I devoured the sweet historical romances of Lynn Kurland when I was in high school, and then her romances slipped away from me. When the TV adaptation of Outlander appeared in our midst, I remembered how similar Kurland’s time travel sweet romances are to Outlander and wondered what had happened to her books.
Well, she’s still around, but she’s mostly writing fantasy now, but it got me thinking.
Are you an Outlander fan but would like something a little less steamy? You need to read Lynn Kurland’s sweet historical time traveling romance novels.
Sweet Time Travel Romance Novels
First let’s talk about the time traveling sweet romances from Lynn Kurland. The MacLoed Family Series follows a family of time travelers through a fairy ring in Scotland. It was first published in 1996 by Berkley about five years after Outlander was published. The MacLoed Family series goes further back in time though to the 1300s, so you’re looking at medieval Scotland, which offers its own kind of appeal.
What I love about these books is you have the time traveling, the burly Scottish lairds, and the usual heroic acts, but these are sweet stories. The books ooze with incredible emotion and romance. It’s like curling up with your favorite hot beverage, a warm blanket, and settling in to your favorite comfy nook.
I think because I read these in high school they remind me of a time when everything was safe and okay, and so when I think about a comfort read, this is it.
The characters are intricately drawn, and their struggles are multi-dimensional. These aren’t your typical romance hero who needs to conquer a past slight. In the first book in this series, A Dance Through Time, James must decide whether or not he should go forward in time with Elizabeth and leave his clan, and his struggle with this is poignant and raw. You are wrapped up in these characters’ plights as if they were your true friends.
Sweet Historical Romances
While Kurland offers a great sweet alternative to the Outlander series, she also has a rich sweet historical romance series, the de Piaget Family Series. I always crave a family series when it comes to romance, because I love to see how a family changes and strengthens through various trials. The de Piaget Family Series is no different.
What’s great about this series is two-fold. The series follows not only the de Piaget family, but it reaches into secondary characters that are close to the family. I love this because it paints the whole picture of what the family was like and what surrounded them. It’s an all-encompassing development that makes the stories that much richer.
These sweet historical romances also contain elements of the supernatural. I love when a book set in Scotland and England includes just a touch of magic. It adds just the bit of spice needed for a story set in such a magical place. Some of the supernatural elements include time travel, yes, but the one I enjoyed the most included a ghost. Trust me on this one.
A Great Alternative to the Outlander Series
Looking back, it’s no surprise I ended up studying abroad in Scotland. With all I was reading at the time, it was inevitable. If you’ve burned through everything Diana Gabaldon has to offer, I urge you to check out Lynn Kurland. You won’t be disappointed.
