Never leave me
I have to start out by stating "Never Leave Me" by Jody Hedlund is a wonderful addition to "Come To Me". What a great book of time travel. I love the characters and the fact that they are likable and have special place in the storyline.

This book was so hard to put down. It pulled me in from the very beginning. I loved the suspense, adventure and the romance.. To me this book has it all!

I recommend this book to anyone whom is looking for a great book to add to their collection.

I rate this book 5 star out of 5.

I received this complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley for a honest review. All thoughts and opinions are mine!

Oh I have been waiting for Ellen and Harrison's story since I first heard about it and it was well worth the wait. Once again Hedlund knocks it out of the park with this fun time travel story. Both time periods are fun to read about, and the whole premise of this healing holy water is just a fun way to tie the two time periods together.

Never Leave Me provides twists and turns, great romantic chemistry, action, and intrigue. While you could probably get away with reading this book as a stand alone, I wouldn't recommend it because there are lots of (in my opinion) important parts from book one that makes the story come together. Plus when you see some of the characters, you'll better understand why they are where they are and what it means in the grand scheme of things. Plus it's just a good book, so you'll want to read it.

Harrison is that hero that you just root for, and I started rooting for him in book one. He's a sweet guy who fell on some unfortunate circumstances (being in a wheelchair). BUT he doesn't let that stop him from being a swoony protector and I love how Hedlund wrote his character. He's charming for sure, but then there's just this something extra about him. I can't quite put my finger on it, but trust me when I say it's good.

Never Leave Me as a little something for everyone. Romance, contemporary and historical fans alike will enjoy reading book two in The Waters of Time series. I highly recommend this series! I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Suspense, romance, time travel, and middle ages are all intertwined in this book. There were some things I loved about it - getting to check in on characters I loved in the first book in the series, the time travel elements, and the suspense were all great. Unfortunately, this book didn't have quite as much of a tie to middle ages historical events as the first book which was something I really loved in Come Back to Me. But what really felt a bit flat for me was the romance. I generally like the friends to lovers trope in books but this one also had some of my least favorite romantic tropes - lying to each other/not having an authentic conversation about how you feel and intensely focusing on the feelings from the physical aspect of the relationship. Throughout the book people keep telling Ellen that Harrison loves her and she keeps denying it saying they are just friends. Friends don't sit on friend's laps and snuggle in. I couldn't buy into Ellen's total cluelessness about their whole relationship saga which brought the book down a notch for me.
I'm still glad I read it just to get the conclusion of the story so I think it's worth a read if you liked the first book in the series.
I received an ARC copy from netgalley. I was not required to post a positive review.

4.5 stars! Yay for the second Waters of Time book! I really enjoyed Ellen and Harrison‘s story. I loved Harrison from the first book and that grew even more over this one. This book had so many twists and turns it definitely kept me guessing through the whole story. Every time I thought I knew the direction it was going, it would change and something new would happen. I loved the unpredictability of it.

The romance was sweet and you just couldn’t help but feel for Harrison. His devotion to Ellen is what all girls dream of. There were a few times where I thought come on just admit what you’re feeling! But everything was brought together in a beautiful and satisfying ending.

Without spoiling anything I’m also super grateful that we got another glimpse into Marian and Will’s life. That was awesome!! I mean, who doesn’t want to see more of Will! 😍 Yes please!!

Ahhhhh!!! I dont even know what to say about this book because I don't want to give anything away! It was so so so so good!!!!! Who knew a time travel Christian romance was right up my alley??!!

Never Leave Me is book 2 in this duology/trilogy(?). If you haven’t read book 1, I would recommend that you do so for a better and fuller understanding of the storyline. That being said, after reading book 1, you might be a bit disappointed with the execution of this follow-up. Hedlund provides a little recap of major events in the first book, which makes it possible for Never Leave Me to function as a standalone.

