Never Leave Me (Waters of Time, Book Two)

 

JODY HEDLUND

Stats for my copy: Trade paperback, Revell, 1/4/22.

How acquired: Revell Reads Blogger Program

First line: “I’m dying, and we can’t change that.”

(Goodreads synopsis is below.)

My thoughts: This second book in the Waters of Time series picks up about a year after the events of the first book. Ellen, the sister of the heroine of the first book, has a genetic disease which causes cancer, and is slowly dying. She’s resigned herself to her fate, and spends as much time as she’s able with the children staying at Serenity House, a non-profit she started where families with terminally ill children can stay and receive assistance with caring for their child day to day. She herself is staying at the home of Harrison, who she’s known practically all her life, as he was her father’s research partner. Unbeknownst to Ellen, Harrison, who has been secretly in love with her for some time, is still searching for more holy water in hopes of using it to heal Ellen. If you’ve read the first book, then you know about the holy water. If you haven’t read the first book, I urge you to do so before reading this one.

I really like Ms. Hedlund’s writing. I’ve not read any of her other books and was completely unfamiliar with her before reading the first book in this series, but I’ve already ordered the first book in her Colorado Cowboys series (unfortunately she doesn’t have any other time travel stories!). Her characterization is wonderful, with each of the main characters being fully explored and brought to life. And her narrative descriptions are vivid, setting each scene in detail, but not overly detailed, so that I felt I could see what she was describing. As with the first book, Ellen seems to adapt very quickly to the time and there were only vague mentions of missing electricity or other modern conveniences, without really exploring the culture shock aspect of suddenly being in 1832, but the book raced along and I was so invested in the story that I didn’t really mind.

There was a bit more suspense in this story, with Ellen being kidnapped and forced to go back into the past to find more holy water, and then being in immediate danger in the past, though thankfully she was reunited with her sister fairly quickly. But the action never lagged even then, as Ellen was desperate to find a way back to her own time before her kidnappers harmed Harrison or the kids at Serenity House as they threatened to do. I was happy to see Ellen’s sister, Marian, and her husband again and learn how Marian was doing after living in the past for a year. And as the book neared the last page, I was genuinely worried about there not being a happily ever after for Ellen and Harrison, but everything was resolved quite nicely.

*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher and have voluntarily reviewed it*

Synopsis from Goodreads: In the last stages of a genetic disease, Ellen Creighton has decided to live out her remaining days at the estate of her longtime friend Harrison Burlington. Harrison cares deeply for Ellen, but as a wheelchair-bound paraplegic, he's never allowed himself to get serious in a relationship. However, he's desperately trying to save her by finding the holy water that is believed to heal any disease.

When he locates two flasks, Ellen refuses to drink one of them because she believes the holy water killed her sister and father. In an effort to convince her to take it, Harrison ingests the contents first, and when Ellen witnesses the effects, she can no longer deny the power of the substance in the bottles. Dangerous criminals are also seeking the holy water, and Ellen soon learns they will go to any lengths to get the powerful drug--including sending her back into the past to find it for them.

Bestselling and award-winning author Jody Hedlund plunges you into the swiftly flowing river of history in a race against the clock in this breathtaking, emotional second Waters of Time story.

Come Back to Me (Waters of Time, Book One)

 

JODY HEDLUND

Stats for my copy: Trade paperback, Revell, June 2021.

How acquired: Revell Reads Blogger Program, for review.

First lines: “Your father is in a coma.”

(Goodreads synopsis below.)

My thoughts: It took me a good 70 pages to really get into this book. Marian is a research scientist, who rushes to England upon learning her father is in the hospital in a coma. Her father is also a scientist and has been on a quest to find holy healing water from the mythical Tree of Life, in hopes of curing Marian’s sister of a genetic disease. Those first 70 or so pages contain a lot of dialogue, mostly between Marian and her father’s colleague, about her father’s research and the science behind it. Then things start happening – her father’s home is vandalized, Marian is attacked in the street in broad daylight – and she begins to realize her father has apparently stumbled upon something real, and a rival lab will do anything to get a hold of it. And that’s when I began to get interested. As Marian’s life seemed to be in danger, I began to suspect everyone around her, including her father’s colleague, of being a spy for the rival lab. I did not, however, suspect the person who in the end turned out to be the spy!

Then the time travel element began, and I was quickly completely enthralled. Once Marian is in the past, in 1381, her first few days are brutal, as she finds herself imprisoned in a convent. Yes, you read that right. You’d think a convent would be a safe place, but Marian probably still has the scars to prove it is not. Fortunately, Will, a knight in not-so-shining-armor, comes to the rescue. After a harrowing night during a peasant uprising, Marian finds herself married to Will and ensconced in his home.

There is definitely no romanticizing the Middle Ages here, but Marian seems to adjust extremely well to life without electricity, toilets, running water, etc. There’s occasionally a mention of how she missed having a bathroom in the house, and how hot the clothing of the time is, but the author does not really address the culture shock aspect, which is one of my favorite parts of time travel stories. And yet, I found myself not really caring about that as the slowly building relationship between Marian and Will kept me so entranced.

I hadn’t read anything by Ms. Hedlund prior to this book, but I loved her writing. The POV switches between Marian and Will, and her characterization was wonderfully done, especially on Will’s side as we learn more about his life and the emotional burden he is carrying. He is often bewildered by Marian and how outspoken and headstrong she is, unlike his deceased wife and other women of his time.

As the time approaches for Marian to return to her life in the present, her existence in two times begins to take a toll on her, and she is torn between the past and the present. I was gripped with a sense of helplessness, as I didn’t see how this story could possibly have a happy ending, and I desperately wanted Marian and Will to be together forever.

Romance and adventure, with a bit of suspense thrown in at the end – it all boils down to a fantastic read.

Goodreads synopsis: The ultimate cure that could heal any disease? Crazy.

That's exactly what research scientist Marian Creighton has always believed about her father's quest, even if it does stem from a desire to save her sister Ellen from the genetic disease that stole their mother from them. But when her father falls into a coma after drinking a vial of holy water believed to contain traces of residue from the Tree of Life, Marian must question all of her assumptions. He's left behind tantalizing clues that suggest he's crossed back in time. Insane. Until Marian tests his theories and finds herself in the Middle Ages during a dangerous peasant uprising.

William Durham, a valiant knight comes to Marian's rescue and offers her protection. . . as his wife. The longer Marian stays in the past, the more she cares about William. Can she ever find her father and make it back to the present to heal her sister? And when the time comes to leave, will she want to?

Bestselling author Jody Hedlund is your guide down the twisting waters of time to a volatile era of superstition, revolts, and chivalry in this suspenseful story.

In a Holidaze

CHRISTINA LAUREN

Stats for my copy: Kindle edition, Gallery Books; Unexpected publication 10/6/20. 

How acquired: NetGalley. 

(For the Goodreads synopsis, scroll to the bottom of this post.)

My thoughts: I was excited to read this after seeing the synopsis - “Love Actually meets Groundhog Day” - and because I've heard so many things about the authors but hadn't yet read any of their books. 

It took me a bit to get into the story, partly because there are so many people staying at the cabin that I had a little trouble keeping up with who was who. But once the object of Mae's affection is elevated from supporting character to central, I got swept up very fast. And then it didn't take long for all the other characters to get straightened out in my head. 

I have nothing bad to say about this book. I loved Mae, and after she wishes for the universe to show her what would make her happy and jumpstarts the time traveling, I was a little excited everytime she woke up to find herself back on the plane, flying to the cabin for the holidays. Her reaction after one of those times made me laugh out loud. This was just a fun read. Whether Mae was talking one on one with Theo or Andrew, the sons of her parents' best friends, or when everyone was together in a big group. I'm not a cold weather person and do not care for snow at all other than to just look at, but the contest to build the best snow creature seemed like a lot of fun, as did the scavenger hunt.

A couple of themes of the book, in my opinion, are family and tradition. Mae's parents have been friends with Theo and Andrew's parents since college, along with two of the other men at the cabin, one here with his own family, and the other, Benny, who quickly became my favorite. Theo and Andrew's parents own the cabin, and the group have been spending Christmas there together every year as long as Mae can remember. They're not all related by blood, but they are chosen family. But as Mae relives the days, some of the traditions – that snow building contest, for example - get shaken up, with happy results. Learning that this may be the last year they all get to spend at the cabin, however, devastates Mae. Another theme that fit the story was finding yourself. Mae had to do some soul searching to figure out what she was doing wrong each time she got sent back in time, and ultimately what needed chaning in her life.  

A wonderful, feel good book, that had me crying happy tears at the end. 

Goodreads synopsis: It’s the most wonderful time of the year…but not for Maelyn Jones. She’s living with her parents, hates her going-nowhere job, and has just made a romantic error of epic proportions.

But perhaps worst of all, this is the last Christmas Mae will be at her favorite place in the world—the snowy Utah cabin where she and her family have spent every holiday since she was born, along with two other beloved families. Mentally melting down as she drives away from the cabin for the final time, Mae throws out what she thinks is a simple plea to the universe: Please. Show me what will make me happy.

The next thing she knows, tires screech and metal collides, everything goes black. But when Mae gasps awake…she’s on an airplane bound for Utah, where she begins the same holiday all over again. With one hilarious disaster after another sending her back to the plane, Mae must figure out how to break free of the strange time loop—and finally get her true love under the mistletoe.