There was so much history and research put in this book. It was almost like reading a history book but much more delicious. The book delves into several ancient time periods and you read about what was going on at the time and a little of some key leaders.

Traveler has us meeting Shelby who has what most would consider an amazing job traveling the world and writing about her experiences but Shelby is not happy and now she finds she can travel through time and experience history. There is some romance but it is not part of the main plot.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book surprised me. Things went into an entirely different direction than I expected. I won't spoil the ending but Shelby and Benny did not have a typical story. This was an original idea, not your streotype typical time travel romance. If you're looking for a different spin on things, this is it.

Shelby Starling travels for work. She spends her days living the life of tourist travelling the world and writing about her experiences. Shelby’s boss Dina expected Shelby to involve herself in the tourist’s experiences and to write vivid descriptions and include photographs of her experience.
At each new destination there was a guide organised to take Shelby to places of interest.
This was set in the present time with flash backs in history. As Shelby prepares to write about her experiences for Magical History Tours she travels to Europe where she meets her first guide Benito who will show her the historical sites located in Rome.
I loved the way the historical buildings and landmarks were described and the interactions between Shelby and Benito. Shelby loved the experience of exploring the ancient landmarks, but something was wrong. Shelby had to be careful not to touch the ancient stones because if she touched the buildings, she felt like she was travelling back into history and experienced the memories from earlier times.
After a few days in Rome Shelby traveled to Egypt where she met a new guide and then onto the City of Madrid and historical places in Spain before travelling to France.
The descriptions of present day historical sites and Shelby’s experiences when she had flashes of memories to previous times was interesting. I liked the interactions between Shelby and her guides.

Well... that was interesting.

I'll be honest, "chick" books aren't really my usual fare. I'm not trying to be rude or sexist. The book is really great with its' historical references and time-travel story. I have no issues with a strong-willed female lead.

The problem I personally had with the book was the all-too-often references to the "sexy Roman" or "sexy French guy". Granted, she also refers to the female Watcher as "sexy", but it was overdone and overused. Also, the ending was a bit abrupt and left you hanging, not necessarily in a good way.

All in all, there was a lot to like about this book. I'm glad it wasn't overtly sexual, it was snarky and funny, dramatic and powerful at all the right moments.

Thanks to Netgalley, the talented Nola Nash and Black Rose Publishing for allowing me to read this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Shelby Starling travels the world and writes about it for her work with Pioneer Tours. However, after a long time seeing the sights, she’s grown weary of the usual tourist fare. Her boss decides to try a new initiative giving Shelby more access to famous places through the help of her tour guides. But when she learns that her destiny is at stake…is Shelby willing to do the work live the life she was meant to lead?

Nola Nash struck gold in Traveler. With a main character, Shelby, who exhibits snark and sass, and a clear love of chianti, this story takes the reader on an adventure through time and place. Meeting a host of helpful companions on her journey, Shelby learns that there may be more than meets the eye when coincidences start to pile up.

Time travel, history, and romance blend together with self-discovery to weave the tale that is Traveler. I highly recommend if you’re looking to dive into an engaging, quick read with detailed imagery of times past in historically important places. This is a book you won’t want to put down until you turn the last page.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and am leaving an honest review.

TRAVELER has everything: historical fiction, time travel, plucky heroine, helpful romantic hero appearing punctually and an assortment of thinly veiled mythic characters to move the plot forward. Author Nola Nash’s heavy use of similes becomes actually intrusive. I just wanted some surprises in this tale and found everything too predictable. I needed some twists and turns to keep me guessing. I received my copy from th publisher through NetGalley.

Nola Nash has laid the groundwork for a whirlwind adventure through time and locations. Masterfully blending ancient travel locations with the protagonist's personal history and a soul mate/fellow traveler, Nash sets the itinerary for an engaging adventure through time.

This time bending tale is perfect for those looking for a lighter read with a bit of history and mythology strewn in. It lovingly depicts famous locals in both their past and present forms as our main character tries to find her place in it all. There’s also a bit of mythology mixed because…why not?

The story begins with travel writer Shelby Starling finishing a stint in Jamaica before heading off to Rome. Despite having a seemingly incurable case of wanderlust, she has become jaded from the endless tours and ‘travel experiences’ she must endure. Usually, it’s nothing a few stiff drinks and sarcasm can’t cure. But beneath it all, Shelby is looking for a place she feels she belongs. Shelby’s aimless journey takes on a whole new meaning when she is suddenly thrust back in time after touching the walls of the colosseum. A great destiny awaits. Shelby just has to figure out where, and when, it is.

I found this book really easy to read and a good way to escape. Especially after not being able to travel for so long, it is nice to live Shelby’s adventures to some beautifully described places. However, Shelby’s experiences in the past are probably what is most fascinating to me. One of the big ideas behind her time travel is that she is an observer on the fringes of world-altering events.That sense of always being a witness instead of a player defines Shelby in many ways and speaks to many others as well; particularly women. It’s not just about finding place, but finding purpose. Though given a standard ‘discover your destiny’ package, this idea still resonated.

For better or for worse, this is definitely a book where you get almost exactly what you expect. Despite having some interesting concepts, it does not dive deep enough to have a particular ‘wow’ factor. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I definitely enjoy sitting down with books like this on occasion. However, I also left feeling like there is a lot of untapped potential.

Overall, this “New Adult” book is a quick, easy, and interesting read. Both the history and mythology are well researched and presented in a way that is very accessible. This book is pretty clean, but the main character deals with alcoholism and there are some violent scenes.

What a ride! If you are a fan of sci-fi, time travel, and romance, this is the book for you! Just a great adventure!