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A review by parklandmom
When the Day Comes by Gabrielle Meyer
5.0
5+ stars - Read/own the paperback. Read in October 2023.
I’ll begin this five-star review in an odd fashion so bear with me. I had no interest in this book when it came out. It had a fantasy/sci-fi vibe with the time travel aspect so I had no plans to read it. People were raving about it though but we all have different tastes, right? Then book 2 came out and the Timeless fan club was bigger and louder. They were all pounding the beat to READ THIS SERIES. Some pointedly told me that they were SURE I’d enjoy it. I saw reviews from people whose opinions I valued. So I gave in and a few days after the release of Book 2, I ordered books 1 & 2 for Mother’s Day 2023. And then they sat on my shelf….
Fast forward to October. I finally couldn’t take it anymore. I was reading things from others that made me question my assumptions even more. I saw things that really intrigued me. Plus the author is just such a nice person and I enjoy her posts on social media.
I finally pulled Book 1 out on Oct. 07th in the evening and I was done by 1a.m. on the 10th. And I fully admit that ‘they’ were all correct! It wasn’t at all what I thought and it was easily one of my top reads of 2023. I believe the author said something about these books being more about two historical periods than dual-time or time travel and that’s exactly it. And I like how she called it “time-crossing” as it wasn’t sci-fi-like at all. Things aren’t always what they seem and that’s a message in the book as well!
The juxtaposition of Colonial Williamsburg, VA only two years prior to 1776, along with New York City and London, England in 1914, was fascinating. In one you see Americans want to be free from the British no matter the cost, and the other is about Americans wanting to have English titles, nobility, power, and riches. Integrity and honesty be damned.
Libby is a woman of respect and virtue. Helping others is her life’s mission. She gives all she has in the causes she believes in with both time periods. She treats people with such kindness. She loves her family, friends, and community. She knows who she loves and wants as a husband. She commits to him even amongst great uncertainty of her 1774 life. She knows which path she would ultimately & permanently choose on her 21st birthday over a year away.
However, life is never simple or a straight line. Times that by two!! Unexpected trials AND gifts are a part of life and sometimes it is hard to see or understand. Her 1914 life has a difficult mother and everything is more difficult and tense. Yet there are moments of great joy and triumph as well. Choosing isn’t as simple as she once believed it was. Circumstances can change things.
She relies on the Lord, even through very dark times, to learn about freedom and love. God can work all things for good and they sometimes come up in surprising ways! (Insert silent screaming and cheering near the end—at 1:00 a.m. while my household was sleeping!).
This fiction novel has a strong faith element which I love. It has twists and turns. While you suspect some of them, you don’t quite know for sure. There are so many possibilities. You can’t foresee all the details along the way—or the consequences.
The ultimate message of this book is reliance on God no matter your circumstances. In His time, He can do so much more than we can even imagine. I was happy to be wrong about my initial take on this book and I humbly apologize for assuming. I am excited to read book 2. Book 3 is out in May 2024 and book 4 is being worked on. Book 5 was just approved for writing. All will be automatic purchases!
Below are 3 favourite quotes. I left the fourth out because it would be a major spoiler (middle of page 295) . I read the paperback so I couldn’t use the Kindle highlights/quote feature.
—————-
Quotes:
“So much of how we transported information from one person to the next in the colonies was painstakingly slow and arduous. Parliament used this to their advantage, trying to keep the colonies as separate as possible, knowing that if we united as one force, we would be difficult to control. If we were fighting amongst ourselves, better still.” (Pg. 65)
“What makes us different from anyone else? Why must we not pay a cost for freedom? Is it everyone else’s job to sacrifice so that we can enjoy the benefits of their payment? Nay. Freedom isn’t free, Libby. The price is far greater than anyone realizes.” (Pg. 214)
“Freedom isn’t stagnant or guaranteed. It lives and breathes and must be defended constantly. Don’t take it for granted. Fight for it, both in the public and private spheres of your life. And always look for ways to help… That is one of our greatest purposes upon this earth. To be helpers.” (Pg. 311)
I’ll begin this five-star review in an odd fashion so bear with me. I had no interest in this book when it came out. It had a fantasy/sci-fi vibe with the time travel aspect so I had no plans to read it. People were raving about it though but we all have different tastes, right? Then book 2 came out and the Timeless fan club was bigger and louder. They were all pounding the beat to READ THIS SERIES. Some pointedly told me that they were SURE I’d enjoy it. I saw reviews from people whose opinions I valued. So I gave in and a few days after the release of Book 2, I ordered books 1 & 2 for Mother’s Day 2023. And then they sat on my shelf….
