Timeless Desire

Dec 02, 2012 Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, historical, time-travel, science-fiction-fantasy, non-erotic

Originally posted at: http://www.longandshortreviews.blogsp...

This change of pace time travel story takes the reader on a delicious, exciting adventure from twenty-first century America to eighteenth century England and Scotland near Hadrian’s Wall.

Panna Kennedy says, “Old librarians don’t retire, they just turn the page”. She truly does just that. Through a little closet door under the stairs in the library, she goes to the chapel of the opulent MacIver Castle on the English side of Hadrian’s W...more

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Aug 30, 2012 Laurie Jenkins rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adventure, contemporary, fiction, historical, kindle, read-in-2012, time-travel

This was an enjoyable read that effectively combined multiple elements. Mystery, adventure, humor, history, time travel all come out to play in this rousing romp featuring current day Panna Kennedy, head librarian of a small library in Carlisle Pennsylvania. Panna is still grieving for her dead husband who passed away two years earlier. Faced with huge budget cuts, she’s searching old storage areas of the library for items that can be turned to cash, when she discovers an odd room. Duty calls, i...more

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Aug 14, 2012 Terra rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Gwyn Cready has really outdone herself on this book. It's everything you could want from a deliciously warm romance with lots of action. A sit on the edge of your seat page turner that I absolutely loved and hope to see more of this type of story from our author in the future.

Panna Kennedy is ever so lonely. Still mourning the death of her husband she is not quite sure she wants to get involved again but her friend is determined to help Panna find some semblance of happiness. The problem is is t...more

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Aug 12, 2012 Allizabeth Collins rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Description:

Recently widowed Panna Kennedy has anything but love on her mind; she is still grieving for her husband, the library she works at is suffering from massive budget cuts, and everyone insists that she get back into the dating pool. But when she opens a long- forgotten door and is transported back to 18th century England, her desires are awakened by the dashing, yet verbally abrasive, Captain Bridgewater; the man who's life-size statue just so happens to stand in the middle of her libra...more Description:

Recently widowed Panna Kennedy has anything but love on her mind; she is still grieving for her husband, the library she works at is suffering from massive budget cuts, and everyone insists that she get back into the dating pool. But when she opens a long- forgotten door and is transported back to 18th century England, her desires are awakened by the dashing, yet verbally abrasive, Captain Bridgewater; the man who's life-size statue just so happens to stand in the middle of her library.

Bridgewater, is currently under house-arrest for suspicion of treason against England, so when an out-of-place comely woman enters his study, he can't help but accuse her of spying. But after she proves her intentions by saving his life, he must find a way for both of them to escape the looming battle.

Can Panna and Bridgewater ignore their growing passions long enough to prove their loyalties and retain their lives? Will Panna risk losing her world to join his? Or will their love crumble just like Hadrian's Wall?

Review:

The time travel theme is a favorite of mine, (thus why I am always quoting episodes of Doctor Who, Sliders, Quantum Leap, Fringe, Early Edition, Stargate, Star Trek, etc...), so although I am not a complete fan of romance novels, I jumped at the opportunity to read Timeless Desire; and I am happy that I gave it the chance! I have not read any of Gwyn Cready's other novels, but after my experience with this one, I am definitely going to seek them out. I enjoyed the novel's starting pace, it gave the reader a little bit of character background before sending them through a crack in time. The characters, mainly Panna and Bridgewater, were well-developed, packed with personality, (and history), and very life-like. Being a pseudo-librarian myself, I do know what it feels like to work in a library environment - the books, the organizing, the funding, (or lack thereof), etc - and I believe that Gwyn Cready creates a very real heroine that readers empathize with, and enjoy reading about. Plot-wise, I was almost always aware of what was coming, but it did not take away from my reading experience; on the contrary, it made me pick up the reading pace so I could get to what was coming, (No spoilers!). The dialogue and attention to detail, especially when describing the differences between two time periods, was well-written, witty, and filled with "old-world" charm. I loved Panna's answers to some of Bridgewater's questions about the future, I definitely got a few laughs out of them, and the more steamy scenes were just as entertaining! The ending was great too! Recommended for those interested in an unexpectedly quirky romance that effortlessly spans time!

Rating: On the Run (4.5/5)

*** I received this book from the author (Astor + Blue Editions) in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.(less)

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Aug 11, 2012 Sapphyria rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reading-romances-challenge

ARC Review Copy Provided By: Blue Dot Literary nn exchange for an honest review!

Panna (short for Pandora) is head librarian at the Andrew Carnegie Library in Carnegie, Pennsylvania. A widow for 2 years, Panna just can't get herself to go out and date. In fact, the closest she gets to acknowledging another man involves a statue in the library of Colonel John Bridgewater, an eighteenth-century British war hero (G. Cready, 2012), that a descendant donated a hundred years earlier. When a huge budget...more ARC Review Copy Provided By: Blue Dot Literary nn exchange for an honest review!

Panna (short for Pandora) is head librarian at the Andrew Carnegie Library in Carnegie, Pennsylvania. A widow for 2 years, Panna just can't get herself to go out and date. In fact, the closest she gets to acknowledging another man involves a statue in the library of Colonel John Bridgewater, an eighteenth-century British war hero (G. Cready, 2012), that a descendant donated a hundred years earlier. When a huge budget cut comes down the pike for the library, Panna wracks her brain to find a way to stave off the looming threat to the library and its staff. In doing so, she remembers the previous librarian mentioning a storage room. Hoping to find other donated items from either Carnegie or Bridgewater descendants that she could possibly sell, Panna locates and opens the door to....another world.

