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Lost in Time #1

London Time

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Can a cynical fashion editor in modern-day Manhattan find true love in Victorian-era London?

Welcome to book 1 in the phenomenal new series Next in Time by the bestselling author Belle Ami.

Emily Christie, a British ex-pat fashion editor in NYC, yearns for the kind of love depicted in literature and art. When Emily and her two “besties”, Jenee and Gabriella, attend an exhibition of Renaissance artist Marco Allegretto at the Met, Emily can’t help but be drawn into the ethereal beauty of his trio of paintings, The Three Stages of Love. Each painting features Allegretto with his muse and lover, a beautiful and mysterious woman with long red hair. Although her identity was lost to the winds of time, she was the inspiration for the heroine in The Time Traveler’s Lover.

The bestselling novel devoured by Emily and her friends in their book club tells the heartrending story of Iris Bellerose, a young woman in World War II Paris who is flung back in time to Renaissance Florence where she meets and falls in love with Allegretto.

If only the novel were true!

When Allegretto suddenly comes to life in the first painting and takes Emily’s hand, she’s stunned right down to her Manolos. But Emily is shocked beyond imagination when Allegretto flings her back in time to Victorian-era London, where she quite literally lands at the feet of Colin Remington, the heir to the Marquess of Danbury.

Colin is investigating a series of grisly murders of young women, one of whom was his fiancée, Daphne Carmichael. Emily, who bears a striking resemblance to Daphne, is shaken by this strange coincidence. Desperate to unravel her predicament and desperate to stop the murders, she and Colin join forces.

But how will Emily manage her growing feelings for the impossibly attractive Lord Remington, and how in blazes will she ever get home?

323 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 9, 2022

157 people are currently reading
342 people want to read

About the author

Belle Ami

50 books385 followers
#1 Bestselling Amazon author, Belle Ami, knows that “Dreams do come true.” Belle Ami is an author of time travel romantic thrillers, international thrillers, and historical fiction. Her latest #1 historical fiction novel is The Last Daughter, based on the true story of her mother’s survival of the Holocaust. Whether she writes thrillers set in the art world with a supernatural twist or her new Lost in Time series of time-travel historical romances for Dragonblade Publishing, Belle’s books are all meticulously researched with compelling stories that will usher you through breathtaking twists and turns and introduce you to captivating heroes and heroines. Belle’s books have won many awards, including the RONE, the Raven, Readers’ Favorite Award, National Jewish Book Award, and The Book Excellence Award, to name a few.
Belle Ami Book List:
Mona Lisa's Daughter
Lost in Time Series: London Time, Paris Time, & Tuscan Time
The Last Daughter
The Blue Coat Saga: The Rendezvous in Paris, The Lost Legacy of Time, and The Secret Book of Names
Out of Time Series: The Girl Who Knew Da Vinci, The Girl Who Loved Caravaggio, and The Girl Who Adored Rembrandt
Tip of the Spear Series: Escape, Vengeance, Ransom, and Exposed
The Only One Series: The One, The One & More, and One More Time is Not Enough
When Bells isn’t writing, you can find her in the kitchen whipping up a delectable meal for her family to enjoy. In addition to gourmet cooking, Belle is an accomplished pianist, avid skier, and world traveler. She lives in Southern California with her wonderful Giorgio Armani—her regal Chihuahua.


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5 stars
63 (32%)
4 stars
68 (35%)
3 stars
46 (23%)
2 stars
8 (4%)
1 star
7 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
Profile Image for Diana N..
627 reviews34 followers
August 16, 2022
Time travel through a painting and to London. Emily gets to know her detective rescuer and we find out about the flower girl serial killer that has been causing distress throughout the city.

I really like the characters in this book, especially Emily. She is a strong modern woman and starts to bring her views to late 1800s London, but has to be creative about it. Colin is just an overall nice guy that likes Emily for her witty and strong traits. Of course the Carmichaels after losing their own daughter welcome Emily like family which creates the wholesome feeling to the story.

Some things I would have liked a bit more of would have been more accidental slip ups by Emily that would have increased the suspense of her being a time traveler. I felt like it took a bit to get to the time travel part and the whole painting business purpose was confusing until later in the book.

This is a first book in the series, so I am curious on what time travel continuation comes next from one of the other paintings. I definitely want to read the next book.

Thank you to Dragonblade and Netgalley for providing a copy of this ARC for my honest review.
Profile Image for Belle Ami.
Author 50 books385 followers
Read
June 16, 2022
I'm very excited to announce that my new book London Time is up for preorder on Kindle and will be published by Dragonblade Publishing on August 9, 2022. It's the first book in my Lost in Time series, a time-travel historical romance thriller with a strong heroine and an irresistible hero.
When Emily Christie is swept back in time, she finds herself in Victorian London, where a serial killer is on the loose.

