Touch the Sky

by Alison Blasdell

Nothing unusual had ever happened to her. Her life was ordinary and predictable until that day. Now, she has a secret, a secret both terrifying and compelling.

“…the storyline is brilliant, and the characters are strong, fearless, caring, and vibrant…”-Amazon review
“…a love story like no other: life in contemporary Britain meets life in the prehistoric Bronze Age, and what evolves is an amazing, timeless love connection…”-Amazon review
“…a great love story along with a journey through the past interwoven with the present day…”-Amazon review
“…contemporary fiction with a mix of magical realism, history, science, and romance…a fascinating way to do time travel…”-Amazon review.

Jennifer Bracken was visiting the British Museum in London when she fell, hitting her head. While unconscious, she sees life through the eyes of a young priestess from a long-ago Bronze Age civilization. Assuming the experience resulted from striking her head, she discounts the episode and visits her best friend in Scotland. There, at the foothills of The Highlands, the visions return, both frightening and compelling. Each time they occur, Jennifer is drawn deeper into the young priestess Cela’s life.
Driven to discover if such a Bronze Age society ever existed, she enlists the help of noted archaeologist Derek Rannoch. Derek is astonished by Jennifer’s detailed descriptions of that era. He demands to see the source of her information in exchange for his assistance. Jennifer refuses, but she needs his archaeological expertise. She must find a way to convince him to help her, for an uneasy feeling begins to overtake her. As Derek and Jennifer’s turbulent—and often antagonistic—relationship develops, Jennifer is inexplicably drawn to him, feeling safe in his presence, but safe from what?
Touch the Sky takes the reader on a mesmerizing trip back and forth between the Bronze Age and contemporary times—a trip that will challenge our notion of science and reality and affirm our belief in the immortality of love.

425 pages, Paperback

Published December 28, 2018

About the author

Alison is a versatile author who artfully blends genres to create fast-paced, memorable stories, always keeping a woman’s quest for empowerment at the heart of her novels. There is a reason why she focuses on strong women who overcome adversity.

Alison admits to running away from kindergarten three times. In high school, the career counselor told her that her grades were too poor to consider attending college. She wanted to pursue martial arts as a teenager but was told she shouldn’t engage in karate because she would get hurt fighting men. She was cautioned about riding horses because of the incidence of severe injury. And finally, she wanted to match her skills in marksmanship with the boys but was told girls couldn’t shoot.

Alison earned a Ph.D. in physiology and biophysics and taught nursing, medical, and physiology students for 30 years before retiring. She earned a Black Belt in karate. She rides her horses every day. And girls can’t shoot?

She often weaves her areas of interest and her passion for history into her novels. She has placed her characters in Britain’s Bronze Age, Medieval Scotland and England, Genghis Kahn’s Mongolian Empire, Ancient Greece, and the U.S. Civil War. However, not wanting to always live in the past, she is also the author of two contemporary spy thriller novels that have garnered an international following.

Alison lives with her husband, two dogs, and three horses in the Midwest on a farm that has been in her family for 175 years.

Reviews

[Corri · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed the historical parts of this book, but I almost stopped reading it a few times. It was too graphic in certain parts for me. I found the human sacrifice, especially of children, disturbing and the sex scenes were too descriptive. I had to skip over those pages.

[Cinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story with the scenery of Scotland : misty weather, rolling hills, an old family estate and monoliths. Main character has visions and is transported into the life of a Bronze Age priestess. She is trying to determine whether the items she sees in her visions are historically accurate and enlists the help of an archaeologist but refuses to tell him how she knows about Bronze Age items that even the people in his field don’t know. Interesting plot that takes the reader in and out of the modern day and the Bronze Age.

[Chelsie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first in a time travel historical fiction series. Jennifer is rising a British Museum in London with her not too happy husband. She feels funny, almost like she has had a few too many and in her attempt to get some air she finds herself in what must be a staff only room with old artifacts and that is when her world changes. Things go black and when she comes to, it is as if she has lived a whole other life from the past. What happened and who is this Cela girl. Meanwhile, her husband wants answers as to what she was doing and what has become of her. Thinking she is trying to get attention their relationship becomes even more strained than what it already is. Knowing she needs to take some time, Jennifer heads to her writer friends place in Scotland and as she tries to figure out what is going on with herself, she continues to bump into the man that found her in the museum room. What is happening to her, why is she living this past life when she blacks out and why does Derek keep showing up in her life? Deciding to focus on herself, Jennifer decides to pursue these blackouts and this other life she seems to be going back to. Is this actual history and how does it tie to her? Determined to find out, she enlists the help of her friend as well as someone who just may also have a connection to this past life. I really flew this first book and loved the historical story that was told through Jennifer. Thank you to the author for the free novel. This review is of my own opinion and accord.