What Panna finds on the other side is a different world, in a different time....The year? 1706. She finds that the statue in her library is an excellent depiction of the man she meets - John Bridgewater. His personality, however, leaves much to be desired; yet, Panna finds herself drawn to him and this world he is part of. When Bridgewater requests a favor from her, to help prove she isn't the spy he thinks she is, she hesitates and, instead, flees back to her time. Once she's there, however, she can't get the handsome Bridgewater out of her head so she goes back to the portal in the library and completes the mission that was requested of her. And gets embroiled in situations that could make or break how, and if, she gets to leave this time and get back to her own. She also learns that the man she encountered when entering the chapel door the first time isn't exactly the man from the library statue. He is Captian James (Jamie) Bridgewater and continually denies that he's any relation to the Earl Bridgewater or John Bridgewater.

Panna's character is wonderfully likeable and completely believable. She is strong and capable as a maiden in 1706. She risks everything to help assist Bridgewater, including not only her life, but her potential to go back home. She's not whiny, weak, or spineless. She's a great modern character trying to hold her own in a time period where women were not viewed as much more than property to rule over. They certainly didn't get to put their 2 cents worth into any conversation. During this adventure she realizes that the door she shut to love has curiously reopened but now she has choices to make.

Jamie Bridgewater is a fantastic hero but he comes with serious trust issues. He is of mixed heritage; English and Scottish, making him the son of 2 countries, and an outcast of both. He is denied his birthright from a man who insists that Jamie is no relation and doesn't acknowledge that John may or may not be his brother. His grandfather disinherited Jamie's mother, therefore ceasing any responsibility for her offspring. After his brief encounter with Panna, Bridgewater finds that he can't get her out of his head. She's taken hold of his heart and he fears and dreads a world without her. He's her protector and though he has a hard time grasping her tale about being from the future, he makes sure he's there for her.

"Timeless Desire" is the type of novel that won't let you put it down. It draws you in without a lot of pretense and holds on to you until you finish the book. It is a nice, easy, relaxing read and I was able to finish this novel in one day.

Humor abounds, as does double entendre jokes, so not only is it a historical romance, it also fits in the romantic comedy section, too. The twists and turns weaved throughout the solidly written plot keep you engaged and the time travel part doesn't overwhelm or confuse you. The heat level is ooh la la but not anything near erotica.

I loved reading this book and am proud to include it with the rest of the books I have on my bookshelf!(less)

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Aug 01, 2012 Marlene rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reading-romances-challenge

Originally published at Reading Reality

The Urban Dictionary defines an "outlander" as:

Any individual who does not belong in a social setting; an intruder; an interloper

But for readers of time-travel romance, using the subtitle "An Outlander Love Story" as Gwyn Cready does on the cover of Timeless Desire, and specifically setting that romance on the Scottish border in the early 1700s, is bound to invoke comparisons to Jamie Fraser and Clare Randall.

Search Google for "outlander", and Jamie Fraser'...more

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Jul 28, 2012 Nancy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Outlanders, in case you didn’t know are more than someone from just another country. Outlanders come from another time. Panna Kennedy was an Outlander although she certainly didn’t mean to be. She was searching in an old cabinet for a “treasure”, something that would bring money for her library when, at the back of the cabinet she saw a chapel. Odd.
Then she found she could go through the cabinet and saw the hunkiest man she’d ever seen. He looked just like the statue in the library in Penns Wood...more

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Jul 23, 2012 Maya rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

While not a librarian herself, Gwyn Cready hits the nail on the head for most of the librarians I know. We are a sassy bunch, and several of the quips made on the profession itself are hilarious and spot-on. From Panna's dislike for Wikipedia (even though she admits its usefulness) to the stereotypes and small details of program development and interlibrary loan, I was thoroughly impressed with Cready's research into the field.

Historically speaking, I have no idea how accurate this story is. My...more

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May 15, 2012 Beth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Okay, think of those stars as four and a half stars. There should really be a half-star option.
I always look forward to a new Gwyn Cready time-travel romance. There’s just something about the idea of a dashing and well-mannered gentleman from the past falling madly in love with just-a-girl with the hard edge of “now” all over her. Let me own my bias. "Kate and Leopold" is one of my favorite feel-good movies, because honestly, I would love to wake up to a guy in old fashioned finery offering to...more Okay, think of those stars as four and a half stars. There should really be a half-star option.
I always look forward to a new Gwyn Cready time-travel romance. There’s just something about the idea of a dashing and well-mannered gentleman from the past falling madly in love with just-a-girl with the hard edge of “now” all over her. Let me own my bias. "Kate and Leopold" is one of my favorite feel-good movies, because honestly, I would love to wake up to a guy in old fashioned finery offering to butter my toast for breakfast. I’ve read every book Cready has put out, and in every one of them, this kind of satisfaction is achieved. And even though I know the hero will be handsome and just a little dangerous, and even though I am always fairly certain I can count on a HEA, Cready’s story-lines are always different. I have never felt like I’ve met the same hero in her books. That totally does not stop me from getting the little heart-jump when they are gushing romance. Her characters are unique. In particular, I always find her villains particularly villainous (the one in her latest is an especially loathsome bastard). The plot (obviously people are going back and forth through time, but otherwise) is always a very real and drastic change from the books before. Cready has never fallen into that trap so many other authors have, writing the same book over and over.
In particular, "A Timeless Bride", centers on widowed librarian Panna, a blonde and fortuitously endowed (aren’t they always) Pennsylvanian who finds a wormhole into the borderlands between England and Scotland during a war in 1706. The hero, Bridgewater, is instantly recognizable by the statue she has fantasized over in her library for years. I hate writing a synopsis of books, because typically the back cover does a decent enough job of that. Instead, let me just say that this is not merely a romance. This is an adventure! There is espionage, battle, and betrayal, and all this within the first five chapters. The pace, though necessarily sluggish to relate details in the first two chapters, skyrockets and does not slow until the end. I was held captivated, and even though it’s my husband’s birthday, and I had intended to clean the house as a surprise, I finished the book in one five-hour sitting, and started writing about the fun I had with this book. I should still be able to get the floors vacuumed…I think.
"Timeless Bride" is thoroughly enjoyable, and though I loved "Seducing Mr. Darcy" and "Aching for Always", and while "Flirting with Forever" was incredibly sexy, A Timeless Bride has replaced the others as my new favorite. For what my approval is worth, the book has earned it, along with my whole-hearted recommendation.
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Jul 19, 2012 Madison Warner Fairbanks rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Timeless Desire is Gwyn Creedy's newest time travel romance. In her recurring theme, it's a time travel romance, from present day back to historical Scottish border wars.
Librarian Panna walks through the storage room door into the past.Could it be real? She encounters then the real life image of the man whose statue stands in her very library. Panna has had a secret fantasy about this man for years. Can he live up to her expectations? She is drawn into the controversy and trouble of the times. B...more

