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An Untimely Romance #1
Untimely
“An Untimely Romance is a beautiful breakout novel where love is found in the hidden corners of time. A must read for fans of time travel romance!” ~ The Kindle Book Review ABOUT AN UNTIMELY Heather Richardson is a seventeen-year-old British girl whose life quickly becomes an emotional roller coaster when she meets Ruben Brown, a twenty-year-old man who works for her father at Freesdon Manor. As much as Heather wants to love Ruben, the cracks in their relationship begin to show as her eighteenth birthday draws nigh. In a surprising turn of events Heather is confronted by Frank, an intriguing man from a past that dates back to the nineteenth century. His untimely presence changes everything. When she’s thrown back in time by an unrelenting force, Heather realizes that her life is not what it appears to be. Her future has already been written, and it seems she cannot escape her fate, a fate determined by a love lost long ago. In her struggle to find herself, Heather must chose her destiny amidst a dangerous love triangle, vengeful lovers, and passions controlled by the hands of time. Untimely is book 1 in a New romance series that You are going to love! Scroll up and purchase a copy today.
262 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 26, 2013
8 people are currently reading
1038 people want to read
About the author
J. Wells
9 books62 followersJudy and Laura Wells are a mother and daughter writing duo from the heart of England. Between the two of them they own three beautiful but mad Japanese Shiba Inus and two not so active tortoises.
They’ve dabbled with a few different genres in the past, but contemporary romance has been their first love since they began writing. Perfect Imperfections is Book One in their Moments series.
They’ve dabbled with a few different genres in the past, but contemporary romance has been their first love since they began writing. Perfect Imperfections is Book One in their Moments series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
May 27, 2013
i had amazing opportunity to ARC read this book and wow! where do i begin? Heather is a seventeen year old girl who lives in an ancient manor house with her family, moving there when she was 13. Once there she meets an array of colourful characters including Ruben, (who annoyed me immensely!) and Frank.. Oh, Frank, who is very Darcy-esque. Its like he has stepped through time. Heather's family have bought the house and are getting it renovated and restored to its original beauty to re-open to the public as a sort of historical landmark.
This house holds many secrets, and when Heather gets to the bottom of it she finds she is deeper involved than she realises.
If you love books or movies like the Secret Garden than i definately recommend Untimely.
This house holds many secrets, and when Heather gets to the bottom of it she finds she is deeper involved than she realises.
If you love books or movies like the Secret Garden than i definately recommend Untimely.
March 23, 2017
What if the love of your life may not be of your time?
DISCLAIMER: I was given a copy of this book by the author (via Goodreads/Shut Up and Read/Read It And Reap) in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. (I received a revised/updated copy directly from the author, which is the version that I am reviewing at this time.)
ADVISORY: This book contains sensuality and abusive situations
Synopsis:
Heather Richardson is a 17-year old English girl who has spent the past several years living on an estate that has been under renovation, but now the day fast approaches when the estate will be open to the public for tours and events, and staff is now being hired for all the upcoming bookings. It is here where she first meets Ruben Brown, who she swiftly becomes infatuated with.
But her sheltered upbringing has not prepared her for the likes of Ruben – a demanding, possessive, emotionally unstable man, who is way out of her league and comes with a history and a lot of baggage, including an ex-girlfriend who is still very much in his life. But love is blind (and occasionally stupid.) Plus the sudden reappearance of an old friend, Frank, adds to her confusion. But hidden agendas and secrets abound, and not everyone has Heather’s best interests in mind.
Then Heather begins to experience strange things at Freesdon Manor: ghosts and visions of times past, people only she can see and hear, and the unmistakable sound of a gunshot. When the visions of the past start to turn into reality, she needs to figure out just where – and when – she needs to be.
Can Heather repair the errors of the past, or are they doomed to be repeated?
Comments:
This book had an interesting premise – one which was occasionally fulfilled, but fell short at other times. I was given a revised copy to read, which purportedly had expanded character development.
First off, I thought the heroine, Heather, was extremely immature and who was easily misled by the first man who showed her any interest (Ruben). She made excuses for his abusive, manipulative behavior, which irked me no end. However, I have known girls (and women) who have been in abusive relationships, and there is a sad ring of truth to some of the ways that Heather made excuses for Ruben’s behavior.
And what a manipulative bastard! Ruben’s primary interest in Heather is for a notch on his bedpost, and it irritates him that she is making him “wait”, even though she is underage and it would be statutory rape (at least, in the U.S.). Yes, he was damaged goods, but there is no excuse for his continued jealousy and jackassery.
I wish there had been a little bit more character development with Frank, though what was there certainly advanced the story along without giving too much of the plot away.
I enjoyed the people from the past more than those from the future (especially Florence), though some of the “future” folk grew on me as their characters became more filled in (including Beth, Amy, and Heather’s parents). Then there are all the people whose bad choices bring about the events that caused the ghostly visitations, and whose actions have impacts on both timelines.
Some issues are resolved by the end of book one, but others are left open for exploration in book two – Untimely Return. (Which I was also given by the author, but I have not had time to read and review yet.)
DISCLAIMER: I was given a copy of this book by the author (via Goodreads/Shut Up and Read/Read It And Reap) in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. (I received a revised/updated copy directly from the author, which is the version that I am reviewing at this time.)
ADVISORY: This book contains sensuality and abusive situations
Synopsis:
Heather Richardson is a 17-year old English girl who has spent the past several years living on an estate that has been under renovation, but now the day fast approaches when the estate will be open to the public for tours and events, and staff is now being hired for all the upcoming bookings. It is here where she first meets Ruben Brown, who she swiftly becomes infatuated with.
But her sheltered upbringing has not prepared her for the likes of Ruben – a demanding, possessive, emotionally unstable man, who is way out of her league and comes with a history and a lot of baggage, including an ex-girlfriend who is still very much in his life. But love is blind (and occasionally stupid.) Plus the sudden reappearance of an old friend, Frank, adds to her confusion. But hidden agendas and secrets abound, and not everyone has Heather’s best interests in mind.
Then Heather begins to experience strange things at Freesdon Manor: ghosts and visions of times past, people only she can see and hear, and the unmistakable sound of a gunshot. When the visions of the past start to turn into reality, she needs to figure out just where – and when – she needs to be.
Can Heather repair the errors of the past, or are they doomed to be repeated?
Comments:
This book had an interesting premise – one which was occasionally fulfilled, but fell short at other times. I was given a revised copy to read, which purportedly had expanded character development.
First off, I thought the heroine, Heather, was extremely immature and who was easily misled by the first man who showed her any interest (Ruben). She made excuses for his abusive, manipulative behavior, which irked me no end. However, I have known girls (and women) who have been in abusive relationships, and there is a sad ring of truth to some of the ways that Heather made excuses for Ruben’s behavior.
And what a manipulative bastard! Ruben’s primary interest in Heather is for a notch on his bedpost, and it irritates him that she is making him “wait”, even though she is underage and it would be statutory rape (at least, in the U.S.). Yes, he was damaged goods, but there is no excuse for his continued jealousy and jackassery.
I wish there had been a little bit more character development with Frank, though what was there certainly advanced the story along without giving too much of the plot away.
I enjoyed the people from the past more than those from the future (especially Florence), though some of the “future” folk grew on me as their characters became more filled in (including Beth, Amy, and Heather’s parents). Then there are all the people whose bad choices bring about the events that caused the ghostly visitations, and whose actions have impacts on both timelines.
Some issues are resolved by the end of book one, but others are left open for exploration in book two – Untimely Return. (Which I was also given by the author, but I have not had time to read and review yet.)
June 26, 2015
Going into Untimely, I was a little skeptical. It’s really hard for me to get into some of the time travel novels because I absolutely adore Outlander. It has ruined me for other books with time travel elements.
Yet J&L Wells truly surprised me with this one. It had its ups and downs, mostly because I’m impatient and want to get into the nitty-gritty, but it was fun. I liked Heather, not only because we have the same name, but because of her personality. While I didn’t always agree with her choices, I tried to remember that she is only seventeen in the novel. Judy and Laura really captured the way a teenager thinks with this one, and that isn’t commonly found within a NA novel (at least with a seventeen year old protagonist).
This book is labeled NA, but it didn’t feel like that to me. Heather is still pretty immature, and the intimate scenes weren’t graphic. The story doesn’t revolve around ‘life after becoming an adult’, but more along the lines of the adventure she goes through. I would label it as a YA.
Speaking of the adventure! My recommendation: do not read this novel at night, when you’re curled up in bed with your e-reader and all the lights are off. Especially if you’re scared of the dark. I had a couple moments where I really felt a chill down my spine and had to look around my dark bedroom as if a creepy would crawl out from my closet. Yes…the creepy scenes are really awesome.
In fact, the Wells did a great job at capturing the emotions of their characters. The whole book is in Heather’s POV, but you could really imagine the feelings of the other characters as well. That is not an easy thing to do for an author.
I recommend this book to people who enjoy time travel with a little bit of creepy thrown in, and can look past some of the teenage angst. There is a second novel, but I didn’t feel as though the end was a cliffhanger, so that’s a good thing.
Yet J&L Wells truly surprised me with this one. It had its ups and downs, mostly because I’m impatient and want to get into the nitty-gritty, but it was fun. I liked Heather, not only because we have the same name, but because of her personality. While I didn’t always agree with her choices, I tried to remember that she is only seventeen in the novel. Judy and Laura really captured the way a teenager thinks with this one, and that isn’t commonly found within a NA novel (at least with a seventeen year old protagonist).
This book is labeled NA, but it didn’t feel like that to me. Heather is still pretty immature, and the intimate scenes weren’t graphic. The story doesn’t revolve around ‘life after becoming an adult’, but more along the lines of the adventure she goes through. I would label it as a YA.
Speaking of the adventure! My recommendation: do not read this novel at night, when you’re curled up in bed with your e-reader and all the lights are off. Especially if you’re scared of the dark. I had a couple moments where I really felt a chill down my spine and had to look around my dark bedroom as if a creepy would crawl out from my closet. Yes…the creepy scenes are really awesome.
In fact, the Wells did a great job at capturing the emotions of their characters. The whole book is in Heather’s POV, but you could really imagine the feelings of the other characters as well. That is not an easy thing to do for an author.
I recommend this book to people who enjoy time travel with a little bit of creepy thrown in, and can look past some of the teenage angst. There is a second novel, but I didn’t feel as though the end was a cliffhanger, so that’s a good thing.
January 26, 2015
I received an ecopy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Untimely by J & L Wells was an interesting read. If you are someone who appreciates romance and time travel, you may enjoy this story.
For me, the time travel portions were problematic. In all honesty, the story set in the eighteenth century could have stood alone. It was complete with details, description and a plot line involving a gentleman of money and a young servant. I would have been happy to read more about their story and what happened on their night together.
The modern story didn't work for me. Heather Richardson is a young, impetuous girl who jumps into a relationship with a man she just meets. She falls head over heels in a matter of weeks. Heather travels back in time and suddenly falls in love with another man. But, her flighty mannerisms seemed perfect in the eighteenth century.
The character of Ruben was a little forced. There wasn't enough detail about him. He was painted as a mysterious man with a temper. There really wasn't a lot else going on with him. He loved intensely, but, there was no real reason behind it.
The best character for me was Frank Boswel. He was the time traveler going between eighteenth and twenty-first centuries. We get enough back story to really learn about Frank. I was actually cheering for him by the end of the book.
Untimely has its merits--good descriptions, an evolving plot line. If you are a fan of time travel romance, you probably will have no problem with the back and forth story line. There is a second book in this series. It looks to be more involved than book one. The story is intriguing with potentially good characters.
Untimely by J & L Wells was an interesting read. If you are someone who appreciates romance and time travel, you may enjoy this story.
For me, the time travel portions were problematic. In all honesty, the story set in the eighteenth century could have stood alone. It was complete with details, description and a plot line involving a gentleman of money and a young servant. I would have been happy to read more about their story and what happened on their night together.
