This is one of those books that I would give 10 stars if I could - it was that good. I have always been intrigued with the idea of time travel and have read a lot of books based on that premise but this one was the first one that made me stop and think about what my actions and words would be if I were ever in the position of traveling back in time to visit with my parents or grandparents. First the book is written as if the main character (Faye) is having a conversation with the reader and explaining this whole situation to you. That in itself makes it more "personal". Then Faye discusses with you her thought processes as she decides what to reveal to the people she visits back in time and flat out asks you what you would do if it were you. Faye goes on to lay out her reasoning on whether to continue to visit the past, maybe stay in the past forever, and why she should stay in her "present". Really thought-provoking. I'm sure we all have questions we wish we had gotten answered from people who are now gone. But if given the opportunity to spend time with them now, would we actually ask those questions? Faye struggles with this too. The book is full of twists and turns and real life and wishful fantasies. I have seen a few reviews that did not like the ending at all. I loved the ending and thought it was PERFECT! If I had been Faye, I would have wanted my time travel experience to end exactly like this. I would definitely recommend this entertaining, thought-provoking book and will watch for future books from this talented author.

This book’s synopsis really pulled me in and I was very excited to be given early access.

I thought the first third of the book moved a little slow, but I enjoyed it none the less. The characters were well developed and I appreciate that the author didn’t burden the reader with unnecessary supporting characters.

I was a little turned off by the Faye-Eddie relationship which was too storybook for my taste. I did, however, enjoy Faye’s other relationships. Her struggle between being with her mom at the risk of leaving her own girls motherless felt sincere.

Overall, I liked (almost loved) Faye, Faraway, especially the last few chapters and epilogue. I’m just left with one question - and if you’re avoiding spoilers, skip this part - who was Faye’s father?!?

DNF. I think Faye, Faraway was just one of those cases where it was an "it's me, not you!" kind of reading experience. Everyone has their own triggers and for me, reading about a mother-daughter relationship was just not in the cards right now. I appreciate having the opportunity to read this book, it was just not a good fit for me as a reader at this time.

3.5

It is a well accepted axiom that wherever you go, there you are. Loosely interpreted, the observation is that you take yourself with you wherever you go and that a mere scenic change never results in any sort of significant emotional metamorphosis. But, what if the journey is not constrained by the boundaries of time and one can actually be transported to some point in the past, where new memories and relationships can be forged over an abyss previously filled only with regret and despair?

This phenomenon is what the author, Helen Fisher, painstakingly explores within the pages of her novel dedicated to the time travels of its main character, Faye. Faye struggles with her desire and need to spend time with the mom she lost at a very young or stay present with her husband and two daughters who she loves with all her heart. The outward and inner worlds of the novel's protagonist are remolded and recast by her improbable trips and these experiences provide the reader with a fascinating study as to how closely the fabric of time and the threads which determine "who we are" and "what we feel" are interwoven. This writing is beautiful and the story is both interesting and captivating, I recommend it!

Thank you @Gallerybooks and @Netgalley for the opportunity to review this.

This was the last book I read in 2020 and it was a great one with which to end such a tumultuous year.

I really liked this novel, especially since I am so into time travel. Helen Fisher had a creative way of handling the time travel component, but you'll need to suspend disbelief in order to appreciate it.

The characters and storyline were enjoyable throughout. I thought it was cool what Faye did for her job and I loved her friendship with Louis. This novel helped me understand blindness in a new way. I found it interesting that the couple who took Faye in as a kid had the same names as Dorothy's aunt and uncle in The Wizard of Oz. Since both stories are surreal, it makes sense.

This novel will make you question which came first...the chicken or the egg. It's perfect for fans of The Dream Daughter, Oona Out of Order, Versions of Her, etc. I definitely recommend checking it out. And if you want a fun time travel TV series to follow this up with, check out Being Erica.

