A Train Through Time

Train Through Time #1

by Bess McBride

College teacher Ellie Standish thinks she’s on a sleek modern train heading to a conference on women’s studies in Seattle, but she awakens from a night’s doze to find herself on a bizarre historical train full of late Victorian era reenactors who refuse to come out of character. When the leader of the group—one handsome, green-eyed Robert Chamberlain—finally convinces her the date is indeed 1901, a skeptical Ellie decries any eccentric theories of time travel and presumes she is smack dab in the middle of a very interesting historical dream. She turns the directorial reins of her dream over to one smitten and willing Robert, only to realize that dreams cannot last forever. Someday she must wake up to reality, though Ellie no longer has any idea what reality is. She only knows that Robert must play an important part in her future. But how can he...if he’s only a figment of her imagination or worse yet...a man who belongs to an era long past?

Genres: Time Travel, Romance, Fantasy, Historical Romance, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical

200 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 22, 2008

About the author

I've been writing romance fiction since 2006 and have published 20 books. I write time travel romances, contemporary romances, romantic suspense, and light paranormal romances (lovelorn ghosty stuff).

A gypsy at heart, I've lived in Aruba, Venezuela, Arizona and California (thanks to my parents, and in Guam, Wyoming, Washington State, Belgium, Washington D.C., Maryland, Montana, Turkey and Alaska (thanks to my time in the U.S. Air Force. Since then, I've lived in Idaho, Nebraska and Alabama in addition to visiting many more countries and states, and I'm determined to Goodreads friend everyone from all those places plus many more!

Please stop by visit my website at www.bessmcbride.com and my blog at http://willtravelforromance.blogspot.com

Reviews

[Jennifer · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't know why books featuring female leads who suddenly find themselves transported into a more sedate and demure time era, are written so loud and brassy.

Ellie goes to sleep on one train (after possibly flirting with her 70ish year old great-grandson, she's a classy lady this one) and wakes up on another. Despite the fact that it's obviously a very different train, she's loud and rude to everyone near her. It's baffling that Robert, a very nice gentleman, who has never found love even though he's nearing 40, takes such a shine to someone who is obviously mentally insane.

He takes this mentally insane person to his house, and feeds and clothes her. And proceeds to fall in love with her the rest of the way. At which point she runs away from him. So he stalks her for awhile. She has an inexplicable journey to the future again, which is a bit unclear...I think she's just not meant to nap in trains.

"Somewhere in time" it's not.

[Auj · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ellie thought that the people from 1901 (exactly a hundred years before I was born!) were a travel reenactment group for way too long. Then she thought she was in a dream for way too long; she had a hard time accepting that she had time travelled to 1901 via the train.

I think she and Robert fell in love a little too fast. I found it incredibly frustrating that she kept pushing him away and even fled his house and took up residence in a boarding house at one point. Her reasoning was that she didn't know whether she could remain in 1901, so she didn't want to hurt Robert further.

Also, all her dreams where it seemed like she traveled back to the 21st century (or maybe she did actually) and saw her ex-fiancé were very confusing.

So my dad's name is Robert, and to be honest, I can see him in this book. My dad and this Robert had similar personalities. This is the second book I've read lately where the men from the late 1800s/early 1900s were SO PROPER like wtf. I'm sure not all guys were this uptight. I've read plenty of regency rakes so idk.

This is a clean romance fyi. Cleaner than the last clean romance I've read lol. I would have liked to have known that before reading this book. Both characters are in their late 30s, for those who like to see older characters.

[Boundless Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love history. I absolutely anything old. This book was right up my alley.

Ellis meets her love Robert on a train. One she thinks is modern, but soon finds out it is one that somehow sent her back in time.

A Train Through Time is the first book in a series and so far I'm in love! I love the story and I love the characters and can't wait to see how this series progresses. The ending was a great little twist and one I didn't see coming, but loved it!

This time travel was little different. It really is a great start to what I hope is a great series....Stormi

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[Deena · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'd give it zero stars if I could. 47% was more than enough to remind me that you get what you pay for - and I got this for free. With respect to the author (who has completed several books, which is more than I can say), the only adjective I can think of to describe this story and its characters is "moronic."

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audio version of this book.
A Train Through Time had an interesting plot and characters. I loved the concept of Elle going to sleep on a modern day train and then awakening on a train in 1901 to a gorgeous man. The plot wasn't exactly a page turner, but it certainly had enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. Will Elle stay in 1901 with Robert or will she awaken in her own time with the fiancee she no longer loves? Ms. McBride really does an awesome job of surprising the reader.
The narration of this book wasn't as strong as it could have been. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't one of my favorites either.
I was given a complimentary copy of this audio book. All thoughts are my own.

[arisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ⭐️
This was my first ever historical fiction book and I was genuinely intrigued. There were a lot of concepts in this book, mainly time travel, that I had never read before which really helped broaden my reading pool. Ellie and Robert's romance was pretty rushed since they only knew each other for a matter of days which isn't an ideal time frame for me to love. Nevertheless, the plot of the book was really interesting and I finished it rather quickly. I wish we got more of the ending though since it felt a little too rushed for me and ended so abruptly.

[Patricia · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a real disappointment because I have read other time travel stories by this author and expected more. I ended up scan reading it from about the 50% mark. Scan reading means an automatic 2-star rating meaning I finished the book but didn't like it much.

Ellie was not a really great main character. She drove me crazy. I could not believe Robert's attraction to her. I am not a great one for lies, either. She was a lousy liar 🤥, too. The story seemed very chaotic to me.

[Sanderella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book!! What's not to love?? A present day young lady boards a train, falls asleep, wakes up in Seattle- 1901!! This story was well put together. I love a good time travel story!! On to the next book in this series!!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this series was a cute time-travel series. Not the greatest, but well worth reading :)

[Romance4thebeach · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved the start of this novel. Ellie is adamant she hasn’t traveled through time, instead thinking she’s woken up surrounded by a strange troupe of Victorian era reenacters. When she eventually realizes that theory holds no weight she moves on to the idea that she must be dreaming, and sticks with it for pretty much the rest of the novel. Rather than our heroine admitting the truth that she’s traveled through time, Robert is actually the one who puts it together first, and tries to convince her of it. It felt like such a unique departure from most time travel romances, where our traveler is usually the one who must come up with the most compelling argument to convince others that they are from a different time. Normally those in the past are the skeptical ones, and I just really loved how this novel chooses to take that trope and flip it on its head.

Robert could have easily had this strange woman committed for acting so bizarrely, but instead he chooses to play along with Ellie’s delusion that she’s simply dreaming. It was actually a humorous way to show how smitten Robert was with her from the very beginning. He becomes convinced that Ellie was meant to travel through time to find him, and for them to be together. Now he just has to convince her that it’s true. At first Ellie is determined to “wake up” from this crazy dream. However, as she spends more time with the dashing Robert her fondness for him also grows, and she starts to hope that this wonderful dream will continue.

Shockingly, at one point in the novel when Ellie falls asleep she does actually wake up from this dream in her own time for the briefest of moments before waking up again back in the Victorian era. She then becomes determined to stay away from Robert before they fall too hard for each other, or else risk crushing his heart once she does leave this time for good. This is definitely a unique time travel twist in that although the train sort of acted as the device of her travel, it was more the act of falling asleep that was the impetus for it. This makes her presence in the past all the more suspenseful, as you never know when she might wake up again in her own time. Is she truly destined to remain with Robert forever in the past? Or is she just visiting for a brief moment in time?

The characters in this novel are everything. From Robert’s snarky grandmother, who I couldn’t help but compare to Trix from Gilmore Girls, to his delightfully chipper sister. Even the supplemental characters who don’t have that much impact on the overall story are so much fun, and you can’t help but become enthralled in this world. The development of some characters was also fascinating. We are introduced to one woman at the beginning of the novel who is set up to be someone who will become a thorn in Ellie’s side, potentially ruining her happily ever after with Robert. Instead, we surprisingly see how this woman comes to becomes one of Ellie’s best friends, who is so unbelievably kind and sincere. So delightful, and it definitely keeps you on your toes!

I can’t think of a better juxtaposition than having a Women’s Studies professor being thrust back in time to the turn of the century. The land of corsets, elaborate hairdos, and always having to lean on a man’s arm. At the start of this novel I was thoroughly entertained with how Ellie expressed her horror at having to squeeze herself into a corset, and jumped for joy at how she wasn’t afraid to talk with Robert about how different her life is in the future as a modern woman.

Some of my favorite scenes though were when Ellie would have a heart-to-heart with a woman from the past, and discover how they see such fashions of the time as freeing compared to what they were years before. We can see how one can criticize the past when compared with their current life, but at the time also see how illuminating it can be to compare those circumstance with those that came before. It really helps to put everything in perspective, and give the professor a lesson as well.