Fast forward to October. I finally couldn’t take it anymore. I was reading things from others that made me question my assumptions even more. I saw things that really intrigued me. Plus the author is just such a nice person and I enjoy her posts on social media.
I finally pulled Book 1 out on Oct. 07th in the evening and I was done by 1a.m. on the 10th. And I fully admit that ‘they’ were all correct! It wasn’t at all what I thought and it was easily one of my top reads of 2023. I believe the author said something about these books being more about two historical periods than dual-time or time travel and that’s exactly it. And I like how she called it “time-crossing” as it wasn’t sci-fi-like at all. Things aren’t always what they seem and that’s a message in the book as well!
The juxtaposition of Colonial Williamsburg, VA only two years prior to 1776, along with New York City and London, England in 1914, was fascinating. In one you see Americans want to be free from the British no matter the cost, and the other is about Americans wanting to have English titles, nobility, power, and riches. Integrity and honesty be damned.
Libby is a woman of respect and virtue. Helping others is her life’s mission. She gives all she has in the causes she believes in with both time periods. She treats people with such kindness. She loves her family, friends, and community. She knows who she loves and wants as a husband. She commits to him even amongst great uncertainty of her 1774 life. She knows which path she would ultimately & permanently choose on her 21st birthday over a year away.
However, life is never simple or a straight line. Times that by two!! Unexpected trials AND gifts are a part of life and sometimes it is hard to see or understand. Her 1914 life has a difficult mother and everything is more difficult and tense. Yet there are moments of great joy and triumph as well. Choosing isn’t as simple as she once believed it was. Circumstances can change things.
She relies on the Lord, even through very dark times, to learn about freedom and love. God can work all things for good and they sometimes come up in surprising ways! (Insert silent screaming and cheering near the end—at 1:00 a.m. while my household was sleeping!).
This fiction novel has a strong faith element which I love. It has twists and turns. While you suspect some of them, you don’t quite know for sure. There are so many possibilities. You can’t foresee all the details along the way—or the consequences.
The ultimate message of this book is reliance on God no matter your circumstances. In His time, He can do so much more than we can even imagine. I was happy to be wrong about my initial take on this book and I humbly apologize for assuming. I am excited to read book 2. Book 3 is out in May 2024 and book 4 is being worked on. Book 5 was just approved for writing. All will be automatic purchases!
Below are 3 favourite quotes. I left the fourth out because it would be a major spoiler (middle of page 295) . I read the paperback so I couldn’t use the Kindle highlights/quote feature.
—————-
Quotes:
“So much of how we transported information from one person to the next in the colonies was painstakingly slow and arduous. Parliament used this to their advantage, trying to keep the colonies as separate as possible, knowing that if we united as one force, we would be difficult to control. If we were fighting amongst ourselves, better still.” (Pg. 65)
“What makes us different from anyone else? Why must we not pay a cost for freedom? Is it everyone else’s job to sacrifice so that we can enjoy the benefits of their payment? Nay. Freedom isn’t free, Libby. The price is far greater than anyone realizes.” (Pg. 214)
“Freedom isn’t stagnant or guaranteed. It lives and breathes and must be defended constantly. Don’t take it for granted. Fight for it, both in the public and private spheres of your life. And always look for ways to help… That is one of our greatest purposes upon this earth. To be helpers.” (Pg. 311)