My Thoughts on Forever Lovely by Linore Rose Burkard

 

About:

1819, England

Miss Margaret Andrews' sister disappeared into the future three years ago and Margaret hasn't seen her since. Julian St. John brings her to visit, but only for a day, since his wife Claire is about to give birth to their first child. He doesn't know Margaret's real desire is to find a modern invention to bring back with her. A bluestocking by nature and lacking her sister's famous beauty, Margaret knows she must make her way in society by becoming an inventress. But when the tallit, the magical time-travel shawl goes awry, she finds herself alone and stranded in 21st century New York City!

Present Day, Manhattan

Stewart Russell is a grad student studying early British female writers when he meets Margaret at a Jane Austen Society Conference in New York. Margaret is mistaken for an attendee but fits right in. Stewart is thrilled by her knowledge of the writers he's studying, almost as much as her effortless acting with the speech and manners of Jane's day. Until she claims to be from Jane's day! Worse, he is a wanted man due to a mix-up, and time is running out.

Margaret longs to keep him safe from the blackguards pursuing him, but first she must convince him she really is from the past. But when she can't even get herself back to 1819, how can she hope to bring Stewart too? It's a race against time and she must find a way before the unthinkable happens!

My Thoughts:

It has been way too long since I have read a Linore Burkard book, and I have always enjoyed her regencies. Add in a time travel twist, which is also a favorite for me, and you had me hooked.

This is the second in a series. I have not read the first yet, but I was not at all lost. Within the pages of this story, we are brought up to speed about the intriguing time-traveling prayer shawl. I am always amazed at the authors' imaginations and how their characters can time travel. So, whether it is a box, water, or shawl, the characters must learn and fend for themselves in whatever time they find themselves caught up in.

Margaret is the second sister. The one who has been told is not as pretty, and she is not even her father's favorite. But her older sister has already chosen her life in the future, and Margaret has accepted that. It has been three years since they have seen each other, and Margaret convinces Sir John to let her go to the future for a visit. All the while, Margaret is wanting to find and bring back an invention to help her succeed on her own in her own time. When Margaret steps foot into the future, she is not at all prepared for all that her senses take in. Even though she has heard the stories, she is now living it, at least for a little while.

But then things do not go as planned. Right from the start, they did not end up where they thought they would. Things only go from bad to shocking when Margaret is left alone in the city. But it is as if she was meant to be there at that time so that she could meet Stewart Russell, who is actually in a bit of a life-threatening situation himself.

This was a fun read to see how Margaret, who certainly did not fit in modern times, would cope, as her speech and view of the world were so much more learned and innocent. Stewart gets frustrated with her, even thinking she is a bit addled. He is not prepared to handle the truth. I enjoyed the adventure, mystery, and race against time to make things right for these two.

I was provided a copy of this novel by the author through Interviews and Reviews. I was not required to post a positive review, and all views and opinions are my own.