Meh...but its timetravel at least

I seldom read books about teenagers since I have not been a teenager for well over 30 years. But... this one turned out to be a great story. Mainly because it also covers two of my most favourite things - Art History, and Renaissance Florence!!

Cat Crawford meets a gypsy and finds herself moving to 16th century Florence, Italy, having lived in London, England for most of her life. But after her parents died of the plague, she is escorted back to Florence under the guardianship of her relatives. The one piece of advice the gypsy told her, was to keep an open mind.

Cat then spends the next 9 days trying to fit in, making several faux pas mistakes, and learning all about the restrictions placed in females during this era. And to make things worse, her Uncle and Aunt foisted her into a betrothal with a much older fellow. Cat's 21st century attitude is that "16 year old girls do not get married to men twice their age". This was a shocking revelation. She originally wanted to run away with the boy she had fallen in love with, but having learnt that bad things might happen to her family, if she did run away, Cat gives up that dream. She will marry her much older suitor and manage as best she can, even if she never learns to love him.

On the day of her 16th birthday. Cat wakes up to learn that today is also her wedding day. So when she arrives at the location for the wedding, she knows she cannot go through with it. Once again, Cat runs away. Once again, Cat ends up at the gypsy's tent and having learnt some lessons, she is finally transported back to her own time.

This is the first book in a trilogy and I cannot wait to read the other 2 books.

A very enjoyable story, and it also helps if you love Art, History and/or Art history, as I do!!
( )

The middle dragged a little for me, but once it started picking up, I couldn't put it down. Very cute, fun read! Definitely picking up the next book.

I think my main problem was that I was reading this on my Nook, and I was on vacation in Mexico at the time. I always seem to have trouble concentrating on a book if it's an ebook or when I'm on vacation, and this one just happened to be both, which is why the middle seemed to drag for me.

I did really enjoy the setting and all the mishaps that happen to Cat while she's in the sixteenth century. ( )

My Review

This was my first read from author Rachel Harris and it was fantastic! There was a little bit of everything in this book... swoon-worthy romance, fabulous characters, humor, and conflict. There is a little bit of the contemporary right alongside the historical and the blend of both creates a mystical story that I truly fell into.

Cat is a perfect protagonist who really grows over the course of the novel. She is a daughter of Hollywood, but she is far from the "mean girl/rich girl" stereotype. Instead, she was a bit socially awkward, a bit of a loner. This made her instantly sympathetic and I loved that she was, at heart, every girl. But as her life changes, we get to see so much more depth. We see the hurt and the pain, but we also see the passion, the intelligence, and the humor. Her "cousin" Alessandra was very different from Cat, the epitome of a proper 16th century young girl. She was also a perfect friend for Cat and the two of them together were as sisters or best friends should be. And Lorenzo... oh, Lorenzo. The perfect Book Boyfriend! Gorgeous, smart, creative, funny... what more could you want?

Some Quotastic Goodness

--Throughout history, while day-to-day life has changed, humanity hasn’t (Loc. 217).

--I live my life by the wise words of Eleanor Roosevelt: no one can make you feel inferior without your consent (Loc. 677).

--If looks could kill, I’d be a barbecued pineapple (Loc. 888).

--The first is that if beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder , I want the world to see me the way he does. Every flaw, every imperfection that I hate about myself has been made beautiful through his eyes and with his hand (Loc. 1454).

--At least I can look like a Kardashian while hyperventilating all over the dance floor (Loc. 2164).

--Our second kiss is gentle and passionate , tentative and hungry, all at once (Loc. 2419).

--At certain times of the month, I’ve considered chocolate consumption an urgent matter (Loc. 2529).

--“There we go, rule number three. Caloric consumption. Thou must not thinketh or worry about the circumference of one’s thighs while at a sleepover (Loc. 2785).”

--“And I’ve learned that letting people get close to you doesn’t always lead to pain. Some people are actually worth the risk (Loc. 3127).”

My Recommendation

This was a fun read with great characters and an interesting story. One thing I really appreciated was the author's attention to detail. It kept the experience believable and I applaud that! ( )

This novel is such a girl's book. It's a time-travel, feel good afternoon reading experience.

Cat's mother is an actress who panders to the paparazzi and creates many scandals. Cat can't stand this behavior and tries to avoid the photographers and do her own artsy thing. Her father is a famous director who believes in a "normal" life, but he's getting married and Cat doesn't like Jenny. Cat has agreed to a Sweet 16th Birthday party that Jenny is planning. As a thank you, Cat's father splurges and takes the three of them to Italy. She convinces her father that she can take a tour alone. On her way back to meet her father and on time, Cat sees a gypsy tent and goes inside. When she emerges, she's in the 16th Century.

Cat is stuck in the 16th century until she learns what she needs to learn. She magically has changed into an appropriate dress and speaks fluent Italian, which is handy. Thankfully, she still has her backpack with gadgets from this century. She is taken in by her mother's relatives from this century, noting that they are nothing like her mother and are actually very loving and family-ish. She meets an artist named Lorenzo and they see stars. Cat is having a great time being part of a family, seeing art in the century it was created, falling in love with Lorenzo, and enjoying something new. A rich, somewhat questionable man who has money and influence is fascinated by Cat's unusual personality. Uh-oh! Problem! ( )