Jody Hedlund begins her Waters of Time Series with Come Back to Me.  This is a time travel novel in which some characters go back and forth in time to try and save others from terminal illnesses.  The basic premise of the story is both haunting and sweet at the same time.  There seems to be some challenges in explaining exactly how the time travel will work and whether or not characters will just have visions of the past or actually be transported there.

The historical aspects of this novel are quite enjoyable.  The author has clearly spent some time researching and trying to understand the time periods of which she writes.  Hedlund is able to portray her characters as though their only paradigm is the time period from whence they originate.  This lends authenticity to their actions.

One area that struggled in this book is the romance department.  The characters spend most of their time thinking in lustful ways or being led by their mutual sexual attraction rather than actually falling in love with one another.  Something about it felt more like a G-rated tawdry romance than an actual love story. 

The other part of the story that just didn’t feel quite right was Marian Creighton.  Although she was supposed to be someone with whom the reader would sympathize and feel compassion, she just felt a little too one dimensional.  The secondary character Lord Harrison Burlington actually felt more intriguing.  Fortunately, the author continues the series with a story centering at least in part on Harrison.

This book was sent to Compass Book Ratings for review by Revell

Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language:  None

Violence/Gore:  A person is robbed at gun point; several scenes in which shots are fired and injuries involving blood are mentioned; characters hear sounds of others fighting; a woman and children are held at knife point, blood is drawn; characters mention plundering and pillaging villages; a report of people being beheaded and their heads placed on spikes; a character recalls the dismembered parts of a close family member; a woman is beaten by other women. 

Sex/Nudity:  Female admires a shirtless male’s physique; a male character imagines his nuptial bed, no details; an unmarried man places his hand on a woman’s hip; characters kiss and embrace.

Mature Subject Matter:

Death of close family members, terminal illness.

Alcohol / Drug Use:

Mention of characters consuming alcohol.