I have reviewed and loved many of T.A. Williams' books and this was a dual timeline story, so different from his usual novels.

In the present day, Amy and Luke meet after Amy has an accident. Now blind and without her family, she has to find a new way of navigating the world.

In 1314, Luc and Aimee have to flee unrest in France.

I liked that two of the characters are blind because as a person with physical and visual disabilities who is registered blind, I feel there aren't enough people with disabilities in books.

I do feel uncomfortable that the synopsis says Amy had it all and includes beauty in this but then mentions the accident and her resulting blindness. I do not equate my, or anyone's, disabilities with tragedy although I know some people would do so, and everyone can be beautiful even after experiencing an accident that changes their life forever. What happens to change your life or body against your will does not make you any less beautiful. And everyone is beautiful whether they have a disability or not.

I loved how Luke was her guide, and this felt like a natural way for them to meet. The romance between them is clean.

I liked the contrast between present day and 1314 because this showed what life was like back then.

I love any book located in Spain, and have never been to Galicia (the region where Santiago de Compostela is). I always feel an affinity with books about Spain since I speak the language and have a passion for the country and culture.

I felt like Amy was someone to root for, in fact all the characters were.

Congratulations to T.A. Williams for creating this beautiful book where disability awareness, the need to fight for what, and who you want, against all odds and beautiful Spain combine. The world needs more books like this.

A real winner of a book, as all T.A. Williams' ones are for me because of Trevor's devotion to writing and detail. The details in this novel were even more important

Thanks to T.A. Williams and Canelo for another beautifully atmospheric book.

5 sparkling stars.

A lovely story about the Camino. Amy and Luc both find something they didn't expect while on the journey. It's a good read.

Good book. Good author. Loved the characters and the plot. Look forward to reading more of books from this author

A good parallel type story, of Luke and Amy in the present, and Luc an Aimee in the past. Overall I liked the premise, but tended to drag on after awhile. Would have preferred a bit shorter. Perhaps a map or two would have helped too, as this part of Spain is not well known to me. Would recommend, especially if you have interest in the Knight Templars.

I really enjoyed the book, it has everything I love in a novel from start to finish. I can’t wait to read what the author has planned next!

I originally took part in the blog tour for Chasing Shadows earlier this year, and it was the first time I had read a T. A. Williams book. I’m happy to say that I’ll soon be taking part in the blog tour for another of his books and I will definitely pick up more of his work.

The book itself interested me as historical fiction, but I was also drawn to it being a time-slip novel. Much like Labyrinth by Kate Mosse, the historical sections focus on the 1300s – but this time, we are not in Carcassonne, but on the Pilgrim’s Way through France and Spain, to Santiago de Compostela. A Templar Knight, and a woman blinded in a horrific attack try to find their way safely to Northern Spain, while fleeing from the Church.

Meanwhile, in the modern sections, a woman blinded in an accident, and her mysterious guide follow a similar path – but they are fleeing their own ghosts…

I enjoyed the book very much, finding plenty of historical detail, but also with the contemporary edge. Both stories are told well, with neither outweighing the other, and there are enough parallels between the two to keep the reader interested.

I liked T. A. Williams’ writing style, finding the book easy to get into and quick to read. Perfect as a summer read, I’d recommend this and his next book, Dreaming of Venice

After a terrible accident, Amy is making the most of her life, but it has surprises even she can’t imagine as echoes from the past link with the present.

I was slightly apprehensive about reading a change in style from T.A. Williams, especially as I’m not overly keen on timeslip stories, but was so relieved to find that his usual flowing narrative presentation still remains. I always find his writing effortless to read as there’s a confidence and elegance behind it that makes it so pleasurable and Chasing Shadows is no different.

As two of the protagonists are blind in this story, the quality of description from their travelling companions serves not only Amy and Aimee, but the reader too, so that I had a real understanding of the route taken because of the vivid writing. I thoroughly enjoyed the appeal to the senses, especially taste, which is so often missing from novels.