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Jun 20, 2012 Denise Holcomb rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance, romance, time-travel

Rita Award winner Gwyn Cready has done it again. Her latest novel, Timeless Desire is a devilishly fun romp through time with love, romance, war and passion and all set in present-day Pittsburgh and the early 18th century borderlands of England and Scotland.

Panna Kennedy, a young widow, has just been told her library will face major funding cuts. She’s not sure she’s ready to dip her foot in the dating world and agrees to be set up with another librarian’s friend. As she’s waiting for her date...more Rita Award winner Gwyn Cready has done it again. Her latest novel, Timeless Desire is a devilishly fun romp through time with love, romance, war and passion and all set in present-day Pittsburgh and the early 18th century borderlands of England and Scotland.

Panna Kennedy, a young widow, has just been told her library will face major funding cuts. She’s not sure she’s ready to dip her foot in the dating world and agrees to be set up with another librarian’s friend. As she’s waiting for her date to meet her at the library, she ponders how to raise money so she doesn’t have to make the cuts necessary for her budget. She sees the statue of the library’s benefactor and wonders if there’s anything left to sell from his collection. He was the handsome 18th century Viscount and Colonel John Bridgewater, officer in Her Majesty’s Militia—an odd benefactor for a library in Pittsburgh. She recalls there may be something, and as she unlocks a door under the stairs, she stumbles upon a portal and enters the chapel of a castle in 18th century England. And, praying in the chapel—it’s him, the benefactor, in the flesh. Or is it?

As it happens, he is Captain James Bridgewater, the unrecognized illegitimate, older half-brother to the Viscount. And, his bloodline is half-Scot. Grandson of a powerful clan chief whose castle sits on the Scotland side of Hadrian’s Wall. Son of an English general. He is torn between his duties to the army and the rebels who want peace and independence for Scotland. And he happens to be more handsome than his brother. Plus, he has an excellent library. Not only is he engaged in military battle, he has a battle of wills with his brother and father who deny him as family.

Panna, aptly named after Pandora, finds herself swirling in the troubles of war, family disputes, and a pending romance with one of the brothers. Uncertainty about love after the death of her husband, she goes back and forth through the portal, but learns there is a limit to how many times she can go through the portal before it is closed to her forever. She has to make a decision about a passion she thought she’d never feel again, a future in the past or present, all while knowing she can’t change the course of history by revealing too much about what is to come in history.

Which side of the portal does she choose, which brother will prevail, can she save her beloved library, and where does love reside when the desire is timeless? Can there be a happily ever after when love is separated by centuries? The story has many surprising and steamy twists as Panna finds a new life for herself.

This story will not disappoint new and familiar fans of Gwyn Cready. The reader will find herself caught up in the drama and trying to find a way for all things to work out for Panna and her love but never guessing what will be revealed in the end.
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Jul 25, 2012 Kathy Martin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was a fast paced and entertaining time travel romance that took us from Carnegie, Pennsylvania in the present to the English-Scottish border in 1706. Widowed and still grieving, librarian Panna Kennedy is looking around her library when she finds a door that takes her across miles and across time. She meets James Bridgewater who is in the English army and who is the unacknowledged, bastard son of the Earl of Bridgewater. He is also the grandson of the Scottish clan chief Hector MacIver. Jam...more This was a fast paced and entertaining time travel romance that took us from Carnegie, Pennsylvania in the present to the English-Scottish border in 1706. Widowed and still grieving, librarian Panna Kennedy is looking around her library when she finds a door that takes her across miles and across time. She meets James Bridgewater who is in the English army and who is the unacknowledged, bastard son of the Earl of Bridgewater. He is also the grandson of the Scottish clan chief Hector MacIver. James is a self-made man who has become wealthy from investing but he still yearns to be acknowledged by his father and grandfather.

His main purpose right now is to keep the peace between the English and the Scots at the border but neither side trusts the other and his brother, the acknowledged son Viscount Adderly, is trying to tip the balance toward battle.

