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Overseas

by Beatriz Williams (Goodreads Author)

3.56 of 5 stars 3.56 · rating details · 1,228 ratings · 385 reviews

A passionate, sweeping novel of a love that transcends time.

When twenty-something Wall Street analyst Kate Wilson attracts the notice of the legendary Julian Laurence at a business meeting, no one’s more surprised than she is. Julian’s relentless energy and his extraordinary intellect electrify her, but she’s baffled by his sudden interest. Why would this handsome British...more

Hardcover, 464 pages

Published May 10th 2012 by Putnam Adult (first published October 2011)

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The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

Best Time Travel Fiction

171st out of 631 books — 2,155 voters

Dual Time Romances

36th out of 82 books — 247 voters

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May 23, 2012 Jill rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance, 2012-debuts, romantic-historical-fiction

....in this shadowed hour
The vision guards my faith, while oversea
Her heart beats mine, defeats eternity.

Oversea by Julian Ashford

When Wall Street analyst Kate Wilson attracts the attention of Julian Laurence, she of all people can not quite understand why. She's young, pretty, intelligent, sure. But having been described as more 'sexy librarian' than supermodel, she cannot imagine her type would interest the tall, handsome, thirty-three year-old British billionaire.

Julian Laurence at the helm...more

14 likes · like · see review

Jun 20, 2012 ♡KarLynP♡ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: genre-timetravel, audiobook, steam-mild, read-2012

I didn't have a clue what to expect when I started listening to this as an audio book, but the narration was so good and the story so compelling, I really didn't care what it was about. I was GLUED, and I wanted to know more.

Overseas is a time-travel story told through the POV of the heroine Kate Wilson. It moves back and forth between modern day and 1916 France, and unravels the mystery of just how and why Captain Julian Ashford is now living in today's world.

The story unfolds bit-by-bit, and...more

10 likes · like · see review

May 19, 2012 Evangeline Holland rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-person-pov, great-war, new-york, unusual-plot, wwi, time-travel, arc, amazon-vine

I'm waffling over how to grade this, because it's a B+ in that it's easy to read, pleasantly-written, and very magical, but there wasn't as much depth to the characters as I'd like, the WWI angle didn't play much of a role, and the plot was rather convoluted.

However, the word that comes to mind is romantic--the type of effervescent and glamorous and outlandishly believable stories one sees in Hollywood films of the 30s and 40s. The type of story that people used to escape their hum-drum lives a...more I'm waffling over how to grade this, because it's a B+ in that it's easy to read, pleasantly-written, and very magical, but there wasn't as much depth to the characters as I'd like, the WWI angle didn't play much of a role, and the plot was rather convoluted.

However, the word that comes to mind is romantic--the type of effervescent and glamorous and outlandishly believable stories one sees in Hollywood films of the 30s and 40s. The type of story that people used to escape their hum-drum lives as, say, Errol Flynn romanced Olivia de Havilland against a backdrop portraying Tahiti, both bathed in shimmering tones of black and white. Yet, those qualities, which are so enjoyable in a movie, don't translate very well to fiction, and as a result Overseas's natural magic--the plot--is flattened by its storytelling medium.

For the first hundred or so pages, Kate and Julian were mere archetypes of the inexperienced heroine and the sexy billionaire Prince Charming. The setting of pre-Wall Street crash Manhattan was interesting, since it allowed the lavish and indulgent lifestyle we saw fall to pieces in Autumn 2008, but the flashbacks to 1916 Amiens were disappointing in their lack of detail. The middle of the book is where the plot took a dozen twists and turns, and the characters finally settled into a semblance of uniqueness--though Kate's characterization was all over the place. Despite the repetition (Kate and Julian fight over his control, Julian hides things from Kate, Kate lashes out against this, Julian lavishes money on her, etc), I remained glued to the book.

The weakest parts were those dealing with the men from the past and how they got to 2008. It is interesting in theory, and it would have been fun had the book elaborated more on it, but the role it played in entire mystery surrounding the danger Julian was so certain he and Kate were in made the time travel aspects anticlimactic. I found it difficult to believe that the memory of some Edwardian woman could be the great big menace, particularly when we did not see the impact she had on Julian and his old friends or on British society. The fact that this was the danger Julian was so afraid of actually jerked me out of the fantasy of the book, since it did not seem credible or interesting.