The structure of scenes set in both 1314 and 2016 is well constructed, with stories within stories and an exploration of history repeating itself. There was none of the awkwardness I sometimes feel when reading timeslip fiction. Not only did I enjoy a highly entertaining story but I really appreciated the historical research that led me to learning new things as I read. I found the Epilogue fascinating. I felt Chasing Shadows had been thoroughly researched and there was a personal connection from the author to the journey the characters take so it came as no surprise to find T.A. Williams had cycled the same route.

Initially I preferred the modern 2016 story of Luke and Amy and their developing relationship, but I was soon caught up in that of Luc and Aimee too, wanting to know the outcome of the mystery. Reading Chasing Shadows was so satisfying because I had a modern romantic read and an historical mystery that added extra layers of interest. I was impressed by the title Chasing Shadows as there are so many ‘shadows’ in this story. Luke and Amy are chasing a shadowy happiness with shadows of past trauma affecting their present lives. Luc and Aimee are being chased by shadows of enemies and memory and, without spoiling the plot, there is a huge ‘shadow’ to their burden. Luke and Amy are weaving the shadows of a narrative for their historical characters. All these layers added to the quality of the book for me and I thoroughly enjoyed Chasing Shadows.

What an astonishing book!

You'd never guess at all that's inside, from the book's cover. As beautiful as it is, I feel it doesn't do the book justice. I really never thought I'd enjoy this book nearly as much as I did.

This book was wonderfully written, I can't fault any of it. The historical aspects were a good addition, being a huge fan of studying history, this was perfectly suited for me. I'm glad I've read this book, it's one of those books that I feel I could read a couple times more. Something I rarely do.

I've always loved exploring the history of centuries ago. Yet, when I thought of the middle ages, I thought of the Black Plague, the spread of diseases and lack of education. Oh how there's so much more. This has changed my perspective of that particular period.

With the writing, I especially enjoyed the wittiness in the dialogue, how natural it was, how it was so fitting and there was a natural respect and friendship between the two main characters. It was the sort of relationship you can just picture lasting a lifetime. There was respect, trust and faith: they were very well suited for one another, the perfect travelling companions. I loved it.

Don't be put off by how this can in some ways be regarded as a historical fiction, because it's contemporary all the same: it's set in 2016, and the characters construct a story based in 1314. They do this, while getting to know one another, while going about their own adventure. Oh, and you have no idea just how much I appreciated that there was no other love interest thrown into the book. I feel as though that would have thrown it off course, ruining the story entirely.

I really, really, recommend this book. You'll meet intelligent characters, confident of themselves (which is often quite rare) and, you'll read a brilliant story set against the backdrop of the ever-intriguing Middle Ages. Fans of the English Girl by Katherine Webb, and/or the Scarlet Queen by Jacqueline Farrell, will definitely enjoy this book.

I received this book through NetGalley.

The Blurb :
Amy had it all – money, brains and beauty. And then the accident happened.
The Present Day: Left blind and without her family, Amy feels she needs to get away. On a trip along the Camino, she is accompanied by the mysterious and troubled Luke. Having been set up to help Amy by a mutual friend, Luke finds he is also running from his past…
1314: A Templar Knight, Luc, is also running. He meets the wife of a former comrade, now blinded in a terrifying attack: Aimee. Taking her under his wing, they must journey together through a dangerous world.
As they travel through the stunning scenery of Northern Spain, this couple, so very like Luke and Amy, emerge from the shadows of time carrying a treasure of inestimable value.


