Heaven's Time

This is a good story with an ingenious plot. Major Melissa Fuller becomes one of the shooting stars she so loves when she is caught in a meteorite shower while repairing a satellite in space. When Rory McCullough finds her in a wilderness lake in Northwest Washington Territory, it's 1887, and Melissa's memory banks have been fried. The story unfolds as Melissa regains memories of her past life and struggles to reconcile the woman she was, with the woman she is becoming now in the past (a nice literary contradiction!). A tragic turn of events brings the story to a climax, with Melissa forced to choose between the present/past, and her future. The author does a nice job of illustrating how Melissa's character undergoes a transformation and begins to open up to Rory's love. The only reason I didn't give this book 5 stars, lies in the character of Rory. He is a good man, but his personality is portrayed as fairly one-dimensional, even though there are plenty of hints in his personal history that would give us an opportunity to see a few human flaws. It would have been nice to see a little more of the story through his eyes, without so much idealism. However, overall, he's probably the perfect contrast to the jaded Melissa. Shelan is really well-done and the reader gets just enough of her backround to tantalize. Overall, I recommend this book - it has a fairy tale quality that can make you feel good!

It's easy to see why Heaven's Time has been nominated for a RITA. The compelling characters and enthralling story make for page-turning romance. I admired Melissa's strength and courage to face her weaknesses. But Rory. Ah, now there is a hero any woman could fall in love with. This book is a real keeper!

I loved this story. The Hero was so compassionate and wonderful. I hope the character of "Shelan" has a book of her own. All I can say that this book is "one in a million!"

HEAVEN'S TIME is a wonderfully romantic, mystical adventure with an added layer of fascinating science fiction that is just enough to enhance the story, to kick it up a notch. Whether it's space travel or wilderness survival tactics, Susan has a gift of writing subtle details that draw me into the story. She is one incredible writer!

For the past decade, elderly Shelan has lived under the protection of architect Rory McCullough in a remote part of the Washington Territory. However, a melancholy Shelan informs her benefactor that it is time for her to leave. Since he never wasted her magic and she does not want him to be lonely, Shelan decides to send Rory a special woman as she mystically departs. Over a century later, Major Melissa Fuller is outside the space shuttle on a spacewalk when a meteorite shower slams into her, crashing her towards earth. When she regains consciousness, she finds herself under the tender care of Rory. Melissa does not remember a thing about her previous life in the twentieth century. However, a lesson learned from her harsh former life is not to trust anyone even though her heart tells her to believe in Rory. As the couple begins to fall in love with each other, Melissa has to fully let go of her past in order to gain a lifetime of happiness with the compassionate and patient Rory. HEAVEN'S TIME is a heavenly time travel romance that feels as if it could truly have happened. The story line is interesting as readers have an opportunity to see inside the heads of the lead protagonists. Rory is one of the best male characters of the year and the vulnerable Melissa demonstrates that courage and moral fortitude can surmount most of the scars of an ugly childhood. However, only love can make it complete. Susan Plunkett provides fans of the sub-genre and Americana romance with an MVP winning novel. Harriet Klausner