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The Going Back Portal
Danger and romance in this intriguing time travel novel...Rural Georgia,1840. Determined to keep her ancestral lands after her family is forced to march west on the Trail of Tears, a young Cherokee Indian woman finds herself trapped by a brutal white man on her own farmstead. When Kathryn Spears arrives from the twenty-first century, Forest Water hopes she's a good spirit sent to help her.The Going Back Portal is the story of two young women caught in a dangerous confrontation between good and evil where one wrong move could reverberate across generations. Each one falls in love with a man from her own time, but there's no certainty they'll survive the savage who's taken possession of the land and their freedom.A fast-paced time travel novel filled with compelling characters, including some memorable grandmothers who set events in motion."Ten stars! If you're a fan of time travel historicals like 'Outlander,' you'll love this one!" - Goodreads review"Engrossing and heartwarming... Fresh and captivating." - The Prairies Book Review'The Going Back Portal' is possibly one of the most intriguing novels I've read this year." - Readers' Favorite
328 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 28, 2019
50 people are currently reading
356 people want to read
About the author
Connie Lacy
14 books71 followersConnie Lacy writes fast-paced novels about gutsy young women struggling with moral dilemmas and life-changing decisions, all while falling in love. She writes speculative fiction, time travel and historical fiction.
Connie worked for many years as a radio news anchor and reporter. Many of her books feature journalists. Social justice and women’s rights are themes in some of her books.
She loves beautiful old trees, sparkling rivers and learning about the history of our forebears, recent and ancient. She’s fascinated by the idea of time travel.
She and her husband live in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Sign up for monthly newsletters: www.connielacy.com
Email: connielacy@connielacy.com
Website: www.connielacy.com
Connie worked for many years as a radio news anchor and reporter. Many of her books feature journalists. Social justice and women’s rights are themes in some of her books.
She loves beautiful old trees, sparkling rivers and learning about the history of our forebears, recent and ancient. She’s fascinated by the idea of time travel.
She and her husband live in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Sign up for monthly newsletters: www.connielacy.com
Email: connielacy@connielacy.com
Website: www.connielacy.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
April 23, 2019
So SO good. I absolutely devoured this book in one sitting. If you are a fan of time-travel historicals like “Outlander” (as I am) you will LOVE this one. Kathryn is visiting her grandmother in Atlanta when she discovers a portal to travel back to the 1800s. There, she encounters Forest Water, a Cherokee woman with her baby, who is being abused by her white husband.
Without getting into too many spoilers, because author Connie Lacy’s writing cleverly peels back layers of this story the further you get in, this is a tale that thoughtfully examines a variety of issues, across different timelines and from different perspectives—from Kathryn’s as a news reporter to Forest Water’s as a Cherokee woman living in a time when both POC and women had zero rights. What do you do when you know someone is being abused, but trying to help them may change the course of the future? What do you do when it simply isn’t possible to go back and correct every wrong that occurred in 1840? It also examines the plight of women and systemic abuse, both from a historical perspective contrasted with a 2019 one.
This was storytelling at its best, with wonderful main characters, and a great cast of side characters. I particularly liked Jenny and Mallory, and of course Nana 😊. You find yourself drawn into both timelines, what is happening in Kathryn’s modern day perspective as she works to take down a serial predator, as well as figure out a way to save Forest Water, as well as the past, as Forest Water works out a way to save herself. SO GOOD!!!
Trigger Warnings:
Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
Without getting into too many spoilers, because author Connie Lacy’s writing cleverly peels back layers of this story the further you get in, this is a tale that thoughtfully examines a variety of issues, across different timelines and from different perspectives—from Kathryn’s as a news reporter to Forest Water’s as a Cherokee woman living in a time when both POC and women had zero rights. What do you do when you know someone is being abused, but trying to help them may change the course of the future? What do you do when it simply isn’t possible to go back and correct every wrong that occurred in 1840? It also examines the plight of women and systemic abuse, both from a historical perspective contrasted with a 2019 one.
This was storytelling at its best, with wonderful main characters, and a great cast of side characters. I particularly liked Jenny and Mallory, and of course Nana 😊. You find yourself drawn into both timelines, what is happening in Kathryn’s modern day perspective as she works to take down a serial predator, as well as figure out a way to save Forest Water, as well as the past, as Forest Water works out a way to save herself. SO GOOD!!!
Trigger Warnings:
Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
April 22, 2019
After the opening few pages, which appears to be an innocent visit to Grandma, The Going Back Portal leaps right in to the action and never looks back. Connie Lacy uses time travel as a clever device to explore the past and connect it to the present. In this case, investigative reporter Kathryn comes face to face with the Trial of Tears, the forced relocation of Native Americans from their ancestral homelands. The story becomes very personal for Kathryn which compares and contrasts now to then. It made me consider the subject rather than dismissing it as ‘something people did back then.’ As I read, it begged the question: how far have we come?
On top of this we have a secondary plot concerning sexual predators which mirrors the now to then for a richer plot. It’s not heavy reading though. Without adding spoilers, chapter seven shows that Connie Lacy can bring a comic touch to a serious subject to vary the mood. It’s quite funny without detracting from the overall serious tone of the book.
I stopped reading the book about half way through, not because I wasn’t enjoying it, but because of what happened on the 15th March in Christchurch. The subject of the book, which is about white colonial inhumanity towards native people, was a bit too raw on the back of a white supremacist shooting. Again, the book asks the question: how far have we come?
I’m glad I picked it up again and read to the end. I wrote a cheeky comment about 20% in: “I’d always suspected figs were a catalyst for moving through space-time.” Kathryn and others have to eat a fig to navigate the time portal you see. It’s not a random idea at all. The reason suits the story well. This is no idle romp to the past, but a complex and compelling read.
On top of this we have a secondary plot concerning sexual predators which mirrors the now to then for a richer plot. It’s not heavy reading though. Without adding spoilers, chapter seven shows that Connie Lacy can bring a comic touch to a serious subject to vary the mood. It’s quite funny without detracting from the overall serious tone of the book.
I stopped reading the book about half way through, not because I wasn’t enjoying it, but because of what happened on the 15th March in Christchurch. The subject of the book, which is about white colonial inhumanity towards native people, was a bit too raw on the back of a white supremacist shooting. Again, the book asks the question: how far have we come?
I’m glad I picked it up again and read to the end. I wrote a cheeky comment about 20% in: “I’d always suspected figs were a catalyst for moving through space-time.” Kathryn and others have to eat a fig to navigate the time portal you see. It’s not a random idea at all. The reason suits the story well. This is no idle romp to the past, but a complex and compelling read.
May 13, 2019
The Going Back Portal is a fast-paced and engaging time travel story with lots of exciting twists and turns. Lacy's protagonist, Kathryn Spears, a modern day investigative reporter, goes back to her Cherokee great-great grandmother's time in the 1840s and finds her (a young mother at the time) being victimized by a cruel and disgusting white man who claims to be her husband. Kathryn vows to save her. All the while, Kathryn's present day life is full of complications that may just get her fired--or worse, and a romance that might not survive if she doesn't give up her efforts to change the past. I have to admit, there were times when I found Kathryn to be brash, naive, and a danger to herself and others. Her efforts to deal with domestic violence in the past struck me as arrogant and reckless. Granted, those same decisions were the impetus for some hair-raising scenes. It's a fun read - no doubt about it!
March 28, 2019
This is one of the best time travel books I have ever read.
A serious investigative producer for a TV news team, Kathryn Spears is not one to believe things she cannot see with her own eyes. She keeps herself hidden from the camera, allowing others to be on screen, a fact which is important to this entire story.
She regularly visits her elderly grandmother near Athens, Georgia. Her grandmother has always claimed to have some Cherokee ancestors, although the blood quantum varied, as did the stories. On one fateful visit, grandmother begins talking about the Cherokee Indians living near the bank of the river that runs far into the woods behind her cabin. Kathryn has noticed that her grandmother's mind is slipping, and she begins to worry that her grandmother has dementia.
The following day, Kathryn takes her grandmother and her grandmother's caretaker for a walk, leading them to where grandma believes she saw and talked to a Cherokee woman, a young mother. There is no home there, of course, much less a Cherokee settlement.
On day, grandmother is quite upset and tells Kathryn they must help the Cherokee woman, who is being beaten regularly by her white husband. Kathryn's investigative personality kicks in and she returns to the site where the settlement is supposed to be. There she finds some odd figs, and something clicks. She wonders if grandmother has tasted these figs of unknown origin, and maybe they cause hallucinations? She takes a bite and comes to in an unknown house.
There sits a young Cherokee woman with a baby. She looks at Kathryn like she is not really surprised to see her, but tells her she must leave immediately before her violent husband sees her. She gives Kathryn another fig from a hidden stash, and Kathryn returns to her own time, standing by the river. She chalks it all up to hallucinations, but why would she see the same thing her grandmother saw?
That is all I will divulge here because of spoilers, but the story twists and turns from there.
The characters are very well developed and the story will suck you in and leave you wanting more.
A serious investigative producer for a TV news team, Kathryn Spears is not one to believe things she cannot see with her own eyes. She keeps herself hidden from the camera, allowing others to be on screen, a fact which is important to this entire story.
She regularly visits her elderly grandmother near Athens, Georgia. Her grandmother has always claimed to have some Cherokee ancestors, although the blood quantum varied, as did the stories. On one fateful visit, grandmother begins talking about the Cherokee Indians living near the bank of the river that runs far into the woods behind her cabin. Kathryn has noticed that her grandmother's mind is slipping, and she begins to worry that her grandmother has dementia.
The following day, Kathryn takes her grandmother and her grandmother's caretaker for a walk, leading them to where grandma believes she saw and talked to a Cherokee woman, a young mother. There is no home there, of course, much less a Cherokee settlement.