I did love the twist regarding Kate's trip to 1916 to save Julian, but at over 400 pages, I don't feel like the story built up to that--or any--particular moment. All external conflict was constantly swept aside by Julian's wealth and Kate's dazzlement over his beauty and old-fashioned manners, and at places, it could be rather predictable. Yet it's so movie-ready and magical, I can't say that I did not enjoy reading Overseas, but on the surface, it appears to be more than what it actually is (more literary? or darker?)--when it's a romantic novel that manages to bring a little old-fashioned fantasy mostly missing from 21st century mainstream fiction.

3.5 Stars(less)

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Jun 03, 2012 Janet rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: angsty-goodness, romantic-mystery, separated-for-long-time, unusual-couple, timetravel

Perhaps 3 1/2 for the how unusual the plot was, but ultimately, as interesting as I found Kate and Julian, the book could have been better. I could quibble about little things like far too many words in italics (honestly, sometimes 10 on a page), or how erratic Julian's language was (it's apparently quite difficult to show on paper that a person is English rather than American -- and I think it's great Williams did as well as she did). Listening to this book on tape would help a lot, I'm sure. E...more

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Jul 10, 2012 Emily rated it 2 of 5 stars

Recommended to Emily by: NPR

Shelves: new-york-city

I found this on NPR's Lesser-Known Lit: Seeking Summer's Hidden Gems list. That "summer" modifier is crucial - Overseas is a fun, quick read, but the romance isn't very well-written and the plot is basically nonexistent. I love a good historical fiction/time travel mashup, but Overseas comes up short.

Julian Laurence is a hedge fund billionaire with a secret past, so of course he falls for lowly investment banker Kate Wilson, who's swept away by his charm. In the course of a whirlwind few months,...more

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Mar 24, 2012 Jaylia3 rated it 3 of 5 stars

Julian Laurence/Ashford, a gorgeous, Rupert Brooke-like, WWI era poet is hit by a shell during that war, but instead of dying he time travels to the future, waking in a French hospital in 1996. By the economically volatile year of 2008 he's become a semi-reclusive millionaire Wall Street mogul, passionately and almost inexplicably in love with Kate, a prickly, very modern, 20-something financial analyst flunky that he's only just met. Or have they only just met?

Much to Kate's surprise, she and J...more

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Aug 24, 2012 Merrie rated it 2 of 5 stars

I really wanted to like this book. I'm a big time travel fan, and I also love this kind of light fantasy--that is, books set in the recognizable world, but where the paranormal suddenly and amazingly begins to appear. I did enjoy the twists and turns and the time travel elements. Unfortunately...the characters were so cliched I had to cringe. I'm so tired of these overwhelmingly handsome, protective and wealthy heroes. From Twilight to Discovery of Witches to Overseas, these authors just lift th...more I really wanted to like this book. I'm a big time travel fan, and I also love this kind of light fantasy--that is, books set in the recognizable world, but where the paranormal suddenly and amazingly begins to appear. I did enjoy the twists and turns and the time travel elements. Unfortunately...the characters were so cliched I had to cringe. I'm so tired of these overwhelmingly handsome, protective and wealthy heroes. From Twilight to Discovery of Witches to Overseas, these authors just lift the descriptions wholesale from one book to the other, just swapping out the hair color. Can't I get to know a new male character please? And does the heroine have to constantly harp on how exquisitely beautiful the hero is on every single page. The "well muscled chest", the "chiseled jaw"-- and don't get me started on the comparisons to statues of roman gods. It just comes off pathetic and adolescent. I have a new rule: No matter how good a book is, if the main character ever compares her love interest to a greek god or statue of a god or any other kind of deity, I'm putting the book down.

I enjoy love stories, but how about a real person falling in love with a real person? I'm not saying he has to be ugly, but can't authors just trust readers to accept a hero who is, I don't know, maybe just 'kind of cute'. Do we have to be bludgeoned over the head with all this fawning over the most shallow attributes on every single page. And if it isn't his looks, its the money. Yes, Kate is constantly asking to him to stop showering her with gifts because she is so independent, but PUH-LEASE, its clear that all this luxury is supposed to add more positive dimensions to his character.

