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Scattered Through Time #1
Scattered
She was born a century too early to be taken seriously.
He’s built his life around what he can measure and prove.
Time has crossed their paths with the chance to alter both her past and their future.
In 1906 Montreal, Elie Rutherford refuses to accept the future laid out for her—marriage, obedience, and a life far from the laboratory she longs to enter. As the daughter of renowned physicist Ernest Rutherford, she has the mind for discovery—but not the freedom to use it. Defying expectations could cost her everything.
A hundred years later, William Hertz is a gifted but guarded graduate student at McGill, hiding from the past and keeping the world at a careful distance. Physics is predictable. People are not.
Until a failed experiment tears a hole through time.
Thrown into 2006, Elie finds herself stranded in a world she barely understands—and in the path of a man who challenges everything she thinks she understands about modern people, and herself. As their connection deepens, so does the urgency of her situation: the experiment that brought her to the future may be the only way back.
But recreating it comes with consequences neither of them can fully grasp.
Because changing time isn’t just dangerous—it’s irreversible.
And the closer Elie and William grow, the more impossible her choice becomes: return to the life she fought to escape… Or risk everything for a future that was never meant to be hers.
For fans of The Time Traveler's Wife and "The Big Bang Theory"
He’s built his life around what he can measure and prove.
Time has crossed their paths with the chance to alter both her past and their future.
In 1906 Montreal, Elie Rutherford refuses to accept the future laid out for her—marriage, obedience, and a life far from the laboratory she longs to enter. As the daughter of renowned physicist Ernest Rutherford, she has the mind for discovery—but not the freedom to use it. Defying expectations could cost her everything.
A hundred years later, William Hertz is a gifted but guarded graduate student at McGill, hiding from the past and keeping the world at a careful distance. Physics is predictable. People are not.
Until a failed experiment tears a hole through time.
Thrown into 2006, Elie finds herself stranded in a world she barely understands—and in the path of a man who challenges everything she thinks she understands about modern people, and herself. As their connection deepens, so does the urgency of her situation: the experiment that brought her to the future may be the only way back.
But recreating it comes with consequences neither of them can fully grasp.
Because changing time isn’t just dangerous—it’s irreversible.
And the closer Elie and William grow, the more impossible her choice becomes: return to the life she fought to escape… Or risk everything for a future that was never meant to be hers.
For fans of The Time Traveler's Wife and "The Big Bang Theory"
359 pages, Paperback
Published August 25, 2023
About the author
Katherine Benfante
7 books22 followersKatherine Benfante writes science fiction with a twist of romance. She also teaches high school French classes. Katherine lives in New Jersey with her husband and two daughters, voracious readers all. Scattered is her debut novel. Please visit Katherine's website at www.katherinebenfante.com where you can sign up for her newsletter for exclusive extras about Scattered and her other books, release news, and more.
From Katherine's website:
"I think I was always meant to be an author. When I was younger, I wanted to be a teacher, then an architect, then a racecar engineer. But after I wrote a mammoth 60-page novel for my 6th grade teacher’s simple ten-page writing assignment, I thought I might have a few more stories in me.
Fast forward a decade or so, and I graduated in mechanical engineering from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec (the most fun four years you could imagine … I recommend every teen consider attending McGill!). I walked the same halls Elie and William did, and yes: the western-facing windows on the Schulich library’s fourth floor was my favorite studying nook on campus. I moved back to the States and proudly worked as an engineer for the Army and Navy. But I never stopped writing. Even after a long day of part drawings and program management meetings, I made time to pound away at my keyboard.
After getting married and having two (wonderful!) daughters, I kept writing – both out of love for writing and to show my girls you can reach your dreams. These days I spend my time as a mother; substitute teaching French, engineering, and math classes; and writing even more stories. I live in New Jersey with my family, across the street from a lake overrun by swans and Canadian geese.
Fun Facts
- Like my dad, I graduated from Skip Barber Racing School and actually earned my race car driver license! Sadly, it has since expired. But I have the videotape to prove I did it.
- While working for the Army, I also earned my license to drive a tank! I drove an M1A2 Abrams and an M60, the latter of which I used to (purposely) crush a (junkyard) car in 2009 for a demonstration on Armed Forces Day. That’s also on video, and probably one of my life’s greatest moments.
- I once memorized 100 digits of π while bored during a week-long training session at work. Have I mentioned I love math?!
- I got a fortune cookie long ago that said, “You are a lover of words. One day you will write a book.” Maybe I should’ve played the lucky numbers on the flipside.
- Another of my greatest achievements is converting my daughters into Potterheads. I only wish I fit into my kids’ “I’d rather be at Hogwarts” t-shirts….."