My Thoughts :
I have to admit, I am not really into Historical or Time slip fiction. But this is Trevor Williams, we are talking about and as I have a little soft spot for him, I had to read this as I love all of his previous work. To my surprise it wasnt as bad as I thought it would be, again greatly helped by Trevor's style of writing and the great lengths he goes to to captivate the reader. The parallel story is great as you can really put yourself in the times of 2016 and 1314 without any confusion. The story is brought to life with vivid descriptions and at times I could even smell things from 1314. I really engaged with all of the charactors, I cant say I prefered either of the time slips as I enjoyed the journey they went on in 1314 aswell as 2016. Great idea to change the spelling of the names as this didnt lead to any confusion. This book worked really well and I am sure a lot of research was done to make it believable. Trevor always has an air of confidence in his books and is never afraid to push the boundries. Although I am not a Historical convert, this was an intresting read filled with emotion and empathy.

I don't read much historical fiction but I was really excited by this blurb. I found this an enjoyable, romantic read and I really liked the historical elements.

My favourite aspect of this book was the modern story line running alongside the historical one. It definitely kept me interested and was easier to follow than I expected. I loved the fact that Amy and Luke were researching the time period and visiting the locations from the time of the Templars.

The historical aspects were threaded neatly into the narrative, without feeling overpowering, and felt well researched. I also enjoyed the modern Spanish setting and found it very authentic.

Some elements of this book were a little predictable and I found the fixation on Amy's beauty to be distracting at times.

Despite that, I really liked Amy and Luke as characters. It was refreshing to read about a blind character, especially one portrayed as a rounded person where her blindness is only one aspect.

After reading this, I'm determined to read more historical fiction and I'll check out more of T.A. Williams' books in future.

I have always thoroughly enjoyed the books that I have read by T.A. Williams, he always manages to bring his stories to life in a lovely descriptive way. So I am so happy to be able to read and bring you my review of Chasing Shadows. As soon as I read the description I was pretty sure I would enjoy the story especially with the history aspect to it.

So what did I think...

The story instantly drew me in and grabbed hold, I loved finding out all about Amy and Luke as they travelled along the Camino de Santiago. Both characters are troubled by the past which made their journey even more interesting. It's lovely how Luke and Amy slowly get to know each other and become more comfortable with each other. I really enjoyed the fact that Amy was facing her fears and doing something to move forward with her life. Luc and Aimee also brought so much to the story with danger, mystery and some tense moments following them along the way.

The descriptions of the journey the pilgrims made were brilliant and T.A. Williams has done a fantastic job of creating a detailed story but without going overboard. I felt at times as if I was right there with all of them that's how immersed in the story I became. This book was brilliant at showing me a time period I wasn't really knowledgeable in. However it was done in a way that didn't feel as if I had been bombarded with information.

I loved both parts but maybe the time-slip aspect set in 1314 slightly wins. Both stories were engaging but I guess I liked the added mystery running through the 1314 story. Both time periods flow well and the story doesn't suffer as you go from 1314 to the present day. I have to say because the story has both an historical and a modern story it really is the perfect combination for me. Everything worked perfectly from the story to the characters I was completely hooked and I have to admit I got a little emotional at the ending.

Chasing Shadows is a heart warming story with wonderful characters and a beautifully written story!

Five stars from me!

Thank you to T.A. Williams, Faye Rogers, Canelo & Netgalley for my copy. This is my honest and unbiased opinion.

It might be different from his other books but it more than lives up to His excellent standards. Thank you for the chance to read this.

I have thoroughly enjoyed everything I have read by this talented and highly entertaining author and, although a written in a totally different style, this is another total winner for me. The other stories I’ve read by him were romantic comedies but this is a timeslip story involving the main characters Luke and Amy in the present day and Luc and Aimee in 1314.

In both cases, the leading lady has lost her sight in the last few years and they are being escorted along the Camino by the male character. This gives superb opportunities for the author to have Luke and Luc describe the landscape, other people and even the food to the lady they are guiding. The author’s love and intimate knowledge of both the area and its history shines through as it is brought to life in the imagination of the reader as both couples pursue their adventures through this dramatic landscape. The couples’ stories complement each other, sometimes mirroring aspects but it is the contrasts that build up as the stories progress.

