Charli Thurman seems to attract bad luck. Every relationship she’s been in ends right before the good parts - mainly because she sabotages them herself. She's stuck in a dead-end job because she ran away from her dream of opening a bookstore at the first hurdle. And nothing she does seems to change the way she sees herself and her life.

Her best friend, Viv, introduces her to a "soul reader" who focuses on generational trauma and how to break the chains that bind us to our history. Charli takes a chance and flies to Costa Rica for a workshop where she experiences a memory of terrible violence through a "family constellation" exercise. Instead of running from it, Charli decides she needs to uncover her history to have any chance of changing her future.

The idea of generational trauma drew me into the story and I really felt invested in finding out what happened and why and I won't lie, the romance between Charli and Noah was a good draw too! I did find the writing and dialogue quite clunky at times but the storylines were interesting and there was great character development.

Thank you, NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC!

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union publishers for this opportunity to read an ARC of this novel.

Boo Walker has established a following for his gentle-but-emotional novels about identity and relationships. Considering that this novel centres on a young woman and her attempts to come to terms with her self-sabotaging tendencies, he does a good job of imagining a woman’s perspective. Curiously, Charli comes off more ‘real’ than any of the male characters, present and past, who seem prototypes of the sensitive, wounded man (her dad and Noah) or the impetuous, driven, aggressive type (Charles/Miles, Edward, their father) in this dual timeline story.

In the present, Charli is depressed by her recent abandonment of both her life’s dream (her own bookstore) and a promising relationship, one of many that ended due to her seeming indifference. She has only a nominal relationship with her emotionally abusive, unstable mother, who left her beloved father, and ruined him emotionally and financially, while she was too young to take care of them both but was forced to do so. Nearly 20 years later, father and daughter are still unable to get on with their lives. Persuaded by her best friend Viv, Charli impulsively flies to Costa Rica for a quickie ‘past lives’ retreat organized by a ‘soul reader’ who directs participants in a form of ‘modelling’ their family relationships to get at the intergenerational roots of their personal identity crises. This is ‘family constellations’ theory, which is real, though disputed. The previously sceptical Charli is motivated to put together her family tree, about which she knows nothing. She flies to England, where she spends her time digging in archives famous and obscure, poring through reams of mid 19th century newspapers, interviewing family members she didn’t know she had. What she uncovers, having to do with the tribulations of her maternal third great grandfather and his flight to the United States, is interspersed with her present-time ‘too good (and too weird) to be true’ sudden love affair with a local pub-owner. And all that is interspersed with long distance calls to her depressed father at home, mostly begging him to ‘hold on’ while she tries to straighten out their troubled family history. After a few very lucky breaks, her historical detective work pays off.

Much of this stretches belief, and leaves a few holes that beg to be filled, starting with the question of whether the truth really does set you free. She finds the family villains of old and can suddenly explain away her mother’s abuses, her father’s willingness to be abused, her own inability to bond, and her bad choices in life, love, and even livelihood.
Without denying intergenerational impacts, just knowing what happened to an ancestral branch of your family is not going to bring about miraculous changes in the present. This is nonetheless a breezy, uncomplicated story, best taken as a cozy mystery with some historical episodes. You can’t help wishing family trauma could be healed by genealogy. Who doesn’t like a happy ending?

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC. I stumbled upon Boo Walker's books about 2 years ago and have thoroughly enjoyed the ones I have read. This one did not disappoint. The dual timeline was easy to follow. The therapeutic technique was a very interesting concept. I did good a good chuckle out of the self insert of the author. Highly recommend this book. I loved it!!!

I happen to love shows like the Long Island Medium and Who Do You Think You Are; both nods to life after death and family genealogy. If you, like me, find this intriguing, consider this an invitation to read this book.

For generations, Charli's family has been consumed by negative energy. As she approaches thirty, she is determined to break this cycle of negativity. She is in a job that brings her little to no joy and has commitment issues when it comes to love. After some convincing from her best friend, despite her skepticism, she seeks the help of a guru who dives into an alternative method known as family constellation therapy. This leads her across the pond to Winchester, England, where the roots of her family tree began. With any luck, she will discover the source that has caused generations of family trauma.

It's tragic, yet lucky. At times it's sad, but sweet. The two story timelines, past and present, provide a character insight that really enhances the reading experience. This is a beautiful blend of mystery, magical realism and romance that works. Thank you to Lake Union Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley in exchange for my honest feedback. It's made me think and ponder...Can trauma travel through the generations, impacting every little branch of a family tree?

Definitely engaging and enchanting but requires removing oneself from reality and from lingering too long on details and logistics. An Echo in Time is a fascinating concept mixed with a taste of magical realism. A easy, entertaining summer read…

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC.

this was a fun read using historical fiction, self-help, family dynamics and a romance component-not to mention a little travel as a storyline. I enjoyed Boo making a reference to himself at one point. The story is about a person dealing with a difficult relationship with her mom and how it affects her adulthood. I appreciate that by the end of the book things come to a sort of resolution for the main character and other family members.

