Member Reviews
Tabitha is living a very mundane life. She is stuck. She still lives in the town she grew up in, she has a boyfriend whom she lives with, her routine day in and day out, week in and week out doesn’t change. She religiously goes to her parents for Sunday dinner, however one particular Sunday, her life as she knew it is turned upside down. Do you sometimes want to press the rewind button and start again? Well, that is kind of what happened to Tabby. On a regular day working in a vintage shop, Tabby steps outside only to discover she has gone back in time to 1989. She soon ventures a tiny bit further and befriends Bea, who is a fun free-spirited young woman and it's through this friendship, Tabby soon realises she needs to shake up her world, have some fun and reinvent herself.
Right, I was left disappointed by this one. Going back to the 1980s gave me high expectations for this book to be really fun, but I was left deflated. Tabby is not the brightest of buttons. I figured out the ‘twist’ pretty much from the book's first quarter, resulting in me only wanting to continue reading to confirm my theory, which was indeed correct. If I were to find myself in the 1980s, I would be out exploring and having fun not just going down the road a few minutes, which resulted in becoming part of her mundane routine. I found the dialogue tedious and repetitive to the point I actually finished the book on audio which is very unlike me, as I struggle to concentrate with audio. But lo and behold, very little concentration is needed with this one. Overall, this one is just not for me. It does have great reviews from others, so if you are looking for some light reading, then give this a go, just don’t expect full 80’s fun!
I wasn’t sure what to expect with this as I have never read a book that includes time travel, and really wasn’t sure how it would be pulled off, but Louise did an amazing job! The transition between modern day and the 80s was seamless, and I absolutely loved the characters of Tabby and Bea, reading this and their conversations were like sitting with two friends. As with other Louise books the main character goes through a difficult time, and you can’t help but fall in love with her and want nothing but the best! The book was well rounded off and I can’t wait to read more from Louise Pentland
Time After Time (cue belting out Cyndi Lauper randomly whilst reading this) is the latest novel from Louise Pentland. It follows the story of main character Tabby who is a bit stuck in a rut in her life, her relationship and career.
This novel is all about self discovery from Tabby herself to her father and really brings a message through about being true to yourself. Tabby is an interesting character, with a strong passion for vintage finds and she has a great friend and support in Vivi. I loved their story to becoming friends and it definitely resonated with me.
This is an emotional read but I think you really have to let go a little with this one and allow your imagination to kick in and transport you through time to enjoy it.
I could definitely imagine this being released as a film!
Intersting story
Easy to read and really enjoyed it
Will definately read more from this author
I fell in love with this little heart-warming cuddle of vintage goodness! I loved the plot and I felt it was well written and held my attention really well. I adored our protagonist and didn't find her irritating at all. I loved her relationship with her parents and her friends and I loved how she grew as a character.
I really enjoyed the nods to the 80s and I felt like I really connected with Tabitha! I really liked her progression of friendship with Bea and I felt the warm fuzzies when I reached the end. Nice, fun, little page turner.
Thanks to Louise Petland, NetGalley and Bonnier Books for the ARC of Time After Time.
Tabby's life has just been turned upside down, Her Dad has announced that he is actually in love with a man, and as. a result; her parents who she loves dearly, are separating.
Her relationship with her boyfriend has turned stale. and life is generally a little underwhelming. The only joy she gets is from selling her creations; upcycling old furniture and selling it online. She's good at it - even if no one. takes her seriously.
When working in a shop she discovers a beautiful piece of jewellery, which unlike any other jewellery she's ever admired; seems to have the ability to transport her back in time. When Tabby wears the ring - she finds her self back in 1989, where an unexpected friendship with travel agent Bea is born.
I wanted to love this story, obviously it needs to you defy belief and get lost in the storyline, but I found it a bit slow and hard to get into. I think I am definitely in the minority, but it just lacked a bit of wow factor for me. Some good escapism though if you're fed up of worrying about energy prices (I am guessing it was a lot cheaper in 1989!)
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This just wasn’t for me - I found it trite and shallow. I didn’t really enjoy the style of writing either but I persisted because I feel their responsibility to provide a review in return for my free copy.
It may be that this sort of magical realism isn’t my genre and other people may well enjoy it.