From Katherine's website:
"I think I was always meant to be an author. When I was younger, I wanted to be a teacher, then an architect, then a racecar engineer. But after I wrote a mammoth 60-page novel for my 6th grade teacher’s simple ten-page writing assignment, I thought I might have a few more stories in me.
Fast forward a decade or so, and I graduated in mechanical engineering from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec (the most fun four years you could imagine … I recommend every teen consider attending McGill!). I walked the same halls Elie and William did, and yes: the western-facing windows on the Schulich library’s fourth floor was my favorite studying nook on campus. I moved back to the States and proudly worked as an engineer for the Army and Navy. But I never stopped writing. Even after a long day of part drawings and program management meetings, I made time to pound away at my keyboard.
After getting married and having two (wonderful!) daughters, I kept writing – both out of love for writing and to show my girls you can reach your dreams. These days I spend my time as a mother; substitute teaching French, engineering, and math classes; and writing even more stories. I live in New Jersey with my family, across the street from a lake overrun by swans and Canadian geese.
Fun Facts
- Like my dad, I graduated from Skip Barber Racing School and actually earned my race car driver license! Sadly, it has since expired. But I have the videotape to prove I did it.
- While working for the Army, I also earned my license to drive a tank! I drove an M1A2 Abrams and an M60, the latter of which I used to (purposely) crush a (junkyard) car in 2009 for a demonstration on Armed Forces Day. That’s also on video, and probably one of my life’s greatest moments.
- I once memorized 100 digits of π while bored during a week-long training session at work. Have I mentioned I love math?!
- I got a fortune cookie long ago that said, “You are a lover of words. One day you will write a book.” Maybe I should’ve played the lucky numbers on the flipside.
- Another of my greatest achievements is converting my daughters into Potterheads. I only wish I fit into my kids’ “I’d rather be at Hogwarts” t-shirts….."
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
May 20, 2024
Nice to read about Montreal and McGill 1906 and 2006 and all the changes for women in those 100 years.
October 29, 2024
I wanted to read this book because it is set in McGill University, specifically, in the Engineering buildings, where I studied in 1993-1997. I always enjoy a time travel story, and this one was unique.
January 25, 2025
A delightful time travel romance
Much as I love time travel stories, I wasn't initially committed to buying this book - I started by downloading the sample - however, this delightful novel soon drew me in and I fell in love with the tale of a physicist's daughter accidentally transported from 1906 to 2006. (The fact that the latter year is almost two decades ago made it a period piece twice over.) I even abandoned my Asimov and Austen audiobooks until I finished reading this as it seems like a perfect mix of those two!
Much as I love time travel stories, I wasn't initially committed to buying this book - I started by downloading the sample - however, this delightful novel soon drew me in and I fell in love with the tale of a physicist's daughter accidentally transported from 1906 to 2006. (The fact that the latter year is almost two decades ago made it a period piece twice over.) I even abandoned my Asimov and Austen audiobooks until I finished reading this as it seems like a perfect mix of those two!
December 6, 2023
Oh, this book was so much fun to read! It was one of those stories that kept my Kindle reader in one hand as I fetched a coffee with the other, then hoped I didn’t run into a wall on my way back to the couch because I couldn’t stop reading!
I’ll admit, my knowledge of time travel before this book was restricted to the films Back to the Future (One and Two especially), movies I love and have seen several times. However, science fiction isn’t my go-to genre for books or film. I met Benfante on Twitter X, learned that she is a former mechanical engineer and race car driver, read the premise of her debut book - which incorporates historical fiction into romantic sci-fi (such an original mix of genres!) - and that settled it. I was going to read this one and what an engrossing ride it has been.
The story opens in 1906 with Elie, a clever and independent daughter of a physics professor, who is dreading the fact everyone wants her to marry her father’s friend, a man she doesn’t love. That had me feeling engaged and sympathetic from the start. When she accidentally time travels 100 years forward to 2006, the story really gets rolling.
We see our modern era through Elie’s eyes, which is very interesting to me. It is unfathomable to her that men and women can sit side by side in classes, even go to the same classes. She is shocked to discover women are easily allowed to study physics and the like. Imagine, a woman being encouraged to chase the same dreams as men! (And thank GOD I was born when I was! I’ve never been more grateful for women’s rights activists or electricity.)
And yet, Elie is homeless in 2006, stuck with one outfit that clearly belongs in 1906, without food, money or a social insurance number (the equivalent of a social security number in the US) – she basically has no identity nor a means to resolve this quagmire. It is intriguing to see her fight for the basic needs we all take for granted and it really was a unique challenge for a character to try to overcome. I mean, what would happen if any of us suddenly found ourselves 100 years head, in the year 2123? Imagine how crazy that would be!
