I’ve read a few chick-lit novels in the past with time travel as a premise. It’s usually a lot of fun, and Time After Time sounded like no exception. I hadn’t read Louise Pentland before, so I was excited to try. I was lucky enough to get a proof of this from Tracy Fenton at Compulsive Tours. Thank you so much for allowing me to be part of this tour. I’m so glad I had a chance to read this early.
Tabby is stuck. Every day is the same, and though she happy’s about where she is in life most of the time…sometimes she wishes she could go back and start over. When she meets a free spirit called Bea, she gets a chance to see her life in a different light and wants to be more like her. Only it’s clear that when she’s with Bea…she’s been transported back to the 1980s. Torn between the past and her present, Tabby needs to figure out who she is and what she wants from life.
I found this to be an enjoyable book. It was more emotional in places than I expected, but that was definitely a positive. Whether it was making me laugh or cry, this book was so easy to read. It’s a perfect summer read as it’s deep enough to lose yourself in, but you’ll find yourself getting through the story fast.
This was a character-focused story. Bea is in a relationship throughout, but there isn’t a focus on romance. Just on what being in a relationship is doing for her. It’s more about friendships and family, something that I really appreciated. I liked Bea as a character. She was a little bit of a wet blanket at first, but that just really highlighted her growth. Her coming into her own is the entire point of this book, so it made sense.
I said before that family was an important theme, and it was done pretty well. Bea’s dad winds up coming out as gay early on in the book, so that’s one complication they’re having to deal with. I felt like this was handled pretty well. There was some slight homophobia from side characters, but I appreciated how the family was dealing with it. Was it a shock for them at first? Sure. But they handled it well, and it didn’t feel like it was being treated like a comedic addition or anything. Obviously, when it’s talked about in the 80s, there are some issues, but it’s also the 80s, so… It was kinda expected.
You get to see a few different types of families in this book. Back in the ’80s and in the present. I know Pentland has been a mummy blogger for a while, but in this book, you get to see more than just her experience. I won’t go into details, but I like that this book did highlight that not all families are the same, and they can all be good and matter the same.
The ending of this book made me want to spend time with my mum and spoil her. Which is always a good thing.
If you’re looking for 80’s pop culture, family feels, and a very fun book, then Time After Time is the book for you!
4/5 Stars
Title: Time After Time
Author: Louise Pentland
Genre: Chick-Lit
Age Range: Adult
Publisher: Zaffre
Release Date: Out Now
BUY LINKS
Lace and Dagger Books 