Movie casting suggestions:
Faye: Felicity Jones
Eddie: Luke Evans
Jeanie: Rose Williams
Henry (1970s): Martin Freeman
Elizabeth: Emerald Fennell (Since she exists in two different times, some This Is Us makeup magic can be done.)
Em (1970s): Joely Richardson
Louis: Matt Berry

I struggled on how to review this story so I will keep it simple. I think I went in with expectations to high being a huge fan of Time Traveler's Wife and stories that bounce back and forth between past and present and day. Faye was definitely a likeable character that kept me reading and hoping everything would work out for her. In my opinion the story moved along quite slow for this kind of genre, but I did get a good feel for the character, how she felt and what she was looking for. All and all I would recommend Faye, Faraway. Not one of my favorites, but definitely a quirky, interesting read.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to reading an advanced copy.

So, when was the last time you looked at a box from a favorite toy from your childhood? Hey, it’s probably locked away in your attic like it was for Faye, the protagonist of this thought provoking novel about connection to our parents and how the loss of them as a child might shape our lives. So, if you found that box, congratulations, you have a time machine. While for most of us, that time machine might be figurative by invoking memories of a wonderful morning that we got that beloved toy, but for Faye, it was literal. Crazy, huh? Well, set that skepticism aside and climb in (to this novel) for a trip back to reunite with Faye’s mother lost at a tender age. This is a very good debut novel, and while you might have to suspend disbelief, you will find yourself thinking about all the various “rules” of fictional time travel, paradoxes and a dangerously altered future. Stop it! Enjoy this entertaining novel that gets us thinking about those lost connections in our own lives, and what we might risk to revisit those loved ones and to have a do-over of our most treasured moments.

I seem to be on a British author binge and I find myself liking it rather nicely. You know a book is gonna be great when you highlight the first sentence, really paragraph, of the first page, of the first chapter. You know immediately that this book will hit you in all the feels.

Faye is happily married to Eddie - who is quite recently studying to become a clergyman. Together, they have two daughters. She is happy and content with her life but knows that she never really got over the death of her mother when she was 8 years old. She doesn't remember much but has a few things from that time.

An old box, from a Christmas past, that Faye can't seem to part with yet becomes the catalyst for her time travel. Putting the box back in storage, she falls into it and the abyss, plopping her back to the christmas she received the gift.

She knows she shouldn't be here, and she isn't sure she knows how to get back to the present, but she is drawn to her mother, and finds herself becoming friends with her. But it's also a struggle because she can't discern if this is really happening. And if it is, how does she tell her husband and friends?

This was an emotional ride, beautifully written. The ending was not what I expected but I enjoyed reading this heartfelt story.

Thank you @Gallerybooks and @Netgalley for the opportunity to review this.

After losing her mother at 8, Faye discovers, at 36 and with two young daughters of her own, that she suddenly has the ability to travel back in time. See her mother again, spend time with her and get to know her as a woman rather than a parent. Each trip back to the present, however, is like grieving all over again – and she’s unable to confide in her husband who will clearly feel his wife has lost it. Faye, Faraway was pitched as a heartfelt read and I completely agree.

That this novel was a one-sitting read is a testament to Fisher’s skill as a writer of what would otherwise be a fairly farfetched plot. I was completely caught up in Faye’s story and longed for the moments when she would venture back to the 70s. That said, I admit I wasn’t as into the present day plot: Faye’s husband has suddenly had a calling to the church and is looking to become ordained. Scenes with him mainly focus on Faye’s lack of faith and how a minister’s wife wasn’t her calling. I also struggled a bit with the loose rules regarding time travel. Faye interacts with her younger self, has conversations with people, leaves things behind. Unlike every single other book or movie I’ve come across, her actions have no effect on the present day. Still, this was a really lovely read and I’m looking forward to more of Fisher’s work!

Faye is a happily married mother of two. Her life seems about perfect except that she lost her mother at a young age. She has so many unanswered questions about what happened to her mom and things she never got to know about her. But when Faye accidentally finds herself in a portal to 1977, thirty years before, Faye is able to see her mother (and herself as a child). She is able to learn more about that time in her life by befriending her mother. She is pulled between the past and her present life and trying to figure out this mystery of time travel.

