Customer Reviews

One Enchanted Evening

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have been eagerly awaiting Montgomery's story ever since his character was introduced. His sweet and innocent fascination with the land of Faery has made his love story with a future lass highly anticipated. We witnessed his mischievous and boisterous youth in Dreams of Stardust and started to see him mature in When I Fall in Love. And in One Enchanted Evening we are rewarded with him fully grown into a sweet, kind, chivalrous, and rightfully swoon-worthy de Piaget hero. He has just started work on Sedgwick, which is in even worse condition than Nicholas faced with Wickham... There are his cousins to contend with, who are not happy in the least that he has inherited their home. It is just as he is confronted by one of these foes that there is a shimmering at the end of his drawbridge. And he knows what that means, having witnessed enough other "Faery" happenings in the past.

Persephone Josephine Alexander (aka Pippa) is the daughter of free-loving, hippy-trippy parents. She is sister to Moonbeam, Peaches, Tess, Cinderella and Valerie. She is a costume designer who is on the brink of breaking into the fashion world; her niche just happens to be medieval/fairy-tale costumes. Then karma starts running amok in her life. First, her apartment burns down with her large stash of fabric and sewing supplies. Second, her parents arrive, towing along with them her pain-in-the-arse older sister and always center of attention, Cinderella. But there is one thing good coming, Pippa is preparing to depart for England, to costume a little girl's birthday party at Tess's medieval castle, which just so happens to be Sedgwick, Montgomery's castle. And we know that there are plenty of "paranormal oddities" to be found in the English countryside.

It is incredibly endearing to have a character so beloved like Montgomery find his happily ever after. His love story is not an easy one but while the ultimate path is predictable, it is not so in any way to take away from the story. (I was happy to find a heroine unlike the previous couple who is not constantly overwhelmed with tears.) There are many many sappy smile inducing moments. *sigh* Lynn Kurland sure knows how to paint heroes that make you pine for them and one real-live one of your own. Montgomery has been added to the high ranks of my favorites. And Robin's cameo appearance made him even more endearing that I had to go back and read his story again once I finished OEE. (What a smart tool this interweaving of stories is... because even if you've read the prior books, the characters reappearances make you want to enjoys theirs all over again.) Kendrick and Genevieve, Megan and Gideon de Piaget, Robin and Anne, Jackson and Amanda, Jennifer and Nicholas, Mary and Zachary, plus our favorite ghosts make reappearances here.

Enjoy this enchanting romance and savor every word. One Enchanted Evening is a wonderful escapist read. I didn't want to come back... ;-) I am purposely vague in my plot summary-- I didn't want to give anything away! First time readers, there is no reason this couldn't be your first LK foray. While other characters are mentioned, you don't need to know their back story to understand and enjoy this story. I envy you reading an LK book for the first time; you have many lovely stories to read after this, whereas I have to wait another year for a new one! :-p

For more on:
Robin and Anne- If I Had You
Kendrick and Genevieve- Stardust of Yesterday
Jackson and Amanda- Dreams of Stardust
Jennifer and Nicholas- When I Fall in Love
Megan and Gideon- The Three Wise Ghosts (in Christmas Spirits or Love Came Just in Time anthology)
Zachary and Mary- Til There Was You
Tess- to come!

It kills me to give a LK book anything less than 5 stars, but this one just seemed "off". A full third of the book is dominated by Pippa's sister and you see very little of the relationship between Pippa and Montgomery. LK's relationship writing is one of the things that makes her books so special so I was really disappointed in the lack of interaction between Pippa and Montgomery. The overly heavy Cinderella parallels seemed to sap some of the creativity out of the book. It just wasn't up to the usual LK standard. Still a good book though.

I have thought about whether or not to write this...i have been staring at the book (face down) on my bookcase, then reading other reviews - didn't want to have anyone yell at me. I have decided best to come clean, be honest (I am a big fan of Lynn Kurland) and then I can go give the book away: I didn't like it. Not one bit. And I have every single other one of her books beginning with Dance through Time to this latest one. My favorite: Every Breath. The rest: all 2d place. This Enchanted...donation pile.

*spoiler alert*
In Enchanted, there was no conflict that their timeless love was trying to overcome. There wasn't. Everything was "fixable" and I have proof: the end of the book ...pippa is in current world, Montgomery uses the new "time travel bolt hole" and just pops into her current life to ask her to come back to his time. What ? Comes forward then goes back. Not well done. pippa goes back...then comes forward...then goes back. Huh ? A few characters in her books did this travel unintentionally and to save one characters life (one time)..did time travel to get medical help. But they stayed HERE to live their lives. BACk/forth to resolve issues or not, it broke the rules we've had so far on this. Huge hiccup in the storyline I thought.

