The Book You Wish You Had Time (or money) to Read

I think there is at least one of these on many readers' lists. There's that book you've heard is fabulous. It's received numerous five-star reviews. Friends rave about it. You know you want to read it, but your review schedule or that enormous pile of books you still haven't read yet is mocking you, telling you there is no way you can spend another dime on new books until you have polished off some of the books you already own.

For me, that book is Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. In 2011, I actually promoted this book for Random House for the book's 20th anniversary. This virtual book tour filled up within days, reviewers telling me that though that had read the book years ago, they were eager to revisit it. Here is the author's description from her website:

"In 1946, after WWII, a young Englishwoman named Claire Beauchamp Randall goes to the Scottish Highlands with her husband, Frank. She’s an ex-combat nurse, he’s been in the army as well, they’ve been separated for the last six years, and this is a second honeymoon; they’re getting re-acquainted with each other, thinking of starting a family. But one day Claire goes out walking by herself, and comes across a circle of standing stones—such circles are in fact common all over northern Britain. She walks through a cleft stone in the circle….and disappears. Back into 1743, where the first person she meets is a gentleman in an 18th-century army officer’s uniform. This gentleman, Jack Randall, looks just like her husband Frank—and proves to be Frank’s six-times-great-grandfather. Unfortunately, he also proves to be a sadistic bisexual pervert, and while trying to escape from him, Claire falls into the hands of a gang of Highland Scots, who are also trying to get away from Black Jack Randall—though for other reasons.

In order to avoid being handed over to Captain Randall, Claire is obliged to marry one of the young clansmen. So she finds herself trying to escape from Castle Leoch and her Scottish captors, trying to get back to her husband Frank, trying to avoid being recaptured by Captain Randall—and falling in love with Jamie Fraser, the young man she’s been forced to marry. The story rolls on from there…"

I truly hoped to read it during the author's tour, but tackling a book that is over 650 pages when you're already behind schedule with reviews is not the way to make friends. So, I put that desire aside and kept plugging away. As I mentioned recently, I have more than 600 books (printed and electronic) I haven't read yet, so I can't justify spending $9 for a book I won't read for years. Though I still enter the occasional book giveaway, for the most part, I'm not getting involved in those either. I simply have too many books here.

But Outlander remains in the back of my mind for when my TBR Pile becomes more manageable. Even if I don't read all the books I have here, once I am through all the reviews I owe people, I will feel more comfortable picking up a copy of Outlander to add to my bookshelf.

Do you have a book you wish you had time (nor money) to read?