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Harper Wells: Renegade Timeline Officer: Renegade Timeline Officer
236 pages, Paperback
Published September 3, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
April 13, 2025
Buckle up for a thrilling rollercoaster ride into Australian history in this exciting time travel adventure by debut Queensland children’s author Bethany Loveridge. Chock-a-block full of fascinating Australian personalities, twisty tween challenges, and gritty moral dilemmas, this inventive story is utterly captivating and full of heart. Best of all - there’s more to follow. Harper Wells: Renegade Timeline Officer is the first story in the Wollemi Trilogy.
Congratulations, Betty, and thank you for inviting me to be one of the first to enjoy an advance reader’s copy of your gorgeous book!
Congratulations, Betty, and thank you for inviting me to be one of the first to enjoy an advance reader’s copy of your gorgeous book!
February 13, 2026
‘Hopefully, my curiosity won’t be the end of me.’
MGM Review #50 - Harper Wells: Renegade Timeline Officer - @bethanyloveridgeauthor - @wombat_books
My 100th read of the year, the 50th review for this page. All the stars aligned for this one and culminated in an exciting read that kept me on the edge of my seat.
Harper Wells mum went missing when she was young, her dad is obsessed with finding out what happened to her and her brother is just plain annoying. So when she finally gets her own room, she’s stoked about the new found freedom away from her brother. Little does she know this bedroom and the new bed within it will take her to crazy places. Fast asleep on her first night, she is sent back in time and meets a young girl called Edie. Quickly she realises there is a time travelling world she knows nothing about, with secret organisations, spies and missing people. Will Harper manage to unravel this time travelling mystery or will she be caught out of time?
Well, I love a good time travel novel and this one was a beautiful story full of mystery, history and adventure. Bethany has created a complex backstory with rich characters navigating various challenges. She also provided plenty of opportunities for these different characters to shine in their own ways. With follow up novels to come, a lot of unanswered questions will draw in readers and have them wanting more.
Congratulations on an exciting read Bethany. I can’t wait for book 2!
MGM Review #50 - Harper Wells: Renegade Timeline Officer - @bethanyloveridgeauthor - @wombat_books
My 100th read of the year, the 50th review for this page. All the stars aligned for this one and culminated in an exciting read that kept me on the edge of my seat.
Harper Wells mum went missing when she was young, her dad is obsessed with finding out what happened to her and her brother is just plain annoying. So when she finally gets her own room, she’s stoked about the new found freedom away from her brother. Little does she know this bedroom and the new bed within it will take her to crazy places. Fast asleep on her first night, she is sent back in time and meets a young girl called Edie. Quickly she realises there is a time travelling world she knows nothing about, with secret organisations, spies and missing people. Will Harper manage to unravel this time travelling mystery or will she be caught out of time?
Well, I love a good time travel novel and this one was a beautiful story full of mystery, history and adventure. Bethany has created a complex backstory with rich characters navigating various challenges. She also provided plenty of opportunities for these different characters to shine in their own ways. With follow up novels to come, a lot of unanswered questions will draw in readers and have them wanting more.
Congratulations on an exciting read Bethany. I can’t wait for book 2!
May 1, 2026
🌿 HARPER WELLS RENEGADE TIMELINE OFFICER 🌿 by @bethanyloveridgeauthor
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Ooft this book has it all. From time travelling to missing parents to grief to school yard drama to historical education and back to time travelling. It was a lot, and curiously not nearly enough.
.
Loveridge weaves all of the complicated feelings into an easy to read, engaging and page turning story. The systems are fully fleshed out, yet uncomfortably vague.... who is Chance!!????
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The first in a trilogy, with sooo much still left to unpack and discover, like who is the WOTO really? And what are their motivations? Where is Harries mother, and will her dad ever move on (does he even have to...). And what amazing, unexpected shortened nicknames will loveridge come up with next (cue Ximi).
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A brilliant read for middle graders and beyond. There's literally zero time to get bored or lose tension within these pages. 12/10 recommend.
.
And whilst this may not be exactly horror, I feel like a glitching time travelling ghost of a person, watching you while you 'sleep' isnt exactly 'not horror'. 👻
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🍿 scale: meaty for all the tender family grief, the loss and the remnants and the historical visits. But the levity in the writing and natural setting means the words wont weigh you down.
.
👻 scale: minimal, but again... watch out for the Walkers...
.
Ooft this book has it all. From time travelling to missing parents to grief to school yard drama to historical education and back to time travelling. It was a lot, and curiously not nearly enough.
.
Loveridge weaves all of the complicated feelings into an easy to read, engaging and page turning story. The systems are fully fleshed out, yet uncomfortably vague.... who is Chance!!????
.
The first in a trilogy, with sooo much still left to unpack and discover, like who is the WOTO really? And what are their motivations? Where is Harries mother, and will her dad ever move on (does he even have to...). And what amazing, unexpected shortened nicknames will loveridge come up with next (cue Ximi).
.
