Shackled and dressed in a neon orange jumpsuit, art thief Cassie Sinatore awaits extradition at Heathrow Airport. An accident with a nearby experimental radar plane throws Cassie back in time, dumping her in a wooded countryside. The rider who discovers her is charismatic, more compelling than any man she has ever met. She chalks up the man’s Regency outfit and odd behavior to the eccentricity of the rich. Or maybe he is just a nutbar, but the man is offering a ride.
Lord Ross Kerrington, the new Earl of Drayton, having returned from the wars in 1815, finds the Kerrington family in turmoil, lunatic women who make him consider returning to the army. The alluring woman he discovers in the estate’s Greyfield Woods strikes him as equally mad. The woman wears bizarre attire, acting with a peculiar cheekiness that borders on insolence. Considering the very real dangers a madwoman faces encountering the surrounding inhabitants, he decides to bring her home to safety until he can decide what to do with her. Unexpectedly, his family has other ideas.
Faced with the realization she is trapped 200 years in the past, Cassie resolves to win her independence using her cat-burglar skills. Then things get complicated.
Against her will, she finds herself caring about the Kerrington family, fighting a powerful attraction to the very proper Ross. Dependent on the Kerringtons’ good will, Cassie finds it increasingly difficult to navigate London society, the family, and even more, her growing passion for Ross. Besides, someone is trying to kill him.
I started writing historical romances on a dare. One day I couldn't find anything new to read and Joy, the love of my life, suggested a romance, Jude Deveraux's The Princess. I enjoyed it and started reading more. I realized that most of the SF, comedy, Historicals, and mystery books I liked had a romance in them: the Dorsai series, the four volume Man of his Word fantasy series, The Sebasitan St. Cyr series, The Dog Tails, even P.G.Woodhouse's Leave it to Psmith and Richard Powell's comedy Don Quixote, U.S.A. I have been a Napoleonic enthusiast since I was young, so the Regency period appealed to me.
I read a few excruciatingly bad romances, amazed that they'd been published. So one day, I said, "I can write better than this" as I flung one such book in the trash. Joy gave me that look of hers. "So, why don't you?" The rest is history...romances. I found the Romance genre quite a challenge. I discovered there is a lot more to them than flowery words and kissing. Who knew?
I chose the time travel romances because it allows me to show the contrasts between time periods in a way a straight-forward historical can't. So much of a period's culture is common knowledge and often unconscious. No one would think to describe or discuss universally shared beliefs and conventions. It's rather unnatural to have characters discuss such things.It is hard to avoid information dumps. But put some one in that culture from another time and contrasts and culture shock ensue. I find it a lot of fun, though I enjoy writing ‘straight’ historical and contemporary romances too. I also chose time travel stories because of a personal frustration of mine. In too many novels, the time traveler realizes they have traveled in time one page after it happens and accepts the fact in the next paragraph. I try for a more realistic approach to such an cataclysmic event.
I write because it is fun, hard work to be sure, but enjoyable. My wife provides a lot of inspiration. My goal is a simple one: Provide an entertaining reading experience.
I read a lot of time travel novels. This was the best I’ve read in the last year by a country mile. Witty, wonderful characters (the matriarchal granny is more than a match for the heroine, Cassie, and that’s saying something). I loved the way slang separated by two centuries was interwoven through the story and I felt I lived this adventure, close-up and personal.
But most of all I loved the accurate details about upper-class Regency life and the snippets of current events. I’m not sure the very proper hero would have taken advantage of Cassie towards the end (!), even though she was extremely happy that he did. I lost a whole working day to this book. Couldn’t put it down!
A good solid story 3.5* rounded up because it hit my time travel must haves.
I am a 35 year sucker for time travel in general but sadly the glut of bad ones in recent years has made me a bit wary. I can certainly imagine what types of books made the reader BW Haggart declare he could do a better job, and he was right.
The mechanism for the time travel event is a quantum physics experiment gone wrong. There is no avenue for return. I liked how Cassie dealt with the oddities of the time she went to but felt there were a few places it stretched believability for her to not understand something. But nothing bothered me enough to stop my enjoyment of this simple little tale.
Cassie is such a strong heroine for any time period, I was really wondering how she was going to fit in Regency England. The author was so clever in crafting Ross as a hero, and showing why Cassie fit his family in a way no one else could. I loved Cassie and Ross, and I also loved the subplot with Ross’s little sister. A great read that will make you smile!
That is a truly remarkable time travel romance! One of the best in its category. I love how the story explores significant differences between the main characters, and really captures the essence of what happens when vastly different cultures collide.The story has everything - humour, passion, heartbreak and intensity, creating sparks with every cultural clash.