Benfante flips narration between Elie and Will, a grad student of physics in 2006, who is brilliant, adorable and relatable. The camaraderie he has with his fellow students is especially enjoyable to read. The attraction between Will and Elie is there from the start and yet, Elie, with her 1906 fashions and antiquated nature and expressions, is somewhat odd. However, their stories collide in a seamless and believable way, which is no easy feat considering this book is about time travel, a rather elusive and apparently unbelievable, undiscovered concept as of today (though one really can’t help but wonder…).
I shouldn’t go into the story more, lest I spoil even more of it, but the romance part of the novel is steeped in independence rather than co-dependence you frequently see. On top of that, the eventual thrust of the novel posits a unique problem: how do you undo the things and feelings you experience in the future – such as equality of sexes and a plethora of career choices - when your home – which means your beloved parents and the world you truly know - is in the past? Can you even? It’s quite the conflicting problem for a twenty-year-old woman.
All of this thought-provoking prose is further bolstered by Benfante’s skill in both writing a fully realized novel and one absolutely frothing with original and charming lines and descriptions about people and her backdrop of Montréal. The best part for me was her easy-to-read but pleasurable pacing. She clips right along with a graceful elegance like the former race car driver she is.
This book, despite being rooted in a subject I can’t say I love – anything science-y – is never boring. I think it could have benefited from a subplot or two, however that didn’t take away from its merits as a terrific book in entirety to me. I found it a warm, sweet, riveting and informative read. (Elie Rutherford really existed as did her father, the eminent physicist Ernest Rutherford and yes, being an ignoramus about psychics, I had to look that up half-way through, but the book inspired me to do it! But what a clever idea, honestly, to turn historical facts into time travel. And at the end of the book she explains that bit, which also includes photos.)
Benfante is truly an author to watch. This book beats out many a bestseller I’ve read in the past few years, in my opinion. I truly hope the world will take notice of Scattered this year and not just 100 years from now, otherwise someone might be forced to time travel back to our current era to spread the word. Complete five stars from me!
I’ll admit, my knowledge of time travel before this book was restricted to the films Back to the Future (One and Two especially), movies I love and have seen several times. However, science fiction isn’t my go-to genre for books or film. I met Benfante on Twitter X, learned that she is a former mechanical engineer and race car driver, read the premise of her debut book - which incorporates historical fiction into romantic sci-fi (such an original mix of genres!) - and that settled it. I was going to read this one and what an engrossing ride it has been.
The story opens in 1906 with Elie, a clever and independent daughter of a physics professor, who is dreading the fact everyone wants her to marry her father’s friend, a man she doesn’t love. That had me feeling engaged and sympathetic from the start. When she accidentally time travels 100 years forward to 2006, the story really gets rolling.
We see our modern era through Elie’s eyes, which is very interesting to me. It is unfathomable to her that men and women can sit side by side in classes, even go to the same classes. She is shocked to discover women are easily allowed to study physics and the like. Imagine, a woman being encouraged to chase the same dreams as men! (And thank GOD I was born when I was! I’ve never been more grateful for women’s rights activists or electricity.)
And yet, Elie is homeless in 2006, stuck with one outfit that clearly belongs in 1906, without food, money or a social insurance number (the equivalent of a social security number in the US) – she basically has no identity nor a means to resolve this quagmire. It is intriguing to see her fight for the basic needs we all take for granted and it really was a unique challenge for a character to try to overcome. I mean, what would happen if any of us suddenly found ourselves 100 years head, in the year 2123? Imagine how crazy that would be!
Benfante flips narration between Elie and Will, a grad student of physics in 2006, who is brilliant, adorable and relatable. The camaraderie he has with his fellow students is especially enjoyable to read. The attraction between Will and Elie is there from the start and yet, Elie, with her 1906 fashions and antiquated nature and expressions, is somewhat odd. However, their stories collide in a seamless and believable way, which is no easy feat considering this book is about time travel, a rather elusive and apparently unbelievable, undiscovered concept as of today (though one really can’t help but wonder…).
I shouldn’t go into the story more, lest I spoil even more of it, but the romance part of the novel is steeped in independence rather than co-dependence you frequently see. On top of that, the eventual thrust of the novel posits a unique problem: how do you undo the things and feelings you experience in the future – such as equality of sexes and a plethora of career choices - when your home – which means your beloved parents and the world you truly know - is in the past? Can you even? It’s quite the conflicting problem for a twenty-year-old woman.
All of this thought-provoking prose is further bolstered by Benfante’s skill in both writing a fully realized novel and one absolutely frothing with original and charming lines and descriptions about people and her backdrop of Montréal. The best part for me was her easy-to-read but pleasurable pacing. She clips right along with a graceful elegance like the former race car driver she is.
