Long and Short Reviews
🔗 http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.com/2010/06/somewhere-my-lass-by-beth-trissel.html
Story Behind The Book
As is often the case, the opening of light paranormal romance Somewhere My Lass was inspired by a dream, one that grabbed my attention and made me wonder where in the world do I go from here? Inquiring minds like mine want to know the rest of the story and so I delved and plotted. Even lay awake nights trying to recapture that dream. Ultimately, this suspenseful time travel evolved from years of research into my distant Scottish roots and a long held fascination with the idea of actually being transported to the past, with a proviso that I can return to the present whenever the thrill wears off. Say, by teatime. My characters are more adventurous than I. Certainly, I was influenced by my beloved C S Lewis in his Chronicles of Narnia that I grew up reading. I’m still looking for Narnia. Isn’t everyone? Not to mention, movies like Back to the Future and Timeline, but I like to think, and my editor assures me, that I’ve achieved an original take on the oft visited time travel theme. And no, I’ve not read author Diane Gabledon or other Scottish time travels so cannot be accused of those influences. I read little romance, investing much of my time in research and non-fiction. Of course, my love for old castles and the Scottish highlands also lent inspiration to Somewhere My Lass. Many of the early Scots-Irish settlers to the Shenandoah Valley, my ancestors among them, chose to live here because of the resemblance the valley and mountains bore to Scotland & Ireland. As near to home as they were likely to find in the New World. Writing a story that travels to Bonnie old Scotland is quite a departure for me in that most of my novels take place in early America, but I’m very aware of my heritage and family annals lead us back to ancestors in England, Scotland and Ireland. We also have a smidgeon of French in the meld. Being a history buff I’ve read up on and watched programs set in the British Isles, a favorite of mine. The concept behind my Somewhere series is that the story opens in modern day, so far my home state of Virginia and I don’t see that changing, and then transports the reader Somewhere else. Either back to an earlier time in the same house, as in Somewhere My Love, or another place altogether, as in Somewhere My Lass. Sounds simple enough, right? But writing these stories isn’t. I thought I’d never make it through Somewhere My Lass, but am thrilled that I did. “Joshua Wilton House offers guests an oasis of quiet charm and gracious living in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley. In an elegantly restored Victorian home, Joshua Wilton House occupies a corner in the historic “Old Town” district of Harrisonburg, Virginia.” I love this beautiful old home, part of the inspiration behind Somewhere My Lass. I used a compilation of Victorian era Virginia homes, some of which I’ve lived in, for the mysterious house in historic Staunton Virginia where the story begins~
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Reviews
Night Owl Romance~<span><em><br /><br />"Somewhere My Lass </em>was a wonderful time-travel romance. I enjoyed that the time-travel went from the past to 2009 and not the other way. It was interesting to see the heroine Mora a, Scottish young woman, deal with the huge changes of the more present time. It was also funny to. Mora was a feisty woman. Yet she was also a caring Scottish woman and I liked her attitude and how she got to know Neil. Neil was tough yet caring and I liked how he came to care and love Mora and their relationship. Also Fergus Neil's friend was cool and fun with him liking video games and the tech kind of stuff. He was funny yet caring and helpful to Neil and Mora.</span> <p><span>The part of the plot with Calum was interesting to. The fighting was exciting. I enjoyed Neil fighting and finally winning against Macdonald. The action scenes were done well as were the romantic scenes. I really enjoyed this book."</span>~Reviewed by: <span>Silvermage</span></p><p>Read by joysann~ BHB Barbara Vey's Blog at Publishers Weekly </p> <p>"Neal MacKenzie steps into his old family home to find his housekeeper slain. He also finds a beautiful unconscious woman dressed as if she came right out the the highlands of Scotland centuries earlier. Time has twisted and Mora has stepped through it to find the descendent of her affianced Niall, and the two of them work together to stop the murderous Red MacDonald from killing Niall before Neal can even exist.<strong><em><br /></em></strong></p><p><strong><em>"Somewhere My Lass</em></strong> presents a convoluted time-twisting conundrum which becomes more intriguing as it goes along. I found the romance of it touching, the enigma baffling, and the resolution unexpected. A light, interesting blend of contemporary and historical fiction."~ </p>Long And Short Reviews:<br />"Not only is<em> Somewhere My Lass</em> a tale of romance, but it is also a story of friendship. Neil’s best friend, Fergus, is one of the most amusing secondary characters I’ve read in a long time. His bright orange hair and obsession with science fiction and technology made me smile throughout the story. Fergus is a friend in the truest sense of the word. He’s willing to follow Neil into the past to lend a hand, and his belt full of gadgets saves Neil’s life on more than one occasion.<br /><br />I’m a fan of Ms. Trissel’s historical romances, so I was intrigued at the idea that her latest story would include the element of time travel. <em>Somewhere My Lass</em>, is book two in Ms. Trissel’s Somewhere series, but it is not necessary to read the previous book to enjoy this story. Once I started reading <em>Somewhere My Lass</em>, I found Ms. Trissel had masterfully blended the past and the present in order to create a lovely romance that spans centuries. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a touching tale of love and friendship."~Reviewed by Poinsettia<p>Romancing the Book:</p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003NSC6EE?ie=UTF8&tag=itsallaboum07-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B003NSC6EE">"Somewhere My Lass</a> is a paranormal romance that tangles an intriguing mystery between a town in present day Virginia and the Scottish Highlands of the 17th century. Creatively complex, this story moves quickly since all the events take place within a few days time. Along this journey, Fergus entertains us with his plethora of tech-gadgets, movie references, and a preparedness MacGyver would envy. Add Fergus’ Goth cousin, Wrenie, to the mix and poor Mora is lost as she struggles to grasp modern conveniences and trends, much like Giselle from Disney’s Enchanted. Fergus’ mother also lends her talents, preparing Neil, Mora and Fergus for what is certain to be the adventure of a lifetime.<br /><br />This book is the second in Beth Trissel’s Somewhere series, although the books are stand-alone. This story is a page-turner, so if you enjoy Scottish Highland stories and seek a taste of time-travel, this would be a good book for you! The author paints a bonny picture of the ancient times, down to the structures and wardrobes, and I found the Scottish brogue mild enough to be a minimal distraction, yet enough to keep up the appearance of authenticity."~ Reviewed by Jenni