Three paintings, three best friends, three time-travel portals: the adventure begins…London, Paris, Tuscany--Can love triumph over time?
Profile Image for 🦉Maggie Whitworth.
3,254 reviews113 followers
August 6, 2022
❤️❤️❤️❤️
💋

An enjoyable read that’s full of great characters and a very entertaining storyline.

A time travel romance with chemistry and love interests that will keep you glued to the pages.

My first from this author, I hope to read more.

I received an Arc copy of this book and chose to post this review

Profile Image for Sofie Wen Rose Svendsen.
44 reviews2 followers
July 4, 2023
4.5 - 5 stars
Loveeeed everything, the time travel element, the murder mystery and the littéral star crossed romance like fate.

It was really good and I’m excited to read the next hehe
Profile Image for Bonnie.
1,141 reviews19 followers
August 26, 2022
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and this is my freely given opinion.

OK, this is a time travel romance that takes a young ex-pat British woman from modern day New York and thrusts her into Victorian England.

Emily Christie is a single magazine editor living in Manhattan, visiting an art gallery while having a girl's weekend with her two best friends. She is visiting an exhibit that she is enthralled with, and that is a focus of a novel that she and her friends love, about the Renaissance artist Marco Allegretto and his unnamed muse. While she is contemplating a tryptich of paintings of his, which show the three stages of love, Marco reaches out to her and as she takes his hand, she is drawn into one of the paintings and suddenly materializes on a road, about to be run down by a coach.

She is confused and feigns amnesia and is taken in by the older couple in the carriage, Sir Arthur and Lady Helen, who are also accompanied by a close friend, Colin, Lord Remington.

This was an interesting tale that was fun, but only if you just suspend all belief, because there is several stories that cross over, and there were far to many details that were quite over the top.

First - there is the tale of Marco and his muse, Iris in 1500 Florence and their love affair and posing for his paintings. Then there is Emily and her friends in modern New York as single besties enthralled by Marco and his story. Then there is the mysterious book written anonymously and found in a trunk in France about Marco and his time travelling lover/muse, Iris Bellerose that is such a hit that Emily and her friends read about, thinking it is fictional. Then there is Emily, Collin, and Sir Arthur and Lady Helen in 1892 England. Then there is time-travelling Iris and Marcus, who are being pursued by an evil Renaissance countess, and her bully boy who is a time travelling Nazi. Iris by the way is a Jew who time travelled from Paris during WW2 - after her parents were killed by that same Nazi. Iris also shows up during 1892 as well...

Confused yet?

To simplify things, the main focus here is Emily in Victorian England, and Colin. Colin is a private investigator of sorts and is working on solving the mystery of a series of grotesque murders. Including that of his fiancee, Daphne. Daphne was also the only child of Sir Arthur and Lady Helen. Oddly enough (wink wink), Emily is shocked to discover that she resembles Daphne enough to be her twin.

Anyways, I think I am exhausted just thinking about all the various links, connections, and coincidences... it is all a lot to take in. But regardless, the contained story in this book is about Emily and Colin's growing relationship, and solving those murders, while also being drawn into the larger overarching story of Marcus and Iris, and helping them with their problem as they are lost and separated through time, as they are fighting off the evil mechanisms of the Countess and the Nazi. Emily and Colin's story is an HEA and contained, but Marcus and Iris's story is left to continue. What I wonder is, considering there were three women, Emily and her two friends, in modern Manhattan, and the exhibit featured Marcus's tryptich of the three stages of love - does that mean this is a trilogy and the other two stories involve the other two friends?

2.75 stars out of 5.
Profile Image for Petula.
3,089 reviews87 followers
August 2, 2022
Emily Christie is a journalist who moved from the UK to New York for a marvelous job.  Her, and two of her on-line friends are really interested in a book that tells the story of a time traveler and the three paintings it references.  A trip to the art gallery changes Emily's life forever. 

Colin Remington is investigating a series of murders in Victorian London.  An unusual woman who appears out of nowhere must be viewed with suspicion.  

This is a complicated time-travel romance that starts slowly but gets a lot more exciting later in the book.  The historic characters are lots of fun and draw us in to the tragic tale.  The truely evil villain is much more than he first appears to be.  I very much look forward to reading the other two books that must come in the series.  

Good fun. 
Profile Image for Diana Brown.
1,128 reviews24 followers
August 7, 2022
Thank you Netgalley and Dragonblade Publishing for the chance to read an advance copy of London time by Belle Ami. This is a new author for me, and while I did enjoy the story overall, I found the beginning very hard to get into. Three online friends meet to discuss their favourite romance book, a long lost manuscript which tells a time travel romance highlighting three paintings done by artist Marco Allegretto. The three attend an art show featuring these paintings, and when the artist comes alive from the painting he throws Emily back to Victorian England, where she is swept up into a murder mystery. London time is the first of a time travel romance series. 21/2 stars rounded up to 3.
Profile Image for Melanie .
5 reviews
July 4, 2023
I liked parts, I loved parts!

