John A. Heldt

Historical romance is not my preferred genre, time travel is definitely not my preferred genre. What is this book about? Time travel and a romance set in 1941.

I was offered this book in return for an honest review. When I first became a reviewer I resolved I would not be narrow in my acceptance of books based on those I would normally choose from the book shelf. I have just finished The Mine and I am so glad I accepted the review request.

The story briefly:
Two young men finishing college are show more on a visit to Montana. They come across an old mine and one of the men, Joel, leaves his friend outside while he goes into explore. He is transported back 59 years to 1941.

With cash ahead of its time and definitely unusable credit cards, he struggles to make his way to Seattle where he is befriended by another young man, Tom, whose family owns a department store. Tom’s father employs Joel in the shop and a new life begins. The new life brings him romance but when the opportunity to return to 2000 arises he must decide if he will leave his new life and his beloved Grace or stay and change the course of history for many.

I loved this book, its story line, characters and thought provoking situations Joel finds himself in.

He discovers that his grandmother, Ginny, is the girlfriend of his new best friend. Does he warn them of the future he knows is in store? One of her friends, Katie, is a Japanese student. With the bombing of Pearl Harbour about to bring the United States into the war does he tell Katie that she will spend years in and internment camp?

And most of all, does he leave the woman he loves or does he take her back to the future with him? These are questions Joel muses over many times.

The story is written sensitively with a touch of humour. I love the part where Tom asks Joel to leave him and Ginny alone for a while and Joel thinks to himself “You want to make out with my grandmother!”

The characters are not only likeable and believable but I felt I really got to know them. John Heldt avoids long winded descriptions to set his scene using fashion, historical accuracy, architecture and motor vehicles to paint his pictures.

The story’s ending is not at all what I expected but it is a wonderful ending to an excellent story. I will certainly be looking for further books by John Heldt.

This review is also available on my website www.pam.id.au show less

The five Carson siblings have been in turmoil since the disappearance of their parents several months earlier. When oldest sibling, Adam receives a packet from his parent's lawyer, the pieces begin to come together. However, the packet reveals a secret website set up by their parents telling of their discovery of time travel portals and the subsequent adventures in different time periods. After Adam reviews the evidence and reads through how the portals work, he gets his siblings together show more and they unanimously vote to travel through time in order to reach their parents. They plan to go through a portal near their hometown in Arizona, taking them back to the 1880's; however when they step through the portal they end up near Johnstown, Pennsylvania in December 1888. The siblings quickly try to acclimate themselves into the time and begin the search for their parents. For twin siblings, Cody and Caitlin, this means enrolling in school. For middle brother, Greg, an adventure into the truly wild west to track a lead in Arizona territory and California. For Natalie, using her journalism skills to follow leads while Adam manages information and holds down the fort from the temporary home at the Colbert Boarding House. Even though the sibling's main objective is to find their parents and return home, the extended stay in Johnstown has led to romantic entanglements for four of the five siblings and their parents keep slipping through their fingers. On May 31st, 1889, the Johnstown flood devastates the town and the inhabitants leaving the Carson siblings in disarray.

River Rising is an epic time travel adventure. This is a story you will want to take your time with and sink into. From the moment the five siblings walk through the time portal and into 1880's Pennsylvania, ​I knew I was in for an exciting ride. Amazingly, all five siblings: Adam, Greg, Natalie, Cody and Caitlin are very well developed and individual characters. They each take turns at telling their part of the story through their point of view while continuing a cohesive story line. Pennsylvania 1888-89 was a wonderful year to travel back to; much like the Carson siblings I was amazed at the time period where Benjamin Harrison had just been elected President, Mark Twain was in his prime, the West was still wild and Punxsutawney Phil has made his first appearance. Through the sibling's eyes, I was able to see many of these events first hand. Unlike the characters in Heldt's other time travel series, the Carson siblings did not travel through time thinking about the possibility of altered timelines. I am very interested in how their very involved actions in 1888 may have altered things in the present. I am also very interested in how the time portals work; it is know that they appear on solstices and seem to appear in areas that are known to be sacred or have paranormal activity. I would love to figure out more about them and where else they seem to pop up. Near the end of the Carson sibling's grand adventure, the game of cat and mouse that they have been playing with their parents seems to be no closer to the end and the intensity increases when tragedy strikes with Johnstown flood; I had a hard time putting the book down. Ending, with a huge cliffhanger, I can not wait to see what happens with the Carson family next.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. show less

