Only Time Will Tell

Hello friends! It has been a while since I shared a Recommended Reading post. Also, in the past, I’ve shared lists of Reading for Janeites and 10 Favorite Jane Austen-Esque Romances, so in keeping with that sentiment, I’m sharing some more books influenced by classic literature. These go beyond Austen’s influence and draw from other classic novelists, sometimes subtly or directly.

Laura’s Shadow by Allison Pittman | The Laura of the title is, in fact, Laura Ingalls Wilder of Little House fame, and the setting of the book includes De Smet and the tangential influence Laura had on a pupil, then later that child’s granddaughter.

Once Upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan | The wardrobe in question is that of C. S. Lewis’ Narnia chronicles, and Lewis appears as a character in this fictional story of siblings, hope, and grief.

Lost in Darkness by Michelle Griep | This story pays homage to the classic Frankenstein and Mary Shelley and tells a tale of sibling connection alongside a Regency romance.

John Eyre: A Tale of Darkness and Shadow by Mimi Matthews | As the title indicates, this is a gothic retelling of Brontë’s Jane Eyre and *spoiler alert* elements of Dracula. It flips the genders and expectations of the classic tales, telling a story of bravery, allies and romance, and the battle between light and darkness.

The Belle of Belgrave Square by Mimi Matthews | Combining elements of the fairytale Beauty and the Beast with aspects of The Blue Castle by L. M. Montgomery, this wonderful bookish tale has a swoony romance and a perfect HEA.

Bloomsbury Girls by Natalie Jenner | While I can’t pick one author that has obvious connections to this fictional story, at its center is a book store and literature in many forms plays a big role in the story. An earlier, related book by Jenner, The Jane Austen Society, has closer ties to that prominent lady.

The Curse of Morton Abbey | An updated twist on The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett with adult characters instead of young ones, this story also has some influence from Jane Eyre within its mystery elements.

Before Time Runs Out and Only Time Will Tell by Amy Matayo | Both of these are part of her “Charles and Company Romance” series, as in Charles Dickens. They combine a few time shifting plot devices that allow the characters to travel back to Dickens’ London (book 1) and to trade places in life/circumstance in present day (book 2).

Isabelle and Alexander by Rebecca Anderson | While the influence of a classic is more subtle in this romance, as a fan of North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell, I was quick to note the similarities in setting and the personality contrast of the hero and heroine.

Your turn! Do you have any favorite stories influenced by classics? Have you read any of these books or authors?

Welcome to my blog review of the latest novel by Amy Matayo! She has recently published her second novel in her “Charles and Company Romance” series (as in Charles Dickens!). Book two: Only Time Will Tell.

For newly published author Eliza Sterling, having her first book launch party at the Metropolitan Museum of Art is a dream come true. Since her book is a modern-day retelling of Great Expectations by Charles Dickens and the Met is hosting a display of rarely seen Dickens’ artifacts at the same time, she chalks it up to a case of good timing.

For publicly disgraced, former best-selling author Lew McDonnell, seeing a debut author having her first book launch party at the Met brings up all sorts of resentments. Especially when the book this lady is promoting just happens to be one of his old manuscripts that she’s clearly plagiarized and claimed for herself.

When heated words are exchanged in front of a display case containing an original copy of Great Expectations, both Lew and Eliza are prepared for a fight. But they aren’t prepared for the room to shake, for the display case to shatter, or for the old book to send them both careening toward a new existence entirely.

When Lew wakes up on the floor of the Charles Dickens museum in London to see Eliza working there as a tour guide, he knows something has gone horribly wrong. It’s the same day and time, but suddenly he’s the best-selling author headlining his own book launch again, and Eliza is serving him drinks and working all hours to make ends meet. And the weirdest thing of all?

Lew is the only one who remembers their former lives.

Goodreads | Amazon

A smart concept combines with a hint of romance in this contemporary time-shift story of two authors with a big lesson of selflessness. Amy Matayo’s sarcastic humor and skill at penning first person point of view make Lew’s predicament and Eliza’s growing hope all the more impactful.

The first book in this “Charles & Company Romance” series, Before Time Runs Out, took readers back in time to Dickens’ London. In book 2, it’s more like a time-shift takes place with a switch of circumstances for both of the protagonists with only one of them aware of the change. This clever spin on a time travel concept takes the series in a different direction: one that builds on the allure and mystery of a Dickens “first draft” featured in book 1. Both tell separate stories and can be read as standalones, but I recommend reading them both to understand the connections to Dickens!

I love that both lead characters of this series are writers! A bit of tongue-in-cheek humor about writing, romance, and social media will be funny to any avid readers or those connected to the publishing industry. Beyond their professions, Lew and Eliza are realistic and full of depth. They face circumstances that bring up important questions about selflessness, responsibility, and family.

A few more things I enjoyed about Only Time Will Tell:

the modern London setting (this time) and its tiny contrasts to American speaking and culture.
humor and CATS! and Brit Speak
Family and its messy, complicated joys
Matayo’s portrayal of the male POV. Written SO WELL it’s almost scary.
The way hope and faith thread through the story in subtle ways

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy. This is my honest review.