Belle Ami creates a world where you can be transported between the 21st century, 19th century and the 16th century. Cleverly written so that each time intertwines creating a story that I got lost in.

I did find some parts predictable, like who the murder along with another character (not into spoilers!!). And I did find it quite rushed once they had deduced who the murder was and once Emily came clean who she was, found this was dragged out a bit too long.

I would recommend.
Profile Image for Jo Pilsworth.
Author 15 books194 followers
August 22, 2023
A complex plot and a beautiful love story

This was another ‘find’ on ‘Stuff Your Kindle’ day, and one I thoroughly enjoyed. The mystery over who was killing women in Victorian London predominates, but then comes the mystery of Iris and Marco, along with the growing love between Emily and Colin. I didn’t expect Emily to make the choice she did, and I did think Colin would ‘unmask’ her.
Profile Image for Lb.
154 reviews1 follower
February 25, 2025
I received this story during a stuff your kindle day and I wasn't disappointed I enjoyed the story of Emily and Colin and I'm looking forward to reading the next two in the series about the other two friends (Gabriella and Jenee).

*historical Romance *time travel *insta lust/love *mystery/crime

Trigger warnings: mentions of SA, gory crime scene descriptions

wrote longer review on my blog: https://elbyslibrary.blogspot.com/202...
Profile Image for wonderfullyweird88.
877 reviews16 followers
May 5, 2024
While I am a big fan of time travel and of Victorian England this book fell a bit flat for me. The main issue was there was too much going on. If the story had focused on Emily and Colin it would have been enough. the added storylines overcomplicated the story.

I received an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Alda  Delicado.
739 reviews7 followers
August 22, 2022
The descriptions were absolutely gorgeous and the main romantic plot was funny and entertaining. Unfortunately, the renaissance storyline was too weird and it didn't really fit with the rest of the book.
Profile Image for Marjorie.
2,099 reviews4 followers
December 3, 2023
Interesting Time Travel Story

I have found this story interesting. It is sad in ways and it is the type of book that needs time to read. I am almost 85 and I have to put the book down a lot. I am glad that Colin and Emily found each other.
Profile Image for Brittany.
3,525 reviews27 followers
May 23, 2024
This is a review for books 1-3. I was looking for a good time travel romance and decided to give this a shot. I really enjoyed this series it was nice for them to be all connected and I thought it was a really well done trilogy. I will have to look for more from this author.
Profile Image for Cara Martin.
215 reviews
September 15, 2025
2.75 🌟
A lot of plot holes about how the mystical things worked by just waving them away.
Very focused on the love between Emily and Colin but I just didn’t quite feel it.
Also the fact that Iris didn’t come forward sooner to give Emily more information was a bit frustrating.
Profile Image for Klissia.
854 reviews12 followers
August 21, 2022
This time travel story remembered me a bit of the tv series Miss Scarlet and the Duke with a hint of detective storyline.Although failed to engage me about her characters...
Profile Image for Bernadine Sydow.
224 reviews
October 23, 2022
This was a very interesting book about a modern day woman traveling back in time to solve a murder and find true love.
Profile Image for Kathy Brickert.
3,476 reviews17 followers
December 8, 2023
Interesting

I liked this book, but it did seem a bit rambly. ?lots of ups and downs and back and forth in time, A bit confusing. But a lovely HEA which covers all things!
Profile Image for Gabriela Juárez.
23 reviews
September 28, 2024
estuvo bien
No esperaba mucho de él ya que lo
Descargué gratis. Tenía sus momentos
Más atrapantes, otros no tantos.
Lo leí en inglés, eso también debe
Haber influenciado
Profile Image for andrea.
122 reviews13 followers
January 24, 2024
3,5 ⭐️

“She has the heart of a lion and when she sets her mind on something, she pursues it with passion and purpose.”

me ha sorprendido y mucho! no me esperaba para nada que me gustase tanto como lo ha hecho. los personajes me han parecido muy buenos y necesarios ya que todos tenían algo que aportar, aunque sin duda me quedo con el trío emily/colin/iris. la dinámica de los tres y también por separado (emily/colin y emily/iris) ha sido buenísima y ese viaje que hacen en el que se destapa todo me ha encantado

me hubiese gustado ver el pov de las amigas de emily, creo que hubiese sido muy interesante. aún así, he disfrutado mucho de la historia y voy a seguir leyendo a la autora 100%
Profile Image for Virginia.
9,263 reviews22 followers
May 29, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews

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