Forever Lovely by Linore Rose Burkard Book Review

About the Book:

1819, England

Miss Margaret Andrews' sister disappeared into the future three years ago and Margaret hasn't seen her since. Julian St. John brings her to visit, but only for a day, since his wife Claire is about to give birth to their first child. He doesn't know Margaret's real desire is to find a modern invention to bring back with her. A bluestocking by nature and lacking her sister's famous beauty, Margaret knows she must make her way in society by becoming an inventress. But when the tallit, the magical time-travel shawl goes awry, she finds herself alone and stranded in 21st century New York City!

Present Day, Manhattan

Stewart Russell is a grad student studying early British female writers when he meets Margaret at a Jane Austen Society Conference in New York. Margaret is mistaken for an attendee but fits right in. Stewart is thrilled by her knowledge of the writers he's studying, almost as much as her effortless acting with the speech and manners of Jane's day. Until she claims to be from Jane's day! Worse, he is a wanted man due to a mix-up, and time is running out.

Margaret longs to keep him safe from the blackguards pursuing him, but first she must convince him she really is from the past. But when she can't even get herself back to 1819, how can she hope to bring Stewart too? It's a race against time and she must find a way before the unthinkable happens!

My Review:

I enjoyed this fun time travel novel. Burkard has done a good job of placing readers in the contemporary world and the Regency period. I like how Margaret, a young woman who fears being a spinster in her era, reacts to modern technology when transported to the present day. I also like how her present day romantic counterpart, Stewart, reacts to the Regency era. There is a little bit of suspense and a mild romance with a happy ending. There is a bit of a Christian faith message as the way time transport is possible is because God exists outside of time.

While this novel is a sequel, it reads well on its own. It does not contain sensitive issues other than the possibility of sisters having an antagonistic relationship. It is a nice, light novel and an enjoyable read.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

About the Author:

Linore Rose Burkard is a serious watcher of period films, a Janeite and hopeless romantic. An award-winning author best known for Inspirational Regency Romance, her first book with Harvest House (Before the Season Ends) opened the genre for the CBA. Linore is a magna cum laude English Lit. grad from CUNY, but now resides in Ohio with her husband and family, two cats, and a Shorkie. Active in church and in two monthly writers’ groups, (one of which she is president of), Linore loves to craft stories that fill a sweet spot for readers who, like herself, savor a happy ending. Influenced by Georgette Heyer, Linore's historical romances, steeped in Regency authenticity, provide the light-hearted, comedic effects that first sparked her love for the genre. Besides romance, Linore writes young adult apocalyptic suspense. (The Pulse Effex Series, as L.R. Burkard, her alter-ego!) You can find out more at https://www.linoreburkard.com/ 

Lilliput Press, 245 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the author. My comments are an independent and honest review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)