An Ocean of Time

Echoes of Cornwall #1

by Kennedy Kerr

I crossed centuries to find you...

When Tegan Penrose climbs over the iron railings of the walled rose garden in the empty ruins of Trevarron House on the wild Cornish coast, she's unexpectedly pulled into 1755... and trapped in a world she doesn't belong to. Mistaken for a lady's maid, she enters a household shadowed by whispers and scandal.

Lord William De Vere Trevarron is haunted. His beautiful young wife died under mysterious circumstances four years ago, and society still whispers of murder. Now, as Tegan encounters this brooding man with dark eyes that hold unspeakable pain, she feels an inexplicable pull – as though their souls have been searching for each other across time itself.

But falling for William is dangerous. The more Tegan uncovers about Trevarron's tragic past, the more she questions what truly happened to William's wife. Is he a grieving widower or something far darker? As their passionate connection deepens, Tegan must navigate a treacherous world of secrets, lies and forbidden love. And when a path home begins to reveal itself, she faces an impossible return to her own time, or surrender to a love that transcends the centuries and risk everything in the process.

A sweeping timeslip romance of dangerous desire, buried truths and souls destined to find each other across the ages. Perfect for fans of Elena Collins, Irina Shapiro and Poldark.

What readers are saying about Kennedy

‘Absolutely beautiful and perfect!! Completely swept me away… Compelling and addictive, heart-lifting read that kept me turning the pages until late at night… Absolutely fantastic!’ Reader review, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘Swept me away. I was hooked from the beginning to the end, only putting it down when I had to go out or sleep. You need to read it to find out!’ Reader review, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

'I am well on the way to being addicted to these books... brilliant, the characters are fantastic and the storylines are superb." Reader review, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘All the feels… Completely pulls you in… A wonderful escape. I absolutely loved this… The plot twists and turns kept me completely engrossed… Will stay in your heart for a long time.’ Reader review, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘Oh my gosh… Had me in an emotional choke hold… So so so gorgeous a tale… Pure gold.’ Reader review, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘I loved this… Wonderful… Full of twists… A real page-turner.’ Reader review, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘Unputdownable!’ Reader review, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Genres: Historical Fiction

301 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication February 10, 2026

About the author

Kennedy Kerr is the author of the Lost Maidens Loch witch-themed cozy mystery series. She is from a Scottish family and adores the magic and mystery of Scotland and all the Celtic lands: cairns, misty mountains, stone circles and misty lochs are her particular favourite things. She is the proud owner of a cuddly black cat called Twinkle, who evidently believes she is a princess.

Kennedy also loves cooking and baking all types of food, which is almost as much fun as eating it.

Reviews

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF at 31%

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of An Ocean of Time by Kennedy Kerr. Unfortunately, I was unable to finish this book and stopped reading around the 31% mark.

While the premise had potential, the execution did not work for me. Much of the story is weighed down by extremely detailed descriptions of settings and objects, often to the point where the narrative momentum completely stalled. Long passages focused on interior spaces and surroundings felt unnecessary and made it difficult to stay engaged with the plot.

Another major issue for me was the characterization of the female main character. Her internal commentary frequently came across as lecturing, particularly regarding her modern views of feminism and politics when applied to the historical time period. Rather than feeling thoughtful or nuanced, these opinions felt exaggerated and repetitive, pulling me out of the story and making the reading experience feel more like a commentary on how the past should have been rather than an immersive historical narrative.

Ultimately, the combination of heavy exposition, slow pacing, and a main character whose voice did not resonate with me made it hard to continue. Readers who enjoy very descriptive historical settings and strong modern perspectives layered onto historical fiction may appreciate this more than I did, but it was not the right fit for me.

[Beth FK · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m already a fan of Kennedy Kerr and this first book in a new series did not disappoint. I find her writing to be compelling and immersive, romantic and pacy. I loved the new setting in the Cornish village, and Tegan Penrose is a likeable protagonist with her mixture of curiosity, courage and intelligence. I find the layering of detailed landscape descriptions with historical detail and emotional depth works really well, keeping me engaged and eager to find out more. The time-slip mechanism works so successfully, meaning that we are encountering the historical world through Tegan’s eyes, noticing all the differences with our contemporary lives, although she does seem to slip easily into the household, with very few suspicions - though I can see this is what the story needs! - and it’s fun and convincing that as a history student, Tegan isn’t too surprised by what she’s expected to wear or eat, etc. The building romance with William, which becomes very spicy, also leaves lots of unanswered questions for subsequent books, with a cracking cliffhanger to finish with - I’ll definitely be coming back for more.
Many thanks to the publisher for allowing me to read this e-ARC in return for an honest opinion.

[The Balcony Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet and spicy story with a hint of mystery with Outlander vibes. The story had a slower start but picks up around the 20% mark. Tegan slips through time to 1755 Trevarron House on the wild Cornish coast after exploring the garden in the ruins of the old estate. She meets the Lord of the House, William, whose pained and haunted gaze captivated her almost instantly. Rumors about the mysterious death of the widowed Lord's late wife ranged from scandalous to nefarious. William's own enigmatic and tragic past only fueled those rumors further. Secrets, hidden identities, and lies made their love affair even more dangerous and treacherous. The writing style is fluid and easy to read. There is one very steamy spice scene (chapter 30) that includes degradation, praise, dom/sub dynamic that was definitely spicing ahead of its 18th century time period. The twists were somewhat predictable but still fun and satisfying to read. This book on a major cliffhanger.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Thank you so much Kennedy Kerr, Storm Publishing, and NetGalley for this ARC!