This book, despite being rooted in a subject I can’t say I love – anything science-y – is never boring. I think it could have benefited from a subplot or two, however that didn’t take away from its merits as a terrific book in entirety to me. I found it a warm, sweet, riveting and informative read. (Elie Rutherford really existed as did her father, the eminent physicist Ernest Rutherford and yes, being an ignoramus about psychics, I had to look that up half-way through, but the book inspired me to do it! But what a clever idea, honestly, to turn historical facts into time travel. And at the end of the book she explains that bit, which also includes photos.)
Benfante is truly an author to watch. This book beats out many a bestseller I’ve read in the past few years, in my opinion. I truly hope the world will take notice of Scattered this year and not just 100 years from now, otherwise someone might be forced to time travel back to our current era to spread the word. Complete five stars from me!
May 31, 2024
This fantastic debut novel from Katherine Benfante was a page-turner! I couldn't put it down once I got started. What impressed me the most was the level of detail that Benfante went through in her descriptions of the different scientific processes and experiments, as well as about Rutherford's life. It's clear that the author did an immense amount of research and planning before writing this and that made the novel all that more enticing to read.
The story itself is intriguing; it is a bit of a love story, while also being a really empowering, uplifting story about the resilience and strength of a young woman who finds her footing, embraces change, and stands up for what she wants. The internal struggles that Elie has about what she 'should' do with her life, her love for and duty to her parents, and her personal interests and desires, is something that all of us can relate to, and Benfante manages to show us the sliver linings of situations that seem fairly bleak at face value in a way that is optimistic but not saccharine.
Benfante's descriptions of undergraduate student life were comforting for those of us who look back on those years with nostalgia, but I would imagine it would also be encouraging for a younger reader who is Elie's age, or younger, and looking ahead to their university career. The descriptions of Elie's friendships and experiences in navigating life in a completely new place made me feel like anything is possible if you put your mind to it!
The time travel element to the novel was really fun and well researched, and the descriptions of Montreal, then and now, were evocative and beautiful. The author's love for the city, and McGill, were palpable throughout the novel as was her love for physics and science. Benfante provides just the right level of detail and explanation for the science in this book to make it understandable, and exciting, without being too complex.
Having read short stories and flash fiction by this author, I knew that I would be treated to lots of details in this novel that would transport me directly into the characters' lives. As I write this, I am still fondly remembering the rooms, the cups of tea, the lawns, and the streets that Benfante created for us in this wonderful story. While I am now missing Elie, William, and Jeanne, I am really looking forward to the next novel from this talented writer. She is definitely one to watch.
The story itself is intriguing; it is a bit of a love story, while also being a really empowering, uplifting story about the resilience and strength of a young woman who finds her footing, embraces change, and stands up for what she wants. The internal struggles that Elie has about what she 'should' do with her life, her love for and duty to her parents, and her personal interests and desires, is something that all of us can relate to, and Benfante manages to show us the sliver linings of situations that seem fairly bleak at face value in a way that is optimistic but not saccharine.
Benfante's descriptions of undergraduate student life were comforting for those of us who look back on those years with nostalgia, but I would imagine it would also be encouraging for a younger reader who is Elie's age, or younger, and looking ahead to their university career. The descriptions of Elie's friendships and experiences in navigating life in a completely new place made me feel like anything is possible if you put your mind to it!
The time travel element to the novel was really fun and well researched, and the descriptions of Montreal, then and now, were evocative and beautiful. The author's love for the city, and McGill, were palpable throughout the novel as was her love for physics and science. Benfante provides just the right level of detail and explanation for the science in this book to make it understandable, and exciting, without being too complex.
Having read short stories and flash fiction by this author, I knew that I would be treated to lots of details in this novel that would transport me directly into the characters' lives. As I write this, I am still fondly remembering the rooms, the cups of tea, the lawns, and the streets that Benfante created for us in this wonderful story. While I am now missing Elie, William, and Jeanne, I am really looking forward to the next novel from this talented writer. She is definitely one to watch.
October 14, 2026
I already knew I enjoyed Katherine Benfante’s writing after Silent Y, so I was excited to pick up Scattered, and it turned out to be a charming, quirky take on time-travel science fiction.
The story follows Elie Rutherford, the physics-obsessed daughter of Ernest Rutherford, who finds herself transported from 1906 to 2006 after an experiment goes wrong. Although time travel provides the premise, Scattered is not particularly fast-paced or plot-driven. It is much more interested in its characters, especially Elie’s experience of suddenly inhabiting a world where many of the opportunities she was denied are now within reach. At times, it feels almost like a slice-of-life novel with a science-fiction framework.
