My Heart Stood Still (Macleod Family)

I loved this book. It proves that you can write a wonderful romance without steamy sex scenes. The hero has an unusual gift which allows him to see ghosts, which is how he sees the heroine. This gift can also lead to amusing situations.I won't ruin it for others, but the secondary characters are great. They bring a lot of humor to the story. I also loved how Kurland tied these characters in with those from "Dance Through Time." I can't wait to read more of her books.

This is the first Lynn Kurland book I have read and I loved it! I loved the ghost characters and their personalities. How many other books can you say that the story revolved around ghosts? This is one book that will grab you and you will not want to put it down. I do not have one complaint about this book, I loved it all!! I will be ordering the rest of Lynn Kurland's books, for I am hooked now :)

Thomas McKinnon is having visions. Visions of Mickey Mouse ears floating in the back of his car, in the bushes in front of his house, and the last straw: settled on top of the head of a Scottish Highlander decked out in full battle regalia in his living room. He determines this to be a sure sign that he needs a vacation. The successful businessman packs up, closes his seaside Maine house and flies off to Scotland to restore the crumbling old castle he's recently purchased. Poor Thomas, however, hasn't escaped his visions. Upon his arrival in Scotland they only multiply. He apparently has inherited "the sight" his mother always claimed to have. Thomas curses the ability to see and hear ghosts until he visits his castle and meets the "lady of the keep" - Iolanthe MacLeod. Hauntingly beautiful and deeply melancholy, Iolanthe affects Thomas like no other. His goal is to make this spirit/woman happy, any way he can.Iolanthe MacLeod chose death by the sword of her new husband six centuries ago, rather than reveal her family's secret -- the only reason the "English-man" married her, come to find out. Former dreams of a darkly handsome, strong man, with a mighty sword coming to rescue Iolanthe from her miserable life with her stepfamily, were just that -- dreams. Now, centuries later, the man in her dreams stands before her. Too late.The two develop a tentative, heartwarming relationship and as it progresses, Iolanthe is happy to just gaze upon Thomas and talk to him. Thomas is willing to settle for that, too, until Iolanthe's secret is revealed. There is a chance they could be together in the mortal world. Thomas travels to Iolanthe's ancestral home to uncover the truth and the possibilities.Lynn Kurland delivers a powerfully emotional tale of romantic love between two beings seemingly fated to never be together in the mortal world. Thomas and Iolanthe are two very sympathetic and three dimensional characters. Their characteristics and dialogue are both humorous and heart-tugging. The ghosts are real in and of themselves, lending both humor and drama to the tale, "helping" Thomas and Iolanthe along the way. Lynn Kurland is a master at wringing emotion from the reader. She melds together all aspects of the story seamlessly and delights us with glimpses of characters from past novels who all tie in with Thomas and Iolanthe. A surpising poignant twist toward the end will leave readers breathless and reaching for the tissues. MY HEART STOOD STILL is a heart-stopping, fast paced novel of true love. Don't expect steamy sex -- that isn't Kurland's style. Expect a strong, yet compassionate and loving hero, willing to do anything to win his lady. The lady, however, needs a wee bit more convincing that it's possible her dreams just might come true. Grab the tissues and settle in for a highly satisfying ten hanky read!

The last couple of Ms. Kurland's books did not catch my interest as her first few. This one was a pleasant surprise. The writing flowed very smoothly and I especially liked the comic aspects thrown in with the "ghostly garrison." This book reminded me of her first book. I knew that the problem of the ghost and the hero would be solved by the end of the book, and I was pleased with how all of the male ghosts were supportive of the hero's plan to save "herself" in the past.

In 1382 on the Border, her half-brother and their father tell her to go with the Englishman because she has been bartered to forge an ally for the clan. They insist he will treat her right, but instead all he wants is the secrets of her father's keep. Since she knows nothing, the Englishman murders Iolanthe MacLeod even as she lies thinking will nobody remember her name. As she dies Iolanthe believes that one day her love will come to free her. In 2001 Maine, Thomas MacLeod McKinnon feels he can do anything. His college degree at twenty, his Manhattan multimillion-dollar business, and his feats at mountain climbing prove he is right. He now owns a dilapidated Scottish castle, which he has decided to renovate. However, when he arrives at his new abode, Thomas surprisingly meets the ghost of Iolanthe. The Yank and the medieval Scottish spirit fall in love, but though he may be the man she waited for all these centuries, their chances for a relationship together seems impossible. Lynn Kurland is attaining quite a reputation for her paranormal/time travel romances. Her newest entry, MY HEART STOOD STILL, is an engaging ghostly love story that her audience will devour. The tale is warm as Thomas struggles to find a way to be with his soul mate, who shares his desperate feelings. Ms. Kurland provides another powerful notch to her high standing among sub-genre readers with this entertaining novel that showcases her abilities to provide fans with quite a story.Harriet Klausner