A Portrait in Time

The plot for this story line was cute once you figure it out in the end but it's a long boring read to get there. This story needed much work and editing long before being published. How did it happen? If the author actually got money for this, I'm going to try my hand at it, it couldn't be worse!

I read this book in a day, was just plain fun! great summer relaxing reading.

This is truly one of if not the best book I have read as far as romance novels go. I am a tough critic when it comes to romance novels and this was packed full of all the necessities. Romance, mystery, thriller, murder, you name you got it! I am desperate to find more books from this author!

Congrads on keeping me up all night!

This book was an okay read. It's one that I'd have rather checked out from the library than purchased. The book has a lot of typos in it (ie. misspelled words, words left out of a sentence, ect.)

I was a bit disappointed at first. Reading the description the book sounded like it was going to be very promising. I couldn't wait to receive the book and get started reading!

The book is a very easy read. I kept hoping for it to pick up so I actually read the entire book in a day. It had some great moments, but the book didn't draw you into the story. I didn't feel the characters pain or happiness. I felt like I was reading a story. At first the descriptions start out well. You can visualize what they're wearing and how things looked. But by the 4th chapter, the descriptions of people, places and everything stops. I also felt like I was left hanging. There was a hint in the book that the aunt "knew" the truth, but then it never said anything more about it. It also mentions how she needs to get 2 people (I won't go into much detail so not to give the story away) to fall in love, but it never tells you if they did or not.

I'd suggest checking this book out from the library or going to a B & N store and grabbing a cappuccino and reading it there at the store instead of purchasing this book. It is an ok read, I just wouldn't suggest buying it.

Alexandra "Alex" Tibideaux receives a message that her grandmother: "I need you." Unable to get a hold of Grams, Alex rushes from California to New Orleans. Grams is fine; she only wants to attend the re-opening of the Dalton Plantation with her granddaughter. Alex agrees-since Grams is her only living relative and is 93 years old. Later that evening, Grams shows Alex a picture of Trey Dalton and how he fell in love with a woman in their family; one who had the same name as Alex... and had disappeared and was never found.

While at the plantation, Alex sees a painting of herself wearing period clothing. Curiosity causes her to touch the portrait... which transports her back to 1878. She awakens in the same house... but Trey Dalton, his aunt, and their servants are very much alive.

Trey Dalton doesn't have time for a woman who mysteriously shows up at his plantation; talking nonsense about how she's from the future. And he doesn't need his Aunt Rose to interfere by going around telling everyone that Trey and Alex are getting married. Both Trey and Alex have to go along with the idea to keep people from gossiping.

But there's someone who wants to ruin Trey and will stop at nothing to do so. Trey believes he knows who is responsible... or does he? Only after a series of potentially disastrous events does he learn the truth.


Stephanie's Review:

Other reviews talk about how Bradley weaved "an engrossing tale of time travel, romance, and suspense."

The time travel was typical: Woman from the present goes back in time where she has to adjust to her new life while wondering if she'll ever return to the present.

The romance was unbelievable - and not in a good way: Trey and Alex spent more time bickering and arguing than anything else. I'm still wondering how the two fell in love. It just "happened."

The suspense was predictable: It's easy to tell who did what when.

Bradley also has a habit of not going deep enough into the story. There are lots of instances where things are just glossed over. Two examples: (1) Alex arrived in 1878, and basically just accepted everything that happened to her - except when she wanted to return to Trey. (2) Alex kept a journal of her time spent in 1878. When she returns to 1997, Grams gives her the journal. She starts reading... only to find a new entry on the last page from Trey. This could've been a very emotional moment, but Trey's entry was cut short.

There's also a lot of typos in this book. I understand that no book is edited perfectly, but the typos here are beyond the norm. After awhile, they started sticking out like a sore thumb. Usually, with traditional publishers, the fingers can be pointed to the copyeditors. But it's questionable with e-publishers. I know of some e-publishers who do more editing beyond what an author does. And then there's some e-publishers who expect their authors to do all of the editing. I'm not sure where Hard Shell lies as this is my first Hard Shell read.