The Mists Of Time by Susan Squires
Time Travel Romance
August 31, 2010
Paperback, 352 Pages
St. Martin’s

Reviewed by Tori

Blurb: Diana Dearborn knows all about romance, at least in the books she writes. But passion eludes her in real life—until she’s offered the chance to travel back in time to Camelot. The world of King Arthur and Guinevere is nothing like she imagined, neither is the knight she encounters on her return to San Francisco: Gawain, the hero of her current project. He’s complicated, mysterious, and sexier than anything her imagination could conjure. And he’s been waiting for her…

Diana and Gawain must prevent an ancient, evil force from wreaking mayhem in the all-too-real present. But even if their mission succeeds, does Diana’s destiny lie with this man from another time—and will their love alter history forever?

The premise of the book is fabulous. Time travel back to the time of Camelot. I adore any stories revolving around time travel and Camelot. Can anyone say Mark Twain’s A Connecticut Yankee In King Author’s Court? Loved it. The twist and turns that Ms. Squires gives the tale of Camelot and it’s inhabitants is fresh and intriguing. Evil rises in the past to threaten the future. The use of magic and strategy throughout the story gives a modern feel to an old tale. But it stagnates at times. The story reads fast at times and exceedingly slow at others. I found myself flipping back through pages thinking I had missed something.

Our heroine, Diane Dearborn, is a modern day romance writer who cannot seem to find love for herself. When she is offered a key to return in time she jumps at the chance. When she arrives, she lands in the middle of a battle. She grabs the first sword carrying warrior she sees, jumps back into the machine, and travels back to the 21st century. Only this is no ordinary warrior. He is a wizard who has come to the future to change it.

Diane keeps dreaming of a nameless man who tells her to, ”Remember-trust me.” When Diane meets Gawain and realizes it’s her dream man she instantly thinks stalker. As they interact more she disabuses the notion he is from the past and thinks he’s insane. The same past that she just came from. I did not understand that. Gawain is/was a knight of Camelot and has waited forever for Diane to remember him. He was sent forward in time to find her but missed her by 12 years. Soon it becomes apparent that Diane has a connection to Camelot and Gawain dating back to her childhood. As these two connect emotionally and physically we are swept along into a complex and dark tale of betrayal and revenge that spans time.

Diane and Gawain were hard for me connect to. The emotional immaturity of these two gives off a juvenile vibe. There is so much angst and insecurity between these two it’s as if the author had to make sure we understood these characters were two extremely vulnerable tortured individuals. The scenes between them are at times romantic and sexy; yet other times I felt I was watching to two socially inept teenagers. They do not develop well for me within the story.

The main storyline matures and speeds up towards the end when the focus is more on the plot then the romance. Ms.Squires incorporates Diane’s mysterious past into the arc and fleshes out the background story in a believable manner. The secondary characters are personable and add depth and spirit to the story.

While certain parts of this story were enjoyable; over all it just didn’t work for me. It has a rushed, incomplete feel to it.

Rating: 2.5/5

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