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Overseas
A passionate, sweeping novel of a love that transcends time.
"
"When twenty-something Wall Street analyst Kate Wilson attracts the notice of the legendary Julian Laurence at a business meeting, no one's more surprised than she is. Julian's relentless energy and his extraordinary intellect electrify her, but she's baffled by his sudden interest. Why would this handsome British billionaire--Manhattan's most eligible bachelor--pursue a pretty but bookish young banker who hasn't had a boyfriend since college?
"
"The answer is beyond imagining . . . at least at first. Kate and Julian's story may have begun not in the moneyed world of twenty-first-century Manhattan but in France during World War I, when a mysterious American woman emerged from the shadows of the Western Front to save the life of Captain Julian Laurence Ashford, a celebrated war poet and infantry officer.
Now, in modern-day New York, Kate and Julian must protect themselves from the secrets of the past, and trust in a true love that transcends time and space.
"
"When twenty-something Wall Street analyst Kate Wilson attracts the notice of the legendary Julian Laurence at a business meeting, no one's more surprised than she is. Julian's relentless energy and his extraordinary intellect electrify her, but she's baffled by his sudden interest. Why would this handsome British billionaire--Manhattan's most eligible bachelor--pursue a pretty but bookish young banker who hasn't had a boyfriend since college?
"
"The answer is beyond imagining . . . at least at first. Kate and Julian's story may have begun not in the moneyed world of twenty-first-century Manhattan but in France during World War I, when a mysterious American woman emerged from the shadows of the Western Front to save the life of Captain Julian Laurence Ashford, a celebrated war poet and infantry officer.
Now, in modern-day New York, Kate and Julian must protect themselves from the secrets of the past, and trust in a true love that transcends time and space.
463 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 19, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,220 reviews
October 28, 2012
I'm going to be honest. I skimmed the second half - I have a hard time stopping once I've started a book, but after a certain point, I just couldn't look this dialogue square in the face, ("Oh Beloved, how I've missed you!" "Oh my Dearest Darling...blah"). The concept is fantastic, (WWI, time travel, a potentially compelling mystery), but the execution is so hackneyed that it reads like a special on the Hallmark channel. Julian is a genuinely interesting character, so much so that it felt like he time traveled into the wrong book. Kate is a cardboard stereotype of the young career woman and the secondary characters feel like they've been lifted straight out of central casting (Kate even has a "toxic / hostile female superior" and a "slightly too friendly for comfort boss"). If this weren't a first novel, I would have accused Williams of writing down to her readers, but I suspect this was the best she could do. Hopefully, her next book will exceed the empty promise of her first.
ps - This book has been compared to Diana Gabaldon's Outlander, which is a truly fantastic piece of epic fun. Overseas is... not. Save yourself the time and just read Outlander. From concept and plot to characterization and dialogue it is by far a better book.
ps - This book has been compared to Diana Gabaldon's Outlander, which is a truly fantastic piece of epic fun. Overseas is... not. Save yourself the time and just read Outlander. From concept and plot to characterization and dialogue it is by far a better book.
September 9, 2015
I had high hopes for this one. Time travel, a WWI romance thing mixed with a modern day romance, what's not to like? But there was a lot I didn't like about this, especially on audio. The syrupy dialogue began to irritate me to no end, and I couldn't help thinking Kate was a major drip and wondered what Julian saw in her that kept him going for all these years after only knowing her for what - a matter of days? Sorry, I just didn't buy it. The love of the century? She was so annoying! The constant back and forth between them was dreadful too "I'm sorry, darling, it was all my fault. Can you forgive me, darling?" How many times do we have to hear this from Julian? His same words of endearment to her were used over and over as well - minx - uggh, I think I hate this word now. Darling. Then to add to it, Kate is always saying that it's her fault! It's like these two were vying to be the biggest martyr that ever lived! She spurned his wealth and jewels and the way he wanted to pamper her - such the paragon! Uggh, she was much too saintly, as was he. The epilogue was simply torture to listen to as well, with all their ooey gooey love talk of how much they adore each other and how perfect they are. Maybe in print it wouldn't have been as bad, but it was too much for me to listen to, plus the narrator made Kate sound so blah. The scenes from WWI were much better, but overall this books was a big disappointent that I was only too glad to finish!
2.5/5
2.5/5
March 27, 2017
I think this was more of a 2 1/2 for me. It is essentially a time travel love story. The middle sort of dragged on for me and the ending was good but I found there to be a lot of loops in the story. Still, a "sweet" sort of "old fashioned" type of love story.
December 11, 2016
I truly wanted to like this book but I was sorry that I did not. It is not the best example of this authors work.
It is a time travel romance with a storyline that was very confusing. It was a great idea but how it was executed just did not make sense to me.
It is a time travel romance with a storyline that was very confusing. It was a great idea but how it was executed just did not make sense to me.
July 9, 2012
This is a time that I wish Goodreads would let you give a book more than a five. To say this book deserves a 10 plus plus is an understatement.
Do you remember the movie Kate & Leopold? Or The Time Traveler's Wife? Overseas is similar to both, but SO much better! First of all through out the book I was craving for my own Julian. I think it was a bigger craving than I usually have for chocolate. Yes, this means it’s REALLY big. Ms. Williams really knows how to paint a “man goddess” with her writing. It was almost like I could touch Julian's hair, his features, his scar, and I just kept wanting more. It's not just Julian who the reader can almost touch. Ms. William’s writes so beautifully with such vivid imagery.
Most people know that I tend to read books quickly, however this wasn’t the case here. I had to stop myself from reading fast, because then the story would end that much sooner, and I just couldn't have that.
I must warn you. The minute you pick up this book you will be swept away into a beautiful historical fairy tale where true love wins. Is there a certain food that is extra delicious to you or one that you can’t get enough of? One that you want to eat more and more of, but then at the same time you eat it slowly because it’s extra delicious? Well, that’s exactly what this book is like. I can’t wait for book number two!
Do you remember the movie Kate & Leopold? Or The Time Traveler's Wife? Overseas is similar to both, but SO much better! First of all through out the book I was craving for my own Julian. I think it was a bigger craving than I usually have for chocolate. Yes, this means it’s REALLY big. Ms. Williams really knows how to paint a “man goddess” with her writing. It was almost like I could touch Julian's hair, his features, his scar, and I just kept wanting more. It's not just Julian who the reader can almost touch. Ms. William’s writes so beautifully with such vivid imagery.
Most people know that I tend to read books quickly, however this wasn’t the case here. I had to stop myself from reading fast, because then the story would end that much sooner, and I just couldn't have that.