[Mary Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book. Overall the idea of it was good, I just felt that the writing was lacking something. The characters also felt like they were undeveloped and uninteresting. For instance, a simple conversation read like a 5th grader’s interaction with a character in a book. (Conversations with Derek’s family being the worst.) Jenny’s bodily reactions to her going back in time were also too repetitive for my liking and gross. The author probably could have dialed back on the descriptions on that part and put the effort into developing characters and conversations.

[T · Rating 2 out of 5]

I should have liked this book. Alas. Between the historical inaccuracies and the below, I can only give 2 stars (and it’s just *barely* 2 stars).

Update #1: “This book is so oddly formal it’s kinda taking me out of the story. Who uses travelers checks, calls someone their secretary, and refers to someone as Mrs. or Mr.? I think the author needs a crash course on modernity…"

Update #2: “LMAO it’s Ancient Aliens meets bad Harlequin romance meets a tome in desperate need of an editor."

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Warning: once you start reading this, you won't want to stop! I loved the dual timelines - seeing the life of a Bronze Age priestess mixed with modern times. The characters were really well-developed, and I loved the way Jennifer and Derek were together. The imagery Blasdell uses is vivid, and it's easy to feel yourself transported between the two worlds. I cannot wait to see what lies in store with book two!

[Anais (atrailofpages) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I recently finished reading Touch the Sky by Alison Blasdell and this is a contemporary fiction with a mix of magical realism, history, science and romance that follows Jennifer who experiences a dizzy spell that causes her to pass out and live through the eyes of a young priestess called Cela during The Bronze Age and sees things that have not been recorded in history which causes a local archaeologist, Derek Rannoch, to take interest to find out more about the history she is seeing to record it, while both are trying to avoid the attraction that is growing between them.

I first thought this book was a time travel romance, but it’s more like Jennifer lives through Cela’s life while she’s passed out, it’s like her mind goes back in time and experiences everything Cela does and feels everything she feels. As well as sees history that she’s never read about. It was a fascinating way to do “time travel”. Jennifer calls them visions, which is probably the best way to describe what she sees and experiences.

There is romance as well, in both Jennifer’s life and Cela’s. And if you love history, well there’s a lot of talk about history in here too!

I just started the second book, Daughter of the Sky, which continues Jennifer’s story and I’m curious to see how it continues! Thank you to the author for sending me gifted copies of your books. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Phyllis Handy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Past to Present viewing

This was a very interesting book. The characters were filled out, and the plot made to be believable. I was not interested in any book I started before I picked this one. It held me to the end, and I will be reading the next in the series. I highly recommend it.

[Rhonda Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enchanting

Enchanting love story. If you like Amy Harmon you'll like Alison Blasdell. This story is interesting, entertaining ,soothing and educational. I love a story woven of tales from our past. Touch the Sky does that beautifully.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to this book on Audible, with AI narration, and boy do I HATE AI narration! As a story it deserves a solid 5 stars, and I’d like to go back and reread it in paper form, once I get that voice out of my head. The story itself was amazing, and I’m hoping it’s part of a series!

[Kathy Plunk · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Touch the Sky” will touch your heart!

I could not put down this enthralling book. I love the historical elements woven into the story. I will definitely be reading the other books in this series and anything else written by Alison Blasdell.

[Sandra HudginsBrewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Time travel? Reincarnation? Spiritual connection? Soul mates? This book opens the door to wonder. I loved it!

[cheryl slaton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review

So many unexplained things happened in this book. The past ages worshipped gods unseen except a few who learned from the people of the sky who taught them healing.
Enjoy

[Kathy Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very engrossing story and easy to follow even as it goes back and forth between the present and the past. Very well written with many, but not too many technical details.

[Cathy Mahan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love reading 2 stories in one book! Jenny is a weak character to me. All I feel for her is pity. Cela on the other hand is amazingly strong for such a young woman.

[Paulette Goldschmid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you believe in miracles?

It is said some people can fly! I believe it! Do you? Read this story! Is it possible? The author presents a good story

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I probably would have loved this book in my teens or twenties. I almost stopped reading several times but did want to see how it ended.