Forever Lovely

Author: Linore Rose Burkard
Genre: Historical Fiction Time Travel
Series: Forever in Time #2
Pages: 252
Release Date: November 28, 2023
Publisher: Lilliput Press

1819, England

Miss Margaret Andrews' sister disappeared into the future three years ago and Margaret hasn't seen her since. Julian St. John agrees to let her 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!

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Reviewer: Linda Klager

Margaret Andrews travels with Julian St. John through a unique shawl called a "tallit." I had never even heard of the word "tallit." A woman who claimed that the Spirit of God compelled her to make these shawls for specific people created them. These shawls have the goal of matchmaking.
 
All of a sudden, this unusual shawl brings St. John and Margaret to the 21st century. They are fully dressed in clothing from the 19th century. Some people notice the difference in their clothing, but some do not. There is a Jane Austen Society conference going on, and that is why they are mistaken as attendees of this conference. It was comical that Margaret and Julian commented that others in the 21st century were not properly dressed. To them, that made a lot of sense.
 
Margaret is called a "blue stocking," which is known as an academic female. Blue Stockings were not thought to be good candidates for marriage. In the library, Margaret is attracted to a man dressed in the attire of the 19th century. She wants to learn more about him and analytical machines. She is fascinated by what is now known as a computer. Margaret is also wanting to take a 21st-century invention back to the 19th century. She feels that she will be highly regarded as a famous woman.
 
Stewart is the gentleman Margaret has her eye on. He is a student interested in 19th-century women's literature. He has a secret, and you will need to read the book to find out what that entails. It makes for a very interesting read.
 
Julian St. John's story is also very interesting in how he related to the "tallit."
 
I learned a lot of 19th-century terminology and customs. I like a novel that also teaches me new ideas and things. I want to read book one to learn more about the relationships of the people who were touched by this special shawl.
 
I received a complimentary copy courtesy of the author through Interviews & Reviews for my honest opinion.

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Reviewer: Amy Smelser

It has been way too long since I have read a Linore Burkard book, and I have always enjoyed her regencies. Add in a time travel twist, which is also a favorite for me, and you had me hooked.

This is the second in a series. I have not read the first yet, but I was not at all lost. Within the pages of this story, we are brought up to speed about the intriguing time-traveling prayer shawl. I am always amazed at the authors' imaginations and how their characters can time travel. So, whether it is a box, water, or shawl, the characters must learn and fend for themselves in whatever time they find themselves caught up in.

Margaret is the second sister. The one who has been told is not as pretty, and she is not even her father's favorite. But her older sister has already chosen her life in the future, and Margaret has accepted that. It has been three years since they have seen each other, and Margaret convinces Sir John to let her go to the future for a visit. All the while, Margaret is wanting to find and bring back an invention to help her succeed on her own in her own time. When Margaret steps foot into the future, she is not at all prepared for all that her senses take in. Even though she has heard the stories, she is now living it, at least for a little while.

But then things do not go as planned. Right from the start, they did not end up where they thought they would. Things only go from bad to shocking when Margaret is left alone in the city. But it is as if she was meant to be there at that time so that she could meet Stewart Russell, who is actually in a bit of a life-threatening situation himself.

This was a fun read to see how Margaret, who certainly did not fit in modern times, would cope, as her speech and view of the world were so much more learned and innocent. Stewart gets frustrated with her, even thinking she is a bit addled. He is not prepared to handle the truth. I enjoyed the adventure, mystery, and race against time to make things right for these two.

I was provided a copy of this novel by the author through Interviews and Reviews. I was not required to post a positive review, and all views and opinions are my own.

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Reviewer: Paula Shreckhise

I really like time travel stories, and this series is so well done. The transition from 1819 England to present-day New York City was smooth, even if the characters saw a bit of trouble. I liked seeing modern-day New York through the eyes of Margaret.

It was so surprising and neat to know that Margaret and Julian plopped right into a Jane Austen conference. The prayer shawl that allowed the time jump had a mind of its own when it became whole again after it had been torn apart. That just made for a logistical challenge.

Because of the conference, Margaret meets Stewart, who is doing his degree in 19th-century female authors. They have much in common, and the shawl does some matchmaking. The shawl works its magic, and it lets people go to the time period they were meant to be in. 

I liked the quotes at the beginning of the chapter, which gave advice from historical figures. This was a fascinating premise. Also fascinating is the lady, a completed Jew (Christian), who makes the shawls and tells the recipient that the Holy Spirit chooses who she should sell to.

Suspend disbelief and enjoy this romantic story.

Through Interviews & Reviews, the author provided a free copy of this eBook. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.

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Reviewer: Laura J. Davis

All I can say is, I wish I had a time-travelling shawl! I loved this book, and you will too if you adore time-travelling romances with a little bit of mystery included.

In this second book of the Forever in Time series, author Linore Rose Burkard takes the reader on another magical journey through time. This time she plopped her characters into a modern-day Jane Austen Society Conference in New York City.

While Margaret Andrews is absolutely enthralled by all she sees, her "tour guide" to the future, Julian St. John, has already been there, and while he was generally well-versed on what to expect, he wasn't planning to land in New York. They were supposed to appear in Dove Cottage, in Maine, as they always had. So what had gone wrong?

As Julian tries to figure out what to do, Margaret implores him to at least let her see some of New York first before he forces them to return to their time. But then something horrible happens, and Margaret ends up alone in New York without a clue how to get around, get back home, or, as is painfully obvious to those around her, how to talk like she wasn't from another time.

When Margaret meets Stewart Russell, an attendee at the Jane Austen Conference, she feels like she has met a kindred spirit, until Stewart starts acting weird. There is so much more to this story and the magical capabilities of the special shawl that you will want to hunt one down for yourself! This was a fun read that kept me so enamoured that I read it, and then I reread the first book. I really hope there is another one in the works!

I received an advance copy courtesy of the author. All opinions are my own.

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