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Taken
A compelling read for fans of Octavia Butler and lovers of American History, exhibiting a captivating blend of romance and realism: a wildly dynamic adventure, involving a modern-day young widow, haunted by loss, confronts unforeseen perils and embarks on a transformative journey as she takes a daring chance on newfound love. Journey through the collision of past and present and weave through mystery, history, and the complexities of human connection. A thrilling and emotionally resonating narrative.
Matt was my husband. I was supposed to be with him for the rest of my life when the accident happened and took him away from me. I wouldn’t love anyone else. I believed.
Until, I meet Leif. He tells me to trust him and to take my chance with him.
Except, I’m his hostage. Not only am I his hostage, but time is holding me captive too, and I’m suddenly trapped in a world that is not mine. The year is 1756, and I am strangely in Massachusetts Bay Colony. War between Great Britain and France explodes across New England, and terrorizes the territory.
I don’t know how I got here, and all I want to do is find a way home. But, the more time I’m stranded here, the more I spend time with Leif, and I am compelled toward him.
Our lives are becoming inextricably entwined, and I’m afraid of losing everything that I once knew and loved.
I begin questioning where I truly belong as I think of the life I left behind.
I wonder if I’m going to withstand this, because all I know for certain is he is bound to my survival... and to the truth of why I’m here.
* TAKEN is a realistic time travel romance set before the American Revolutionary War, incorporating historical events. Ideal for those seeking a fresh take on the time travel romance sub-genre.
**Recipient of the Literary Titan's Book Award
**Recipient of the Florida Authors and Publishers Association President's Book Award
**Recipient of the Outstanding Creator Book Award
**Finalist recipient of the American Fiction Award
Matt was my husband. I was supposed to be with him for the rest of my life when the accident happened and took him away from me. I wouldn’t love anyone else. I believed.
Until, I meet Leif. He tells me to trust him and to take my chance with him.
Except, I’m his hostage. Not only am I his hostage, but time is holding me captive too, and I’m suddenly trapped in a world that is not mine. The year is 1756, and I am strangely in Massachusetts Bay Colony. War between Great Britain and France explodes across New England, and terrorizes the territory.
I don’t know how I got here, and all I want to do is find a way home. But, the more time I’m stranded here, the more I spend time with Leif, and I am compelled toward him.
Our lives are becoming inextricably entwined, and I’m afraid of losing everything that I once knew and loved.
I begin questioning where I truly belong as I think of the life I left behind.
I wonder if I’m going to withstand this, because all I know for certain is he is bound to my survival... and to the truth of why I’m here.
* TAKEN is a realistic time travel romance set before the American Revolutionary War, incorporating historical events. Ideal for those seeking a fresh take on the time travel romance sub-genre.
**Recipient of the Literary Titan's Book Award
**Recipient of the Florida Authors and Publishers Association President's Book Award
**Recipient of the Outstanding Creator Book Award
**Finalist recipient of the American Fiction Award
568 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2022
130 people are currently reading
1998 people want to read
About the author
E.C. Roderick
4 books50 followersAfter graduating from college with a B.A., E. C. Roderick pursued a career as a classical fine artist while teaching fine art to adults and children for 10 years. She has been commissioned to do many portraits, landscapes and still life paintings that hang in private homes and public institutions throughout the United States.
After marriage and becoming a mother, she placed her painting and teaching career on hold while devoting her full time and attention to her family. While taking care of the needs of her children, she took up the pen and discovered the creative joy of writing in what little spare time she had been afforded. During this time she created the story for her award winning debut novel, Taken, as a result of her love for history and romance.
After marriage and becoming a mother, she placed her painting and teaching career on hold while devoting her full time and attention to her family. While taking care of the needs of her children, she took up the pen and discovered the creative joy of writing in what little spare time she had been afforded. During this time she created the story for her award winning debut novel, Taken, as a result of her love for history and romance.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
April 22, 2024
This book had a good storyline once I could see past the Outlander similarities. The writing is unrefined but has a great deal of potential. I will definitely read it again if and when the second instalment is released. I hope the author might go back and edit some of the repetitive references to modern-day designer clothing and the many mentions of the Tiffany engagement ring her deceased husband gave her. It is very distracting and unnecessary. At the end of this book, very little makes sense, and I have no idea what direction this story is headed. That is both a positive and a negative.
