Melody

  • ISBN-13: 9780399157646
  • Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
  • Publication date: May 2012
  • Format: Hardcover, 464 pgs
  • Source: Personal Library



When I first saw the book cover, I was totally smitten by the silver glittery fonts and the cityscape as the backdrop. What's more, Karen White (author of The Beach Trees; and one of my favourite authors) quoted on the front cover that this as "Irresistible. A memorable story of a timeless love."  Needless to say, I was hooked and I bought it, regardless of the eye-popping price tag (S$50.24). 

The story opens with the heroine searching in earnest for a Captain Julian Laurence Ashford. The year is 1916 in Amiens; a city in N France and World War I is raging at that time. The heroine doesn't really understand the urgent need in finding Captain Julian Ashford but she does know that she has to warn him of the danger he would be in and hopefully he would listen to her so he would be spared, from death. 

Fast forward to Year 2007 in New York City, Kate Wilson is a twenty-something Wall Street investment banker. She is good in her job but the thing is her superior rarely recognises her hard work and give all the important tasks and credits to another coworker instead. Being the low-profile person, Kate kind of accepts her fate but one business meeting allows her to meet the legendary investment genius Julian Laurence and her world changes thereafter. Julian is not only young and good-looking and it seems he is quite taken with Kate. 

What follows next is the alternative chapters that shift between the past and the present, allowing readers to find out and to understand the connection between Julian and Kate, and why these two people seem to have a purpose when seeking for each other, no matter in Amiens or in New York City. 

While this is a time-travel romance, it does has a tad of intrigue added to this romantic fantasy as there are scenes whereby Kate's safety is threatened at some point and makes you wonder who it is and why. 

I have to admit I am not a big fan of time-travel fiction, be it romance or mainstream but Overseas has definitely won me over with the unforgettable characters and the interesting premise as well. Author Beatriz Williams' style of writing is smooth and enticing and while I know the time-travel part is impractical and would never ever happen in reality, what matters is that love would never go out of time, anywhere. As long as there is love, there will always be stories to be told; and this is probably one reason why romance remains as one of the popular genres among others?  
3 Responses
  1. Sandy Nawrot Says:

    There was a day when a time travel romance would have made me roll my eyes, but I've read a few over the years and I take it back. This really sounds good. Really good. I'm off to my library website.


  2. Anna Says:

    I put this one on hold at the library yesterday after reading a glowing review, and now yours makes me so glad I did. I'm intrigued by the WWI connection for sure, and it sounds like a great summer read.


  3. Violet Says:

    Wow 50 is definitely very steep but glad you enjoyed the book. I havent read a lot of time travel books so i cant really say if i like it or not but i love romance. Will probabky borrow this fron the library if available


Post a Comment

Thanks for stopping by! I would love to hear from you.