At first James is convinced the Panna is a spy but she saves his life a couple of times and he comes around. They fall in love but don't think they have any sort of future because they are from two different times. And Jamie's actions are likely to get him killed before they can come to any sort of resolution. Also, the way time travel works is that a person can only come and go three times before the portal closes. Panna is on her third visit to Jamie's time. Her next time through the portal will be her last.

Adderly had traveled through time earlier and, in fact, seduced the founder of the library where Panna now works. His trips gave him the plans to be a war hero which he took advantage of. He also had a reputation in Panna's time of being the sort of hero who rescued his fallen soldiers from great danger in the heat of battle. Unfortunately, history was wrong. Adderly is definitely the villain of this story. He is brutal, self-serving, and definitely wants to do Jamie harm.

This was an exciting romance and filled with adventure as Jamie and Panna have to escape from two different castles and evade both British troops and Scottish warriors on their way to falling in love. I recommend this one for lovers of good historical romance.(less)

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Jul 20, 2012 Diana N rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: for-review, ebook

Pandora "Panna" Kennedy is a widowed library working at the Carnegie Library. She mourns her husband and the adventurous life they had led. On the day she is notified her budget gets cut, she finds a secret doorway to the past. Reclaiming some of the adventure in her life, she steps through and meets Bridgewater.

[This is the part where the book starts to pick up. And I'm not just saying he this because Bridewater had a fabulous...library! ;)I can't say any more because I don't want to spoil the...more

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Aug 04, 2012 Jonetta rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance, time-travel

Penna Kennedy is a widow and the head librarian in Carnegie, Pennsylvania. She's just starting to emerge from her grief and is going on her first date that evening. Faced with deep budgetary cuts, she gets the idea to look for some potentially valuable artifacts left by their benefactor and opens an obscure, pad-locked door and discovers a portal to 18th century England at the borderlands. Panna comes face to face with a handsome Englishman who she recognizes to be Colonel John Bridgewater, the...more Penna Kennedy is a widow and the head librarian in Carnegie, Pennsylvania. She's just starting to emerge from her grief and is going on her first date that evening. Faced with deep budgetary cuts, she gets the idea to look for some potentially valuable artifacts left by their benefactor and opens an obscure, pad-locked door and discovers a portal to 18th century England at the borderlands. Panna comes face to face with a handsome Englishman who she recognizes to be Colonel John Bridgewater, the historic English war hero whose larger-than-life statue loomed over her desk.

In general, I'm not crazy about time travel stories because the paradoxes end up scrambling my brain. This story doesn't bother with that kind of nonsense and freed me to just relax and enjoy the action. It's one of the best I've read, though my repertoire is pretty slim.

Panna's pretty adventuresome for a librarian and she was before she became a widow. The one time I felt I needed to stretch of my sensibilities was when she discovered the portal. Panna's reaction was more "look what I found" instead of being flattened or astounded by it. This distracted me for awhile but once I moved on, I was drawn into the intrigue.

Panna discovers Bridgewater almost immediately after entering the portal. He's leery of her, believing she may be a spy, and their relationship is a dance for awhile as they try to find common ground and trust. There's no question they're attracted to each other and Panna has a head start as she's been lusting after the marble statue that's an exact replica of him, sitting in the middle of her library back in the 21st century. Once she's proven herself to be trustworthy, Panna becomes part of the subterfuge of Bridgewater's world.

What I loved about their romance is that while their attraction was pretty immediate, the relationship was given time to build as they got to know each other against the backdrop of danger and intrigue. Bridgewater has lots of secrets and Panna is sometimes and unwitting partner of his mystery and at other times agrees to play critical and perilous roles to help him out. Each time you sense them becoming more invested in each other, admiring the persons they are and getting more emotionally connected. It's not rushed and their differences in outlook about sex and romance made it even more interesting and seductive. He is über sexy and she is attractive inside and out. You want them to work.

The book is so exciting because of all the many twists and turns to Bridgewater's story. He is constantly under scrutiny by his own regiment as they aren't convinced if he is a traitor or a loyal office in his command. The real history of the period is nicely woven into the fictional tale, never sacrificing the reality of the tension between England and Scotland for sake of the story. Sometimes it's brutal but the authenticity just added to the suspense and edginess.

There was one scene that bugged me a lot and I'm not certain I interpreted it correctly. It involves something Bridgewater did the night before his first intimacy with Panna. I'd love to get someone else's perspective on it as it was a huge turnoff.

With that scene aside, this book is a winner because of the beauty of the romance, its strong historical elements, mystery, suspense and exciting tension. It was a slow start initially because I was a bit confused as the layers of the mystery were unfolding (I didn't know to look for one!). Once I caught on, I couldn't put the book down. It's not your typical time travel or historical romance story and that's reason enough to read it.

(I was provided an Advance Review Copy by the publisher)(less)

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Aug 10, 2012 Shoshanah rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Panna Kennedy is a librarian, still getting over the death of her husband two years prior. Her library is facing budget cuts so she searches the library in hopes in finding something to help turn things around. But in her search she instead walks through a door that takes here to the Highlands in Scotland, where she meets the handsome Captain Bridgewater, soldier of the British army.

Going into this I thought it would be cute, and probably a little cheesy. I thought I would enjoy it, but wasn't e...more

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Aug 08, 2012 Sasha rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Lovers of Outlander, fans of time travel romance

Shelves: arc, drama-romance, historical-fiction

I you ask anyone I know, whether online or in real life, they’ll tell you– I am not a romance novel reader. I just am not. It’s not that I don’t like romance, per se– it’s just that they all seem the same in plot and premise. Timeless Desire managed to break the mold, and I truly enjoyed it more than I ever thought I’d enjoy a romance novel.