The modern story didn't work for me. Heather Richardson is a young, impetuous girl who jumps into a relationship with a man she just meets. She falls head over heels in a matter of weeks. Heather travels back in time and suddenly falls in love with another man. But, her flighty mannerisms seemed perfect in the eighteenth century.
The character of Ruben was a little forced. There wasn't enough detail about him. He was painted as a mysterious man with a temper. There really wasn't a lot else going on with him. He loved intensely, but, there was no real reason behind it.
The best character for me was Frank Boswel. He was the time traveler going between eighteenth and twenty-first centuries. We get enough back story to really learn about Frank. I was actually cheering for him by the end of the book.
Untimely has its merits--good descriptions, an evolving plot line. If you are a fan of time travel romance, you probably will have no problem with the back and forth story line. There is a second book in this series. It looks to be more involved than book one. The story is intriguing with potentially good characters.
April 13, 2015
I admit to being a bit tired when I first started reading Untimely, the first book of Untimely Romance Series. It didn't take but a few minutes and I was wide awake and caught up in this story.
The characters are all well-written and evoked strong emotions in me. I loved them, disliked them, loathed them, but ultimately found they were all necessary to develop the plot and move it along.
Young Heather Richardson finds herself living in an old manor house with her parents. She's young at seventeen and finds herself dealing with feelings for two men, unexplained visions and a plot that twists just when you expect it to turn.
An excellent story of time travel and romance. The authors blend the story together well and I'm anxious to see where this new romance series goes next. This mother / daughter team has a wonderful future!
Untimely is an absolute TBR for all time travel romance lovers and I highly recommend you start on it soon!
~ Patricia, Room With Books ~ July 24, 2013
The characters are all well-written and evoked strong emotions in me. I loved them, disliked them, loathed them, but ultimately found they were all necessary to develop the plot and move it along.
Young Heather Richardson finds herself living in an old manor house with her parents. She's young at seventeen and finds herself dealing with feelings for two men, unexplained visions and a plot that twists just when you expect it to turn.
An excellent story of time travel and romance. The authors blend the story together well and I'm anxious to see where this new romance series goes next. This mother / daughter team has a wonderful future!
Untimely is an absolute TBR for all time travel romance lovers and I highly recommend you start on it soon!
~ Patricia, Room With Books ~ July 24, 2013
June 8, 2013
This story follows a seventeen year old girl, Heather Richardson, who is taken on a ride through time. Her fate already written and her encounter with ghosts makes her determined to find a way to fix a horrible past. A past that is set in the 19th century.
I will go ahead and say that I think the beginning was a bit slow for me, but that might be because I disliked a certain male character and couldn't wait to move on to the one I *did* like. A bit impatient over here. But the story picks up and gets very exciting and takes you through a roller coster. I enjoyed the time travel aspect of the book a lot, it was done in a unique way, and you couldn't help but to cheer for the characters to have a happy ending.
I can see a lot of potential of hidden story lines developing and that makes me excited for the future installments of the Untimely Romance Series.
May 5, 2014
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I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
I loved Ruben from the very first time we met him, I know a lot of people will say they didn't because of the way he acted, but I saw vulnerability in him from the start. I did like Frank but I felt that he wasn't right for Heather, nor Anna for that matter. The whole idea that he slept with Anna for whatever reason when he was 'in love' with Heather would automatically stop me from wanting to be together. Ruben made mistakes as well but I think deep down he did really love Heather but was scared of making a commitment to her. I liked the aspect of Heather seeing Anna all the time and seeing her hatred. The whole story was captivating and breath-taking. I loved every second I was reading this book. I cannot wait to read the sequel very soon.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
I loved Ruben from the very first time we met him, I know a lot of people will say they didn't because of the way he acted, but I saw vulnerability in him from the start. I did like Frank but I felt that he wasn't right for Heather, nor Anna for that matter. The whole idea that he slept with Anna for whatever reason when he was 'in love' with Heather would automatically stop me from wanting to be together. Ruben made mistakes as well but I think deep down he did really love Heather but was scared of making a commitment to her. I liked the aspect of Heather seeing Anna all the time and seeing her hatred. The whole story was captivating and breath-taking. I loved every second I was reading this book. I cannot wait to read the sequel very soon.
May 12, 2014
I was given this book to provide an honest review
Initially read edition One, the author then kindly sent the 2nd edition of it. I must say me second edition is far better than the first however it was not a book that I enjoyed.
The concept is great and if you like time travelling romance kind if books then you may enjoy it but the characters - I found them very difficult to like.
Heather where do you start I found her to be very immature she drove me to despair. Ruben what a awful person, he annoyed me and angered me beyond belief. I am aware that not all relationships are not a bed of roses and can be abusive but I would hate for young people to read this book and think its ok to behave in such away or be treated like that and it be 'ok', Because its not ok even if the person does have issues.
Thanks for the opportunity to read the book it just wasnt my cup of tea.
Initially read edition One, the author then kindly sent the 2nd edition of it. I must say me second edition is far better than the first however it was not a book that I enjoyed.
The concept is great and if you like time travelling romance kind if books then you may enjoy it but the characters - I found them very difficult to like.
Heather where do you start I found her to be very immature she drove me to despair. Ruben what a awful person, he annoyed me and angered me beyond belief. I am aware that not all relationships are not a bed of roses and can be abusive but I would hate for young people to read this book and think its ok to behave in such away or be treated like that and it be 'ok', Because its not ok even if the person does have issues.
Thanks for the opportunity to read the book it just wasnt my cup of tea.
April 30, 2014
Author submitted revised book:
Untimely by J C Wells
After reading the book before revision, I was shocked at how well this new book was written. The characters have changed and are now more sociable. The main character was( in the first writing ) quite immature. The new book has her thinking and acting more age appropriate. The antagonist is still a jerk, but you relate to him more in the revised book. The story flows with better continuity. I enjoyed the read much more. The author has also gifted me with book 2 in the series. I will review that one when I'm done reading.
Untimely by J C Wells
After reading the book before revision, I was shocked at how well this new book was written. The characters have changed and are now more sociable. The main character was( in the first writing ) quite immature. The new book has her thinking and acting more age appropriate. The antagonist is still a jerk, but you relate to him more in the revised book. The story flows with better continuity. I enjoyed the read much more. The author has also gifted me with book 2 in the series. I will review that one when I'm done reading.
August 20, 2013
I think the story line itself was pretty good. Most of the book, the characters seemed very immature. I guess it was just frustrating at not understanding what was going on at first. Once I figured out what was really going on with many of the characters, things that happened early on in the book made a LOT more sense. I can definitly sympathize with Heather.
May 29, 2013
Haha may be a little bias to say I loved it :)
June 26, 2013
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Heather is a sheltered and isolated soon-to-be 18 year old that is plunged into an emotional roller coaster when she meets Ruben, a 24 year old hunk.
Strange Frank pops up and soon there are love triangles all over the place, and in the midst of it all Heather discovers her sexuality.
Under pressure to have sex with Ruben she tries to figure out if she is ready, and eventually whether Ruben is the right guy.
To make all this a little more interesting time travel is involved. But time travel is messy and things do not add up. If A goes to the past and changes x then y should never have happened, and if y never happened A never got to the past to change anything in the first place.
Heather is naive and shallow, but as this is a bildungsroman she matures somewhat throughout the novel.
Ruben‘s main redeeming quality is his looks, which isn‘t much. He is abusive and a total douchebag, but tries to make up for it by being cheesy and romantic in between. I really don’t see what Heather sees in him, but then again, she is young, naive and lonely.
It bothered me how obvious Ruben's flaws were, it ruined that romance for me.
The ending was a bit predictable (although the ending I was hoping for) but it was more tragic than I expected.
What I liked the most were the eerie hauntings, and I thought the scenes in the past were interesting.
Heather is a sheltered and isolated soon-to-be 18 year old that is plunged into an emotional roller coaster when she meets Ruben, a 24 year old hunk.
Strange Frank pops up and soon there are love triangles all over the place, and in the midst of it all Heather discovers her sexuality.
Under pressure to have sex with Ruben she tries to figure out if she is ready, and eventually whether Ruben is the right guy.
To make all this a little more interesting time travel is involved. But time travel is messy and things do not add up. If A goes to the past and changes x then y should never have happened, and if y never happened A never got to the past to change anything in the first place.
Heather is naive and shallow, but as this is a bildungsroman she matures somewhat throughout the novel.
Ruben‘s main redeeming quality is his looks, which isn‘t much. He is abusive and a total douchebag, but tries to make up for it by being cheesy and romantic in between. I really don’t see what Heather sees in him, but then again, she is young, naive and lonely.
It bothered me how obvious Ruben's flaws were, it ruined that romance for me.
The ending was a bit predictable (although the ending I was hoping for) but it was more tragic than I expected.
What I liked the most were the eerie hauntings, and I thought the scenes in the past were interesting.
August 2, 2013
Will post my review soon!!!
review for blog tour date Aug 2/13:
I Received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review.
To be honest when I first stared reading this book I had forgot what it was all about, of course I had read the summary when I signed up for the blog tour but I did not re-read it before starting the book. With all the mystery in the beginning I was glad I chose to do it that way I felt it made the story much more exciting. I really enjoyed the setting of an old hotel on the English country side, and the descriptions were so well done I was able to get a perfect vision of the beautiful place both in present day and in the nineteenth century.
The only reason I did not give this book a 5 out of 5 was Heather's dependency on Ruben. I was so annoyed with her at certain points wondering what in the world could this girl see in this gross guy that had showed her his true colors right off the bat yet she continued to pursue him. This of course is my personal opinion but at certain times I was so turned off by the way he treated her and her running after him asking for forgiveness.
"theirs was certainly a love-hate relationship, yet one Heather didn't want to, or couldn't release herself from."
Now that being said thank goodness for Frank and his old world charm, he really brought life and love to this story.
I loved the writing it was great how they transitioned from past to present gracefully, the dialog matched the time period and the imagery of the grand parties held in the past made me feel like I was on the sidelines waiting for a dance. What I thought was going to be a ghost story became so much more, it was a story of finding love, being loyal to those you care about, and also about finding who you truly want to be.
The sweet and tragic ending had me very curious about the next book, I believe I have an idea, but judging by the mystery and unexpected way book 1 unfolded you just never know.
review for blog tour date Aug 2/13:
I Received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review.
To be honest when I first stared reading this book I had forgot what it was all about, of course I had read the summary when I signed up for the blog tour but I did not re-read it before starting the book. With all the mystery in the beginning I was glad I chose to do it that way I felt it made the story much more exciting. I really enjoyed the setting of an old hotel on the English country side, and the descriptions were so well done I was able to get a perfect vision of the beautiful place both in present day and in the nineteenth century.
The only reason I did not give this book a 5 out of 5 was Heather's dependency on Ruben. I was so annoyed with her at certain points wondering what in the world could this girl see in this gross guy that had showed her his true colors right off the bat yet she continued to pursue him. This of course is my personal opinion but at certain times I was so turned off by the way he treated her and her running after him asking for forgiveness.
"theirs was certainly a love-hate relationship, yet one Heather didn't want to, or couldn't release herself from."
Now that being said thank goodness for Frank and his old world charm, he really brought life and love to this story.
I loved the writing it was great how they transitioned from past to present gracefully, the dialog matched the time period and the imagery of the grand parties held in the past made me feel like I was on the sidelines waiting for a dance. What I thought was going to be a ghost story became so much more, it was a story of finding love, being loyal to those you care about, and also about finding who you truly want to be.
The sweet and tragic ending had me very curious about the next book, I believe I have an idea, but judging by the mystery and unexpected way book 1 unfolded you just never know.
May 8, 2014
*I was given this book in exchange for an honest review*
4 star plot/story
3 star writing
A time travel romance with an interesting mechanic, very... Doctor Who meets Madam Pompadour.
What a heck of a plot twist! I won't spoil anything but the beauty of this book was truly in the slow release of information that trickled through the whole book. We were fed tidbits of story, just enough to make a scene mildly confusing and then have it cleared up quickly afterwards with an "aha!" moment. The way the story was written was very interesting and something I have not read before.
The beginning of the book was hard to get through and I found myself angry at Heather and her childish antics quite a few times. She is highly immature, has the sex drive of a teenager... and well...I guess she is one. Hmm... So really, I was annoyed that the authors pegged a true characterization of a young adult who has grown up sheltered. When I think of it that way I guess they did a fantastic job.
The modern day romance was far too quick for me and it portrayed Heather as a needy floozy, her past romance interest she felt more like a heroine that I'd want to read more about and with that being said I would love to read a historical romance from these authors, but ditch the abusive boyfriend and blind neglectful parents. They detracted from the strong heroine created when she was in the past.
The writing felt more like a beefed up outline in some places rather than a fully developed novel. And often the character's mannerisms and accents would roll on and off.
Overall, the visions, trips to the past, and Heather's (past) love connection is what kept me reading. I was kindly given the second book in this series to read as well and I look forward to read and reviewing that one too.
4 star plot/story
3 star writing
A time travel romance with an interesting mechanic, very... Doctor Who meets Madam Pompadour.
What a heck of a plot twist! I won't spoil anything but the beauty of this book was truly in the slow release of information that trickled through the whole book. We were fed tidbits of story, just enough to make a scene mildly confusing and then have it cleared up quickly afterwards with an "aha!" moment. The way the story was written was very interesting and something I have not read before.
The beginning of the book was hard to get through and I found myself angry at Heather and her childish antics quite a few times. She is highly immature, has the sex drive of a teenager... and well...I guess she is one. Hmm... So really, I was annoyed that the authors pegged a true characterization of a young adult who has grown up sheltered. When I think of it that way I guess they did a fantastic job.
The modern day romance was far too quick for me and it portrayed Heather as a needy floozy, her past romance interest she felt more like a heroine that I'd want to read more about and with that being said I would love to read a historical romance from these authors, but ditch the abusive boyfriend and blind neglectful parents. They detracted from the strong heroine created when she was in the past.
The writing felt more like a beefed up outline in some places rather than a fully developed novel. And often the character's mannerisms and accents would roll on and off.
Overall, the visions, trips to the past, and Heather's (past) love connection is what kept me reading. I was kindly given the second book in this series to read as well and I look forward to read and reviewing that one too.
August 1, 2014
Having been offered to read Untimely 2, I had to go back and reread Untimely 1. I noticed more details this time around than the first time I read the book. I remembered who Dannika is, (I read the synopsis for U2) and am more curious now to read U2. I need to know what happens to the characters, to the manor, to everything. Need to know how the time/space continuum continues with U2.
I still don't understand (yet) the little boy. He's in the past but he wants a life anyway he can. Is that foreshadowing? How is he linked to Dannika, if they are even link. From what I read, he's Anna's son but why didn't he just stay in the past? So many questions. :o)
Still think Ruben is an arse ( a hot cute one) but still an arse. Bi-polar like his mother? Beth's relationship to Ruben is explained in U1 but I still feel like she's more, how the author said towards the end "Frank caught Heather just like Beth caught Ruben.".. Something like that.
I still stick to my first assessment that I'm proud of Heather seeing the negative things that will happen if she stays with Ruben.
Now to Frank. I didn't say much about him before because he was just part of the story, as if a back drop. Yes even though Heather goes back in time to be with Frank. Yes Frank explained things and we saw a little (very little) of his world when Heather went to the 19thC. I do hope I there's a Frank history in the next book.
While Ruben (to me) presented fickleness, Frank was is solid and dependable and I would rather have that in a relationship. I'm still glad Heather went with Frank.
Again I still think this a very good book. Having read it twice, the characters are still in my head, still asking questions about it and still interested in their story. :o)
I still don't understand (yet) the little boy. He's in the past but he wants a life anyway he can. Is that foreshadowing? How is he linked to Dannika, if they are even link. From what I read, he's Anna's son but why didn't he just stay in the past? So many questions. :o)
Still think Ruben is an arse ( a hot cute one) but still an arse. Bi-polar like his mother? Beth's relationship to Ruben is explained in U1 but I still feel like she's more, how the author said towards the end "Frank caught Heather just like Beth caught Ruben.".. Something like that.
I still stick to my first assessment that I'm proud of Heather seeing the negative things that will happen if she stays with Ruben.
Now to Frank. I didn't say much about him before because he was just part of the story, as if a back drop. Yes even though Heather goes back in time to be with Frank. Yes Frank explained things and we saw a little (very little) of his world when Heather went to the 19thC. I do hope I there's a Frank history in the next book.
While Ruben (to me) presented fickleness, Frank was is solid and dependable and I would rather have that in a relationship. I'm still glad Heather went with Frank.
Again I still think this a very good book. Having read it twice, the characters are still in my head, still asking questions about it and still interested in their story. :o)
August 7, 2013
I definitely give this one 3 1/2 stars. I think the story line itself was pretty awesome, and by the end, you want to know what happens to the characters next. But, in the beginning, and even into the middle of the book, the characters themselves seemed undeveloped for some reason, and were frustratingly immature. I don't know, maybe it was just frustration at not understanding where the plot was headed, and that I didn't understand why Heather was getting so involved so quickly with Ruben. Once I figured out what was really going on with many of the characters, things that happened early on in the book made a LOT more sense. When I was getting into the last, oh, 1/4 of the book, I could sympathize deeply with Heather. I personally have been in a similar situation to what she has going on with Ruben, and why it feels so hard to make decisions about a relationship like that. Plus, with the devastatingly handsome Frank around, who wouldn't be confused?! :)
And for those of you who get to the middle (and end) of the book and want to murder Ruben, I think we need to give him the benefit of the doubt, at least for now. All I have to do is think about what it would have been like growing up the way he did, and I think it really screwed him up. Big time.
