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Into the Wilderness by Sara DonatiIn this historical, romantic epic, Elizabeth Middleton leaves a comfortable life in 1792 England for the wilderness of upstate New York where she becomes a schoolmistress. Nathaniel Bonner, also know as Hawkeye, is the adopted son of Chingachgook and thus one of the area's Mohawk leaders. Drawn into the conflict between the settlers and the Mohawk because of the school, Elizabeth, who has sworn to remain a spinster, also finds herself drawn to Nathaniel. Nathaniel is a compelling romantic hero, dedicated to his family, dangerously capable of surviving the realities of frontier life, and torn between his white ancestry and his Native American upbringing. Lush descriptions of New York wilderness compete with harsh political and social situation. The saga of Elizabeth and Nathaniel's love and exploits continues in Dawn on a Distant Shore. (Donati uses the 1992 movie The Last of the Mohicans as backstory for her series.)
While Into the Wilderness does not include time-travel, Elizabeth's transplantation as a gently raised English spinster to the American frontier provides a similarly jarring level of displacement.
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A Discovery of Witches by Deborah E. HarknessThis epic romance combines magic, suspense, science, history, and time-travel to compel readers across genre borders. Although she is the descendant of a powerful line of witches, Diana Bishop has rejected her magical powers and turned to academia. But her investigations into an odd, enchanted manuscript at Oxford's Bodleian Library draw the attention of the supernatural communities, particularly the notice of Mathew Clairmont, a 1,500-year-old vampire. As deadly creatures hunt Diana, Matthew becomes her ally to both survive and to unravel the secret origins of daemons, witches, and vampires. Eventually, a forbidden love springs between the two, putting them in even more danger. The action travels the globe as they follow clues to the puzzle hidden in the complex family histories of both Diana and Matthew. The intricate plot is driven by Diana and Matthew's quest to solve the manuscript's cipher, and survive those hunting Diana, while their intense yet taboo romance sizzles. The All Souls Trilogy continues with Shadow of Night, where the time-travel takes off.
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The Winter Sea
by Susanna Kearsley
Told with dual story lines, one contemporary and one historical, The Winter Sea delivers twice the romance. Carrie McClelland has traveled to Slains Castle in Scotland to soak up the ambiance for her next work of historical fiction. As she starts to write about the 1708 Jacobite invasion, she begins having vivid dreams of her ancestor Sophia Patterson. But are they dreams or ancestral memories? Through her visions of Sophia, Carrie learns of Sophia's passionate love for her husband Moray, and the true story of the betrayal that ended the Jacobite's dreams. As Carrie researches, she also meets and falls in love with her own hero, Graham. Intertwining romance, history, and genealogy, Kearsley has written a tale full of joy and tears where love ultimately triumphs.
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Beyond the Highland Mist
by Karen Marie Moning
When the renowned Scottish warrior Hawk is used by the Fairy Queen to make her lover jealous, Adrienne de Simone finds herself swept from 1997 to 1513. Hawk may never have encountered a woman who could resist his charms, but Adrienne has been betrayed by too many beautiful, womanizing men to be have anything to say to Hawk but "No." Meanwhile, Hawk realizes he has finally met the one woman who is everything he desires, and someone wants to kill her. But Hawk is determined to woo her, despite the interference of the Fae, the murder attempts, and even her memories of betrayal. They are pawns in the games of others. Only through love and trust will they be able to turn the game so that they run the board.
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The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey NiffeneggerIn this story of romance on a grand scale, time travel is the enemy. Henry DeTamble is a dashing librarian with an odd disease, Chrono-Displacement Disorder, which sends him uncontrollably through time. Clare Abshire is an artist who lives her life chronologically. When fate allows them to be together, their love is passionate, poignant, and legendary. When they are out of sync, they long to be together. The plot jumps through time as randomly as Henry, and intricately weaves together the story of Henry and Clare's lives. Their love has to be strong enough to endure the ravages of time for the joys of moments snatched together. Sometimes tragedy only makes love all the more awe inspiring. A sequel is in the works. (If you enjoy the book, check out the movie version.)
