Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Tapestry

Rate this book
The key to her future is trapped in the past ...

In 1715, the Earl of Nithsdale is sentence to be beheaded for his part in the doomed Jacobite rebellion for Scottish independence.

In 1978, Jane Maxwell is plagued with doubts about her engagement. When tragedy leaves her fiance Will near death, Jane's guilt makes her determined to save him ... somehow.

On a desperate and dangerous quest to find some answers, Jane finds herself trapped in the past. Convinced that saving Nithsdale will also save Will, Jane embarks on a daring plot to rescue the Earl from the tower of London.


In the tradition of Diana Gabaldon, past and present become entwined in a gripping race against time, and both will be changed by one woman's determination.

457 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2014

186 people are currently reading
1025 people want to read

About the author

Fiona McIntosh

70 books1,985 followers
Fiona writes best selling historical adventure-romance alongside the heroic-romantic, often brutal, fantasy she built her career upon. She lives in Australia but frequently roams the world meticulously researching the locations and gathering material for her historical novels that have international settings. Her books are published worldwide and in various languages.
Her most recent historical fiction has gathered such a following that she is now hosting a tour in 2014 to Paris and Provence so eager readers can walk in the footsteps of her characters.


Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
444 (30%)
4 stars
539 (36%)
3 stars
361 (24%)
2 stars
87 (5%)
1 star
41 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews
Profile Image for Amanda - Mrs B's Book Reviews.
2,231 reviews333 followers
December 11, 2016
I have read a number of reviews since finishing Tapestry by Fiona McIntosh and many of these reviews seem to compare Tapestry to the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. I actually did not like this series and I also loathe time travel books in general. However, I will say I loved Tapestry, it really worked for me as a time slip book.

Tapestry is a departure from the historical fiction novels I have come to enjoy in the past from Fiona McIntosh. Tapestry stitches together a cross section of genres, from McIntosh’s claim to fame historical fiction genre, along with a touch of fantasy, magic and romance. Together, these genres compliment each other just so, joining together to form one unforgettable storyline. The action of the story leaps between two time frames, the 1700’s, along with the year 1978. At the heart of these two stories is female protagonist Jane Granger. In the late 1970’s, the reader meets Jane Granger. Jane is an affluent young woman, living in London with her dashing fiancé Will Maxwell. One fateful night, Will is involved in a heartless attack that leaves him in a coma. Jane is bedside herself and decides that in order to bring Will back to life, she needs to go on a spiritual pilgrimage. This leads her to investigate Will’s specialty as a top geophysicist, to one of the world’s most powerful ley lines site. Consequently, Jane finds herself far away from London, in the middle of Uluru, seeking meaning and strength. Here, something very magical happens and Jane finds herself transported to the year 1715, in Scotland. In Scotland, Jane finds herself playing an important pawn in the fate of those around her, who are under the threat of high treason. Tapestry is ultimately a story of strength and survival, as Jane battles in both time frames to save the lives of loved ones.

Tapestry is a novel that successfully merges two very different time frames and genres, with the overall effect being a compelling novel that I lovingly devoured over two days. For the time I spent with this book, the pages seemed to melt away and I found myself completely immersed in the story. Often it can be hard to successfully pull of a time slip novel, but McIntosh shows the reader her star power. I did not feel at any point in this book that it suffered from clunkiness, especially as there were some significant narrative shifts. McIntosh definitely has a wonder with words, her writing is like a magnetic force, constantly pulling you into the story. In Tapestry, I felt McIntosh displays how well versed she is in understanding her historical setting. It is conveyed with authenticity and a strong sense of place. I know and trust that McIntosh has walked in the very footsteps of the settings her characters fill, through her convincing prose.

The characters in this novel, both in the past and the 1978 storyline, are well formulated. Jane is a strong heroine, whom I will not forget in a hurry. The male protagonists are also well crafted by McIntosh. The romance that follows these characters made my heart skip a beat more than a few times while reading the novel. When I reached the ending, the direction it went in came as a surprise for me. I ended up loving the journey Jane went on, despite having to suspend a fair amount of belief in the time travel elements of the story.

