Review: The Winding Road by John A. Heldt

Product Description:

Southeast Pennsylvania, November 1777.

For Noah and Jake Maclean, the saga gets real. One year after the brothers entered a time portal and traded the computer age for the colonial age, they rush headlong into the American Revolution.

Noah, 23, rides off to war. Against the wishes of his fiancée, Abigail Ward, he joins the Continental Army as it retreats to Valley Forge. To improve his odds of surviving the rebellion, he brings modern knowledge and pistols, weapons that soon draw the attention of the enemy.

Jake, 16, stays behind. He helps furniture maker Samuel Ward and his family resettle in the country after the British seize Philadelphia. As he supports his newfound kin, he strengthens his relationship with Rachel Ward, Sam's mischievous younger daughter.

The time travelers chart new courses in an era filled with violence, disease, and disruption. In doing so, they leave a mess for relatives tasked with reporting their disappearance.

As Douglas and Donna Maclean confront investigators and reporters in 2024, they do their best to carry out an elaborate ruse, guard an ancient family secret, and use the resources of the present to protect their nephews in the past.

In THE WINDING ROAD, the second book in the Stone Shed trilogy, two brothers find romance, danger, and adventure as they make their way in a world they were never meant to see.

My Review:

I am a super fan of John A. Heldt and have read most of his books. This one was a little less exciting than his previous time travel works. Usually there is so much history in the story that it keeps me reading and wanting to learn more about the historical event but this one felt like a repeat of book 1 with just a little more suspense at the end. 

Heldt's formula usually follows a different character's romantic arc each book in the series but in this one there is more of Noah and Abby than I expected because they were the focus in book 1 which is possibly why it felt different to me. I'm hoping the next book in the series advances the story a bit more than what we got in this one. 

My Recommendation:

I recommend this to anyone who loves historical romance with a little suspense. 

Review: The Winding Road by John A. Heldt

https://www.readingwithmonie.com/2025/06/review-winding-road-by-john-heldt.html

Review: The Patriots by John A. Heldt

Product Description:

When Noah Maclean, 22, races home from Europe, he finds a dying grandfather, a hidden letter, and a family secret that dates to the 1740s. He learns he is the keeper of a stone shed that can send people through time.

Within weeks, Noah and his brother, Jake, 15, test their inheritance. They travel to 1776 to see Philadelphia in the age of Benjamin Franklin, the Declaration of Independence, and the American Revolution.

Expecting to return within weeks, the orphaned brothers make the most of their field trip through history. Then they meet the lovely daughters of a furniture maker, and a pleasant adventure becomes a transformative journey.

Filled with humor, romance, and heartbreak, THE PATRIOTS follows two lost souls through a critical moment in time as they adjust to new surroundings and wrestle with knowledge of things to come.

My Thoughts:

Time travel books are always a favorite genre of mine and John A. Heldt is an expert at writing a story that pulls you in right from the beginning and keeps you hooked throughout the adventure. The Patriots is the start of a new series from Heldt that sends two brothers from 2024 to Philadelphia in 1776. Imagine meeting and having a conversation with Ben Franklin! 

The story is very well researched and since I'm not a history buff the book made me go back and seek out more details of the original events. So not only am I reading an enjoyable fiction story, I'm learning more about American history. 

My Recommendation:

I cannot wait for the next book in the series and recommend this for anyone who loves romance, time travel and historical fiction all rolled into one. 

Review: The Patriots by John A. Heldt

https://www.readingwithmonie.com/2024/10/review-patriots-by-john-heldt.html

Review: The Refuge by John A. Heldt

Product Description:

Months after stealing two time machines, the Lanes, a modern family of seven, make a stand against the unhinged software mogul who wants them back. They travel to 1941 Oahu to eliminate the billionaire's mercenary, an assassin who has chased them through time.

While son Jordan, a former intelligence officer, stalks his unknowing foe in the streets of Honolulu, his parents, younger siblings, and pregnant wife settle in the village of Laie, where love, friendship, and opportunity await. All seek refuge from the perils of time travel.

Hit man Silas Bain has his own agenda. He hopes to alter the events of December 7, 1941, and indirectly save a brilliant German physicist, his employer's grandfather, from certain death. He has prepared for every contingency, except the charms of a beautiful heiress.

Filled with romance, suspense, and intrigue, THE REFUGE takes readers on a thrilling and memorable ride through the colorful, magical, and dangerous world of pre-Pearl Harbor Hawaii. 