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The Sunne in Splendour: A novel of Richard III
by Sharon Kay Penman
This richly detailed historical saga chronicles the life of Richard III, and his love match to Anne Neville, amidst the royal intrigue and family drama of the War of the Roses era. This Richard is an admirable idealist who walks a maze of treachery, from allies as well as enemies. Murder is done in his name, but without his knowledge. He struggles to be his own man, and a good man. In the end, the machinations of the court leave him feeling cursed. He is the last Plantagenet rule of England, a truly romantic figure, in a time full of grandeur, hardship, and passion. Throughout, Richard's love of Anne shines and gives him reason to continue living and fighting.
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The River of No Return
by Bee Ridgway
Lord Nicholas Falcott died on a battlefield in 1815 only to awake in a London hospital in 2003. Ten years after the secretive Guild, an order of time travelers, helped him establish a new life, they ask him to go back to 1815. Nick must contact Julia Percy and gain control of a talisman that can control time before it falls into the hands of the Guild's enemies, the Ofan. Meanwhile, Julia battles to keep her grandfather's secrets out of the hands of her evil cousin Eamon. When Julia and Nick find each other, they find something more powerful than time -- love. But with danger from multiple fronts, their love nor their lives are easy things to protect. Mixing romance, mystery, historical fiction, and a touch of science fiction, Julia and Nick have an enthralling and enchanting adventure on the River of Time.
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Green darkness
by Anya Seton
Reincarnation provides the path to time-travel in this classic gothic tale of historical romance. The new, happy marriage of Celia and Richard Marsdon seems to have fallen apart since they have returned to his ancestral home. Richard has withdrawn and Celia is feeling haunted and anxious. When she has a nervous collapse then becomes catatonic, Dr. Akananda makes a remarkable claim: Celia must resolve the trauma of a previous live or she will die. Celia's consciousness travels from 1968 to 1552, into the mind of Celia Bohun, a beautiful, orphan servant girl. In a time of religious strife, Celia Bohun fell in love with a monk, Brother Stephen Marsdon (Richard in a former life). When Brother Stephen forsakes his vows for love of Celia, he defies the laws of the church and the mores of Tudor society. Full of historical detail, intrigue, and danger, Seton draws the reader into the tale of Stephen and Celia's doomed love. The only question remaining is if Richard and Celia can set the wheel of fate and Karma back on track once the events of the past have been revealed.
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The Bronze Horseman by Paullina SimonsIn June 1941, with Germany invading Russia, Tatiana meets her true love Alexander, a Red Army officer, in this heart wrenching historical saga. However, Alexander is dating her sister Dasha causing a love triangle that could tear the Metanov family apart. Further, Alexander is hiding a family secret that could get him killed if his army superiors discover the truth. As the Germans close in on Leningrad, life becomes a daily fight for survival. Tatiana and Alexander's love changes them both as they sacrifice for each other amidst the pain and suffering of the Siege of Leningrad. Together they share moments of exquisite joy and unbelievable sorrow, but their undying love never falters. The dramatic saga of Tatiana and Alexander's love story continues in Tatiana and Alexander.
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Overseas
by Beatriz Williams
The first time Julian meets Kate, it is 1916. She is an American with vital information for this World War I British solider. The first time Kate meets Julian, it is 2007. Kate can't understand why the billionaire Julian has taken such an interest in her, yet seems determined to keep a part of himself a secret. Slowly, Kate discovers Julian is a man out of his time. Julian is a gorgeous, Edwardian war hero with the heart of a poet, while Kate is a modern, cynical career woman. But someone, from some time, is a threat to them. As their story is revealed along both timelines, the suspense builds, with danger lurking in both the past and present. But throughout time, their love is destiny.
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