I like the point of view how it was written as if Faye were telling her story to you, the reader. It makes you think a lot about what you would do if you could have just a bit more time with someone you’ve lost and what you are willing to possibly lose in order to do that.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Gallery Books and Netgalley for an advanced copy of Faye, Faraway! Its synopsis was compared to The Time Traveller's Wife, which I loved.

Faye is the mother to two daughters and has a pretty nice life. Her biggest struggle at the moment is coming to terms with the fact that her husband is training to become a vicar, which appears to be a sort of priest. One day, Faye finds a relic from her past and soon finds herself propelled back into the 1970s, where she has a chance to visit with her late mother. The novel follows Faye as she tries to reckon with her past and connect with her mother, who died when she was only eight years old. She rejoices in the opportunity to find out more about what happened to her mother, yet struggles to explain her whereabouts to her husband, as it appears unbelievable.

I liked this book, but wasn't wowed by it. I thought the characters were interesting (especially Louis!), but the plot was a bit slow. The second half did pick up, and there were a few twists toward the end that I enjoyed. I did like the ending and felt it wrapped up nicely. Overall, this was a good book, just not one of my favorites.

I’m a sucker for time travel stories and add in the element of grief and I will drop everything to read the book. Faye, Faraway delivered all the feels. An excellent debut that explores grief in a dreamlike way. I loved the element of faith playing a part in explaining time travel. I cried my eyes out multiple times throughout. A beautiful story of life and loss.

In this moving novel about mothers and daughters we meet Faye. She is a young mother of two daughters. Faye tries to be the best mother she can be. You see Faye lost her mother at the tender age of seven years old. She has felt that loss her whole life. One extraordinary day though she finds herself thrown back in time to the day before her mother passed. She gets to meet her mother & forms a friendship with her. Faye has to decide to stay in the past with her mother or go back to her husband and daughters.

This novel moved me so much!!!!!!!!! I loved the author's way of making you feel connected with the characters emotionally and spirituality. I highly recommend this book.

Faye, Faraway by Helen Fisher is a story about family, loss, grief, and hope. Faye loves her husband and children. She wants them to know they are loved. She is happy and content with her life, but she lost her mother at such a young age and carries that loss with her. Imagine her surprise and shock when she finds her way to the past and her mother and younger self. She loves this time with her mother, but she also has her family to think off. The story dives into faith, second chances and is faced with impossible choices.

Happy reading!

"Faye, Faraway," by Helen Fisher, Gallery Books, 304 pages, Jan. 26, 2021.

Faye, 37, is married and has two young daughters, Esther and Evie. Her husband, Eddie, who is in finance, wants to go in to training to be a vicar. Faye works at the Royal National Institute for the Blind in London, testing product designs.

Faye’s mother, Jeanie, died when Faye was only eight. Faye is in her attic, thinking about her mother, when she steps into a box that held a toy from her childhood.

She feels like she is falling. She thinks she has died because she wakes in the living room of her childhood. Faye has fallen back in time to 1977, the year before her mother died.

Suddenly she has an opportunity to connect with her mother, her younger self, and the couple who adopted her after her mother died. She is able to return to the present, where three hours have passed. Faye decides she can’t tell Eddie or her two girlfriends what happened, but can tell her blind friend, Louis. She debates if she should tell Jeanie who she is. But can she go back in time without changing what happened?

Yes, you do have to be able go along with the notion of time travel, but everyone wishes they could have more time with loved ones who have died. The writing is good and the characters are wonderful. The story is touching, with twists along the way, and the ending is surprising. This is an enjoyable book.

In accordance with FTC guidelines, the advance reader's edition of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

I’ve recently had a thing for quirky characters and out there premises and FAYE, FARAWAY by Helen Fisher falls squarely in that wheelhouse. Happily married and the mother of two young daughters, Faye stumbles into a box in her attic and travels through time, to 1978, a few years before her mother vanished. Now this is the part you just have to accept. Let the box as a vehicle for time travel go and get on with the story!