A brilliant read for middle graders and beyond. There's literally zero time to get bored or lose tension within these pages. 12/10 recommend.
.
And whilst this may not be exactly horror, I feel like a glitching time travelling ghost of a person, watching you while you 'sleep' isnt exactly 'not horror'. 👻
.
🍿 scale: meaty for all the tender family grief, the loss and the remnants and the historical visits. But the levity in the writing and natural setting means the words wont weigh you down.
.
👻 scale: minimal, but again... watch out for the Walkers...
September 5, 2025
To be honest, Bethany Loveridge had me as soon as I saw the word ‘renegade’ in the title.
Then she went on to completely grab me with an engaging and thought-provoking novel - the story of Harper Wells, an accidental – and reluctant - timeline officer (guardian of Australia’s big historical events, monitoring but never altering things).
Harper (or Harrie) ends up – on one of her travels – befriending the girl Edie Brown who will become Edith Cowan, social reformer and Australia’s first woman MP (and the woman on our $50 note). But will her decision to befriend Edie change the course of Australian history?!
Harrie is a wonderful protagonist - witty, smart and feisty, and she takes us on a thoroughly entertaining adventure that raises all sorts of questions including about the ripple effect, through time, of our actions.
The story also touches on grief and loss – via the mystery of Harper’s mother’s disappearance some years ago.
Perfect for readers aged 8+
Happily, this is the first in a series of three. Bring on book 2!
Then she went on to completely grab me with an engaging and thought-provoking novel - the story of Harper Wells, an accidental – and reluctant - timeline officer (guardian of Australia’s big historical events, monitoring but never altering things).
Harper (or Harrie) ends up – on one of her travels – befriending the girl Edie Brown who will become Edith Cowan, social reformer and Australia’s first woman MP (and the woman on our $50 note). But will her decision to befriend Edie change the course of Australian history?!
Harrie is a wonderful protagonist - witty, smart and feisty, and she takes us on a thoroughly entertaining adventure that raises all sorts of questions including about the ripple effect, through time, of our actions.
The story also touches on grief and loss – via the mystery of Harper’s mother’s disappearance some years ago.
Perfect for readers aged 8+
Happily, this is the first in a series of three. Bring on book 2!
April 7, 2026
Middle-grade fiction may be my favourite! And yet this had me seriously worried at points so young readers must be braver than me! I’m not sure I’m really a time-travel fan, generally speaking - mostly just too confusing - but it is a cool way to experience things. I love how Aussie this is with the Wollemi Pines which I’ve always been fascinated by and lovely details about Edith Cowan. Fiction is such a brilliant way to learn about the world! Even the 4-4-4 breathing technique is something I tried as I read.
September 25, 2025
Bethany Loveridge knocks it out of the park with her middle-grade debut (and first in a series!). With a time-travelling bed, slips back to significant moments of history, and a fantastic, relatable, loveable protagonist in Harper Wells, this novel is superb and highly recommended for all kids who want to have a rollicking fun read (and who might have a a thirst for knowledge about Aussie history).
April 28, 2026
Bethany Loveridge’s debut novel is a delight.
Harper is a spunky, courageous, kindhearted daughter, sister, friend and renegade timeline officer. She travels through time on her Wollemi pine bed breaking all sorts of timeline officer rules, whilst saving lives and making friends with Edith Cowan. What a fun, choke full of adventure, read. I can’t wait for the next instalment! Highly recommended for kids aged 8- 40.
Harper is a spunky, courageous, kindhearted daughter, sister, friend and renegade timeline officer. She travels through time on her Wollemi pine bed breaking all sorts of timeline officer rules, whilst saving lives and making friends with Edith Cowan. What a fun, choke full of adventure, read. I can’t wait for the next instalment! Highly recommended for kids aged 8- 40.
June 24, 2025
Generally I think its an amazing book and it really does express some big feelings for example feeling lost but finding new friends but overall amazing book. Speaking of time travelling it really feels like you’re in the world that the book is based on, awesome book loved recommendations for everyone.
December 20, 2025
I was hooked from the first page. I fell in love with Harper and enjoyed being immersed in the historical elements. I didn't want it to end and thankfully it isn't the end with two more books to follow. Looking forward to book two!
May 24, 2026
An Aussie written middle grade novel, bringing in some Australian history with time travel excitement. Jake and I read this for his Rebel Readers book club. It took a little bit for us to get into it, but then it turned into a great, well written read.
January 29, 2026
A wonderful blend of Australian history and fantasy! Great characters who all young people - actually everyone - will relate to. Only an Aussie kid takes lime cordial on a time travel adventure!
March 30, 2026
Interesting and heartfelt. it was amazing to feel like I was travelling through the Australian timeline and meeting the Edith Cowan! A exiting and tense story.
April 19, 2026
I'm sure this book is great, but I guess it's just not my cup of tea 🫖
May 17, 2026
I really enjoyed this book though I did find it very confusing. Still not sure what is going on. I guess the next two books will explain…
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews