The Whirlpools of Time
The Whirlpools of Time is a spinoff of the author’s Graham Family series and continues its time-travel traditions. It is set in 1715 and 2016, in America and Scotland. The protagonist this time is Duncan Melville. He is a member of the Graham family who is rejected by his mother and is an outsider due to the nature of his birth. When a fierce thunderstorm inexplicably transports him to 2016, he meets Erin, who is dealing with troubles of her own.
I enjoyed the beginning of the story, and the author does a good job of showing Duncan’s isolation from the rest of the Graham family. The means of time travel is always important, and the mesmerizing bands of light that transport Duncan and Erin in time are intriguing. However, Duncan accepts arriving in the 21st century too easily, and his transition is too smooth. His quick assimilation into a world of cars, cell phones, internet, and airplanes is not believable. His speech also fits too well into the modern world. Erin’s arrival in 1715 is much more difficult and realistic.
There are many explicit sex scenes, so readers who avoid this should be aware. The relationship between Duncan and Erin also progresses much too quickly, as they go from strangers to kisses to sex very early in the book. The continued use of graphic sex feels like filler to me and keeps the author from really exploring the characters and the times in which they find themselves. The history of the Jacobite rebellion of 1715 in Scotland is explored, but I would have liked to have learned more. However, those who enjoy highly sensual romances with a bit of time travel and history will enjoy this book.
