Once upon a time, in a forgotten land, there lived a young woman named Mia. Mia had always been intrigued by tales of magic and enchantment, often finding herself daydreaming about a world filled with mystical creatures and extraordinary abilities. Little did she know that her wildest imagination was about to become a reality. One fateful day, while exploring the ruins of an ancient castle, Mia stumbled upon an exquisite brooch hidden amongst the rubble. Without thinking, she delicately picked it up and fastened it to her dress. As soon as the brooch touched her skin, an extraordinary sensation coursed through Mia's body.
Series: Stand Alone
In the course of this book, I had to read about some version of Helen remembering her previous life or lives and then talking to Lucian about it in almost identical conversations three different times. There s also a strong thread of romance here, which I suppose culminates into a love story at the end, but it would still be extremely tough to categorize this book.
As soon as the brooch touched her skin, an extraordinary sensation coursed through Mia's body. Suddenly, time around her seemed to freeze, and the world as she knew it disappeared. In its place, a mesmerizing realm filled with vibrant colors and ethereal beings unfolded before her eyes.
A WITCH IN TIME by Constance Sayers – Review
I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
A Witch in Time by Constance Sayers
Published by Redhook on February 11 2020
Genres: Adult, Fantasy
Pages: 448
Format: Finished hardcover
Source: Publisher
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The nitty-gritty: Lovers cursed by a witch find themselves reliving their lives, over and over, in Constance Sayers’ sparkling and gripping debut.
Don’t let the beautiful, ethereal cover fool you. A Witch in Time has some very dark themes mixed in with a romance plot about a trio of people who are connected through time by a witch’s curse. I really loved this book but it’s very different from what I was expecting. The story follows the short, tragic lives of four different women, starting in 1895 Paris and ending in 2012 Washington D.C. Fans of historical fiction are going to want to consider reading this book, even if you’re not into fantasy/multiple lives stories. Yes, there are supernatural elements at play here, but I found the historical aspects and the fascinating connections among Helen, Juliet, Nora and Sandra to be the main draw. Also, don’t be scared off by the word “romance,” as this definitely isn’t typical for the genre.
The story begins in 2012 Washington D.C. as we meet Helen Lambert, the successful owner of a critically acclaimed magazine called In Focus . Helen is recently divorced from Roger, an art dealer and museum curator, and has reluctantly been pushed into a blind date by a well-meaning co-worker. Her date turns out to be Luke Varner, an enigmatic man who seems to have met Helen before. During their dinner together, Luke drops cryptic comments about unfamiliar people and places that he swears Helen should remember. But of course, Helen has no idea what he’s talking about.
That is, until she starts to have weird and extremely vivid dreams about a young French girl named Juliet LaCompte in 1895 France. As Helen gradually relives Juliet’s life during these dreams, Luke begins to fill in the blanks, explaining that Helen and her ex-husband Roger are part of a binding curse, cast long ago by Juliet’s mother. Unfortunately, the curse went badly and bound Juliet and her lover Marchant together for eternity. Luke explains that Helen and Roger are the latest reincarnations of Juliet and Marchant, and that Helen is doomed to die on her thirty-fourth birthday, unless she is able to break the curse.
I absolutely loved the format of this story. Sayers jumps back and forth among four different time periods, but it was seamlessly done and very easy to follow. If you are one of those readers who is more comfortable with linear storytelling, I urge you to give this a try. The author uses Helen’s dreams as a way to frame these time jumps, so the present day story of Helen is the anchor for all the other time periods.
It’s also through Helen’s eyes that the reader learns about Juliet, Nora and Sandra, the other three women in the story. Each woman was carefully depicted and I was fascinated by each of their stories. Juliet is only sixteen when she falls under the spell of the much older painter Auguste Marchant. Their affair is the catalyst for everything else that happens in this story, and Juliet’s death was both shocking and sad. In 1920’s New York, we meet actress Nora Wheeler who falls in love with film director Billy Rapp. Nora’s story moved me the most, for some reason, since her entire adult life is spent trying to escape a horrible, controlling man named Clint. And finally, Sandra Keane is a talented musician in 1970’s Los Angeles. She meets and falls in love with photographer Rick Nash, but their love affair is doomed just like all the others. Making an appearance in each timeline is the mysterious Luke Varner, who we find out is the “administrator” of the curse. Luke acts as a protector for all four women, but his secrets aren’t revealed until nearly the end of the story.
I absolutely loved all the connections between the characters, which are revealed slowly over the course of the story. In each timeline, Juliet/Nora/Sandra/Helen is a piano virtuoso, and I loved the way Sayers used music as a binding thread through all their lives. The Marchant/Billy/Rick/Roger characters all have similarities as well, but I won’t spoil the surprise and let you discover those for yourself! There is a secret painting of Juliet that makes an appearance throughout the story, which I thought was another brilliant way of tying everything together. And in the present day, as Helen is coming to terms with what’s happening to her, she visits the Hanover Collection, Roger’s obsession and the real reason for their divorce, and sees the evidence from each of her lives gathered in one place. Some of these scenes were simply magical and gave me goosebumps.
Sayers picks time periods that really resonated with me, from the beauty of the French countryside and the excitement of turn-of-the-century Paris, to the dazzling lives of 1920s film stars in Hollywood, to the music scene in 1970s Los Angeles. Sandra and her band hang out on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood and rehearse and smoke pot (of course!) in the famous Laurel Canyon area, and there’s lots of name dropping of musicians of that time, like Janis Joplin, Elton John and Jimi Hendrix. You would think with so many different places and times, the story would become confusing or bogged down in too many details, but I thought the author did a masterful job of wrangling all these elements into a cohesive story.
I usually love stories about witches and the supernatural, but for some reason the scenes involving the curse almost felt out of place. The ritual that Juliet’s mother performs, which involves making a deal with a demon, was so odd and horrifying that it could have put me off the story completely. Luckily, though, it had the opposite effect on me. I was so shocked that I couldn’t tear my eyes away! There is also one jarring scene near the end that happens in Sandra’s timeline that was completely unnecessary, in my opinion. I can’t really talk about it specifically, because I don’t want to spoil anything, but it ends in a tragic and bloody way, and I think it could have easily been left out.
Which leads me to a few trigger warnings. I was surprised how dark this story was in places. For example, Juliet, a sweet and innocent young girl, is being forced to marry a boy named Michel Busson, who turns out to be a horrible bully and rapist. Because Juliet doesn’t have any power herself, she has no way to stop this abuse. And poor Nora! Nora also has a controlling bully to deal with, a truly vile man named Clint who manipulates her and dogs her every footstep until—you guessed it—Luke turns up to save her. I’ve got a full list of trigger warnings below for those that might be interested.
Overall, I’m so glad I read this book, and that ending gave me chills. If you are looking for an unusual love story that veers more towards the tragic, with a touch of the supernatural, then I highly recommend A Witch in Time .
Big thanks to the publisher for supplying a review copy.
Trigger warnings: View Spoiler » Rape, gang rape, physical and verbal abuse, forced abortion, blood magic, murder, suicide, drug use and addiction. « Hide Spoiler
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Mia had been transported to a different time. As she ventured through this enchanted world, Mia soon discovered that she was not alone. A powerful and mysterious witch named Seraphina emerged before her. Seraphina saw something special in Mia, recognizing the unique energy that surrounded her. Seraphina revealed to Mia that the enchanted brooch she had found was an ancient artifact, capable of bridging the divide between different realms and times. Mia had inadvertently activated its magic, opening a doorway to a time long ago. Seraphina, impressed by Mia's pure heart and unwavering curiosity, offered to teach her the ways of magic and guide her through this time-traveling journey. Excited and eager to learn, Mia accepted Seraphina's proposition without hesitation. Under Seraphina's tutelage, Mia discovered her innate magical abilities. She learned to harness the elements, cast spells, and unlock the secrets of the enchanted brooch. Together, they embarked on thrilling adventures, encountering dragons, unicorns, and other mythical creatures. As they traveled through time, Mia began to understand the responsibility that came with her newfound powers. She realized the importance of using magic for the greater good and helping those in need. Throughout her journey, Mia also encountered others who had fallen victim to the dark arts. Seraphina taught her to be vigilant and to defend herself against the forces of evil. Together, they became a formidable team, safeguarding the balance between light and darkness. Time seemed limitless within this enchanted realm, but Mia knew that eventually, she would have to find her way back home. With a heavy heart, she bid farewell to Seraphina and the magical world she had grown to love. Mia returned to her own time with a newfound appreciation for the simple wonders of life. She carried the lessons she had learned from Seraphina, forever changed by her extraordinary journey. The enchantment of time-travel had allowed Mia to grow, teaching her resilience, compassion, and the incredible power that lies within oneself. Though the physical world may never be as magical as the realm she had visited, Mia knew that within her heart, the enchantment of her time with Seraphina would last forever..
Reviews for "The Time Witch's Roam: A Journey through Enchantment"
1. Sarah - 2/5 stars - I was really disappointed with "Enchanted by a Witch in Time". The story had so much potential but it just fell flat for me. The characters were one-dimensional and their actions seemed forced. The romance felt forced and lacked chemistry. Overall, I was expecting so much more and ended up feeling let down.
2. Mike - 1/5 stars - I cannot understand why "Enchanted by a Witch in Time" has so many positive reviews. I found the writing to be amateurish and the dialogue to be stilted. The plot was predictable and seemed to borrow heavily from other popular fantasy romance novels. The characters were flat and uninteresting. I struggled to finish this book and would not recommend it to others.
3. Emily - 2/5 stars - I was excited to start reading "Enchanted by a Witch in Time" based on the premise, but unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations. The pacing was inconsistent, with some parts dragging on and others feeling rushed. The world-building was lackluster and left me with more questions than answers. Additionally, the writing felt repetitive and the dialogue was often cliché. Overall, I found this book to be underwhelming and would caution others before picking it up.