On day, grandmother is quite upset and tells Kathryn they must help the Cherokee woman, who is being beaten regularly by her white husband. Kathryn's investigative personality kicks in and she returns to the site where the settlement is supposed to be. There she finds some odd figs, and something clicks. She wonders if grandmother has tasted these figs of unknown origin, and maybe they cause hallucinations? She takes a bite and comes to in an unknown house.
There sits a young Cherokee woman with a baby. She looks at Kathryn like she is not really surprised to see her, but tells her she must leave immediately before her violent husband sees her. She gives Kathryn another fig from a hidden stash, and Kathryn returns to her own time, standing by the river. She chalks it all up to hallucinations, but why would she see the same thing her grandmother saw?
That is all I will divulge here because of spoilers, but the story twists and turns from there.
The characters are very well developed and the story will suck you in and leave you wanting more.
March 13, 2020
“There’s no denying Nana did sometimes resemble an old Indian woman.” So begins Connie Lacy’s riveting time travel tale, The Going Back Portal.
Kathryn Spears is a producer for investigative reporter Mallory Cleveland at a television station in Atlanta, Georgia. When Kathryn visits her grandmother Edie—Nana—at her rural cottage, Nana tells her she has new Cherokee neighbors out behind the house. Kathryn chalks it up to the worsening of her grandmother’s dementia, until she herself falls through the time gate back to 1840, just after the infamous Trail of Tears—the forced relocation of the Cherokee nation to “Indian Territory” west of the Mississippi River.
There she meets Forest Water, left behind due to a physical disability. The young Indian woman insists that Kathryn is not safe, and sends her back through the portal with a diary that tells her story. Since the diary is written in the Cherokee Syllabary, Kathryn enlists the aid of Eric Murray, a professor of history with a specialty in Southeastern Indians, to translate it for her. When he does, she realizes she must go back through the portal and rescue Forest Water.
Ms. Lacy has created a novel so engaging it is hard to put down. It is both romantic and thrilling. Themes of grief and abandonment, crimes against women, and racism fill the pages and tug at the heart. The story is fast-paced, almost breathless at times, with a very satisfying conclusion. I highly recommend this thoughtful and entertaining read.
Kathryn Spears is a producer for investigative reporter Mallory Cleveland at a television station in Atlanta, Georgia. When Kathryn visits her grandmother Edie—Nana—at her rural cottage, Nana tells her she has new Cherokee neighbors out behind the house. Kathryn chalks it up to the worsening of her grandmother’s dementia, until she herself falls through the time gate back to 1840, just after the infamous Trail of Tears—the forced relocation of the Cherokee nation to “Indian Territory” west of the Mississippi River.
There she meets Forest Water, left behind due to a physical disability. The young Indian woman insists that Kathryn is not safe, and sends her back through the portal with a diary that tells her story. Since the diary is written in the Cherokee Syllabary, Kathryn enlists the aid of Eric Murray, a professor of history with a specialty in Southeastern Indians, to translate it for her. When he does, she realizes she must go back through the portal and rescue Forest Water.
Ms. Lacy has created a novel so engaging it is hard to put down. It is both romantic and thrilling. Themes of grief and abandonment, crimes against women, and racism fill the pages and tug at the heart. The story is fast-paced, almost breathless at times, with a very satisfying conclusion. I highly recommend this thoughtful and entertaining read.
February 1, 2021
What a great story. Kathryn is a TV journalist she has enough on her plate at the moment hunting down a drama teacher with dodgy cocktails. Then her grandmother tells her there is a non-existent Cherokee woman living at the back of her house. I'm not giving anything away - the clue is in the title, Kathryn ends up going back and opens up a big can of worms. Connie Lacy has her character considering everything in this immersive novel. Interesting ancestry historical fiction, heartwarming family story too.
Read
April 14, 2020I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to the publisher, Wild Falls Publishing!
Time travel romance??? Yes PLEASE.
Time travel romance??? Yes PLEASE.
June 3, 2019
The Going Back Portal is a fun time travel novel that deals with solving a mystery. Kathryn Spears works as a producer at a television studio and is very close to her grandmother. When her grandmother starts talking about their new neighbors, Kathryn walks over to where her grandmother said they lived to recreate the moment they appeared. With the help of some magic infused figs, Kathryn travels back through time and winds up meeting a woman who is being abused by her husband. This is the beginning of many adventures back into the past and Kathryn's journey to helping the Cherokee woman she meets from the past.
The writing was good and kept my interest! I had to know what happened! Kathryn is a strong, independent woman who meets someone new in this story. She tries hard to balance helping her new friend and not changing the future!
I just have one question: where can I get some of those special figs??
The writing was good and kept my interest! I had to know what happened! Kathryn is a strong, independent woman who meets someone new in this story. She tries hard to balance helping her new friend and not changing the future!
I just have one question: where can I get some of those special figs??
