An entertaining yarn about time travel, infidelity, and art, executed with sure brush strokes.
In this debut novel, a modern Amsterdam man gets repeatedly thrown back in time to earlier eras in the Netherlands and to different incarnations of an enticing woman.
Robert Dekker is an Amsterdam resident living a semi-bohemian life in 2019 as a concert planner who’s often away on entertainment business, to the detriment of his dull marriage. A side enterprise that markets Chinese-made reproductions of classic paintings has run into a potentially ruinous lawsuit, and now his exciting mistress, Saskia, tells him she’s finding their relationship stale and may want to make a change. In this troubled state of mind, Robert drives on a bridge over the Brouwersgracht Canal and mysteriously finds himself cast back three crucial years in the past, to 2016. Now, Robert has a second chance to begin (or not) his relationship with Saskia more meaningfully and perhaps avoid other future pitfalls. Film fans, meanwhile, may detect similarities to such time-twisted romances as Groundhog Day, Sliding Doors, Mr. Destiny, Peggy Sue Got Married, and Twice Upon a Yesterday(though the only one referenced repeatedly in the text is Back to the Future). But Foley, a transplanted Englishman living in the Netherlands, expands the concept. With clear, businesslike prose, the author relates his unstuck-in-time hero’s slipping ever further back in Dutch history (it is telegraphed that Rembrandt will be involved), encountering different iterations of Saskia. In addition to awkward reintroductions, Robert uses his knowledge of past events to stay out of harm’s way and—if possible—extend his limited supply of insulin for the life-threatening diabetes that afflicts him. Although a few key plot threads seem to be introduced but then lead nowhere (one concerns Robert’s being able to diagnose Saskia’s impending breast cancer years in advance), the overall result is an extremely readable, intelligent, and entertaining work of paranormal fiction. The story has a built-in appeal for consumers of Diana Gabaldon’s blockbuster bodice- and kilt-ripper Outlander franchise as well as readers of time-trippy adventures who would not normally browse any novel in a bookstore’s romance section. Extra points will be awarded by aficionados of Dutch history who are interested in armchair Amsterdam travel, temporal or otherwise.
An entertaining yarn about time travel, infidelity, and art, executed with sure brush strokes.Pub Date: June 24, 2021
ISBN: 978-9-09034-589-5
Page Count: 291
Publisher: San San
Review Posted Online: Sept. 24, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
PERSPECTIVES
Weak and inert, like a dead vampire's heart.
A down-on-her-luck artist discovers her new roommate is a 300-year-old vampire.
Cassie Greenberg barely makes a living from her cobbled-together part-time jobs, her art incorporating trash and recycled items is too avant-garde to be successful, and she has just been evicted from her Chicago apartment. When she sees a Craigslist ad for a room rental in Lincoln Park for only $200 a month, she contacts the owner even though she’s sure there must be a catch. Frederick J. Fitzwilliam, her stunningly handsome new roommate, is a bit of an oddball: His clothes and mannerisms are too formal, he sleeps all day, and he seems completely unaware of how the modern world works. Who doesn’t have Wi-Fi or prefer texting in this day and age! Cassie mostly works when Frederick is sleeping, so they strike up a flirtatious friendship through handwritten notes. When Cassie arrives home early from work one day, she discovers the fridge is full of blood and realizes that Frederick is a vampire. He recently awoke from a centurylong coma and realized that finding a human roommate might help him learn the ropes of the 21st century. The two strike up a tentative friendship, and Cassie agrees to teach Frederick how to navigate the modern world, including using public transportation, ordering drinks at the coffee shop, and shopping for clothes at the mall. It’s a cute setup, one full of potential, but the plot and characters are shallow and underdeveloped. Cassie and Frederick settle into a tame, conflict-free relationship. The details about Frederick’s history and the supernatural world are thin and full of omissions, leaving so many unanswered questions that the book almost feels unfinished.
Weak and inert, like a dead vampire's heart.Pub Date: Aug. 29, 2023
ISBN: 9780593548912
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Berkley
Review Posted Online: May 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
A largely lighthearted, charming tale that takes some bumpy turns.
A young Canadian moves to Hollywood and faces new loves, bitter jealousies, and the possibility of her dreams coming true in Stringer’s novel.
At 26 years old, Charity Trickett is ready to chase her dreams. Already a relatively successful production assistant on film sets in Vancouver, she leaves for Los Angeles after finding her boyfriend in bed with another woman. Awaiting Charity in Hollywood is a job with Casper, an up-and-coming director at Canopy Studios; it’s the perfect stepping stone to ultimately becoming a screenwriter. Unfortunately, what is also waiting for her is Saffron, Casper’s associate producer, who is immediately envious of Charity and pulls every petty trick in the book in an attempt to sabotage her. In spite of Saffron’s tactics, however, Charity’s skills shine through. She befriends Vivy Parker, a famous actress; meets Kai, a sexy assistant who flirts with her at every opportunity; makes strides with her script; and even begins her own pitch for a film. Later, though, after a copy of Casper’s latest movie is stolen and the finger of blame is pointed straight at Charity (as well as an investigation by the FBI), Hollywood seems to turn its back on her, and Charity doesn’t know if her career will recover or if her dreams are dead for good. Stringer’s 1997-set story is mostly a nostalgia-lite romp, though it does suffer slightly from a couple of issues. The first act is cluttered with relatable self-deprecating humorous interior monologues from the endearing protagonist, who always has good intentions (“we don’t think about unbuttoning our coworker’s oxford shirt”); the trope works, but it’s a gambit used too often at the start of the story. Additionally, the narrative does not always seem know what it wants to be, beginning as a fun, fish-out-of-water tale before making a hard left into intellectual property theft, kidney infections, and verbal abuse. Though the ups and downs of Charity’s experiences in Los Angeles feel authentic, the changes in tone can be jarring.
A largely lighthearted, charming tale that takes some bumpy turns.Pub Date: June 10, 2025
ISBN: 9781684633166
Page Count: 320
Publisher: SparkPress
Review Posted Online: March 21, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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