For a less laughable and more lovable love interest, check out the grungy intellectual building preservationist that the young historian heroine falls for in The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane. He is cute and funny and original and totally earthbound. He even has piercings. And he never even buys her a private island or saves her from a rapist. He's just really nice to her. Imagine that.

So thumbs up for time travel and thumbs down for romance.(less)

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Oct 01, 2012 Julie rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: audiobook, audiobook-review

I had high hopes for this one. Time travel, a WWI romance thing mixed with a modern day romance, what's not to like? But there was a lot I didn't like about this, especially on audio. The syrupy dialogue began to irritate me to no end, and I couldn't help thinking Kate was a major drip and wondered what Julian saw in her that kept him going for all these years after only knowing her for what - a matter of days? Sorry, I just didn't buy it. The love of the century? She was so annoying! The consta...more

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Dec 17, 2011 Elaine Cristina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: work

Low-angst love story. Adorable hero, determined heroine. Some mystery here and betrayal there mixing with the ingredientes of a seducing plot.

Kate meets Julian and they fall in love instantly, or so she thinks. It turns out that things between them are deeper than what she knows - so far. Their love is threatened by his past - or what others assumed was true about it.

I'll give it 4 stars. The reason it doesn't get 5 stars lies mainly on the fact that much of the dialogue between the couple is q...more

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Jan 20, 2013 Kim Peterson rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Nov 02, 2012 Julie Barrett rated it 4 of 5 stars

Overseas by Beatrice Williams
Investor banker Kate Wilson is attracted to the British Julian Lawrence who has a hedge-fund and he's very wealthy.
She gets thrown into doing reports and things for him, her company needs his business.
Being as I am listening to this there is not distinction between the times: one is the present, the other world war 1 era. Kinda hard to follow
but love the idea of the parellel universe with the same people and the subject of Wall Street and the stock market.
When Alesh...more

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Oct 28, 2012 Madeleine rated it 1 of 5 stars

I'm going to be honest. I skimmed the second half - I have a hard time stopping once I've started a book, but after a certain point, I just couldn't look this dialogue square in the face, ("Oh Beloved, how I've missed you!" "Oh my Dearest Darling...blah"). The concept is fantastic, (WWI, time travel, a potentially compelling mystery), but the execution is so hackneyed that it reads like a special on the Hallmark channel. Julian is a genuinely interesting character, so much so that it felt like h...more

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Sep 03, 2012 Linda C rated it 3 of 5 stars

I so wanted to LOVE this book. It had everything a good romance should have-- handsome hero, war, separation, everlasting love, throw in a little time travel for good measure, should have been fabulous. But, sadly, it wasn't. While it had a lot of rather good moments, it felt too much as if we were reading about their timeless love, rather than actually feeling it.

There was just way too many pages devoted to reading about kissing, the dialogue was simply not very good, and basically you ended up...more

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Aug 11, 2012 Shoshana rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, grown-up

To review "Overseas" is an unexpected challenge. On one hand, I very much enjoyed it: the plot twists were twisty, Prince Charming was appropriately charming, the heroine did not make me want to gag, and on the whole the reading experience felt an appropriately indulgent wallow.

On the other hand, if I see the word "darling" one more time, someone's getting a fork in the eye.

They were all little things, the things that made this book kind of middling, but they stood out in fantastic glory. The s...more

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Jun 22, 2012 Betty-Anne rated it 3 of 5 stars

I received an ARC in e-book format from the publisher in exchange for reading and reviewing it.

I really wanted to like this book. While I’m not much of a romance reader, the original premise of Beatriz Williams’ "Overseas" fascinated me – a love story that “transcends time”, seeming to take place simultaneously in the world of corporate America as well as Amiens, France on the eve of a WWI battle. Unfortunately, I did not particularly enjoy it.

My biggest difficulty is that the book is much more...more

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Jun 18, 2012 Diane rated it 4 of 5 stars

Take Fifty Shades of Gray (minus the whole BDSM-thing), add The Time Traveler's Wife, plus a dash of Erin Duffy's debut novel Bond Girl, and a pinch of Maisie Dobbs' WWI mysteries, shake them all up in a box, and you get Beatriz Williams' imaginative debut novel Overseas.