February 12, 2019
The Going Back Portal by Connie Lacy is a great book filled with history, interesting characters, and best of all, time travel. Kathryn Spears, an investigative reporter travels to visit her Grandmother one evening near Athens, Georgia, and seems to be enjoying her visit, only to find out that her Grandmother seems to think there is a Cherokee Indian living next door. When Kathryn, her Grandmother, and her Grandmother's caretaker go out for a walk the next day to investigate, strange things start to happen. First, there are the figs that grow everywhere, and second, there's what happens to you when you decide to chomp down on a fig. Maybe a strange portal exists and transports people to the past, where Cherokee Indians inhabited the land next door to Grandma's place. This is a great tale, written in a charming way, but it's a story also filled with modern day scary stuff, creepy people, and a challenging job for Kathryn to figure everything out, yet the author skillfully weaves all of the action together in such a way that it makes sense. Not only does it make sense, but it keeps you reading until the end. A solid plot, believable time travel, and engaging, well thought out characters round out this unique book.
February 13, 2019
‘You must leave. It is not safe’....’Are you Forest Water?’
Georgia author Connie Lacy earned a degree in Journalism and Creative Writing at University of North Carolina at Pembroke and used her skills as a radio reporter and news anchor. Now she writes time travel, magical realism, climate fiction and historical fiction novels: her published books include THE TIME TELEPHONE, A DAFFODIL FOR ANGIE, THE SHADE RING TRILOGY, VISIONSIGHT, and now THE GOING BACK PORTAL. She lives in Atlanta.
In keeping with Connie’s character preference for ‘young women facing serious challenges set against the backdrop of some thorny issues,’ this exceptionally well written novel offers the experiences of two courageous women in different time periods whose lives intertwine by means of a Portal through which the contemporary woman can step into 1840 Georgia to witness the trials of a young Cherokee woman, finding parallels that grow in meaning and significance as the story progresses. Time travel novels can often challenge reality testing for readers, but the secure manner in which Connie introduces the concept results in allowing the reader to suspend disbelief and instead find the story credible.
The note as to the plot compresses the adventure well: ‘Rural Georgia, 1840. Determined to keep her ancestral lands after her family is forced to march west during the Trail of Tears, a young Cherokee Indian woman finds herself trapped by a brutal white man on her own farmstead. When Kathryn Spears arrives from the twenty-first century, Forest Water hopes she's a good spirit sent to help her. The Going Back Portal is the story of two courageous young women caught in a dangerous confrontation between good and evil where one wrong move could reverberate across generations. Each one falls in love with a man from her own time, but there's no certainty they'll survive the savage who's taken possession of the land and their freedom.’
The flow of writing is evident from page 1: ‘There was no denying Nana did sometimes resemble an old Indian woman. She certainly had the high cheek bones and brown eyes. But I stopped believing her tall tales when I was twelve. Not wanting to hurt her feelings, I humored her when she said she was one sixteenth Cherokee. Or one thirty-second. Or maybe one sixty-fourth. Her story changed from one telling to the next.’
Add to the mix well sculpted characters whose presence enhances this fine novel and the result is one fine read! Recommended.
Georgia author Connie Lacy earned a degree in Journalism and Creative Writing at University of North Carolina at Pembroke and used her skills as a radio reporter and news anchor. Now she writes time travel, magical realism, climate fiction and historical fiction novels: her published books include THE TIME TELEPHONE, A DAFFODIL FOR ANGIE, THE SHADE RING TRILOGY, VISIONSIGHT, and now THE GOING BACK PORTAL. She lives in Atlanta.
In keeping with Connie’s character preference for ‘young women facing serious challenges set against the backdrop of some thorny issues,’ this exceptionally well written novel offers the experiences of two courageous women in different time periods whose lives intertwine by means of a Portal through which the contemporary woman can step into 1840 Georgia to witness the trials of a young Cherokee woman, finding parallels that grow in meaning and significance as the story progresses. Time travel novels can often challenge reality testing for readers, but the secure manner in which Connie introduces the concept results in allowing the reader to suspend disbelief and instead find the story credible.
The note as to the plot compresses the adventure well: ‘Rural Georgia, 1840. Determined to keep her ancestral lands after her family is forced to march west during the Trail of Tears, a young Cherokee Indian woman finds herself trapped by a brutal white man on her own farmstead. When Kathryn Spears arrives from the twenty-first century, Forest Water hopes she's a good spirit sent to help her. The Going Back Portal is the story of two courageous young women caught in a dangerous confrontation between good and evil where one wrong move could reverberate across generations. Each one falls in love with a man from her own time, but there's no certainty they'll survive the savage who's taken possession of the land and their freedom.’
The flow of writing is evident from page 1: ‘There was no denying Nana did sometimes resemble an old Indian woman. She certainly had the high cheek bones and brown eyes. But I stopped believing her tall tales when I was twelve. Not wanting to hurt her feelings, I humored her when she said she was one sixteenth Cherokee. Or one thirty-second. Or maybe one sixty-fourth. Her story changed from one telling to the next.’
Add to the mix well sculpted characters whose presence enhances this fine novel and the result is one fine read! Recommended.
May 6, 2019
Time travel novel!