I must warn you. The minute you pick up this book you will be swept away into a beautiful historical fairy tale where true love wins. Is there a certain food that is extra delicious to you or one that you can’t get enough of? One that you want to eat more and more of, but then at the same time you eat it slowly because it’s extra delicious? Well, that’s exactly what this book is like. I can’t wait for book number two!
June 20, 2012
I didn't have a clue what to expect when I started listening to this as an audio book, but the narration was so good and the story so compelling, I really didn't care what it was about. I was GLUED, and I wanted to know more.
Overseas is a time-travel story told through the POV of the heroine Kate Wilson. It moves back and forth between modern day and 1916 France, and unravels the mystery of just how and why Captain Julian Ashford is now living in today's world.
The story unfolds bit-by-bit, and for the first half of the book it begs more questions than it answers! But about halfway I started to see the bigger picture and could begin to understand the complexity of their tangled lives.
The romance between Kate and Julian was original and so enjoyable, I loved them as a couple. Julian was a man from his time, so his sense of honor and chivalrous behavior made him an endearing hero. Kate got on my nerves at time, and I wish she didn't wallow so much in her belief that Julian wanted to change her into a trophy wife.
The time travel aspect was interesting, although it had a pretty weak explanation but I guess I would think any would be implausible.
The story was the best part, but the romance was pretty good too. It got very sugary sweet at the end, almost nauseatingly so, which brought my rating down to a 4-star. The steam factor is low in the sense of 'fade to black', but if you count all the endless cooing and wooing they do you might consider it a bit more sexual.
I thought the narrator (January LaVoy) was wonderful, so I would highly recommend this as an audio listen if you are interested in this story.
Overseas is a time-travel story told through the POV of the heroine Kate Wilson. It moves back and forth between modern day and 1916 France, and unravels the mystery of just how and why Captain Julian Ashford is now living in today's world.
The story unfolds bit-by-bit, and for the first half of the book it begs more questions than it answers! But about halfway I started to see the bigger picture and could begin to understand the complexity of their tangled lives.
The romance between Kate and Julian was original and so enjoyable, I loved them as a couple. Julian was a man from his time, so his sense of honor and chivalrous behavior made him an endearing hero. Kate got on my nerves at time, and I wish she didn't wallow so much in her belief that Julian wanted to change her into a trophy wife.
The time travel aspect was interesting, although it had a pretty weak explanation but I guess I would think any would be implausible.
The story was the best part, but the romance was pretty good too. It got very sugary sweet at the end, almost nauseatingly so, which brought my rating down to a 4-star. The steam factor is low in the sense of 'fade to black', but if you count all the endless cooing and wooing they do you might consider it a bit more sexual.
I thought the narrator (January LaVoy) was wonderful, so I would highly recommend this as an audio listen if you are interested in this story.
October 1, 2020
Ohhhhhhhhhhh me ha encantado el libro. Que historia más bonita, es romántica 100% Julian es un prota de 10. Merece mucho la pena y te quedas con ganas de más.
La primera vez q leí está historia me encantó pero en mi relectura mi opinión ha variado. Me ha parecido un poco lenta y sosa en algún punto y a ratos muy empalagosos los prota.
La trama está bien pero le podían haber metido más chicha.
Ahora le doy 3*
La primera vez q leí está historia me encantó pero en mi relectura mi opinión ha variado. Me ha parecido un poco lenta y sosa en algún punto y a ratos muy empalagosos los prota.
La trama está bien pero le podían haber metido más chicha.
Ahora le doy 3*
May 30, 2012
I really wanted to like this book because the premise sounded so interesting, but it fell flat.
**SPOILERS AHEAD**
This book was so ridiculously cheesy. I hated Kate's personality throughout the entire story. She was boring and complained about the dumbest things. Her boyfriend Julian gives her a credit card to buy new things with while being held captive? WHAT NERVE! I mean, who gets fired from a job (regardless of the circumstances) and is just like "Oh well, I guess I'll hang out at my super rich boyfriend's house who I've barely talked to for as long as I can." Too bad that same 'super rich boyfriend' is actually keeping you there against your will. This book brought back memories of myself reading the Twilight series in that sense. Julian doesn't want Kate to be harmed by his enemies, so he basically "kidnaps" her and holds her in his expensive cottage for months, but she falls more deeply in love with him, so she becomes blinded by love in that respect.
The romance was so cheesy and rushed (though I realized why at the end of the novel). I had to roll my eyes every time Julian said "little minx." I felt like Julian and Kate's relationship was just fight, make up, fight, make up, lather, rinse, repeat. DO SOMETHING ELSE. The book was a bit long too. I don't know many people who like to read about the everyday life of people, from getting up in the morning, running errands, and going to bed.
I also felt the major conflict in the story was really stupid. The only reason the antagonist hated Kate was because he cared for Julian way too much and wanted him to marry Florence in his own time so desperately. You mean THAT'S the major conflict that people died over? Give me a break!
The only character I actually liked was Charlie, although I don't know why his character was written where he says the f-word four times in one sentence. I didn't know investment bankers talked like that.
I couldn't wait to finish this novel, and now I'm glad it's over.
**SPOILERS AHEAD**
This book was so ridiculously cheesy. I hated Kate's personality throughout the entire story. She was boring and complained about the dumbest things. Her boyfriend Julian gives her a credit card to buy new things with while being held captive? WHAT NERVE! I mean, who gets fired from a job (regardless of the circumstances) and is just like "Oh well, I guess I'll hang out at my super rich boyfriend's house who I've barely talked to for as long as I can." Too bad that same 'super rich boyfriend' is actually keeping you there against your will. This book brought back memories of myself reading the Twilight series in that sense. Julian doesn't want Kate to be harmed by his enemies, so he basically "kidnaps" her and holds her in his expensive cottage for months, but she falls more deeply in love with him, so she becomes blinded by love in that respect.
The romance was so cheesy and rushed (though I realized why at the end of the novel). I had to roll my eyes every time Julian said "little minx." I felt like Julian and Kate's relationship was just fight, make up, fight, make up, lather, rinse, repeat. DO SOMETHING ELSE. The book was a bit long too. I don't know many people who like to read about the everyday life of people, from getting up in the morning, running errands, and going to bed.
I also felt the major conflict in the story was really stupid. The only reason the antagonist hated Kate was because he cared for Julian way too much and wanted him to marry Florence in his own time so desperately. You mean THAT'S the major conflict that people died over? Give me a break!
The only character I actually liked was Charlie, although I don't know why his character was written where he says the f-word four times in one sentence. I didn't know investment bankers talked like that.
I couldn't wait to finish this novel, and now I'm glad it's over.
December 12, 2014
I found this on NPR's Lesser-Known Lit: Seeking Summer's Hidden Gems list. That "summer" modifier is crucial - Overseas is a fun, quick read, but the romance isn't very well-written and the plot is basically nonexistent. I love a good historical fiction/time travel mashup, but Overseas comes up short.
