Anne Through Time
Adult; Romance; (Create)
In the fourth installment of the A Magical Bookshop Novel series, follow Anne Blakeley in her quest to save her family from destitution.
After the sudden passing of her father, Anne Blakeley discovers that her family is on the verge of financial ruin. Though Anne dreams of a different future, she is determined to marry for her family’s sake. With finances dwindling fast and a debt collector requesting a final payment, Anne has no choice but to accept help from her friend Beth Easton for one final season in London to find a suitor.
However, a chance meeting with Willa Balfour, the daughter of a marquis, pulls Anne and Beth into a scheme to rid Willa of an unwanted suitor, an Irish duke invited by her father. Thankfully, the marquis seems distracted by the appearance of Melinda, a time traveler and owner of a magical bookshop.
Despite needing to find a suitor, Anne starts questioning her burgeoning feelings towards Willa Balfour. Anne is torn between familial duty and her own heart when Melinda proposes the offer of a lifetime to Anne and Willa.
Quarter Finalist
Plot/Idea: 9 out of 10
Originality: 10 out of 10
Prose: 8 out of 10
Character/Execution: 9 out of 10
Overall: 9.00 out of 10
Assessment:
Plot/Idea: Anne Through Time is the fourth novel in the Magical Bookshop series, which centers on a portal through a bookstore that provides characters with a passage back to time to the regency era. In this installment, Anne Blakely grapples with her father's death and her family's impending financial ruin while holding out hope for love--and finding it where she didn't expect. The time travel element is subtle in this installment, and the book reads primarily as an unconventional regency romance.
Prose: The author is a capable writer, equally skilled with dialogue, action, and description. The era comes alive throughout her work.
Originality: Anne Through Time, as with the other novels in the series, strikes a delightful balance between regency romance and sci-fi.
Character/Execution: Buursma's cast of historical characters is wholly convincing. Readers will feel as whisked away into another era as the individuals who encounter the titular magical bookshop.
Date Submitted: August 31, 2023