The Carson family plus new significant others and children have landed in 1983, what should be the last stop on their last stop through time in order to finally reunite with their parents and head back to 2017. This time, twin siblings Cody and Caitlin plus 1962 transplant, Dennis are planning on getting jobs at the summer camp in Maine that their teenaged parents first met at in hopes that their older parents will visit the camp as well. Everything is going to plan until Cody, Caitlin and show more Dennis are paired up in cabins with their teenaged parents. The teens are worried that they might upset the timeline even more and prevent their parents from getting together. Furthermore, Cody meets Karen at camp and they immediately form a connection. However, in addition to being a time-traveler, Cody and Karen's relationship seems doomed because of a secret that Karen is hiding.

Camp Lake is the fifth and last book in the Carson Chronicles. This heartfelt conclusion to the epic series kept my attention with plenty of surprises for a family that I felt I've gotten to know pretty well over five books. I found myself simultaneously wanting the story not to end as well as desperately wanting the Carson family to finally reunite. The writing keeps the suspense in Camp Lake heightened as the whole family searches for one another knowing that this is the last stop on their time travel journey as well as everyone attempting not to destroy their own timelines. Balanced with the suspense is the wholesome feeling and love that the Carson Clan shares. Despite being in desperate situations, the Carson's always support one another and pull through. I loved the setting of a summer camp in the 1980's. Everything about the experience and setting seemed fitting. This book focuses on Cody, who throughout the series has always formed a deep bond with women in each time period, but hasn't yet found the one. Cody and Karen's relationship seems like it was meant to be, they challenge one another and Karen is empowered, intelligent and strong-willed. While I couldn't wait for the Carson parents and siblings to finally reunite, I was amazed when they finally did. I was very happy with the reunion as well as the send off of the family members when back in their own time.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. show less

After finishing The Carson Chronicles, and loving the series, I wasn’t sure if I was ready to start another journey with another family. I should have known better. John a Heldt had me hooked from the first chapter. Who needs to do housework anyway?

Each of Heldt’s series uses a different method for time travel. In this series it is a time box developed by Physicist Mark Lane.

Mark discovers his business partner, Robert Devereaux, plans to use the timebox for his own greedy and evil show more purposes. With the help of a friend, he steals the time box, destroys the program, and whisks his to family back to 1865. They arrive just as the American Civil War is coming to an end.

His family includes his wife, Mary who has brought cosmetics from the present time to sell. His children are sons Jordon (ex-military) and Jeremy and daughters Laura and 12 year old Ashley. They blend in with the time, making friends and fitting in as best they can. Laura volunteers at an army hospital.

But best laid plans can always go wrong. A key to one box is left in a farm building and the other is damaged. The second one is seized by the Union Army, suspecting it to be a device to aid the Rebel Army and Mark is arrested as a traitor.

That’s not the end of their troubles.

Devereaux wants revenge. His team builds another time box. He then sends a hit man, Silas Bain, back to 1865 to retrieve the original boxes and assassinate all members of the Lane family.

The cold hearted assassin has no qualms about who he kills including anyone who may get in his way or reveal his presence.

Meanwhile the Lanes, aware Bain is after them, desperately try to retrieve both their boxes.

The badies, Devereaux and Bain were easy to dislike. No, make that despise.

As always Heldt’s research is impeccable and his characterisation of historical figures including Abraham Lincoln and John Wilkes Booth are believable.

Two characters I particularly liked were Jane and Lewis. Both former slaves they are now free, but the Lane family know it still will not be easy for them in post-civil war times.

I have loved John A Heldt’s writing since the first book I read. I didn’t think his story telling could get any better, but it does with every new book.

He manages to combine dramatic action, adventure, and plenty of twists with love, endearing family relationships and friendship. It’s like a tapestry woven on a background of history featuring believable historic figures. The result is an engrossing page turner.

In The Lane Betrayal he includes the issues of the American Civil War and the abolition of slavery.

Each Chapter is told from a different character’s point of view, including Devereaux and Bain. It builds suspense, switches the emotions of the reader, and makes it a fast paced story.

When I first started reading John A Heldt’s books I thought they couldn’t get any better. How wrong I was. I believe he must set himself a bar higher and higher with each series, and he achieves his goal every time.

Do yourself a favour, read The Lane Betrayal. You won’t be disappointed but be warned as with all Heldt’s series you’ll want to jump straight into the next book.

I received a complimentary copy from John A. Heldt for an honest review. show less