The Going Back Portal is a fun time travel novel that deals with solving a mystery. Kathryn Spears works as a producer at a television studio and is very close to her grandmother. When her grandmother starts talking about their new neighbors, Kathryn walks over to where her grandmother said they lived to recreate the moment they appeared. With the help of some magic infused figs, Kathryn travels back through time and winds up meeting a woman who is being abused by her husband. This is the beginning of many adventures back into the past and Kathryn's journey to helping the Cherokee woman she meets from the past.
The writing was good and kept my interest! I had to know what happened! Kathryn is a strong, independent woman who meets someone new in this story. She tries hard to balance helping her new friend and not changing the future!
I just have one question: where can I get some of those special figs??
The Going Back Portal is a fun time travel novel that deals with solving a mystery. Kathryn Spears works as a producer at a television studio and is very close to her grandmother. When her grandmother starts talking about their new neighbors, Kathryn walks over to where her grandmother said they lived to recreate the moment they appeared. With the help of some magic infused figs, Kathryn travels back through time and winds up meeting a woman who is being abused by her husband. This is the beginning of many adventures back into the past and Kathryn's journey to helping the Cherokee woman she meets from the past.
The writing was good and kept my interest! I had to know what happened! Kathryn is a strong, independent woman who meets someone new in this story. She tries hard to balance helping her new friend and not changing the future!
I just have one question: where can I get some of those special figs??
October 4, 2019
I Am Now A Fan of Ms. Lacy's Work!
'The Going Back Portal' by Connie Lacy is a riveting historical science fiction story, with a touch of romance.
The author's knowledge regarding the Cherokee Indians during the 1840s is evident throughout & I love the way, in which, the author utilises this to show the differences & similarities between this time and the modern day, thus, making the story enlightening as well as enjoyable. - I couldn't ask for more from any author!
'The Going Back Portal' by Connie Lacy is a riveting historical science fiction story, with a touch of romance.
The author's knowledge regarding the Cherokee Indians during the 1840s is evident throughout & I love the way, in which, the author utilises this to show the differences & similarities between this time and the modern day, thus, making the story enlightening as well as enjoyable. - I couldn't ask for more from any author!
May 17, 2019
Nana, Kathryn Spears grandmother, informs her that she has a new neighbor on her cottage property, a Cherokee woman with a baby. Kathryn is a producer for the local TV investigative news team and is compelled to investigate although she's noticed that her grandmother has been slipping and often confuses events or people. She suspects dementia. When she walks with her grandmother, however, she suddenly finds herself more than two centuries previous with Forest Water who is struggling to survive the cruelty of Jonah, the "Bad Brother."
Forest River's mother had arranged a marriage with a white man in 1840 at the time of the "Trail of Tears" who would help her keep the homeland of her ancestors. Unfortunately, though Isham becomes a beloved husband and father to their baby girl, his unsavory, vicious brother forces his way in and Nana witnesses some of the resulting brutality. She begs Kathryn for help in getting police involvement.
The author draws a parallel to the subject of sexual predator in her current investigation and Forest Water in domestic abuse before her. There are a number of arguments presented with the idea of the grave consequences of messing with history. Is it set in stone? Can it be changed without changing every generation succeeding the event?
The narrative is so cleverly laid out in teasing diary entries that it's easy to get swept up in the idea of passing through a time portal in hopes of saving the young woman. Many native American beliefs, customs, and language are shared, the hardships of the time described, and tension mounts as Kathryn continues to make ill-conceived decisions (which continued to frustrate me).
The twists continue in this well-plotted and fast-paced story. Nana had insisted she possessed Cherokee blood and the timeline might indicate a great, great ancestor, in which case, is she messing with her own life as well?
I was given this ebook download by the publisher and Sage's Book Tours for a Reading Room opportunity. Refreshingly different, raising more moral questions than can be solved, but for the magical time while reading the book allows that there might be unexplainable events to which we may never have the answers.
Please suspend your disbelief, enjoy the vision of this delightful time travel odyssey and check out this one for yourself. 4.5/5
See my full review at https://rosepointpublishing.com/2019/...
Forest River's mother had arranged a marriage with a white man in 1840 at the time of the "Trail of Tears" who would help her keep the homeland of her ancestors. Unfortunately, though Isham becomes a beloved husband and father to their baby girl, his unsavory, vicious brother forces his way in and Nana witnesses some of the resulting brutality. She begs Kathryn for help in getting police involvement.
The author draws a parallel to the subject of sexual predator in her current investigation and Forest Water in domestic abuse before her. There are a number of arguments presented with the idea of the grave consequences of messing with history. Is it set in stone? Can it be changed without changing every generation succeeding the event?
The narrative is so cleverly laid out in teasing diary entries that it's easy to get swept up in the idea of passing through a time portal in hopes of saving the young woman. Many native American beliefs, customs, and language are shared, the hardships of the time described, and tension mounts as Kathryn continues to make ill-conceived decisions (which continued to frustrate me).
The twists continue in this well-plotted and fast-paced story. Nana had insisted she possessed Cherokee blood and the timeline might indicate a great, great ancestor, in which case, is she messing with her own life as well?