January 21, 2022
The story started a little rough for me from the endless designer name dropping to the clunky descriptive writing, but the characters were interesting and once we fell through the time-warp, I slipped into the story.
Sylvie is a young widow and pediatrician still mourning her losses. She is fluent in Spanish and French. When her car goes off road in a snowstorm, she finds herself in 1756 in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. There is a war between the British, France and the native indians. Dressed for a holiday party, she is questioned by a group of soldiers and almost captured by Indians before she is rescued/kidnapped by a Scottish Duke and his brother. She soon finds herself traveling with their group.
I loved the landscape and historical mentions, Leif (the Duke) and his family were interesting, as was the life they have carved out in the Americas. The author takes you into the military forts and rural homesteads and their communities, offering a rich and detailed look at colonial life.
I struggled with Sylvie a little. Obviously she is a little out of sorts given the circumstances, but I would have thought such an educated woman would have heeded Leif’s warnings or at least understood the danger she was in once she realized she was really in 1756. Her conversation and behavior regarding their romantic relations did not reflect those of a previously married woman. In fact, she acted like an inexperienced virgin.
I liked Leif, his brother the Earl and their families. I could hear his accent and feel the way he cared for Sylvie. Sylvie on the other hand didn’t say much verbally making her conversations awkward and filled with, “Oh” “Okay” and, “Sure.” I could feel Leif’s frustration in figuring her out but perhaps she struggled to understand his subtle courtings. It was hard enough with the differences in language.
The story brought suspense, trouble with British generals who believe Sylvia to be a spy for the French and Indian attacks. Sylvia learns how 1756 women live and struggles with wanting to return to her own life and carving our a new one with Leif.
The romance built slowly with passion, miscommunication and character growth. While the romance is in a good place when the book ends, you’ll need to continue the series to find out if Sylvia remains trapped in the 1700s.
I am looking forward to seeing what happens next despite some of my issues. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
Sylvie is a young widow and pediatrician still mourning her losses. She is fluent in Spanish and French. When her car goes off road in a snowstorm, she finds herself in 1756 in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. There is a war between the British, France and the native indians. Dressed for a holiday party, she is questioned by a group of soldiers and almost captured by Indians before she is rescued/kidnapped by a Scottish Duke and his brother. She soon finds herself traveling with their group.
I loved the landscape and historical mentions, Leif (the Duke) and his family were interesting, as was the life they have carved out in the Americas. The author takes you into the military forts and rural homesteads and their communities, offering a rich and detailed look at colonial life.
I struggled with Sylvie a little. Obviously she is a little out of sorts given the circumstances, but I would have thought such an educated woman would have heeded Leif’s warnings or at least understood the danger she was in once she realized she was really in 1756. Her conversation and behavior regarding their romantic relations did not reflect those of a previously married woman. In fact, she acted like an inexperienced virgin.
I liked Leif, his brother the Earl and their families. I could hear his accent and feel the way he cared for Sylvie. Sylvie on the other hand didn’t say much verbally making her conversations awkward and filled with, “Oh” “Okay” and, “Sure.” I could feel Leif’s frustration in figuring her out but perhaps she struggled to understand his subtle courtings. It was hard enough with the differences in language.
The story brought suspense, trouble with British generals who believe Sylvia to be a spy for the French and Indian attacks. Sylvia learns how 1756 women live and struggles with wanting to return to her own life and carving our a new one with Leif.
The romance built slowly with passion, miscommunication and character growth. While the romance is in a good place when the book ends, you’ll need to continue the series to find out if Sylvia remains trapped in the 1700s.
I am looking forward to seeing what happens next despite some of my issues. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
March 20, 2023
Dnf chapter 5.
There were 2-3 major deciding factors on why I dnf'd (even with this being a debut author's novel).
