Rhubarb, Strawberries, and Willows

by Sylvia Barnard

A B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree Hurtling up Highway 69 toward Sudbury in her VW bug, Kate Dumont Walker decides she's going to keep her baby. After all, it's the 1980s. That is, until she is unexpectedly plunged 100 years into the past, without her Amelia, to the early days of her Northern Ontario community. Unable to return to her own time, she eventually learns to stop living as a visitor and settles into life with Claude, the devoted single father who lives in a log cabin that stands on the same property as her present-day family home. And yet, she is caught between two times and the fear she will lose everything again if she is drawn back to the future.Still knowledge of another tragedy consumes her--the Spanish River Train Disaster of 1910. Just a few miles from Nairn Centre, the train jumped its tracks, telescoped in the middle of the bridge, and sent the second and third cars over the edge and through the ice like a bullet. Almost all of the passengers were lost. Was it the screeching of the train she heard ringing in her ears as she travelled back in time?Puzzled by the connection between her family and the devastating derailment, she tries to shift the proposed Trans-Canada Railway route west of Sudbury. Will she be able to change history to prevent the tragedy, and at the same time save her family?

Kindle Edition

Published August 5, 2021

Reviews

[Kay Smith-Blum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who hasn't imagined being a time traveler? Sylvia Barnard weaves an intriguing tale of one woman's journey between present and past, found love and motherly love, proving a purpose can be found, if even 100 years in the past.

[Chris Butt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Time travel, what's not to like? A very original tale set in Northern Ontario which captures the time and places perfectly

[Vicki Jacobs · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first novel I've read that includes a historical treatment of events where I live. A great first novel combining history, family relations, and time travel.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Hurtling up Highway 69 toward Sudbury in her VW bug, Kate Dumont Walker decides she's going to keep her baby. After all, it's the 1980s. That is, until she is unexpectedly plunged 100 years into the past, without her Amelia, to the early days of her Northern Ontario community. Unable to return to her own time, she eventually learns to stop living as a visitor and settles into life with Claude, the devoted single father who lives in a log cabin that stands on the same property as her present-day family home. And yet, she is caught between two times and the fear she will lose everything again if she is drawn back to the future.

Still knowledge of another tragedy consumes her--the Spanish River Train Disaster of 1910. Just a few miles from Nairn Centre, the train jumped its tracks, telescoped in the middle of the bridge, and sent the second and third cars over the edge and through the ice like a bullet. Almost all of the passengers were lost. Was it the screeching of the train she heard ringing in her ears as she travelled back in time?"
An interesting time travel story. The Spanish River Train Disaster in 1910 was a real tragedy. The story was quite well written but the romance and the very happy reunions all seemed a bit hooky.

Puzzled by the connection between her family and the devastating derailment, she tries to shift the proposed Trans-Canada Railway route west of Sudbury. Will she be able to change history to prevent the tragedy, and at the same time save her family?

[Scott Overton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stories in which modern-day people travel back through time have become a kind of sub-genre of historical fiction, but I haven’t read many with a Canadian milieu, let alone set in Northern Ontario, so that gives Rhubarb, Strawberries, and Willows a special attraction. In Sylvia Barnard’s debut novel, a tragic train wreck on the Spanish River in 1910 is the impetus and the focal point for the travels of Catherine Dumont, a 1980’s woman who finds herself thrown a century into the past. There she encounters a scattering of early settlers, including some of her own ancestors, and faces the painful choice of whether to keep trying to return to her own time or build a new life in an earlier century. And what about that train wreck? Can she somehow prevent the carnage?
With clear prose and engaging storytelling, Barnard captures both the hardship and the pleasures of the rugged northlands of the 19th Century. She evokes the charm of the north with telling details of the wildlife and forest plants, celebrates the medicinal knowledge of indigenous peoples, and touches the heart with moving scenes of parental love.
Readers will be carried along on an emotional journey with a satisfying ending, and will look forward to seeing more from this gifted writer.

[Canadian Traveller · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a delightful and entertaining time travel story!

Sylvia Barnard's descriptive prose transports you back to the 1800s in Northern Ontario, Canada in this time travel tale. The main protagonist, Catherine "Kate" Dumont, is an instantly likeable character with secrets she must keep closely guarded. This is a beautiful story centred around the theme of love and how it binds us to family and friends. The plot kept moving along at a great pace and had me guessing right up until the end. It's obvious the author had done her homework researching historical facts and it all gets weaved seamlessly into her fictional story. I really enjoyed this book and savoured it every night before bedtime. I look forward to reading more books from this new author.

[Susan Doornbos · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this novel engaging from beginning to end. It's clear the author did a lot of research about the area and the disaster that happened way back then. Her characters and their interactions are wonderful, and you never lose track of who is who. I found the protagonist to be an incredibly strong woman, but the choices she had to make made me want to cry. I would definitely LOVE to see a sequel on the family.

[Janice Barrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. It transported me back a hundred years with its historical facts of the times, scenes, and attitudes of the people to lend authenticity to the piece. Great dialogue that creates characters you want to love or hate. A compelling read that intertwines relationships and keeps you reading at a fast pace to see how it ends. Great book.

[Stacie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My aunt bought this book and we’ve passed it around the family and everyone has absolutely loved it. Great story, well written and growing up in northern Ontario, it’s always fun to read something that references places that I know. I recommended it for my book club and we will be reading it within the next few months. Great work, Sylvia!!

[Franco Guescini · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this magical ride through time, and learned a little history along the way. Sylvia Barnard has created some believable, down to earth characters, that pull you into the story. It's an interesting fantasy, created around a historical event, with some twists and turns to keep you wondering what will happen next.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why isn’t this book more popular. It was everything I wanted and nothing I expected. Northern Ontario, pioneer life, time travel, mystery, beautiful characters. I loved it. Can was please have a sequel. I need to know what happens next!

[Ron Whitman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very well written book, hard to put down (even from a male perspective) not just a romance .Can’t wait for the next

[Lois Rooney-Giurin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a lovely read. Believable time travel, factual history and a love story for the ages. It was like taking a trip with a good friend.