Anyway, if you're reading this book, and are frustrated with it at the beginning, don't let it stop you from reading it! I really am glad I finished it, and I'm excited to see what happens to everyone next! I hope you give it a chance.
And for those of you who get to the middle (and end) of the book and want to murder Ruben, I think we need to give him the benefit of the doubt, at least for now. All I have to do is think about what it would have been like growing up the way he did, and I think it really screwed him up. Big time.
Anyway, if you're reading this book, and are frustrated with it at the beginning, don't let it stop you from reading it! I really am glad I finished it, and I'm excited to see what happens to everyone next! I hope you give it a chance.
March 21, 2015
I first read J & L Wells’ writing when I read Disturbingly Beautiful, and that was my first time travel read. When I saw Untimely on Netgalley I knew I needed to read this story as well!
Heather Richardson is 17 and has never truly had much experience with boys, but then she meets Ruben, she is smitten! Right away she was telling her parents about her new boyfriend Ruben. I thought it was a bit odd that they went out one night and all of a sudden he was her boyfriend, but he also right away was sending her texts that said that he loved her. Then one day a boy from her past came into the picture, Frank, there’s something about him that Heather can’t shake. This is when Ruben begins to become possessive and in my opinion emotionally abusive. The more Heather learns about both Frank and Ruben the more she is confused, because she keeps see ghostly figures and has travel back in time.
Heather was a very naïve character and I don’t think she really knew what was going on in her relationship with Ruben. Ruben was someone I could not stand in the least bit! I think he was horrible to Heather and his relationship with Beth wasn’t too heathy either. I did enjoy Frank I wish he was in the book a bit more, but he kept going back to his time period, leaving Heather with Ruben.
I liked going back in time to the nineteenth century where customs and things were different, it was interesting to see both Frank and Heather adjusting each time they traveled in time.
I now need to get my hand on the next book in the series, Untimely Return!!!
Heather Richardson is 17 and has never truly had much experience with boys, but then she meets Ruben, she is smitten! Right away she was telling her parents about her new boyfriend Ruben. I thought it was a bit odd that they went out one night and all of a sudden he was her boyfriend, but he also right away was sending her texts that said that he loved her. Then one day a boy from her past came into the picture, Frank, there’s something about him that Heather can’t shake. This is when Ruben begins to become possessive and in my opinion emotionally abusive. The more Heather learns about both Frank and Ruben the more she is confused, because she keeps see ghostly figures and has travel back in time.
Heather was a very naïve character and I don’t think she really knew what was going on in her relationship with Ruben. Ruben was someone I could not stand in the least bit! I think he was horrible to Heather and his relationship with Beth wasn’t too heathy either. I did enjoy Frank I wish he was in the book a bit more, but he kept going back to his time period, leaving Heather with Ruben.
I liked going back in time to the nineteenth century where customs and things were different, it was interesting to see both Frank and Heather adjusting each time they traveled in time.
I now need to get my hand on the next book in the series, Untimely Return!!!
February 11, 2014
First Review from 7/31/2013 4.5 stars
A page turner for sure, and very romantic.
Updated Review from 2/7/2014
5 Stars!!!
The authors approached me about reading book 2 in THE UNTIMELY ROMANCE series, so to prepare myself I re-read book 1. The authors were very gracious in sending me an updated version of book 1.
So, holy cow...I loved this book. My nerves were on edge the whole time. I was like, "Noooo, don't do that" or "What are you thinking Heather" or "Seriously, Ruben or Frankie? No doubt, go with Frankie."
My internal monologue was firing on all pistons throughout the read. Sometimes I just wanted to reach through the pages and shake some sense into Heather, slap Ruben, shoo Beth away, strangle Mad Anna, hug Florence, and kiss Frankie. Frankie = ***sigh*** Ruben = yuck. Needless to say, I'm not a fan of Ruben, but I've been told that book 2 will reveal some answers about Ruben.
The authors have somehow perfectly orchestrated a love tale weaved through the fabrics of time, both past and present.
Other than a few minor editing glitches (repeating sentences...could just be my PDF version) this was a very well written book. I applaud their creativity. It's such a great read. I highly recommend it. I'm so glad that I read it again, because it's now on my "favorites" shelf.
Now, Book 2. I'm so excited to see what the authors have in store for us.
A page turner for sure, and very romantic.
Updated Review from 2/7/2014
5 Stars!!!
The authors approached me about reading book 2 in THE UNTIMELY ROMANCE series, so to prepare myself I re-read book 1. The authors were very gracious in sending me an updated version of book 1.
So, holy cow...I loved this book. My nerves were on edge the whole time. I was like, "Noooo, don't do that" or "What are you thinking Heather" or "Seriously, Ruben or Frankie? No doubt, go with Frankie."
My internal monologue was firing on all pistons throughout the read. Sometimes I just wanted to reach through the pages and shake some sense into Heather, slap Ruben, shoo Beth away, strangle Mad Anna, hug Florence, and kiss Frankie. Frankie = ***sigh*** Ruben = yuck. Needless to say, I'm not a fan of Ruben, but I've been told that book 2 will reveal some answers about Ruben.
The authors have somehow perfectly orchestrated a love tale weaved through the fabrics of time, both past and present.
Other than a few minor editing glitches (repeating sentences...could just be my PDF version) this was a very well written book. I applaud their creativity. It's such a great read. I highly recommend it. I'm so glad that I read it again, because it's now on my "favorites" shelf.
Now, Book 2. I'm so excited to see what the authors have in store for us.
July 15, 2015
Independent Reviewer for Archaeolibrarian – I Dig Good Books
**Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Xpresso in exchange for a fair and honest review**
I wanted to love this story, but just couldn’t. I can’t quite put my finger on what was keeping me from loving it, unfortunately. At times, the story line was confusing, and hard to read. At others, it seemed to drag slightly. Those two things combined I guess really kept me from loving the story.
