VIRGINS – Diana Gabaldon
Dell Books (Digital Novella)
ISBN: 978-1-10188252-8
April 2016
Historical Fiction

France – 1740

Jamie Fraser has left Scotland with his godfather after his horrid flogging by the British. Murtagh left him with Jamie's oldest friend, Ian Murray, who had joined a band of mercenaries. Jamie's grief and guilt over his father's death, who witnessed the flogging and dropped dead, is overwhelming, but the work he and Ian are now doing will take his mind off of his troubles for a while.

The French group has been contracted to escort a young Jewish bride to her future husband. They also must guard her dowry – an invaluable Torah scroll. Along the journey both young men are attracted to the girl and discuss whether either man has been with a woman. Danger follows them, though, and plenty of surprises abound.

I enjoyed this pre-Outlander story which shows a bit of the background of Jamie and Ian's life-long friendship, their love for Scotland, and their confusion about women.

Jani Brooks