Time has no meaning for those in love, and love can break
through barriers when nothing else seems possible. But what
happens when it transcends centuries and shores? Claire
Islington is caught up in a world of ghostly desire, she
pines for a love that could not have been possible, and one
which seven years ago almost took her life. Therapy and
friends have done nothing to break through the lethargy and
yearning, and so her best friend, Toby, conspires with her
current love, Dr. Ian Gilbertson. Toby advises Ian the only
way he may be able to cure her is to take her away for a
vacation and back to the setting that started it all.
Therefore, Ian arranges to take Claire to the Black Hound
Inn in Dorset, Vermont -- an inn reputed as much for its
haunting charm as its fine cuisine. However, instead of
bringing her out of the fog, Claire's compelled to delve
deeper into the hidden recesses of her mind.
Harcourt Abernathy is drawn to the inn in 1824 on business.
Seeking to escape the haunting distress over the loss of
his beloved Kate, the past five months without her seem
like an eternity. Kate was everything he could have ever
wanted in a woman, even with her unseemly profession for
medicine and research. Now, he can't imagine the world
without her and doesn't want to live within it. Then he
meets Claire, and for a brief moment in time, he feels as
if he might go on. Yet they are both trapped on their own
side of reality and the flames of love can do more damage
than good. Should he try to go to the woman whose spirit
intrigues him, or should he go on without love?
Ethereal and compelling, Ms. Bass takes the reader back and
forth across time with her flowing prose and surreal
characters. This method, which would not normally work to
engross the reader within its confusing web of words and
settings, works with this story. In fact, it lends its
vagueness to the charm of the tale and allows the reader to
feel as Claire and Harcourt must feel, being separated and
haunted by their love across time. Additionally, you can
feel heart strings tug as Ian tries to give Claire real
love in the place of surreal love, although some of his
methods will anger the reader, as well. Definitely an
appropriate book to curl up by the fire with on a rainy day.