Julian Laurence is a hedge fund billionaire with a secret past, so of course he falls for lowly investment banker Kate Wilson, who's swept away by his charm. In the course of a whirlwind few months, they fall in love, become a New York power couple, and also spend some time in World War I-era France. NBD. The plot, which switches between 1916 Amiens and 2008 New York, is fairly bland, and it's clearly just a setup so that Julian and Kate can talk about how much they love each other, mostly with italics about the ecstasy they experience when together.
My main problem with the novel was the rapid escalation of the romance. It's semi-explained by the end of the book, but their til-death-do-us-part feelings develop so soon that there's no real tension in the first part of the narrative. It's fun to read about them in love, but it gets tedious after awhile, and I wish there had been more buildup or flirtation. As it is, the way that Julian and Kate come together in New York is ridiculous, and Kate's quick acceptance of the time-travel is equally ludicrous. Once you're past that, it's still fun to read, but the romance and the plot are built on such shaky foundations that it's difficult to fully enjoy their love; as I might say if I were writing this book, it feels unearned.
This book comes in at well over 400 pages, and I finished it in less than a day. It's fun, but forgettable.
Julian Laurence is a hedge fund billionaire with a secret past, so of course he falls for lowly investment banker Kate Wilson, who's swept away by his charm. In the course of a whirlwind few months, they fall in love, become a New York power couple, and also spend some time in World War I-era France. NBD. The plot, which switches between 1916 Amiens and 2008 New York, is fairly bland, and it's clearly just a setup so that Julian and Kate can talk about how much they love each other, mostly with italics about the ecstasy they experience when together.
My main problem with the novel was the rapid escalation of the romance. It's semi-explained by the end of the book, but their til-death-do-us-part feelings develop so soon that there's no real tension in the first part of the narrative. It's fun to read about them in love, but it gets tedious after awhile, and I wish there had been more buildup or flirtation. As it is, the way that Julian and Kate come together in New York is ridiculous, and Kate's quick acceptance of the time-travel is equally ludicrous. Once you're past that, it's still fun to read, but the romance and the plot are built on such shaky foundations that it's difficult to fully enjoy their love; as I might say if I were writing this book, it feels unearned.
This book comes in at well over 400 pages, and I finished it in less than a day. It's fun, but forgettable.
August 21, 2013
Wildly wonderfully romantic. This book, people, is why we read romances. Obviously this is a time travel romance. The hero is from WWI. He is perfectly written. The author creates the feel of a gentleman man of that era mostly with a dead on ear for the hero's word choice and sentence cadence. His actions of course just add to the perfect characterization. And this hero, Julian, is absolutely head over heels for the heroine, Kate. Kate is an ordinary young woman of the 21st century but when she eventually has an epiphany about her purpose in life you totally believe that the hero would love her.
The story was told completely in the heroine's POV alternately in 2008 and in Amiens, France in 1916. There was no awkward going for laughs thing with Julian not understanding the world he woke up in etc. This book was more serious than those written along those lines. There were still amusing moments where I smiled. There were moments where I teared up. And there were plenty of moments where I just wanted to sigh...
From the first time Julian tells Kate that he loves her. She doesn't know about the time travel yet:
The story was told completely in the heroine's POV alternately in 2008 and in Amiens, France in 1916. There was no awkward going for laughs thing with Julian not understanding the world he woke up in etc. This book was more serious than those written along those lines. There were still amusing moments where I smiled. There were moments where I teared up. And there were plenty of moments where I just wanted to sigh...
From the first time Julian tells Kate that he loves her. She doesn't know about the time travel yet:
Sweetheart, I love you. Of course I do. I love every priceless inch of you. I love you idolatrously, for a thousand reasons and I shall never stop. Hush," he said, laying his finger on my lips again. "You don't need to say anything. I'm a patient man. Just be easy. Know it's there, that you needn't doubt me on this at least."
He bowed his head to settle a silken kiss into the hollow of my throat, holding it there for what seemed an eternity before his mouth began to move up my collarbone, melting it in his wake. I tilted my head back, feeling the tickle of his hair against my cheek. "You... are the most baffling man," I managed.
"How so?"
"You just...you fell in love with me ...just like that?" My concentration kept lapsing; I struggled to hold onto my thoughts which I knew were important.
I felt his laugh against the skin of my neck. "Well look at you darling. You're love-at-first-sight material."
January 4, 2016
Beatriz Williams is a brilliant literary genius and as her words brought me from the bloody trenches of France in 1916 to the towers and glass of Manhattan today she transported me body and soul, flung me through the ether to worlds I rarely reach with mere words. Her narrative is a flowing prose filled mix of cultures and eras that kept me hypnotically entranced as she spun her improbable yet believable tale. Her dialogue is a mixed bag of English lords with the graphic and often sordid contemporary speak we’re so used to today. And as much as her words transcended me it was her characters that made me see the scenes through their eyes and their hearts, these miraculous fictional people became so real to me and became friends, rivals, villains and lovers and culminated in an experience that I will not forget. I could feel her extensive historical research shine through and not only in her main body of work but also during her interludes in the past where she shows me a foreign and different time.
This is the best book I’ve read this year and if it doesn’t make the top spot on my best of list in 2012 then the world is really up for some amazing fiction as the year progresses.
Ms Williams it was my immense pleasure to experience this work of amazing literary fiction and I can not wait to see where you take me to on our next journey together.
Is it true that love spans ages, that it’s timeless. It’s a question Kate Wilson Wall Street analyst never asked herself until the fateful day she fell down the rabbit hole, the day Julian Laurence, Hedge Fund creator/billionaire walked into her life. After a rocky beginning at a first attempted personal relationship Julian literally crashes back into her life one night while running in Central Park and after only a very short while Kate is uncomfortable with not only the slightly cosmic feelings she has for Julian but especially his almost preternatural trust in the love he professes to her. It’s not until Julian reveals a secret that Kate feels the rabbit hole shrinking and it forces her to look at a truth that should not be possible that will alter her life even more, a secret that’s unbelievable and yet she has no choice but believe him. It seems Julian Laurence Ashford WWI British war hero and poet did not die on a lonely field in France but found himself falling down his own rabbit hole that brought him straight to the 21st century. Even as Julian peals away the layers of himself to Kate she knows there are things he’s not telling her, things that could lead to disaster, things that could alter the very deep love they’ve only recently found with each other, things that she feels she needs to know.
Please check out my exclusive Q&A with Author Beatriz Williams http://bookclubs.barnesandnoble.com/t...
This is the best book I’ve read this year and if it doesn’t make the top spot on my best of list in 2012 then the world is really up for some amazing fiction as the year progresses.
