Timeless by Alexandra Monir

Publication Date: January 11, 2010
Source: Different Area Code Tours
Summary from Goodreads:


When tragedy strikes Michele Windsor’s world, she is forced to uproot her life and move across the country to New York City, to live with the wealthy, aristocratic grandparents she’s never met. In their old Fifth Avenue mansion filled with a century’s worth of family secrets, Michele discovers a diary that hurtles her back in time to the year 1910. There, in the midst of the glamorous Gilded Age, Michele meets the young man with striking blue eyes who has haunted her dreams all her life – a man she always wished was real, but never imagined could actually exist. And she finds herself falling for him, into an otherworldly, time-crossed romance.

Michele is soon leading a double life, struggling to balance her contemporary high school world with her escapes into the past. But when she stumbles upon a terrible discovery, she is propelled on a race through history to save the boy she loves – a quest that will determine the fate of both of their lives.

My Two Cents:

Can you put a time limit on love? According to this book, no. Michele's had dreams about a young man since she was a little girl and never understood why she felt so much love for this stranger. When Michele finds the beautiful chain with the key, she is transported back in time to her ancestors. From 1910, to the roaring 20's, and through the World War Michele is there.

Monir paints such a vivid picture for the reader while describing old NYC. I live in NY so the landmarks and streets that were being named, I knew. I literally saw the horse drawn carriages, the flapper dresses, to the smoky cotton club. I'm a huge fan of historical fiction so this was right down my alley. Usually I'm upset when romances happen fairly quickly in books but this was a different case. Michele's been dreaming about Philip since she was a young girl. Well of course all she needed to do was see him for that love to awaken in her.

When I read this mostly I was on the train. I had no idea what was going on around me. I remember a few times almost missing my stop and thinking "Wait, where am I??" It felt like I was completely transported back in time myself. The author does an excellent job of drawing us in and holding us there. I was not confused by the time traveling at all. The transitions were done very smoothly. I like the way we visited all of Michele's ancestor's, each in a different era. This novel is humorous at times, heart breaking, engaging and romantic. I truly enjoyed it and it is a beautiful love story definitely for hopeless romantics. 

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