers aren't too confused and lost, but yet she doesn't bog down the veteran readers with too much repeated history.
Join John and Tess on their adventure and hopefully you'll love it as much as I do!
May 17, 2011
I found it wordy and dull. It took forever to get to the point. The humor was off. And the villain plot was sketchy at best. The love story wasn't believable. The chemistry was off. Disappointing.
September 17, 2016
Decent enough book, but the characters just kind of fell flat for me. Good idea, & story line, just not much passion in the characters.
July 11, 2011
This was a great read. I don't know what it was about John that mowed me over like he did. Maybe it's seeing an old boyfriend whom the world sees as taciturn and a pain in the arse, but whose redeemable qualities were always crystal clear to me. And who doesn't love a chick who dings up her car in the same spot, over and over again?
I immediately loved the characters for their imperfections, completely bought into their attraction, and rooted for them every step of the way. The front porch scenes were wonderful. I'll definitely read it again.
Kurland delivers again. Read this like an expensive dessert--not a cookie from a drive thru. Her sense of humor is worth watching for.
Disclaimer: I admit it--I have a crappy memory. The characters refered to from past books were pretty hazy and took up space where I would have liked more of John and Tess. I only assume that her loyal readers have much better memories than I, so I took that into consideration.
I immediately loved the characters for their imperfections, completely bought into their attraction, and rooted for them every step of the way. The front porch scenes were wonderful. I'll definitely read it again.
Kurland delivers again. Read this like an expensive dessert--not a cookie from a drive thru. Her sense of humor is worth watching for.
Disclaimer: I admit it--I have a crappy memory. The characters refered to from past books were pretty hazy and took up space where I would have liked more of John and Tess. I only assume that her loyal readers have much better memories than I, so I took that into consideration.
May 27, 2011
Sometimes girl just needs a good medieval, time traveling, hunk of a stud knight with overprotective manners and a fast car. Right? One that makes you swoon... That would be this book. Now, I can't read these type of books, one right after another because then they all become the same. But, with a year in between, um hum, I like 'em. I was excited to win this book here on Goodreads!
For my friends who care about such things, there were many, many uses of hell and damn and a few arses thrown in as well. Aside from the language, it was a clean romance. (I was almost getting annoyed because it took SO long to even get a kiss going...)
For my friends who care about such things, there were many, many uses of hell and damn and a few arses thrown in as well. Aside from the language, it was a clean romance. (I was almost getting annoyed because it took SO long to even get a kiss going...)
May 15, 2011
I got this as a "first reads" book, and started it the day that it arrived in the mail. Every free moment was spent reading this delightful book. My only regret is that I hadn't read her other books first, although she did an excellent job of filling in key information from previous books. Now I'll be ordering her other books today, and look forward to a delightful summer of reading.
August 11, 2011
This was a fantastic read! I loved Tess and John's romance! Better yet, it was a clean romance. I enjoy how easy Lynn can pull you into a wonderful tale. It left me smiling in the end. My kind of romance.
January 27, 2016
I have read all of Lynn Kurland's books, and this one is my favorite.
March 19, 2024
2.5
Tess Alexander has been given a castle, Sedgwick, and also manages to have the title Countess of Sedgwick bestowed on her as being a living relative of the Earl of Sedgwick. However, women cannot inherit titles and so Tess cannot become the Countess of Sedgwick, only a slight detail, but Tess’s title is used throughout the book, so it was a bit annoying. I did like John who we had met in “Dreams of Stardust” along with Montgomery, and how he had adapted to live in 21stC by himself. I did feel that the plot jumped around a bit and the villain was in the4 shadows for most of the book. There was no real tension like there has been in other books in this series. The secondary characters apart from the whole de Piaget extended family were just a bit too bland and predictable. It was a bit long winded and wordy and seemed forever to get to the point and then it was all rather rushed at the end.
Tess and John and their romance just didn’t seem to feel right, perhaps because Tess knew ho John was but really couldn’t tell him what she knew. John had avoided his past for 8 years and suddenly it all comes rushing back to bite him. We never really knew all the details of the bitter fight between John and his father and yet that was a significant event in the book. The ending was a bit sentimental, but I guess it was a quick and easy way to bring all the de Piaget clan together and give the readers an update on them all.