Ms Williams it was my immense pleasure to experience this work of amazing literary fiction and I can not wait to see where you take me to on our next journey together.
Is it true that love spans ages, that it’s timeless. It’s a question Kate Wilson Wall Street analyst never asked herself until the fateful day she fell down the rabbit hole, the day Julian Laurence, Hedge Fund creator/billionaire walked into her life. After a rocky beginning at a first attempted personal relationship Julian literally crashes back into her life one night while running in Central Park and after only a very short while Kate is uncomfortable with not only the slightly cosmic feelings she has for Julian but especially his almost preternatural trust in the love he professes to her. It’s not until Julian reveals a secret that Kate feels the rabbit hole shrinking and it forces her to look at a truth that should not be possible that will alter her life even more, a secret that’s unbelievable and yet she has no choice but believe him. It seems Julian Laurence Ashford WWI British war hero and poet did not die on a lonely field in France but found himself falling down his own rabbit hole that brought him straight to the 21st century. Even as Julian peals away the layers of himself to Kate she knows there are things he’s not telling her, things that could lead to disaster, things that could alter the very deep love they’ve only recently found with each other, things that she feels she needs to know.
Please check out my exclusive Q&A with Author Beatriz Williams http://bookclubs.barnesandnoble.com/t...
October 24, 2013
I love historical romance and time travel, so this book was right up my alley. And I loved it. Julian is the quintessential gentleman hero, not a reformed rake or antihero, just a genuinely good, kind, loving person. Were he a real person, he would make me flutter. I'd probably be reduced to a giggling mass of girly Jell-O in his presence (I'm totally kidding, I'm much too cynical for that). But seriously, it would be all too easy to fall in love with someone like Julian. And perhaps that's a drawback to this work; perhaps Julian is just a bit too good. That being said, I almost wish some of his amazing personality could have rubbed off on Kate and made her a bit less abrasive. For the most part, I liked Kate, but I've never been able to stand women who over analyze a situation to the point of being obnoxious. I'm all for being independent, but there's something to be said for having the courage to let someone else help you every once in a while. Refusing the help of someone who cares for you is not being independent, it's being scared of that level of intimacy. I thought Kate was a bit dense, also, and I couldn't believe she couldn't put certain things together. I don't want to give anything away, so I'll just say that there were times when I was like, "Seriously, get a clue, he's talking about YOU!"
There are problems with this book, don't get me wrong. Julian said 'darling' about forty times too many, and Kate was a bit too prudish at times with all her "freaking" and "crap" and "gosh", but the plot is interesting, the romance sweet, and there were some truly memorable scenes that I'll be replaying in my head for a long time to come. This is definitely a book I'll read again.
There are problems with this book, don't get me wrong. Julian said 'darling' about forty times too many, and Kate was a bit too prudish at times with all her "freaking" and "crap" and "gosh", but the plot is interesting, the romance sweet, and there were some truly memorable scenes that I'll be replaying in my head for a long time to come. This is definitely a book I'll read again.
June 18, 2012
Take Fifty Shades of Gray (minus the whole BDSM-thing), add The Time Traveler's Wife, plus a dash of Erin Duffy's debut novel Bond Girl, and a pinch of Maisie Dobbs' WWI mysteries, shake them all up in a box, and you get Beatriz Williams' imaginative debut novel Overseas.
Young analyst Kate Wilson has a summer job at Sterling Bates bank, a Wall Street institution. When she attracts the attention of superstar hedge fund billionaire Julian Ashford, sparks fly and they begin a relationship, much to the consternation of her hated boss Alicia, who aims to do Kate in.
But what does this have to do with Captain the Honorable Julian Laurence Spencer Ashford, WWI British Army hero who wrote a famous love poem, Overseas, to his fiancee back home and died tragically on the battlefield in France? Are the two men distant relatives or something more?
Julian and Kate begin a relationship, only to have Julian dump Kate soon after, without warning or reason. When Julian reappears months later, saving Kate from an attack in Central Park, they reignite their relationship, although Julian acts very mysterious, paranoid even.
Kate is accused of violating insider trading laws and fired from Sterling Bates, and she believes that Alicia is behind it. Julian offers to help her find out what happened, and whisks her off to his country home in Connecticut where their relationship grows deeper.
Julian loves Kate, almost from the first moment he saw her, and he showers her with affection and gifts. Kate understands the affection, but the expensive gifts make her uncomfortable. There was one line I adored, something that explains the deep relationship between true soulmates. Julian says:
"There's a difference between giving and sharing, darling. I'm not giving you anything. You're a part of me. It's all just yours."
But Julian is keeping secrets from Kate, and there are men following her. What is behind all this? The mystery behind who exactly Julian is and why people seem to want to hurt Kate and him is well drawn-out and comes to a convincing conclusion.
This imaginative book defies categorization, with aspects of mystery, romance, fantasy, and a little science fiction all carefully put together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that, when finally finished, brings great satisfaction.
It's not a book that when described to me I thought I would choose to read, but I'm glad I opened my mind and heart up to it. The storytelling is very clever, and I would have loved to seen the editor's pitch for this book. My only criticism would be that it may have been a bit too long, with too many scenes between Kate and Julian establishing their relationship.
That said, I look forward to Beatriz Williams next book; she has a lot going on in that creative mind of hers.
Young analyst Kate Wilson has a summer job at Sterling Bates bank, a Wall Street institution. When she attracts the attention of superstar hedge fund billionaire Julian Ashford, sparks fly and they begin a relationship, much to the consternation of her hated boss Alicia, who aims to do Kate in.
But what does this have to do with Captain the Honorable Julian Laurence Spencer Ashford, WWI British Army hero who wrote a famous love poem, Overseas, to his fiancee back home and died tragically on the battlefield in France? Are the two men distant relatives or something more?
Julian and Kate begin a relationship, only to have Julian dump Kate soon after, without warning or reason. When Julian reappears months later, saving Kate from an attack in Central Park, they reignite their relationship, although Julian acts very mysterious, paranoid even.
Kate is accused of violating insider trading laws and fired from Sterling Bates, and she believes that Alicia is behind it. Julian offers to help her find out what happened, and whisks her off to his country home in Connecticut where their relationship grows deeper.
Julian loves Kate, almost from the first moment he saw her, and he showers her with affection and gifts. Kate understands the affection, but the expensive gifts make her uncomfortable. There was one line I adored, something that explains the deep relationship between true soulmates. Julian says:
"There's a difference between giving and sharing, darling. I'm not giving you anything. You're a part of me. It's all just yours."
But Julian is keeping secrets from Kate, and there are men following her. What is behind all this? The mystery behind who exactly Julian is and why people seem to want to hurt Kate and him is well drawn-out and comes to a convincing conclusion.
This imaginative book defies categorization, with aspects of mystery, romance, fantasy, and a little science fiction all carefully put together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that, when finally finished, brings great satisfaction.
It's not a book that when described to me I thought I would choose to read, but I'm glad I opened my mind and heart up to it. The storytelling is very clever, and I would have loved to seen the editor's pitch for this book. My only criticism would be that it may have been a bit too long, with too many scenes between Kate and Julian establishing their relationship.
That said, I look forward to Beatriz Williams next book; she has a lot going on in that creative mind of hers.
April 4, 2015
I couldn't finish this book. I had only a handful of pages left, but I just couldn't take it anymore. It felt like I was reading the same page over and over.
June 4, 2012
Perhaps 3 1/2 for the how unusual the plot was, but ultimately, as interesting as I found Kate and Julian, the book could have been better. I could quibble about little things like far too many words in italics (honestly, sometimes 10 on a page), or how erratic Julian's language was (it's apparently quite difficult to show on paper that a person is English rather than American -- and I think it's great Williams did as well as she did). Listening to this book on tape would help a lot, I'm sure. Edited to add the words Julian used a lot: jolly, minx, it was reminiscent of a sort of over-the-top Hugh Grant script.
Ultimately, I wasn't convinced in the plot -- who they were back in Amiens during the WWI, whether Geoff was friend or foe, how the mechanics of time travel worked -- I sort of believed it but not enough. The ending was too abrupt and explanatory and then the epilogue, what was that all about?
Here's an example: I felt as if I was told rather than shown what calibre of analyst Kate was and that's pretty important. Yes, she was fired unfairly but then she just disappears into a confusing life of leisure in Lyme. To be honest, for someone worried about just being considered arm-candy, her protests seemed more verbal and lip service than a person fighting to retain a part of themselves that was important. Not sticking up for career vs different path, I just felt muddled about what she believed. Perhaps that was deliberate on the part of the author?
This all sounds pretty petty but I think there was a better book inside than what I read. It felt somewhat incomplete. Would I try another book by Williams, yes. Perhaps I'll have more to say after I give Overseas some time to jell.
Ultimately, I wasn't convinced in the plot -- who they were back in Amiens during the WWI, whether Geoff was friend or foe, how the mechanics of time travel worked -- I sort of believed it but not enough. The ending was too abrupt and explanatory and then the epilogue, what was that all about?
Here's an example: I felt as if I was told rather than shown what calibre of analyst Kate was and that's pretty important. Yes, she was fired unfairly but then she just disappears into a confusing life of leisure in Lyme. To be honest, for someone worried about just being considered arm-candy, her protests seemed more verbal and lip service than a person fighting to retain a part of themselves that was important. Not sticking up for career vs different path, I just felt muddled about what she believed. Perhaps that was deliberate on the part of the author?
This all sounds pretty petty but I think there was a better book inside than what I read. It felt somewhat incomplete. Would I try another book by Williams, yes. Perhaps I'll have more to say after I give Overseas some time to jell.
July 6, 2012
I'm pretty torn between giving this 1 star or 2. I guess I'll round up for 2 and say it was a 1.5? BUT SERIOUSLY I THOUGHT THIS WAS KIND OF AWFUL AND AT BEST MEDIOCRE BUT MOSTLY AWFUL???
I was actually pretty excited to read this at first, because NPR blurbed it and said it was an upbeat version of the Time Traveler's Wife, BUT THAT TURNED OUT TO BE A LIE BECAUSE THAT BOOK IS AWESOME AND THIS BOOK WAS CRAP. A more accurate descriptor would be Outlander crossed with A Discovery of Witches slash Twilight.
BASICALLY the plot is an overdrawn, too-long-by-100-pages romance between Kate Wilson, a young investment banker, and Julian Ashford, a British soldier from the First World War. They meet in 2008 and FALL PASSIONATELY IN LOVE.
In conclusion, I did not enjoy this book very much. I'm mad at NPR for recommending it. I would like feminists to write a feminist romance novel. Please, Santa?
I was actually pretty excited to read this at first, because NPR blurbed it and said it was an upbeat version of the Time Traveler's Wife, BUT THAT TURNED OUT TO BE A LIE BECAUSE THAT BOOK IS AWESOME AND THIS BOOK WAS CRAP. A more accurate descriptor would be Outlander crossed with A Discovery of Witches slash Twilight.
BASICALLY the plot is an overdrawn, too-long-by-100-pages romance between Kate Wilson, a young investment banker, and Julian Ashford, a British soldier from the First World War. They meet in 2008 and FALL PASSIONATELY IN LOVE.
In conclusion, I did not enjoy this book very much. I'm mad at NPR for recommending it. I would like feminists to write a feminist romance novel. Please, Santa?
August 13, 2013
I have never been so offended for an author in my life, as I am for Audrey Niffenegger, that this drivel has been compared to the genius of Time Travellers Wife.
This was for me, the literary equivalent of a root canal. And I suffered the pain .... I tried to endure, I really did. Waiting for a moment when it would turn into an actual story worth reading. I clawed by way well over the half way mark - but in the end I have had to cry foul, and demand an anaesthetic. I just cannot take another minute of this sappy pathetic dialogue, loosely wrapped in the pretext of a time travel adventure - without self-harming.
I now only long to travel to a time where this book doesn't exist. So I would never have been exposed to this endless, stomach-churning, waffle. I am furious that hours of my life have been wasted on this virginal self-righteous sister to 50 Shades. Dammit, I quit 50 Shades at page 7. I am gutted that it took over 300 to wring sensibility out of me with this one.
If not for the fact that this is a library book - I would be taking it to my backyard, dousing it with petrol and setting it on fire. And praying to the book gods that I NEVER fall victim to such vile Chick Lit EVER AGAIN.
This was for me, the literary equivalent of a root canal. And I suffered the pain .... I tried to endure, I really did. Waiting for a moment when it would turn into an actual story worth reading. I clawed by way well over the half way mark - but in the end I have had to cry foul, and demand an anaesthetic. I just cannot take another minute of this sappy pathetic dialogue, loosely wrapped in the pretext of a time travel adventure - without self-harming.
I now only long to travel to a time where this book doesn't exist. So I would never have been exposed to this endless, stomach-churning, waffle. I am furious that hours of my life have been wasted on this virginal self-righteous sister to 50 Shades. Dammit, I quit 50 Shades at page 7. I am gutted that it took over 300 to wring sensibility out of me with this one.
If not for the fact that this is a library book - I would be taking it to my backyard, dousing it with petrol and setting it on fire. And praying to the book gods that I NEVER fall victim to such vile Chick Lit EVER AGAIN.
July 29, 2012
Overseas was, to put it plainly, a disappointment. I was really looking forward to this book, but by the second page I'd renamed it Overseazzz. And then halfway through it was Overblown Melodrama. Both of the leads reduced me to fits of eye-rolling, sighing and jaw clenching. Where is the love? Seriously, where is it? I have no idea why these people are in love with each other, and in italics, no less.
Don't even GET me started on the use of italics in this book. A bloody crime, I tell you.
Don't even GET me started on the use of italics in this book. A bloody crime, I tell you.
May 30, 2016
A pleasant, easy read to pass the afternoon of a long weekend. It was an original plot with the two lovers spanning the decades of time. True love conquerors all and stuff. Super mushy love speeches, a masculine, confidant male lead, a feisty but fairly submissive female lead, nothing too extraordinary. Overall, it was a sweet book without too much heavy thought into it.
August 2, 2017
Me ha gustado pero siento que podría haber sido mejor. Después de un inicio muy prometedor, que me tuvo súper enganchada, sentí que la trama perdió fuelle con momentos en los que apenas pasaba nada o demasiado empalagosos, para finalmente remontar. La trama se construye a partir de flashback en dos espacios temporales y está narrada desde el punto de vista de la protagonista. Que parte de la historia estuviese ambientada en la 1GM me gustó aunque después brillará por su ausencia.
La historia me gusto pero esperaba más, de ahí las 3 estrellas, sentí que le falto fuerza y que la autora no supo sacarle todo el partido pero aun así la disfrute, sobre todo al final. Predecible en algunos momentos, aun así hubo giros que no me espere. Los protagonistas: he pasado por todos los estadios con Julian, desde encontrarlo adorable y dulce, a parecerme un paranoico obsesionado por la seguridad de Kate para volver a enamorarme. Kate es una persona fuerte e independiente, que en algún momento se siente engullida por Julian, para después volver a coger las riendas y luchar. El choque cultural entre la pareja es muy fuerte
Cosas que me dejaron descolocada, me pareció alucinante que la pareja aceptará tan rápidamente que el otro venían de otro tiempo, bueno a mi pasa eso y me da un sincope… digo yo ¡y después la “puerta” para viajar me pareció que sacaba un conejo de una chistera. Sobre los secundarios me dejaron ciertas incógnitas que pensé que al final se despejarían y no fueron así.
No sé si me estoy haciendo más exigente o no, pero no me llego a emocionar como yo esperaba, quizás tenia demasiadas expectativas.
En resumen es una historia súper romántica y tierna que nos habla del poder el amor.
La historia me gusto pero esperaba más, de ahí las 3 estrellas, sentí que le falto fuerza y que la autora no supo sacarle todo el partido pero aun así la disfrute, sobre todo al final. Predecible en algunos momentos, aun así hubo giros que no me espere. Los protagonistas: he pasado por todos los estadios con Julian, desde encontrarlo adorable y dulce, a parecerme un paranoico obsesionado por la seguridad de Kate para volver a enamorarme. Kate es una persona fuerte e independiente, que en algún momento se siente engullida por Julian, para después volver a coger las riendas y luchar. El choque cultural entre la pareja es muy fuerte
Cosas que me dejaron descolocada, me pareció alucinante que la pareja aceptará tan rápidamente que el otro venían de otro tiempo, bueno a mi pasa eso y me da un sincope… digo yo ¡y después la “puerta” para viajar me pareció que sacaba un conejo de una chistera. Sobre los secundarios me dejaron ciertas incógnitas que pensé que al final se despejarían y no fueron así.
No sé si me estoy haciendo más exigente o no, pero no me llego a emocionar como yo esperaba, quizás tenia demasiadas expectativas.
En resumen es una historia súper romántica y tierna que nos habla del poder el amor.
March 24, 2012
Julian Laurence/Ashford, a gorgeous, Rupert Brooke-like, WWI era poet is hit by a shell during that war, but instead of dying he time travels to the future, waking in a French hospital in 1996. By the economically volatile year of 2008 he's become a semi-reclusive millionaire Wall Street mogul, passionately and almost inexplicably in love with Kate, a prickly, very modern, 20-something financial analyst flunky that he's only just met. Or have they only just met?
Much to Kate's surprise, she and Julian become very serious very quickly and it's not long before he proposes, but as wonderful as everything is something is not quite right. Julian showers Kate in expensive gifts she appreciates but is not that interested in, he's never there when she wakes up in the morning, and he's desperate to protect Kate from a threat he can't or won't explain. Kate's completely smitten, but she's just as determined to be an independent woman--a situation that leads to a lot of arguments and making-up.
I'm a fan of WWI era novels, but there isn't as much of that time period in Overseas as I hoped. Instead it's more of a chick lit Wall Street romance, complete with Starbuck's coffee, vicious coworkers, modern slang (except for Julian), expensive bling, and Apple products, which is not my escape genre of choice. That said, it's well written and intricately plotted. It takes some imagination to picture someone in the Rupert Brooke mold working on Wall Street, but the heated relationship of Julian and Kate becomes more credible by the end when their story is fully told.
Much to Kate's surprise, she and Julian become very serious very quickly and it's not long before he proposes, but as wonderful as everything is something is not quite right. Julian showers Kate in expensive gifts she appreciates but is not that interested in, he's never there when she wakes up in the morning, and he's desperate to protect Kate from a threat he can't or won't explain. Kate's completely smitten, but she's just as determined to be an independent woman--a situation that leads to a lot of arguments and making-up.
I'm a fan of WWI era novels, but there isn't as much of that time period in Overseas as I hoped. Instead it's more of a chick lit Wall Street romance, complete with Starbuck's coffee, vicious coworkers, modern slang (except for Julian), expensive bling, and Apple products, which is not my escape genre of choice. That said, it's well written and intricately plotted. It takes some imagination to picture someone in the Rupert Brooke mold working on Wall Street, but the heated relationship of Julian and Kate becomes more credible by the end when their story is fully told.
October 7, 2012
Like many of you, I read this at the recommendation of an NPR review. I was disappointed, to say the least, to find it to be an overblown Harlequin-esque romance with time travel trappings that are never really explained in any meaningful way. Julian is rich and handsome and basically a blonde Cary Grant from the 40's. Kate is pretty and smart and "fiercely independent"- whatever. They have no chemistry, no reason for a romance other than her appearing to him in the past and him searching for her in the present. No, seriously- NOTHING happens. The dialog was so cheesy and redundant that I skimmed through most of it, and the main reason I finished it was to find out why and how they time traveled in the first place. Guess what? You never really find out- some guy helps them but it's all very nebulous and then he disappears (not literally, but he might as well have done so). There's a little bit of a Wall Street takeover/buyout/scandal that tries to elevate the story a more realistic level, but it doesn't really pan out in terms of moving the story along. Ugh. I wasted 2 days hoping this would be better than it was.
June 4, 2012
Had the tremendous pleasure of hearing Beatriz Williams discuss her book at a recent event. If you can't see her in person, I strongly recommend that you go on her website and read and listen to interview she's posted. This is an amazing book. I would expect that, over time, people come to appreciate its complexity and vivid characterizations of courtship and societal change. Beneath a gripping love story, Williams juxtaposes contrasting worlds: the Edwardian romanticism of her chivalrous hero, Julian, and the modern cynicism of her reluctant protagonist, Kate. The two find each other as outsiders, and share a strong moral fibre which helps them navigate times of crisis, both occurring around them and between them. Williams prose is absolutely stunning. (Amazing that she's a debut author!) Her plot threads, which she masterfully weaves, quicken the book's pace and leave the reader much to reflect on long after finishing the book. A marvelous read the first time through, an even better the second time through!
December 13, 2012
Más allá del Océano comienza durante la Primera Guerra Mundial en Amiens, Francia. Fuera de la catedral, el capitán Julián Ashford se encuentra con un grupo de sus oficiales. Para su sorpresa una mujer desconocida corre a sus brazos y termina desmayándose. Aparentemente tiene un mensaje importante que transmitirle relacionado con su inminente muerte en el frente.
Kate Wilson es una seria analista que trabaja en Wall Street. Después de preparar una presentación para el fondo de cobertura del que el multimillonario británico Julian Laurence es propietario, es reemplazada y manipulada por su supervisora en jefe Alicia. Inmediatamente atrae la atención de Julian para asombro de ella, pues se la describe como una “bibliotecaria sexy” y este hombre juega en otras ligas, además de su magnífico físico y las leyendas urbanas que corren sobre él. Lo que Kate no sabe es que a pesar de su riqueza, poder y buena apariencia, Julian evita la publicidad a toda costa. Su nombre nunca ha sido relacionado con ninguna mujer, hasta que conoce a Kate. Por fin la ha encontrado. Otra vez. Aquí el lector comienza a preguntarse ¿en dónde, cuándo y cómo? Kate aún no lo conoce…Así y todo Julian decide ayudarla a limpiar su nombre y costear los fondos de una demanda a la compañía en la que Kate trabajaba por el despido sin explicaciones y la acusación que pesa sobre ella.
Alternando entre la Francia de 1916 y el Nueva York volátil económicamente de 2008, esta novela es parte de un viaje en el tiempo, una historia de amor y misterio. El Capitán Julian Laurence Ashford, de veintiún años de edad, oficial del ejército británico, se cree que murió durante una patrulla nocturna en el frente. De alguna manera Julian se transporta al siglo XX.
Narrado en primera persona desde el punto de vista de Kate, Más Allá del Océano es más que nada una historia de amor. Poco a poco vamos conectando los datos que no encajan en un principio. Por un lado tenemos a Kate, una mujer moderna del S. XXI, con una carrera exitosa e independiente. Por el otro tenemos a Julian, un hombre de una época pasada cuyas maneras se ven caracterizadas por el honor y el deber, un verdadero caballero.
Los dos personajes principales son atractivos, sin embargo, no llegan a ser ingeniosos o suficientemente apasionados para alargar una historia de más de cuatrocientas páginas.
Algunos de sus diálogos me parecieron algo rígidos y a veces incluso pueriles. No obstante, aunque con muy poco detalle de las escenas de amor entre ellos, la autora consigue transmitir los sentimientos de ambos y su convicción como pareja.
Lo que encontré un poco decepcionante es que no se detalla mucho sobre la I Guerra Mundial, prácticamente nada y mucho sobre la época contemporánea. Otro aspecto que no me convenció fue el argumento del viaje en el tiempo, muy flojo en términos explicativos por lo que no termina de convencer sumado a las descripciones de los personajes moldeándolos de “casi perfectos” aburría un poco, sobre todo en el caso de Julian, pero supongo que fue la única forma que encontró Beatriz Williams de hacernos ver como podía ser un hombre de 1916.
A pesar de todo, fue una lectura entretenida y agradable, con un tópico similar a La mujer del hombre que viajaba en el tiempo sin coincidir en tramas iguales. Una novela muy bien escrita que satisface y se valora más tratándose del debut de una escritora que promete.
Kate Wilson es una seria analista que trabaja en Wall Street. Después de preparar una presentación para el fondo de cobertura del que el multimillonario británico Julian Laurence es propietario, es reemplazada y manipulada por su supervisora en jefe Alicia. Inmediatamente atrae la atención de Julian para asombro de ella, pues se la describe como una “bibliotecaria sexy” y este hombre juega en otras ligas, además de su magnífico físico y las leyendas urbanas que corren sobre él. Lo que Kate no sabe es que a pesar de su riqueza, poder y buena apariencia, Julian evita la publicidad a toda costa. Su nombre nunca ha sido relacionado con ninguna mujer, hasta que conoce a Kate. Por fin la ha encontrado. Otra vez. Aquí el lector comienza a preguntarse ¿en dónde, cuándo y cómo? Kate aún no lo conoce…Así y todo Julian decide ayudarla a limpiar su nombre y costear los fondos de una demanda a la compañía en la que Kate trabajaba por el despido sin explicaciones y la acusación que pesa sobre ella.
Alternando entre la Francia de 1916 y el Nueva York volátil económicamente de 2008, esta novela es parte de un viaje en el tiempo, una historia de amor y misterio. El Capitán Julian Laurence Ashford, de veintiún años de edad, oficial del ejército británico, se cree que murió durante una patrulla nocturna en el frente. De alguna manera Julian se transporta al siglo XX.
Narrado en primera persona desde el punto de vista de Kate, Más Allá del Océano es más que nada una historia de amor. Poco a poco vamos conectando los datos que no encajan en un principio. Por un lado tenemos a Kate, una mujer moderna del S. XXI, con una carrera exitosa e independiente. Por el otro tenemos a Julian, un hombre de una época pasada cuyas maneras se ven caracterizadas por el honor y el deber, un verdadero caballero.
Los dos personajes principales son atractivos, sin embargo, no llegan a ser ingeniosos o suficientemente apasionados para alargar una historia de más de cuatrocientas páginas.
Algunos de sus diálogos me parecieron algo rígidos y a veces incluso pueriles. No obstante, aunque con muy poco detalle de las escenas de amor entre ellos, la autora consigue transmitir los sentimientos de ambos y su convicción como pareja.
Lo que encontré un poco decepcionante es que no se detalla mucho sobre la I Guerra Mundial, prácticamente nada y mucho sobre la época contemporánea. Otro aspecto que no me convenció fue el argumento del viaje en el tiempo, muy flojo en términos explicativos por lo que no termina de convencer sumado a las descripciones de los personajes moldeándolos de “casi perfectos” aburría un poco, sobre todo en el caso de Julian, pero supongo que fue la única forma que encontró Beatriz Williams de hacernos ver como podía ser un hombre de 1916.
