HER ISLAND DESTINY by Annie Marshall has something for everyone - modern day and medieval warfare, supernatural beings, myths and legends, Scottish history, drafty castles, and best of all, love that spans centuries. If you have never thought of reading a time-travel romance novel, now is the time to take a chance. You won't be disappointed by going out on a limb for HER ISLAND DESTINY.
HER ISLAND DESTINY tells the story of Isla, a US Army helicopter pilot who crashes in Afghanistan and loses her entire crew. After physically recovering from the crash, her Army appointed shrink tells her to take a couple weeks of vacation and go someplace she's never been but always wanted to go. Isla's destination is Scotland, the Orkney Islands. While wading in the surf her first day there, she falls victim to the strong undertow, and is transported back in time to the tumultuous 13th Century - the days of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce. She falls from the sky into the ocean right in front of Cian, a very tall and very powerful warrior and laird, and he is immediately smitten. While Isla struggles with her potentially imminent return to her real life and Cian's amorous advances, war is brewing. Will there be a happy ending for Cian and Isla or will they be separated by time and death?
This was my first time-travel romance, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The plotline was well done - simple enough to follow, but filled with historical background and realistic battles to keep it interesting. The ending was unexpected and cleverly done, setting up an overarching plotline that lends itself to endless possibilities for a series. The dialogue was credible, and it wasn't overly narrated. The writing style is fluid and clear, making this an easy read, and in the note to readers, the author helps us out with pronunciation of the Gaelic terms and names used in the book. The editing was excellent.
The development of the romance was not only believable, but also poignant. Isla tries not to fall in love or even get romantically involved with Cian because she expects to go back to her time at any moment. Cian questions whether he is lovable at all because his last fiancée killed herself to avoid having to marry him, and Isla's 21st Century hyperbolic vocabulary feeds his insecurity. The heat level is about a 3 out of 5 - loves scenes are graphic and descriptive, but are timed well and appropriate in context.
The only thing that detracted from my reading experience was the cover art. The photograph of a well-built man in a kilt is so cliché and indicates to me that the quality of the writing is sub-par and that the author couldn't garner interest in the novel without the blatant sex lure. Nothing could be further from the truth, though; the quality of the writing in this novel was great, and the other aspects of the story depicted in the cover art are intriguing enough to make me pick up the book. The half-naked man on the cover is completely unnecessary and only detracts from the true merits of the book.
Overall, I really liked this book, and I look forward to reading more of Annie Marshall's work.
**Review originally written for The Romance Reviews.com at http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=7548
