Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander, Book 2) by Diana Gabaldon (2001)

[warriorofworry]

Still not understanding the popularity of this series, except that it's not difficult to read and partakes a bit of the sensibility of an old movie serial or a modern tv show; the plot does have an arc, but the novel itself is a series of intertwined stories. This readable romance is obviously (sometimes a bit too obviously) well-researched and grounded in the history that forms its backdrop.  Yet there's only a single science fictional element, and the fantasy is all about the romance, not any magic of any kind. 

 

The romance between Claire and Jamie continues to be so over the top that it's not always believable, and while they endure hardship and setbacks separately and alone, happy endings seem inevitable as sunrise.

 

This volume picks up 20 years after the events in Outlander. Claire has raised Jamie's daughter and become a physician. Told in long flashbacks, the narrative alternates between 1740's Scotland and 1968 Scotland. Honestly, much more than that includes massive spoilers; suffice to say that the ever-too-busy Claire is on the hunt for a woman - a witch - who might have the means to return her to Jamie.