A time travel romance set in the 1930s oil fields of Texas.
In the 1930s oil fields of Texas, a woman from the future finds new purpose as she helps a banker rebuild his financial empire.
Amber Mathis, a Wall Street investment banker, returns to her office after burying her mother. Distraught, tired of the rat race, she's determined to make a career change. In the elevator she falls and rises to find herself in a vintage lift. The date is February 25, 1930, and a man stands on the window ledge in her office ready to jump.
Wellman Hathaway, owner and CEO of Hathaway Bank in New York struggles to pay his depositors half their losses. A woman claiming to be from the future appears in his office and involves him in a scheme that forces them into marriage. With Amber's knowledge of the financial history of the 1930s, they travel to the oil fields of Texas to recoup Wellman's funds.
Two people from different centuries are thrown together to survive a difficult time. Will they find more than A Way Back to prosperity?
Excerpt
Do it her mind screamed. In one swift move she locked her arms around his waist, pulled, and dropped to the floor. She cringed at the loud crack when his head hit the window sash as he fell back landing on top of her.
They both remained still for a moment. The air knocked out of her, she managed to gasp out, “Could you move? You’re squashing me.”
He rolled and her head bounced on the floor as she changed positions from trying to rise to flat on her back. Long arms held hers above her head and muscled legs kept her body from moving. Striking gray eyes pierced hers, examining every inch of her. Her face flushed at the intrusion and she struggled to get him off. He applied more pressure and she stilled.
A lock of blonde hair fell over his forehead, a patrician nose flared in anger, as his square jaw tightened. He ground out, “Who the hell are you and why’d you try to knock my head off?”
Professional Reviews
You Gotta Read Reviews - You Need to Read
Amber Mathis is from 2011 and as a woman of the 21st century, she is an independent female. When she's exits an elevator and ends up in the 1930's we find out just how much of a spitfire she is. Wellman Hathaway is a man on the verge of desperation. He's lost just about everything and ponders a way out during the Great Depression. He is a man who tries to take advantage of circumstance but ends up with more than he bargained. I enjoyed watching Wellman's character grow as the story developed and the way he related to Amber. The first time they met had me laughing and thinking "Now, that is one way to introduce yourself".
I thought it was fascinating that Amber took her knowledge of the Great Depression and used it for Wellman's benefit. This is an excellent book to read that makes you realize just how much has changed since the 1930's. Women were not yet in positions of leadership and the way this story focused on that was outstanding. Filled with facts, I walked away from this book learning a few things which I always feel is an added bonus.
Having read some of Ms. LaRoque's work before, I knew I would be in for a treat. Each book is like a breath of fresh air and another opportunity to get lost in another world. I'm not a fan of history but this book made learning about the 1930's so much fun. It's evident that Ms. LoRoque has done her homework on A Way Back and because of that, I was totally immersed in the time period. Ms. LaRoque paid excellent attention to detail and her writing style is polished and easy to follow. Whether it be the engaging plot line, compelling characters or talented author, I highly recommend you read this book.
The Romance Studio - 5 Hearts
Amber Mathis was a financial advisor. When she rode the elevator to her office on the fifth floor, the car lurched, the lights went out, and Amber landed on her butt. She exited the elevator and entered the year 1930. She entered her office to find a well dressed gentleman claiming it was his office.
Wellman Hathaway was president of the Hathaway National Bank. After the stock market crash of 1929, Wellman was in financial turmoil. He was laying off staff and scraping money together to pay his depositors on the halves. His vow was to find a way to pay them fully. In walks a strikingly beautiful woman claiming his office was hers and she was from the future. Through no fault of their own, later that day the couple end up married. Amber had thought of a way for Wellman to make lots of money and to fully pay his depositors. Hopefully her memory was accurate of the 1930's. Would it work?
I liked how the author blended the modern and the old. Amber was a modern woman who took no man's gruff and knew her way around the business world. Wellman was straight-laced, a typical slightly stuffy 1930's man. Even though Amber had different ideas about women in the work place, Wellman made little objection to her ideas. To me, this made him a more forward thinking man and a great person for Amber to hook up with. The author did a very good job on the finer details of the story, adding interesting tidbits. There was mention in the story of a time traveler before Amber made a appearance, it would of been nice to have them meet or to tell what happened to him. But I guess that's another story.
Long and Short Reviews - 4 Books
Ms. LaRoque’s descriptions of settings and emotional stress of that time are amazing and attention keeping. Even though A Way Back is short, the characters come to life as she tells of Alva’s swollen feet and legs, of Samuelson’s fury, and of the odor of unwashed bodies that labor under horrible conditions. She assails the reader’s senses with the smell, feel, sight, and sound of an oil well blowing. Of course, the Wall Street bankers’ condescension when Amber takes control of the bank is not to be missed—so many “unladylike” words come to mind to describe them.
How Amber and Wellman cope with a situation forced upon them in a disastrous economic time creates sad, funny, and emotional charged events as they each reach for a happy-ever-after that looks impossible. While A Way Back is an incredible revelation of the tremendous changes that have taken place in less than a century, it is most of all a beguiling love story about two caring people.
This time-travel tale makes me so thankful for all the benefits of the time I live in. Good reading!
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