Indiana Belle (American Journey Book 3) by John A. Heldt

It is not possible to review a John A. Heldt book without also discussing the author’s craftsmanship generally.

If someone said to me, you should read Indiana Belle “it is a great science fiction story” or “it is a really good romance” my response would be no thanks, I don’t read those genres. Yet I cannot get enough of John A. Heldt’s time travel stories. 

John Heldt’s books have been classified as time travel, history, fantasy, romance, mystery – or any combination of these genres. This is natural in the book world because it is necessary to indicate to the potential reader what they are getting for their money. I think we need another category for authors like john A Heldt just simply: A Damn Good Read.

There is no denying John’s stories are certainly time travel based but he uses it to weave in stories of mystery, romance and history.  It is the whole package he delivers that makes the difference for me; an escape into another world, another time. This is certainly the case in Indiana Belle.

Synopsis

Providence, Rhode Island, 2017. When doctoral student Cameron Coelho, 28, opens a package from Indiana, he finds more than private papers that will help him with his dissertation. He finds a photograph of a beautiful society editor murdered in 1925 and clues to a century-old mystery. Within days, he meets Geoffrey Bell, the "time-travel professor," and begins an unlikely journey through the Roaring Twenties. Filled with history, romance, and intrigue, INDIANA BELLE follows a lonely soul on the adventure of a lifetime as he searches for love and answers in the age of Prohibition, flappers, and jazz.

Indiana Belle is the third book in his American Journey series and although Professor Bell, the time travel expert, is a constant character each stands alone and it is not necessary to read the previous stories. However, I recommend that you do simply because they are so good. 

For authors planning to write a series I also commend John’s blog http://johnheldt.blogspot.com.au/2017/01/planning-series-right-way.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+JohnAHeldt+(John+A.+Heldt). 

Features of Indiana Belle in common with his other stories are believable characters (good and evil) and a writing style that doesn’t detract from the story yet still delivers clear images of time and place. He achieves his aim without explicit sex and violence although implication is there.

One of the differences in Indiana Belle is that this time the main character, Cameron, approaches the professor seeking to travel back to 1925. Bell is reluctant at first but yields to Cameron’s request when the young man agrees to undertake exploration and research on his behalf. 

Don’t take the storyline for granted at any time because Heldt puts in just enough twists and turns to keep you reading as we journey back to the days of prohibition, the KKK, jazz, speakeasies and crime – the Roaring Twenties - and all the associated changes going on in society.

I was concerned in the early stages of the story that the main character, Cameron Coelho, would be a disappointing addition to Heldt’s cast. When we first meet him he is a lonely young man with little drive in modern life. Once again Heldt surprises and as we get to know the young gentleman we find him charming and sensitive yet not afraid of tackling challenging tasks. His wit matches that of Candice throughout and their exchanges are often amusing.

I loved the character of Candice. As a modern, young, career woman of the 1920s her personality was strong and she is not afraid to test the boundaries of womanhood of the era. She is also a distant relative of the professor. 

Together Cameron and Candice are an interesting couple determined to fulfil the professors request for information from the past relating to the secrets of time travel. They need to come to grips with the dangers of changing the past and allowing their love to blossom.

In previous American Journey stories Professor Bell, although a charming and interesting character, has mostly been simply the conduit for travel. In Indiana Belle, the time and place Cameron wants to travel to links his journey with Bell’s ancestors. Any wrong deed by Cameron could change the future and impact on Bell himself.

I don’t usually comment on a book’s cover but the photo of a beautiful young woman from the 1920s is compelling.

As always’ Heldt’s historical research is exacting. I have long ago stopped checking his facts but his stories do lead me to learn about various historical events included.

His details are not limited to the historical facts. He conveys his time periods through perfect detailing of clothing, mannerisms and life style.

There was one part that did disturb me and that was picture painted of our world through a short time travel journey into the future. Has John Heldt travelled into the future himself or does he have fears that recent political events may have this impact on our lives?

This is not my first John A. Heldt book but it is my favourite but that is how I have felt about each of his books and no doubt how I will feel about his future stories as he continues to develop as a master storyteller.

I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review. 

My rating 5* 

This review is also available on my website www.pam.id.au
 

Among Animals 2: The Lives of Animals and Humans in Contemporary Short Fiction by Sascha Morrell, JoeAnn Hart and John Yunker

I am afraid this book didn’t do anything for me. 

Among Animals 2 is a collection of stories about the varied relationships between humans and animals. 