1. The writing was very juvenile to me, even the conversation scenes were cringe worthy especially with Sylvie and her guy friend, Keith's reunion. "Oh my God! it is you!...Yeah!...Oh my God! I can't believe it!...I know!..What are you doing here?...Well, I could as you the same thing!" So many !!!!'s.
Kind of basic and boring, like couldn't come up with points to say. Very repetitive with words and descriptions. Even the Scottish dialect seemed over the top to me for some reason.
2. Story is too much of a copy cat of Outlander and I just didn't have a good feeling reading this story even with all the similarities. It was just way too obvious and also put a bad taste in my mouth.
3. This book really needed to be edited and I just couldn't continue with the 550+ pages. The writing didn't have prose that I'm enthralled with. I wasn't loving the characters either and I didn't think Sylvie was having the actions she should be having after being transported.
I tried but this wasn't for me.
There were 2-3 major deciding factors on why I dnf'd (even with this being a debut author's novel).
1. The writing was very juvenile to me, even the conversation scenes were cringe worthy especially with Sylvie and her guy friend, Keith's reunion. "Oh my God! it is you!...Yeah!...Oh my God! I can't believe it!...I know!..What are you doing here?...Well, I could as you the same thing!" So many !!!!'s.
Kind of basic and boring, like couldn't come up with points to say. Very repetitive with words and descriptions. Even the Scottish dialect seemed over the top to me for some reason.
2. Story is too much of a copy cat of Outlander and I just didn't have a good feeling reading this story even with all the similarities. It was just way too obvious and also put a bad taste in my mouth.
3. This book really needed to be edited and I just couldn't continue with the 550+ pages. The writing didn't have prose that I'm enthralled with. I wasn't loving the characters either and I didn't think Sylvie was having the actions she should be having after being transported.
I tried but this wasn't for me.
January 6, 2022
What a great story. A very slow burn romance, I was surprised that she did not divulge that she had travelled back in time, maybe in the next book. There was a lot of descriptions of places, people and events which enhanced the reading experience. Quite an emotional read. I was a bit confused at the beginning did not see the relevance of meeting the guy on the plane. The whole book was a page turner which was hard to put down.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 19, 2021
Time traveling stories are always fun to read in my opinion. A little historical background with a twist. The characters and the background history is well written. The author has a talent of making the reader root for the characters. I love this book!
December 12, 2021
Wow, a lady Pediatrician whisked back in time to the war between the English, French, Americans and Natives in the US.
This book is so well written and historically researched. I just loved it and can not wait to get the next book in the series.
This book is so well written and historically researched. I just loved it and can not wait to get the next book in the series.
December 31, 2021
This book for me has many aspects that I like. Such as romance, some angst and of course drama. It has so much potential which is why I gave 3 stars, otherwise it would have been 2 stars.
Although this author writes scenes in great detail which I enjoyed there were too many little things that needed improvement. For one thing, this was a woman who was clearly educated, so how can you suddenly wake up on a sunny day from being in a snow storm and not ask what day is it? If you are being harassed by wearing your expensive jewelry, why not hide it like you are hiding your cell phone? And what did happen to her cell phone? Is she hiding it in her clothing pocket still?
Also for someone being so educated, why is it that when she is conversing with Leif and others she was continuously saying, ‘Oh!’, ‘Sure’ and ‘Okay’? And I can overlook how Sylvie reacted childishly when she was upset but knowing the times, she used way to much slang which would cause many raised eyebrows. It just didn’t make sense if she was trying to not expose herself.
Another thing, Qui and Oui are two separate words and yet Qui was used to translate the word Yes. If you are going to add another language, it might be best to have a French translator help.
Lastly, why was Sylvie scared that Leif was going to hurt her when they were being intimate? I mean she was not a virgin and yet she reacted like she had never had sex. If it was fear of moving on without her husband I can understand but she only commented that when he touched her for him not to hurt her. She even made him promise before he fully touched her. Again this is more a reaction I would expect from a virgin.
I do think I will read the next book since I do like the overall story but I do think you need a better editor to help with the finer details.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Although this author writes scenes in great detail which I enjoyed there were too many little things that needed improvement. For one thing, this was a woman who was clearly educated, so how can you suddenly wake up on a sunny day from being in a snow storm and not ask what day is it? If you are being harassed by wearing your expensive jewelry, why not hide it like you are hiding your cell phone? And what did happen to her cell phone? Is she hiding it in her clothing pocket still?
Also for someone being so educated, why is it that when she is conversing with Leif and others she was continuously saying, ‘Oh!’, ‘Sure’ and ‘Okay’? And I can overlook how Sylvie reacted childishly when she was upset but knowing the times, she used way to much slang which would cause many raised eyebrows. It just didn’t make sense if she was trying to not expose herself.
Another thing, Qui and Oui are two separate words and yet Qui was used to translate the word Yes. If you are going to add another language, it might be best to have a French translator help.
Lastly, why was Sylvie scared that Leif was going to hurt her when they were being intimate? I mean she was not a virgin and yet she reacted like she had never had sex. If it was fear of moving on without her husband I can understand but she only commented that when he touched her for him not to hurt her. She even made him promise before he fully touched her. Again this is more a reaction I would expect from a virgin.
I do think I will read the next book since I do like the overall story but I do think you need a better editor to help with the finer details.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 30, 2021
There are so many aspects of this book that were quite appealing to me. For example, the author writes with beautifully descriptive language throughout the book. I was not surprised to read that the author is an artist/painter is her "real" life as she paints beautifully with words. An example I reread a couple of times as it painted such a wonderful sense of something experienced by Sylvie, one of the main characters: The entire forest floor was insulated and seemed like an acoustical sound hall, allowing everything to be precisely heard. I had to remind myself several times that Sylvie was, throughout the story, a time traveler who was experiencing the somewhat mundane life with Leif and his family as would an alien in a new world. As far as providing a rating, I admit that I debated between a 4 or a 5. I felt the book was a bit too long, and at times, I got bogged down a bit with all of the wonderful descriptions. (Tough problem to have, right?) Eventually, I decided on 5 stars because I do not want to distract from a beautifully written story about time travel, acceptance, and love. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 5, 2021
I highly recommend preordering this book so you can get your hands on it when released. Do you like time travel? romance? great characters? interesting history? This one has it all. Silvana has a complex, full life while still mourning the death of her husband Matt. She's visiting family and makes a run for an item needed for dinner when she sees something in the road and ends up wrecking her vehicle. She wakes up in 1756 with a band of Scottish soldiers fighting with the English against the French and the natives. Talk about culture shock! What would you do if you fell in love with one of the men - you want to go home, but you're so drawn to him. I am now eagerly waiting the second book so I can find out what happens.
January 15, 2022
This one took a bit to get into the story and get past the introductory portion to when the time travel event finally happened. The characters were well-developed, believable and interesting. The lad was definitely hot for sure and the dialect helped to capture his character very well. I am hoping there will be more novels as I am curious what happens next to the characters.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
arcs
December 16, 2021I, unfortunately, had to DNF this book for a few reasons so I won't be giving it a star rating but I wanted to air my thoughts.
The writing was a bit clunky. There were extra, unnecessary words thrown in or the same word used multiple times within a few sentences. The dialogue dragged and felt incredibly forced in places.
Because of that, I had a hard time connecting to Sylvie, the leading lady. She felt very...stand offish and I understand she lost her husband, but to be that closed off to the people around her...I just didn't like her. I feel like there was just a disconnect between her and the entire story. Why continue reading a book about a character you don't jive with? Life is too short for that.
Overall, I feel like this book is significantly longer than it really needs to be. There's a lot of filler details that don't really add to the story, but just end up being tedious for the reader to mull through.
Now, this book obviously isn't for everyone and my opinion is just that, my opinion, so take it or leave it and if you do pick up this book, I truly hope you love it and are able to overlook the stuff that bugged me :)
Thank you EC Roderick for the ARC to read and honestly review.
