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Trapped in the Past
What if the only way to fix your future… was to confront the past that broke you?
Seventeen-year-old Lennox Merritt is tired of holes—the ones in his story, his home, and his hope.
When a prototype beat machine glitches, Lennox is hurled three decades into the past—alone, confused, and holding music the world hasn’t heard yet.
In a world of boom boxes, beepers, and block parties, he meets someone who feels too familiar. But getting home isn’t just about finding a way back—it’s about facing what he never wanted to the grief, the questions, and the silence he thought he left behind.
Maybe the only way forward is by rewriting what hurt the most.
Trapped in the Past is a time-bending coming-of-age novel about fatherhood, emotional inheritance, and the kind of healing that doesn’t just ask you to survive—but to transform.
Perfect for fans of Back to the Future and On the Come Up, this heartfelt story blends rhythm, rupture, and radical reimagining.
Seventeen-year-old Lennox Merritt is tired of holes—the ones in his story, his home, and his hope.
When a prototype beat machine glitches, Lennox is hurled three decades into the past—alone, confused, and holding music the world hasn’t heard yet.
In a world of boom boxes, beepers, and block parties, he meets someone who feels too familiar. But getting home isn’t just about finding a way back—it’s about facing what he never wanted to the grief, the questions, and the silence he thought he left behind.
Maybe the only way forward is by rewriting what hurt the most.
Trapped in the Past is a time-bending coming-of-age novel about fatherhood, emotional inheritance, and the kind of healing that doesn’t just ask you to survive—but to transform.
Perfect for fans of Back to the Future and On the Come Up, this heartfelt story blends rhythm, rupture, and radical reimagining.
173 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 6, 2025
1 person is currently reading
6 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 18, 2025
An enjoyable, quick-to-read story. It reminded me of the movie Back to the Future, but with music. The message that your past doesn't define your future and that futures can be rewritten was powerful.
I loved this quote, "Music had always been more than a hobby - it was my anchor. The only thing that ever made sense when nothing else did."
I loved this quote, "Music had always been more than a hobby - it was my anchor. The only thing that ever made sense when nothing else did."
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February 15, 2026This book is a beautiful blend of time travel, music, and emotional discovery.
Trapped in the Past takes a powerful premise: what if you had to go back and face the history that shaped you before you could move forward? When seventeen-year-old Lennox ends up in 1995 due to a glitch in an experimental beat machine, his journey becomes a vivid exploration of family legacy, grief that never quite healed, and the rhythm of life that pulses through memory and music.
The worldbuilding is fun, nostalgic, and meaningful, and the details of hip hop culture, boom boxes, family connections, block parties, and not-so-coincidental occurrences give the past a visceral texture. Lennox’s perspective allows the emotional stakes to land with weight and purpose. What could have felt like a simple time-travel adventure becomes something much richer and layered, because this story isn’t just about where he goes. It’s about why he needed to get there.
This is a thoughtful, character-driven novel about confronting the past so that the future can be rewritten. If you enjoy YA with heart, time-bending elements, and a real soundtrack beneath the story’s surface, Trapped in the Past is definitely worth your time!
Trapped in the Past takes a powerful premise: what if you had to go back and face the history that shaped you before you could move forward? When seventeen-year-old Lennox ends up in 1995 due to a glitch in an experimental beat machine, his journey becomes a vivid exploration of family legacy, grief that never quite healed, and the rhythm of life that pulses through memory and music.
The worldbuilding is fun, nostalgic, and meaningful, and the details of hip hop culture, boom boxes, family connections, block parties, and not-so-coincidental occurrences give the past a visceral texture. Lennox’s perspective allows the emotional stakes to land with weight and purpose. What could have felt like a simple time-travel adventure becomes something much richer and layered, because this story isn’t just about where he goes. It’s about why he needed to get there.
This is a thoughtful, character-driven novel about confronting the past so that the future can be rewritten. If you enjoy YA with heart, time-bending elements, and a real soundtrack beneath the story’s surface, Trapped in the Past is definitely worth your time!
October 6, 2025
I NEED THIS IN MY CLASSROOM LIBRARY
Can I start with the beautiful illustrations? They are gorgeous!
The story itself is fast paced and the chapters are short. It’s an easy read and it’s super relatable- especially for those of us who came of age in tne nineties- but still relevant for today’s youth. I read this on my kindle to preview it- but I will be ordering a few hard copies for my classroom.
As a teacher I’m always looking for books for the kids to enjoy that they will find themselves in. It’s not that reading is boring, it’s that they can’t find the stories something they can relate to. This is a book I can see my students enjoying during their daily silent sustained reading times. I would also encourage parents to read this story and do a “book club” with their teens to talk about this book together.
What I love the most is that this story is written with heart and there is deeper messaging and meaning ingrained within this story.
Can I start with the beautiful illustrations? They are gorgeous!
The story itself is fast paced and the chapters are short. It’s an easy read and it’s super relatable- especially for those of us who came of age in tne nineties- but still relevant for today’s youth. I read this on my kindle to preview it- but I will be ordering a few hard copies for my classroom.
As a teacher I’m always looking for books for the kids to enjoy that they will find themselves in. It’s not that reading is boring, it’s that they can’t find the stories something they can relate to. This is a book I can see my students enjoying during their daily silent sustained reading times. I would also encourage parents to read this story and do a “book club” with their teens to talk about this book together.
What I love the most is that this story is written with heart and there is deeper messaging and meaning ingrained within this story.
September 23, 2025
From the very start, I knew this was going to be a great read. The writing flows in such an authentic way that it was easy to get lost in the story. I immediately related to Lennox, the MC, especially as he experienced a very vulnerable moment on stage in front of his peers: “my pride had already left the building.” LOVED THAT DESCRIPTION!!
This is such an important story, one that reminds us that our past does not define our future. We, alone, decide our destiny. When you make a conscious effort to work diligently toward your dreams and goals, there’s no one that can stop you.
This is such an important story, one that reminds us that our past does not define our future. We, alone, decide our destiny. When you make a conscious effort to work diligently toward your dreams and goals, there’s no one that can stop you.
September 25, 2025
I loved this story. It reminded me of back to the future mixed with music. It brought me back to the 90's which was fun for me! Most importantly, there are deep messages mixed into this story that you will take with you long after the last page. Wonderful read!
September 25, 2025
This was an enjoyable easy read. The author takes us through generations of healing and mixes music and healing through time.
November 19, 2025
Absolutely loved this book. Such a strong message!
October 21, 2025
What a powerful, unique and touching story! Time travel, music and love made this YA novella an enjoyable journey. And how fun it was to visit the 90s again!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews