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The Hands of Time #6
The Ties that Bind
Can her gift light the way in her family’s darkest moment?
Ever since following her sister into the past, Louisa Sheridan’s world has been torn between two centuries. As a woman out of time, she has found love and family in colonial Virginia with her husband, Kit, and their children. But this life is threatened when Kit falls deathly ill, and Louisa faces an impossible try to treat him with the resources available, or risk a journey back to the twenty-first century.
As her extended family faces turmoil and challenges in their own lives, Louisa turns to her beloved sister, Valerie, for help. While Kit hovers between life and death, Louisa prays that her family’s gift will be the answer. But as each minute slips away, will the gap in time bring salvation for her family, or will they be torn apart forever…?
Ever since following her sister into the past, Louisa Sheridan’s world has been torn between two centuries. As a woman out of time, she has found love and family in colonial Virginia with her husband, Kit, and their children. But this life is threatened when Kit falls deathly ill, and Louisa faces an impossible try to treat him with the resources available, or risk a journey back to the twenty-first century.
As her extended family faces turmoil and challenges in their own lives, Louisa turns to her beloved sister, Valerie, for help. While Kit hovers between life and death, Louisa prays that her family’s gift will be the answer. But as each minute slips away, will the gap in time bring salvation for her family, or will they be torn apart forever…?
478 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 23, 2024
853 people are currently reading
166 people want to read
About the author
Irina Shapiro
86 books1,082 followersTo write a novel was a dream of mine since I was a child. Life, my practical nature, and self-doubt got in the way, so it was decades later that an opportunity to write finally presented itself. I honestly didn't think I had what it takes to write a full-length novel, but once I faced the blank screen and my fingers touched the keyboard, everything disappeared except my characters and their surroundings, and suddenly I knew that this was what I was born to do.
Since then, I've written many books and have enjoyed some positive reviews, but sometimes, when I stop to reflect, I'm still amazed that I'm living my dream.
Follow me on BookBub for discount deals and new release alerts.
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/irina...
Since then, I've written many books and have enjoyed some positive reviews, but sometimes, when I stop to reflect, I'm still amazed that I'm living my dream.
Follow me on BookBub for discount deals and new release alerts.
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/irina...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
September 15, 2025
Last book in The Hands of Time series.... I loved it! Highly recommended!
April 1, 2017
Fabulous series
Loved all of the books in this series,the characters were loveable, there was a touch of everything in it. I would highly recommend.
Loved all of the books in this series,the characters were loveable, there was a touch of everything in it. I would highly recommend.
September 16, 2025
Wat een heerlijke serie!!! Eind goed, bijna al goed (mijn beoordeling in elk geval wel)
February 22, 2021
Fantastic ending to a riveting series. I can’t believe this book wasn’t even intended to be written! It tidily wraps up every story line in a way that makes perfect sense and leaves the reader satisfied with walking away from these characters we learn to hold dear. Irina has an incredible way of keeping the reader on the edge, and creating characters so real to us that we feel what they feel, and miss them when it’s all over. This one was probably my favorite of the series.
February 4, 2018
I was caught up and fascinated
This series of books had kept me unable to put them down. What a wonderful cast of characters Shapiro has created. Following all of them as they journey through time has left me feeling as if I have been living in their world. I will look to see what else Irina Shapiro has in store for her devoted fans.
This series of books had kept me unable to put them down. What a wonderful cast of characters Shapiro has created. Following all of them as they journey through time has left me feeling as if I have been living in their world. I will look to see what else Irina Shapiro has in store for her devoted fans.
September 30, 2019
This book was really good! The whole series was amazing! I couldn’t put it down. I read all 6 books in under 2 weeks..
I would definitely tell Everyone to read this series. I hope it goes on T.V. It would be so awesome..
-K- Weisman
Dania Beach, Florida
I would definitely tell Everyone to read this series. I hope it goes on T.V. It would be so awesome..
-K- Weisman
Dania Beach, Florida
June 10, 2025
Fantastic ending to the series
I loved this final installment of the Whitfield and Sheridan‘s time traveling historical romance. Like the other books in the series, this story is told from multiple points of view. It does not focus on one couple but once again focuses on multiple couples - Valerie and Alec, Louisa and Kit, Finn and Abbie, Sam and Susanna, and Charles and Annabel. There is a lot going on with these couples between the 17th and 18th centuries - war, death, injuries, births, and messy life. The choices of the adults have consequences sometimes unintended ones and living in the past makes some things harder and other things less so. Interwoven with the couples story arcs there is once again social and religious commentary which adds interesting layers to the storyline. The story was well written and included three dimensional characters and an engaging storyline as shown through mystery, sweet moments, light spice, laughs, messy families, painful pasts, surprises, danger, plot twists, fate, and love. I have loved this series and am sorry to see it end.
I loved this final installment of the Whitfield and Sheridan‘s time traveling historical romance. Like the other books in the series, this story is told from multiple points of view. It does not focus on one couple but once again focuses on multiple couples - Valerie and Alec, Louisa and Kit, Finn and Abbie, Sam and Susanna, and Charles and Annabel. There is a lot going on with these couples between the 17th and 18th centuries - war, death, injuries, births, and messy life. The choices of the adults have consequences sometimes unintended ones and living in the past makes some things harder and other things less so. Interwoven with the couples story arcs there is once again social and religious commentary which adds interesting layers to the storyline. The story was well written and included three dimensional characters and an engaging storyline as shown through mystery, sweet moments, light spice, laughs, messy families, painful pasts, surprises, danger, plot twists, fate, and love. I have loved this series and am sorry to see it end.
September 14, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½
I just finished listening to The Ties That Bind and it was such a powerful conclusion to the Hands of Time series. Irina Shapiro did a beautiful job weaving together so many storylines across time, showing how love, choices, and consequences carry through generations.
The audiobook narration by Fiona Small was excellent—each character had a distinct voice, and she really brought the emotions to life. There were moments of joy, heartbreak, and redemption that stayed with me long after I stopped listening.
At times the story felt a bit full with all the different threads, but I actually appreciated the depth—it made the ending feel all the more rewarding. As someone who has followed this series from the start, I found this finale emotional, satisfying, and absolutely worth the listen.
I just finished listening to The Ties That Bind and it was such a powerful conclusion to the Hands of Time series. Irina Shapiro did a beautiful job weaving together so many storylines across time, showing how love, choices, and consequences carry through generations.
The audiobook narration by Fiona Small was excellent—each character had a distinct voice, and she really brought the emotions to life. There were moments of joy, heartbreak, and redemption that stayed with me long after I stopped listening.
At times the story felt a bit full with all the different threads, but I actually appreciated the depth—it made the ending feel all the more rewarding. As someone who has followed this series from the start, I found this finale emotional, satisfying, and absolutely worth the listen.
July 3, 2024
A GREAT Book!
From book 1, “The Hands of Time” to book 6, “The Ties That Bind”, I have been totally immersed in the 6 books written by Irina Shapiro. All the elements one could wish for are bound together in the books by this author, along with a well written time travel mystery that is blended within the story.
The characters are so smartly developed that I felt as if they jumped out of the book into my life as family. Her invigorating description of the various scenes in which the characters lived were such that I found myself taking a deep breath to share the differing smells, or hold my nose, as I was reading.
I cannot describe how much I enjoyed reading this author’s written words as they came alive in my mind!
Thank you, Irina Shapiro!
From book 1, “The Hands of Time” to book 6, “The Ties That Bind”, I have been totally immersed in the 6 books written by Irina Shapiro. All the elements one could wish for are bound together in the books by this author, along with a well written time travel mystery that is blended within the story.
The characters are so smartly developed that I felt as if they jumped out of the book into my life as family. Her invigorating description of the various scenes in which the characters lived were such that I found myself taking a deep breath to share the differing smells, or hold my nose, as I was reading.
I cannot describe how much I enjoyed reading this author’s written words as they came alive in my mind!
Thank you, Irina Shapiro!
September 3, 2019
Caution!!! No one is safe in these books. Don't get too attached.
With that being said, this was yet another series of books that I felt the opening book was shaky but intriguing enough to make me want to continue on to the next book. I absolutely love the characters and the multiple time frames. It felt like Ms. Shapiro loved so many aspects of American history she placed characters in multiple eras, which kept me anxiously waiting to get back to each era to see how things were moving along.