My Thoughts:

The Refuge is the 4th book in the Time Box Series which follows the Lane family through time as they flee from the ruthless killer pursing them. Reading the first 3 books in the series is a must. Not only for the story continuation but for the enjoyment of a great series. 

Each book in the series is similar in how everything unfolds but they each have a unique historical event, new characters to love and different actions that cause the family to travel through time again. The Lane family are cherished characters and I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

My Recommendation:

As usual I recommend this series to anyone who loves time travel, romance and historical fiction. 

Review: The Refuge by John A. Heldt

https://www.readingwithmonie.com/2022/04/review-refuge-by-john-heldt.html

Review: Witch's Gamble by Mark Rosendorf

Product Description:

It's been nearly two hundred years since Isis, Zack, and The Witches of Vegas saved New Salem from the Wiccan vampire, Valeria. Now, Isis is a vampire and the most powerful witch in the world. Zack is also a vampire, and the president of New Salem. They thought the threat was long behind them. But Valeria escaped into the past where she set history on a horrific path.

Now, everything has changed around Isis. New Salem is destroyed, Valeria is queen of Earth, and no one has heard of Zack. To save reality, Isis must travel through time, reliving events from a history she barely recognizes, and find a way to set reality back on course. Not that she has any idea how to do that, or how to avoid the all-powerful Valeria in the process.

Isis will face challenges she can't possibly overcome, yet she must, or every single life from the past, present, and future is doomed.

My Thoughts:

Witch's Gamble is book 3 in the Witches of Vegas YA series and you would definitely want to read the first 2 so you know who all the characters are and why they are in their current situation. I was a bit surprised that the book opened with 200 years passing since book 2 but it weaves into the story perfectly once the action gets going. Isis has a troubling task ahead of her and even with the experiences she's gained over the years it's still difficult for her to overcome and outwit Valeria. Being able to travel through time you'd think it would be easy to defeat her but there are plenty of challenges that keep Isis wondering if she'll ever be able to save her loved ones and the world. 

My Recommendation:

YA is sometimes too over the top for me to love a book or series but The Witches of Vegas perfectly captures the teen voice making the series an enjoyable break from reality. I recommend this series to anyone who loves YA with a light paranormal twist. 

Review: Witch's Gamble by Mark Rosendorf

https://www.readingwithmonie.com/2022/04/review-witchs-gamble-by-mark-rosendorf.html

Review: Sea Spray by John A. Heldt

Product Description:

Months after stealing two time machines from a madman who wants them back, the Lanes, a family of seven, seek peace and safety in 1927, the latest stop on a journey through time. For a while, each succeeds.

Parents Mark and Mary find housing in affluent East Hampton, New York, where a gracious elderly couple offers use of their mansion. Son Jordan and his new wife, Jessie, plan a family. Siblings Laura, Jeremy, and Ashley pursue fun and adventure. All form strong friendships with the Prices, a mysterious mirror-image family that lives next door.

Billionaire Robert Devereaux could not care less. Reeling from the theft of his million-dollar devices, he sends a hit man to the past to retrieve his property and rid the world of his former business partner and his troublesome clan.

Randy Taylor, who programs the machines, is determined to stop him. He tries to undermine his boss and save the Lanes, even as he tries to help his mother beat a deadly illness. He pines for the day he can join his fugitive friends and rekindle a promising relationship with Laura Lane.

Filled with romance, humor, and heartbreak, SEA SPRAY follows a modern family on the adventure of a lifetime as they navigate their way through the exciting and often dangerous world of Lindbergh, Gershwin, and Fitzgerald. 

My Thoughts:

Sea Spray is book #3 in the Time Box series. As usual, this book is well researched as are all of the books in Heldt's many time travel series.  You get a small peek into real historical events with a unique storyline starring a family from 2022.  In Sea Spray the Lane's have traveled to the roaring 20's. 

On the run, the family tries to blend in with the locals and become close friends with their affluent neighbors. Romance meets adventure with a dash of intrigue, you get sucked in pretty quickly. Surprises pop up at every twist and turn of the plot which kept me reading long past my bedtime. 

My Recommendation:

I recommend this book to anyone who loves romantic time travel and if you haven't read the first two, don't skip them. Sea Spray is fantastic but The Fair is extraordinary and you won't want to miss any of the action.  

