I LOVE time travel stories - I am a history buff and have always been fascinated by the idea of being able to witness history firsthand. That said, I don't know how well I'd actually DO if I wound up lost in time - the protagonists of these stories so often seem to be in possession of EXACTLY the special skills or knowledge they need to succeed, and I don't really have any such set of specialized abilities. This of course allows the author to create a story that overlooks the practical realities of being a twenty-first century person suddenly forced to survive without any of the modern conveniences - or sensibilities. Let's be honest, for most of us, it would be more startling to suddenly find ourselves in a world where 3/4 of the population (at a minimum) was literally the property of the remaining percentage than it would to make do without modern toilet paper or cell phones... Regardless, the fun of these stories (at least for me) has always lied in the suspended disbelief - the ability to imagine that one could fit in as necessary to survive, such that one would be free to enjoy the ride.

Debra Shiveley Welch's foray into time travel takes her protagonist, the wealthy ingenue Bridget Littleton, into the time of Henry VIII - and to a meeting with her own ancestors. Fortunately, Bridge is an expert in this time period (there is some explanation/rumination as to why this is in the story - to explain it would be a spoiler), so many of the issues of "fitting in" are tidily handled. But even so, Bridge still struggles a bit to make her way in a world where - quite literally - heads rolled if you stood out or the King took issue with you. I liked that aspect of the story very much - although it did make for some stilted-feeling self-aware inner monologues (mostly at the beginning, but occasionally throughout). Still, when one considers the inherent dangers in arriving in Tudor England at the time of Anne Boleyn, it made the story feel a little more resonant (and plausible). There were, however, a number of rather tidy coincidences and "oh come ON" moments, as Bridge navigated - and, let's be honest, manipulated - the over-large personalities of Henry and Anne. These moments didn't detract from the story, but they did occasionally make me roll my eyes or giggle to myself a little. Still, I enjoyed Bridge's adventures - even if they made me suspend my disbelief rather more often than not.

Much of the story is not actually time travel - that's more the set-up than the point. This is really a story about survival, about love and the dangers of absolute power. Welch's writing style is easy to read and her characters - and the time period - are painted with lush, rich colors. There is a great deal of sympathy here, and it's sympathy for characters that have been rather roundly denounced by history. I quite liked that element of the book. Rarely is anyone "good" or "bad" - although history tends to like to paint figures with those exceedingly broad brushes. I enjoyed seeing two sides to Anne and Henry, and to rethinking their places in history. Those elements of the story were handled quite well, I thought, and made what could have otherwise been a fine but pretty well-covered concept into a much more enjoyable read.

I loved this book, though I'm not a lover of historical fiction I love time travelling novels. I loved the little twists that Debra gave to history. I loved the characters and how Bridge quickly adapted to Tudor time. I also enjoyed Debra's writing style and how she made even the historical characters her own.

A great read. Thank you to Red Road Books and Netgalley for the copy.

I received this ARC from netgalley.com in exchange for a review.

Bridge was on a yacht cruise in the Bermuda Triangle. Sucked into a whirlpool she finds herself in England in the year 1532 laying on a beach, her very distant cousin rescues her. Oh, so fortunate. Bridge now finds herself in the intimate company of Henry VIII. With her knowledge of future events, she endeavors to not change the future.

This book didn't grab hold of my imagination. The history was presented in blocks of information like a high school history exam. When Bridge fell into bed with Henry VIII, she stated she was 'falling in love'. Blech. Inane and just silly.

2.5☆ rounded up to 3☆

This book is was very entertaining and you feel like you're with the characters when reading. Please need to read book two. Love it.

Bridget Littleton on board a yacht sails to the Bermuda Triangle where she is thrown back in time to the Tudor Era. Where she become a particular friend of both Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, and lives out her life in the era.
An interesting premise but one I found I difficult to become involved in, maybe because I know a fair amount about this era.