Young analyst Kate Wilson has a summer job at Sterling Bates bank, a Wall Street institution. When she attracts the attention of superstar hedge fund billionaire Julian Ashford, sparks fly and they begin a relationship, much to...more Take Fifty Shades of Gray (minus the whole BDSM-thing), add The Time Traveler's Wife, plus a dash of Erin Duffy's debut novel Bond Girl, and a pinch of Maisie Dobbs' WWI mysteries, shake them all up in a box, and you get Beatriz Williams' imaginative debut novel Overseas.

Young analyst Kate Wilson has a summer job at Sterling Bates bank, a Wall Street institution. When she attracts the attention of superstar hedge fund billionaire Julian Ashford, sparks fly and they begin a relationship, much to the consternation of her hated boss Alicia, who aims to do Kate in.

But what does this have to do with Captain the Honorable Julian Laurence Spencer Ashford, WWI British Army hero who wrote a famous love poem, Overseas, to his fiancee back home and died tragically on the battlefield in France? Are the two men distant relatives or something more?

Julian and Kate begin a relationship, only to have Julian dump Kate soon after, without warning or reason. When Julian reappears months later, saving Kate from an attack in Central Park, they reignite their relationship, although Julian acts very mysterious, paranoid even.

Kate is accused of violating insider trading laws and fired from Sterling Bates, and she believes that Alicia is behind it. Julian offers to help her find out what happened, and whisks her off to his country home in Connecticut where their relationship grows deeper.

Julian loves Kate, almost from the first moment he saw her, and he showers her with affection and gifts. Kate understands the affection, but the expensive gifts make her uncomfortable. There was one line I adored, something that explains the deep relationship between true soulmates. Julian says:
"There's a difference between giving and sharing, darling. I'm not giving you anything. You're a part of me. It's all just yours."

But Julian is keeping secrets from Kate, and there are men following her. What is behind all this? The mystery behind who exactly Julian is and why people seem to want to hurt Kate and him is well drawn-out and comes to a convincing conclusion.

This imaginative book defies categorization, with aspects of mystery, romance, fantasy, and a little science fiction all carefully put together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that, when finally finished, brings great satisfaction.

It's not a book that when described to me I thought I would choose to read, but I'm glad I opened my mind and heart up to it. The storytelling is very clever, and I would have loved to seen the editor's pitch for this book. My only criticism would be that it may have been a bit too long, with too many scenes between Kate and Julian establishing their relationship.

That said, I look forward to Beatriz Williams next book; she has a lot going on in that creative mind of hers.(less)

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Jun 17, 2012 April rated it 4 of 5 stars

I love historical fiction. I love the plot device of time travel. So put these two together, and you can bet I am going to read it.

While I did enjoy this book, I can't say I loved it. It was too predictable and the characters too perfect. I don't like characters and storylines that are too contrived or too unrealistic. Characters have to have their flaws to be believeable. I feel like Julian Lawrence was too good to be true in any time past or present. The characters reminded me a lot of Anastas...more I love historical fiction. I love the plot device of time travel. So put these two together, and you can bet I am going to read it.

While I did enjoy this book, I can't say I loved it. It was too predictable and the characters too perfect. I don't like characters and storylines that are too contrived or too unrealistic. Characters have to have their flaws to be believeable. I feel like Julian Lawrence was too good to be true in any time past or present. The characters reminded me a lot of Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey in "50 Shades of Grey." The hero too perfect, too unattainable, out of reach for mere mortals. Why any character like that would gravitate to the ho hum ordinary woman is difficult to understand. The female characters are underwhelming and it's hard to identify with them. They allow themselves to be completely swept up by the most eligible bachelor type and completely loose touch with themselves and whatever life they had before he entered it. This irks me to no end.

There was no "kinky f*ckery" as in "50 Shades of Grey..." so maybe it won't appeal to those that read that for the sex. It did contain a similar exchange of email communicaes that I think were the best part of both books. I think William's character of Lawrence/Ashford was greatly preferable to Christian Grey--he's more cultured and distinguished....and if he lacks an oversexed deviant side...he does not suffer for it in the bedroom scenes. He certainly has a more interesting history.