Tapestry is a book that will take you on adventure you will never forget. It is a book that fuses together a number of genres, with a wonderful sprinkling of magic. Tapestry is another solid read from one of Australia’s best storytellers.

*4.5 stars

https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com

Profile Image for Tarran.
Author 3 books3 followers
February 20, 2014
DUE MAY 2014

Another fantastic title from Fiona McIntosh.

This time she leads us to 1970's London which in turn leads us to 1714 Britain and the Jacobite rebellion against King George.

The authors characters are well written and engaging. You start on this massive journey with Jane Granger, who is determined to save her fiancé after he gets attacked. This journey involves taking charge of the past and helping a Lord of The Realm to escape the Headsman's axe. The fates of Will Maxwell and William Maxwell, Earl of Nithsdale are entwined and Jane will have to face a most difficult choice of what she wants if she is to find happiness.

I really enjoyed this book, in fact it only took me a couple of days to read it. I liked reading about Winifred, Jane, Will, Robin and Julius. All the characters well well rounded and interesting. What is even better is that this book is founded on an event that happened. The Count and Countess of Nithsdale were real life people who actually did what few people have done and Fiona does justice to the tale.

A very good book and highly recommended when it comes out :D
4 reviews
September 14, 2014
I have really enjoyed all of Fiona McIntosh's books - until this one. I didn't at all like the "time travel" between the 18 Century and the 1970s which requires the reader to suspend belief and swap between the two eras in a way that is neither comfortable nor seemless. I much prefer it when the author sticks with one era and writes a realistic novel that explores the characters, time and place of that era and that flows easily and smoothly as the story unfolds. I hope this was just an "experiment" that has failed and that the author will get back to doing what she does so well. Very disappointing, but looking forward to her new novel!
Profile Image for Rachael McDiarmid.
480 reviews46 followers
June 8, 2014
I love Fiona McIntosh. It's like she writes for me. She knows my trigger points. She knows I like my history. She knows I like travel. She knows I like adventure. She knows I like to escape to another time and place. She knows how to write characters I like, admire, cheer on, support. And she knows how to write a good romance! This book is different to others I've read of hers recently as you have to suspend disbelief a little more and go on the time travel ride between the early 1700s and late 1970s. In the 1700s we are caught up in the Jacobean world of rebellion against the king and in the 1970s we are in London where Jane's fiancé is fighting for his life after a senseless attack. Jane goes back to 1715 to try and save the Earl of Nithsdale, from whom her fiancé Will is descended. By saving the Earl can she save Will and herself? Or will she find herself and discover what is truly missing from her life? I enjoyed it. Thanks Fiona for sharing your creativity with us and for another good read!
Profile Image for Kathryn.
860 reviews
July 24, 2016
I can't believe I missed posting my review of this one! At least it was written - just a matter of going back to find it!...

This was slow to start and to grab me, but it seemed to pick up from about 1/3 of the way through. I think the business of the Scottish Jacobites fighting for the Scottish king in the beginning was what kept me at arm’s length - I like history, but Scotland in the 1700s isn’t really my thing! However, after the rebels were captured and imprisoned, things seemed to look up (not for the prisoners!) and the “proper” part of the story was able to begin.

I enjoyed the transportation of Jane, a “modern day” woman, into the 1700s - although the contemporary era was set in the late 1970s, so still almost 40 years earlier than today - and some of the attitudes still seemed a bit out of place for the 1970s (but then I was only being born around the time the later time period was set, so maybe I’m making the mistake of thinking that the world was back in the dark ages until I was born!).

