"Vampires, Time Travel, Reincarnation in one Anthology by four fabulous Authors"

I must admit that I love everything Lynn Kurland has ever written, "And The Groom Wore Tulle" is certainly no exception. A continuation of Ian MacLeod's character (Jamie's Cousin) from A DANCE THROUGH TIME (I recommend you read this first) --- this tale is hysterical!  A medieval Scottish warrior and fabled lover, finds he's spoiled one virgin too many and winds up in the dungeon of his worst enemy.  Thinking he is going to die, he wishes he could have found the way to the future and his cousin Jamie. Upon passing out the enemy's cohorts think he's dead and deposit him back on MacCleod land in the midst of the magical faery ring.   This transports him to 20th century NYC in the storage room of a bridal shop full of wedding dress, just waiting for the woman of his dreams to discover him and decide that he's INSANE!  Thinking he's in heaven he dons one of the gowns (his angel robe no doubt) and things just get funnier from there. 

Maggie Shayne is probably best known for her vampire tales, so she's no stranger to paranormal romance. In this story, "The Con And The Crusader", a boy who's spent his life avoiding work has grown up into a con man. Having a shred of scruples left he doesn't con good folk only criminal types. When arrested by the police as a possible crime witness he is caught in the crossfire as the now wise criminals catch up with him. He escapes, still handcuffed and dives into a wishing well. As he falls he promises God he will work hard from now on, if only he survives this experience. Be careful what you wish for! He lands in the prison yard in a time gone by and is being perused by a beautiful older woman, a widow with two wards, who has decided upon making an inmate her husband to save her farm and the room over the children's heads in exchange for his freedom. It's a sweet story as love reforms him. 

Angie Ray's "Bride Most Common" is a tale about a time machine. The heroine is a scientist, her boss has invented a time machine, the time traveler enters a dead body at the moment of death and carries on from there. Unfortunately his feckless relative, who tested the machine, freaked at the major bullet wound he finds in his new body and doesn't complete his task thereby changing history, Pollution is rampant, many species of animals are going extinct. The heroine must go back and fix things. To her surprise she finds herself the in the role of the bride in a marriage of convenience. It isn't long before the groom realizes this isn't the cold woman he thought would let him live his life in peace. He is drawn to her and she to him, but here's the catch he has to die to save the future and she has to return home. Whatever will they do? 

Ingrid Weaver's "Conyn's Bride" is by far the best story of all. The heroine is a museum expert. She is cataloging a shipment of Celtic antiquities when a box bursts open and suddenly she is faced with an authentic Celtic warrior who claims to be her long lost fiancé. A Sleeping Beauty story of sorts, one of timeless love. You see he left his love behind to do his duty, only to return as she has decided to go to him, she drowns in a flooding river as he watches unable to save her life. He feels his own life is ended but a woman of magic tells him that he will have another chance with his soul mate in another time, another place. He knows his heart's mate at once but will he convince this woman that he is the love of HER life? 

Fabulous collection of stories, I hope they will do others. 

Leslie Tramposch  / August, 1999
Copyright © 1999 for PNR Reveiws

Reviewed by Leslie Tramposch
Courtesy PNR
Posted April 17, 2002

An anthology of four charming romances that transcend the barriers of time and space features Lynn Kurland's "And the Groom Wore Tulle," "The Con and the Crusader" by Maggie Shayne, "A Bride Most Common" by Angie Ray, and Ingrid Weaver's "Conyn's Bride."

Summary

Today's bestselling romance writers invite you to four special weddings--across the veils of time...

National bestselling author Lynn Kurland's And The Groom Wore Tulle

National bestselling author Maggie Shayne's The Con and the Crusader

Rita Award winner Angie Ray's Bride Most Common

"And the Groom Wore Tulle" by Lynn Kurland - Scottish nobleman Ian MacLeod falls asleep in a medieval dungeon-- and awakes in a room filled with long white dresses. Jane Fergusson longed to create great fashions, but instead toils in a bridal shop. Will their fateful meeting over dressmaker's shears lead to bloodshed or bliss?