This story an interesting tale about generational trauma, the impacts of holding onto guilt and anger, and how to stop the pattern.

Charli has a tumultuous relationship with her mother, and while she loves her father she holds resentment toward him for his complacency in her childhood trauma. Nothing Charli does goes right, and she is constantly hearing that voice in her head from childhood telling her she just isn’t good enough.

She ventures to Costa Rica to attend a healing session, and finds herself deeply enthralled with a mystery that she must travel to England to investigate for herself where she finds the truth, herself, her future, and her peace.

This story had a lot of holes for me. The concept was interesting and the story is well written, but i had a hard time getting past the strange trip to Costa Rica, the new job approving the unending time off, the creep boss trope, the wildly fast relationship.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is absolutely beautiful and I cannot wait to purchase a physical copy to read it again!

Where do I even begin? Everything about this book is utter perfection - the character development, the POV’s through time travel, it’s incredible.

The main character Charli is so painfully human and Boo perfectly encapsulates what it’s like to be in your twenties and navigating childhood and familial issues. I resonated so deeply with her journey and was so invested.

The themes all throughout this book are addressed so perfectly and with such depth, I felt like I was in Winchester with Charli trying to put the pieces together! Some of the life lessons Charli learns throughout the story are things I’m currently coming to terms with in my own life and made me feel so much less alone.

This book has literally shifted my perspective on life - it needs to be read!

An interesting premise, though not one I resonate with. Well drawn characters and nice pacing. Not really my cup of tea but I can see the attraction for people who are interested in trauma and unconventional therapies.

I love Boo Walker. I was excited to read a new Boo Walker book! This one dragged for me. The constellation therapy part was a little far fetched. Charli had so much trauma in her life and the fact that it was caused from generations before was just not my style. And then one day finding a missing child sets her free? The historical piece was very interesting, the romance and connection between the families was great.

This is my first Boo Walker book, I was pleasantly surprised. While it was definitely out of my comfort zone, it was enjoyable. The main fact I would like to emphasize is that the generational family trauma is so relatable, this alone would appeal to a mass group of people.
While unfortunate and sad, there are take a way's for the reader in learning to deal with past traumas so theyre not trickling over into the present. It was an easy, down to earth read I feel would check a lot of boxes for many.

This is the first time I have read Boo Walker, although his stories have been recommended to me. “An Echo in Time” has an extremely interesting and fresh premise: generational trauma that can be healed by addressing family constellations using proxies and searching ancestry to discover what happened.

The concept of generational trauma is one I have been interested in and Boo Walker does a great job of using a retreat scene to establish how this type of therapy can work. Although considered a pseudo science (if that) family constellation theory seems highly interesting.

Boo Walker lays out the ways in which the main character, Charli, and her family have struggled through life. The reader feels for her especially and hopes things get better. She travels to England following some ancestral clues and meets a like aged barkeep who helps her along her journey.

This story goes back and forth in time to show where the trauma possible began, and intertwines families and love. It’s almost spiritual in nature.

What I am not a fan of is the use of third person narration. It takes on me out of some key moments where I felt that the author could have shown more without telling. Especially some emotional scenes.

This is a very different sort of story and I enjoyed it. Thanks to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and Boo Walker for an advance reader copy of “An Echo in Time” in exchange for an honest review.

"An Echo in Time" by Boo Walker is a compelling novel that blends elements of mystery, romance, and self-discovery. The story follows Charli Thurman, a woman approaching thirty who feels trapped by her family's tumultuous history and her own struggles in life and love. When she experiences a disturbing memory during family constellation therapy, Charli becomes determined to uncover the truth about her family's past and break the cycle of trauma.

One of the novel's strengths lies in its exploration of generational trauma and the impact it can have on individuals and families. Through Charli's journey, Walker delves into themes of healing, forgiveness, and the power of confronting the past to create a better future. The character development is well-done, particularly Charli's growth as she learns to confront her fears and take control of her own destiny.

The setting of Winchester, England, adds depth to the story, providing a rich backdrop for the unfolding mystery. The interactions between Charli and Noah, the charming pub owner with his own family secrets, are engaging and add a layer of romance to the narrative.

Overall, "An Echo in Time" is a captivating read that will appeal to fans of contemporary fiction and mystery. Boo Walker has crafted a thought-provoking story that explores the complexities of family dynamics and the resilience of the human spirit.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for an advanced copy to review for my honest opinion.