Review: Sea Spray by John A. Heldt

https://www.readingwithmonie.com/2022/01/review-sea-spray-by-john-heldt.html

Review: The Fair by John A. Heldt

Product Description:

Months after stealing two time machines from a madman who wants them back, the Lanes, a family of six, seek safety and contentment in 1893, the latest stop on a journey through time. While parents Mark and Mary find relief at Chicago's World's Columbian Exposition, an extravaganza of science and splendor, children Jeremy, Laura, and Ashley find romance, friendship, and thrills.

Older son Jordan, meanwhile, heads west in search of answers. Grieving the loss of a lover from 1865, he travels to Virginia City, Nevada, where he integrates himself into a storied mining community and the heart of a pretty library clerk.

Billionaire Robert Devereaux could not care less. Reeling from the theft of his million-dollar devices, he sends an assassin to the past to retrieve his property and rid the world of his former business partner and his troublesome clan.

Filled with humor, heartbreak, and suspense, THE FAIR follows a modern family on the adventure of a lifetime as they navigate their way through an unforgettable year in American history.

My Thoughts:

The Fair is the 2nd book in the Time Box trilogy featuring the Lane family. As a big fan of the many time travel books that Heldt has written I knew it would be a great story with lots of suspense and it didn't disappoint. The book is packed with historical references that bring the story to life. 

All about relationships, romance and friendships the book tells the story of several characters at once. I love the story being told this way because by the time the end comes around it feels like I've finished more than one book and am anxiously awaiting the next one. 

My recommendation: 

As usual, I recommend this to anyone who loves romance with a time travel twist. 

Review: The Fair by John A. Heldt

https://www.readingwithmonie.com/2021/02/review-fair-by-john-heldt.html

Review: The Lane Betrayal by John A. Heldt

Updated: March 8, 2020 

Product Description: 
Virginia physicist Mark Lane has a problem. Weeks after privately creating two time machines, he learns his corporate partner wants to use the portable devices for nefarious purposes. Rather than give him the chance to do so, Mark takes the time boxes and escapes to the relative safety of 1865.

For Mark, wife Mary, and their children, the adventure is a chance to grow. Mary runs a business. Jeremy, 19, and Ashley, 12, befriend escaped slaves. Laura, 22, finds her place as a nurse. Jordan, 25, falls for a beautiful widow. All hope to find peace in the past.

Billionaire Robert Devereaux has other ideas. Shortly after Mark's betrayal, he sends an assassin to 1865 to retrieve his property and set matters straight.

Filled with romance, suspense, and history, THE LANE BETRAYAL follows a modern American family as it tries to find security and contentment in the final weeks of the Civil War.

My Thoughts: 
I'm a big fan of Heldt's time travel fiction and was not disappointed by Book 1 in the new series. It's really amazing how many authentic details are woven into the book. The story draws you in pretty quickly and the sprinkles of historic fiction make you want to learn more about the real events. The suspense builds throughout the story with a couple of unexpected twists. A usual, I'm anxiously awaiting the next installment of the Lane's adventure.  

My Recommendation:
I recommend this to anyone who loves historical fiction with time traveling adventure.

Review: The Lane Betrayal by John A. Heldt

https://www.readingwithmonie.com/2020/05/review-lane-betrayal-by-john-heldt.html

Review: Camp Lake by John A. Heldt

Product Description:
Phoenix, Spring 1983. For the Carsons, five siblings from the present day, it has come down to this. Find the parents they have chased through time for more than two years or go home and resume their lives without them.

While Adam and Greg remain in Arizona and Natalie searches the country for leads, Cody and Caitlin travel to a summer camp in Maine, where their mother and father met as counselors. The twins, now 19, hope to intercept the older versions of their parents even as they work beside the younger ones.

All of the Carsons prepare for a reunion that seems inevitable. Then tragedy strikes one family member and seductive strangers pull two others in unhelpful directions as a summer of promise turns into one of uncertainty and sacrifice.

Filled with humor, romance, and heartbreak, CAMP LAKE, the poignant conclusion of the Carson Chronicles series, follows the lives of several spirited adults as they confront choices and change the era of big hair, space shuttles, and video arcades.

My Thoughts: 
Camp Lake is the final installment of a 5 book series and I'm kinda sad about that. I've grown to love the Carson clan, their ever growing family and their time-traveling adventures. In each book there are plenty of surprises along the way and this is no exception. It kind of gave me a Back To The Future vibe when the twins become friends with their young parents but that only added to the enjoyment of the story's conclusion. 

I'm happy that throughout the books each of the Carsons find love and even though I knew it was coming, seeing the way everything played out for Cody Carson made me happy. It's the perfect ending to the series that I will greatly miss now that it's completed. 