The publisher comparison to The Big Bang Theory feels quite fitting. There is plenty of physics, academic awkwardness, eccentric personalities, and grad-school energy. As someone who was a STEM graduate student only a few years ago, I found some of those dynamics particularly recognizable. The novel also has a distinctly YA quality in its characterization and interpersonal relationships, despite several characters being older than the typical YA age range.
Some elements did feel a little stereotypical or dated. The New Zealand jokes were amusing to encounter in 2026, while the repeated surprise at a young woman being interested in physics occasionally felt heavy-handed. Still, Elie is such an endearing protagonist that these moments did not detract significantly from my enjoyment of the story.
What unexpectedly stayed with me most was the depiction of 2006 itself. As a millennial, I instinctively think of 2006 as the relatively recent past, yet it is now twenty years ago. Seeing it simultaneously as Elie’s unimaginable future and our own increasingly distant past added an interesting extra layer to the time-travel premise.
I also loved the ending, which left me genuinely curious about where the story will go next.
Overall, Scattered is best approached as a slower, character-driven science-fiction novel rather than a time-travel romance. I would particularly recommend it to readers who enjoy women in STEM, academic settings, quirky ensemble casts, time travel, and speculative fiction that focuses more on people than action.
I received an ebook copy from the author in anticipation of the second book’s release in October and the opinions are my own.
The story follows Elie Rutherford, the physics-obsessed daughter of Ernest Rutherford, who finds herself transported from 1906 to 2006 after an experiment goes wrong. Although time travel provides the premise, Scattered is not particularly fast-paced or plot-driven. It is much more interested in its characters, especially Elie’s experience of suddenly inhabiting a world where many of the opportunities she was denied are now within reach. At times, it feels almost like a slice-of-life novel with a science-fiction framework.
The publisher comparison to The Big Bang Theory feels quite fitting. There is plenty of physics, academic awkwardness, eccentric personalities, and grad-school energy. As someone who was a STEM graduate student only a few years ago, I found some of those dynamics particularly recognizable. The novel also has a distinctly YA quality in its characterization and interpersonal relationships, despite several characters being older than the typical YA age range.
Some elements did feel a little stereotypical or dated. The New Zealand jokes were amusing to encounter in 2026, while the repeated surprise at a young woman being interested in physics occasionally felt heavy-handed. Still, Elie is such an endearing protagonist that these moments did not detract significantly from my enjoyment of the story.
What unexpectedly stayed with me most was the depiction of 2006 itself. As a millennial, I instinctively think of 2006 as the relatively recent past, yet it is now twenty years ago. Seeing it simultaneously as Elie’s unimaginable future and our own increasingly distant past added an interesting extra layer to the time-travel premise.
I also loved the ending, which left me genuinely curious about where the story will go next.
Overall, Scattered is best approached as a slower, character-driven science-fiction novel rather than a time-travel romance. I would particularly recommend it to readers who enjoy women in STEM, academic settings, quirky ensemble casts, time travel, and speculative fiction that focuses more on people than action.
I received an ebook copy from the author in anticipation of the second book’s release in October and the opinions are my own.
August 25, 2023
I received an ARC copy of Scattered, and my first thoughts upon finishing it were that this book is like a sci-fi Hallmark movie. It is warm and wholesome, yet academic and science-centric. Not two beams I thought could cross, but for Scattered, it works!
This book is very nostalgic, both for old school sci-fi and the bygone university days of the mid-2000s. You can read a lot of H.G. Wells' The Time Machine in this, but it's The Time Machine if the main character was a woman. Though she didn't invent a machine in this, Elie Rutherford - our protagonist - is smart and sympathetic. I felt her grief upon being torn from her time period and therefore her family, then admired how she adapted to the modern era. William - her love interest - is snarky and nerdy and fun to read. His perspective on things is very entertaining, and his love-at-first-alpha-particle attraction to Elie is quite cute.
That being said, the developments to their relationship do get a little lost amidst the larger issue of getting Elie back to her time period. There were times while reading where I lost my sense for the characters amidst the science speak. I would have liked to see more nerdy moments between the two while experimenting with how to send Elie home. Regardless, they have some good, romantic moments, especially towards the end of the novel - which I won't spoil here.
Overall, Scattered is sweet, simple sci-fi harkening back to the days before wibbly-wobbly time-wimey stuff got too complicated. It's historical, scientific, and the romance reminded me of Somewhere In Time. If you like that old world elegance mingling with modern function, you'll like this relationship dynamic and this book.
Thank you to the author for the ARC!