I have now read 4 books of Fiona McIntosh and have found that she is a reliably good read, and will be reading more.
Profile Image for Mary-Lou Stephens.
Author 7 books132 followers
April 27, 2014
I was intrigued by the précis for this book & was curious to discover how Fiona would mix fantasy with historical fiction. Turns out she has done it really well. Works for me.
Profile Image for Vicky.
1,018 reviews41 followers
June 24, 2021
It was an audio read for me and surprisingly it worked well. I was not sure if it was my type of a book and decided to give it a try. I found it well researched, beautifully written and with interesting characters. The element of time travel or a touch of a fantasy fit in nicely into the tapestry and overall it was a pleasant read.
Profile Image for Angela Pirotta.
143 reviews10 followers
January 19, 2024
not my sort of book going back in time and i didn’t know Winifred and Earl William were real people in the 1700s
this book was a nice love story
and also story of a paring woman of the time
highly recommend
Profile Image for Aryani Siti.
297 reviews4 followers
July 1, 2019
Didn't like it at the beginning. But I found it's exciting at the end.
Profile Image for Jenny.
31 reviews1 follower
December 20, 2018
This one took a little while to get going in my view, and wasn't one of McIntosh's best. But "not her best" is still pretty good, since she's such a great writer. It was one of those that I ended up staying awake til 2 in the morning to finish, once it DID get going.
Profile Image for Shannon.
529 reviews13 followers
May 17, 2014
This took a little but to get into. I didn't particularly enjoy Jane and Will's "modern" 1970s scenes, in fact I'm not particularly sure why it had to be the 70s at all. I don't think there was anything that truly represented the era that influenced the story one bit. Putting that aside, I kept trudging on because I DID like the 1715 scenes and knew that at some point Jane leaves the "present" to live in the past and therefore most of the book would have to be set then. Then came the climbing of Uluru. Jane, I just wanted to slap you. Climbing Uluru in ridiculously hot weather with no water bottle, no sunglasses and wildly free hair was never a good idea. I put the book down halfway through this scene and struggled to pick it back up again because I knew I was going back to stupidity. Once we got to 1715 though I had a great time. I love history, I Love London, and I love seeing modern traits out of their time. I just wanted to keep reading. As for the end, I get it, I don't mind it, but it did seem to wrap up a little too nicely and too easily (particularly for Julia/juliette/ whatever her name was that I can't remember and too lazy to go get the book and find out). Overall, There were ups and downs; I liked it but didn't love it
Profile Image for Carolyn.
357 reviews5 followers
July 16, 2014
Keep your head above water and intact when reading 'Tapestry' by Fiona McIntosh.

Let the story unfold as 'Tapestry' develops and weaves its way through different time-zones which are centuries apart.

You will not be disappointed.

Go into paths and lives you never dreamed you'd visit or thought were possible until now.

Let 'Tapestry' weave its magic in forbidden places.

Get caught in two very different time-zones.

Make sure you take some time also to smell the roses, the gingerbread and most importantly, the violets...

Take tea or drink plenty of hot chocolate in between the time-zones and enjoy the story so brilliantly told by Fiona McIntosh.
Profile Image for Eleni Konstantine.
Author 6 books50 followers
April 25, 2016
I was thoroughly swept away with this book and it's unique concept to time-traveling. Jane is a likeable character but she is fighting what she knows is true regarding her fiance, Will. Her guilt drives her to save him in a very unorthodox way with lots of complications along the way.