I guess for me all male characters lack in comparison to Diana Gabaldon's Jamie Fraser--who although amazing in every regard...has his flaws is believeably written.... if you are going to write a time travel story---it is going to be read by Gabaldon fans...and the only other character in a time travel book that has not come up short is Henry in the Time Traveler's Wife. I guess I also like my heroines to be on equal footing with their romantic entanglements. Boring empty husks do not draw me in to a story. I also found the manner in which time travel was employed here to be really a stretch--it made it far too commonplace. It was a bit ridiculous to try to absorb all of these WW2 heroes trying to fit in to the 21st century.

In spite of these negatives--I did enjoy the book as a light read. The writing itself was good--the characters, especially Kate, could have used further development.
(less)

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Jun 17, 2012 Trisha rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book is officially my most favorite of all time books in Time travel.

EVER.

I feel that as much as I can say how stupendously this book has been written. How much joy I had reading this book, I cannot convey the proper words to say it. I would not be able to give this book justice. I told my friend who recommended this book to me that I don't think Goodreads Reviewers has given this book justice by the ratings. (Perhaps they feel differently, well its there loss :P) I think there should a m...more

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Jun 04, 2012 Caroline rated it 5 of 5 stars

Had the tremendous pleasure of hearing Beatriz Williams discuss her book at a recent event. If you can't see her in person, I strongly recommend that you go on her website and read and listen to interview she's posted. This is an amazing book. I would expect that, over time, people come to appreciate its complexity and vivid characterizations of courtship and societal change. Beneath a gripping love story, Williams juxtaposes contrasting worlds: the Edwardian romanticism of her chivalrous hero,...more

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May 28, 2012 Nancy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Devoured this one!

It was a nod back to the romances of my teen years, with the male hero being strong and romantic. Totally in love with the heroine! And she is lovely, smart, feisty and confused by HIS ardor. Of course the whys and hows of his seemingly falling so quickly in love is part of the mystery. Just not in the way you might think.

His goal is to love her and protect her at all costs. Her goal is to remain an independent 21st century woman, have a career and love this man, who is actua...more

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May 08, 2012 Janga rated it 4 of 5 stars

Beatriz Williams’s debut novel is romantic in the sense that the love shared between Kate and Julian is its focus and in the sense that the story requires a willing suspension of disbelief to accept its imaginatively constructed world. The reader who can suspend disbelief will find herself caught up in a world where love conquers all obstacles including time and space. Kate is a sympathetic character, caught up in a situation she can’t fully understand, fathoms deep in love, and fighting to hold...more Beatriz Williams’s debut novel is romantic in the sense that the love shared between Kate and Julian is its focus and in the sense that the story requires a willing suspension of disbelief to accept its imaginatively constructed world. The reader who can suspend disbelief will find herself caught up in a world where love conquers all obstacles including time and space. Kate is a sympathetic character, caught up in a situation she can’t fully understand, fathoms deep in love, and fighting to hold on to her own identity. The last quality lends a note of realism to the fantastical and creates conflict between Kate and Julian. He is from a different world, and it isn’t easy for him to understand Kate’s need to be more than his beloved. One of my favorite moments occurs when Kate explains herself to Julian: “I never wanted to be Cinderella. Never wanted to be that girl, the one looking for a rich guy to drape her with diamonds. I always wanted to make it on my own, and it scares me that . . . from the moment I met you, I felt this . . . this connection.”

Julian is a hero who not only possesses wealth, looks, intelligence, honor, courage, and so on endlessly but who also wrote a love poem about which students, including Kate, write essays. His need to protect Kate and to make decisions without consulting her keep him from being too perfect to believe. Williams says in her acknowledgements that Julian is a composite character with a “dollop” of Rupert Brooke. But it was Brooke that I thought of throughout the book. Just a week or so before I read Overseas, I commented to a friend that the idealistic Brooke, whom poet W. B. Yeats reputedly described as “the handsomest young man in England,” would make a wonderful model for a romance hero. I felt as if Julian were a gift in response. I loved him. I loved the book. If you are a romantic who believes that love can be eternal, I predict you’ll love it too. My only complaint is that I really wanted to read the full poem that gives the book its title. A few lines just weren’t enough for this romantic. I don’t think I’ve ever before recommended a time travel romance (not even Gabaldon, whose books I couldn’t read—sacrilege, I know), but I definitely recommend this one.

