Today I’m part of the final stop on the blog tour for A Time To Change by Callie Langridge.
If you want to check out the other stops, you can find them here.
“I would rather love passionately for an hour than benignly for a lifetime.”
In a house full of history and secrets, the past will not stay where it belongs…Lou has always loved Hill House, the derelict manor on the abandoned land near her home. As a child, the tragic history of its owners, the Mandevilles, inspired her dream to become a history teacher. But in her late twenties, and working in a shop to pay off student debts, life is passing her by.
That changes when a family disaster sends Lou’s life into a downward spiral and she seeks comfort in the ruined corridors of Hill House. The house transforms around her and Lou is transported back to Christmas 1913. Convinced she has been in an accident and is in a coma, Lou immerses herself in her Edwardian dream. With the Mandevilles oblivious to her true identity, Lou becomes their houseguest and befriends the eldest son, Captain Thomas Mandeville, a man she knows is destined to die in the First World War.
Lou feels more at home in the past than the present and when she realises the experience is real she sets out to do everything in her power to save her new friends.
Lou passes between 1913 and 2013, unearthing plots of murder and blackmail, which she must stop no matter the cost.
On her quest to save the Mandevilles by saving Thomas, Lou will face the hardest decision of her life. She will learn that love cannot be separated by a century.
ReviewAlthough not my usual choice of book, there was something about this one that captivated me completely. I was a little wary of the time-lapse element of the story, in part because time travel in general has a tendency to confuse the life out of me. However, this book deals with it perfectly and I was able to follow the story with ease.
A Time to Change is an amazing story of family, love, loss and sacrifice. It had me hooked from the beginning and by the end had me wanting more.
The story is beautifully written with characters that enthral you from the moment you are introduced. It flows perfectly and the transitions between eras are handled excellently.
The characters are well written and their personalities shone through. Even the less likeable characters had you feeling a little sorry for them at times. I especially loved Lou and found myself willing her on every step of the way.
I loved the magic surrounding the Mandeville house and it’s occupants and how it chose Lou to enter into it’s story. Callie Langridge’s portayal of everyday life for the people within the house was so well written that I found myself being transported back in time with them.
A Time to Change is an absolutely stunning book from start to finish. It is a fantastic debut novel by an author who will definitely be going on my favourites list.
Many thanks to Callie, Sarah and Bombshell Books for my advanced reader copy and inviting me on the tour!
Amazon UK | Goodreads | Amazon US
About the Author
Callie was born and brought up in Berkshire. After a brief teenage spell in the depths of Lancashire, she moved back to London.
Having left school at 16, she studied drama before embarking on a career in marketing. This saw her work in music marketing in the heady days of Britpop in the nineties. She unleashed her creativity in the design of window displays and marketing campaigns for the leading music retailer. More recently she has followed her passion for social history and currently works in marketing for a national historical institution, promoting projects and running events.
On hitting her thirtieth birthday, she decided finally to take her A levels and gained A’s in English Literature and Language, and Film Studies – not bad when working full time! – and this spurred her on to take the first of many creative writing course. A few years later and she has had a number of short stories published and plays performed at theatres and venues across London.
Callie lives in London with her long-term partner and an ever-growing collection of antique curiosities.
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