A Garden In The Rain (Mass Market Paperback)

by Lynn Kurland (Author) "Scotland in the Fall. Were there any other words in the Mother Tongue that could possibly conjure up more romantic thoughts and feelings than those?..." (more)
Key Phrases: something strengthening, goodly bit, Middle Ages, Bentley Douglas Taylor, Hamish Fergusson (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist
After her fiance, Bentley Douglas Taylor III, dumps her, then fires her, Madelyn Phillips attempts to salvage what she can from the wreckage of her life by going ahead with her planned trip to Scotland sans Bentley, only to find the insufferable twit waiting for her there in a misbegotten attempt to convince her to return to him. While trying to ditch Bentley, Madelyn visits Culloden and bumps into Patrick MacLeod, the lethally handsome Scotsman who earlier almost ran her off the road. At that moment, Madelyn intuitively realizes that Patrick is her one true love, but she hesitates to communicate this inexplicable idea to him since she's puzzled by it herself. Even if Madelyn reawakens a long dormant sense of desire in him, Patrick knows telling her the truth about who he really is will destroy any chance of a relationship. Of course, neither one factors in what a little bit of magic can do! Kurland laces her exquisitely romantic, utterly bewitching blend of contemporary romance and time travel with a delectable touch of tart wit, leaving readers savoring every word of this superbly written romance. John Charles
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
"Kurland surprises and enchants."
-- Publishers Weekly (Publisher's Weekly ) --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Berkley; Later Printing edition (September 2, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425192024
• ISBN-13: 978-0425192023
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (39 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #45,424 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This one is goooood..., November 6, 2003

By	Huntress Reviews (United States) - See all my reviews

A trip to Scotland was supposed to be her honeymoon, but Madelyn Phillips was dumped before the wedding. Considering how obnoxious her fiance, Bentley, is, that is most likely one of the better things to happen. Still, she decides to take the trip, only to find that Bentley has arrived ahead of her and hijacked her room. He has also come to "generously" offer to take her back, despite the weight she has gained since his rejection. Madelyn is less than enthusiastic and refuses. However, Bentley is determined. Her flight to escape him will bring lead her to meet handsome Scottish lord, Patrick MacLeod on a windswept moor. He rescues her from Bentley and carries her home.

Patrick is unlike anything Madelyn has ever met, as well he should be. Patrick has traveled forward in time from ancient Scotland. Madelyn appears to be the woman he was destined to love, at least in the opinion of his resident ghosts. There are some obstacles though. The father of Patricks' first wife is out for his blood, and Bentley is still hanging around making a nuisance of himself. For her own safety, Patrick decides to send Madelyn home. She makes a detour first, to medieval Scotland. It is up to Patrick to rescue her from his clan's sworn enemies.

***** Laughter rolls off the pages in this splendid romance. Even in the darkest moments, there is something to smile about. Ms. Kurland is truly the reigning queen of time travel romance. *****

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Time Travel and Ghosties Too!, September 25, 2003

By	M. Rondeau (West Springfield, MA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Madelyn Phillips was pretty much a walking disaster. She had been engaged then dumped by her fiancé, Bentley Douglas Taylor III, a couple of weeks before the wedding; this same fiancé who then arranged, quite vindictively, to have her fired from her job. With not much else left other than a mountain of debt from student loans and canceled un-refundable wedding deposits, she managed to keep her pre-paid ticket and reservations for her life-long dreamed for, and planned honeymoon tour of Scotland. Unfortunately, her totally obnoxious ex-fiance, has a change of heart (did I say change of heart - he had no heart) but was determined to win her back through whatever devious means he could - such as, canceling her credit cards, reservations, stealing her luggage, passport, etc. in effect, trying his best to leave her no alternative other than to crawl back to him for aid.

Patrick MacLeod, was haunted by a past he couldn't have controlled yet blamed himself for. After the death of his wife and child, he wanted no part of love ever again and was not ready to run to the aid of the Yank who couldn't drive and had tangled herself up with such an obnoxious character like Bentley. Unfortunately, the past would rear it's head back again and he felt the connection that would find himself inexplicably pulled in to come to Madelyn's aid. He would be uneasy in discovering the measure of peace and hope just being in her presence would bring. There was just something that emanated from this woman that set him into wanting to hope but would he have the courage to open his heart again, and possibly risk her life to the vengeance his ex-father-in-law was intent on delivering?

I've read all of Kurland's books and she does write a splendid tale as she continues the saga of the MacLeod clan. While it is always a treat to re-visit other members from the previous tales of the MacLeod clan, it is even more fun to discover new ones! The stories are always great entertainment and yet I sensed a bit of a change here in the romance aspect. If you are looking for the lusty, squirm in your seat seductions in the previous books, you will not find it here. There are virtually no big seductions, or sexual encounters between the two central protagonists. Rather, we are treated to two adults getting to know one another as Patrick initially plays the good samaritan. While both feel the power of their attraction to each other, neither acts on it. I also had trouble with Patrick's laid back attitude and almost passive way he had in his treatment of the obnoxious Bentley Douglas Taylor III. Knowing that he was a transplanted medieval highlander, it just didn't seem in character that he would be so passive in allowing Bentley to continue his torment of Madelyn. In spite of the non-sexual content, the paranormal aspects are fabulous and I truly did enjoy this latest addition to the MacLeod saga.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kurland does it again!, October 31, 2003

By	Jacqueline (Ogden UT USA) - See all my reviews

Mmmm! Delightful! Wonderful! Yummy!
Lynn Kurland Is my favorite romance author and she did not let me down this time either. This is in the same tradition of romance and humor that she laces all her books with.Once again she has a normal girl we can relate to, who is in the middle of her anything that could go wrong has gone wrong circumstances. But here comes her reluctant Knight in shining armour or black jeans in this case. The book has it's time travel portions as well as action scenes(so don't worry). But most of all it has a love story that will pull you in and have you laughing, hoping and rooting for that love we all find so magical. The story brings other Kurland novel charactors back to life by keeping the family tree alive.
I couldn't stop reading and then passed it on to a friend who stayed up 'til 3:00 in the morning cheering on Patrick and his lady. The only other book I loved this much was a Dance through time, also by Kurland. Buy it, read it and you'll see what I am talking about.