I was given this ebook download by the publisher and Sage's Book Tours for a Reading Room opportunity. Refreshingly different, raising more moral questions than can be solved, but for the magical time while reading the book allows that there might be unexplainable events to which we may never have the answers.
Please suspend your disbelief, enjoy the vision of this delightful time travel odyssey and check out this one for yourself. 4.5/5
See my full review at https://rosepointpublishing.com/2019/...
November 25, 2019
Wow, what a riveting read. The Going Back Portal, is fast paced and full of heart stopping moments. Imaging going back in time and possibly destroying your future. That question carries throughout this book, making the turn of each page suspenseful. Connie Lacy has created characters that are engaging and true to life. My heart aches for not only Cherokee Indians of the 1840s but all Indians. This is the first book of Connie Lacy’s I have read but it won’t be the last. If I could I would give The Going Back Portal a 10.
May 5, 2019
As a native American Cherokee, I particularly loved this but no matter who you are, it is awesome. I find time travel intriguing, if not impossible, but still, it is an intriguing idea. This story is full of great characters and such an intriguing storyline/plot. If you enjoy time travel/sci-fi then this is a great book for you.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 24, 2022
I absolutely adored The Going Back Portal. Lacy weaves a delightful tale full of suspense and romance. She also explores platonic and familial relationships and is able to imbue them with intense realism.
The Going Back Portal exceeds its beautiful characters with its thrilling plot that spans across two eras - though the best part of the novel is its illuminating disposition of the Native American Peoples.
A must read for any history lover, American, or fantasy fanatic.
The Going Back Portal exceeds its beautiful characters with its thrilling plot that spans across two eras - though the best part of the novel is its illuminating disposition of the Native American Peoples.
A must read for any history lover, American, or fantasy fanatic.
February 11, 2019
Kathryn and her nana stumble through a door that leads back in time where they find a native woman in an abusive relationship. For reasons I won't give away Kathryn needs to find a creative way to stop the abuse and keep the family whole. I love the use of figs that added a nice touch. As the story unfolds the trips to the past not only become more emotionally complex as discoveries are made but the they grow dangerous with more at stake than Kathryn imagined. The secondary characters added a whole lot to the narrative, her friend at work with her suspicions gave the right amount of realism with humor and Eric really won my heart. I've read everything by this author and you really can't go wrong with her. An exceptional read as always.
July 14, 2019
*Recieved this as part of the Voracious Readers Only*
4.5
I really liked this book. I couldn't put it down! It's an amazing tale of woe. Brilliantly crafted! One of the best books I've read in a long time.
4.5
I really liked this book. I couldn't put it down! It's an amazing tale of woe. Brilliantly crafted! One of the best books I've read in a long time.
July 23, 2019
This is an amazing book giving a good perspective of the prejudices against the Cherokee Indians and women in the mid 1800’s. There’s enough action to keep everyone’s attention. It was so captivating that I read it non stop. I love time travel stories.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 17, 2019
Connie Lacy might just be my new favorite author.
She weaves a magical tale, and allows you to see the characters through the eyes of the main character. I laughed, I cried, and now I'm looking for another book of hers to read.
Truly excellent
She weaves a magical tale, and allows you to see the characters through the eyes of the main character. I laughed, I cried, and now I'm looking for another book of hers to read.
Truly excellent
June 20, 2020
5 Star Review from Readers' Favorite
The Going Back Portal by Connie Lacy is a suspenseful novel portraying a battle between good and evil. Kathryn Spears, a producer for an investigative news team, takes care of her grandmother – Nana – who is suffering from Alzheimer’s. When Nana speaks about a family living on her land, Kathryn dismisses the story as a symptom of the disease. There is no family, or is there? While checking out Nana’s story, Kathryn stumbles into a time travel portal and finds herself in 1840 where she meets Forest Water, a young Cherokee Indian. Forest Water is married to an abusive white man she cannot escape, as leaving him will mean giving up her ancestral land. Unwilling to leave Forest Water to her fate, Kathryn intervenes. Will she be able to save Forest Water? And if she does, will changing the past jeopardize the present?
The Going Back Portal is possibly one of the most intriguing novels I’ve read this year. There’s nothing as wonderfully frustrating as willing a character not to make a choice it is obvious she will make, and then see her make it anyway. What can a reader do other than frantically turn the pages to see how the drama will play out? Connie Lacy spins a spell-binding story that will seduce fans of time travel and take them on a thrilling ride through the ages. Her compelling writing style coupled with elements of high drama and relatable characters makes for an emotionally intense read. Connie Lacy has a new fan in me!
The Going Back Portal by Connie Lacy is a suspenseful novel portraying a battle between good and evil. Kathryn Spears, a producer for an investigative news team, takes care of her grandmother – Nana – who is suffering from Alzheimer’s. When Nana speaks about a family living on her land, Kathryn dismisses the story as a symptom of the disease. There is no family, or is there? While checking out Nana’s story, Kathryn stumbles into a time travel portal and finds herself in 1840 where she meets Forest Water, a young Cherokee Indian. Forest Water is married to an abusive white man she cannot escape, as leaving him will mean giving up her ancestral land. Unwilling to leave Forest Water to her fate, Kathryn intervenes. Will she be able to save Forest Water? And if she does, will changing the past jeopardize the present?
