A crown meant for a princess. A medieval castle. And a one way ticket to an unforgettable romance.
A life changing diagnosis sends Avery Stuart on a last chance Christmas road trip. The cheery bed and breakfast offers a festive way to spend the holidays alone. But when she finds her name listed on an ancient family tree next to an English baron, her trip suddenly takes a startling turn—no fairy godmother included. She might have gotten the Cinderella dress, but her prince is more beast than charming.
On the verge of having his people starve, Sir Robert De Northwood must seek a bride with a hefty dowry in order to salvage what war has wrought. The night he must choose his wife, a strange foreign princess arrives at Northwood Castle dressed in enough jewels to feed his barony for a year—and she’s entirely alone. Sir Robert is intrigued by the fascinating woman and offers his protection by way of a sensible marriage arrangement that will benefit them both. But when the mysterious Princess Avery of Gardenia claims to be from the future, how much will he risk losing in order to keep her close?
♥ The Back Inn Time series short novels are fun, faith-filled stories of what it might be like to suddenly experience life in a different time. These clean historical romances are packed with humor and adventure. Perfect for fans of dual timeline or time slip stories and Christian historical romance, these books answer the question every historical fiction fan wonders—what would it be like if I went back to that time? If you enjoy the wholesomeness of Amish, Western, or frontier fiction and adore romantic comedies, then a visit to a seaside Victorian inn where you can “step back inn time and leave your troubles behind!” is for you.
Stephenia H. McGee is a multi-published author of stories of faith, hope, and healing set in the Deep South. She lives in Mississippi, where she is a mom of two rambunctious boys, writer, dreamer, and husband spoiler. Her novel The Cedar Key was a 2021 Faith, Hope, and Love Readers’ Choice award winner. A member of the ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) and the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution), she loves all things books and history. Stephenia also loves connecting with readers and can often be found having fun with her Faithful Readers Team on Facebook. For more on books and upcoming events and to connect with Stephenia, visit her at www.StepheniaMcGee.com.
I absolutely loved this book! It was so sweet! I didn’t want to put it down! I could totally relate with Avery when it came to trying to figure out life in the medieval times without the modern conveniences. I wouldn’t want to have to do it. I can’t wait to see what comes next in this series.
The cover is lovely and I enjoyed several aspects of this time travel novel, such as Avery believing she was in a dream. I didn't quite feel a connection between the two main characters.
Overall, this has been an enjoyable series and I'm glad it's continuing.
A Castle for Christmas is an enchanting addition to the Back Inn Time series in which you are invited to “step back in time and leave your troubles behind.” The time travel in this story is to the Isle of Sheppey, a region of Kent, England, in the year 1356. The quote “A castle. No way home. And engaged to a baron.” sums up the unusual premise of the story. How it plays out is amazingly heart-warming and entertaining. Ms. McGee’s detailed descriptions of the Medieval setting put you at the scene. The captivating time travel plot is expertly executed, and the characters are endearing and memorable. The dialogue is priceless with both humorous and serious conversations. The “garderobe” conversation between Avery and Robert made me laugh out loud! The references to Beauty and the Beast are delightful. The faith element is inspiring. A touch of dramatic action adds excitement and rounds out the story. I finished this book with a satisfied sigh! I highly recommend it especially for fans of time travel and romance. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I feel for Avery, as she has a lot of challenging circumstances to overcome. Can you imagine being dropped into this time period that has little regard for cleanliness, primitive restroom facilities, medieval medical services, and rather heathen table manners? Even though the baron's offer of marriage takes her by surprise, one must wonder if they could make a decision that regards their entire future. Would you make the decision to leave your present time period and travel back in time in order to dodge a devastating diagnosis? I've not read many time travel stores, but I know that the author has some really tempting stories in the Back Inn Time Series, which can be read in any order. I was pleasantly surprised and will definitely try some of her others in the series. Stephenia H. McGee has a rather generous backlist which I need to check out. I received a copy of this book from an author giveaway and I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 255, Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
I am really enjoying this Back Inn Time sweet and funny time travel series. A Castle for Christmas has a different twist than the others. Avery Stuart sees her name on a family tree from centuries ago, when she first comes to the Inn. She is whisked away to 1356 in Kent England, with no way home and a possible engagement to a brute, uh, I mean a baron. I enjoyed their conversations both serious in nature and the humorous ones. Sir Robert De Northwood grew on me and he eventually handled someone from the future with sincerity and grace. And Avery had A LOT to get used to going back in time. I also enjoyed the gentle faith arc that allowed these characters to come to grips with their situation. I highly recommend this book and this series for really enjoyable and meaningful stories of time travel and the many "what if" situations that could arise.