You can’t really read or write a time-travel book that has to do with Scotland without being cast in the shadow of Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series. So in...more I you ask anyone I know, whether online or in real life, they’ll tell you– I am not a romance novel reader. I just am not. It’s not that I don’t like romance, per se– it’s just that they all seem the same in plot and premise. Timeless Desire managed to break the mold, and I truly enjoyed it more than I ever thought I’d enjoy a romance novel.

You can’t really read or write a time-travel book that has to do with Scotland without being cast in the shadow of Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series. So in that way, I give kudos to Ms. Cready– while the parallels are undeniable, she still manages to make the story her own and aside from the time-travel to Scotland romance theme (and the first name of the dashing Scotsman who sweeps our heroine off her feet), the comparisons end… and the fun really begins!

Panna is of a different sort than Outlander ‘s Claire. She’s a librarian who is struggling with budget cuts and a sense of being adrift after the loss of her husband. One day, she goes looking in the library storage for items to sell to garner funds to keep the library afloat when she stumbles across a strange door. Curious, she sticks her hand through… And it disappears! Of course, this adventure is too great to pass up, and down the rabbit hole Panna goes, landing at the 1700s England/Scotland border. Danger, excitement, and passion await.

Fans of historical fiction will appreciate the care that Ms. Cready takes with painting the scene: Panna is dropped into the stretch of land that straddles the Scottish/English border, complete with rustic, crumbling castles and sprawling hills and rivers. Cready also deftly avoids being bogged down by the details of such a time period, instead effortlessly weaving them throughout the story.

Though the romance felt rushed, and therefore didn’t ring as true to me as I would have liked, there was none of the discomfort that I held for the relationship between Outlander’s Jamie and Claire… At least Panna’s husband had been dead for two years, and she was ready to move on. I consider Claire, on the other hand, to be an adulteress, which I can’t support. Some of the dialogue in this book was a bit cheesy but other than that I quite loved Panna and Bridgewater’s banter. I really liked Panna overall as a character. She was spirited and matched wits at every turn with the handsome Bridgewater. I felt like Bridgewater fell a bit flat as a character, although the glimpses into his point of view were appreciated.

Timeless Desire is one of those books that you can’t help but be swept up in. The perfect beach companion or weekend read, this time-traveling, romance adventure is so fun you’ll fly right through it, leaving yourself wishing that you could find a secret time-traveling doorway of your own to go through.

An advance review copy was provided to me by the publisher for the purposes of review.
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For more book reviews, visit my blog The Bookshelf!(less)

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May 18, 2012 Linda Bsss rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Head Librarian Panna Kennedy, Was Just Not Over The Death Of Charlie Her Husband Who Passed Two Years Ago. Marie, Her Co-Worker And Friend, Was Duty Bound To Fix Her Up With Blind Dates! She Was Double Dating Tonight And She Was Nervous, She Made Sure The Circulation Desk Was Covered And Went To Stare Again At The Stature Of Bridgewater That She Was Drawn To. He Was Called A Hero Of The Ramilles Battle And Panna Was Drawn To His Good Looks. She Noticed A Small Door In The Library That She Hadn't...more

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Nov 23, 2012 Colette rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

3.2. This book wanted to read better. I could smell it on its lightly whiskey-infused, historical named dropped pages. I actually wasn’t wielding excessively high standards when I read this, having not read a book for pure leisure for a while. So I expected a 4 from it, just from the course it started to take.

Well, it diverted from the well-lit path that 4+ stories walk within.

I believe the main issue was that it took on more than could fill its breeks; its limbs were too narrow to quite hold t...more 3.2. This book wanted to read better. I could smell it on its lightly whiskey-infused, historical named dropped pages. I actually wasn’t wielding excessively high standards when I read this, having not read a book for pure leisure for a while. So I expected a 4 from it, just from the course it started to take.

Well, it diverted from the well-lit path that 4+ stories walk within.

I believe the main issue was that it took on more than could fill its breeks; its limbs were too narrow to quite hold the weight of such a wide and epic topic of time travel portals and romantic love that transcends 300 years of time. Specifically, a book of such heightened context should include the 5 W's and the 1 How. The ones that particularly needed filling out in the WHY and HOW categories.

Why did this library have a portal? Why was our heroine Panna able to see it and pass through where others could not? How did the thing even exist? Why did the thing exist? Another why detail that's sort of small scale but really isn’t were the clothes/transfer of items when Panna passed through. the first time her librarian clothes and pencil-in-hair look became removed; she wore nothing but a sexy dress that got her mistaken as a whore numerous times. First I figured the fates were trying to set her up with the hero of the story, but the dress became more of a hindrance seeing as the story hardly remains in the castle and she has to move about within the world more than play sexy kitten for him.

Then, when she left his time only to return she brought things with her and they passed through fine. She was also able to take stuff from the past to the future as well. I wanted to know what worked and what didn’t and why because, even if they were small things, if it makes one pause and go hmm... I wonder about that...then the detail should probably be filled in.

My next concern was Panna's character. Ah. well. I can't say she was Mary-Sue...I didn't know enough about her to know. She remained flat on the page, which didn’t flatter her. In the 3- dimensional story world of wild events and war, 2-D is not a good look for the main character. The hero, Bridgewater, had more of a filling than she did. Fine, but seeing as she was the main eyes we saw the story from, it sucked that I felt little of her presence whatsoever.