I loved the imagery and the two settings of 1716 and 1970s. For me going back and forth helped create the tension of the 'will she/won't she'. Definitely would love to read more of the historical adventure romances of Fiona McIntosh.
Profile Image for Jody.
82 reviews2 followers
May 3, 2014
Just finished Tapestry by Fiona McIntosh; what a fantastic book. This is the first book I have read of Fiona's and it won't be the last. Great story, characters, writing and well just everything fitted so well together. I was clued to the book long into the night, because I just needed to see how it was going to end. I wasn't disappointed. Highly Recommended, to anyone who enjoys a good story with great writing and interesting characters.
Profile Image for Faye Barron.
30 reviews12 followers
June 6, 2014
Historical fiction is always an attraction for me. Mixed in with a sense of the mystical, time travel and believable characters, Tapestry is a fascinating and enthralling read! I was particularly drawn to the scenes around Uluru, and The Tower of London - two places that can actually evoke a sense of the paranormal!
Profile Image for Anne Barwell.
Author 23 books108 followers
June 20, 2014
I make a point of reading all of this author's new releases and this one didn't disappoint. It's a compelling mix of historical and timeslip, which meld together in several interesting twists in the tale. Loved the story, and couldn't put it down as I wanted to know what happened next.
Profile Image for Anthony Dalton.
198 reviews16 followers
January 21, 2015
So very disappointing. Unlike her other novels which I became immediately immersed in and completed in one sitting, I found this an interminable effort to get through, I had to make myself finish it. I just didn't get into this one.
Profile Image for Sue.
1,120 reviews
July 9, 2021
What a wonderful read. I love time slip and this was handled so well with the various main characters. I suppose you have to let your mind not worry about credibility but it is fantasy...or is it. Had to stop at one stage to Google the history because I couldn't wait to find out via the book.
Profile Image for Rosie.
82 reviews2 followers
May 23, 2014
A masterpiece. What an achievement to weave two such different time periods into a story. The ending was fantastic.
Profile Image for Dianne.
86 reviews
partially-read
March 17, 2016
I found this book a bit slow and wasn't able to finish it.
Profile Image for Dzintra aka Ingrid.
101 reviews
March 21, 2016
After a little while taken to get to this once I did I loved it! The ending....superb!
Profile Image for cleo-queen-of-pirates.
42 reviews15 followers
December 6, 2019
“We’re all connected in various ways and our lives touch and affect one another, but the most powerful link is through the blood that connects one generation to another. Blood is the golden thread that runs through life’s tapestry.”

In 1978, Jane Granger is newly engaged to a man of most woman’s dreams, but she has many doubts. Tragedy occurs, and her fiancé, Will is left barely alive. Jane undertakes a soul searching mission to try to help Will and ends up in the past.
In 1715, the Earl of Nithsdale, Will’s ancestor, has been imprisoned in the Tower of London, awaiting beheading after joining the Jacobite rebellion. Jane is convinced that saving the Earl will also save her fiancé.

This is the first of Fiona McIntosh’s books that I have read, and I can’t wait to read another. I’ve seen mixed reviews about this book and how it may not be the best of her stories, but I loved it. Outlander fans should also enjoy it.

The prologue of the blacksmith being offered the job of London’s executioner was surprising. It set the scene of how rough the past can be, even to those who don’t intend it to be.

Usually in time travel stories, I tend to enjoy the scenes in the past more than the contemporary ones, but Jane’s life in the seventies grabbed me. By the time she journeyed into the past, I felt like I knew her. Her life and personality were effectively described in the first part, but it didn’t make the plot drag. This helped her reasonings for being reluctant to marry Will seem authentic. She is a well-layered character with self-belief and the will to get things done.

“Within a few hours Jane was so bitterly cold she couldn’t feel the sensation of Winifred’s fingers on the reins…”

The unique thing about Jane’s journey through time was that she didn’t keep her own body, she inhabited the body of a woman in the past. The differences in their lives were evident in the arthritis and other ailments she had to contend with, even though her host was of a similar age.
It was interesting for a character to experience the same city 200 years apart, comparing buildings, cleanliness etc. McIntosh created a vivid picture of London in both centuries. It was lovely to feel the history of an old city and to be reminded of how buildings stand while everything around them changes.

“She realised now how often she had complained during her study days of how grimy the London of the 1970s was. And yet, glimpsing this era, she wondered if she would survive long alone in this forbidding, dangerous and plague-ridden London of the early eighteenth century.”

The character of Lord Sackville is so well described and written, lending him to be the perfect 18th-century gentleman to swoon over.

There are so many points of view in this book, but it really doesn’t feel like it. I like the inclusion of the families of Jane and Will. Their parents are worried about their children and go through many emotions on the journey to have both Jane and Will healthy and present. Will’s nurse and the psychic are also included, adding to the theme of people’s lives being entwined.

There were a few scenes which were off to the side of the main plot, but were pleasant surprises and added depth to the world.

“Somewhere in the world, the sun is always shining.”