Thank you to the author for allowing me to read an early copy. All opinions are my own.
Avery Stuart has been diagnosed with a fatal disease, but as Providence would have it, she finds herself a guest at the mysterious Back Inn Time. One minute she is in the tower room at the B & B and the next she awakens, disoriented and outside a castle in the Middle Ages. Not realizing that she has traveled through time, Avery pretends that she is a princess, based upon the clothing she finds herself dressed in and the scads of diamond jewelry that accompanies her costume. I would have the done the same thing too, having grown up with tales of royalty and handsome princes.
Avery quickly agrees to a marriage with Baron Robert de Northwood, thinking she is dreaming. What happens next makes for a great tale and some adjusting to each other and the circumstances that Avery and Robert find themselves in.
“So, is there a library?”
“This is not a monastery, Lady Avery.”
Couldn’t send me to a castle with a floor -to-ceiling library, huh? No dancing candlesticks and clocks, either. Seemed like she’d only gotten the beast part in The Beauty and the Beast knockoff.
The repeated theme of the Bed and Breakfast Back Inn Time from previous books in this series is creative and keeps you guessing what will be in store for the next person who comes to visit. Mrs, Easley, the innkeeper is an enigma. I thought at first she was an angel, but after reading the book, I am not so sure. I hope there will be another one to answer that question.
If you like stories of second chances, strangers to happily ever after, and a bit of faith, suspense and humor mixed in, you will love this book.
Thank you to the publisher and author for a digital copy of the book. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Absolutely loved the entire series can't wait for the next one!
Stephenie has done a fantastic job with this series! I have loved each book. This last one A Castle for Christmas topped them all! I have never felt so many emotions reading a book. The unexpected outcomes in all of them. A must read and I highly recommend the entire series.
What a sweet book! I love the time travel concept so much, it’s what drew me immediately. It was also so interesting seeing how Avery adapted to being back in those times and trying to navigate the differences. I loved Robert’s wooing, too. I loved his assertiveness, and his determination. He was a great character. It was all very sweet and a satisfying ending, and a quick read too.
I would say the only things I would’ve wished for were: 1) Just a longer time building the characters! I loved the characters, so would’ve enjoyed seeing their love story play out a bit more and longer too. 2) Some background and details on how the time travel worked. I know it adds to the mystery which is so wonderful, but I also like details lol! 3) I almost wish her parents were there! That would’ve made for an interesting storyline!
A Castle, A Damsel, A Beastly Baron & A Happy Ever After
Have you ever read a book that was fantastic, and when the next book by in the series comes available, you grab it fast. But then, you have this tug-of-war over whether to start reading it. WHY? You so loved the former book, you fear to start reading the new book and find you are disappointed. The Wonderful News is “A Castle for Christmas” is GREAT, no fear; this book is a Gift for those who enjoy entertaining, theme-driven, cleaver fiction that encourages you to trust God and follow in His paths.
The annals of fiction are not exactly permeated with books featuring a 1300s setting and that fact alone made this book interesting. Another compelling element of the book was the heroine had a serious illness (CJD), which didn’t seem to cause her to fall apart. Avery pulled me in from the start. The Inn keeper, Mrs. Easley continued to be a colorful character and interestingly, she responds slightly different to Avery than she did to some of the other travelers who jumped off on a short-term journey from her Inn.
I appreciated the research and detail that went into the story. The interaction of Avery, the heroine with many of the distinctive characteristics of a 1300s castle made for believability, humor, and even reinforced the architectural details of castles and the cultural mores of the times. The plot pulls you in. At first, just like Avery, I thought she was dreaming and would shortly wake up back in the contemporary world, having just experienced a temporary visit to the 1300s, like in the other Back Inn Time books.
