2008-06-11 Time-travelling Romance

Mairie MacAlister is a young woman who was rescued from death in the 13th Century and taken to the present day where she has lived for nine years. Unfortunately Mairie doesn't quite fit in the modern world - she doesn't have the Fae powers of some of her relatives because she is the daughter of a son of Prince Pol and his powers only travel down the line of daughters of daughters. She knows that she would have died had she remained in the 13th Century but she's troubled by the thought that her cousin Marsali did die as her name disappears from the records. Mairie decides to do something about this and speaks to the Fae Prince Pol to get him to right the ancient wrong of only daughter's receiving his powers and then travels back in time to try to save Marsali.

When Mairie doesn't return her friends realise that something has gone wrong with her time travelling and they send Guardian Ramos Navarro/Servans to help her. Ramos is trying to make up for the evil that his father has done over the ages and he is happy to help Mairie. However when he arrives he discovers Mairie isn't exactly what he imagined, having far more fire and self-reliancy than he expected. He also discovers that there are some Fae goings-on in the 13th Century and that Ramos may have the opportunity to deal, once and for all, with his evil father. But what will that do to himself? And is his destiny somehow linked with Mairie's?

This was an enjoyable story set in an interesting and difficult time where medical treatments were basic, food was unappetising and lives were often violent and short. Mairie and Ramos are both appealing characters as they try to help others whilst not always understanding the Fae powers that are working with them. The romance was fairly low-key in that it was something they just slid into but the overall story was well written, even if some of the 13th Century Scottish characters spoke American English at times. This was clearly not the first book in a series but it was easy enough to pick up the story and to follow the events after the first couple of chapters which rather threw information at the reader. This was a pleasant enough paranormal story set in an interesting time and location.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book © Helen Hancox 2008