Tag: Timeless

4 November 2024

Book Review | Across the Ages (Timeless #4) by Gabrielle Meyer

Caroline lives two lives. In 1727, Caroline Reed lives in South Carolina with her grandfather, her only relative, who wants to marry her off to the governor’s son. In 1927, Caroline Baldwin is the youngest child and only daughter of preacher and prohibitionist Rev. Daniel Baldwin.

Caroline has no idea why she has two lives.

What Caroline doesn’t know—but the series reader does know—is that she is going to have to choose one of her lives on her twenty-first birthday. That knowledge provides an additional degree of tension, particularly in the second half of the novel.

Her 1727 self finds a letter from her long-lost mother, and discovers she left South Carolina and headed to Nassau, Bahamas. She runs away and finds herself in the company of a handsome pirate. In 1927, she is being pursued by her brothers friend, a policeman, and trying to ensure her brothers don’t destroy her father’s ministry with their lies and crimes.

I loved Across the Ages.

(I loved it so much I actually read it twice in three days.)

Caroline was a great heroine. She’s intelligent, driven, and remarkably well-adjusted considering her strange life. She also has a strong Christian faith in both timelines, and trusts that God knows what he’s doing.

I loved the romance side of the plot. I’ve always had a soft spot for pirate stories, so enjoyed that side of the plot. I also had a lot of admiration for Caroline’s 1927 beau, who seems to be the only honest cop in Minneapolis/St. Paul.

Across the Ages is the fourth book in Gabrielle Meyer’s Timeless series, and it’s my favourite so far. If you haven’t read any of the Timeless series yet, this would be a good place to start because this is more of a standalone than the last two books (and because Caroline doesn’t her strange life, so it won’t matter if the reader doesn’t).

If you have read the previous stories, you will want to read this one. You’ll also want to read the series in order, because Across the Ages does have a few references to the characters from For a Lifetime. I’m hoping those references might be a hint as to who the next book in the series will follow …

If you haven’t read the earlier stories and you’re looking for a Christian historical romance with a dual timeline twist, checkout Across the Ages. Recommended.

Thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Gabrielle Meyer

Gabrielle lives on the banks of the Upper Mississippi River with her husband and four children. As an employee of the Minnesota Historical Society, she fell in love with the rich history of her state and enjoys writing historical and contemporary novels inspired by real people, places, and events. The river is a constant source of inspiration for Gabrielle, and if you look closely, you will find a river in each of her stories.

When Gabrielle is not writing, you might find her homeschooling her children, cheering them on at sporting and theatrical events, or hosting a gathering at her home with family and friends.

Find Gabrielle Meyer online at:

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About Across the Ages

Caroline holds a deep secret. Existing in 1727 and 1927 simultaneously, each night she goes to sleep in one life and wakes up in the other. Searching for answers to her unique existence, Caroline stumbles upon a letter from her mother that hints at her own experiences as a time-crosser, sending Caroline on a quest to uncover the truth. In 1727, chasing the mysteries of her mother’s past, Caroline disguises herself as a cabin boy and joins a ship sailing for the Bahamas, her mother’s last known location. Amid treacherous waters, she crosses paths with Marcus Zale, a ruthless but handsome pirate, and finds herself caught in a web of secrets, deception, and unexpected alliances.

Meanwhile, in 1927 St. Paul, Minnesota, Caroline grapples with her other life as the daughter of a renowned preacher. Her two older brothers have strayed from their upbringing into the corruption rampant during Prohibition, and Caroline struggles to protect her parents from the truth that could shatter her father’s career. As her search for answers about her time-crossing leads her to the dangerous speakeasies of St. Paul, Caroline enlists the help of police officer Lewis Cager, a childhood friend. But when her family’s future is put at risk and loyalties are tested, Caroline is faced with a life-altering decision that could reshape her destiny.

Find Across the Ages online at:

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29 April 2024

Book Review | For a Lifetime (Timeless #3) by Gabrielle Meyer

In a departure from the two previous books in the Timeless series, For a Lifetime is told from two points of view: identical twins Grace and Hope. Both are time-crossers, with their consciousnesses living in two separate times: 1692 and 1912. They are both twenty-four years old, and the time is coming when they each must decide when to live the rest of their lives.

In 1692, they are the daughters of widowed Puritan Uriah Eaton.

They work in their father’s business, the Salem village ordinary (ordinary is a new-to-me term which apparently refers to the local tavern and eating establishment). Anyone who knows anything about American history will know this is a challenging time and place—the Salem witch trials are about to begin, with Grace and Hope stuck right in the middle.

In 1912, Grace is a journalist and Hope is an aviatrix.

It’s therefore no surprise that both women have already decided they will stay in 1912, where their time-crossing mother still lives, and where women are viewed as people with rights, not possessions under the control of their fathers and husbands.

The story starts in 1692, and is told from Grace’s point of view. Based on the previous stories, I was expecting the whole story to be from Grace’s point of view so was a little discombobulated when I realised the 1912 portions were being told from Hope’s point of view. The two women have very different characters and very different voices, so it was easy enough to tell the difference once I realised they were each telling a portion of the story (the identity of the point of view characters was clearly identified at the beginning of each chapter. However, I have developed a habit of not reading chapter titles, which is why I missed that vital information).

I did find the beginning of the story a little frustrating, particularly as I related to Grace’s character best. I found Hope to be more impetuous and insensitive, almost to the point of being selfish (although that view did change in the second half of the story).

I wondered for a time if I was going to enjoy For a Lifetime as much as I enjoyed the previous books, When the Day Comes and In This Moment. My worries were unfounded: although For a Lifetime took longer to get going than the earlier books, it got better and better as the story progressed, and the ending was both unexpected and excellent.

The book has a romance element, although this isn’t as strong as in the previous stories.

In This Moment forced Maggie to choose between three different men in three timelines, while Grace and Hope had a different choice: each other. While they each do have a romance, the story was more about the relationship between the sisters than their relationships with the men in their lives.

The two historic periods were also interesting to read about. I’m relatively familiar with the history of aviation, but less familiar with the history of the Salem witch trials. On that basis, I enjoyed the 1912 side of the story most, but learned more from the 1692 side. I certainly would not have wanted to live in Puritan America, which came across as religious yet godless … perhaps much like the modern world.

For a Lifetime will be a must-read for anyone who has read the earlier books in the series.

However, it is a standalone story so you don’t have to read the other two in order to enjoy this. (But if you read For a Lifetime, you will absolutely want to go back and read In This Moment, which is the story of Grace and Hope’s mother, and that will ensure you want to read the first book, which is the story of their grandmother).

The best part is finding out the Timeless series is going to continue!

I had thought it was going to be a trilogy, so was a little disappointed to realise this would be the final story. But the end of the book has an excerpt from Across the Ages, which will release in November 2024! I’m looking forward to it already. I hear there will also be a book #5 in 2025.

Thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Gabrielle Meyer

When Gabrielle is not writing, you might find her homeschooling her children, cheering them on at sporting and theatrical events, or hosting a gathering at her home with family and friends.

Find Gabrielle Meyer online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

About For a Lifetime

Grace and Hope are identical twin sisters born with the ability to time-cross together between 1692 Salem, Massachusetts, and 1912 New York City. As their twenty-fifth birthday approaches, they will have to choose one life to keep and one to leave behind forever–no matter the cost.

In 1692, they live and work in their father’s tavern, where they must watch helplessly as the witch trials unfold in their village, threatening everyone. With the help of a handsome childhood friend, they search for the truth behind their mother’s mysterious death, risking everything to expose a secret that could save their lives–or be their undoing.

In 1912, Hope dreams of becoming one of the first female pilots in America, and Grace works as an investigative journalist, uncovering corruption and injustice. After their parents’ orphanage is threatened by an adversary, they enter a contest to complete a perilous cross-country flight under the guidance of a daring French aviator.

The sisters have already decided which timeline they will choose, but an unthinkable tragedy complicates the future they planned for themselves. As their birthday looms, how will they determine the lives–and loves–that are best for both of them?

Find For a Lifetime online at:

Amazon | BookBub | ChristianBook | Goodreads

Don’t forget to click here to check out my Amazon shop for my top picks in Christian fiction!

22 March 2024

First Line Friday #330 | For a Lifetime (Timeless #3) by Gabrielle Meyer

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. I’m reading an advance copy of For a Lifetime, the next book in Gabrielle Meyer’s fabulous Timeless series, which doesn’t release until May. I have no self-control when it comes to these books! Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

What’s the book nearest you, and what’s the first line?

About For a Lifetime

Find For a Lifetime online at:

Amazon | BookBub | ChristianBook | Goodreads

Click here to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today.

And you can click here to check out my previous FirstLineFriday posts.

Share your first line in the comments, and happy reading!

Don’t forget to click here to check out my Amazon shop for my top picks in Christian fiction!

16 May 2023

Book Review | In This Moment (Timeless #2) by Gabrielle Meyer

Gabrielle Meyer has done it again.

When the Day Comes, her first dual-timeline novel, was one of my top reads of 2022, and In This Moment is even better. It follows the same basic structure: a heroine who lives in multiple timelines simultaneously.

Margaret’s three lives are in 1861, 1991, and 2001.

She lives in Washington, DC, in all three the periods, which places her at the centre of politics in three years which are each significant in US history. She has an interest in medicine in all three lives. In 2001, Meg is an overachieving medical student who is about to graduate as a doctor, 1941 Maggie is a nurse in the US Navy, and 1861 Margaret is a volunteer nurse with Clara Barton, who will later found the Red Cross.

I really enjoyed watching Maggie and Margaret practice medicine in the with the challenge of sometimes knowing the answer (thanks to modern medicine) but being unable to share their knowledge for fear of contaminating the timeline.

Margaret has decided she doesn’t want to get emotionally involved with a man in any of her lives, as that would complicate her eventual decision.

But this is a romance, so of course Margaret meets eligible young man in each of her three lives.

That becomes her central internal decision: which timeline—and man—will she choose—the secretive British gentleman, the reclusive Navy surgeon, or the ambitious US congressman? As a reader, I had definite opinions on each man … but would Margaret make the same choice?

It’s a testament to the strength of the writing that Margaret’s eventual decision became obvious and didn’t leave me thinking she’d chosen the wrong man (as I often find in plots where a character has to choose between multiple suitable suitors).

Margaret had a strong Christian faith in each timeline, which shouldn’t be a surprise: she is the same character throughout.

What was good to see was that her three families were Christians as well, and faith was shown as a natural part of life. She does turn to God to help her make her decision, but (as is so often the case) the answer still didn’t become clear.

Margaret’s choice is one big difference between the two books. In When the Day Comes, Libby always knew she wanted to stay in 1775 with her marked mother (not least because her other mother was overly avaricious and insufficiently caring). With In This Moment, Margaret/Maggie/Meg had no idea which path she would choose.

There were a couple of scenes I didn’t enjoy reading in When the Day Comes, but have to acknowledge that they were essential to the plot. There were no such scenes in In the Moment (whew!). When the Day Comes also had a childbirth epilogue—not my favorite literary device. However, the epilogue was necessary as it was setting up the sequel (yay). In this Moment does the same thing, which is fantastic because it promises another sequel … and because it signals the twist that will make Timeless #3 different from the first two books in the series (brilliant!).

It’s not necessary to read When the Day Comes to enjoy In This Moment, as the first paragraph of In This Moment sets up the story:

Most days, I could pretend that my life was normal. I was a twenty-year-old woman searching for my place in the world, trying to find my future. The only difference was that I had three normal lives, and on my twenty-first birthday. I would have to choose which one to keep and which to forfeit. Forever.

(But if you read In This Moment, you will want to go back and read When the Day Comes.)

I recommend In This Moment to all fans at Christian historical romance or Christian dual timeline romance.

I recommend In This Moment by @gabriellemeyer to all fans of Christian historical romance or Christian dual timeline romance.#BookReview #ChristianRomance Share on X

It’s a unique concept, and I’m looking forward to the next Timeless novel.

Thanks to Bethany House and Net Galley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Gabrielle Meyer

When Gabrielle is not writing, you might find her homeschooling her children, cheering them on at sporting and theatrical events, or hosting a gathering at her home with family and friends.

Find Gabrielle Meyer online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

About In This Moment

Maggie inherited a gift from her time-crossing parents that allows her to live three separate lives in 1861, 1941, and 2001. Each night, she goes to sleep in one time period and wakes up in another. Until she turns twenty-one, when she will have to forfeit two of those lives–and everyone she knows in them–forever.

In 1861, Maggie is the daughter of a senator at the outbreak of the Civil War, navigating a capital full of Southern spies and wounded soldiers. In 1941, she is a navy nurse, grappling with her knowledge of the future when she joins a hospital ship going to Pearl Harbor. And in 2001, she’s a brilliant young medical student, fulfilling her dream of becoming a surgeon.

While Maggie has sworn off romance until she makes her final choice, an intriguing man tugs at her heart in each era, only complicating the impossible decision she must make, which looms ever closer. With so much on the line, how can Maggie choose just one life to keep and the rest to lose?

Find In This Moment online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

Don’t forget to click here to check out my Amazon shop for my top picks in Christian fiction!

3 March 2023

First Line Friday #274 | In This Moment by Gabrielle Meyer

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m quoting from In This Moment by Gabrielle Meyer, the second book in her fabulous Timeless series.

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

What’s the book nearest you, and what’s the first line?

About In This Moment

Find In This Moment online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

Click here to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today.

