Book Review: Journey in Time by Chris Karlsen

This is a very sensual and interesting time travel read.

Journey in Time (Knights in Time)

by Chris Karlsen

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 574 KB
• Publisher: Books to Go Now (September 1, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
• Language: English
• ASIN: B005KP18XS

     Genre: Time Travel Romance
     My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Product Description

London attorney, Shakira Constantine finally agrees to spend the day with her handsome client, Alex Lancaster. While riding in the countryside, the couple finds themselves caught in a time warp and transported back to the 14th century-and an England preparing for war. Everyone believes Alex is the Baron Guy Guisard, a baron who died in the upcoming battle.

If they can’t find a way to return to the 21st Century, Alex will have to sail with the army to certain death. Shakira will be left alone to survive in the alien and terrifying medieval world.

Review:
Shakira is a beautiful, detail-oriented, practical London attorney, who plays guitar in a band on weekends. She holds herself aloof from the groupies and avoids involvement. One night at a charity event she is twirled onto the dance floor by Alex Lancaster, a handsome playboy.  Shakira isn’t overwhelmed by Alex’s attempts to charm her but she is intrigued by the kiss he steals.

Once Alex discovers who Shakira is he pursues her in earnest. He decides to hire her to represent him in a malicious sexual harassment case when she expresses complete faith in him. This is good because he’ll get to be near her but bad because her ethics dictate that she not become involved with a client.

Alex finally talks Shakira into a friendly visit and horse ride on his beautiful country estate.  Unexpectedly they are caught in a time warp and find themselves in medieval England. Alex seems right at home as everyone greets him and he easily steps into the life of Baron Guy Guisard.  Shakira is shocked and doesn’t know how she could survive in this strange time without Alex there to help her. But if they don’t return to the present she might lose him as the King plans to send him to France to fight in the battle of Poitiers.  First though, they have to face the King’s plans to marry Alex to a noblewoman and to give his ‘mistress’ to a rich merchant in town.

Alex exhibits extreme, and unwarranted, jealousy and fierce possessiveness.  He does not want to acknowledge any depth of feeling for Shakira and he has vowed never to marry. Shakira suffers physical danger, emotional stress and the pain of falling in love with a man who will never return the sentiment. Both of them make separate plans on how to escape the danger of Alex having to go off to war where he is likely to die. Because they don’t communicate they misunderstand and Alex particularly believes the worst and becomes bitter just when Shakira needs him most.

I liked Shakira as a warm character but Alex was harder to like. Although it seems he cares for “Rocky”, as he affectionately calls Shakira, he also has a cold streak and seems pretty stuck in his  playboy reputation. This story has some action and wonderful depth of period history and description. I always enjoy time travel stories and the paradoxes that exist and the struggle to return to the right time. The primary focus in this story is definitely romance and there are a number of heavily sensual scenes. I didn’t always understand Alex’s thoughts and behaviors but I think the author succeeded in showing differences in the way males and females think and feel.  This is a good read particularly if you enjoy rich, full romances. This was fine as a stand alone but I look forward to reading the first book in the series, Heroes Live Forever (Knights in Time).

This book was provided for review by the author through Bewitching Blog Tour.

Please see the Guest Post and Giveaway in next post.

This will be listed on my ARC and New Author challenges.