The writing was a bit clunky. There were extra, unnecessary words thrown in or the same word used multiple times within a few sentences. The dialogue dragged and felt incredibly forced in places.
Because of that, I had a hard time connecting to Sylvie, the leading lady. She felt very...stand offish and I understand she lost her husband, but to be that closed off to the people around her...I just didn't like her. I feel like there was just a disconnect between her and the entire story. Why continue reading a book about a character you don't jive with? Life is too short for that.
Overall, I feel like this book is significantly longer than it really needs to be. There's a lot of filler details that don't really add to the story, but just end up being tedious for the reader to mull through.
Now, this book obviously isn't for everyone and my opinion is just that, my opinion, so take it or leave it and if you do pick up this book, I truly hope you love it and are able to overlook the stuff that bugged me :)
Thank you EC Roderick for the ARC to read and honestly review.
July 28, 2023
Newly widowed Sylvina embarks on a remarkable journey of self-discovery and resilience in the face of loss in E.C. Roderick's captivating fantasy romance, Taken. When fate intervenes and leaves her stranded in Colonial Era New England during the French and Indian War, Sylvie finds herself entangled with a group of courageous Scottish men fighting for the British.
Roderick skillfully weaves together themes of love and loss, using the time jump as a powerful metaphor for Sylvie's emotional journey. Amidst the challenges of survival, Sylvie encounters the charming Leif, whose magnetic chemistry with her adds an enchanting layer to the narrative. The supporting characters, including Leif's family, contribute depth and nuance to the story, while the dynamics of social relationships during that era are portrayed with intriguing authenticity. One of the book's strengths is how effectively it transports readers back to the historical setting, allowing them to immerse themselves fully in Sylvie's adventures. The exploration of Sylvie's rediscovery of love after her husband's passing is heartwarming and inspiring, making for a truly engaging read.
While Taken does share some plot points with the popular Outlander, it also diverges in unique ways, making it a distinct and compelling tale in its own right. I also feel the dialogue between some of the characters was stiff and unnatural; these minor flaws, however, don't diminish the overall charm of the story.
Taken holds the promise of becoming an exceptional and unforgettable tale. The captivating romance, well-developed characters, and evocative historical backdrop combine to make this book an absolute delight and an enchanting read for all fantasy romance enthusiasts.
Roderick skillfully weaves together themes of love and loss, using the time jump as a powerful metaphor for Sylvie's emotional journey. Amidst the challenges of survival, Sylvie encounters the charming Leif, whose magnetic chemistry with her adds an enchanting layer to the narrative. The supporting characters, including Leif's family, contribute depth and nuance to the story, while the dynamics of social relationships during that era are portrayed with intriguing authenticity. One of the book's strengths is how effectively it transports readers back to the historical setting, allowing them to immerse themselves fully in Sylvie's adventures. The exploration of Sylvie's rediscovery of love after her husband's passing is heartwarming and inspiring, making for a truly engaging read.
While Taken does share some plot points with the popular Outlander, it also diverges in unique ways, making it a distinct and compelling tale in its own right. I also feel the dialogue between some of the characters was stiff and unnatural; these minor flaws, however, don't diminish the overall charm of the story.
Taken holds the promise of becoming an exceptional and unforgettable tale. The captivating romance, well-developed characters, and evocative historical backdrop combine to make this book an absolute delight and an enchanting read for all fantasy romance enthusiasts.
January 26, 2023
I came upon this book in an unusual fashion.
I picked up this book based on a comment by a fellow participant in a FB group on the Outlander series of books by Galbadon. The comment was to the effect that Taken was a ripoff of the original book in the Outlander series. I looked for it on Amazon in order to get a sense of the story. It was on sale for $0.99. I bought it and read it.
I don't believe it intentionally follows Outlander, but is remarkable how many similarities I found. I won't list them all, but it starts with accidental time travel back to the eighteenth century. The heroine is a trained, female medical professional who is promptly abducted by a band of Scots, and ends with a forced wedding with one of those same Scots, complete with a blood vow and the new wife fainting.