The idea of the story is fascinating and intriguing though. I enjoyed the idea of traveling back and forth in time and still coming back to present day. I think that part of the story really picked up my interest and grabbed me into the story. Although I’m not a fan of stories where there are two love interests and it seems that the heroine must choose between the two, the way that the author wrote this story was incredible. The detail could have been brushed up a little bit to make it a bit easier to follow and picture the scenes if you were to close your eyes and just think of the story. There were times when the story would grab me attention and suck me in, and keep me reading. This didn’t happen from front to back but the times it did were fabulous!
All in all, this isn’t a bad book. I think there is definite hope for book two to be even better. It’s not a lost cause for me yet!
**Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Xpresso in exchange for a fair and honest review**
I wanted to love this story, but just couldn’t. I can’t quite put my finger on what was keeping me from loving it, unfortunately. At times, the story line was confusing, and hard to read. At others, it seemed to drag slightly. Those two things combined I guess really kept me from loving the story.
The idea of the story is fascinating and intriguing though. I enjoyed the idea of traveling back and forth in time and still coming back to present day. I think that part of the story really picked up my interest and grabbed me into the story. Although I’m not a fan of stories where there are two love interests and it seems that the heroine must choose between the two, the way that the author wrote this story was incredible. The detail could have been brushed up a little bit to make it a bit easier to follow and picture the scenes if you were to close your eyes and just think of the story. There were times when the story would grab me attention and suck me in, and keep me reading. This didn’t happen from front to back but the times it did were fabulous!
All in all, this isn’t a bad book. I think there is definite hope for book two to be even better. It’s not a lost cause for me yet!
May 9, 2014
I absolutely adored this book. It was a lovely gothic filled with suspense and intrigue. Heather Richardson was a beautiful young woman who in the short time of a few months went from an infatuated girl to a woman in true love. She was loved by two men, both literally in the sense of the word,from two different worlds. Transported back in time to the nineteenth century where she finds her best friend and her friend's brother Frankie, who is her true soul mate. Back in the 21st century she is loved by Rueben a handsome and wealthy young man who is tortured by a mother who is bi-polar and a father who throws himself into his work. Rueben is hot and cold, moody, controlling, and very possessive, but he is also sensitive and caring, a tortured soul. He believes that money can get him anything he wants. And lets not forget Beth, Rueben's Ex-lover who is still very much involved with him.
I found myself unable to stop reading so wanting the story to end well. When the plots twisted and didn't go the way I envisioned the tale to go, I still could not put it down hoping to see if it would resolve. Right to the end the tale captivated me, and the ending was so true to a gothic novelette.
I found myself unable to stop reading so wanting the story to end well. When the plots twisted and didn't go the way I envisioned the tale to go, I still could not put it down hoping to see if it would resolve. Right to the end the tale captivated me, and the ending was so true to a gothic novelette.
May 6, 2014
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
I've read books written with British English before, but with this particular book, I found myself having to look up a lot of words. Perhaps it's because of the setting (countryside) and the time period, but it was a bit distracting for me. Not the author's fault by any means, just clarifying my point of view...
Heather, the heroine of this book, was incredibly frustrating. She's immature and rather selfish (maybe that goes hand-in-hand), and I found her to be desperate and needy. Reuben runs hot and cold for me; I think he has room to grow but honestly he was a bit frightening. The great love of the book doesn't get much of an explanation, which is a shame. That also means Heather's feelings for him qualify as a weird 'insta-love'. I'm hoping this is explained more in #2.
As for the plot, things were interesting, though I found certain parts to be fairly confusing. I think there's actually a point to this confusion/muddled-ness, so I'll let that go.
Some romance, lots of mystery.
I've read books written with British English before, but with this particular book, I found myself having to look up a lot of words. Perhaps it's because of the setting (countryside) and the time period, but it was a bit distracting for me. Not the author's fault by any means, just clarifying my point of view...
Heather, the heroine of this book, was incredibly frustrating. She's immature and rather selfish (maybe that goes hand-in-hand), and I found her to be desperate and needy. Reuben runs hot and cold for me; I think he has room to grow but honestly he was a bit frightening. The great love of the book doesn't get much of an explanation, which is a shame. That also means Heather's feelings for him qualify as a weird 'insta-love'. I'm hoping this is explained more in #2.
As for the plot, things were interesting, though I found certain parts to be fairly confusing. I think there's actually a point to this confusion/muddled-ness, so I'll let that go.
Some romance, lots of mystery.
January 9, 2015
17 year old Heather finds herself lost between a love that was never meant to be and one being narrated by time.
Living in a historical manner since the age of 13, has kept her life somewhat sheltered. She finds as her 18th birthday draws near, she is now seeing ghosts.
When faced with the ultimatum between the only two male suitors in her life, Heather now must chose to follower her heart or to live life as a possession.
I had a hard time really sticking with this book, as it was hard to follow along at times. Heather's relationship with the other characters, with maybe the exception of Florence, was defiantly lacking. I felt no bond or really even the chemistry between her and anyone. Her on again, off again emotional roller coaster toward them was just dreadful.
I also found her love life to be rather cheesy at times.
Overall this book was just "meh" IMO. I stuck with it in hopes of finding the light at the end of the tunnel, but I never found it.
** I received a digital copy of this book in exchange of an honest review **
Living in a historical manner since the age of 13, has kept her life somewhat sheltered. She finds as her 18th birthday draws near, she is now seeing ghosts.
When faced with the ultimatum between the only two male suitors in her life, Heather now must chose to follower her heart or to live life as a possession.
I had a hard time really sticking with this book, as it was hard to follow along at times. Heather's relationship with the other characters, with maybe the exception of Florence, was defiantly lacking. I felt no bond or really even the chemistry between her and anyone. Her on again, off again emotional roller coaster toward them was just dreadful.
I also found her love life to be rather cheesy at times.
Overall this book was just "meh" IMO. I stuck with it in hopes of finding the light at the end of the tunnel, but I never found it.