Tabby is stuck. She still lives in the small town she grew up in… the town she’s barely ever left.
So when her dad drops a bombshell over their weekly Sunday lunch. Tabby takes a look at her own life. She lives firmly in her comfort zone and doesn’t know how to break out. Sometimes she wishes she could go back and start all over again.
When she meets Bea, a free spirit like no one else she’s ever known with an ‘interesting’ sense of style. Tabby quickly befriends her, recognising in Bea the change she’s been craving. But soon it becomes clear that more has changed than her new friend. Somehow Tabby has been transported back to the 1980’s.
With the chance to reinvent herself in another time, will Tabby finally mange to move forward.
I was really looking forward to reading Louise Pentland’s new book as I’ve read all of her others and thoroughly enjoyed reading them all, she has a way of drawing me in from the first page. Time after Time was widely talked about from other reviewers on instagram so the synopsis looked fun and exactly was i was looking forward to reading it.
As an eighties child myself i was looking forward to reading the scene and i could almost hear the sounds, smell the scents, and see the sights. I was engrossed but unfortunately reading it during the kids summer holidays I couldn’t read it in one sitting. I loved it Louise’s writing style in fun an bubbly just like her i can actually hear her reading the book. If your looking for a bit of escapism and fancy a bit of 80’s revival (without watching Stranger Things) this is the book to read.
I enjoyed this book but there were a few things that stopped me from fully loving it. I loved that Tabitha could time travel when she wanted, continuously moving between the past and the present. The events around the shop were really fun too and I liked reading about how her online business developed. However, I found the characters to be quite slow to grasp what was going on, which meant that there were moments that were unnecessarily drawn out. Also, I didn't like the lesbophobia in the book; it felt unnecessary and only seemed to be there for the main character to say how much of an ally she is.
Overall, I enjoyed this book but I wouldn't re-read it.
I've just finished this book and I must say I read it in a heartbeat! I was looking for something light and funny and this novel gave me exactly that.
It's a wonderful story in which the important topics of family and friendship (and vintage treasures!) are presented to the reader in a lovely and meaningful way. There is also time-travelling involved, which I really enjoyed! The importance of knowing what we're worth is also present and I found that, even though the plot was a little bit predictable, it left a smile on my face!
As I’ve watched a few of Louise Pentland’s ‘Sprinkle of Glitter’ vlogs as my sister used to be a bit of a fan of the YouTube channel, I jumped at the opportunity to read her new book Time After Time when I was invited to take part in the blog tour. I was also attracted to this novel with its 1980s theme, the decade that I grew up in. I loved that its got the same title as one of my all time favourite 80s songs.
In the first few pages of the novel I got a surprise that I didn’t expect at all. I liked that. The rest of the novel I did find a tad predictable and I worked out the big twist at the end, but I didn’t mind that.
Time After Time is a fun, endearing and easy read. It is nourishing for the soul as it reminds us all not to compare ourselves to others, that to be truly happy, you need to follow your authentic passions and dreams, whatever they may be.
Time After Time is the story of 26 year-old Tabitha who is stuck in a rut. She works in the vintage shop she did her work experience in when she was 16; she has been with her boyfriend David for over a decade, and although she loves him, there seems to be something missing in her life. She just can’t work out what.
One day new stock including gemstone rings arrive in the shop where Tabitha works. One ring with a beautiful amethyst stone catches her eye. She can’t explain why but she is compelled to try it on. When it’s on her finger Tabitha feels a buzz of excitement. It takes Tabitha a while to work out (with a few comic scenes), but the ring has magic powers which allows Tabitha to travel back to the 1980s.
When Tabitha travels to the 80s she meets Bea who she befriends and feels a very special connection to. Attracted to Bea’s sense of adventure, Tabitha finally takes a leap out of her comfort zone. But her time travelling reveals much more than she could ever imagine.
Time After Time is full of fun and tenderness. It is a heart warming summer read that is available now as it was released on Thursday 21 July.
Thank you to Tracy Fenton from Compulsive Readers for inviting me to the blog tour of this touching read.
My favourite Louise story so far. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel, the flitting between two time periods was easy to follow. At first I thought I’d guessed the twist but was equally surprised when a new twist came along. Five stars!
