Book Blurb:
Pride and Prejudice meets The Time Traveler’s Wife, this tale of love, honor, and even scandal will test the course of destiny for two souls in search of each other, if only time wasn’t between them.
A business trip from the crowded streets of Los Angeles to the countryside of England was supposed to be a reprieve for Jane Reynolds. She needed a break from congested commutes, endless workdays, and mostly, to stop crying from a broken heart. But her first night out in the bustling streets of London, and an encounter with a young man only reinforce that life and love are just illusions, no matter how far she travels.
Taking refuge in a bookstore, Jane meets a psychic who tells her she is unique, born under the black moon, giving her a magnetic energy that will send her on a faraway journey. It is only the next day, when she unwittingly steps into a strange vibrational pull and is found naked in a 19th century field that the psychic’s words find meaning.
But nothing good can come from disrupting a time and place you don't belong–unless you are Jane.
Caught in the past, Jane becomes an interloper in the lives of the people she meets. Especially to Henry Eaton, the handsome landowner who takes her in and finds himself drawn to the woman who has brought a renewed sense of vivacity to his family, his home, and even his own harrowed heart.
As the characters weave their lives together through friendships, flirtation, and intrigue, Jane and Henry test the course of destiny in their search for love.
Ultimately, Jane must fall into the past to find love in the future.
Book Buy Link: https://geni.us/findingjane
Author Bio:
Elizabeth Conte is a writer of novels, poetry, and short stories. She is a native Californian where she lives with her husband and her almost out-of-the-house college kids. When she isn’t writing, you will find her in her garden, walking her dog, Winston-the only one who will sit and listen to her reading out loud, or mixing up a cocktail. Her love for writing is only equal to her love of gardening.
Editorial Review:
A magnificent historical time travel transports readers from modern day to 1833 accentuated by the author’s expert knowledge of early nineteenth century clothing. A passion filled story and a metaphysical world merge to launch the glittering adventures of “Finding Jane”.
“Don’t lose yourself because of love. Find yourself because of it.”
Love is the thread in this novel that weaves the present and the past together with exquisite descriptions of the fashions of 1833. Jane Reynolds, a Los Angeles Museum exhibit director, leaves for London after she breaks up with her boyfriend, Stephen, then bumping into him and accidentally meeting his new fiancée, who is pregnant. When she arrives in London, her counterpart, Amy, works with her on her exhibit: Dressing Rituals: Women in the Boudoir Through the Ages. She is drawn to a bookstore and meets Peyton, the store’s owner. Peyton delivers an ominous message.
“You were born during the cycle of a super moon, under the black moon. Rare. Very rare. For that reason, your energy is hyper-sensitive. It’s your link. I’m told you are going on a journey. Far away...but not unknown. Be not afraid of the experience, for your soul is always with you. Trust one who is pure in deed; someone familiar to you. The link is written in the stars.”
When Jane goes for a walk, a sense of falling sends her back in time to 1833, where she awakens in a field. Having been a museum exhibit director, she immediately recognizes that she is in the past and meets Dr. Cummings, who she thinks she has met before. She feels comfortable with him and shares her story. He, for some reason, doesn’t think she’s lost her mind and takes her back to Eaton Estate. Jane notices with fascination that Eaton Estate has early nineteenth century décor. The author sews the complicated points effortlessly together, so the reader understands thoroughly how the story of a time travel is unfolding.
Dining with the handsome Master Henry Eaton, the head of the house, the course of things change. He has lost a wife and now has two young daughters without a mother who become fond of Jane. After repeated dinners, where affection blossoms, Jane tells Master Eaton about her past love, Stephen.
“…There are many fine men who will not judge you for your circumstances.”
Jane is straight away triggered by her modern feminist sensibilities and angrily leaves a confused Master Henry Eaton.
“The inability to be equally involved in matters that will affect one’s life can be unsettling.” She lived and breathed those words.
Sprinkled throughout the novel are superb descriptions of period clothing. Scenes spring to life with the author’s unique knowledge of fabrics and styles using such details as hooks, buttons, and crystals along with color and texture.
A nicely positioned chapter illustrates how Jane endears herself to her new nineteenth century friends when she takes bread to the Baker family, who work for the Eatons. She stays to clean house and help Mrs. Baker with her new baby. Master Eaton arrives, much to her surprise, enflaming their burgeoning love.
“God sent us an angel when he dropped you in our field.”
Jane stops to bathe in a pond on her return to Eaton Estate and Master Henry finds her there. They share a kiss; Jane pushes him away, dashes back to the Estate only to find his fiancée waiting for him. Master Henry had become engaged to Anne Benning before Jane arrived in his life. During their trip to London to prepare for the wedding, Anne becomes ill, forecasting her secret.
When Dr. Cummings finds the woman called The Black Raven, who is Jane’s path back from whence she came, they visit her.
“My dear, you were never lost. You just needed to be found.”
…and to Dr. Cummings; “You were born as she, and thus united to her forever.”
Now, as Jane returns to a dance, Lillian, Master Henry’s sister, unexpectedly provides a gorgeous pink gown that is a “collection of crystal beads”. Here, the author wisely uses a gown to accentuate the ambiance of the times, the mood and Jane’s emerging beauty. Master Henry’s fiancé, Anne, remarked, “Doesn’t she look like a Goddess?”
A series of events unfold after which Master Henry comes to her room, leading to unfulfilled love making. Anne’s friendship with Jane enables her to share a confidence with increasing the tangle of obstacles that will affect the outcome. Well written scenes of sexual tension keep the reader engaged and the pages turning until the inevitable happens.
“Outlander” has nothing on “Finding Jane”. A compelling storyline and tedious character development hurl the reader through the chapters of a story where the stakes are high and the drama addicting. Well written, a sincere familiarity of customs and style carry the reader to a simpler time, illustrated meticulously with detail and precision. “Finding Jane” could effortlessly rival any time travel novel with its strong measure of romance, drama and an ample dose of style and panache.
*****
“Finding Jane” by Elizabeth Conte receives five stars and the “Highly Recommended” award of excellence from The Historical Fiction Company
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