“Janet pressed her forehead against the cool glass of the train window.” And so begins Dark Blue Waves, written by Kimberly Sullivan, and quite honestly one of the best historical romance books I have ever had the pleasure of reading.
Janet Roberts is, like so many of us from the 21st century, an Austenite (A fan of Jane Austen’s work). Unexpectedly, her dreams of travelling back in time are granted through a Tiepolo painting, Apollo and Daphne. Her life is forever changed when she meets Emma Huntington, and her brother, Sir Edward. In this time-travelling romance, Janet struggles to find her place in a society so different to her own.
“…how much the world has changed for women in the future.” Make no mistake, this isn’t a Bridgerton-type regency setting. Instead, a wonderfully detailed world is brought to life through descriptive paragraphs and enriching characters. Comparisons to Austen’s works will be made, but in a positive way, as even within the book itself, certain characters are compared to notable Austen figures.
Another surprising element of this book was the overall time span of the main story, and the length relating to the development of the romance. I was pleasantly surprised to see that Sir Edward and Janet’s relationship wasn’t just ‘love at first sight’, instead involving a detailed character arc and utilising an enemy to lovers format.
This book was everything I could have dreamed of and more from a Jane Austen inspired historical regency romance. I’d even go so far as to say it was one of my favourite ever historical romances, certainly my favourite of 2022.
I would highly recommend this book to other lovers of smart and talented heroines who travel back in time, as well as Jane Austen fans and anyone looking to try something a little different.

Thank you to Netgally and the author for providing me with an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

DARK BLUE WAVES by Kimberly Sullivan is a time-travel women's fiction novel set in modern day and Regency era Bath, England. Ever wonder how a modern woman would fare in Regency England, the England of Jane Austen? Search no further. Ms. Sullivan has you covered.

The story centers on Janet Roberts, an architect who would rather have an academic career studying English literature. When she is admitted into a program in Bath, England where she can study Austen's works, she seizes the opportunity to escape from her unfulfilling day-to-day life. Once there, she befriends her fellow students and even gets to live in a beautiful Georgian townhome. An accident transports her back in time where she meets a kind young woman named Emma Huntington who takes Janet (now going by Jane) under her wing. Everything seems to be going smoothly until Emma's older brother, the handsome, proud, and attractive Sir Edward Huntington, shows up. He wants Janet to return to her family, as is the proper thing to do. As her stay in Regency England with the Huntingtons extends, a growing attraction to Sir Edward and to the simpler lifestyle in Regency England causes Janet to question whether she should make a life for herself in the past, or return to the present.

I devoured this book in a couple of days. It checks off so many boxes of what I like to read in a story.

One of those boxes involves a skillfully depicted main character with a transformative story arc. Check. Janet is a sympathetic character with whom I immediately connected. Her journey is one of self-discovery as much as it is inquiry about what life is like in Regency England. Where she ends up by the completion of the story is such a satisfying ending.

I have a love hate relationship with slow burn romances. I love them and I hate when the story is over. The slow burn in DARK BLUE WAVES killed me in the best possible way. The chemistry between Janet and Sir Edward is fierce and I'm here for it.

Regency England is one of my favorite historical periods, probably owing to my love of Jane Austen's works. Getting transported there along with Janet in an historically accurate way added to the enjoyment of the story. Yes, we get to see beautiful gowns, charming manners, and gorgeous architecture, but we also see some of the negative aspects of that time period. Clearly, Ms. Sullivan has done her research.

Before I wrap up, I also want to call out how much I enjoyed the secondary characters, especially Emma and Amarita. It's so important to reflect the strength of supportive, understanding and caring female relationships.

DARK BLUE WAVES is a submersive trip into Regency England with a sizzling romance, well-written characters, and a main character I enjoyed cheering for. I highly recommend it.

Putting aside the highly unlikely time travel, this novel is a delight. I’ll admit that it started in a rather clunky manner so that I worried about how smoothly it would progress, but once we landed safely in the 1800s, it was an interesting and enjoyable read.

Jane makes many a misstep in her transplanted life, but it all works out for the best. It was highly entertaining to imagine a modern woman making her way in Regency society. I hope I would have made all the same choices.

I adored the Austenian details. With so much talk of corsets, I wonder if the author meant stays, though the distinction was often not made at the time and details on the length the undergarment were not discussed. Otherwise, the historical details were engrossing.

Very sweet historical romance with a fantasy finish. Thank you to Kate Rock Book Tours for my free copy. These opinions are my own.

A charming story for readers who love Jane Austen and the Regency period in England. Cleverly plotted, the adventures of 21st-century Janet Roberts as she time slips to 1813 and back again had me turning the pages to find out how she would get to her happy ending. The picture of life in a rural manor house of two centuries ago was drawn with a loving hand. I looked up to find myself in 20th-century Connecticut to my surprise- like Janet, I’d been transported to a more delightful time.

Slow slow start but worth the commitment. As a lover of Jane Austen, I appreciated that this story nodded more to a variety of Austen’s books. While some of the story felt similar to other ‘time travel’ stories, Dark Blue Waters provided loveable characters, strong character development and a b smattering of diversity.

Overall, I would recommend this book to any Austen Fan, a person who wants to visualize the lovely town of Bath, or someone looking for a little magic.

Rate 4.5/5

DARK BLUE WAVES is one of those lovely books with something for everyone and in just the right amounts to please most readers. The tale is set in Bath, England and makes copious reference to Jane Austen, but not so much that readers only broadly familiar with her work will feel lost. There is time travel and a good resolution but a follow-up novel with the same characters would be quite welcome. There is mystery and requisite despicable characters that move the plot forward. Author Kimberly Sullivan creates a sense of place in multiple times that works well. The book is fun and engaging. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

The author must have done an incredible amount of research for this book, as there were lots of details about life in Bath in the time period. The problem for me was that all the detail kind of bogged the story down. I ended up skimming part of it. It read as more woman's fiction than a romance.

Insufferable. Pedantic. Verbose.

Those are the kindest words I have to describe Dark Blue Waves by Kimberly Sullivan. Of course, there are also these options to consider:

Repetitious. Inaccurate. Stale.

In brief, this is the story of a woman visiting Bath who time-travels back to 1813. You don’t need the rest of the tedious and lengthy backstory the author shares over the first 20% of the novel. It veers between college lecture and stereotypical roleplay. And it will occasionally either make you nod off or feel an irresistible urge to stab yourself with the closest sharp object. So just skip ahead if you feel compelled to read this thing.

Time travel is fine as a trope but it requires world building, something apparently not in this author’s tool kit. The reader has to believe the time travel. We have to succumb to the story, suspend our disbelief. At no point, when reading a time travel novel, should the reader say huh? Or what? Or seriously? I used those and several other harsher exclamations to express my frustration as I was tripped up by the inconsistencies in this frustrating world.

Authors who dare to enter Jane Austen’s world should be pretty comfortable there. This author doesn’t even seem to realize that her protagonist, Janet, could still be called that in the 1800s, a minor example of a serious problem with period accuracy. Authors take lots of liberties with the period but they do so within their consistently built world.

This book is probably fixable with significant rewrites and shelving of the author’s ego. But I don’t get the sense that the author is willing to do the latter, which is the most important part..

Dark Blue Waves by Kimberly Sullivan is scheduled for publication on May 27, 2022.

I received a digital ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Great book! I love Jane Austen and this is the second book that I read about the time travel to the "historic romance" times. Such books are always fun to read and I wish there were more of them. This one also had some good twists. I highly recommend it.

There were only a few things that annoyed me but they are very personal. I do not mind reading about the gentry but I am getting bothered reading about wealthy and extremely good looking people in modern times. Janet is not just extremely wealthy (with the inheritance, Harvard degree and a prestigious and expensive summer semester in England), but also very beautiful, and despite very young age extremely talented in paintings, architecture, has in-depth knowledge of classics, etc. etc. etc. What cannot she do? And because she is such a superwoman at age 24, of course she meets an extremely handsome and extremely wealthy and titled prince, I mean, sir. Why cannot we read about more realistic people and realistic upbringings? Because these types of books just prove that the elite has everything and the rest of us of the humanity, we stand no chance.

Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange of an honest review.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

This story had a great premise - the reality of Jane Austen’s world, a mystery and a time slip romance. Sadly the execution was disappointing. There was a lot of repetition, meandering prose and I got bored at times reading the same things repeated so frequently.

The author can be congratulated on her research and her historical authenticity. The story could have been tighter, better paced and the characters needed more development.

An enjoyable read, but judicious editing would have really improved the pace and flow. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Dark Blue Waves by Kimberly Sullivan

Dark Blue Waves had me at Jane Austen. But then Janet Roberts enters, and after that I was immersed in her life. Her father’s making her choose between no money and a job at his architectural firm. He’s already picked out a husband for her and expects her to fall in line with his way of thinking. Janet loves literature. After her acceptance into a special Jane Austen program, he allows her one last summer to enjoy it. His only catch is that she will also have to work with one of his architectural clients as an intern at the same time in Bath.
As Jane enjoys a beautiful summer day on the green in Bath, an accidental hit with a cricket ball renders her unconscious. She wakes up in Jane Austen’s time in Bath, England. A kind noblewoman, Emma Huntington, takes her in. They develop a deep friendship as Janet, now Lady Jane, tries to adjust to the unexpected change in time, 200 years in the past. Emma and her stern brother, Sir Edward, allow Jane to stay with them and she is able to experience the time frame and meet some very interesting people, making notes along the way.
Even though Emma talks her brother into allowing Lady Jane to stay with them after her recovery, he lets his disapproval be known. Jane has to tread carefully. She learns what is expected of a woman during this time period, but at the same time she shows some of the advances she has in her century and helps to improve the life for the tenants and her friends. And she begins to fall in love with Sir Edward.
Will Jane ever return to her own time? What is happening in the future after she was hit by the ball? Will anyone figure out she’s not who she says she is? Will Sir Edward cast her out of the home, leaving her with nowhere to go? There are many questions as Jane works herself through time, making connections along the way. You’ll be reading until the end to find out what happens to Jane! A 5 Star story with a heart of gold.