The adventures of both couples are full of twists and turns, this is another enthralling page turner that I have no hesitation in highly recommending. Whilst this is a different genre of story, the author’s skilled writing makes the two timelines work well together and I felt invested in both couples throughout the story. I was particularly impressed with how the story continued to flow even with the timeslip elements. I hope the author will do other stories in a similar vein in future – as well as more of the romcoms that I just can’t help giggling my way through, of course!

I was gifted a copy of this novel by the publishers via NetGalley and this is my honest review after choosing to reading it.

Very readable although I have come across quite a few books recently which use the device of parallel stories at different times. This one is interesting, has well-drawn characters and a good historical background. The author is to be congratulated for not making the endings too sickly.

In the present day Amy has been involved in an accident in which her parents and sister were killed and she was left blind. She is left well provided for and as a scholar of medieval history she decides to follow the pilgrimage trail in the Pyrenees. Needing help she employs Luke to become her eyes and they set off on their journey.

In 1314 Aimee has been left blinded after a vicious attack by bandits. Luc is a lifelong friend and when he meets up with her while on a mission for the now disbanded Knights Templar they decide to follow the pilgrimage trail together, despite the danger they know that they are in.

The story moves between the two timeframes and you find yourself drawn into both stories and the parallels between them - I especially enjoyed it as it is an area of history that I am not very familiar with and it was definitely bought to life.

Heartwarming, clever and incredibly intriguing!

In this latest novel by Williams he diverts from his usual genre of contemporary romance with a touch of history and instead gives us an historical time-slip piece full of mystery, facts, friendship, relationship dynamics, and of course a little love.

The writing is vividly described, well researched, and remarkably eloquent. The characters in both time periods are troubled, strong and endearing. And the plot is a captivating, sometimes dangerous journey from the beautiful countryside of the South of France, over the rugged mountainous Somport Pass, to the Galicia region of Spain and the tomb of St. James.

T. A. Williams wrote one of my favourite books last year, What Happens at the Beach..., and once again he has written a novel that shows his extraordinary talent as a writer and his passion for history in a tale that sweeps you away to another time and place and leaves you yearning to travel.

(My blog review link below will be live as of midnight MT on January 28, 2017 as part of the blog tour) xx

Chasing Shadows by T. A. Williams is what you would describe as being a time-slip romance throughout which the author’s passion for history shines through. I’ve never read anything by T. A. Williams before so had no idea what to expect of his writing, however I was very pleasantly surprised by Chasing Shadows. It was a book that I would most certainly recommend!

The story dramatically opens in the Pyrenees in 1314 after a terrible crime has been committed when we are then taken to 2016 where we meet Amy. After being involved in a horrific accident five years ago which left her blind, she has decided to go on a journey which many pilgrims would have completed in medieval times. With her destination being Santiago de Compostela, due to her blindness she is unable to complete the trip alone so is accompanied by a guide named Luke who also happens to be a Medieval History graduate. As they journey together and share many unforgettable experiences the question is whether they will become more than just friends?

During their trip, both Amy and Luke decided to create a story about a man and a woman who completed the same journey some 700 years earlier, which is where what we are introduced to at the start of the novel in 1314 becomes key. The way in which T. A. Williams linked both the story that took place in 2016 and that which took place in 1314 together was faultless, they blended together so effortlessly. Luke and Amy were superb characters and I have to say that I felt very connected to and hugely admired them both - they had both experienced something traumatic in their lives and as the novel progressed both confronted their demons.

One thing that became very clear to see from reading this novel is how much thorough research T. A. Williams has put into it. I found it truly fascinating to delve into a period of history that I don’t know very much about and see another side to Spain and it was also thoroughly interesting to compare and contrast the story of 2016 and that of 1314. Thanks to the author’s marvellous talent for telling a vivid story with wonderful description, both periods of time were really brought to life and I often felt like I was on a journey with the characters, experiencing all that they were.