Since she was 8-years old Faye has longed to know her mother, to understand what happened. Suddenly, as a woman in her 30’s, she gets that opportunity. Of course she’s going to take it. I think because I lost my father as a young child, the idea of getting to know that missing parent resonated with me. No doubt, there were parts I had to overlook, but in general I found it a fun, nice story. And can’t we all use a little nice these days?

The first pages of FAYE, FARAWAY by Helen Fisher set my expectations high for a novel that would not only entertain, but inform and touch my heart. Then I started reading and discovered this excellent story is so much more: an adventure, time travel, memory, mother, family, children, marriage, friendship, and coming to terms with your own triumphs and disasters alongside your loved ones. Somehow Fisher makes Faye come to life, as vivid and immediate a person who grabs your hand and brings you into her mind, her heart, her world--and you love being there, so appreciate this incredible friend. I could go on about the incredible art and structure of this story--never mind memorable turns of phrase -- but will conclude by saying this story is at once magical and as grounded in the everyday as A WRINKLE IN TIME and ALICE IN WONDERLAND and that like those classics, transports, delights, and leaves you forever changed. I received an advance reader copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my unbiased review.

I wanted to love this book. Its premise was very intriguing to me and there were parts of this book that I did love. How could I not? I've often wondered what it would be like to go back in time as an adult. Faye accidentally falls backwards through time and meets her mother (and her 6 year old self). This is two years before her mother passes away. Faye has carried this loss through her entire life, but she's managed to build a wonderful life with her husband, Eddie and their daughters, Esther and Evie.

Faye tells us her story in a meandering, conversational style that I felt was distracting since many of the conversations went on so long. It was tough for me to stay interested in the story as a whole. And since it's a story where you really have to suspend disbelief, Faye, Faraway is a difficult read to stay completely engaged with.

Though this ultimately didn't quite work for me, and I kept questioning all the time travel elements, I gave this one three stars though I wouldn't necessarily discourage someone from reading it. It's definitely not for every reader, but it's a unique take on the mother/daughter relationship.

I had really high hopes for this book. I love a good time traveling story, but this fell flat for me. I just wanted more in all aspects but one. The story was slow and nothing really happened for long periods of time. The one thing that I felt there was too much of was the psychology and religion aspects. While I think there was a place for it, it was just too much for my liking. I also felt like this book decided that it needed to wrap up quickly after meandering for quite a while. I could have used another chapter to give a real conclusion. Overall, 2.5 stars. I would recommend if you liked Oona Out of Order, but needed more of an explanation on time travel.

It has taken me a bit to wrap my head around this book. I was intrigued by the premise immediately and though I could sense how the story would unfold, there were still some delightful surprises. The novel is told in a playful conversational style. It took me a little to get used to the narrator, Faye, speaking directly to me/the reader as well as her meandering internal dialogue. You do need to suspend disbelief quite a bit to enjoy the story, but I don't believe anyone who couldn't, would pick up this book.

I'm not sure what my decisions would be if I was faced with the choices that Faye was. The beauty of the novel was how relatable her confusion, heartache, longing, and love were. The relationship with her husband, Eddie, as well as the one with her mother was fascinating. I don't agree with all the choices she made, but I can understand them. The story was quite thought provoking, especially when Faye discussed what was happening with Eddie and he compared it to his own calling from God. The idea of faith was woven beautifully throughout the story and though religion is a part of the book, I didn't find it overly preachy or in my face. The pacing of the story, however, was a bit slow and I didn't really feel truly invested or like it got going until around the halfway point. Once it did though, I didn't want to put the book down. I loved the cyclical nature of the story, but I almost wish that the book would not have ended on the note it did. There were still a lot of unanswered questions for me, but ultimately Faye, Faraway was a heartwarming and beautiful novel.

*I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*