"Vampires, Time Travel, Reincarnation in one Anthology by four fabulous Authors"
I must admit that I love everything Lynn Kurland has ever
written, "And The Groom Wore Tulle" is certainly no
exception. A continuation of Ian MacLeod's character
(Jamie's Cousin) from A DANCE THROUGH TIME (I recommend you
read this first) --- this tale is hysterical! A medieval
Scottish warrior and fabled lover, finds he's spoiled one
virgin too many and winds up in the dungeon of his worst
enemy. Thinking he is going to die, he wishes he could
have found the way to the future and his cousin Jamie. Upon
passing out the enemy's cohorts think he's dead and deposit
him back on MacCleod land in the midst of the magical faery
ring.� This transports him to 20th century NYC in the
storage room of a bridal shop full of wedding dress, just
waiting for the woman of his dreams to discover him and
decide that he's INSANE! Thinking he's in heaven he dons
one of the gowns (his angel robe no doubt) and things just
get funnier from there. Maggie Shayne is probably best known for her vampire tales,
so she's no stranger to paranormal romance. In this
story, "The Con And The Crusader", a boy who's spent
his life avoiding work has grown up into a con man. Having
a shred of scruples left he doesn't con good folk only
criminal types. When arrested by the police as a possible
crime witness he is caught in the crossfire as the now wise
criminals catch up with him. He escapes, still handcuffed
and dives into a wishing well. As he falls he promises God
he will work hard from now on, if only he survives this
experience. Be careful what you wish for! He lands in the
prison yard in a time gone by and is being perused by a
beautiful older woman, a widow with two wards, who has
decided upon making an inmate her husband to save her farm
and the room over the children's heads in exchange for his
freedom. It's a sweet story as love reforms him. Angie Ray's "Bride Most Common" is a tale about a
time machine. The heroine is a scientist, her boss has
invented
a time machine, the time traveler enters a dead body at the
moment of death and carries on from there. Unfortunately
his feckless relative, who tested the machine, freaked at
the major bullet wound he finds in his new body and doesn't
complete his task thereby changing history, Pollution is
rampant, many species of animals are going extinct. The
heroine must go back and fix things. To her surprise she
finds herself the in the role of the bride in a marriage of
convenience. It isn't long before the groom realizes this
isn't the cold woman he thought would let him live his life
in peace. He is drawn to her and she to him, but here's the
catch he has to die to save the future and she has to
return home. Whatever will they do? Ingrid Weaver's "Conyn's Bride" is by far the best
story of
all. The heroine is a museum expert. She is cataloging a
shipment of Celtic antiquities when a box bursts open and
suddenly she is faced with an authentic Celtic warrior who
claims to be her long lost fiance. A Sleeping Beauty story
of sorts, one of timeless love. You see he left his love
behind to do his duty, only to return as she has decided to
go to him, she drowns in a flooding river as he watches
unable to save her life. He feels his own life is ended but
a woman of magic tells him that he will have another chance
with his soul mate in another time, another place. He knows
his heart's mate at once but will he convince this woman
that he is the love of HER life? Fabulous collection of stories, I hope they will do
others. August, 1999
Copyright 1999
Reviewed by Leslie Tramposch
Posted April 17, 2002
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An anthology of four charming romances that transcend the barriers of time and space features:
Lynn Kurland's "And the Groom Wore Tulle" - Scottish nobleman Ian MacLeod falls asleep in a medieval dungeon—and awakes in a room filled with long white dresses. Jane Fergusson longed to create great fashions, but instead toils in a bridal shop. Will their fateful meeting over dressmaker's shears lead to bloodshed or bliss? , "The Con and the Crusader" by Maggie Shayne - Jack McCain jumps into a well-and into the past. Mistaken for a criminal, he's headed for prison, until he's freed-with a wedding proposal! , "A Bride Most Common" by Angie Ray, and Ingrid Weaver's "Conyn's Bride."
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