I've been enjoying Susanna Kearsley's time traveling fantasy/romance books for years and was very happy to hear that advance review copies of a reissue of one of her early works was available at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Named of the Dragon is more of a Gothic mystery than a romance although there is a hint of a romantic aspect, and as usual in her books the scenery plus local legends are as much a character of the book as her people are.

Arthurian tales have always drawn me in, so I was mildly disappointed that the legends are really just a dash of flavor rather than an integral part of the plot. Many of Kearsley's recent novels take place in two or more time periods, and I wasn't prepared for a book so firmly fixed in the late 20th century. That disappointment didn't last very long as I began to become invested. By the end of the book I was very glad Kearsley had not yet discovered her time traveling trick because it was the action in the modern era that held my interest. It's a solid three and a half star read, with a bonus half star for not falling into the formulas that drive some of Kearsley's later books.