Customer Reviews

Home in Time for Christmas (Thorndike Core)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Melody Tarleton is looking forward to a good old-fashioned Christmas with her family in Massachusetts. Unfortunately, on her way home, she loses control of her car on the ice and hits a man who is in the middle of the road. As if that wasn't shocking enough, the stranger is dressed in period clothing from Revolutionary times.

Jake Mallory, a Patriot soldier, is confused to say the least. The last thing he knew, he stood on the gallows in New York City about to be hung for his involvement in the American uprising against the British. Now he is in the 21st century where he has just been hit by a strange piece of machinery with a young woman at the wheel. While he is glad just to be alive, he has no clue what to do next. He needs to get back home to 1776 in order to help his sister, who may be at the mercy of the British army.

Melody takes Jake home with her to her family Christmas to try and figure out how to help him, all the while hoping that his memory returns and that he won't divulge his fanciful imaginings to her family. As she spends more time with Jake, she begins to wonder if he's actually telling the truth --- and if he is, how can it be so? Time travel isn't possible, right?

Jake is wowed by the progress that has been made in over 200 years and takes in the new world around him with awe and wonder. Television, computers, electric lights and microwave ovens amaze him as well as the fact that America won her independence from Britain. Modern times aren't the only thing that makes an impression on Jake, though. Melody is quite a woman, and he finds that she occupies much of his thoughts.

But the last thing Melody needed was another man present at the holiday table. She already had her work cut out for her. She is determined to convince her boyfriend, Mark, that things are over between them. Mark wants to get married and live a traditional life with Melody at home cooking, cleaning and caring for their future children. While Mark is a nice guy, it's not the life Melody has envisioned for herself, and no matter how often she tells him they have no future, he's just not listening.

Somehow Melody manages to maintain her composure amidst Jake, Mark and her quirky family. With a father who is an inventor, a mother who is immersed in magic and potions, and a brother who never misses an opportunity to tease her, Melody has to keep her wits about her --- and that's not going to be easy. Will Melody be able to make Mark understand that they are over? Will Jake be able to convince Melody that he is not crazy, just lost in time? Will she be able to let him go if he manages to find a way back to the past? It's hard to say, but no matter how it all will turn out, one thing is for sure: this will be a Christmas to remember.

HOME IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS is one of those novels that really touches you. You finish reading it and immediately want to start again just to relive the whole experience. Every character touched my heart and made me believe that Christmas truly is a time for miracles. Don't miss your chance for a bunch of holiday smiles and a book you will want to reread every Christmas season.

--- Reviewed by Amie Taylor

Shortly before Christmas, Melody Tarleton drives carefully on icy roads to spend part of the holidays with her parents. However, in spite of her caution, she almost runs over a man who appears out nowhere on the slick road. She helps confused Jake Mallory into her vehicle. He is wearing eighteenth century garb while insisting he never seen anything like the vehicle she is driving them in.

Although she believes he is either severely injured to the head or a con artist, Melody takes Jake to her family home. He eventually persuades his hosts that he really is a Revolutionary War patriot fighting for the colonies who was about to be hung in New York City in 1776. As they fall in love, she tries to help him return to his present back in the late 1770s though he prefers to stay with her.

The fun in this entertaining often amusing time travel romance is the bewildered Jake who is confused about everything starting with the blood-red caress, but remains calm except for his feelings for the doubting Thomasina and his concerns re his "sister". Fans will enjoy this charmer as a Revolutionary War hero goes from red petals and the noose to red petals and love in time for Christmas.

Harriet Klausner

I've always been intrigued by the stories where time travel is a part of the plot. And, just like those past novels, this story intrigued me.

This novel was an extremely engrossing and easy read. It is a definite page turner making you want to keep reading until the story ends.

I do love happy endings in these types of stories and, for awhile, I wondered if a happy ending is what I would get. The slight suspense made the story more enjoyable for me.

The characters in the novel were well-depicted, well-rounded and highly believable ... as if they were based on real individuals.

Overall, this novel is one of those stories that you enjoy reading simply for the pleasure of getting lost in a story for awhile.

This was a light, Christmassy read - with great characters and an ending that leaves you feeling all warm and toasty inside. Exactly what a Christmas story should do.

All the characters were fun, witty and had their own distinct personalities that quickly wormed their way into your heart. Although Melody and Jake were the main characters, there were some supporting characters that were so fun. For one, Melody's parents and her brother were so funny. I loved her mother's love of the season and her open and inviting home (reminds me of my grandmother). Melody's brother was just a hoot. Although I did find Jake and Melody's relationship a bit on the lukewarm side,it was still a pleasure to read how it flourished. I also really liked how Ms. Graham acknowledged various Christmas beliefs - it was something she made mention of various times and I really enjoyed that.

This is the perfect book to read while snuggled under a blanket with a couple of hours on hand. It is a wonderful story that will definitely get you in that Christmassy mood.

Revolutionary war hero is transported to modern day Christmas and falls in love with a woman while trying to get back to his family in history. It was a good idea, too bad it went wrong. Now, my Mom and sister loved this book (mom reads a lot, sister very little), said it was very romantic and they were so excited for me to read it. I hated it. It was too gushy and I found the female lead to be very annoying, almost unbearable. To me the characters were overzealous and obnoxious. Even though it's a fantasy, it still needs to have a sense of realism, which it didn't. I think my cat was concerned about me because every time I read the story I couldn't help but rolling my eyes and making gagging noises to myself. When I asked my mom and sister if it got any better, and they said, "What do you mean? You don't like it??" Uh, no. Honestly, I couldn't finish it fast enough.

Although I am a fan of Heather Graham, (her DEAD ON THE DANCE FLOOR is a favorite), I was disappointed in HOME IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS. While the concept appealed to me, I felt like the characters didn't have enough depth to them to make me care about any of them. Melody, the main female character, had an attitude of 'I'm the only normal one in a family of kooks' that was wearing after awhile, and I didn't particularly like her or care whether she and Jake got together. This book just didn't appeal to me at all.

I have read most of Heather Graham's novels and loved each one. This one was a little bit far-fetched, but when you are reading about para normal it goes with the territory.

Loved it! Was so happy with then ending. First book I have read by Heather Graham.
Any suggestions on any of the "100" other books she has written?

`Home in Time for Christmas' starts out in an unusual way for such a charming Christmas book. It is 1776 in New York and Jake is standing on the gallows, but the next jump is Melody hitting a man on a snow covered road today. He is dressed in Revolutionary War clothing, and of course is very handsome, articulate and unhurt. The repartee between Jake and Melody is enchanting. He is astonished and amazed at the 21st century.
I found more than a love and a time travel Christmas story here; there is an underlying theme of what we have today, how far, despite constant wars we have come in technology and beliefs. It gives a short pause for thought. However there was one historical note that bothered me, Jake is a patriot who writes and supports the ideas of the revolution; but he says he writes about the Constitution and that was not written until 1787. It just perturbed me to have such a glaring historical glitch. A lot of the other discussions are informative and passionately optimistic and patriotic.
There are some romantic twists and turns and you must believe in magic to trust what occurs.
Of course the main theme is love and romance and Christmas, this Heather Graham does well.

I purchased this book when it came out in hard back, and Amazon was nice enough to notify me it was available in ebook Christmas a year ago. Guess what, I enjoyed it so much, and it was a great deal, so I bought it again, as I'd given the book to a friend...and haven't seen it since.

I read it again last year, and this past Christmas...I read it again. It was a quick and sweet read. I definitely recommend.