I wasn’t so sure about this book in the beginning but because I know Boo Walker writes good books I kept reading and I’m not sorry. Charli hasn’t had the best life growing up with an abusive mother and her father away early in a living. She intends to never marry or have children because of her mother’s abuse. She stumbles onto generational trauma and sets out to find out what has brought her family to where they are today. She takes a trip to England to see if she can find out about her ancestors and their lives. There’s plenty of mystery and intrigue in this book and I was cheering Charli on all the way through. She certainly deserved to have a better life. I received an arc of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

Charli Thurman hasn’t had something good happen in her life in a while. Each relationship she’s been in ends right before the good parts. Charli is stuck in a dead end job with her dream of opening her own bookstore far out of reach. Worst of all, the rough past of her family history seems to hang over her head. Could it be the reason why nothing seems to go right?

Turning to her best friend, Charli is introduced to a “soul reader” who specializes in generational trauma. But during family constellation therapy with the guru, Charli experiences an inexplicable memory of terrible violence. Whatever happened in the past, it created an imbalance that’s still in the Thurman blood. Instead of running away, Charli decides to uncover her past with the hope of a fresh start in the end.

The past perspective of Charli’s third Grandfather, Sam, and Charli’s present perspective of learning more about him really drew in me. As she found out about the family or was in the same place as her relatives, the reader also follows Sam’s storyline as well. Both plots were intriguing and made me love the characters for different reasons. There is a touch of romance in each storyline, which I loved.

I did feel at some point the book did draw on and the story could have wrapped up a bit sooner. The premise of exploring past family trauma was very interesting and made me curious about my own past. Thank you, NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC!

Lovely story with so many intricate and vivid moving parts. All the elements of a great story with multiple POV and dual timelines. I love the historical fiction and the tie in to the modern day realities. A whimsical tale that takes you through the lovely England countryside! The magical realism was naturally woven in and the protagonist’s pain really gripped my heart. I rooted for her journey all the way through! This is an interesting take on generational trauma and the little bit of magic used to heal it!

An Echo In Time takes place over several generations. It is a journey of family relationships and behaviors which Boo Walker weaves expertly. A story of love, loss and self discovery - in the end you will smile knowing dreams do come true.

Well, Boo Walker, you've done it again and you never disappoint! I've read thousands of books in my life and love many authors but as soon as I discovered this amazing guy I knew I was a fan for life. I really love how he can write with such a great imagination about so many different things so I never get bored or know what to expect. An 'Echo in Time' is another story that will grab you right from the start with a different look at things you can't explain in real life, but wonder about. Boo Walker made the time change over decades so easy to understand and intriguing to the point I didn't favor one era over the other, they were equally written very well, I was anxious to see what happened next. I will think about this for a long time, it really made me wonder about a lot of feelings we carry around. I'm not a spoiler so you need to read it to understand and see what you think. I highly recommend anything by Boo, he really makes his readers feel satisfied while looking forward to the next thing he writes.AAA+++

Charli just can't seem to get her life together. At the slightest obstacle, she convinces herself bad things happen because (as her mother's voice tell us) she is not meant to be happy. One day, Charli's best friend tells her about this constellation therapy retreat. Constellations are a way of stepping outside of your life and looking in, looking at the past trauma and seeing where the "red lights" are in your family tree. Out of pure desperation and concern for her self and her father (who is seemingly more and more depressed) she decided she needs to do something, anything, to help save her father. The information unveiled at the constellation retreat lead Charli to England, to chase the missing branch of her family tree. There, she find confirmation of the murder that was felt by all in her constellation group. What else will Charli learn about her family? Will Charli finally be able to start to heal? Can she save her dad?

The term "epigenetics" seems to be a hot new topic; Though generational trauma is not a new concept, how we heal and break the cycle is (thankfully, IMO) having its moment. The whole concept of this book spoke to me immediately, which is why I was sad it was so difficult to get into. I could not stand Charli and her self-sabotaging behaviors. Now, that being said, at about 100 pages in, I came around. I enjoyed the split time perspective - Knowing small things about Charli's constellation and seeing the events unfold that created her family's "red lights". There was a little mystery, a little love story, and hopefully, a little healing. I did find myself rolling my eyes a fair number of times. I did not care for the author's unnecessary mention of himself in the book (it was so weird!) and however predictable it was, I found myself thinking about it for a few days after I finished it. I will say, I believe this book hit the nail on the head for me, when we think of the quote from Hamlet "To hold as 'twere the mirror up to nature..." I was annoyed at Charli, because I saw so much of her in me, or me in her. And that is how I also realized I should be more compassionate with her, and in turn myself.

Thank you, NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this advance copy in return for an honest review.

When I first heard the premise of the book, I wasn’t sure I would like the it. But as usual, I really enjoyed the story. The characters were complex and interesting; the storyline was compelling and the descriptions of the English countryside made me feel like I was there. I thoroughly enjoyed being part of Charli’s journey and looked forward to the next bit of information that would help her find her joy again. The relationships between the characters were so well thought out; rich and complicated and true to life. The love between Charli and her father was sweet and the juxtaposition of the parental roles was so well written. But what I like best was that the author didn’t rush the outcome of the storyline but wrote it in such a way that you didn’t feel “rushed” into the ending. He just lovingly wrapped it and tied it with the perfect bow!