The Going Back Portal is possibly one of the most intriguing novels I’ve read this year. There’s nothing as wonderfully frustrating as willing a character not to make a choice it is obvious she will make, and then see her make it anyway. What can a reader do other than frantically turn the pages to see how the drama will play out? Connie Lacy spins a spell-binding story that will seduce fans of time travel and take them on a thrilling ride through the ages. Her compelling writing style coupled with elements of high drama and relatable characters makes for an emotionally intense read. Connie Lacy has a new fan in me!
May 8, 2019
As a member of Voracious Readers Only, I received a complimentary copy of this novel as my first book to review. I was very glad to have such an enjoyable first read. I enjoy the genre of romance mystery and found that The Going Back Portal had an interesting twist on this theme, with the addition of the time travel aspect.
With the inclusion of some history of the Cherokee people, the role of women in society in the past and present day and the exploration of issues of domestic violence, Connie Lacy has delivered not only a good read but also points for us all to consider and discuss.
I read late into the night with this one as I wanted to see how the conflict in the past would be resolved through the gradual reveal of diary entries and the story events.
I'm now going to read more books Connie Lacy as a new favourite author.
With the inclusion of some history of the Cherokee people, the role of women in society in the past and present day and the exploration of issues of domestic violence, Connie Lacy has delivered not only a good read but also points for us all to consider and discuss.
I read late into the night with this one as I wanted to see how the conflict in the past would be resolved through the gradual reveal of diary entries and the story events.
I'm now going to read more books Connie Lacy as a new favourite author.
March 9, 2019
I loved this unique time travel story. What I especially loved was the fact that some things just haven't changed across time; men behaving badly in all time lines. I liked the connection to Cherokee heritage and fully believed the glimpses of life back in history. I wondered how the author was going to resolve things changing in the future when the past got messed about with, but did not see the ending coming, that took me by surprise, in a good way. Yup, thoroughly enjoyed this 'good read.'
December 22, 2019
Another fine read from Connie Lacy. I haven’t read many time travel novels, but this one had me hooked. It clips along at such an exciting pace, I found it hard to put down. Great storytelling!
February 9, 2020
What I Loved:
The Going Back Portal takes no time to jump right into the story and I loved that!! It was so fun to have the book get right down to the story and it made me invest in it so quickly.
How I Felt:
The Writing: Connie Lacy has managed to weave a time-travel story together so well! She has woven together the story of two women in two different time periods with elegant story telling. It was beautiful to read.
The Characters: Kathryn Spears is the main character in The Going Back Portal and she is a bit reckless at times, but overall, a strong MC. As a headstrong, independent news producer, she jumps right into situations that lead to some nerve-wracking times.
The Plot: Kathryn goes to visit her grandmother and is transported back in time where her decisions and actions will change her future. In the past, Kathryn meets a Cherokee woman in an abusive relationship. The two work together to right wrongs, both falling in love in their own times, and trying to avoid choices that will damage their futures.
The plot was interesting and well written. I was captivated by the story and even found humor in some scenes, lightening the mood a bit. I loved the balance of the story in the 1840’s and present day. It was a great mix and blended together well.
Content Warning: Domestic violence.
To Read or Not To Read:
I would recommend The Going Back Portal for readers that are looking for a time-travel story with some historical aspects and a bit of romance.
I was provided an advanced readers copy of this book for free. I am leaving my honest, unbiased review voluntarily.
This review will post to my blog on 2/10/20. All of my reviews can be found at: https://shejustlovesbooks.com/
The Going Back Portal takes no time to jump right into the story and I loved that!! It was so fun to have the book get right down to the story and it made me invest in it so quickly.
How I Felt:
The Writing: Connie Lacy has managed to weave a time-travel story together so well! She has woven together the story of two women in two different time periods with elegant story telling. It was beautiful to read.
The Characters: Kathryn Spears is the main character in The Going Back Portal and she is a bit reckless at times, but overall, a strong MC. As a headstrong, independent news producer, she jumps right into situations that lead to some nerve-wracking times.
The Plot: Kathryn goes to visit her grandmother and is transported back in time where her decisions and actions will change her future. In the past, Kathryn meets a Cherokee woman in an abusive relationship. The two work together to right wrongs, both falling in love in their own times, and trying to avoid choices that will damage their futures.
The plot was interesting and well written. I was captivated by the story and even found humor in some scenes, lightening the mood a bit. I loved the balance of the story in the 1840’s and present day. It was a great mix and blended together well.
Content Warning: Domestic violence.
To Read or Not To Read:
I would recommend The Going Back Portal for readers that are looking for a time-travel story with some historical aspects and a bit of romance.
I was provided an advanced readers copy of this book for free. I am leaving my honest, unbiased review voluntarily.
This review will post to my blog on 2/10/20. All of my reviews can be found at: https://shejustlovesbooks.com/
June 22, 2019
Description
The past is a dangerous place in this fast-paced time travel novel...
