The Time Keepers is a heart breaking and heart warming story. I loved the way that being kind is central to the book. Alyson Richman deftly portrays her characters from different worlds and backgrounds in such a caring way. The Time a keepers is an excellent read, ripe for book club discussions.

I have always enjoyed this author’s novels. This one was no exception although I must admit I did find it a little slow and it took me a while to actually read it to the end. It did not have any sort of page turning quality for me, though the writing is charming and the story evolves nicely. Definitely read it and make up your own mind.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. The Time Keepers by Alyson Richman. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this advanced reader copy. We start in 1979 Long Island. Irish immigrant Grace finds a young runaway boy on her way home from Mass. This starts her relationship with Anh who escaped from wartorn Vietnam with her orphaned nephew. We meet Grace’s husband who owns a clock and watch store. Jack is an employee at the store, and he’s still grappling with significant injuries from his time as a Marine. We journey with him before and after Vietnam as well, and his character brought tears to my eyes. This book slowly shows us how kindness and time can heal damaged souls. I’ve loved previous works by Ms. Richman and this one didn’t disappoint. #bookstagram #netgalley #whatiread #alysonrichman #reading #books #bookgram #bookworm #goodreads

I thought this was an elegant and very moving story, a quiet but incisive read about lives coming together after tragedy. The themes of war and its lasting damage were profound. The character of Jack, a wounded war veteran with a devastating injury, affected me most deeply, although I was also struck by the story of Bao and his aunt Anh, who come to the US as refugees after a harrowing escape. Grace, as a mother of daughters who seem to be growing up faster than she expected, was very relatable. Above all, I enjoyed theme of time passing, revealed and explored so beautifully through the use of the timepiece store owned by Grace's husband. For me, there were a few loose ends I'd have liked to see tied up, But overall, I think this is a lovely book to lose yourself and maybe find yourself in.

This was a very touching and heartfelt book. I don’t think that you could read this one and not feel some immense emotion. My heart went out to some of the characters, and I adored them. I really enjoyed the connection between the characters. However, I didn’t like how one of the storylines played out. While yes it felt realistic, I didn’t like it because it was based on miscommunication, and this is my least favorite trope. Had the characters simply listened to each other, they would have gained so much. In this case they would have gained a lifetime of togetherness, which is in itself heartbreaking. The fact that we can think so poorly of those we love the most, that they would turn their backs on us based on a simple misunderstanding makes my blood boil. However, at the heart of this story it is touching, it invoked strong emotions. I felt for the characters. They were so well written, and it was gorgeous and again, realistic. While I was not around for this point in history, I did take a class on the Vietnam War during college and this book reminded me of some of the stories I had heard, so it felt very well researched. I would highly recommend it but overlook the miscommunication and get lost in the story.

Jack is a wounded vet working at the Golden Hours. It’s a place which fixes watches and other timepieces. He ended up here when he left his old life behind.
Grace and Anh are two very different women from different worlds living in Long Island. A young boy who was displaced from the war is found on their streets.
Each of these characters are vividly developed and their pasts have haunted them all in different ways.
I knew this novel would be heavy for me as my dad was in Vietnam. Thankful my dad came home.
The physical and mental challenges vets go through in their lives, can also take a toll on those around them can be a challenge. This novel is about longing for what could have been, loss, love, forgiveness and the strength it takes to move forward. Friends, family and your community can help if you are willing.

This book starts out really strong. However, it isn't super fast moving in the middle. I did enjoy the complexity of the main characters. The author also clearly did their research for this book. Overall it was ok.

This is a gently written novel that deals with some very raw subject matter. The author handles difficult topics surrounding the Vietnam War with great sensitivity and uses multiple points of view to tell a story about brokenness and how time, patience and love can eventually fix anything that is broken. Characters include Grace, an immigrant from Ireland who leaves a part of herself in her home country, Anh and her nephew Bao, Vietnamese "boat people" who flee to America after the war to escape a brutal regime, Jack a seriously disfigured Vietnam war veteran who spends his days in hiding and his nights at The Golden Hours, a clock store owned by Grace's husband, Tom. The store becomes a central healing place where all that is broken can be put together again. A well-written and heartwarming story.

This is a beautifully written historical novel about the sixties, and the impact of the Vietnam war on the lives of those on both sides of the ocean. It is also about brokenness- the many varieties of brokenness that we experience as humans as well as how clocks and time pieces stop working sometimes. I enjoyed the stories of Anh and Bao, and the stories of Jack and his relationship with Tom and Grace and the others. However, I found the stories of Katie, Buddy and Clayton very distracting from the main story.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher, for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Timekeepers explores how time, both literally and figuratively, can heal. The majority of the characters are in some way scarred by the Vietnam war. Ahn and her young nephew Bao are Vietnamese refugees who arrive in America having lost both of Bao’s parents on the dangerous boat journey. Jack is a soldier who returns home horribly disfigured after half of his face was literally blown off in combat. These wounded souls cross paths with the Golden family, owners of The Golden Hours watch and clock repair shop. Patriarch Tom meets Jack while visiting his own father at the Veterans’ hospital, and eventually agrees to teach him the trade. Matriarch Grace finds Bao on the street when he’s run from the church where he is living with his aunt and other refugees. The intersection of these lives becomes enriching and in some cases a life saving serendipity

Richman’s writing is both sensitive and visceral. When she describes the incident that causes Jack’s injury, one feels the heat on his face, and when she describes the death of Bao’s parents, it’s absolutely heart wrenching. And , late in the book, when Bao is in danger, I found myself in fear and saying “oh no”. The reader really comes to know and care for all these characters and root for their happy ending.

I loved this book! It brought me back to my elementary school days when we saw many Vietnamese refugees join our classes. I always wondered their back story. I feel like this book easily could have been the story of one of my classmates. Ms Richman has that knack for making you feel as if you are in the setting of the story.
So many heroes and heroines to root for ! This book is not to be missed.

Alyson Richman is one of my favorite authors. Why? Her prose is one of the best I have ever come across - yes, she writes historical fiction, but she does so in a way that when I read it, I feel as if I am reading poetry. All of her books rank among my favorites and I always recommend them, and her latest is no different. Again, she astounds me with the way that she tells a story - her innate ability to transport the reader into her character's lives and circumstances, and the way she strings words together is incredible. I loved "The Timekeepers" and consider it one of the best books I have read in 2024! I urge anyone who is looking for their next unputdownable read to grab this one! Ten stars!!!!