I liked this book, it wasn’t great but it was okay.
Tess Alexander has been given a castle, Sedgwick, and also manages to have the title Countess of Sedgwick bestowed on her as being a living relative of the Earl of Sedgwick. However, women cannot inherit titles and so Tess cannot become the Countess of Sedgwick, only a slight detail, but Tess’s title is used throughout the book, so it was a bit annoying. I did like John who we had met in “Dreams of Stardust” along with Montgomery, and how he had adapted to live in 21stC by himself. I did feel that the plot jumped around a bit and the villain was in the4 shadows for most of the book. There was no real tension like there has been in other books in this series. The secondary characters apart from the whole de Piaget extended family were just a bit too bland and predictable. It was a bit long winded and wordy and seemed forever to get to the point and then it was all rather rushed at the end.
Tess and John and their romance just didn’t seem to feel right, perhaps because Tess knew ho John was but really couldn’t tell him what she knew. John had avoided his past for 8 years and suddenly it all comes rushing back to bite him. We never really knew all the details of the bitter fight between John and his father and yet that was a significant event in the book. The ending was a bit sentimental, but I guess it was a quick and easy way to bring all the de Piaget clan together and give the readers an update on them all.
I liked this book, it wasn’t great but it was okay.
April 16, 2020
I remember liking the de Piaget series when I was in college. I read four books in the series that time, and each has a different theme. Two have time travel, one was about a ghost, and the other one was medieval romance. I remembered I enjoyed reading them. But now that I read some other books in the series, I felt that there was so much time travel in these stories. There were no limitations. I felt quite disappointed. But I reminded myself that its focus is mostly romance. Kurland's writing did not appeal to me as it had when I was in college. I find it difficult to read now, I don't know why. But I still liked some parts of it.
May 23, 2018
How hard is it to say, ? And yet we don't until 62% of the book is over, thus making nearly two-thirds of the book incredibly frustrating. And there is no good reason why. We are just told that she made a conscious decision not to. And really,he might have run initially, but he certainly would have come back. He couldn't stay away. Also, these books so need to be read in order. Things can get confusing if you don't. All in all it was ok, but it drug a bit for me
July 23, 2011
***NOTE MY REVIEWS OFTEN CONTAIN SPOILERS***
Heartbroken and barely holding on after the recent loss of her sister to a medieval highland knight, Tess Alexander almost comes undone when she encounters the new owner of the local garage, John de Piaget, the twin brother of the man her sister married in the past. Something about the beautiful Tess unnerves John who’s worked very hard to keep his past a secret. It’s not so much that she asks too many personal questions, it’s something about her that he can’t explain. Torn between a fierce attraction and a strong desire to keep the other at bay the two engage in a wary interaction, that is until they find themselves thrust into John’s past at the hands of someone who wishes them harm. But can they fess up to the truth and discover who’s stalking them before it’s too late?
Ok not my best synopsis ever, but again I had trouble finding the right words which seems to be an affliction of late when writing reviews. It probably has something to do with the attention span of a gnat and getting distracted in the middle of writing the review. Who knows?
I only had three things I really didn’t like about this series. The first is a small irritation and that’s the fact that the main character has sisters named Peaches and Cinderella. While I guess it fits with the children of hippies scenario and I can actually picture crazy hippies using names like that for their children considering the names they used for themselves, I still found a person being called Peaches throughout the duration of the novel highly distracting. Honestly if Peaches gets her own novel, I can’t see myself as a reader being able to take her seriously as a character. If that was my name I would have changed it the second I turned eighteen.
The second thing I disliked about the novel troubled me more than the first. Usually though adult romance writers have series, they’re easy to read as standalone novels and though they might refer to something else that happened in the series it doesn’t usually happen toward the beginning of the novel and when it is mentioned it’s explained enough that you don’t need to have read that novel to find yourself engaged in this one. While I have read another of the time travel romances by Lynn Kurland, the only other title of hers that I’ve had in my possession was My Heart Stood Still and is not really all that related to this title. Though I loved My Heart Stood Still which is the reason I purchased One Magic Moment when I saw it on Double Day, I haven’t really kept up with the books in between that one and this one. In my roundabout way what I’m trying to say is that because I didn’t read One Enchanted Evening before reading One Magic Moment I found myself thoroughly confused through a lot of the beginning of the book and if I hadn’t found the characters so interesting I probably wouldn’t have kept reading. When a book so thoroughly relies on a previous title for its storyline and it’s not common in the genre the writer specializes in I think there should be some sort of disclaimer in the beginning of the book telling the reader you really need to read the other book before reading this one. That way said reader doesn’t have a lot of huh moments when trying to get into the story.