My one main criticism of this novel is how Ellie’s character evolves, or devolves, throughout the book. She eventually comes to fit in almost too much with the times. What I loved so much at the outset was how Ellie stood out compared to those around her, and that she wasn’t afraid to speak her mind and stand up for herself as a woman. As she spends more time in the past however, we see how she starts to internalize more of her opinions, and almost becomes complacent in her interactions with Robert. I still love Robert as a lead character, but when she avoids making eye contact with him, becomes tongue-tied in his presence, or runs away from her feelings for him she almost seems like a turn of the century woman who needs a fainting couch. Or maybe some smelling salts to help her with the vapors! I wanted her to remain a headstrong female from start to finish, but instead at one point she’s almost like a blushing wall flower.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Train Through Time
By: Bess McBride

Ellie is traveling by train from Chicago to Seattle for a conference. Somewhere during the night she passes through a time portal and awakens in 1901 on a different train. That is where she meets Robert. They begin an exciting adventure while trying to see if she will stay in the past or will be flung back to her own time period. The listener will travel along watching to see if the budding romance will happen, or will reality come between them. This is a good start to this series.



The narration was well done. The characters were well portrayed. oseph Antone's voice was very complimentary to this story!



I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ellie Standish thinks she's’ on a train headed to a women’s studies conference in Seattle, but when she wakes from a nap she finds that she is suddenly on a historical train full of Victorian-era reenactors. Or so she thinks. She meets Robert Chamberlain who finally convinces her that she is in really in 1901. He believes she has traveled back in time, she believes she is dreaming. While they spend more and more time together they start to care for one another, but Ellie believes this will all be gone soon and she will hurt Robert so she runs away from him. Will Robert be able to make Ellie believe she belongs with him no matter how long they have together?

I really enjoyed this book. The characters had wonderful chemistry together, so much that you hoped that everything worked out for them to be able to stay together. The time-traveling was an interesting concept on how to bring these two people together. The ending was a nice surprise. This is a fun read. I like that Ellie is a strong female who is a feminist who finds herself in the 1900s. Ellie's view on what women can do and who they are to be treated makes for some interesting discussion between Ellie and Robert.

I listened to the audio version of this book. The narrator did a great job with the characters. He really gave each character their own voice and brought their personality through. I enjoyed his tone and pace, I was able to just put on my headphones and listen to the story while cleaning the house or sitting in my “reading nook” and resting.

If you like historical time travel romance this is definitely for you. I look forward to seeing how the series continues. I receive a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own and in no way have been influenced.

[KSSA · Rating 1 out of 5]

While the idea of time travel through train ride is lovely, I feel like watching an amateur play rather than a well-written novel. I just can't stand the heroine and scan the whole book. She is a teacher who learned history especially the same period. Instead of implying her knowledge on that period to adapt, she is unnecessarily rude , sneaky ,coquettish and a habitual liar. What a waste of good time travel story base on disgusting main character .

[Joann Maggio · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Train Through Time ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️by Bess McBride

If time travel book are your thing, this book is so entertaining and fun. I love how Ellie, is the time traveler, believes she is caught in a dream. Robert the man she meets from the past realizes what has happened and although skeptical accepts this.

The twist in the end was something not expected but as a reader that looks es time travel though provoking.

[Pamela Grabek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute

I like time travel stories. This started out with Ellie riding the train to Seattle falling asleep and waking up in 1901. Meeting Robert and his family. Ellie character was a little weak coming from the future even though she taught about the woman in that time. The end was a nice touch.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Train Through Time

I loved this book, and will continue following the author and buying her books. I thought the characters were great, and I liked how the book went from one time and back to another.

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Romance

Pure romantic scapism with trite descriptions. His green eyes, emerald green at that, were mentioned at last 15 times. Not much good to say about this one..

[Vickie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wasn't sure about the narrator at first but he turned out ok. The book was very enjoyable but could have used some sex. If this was meant for "young adult" it has just the right amount.

[ann m ferreira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome

What a great story! And what imagination I loved it!In fact I'm ready to get started on the next train book. Magnificent!

[Claudette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this and have started to read the other books in this series. So far they all include something on the first 2 characters of in this novel, which makes it more enjoyable.

I really like Bess McBride style of writing.

[sandy conrad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goo

Another of this author sweet story l8nes about love with our the need for graphic sex! I intend to read more

[Danielle · Rating 2 out of 5]

good gravy ....

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

I really liked the story plot. They were destined to be together. The ending was very clever. A book you won't be able to put down.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful sweet, clean time travel romance.

