Finished: Outlander (Gabaldon) I have really enjoyed reading this time-traveling love story between 1940's British, Claire and 1740's Scottish clansman, Jamie. Claire, a married nurse during World War II is on her 2nd honeymoon in Scotland after the war with her husband, Frank, who she has been separated from for five years during the war. Claire truly loves Frank, and they enjoy renewing their love. Frank is a historian and fills Claire's mind with all kinds of genealogical information about his family who he is in Scotland to research during the honeymoon. Frank takes Claire to the mystical giant slabs of stone, on the hill of Craigh na Dun, which are formed in a huge circle, and they witness the village women performing a centuries old dance around the stones. Claire goes back the next day to gather some flowers and feels drawn to one of the stones. She puts both her hands on the stone and is instantly transported into 1740's Scotland! She's in the middle of a battle between some clansmen and the British redcoats and, understandably disoriented, she at first thinks she's stumbled onto a movie set. When she comes face to face with her husband Frank's great-great-great-great-great grandfather, John Randall, a dangerous redcoat known as Black Jack, she's in extreme danger. Though she's rescued by a Scottish clansman, she's also forced to go along with HIM, because they're not sure who they've come upon! A British spy? A French spy? The clansman takes her back to a cabin where Dougal Mackenzie, the war chief for the Mackenzie clan has gathered a few men. Among them...the injured Jamie Mackenzie, his nephew The huge, rugged, handsome, copper-haired 23 year old Scot is in pain and holding a dislocated shoulder. Claire insists on jerking the shoulder back into place rather than letting one of the men do it and risk ruining it for good. They are all surprised at her skills, and in awe of her. She and Jamie share an instant connection. Even so, they will not let Claire go on her way. At this point, she just wants to try and get back to the stones to get back to Frank. She's realized she "fell" back into time. Dougal will not let her go, however. He takes her back to the Castle Leoch to his brother, the clan leader, Colum Mackenzie. The story becomes really complicated as we soon are not even sure whether to trust the motives of Colum and Dougal in regards to Jamie, their sister's son...whose real name is Jamie Fraser. He is in hiding from the British with a bounty on his head for a murder he did not commit. The story is too lengthy to tell and recap. Just know that Jamie and Claire become more and more attached and attracted to each other until they are forced to marry to save her from being turned over to the evil John Randall who they all have another run in with. He's the same evil being who had whipped Jamie to his near death the year before. Anyway...I love the story between Jamie and Claire. The book turns very dark in its second half. I'm watching the TV series, which is following the book pretty well, but I wonder if it will take the several dark turns in the second half of the TV show...including Jamie whipping Claire with a belt across her bum when she doesn't do as she says she will and stay hidden while he has a dangerous meeting. Captured by the evil John Randall when she doesn't stay hidden, Jamie and the rest of the Scotsmen are forced to put all their lives in danger to attempt Claire's rescue. They succeed but Jamie must teach Claire a lesson that she's simply got to understand their ways and not disregard what he says. Things turn even darker after Jamie is later captured and sent to prison and horribly abused emotionally, physically and sexually by the deviant John Randall. Claire mounts his rescue and nurses the near death Jamie back to health, but it's a long, upward battle. Finally at the end of the book, we are left with the cliffhanger of Claire hinting to Jamie that she's pregnant after they've been together for nearly a year. Oh, and before the story got too dark, Jamie and Claire made it back to his family home Lallybroch where he was reunited with his beloved sister, Jenny after many, many years, and her husband Ian and their toddler, little Jamie. Claire helps Jenny give birth to her new baby daughter days before Jamie is captured by the Brits and taken to the prison. I loved this book and am already ready to start reading the next looooonnnnggg book in the series! :-)