Seeing that Heldt is the author of three different time travel series, I can only hope that I'm soon introduced to a new set of characters that I can go on more fun journeys with. 

My Recommendation:
I recommend this book, series and author to anyone who loves time travel with a little splash of romance. 

Review: Camp Lake by John A. Heldt

https://www.readingwithmonie.com/2020/01/review-camp-lake-by-john-heldt.html

Review: Caitlin's Song by John A. Heldt

Product Description:
Love, courage, and commitment take center stage as the Carsons, a family of time travelers, continue their saga in the great American West.

For the Carson children, ages 19 to 29, an unplanned stop in 1962 is a chance to grow. Adam, Greg, and Natalie begin lives with new spouses in Boulder, Colorado, while twins Cody and Caitlin get their first taste of college. All plan to resume the search for their missing parents as soon as they can.

For Tim and Caroline Carson, a planned stop in the rendezvous year of 1972 is a nightmare. While reading about their children's lives in 1962, they learn that one has crossed paths with a killer. Faced with limited options, they race back to the past to reroute history and prevent a series of murders.

In CAITLIN'S SONG, the fourth novel in the Carson Chronicles series, members of a modern family find romance, adventure, and terror as they seek answers and each other in four memorable eras of American history.


My Thoughts:
Caitlin's Song is book 4 in the Carson Chronicles series. You definitely should have read the previous 3 books in the series to get the most out of the story. Still searching for their parents, the Carsons travel to Colorado and the twins Caitlin and Cody enroll in college. Although excited about being in college Caitlin is barely getting over her heartbreak from the lost chance at love in book 3, Indian Paintbrush. 

Now trying to live the life of a normal teen, she quickly settles in to college life and is soon dating a handsome frat boy. But as perfect as he seems, there's a shocking truth her parents learn from their research in the future. Will Caitlin see beyond his charming facade and will she ever find the same kind of love her siblings have found? 

Once again there isn't a huge historical event happening in this book but it still gives us a pretty good glimpse of history.

Recommendation:
I recommend this to anyone who loves time traveling, romantic fiction. 

Review: Caitlin's Song by John A. Heldt

https://www.readingwithmonie.com/2019/06/review-caitlins-song-by-john-heldt.html

Review: Indian Paintbrush (Carson Chronicles Book 3) by John A. Heldt

Product Description:
Arizona, December 1943. After surviving perilous six-month journeys to 1889 and 1918, the Carsons, five siblings from the present day, seek a respite in their home state. While Adam and Greg settle down with their Progressive Era brides, Natalie and Caitlin start romances with wartime aviators and Cody befriends a Japanese family in an internment camp. The time travelers regroup, bury some ghosts, and continue their search for their missing parents. Then old problems return, new ones emerge, and a peaceful hiatus becomes a race for survival. In INDIAN PAINTBRUSH, the sequel to RIVER RISING and THE MEMORY TREE, several young adults find love and adventure as they navigate the home front during the height of World War II.


My Thoughts:
By this third book in the Carson Chronicles I feel like the characters are some of my favorites to read about. They all have their distinct personalities and I feel invested in what happens to them. In each of the books there have been emotional ups and (surprisingly low) downs and I think this is what helped solidify that relationship for me. 

In Indian Paintbrush the family travels to 1943/1944. Here the men have to deal with the WWII draft, newly acquired brides and the continued search for their parents. The ladies both meet dashing men that sweep them off their feet but then they face the ultimate decision... to keep their secret or risk sharing it and put their family's safety on the line. 

While this book in the series covers some of the events in World War II and gives us a look into a Japanese internment camp, it doesn't have as much historical knowledge as other time travel books I've read and absolutely loved by Heldt. With that being said it's still a fantastic story that leaves me anxiously awaiting the next book in the Carson Chronicles. 

My Recommendation:
I recommend this for anyone who loves romantic time travel books. 

Review: Indian Paintbrush (Carson Chronicles Book 3) by John A. Heldt

https://www.readingwithmonie.com/2019/01/review-indian-paintbrush-carson.html

Review: The Memory Tree (Carson Chronicles Book 2) by John A. Heldt

Product Description:
Days after barely escaping 1889 with their lives, the Carsons, siblings from the present day, resume their search for their missing parents in 1918. While Adam and his pregnant wife, Bridget, settle in Minnesota, unaware of a wildfire that will kill hundreds, Greg seeks clues in his great-grandparents' Mexico, where he finds love, danger, and enemies. At the same time, Natalie, the ambitious journalist, follows a trail to World War I France, and teen twins Cody and Caitlin rekindle a friendship with an old Pennsylvania friend haunted by her past. In THE MEMORY TREE, the sweeping sequel to RIVER RISING, several time travelers find answers and meaning as they continue the adventure of a lifetime in the age of doughboys, silent movies, and Model T's.