This book is very nostalgic, both for old school sci-fi and the bygone university days of the mid-2000s. You can read a lot of H.G. Wells' The Time Machine in this, but it's The Time Machine if the main character was a woman. Though she didn't invent a machine in this, Elie Rutherford - our protagonist - is smart and sympathetic. I felt her grief upon being torn from her time period and therefore her family, then admired how she adapted to the modern era. William - her love interest - is snarky and nerdy and fun to read. His perspective on things is very entertaining, and his love-at-first-alpha-particle attraction to Elie is quite cute.
That being said, the developments to their relationship do get a little lost amidst the larger issue of getting Elie back to her time period. There were times while reading where I lost my sense for the characters amidst the science speak. I would have liked to see more nerdy moments between the two while experimenting with how to send Elie home. Regardless, they have some good, romantic moments, especially towards the end of the novel - which I won't spoil here.
Overall, Scattered is sweet, simple sci-fi harkening back to the days before wibbly-wobbly time-wimey stuff got too complicated. It's historical, scientific, and the romance reminded me of Somewhere In Time. If you like that old world elegance mingling with modern function, you'll like this relationship dynamic and this book.
Thank you to the author for the ARC!
October 20, 2026
What a brilliant start to the Scattered Through Time series!
We follow Elie Rutherford, daughter of renowned physicist Ernest Rutherford, who accidentally travels from 1906 to 2006, where she meets Will Hertz, a physics graduate student.
One of my favourite things about this book was exploring our modern world through Elie's eyes. Seeing what would intrigue and excite someone from a century earlier, alongside the aspects of our modern history that might horrify them, was definitely thought-provoking!
Woven into the story is a gently blossoming relationship between Elie and Will, which brings with it a difficult dilemma. If Elie can return to her own time, should she? Or should she risk everything for a future she never imagined possible?
I also loved the societal commentary woven throughout the story, particularly around the freedoms women have today that women like Elie were denied. The ability to pursue a career, choose family life, or have both is something we can sometimes take for granted, and this book really made me reflect on just how much has changed.
One quote that particularly stood out to me was:
'My era...a bit touched by over-gentleness of the female sex, too much separation of the sexes, and a heavy weighting of propriety versus freedom of thought'. — Elie
As ever, Katherine Benfante creates an incredible sense of time and place, and really does put the 'science into science fiction'!
I especially enjoyed the author's note at the end, exploring the real physicist Ernest Rutherford and his daughter Eileen, alongside the photographs. Ernest and his laboratory were just as I'd imagined them!
A fascinating blend of time travel, science, history, romance and social commentary and now I'm even more excited to dive into the sequel, Ionized!
We follow Elie Rutherford, daughter of renowned physicist Ernest Rutherford, who accidentally travels from 1906 to 2006, where she meets Will Hertz, a physics graduate student.
One of my favourite things about this book was exploring our modern world through Elie's eyes. Seeing what would intrigue and excite someone from a century earlier, alongside the aspects of our modern history that might horrify them, was definitely thought-provoking!
Woven into the story is a gently blossoming relationship between Elie and Will, which brings with it a difficult dilemma. If Elie can return to her own time, should she? Or should she risk everything for a future she never imagined possible?
I also loved the societal commentary woven throughout the story, particularly around the freedoms women have today that women like Elie were denied. The ability to pursue a career, choose family life, or have both is something we can sometimes take for granted, and this book really made me reflect on just how much has changed.
One quote that particularly stood out to me was:
'My era...a bit touched by over-gentleness of the female sex, too much separation of the sexes, and a heavy weighting of propriety versus freedom of thought'. — Elie
As ever, Katherine Benfante creates an incredible sense of time and place, and really does put the 'science into science fiction'!
I especially enjoyed the author's note at the end, exploring the real physicist Ernest Rutherford and his daughter Eileen, alongside the photographs. Ernest and his laboratory were just as I'd imagined them!
A fascinating blend of time travel, science, history, romance and social commentary and now I'm even more excited to dive into the sequel, Ionized!
August 28, 2023
I was given an ARC to read from the author.
This story is a sweet romance with a time travel twist, told from the perspectives of both Ellie (who starts in 1906) and William (in 2006.
After a mishap in her father’s lab, Ellie finds herself transported 100 years in the future. Though she’s in the same college in Montreal, 2006 is worlds away from 1906 where Ellie is merely a fly on the wall amidst her father’s male colleagues and students. I loved how the author showed Ellie’s tenacity, as she has to learn how to adapt and fit into her new surroundings. Her strength shows as she makes friends, takes classes, and learns how different life is for women 100 years later.
William notices Ellie in the library one day, and once they meet he embraces her uniqueness. Some of my favorite scenes were when the two worked together to recreate her father’s lab (i.e. inadvertent time machine). Ellie and William’s friendship, and blossoming love for one another, truly make this novel heartwarming.
