historical

In 1308 Scotland, immortal Circenn Brodie guards several sacred icons including a flask containing the elixir of life. He places a curse on the flask that if anyone touches the flask they will automatically come to Circenn. Elf Adam Black insures that Circenn understands that the bearer of the flask must die even if he or she is an innocent person.

In 2001, Lisa Stone feels her world cannot get any worse. While cleaning at a museum at night, Lisa touches a several centuries old flask. Something strange happens to Lisa and when she next opens her eyes, she is in the fourteenth century, under Circenn's suspicion. As they become acquainted with one another, they fall in love, but she feels a need to return home to care for her dying mother, leaving a permanent relationship in jeopardy.

THE HIGHLANDER'S TOUCH is an entertaining combination of elves interfering with a time travel romance between a modern woman and a medieval immortal Highlander. Between Adam, other mythical interference, and the health of Lisa's mom, Karen Marie Moning freshens up the typical time travel romance. Lisa is a brave soul with the weight of the world on her shoulders. Circenn is more melancholy, especially about immortality and deceased loved ones, which leads to his struggle with a new love. This tale is worth reading by sub-genre fans, but also note that the author is also donating some of the receipts towards cervical cancer, an important element in the tale.

Harriet Klausner

Karen Marie Moning is one of my favorite authors, and I loved this book EXCEPT for the ending. I was somewhat disappointed because I felt that the ending ruined my perception of Adam Black (who I fell in love with in Karen's first book "Beyond the Highland Mist"). The ending was also so unbelievable , it was like she was trying so hard to make the ending super-happy, and it would have been better if she would have kept the story down on the ground with a good dose of reality, instead of up in the clouds. Now, don't get me wrong, I know time-travel isn't exactly what you would call reality either, but that's a good fantasy, and what happeded at the end of this book is not. You'll just have to read the book and see what I'm talking about.Other than that, the first 95 percent of the book was filled with wit and humor and great characters. Time-travel romances are the best, especially Scottish ones, in my opinion. I do recomend this book, even with it's flaws.

I have to admit this is one of the weirdest romances I have ever read. Not that I mind the time travel thing, truly I can be open-minded. It was just too strange, what with the themes of immortality and being able to change anything about anybody, the weird fairy things, etc. I felt it needed some more boundaries on reality! I just didn't click with the characters.

BUT - the sex was AWESOME!