My Thoughts:
THE MEMORY TREE is book 2 in the Carson Chronicles and hopefully I don't have to wait long for book 3 because the cliff hangers in this series are killer! 

Ever since I read my first John A. Heldt novel in 2012 I've been a huge fan. He always makes the past come to life and who wouldn't love the opportunity to travel back in time and meet their early relatives and see history as it unfolds. The one difference I found with this book over others I've read is that the fire in this novel didn't spark my curiosity about the actual event as with events in other novels by Heldt. I read this as part of the story and moved on. 

I also felt like there were a bit too many side characters in this story. I had a hard time keeping up with who as who in the beginning but once I was about a quarter into the book the pace picked up and I became just as hooked on the story as I usually get and quickly zipped to the ending which had an interesting twist that I didn't see coming. 

My Recommendation:
I recommend this to anyone who loves historical fiction and non-scifi time travel. 

Review: The Memory Tree (Carson Chronicles Book 2) by John A. Heldt

https://www.readingwithmonie.com/2018/06/review-memory-tree-carson-chronicles.html

Review: River Rising (Carson Chronicles Book 1) by John A. Heldt

Product Description:
Weeks after his parents disappear on a hike, engineer Adam Carson, 27, searches for answers. Then he discovers a secret web site and learns his mom and dad are time travelers stuck in the past. Armed with the information he needs to find them, Adam convinces his younger siblings to join him on a rescue mission to the 1880s.

While Greg, the adventurous middle brother, follows leads in the Wild West, Adam, journalist Natalie, and high school seniors Cody and Caitlin do the same in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Like the residents of the bustling steel community, all are unaware of a flood that will destroy the city on May 31, 1889.

In RIVER RISING, the first novel in the Carson Chronicles series, five young adults find love, danger, and adventure as they experience America in the age of bustle dresses, gunslingers, and robber barons.

My Thoughts:
I am a huge John A. Heldt fan. His time travel books are always fun and even educational. This was was no exception however I will start off by saying that the transition from Adam finding out his parents were time travelers to the decision for him and his siblings to set off on their own time traveling adventure isn't as believable as the rest of the book. 

Traveling past that (pun intended) the rest of the book is great and makes sense that it would play out the way it did. As the adventure begins the siblings have to make the transition from 2017 to 1889 and I had a good chuckle over the times that something modern slipped out when they were talking to their new friends. The rest of the story pulled me in quickly and I ended up zooming through the read. Each sibling has a story line of their own so the book switches back and forth between characters and I ended up growing to love them all. 

Again I learned about an event in history that I hadn't heard of before and once again I was intrigued enough to read of up the real life event. If I felt heartbroken for the book characters I can't even begin to imagine the emotions and pain that the real event brought on. Heldt captured it so perfectly that I could actually see it play out in my mind.  Below is an image from Wikipedia of the real event which is exactly how I pictured it while reading.

My Recommendation:
Overall this a great book for anyone who loves historical fiction with a time traveling twist.This was the first in the new Carson Chronicles series and the cliff hanger ending makes me look forward to book two. 

Review: River Rising (Carson Chronicles Book 1) by John A. Heldt

https://www.readingwithmonie.com/2017/11/review-river-rising-carson-chronicles.html

Review: Hannah's Moon by John A. Heldt

Product Description: 
After struggling for years to have a child, Claire Rasmussen, 34, turns to adoption, only to find new obstacles on the path to motherhood. Then she gets an unlikely phone call and soon learns that a distant uncle possesses the secrets of time travel. Within weeks, Claire, husband Ron, and brother David find themselves on a train to Tennessee and 1945, where adoptable infants are plentiful and red tape is short. For a time, they find what they seek. Then a beautiful stranger enters their lives, the Navy calls, and a simple, straightforward mission becomes a race for survival. Filled with suspense, romance, and heartbreak, HANNAH’S MOON, the epic conclusion of the American Journey series, follows the lives of four spirited adults as they confront danger, choices, and change in the tense final months of World War II.

My Thoughts:
I've been reading Heldt's books since 2012 and this one by far has been my favorite. It's full of heartbreaking decisions and events but still concludes with a happy ending. I love the way history is always weaved into the books. It always makes me wonder about the true events and I usually end up on Wikipedia trying to learn more.