[Royce Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book

This is a good book, it has some of the we can't love each other mess in it but it's not like it usually is, it's one sided and based on a very different reason.

[Eliza · Rating 3 out of 5]

I honestly don't know what to feel about this.

[Charlene Bridgeford · Rating 5 out of 5]

great reading

I just love Bess McBess novels.
I enjoy reading about the characters and learning about their life and seeing how it comes out.

[Thom Swennes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ever since the H. G. Wells classic, The Time Machine was first published in 1895, time travel has gripped the attention of a myriad of readers. Whether the journey is into the future or the past makes little difference but the publication of Outlander in 1992 and the subsequent other books in the series, a new interest in the old premise is rekindled. Since then a new genre has been created and countless authors have risen to the challenge.
Ellie Standish has always loved trains. This was obviously her first choice of transport when she takes a trip from Chicago to Seattle to attend a conference. As a teacher at the Chicago Community College, she teaches Women’s Studies, specializing in 19th Century women’s place in society. As the train was approaching the Washington state border, Ellie falls asleep in her seat, 31B, when she awakes something is different, something is wrong.
The seat that she had been sitting in, was now a bench upholstered in plush red velvet, and the sights, sounds, and smells were just not right. As she reaches full consciousness, a tall, dark stranger hovers over her with concern on his face.
Robert Chamberlain is traveling with his family to Seattle. He hired the entire car for the trip. Moments before, this beautiful sleeping woman wasn’t where she now slumped. Her sudden appearance is a mystery but the more he interacted with her the more it changed to a pleasure. Robert instantly accepts that Ellie is from another time, but Ellie isn’t so easy to convince. Even the sight of their first stop at Wenatchee, Washington (Apple Capitol of the World), didn’t convince her that she has traveled back in time. Uncertainties and self-denial plague Ellie but Robert’s tenacity and obstinacy prove strong enough to keep him in the running for her affections. Ellie appears to be very estranged with the times considering that it should be her time of expertise. This chance introduction soon blossoms into a romance that I’m sure will please many readers.

I realize that this period is often referred to as the Victorian Era but am surprised and a little concerned that this era of American history is referred to as Victorian / Edwardian and not McKinley / Roosevelt. Granted that Queen Victoria and her age created the largest Empire the world has ever seen but her influence on the United States is minimal. Presidents William McKinley (25th 1897 – 1901) and Theodore Roosevelt (26th 1901 – 1909) have had a far greater impact on American society than Ole Queen Vicky.

[Julia Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this story very much and since it was set in the States and written by an American author, the different way of spelling didn't irk as much as when it's a story set in Great Britain with American spelling. Since I've no experience of train travel in the States, I had to trust that the author knew her stuff and as I read I felt she certainly did.
I loved being whisked away on both the modern and historical train and hearing of places the author had obviously researched very well. Ellie was a lovely heroine and I felt for her, especially when she was on the frantic journey trying to find Robert again. There were parts of the story that brought tears to my eyes. I was also amazed how long a journey can take in the States, even in the present century (days sometimes).
The description of the country was very good. I believe that the vast distance the train travelled was a metaphor for the wide gulf in time between Ellie and Robert. This made the story very poignant.
I would have liked to have given this story five stars, but I winced when Robert unzipped Ellie's dress. Although zips were around in 1901, they weren't used on clothing until the flying suits of the Great War in 1914. Sorry for being picky, but for me this anomaly pulled me out of the story somewhat although didn't spoil it for me.

[Angela Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow it's been such a long time since I've read a time travel romance even though they are my absolute favorite. I remember my first romance novel I read was a time travel and that's what started my love for reading romances. I forget the name of the book but I think it was a harlequin novel. I really wish I could remember it though. Sounds like a fun research project is in my future ;)

Anyways I've been dying to read one of Bess McBride's books because I've heard how good they are. So I bought A Train Through Time from amazon. I think it was only 1.99 or maybe even 99c to buy either way it was an excellent price!

Very good read indeed! What I liked the most about the book is Ellie because every time she'd say something modern everyone would give her crazy looks lol! I also liked Robert's devotion to her no matter how outlandish time travel sounds. I was hoping they'd find a way for him to meet her in the future when she became stuck in the present day but then we wouldn't get Edward's sweet encounter in the end.

I'm rating A Train Through Time 4 out of 5 stars. For fans of time travel romance, Bess McBride has several books to quench our thirst. I'm definitely a fan of hers now!