** I received a digital copy of this book in exchange of an honest review **
April 26, 2014
First off...I must say this was a free read for me...and I agreed to review it. I liked the blurb I had read about and was anxious to read it! I was very surprised that I loved it! Well written, excellent plot and enjoyable characters. Once I got through the start (my fault, not the writers, had a ton of stuff going on that day so was distracted to say the least) the book flew! I am still not sure if I even liked Ruben or not...I want to like him, but I am not sure what Heather saw in him to begin with, but he was a well developed character and I can understand his hang ups. Heather was harder for me to like, but I ended up liking her character very much! And poor Frankie....I fell for him the first time he was discussed. I normally don't like time travel romances because there can be times when it is hard to tell which time they are in, but I was happy that Untimely was well executed in that respect. All in all a very good read and I will be picking up the next one for sure!
July 18, 2013
A great young romance story filled with a time-traveling twist! The main character is a seventeen year old who is torn between two worlds and two men, making for a very enjoyable read.
At 72,000 words it is a quick read for avid readers, though it took a minute or so to catch the flow of how the story was written. In essences I was confused in the beginning, but found that after a few chapters I had to read on and learn the story of the main character; Heather.
There were times when I felt the story started to drag, had a lot of extra information that perhaps was not needed and I found myself by-passing those over indulgences in description; however it by no means impeded the story and I am looking forward to reading the second book.
I would highly recommend it for a lite and enjoyable afternoon read. My compliments to the Authors.
At 72,000 words it is a quick read for avid readers, though it took a minute or so to catch the flow of how the story was written. In essences I was confused in the beginning, but found that after a few chapters I had to read on and learn the story of the main character; Heather.
There were times when I felt the story started to drag, had a lot of extra information that perhaps was not needed and I found myself by-passing those over indulgences in description; however it by no means impeded the story and I am looking forward to reading the second book.
I would highly recommend it for a lite and enjoyable afternoon read. My compliments to the Authors.
September 8, 2013
This is hard to write because I had such mixed feelings about two of the main characters. I really enjoyed the story but really hated Ruben from the very beginning so therefore it was hard to get past that. My first reaction toward Beth was dislike and then pity until I realized that Ruben truly loved her in his own way. Even more so, she loved him back but did not want to and they really did make a complete couple. The story plot was great and the rest of the characters were wonderful. Ah but the ending was what carried the whole book for me, it was totally perfect. Having said that, I'm looking forward to book two. If your into time travel like I am, make up your own mind about Ruben but enjoy a really good story like I did. Highly recommend this author, she definitely has the touch for time traveling.
April 27, 2014
Set in modern day England with an alternate timeline running parallel set in the 19th century. The plot remains undesiphrable until at least five chapters in. This may have been due to the main characters lack of drive or purpose, at seventeen almost eighteen she has nothing to fill her life nothing to make her feel special or part of anything. Perfect time to acquire a passive aggressive badboy boyfriend and a needy well mannered chaperone. The choppy writing style made it difficult to relax into the book but six chapters in and I was hooked, finished the remainder of the book in one night and look forward to the possible story lines that could arise from this series. A quick easy read, an interestingly original storyline and characters that you want to keep reading about once the story ends.
June 23, 2015
3.5 stars!
Well admittedly it took me a bit to get into this book - language differences. But I was very happy with the ending.
Heather's family has purchased an old estate and is transforming it into a tourist destination... restoring everything back to its original form. As the project is nearing completion and she is broaching her 18th birthday she starts to notice weird anomalies. ghosts of the past if you will. At the same time she meets Ruben who has been hired by her father.
I instantly didn't like him and he had moments of whiplash where he seemed decent then he would be a jerk again. But then there was Frank who was from the past. Sometimes she would transition to the 19th century and he sometimes to the 21st.
Which fellow is she destined to be with and in which era does she ultimately end up in?? Go one-click to find out!
Well admittedly it took me a bit to get into this book - language differences. But I was very happy with the ending.
Heather's family has purchased an old estate and is transforming it into a tourist destination... restoring everything back to its original form. As the project is nearing completion and she is broaching her 18th birthday she starts to notice weird anomalies. ghosts of the past if you will. At the same time she meets Ruben who has been hired by her father.
I instantly didn't like him and he had moments of whiplash where he seemed decent then he would be a jerk again. But then there was Frank who was from the past. Sometimes she would transition to the 19th century and he sometimes to the 21st.
Which fellow is she destined to be with and in which era does she ultimately end up in?? Go one-click to find out!
May 11, 2014
I received this book in exchange for a review. Heather is seeing people and events that nobody else sees. Heather's family owns an ancient manor. They are renovating it to open to the public. Heather "meets" Frank when she is 13. She is now almost 18. Ruben wants Heather. Heather is interested until she goes back in time and falls for Frank. I didn't understand Heather's interest in Ruben. He is very immature and a cheater! Heather also meets her best friend when she is in the nineteenth century. When Heather is suddenly returned to current time, she is heartbroken. Will she be able to find her way back to the love of her life?
I enjoyed this book. I'm ready to start the second book in the series.
I enjoyed this book. I'm ready to start the second book in the series.
July 25, 2013
I have always enjoyed books that included time travel in the story they fascinate me. Untimely has no shortage of fascination at all. I absolutely fell in love with the story! As the secrets of the house unfold in front of Heather I see her grow and become such a beauty. She is one character I won't soon forget. Heather is left with a decision to make who will she choose the man she wants to love or the mysterious man from the past Frank? That my friend is for you to find out. Untimely is one story you will be happy you read. I know I am. This is one book that I will gladly keep around to read again and again.
5/5 ++
5/5 ++
March 2, 2014
A historical novel with a twist. Young Heather grew up in the countryside of England never quite sure of her older parents love she is looking for it. She felt with her 18th birthday looming that they were more focus of the opening of the grand manor Freeson Manor. Que two very different man Ruben Brown and Frank Bowsl each viewing for her heart. Now ready for a twist, Heather can travel in time.
This novel is full twist that only time travel can give you. At times I was a but confused by the jargon, though I am not a Brit and feel that had a lot to do with it. The story was a little choppy and could have used more refinement as well. Overall I did enjoy the story.
This novel is full twist that only time travel can give you. At times I was a but confused by the jargon, though I am not a Brit and feel that had a lot to do with it. The story was a little choppy and could have used more refinement as well. Overall I did enjoy the story.
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