Now & Then

This is a highly imaginative novel That deals with magical time travel and personal healing. the main character--Anna travels to Ireland after leaving her job at the law firm where her ex-husband works. The divorce followed three miscarriages. While visiting an ancient castle The docent speaks of the "Fairy Flag" which saved the Irish from terrible battles. While walking on the castle grounds she is greeted by an old woman who thrusts a small package into her hands.The woman says things that leave Anna confused.On her way back to her home in the United states, she receives a message that she needs to pick up her difficult nephew from detention. It is late by the the time the two of them reach her home, so they go directly to bed. Anna wakes in the middle of the night to find her nephew digging through her suitcase. She accosts him and tries to rip whatever he has has removed from his hands.What follows is a struggle through time when the two are separated. Both struggle to make sense of the ancient world they have entered as she tries to find both her nephew and a way home.Both find the importance of love and a measure of healing on their exciting journey.

I got this book because of the picture of the dog on the cover, but it did not turn out to be a dog story. Though it does include a dog character or two. I was so happy to have found this new (to me!) author. I enjoyed the story so much I had originally read it as a library book and as soon as I finished reading, I went online to Amazon.com and bought my own copy!! I also called my sisters and told them to read it! They are not profound dog lovers, as I am, so I made sure they knew it was not a "Dog Story"!! It is a very enjoyable book!!! I look forward to reading more from this author.

I liked reading about Anna and her time travel. I found her a very interesting character. I did think, by reading the book cover, that the dog, Madigan, would have more to do with the story. I think that was a little misleading. If you're reading this story because you like stories that involve dogs, this is not the book for you. I did enjoy this book and would recomend it. I liked the ending. I would also recommend "Seal Island" and "Lost and Found"

Enjoyed the characters and the storyline. Curses and blessings, time travel,lovable huge ancient dogs and Irish history...all this made for a great read.

I loved this book and purchased it so I could read it a second time and more if I choose. It is a great story involving the present and past for two members of a troubled family. Susanna Kearsley is one of my favorite authors and I believe I have read nearly every one.

This was a great story, blending romance, history, and magic. Reminiscent of the Outlander series (I'm a big fan), only set in Ireland not Scotland. The main characters were likable normal people thrust into a situation demanding strength, courage, and compassion. Read this in 2 days - loved it!

Sheehan's other novels have featured dogs as prominent characters, which is the reason I read them in the first place. From the cover of the book and the description on the back about wolfhounds and souls, I thought dogs would play a much bigger role in this book. There are a few scenes where Irish Wolfhounds interact with the main characters, but the dogs have a very tiny role in the story. If you like time traveling romance novels, this story is ok, but not the best one I've ever read. If you are looking for a story about dogs, look somewhere else.

First of all, I have to in fairness admit that I was the only one on my book club that really didn't like this book--others rated it considerably higher. So, for what it's worth.... Beginning with the cover--that looks more like Annie's Sandy than it does a huge Irish wolfhound. Then it was downhill from there. This time-travel-based novel takes two people, an aunt and her nephew, back to just-before-the-Great-Famine-Ireland, one of them to the home of a rich landowner and the other to the poorest of the poor. Sheehan utilizes every possible cliche for their subsequent experiences until they, you guessed it, undo the Irish curse and come back to where they started from. I would have given this one star, except that I did appreciate the author's attempt to focus on the horrors of the poverty and injustice of Irish life in the mid-nineteenth century.

Every book by Sheehan is a pleasure to read. She creates wonderful characters and gives them so much depth that you feel that you know them,. No one can write about dogs better than Sheehan.Plus she actually made me want to go to Ireland - a place I've always considered to be barbaric in the extreme,.

Great.

I love this book and read it often