“I would rather love passionately for an hour than benignly for a lifetime.”
In a house full of history and secrets, the past will not stay where it belongs…
Lou has always loved Hill House, the derelict manor on the abandoned land near her home. As a child, the tragic history of its owners, the Mandevilles, inspired her dream to become a history teacher. But in her late twenties, and working in a shop to pay off student debts, life is passing her by.
That changes when a family disaster sends Lou’s life into a downward spiral and she seeks comfort in the ruined corridors of Hill House. The house transforms around her and Lou is transported back to Christmas 1913. Convinced she has been in an accident and is in a coma, Lou immerses herself in her Edwardian dream. With the Mandevilles oblivious to her true identity, Lou becomes their houseguest and befriends the eldest son, Captain Thomas Mandeville, a man she knows is destined to die in the First World War.
Lou feels more at home in the past than the present and when she realises the experience is real she sets out to do everything in her power to save her new friends.
Lou passes between 1913 and 2013, unearthing plots of murder and blackmail, which she must stop no matter the cost.
On her quest to save the Mandevilles by saving Thomas, Lou will face the hardest decision of her life. She will learn that love cannot be separated by a century.
Callie was born and brought up in Berkshire. After a brief teenage spell in the depths of Lancashire, she moved back to London.
Having left school at 16, she studied drama before embarking on a career in marketing. This saw her work in music marketing in the heady days of Britpop in the nineties. She unleashed her creativity in the design of window displays and marketing campaigns for the leading music retailer. More recently she has followed her passion for social history and currently works in marketing for a national historical institution, promoting projects and running events.
On hitting her thirtieth birthday, she decided finally to take her A levels and gained A’s in English Literature and Language, and Film Studies – not bad when working full time! – and this spurred her on to take the first of many creative writing course. A few years later and she has had a number of short stories published and plays performed at theatres and venues across London.
Callie lives in London with her long-term partner and an ever-growing collection of antique curiosities.
Twitter: @CLangridgeWrite
Facebook: Callie Langridge https://www.facebook.com/people/Callie-Langridge/100017408860162
My Review: 4/5
A time to change is one of the most unique books I’ve read in a long time. I usually don’t like stories that are unrealistic, but I enjoyed this one.
Lou is grieving from the recent death of her mother. One day she enters the basement of an old mansion and enters another world…the exact day 100 years earlier. Being a historian, she already knows the family and what happens. However, she believes she’s been given the chance to change history.
One element I loved is how the author portrayed the characters from 100 years ago. It was interesting to hear how different they talked, dressed, and acted. I felt like I was also back in 1913 with Lou. At every meal the entire family sat down to eat and converse with each other. The unity of family was special, and something I feel is too often than not taken for granted in modern times.
The author did a great job of heightening the suspense element. Will Lou be able to change the inevitable?? This page turner kept me guessing until the very end!
**thank you to the publisher for a copy of the book.
Kristin's Novel Café 