Katherine Benfante’s debut work is a sign of more to come - her treatment of characters showed their dimensionality and quirks, she created a plot line that excites and warms the heart, and her incorporation of science and physics set up a romance that leaves you hoping Ellie and William get their happily ever after, even 100 years apart.
This story is a sweet romance with a time travel twist, told from the perspectives of both Ellie (who starts in 1906) and William (in 2006.
After a mishap in her father’s lab, Ellie finds herself transported 100 years in the future. Though she’s in the same college in Montreal, 2006 is worlds away from 1906 where Ellie is merely a fly on the wall amidst her father’s male colleagues and students. I loved how the author showed Ellie’s tenacity, as she has to learn how to adapt and fit into her new surroundings. Her strength shows as she makes friends, takes classes, and learns how different life is for women 100 years later.
William notices Ellie in the library one day, and once they meet he embraces her uniqueness. Some of my favorite scenes were when the two worked together to recreate her father’s lab (i.e. inadvertent time machine). Ellie and William’s friendship, and blossoming love for one another, truly make this novel heartwarming.
Katherine Benfante’s debut work is a sign of more to come - her treatment of characters showed their dimensionality and quirks, she created a plot line that excites and warms the heart, and her incorporation of science and physics set up a romance that leaves you hoping Ellie and William get their happily ever after, even 100 years apart.
October 1, 2023
3.5 stars rounded up! I’m a sucker for a time traveling romance, and the pages turned quickly in this one as I wanted to find out how it would all work out! I also love historical fiction and I appreciated how this book was inspired by real people, even if the story itself was made up.
It feel it leans more sci-fi than romance, and I usually struggle to get through science fiction. I found myself skimming through a lot of the science jargon and conversations. I heard someone say that it is like Dr. Who meets Hallmark, and even though I’ve never watched Dr. Who, that sounds about right! If that’s your jam, I bet you’d love this.
Thanks to the author for my ARC copy in exchange for an honest review!
It feel it leans more sci-fi than romance, and I usually struggle to get through science fiction. I found myself skimming through a lot of the science jargon and conversations. I heard someone say that it is like Dr. Who meets Hallmark, and even though I’ve never watched Dr. Who, that sounds about right! If that’s your jam, I bet you’d love this.
Thanks to the author for my ARC copy in exchange for an honest review!
December 13, 2023
Katherine Benfante's command of historical fiction around physics is delightful. The juxtaposition of women in science (or education in general for that matter) at the turn of the century versus 100 years later pulled at my heart strings. As someone with a computer science degree when there were only 3 of us in the class, I can relate.
All the antics Elie had to discover and endure creates an image worthy of the big screen. Wouldn't be surprised to see a movie by the same name some day.
Finished while at Joshua Tree National Park - seemed a fitting place to ponder time travel and our place in the universe under the night time sky.
Enjoy!
All the antics Elie had to discover and endure creates an image worthy of the big screen. Wouldn't be surprised to see a movie by the same name some day.
Finished while at Joshua Tree National Park - seemed a fitting place to ponder time travel and our place in the universe under the night time sky.
Enjoy!
June 23, 2024
Katherine Benfante's "Scattered" is a captivating time-travel romance that bridges the gap between 1906 and 2006. The novel follows Elie Rutherford, daughter of famed physicist Ernest Rutherford, who dreams of joining her father's lab but is thwarted by societal norms. A lab mishap catapults her a century forward, where she meets William Hertz, a brilliant but introverted physics graduate student. Their shared passion for physics sparks a deep connection as they work together to recreate the experiment to send Elie back. Benfante masterfully weaves a tale of love, ambition, and the heart-wrenching choices between past and future.
November 9, 2024
It's an interesting story, it is! However.
Elie time travels a hundred years in the future and one of her biggest concerns is attending college classes? Seriously?
Then in the authors note, she explains that Eileen Rutherford was a real person. Cool. Except this isn't, in any way, her actual story beyond her name and her father's name. That's not cool. It's not cool to pluck people from history and rewrite their lives.
This is very much a YA novel, very Hallmark movie and a disappointing ending to be honest. It's a good story, the author clearly knows her science, history and Montreal but I'm not a fan of "real people fanfiction "
Elie time travels a hundred years in the future and one of her biggest concerns is attending college classes? Seriously?
Then in the authors note, she explains that Eileen Rutherford was a real person. Cool. Except this isn't, in any way, her actual story beyond her name and her father's name. That's not cool. It's not cool to pluck people from history and rewrite their lives.