This is a story the requires you to let go of you logical and analytical side and allow yourself to be purely entertained.
Here are some things I enjoyed about Never Leave Me:
1. It was fast paced.
2. It was clean (a bit more sensual than your traditional Christian fiction but quite clean when compared to contemporary romances).
3. The historical elements of the 1380’s were fascinating.

Here are a few things that bothered me:
1. I never grew to like Ellen. She came across as flighty, inconsistent, and not very intelligent.
2. There were way to many plot point with several of them never being fully resolved. (Maybe they will all be taken care of in book 3…if there is a book 3 in the making?)
3. The Christian element felt forced and out of place. It felt to me like Hedlund got caught up in writing an exciting, clean, adventure romance, and then remembered that this was supposed to be classified as a Christian fiction and threw something in to make it fit.

Thank you NetGalley and Revell for a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
#NeverLeaveMe #NetGalley

Never Leave Me is a riveting sequel with a romance I was rooting for. While it could be appreciated on its own, I feel that the full arc of the story begins in the first book, Come Back to Me, and I would recommend reading it first to understand the characters and concepts.

The story is quick paced and intriguing from the very beginning, with Hedlund taking a smart concept and building on the time travel tenets of book 1, further drawing Ellen and Harrison into a search for holy water — along with a nefarious group seeking the same. By story’s end, I was happy to know a little more about Ellen’s sister, Marian, part of the main couple from book 1. The inclusion of the middle ages elements into the story is interesting to me. I like the link of the holy water to a Biblical beginning and historical legends and healings.

While I was really eager for the friends to lovers (long-unrequited on the part of Harrison) situation between Harrison and Ellen to play out on page, I thought the romance progressed in stops and starts. Some key moments happen early on (understandably given the plot), yet I thought some of their relationship felt forced because of this. I did appreciate the lessons they learn because of their friendship and the selfless love each of them exhibit for each other. And they had some wonderfully romantic moments in the midst of the action, too.

Thank you to the publisher Revell for the review copy. This is my honest review.

I have never read time travel books before. My first book by Jody Hedlund was the first book in this series and I really liked it.

This book, Never Leave Me, did not disappoint. I was drawn into the story from the beginning and it was a page turner.

I haven't read the first in this series and that being said I felt the Jody Hedlund did a good job making this a stand alone novel if needed. I'm sure it would be even better If I'd read the other one though. Had a very Outlander feel to it with the time travel. This novel was a bit too steamy in the romance for my liking but it had a fun storyline.

This second novel in an intriguing time-slip series carries on the story began in Come Back to Me. The book can stand as a complete story, but you won’t want to miss the opening book in the Waters of Time series, which I liked even better than this sequel. In Never Leave Me, Ellen Creighton is dying of a fatal disease, but could the healing waters her father and sister discovered from the 1300s help her? Her colleague Harrison Burlington believes it can and risks his life to try to secure some for her. Transporting between the centuries makes for exciting reading, even if we don’t believe such a thing could actually happen. The suspense overflows, and the characters grab your heart and won’t let go. You not only get immersed in a compelling tale, but in ancient history as well. I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own. #NeverLeaveMe #NetGalley

I was very curious how the author would continue the story, specifically with time travel. It did not disappoint and the story was so good! Harrison and Ellen are the focus of this book as he continues to seek a cure for her, before it’s too late. What an adventure they both go on! Definitely a must read! I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All views stated here are my own.

I loved the first book in this series and eagerly awaited reading this one. It does not disappoint at all. This book is an amazing book and words alone can’t express how amazing. You can read this book without reading the first book, but I really recommend reading the first book before this one. This book continues with Ellen’s story. Ellen has a genetic disease that is causing her to slowly deteriorate. She realizes what is to come, but her friend Harrison is doing everything in his power to save her. As he tries to discover a miracle for her, he is healed. Now, he is trying to find what he needs to save her. Due to her father and sister’s research, Ellen is targeted by criminals who seek to discover the same as Harrison. As a result, she is pushed to discover more and provide them with the answers and holy water. There are so many wonderful parts to this story. This book expands the mind not necessarily on something that could be true, but the wonder of what if. Just like other books that are fantasy, this book is definitely interesting and engaging! I highly recommend this book and know you will not be disappointed!
***I was given a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review. This is my honest opinion. Even though I received this copy free, I have purchased her books before.