Things I Found Interesting: • Before Avery wakes up in the 1300s, she notices in her tower room at the Inn that her name is used in a genealogy connecting Princess Avery of the Kingdom of Gardenia with the Fourth Baron of Northwood. Foreshadowing? • Mrs. Easley acts differently toward and with Avery than she has done with other main characters in previous Back Inn Time Series (books 1-3). I noticed this immediately. Later, Avery finds a letter that turns out to be from Mrs. Easley, which reinforces her unique interaction with Avery. The letter states, “The tower room is for special guests, and you are one of a very few assigned there…” • Avery’s responses to her frightening circumstances were impressive. She doesn’t freak out (like the character Collette in book 1), but prays, asking for God’s peace which passes all human understanding. She doesn’t ask for God’s guidance just once or twice, but regularly seeks God’s best. Impressive. • I loved that Avery changes from labeling the Baron an angry Beast to realizing it has been so long since someone cared intensely for her, not since she lost her parents. She realizes that God has given her a gift, a fresh start.
I enjoyed this book as much as book 2, “Falling for the Fifties.”
This cheery, lovely escape gave me a lift on a rough day. Light reading, very nicely written, sometimes a little bit of the main character's dialogue wasn't believable. But, I really needed an escape from reality and this fun book kept me turning the pages while relaxing me. I love time travel. I did feel like I was in the medieval age with the rich descriptions of place and time. I'd never read Stephenia H. McGee before, but I'd enjoy another in this series to be sure. Paperbacks are my norm, sometimes I'll read an ebook. This time, needing a break from the daily grind, I bought the ebook. I'm glad I did. It was a quick read and I felt my spirits lifted afterward. Guess I needed a little Christmas in my soul and a bit of imagination to refresh me. I liked imagining the different way of life, and ended up deciding maybe I'd been missing reading for fun far too long. Thank you, Ms. McGee, for reminding me that I love reading. I'd forgotten that part of life during a long season of busy.
Author Stephenia McGee has become well known for her historical novels, and now is known for her time travel stories. Lest you get upset, she acknowledges that time travel isn’t possible. These books are simply “what if” fun. I really do recommend the entire series.
Imagine finding yourself thought to be a foreign princess that shows up at a castle. And you don’t know how you got there. How would you react? Or act? McGee shows us a great “what if” with historical details that flesh out the story well.
Is this beauty and the beast? You’ll enjoy the repertoire between Avery and Sir Robert. McGee always weaves faith throughout her stories in a very organic way; nothing is in your face. Add in a clean romance and A Castle for Christmas is a wonderful story for those who enjoy time travel or Christian historical fiction.
I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.
A Castle For Christmas by Stephenia H McGee is a charming timeslip novel. It is the fourth book in the Back Inn Time series but can be read as a stand-alone. Once more the magical inn beckons those in need of a life transformed. The lost, the lonely, the hurting are all drawn to the inn. It can be seen as a motif for God who calls the lost, the lonely and the hurting to come to Him and He will work miracles in their lives. The innkeeper points the way. Likewise we are called to point others towards God. Lives that seemingly have no hope will find it in the old inn. God, too, offers hope to all those who come to Him. Stephenia H McGee has produced another delightful offering that will warm your heart and make you smile. I received a free copy from the author. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
Another fun Back Inn Time book. I didn't enjoy this one as much as A Wagon Train Weekend, but that probably had a lot to do with the differences in time periods. Still, it was interesting reading about what life might have been like back in the 14th century. The romance was sweet, and I loved the little bit of mystery thrown in and the fact that Avery basically saved herself in the end. Plus, this a pretty quick read. If you're looking for a good Christmas time travel love story, check it out.
I enjoyed this one the least of the series. I just didn't like the main character. I found her annoying. I thought such a wide gap between the time period she left to the one she entered would be interesting. Her behavior was more understandable when she thought it was a dream. But then she realized it wasn't and continued to refuse to try to learn their ways. It was always, "but this is how we do things where I come from." She continues to insist on her way and never ever tired to understand how things in the 1300s work. Not really. It's one thing to speak your mind. It's something else to not consider other peoples' ways at all. Ugh. Sir Robert deserved better.
I’m never surprised that Stephenia McGee produces excellent writing. She is one of the best authors I’ve encountered, and I’m looking forward to her next piece of work.
A Castle for Christmas is the 4th in the Back Inn Time series. This book is different from the others in that there is only one character that “travels” in time. It was unexpected, but very delightful. It was full of all the action, drama, and romance that any good Christian Historical Fiction usually has.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts and comments are my own.
The main character has no family left and has been diagnosed with a terminal disease. She decides to do a farewell tour of places she wanted to visit, and winds up at the Back "Inn" Time bed and breakfast. She wakes up in Colonial times and discovers that her journey back in time will be permanent. She has to learn how to live without electricity, plumbing, and many other changes to her life. She institutes the concept of decorating the inside of the house for Christmas, and several other innovations that she remembers from her time 600 years later. Charming story.
Avery has been diagonosed with a terminal disease and decides to spend her last Christmas with a bang. She books a room at the Depot, and is shown to a tower. Thanks to Mrs. Easley, she wakes up in the garden of a 14th century English castle and is given a second chance at life. I enjoyed reading the descriptions of how life was like back then for the nobility. I was disappointed that the series had to end, and then I read that another Back Inn Time book is being published. I can't wait to see where this new one will take me!
Stephenia H. McGee does not disappoint with this addition to the Back Inn Time series! I loved this trip to a medieval English castle seen through the eyes of the present day heroine. Avery and Robert are a delight and I loved their relationship. I really enjoyed the language confusion; it made for some fun scenes! I hope there are more books planned for this series because it is one of my favorites!
I listened to this book on audio and I enjoyed it so much. It was a joy to listen to the narrator reading this story, the story just came to life. The story was wonderful and I also enjoyed the characters as well. There was mystery and romance and it all came together so beautifully. I enjoyed this time slip book so much, I will be reading more of this authors books. This book was Christian and clean.
God has a plan for Avery. He sent her to 1356 because problems in her life were too difficult to overcome. Avery’s entrance to Northwood was unconventional, then again, so was her early courtship with Sir Robert. The hilarious mishaps had me laughing to an empty room as the two learned about each other’s culture. A lot of research went into this book, it was fascinating! Thanks for another great read, I can’t wait for Book 5 in the series.
Wow, wow, wow! This book was very unique compared to the previous in the series. Avery's story started and ended with me getting choked up. I cannot imagine getting thrust into the medieval 1300s, but the author does a fantastic job of making it believable. The romance between her and Robert are charming. I really enjoyed this one! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I purchased this eBook series directly from the author for a wonderfully discounted price. All opinions are mine alone without expectation or compensation.
As I read this story, I couldn’t help thinking of what stepping back into the 15th century would mean. The whole garderrobe idea would be a deterrent, but finding yourself in a new time and a new place could be exciting. The handsome baron would be a definite plus!
I really enjoyed this book!!! Thank you Stephenia for another really good book! I loved the two main characters Avery and Robert. I thought the character development of these two were really good. I don’t give spoilers but if you love a good romance, this is is great book to read curled up in a blanket next to the fireplace.
3.5 ⭐️ Definitely the best in the series so far, but not quite good enough to round up to a 4. This one actually kept me guessing with what was going to happen and had a fun little surprise at the end. The time travel really did play a huge role in the plot, which is why I liked it a lot more than the others.
Maybe it’s because I started in the middle of a series and really what prompted me to pick this up what is the Netflix movie that just dropped but ultimately I did not like this book it was very dry and overall fell flat.
This is my first experience with this author but definitely not my last. What a great story! I was mesmerized with this exciting story of centuries ago. Great job!
I really enjoyed reading this book. The characters seem gruff, and just like they would probably in the real world, as a protector charged with a whole group of people cannot be swayed by personal emotions...
This is a cute and fun read. I loved the characters and the concept of how the time travel worked. And I love when a book has an epilogue to wrap things up.
I thought this book would end with Avery possibly going back to the future. I enjoyed the story but not the ending. This was my first back in time book. I like the other books Stephenia has written.