The writing is so captivating that it’s almost impossible to put the book down. Each page draws you deeper into the story, making you eager to see how the characters navigate their challenges.
This isn’t your typical historical romance where the heroine relies heavily on the hero. Cassie is a very strong and independent woman. Her resilience shines as she adapts to life in 1815, determined to forge her own path even in an unfamiliar era.
The love story between Cassie and Ross is beautifully crafted. I had a delightful, goofy smile most of the time. The romance is both heartwarming and satisfying, characters are well-rounded and endearing.
The only downside is that the book ends. I just wishing for an additional chapter or an epilogue to savour the story a bit longer. Better yet, I hope for a sequel to continue this enchanting journey.
Detailed conversations made for an excellent book.
Characters and plot were just right. The book had romance, mystery, time travel, and a good pace. Hardly any boring parts or unnecessary scenes. I enjoyed this book very much. For a sequel I want Ross to enter the world in Cassie's time, but I doubt the author will go in that direction. But I can simply do that in my own imagination.
Some parts I found fell outside the acceptable behaviour of the period, but mistakes, errors, and inaccuracies included, I quite enjoyed reading this daft yarn. Why 3 stars? That would be the mistakes, errors, and inaccurapcies. Abuse: ah yes! Flo just needed Cassie to make years of abuse all better. 🙄 Foreign Languages: Ross is an Italian languages & dialect expert? This is 1815 so he was put into the Army in 1805 and spent the majority of his career fighting in the Peninsular War - Portugal & Spain, then France. Law: Totally overplayed laws, women’s positions within it, etc. Language: Swearing - unacceptable, shocking, The way her speech is written, she’d be difficult to understand anyway. Skippy? 🤷🏻♀️ Fatal Flaw: her IUD Loose Ends: too many
I just finished reading Stealing Time, written by B.W. Haggart. I loved it! Great story, great title! This romance involves a clever time traveler, Cassie, who is also a cat burglar. Cassie is very tenacious and independent, but she suddenly finds herself in a time when women are protected and rights are few. Lots of wonderful twists and turns. I was truly sad when this page turner ended. Looking forward to more books from this author!
NB. Being of Asian descent, this reviewer was taken aback by the use of the dated phrase “Chinese fire drill” which has offensive overtones to me. In rating this book, I have made the assumption that the author had not considered this aspect in language used.
Not just another mindless time travel romantic encounter
Great character development. Has the reader cheering for them throughout. The "will she or won't she" reveal her origin is superbly done. Kept me committed to read until the end like few books I have read recently. Highly recommended.
4 stars I really liked this for the most part—it was such a refreshing take on time travel romance.
The FMC is what truly makes this book work. She’s not the usual time-travel heroine in personality or in how she reacts to the historical period. She’s clever, a little chaotic, and very much a con-artist type, which makes her feel genuinely unique and fun. She’d be great in any genre, honestly.
The book is mildly amusing throughout, and the MCs have great chemistry. I was especially impressed that the romance worked as well as it did despite being closed door, which isn’t easy to pull off.
My main frustration is the ending. The big reveal—that she’s from the future— happens in the last chapter of the book or very close to the end, and I can’t stand that. I really wish we’d gotten more time with the MCs being honest with each other, especially since the FMC has this whole backstory involving foster care and abandonment issues that features in her internal monologue throughout the book. It would also have been great for the MMC to learn more about the future and how different it is for the FMC. They barely talked about that in the big reveal. The resolution is held until the very last page (and I mean the last quarter of a page). It was far too rushed.
That said, this was a genuinely enjoyable and refreshing read overall. Strong FMC, solid romance, and a fun twist on a familiar trope—I just wish the ending had breathed a little more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
A beautiful and real slow burn that reiterated my want for a love that is for ME, all of me. Although she's 'wild' for her time, Ross still loves Caprice for her being her. I sometimes feel like Flo and I need to remind myself to not rely on having a Contessa to bring me out of my shell, but to be my own confidence mover and to let the real me shine because I AM ENOUGH.
The scene where she's climbing the wall made me want to learn that bc that BADASS.
Ross reciting Shakespeare's sonnet also converted me to a poetry lover AHH, beautiful. Need me an older man to read and explain that to me HOTT. The small gestures/touches in this time must've been extra spicy bc still think about few from bike guy HAHA (look at quote).
"“I guess you haven’t heard the story.”She leaned in and the men leaned closer to hear her. “In the Garden of Eden, Adam went to God one day to ask him why he had made the woman Eve the way he had. [...] “‘but why, why did you make them so stupid?’” The men roared their laughter, until Cassandra held up a hand and they quieted immediately. “‘Well, my boy,’” God said, ‘I wanted them to like you too.’”
