I feel a little bit uncomfortable reviewing this book, because it reads like a first draft. I liked the concept: a look at three different loves, at three different times, in one woman’s life. Unfortunately, the writing felt clunky, and I never really got into the flow of the story because of it. One of the most distracting elements was the abundance of ellipses, especially awkward when placed randomly in dialogue. Here’s an example, from page 78:

“Come with me to my hotel,” he said. “You’ll see it’s so beautiful there …”

I knew what was happening … what was going to happen. I wanted it to happen. I said yes.

or on page 45:

“What about her? asked Francesca … obviously taken aback by the question.

I also didn’t get attached to the main character, perhaps partially because all three love affairs were about falling madly, suddenly in love with someone she knew nothing about. In fact, the only character I was intrigued by never actually appeared in the novel herself–she was just referred to. That character was Christine’s ex-girlfriend, and the reason I wanted to know more about her was because she was described as such a villainous person that I wanted to know why Christine would ever start dating her.

I do think the concept had potential, and I think the author has a skill for establishing setting (when Christine is in France, you get a really good feel for her surroundings, and you can easily picture them in your head). Unfortunately, I just don’t think Travels Through Love and Time at this point is polished enough to charge money for.