See full review at The Romance Dish:
http://www.theromancedish.com/2012/05...(less)

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Apr 26, 2012 Jane Litte rated it 4 of 5 stars

Kind of a "what if Time Travelers Wife was so tragic and unhappy" sort of book. Julian, a billionaire hedge fund manager, and Kate, a low level analyst at an investment bank, share a past and depending on the time period (WWI or modern day) only one of them is aware of it.

The story is told in the first person from Kate's point of view and honestly whether 50 Shades is permanently imprinted on my mind or every book featuring a billionaire and a younger, reserved heroine will forever recall that c...more Kind of a "what if Time Travelers Wife was so tragic and unhappy" sort of book. Julian, a billionaire hedge fund manager, and Kate, a low level analyst at an investment bank, share a past and depending on the time period (WWI or modern day) only one of them is aware of it.

The story is told in the first person from Kate's point of view and honestly whether 50 Shades is permanently imprinted on my mind or every book featuring a billionaire and a younger, reserved heroine will forever recall that cursed book, I can't say, but this book had maybe 20 shades of grey to it?

There was a certain dynamic to it or maybe 50 Shades is just a ripoff of Harlequin Presents and this book kind of recalls HPs but without the asshole hero or doormat heroine.

What I mean to say is that Julian is helplessly and devotedly in love with Kate but Kate is afraid. She's afraid of being seduced by Julian's money; she is afraid of losing herself in him; but mostly she is afraid that their time together is imperiled by Julian's secretiveness.

There are two things that bothered me in this book. First, Julian lies to Kate from time to time, not a lot, but enough that it made me uneasy. It makes Kate uneasy too. Julian lies to Kate to "protect" her. I understood his justification at the end but it still bothered me. Second, Kate starts out as this great business analyst and basically does nothing after that. Granted, much of the story does not involve her working, but she is supposed to have some kind of ambition but I just didn't see it. Most of the time she spends is waiting for Julian.

Other than that, this is an adorable romance. I'd recommend it to any one of my romance reading pals. It's kind of a cross between Knight in Shining Armor and Time Travelers Wife. The dialogue between Kate and Julian is so charming. They text and email each other (I remember people saying that the best part of 50 were the text/email exchanges between Ana and Christian and its the same in this book). Julian is quintessentially British and the patterns of speech evidenced by Kate and Julian were so different and distinct that there was no need for dialogue tags. I was super impressed by how "in character" every one stayed during the duration of the book.

This story is uber romantic and by uber, I mean, Julian is of the big gesture school of thought. Every one of his actions is directed by his utter devotion to Kate. Yeah, I'll be re-reading this one.

My final niggle is that I really couldn't figure out the time travel issue. I actually broke down and emailed the author for an explanation. This is not to say that someone else can't figure it out because often the most obvious things in books escape me. LIke in Thea Harrison's Dragon Bound, I had no idea what Pia was whereas everyone else knew right away.

Edited to add: I don't like time travel and i was reluctant to read this because it had time travel, but now? I'm thinking I might like time travel after all.(less)

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Apr 19, 2012 Kristy Lockhart rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: giveaways

The plot of the story mainly revolves around the protagonist, Kate, a Wall Street Analyst, and her overnight romance with a billionaire tycoon, Julian Laurence, who in a bizarre story twist, turns out to be a captain from World War I, mysteriously transported through time. Seriously. I can't make this stuff up. Williams really oversimplifies the time travel aspect of the novel and doesn't waste elaborate explanations on it... the star of this novel really is the romance between the two character...more

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Apr 13, 2012 Krystal rated it 4 of 5 stars

Julian isn't your typical love interest. When he is hit by a shell in WWI, he inexplicably travels to 1996. Years later, he is a millionaire in love with Kate, a financial analyst. It isn't long before Julian expresses a deeper interest in Kate than business and the two slowly fall in love together. It should be all sweetness and roses, but Kate isn't so sure. Julian is behaving strangely and acting fiercely protective of her. He continues to love her and buy her too many gifts that she doesn't...more

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Mar 26, 2012 Victoria rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Mar 12, 2012 Liz rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is a fun, fantastic romp complete with scintillating romance, time travel, corrupt wall street titans, and a host of terribly mysterious World War I veterans. I highly recommend this, and think most readers will agree that "Overseas" is impossible to put down. Kate Wilson, a young analyst on Wall Street, can’t help but fall head over heels for the elusive and dashingly handsome Julian Laurence. Julian’s British ways perfectly complement Kate’s cynical New York ones, and her youthful voice o...more

