Review: Her Place in Time by Stephania H. McGee

The idea of time travel has always been so exciting and interesting to me, so anytime I find a Christian fiction time-travel book, I am SO THERE. This particular time-travel read has been on my to-read list for quite a while, and I’m so glad I finally got around to reading it!

Can love offer a new future…in the past?

A mysterious gown, unexpected courage, and a love that transcends time.

Nursing student Lena Lowery faces a grim diagnosis and a dangerous surgery. On the cusp of the life-changing procedure, Lena stays at the Rosswood Plantation Bed and Breakfast for one last weekend with her mother. There in an antique armoire, Lena discovers a Civil War-era gown that holds an unimaginable cure…a trip back in time to when the house served as a hospital.

Confederate Sergeant Caleb Dockery lost his brother, his eye, and nearly his life. Stuck in a makeshift infirmary, he’s counting the days until he can return to duty…and seek revenge. When a stranger appears, he suspects she’s a spy. If he can’t return to duty and find the revenge he craves for his brother’s death, he can serve his country by stopping this traitor. But her nursing skills are saving lives, and her courage and independence stirs his heart. When Lena’s safety is threatened, Caleb must strain the loyalties that bind him or risk losing her forever.

Caught between a future that holds no promises and a past that could offer new life, Lena must face an extraordinary decision. Should she return to her own time where her days are numbered? Or can she and Caleb find a love that stretches across time?

If you like historical romance with a twist, strong female characters, and heroes that transcend eras, you’ll love this journey through time that tests the limits of love.

This book really took me by surprise. I thought I knew how the story would unfold, but it caught me off guard, in the best way, when things went completely different than expected. I thought this dramatically increased the strength of the book, especially since it is only a novella and not a full length novel. Stephania managed to fit a fully-formed, unpredictable plot with a pleasing love story and well-written character arcs into a mere 190 pages. In the end, I didn’t feel cheated by the short length but felt like I’d enjoyed a well-rounded, satisfying story.

Of course, as Stephania said in her author note, the concept of time travel is humanly impossible. But I also know that God can do absolutely anything He wants. If He could create the world by simply speaking it into existence, who’s to say He couldn’t send someone into the past to give them another chance at life? It’s a highly unlikely idea, but I can believe it long enough to enjoy every moment of Lena’s adventure into the 19th century. 

Out of everything in the entire book, the ending of the last chapter and the epilogue were my favorite. Those scenes struck me right in “the feels”, and I wanted to both sigh in happiness and cry in sadness. It’s hard to explain what exactly I loved so much about the ending without spoiling anything, but let me tell you, I could not have imagined a more perfect outcome.
If you love the idea of time-travel as much as I do and need a good, fast read that still packs a punch, look no further than Her Place in Time! 5/5 Stars!