When I started reading this novel, I was intrigued from the first sentence. And the more I read, the more I did not want to stop reading. The author truly had me hooked.

The plotline itself was different. It is not every day you can find a Christian Fiction book where one of the main characters sees what she believes to be a ghost and the other main character is a magician. And I personally enjoyed how unique it was. After a while, some of the Christian Fiction Romance all seem to be the same. But this one was different.

Hedda Krause is a head-strong character. She is independent and stubborn. I liked reading her story. And I especially liked the fact that she was an unreliable narrator. I wasn't sure which parts of her story to believe and which not to, which made it all the more intriguing to me.

Dini is obsessed with the mystery of Hedda Krause. She's read her book a million times (probably not quite that many, but she does have it memorized). And this obsession of hers leads her to the handsome and charming Quin Carmichael, the great-great-grandson of the detective that works Hedda's case. And if there is any way a person can have a crush on a book character, I did. I fell in love with Quin right away. He is sweet, kind, gentle, Godly...everything I would want in a man and more. Even if the plotline of this book does not interest you, I would say just read the book for Quin.


What I most liked about this book, however, was the attention to detail the author gave it. I am one of those readers who likes a lot of description. I felt like I was actually a part of the story. And it tells me that the author really did her research. Reading the author note, I was surprised and pleased the lengths the author went to to research this book. I won't spoil it for you, but it made me respect her and her writing more. I also appreciated her writing style.

I do have to say, though, there is one thing about the book that I did not like. I'm usually not one to care about how strong the Christian aspect of a book is. As long as the novel is clean, I am okay. But there doesn't seem to be a lot of Christianity in this book, just a few references. And with how Godly of a man Quin seems to be, I expected there to be more and found myself oddly disappointed by the lack of it. However, it did not take away too much for me, personally, but if you are looking for a novel with a strong Christian message, this isn't it. Otherwise, though, I loved the book and will be reading more from this author.

I would give it five out of five stars.

I received a copy from the publisher via Netgalley and this is my honest review.

This took me a few chapters to get into the story, and it was a bit confusing at times. But overall, it was an enjoyable read. I enjoyed the time slip and gothic angles to the story. The characters were well-crafted. I didn't quite understand the cover, as it doesn't seem like the best fit for the story. I've never read anything from Pittman before, but I'd be willing to check out future books, as well as the other books in this "Doors to the Past" series.

A spell-binding time slip novel that'll make you turn up the lights!
Meeting Dini Blackstone in the opening pages, I wasn't at first sure I'd like this heroine. but the aura is so completely enveloping right there, I was compelled to go on. Sure enough, true to form (because I've yet to be let down by one of Allison Pittman's stories) Dini soon grew on me. I think the fact that the author so winningly captures the mindset of a truly introverted person was part of it. It wasn't long before I was completely charmed by Dini the magician's individualism and bits of weirdness.
Then there's Hedda. What a 1920s goddess. I wasn't sure what to make of her either. We are given a deep look into her mind, and yet we can't decide if she's a looney or being gaslighted.
One thing is sure, Allison Pittman gaslights her readers along the way--in the most delightful sense. She doesn't make us think we're crazy, but she makes us wonder what to think until the very last page.

A fun read about a legend of Houston Texas. I found myself reading well into the night because I had to know the rest of the story.
A ghost that haunts a hotel, a woman looking for a home and a young lady looking for a place to belong. They become tangled in a story many years apart, but they will bring answers to each other's story.
I love Pittman's writing. She tells a story bluntly but with finesse. You are drawn in by the characters and how they are so very normal. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for not only a good creep factor in a book, but mystery that needs solving.

I am a fan of Allison Pittman. This book was different from what I have read from her before. This is a mystery, a romance within another romance. The characters were interesting, the setting was a historical location. I enjoyed the journey.

I received a copy of this book via Netgalley, my review is my own.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this story, but I loved it. It's very atmospheric and full of Gothic elements, with plenty of mystery and suspense, all revolving about the main question driving the plot in both times: was there a ghost or not?

I really liked Dini and her interesting career. It was very interesting to see the kind of tricks she did, how quirky she is, and how unusual her upbringing was.
Quinn is more down to earth but he's also trying to find out the truth.

Then there's the hotel with all its residents and staff, the visitors, the city, and of course Hedda, who's the center of everything. Was she genuine or a con lady?

This is was the first time I read the author and it won't the last.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.