You know what else was vague, if not confusing? Setting. Especially near the beginning. I couldn’t tell the ceiling from the ground from the hearth to whatever else. Literally. I really don't know what happened there. It was like, the author was explaining it but I just didn't know what the hell she was talking about. Which never happens to me. Even if it’s been foreign settings for me (and apparently it shouldn't have been, just a storage room in the library floor and later a castle) I’ve always been able to piece together a general picture. Here, I thought I had my notions down but then an event would be like "and she ran down the hall" and I’m like hall? I thought she was in a small room! Haha, no exaggeration..Thing is, I was confused enough to set aside the book, but interested enough to pick it back up. If I'd known how it'd progress and eventually end, I would have kept it down. Something else in the progress of reading that totally threw me off was the romance between the two of them.

First off, it's been 1 1/2 days. Not. even. a full. 2 days. And there is "I’ve fallen in love with him/her!" Uh no. You haven't. And these are 30 something year old characters. They know better, no matter what time period you're from, you know better. To not even get into why Bridgewater’s claims that 'she made me feel less lonely' isn't enough to love her stably, what really set me off is Bridgewater’s supposed love and devotion when, during his short courtship of her, wait for it (teensy spoiler, since it's only treated with a wrist slap and set aside) He sees a prostitute! And then he goes into Panna's bed the same night after needing her to mend him up after being caught crawling out of the window on the woman he slept with and getting shot.

Uh, okay? And there was another mention of his maybe or maybe not frequenting a nearby brothel house. I honestly had no reason why the author felt the need to insert these details about him. It just make me want to toss this aside and I did, for a couple hours. I was just so severely irritated by that. Don’t claim he loves her so grandly and then have him being a manslut the next. And it wasn’t even added to some character flaw either, like some crazy lustful urges he has. He actually acts like a prude and blushes a whole lot in the story. But nope. Just plopped on us this closet sexual monster. How you like those Roses? The author said, well here is some shit to go with it.

The pretty descriptions couldn't save the book either. They came in pretty late or I’d only noticed much later, but it did nothing but tune in my awareness of the author. I tend to sharpen on the speaker's presence when the heroine is flat so that is what happened. And so even with artful detail, I wasn’t too impressed in the take of the story.

Overall, I felt nothing for Panna's character or her life. She had no strong interest but an implied one in reading. And all the rest of what I’ve stated contributes to this 3.2 rating. That's it. Good luck with this one. Not a bad story, since I gave it a 3. Merely because the author actually knew how to write. It was all context that sagged these breeks down. It needed to be brought back under extensive revision surgery.
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Jul 18, 2012 Margaret Mcgaffey rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Time travel, along with psychic Gaels, was the earliest form of paranormal romance, and I’ve certainly read my share over the years. When I asked Gwyn Cready to read the ARC of Timeless Desire, I expected a good story, fun characters, and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court-style historical romp.

I got the first, but the second was much more complicated and compelling. I can’t remember reading another time travel romance that tackles the issue of contamination quite so well. At the same t...more Time travel, along with psychic Gaels, was the earliest form of paranormal romance, and I’ve certainly read my share over the years. When I asked Gwyn Cready to read the ARC of Timeless Desire, I expected a good story, fun characters, and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court-style historical romp.

I got the first, but the second was much more complicated and compelling. I can’t remember reading another time travel romance that tackles the issue of contamination quite so well. At the same time, this novel offers characters I fell in love with as much as Panna and Jaime fell for each other. Their sometimes raunchy expression of that love, wry humor shared among many characters (Clare and his lovely sisters, for example), and danger mixed in with real fear for the people met during the read all came together to make this a wonderful book.

There are touches of mystery mixed in with a very real portrayal of the tension between the Scots and British along the border and Hadrian’s Wall. This is not some fancy dress dance through the elite parties of the past. Instead, love builds out of lust that is transformed as Jaime and Panna reveal their true natures in dangerous and desperate situations. Jaime learns to trust another while Panna finally lets her grief for her dead husband stop constraining her life, but that’s only a small part of the twists this story takes a reader through, all firmly centered on the two main characters, mostly Jaime, and yet crossing so many lives, most of which are given a mini story of their own, even if it’s a soldier’s wish to transfer back to his home in Dublin.

This is a novel about secrets, the torment of living, and the bright moments that make living worthwhile for those willing to take a leap, whether into a different time, or of faith in another. While I read the ARC before the final edits, and under a different title , Timeless Desire was well worth the time I spent in between its virtual pages, and I can only imagine the final version will be even better.
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Jul 04, 2012 Lilmissmolly rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Timeless Desire is Gwyn Cready at her finest. As usual, she wrote a highly entertaining time travel story with love and romance set in both the years 2012 and 1706. The heroine is Pandora “Panna” Kennedy, a librarian in Pittsburgh, whose library is financially strapped. Stumbling into a portal located in the library, she finds herself in a castle on the border between Scotland and England. It is there that she meets Captain James Bridgewater, who is the Grandson of a powerful Scottish clan chief...more

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Aug 19, 2012 Natasja rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Timeless Desire by Gwyn Cready is a contemporary / historical romance novel with a mix of love, war and time-travel between eighteen century England and the modern day.

Pandora “Panna” Kennedy is a modern woman who lost her husband just two years ago. She works at the Carnegie Library and recently been told that the library will face major budget cuts. In order to save her beloved department she’s trying to hard to come up with a huge plan or even find hidden treasures. Then she unlocks the door...more Timeless Desire by Gwyn Cready is a contemporary / historical romance novel with a mix of love, war and time-travel between eighteen century England and the modern day.