Só por este trecho já considero este tipo de estória "above average". Gostei dos detalhes históricos e culturais do período presentes no livro mesmo que a trama em si ou o romance não seja empolgante.
Вполне симпатичная история про воровку Кэсси, провалившуюся в прошлое, и британского аристократа Росса, заинтригованного и шокированного происходящим. Девушка временами неплохо острит, ведет себя абсолютно независимо и настроена на то. чтобы выстроить свою жизнь в прошлом самостоятельно. Показалось, что автор, выписав ее такой крутой международной воровкой, был слишком щедр, местами Кэсси глупила.
Не хватило, пожалуй, сюжета. Росса пытаются убить, подозрение падает на дядюшку-абьюзера, с которым к концу разбираются. Так себе твист. Зато отношения между героями так и искрят. В целом вышло мило, получше многого в этом жанре.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
it's so sad that this booking had a huge potencial and it was wasted, my main dislike points - The main character was insufferable and so obnoxious, even after accepting the time travel stuff she keeps acting exactly the same as she would in our century. - The abuse and trauma of Florence was treated as a joke a lot of times, even when the book focus more on here I don't think that the theme was treated with the seriousness that is required. - The fmc kept describing the MMC as intimidating, he also did not believed her when she did a serious accusation. - So many unnecessary parts!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Four stars, this is a long story.. Cassie arrested and being transported finds herself in 1815.. Kerrington, finds her and takes her in.. But someone is trying to kill him, and he has a family with problems. ..Not being upper class, she uses her skills and knowledge to bring the family together, she never thought she would fall in love.. But there are complications.. But somehow it works out.
Disappointed. I love time travel and romance, and it has a very promising plot, but then 3 cuss words in less than 2 paragraphs?? Gratuitous. Why did you have to ruin it, B? She can be tough and smart without curse words. Also, although I didn't read far, from the little I saw as I paged through, I'm guessing the love scenes get...quite descriptive. Also gratuitous. Use your considerable talent to write a good story without these marketing "crutches." You can do it!!!
I loved the truth or dare game played by the H and h. The witty banter between them is what made the book. The grit and the pluck of the heroine is also another big plus. The heroine rather than wait for the hero, goes out and make a life for herself. Most regency books have the theme of women waiting around for men to come to their senses ... that was what the heroine though about the Pride and Prejudice book and it was an eye opener for me as I never thought it in those terms.
Cassie brings her modern world sass and devious ways with her when she goes back 200 years. There are so many interesting conversations between her and the upper crust family she lives with that had me looking up expressions and phrases throughout the book. Finally towards the end of the story there were a few steamy scenes which were really well written. Highly recommend and looking forward to part 2
As educational as it was a thrilling adventure amid a sweet romance
This is one of those timeless novels that will hold it's charm for years To come. A thought provoking exploration of feminism and femininity across the ages. The author has peppered the pages with a ton of fun vocabulary and real life references. This is a lovely beach read, not vulger or trashy. Slow burn HEA.
Excellent juxtaposition of Regency and current culture combining into an intriguing plot. I particularly liked the explanation of Ross's values and Cassie's acceptance of them as integral to his character. Mr. Haggart does a good job of keeping his hero strong enough to control his feelings until he is free to pursue Cassie. Personally, I could do without the sex scenes but even they were not gratuitous. Well written, well researched, and well executed.
Wonderful escape! An exciting and romantic time travel romance. It was a captivating story, witty and entertaining. I loved the characters and their interactions. Their actions and dialogue were wonderfully believable. The secondary characters where as engaging as the two main. Looking forward to this new authors next book!
I enjoyed time travel books. This one started out okay but I was getting bored about half way thru.....not enough action. Finish to the end of seemed to be leading up to the end when the story just stopped not sure if I was missing a page or if the author meant for the story to just end!
The view point of the person from the future was intreging. The story is well written and the premise well thought out. It was not a clichet, So many time travel books seem to fall onto the same type of story. This did not. I could not put it down - greatly enjoyed this book.
Sassy 21st century Thief steals 19th c. Aristcrat's heart
I loved the witty dialogue, the secondary characters, and the introduction of yoga to the past! The self defense courses were a great touch. It was also nice that her TT was not shared until nearly the end, but was teased with some of her art treasures knowledge! Definitely recommend.
Cassie stole for millions of expensive things. Finally caught and put on a plane to transport to prison she transported about two hundred years to the past. She met up with Lord Kerrington, Earl of Drayton, Baron Stanwell ( Ross ) B.W. Haggart has a way to have them fall in love.
I enjoyed reading this story. It was well written and I loved the heroine is from 2015, ad travels back to 1815. Of course she does upon the right person. You get to know the main characters well.