Although the stories are basically well written many were left up in the air or didn’t resolve an issue. 

The potential reader should also be warned that some stories are quite upsetting which, as an animal lover, I found hard to read. Others are more light-hearted but overall these do not balance the more distressing ones.

Because of the quality of the writing craftsmanship I give Among Animals 2 three *

Christmas Greetings

As Christmas approaches and the year comes to an end are you looking forward to the holiday period to catch up on your backlog of reading. I have some great books waiting for me and I will share my thoughts about them with you.

I have no review for this week but would like to share some of my favourite posts about books from Facebook and Pinterest with you.

After His Affair: Women Rising from the Ashes of Infidelity by Meryn G. Callander

The author, Meryn G Callander, wrote After His Affair: Women Rising from the Ashes of Infidelity not only as a woman who had been betrayed but one who had also betrayed.

She combines her own experience with that of several brave women who were prepared to be interviewed on the subject.

One important aspect she deals with is the impact an affair can have on other family members particularly children. This is something both the betrayer and betrayed can forget if they are too caught up in their own desires and hurt.

Meryn Callander does not simply share stories of infidelity she includes sound coping mechanisms that help women move on with their lives and that can strengthen a marriage avoiding future infidelity. It is also relevant to women who are still carrying the hurt of an affair many years after it has happened.

I often find self-help books contain such a wide range of information I battle to get through what I need and what I don’t. In After His Affair Ms Callander includes a Chapter Synopsis at the beginning making it easy for the reader to go straight to the section or sections most relevant to their own situation.

Another tendency that annoys me in self-help books is the cold and indifferent approach to the subject without demonstrating understanding of associated emotional problems. This is not the case with After His Affair. It is beautifully and sensitively written without dumping guilt on the reader.

My rating 4*

This review is also on my website www.pam.id.au

Synopsis

The discovery of your partner's cheating shatters the very core of your being. It's difficult to value and to allow our grieving, our anger, our rage, even our shame, the time and space to move us into a deeper life. We're supposed to just get over it, and move on.

Anger is not nice, causes trouble, and grieving is a bummer. Yet it is natural and healthy to feel angry when violated, and to grieve our disappointments and our losses. Virtually every one of us has been, or will be, in some way touched by infidelity. Why is this happening? How can we make good of these experiences in our individual lives? And how might we avoid--or heal from--the trauma of infidelity in our own relationships?

Callander writes as a woman who has both betrayed and been betrayed. The voices of other women who have travelled this road join her in this unique and intimate exploration of the many faces of infidelity. Polls show that around 85% of people believe infidelity is wrong. More than 90% of married individuals do not approve of extramarital sex, and yet almost half admit to having had an affair. What drives this dichotomy between what we say we should do and what we do?

This book offers understanding and new perspectives for reflection, dialogue, hope and healing.

About the Author
Meryn Callander was born in Portland, Australia, in 1952. She graduated from Monash University, Melbourne, with degrees in both economics and social work. At 25, she quit her position working with children in crisis, feeling she was doing little but applying Band-Aids to gaping wounds. Searching for that illusive something more, she headed to Europe, and then the U.S.

It was there she met John W. Travis, M.D., known to many as the founding father of wellness. Their marriage and professional partnership spanned almost three decades, during which time they pushed the leading edges of wellness--going well beyond the popular focus on nutrition and physical fitness, into the mental and emotional, interpersonal and spiritual dimensions of wellbeing. They co-authored several pioneering books on wellness, and facilitated seminars and retreats in the U.S. and internationally.

In 1993, Meryn became a mother. After decades of working in adult wellness, she gleaned a whole new appreciation of how profoundly our early years impact the wellbeing of the adults we become. Why Dads Leave: Insights and Resources for When Partners Become Parents (whydadsleave.com) grew out of their journey through the early years of parenting. While John stayed well beyond the challenges of those early years, their experiences compelled her to identify the dynamics underlying the epidemic of men leaving their families--physically or emotionally--soon after the birth of a child, and how couples can grow together rather than apart. The book offers insights and practical ways of preventing the devastating impact of this dynamic.

Her latest book, After His Affair: Women Rising from the Ashes of Infidelity is a reflection of her concern at the escalating rates of infidelity and the devastation that is left in its wake. How can we, as women, make good of our heartbreak? And how might we avoid--or heal from--the trauma of infidelity?

Meryn is a counselor, spiritual intuitive, and akashic reader.