Pandora “Panna” Kennedy is a modern woman who lost her husband just two years ago. She works at the Carnegie Library and recently been told that the library will face major budget cuts. In order to save her beloved department she’s trying to hard to come up with a huge plan or even find hidden treasures. Then she unlocks the door under the stairs and finds a secret doorway to the past. Her curiosity wins and she steps through the portal and ends up in a chapel within an eighteen century castle, where she meets Captain James Bridgewater; who remarkably looks like the statue in her library.

Captain James Bridgewater happens to be the illegitimate half-brother of Colonel John Bridgewater, the man of the statue. James is torn between the rebels who wants peace and independence for Scotland and his duties to the English army. When he stumbles upon Panna, he first believes she is a spy, but when he figures out she is telling the true about time-travelling and everything else, he slowly falls for her.

Normally I read a lot of paranormal romance or Urban Fantasy, simply because those are my favourite genres. But from time to time it is nice to read a book that is all about the romance. Timeless Desire is one of those books, no kick-ass chick who don’t need a man...at first, but about a woman who falls for a man in the past and do anything to help him in his battle; even if that means returning to her own time without him.

I loved both main characters Panna and James. She is the modern woman we all know so well and she knows she has to be strong enough to not change the course of history when she is in the past. He is the rebel from that past and trying to do the best for both countries he’s born in England and Scotland, but he finds it hard to succeed.

Gwyn Cready has written a great romance novel with mixes of drama, love and time-travelling in it, which I all love to see in a novel. This was my first novel by this author and I enjoyed reading it, so I’ll definitely go check out her other books. I need to keep my readings genres in balance and her stuff is definitely going to help me with that.

I received this novel as a Galley, courtesy of Serena Ainesly by Blue Dot Literary(less)

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Aug 15, 2012 Natasha rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The first impression I got from this book while reading through chapter one was that it was smooth and easy to read. I was engaged from page one and there wasn't even something extrodinary going on. She makes everyday dialouge into smoething interesting. She's that good!
So much history and mystery combined and after the first few chapters when she enters the mysterious door to another time. I was hooked.

Don't we all have a pining for the tourtured hero? ell, Captin Bridgewater is that and devin...more

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Aug 20, 2012 Kristilyn (Reading In Winter & Winter Distractions) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: on-my-ereader, read-in-2012, review-books-completed

Why I Read This Book
I was contacted by the author’s publicist about this book and was immediately pulled in by the fact that it was an Outlander Romance — I love time travel romance books! The other thing that looked great was the fact that the main character was a librarian. Bookishness AND time travel AND romance? Count me in!

My Thoughts
This book was definitely a treat! When I first started reading it, I was comparing it to Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander which, of course, no book could compare to,...more

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Aug 14, 2012 Holly rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

May have slight spoilers.

In Timeless Desire, An Outlander Love Story by Gwyn Cready we meet Panna Kennedy, a librarian who is still dealing with the grief of her dead husband after two years. She is exploring the library when she comes across a almost hidden door that leads her into the past, but not just anywhere in the past—in the home of Colonel John Bridgewater. A man who’s statue is in the library for his heroic deeds in the war, in the 1700’s.

But not is as glories as Panna always imaged it...more

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Aug 10, 2012 Melissa Garrett rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was immediately sucked in to the story and couldn't read fast enough (and I'm a pretty quick reader!). Panna is a witty and intelligent main character, and the story itself is fast-faced and fun. The book contains just the right balance of paranormal and romance to make it believable and sexy, without it becoming too fantastical or blatantly erotic. Timeless Desire has all makings of the perfect "beach read" or curl-up-on-the-couch-with-a-good-book story. If you're short on time, you can easil...more

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May 19, 2012 Ivyd rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

4.5 stars

When Panna, short for Pandora, receives a call telling her the library she heads is going to suffer a large reduction in funding she begins looking for some missing objets d’art donated at the library’s founding. If the pieces can be located maybe they can be sold to raise funds. Panna discovers how appropriately she’s named when she opens a long disused door under the library stairs and steps into 1706. Has she returned to the time of the handsome and heroic John Bridgewater, Viscount...more 4.5 stars

When Panna, short for Pandora, receives a call telling her the library she heads is going to suffer a large reduction in funding she begins looking for some missing objets d’art donated at the library’s founding. If the pieces can be located maybe they can be sold to raise funds. Panna discovers how appropriately she’s named when she opens a long disused door under the library stairs and steps into 1706. Has she returned to the time of the handsome and heroic John Bridgewater, Viscount Adderly, whose statue graces The Andrew Carnegie Library? The statue was a stipulation by a Bridgewaer descendant who generously donated a large check and the missing objets d’art at the library’s founding. What awaits Panna in the past and will it help save her library in the future?

In TIMELESS DESIRE Ms.Cready has penned an adventurous time travel romance that possesses that “epic feel” I often miss from the older historicals. In my humble opinion this heft is gained by the causes of the conflict; war, the tragic consequences of a consummated past love that have reverberated through the years, and time itself. Instead of the societal strictures of the haut ton etc, Jamie and Panna have weightier issues to deal with giving TIMELESS DESIRE the meatier feel of those past historicals.

Another component that contributed to my reading pleasure was Panna herself. I love historicals and understand the “virginal miss” heroine but not every woman who lusted or loved in the past falls into that category. Panna is older and a widow. She’s also smart, witty, and resourceful. While Panna possesses twenty-first century sensibilities they don’t come across as overbearing but as a confidence befitting her widowhood.

