I think I am one of the only romance readers out there that has yet to read Diana Gabaldon's time travel series.  Given the fact that Roundtable Reviews received a copy of A BREATH OF SNOW AND ASHES, I figured I needed to delve into this series.  Let me start by saying, these books are not quick reads.  I'd started OUTLANDER long ago but gave up.  This time I knew I had to succeed.  Dell has reissued Jamie and Claire's saga just in time for the sixth book's release.  Don't count on OUTLANDER's cost keeping you away; it's being offered for an amazing $3.99.

Claire Randall is a nurse with the Royal Army.  Currently, Claire and her husband, Frank, are in Scotland on a second honeymoon.  Claire never imagines that she'll find herself thrown back in time with no idea how to return to her husband.  WWII doesn't make for easy living, but 1743 is much, much harder!

Claire winds up nursing a wounded Scot warrior, Jamie Fraser.  Jamie's clan takes Claire under their wing, and Claire soon faces an impossible challenge.  She must marry Jamie, the marriage must be consummated, and she must face the reality that she may never return to her own time.

OUTLANDER is packed with historical detail and language.  Diana Gabaldon takes exquisite care in creating every nuance of her characters--both minor and major.  It is this same powerful writing style that makes it hard to read the book in one sitting--that's impossible.  I can usually work through a novel in a few hours, this time it took me a few days.  The best way to describe the experience is by saying - Brain-Food.  The author makes you think about what you are reading, the choices Claire faces, and the uncertainty of the outcome.