I knew that "Dragonfly in Amber" would not measure up to the stratospheric bar set by my love for "Outlander"—but I still loved this second book in the series. Of course, this is mainly due to the enchanting relationship between Jamie and Claire. At the start I was a little concerned that our jump forward in time would limit the time we spent with the lovers together, but I needn't have worried; Gabaldon brought us back to the past and the events leading up to the couple's separation in time, and I'm not ashamed to say I cried when we came to that part even though I knew it was coming.

This book had a lot of flair compared to "Outlander," as we traveled among royal circles, modern cities, and political scandals. But the series is at its best when we're alone with Claire and Jamie, and this book had plenty of that too—though I don't know that any amount of time would truly be enough.