Beyond the Highland Mist sounds ideal for those who enjoy time travel romance and Scottish culture. After all, it takes Diana Gabaldon a couple of years to put together one installment of her popular Outlander series, so she probably has several fans looking for something to sate their literary yearnings before the next one comes out. Sadly, Beyond the Highland Mist won't do it. This novel fails to immerse itself in the culture it's supposed to be set in and the conflict between the two lovers is superficial and static. In fact, it is one that is every bit the stereotype of what haters of the romance genre expect.

Adrienne de Simone is on the run from her exfiancé, Eberhard Darrow Garrett, who she learned was using her infatuation to further his operations in his organized crime syndicate. Unbeknownst her, in all of the expensive trips to Europe he was giving her, he was actually using her as a courier. Before fleeing from New Orleans, she stole from him to relocate in Seattle. Before she has the opportunity to fully settle in, she finds herself in the lap of a repulsive head of clan, Red Comyn, in early 16th century Scotland. Apparently, in trying to put an end to a dispute between a couple of the ever fickle Scottish lords, James IV ordered a marriage between the Comyn's daughter, Janet, and Sidheach James Lyon Douglas, the Earl of Dalkeith, who is also known as "the Hawk." Problem is, Janet dies just before the ceremony is supposed to take place. The Comyn sees Adrienne as godsend and insists she impersonates his daughter to keep the King of Scots appeased. To further Adrienne's disgust, the Hawk is a "beautiful man" just as Eberhard was, so she swears to keep her distance from him.

One of the biggest challenges in writing a time-travel romance is coming up with the method of how the character is transported back. Obviously, this is a fantasy element, so a reader does need to suspend her disbelief for the sake of the story. It's always interesting to see how authors handle this. In this case, Author Karen Marie Moning opted to push the fantasy element up a notch to have a colony of faeries manipulate Adrienne's journey through time and distance. Scotland does have mystical quality to its culture, so it's as good a method as any. It might have been a little more on topic if Moning had selected a creature that was more Scottish specific, like a bogle, but it will do.

While this is supposed to be a romance novel, this one would have been better if it had focused a little more on the adventure it set up. It spends way too much time on the obligatory initial false starts to the love scenes and not enough on the surrounding conflicts, settings, and character development. Considering Adrienne was plopped into a year as significant as 1513 was to Scotland, it would have been so intriguing if the Hawk was more involved at James IV's court. It was the year James IV was slain by Henry VIII's troops at the Battle of Flodden and that must have had some impact amongst Scottish nobles.

This 1999 novel has Scottish labels all over it, yet there is never any real feel for its culture. There are no mentions of tartans. No one has a dram with their haggis, neeps, and tatties. The Hawk could have easily exemplified his macho by tossing a caber at some point. Even though this was written for an American audience, an occasional Gaelic word would have helped build its atmosphere. At least the references to coffee make it clear it is not in everyday usage, but it does seem too convenient that the Hawk happens to have some stored in his larder.

As for the characterizations, both of the principals dwell too long on the one hangup for the majority of the plotline and immediate goals rarely vary throughout most of the plotline. When Adrienne first appears in the 16th century, she vows to return to Comyn Keep to kill the Comyn because of the way he abuses the women under his "protection." If the plot had stayed focused on that goal, it would have been so much more compelling. Instead, Adrienne perpetually complains until the last few chapters of the novel about how beautiful men can't be trusted because of the way Eberhard took advantage of her. Once she comes under the Hawk's care, she completely forgets about taking care of the Comyn. When it becomes clear more than half way through the story that she is supposed to be a virgin, the disbelief is no longer suspended. This is supposed to be a beautiful woman from 1990s America and it has been suggested that Eberhard had manipulated her through seduction. In a day when birth control is so effective, what kept her from having sex before she traveled through time?

Likewise with the Hawk. He is known as a predator in the battlefield and the boudoir, but he was basically subjected to 15 years of indentured servitude to James IV from a debt created by his deceased father. He was pressured into taking one of the court ladies as his lover. He is immediately attracted to Adrienne and won't be satisfied in bed unless she's willing and calls him by his given name. At one point, he becomes interesting when some his business as laird is detailed, but this lasts for a few paragraphs and has little impact on what's going on between him and Adrienne. The deepest this story goes into his character is that he woodworks for a hobby. At least he has one.

When I was shopping, this book caught my attention because I generally enjoy time-travel romance and it is the first time I ran across one that had a leading lady with my first name. Despite those two factors, there was nothing particularly appealing in it. It ignores the history it should've exploited and the leading characters are superficial stereotypes. Beyond the Highland Mist is a poor substitute for Gabaldon's Outlander series. There is nothing to recommend in this book, but it does have a nice cover.


Recommended: No