The problem with the second and third book of the Outlander series has very little to do with the writing and everything to do with the ridiculous decision to have a 20 year separation between Jamie & Claire. Everything that is special about the books is down to the times those two are together, so when we have to read about them apart (or worse, with other people), it all falls a little flat because all you think is 'when will they get back together?' 
 This book spend the first quarter filling us in on what was happening with Jamie during the twenty years separation whilst letting us see Claire decide whether or not she's going to go back once she discovers he's still alive. This section is moderately interesting - Jamie's story is always worth reading, but at the same time...it's not why I read the books so while I do care about his life and felt awful for his misery, I still don't want to read about random girl throwing herself at him, or another blackmailing him to sleep with her etc. That is something I am growing weary of in the series - 'sleep with me or your family will die' ultimatums, rape and attempted rape as a plot device is overdone. I know the world was a different place back then, but if we can have time travel as a major plot point, there must be other ways to add ~drama. 
 The story, of course, picks up when Claire and Jamie are reunited - 20 years is 20 years though and of course, they have both changed. Claire is a surgeon and Jamie is now a smuggler masquerading as a printer...I was relieved that despite the boneheaded choice to age them twenty years that they were still very much them and the chemistry was still there. 
 There were some things that was infuriating - everything is very convenient, and I know it's a small world, but even in the 18th century, it wasn't that small. There was also a degree of frustration at the slowness it took for certain things to be revealed...the explanation offered was adequate, but at the same time, I don't know if I buy that Jamie would have kept some of the secrets he did from Claire. It did remind me more of the 'there is room in a marriage for secrets but not lies' from the first book though, and I was relieved that he didn't ever lie. 
 As for Claire...again, she never listens and it never ends well, but it is part of her charm for better or worse. I was relieved though that there were a few consequences this time and I must confess, part of me was happy that Jamie had to patch her up this time instead of vice versa. 
 The secondary characters this time around...Fergus was wonderful as always (I adore him...more Fergus, less everyone else!), wee Ian was fun, Mr Willoughby was interesting, Jenny...was destroyed in this book. I don't know why the author would massacre her character the way she did, but she did...John Grey was...annoying. I know, I know, we're supposed to care because he's a good guy but...yeah, he reminded me of a less appealing Frank. 
 All in all it was a good read, it just doesn't live up to the potential I think the series had and the charm of Outlander seems to get diluted by the more random characters that get added and the further away from Scotland they get. I have hope that now we have the reunion (which was beautiful) that we can just get on with their story now.