Montgomery's character: his brothers were two of the best swordsmen EVER but Montgomery felt like Ferdinand the Bull who wanted to eat flowers all day. Lukewarm was my response. And since you know I love the other brothers, cousins, all the other stories: what is missing that I didn't care for Montgomery when he has his own story ? he was "great" in the other books. Here: nope.

The plot ? It felt crazy quilt at times. No other word for it. Like it was revisited a few times to try to fix it..and thus, the quilt result for me. I don't think or read in linear fashion. I also dont think in stream of consciousness. You have a plot, I can follow it. No breadcrumbs even for me here. Nothing I could follow. No "hook".

I can replay in my mind vignettes from each of Lynn's prior books: in Stardust of Yesterday, Kendricks soul-wrenching yell when he finally "died" only to be brought back to life; Jamie & his Beth from Dance Through Time and his school boy like fumbling attempts to have her but not wed her and Beth stomping her slipper with a firm "no" -- antics are hilarious still. I remember all that while I sit here and type. Yet, I dont recall one single iota from Enchanted: nada.

I am happy (thrilled) with prior books in this series. I'll have them for years, will hopefully add to the series in the future. Enchanted however will not be in the mix. Crossing fingers for next book in the series to take me on another great adventure.

In 1229 Montgomery de Piaget who believed in fairy tales could use a happy ending with his current assignment. The knight needs to repair a fixer upper Artane castle before the walls fall around his ears.

Seattle, Washington theater costume designer Pippa Alexander is in England creating costumes for a gala when she and her sister Cinderella fall through a time portal that tales them to 1229 Artane Castle. Montgomery believes the siblings are fairies and asks them to use their powers to help fix the dilapidated pile of rocks he calls home. A drugged Cinderella insists she is the Fairy Queen while Pippa tries to get Montgomery to understand they are humans from almost eight centuries in the future. Montgomery still thinks she is the miraculous answer to his prayers as his claim on the castle is at best tentative, but his claim on her heart permanent regardless if he needs all the time in the world to prove it to his Pippa.

The latest time traveling de Piaget romance (see Till There was You and Dreams of Stardust) is a terrific entry as Artane is definitely a fixer upper. Fast-paced and filled with humor, fans will enjoy the awesome adventures of the twenty-first century Washingtonian fairy sisters in the crazy world of de Piaget family medieval England.

Harriet Klausner

I'm an avid fan of Lynn Kurland (my first, and also favorite book from her is The More I See You); however, it is regrettable that this book isn't as unique as the previous works from Lynn. The feelings that I get from this book is a lot like when I read When I Fall in Love. Montgomery lacks what makes him...Montgomery, and his personality replicates that of Nicholas. Pippa also reminds me of Jennifer, and it seems to me that the characters are quite flat this time around. I still enjoy the storyline, but can't help but wondering if this could have been a bit better. Nonetheless, kudo to Lynn for completing another one of this wonderful series of time travel stories.

This was a little disappointing to me. I have been waiting for Montgomery's story for a while now and I just feel like it could have been a lot better. There was so much that could have been done. The introduction and the development of the characters in the beginning was ok. It would have been nice to see Montgomery grow up in a few chapters, like him seeing his love at age 6, 10, 14, then as an adult and believing in faery. The bit about Pippa's sister going back in time initially was very intriguing and kept me glued to see how that would turn out; however, her behavior was a bit over the top. Unbelievable. (and not in a good sense). The "bad guys" could have been developed more. It just feels like it was missing a lot. If you are an LK fan you will like the book. She is a great author with a few books that have not been up to her standards and this is one of them.

I'm a huge Lynn Kurland fan (she's my only auto-buy), and this is another that I have to give 5-stars. I know not everyone's tastes are the same as my own, but I personally think her writing is on a level above most other romance authors, even if you aren't considering the no-bedroom-scenes standard that I enjoy.

That said, this book had both it's wonderful parts and it's simply okay parts. I won't go back over the plotline, since others have already done it so well. Instead, I'll share what I felt were this book's strengths and weaknesses.

First, I LOVED the way we got a snippet of Montgomery as the teen we knew, with his belief in fairies, etc. I love the way he saw Pippa way back then and held the memory of her in his heart.

The next section is where we see him abandon his belief in fairies, face the real world, and grow up. Other reviewers have lamented that it changed him from the Montgomery they loved, but I thought it made him much more believable. It's one thing for a teenage boy to believe in fairies. It's quite another thing to try to imagine a Medieval man who does. We got to see when and why he grew up, and to me, it "fit." It also gave me a chance to mentally switch my inner picture of Montgomery from that of a teen, to that of a man. (I never could manage that with Zach, and his book just didn't make much sense when I kept picturing him as a 19-year-old!) Soooo....while I think it's lamentable that Montgomery quit believing in fairies, I think it was necessary. (And I love that he was made to doubt his new disbelief.)

