Aloha to KC Dyer and FINDING FRASER - Book Review

Sometimes searching for true love can be a little...Outlandish.

I met Jamie Fraser when I was nineteen years old. He was tall, red-headed, and at our first meeting at least, a virgin. I fell in love hard, fast and completely. He knew how to ride a horse, wield a sword and stitch a wound. He was, in fact, the perfect man.

That he was fictional hardly entered into it.

At 29, Emma Sheridan's life is a disaster and she's tired of waiting for the perfect boyfriend to step from the pages of her favorite book. There's only one place to look, and it means selling everything and leaving her world behind. With an unexpected collection of allies along the way, can Emma face down a naked fishmonger, a randy gnome, a perfidious thief, and even her own abdominal muscles on the journey to find her Fraser?

I'm William Wallace, and the rest of you will be spared. Go back to England and tell them ... Scotland is free! - William Wallace

Dear KC,

I met you at the Berkley signing during the RWA Annual Conference. You signed FINDING FRASER and commented that it is a romantic comedy.  You asked me to let you know how I liked the book.  

I liked the book.

Note that I have not read OUTLANDER (gasp!) but I adore Scotland. I have toured Alba twice and felt its spirit in Hawaii. Check out this post, Spam to Scotland, at this link. Hubby and I also enjoy the Scottish "pipes and drum" band Albannach at this link.  

FINDING FRASER is spot on with its vivid descriptions of the Scottish landscapes, the endearing soul of Alba's people, and the mystique of the standing stones dotting the countryside which become the portal for Claire to travel back in time in OUTLANDER.

I enjoyed following Emma's quest to find her own Jamie Fraser, especially the blog she created to share her adventures with an unknown public. As she travels by bus to Philadelphia, the hop across the pond, and then by bus to Nairn in the Highlands, Emma attracts an online following of fellow OUTLANDER fans, including readers in Japan.

However, Emma seems to fall into a personality trap - confident online but naive in reality. Although she clearly researched her travel itinerary to follow Claire in OUTLANDER, Emma tends to get off course, both emotionally and physically, when she encounters road bumps. Granted, a few of the road bumps were significant issues, but Emma never seemed to rise to the level of emotional maternity I would expect from six months on her own in Scotland. That being said, Emma cherished the Scots ... and learned to cherish herself.  

I also found some of Emma's adventures over the top ala Monty Python. But you clearly captured the wide appeal of OUTLANDER. You also gave readers a glimpse of Alba outside the burly men wearing kilts.  You gave Alba a heart.

I recommend FINDING FRASER to those who enjoy reading about Alba - past or present, fact or fiction.   

I am giving away a book choice from my convention stash. To enter the giveaway,

1. In FINDING FRASER, Emma is an expert barista - do you drink coffee?  How do you like it?  I don't drink coffee but I certainly enjoy hot chocolate from coffee shops.

2. Comments are open through Saturday, August 6, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3. I'll post the winner on Sunday, August 7.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Learn more about KC Dyer and her books at kcdyer.com.