The final thing I didn’t like about the book is there isn’t a lot of interaction with the villain. You know vaguely that somewhere in the story is a villain because of short scenes here and there but other than forcing the couple back into the past, stealing a sword and cutting a break line that pretty much covers all the big villainy until the bad guy is unmasked and dispatched of. He was so played down that he didn’t really come across as much of a threat. If I’m really supposed to be frightened for these characters then I need a little more suspense in the villain. And to be honest, the villain’s role was so small that I’m not really sure he was needed to tell the story and still have it be a good page turner in the genre it’s written for.
The book is fairly fast paced which I enjoyed and while I don’t normally mention this in a review I have to say I absolutely loved the cover. The cover is definitely what made the book stand out on the Double Day Website. It caught my attention; I recognized the author and it ended up in my shopping cart. I felt the book was well written with nicely fleshed out characters. Though he doesn’t get a lot of play in the book I have to say Roland was one of my favorite characters, the roles he plays in the past and present are needless to say intriguing. I would have liked to know more about him, though I don’t really foresee him getting a title of his own considering his age when the book ends. The writer did an excellent job of weaving storylines between the present and the past. She’s written an excellent time travel romance with castles, knights and sports cars all neatly rolled into one very interesting novel. I would definitely be interested in reading more of the series though from this point on I think I’ll make it an effort to collect the titles in order so I don’t encounter so much confusion in reading the novel. I would definitely recommend this book, though I advise picking up One Enchanted Evening first even though I personally haven’t read that title yet. It will most likely save you a lot of the confusion I faced when reading the novel.
March 21, 2020
John and Tess
Wonderful time travel series, this book follows the story of John De Piaget stranded in the modern world and modern times Tess Alexander, sister of Pippen who previously had ended up in the Medieval period and married another De Piaget brother. While it's not necessary to read these in order, it does add to the saga. I love how the family interacts through out the time shifts. Emotional, with great relationship building and sweet kisses exchanged.
Wonderful time travel series, this book follows the story of John De Piaget stranded in the modern world and modern times Tess Alexander, sister of Pippen who previously had ended up in the Medieval period and married another De Piaget brother. While it's not necessary to read these in order, it does add to the saga. I love how the family interacts through out the time shifts. Emotional, with great relationship building and sweet kisses exchanged.
June 22, 2023
3.5 stars. The whole first half was really good, and I liked John a lot. The reveal, was fantastic, I reread it like five times. The family reunions were wonderful. My main complaint and the reason it didn't get more stars, is because the ending was just so meh. That, and Tess is just a teeny bit too stodgy for my tastes. I prefer when LK's MFCs are spunky.
September 27, 2024
One Magic Moment
I purchased this book because of the time travel aspect of the story line. I enjoyed the book but at times felt the story moved a little slower than I expected. Very nice with the hero being in the future while the main female character has family in the past.
I purchased this book because of the time travel aspect of the story line. I enjoyed the book but at times felt the story moved a little slower than I expected. Very nice with the hero being in the future while the main female character has family in the past.
May 13, 2019
John and Tess. Happenstance meeting and they can't seem to part company. Thrown into the past, they settle their future and all problems that have plagued them.
October 21, 2019
Really enjoyed this time travel romance and mystery
February 8, 2020
The concept appeals to me. Most interesting part? When they time traveled back to the 1200s.
February 11, 2020
I didn't know that this was part of a series. A good time travel book. I'm looking forward to trying to find the first books to give it a better than fair review
February 26, 2020
So fun!
September 13, 2020
I LOVE these books!!! I can't wait until she writes more!! John and Tess are perfect for one another. I wont give spoilers . You have to read them
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