This is very much a YA novel, very Hallmark movie and a disappointing ending to be honest. It's a good story, the author clearly knows her science, history and Montreal but I'm not a fan of "real people fanfiction "
December 15, 2023
I enjoyed this time travel novel and the references to science and changes one hundred years can make in society. It was an easy read (even with the science info). Read the author notes which I always find of interest when they discuss some of the things in the book, as she did. One note about the formatting; the text was, in a number of places, too tight (in order to make full lines on the page) which created a distraction and difficulty reading some of the words but I suspect that will be addressed in future printings.
October 22, 2025
Beautifully written story, with very likeable main characters. This is a book outside of my normal reading genre, but the characters immediately drew me in, and I was anxious to keep reading to know them more. By the end of the story, I felt like I was friends with Elie and Will, and couldn't sleep until I finished the book! You could tell Katherine did her research with all of the science behind the experiments, including the time travel setup. Though I'm not as versed in physics and engineering, it was truly fascinating to read and wonder, what if this is really possible! 5 stars!
September 18, 2023
This book is very well written, easy to read, and describes a wonderful love story. A little suspenseful at times and the characters are sometimes funny. The author details things so nicely I felt like I was there in the story. It switches between both the main characters so you can see how the story plays out from both their perspectives which I loved. I couldn’t wait to read what was on each page. I can’t wait to read what other stories the author has to tell.
November 16, 2023
I really enjoyed this book. You quickly become emotionally invested in the characters, especially Ellie as you follow her through her unintentional adventure. Katherine Benfante's writing keeps you engaged as the plot unfolds and builds anticipation as it concludes. Very much worth a read if you're a time traveling/sci fi/ romance fan.
December 10, 2023
“Scattered” - an outstanding read!
For a debut novel, Katherine Benfante “batted it out of the park!” I could not put the book down. The storyline seems plausible and held my interest. The characters are well developed. I enjoy TT genre, and “Scattered” is one of the best I have read so far!
For a debut novel, Katherine Benfante “batted it out of the park!” I could not put the book down. The storyline seems plausible and held my interest. The characters are well developed. I enjoy TT genre, and “Scattered” is one of the best I have read so far!
January 13, 2025
Two strong characters highlight this time travel story
The unintentional time traveler and the fish out of water feelings she experiences have been done before, although not always as well as they’re done here. The main thing that sets this novel apart from its sisters is the strength and three-dimensional nature of the two lead characters.
The unintentional time traveler and the fish out of water feelings she experiences have been done before, although not always as well as they’re done here. The main thing that sets this novel apart from its sisters is the strength and three-dimensional nature of the two lead characters.
October 16, 2025
This typically isn’t the genre I read, but I decided to try something new. At first I was feeling a tad lost with a lot of the scientific lingo but after sticking with it and jumping to the time travel portion, I was hooked. This was such an easy read and a delight to get through. I loved the story’s progression and was very happy with the ending! I can’t wait for the author’s next book!
April 7, 2024
fun, thoughtful time-travel
I really liked this book. I loved Elie’s common sense way of dealing with a new time and life. I also loved the friendship and of course, William. What a terrific guy. Highly recommended.
I really liked this book. I loved Elie’s common sense way of dealing with a new time and life. I also loved the friendship and of course, William. What a terrific guy. Highly recommended.
August 26, 2025
A fun read for those into time travel sci-fi romances. The characters are likeable and you want them to succeed. I would point out, this book is written in present tense, if that's something you care about.
October 5, 2025
This is a fantastic book about a female heroine time traveler. Who amongst us hasn’t wanted to travel to a different time for any number of reasons - well Elie gets her wish and finds love as well as scientific success!
January 18, 2026
The author did a great job of storytelling, while sticking to good science. This book takes the reader on a great journey - learning more about a great physicist and the prestigious McGill University in Canada.
It truly was a great read!
It truly was a great read!
October 27, 2026
This was a very interesting book. It was well written. She made the science easy to understand. It had very interesting characters. The main character was consistent and likable. The plot of the story was believable. I enjoyed the book. I recommend it to anyone who likes time travel books.
February 5, 2024
This is a very sweet time travel romance. The main characters are very alive and the background characters provide depth to the story, for the most part.
March 15, 2024
Excellent
This is a story about a woman who is way beyond her time of 1906. She wishes to study topics that are only allowed for men such as physics. She comes forward in time by 100 years and discovers how much things have changed. She works to go back in time to her parents only to discover she would rather live in 2006. Good story with real people as characters.
This is a story about a woman who is way beyond her time of 1906. She wishes to study topics that are only allowed for men such as physics. She comes forward in time by 100 years and discovers how much things have changed. She works to go back in time to her parents only to discover she would rather live in 2006. Good story with real people as characters.
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