In this final installment in the American Journey series, the book has 3 separate story lines playing out and I was instantly pulled into them by my heartstrings. Claire and Ron face heartbreak from the opening pages and you can't help but fall in love with their characters. David is what women everywhere yearn for but the one woman that captures his heart is already taken. And for the one who holds the key to the time travel, devastating news leads to an unexpected future for Professor Bell and his wife. The book is definitely an emotional roller coaster that I fully enjoyed riding with my hands high up in the air. 

My Recommendation:
I highly recommend this one for anyone who loves historical romance with a little touch of fantasy. 

Review: Hannah's Moon by John A. Heldt

https://www.readingwithmonie.com/2017/03/review-hannahs-moon-by-john-heldt.html

Review: Indiana Belle by John A. Heldt

Product Description:
Providence, Rhode Island, 2017. When doctoral student Cameron Coelho, 28, opens a package from Indiana, he finds more than private papers that will help him with his dissertation. He finds a photograph of a beautiful society editor murdered in 1925 and clues to a century-old mystery. Within days, he meets Geoffrey Bell, the "time-travel professor," and begins an unlikely journey through the Roaring Twenties. Filled with history, romance, and intrigue, INDIANA BELLE follows a lonely soul on the adventure of a lifetime as he searches for love and answers in the age of Prohibition, flappers, and jazz.

My Thoughts:
Indiana Belle is book three in the American Journey Series but also stands alone if you haven't read the previous two books. The American Journey Series is also the second time travel series by the author whose previous Northwest Passage series was also about time travel.

In Indiana Belle I felt that the circumstances leading to how Cameron was able to time travel were a little far-fetched. He kind of bullied the professor into sending him back in time because of a photograph and I feel that the professor didn't handle the situation well.

Once I got past that, the story comes alive and I could clearly imagine what life was like back in 1925. That is what I love most about all of Heldt's works. I can always vividly imagine life back in the day.

I also felt a bit of suspense throughout the book because from the beginning the professor warns about messing with history. In this instance changes would actually threaten the professor's own existence.  As a result I felt a growing sense of unease because clearly Cameron was changing history and I was kept in suspense until the very end. There was also a quick peek at the future which makes me hope a future time travel book is coming soon.

Overall this was another great time travel book from an author I've come to look forward reading.

My Recommendation: 
I recommend this for anyone who loves time travel romance.

Review: Indiana Belle by John A. Heldt

https://www.readingwithmonie.com/2016/06/review-indiana-belle-by-john-heldt.html

Review: September Sky by John A. Heldt

Product Description:
When unemployed San Francisco reporter Chuck Townsend, 45, and his college dropout son, Justin, take a trip to Mexico in 2016, each hopes to rebuild a relationship after years of estrangement. But their journey takes an unexpected turn when they meet a cruise-ship lecturer who has discovered the secret of time travel. Within days, Chuck and Justin find themselves in 1900, riding a train to Texas, intent on preventing a distant uncle from being hanged for a crime he did not commit. Their quick trip to Galveston, however, becomes long and complicated when they wrangle with business rivals and fall for two beautiful librarians on the eve of a hurricane that will destroy the city. Filled with humor, history, romance, and heartbreak, September Sky follows two directionless souls on the adventure of a lifetime as they try to make their peace with the past, find new purposes, and grapple with the knowledge of things to come.

My Thoughts:
Having read 3 of the 5 books in Heldt's Northwest Passage that also focus around time travel I was looking forward to reading September Sky which is the first book in his new American Journey series. I ended up a little conflicted in my opinion of this one. It's a great story but I felt absolutely no attachments to the characters which was a bit of a disappointment. 

Chuck and his son Justin had no respect for the professor and the rules they agreed to. They immediately went off the reservation and followed about on their own agenda. Right from that moment I found myself a little disconnected and didn't feel invested in much of the story after that. 

I did however like the historical part of the story. I learned a lot about a real tragedy which prompted me to look up information on the actual event. Heldt captured the true horror of it and I was engrossed in that part of the story. This definitely made up for the detachment I had from the characters and I was left wondering about the next installment and who is going to travel next. Based on the author's other books I'm pretty sure I'll be reading book 2 in the series. 

My Recommendation:
I recommend this for anyone who loves time travel romances. 

Review: September Sky by John A. Heldt

https://www.readingwithmonie.com/2015/02/review-september-sky-by-john-heldt.html