Haunting For Time
By Jonna L. Miller
Publish America
2006
ISBN: 1-4241-1148-X
During the Civil War
Melody, an orphaned young woman hid in her basement fearing the danger of nearby troops. Each day, both her supplies and food lessen and the reality of starvation sets in. Having no other option available, Melody cautiously left the safety of her basement for what the soldiers have left untouched in her garden. It is the quick action of an enemy soldier, Captain Jonathon Peterson of the Virginia Cavalry stops her from being raped. Melody opens her home to injured troops to show her appreciation. Jonathon and Melody fall in love and make plans to marry after the war, but fate steps in and the Captain dies. Against her wishes, Melody is brought home to live with his family. Two years later, she dies and is buried next to Jonathon’s grave.
Current time
From the beginning, Harmony knew she wanted to be a newscaster and worked very hard to make her goal a reality. After a great deal hard work, she’s promoted to anchor of a small TV station where she reported the weather. For many years, Harmony’s only goal was her career. Seven years later she feels stuck at the small station and longs to move on to the next level so she transfers to Pennsylvania’s capital, Harrisburg. Now she has a new job, new town and she’s homesick.
Harmony continues to feel as if she’s been born in the wrong time because she prefers historical buildings to modern. One day, while looking for a new home, Harmony sees a sign that an "Estate Auction is going to be held. She meets an Amish woman who wants to bid on an old ringer-type washer. Harmony knows it will make the woman’s life easier so she doesn’t bid on it. A special relationship quickly forms with Esther Beiler and her husband, Jedidiah. Harmony enjoys visiting them and bringing their family special treats, things they seldom enjoy because of their lifestyle. Because the Amish rarely make friends with the "English, their friendship is considered very unusual. Jedidiah informs Harmony of a house for sale in Gettysburg, on the auto tour line. The field is leased out most of the tourist season for Civil War re-enactment and ten acres of land and a barn come with the house. It’s not far from their home. Jedidiah has it all figured out. He can restore the cabinets and do other renovations for the home. Harmony falls in love with the house when William, the real estate agent shows it to her. She didn’t even care about the rumors that it is haunted. She wanted it. Her Amish friends quickly become her extended family and she feels like her life is finally coming together.
One day, fate introduces her to a privileged existence and a special mission. There’s nothing simple about it and it’s not something she can turn away from.
HAUNTING FOR TIME introduces a new twist on the time travel challenge: what if your life doesn’t return to normal after you achieve your mission? In terms of balance of the past and present, I thought the present held more everyday detail and the author didn’t dive into the past as much as I would have liked. The time jumping transitioned okay, but it would seem less complicated if the characters would have finished one life at a time. I do this in my own writing and know how complicated it seems to the reader. I loved Harmony’s relationship with her Amish neighbors, but would have liked to have seen more of a relationship with the man Harmony falls in love with. All in all, the book is very interesting and makes you wonder if such a thing could happen. After all, the Civil War fields are known to be haunted.
©Denise Fleischer, gottawritenetwork
November 12, 2006
