Back to Tomorrow

Emily can only see pain in her future… until she travels back to the past…

Unable to come to terms with the death of her fiancé, Emily did not know what to do with the years that stretched ahead. It was not until a college friend, Carol, sent Emily an old diary that she was able to focus on anything else. In her childhood, Emily had often become “lost in a book”, but it was nothing compared to the way that she became absorbed in the adventures of Zachary Tremaine in Tombstone, Arizona Territory, in 1889. The journal was so compelling that Emily decided to visit Carol in Arizona, making sure to visit Tombstone to try to learn more about the author of the dusty book.

Emily had tried to visualise Zach and the wild western town that was Tombstone, but eerily, when she arrives, she is overwhelmed by a déjà vu feeling. In a dizzy, confused state, Emily steps into the path of a stagecoach… and the world turns black. Emily regains consciousness in a quaint room which is perfectly restored to its original state, even down to the lamps. She soon realizes that, through a strange twist of fate, she has in fact travelled back in time – to 1889!

It is not long before Emily is serving in a boarding house kitchen alongside a Mexican girl, Angelina, trying to steal a chance to talk to the real author of the journal as she serves his meals. Emily is determined to prove that she can play a part in Zach’s plan to rescue his sister from the cruel hands of Joker Jake. Used to freedom of speech and equality, Emily is often frustrated by society’s expectations that she must behave as a lady, and is never able to express her thoughts and emotions freely. She looks forward to the time spent with Zach and is slowly feeling strong enough to love again. Yet, in the back of her mind Emily is alarmed that she may never return to the present; her friends and relatives would certainly be concerned for her welfare since she has gone missing.

This trip back in time to America’s Wild West is full of action; kidnapping, unscrupulous card cheats, bank robbers and lawmen who will jolt readers back to an age when the good guys didn’t always come out on top. Emily soon learns the she must play by the rules of the era, not simply rush in and do as she pleases. This also means taking it slow when it comes to romance. She always means well, but her forthright nature puts her in peril on more than one occasion. Zach is not really sure what to make of Emily and her strange clothing and manner, but he can see through her boldness to her heart of gold. He carefully plots ways to outthink his enemies, and usually finds that Emily has landed herself in the thick of trouble again. I admire the manner in which Gwynn Morgan makes this romance work by keeping her characters believable in a hypothetical situation. Reliving this dangerous outpost settlement through the eyes of a modern woman makes this book unforgettable. Readers who enjoy western romances full of passion and promise are sure to enjoy this tale.

Reviewed by: Naomi