With that being said, this was yet another series of books that I felt the opening book was shaky but intriguing enough to make me want to continue on to the next book. I absolutely love the characters and the multiple time frames. It felt like Ms. Shapiro loved so many aspects of American history she placed characters in multiple eras, which kept me anxiously waiting to get back to each era to see how things were moving along.
July 26, 2024
So sad to finish these books!!!
Great last instalment!!
Thoroughly enjoyed all of this series. Look forward to finding more by this author, having already read The Passage series.
If you like time travel tales with romance thrown in, you will love these!!! Totally recommend the lot 😁👍🏻
A big thank you to Irina Shapiro for putting all of the books on Kindle Unlimited 👍🏻🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I read this book as part of my Kindle Unlimited subscription (free book but I have to pay for the subscription)
Great last instalment!!
Thoroughly enjoyed all of this series. Look forward to finding more by this author, having already read The Passage series.
If you like time travel tales with romance thrown in, you will love these!!! Totally recommend the lot 😁👍🏻
A big thank you to Irina Shapiro for putting all of the books on Kindle Unlimited 👍🏻🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I read this book as part of my Kindle Unlimited subscription (free book but I have to pay for the subscription)
July 21, 2025
Better than the Last Five Books
I wasn’t too sure about the series. But I was invested, so I kept on reading. It’s hard to believe that this book was not even intended to be written. I’m glad the author did because it tied everything up together nicely and gave us a finality on this series. It was the best book in the series. And I’m glad I stuck it out because this last book was worth it. If anything, I believe this is proof that the author has improved in their writing abilities, and I would consider reading other books by her.
I wasn’t too sure about the series. But I was invested, so I kept on reading. It’s hard to believe that this book was not even intended to be written. I’m glad the author did because it tied everything up together nicely and gave us a finality on this series. It was the best book in the series. And I’m glad I stuck it out because this last book was worth it. If anything, I believe this is proof that the author has improved in their writing abilities, and I would consider reading other books by her.
September 12, 2021
I just finished reading this book having been pleasantly surprised to find it had been added to the original five. Irina Shapiro has to be one of my all time favorite authors. This sixth book in this series winds everything up perfectly. Now I am onto her two novellas that are related to this family. What an imagination she has! Without giving away the plot, I highly recommend it and the series.
May 8, 2025
Rollercoaster
I really enjoyed this series of time travel books and this concluding novel successfully brought the enthralling story to a lovely end. I did get a bit confused about whose children belonged to who but loved the details of what life must have been like then. Fascinating how everything has changed but I would not like to go back in time, I like my creature comforts too much!
I really enjoyed this series of time travel books and this concluding novel successfully brought the enthralling story to a lovely end. I did get a bit confused about whose children belonged to who but loved the details of what life must have been like then. Fascinating how everything has changed but I would not like to go back in time, I like my creature comforts too much!
February 24, 2017
Fantastic
i loved book 6. the journey The Hands Of Time took me on was fantastic. of course sad for this series to end but it ended well. I loved each of the characters, the story, the adventures, it took me on an excellent journey. thank you Irina Shapiro for another fantastic story.
i loved book 6. the journey The Hands Of Time took me on was fantastic. of course sad for this series to end but it ended well. I loved each of the characters, the story, the adventures, it took me on an excellent journey. thank you Irina Shapiro for another fantastic story.
August 8, 2018
Loved it
I have loved this series from start to finish. Loved the historical elements, but the time travel backwards and forwards by people from different times was really intriguing. Loved seeing how people and their lifestyles changed over the centuries and how they managed to integrate. Loved final chapter, do love to see all the loose ends neatly tied! Just loved it!!
I have loved this series from start to finish. Loved the historical elements, but the time travel backwards and forwards by people from different times was really intriguing. Loved seeing how people and their lifestyles changed over the centuries and how they managed to integrate. Loved final chapter, do love to see all the loose ends neatly tied! Just loved it!!
January 31, 2021
Great
I loved this series. The characters were believable. This series was filled with great family values, love, faith, and loyalty. This author has filled this series with believable characters that exhibit pride in both family and country, undying love and faith for God and mankind. Thank you and I will definitely keep reading your books.
I loved this series. The characters were believable. This series was filled with great family values, love, faith, and loyalty. This author has filled this series with believable characters that exhibit pride in both family and country, undying love and faith for God and mankind. Thank you and I will definitely keep reading your books.