When I first started the book I wasn’t sure if it would be the book for me, but by the fifth chapter I was well and truly hooked so I’m extremely glad I stuck with it! I can honestly say that it was an incredible reading experience, which taught me so much, stood out from the crowd and was most certainly a powerful, captivating and entertaining read. I’d encourage anyone to give this book a chance and know that I will most certainly be back to read more by T. A. Williams in the future.

This is the second time slip romance I've read in the last couple of weeks and it's a genre I'm loving more and more. T A Williams has written many romcoms but this is his first time slip romance, with his love of history I was really excited about this release and I wasn't disappointed.

The story starts back in 1314 in the Pyrenees were a terrible crime has been committed. Back in the present day we meet Amy who was involved in a tragic accident 5 years ago which has left her blind. Amy has been trying to rebuild her life since the accident and as a Medieval History graduate she decides to take on a journey reminiscent to the pilgrims back in medieval time. The sacred journey is historical and many millions of people, pilgrims in the past and now tourist take on the challenge across tough terrains and countries to get to their goal, Santiago do Compostela and especially to pay respects to the shrine of Saint James the Great. Due to Amy's disability she has to hire a guide, her guide is another Medieval History graduate who was recommended to her by a mutual friend.

Amy and Luke decide to make their journey more interesting and to also break the ice with each other and create a story between themselves of a man and woman thrown together in unprecedented circumstances. A parallel storyline of this man and this woman taking the same journey that Amy and Luke are enduring but the major difference in the mirrored story is that this couple take their steps over 700 years in the past.

It was clever of T A Williams to talk of this parallel story, I could imagine the huge difference this same journey undertaken were quite extreme. Back in 1314 the terrain was hard going, the paths were through mountains and woods only passable on foot and if you were lucky by cart through the more habitable towns and villages. In the present day this journey can be easily done via a motor vehicle with plenty of well equipped hostels and hotels en route.

It was a voyage of discovery for both stories. A discovery of hope and strength through terrible heart breaking events. A discover of strangers pulling together, working as a team, to achieve their goals and ultimately survive. Amy and Luke have both suffered and witnessed traumatic events in the past and this journey seems to put some of these torments behind them, giving them encouragement to let go of the past and learn to listen to their heart again.

Chasing Shadows has it all. We are transported to a forgotten time which the author brings to life. It was gripping, dramatic, awe inspiring at times and heart warming. I felt quite emotional and awestruck at the end. I look forward to more time slip romances from T A Williams.

I always enjoy Trevor's books and this is a new genre for him so I was looking forward to reading it. Time slip is one of my favourite genres and this one certainly didn't disappoint.

We follow the stories of Amy & Luke in 2016 and Aimee and Luc in 1314. Both pairs are on a Pilgrimage on the Camino and their stories interlink as the book progresses. Modern day Amy has been blinded in a dreadful accident and Luke has emotional baggage. In 1314 Aimee has been blinded in a bandit attack and Luc is a fleeing Templar Knight.

As both girls are blind, Trevor treats us to wonderful descriptions of the scenery and the food! The contrasts between the 2 journeys could not be more marked and I found myself totally involved in both plots.

A lovely read and thank you to Canelo and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! It was well written and the historical aspects seemed to be thoroughly researched. I have read a couple real life accounts of people walking the Camino De Santiago and was excited when I saw this novel featuring the famous pilgrimage. I think having the background information I had going in helped me get immediately caught up in the story of theses two couples making their own pilgrimage for two very different reasons AND in two different time periods.

I wasn’t sure how the two time periods was going to work. At first I had to adjust as we switched from one to the other but I was soon invested in both stories and fascinated with how both Amy & Aimee handled their adventures with the handicap of being blind. The historical setting of Luc and Aimee's Templar story was completely fascinating, exciting and had me wanting more. I actually felt the contemporary story of Luke and Amy sometimes got in the way being a little too romance oriented for my tastes. Due to this small irritation I am giving the book a 4.5 rating rather than the full 5 stars. But I would highly recommend this, especially to those who like historical fiction.

My thanks goes to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy and an opportunity to review this book.