Kathryn Spears is a skeptical producer for a TV investigative news team. So when her grandmother claims a Cherokee Indian woman is living on a neighboring farm, she dismisses it as early Alzheimer's. Because, obviously, there is no farm nearby. Not in the present anyway. But when she follows Nana's lead, Kathryn is transported back in time to the year 1840 where she finds a young Cherokee woman left behind when her family marched west on the Trail of Tears. Forest Water is ensnared in a perilous struggle to keep her ancestral lands against a violent white man who claims the farm, and then claims her as well. Desperate to help her new friend, Kathryn becomes entangled in a battle between good and evil with much higher stakes than she imagines.
My Review:
If you enjoy books about time travel, then this book is for you.
The story is about Kathryn being a bit confused when she visits her grandmother and she is told about an Indian woman with an enchant in her backyard. Of course when Kathryn goes to investigate there is no one there. However, the plot thickens when following her granmother’s instructions and while eating a fig is transported back in time.
The book was provided to me for free in exchange for my honest opinion. That being said, it was a great read. Interesting and believable. A little bit of imagination, a little bit of intrigue and a lot of mystery.
Highly recommend.
The past is a dangerous place in this fast-paced time travel novel...
Kathryn Spears is a skeptical producer for a TV investigative news team. So when her grandmother claims a Cherokee Indian woman is living on a neighboring farm, she dismisses it as early Alzheimer's. Because, obviously, there is no farm nearby. Not in the present anyway. But when she follows Nana's lead, Kathryn is transported back in time to the year 1840 where she finds a young Cherokee woman left behind when her family marched west on the Trail of Tears. Forest Water is ensnared in a perilous struggle to keep her ancestral lands against a violent white man who claims the farm, and then claims her as well. Desperate to help her new friend, Kathryn becomes entangled in a battle between good and evil with much higher stakes than she imagines.
My Review:
If you enjoy books about time travel, then this book is for you.
The story is about Kathryn being a bit confused when she visits her grandmother and she is told about an Indian woman with an enchant in her backyard. Of course when Kathryn goes to investigate there is no one there. However, the plot thickens when following her granmother’s instructions and while eating a fig is transported back in time.
The book was provided to me for free in exchange for my honest opinion. That being said, it was a great read. Interesting and believable. A little bit of imagination, a little bit of intrigue and a lot of mystery.
Highly recommend.
October 10, 2020
I want to thank Connie Lacy, author, and Goodreads First Reads Giveaway for the eBook Kindle copy of The Going Back Portal that I received in the Giveaway.
Kathryn Spears find The Going Back Portal when following clues from her Grandmother Edie while walking by the Broad River in Georgia on her Grandmother's property. Passing through the portal takes her to rural Georgia in 1840. She finds a young Native American Cherokee woman being abused and sets about finding a way to help her.
On several trips through the portal, Kathryn makes things worse. She receives a diary written by her ancestor in the Native Cherokee language, finds a kind professor to help translate the diary, and several more adventures. In the end the young Cherokee woman finds the man of her dreams and Kathryn finds the love of her life too for a double happy ending with a touch of sadness and lots of magic figs. I love time travel books and really enjoyed this one as our family tradition has a touch of Cherokee in it too.
Kathryn Spears find The Going Back Portal when following clues from her Grandmother Edie while walking by the Broad River in Georgia on her Grandmother's property. Passing through the portal takes her to rural Georgia in 1840. She finds a young Native American Cherokee woman being abused and sets about finding a way to help her.
On several trips through the portal, Kathryn makes things worse. She receives a diary written by her ancestor in the Native Cherokee language, finds a kind professor to help translate the diary, and several more adventures. In the end the young Cherokee woman finds the man of her dreams and Kathryn finds the love of her life too for a double happy ending with a touch of sadness and lots of magic figs. I love time travel books and really enjoyed this one as our family tradition has a touch of Cherokee in it too.
March 3, 2019
Connie Lacy has done it again!
The Going Back Portal is another page Turner. You plan on one more chapter and you can't stop there. Next thing you know it's the middle of the night!
I recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a good mystery while learning about another culture at the same time. Everyone would probably like to go back in time to see first hand how things were compared to our lives today.
Looking forward to the next Connie Lacy book.
The Going Back Portal is another page Turner. You plan on one more chapter and you can't stop there. Next thing you know it's the middle of the night!
I recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a good mystery while learning about another culture at the same time. Everyone would probably like to go back in time to see first hand how things were compared to our lives today.
Looking forward to the next Connie Lacy book.
July 24, 2019
I received a copy of The Going Back Portal by Connie Lacy via Voracious Readers Only and I have to say it was AMAZING! The story was a beautiful, heartfelt, at times sad story. It flowed beautifully, and I could not put the book down. Definitely a story that I would recommend to anyone that loves to read! Connie Lacy is an amazingly talented author!
April 14, 2019
Ten Stars!! This was a wonderful and heartfelt time travel story. I loved the characters both past and present and thought it flowed so well. There was never a dull moment. Simply awesome.
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