February 24, 2023
A family’s trials in the midst of history
Valerie and Louisa continually to valiantly fight to keep their family together. To help the cause of the American Revolutionary War they must risk their loved ones. Can the family survive once more through time and distance? Great ending to a great and unusual family saga.
Valerie and Louisa continually to valiantly fight to keep their family together. To help the cause of the American Revolutionary War they must risk their loved ones. Can the family survive once more through time and distance? Great ending to a great and unusual family saga.
February 3, 2025
This was a wonderful series. I read all of the books in a week!
It felt like I was binge watching a Netflix series ;)
The writing is well paced and despite there being lot of characters, storylines are handled in a excellent way. Time travel aspect is not made overly complicated as is the case with most of the books, series and movies these days. Can’t wait to read the other books by Irina!
It felt like I was binge watching a Netflix series ;)
The writing is well paced and despite there being lot of characters, storylines are handled in a excellent way. Time travel aspect is not made overly complicated as is the case with most of the books, series and movies these days. Can’t wait to read the other books by Irina!
December 7, 2018
Great series
Greatly enjoyed reading these stories and getting to know the characters and following their lives. I have read the six books and would definitely recommend this author and this series.
Greatly enjoyed reading these stories and getting to know the characters and following their lives. I have read the six books and would definitely recommend this author and this series.
January 16, 2019
Loved this time travel story.
I enjoyed all 6 of the books in this series. I usually get tired by the third book in a series, because the characters have changed or they become boring. The author kept the storyline exciting and the hero's interesting.
I enjoyed all 6 of the books in this series. I usually get tired by the third book in a series, because the characters have changed or they become boring. The author kept the storyline exciting and the hero's interesting.
June 7, 2019
Loved all 6 books!
Except for the ending of the 6th book. Talk about a cliff hanger.... Everything was written in a manner that kept me interested and wanting to see how things worked out. Duh? What happened?
Except for the ending of the 6th book. Talk about a cliff hanger.... Everything was written in a manner that kept me interested and wanting to see how things worked out. Duh? What happened?
January 5, 2020
Great book to tie everything up with the family scattered all over and decisions to make or change better or worst. the ending is very good in deed and the book is worth every word printed in the conclusion of the epic time travel tale.
April 20, 2022
Perfect ending
I appreciate these books because everything is not perfect. Time travel is not real, but the rest is very realistic. People have losses, and joy, and everything in between.
I appreciate these books because everything is not perfect. Time travel is not real, but the rest is very realistic. People have losses, and joy, and everything in between.
February 8, 2024
The Ties That Bind
From the 21st century a lady ended up in the 16 hundreds by a time travel clock. That time travel watch caused a lot more trouble. Finally most relations traveled to 1783.
From the 21st century a lady ended up in the 16 hundreds by a time travel clock. That time travel watch caused a lot more trouble. Finally most relations traveled to 1783.
May 3, 2025
Amazing series
I loved all of these books. What a storyteller this author is. Romance mixed with history had me googling the real life characters in these books. Highly recommended. I can't wait to read more by Irina.
I loved all of these books. What a storyteller this author is. Romance mixed with history had me googling the real life characters in these books. Highly recommended. I can't wait to read more by Irina.
June 9, 2025
Excellent Conclusion
I fully enjoyed this series. I love the characters and the challenges they face. A lot of action, intrigued and heart wrenching experiences. This book is a great completion to this series, but don't miss it!
I fully enjoyed this series. I love the characters and the challenges they face. A lot of action, intrigued and heart wrenching experiences. This book is a great completion to this series, but don't miss it!
October 19, 2025
I enjoy reading books related to time travel. This series was so good , informative interesting and historical. I hated to be done. I read all 6 books in this series. You become attached to the characters . The characters were well developed. There’s a little bit of everything. Loved it!
July 23, 2017
I enjoyed the entire series! Well written and historically researched, these books held me enthralled. If you decide to read them, you'll have to read them all!
November 7, 2018
Awesome read love her writing! ☺
I love this series! I don't want! it to end! I really wish they could have traveled to the future just once as a group.
I love this series! I don't want! it to end! I really wish they could have traveled to the future just once as a group.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews