"Never Leave Me" is the second book in the Waters of Time Series. I absolutely loved this book. I had read "Come Back to Me" (the first in the series) and couldn’t wait to see what would happen in the second book. I was expecting action, romance, and intrigue and I wasn’t disappointed! The thought of being able to travel back in time is very intriguing. The way that Ms. Hedlund describes all the ways that time travel occurs made me think that it could actually happen because the descriptions were so in-depth! I loved the characters in the first book and was glad to see time spent on other characters and how they fit into the overall narrative of the series. The only thing I didn’t quite like was the constant “should I” or “shouldn’t I” declare my love, when it came to the characters deepening affection for each other. I have always wondered what it would be like to live in a different time period and Ms. Hedlund describes both the past and present with such depth and clarity I felt as though I were in the midst of the story myself. There were several questions that I had at the end of the book but cannot say what they are here in fear of giving away some of the story! I hope that Ms. Hedlund writes more dual-timeline books!

What an enthralling story! Having read the previous book, I understood the basis of the premise. However, this brought so much more to the overall story. I loved going back and seeing characters from the previous book. I also loved Ellen and Harrison. Their relationship is so real in all of this, especially given that they had known each other for years.

The premise of this includes some time travel, which I believe is difficult to incorporate into a Christian fiction. What Jody Hedlund does well is to entwine the Christian Fiction message with the magical and time travel elements. This story is well written and a delight. I was able to dive right into this book and had trouble letting go.

The emotions of this story are as real as any I have read. The characters are wonderful and their relationships genuine. I was thrilled to be able to read this story.

I received an eARC through the publisher and NetGalley and this is my honest review.

Jody Hedlund is a wonderful author with such creative stories and plots. This book is the second book of her Christian time travel series. The characters travel between from present to 1382 by ingesting sacred holy water delivered to them from the past. The main characters Ellen and Harrison are good friends who love each other but because of their physical limitations keep that hidden. Once they ingest the Holy water their lives are altered and they are led on a journey through past and present to find their way back to each other and what is most important in life,

Never Leave Me is the 2nd book in The Water of Time Series. This book definitely needs to be read after the 1st book to get the full details and motives behind the characters' actions.

This book challenges the reader to not take life for granted, but to live life to the fullest. There were so many quotable sections in this book! I absolutely loved Harrison. He was actually one of my favorite characters from the first book, so I was really excited to read more about him.

I love time traveling books and this book had a unique twist on other time-travel books/shows that I've seen. This book was well-researched, not only in scientific theories of time travel but also in describing the medieval time periods (which were my favorite parts of the book).

The only thing I didn't like about the book was the fact that the two main characters spent a weekend together in the same hotel suite. Even though nothing happened, it's disappointing to see Christian books make light of characters putting themselves in compromising situations.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others.

**I received a free copy of this book to leave an honest review.

After the events of the first book in the series, I was dying to read this one because I desperately wanted Harrison and Ellen to have a story! And their story was everything I hoped it would be!

Like the first book, this is a time-travel romance, and I loved both the contemporary and the historical parts. It is suspenseful, action-packed, and romantic, and it keeps the reader turning pages quickly to find out what will happen next!

There are also deeper themes of terminal illness and the guilt of receiving a gift that is not given to others. These themes are handled beautifully, and I felt for Ellen and Harrison as they underwent various emotional and physical trials. This book is hopeful and joyful too, and I felt like the balance was perfectly done!

Because it is a Jody Hedlund book, the romance is guaranteed to be swoon-worthy! I loved that it is both a friends-to-more and an age gap story.

I loved reading this book and I highly recommend it!

5/5 stars!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This read was a very pleasant surprise! I read the first book in the series and enjoyed it, though I'll admit I wasn't entirely wild about it--just curious enough to pick up this one and find out what happened to the characters.

Hedlund definitely ups the ante, both in writing style and character/plot development (and stakes, for that matter), in this book. It really combines a lot of disparate elements, from time-slip to ethics, medicine to faith, and more! The ethics component, in particular, really intrigued me and made me think.

I'll admit I was a liiiiiitle bit tired of the Serenity Prayer by the end, lol. It had its place and certainly got the point across; I simply felt it bordered on overuse, and would have enjoyed seeing Ellen use her own words in heartfelt prayer in addition to quoting the Serenity Prayer. Holy water also plays a significant role in this series (so readers are aware, however they feel about it)--which also plays into the ethics dilemma we see throughout the book.

A bit more of an "intellectual" read (so perhaps less suitable for when one is trying to go to sleep? LOL--not that I speak from experience ... at all ...). :) Perhaps my favorite part was the Canterbury setting; I visited there on one of my last trips to England, and while I hadn't been super wild about it at the time, I sure appreciated it with this! Loved being able to bring the cathedral to life in my mind's eye, and also read about it _not_ in relation to Thomas Becket--simply making new connections and connotations.

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Fleming H. Revell Company for this ARC publication for an honest review.

Never Leave Me
Jody Hedlund
Publication: January 4, 2022

Never Leave Me is book two in a series (which I didn’t know when I received this book so I went back and read book one “Come Back to Me”…) I am so glad I started with the first book to fill in some overlaps and information that made things clearer in this book. I think I may have been confused or missed some details if I did not read book one. So I recommend reading the first book before this…

“Never Leave Me” starts off where book one left off. Ellen Creighton is dying of a genetic disease. The reason her father and sister had so adamantly been searching for a cure in book one. Harrison is her friend who is also fighting to save her life—and is secretly in love with her.
This series is a crazy (in a good way) mix of science fiction, historical fiction, Christianity, and romance. This book has it all! Time travel, knights, bad guys, good guys, miracles, love stories…while it is not a perfect book with so much going on, I did enjoy it and would be interested in reading another in the series.
3 ½-4 stars

How appropriate is the title of this book, and the more you turn the pages you realize how true it is.

Now I have read the first book in this series, and loved it, and this one did not disappoint. Made think that we all would be willing to try and get access to this holy water, especially for someone we love.

This is a time travel Christian story, and the author did a great job of bringing us to the 1300's, and we sure do take a lot for granted!

Right to the end of this read the story kept on giving, and caring!

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Revell, and was not required to give a positive review.

I didn't realize when I read Come Back to Me, the first book in The Waters of Time series, that I needed a book about Harrison and Ellen. I knew I wanted another book in the series, but I was so intrigued by the time travel and Marian's story that I hadn't fallen in love with Harrison yet. It didn't take long after starting this second book. Never Leave Me is based on the Serenity Prayer. Ellen had always tried to live in acceptance of her rare disease, but she was beginning to realize that maybe she hadn't had the courage to try to change what she could. Once she realized the possibility of a cure for all types of maladies, she was willing to do anything to help those she loved, especially the children she worked with at the treatment center, even if it meant denying herself. Harrison also lived selflessly and was willing to give up his life and desires for Ellen. It was definitely interesting to follow their relationship and wonder if they would ever be able to make a life together. There was another possible suitor, though, and I can't help but wish for another story about him.

Thanks to NetGalley.com and Revell for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this time travel story so that I might give my comments. I am always happy to read a Jody Hedlund book and can give this an enthusiastic recommendation.

What an enthralling second installment of what I hope will be a trilogy! It didn't start out the way I had envisioned, so it took me a bit to get into it. This isn't the author's fault...it's because I had something in mind and had to reset my expectations. We continue with the overarching story line, but this time follow Ellen and Harrison, and their long and unresolved love affair, through time.

This was stunning! I adored the characters and I am so glad that Hedlund wrote another book! Never Leave Me is the second book in Jody Hedlund’s Waters of Time series. I was so excited to read about Ellen and Harrison, I loved them in the first book.
Ellen was a strong character, she had overcome much in her young life. She had dealt with the death of her mother, and then learning that she had a life ending disease. I really liked reading about Ellen and seeing her grow and mature. She had to learn to trust Harrison and let go of her fears. I loved that she had a heart for those who were suffering.
Harrison was the sweetest! I loved him and it was so fun to read things from his perspective. He was a hard worker and he had fallen hard for Ellen, he loved her so much. It was definitely cute to read about him interacting with her and trying to help her. Harrison was lonely and he didn’t want Ellen to leave him, he had lost so many people already. However Harrison had to learn to trust God’s plan and let Ellen grow taking her time.
Harrison and Ellen were the sweetest together, I loved their interactions! I could tell that they were perfect together, I loved how they were friends first. They had gone through a lot and I so wanted them to find their happy endings.
It was so cool to read this book, there were so many twists and turns, I was on the edge of my seat. I don’t want to give anything away, but I will say this book was amazing! I also love how Hedlund is always able to weave a great story while still keeping God at the center. This was a great Christian fiction book!
Never Leave Me is a must read! I know that I keep gushing about it, but it is so worth it! I would definitely recommend Never Leave Me. However it is part of a series so I would suggest reading it in order. I would recommend Never Leave Me to those at least 13 years and up. Never Leave Me is a clean christian time travel romance.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, a positive review was not required.

Never Leave Me is one of my most anticipated sequels and it does not disappoint! Once again, author Jody Hedlund weaves a compelling, intelligent, page-turning story full of symbolism, healing, miracles, time-travel in another amazing "what-if" story. I could not put it down!

Gotta love a story that begins with the Serenity Prayer! (God, grant me the serenity accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time; enjoying one moment at a time; accepting hardships as the pathway to peace.)

In this story Ellen is dying from a hereditary disease, and wheelchair-bound Harrison does everything in his power to try to save her. He has loved her for a long time, and she is clueless about it. Because of her illness, she has not allowed herself to be in any serious relationships. Time travel was a concept that defied her comprehension. By going to the past she realizes that her friend Harrison "was the one stability in her uncertain life." I love how this story also builds on and revisits Come Back to Me!

Some quotes I enjoyed:
"She'd been awake no longer than five minutes in the past, and already she was about to be murdered." "How did women in movies ride horses to elegantly and effortlessly?" "Wasn't that the story of her life? Survival? And here she was trying to survive again." "Yes, only God knows each of our timelines." "I plight thee my troth." "One thing was becoming clear: although the water could bring healing, it also brought death." "Courage. Instead of always giving up so easily or running away in fear, maybe it was time to pray that she could face the uncertainty of the future with courage."

Thank you to Revell and Net Galley for allowing me to read an early copy! (I was thrilled by the way.) All opinions are my own!

The concept of this series is what drew me in. Who wouldn’t want miracle cures and the ability to travel in time? Ms. Hedlund does an excellent job weaving a story that is intriguing and entertaining. Her characters are always so well written with many believable attributes, you wish you could actually meet them. With well researched details into history you get an authentic feel of the 1300’s. The overall story is excellent with enough twists and mystery to keep you guessing.

There were so many good things in this story, but this was not my favorite book by this author, possibly because of the very surface level look at God throughout it. None of the characters seem to believe that God is actively involved in their lives. They mention Him in passing with occasional thanks for miraculous healing, but overall He is pushed out of the scenes. That being said it is still an excellent book, definitely worth the read.

I enjoyed this book for it’s exciting story and sweet romance. Look forward to any other books in this series. I received a free ebook from NetGalley for my honest review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

While Come Back to Me may be my favorite of all Hedlund's books, Never Leave Me may be a least favorite. I enjoyed the chance to see the characters again and know how Ellen found healing and love. The scenes in the 1380s were again my favorite because of the details and unexpected twists. In this case I enjoyed being in the male protagonist's POV more than the lady's; he was easier to root for and genuinely likeable. Ellen made several choices that seemed oddly immature and short-sighted. I expected her to be more self-aware after all she'd lived through. The ending felt too short and a bit too padded with the characters having sudden realizations of things it seems should have been obvious in the first third of the book. I was left more emotionally invested in the characters in the 1380s and wondering how things ended with them. Did they have any way of knowing if Ellen survived in the present?
If there is to be a 3rd book not yet announced I will gladly take back much of my critique, as this ending is begging for more. Hedlund still remains one of my favorite authors and I am already reading her next release and greatly enjoying it. This one just needed more of what gave the first book such magic.

An interesting, well written story blending time travel, action and adventures, suspense and a sweet, clean romance between two wounded characters, “Never Leave Me”, by Jody Hedlund (Revell) is about hope and fear, miracles and second chances.
I liked the sweet romance between Harrison and Ellen, how they dance around each other trying to avoid the attraction and the fact friendship turned into love. Harrison’s long term, secret crush is endearing. He’s a strong, protective, honorable hero.
Ellen’s plight is much more arduous and the second chance she’s given is truly a life matter. I admired the resignation with which she faces her condition, and her caring nature.
The secondary characters, some from the previous story, are also interesting.
Overall, the description and argumentation about the Tree of Life, the holy water and the miraculous events were plausible; the time travel and the crossings were well developed, too, blending cohesively fantasy and historical aspects. The depiction of the Middle Ages seemed very realistic.
I wouldn’t consider this a wounded hero story, because of what happens at the beginning (13%) of the book. I felt some aspects of Harrison’s healing would benefit, for instances, with the need for some physiotherapy.

Never Leave Me is a very well written time travel book. The author weaves the two time periods expertly together in the plot. I recommend this book. My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance ebook. This is my unbiased review.

'Maybe God was still there with her, never leaving her, always wanting to help her, always loving her.'

The first book in Jody Hedlund's series drew me in almost instantly and I absolutely loved it! I couldn't wait for the second in the series and now that I've read it, I loved it also.

Ellen Creighton could use some of that holy water her sister Marian and father used, because she is near death's door from a genetic disease. And Harrison, paralyzed and in a wheelchair since the age of four, could use some, too. But things are not that simple. They can't get anymore unless they travel back in time to retrieve it and then there is a chance they may not find it.

Get on board with this series and watch and read in awe as Hedlund takes her readers on a wonderful split time story! I found myself gasping may times, hand to chest in wonderment. I loved every minute! I hated for it to end.

My thanks to Revell for a copy of this book via Net Galley. The opinion here is entirely my own.

Another spellbinding tale from Jody Hedlund! Never Leave Me was one of my most anticipated reads of 2022 (I’m lucky I got to read it a bit early) and it didn’t disappoint. A solid portion of this book takes place in present time, which felt a bit strange because Hedlund is one of my favorite historical authors, but it just proves Hedlund can write successfully in an era.

The scenes of medieval life are portrayed realistically and seen through the eyes of modern people, which made for a very intriguing contrast. Because of their authenticity, I fell in love with the characters. Harrison is definitely a new book boyfriend! I’m crossing my fingers that Hedlund writes a third book in this series because I need more of these characters.

Never Leave Me needs to be on your TBR. Fans of Hedlund’s historical stories don’t need to worry at all about the switch in setting—plenty of the story is set in the fascinating medieval era. And I can’t recommend Hedlund’s writing enough! 4.5/5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is the second book in this series about time travel and a magic healing elixir. Ellen Creighton and Harrison Burlington were characters in the previous book and they are the focus of this one. This is a fascinating story which has some improbable twists that don't make it any less entertaining. If you're into time travel books, this series offers a different view of it than I have seen elsewhere.

I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Love, love this series and loved this second one too!

We first saw Ellen and Harrison in book 1 and now they get their own story!

Ellen is dying of the same genetic disease that killed her mother, and believes her sister and father are also gone.
Harrison, her long-time friend, is desperately trying to find more holy water to provide a cure to Ellen. When he locates two flasks and they are both cured, their problems start to mount.

I really like the concept of the time-travel and ultimate cure through the holy waters and I loved seeing all the characters together in the past as they try to thwart the villain.

It's a fast-paced adventure between the present and the past, and a sweet romance between best friends who love each other but are afraid to damage the friendship.

This would make a great TV series, and I hope there will be more books (maybe Sybil's story?).

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