A Wish In Time
by Laurel Bradley
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Book Reviews of A Wish In Time
Book Review: A Real Winner--A Must Read for Time Travel Fans!
Summary: 5 Stars
Kirkinwall, Scotland, 1718. Magda McClellan is eight months pregnant with her and Davy's first child and she couldn't be happier with her life. When Auld Annie, an obscure and wise woman, is accused of witchcraft, Maggie cannot turn away and helps her. Impressed with the young woman's generous heart, Annie offers to grant a wish in return. Being that she is happy, Maggie refuses. But when strange dreams haunt her, she cannot help but worry that Annie may indeed have some power over her.
New York, New York, 2002. Maggie McDonald and her husband, David, are in desperate want of a child. When Maggie goes in for a procedure, they meet a strange nurse that promises them a baby, if it is there wish. Maggie finds herself quite out of element when she awakens to find herself pregnant...and not in New York anymore. Who is the large man that calls her Magda, and more importantly, where is Magda? Trapped in eighteenth century Scotland, she will have to figure out how to switch her and Magda back before it's too late. Meanwhile, Magda must learn to deal with the hustle and bustle of the twenty-first century and the heavy heart that comes along with her. Both desperately search for answers, to their dilemma and their confused hearts.
A Wish in Time takes one of the most entertaining genres of romance, the time travel, and combines it with a unique plot to produce a truly moving and thought provoking story. It's the typical "we're not in Kansas" feel for both women, but how they handle their individual dilemmas is what's interesting. Maggie takes on the then primitive livelihood of Scotland with spirit and determination as she puzzles out the mystery of how she came to be there. Magda, in many ways, has much more to overcome, being brought up with an entirely different set of ideals when it comes to hearth and home. Both women will discover new sides to themselves that they never knew and learn again what is most important in their lives. I sniffled many a time over this one and loved the movement between the two time periods. The author's style changes subtly for each woman's circumstances, stark and clean for the poor Magda, then bold and fiery for Maggie, caught as she is in that tempestuous time period. It brought to mind one of my favorite authors and I dare say other fans of Barbara Delinsky will love this wonderful tale of love that spans centuries.
Book Review: A Wonderful, complex book
Summary: 5 Stars
Two women, two men, two periods in history--A Wish in Time by Laurel Bradley brings two couples together in the quest for a child. Maggie wants a child, Magda's birthing time is almost near. Auld Annie, 18th Century witch, offers a wish to reward Magda's kindness. Magda has no need of a wish. She's happy with her life and with her loving husband, Davy.
Maggie and David, 21st Century lovers, want a baby and are willing to endure a medical procedure to accomplish it. Inexplicably, Magda and Maggie are switched, thrust into each other's lives and times.
Each woman struggles to adapt to the century she finds herself in and struggles to keep her own identity. Complicating matters are Davy and David, the husbands, and their growing attraction to the women in their lives. After all, the physical appearance is the familiar one that they've loved for years.
Double complicating the plot, each woman falls in love with the man she's living with. Why were Maggie and Magda switched? To what end? One is still ripe with unborn child, and one is still barren. Finally, Auld Annie makes an appearance in both centuries and the mysteries start to unravel to lead the way for each woman to go home.
A Wish in Time is a love story spanning centuries--love for husband, love for child, love of music and family and home. It asks a host of questions: Do you believe in reincarnation? Does the soul live on over and over in different lives? What sacrifice will you make to have your own child?
The story is simple and complex at the same time. I can't even begin to totally explain the plot or even understand all its nuances. It was fascinating, beautifully written, and suspenseful. Frankly, I had to take a peek at the end to assure myself that what I, as a writer and a reader, need to find in a book was there. I won't tell you what that is, but even knowing the ending, I couldn't put the book down. I'll invite you to read this masterful work and enjoy its journey for yourself. You won't be disappointed.
This is Laurel Bradley's debut novel, and she and iUniverse are to be applauded for giving us this book. Laurel, may you create many more worlds like this one--A Wish in Time.
Book Review: Wonderful Time Travel
Summary: 5 Stars
A Wish in Time is a succinct description of the book's theme. In 1718 Scotland, Magda McClellan is offered a wish by Auld Annie. But Magda has a happy marriage, loves her husband and is eight months pregnant--her life is perfect, so she declines the wish. In present time, Maggie MacDonald and her husband are a happy couple very much in love and have all they could want-- except a child. Auld Annie appears to Maggie and her husband and says she can now grant her the wish, except they have no idea who the strange old nurse is or what she`s talking about. Maggie awakens in 1718 Scotland, in Magda's body, and Magda awakens in present time in a hospital in Maggie's body. You can imagine the emotional turmoil that ensues for the women and their husbands, but the author's gifted writing allows you to share their adventures and their ache to return home.
The author did her research, her writing is smooth, and effortlessly drew me back to 1718 Scotland. Her dialog is clever, and when writing in the past she uses the Scots accent which I happen to enjoy. The characters are true to life and brief hints of the history made that part of the story believable. Present day characters and scenes are written equally well. The story is an interesting one, well thought out, and had me picking up the book every chance I could. The theme of everlasting love was the best part for me, and the way the author conveyed the love felt between the husbands and wives was very believable. Very sigh-worthy. Loved the book and I highly recommend this to anyone who likes romance and time travel.
Book Review: wonderful time-travel
Summary: 5 Stars
Time travel is hard to do. In this book, the author doesn't have just one switch but two. Two women trade places and must learn to cope with their new lives. In 1718 Scotland Magda McClellan is nearing the birth of her baby. Her path crosses the witch Maggie. When Magda helps Maggie when she's accused of being a witch, Maggie grants her the power of a wish for repayment. Magda doesn't believe, but she soon will.
In modern day New York, Maggie McDonald and her husband are desperate to have a baby. She goes into the hospital for a fertility procedure, and there, meets an odd nurse who promises Maggie she will have a child...if that is her wish. Maggie goes to sleep; she awakens to find wishes do come true. But one needs to be careful of wishes. She is indeed pregnant, as the nurse promised - only she is in 18th century Scotland. If that isn't problem enough Magda, in turn, awakens to modern Day NYC and isn't pregnant any longer.
The women must adjust to the drastic change, the "out of water" life they are now in, in this highly entertaining time-travel. The writer deftly handles the two women giving life to their different personalities and different difficulties as they face these peculiar circumstances.
Highly recommended for Time-Travel Fans
Book Review: 4 stars
Summary: 4 Stars
In the seventeen hundreds in Scotland, Magda offers a final kindness to an old woman accused of witchcraft, not knowing that Auld Annie truly was a witch and so when she promised the young mother-to-be a wish, she had the power to make it so. Even if the granting would take over three centuries to fulfill. In New York, in the present, Maggie and her husband, David, long for a child, enough so that they are taking drastic medical measures to procure one. As Maggie goes under for her procedure, Magda goes to sleep beside her husband, Davy. When the two women wake, they have changed places. Now, each struggles to adjust to a new world, a new life, and a man who is and is not her husband. One of the men believes his wife has gone nuts, the other is able to accept what has happened, but withholds his complete love. Yet, the two mixed up couples find themselves falling in love as one set prepares for a birth and one continues to wish for it to be. Will the two women ever find their proper times?
**** Ms. Bradley has written a sweet story that shows how much of a miracle kindness can be and examines the importance of a baby in a family's life as well as what makes us who we are. Readers would do well to search out what may be a hard to find treasure and get this for their collection. ****
Amanda Killgore