The book has quite serious themes but is substantially colourful. Even during the tensest and heaviest moments, there is hilarity. It’s so easy to cheer Jane on. She has her courageous moments which may or may not succeed, but she is a heroine to admire.

I was excited to find out this book is inspired by real events, but don’t look them up unless you want spoilers. It is such an inspiring idea to take a non-fiction story and weave a larger story into it.

Tapestry is undoubtedly a book I would love to reread in future, and I’m looking forward to reading more of Fiona McIntosh’s writing.

“…Look at this amazing clock, would you?…Somewhere in the world, the sun is always shining.”


Instagram @aholdfullofbooks
Twitter @MareeKoenders
More reviews at www.mareekoenders.com
Profile Image for S.J. Hartland.
Author 6 books27 followers
March 19, 2018
AT the centre of Tapestry is a true story full of romance and daring – the Earl of Nithsdale’s escape from the Tower of London in 1715.
Around his escape Fiona McIntosh weaves a delightful tale that combines adventure, history and time travel.
In 1715 the Catholic Earl William Maxwell joins the Jacobite rebellion against King George. The rebellion fails, Nithsdale is captured, taken to the Tower and sentenced to death.
In 1978 Jane Granger is uncertain about her engagement to handsome geophysicist Will Maxwell, a Nithsdale descendant. But when a senseless attack leaves Will in a coma Jane’s guilt puts her on a curious path to save him.
Transported to the past and into the body of the Earl’s brave and beautiful wife Winifred, she sets out against all odds to save Nithsdale from the Tower, believing it will somehow also save her own Will Maxwell.
But is Will who Jane really wants? When she meets the darkly handsome lord Julius she is rocked to her core.
The 20th century story of Will and Jane didn’t engage me at once. The 18th century story, however, is well told with appealing and interesting characters. The merging of Winifred and Jane is nicely done and the period well portrayed.
Tapestry is a delicious historical romance with an unusual device of combining the present and the past. If you let this story unfold and suspend belief about mystical ley lines and magic you will be absolutely swept up in Jane’s (and Winifred’s) adventure.
And, like all good stories with a historical basis, you’ll badly want to read more about the true story behind Nithsdale’s escape.
48 reviews1 follower
July 2, 2021
I thought Jane was a strong, courageous, and likeable heroine. However, climbing Uluru as she did, with no water in the middle of the day and with a storm threatening, was unbelievably stupid. I understand that she was driven by worry for her fiancée, and without it there would be no story. It just seemed out of character for such an intelligent person.
The way that Jane spent most of the book in Winifred’s body was confusing at times. Jane does and thinks things, but does things as Winifred and is called ‘Winifred’ by everyone around her. There’s two people in one body – very confusing.
I liked how the story occasionally jumped back to the 1970s. I particularly enjoyed the way these ‘jumps’ incorporated the points of view of different people, like Jane’s parents and the nurse who cares for Jane’s fiancée.
Tapestry ended well. For the first 70 or 80 percent of the book, it was average. The set-up (getting to know Jane’s life and personality) was effective but long and boring. But the ending was fantastic.

My full review can be found at www.travellingbooknerd.com/tapestry/
271 reviews
June 18, 2024
The key to her future is trapped in the past.

In 1978, Jane Maxwell is celebrating her engagement to Will, a handsome American geophysicist, but though she should be deliriously happy, she is plagued by doubts. When tragedy leaves Will hanging between life and death, Jane's guilt makes her determined to save him ... somehow. In 1715, the Earl of Nithsdale joins the doomed Jacobite rebellion for Scottish independence. But the cause is lost and the Earl is sentenced to be beheaded. On a desperate and dangerous quest to find some answers, Jane finds herself swept away and trapped in the past. Convinced that saving Nithsdale will also save Will, Jane embarks on a daring and audacious plot to rescue the Earl from the Tower of London. Past and present become entwined in a gripping race against time - and both will be changed by one woman's determination ...

Bestselling author Fiona McIntosh brings her inimitable storytelling skills to this thrilling time-slip adventure packed with action, romance and one of history's most daring escapes.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews

Join the discussion

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.