And you can click here to check out my previous FirstLineFriday posts.

Share your first line in the comments, and happy reading!

Don’t forget to click here to check out my Amazon shop for my top picks in Christian fiction!

9 May 2022

Book Review | When the Day Comes by Gabrielle Meyer

Several years ago, I read Dreamlander by KM Weiland, a novel about a man who went to sleep in our world and woke up in another time and place. It was a fascinating concept, and I enjoyed the whole novel except for the end (which had exactly the same problem as the end of the Divergent trilogy).

So when I read that When The Day Comes had a similar premise, I had to read it.

The book description gave me the impression Meyer had thought through the concept better than Weiland had, and gave me hope of a more satisfying ending:

Libby comes from a long line of time-crossers, identified by a sunburst birthmark over their heart. They live in two times at once, crossing between times when they fall asleep at night (with the added bonus of never being tired). Time-crossers live in two times until they turn twenty-one, when they have to choose one time to live in for the rest of their lives.

This means that at the age of almost twenty, Libby (aka Anne Elizabeth) has lived for almost forty years: nineteen in Colonial Williamsburg, shortly before the War of Independence, and nineteen years in the Gilded Age. As such, she’s more mature than most teenagers, because she has literally lived longer.

I found the whole idea fascinating, especially as it was clear from the beginning that Libby intended to stay in Colonial times, because her 1774 mother is also a time-crosser. This is the mother Libby loves, and the mother with whom she shares all the trials of her privileged life in Gilded Age New York and London. My first thought would be that she’d stay in 1914 because her family is financially stable, and because she’d want to miss the war she knows is coming in America (and because I figured she wouldn’t know about the war due to start in Europe).

But I was wrong.

She actually had a lot more freedom in 1774, as well as not having a manipulative mother determined to marry her off to the most titled gentleman she can find. Of course, it helps that 1774 Libby is in love, even though she knows the difference in their stations means she’ll never be allowed to marry him.

As modern readers who know history (or who have access to the internet), there is always a sense of knowing where the story might be going in historical fiction. As such, it was fascinating to read a historical novel where the characters also knew some of what was coming—Libby and her mother both knew which side to choose in America’s upcoming War of Independence, and Libby’s time-crosser mother was from 1994, so also knew some twentieth century history.

When the Day Comes by Gabrielle Meyer is a speculative take on a split-time novel: one character living in two times. Recommended. #BookReview #ChristianFiction Share on X

The whole story is told in first person, from Libby’s point of view. But it flips between the two times and two families and two sets of supporting characters. As such, it reads a lot like a split time novel, but with the main character being the connecting factor between the two times.

A novel that’s effectively told from one point of view needs a strong and compelling narrator.

When the Day Comes definitely has that. There are a few times when Libby’s beliefs and attitudes seem very modern, perhaps too modern for 1774. But that’s explained by the fact she also lives in 1914 and was raised by a woman who was born in 1973. As such, it’s not surprising that Libby and her mother have modern ideas about women’s rights and equal rights.

I thought When the Day Comes was excellent, particularly the ending. It definitely didn’t suffer from a weak or unbelievable ending. Even better, the ending hints at the possibility of a sequel. I suspect so, because the cover says “Timeless Book 1” which surely indicates there will be a Book 2.

Recommended for fans of historical fiction and especially split time.

Thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Gabrielle Meyer

When Gabrielle is not writing, you might find her homeschooling her children, cheering them on at sporting and theatrical events, or hosting a gathering at her home with family and friends.

Find Gabrielle Meyer online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

About When the Day Comes

How will she choose, knowing all she must sacrifice?

Libby has been given a powerful gift: to live one life in 1774 Colonial Williamsburg and the other in 1914 Gilded Age New York City. When she falls asleep in one life, she wakes up in the other. While she’s the same person at her core in both times, she’s leading two vastly different lives.

In Colonial Williamsburg, Libby is a public printer for the House of Burgesses and the Royal Governor, trying to provide for her family and support the Patriot cause. The man she loves, Henry Montgomery, has his own secrets. As the revolution draws near, both their lives–and any hope of love–are put in jeopardy.

Libby’s life in 1914 New York is filled with wealth, drawing room conversations, and bachelors. But the only work she cares about–women’s suffrage–is discouraged, and her mother is intent on marrying her off to an English marquess. The growing talk of war in Europe only complicates matters.

But Libby knows she’s not destined to live two lives forever. On her twenty-first birthday, she must choose one path and forfeit the other–but how can she choose when she has so much to lose in each life?

Find When the Day Comes online at:

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