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Oct 06, 2012 Carol Kufeldt rated it 2 of 5 stars

Like many of you, I read this at the recommendation of an NPR review. I was disappointed, to say the least, to find it to be an overblown Harlequin-esque romance with time travel trappings that are never really explained in any meaningful way. Julian is rich and handsome and basically a blonde Cary Grant from the 40's. Kate is pretty and smart and "fiercely independent"- whatever. They have no chemistry, no reason for a romance other than her appearing to him in the past and him searching for he...more

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May 19, 2012 Mskchick rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wow, what a great book! This books was praised by a number of my favorite authors, and I have to admit, that made me a little leary when I opened this book. What if it didn't live up to the hype? What if my expectations were crushed?

I started this book last night, thinking I would read for 15 minutes before going to bed. 3 hours later, I finally had to force myself to put the book down and go to bed, and the first I did when I got up this morning was flip the book back open on my counter so I co...more

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May 11, 2012 Debbie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Is it true that love spans ages, that it’s timeless. It’s a question Kate Wilson Wall Street analyst never asked herself until the fateful day she fell down the rabbit hole, the day Julian Laurence, Hedge Fund creator/billionaire walked into her life. After a rocky beginning at a first attempted personal relationship Julian literally crashes back into her life one night while running in Central Park and after only a very short while Kate is uncomfortable with not only the slightly cosmic feeling...more Is it true that love spans ages, that it’s timeless. It’s a question Kate Wilson Wall Street analyst never asked herself until the fateful day she fell down the rabbit hole, the day Julian Laurence, Hedge Fund creator/billionaire walked into her life. After a rocky beginning at a first attempted personal relationship Julian literally crashes back into her life one night while running in Central Park and after only a very short while Kate is uncomfortable with not only the slightly cosmic feelings she has for Julian but especially his almost preternatural trust in the love he professes to her. It’s not until Julian reveals a secret that Kate feels the rabbit hole shrinking and it forces her to look at a truth that should not be possible that will alter her life even more, a secret that’s unbelievable and yet she has no choice but believe him. It seems Julian Laurence Ashford WWI British war hero and poet did not die on a lonely field in France but found himself falling down his own rabbit hole that brought him straight to the 21st century. Even as Julian peals away the layers of himself to Kate she knows there are things he’s not telling her, things that could lead to disaster, things that could alter the very deep love they’ve only recently found with each other, things that she feels she needs to know.

Beatriz Williams is a brilliant literary genius and as her words brought me from the bloody trenches of France in 1916 to the towers and glass of Manhattan today she transported me body and soul, flung me through the ether to worlds I rarely reach with mere words. Her narrative is a flowing prose filled mix of cultures and eras that kept me hypnotically entranced as she spun her improbable yet believable tale. Her dialogue is a mixed bag of English lords with the graphic and often sordid contemporary speak we’re so used to today. And as much as her words transcended me it was her characters that made me see the scenes through their eyes and their hearts, these miraculous fictional people became so real to me and became friends, rivals, villains and lovers and culminated in an experience that I will not forget. I could feel her extensive historical research shine through and not only in her main body of work but also during her interludes in the past where she shows me a foreign and different time.
This is the best book I’ve read this year and if it doesn’t make the top spot on my best of list in 2012 then the world is really up for some amazing fiction as the year progresses.
Ms Williams it was my immense pleasure to experience this work of amazing literary fiction and I can not wait to see where you take me to on our next journey together.
Please check out my exclusive Q&A with Author Beatriz Williams http://bookclubs.barnesandnoble.com/t...
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May 07, 2012 Allie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

When commenting on this book, another reviewer wrote, "I am not a reader of genre romance novels, but clearly I have latent romantic tendencies." I couldn't have put it better.

I received an ARC of this book (thanks, NetGalley!), and as soon as I saw the slang and pop culture references, I was ready to put it down. But there's something irresistible about reading a book before it's even on the shelves, so I kept going. And then I was hooked.

There's nothing literary about this novel, so I won't ev...more

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