I adored this suspenseful, time travel adventure. In book one, readers are introduced to Marian Creighton, she is searching for her father and a cure for her sister Ellen. Marian thought her father was delusional about his theories, but the more she dug into his strange research, unexplainable things happened just like her father had said. Then she unexpectedly goes back in time and never comes back. There, Marian meets William Durham, a faithful, strong, passionate English Medieval knight. He believed she was from the future and helped her find the Tree of Life. Theirs is a delightful romance in barbaric times as a brutal uprising of the villagers in 1371 England.

In this story Ellen, Marian’s sister, lives in Canterbury, England where she was taken care of by her father’s friend, Harrison Burlington. Harrison is a wheelchair-bound paraplegic who has grown quite fond of Ellen. He understands what it’s like to live with an incurable aliment. Could there be something more for them both?

I loved how this author talks about documented “real” theories of the tree of life and the healing properties of the holy water. I liked this experience of time travel aspect, through characters I instantly cared for as they discover true love, get caught in family drama and trying to create a formula that could cure everything.

What would that look like? Who would be in charge of distributing this magical drug? Who would be healed? I never really thought about all the aspects of such a discovery.

This is an action packed, thought-provoking and page-turning read. I was captivated by the setting, characters, and their search for the holy water cure. This is a fascinating story I couldn’t put down; I was caught up in the family drama, and the race to find a cure for Ellen Creighton’s illness.

This is an awesome time travel historical Christian romance story that is a great escape and one that would work well for your next book club pick.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have received a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher through Kindle Unlimited. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog www.bookfun.org

Such a fun read! I've read a few of Jody Hedlund's books before, her Lost Princesses series, but this series is so unlike any others I've read, by her or otherwise! I loved returning to this series, and seeing what happens next! Definitely looking forward to reading more of her work in the new year!

I was pleasantly surprised by the first in this series: time travel, holy water that could heal, medieval England, and a dastardly chase to find the source of this special cure. I was looking forward to the sequel to see what Hedlund would do to and particularly how Ellen and Harrison would tackle the obstacles in their way.

Hedlund writes with great pace which allows you to easily turn pages. There was always something going on which made the reading experience fun and interesting. I liked Ellen and Harrison. Yes, there were some frustrating moments through the story and perhaps too many will I/won't I's, however, having such a strong caring friendship makes taking the next step a scary prospect as you don't want to lose what you already have.

I was thoroughly entertained and appreciated that neither Ellen nor Harrison were perfect creations as no good fictional characters are. The ongoing chase for one more bottle of holy water did get a little tiresome especially as it kept being used by one of our leads plus the kidnapping was surprising since it was used in the first story. It was fun going back in time and seeing Marian and Will again plus meeting Nicholas and some medieval scoundrels like Simon Worth.

It's a 3.5 for me.

I was fortunate to receive an early ebook copy from Revell via NetGalley as part of their Readers Program. However, this had no bearing on my opinion of the story.

Holy Moly!!! This book was wow!!! I loved Ellen and Harrison in the first book and was beyond ecstatic that they got their own book! Yay!!!

Harrison is such a wonderful character. A true gentleman in every sense of the word. I loved every moment we got to read from his point of view. I loved reading his thoughts and seeing how much he loved and cared for Ellen. That he truly wanted her to be healthy and safe.

Ellen has been sick for so long. What do you do when you know you're going to die? You've guarded your heart from everyone because you don't want them to feel the pain of losing you. And you don't want to feel the pain of knowing you can't be with them for long. You block your heart of course! Keep everyone at bay and don't let them close enough to hurt you. Well except your best friend Harrison. When Ellen is healed from her sickness her mind hasn't had time to heal and change from the previous mindset she's lived with for years. But a patient and loving man who will cross time to save you definitely has the power to offer peace and healing and love.

I thought the way the author created the time travel aspect and all the rules behind it was very creative. I loved that we were able to see previous characters from the first book. There are a few surprises in store, get ready!!!

There are some intense moments in this book. Just be ready to not want to stop reading the book. You'll be so engrossed and want to know what happens. Can Ellen be saved? Can Harrison save her?

Content: Clean. Some more passionate kissing but nothing further than a few kisses. Some innuendos. This book is a Christian Fiction novel and has some aspects of the characters praying to and talking to God in their minds. There are some moments of peril and fights but nothing overly graphic.

I received a copy from the publisher, Revell, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

Never Leave Me is a wonderful sequel in the Waters of Time series. I was captivated by the first book in the series and found it hard to wait for the sequel. This series is Jody Hedlund's first venture into time-crossing stories, where the main character(s) travel into another time period. The way the author had her characters travel between time periods grabbed my imagination.

I absolutely the chemistry between the hero and heroine in this friends-to-more romance. Ellen and Harrison continue her family's journey to find a miraculous cure for a genetic illness finds them traveling into medieval England. While trying to keep the miraculous cure from falling into evil hands, Ellen and Harrison find that they just might have the courage to follow their own dreams. Ms. Hedlund's love for the medieval time period is evident in the historical detail that is included in her stories. Hope to travel into the past in future novels.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher through netgalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Jody Hedlund is masterful at blending genres within a sweeping epic. Here, Harrison's borderline obsession with saving his Ellen grabs readers from the first moment, but takes them on an unexpected time-bending journey. The intermix of characters and family from the previous book, plus the addition of newcomers heighten the stakes at play. A unique and beloved next-in-series hit for Hedlund

Never Leave Me is book 2 in the Waters of Time series. I read the first book and enjoyed it. Imagine my surprise when I realized it was a series and I couldn’t wait to read book 2 and was excited that the book focused on Ellen and Harrison. The transition was smooth between the two books. There was enough backstory in Never Leave Me so that anyone who picked up book 2 not knowing about the first book would understand what was happening and why. The covers are gorgeous, by the way.

The Middle Ages is my favorite historical period. Time travel is another favorite (to the Middle Ages, of course). The descriptions were so detailed that I felt like I was standing next to the characters as they experienced some situations for the first time (the dungeon, for instance).

Some aspects of the plot were hard to believe but it is fiction, after all. What happened when Harrison and Ellen ingested the few drops of holy water, for instance. Harrison more so than Ellen.

The parallel between the two time periods was interesting. Both the past and present were on the hunt for the holy water and coming up empty handed or finding a scant amount. It had me trying to guess what happened next and wondering who would sacrifice for another. And add bad guys in the mix. I’d forget about one antagonist until he showed up, which kept the momentum going.

The buildup of the love story between Harrison and Ellen was slow at times. The internal struggle of their feelings for one another and putting on a front. It bothered me that Ellen didn’t see Harrison as anything but a friend until he shed his disabilities.

As far as the faith aspect of the book, I thought it was a good balance. It was obvious that the characters had a relationship with God, but it wasn’t overbearing.

I felt the ending was rushed, with not enough of Harrison’s and Ellen’s life in the present but overall, I enjoyed the book and recommend it.

I read the first book of the series a few months ago, and ever since, have been eagerly anticipating this one.
I found that Never Leave Me did not disappoint in the slightest! The time travel aspects were still there and we got to see characters from Come Back to Me.
The only complaint I have is a conversation at the end between Ellen and Harrison about children. It just seemed like they made the decision out of fear as opposed to believing that it was God's plan for them.
Unlike most Christian fiction, I only recommend this one to older teens and adults due to certain events in the story.
All that to say, I hope there is a book three, and I hope it comes out soon.

4 Stars

Content: some intense kissing

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts are my own and a positive review was not required.