Timeswept Bride by Eugenia Riley is the story of Priscilla Pemberton, a jilted woman from the twentieth century and Jake Blarney, a man from the past who calls across time for a bride.

When Priscilla Pemberton was jilted by her lover J Ackerly Frost V she retreats to her mother's beach house where she drowns her sorrows in Dom Perignon and tries to figure out what she did wrong in the relationship.

She does not expect to find a note in a bottle from 100 years in the past, nor does she expect a tidal wave to sweep her out to sea and into the past where the writer awaits her.

Jake Blarney's unfaithful wife had drowned at sea on the night she left him for another man.  Widowed and left with twin baby daughters to raise Jake Blarney penned his note and slung it into the sea in a bottle.

And when Priscilla Pemberton arrives on his stretch of beach late at night a year later it appears obvious to Jake that she is a gift from the sea and his new bride.

Priscilla is determined however not to become the wife of Jake Blarney and sets herself up in the town until she can find a way to avoid marriage to the man who is determined to make her the mother of his children.

Once Priscilla reaches the town it is clear to her that she has travelled back in time.  And now it appears she has a second chance to marry into the Frost family.  For here in the past is J Ackerly Frost I and he is both available and on the lookout for a wife.

Seeing her chance at gaining a place in Society Priscilla is not going to let anyone stop her from setting her sights on marriage to Ackerly Frost, and that especially means Jake, who will use every trick in the book to make her his wife.

Jake Blarney is a man with the patience of a saint.  For only a saint could put up with all the putdowns he receives from Priscilla and still want to marry her.

I have to admit that I think that Priscilla is one of the most annoying heroines I have ever read about.  She comes across as a spoilt, snobby, social climber and all in all rather shallow.   Only her bonding with Jake's twins saves her from being the most exasperating heroine of all time.

Her constant putdowns of Jake are at first amusing but as the novel continues they seem more cruel than humorous.  For Jake to want to marry her after all her insults shows either a great man or a desperate one.  I would prefer to think a great one.  For Jake Blarney is the character who makes this novel.

Charming and patient he is also rather devious in his efforts to win Priscilla and will use every underhand method he can to force her to the alter.

While most time travel novels are carried on the heroine's personality this is one that is all the hero's.  A delightful novel on the whole, despite its unfortunately annoying heroine.

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Also by Eugenia Riley :   Tempest in Time,  Tryst in Time, Embers of Time, Wanted Across Time, Waltz in Time, Phantom in Time and Bushwhacked Bride

Read an interview with Eugenia Riley

Eugenia Riley's website.