James Bridgewater, aka Jamie to a very few, is a hero caught between two cultures that might as well be different worlds; that of the English and the Scottish. Despite being a Captain in the English Army, Jamie walks a fine perilous line in his search for resolutions to the disagreements generating the conflicts between the two peoples. Jamie’s ultimate goal is peace. While I personally prefer my heroes dark haired for Jamie I’m willing to make an exception.
TIMELESS DESIRE is no love at first sight story, lust yes, but not love. Though events and emotions move apace that is often the case in times of war. When each meeting or breath could be your last it adds an intensity and sense of urgency that’s believable. Panna and Jamie’s attraction and sexual tension never overtake the story. It simmers along nicely and doesn’t interfere with the “real life” events taking place. That being said, I confess the last line of Jamie’s declaration to Panna was so earnest and heartfelt my breath caught. Never did I have a “WTFrill are they doing?” thought and at no point did I get the feeling that HEA was a given for Jamie and Panna.
Obviously, I was captivated by Panna and Jamie.

TIMELESS DESIRE isn’t predictable. It’s full of twists and turns, thrilling adventure fraught with peril, heartbreaking tragedy, and achingly romantic moments.
While reading I found myself tensing up, holding my breath, laughing, and generally getting completely lost in Jamie and Panna’s story. The secondary characters are equally as charming and entertaining as Jamie and Panna. I wouldn’t mind learning more about Undine and Clare. Ms. Cready has a delightful way of turning a phrase that tickles me and I caught myself smiling throughout the book.
If you’ve been searching for a read you can truly lose yourself in, I highly recommend TIMELESS DESIRE.

4.5 stars
Reviewed by IvyD for Manic Readers
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May 17, 2012 Donna rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A time-travel romance. If you combine the best of contemporary and historical romance you get a Gwen Cready book.

The local Carnegie library is having funding issues (and really who today isn’t). In an attempt to find something she can sell to help; librarian Panna Kennedy finds a doorway to 1706 on the Scots English border where she gets involved with the handsome Captain Bridgewater.
If you like dashing men in uniform (even if they are red) and a romp through history with a spunky librarian tr...more

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Sep 09, 2012 Kate added it · review of another edition

TIMELESS DESIRE, by Gwyn Cready, is one of the most fun and romantic time travel books I've ever read! Right from the start I loved Panna and her secret obsession with the Bridgewater statue at the library she works at. This book jumps right into the story without a lot of set-up which is always fun! Panna finds a secret entrance to another time and immediately meets the man of the statue. The dialogue and chemistry between the two absolutely sizzles, making me want more! Cready takes the reader...more

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Feb 10, 2013 Nancy rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The story was good enough to finish, but I really didn't feel like I was that emotionally involved with the Hero/Heroine. It seemed like they "fell in love" a bit too quickly and not very believably. The romance wasn't really there, although there was always danger and the threat of war in there lives, so that could explain a few things. But what really threw me, was when they finally have sex, it is described in surprisingly vulgar terms, making me wonder how Panna could actually be having such...more

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Sep 04, 2012 Sarah rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own-kindle, for-review-read, read-in-2012

Panna is a widow who lost her husband two years ago and hasn't been able to move on with her life. She is a librarian who works in the Carnegie library and to deal with the latest budget crisis she starts searching hidden areas of the library looking for artifacts she might be able to sell. Instead of hidden treasure what she actually finds is a doorway into the past. She soon finds herself back in the eighteenth century in a castle on the English / Scottish boarder and walking straight into the...more Panna is a widow who lost her husband two years ago and hasn't been able to move on with her life. She is a librarian who works in the Carnegie library and to deal with the latest budget crisis she starts searching hidden areas of the library looking for artifacts she might be able to sell. Instead of hidden treasure what she actually finds is a doorway into the past. She soon finds herself back in the eighteenth century in a castle on the English / Scottish boarder and walking straight into the arms of Colonel John Bridgewater, the man whose statue she has spent hours admiring. What she doesn't immediately realise is that it is John's illegitimate brother James that she has met. James is also a member of the English army but he has very different plans to those of his brother and is working secretly with rebels to try to prevent a war between England and Scotland.

I'm going to start this review with a confession - Timeless Desire is the first book I've read in this kind time travel / historical romance genre. I do love a good historical romance though and I was intrigued by the idea of adding time travel into the mix but I have to say I was disappointed. I felt that both main characters accepted the idea of time travel far too quickly and neither of them really questioned how it was possible. I guess I'd expected there to be some kind of explanation for how time travel worked but that wasn't the case. Now, I'm not sure if that is how it always is in this kind of story and if it is then I guess that this genre isn't going to be one for me. I do seem to be in the minority when it comes to this book so please don't let me put you off giving it a try but I always give my honest opinion in my reviews.

I decided to put my issues with the time travel aspect of the story to one side and just enjoy the story for it's romance but I'm afraid that I didn't really enjoy that part of the book very much either. I found that Panna and Bridgewater seemed to fall in love far too quickly and I was still struggling to understand what they saw in each other. I just didn't feel any kind of emotional connection between them. I also found the language used in the love making scenes was off putting. Descriptions like "Jamie was long and thick, a pale pink spear towering over compact testes and a thick carpet of golden-brown fur" just don't do it for me! It was more of a turn off than anything else, as was Jamie saying things like "I want you like a whore" to Panna. I'm all for dirty talk but you can take things too far.

All in all I'm afraid I found this a difficult book to get through and I don't think I'll be rushing out to buy more of this author's work. I am still curious about the genre though and will probably try it again at some point in the hope that I find something that I enjoy more.(less)

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