Plot Recap:
In Wait for Me, our protagonist is Dawson Huxham, a supporting character out of the previous novels. He’s an angry young man who has been spiraling out of control since an accident in Afghanistan, who blames himself for his sister’s death. When he finds out there’s a chance Sybil is actually alive in the Middle Ages, it kickstarts a desire to find her, finding purpose in his life again. (Does that sound cheesy? I wrote it to be. It’s not that bad in the book, I promise).
As Dawson begins this mission and experimenting with the Holy Water, he overlaps in the Middle Ages with a wealthy noblewoman named Philippa, seeking to escape the control of her power-hungry uncle. Vowing to help her, Dawson finds himself completely embroiled in a different time with an arranged marriage breathing down his neck… even if it is with the captivating, beautiful Philippa.
What I Liked
I didn’t find this novel to be particularly deep or heady in any way. It was plainly a fast, sweet, action-filled time travel romance.
- Tropes We Know and Love:
- Arranged Marriage
- Damsel in Distress
- Burdened Hero
- Familiar Aspects within the Waters of Time Series
- the scientific perspective with the Holy Water
- the Middle Ages time period
- the cultural implications of the Holy Water in both Middle Ages and modern day
- Unique Aspects to Stay with Me:
- Male protagonist being the time-traveler
- Military presence
- Terrorist conflict subplot
- Good friends (and quality supporting characters!)
Of course, the chemistry between Philippa and Dawson was swoon-worthy and spicy, without the smut, labeling Stay with Me as squarely a “clean, closed-door” romance.
What Would’ve Made It Stronger
The only thing I didn’t love was how quickly the book concluded. The beginning and middle portions were well-paced, but I could’ve used another fifty pages or so to close out the story. With Philippa experiencing time travel herself, I think it could’ve been very interesting if fleshed out further.
Interested in Time-Travel Romance?
If you like clean, faith-based, time travel romances, check out these series:
River of Time by Lisa T. Bergren
Oceans of Time by Lisa T. Bergren
Timeless by Gabrielle Meyer
In these series, you’ll find yourself falling in love throughout different periods of history, with plots filled to the brim with excitement and lovable characters.
What you won’t encounter is the excessive language, explicit sexual content, and graphic violence that marks popular time-travel series like Outlander. These are excellent alternatives for both the young reader and the conservative reader!
Final Thoughts
I’m not sure if this is technically the finale of the series or not; irregardless, it was a solid continuation of the saga. I enjoyed the romance and the action both. It’s a perfect read for those looking to curl up for a while and just dive into something fun. I think this whole series would be fun to take on a vacation!
Content Rating: Mild
for action and some innuendo/romantic scenes
Copyright Jody Hedlund and Northern Lights Press. Image from Amazon.
LL – thank you for you reviews and suggestions. Hope you’re feeling better.