A pesar de todo, fue una lectura entretenida y agradable, con un tópico similar a La mujer del hombre que viajaba en el tiempo sin coincidir en tramas iguales. Una novela muy bien escrita que satisface y se valora más tratándose del debut de una escritora que promete.
June 17, 2012
This book is officially my most favorite of all time books in Time travel.
EVER.
I feel that as much as I can say how stupendously this book has been written. How much joy I had reading this book, I cannot convey the proper words to say it. I would not be able to give this book justice. I told my friend who recommended this book to me that I don't think Goodreads Reviewers has given this book justice by the ratings. (Perhaps they feel differently, well its there loss :P) I think there should a much higher rating. I am definitely going to recommend this book to all my friends (that read that is, but I will probably rave about it all the time.)
JULIAN <3 my god is he the most amazing guy I have read about (he is so different and special.) I have read many books and he takes spot with Will (Slammed) and Alex (Annie's Song, and another one from another book but can't remember right now because my mind is filled the Julian right now ;)] and many more characters. Julian was such a mystery that as I was reading he kept getting mysterious (raised many questions as he answered them along the way) but at the same time loved him the whole way. KATE <3 she is another amazing character I loved how she never left him (never willingly) like when things get tough the girl breaks it off she didn't, took a lot of processing but she still didn't leave him. Julian loved her so much and she him. I loved how they loved each to their very inch of their souls.
Beatiz Williams I love your book, your writing and YOU for bringing such wonderful characters and awesome book out for everyone to read and enjoy. Thank you for sharing it to everyone.
I telling all the readers who haven't read Overseas to please do. You won't be disappointed but instead will be in love with Overseas.
My verdict? 5 BILLION GAZILLION STARS IN THE GALAXY
EVER.
I feel that as much as I can say how stupendously this book has been written. How much joy I had reading this book, I cannot convey the proper words to say it. I would not be able to give this book justice. I told my friend who recommended this book to me that I don't think Goodreads Reviewers has given this book justice by the ratings. (Perhaps they feel differently, well its there loss :P) I think there should a much higher rating. I am definitely going to recommend this book to all my friends (that read that is, but I will probably rave about it all the time.)
JULIAN <3 my god is he the most amazing guy I have read about (he is so different and special.) I have read many books and he takes spot with Will (Slammed) and Alex (Annie's Song, and another one from another book but can't remember right now because my mind is filled the Julian right now ;)] and many more characters. Julian was such a mystery that as I was reading he kept getting mysterious (raised many questions as he answered them along the way) but at the same time loved him the whole way. KATE <3 she is another amazing character I loved how she never left him (never willingly) like when things get tough the girl breaks it off she didn't, took a lot of processing but she still didn't leave him. Julian loved her so much and she him. I loved how they loved each to their very inch of their souls.
Beatiz Williams I love your book, your writing and YOU for bringing such wonderful characters and awesome book out for everyone to read and enjoy. Thank you for sharing it to everyone.
I telling all the readers who haven't read Overseas to please do. You won't be disappointed but instead will be in love with Overseas.
My verdict? 5 BILLION GAZILLION STARS IN THE GALAXY
September 14, 2012
I do believe I've just read some Twilight fan fiction. We have a bookish independent girl who finds herself the object of a gorgeous billionaires deep passionate love. For no reason. After about ten minutes of knowing each other. He leaves her in the dark because he's "dangerous" but he cannot resist her... uh... not sure what, because she's the same dork as the rest of us sitting in yoga pants searching for the next Mr Darcy. He sweeps her off of her feet using some hallmark traits of a domestic violence offender. She hears about his crazy sci-fi secret but she's totally cool with it because he's hot, girlfriend! I mean hello all you independent ladies,we all know a pretty face is all it takes. Duh.
Overseas is one red room of pain away from Fifty Shades; it spares us the eye rolling sparkle of Edward Cullen, but otherwise, we've been here before. And I'll be damned, just like Twilight and Fifty Shades, I couldn't put it down. I'm grateful the ending was tied up so neatly, I won't be subjecting myself to a sequel.
Twihards rejoice, but if you've found this title by way of NPR, you might want to move along.
Overseas is one red room of pain away from Fifty Shades; it spares us the eye rolling sparkle of Edward Cullen, but otherwise, we've been here before. And I'll be damned, just like Twilight and Fifty Shades, I couldn't put it down. I'm grateful the ending was tied up so neatly, I won't be subjecting myself to a sequel.
Twihards rejoice, but if you've found this title by way of NPR, you might want to move along.
December 22, 2016
One word: Julian.
A man that leaves loves notes everywhere, calls you beloved, and lives for your safety and happiness, all with an English accent? (The audiobook is important for this last one)
Occasionally overbearing in his protection of Kate, it all becomes more forgivable when everything is unraveled. I liked how Kate continued to stand up for herself and tried to assert her independence whenever it seemed like Julian became too coddling or she started to get lost in him.
Ultimately though this was a story of the ultimate true love (which I didn't really even believe in until this book)! The time travel aspect was not the typical time travel story which I appreciated. It took a while for things to be revealed as Julian kept a lot to himself, but ultimately it worked.
A man that leaves loves notes everywhere, calls you beloved, and lives for your safety and happiness, all with an English accent? (The audiobook is important for this last one)
Occasionally overbearing in his protection of Kate, it all becomes more forgivable when everything is unraveled. I liked how Kate continued to stand up for herself and tried to assert her independence whenever it seemed like Julian became too coddling or she started to get lost in him.
Ultimately though this was a story of the ultimate true love (which I didn't really even believe in until this book)! The time travel aspect was not the typical time travel story which I appreciated. It took a while for things to be revealed as Julian kept a lot to himself, but ultimately it worked.
August 21, 2024
re-read aug 2024: this holds up & it's both very different to her other stuff, but also is very much a blueprint. This is going to be a fun re-reading project!
4.5 stars. This was adorable I loved it, a+ debut novel
It wasn't perfect, but it was intriguing and cute and I liked the concept so.
4.5 stars. This was adorable I loved it, a+ debut novel
It wasn't perfect, but it was intriguing and cute and I liked the concept so.
October 31, 2016
Dual timeline with only about 10% set in the past. I probably wouldn't have read it had I known that. Ended up being okay but nothing very compelling. The time travel process was really eye rolling, as was the bad guy.
June 1, 2012
A somewhat interesting mix of chick-lit and historical fiction woven into a story about time travel,love,some secrets and Wall Street insider trading thrown in.
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