There is a drinking game in there somewhere, but most attentive readers would be dead drunk a quarter of the way through.
It is not a series i expect to continue. The heroine of the story pales in comparison to Claire Fraser of Our landed. She is s!ow to see her situation as it is, cares too much for jewelry and clothes, and talks like a Valley Girl without adapting to the time she finds herself. There is a real person in there, I'm sure, just well hidden by the author.
I picked up this book based on a comment by a fellow participant in a FB group on the Outlander series of books by Galbadon. The comment was to the effect that Taken was a ripoff of the original book in the Outlander series. I looked for it on Amazon in order to get a sense of the story. It was on sale for $0.99. I bought it and read it.
I don't believe it intentionally follows Outlander, but is remarkable how many similarities I found. I won't list them all, but it starts with accidental time travel back to the eighteenth century. The heroine is a trained, female medical professional who is promptly abducted by a band of Scots, and ends with a forced wedding with one of those same Scots, complete with a blood vow and the new wife fainting.
There is a drinking game in there somewhere, but most attentive readers would be dead drunk a quarter of the way through.
It is not a series i expect to continue. The heroine of the story pales in comparison to Claire Fraser of Our landed. She is s!ow to see her situation as it is, cares too much for jewelry and clothes, and talks like a Valley Girl without adapting to the time she finds herself. There is a real person in there, I'm sure, just well hidden by the author.
March 27, 2024
Spice: 🌶🌶🌶
I have always stayed away from books that takes place in the past because of the anticipated mention of slavery because let's face it-it happened and I want to mention that the author touched on this subject between the two MCs and it was beautifully done.
Now, with that said, oh my! Sylvina & Leif 😍
Wow! Do I love the two of them!
You can tell the author took time to research and create such an entertaining, enthralling, and beautiful experience for the reader. The pacing of this story was flawless, and the descriptive details were effortsly done. I never thought I would enjoy this story the way I did! Sylvina has been sucked into a time machine (so to speak) and transferred back to the year 1756. What happened? How did she get there?
I started this wonderfully crafted tale on a Friday and finished the following week on a Wednesday. It was over 500 pages, and for me, that's super long. This wasn't my typical vampire read. The story was such a page turner that I didn't realize it was that long. I don't want to give away any spoilers, but I loved this book! I say if you like historical romance that also has time traveling, definitely give this one a chance.
I HIGHLY recommend this book❤️ and I look forward to book two!
I have always stayed away from books that takes place in the past because of the anticipated mention of slavery because let's face it-it happened and I want to mention that the author touched on this subject between the two MCs and it was beautifully done.
Now, with that said, oh my! Sylvina & Leif 😍
Wow! Do I love the two of them!
You can tell the author took time to research and create such an entertaining, enthralling, and beautiful experience for the reader. The pacing of this story was flawless, and the descriptive details were effortsly done. I never thought I would enjoy this story the way I did! Sylvina has been sucked into a time machine (so to speak) and transferred back to the year 1756. What happened? How did she get there?
I started this wonderfully crafted tale on a Friday and finished the following week on a Wednesday. It was over 500 pages, and for me, that's super long. This wasn't my typical vampire read. The story was such a page turner that I didn't realize it was that long. I don't want to give away any spoilers, but I loved this book! I say if you like historical romance that also has time traveling, definitely give this one a chance.
I HIGHLY recommend this book❤️ and I look forward to book two!
November 27, 2024
Thesaurus.com
The premise is good. I really wanted to like it, and I forced myself to finish it. The writing is truly awful. Not the plot, mind you, the writing. Was there an editor at all? I think the way my friend phrased it best, the author wrote the book with thesaurus dot com open in another tab. I got to the point that I was reading just to show my friend the ridiculous word choices. No one in the history of time has said they looked at someone "concentratedly." There's a million of these weird uses. The dialog is all written with novice adverb usage. "Uhh." He heaved coarsely. Something something something she said meekly. (Not a real example) but you get the gist. The bad writing is one of 2 things, absolutely no editor, or written with AI. Neither of these options makes for a good book.
The premise is good. I really wanted to like it, and I forced myself to finish it. The writing is truly awful. Not the plot, mind you, the writing. Was there an editor at all? I think the way my friend phrased it best, the author wrote the book with thesaurus dot com open in another tab. I got to the point that I was reading just to show my friend the ridiculous word choices. No one in the history of time has said they looked at someone "concentratedly." There's a million of these weird uses. The dialog is all written with novice adverb usage. "Uhh." He heaved coarsely. Something something something she said meekly. (Not a real example) but you get the gist. The bad writing is one of 2 things, absolutely no editor, or written with AI. Neither of these options makes for a good book.
March 6, 2025
I had such high hopes for this book, but unfortunately it fell terribly short. Reading this was so difficult with the repetitive and descriptive wording. I swear, if the word “demurely” had come up one more time I was ready to throw the book and Sylvie’s responses to most everything was, “oh.” Where in the world was the editor?!
It truly felt like Chat GPT may have written it and I found it really lacking in emotion. I had to force myself to get through this one. Ultimately nothing really drew me in and it just seemed like a terrible rip off or Great Value brand of Outlander.
I really did want to like this book!
It truly felt like Chat GPT may have written it and I found it really lacking in emotion. I had to force myself to get through this one. Ultimately nothing really drew me in and it just seemed like a terrible rip off or Great Value brand of Outlander.
I really did want to like this book!
January 4, 2022
This was an interesting slow burn story for me. The way Sylvie goes back in time and eventually meets Leif was unique. I enjoyed the rich descriptions about the setting, characters and even the simulated speech/accents. It is amazing considering all of the challenges intricacies of being a woman living in pre American Revolution times. I liked how the relationship between Sylvie and Lief blossomed, the story ending with clearly more to come.
I received an ARC and am voluntarily sharing my honest review.
I received an ARC and am voluntarily sharing my honest review.
June 23, 2022
I received a copy of this book for a fair and honest review. I was excited about the concept of this book. A woman suffering from a loss being pulled back in time to the 1750s. That she said she would not find love again. I love a good romance. There were parts like the designer name drops and her talking about the ring her deceased partner gave her. It took away from the enjoyment of the book. There were times I have to push through to finish this book. Still undecided if I will read the next one or not.
July 28, 2022
I Don't Even Know Where To Begin.
This book is awful on so many levels.
The story is a shameless ripoff of the Outlander series. The author even used verbatim dialogue in a couple of places and directly stole a scene from the "Last of the Mohicans" movie where a frontier family is murdered.
The same colors are used repeatedly to describe the landscape, the love scenes are cringe worthy and the overall writing is repetitive and clumsy.
Whoever edited this book should find a different line of work as should the author.
I can't believe I paid good money for this drivel.
This book is awful on so many levels.
The story is a shameless ripoff of the Outlander series. The author even used verbatim dialogue in a couple of places and directly stole a scene from the "Last of the Mohicans" movie where a frontier family is murdered.
The same colors are used repeatedly to describe the landscape, the love scenes are cringe worthy and the overall writing is repetitive and clumsy.
Whoever edited this book should find a different line of work as should the author.
I can't believe I paid good money for this drivel.
February 26, 2023
I am being generous to give even a 2 star rating. The beginning was rough and I almost gave up on the book (after noticing another 400 pages to go). But once the "drop through time" happened, it got a little easier to read, repetitive, but easier. I was rather disgusted with the blatant and obvious copying from both Outlander and Last of the Mohican scenes. I mean, there was little attempt to disguise the scenes at all! All in all, the writing left something to be desired. (Other reviewers have expressed it better). I think that I will not bother with the second in the series.
February 25, 2024
An impressive debut novel about time travel. Fairly reminiscent of Outlander, our heroine Sylvina is a doctor; albeit a pediatrician and in this instance the method of time travel is largely unknown. Our hero Leith is a Scottish soldier, reinforcing the Outlander theme but there are subtle differences. The story takes place in Massachusetts, Leith has a brother and Sylvina is Hispanic. Adjusting to a slightly more formal writing style I soon got carried away in the beautifully descriptive story.