Tabby is stuck in a rut and when her dad drops a bombshell it is a wake up call. Wishing she could go back and start again she somehow manages to travel back in time. I loved the characters, the humour and Louise's personal spin on things. Predictable but so enjoyable. Definitely one to look out for!
I really enjoyed Louise Pentland's Wilde Girls books so I was really grateful to receive an ARC of this on Netgalley for review.
In Time After Time we join Tabby who seems to be stuck in a bit of a rut. A revelation from a family member encourages Tabby to reassess elements of her own life and to step out of her comfort zone.
With Tabby finding herself transporting back to the 1980s, she meets Bea - a free spirit who gives her a hint to how life can be if she lived more for herself.
I do enjoy the warm feels that Louise Pentland brings to her stories and she always covers some serious topics but in an appropriate way. I liked that even with the magical element of time travel in this book, the core idea of how important it can be to live your life for you really came through.
I love books that flow so well that reading becomes effortless. Time After Time is my first Louise Pentland story, but it won't be my last. I adored the story of Tabby and her metamorphosis into a bold and happy in her own skin, kind of woman. Historically unassuming and afraid to shine, Tabby's life changes when she slips on a ring. A ring that transports her back in time.
Meanwhile in 2022, Tabby has a newly 'out' Dad, and a Mum, who far from falling apart, is enjoying sexing her life up. Add to that a boyfriend who always seems to burst any bubble of joy she experiences, and Tabby is feeling adrift.
Who knew the answers to 2022's conundrums lie back in 1989.
Warm, witty and charming, I loved Time After Time.
I wanted tor read this because my 8 year is called Tabitha and it is unusual to find it used as a name in fiction. I am also a child of the 80s so this was a great read for me. It was a joyous journey back and forth in time, with enough to make it seem realistic. I loved Tabitha and Vivi in 2022, and Bea in 1989. I did not guess the twist of the last few chapters (no spoilers) and it was enough to make the final quarter of the book a proper bedtime page turner. Not a life changing or classic book but a gentle read with enough mystery to keep me interested. Perfect for a tired brain. Thanks for the review copy #NetGalley.
I very much enjoyed this book. Found it a nice easy read and didn't see the twist coming at all. I thought it was very well written and the characters were well developed. Contemporary with just a dash of time travel works very well.
Tabitha is 26, in the same town she grew up in, living with her longterm boyfriend whose duller than ever =, but she's convinced herself that a quiet life is what she's after. She gets her happiness from her job at a crafty/ antique/ curios shop & running a successful upcycling Instagram business.
One day, a seller brings in some jewellry - in amongst it is a ring which catches Tabby's eye. She puts it on and woosh, is transported to 1989, customers come into the shop in pure 80s fashion, noone's heard of texting or Instagram....in the 1989 world, she becomes firm friends with a young woman called Bea, who inspires her to make more of her life and seize opportunities. This leads to changes in Tabitha's modern world, shaking off what's holding her back and building bridges
I enjoyed this as a book but think its a one time read. The story was well told but nothing too unexpected, and despite the time travel, it was all a bit too convenient and conventional for me, I like a few more moments that make me gasp out loud but I felt like I could have predicted 95% of this.
thanks for the chance to read the ARC though and for the fabulous 80s memories!
The premise of travelling back to the 80s for some nostalgia, plus trying a book written by Louise for the first time were the reasons I decide to pick this up.
Unfortunately, those two hooks were disappointing for me. Tabby the main character was essentially Louise, there was so much of her personality and life in the book that I couldn't fully immerse myself in the story.
As for the 80s nostalgia, it was there but it wasn't explored enough for me. It was very much a background theme rather than what was promised on the book’s blurb.
The connection to the past was also obvious, and we spent so much time waiting for the main character to finally catch up.
What was done well, were the relationships and self-discovery for the main character because of those relationships. The various conflicts were handled sensitively, and the strong bonds between both friendships and family were lovely to read.
It was also a quick, easy read written with a lot of heart and fun.
3.5 Stars
I was enjoying this book however, I found I couldn’t get on with it because of the MC Mum’s reaction to her husband’s sexuality. All about her, how hurt she is, even being unfair and cruel at times to Tabitha. Thank you for the opportunity to review.