Janet has been obsessed with Jane Austen her whole life, so she's ecstatic over the opportunity to live in Bath and study Austen and other writers of the time. Things get even more interesting when she gets hit in the head-- and wakes up in 1813, living among the people who own the house where she was staying in the modern day.

I loved the premise of this book. It was a ton of fun to see Janet navigate the customs of a world she'd studied but (obviously) never lived in. It was also great to see how a modern day woman struggled with how to fit into high society England 200 years in the past.

I do wish the narrative voice in the modern day had been a bit different from the voice in the past-- it would have been nice to see more of a contrast there, and I found myself having trouble believing that Janet struggled with the language of the past, considering there wasn't much change between that and how she spoke in the present day.

I was rooting for Janet, and her relationships with everyone, the whole time, and I loved how the story resolved.

I love Jane Austen’s novels and dual timeline stories, so Kimberly Sullivan’s Dare Blue Waves was a natural fit for my reading list.

It’s obvious that Sullivan is an Austen fan too: I thought her mastery of Regency language and manners were perfect. Bath, Jane Austen’s home was beautifully described and depicted in both timelines, and it’s obvious Sullivan has spent a good deal of time there both in person and in research. Her characterizations of present-day Janet as an eager early twenties with deep knowledge of the era versus lost in 1813 Jane trying to untangle the intricacies of time-travel were absolutely endearing. Jane’s new friend Emma and her dashing brother Sir Edward were so deftly portrayed that Austen could have written them herself.

Then there are the dual mysteries that underpin the story; the time-travel aspect, of course, but also the grand estate and the Bath town house that are central to Janet/Jane’s journey. Would she solve the mystery of the painted ceiling? Would she be able to get back to her own time? Did she even want to after living in the slower, richer, less frantic past? All of these questions kept me reading far later than I should have several nights in a row. I definitely recommend Dark Blue Waves for fans of Austen and historical mysteries.

Oh, what incredible fun this book is to read! Jane Austin fan? Check! Time-traveling fan? Check! Romantic romance fan? Check! This lovely story elegantly braids references to art, music, poetry and architecture with a light fluidity that caused me to marvel more than once at how the obvious love the author has for 19th century culture must have propelled her research, and surely, must be personal passions. Yet the book is equally at home in the past and today’s time period. Sullivan’s subtle switching between 19th century and 21st century structure of speech in her character’s dialogue appeared effortless. Each set of characters is true to their times.

I loved how Sullivan cleverly incorporated references to Jane Austin’s work and so grounded me in this story. First, in its setting: The dual time periods take place where? Bath, of course.. Secondly, in the references to Austin’s books themselves—individual characters, romance and exploits are threaded throughout the narrative--giving color and dimension each time they’re noted. And finally, the very fact that Austin’s books have retained their popularity for two hundred years binds this story’s dual time periods together.

But perhaps the part I loved best was the wonderful mental observations the time-traveling protagonist made between the two worlds and how the 19th century’s slower pace—empty of our technological gadgets and crazed compression of time—grew on her. It’s bold to derive a story around a device like time-travel and construct the rules to make it plausible, but Sullivan has done it. What a fun ride!

I enjoyed this time travel novel set in Bath England in which a literature professor finds herself in Jane Austen's England. Even though I'm not a fan of regency books outside of what Austen wrote. I loved this one. I guess to get me to enjoy a regency written in this century add a time travel aspect to it and I'm hooked.

I'm a fan of historical fiction and books with more of a sci-fi element to them (looking at you "Kindred"), so I was drawn to this book from the description instantly.

I will say there were pluses (a lot) and minuses (a lot). The first quarter of the book felt like it needed more editing - there were lots of cases where the main character (Janet) had the same thought on almost every other page, which made it feel tedious. In other cases, contradictions were made that should have been addressed (commenting about the poor air quality in Bath and automobiles being created to "improve" emissions and then later a paragraph about the fresh air and cars and emissions being years away). The biggest one had to deal with Janet's disappearance the first time and her re-appearance - people were around her when it first happened in the book. The story told at her re-appearance seemed to indicate that was not the case. There were also many cases (especially in the later part of the book) where time jumped significantly between one paragraph to the next, with absolutely no indication. I don't expect chapters in these cases, but some sort of break as most books show would have helped me stay with the story and not be so confused for the first sentence or two, causing me to re-read the previous paragraph again.

That being said, the story was great and I wanted to know how it would end, unlike a lot that I just feel as if I'm reading to finish, not really caring how it ends up. I would absolutely read a sequel if the author ever does write one.