This is the first book in a trilogy. I am really looking forward to the next installment.
This is the first book in a trilogy. I am really looking forward to the next installment.
January 7, 2022
Sylvina had lost her husband almost four years ago. She is also a pediatrician and loves what she does.
She falls through a time warp. Some British soldiers abduct her because they think she is in danger, or she is a spy. They do some moving around, trying to stay away from the Indians. The Duke and Earl spent a lot of time rescuing her. It kept my attention, and I did enjoy it, but it is a cliffhanger. I really don't care for those. Her description of the sky, trees, etc. was lovely but I did have to go back to a dictionary. There were a lot of one-word sentences like Oh, OK, Okay. The characters were so compatible, witty, and interesting. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
I received this ARC from Net Galley and voluntarily reviewed it
She falls through a time warp. Some British soldiers abduct her because they think she is in danger, or she is a spy. They do some moving around, trying to stay away from the Indians. The Duke and Earl spent a lot of time rescuing her. It kept my attention, and I did enjoy it, but it is a cliffhanger. I really don't care for those. Her description of the sky, trees, etc. was lovely but I did have to go back to a dictionary. There were a lot of one-word sentences like Oh, OK, Okay. The characters were so compatible, witty, and interesting. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
I received this ARC from Net Galley and voluntarily reviewed it
February 15, 2024
Great read - love time travel stories and the historical references. I skimmed through several parts that I felt were unnecessary. Reading the Scottish conversations slowed me down until I got the hang of it. Overall very enjoyable - I appreciate books nowadays that don’t stress me out like this one. I do plan to read the next 2 in the series.
Thank you to the author and publisher for an advance copy via goodreads.
Thank you to the author and publisher for an advance copy via goodreads.
March 30, 2024
I struggled to get through this book and I didn't enjoy it. I love time travel romance but this book reminded me of the first book of the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. I found that reading the speech of characters with accents was off-putting. I feel that if it hadn't been so reminiscent of the Outlander book, I may have enjoyed it.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 16, 2023
I love this book! I love the characters, the different journeys that the author guides you through going back in time, and the how the author makes you feel as if you are actually there with the main characters. I couldn't put this book down, and read it front to back in one weekend. I highly recommend this book for you.
November 25, 2024
Charming
Enjoyed the story, but there were two things that iterated me, for being a professional (pedestrian) Sylvie sure did use the word Yeah a lot instead of Yes. Secondly I did mind the use of the different language but it would've been good to have a translation of the word. Kindle couldn't translate. Otherwise enjoyed the book, will continue with series.
Enjoyed the story, but there were two things that iterated me, for being a professional (pedestrian) Sylvie sure did use the word Yeah a lot instead of Yes. Secondly I did mind the use of the different language but it would've been good to have a translation of the word. Kindle couldn't translate. Otherwise enjoyed the book, will continue with series.
November 11, 2021
Available for preorder here: https://www.amazon.com/Taken-Novel-Bo...
and here: https://books2read.com/u/3n7gEx
I hope that you will enjoy Sylvina's story and happy reading! 😊
and here: https://books2read.com/u/3n7gEx
I hope that you will enjoy Sylvina's story and happy reading! 😊
June 9, 2024
Juvenile junk
The dialogue between charactera is totally lacking in anything to spark the readers interest. I felt zero connection to the characters and to compare to the works of Gabaldon is nothing less than insulting.
The dialogue between charactera is totally lacking in anything to spark the readers interest. I felt zero connection to the characters and to compare to the works of Gabaldon is nothing less than insulting.
January 29, 2025
Struggled to finish. Story was ok but the dialog was hard to read. Story has been repeated and I found myself angry at Sylvie’s ignorance and naivety.
July 4, 2025
It took me a bit to get over the blatant similarities to Outlander and quite frankly The Last of the Mohicans.
But since I do enjoy a time traveler story, I couldn’t stop reading it
But since I do enjoy a time traveler story, I couldn’t stop reading it
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