Come Back to Me (Waters of Time Book #1)

Jody Hedlund

Jun 2021 · Waters of Time Book 1 · Revell

About this ebook

The ultimate cure that could heal any disease? Crazy.

That's exactly what research scientist Marian Creighton has always believed about her father's quest, even if it does stem from a desire to save her sister Ellen from the genetic disease that stole their mother from them. But when her father falls into a coma after drinking a vial of holy water believed to contain traces of residue from the Tree of Life, Marian must question all of her assumptions. He's left behind tantalizing clues that suggest he's crossed back in time. Insane. Until Marian tests his theories and finds herself in the Middle Ages during a dangerous peasant uprising.

William Durham, a valiant knight comes to Marian's rescue and offers her protection . . . as his wife. The longer Marian stays in the past, the more she cares about William. Can she ever find her father and make it back to the present to heal her sister? And when the time comes to leave, will she want to?

Bestselling author Jody Hedlund is your guide down the twisting waters of time to a volatile era of superstition, revolts, and chivalry in this suspenseful story.

Ratings and reviews

This was quite a different book than what I had expected. Although I often read time travel stories or time slip, this one was quite different than most. The story revolves around the Holy Water and is what brings about the time travel adventures Marion experiences. This due to her father's years of research into this particular topic. She has some major excitement as she slips far back in time while searching for a way to heal her sister and her dad who is in a coma. They need the Holy Water to heal them and Marion is a researcher who partakes of the water which brings her into a new realm. The middle ages adventures are quite fascinating and intriguing and the romance that builds is quite intense. A very unique book that has a lot to offer. It does have some sensual scenes that may not be suitable for all. I received a complimentary book from the publisher. All thoughts are my own.

Come Back to Me by Jody Hedlund is the debut of Waters of Time series. Marian Creighton is a research scientist who travels to England to be with her father when he falls into a coma. Following the clues he left for her, Marian ends up in 1381 where she meets William Durham. Marian finds herself stuck in the turbulent Middle Ages with a handsome knight. Can she find a way to return back to her own time? Will she want to return after her adventures? Come Back to Me is an interesting story. I thought it contained good writing with solid characters. Marian is a smart, strong, and stubborn woman. She is a research scientist who has devoted her life to her work. William Durham is a handsome (we are told this often), strong, caring man. He does his duty to his family and his King. Something from his past is tormenting him. It did take me some time to get into the story. I liked that Marian goes back in time trying to help her father and sister. The author did her research for this story. She captured the time period with her vivid descriptions. I could imagine the area, the castle, the clothing, and more from the word imagery. The one misstep was the way Marian spoke. It would have been immediately obvious she was not from the Middle Ages by the way she talked (and her cleanliness). I was curious how the people understood her and why no one cried “witch”. The time travel theory was thought out and described in detail. It was unique and I liked how it tied to the Bible. I did feel that the details were repeated too often. I also felt that the romance was a little over-the-top. It became the focus of the book. The glances, touches, kisses, and desires were too much. There are sensual scenes (nothing explicit) as well. This was too much for me and for Christian novel. The faith element is not strong (prayer). I expected it to be more prevalent. I was also left with unanswered questions at the end of the book (I hope they are addressed in the next book). There were some compelling elements in Come Back to Me. I enjoyed identifying the mole. I wish there had been more about the competitors after the ultimate cure. There was action, mystery, and suspense during these sections. I am interested enough to read the next Waters of Time novel. Come Back to Me is an intriguing time-travel novel with Middle Ages mayhem, malodorous masses, a curious coma, a potent potion, and a handsome hero.

Come Back to Me by Jody Hedlund is the first novel in the Waters of Time series released by Revell books. Unlike Jody’s other historical books, this story has a dual timeline--one set in the modern-day and the other in the Middle Ages. Despite this being a different genre for Jody, I didn’t hesitate to read it. She is a great storyteller and can bring any era to life. Come Back to Me follows Marian Creighton as she tries to discover how and why her father ended up in a coma while trying to find the ultimate cure linked to the Tree of Life. When she discovers her father was studying time travel, Marian decides to test his theories and ends up in the Middle Ages with a knight, William Durham, as her protection. Can Marian find the ultimate cure? Will she make it back to the present or will she want to stay in the past? This story is unlike other dual-time novels I read with historical and modern timelines in that Marian is in both eras thanks to the miraculous properties of a vial of holy water. While the time travel may make you think this story is more sci-fi in nature, I didn’t feel that way. To me, this story is still heavy in the historical part of the fiction (my favorite), but I still enjoyed all the other aspects of the story, even learning theories about how time travel works. Marian is so strong, courageous, and headstrong. And I mean all of those in a positive way! I can’t imagine experimenting with time travel with the little knowledge she had or surviving in the Middle Ages during such a violent and terrifying time! But Marian always took everything in stride, using her wits and bravado to aid herself and others. And William Durham. Whew! A dark, intimidating knight with a big, passionate heart and swoon-worthy looks. What a hero. I loved the moments he butted heads with Marian as her modern, out-spoken personality bristled against his authoritative persona. But what I enjoyed the most was seeing the tender moments with his sons or with his people, where he learned to give more of himself and think more of others. To me, this story took a few chapters to really get rolling. But as the level of danger escalated and the borders of time were blurred, I was drawn into Marian’s fate and her mission until the end. In the contemporary timeline, I enjoyed the bow-tie-wearing Harrison, and I look forward to continuing the adventure with him and Marian’s sister, Ellen, in the next book. Overall, I enjoyed this story. I think fans of Hedlund’s historical novels will still fall for Marian and William’s story. If you are already a fan of dual-time stories, then this is a unique twist you will thoroughly enjoy! I was given a copy of this book by the publisher with no expectations of a positive review. All opinions are my own.

About the author

Jody Hedlund is the bestselling author of over 30 historical novels for both adults and teens and is the winner of numerous awards, including the Christy, Carol, and Christian Book Awards. Jody lives in Michigan with her husband, busy family, and five spoiled cats. She loves to imagine that she really can visit the past, although she's yet to accomplish the feat, except via the many books she reads. Visit her at jodyhedlund.com.