RIP Van Dyke

RIP Van Dyke Time Travel #1

by Kate McLachlan

When Van Hollinger is suddenly transported twenty years into the future, she is dumbfounded - and furious. Jill's silly time-travel experiment wasn't supposed to actually work. But it did, and now Van is stuck in the future. 2008, that is. A future in which Van's friends and lover have all aged twenty years, but Van has not. Jill, an old woman now, promises to recreate her time-travel machine and send Van back, but Van is skeptical and decides instead to try to make a life for herself in 2008. It isn't easy. Patsy, her lover, never recovered from Van's sudden disappearance in 1988 and is now a deeply troubled old woman, in no condition to offer Van any help. Van has no home, no job, no money, not even a driver's license. But help and hope arrive in the form of Bennie, the steamy young woman whose intriguing overtures were off limits in the past. Van wrestles with herself. Does she remain faithful to Patsy despite the sudden chasm between their ages, or does she let herself accept the life, love and laughter that Bennie offers? But when secret agents learn of Van' s leap through time, Van faces an even tougher decision. This time, one of life or death.

Genres: Lesbian, Science Fiction, LGBT, Time Travel, Lesbian Fiction, Fiction, Lesbian Romance

228 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

I live in Eastern Washington with my wife, two dogs, and two cats. After teaching in the public schools for 14 years, I developed a case of temporary insanity and entered law school. All I really wanted to do was write stories but, despite the common misperception, legal briefs are not fiction, and my creative urge was not satisfied by my day job. I write lesbian fiction for the joy it brings me and for the joy I hope it brings others.

Reviews

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to say, I've had this book in my to-read pile for some time because the cover didn't do much for me. I'm glad I finally decided to bite the bullet and read the book. It was a well-written adventure that was fun to read. I've read some lesbian fiction of late that hasn't been too well-written so reading something that IS well-written, in and of itself, is a pleasure.

I liked that the characters were flawed, often in fiction, especially romances, the characters either have stereotypical flaws or aren't flawed at all. I like that the flaws don't make you dislike the characters entirely (although I have to admit, I think Patsy will never be a favorite character. She just was written to be likable in my opinion). I also like in this book that there is a romance dilemma that doesn't get entirely resolved--I find loose strings refreshing.

All in all, I'd encourage friends to read this book (and series) and eagerly await the third installment.

BTW, I'm totally team Bennie.

[Elaine Burnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love stories that mess with time and this was terrific! Apparently the first of what will be a series, which makes me a little nervous since this was such a complete story on its own. Though there are plenty of things left hanging. I think this is a debut novel, in which case, Kate is off to a very good start. The writing was almost flawless. There is plenty of info but it is not dumped, and it made me realize what a subtle difference there is between info imparted as part of the story and info just dumped to get it out of the way. The chapters separate the multiple POVs, and time periods, which could have led to a mess, but does not. For most of the book I was completely caught up in what will Van do? And I couldn't decide what would be best. In the end, it doesn't come down to choice so much as necessity, which was too bad because I'd like to have seen how she'd resolve things unforced. But it all made sense, though any scientist who believes in her theory strongly enough to keep working at it would likely not experiment on her friends, but even that was explained eventually. You really care about all these characters and I cried buckets at the end.

I gotta say, though, 1988 doesn't seem that long ago, but, really, it's a lifetime!

[Lynette Mae · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I picked up this book, I didn't expect to like it, but I was totally wrong! Rip Van Dyke engaged me from the first page, pulling me into Van's plight. Van struggles to cope in her life twenty years in the future, where everything has changed--except for her. Kate McLachlan has a talent for writing believable, endearing characters that are just like you and I. None of them quite know how to handle the situation they find themselves in, but they try to do the best they can. They do the right thing, they screw up, they try. I love that.

Rip Van Dyke is billed as a paranormal, time-travel story, and it is. But more than that, it's a heartwarming story about friendships, loyalty, and what if? I recommend this lighthearted look at possibility.

LM

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book... a lot really, but I expected from the excerpt I had heard that it would be funny. While there are a few funny scenes in this, it really is not a comedy. It is a really good story, and carries you through with no "low spots". I understand there is a sequel coming, but this is a good stand alone read regardless.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is kind of a romance, in a roundabout way, but it's really more of a meditation on love and the progress of time, wrapped in an adventure.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I so loved this book! Normally I'm not really into SF, but the whole time travel thing just feels like it belongs in this story and this group of people. It's wonderfully written and entertaining to read!

[Tamara Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lesbian romance? Check.

Time travel? Check.

Written by my very own aunt? Check.