I also absolutely loved the first 1/3 of this book, which is unusual. Usually the middle third of Lynn's books are my favorite. But this beginning section was sweet, interesting, different, and didn't once feel like a re-hash of plots already done. Cindy (Pippa's sister) did seem a bit over-the-top...yet I suppose I can believe that certain people might react to time travel that way.

Next, we've received hints through other books that Montgomery already knew about time-traveling. At least, to whatever extent is possible through eavesdropping and sneaking through locked trunks. That knowledge had to be balanced with what he DIDN'T know of the future, and who Pippa was. Overall, I think this was balanced very well.

Finally, Pippa wasn't a crier. Hoorah!!! I was one of the readers who was very tired of all the weeping that went on in several of the more recent books.

Now, the downsides...

For some reason, it felt a bit wordy in places. I felt that either the story could have been told in 3/4 as many pages, or 1/4 more plot could have been fit into the same length of book. I think her earlier books are better in this area...stronger plots and more concise writing.

The middle of the book felt a bit like a re-hash of several others with similar "just wait" sections. ie: Characters holding off on saying something they should about time-travel, because they're hoping the other falls in love with them before the big reveal. It's...well...getting sort of old. Not that the story isn't well-told here...it is. I'd have loved it if it had been the first to have this plot device. That's why I didn't pull down the rating on this book for that--it's more a problem with the series than with this book on its own.

But that leads to another upside. The last 1/3 of this book is VERY different from anything Lynn's put her character's through! It took me by surprise, but I found it a VERY welcome surprise. I won't give away what it is...but I loved not only how Montgomery's story changed from all of the other Medieval guys, but also how it simply FIT with who Montgomery was and the storyline.

Sooo...all in all, it's not one of Lynn's best, but I still consider it a 5-star, because it's still good enough to read over and over again. (That's my criteria for 5-stars, and I've already read it twice and creased the cover at my favorite parts.)

I have waited anxiously for this new entry in Kurland's world. I thought it was a wonderful "romp thru time". I was a little put off by the sister, Cinderella, and the talk of pot smoking and pill popping, however, I understand it was there in order to explain why the sister was the way she was. So there was a point to it. Excited to finally see Montgomery find his one-and-only, can't wait for the next installment, which, by all accounts, will involve Tess. One thing I did miss is James MacLeod. He pops up even in some de Piaget books, because of the inter-relations and time travel, and I always love me some James!

I loved this book, But I am a Lynn Kurland fan. I own all her books and have to admit, go back from time to time to reread them. While I was reading this one, I couldn't help wondering how she keeps it all straight. In this book, Lynn also gives us a look at other characters from the past and where they are now. Fun stuff!

"One Enchanted Evening" is truly a romance. Time travel themes inspire all sorts of imaginary ideas and Ms. Kurland is truly a master when it comes to developing the subject. It makes me want to visit castles in England and wonder, is it possible? The feeling of this book, is romantic throughout. When I finished reading, I wanted to read it again. Pippa and Montgomery were truly meant for each other. The travel between the centuries has a flow that keeps you interested. It is a good mix of modern and historic. Imagine meeting the king of England in person, not in you history book.

The book is probably better if you know all the characters that pop up throughout. It also left me wondering when John will turn up. Who is next?

If you haven't read Lynn Kurland before, you should try this one. Yeah, Cindy is a little annoying, but she is supposed to be. Lynn Kurland never disappoints. "One Enchanted Evening" is a awesome read and now one of my favorites from her.

As a rabid L. Kurland fan, I won't bash this book, I just can't....BUT, here are the kickers that did me in...

One of my biggest pet peevs in an any series that has this many books and story lines are authors who cram (CRAM) past characters into the current story. In her earlier books, Kurland did this in a very neat way, it was nice to say 'hi' to people from other books, see family ties, friendships, etc. In Kurlands later books, we see wayyy to many people passing through. Like, in Jake and Amanda's story, is was a medium-ish of past characters parading by...I could handle that, and a couple I thought fit into the plot fantastically. But, in One Enchanted Evening it was to much! I miraculously have kept 60 some-odd characters straight in my head all these years, but in this book I was swamped! I had to stop and think too many times 'who is this?'

Second kicker....about 1/4 the way through the book, Montgomery yells 'Duck!' to Pippa, who was about to get attacked....Duck? Duck! are you kidding me??? Who says 'duck' in the thirteenth century? Well maybe the Artane crew have a great reason to know what the word duck means 700 years in the future....but Pippa didn't think that was weird? I sure did, and it snapped me out of the story so fast and abruptly, I never got back into it, bummer. Now, to go along with that, I love Kurlands dialogue she gives her historic bunch ....but having the present day characters talking and thinking the same way? Sloppy....and not fun at all.