"My Heart Stood Still"

I've just finished reading, "My Heart Stood Still," by Lynn Kurland. It's a type of romance novel I especially enjoy: a combination of romance, the paranormal and science fiction. The romance develops between Thomas McKinnon, a modern 21st century man, and Iolanthe MacLeod, the ghost of a medieval woman who was murdered in the 14th century.

The attraction between them is powerful as are the obstacles to a romance presented by trying to love someone on the other side of the veil. Thomas decides he's got to have Iolanthe as a real flesh and blood woman. The secret of her keep (for which she was murdered) is that there are gates on it to other centuries. So Thomas determines to go back to the 14th century and rescue her before her murder takes place, then bring her back to the 21st century as a living woman. This is an extremely dangerous undertaking, and he faces the difficulty that once he rescues her, her life as a ghost for the past six centuries will not have taken place. Therefore she might not know him or remember him and he would have to win her heart all over again.

The book bogs down slightly after an exciting and heroic rescue. But it picks up again and finishes with the classic romance happy ending.

For those who enjoy romance with a twist, this is a fine and imaginative tale.