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REVIEW
A Time to Change is an amazing historical dual time travel story that captured my full attention, moved me to tears and kept me glued to its pages. What an intriguing plot of mystery, mayhem and magic! The characters are real, focused and sometimes unpredictable. They get inside your head and heart and play merry havoc with your emotions. There were times I felt great sadness at the losses, prompted by anger at the treatment of women in the early 1900s, challenged by the impossibilities that arose from various events and full of compassion for those who desperately wanted to make things better.
The agony of knowing the future, living and trying to change the past, would create a burden for anyone but Louisa Arnold handles it all with such care, hopefulness and humility that I felt she was a heroine to be admired. She learns that sacrifice goes hand in hand with change. Not everything will happen as she wishes or in the way she hopes but she meets people who will radically alter her views and outcomes.
This old house on the hill is magical. But what makes it possible to travel back in time? It seems only certain individuals can enter its transport domain. The house has a past story and its key players come from the future. Lou (Louisa) has been chosen. After suffering a terrible loss in the present, she runs into the old ruins to escape her grief but as she moves further into its walls, the Hill House begins to transform around her. She starts to think she is dreaming as this is something outside of reality: something you might actually experience in your dreamworld. But she is not asleep and finds herself one hundred years into the past where she must quickly fall into step with those around her. This whole scenario is quite an eye opener as many things and opinions of modern day are quickly challenged and unacceptable in the past. Women’s roles and freedoms for example. But as she meets various members of the household, develops friendships and other attachments, she realises there is also something sinister happening. Yes, there is a villain in the midst. As she steps back into the present, does her research and makes a plan, she is able to return to the past to help Hill House and its beloved family, the Mandeville’s, from ruin.
This is very much a rescue mission and watching it all unfold was an exciting on the edge of your seat experience. I thoroughly enjoyed the history, mystery, romance and passion for the old house and its inhabitants. Like Louisa, I was transported to 1913 and back to 2013. The descriptions were exceptional making it possible to feel perfectly placed as Louisa moves back and forth for a period of time.
Like its title, this story is about change. And how one alteration can affect a series of events and lives. It also shows how you may lose someone and yet gain another. Friendships may develop, love may blossom as purposes realign for different outcomes. Sounds cryptic? Yes, it is and this story takes you on a journey you will never forget, that will hurt, make you think, cheer and cry. But there will be bubbles of laughter, too. Along with appreciation, admiration and amazement. I adored A Time to Change and like others who have read it, did not want this lovely tale to end. It is Book one of a mystery series so we may meet some of these characters again. If so, I will dive in once again to the wonderful world Callie Langridge has created. I highly recommend this moving novel. Without hesitation, I give it 5 timeless Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Many thanks to Storm Publishing and Netgalley for my review copy.
