Review A Tale of Two Centuries by Rachel Harris

Alessandra D’Angeli is in need of an adventure. Tired of her sixteenth-century life in Italy and homesick for her time-traveling cousin, Cat, who visited her for a magical week and dazzled her with tales of the future, Alessandra is lost. Until the stars hear her plea.
One mystical spell later, Alessandra appears on Cat’s Beverly Hills doorstep five hundred years in the future. Surrounded by confusing gadgets, scary transportation, and scandalous clothing, Less is hesitant to live the life of a twenty-first century teen…until she meets the infuriating—and infuriatingly handsome—surfer Austin Michaels. Austin challenges everything she believes in…and introduces her to a world filled with possibility.

With the clock ticking, Less knows she must live every moment of her modern life while she still can. But how will she return to the drab life of her past when the future is what holds everything she’s come to love?





Ever since I read My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century I've been dying for this book. I love the Renaissance era (so much so that I had a Ren. wedding) and so enjoyed MSSSC, that when it ended on it's, ahem, slight cliffhanger I kind of wanted to hunt Rachel down and steal this manuscript.
ATOTC picks up (at least for Less) two years after Cat's visit to the past. Alessandra is mostly content in her life as she waits for her upcoming marriage, but missing her cousin. Events occur that leave Less feeling rattled, and frustrated and longing for something more when our favorite gypsy appears to grant her wish.
Less and Cat are reunited and a story concocted to explain Alessandra's sudden appearance at the Crawford house. Disguised as a foreign exchange student, Less must attempt to fit into a world very different from her own. She is reserved and has unusual speaking patterns. She dresses conservatively and finds it difficult to stand up for herself, but when the cute (but annoying guy) who sits next to her in American Government is disrespectful to the teach Less reaches her limit.
Now, she and Austin--the epitome of surfer boy, laissez faire attitude--have to complete a project together, and he's having none of it. He works a deal with Less. If she'll come on "adventures" of his choosing then he'll help with the project. This is when the fun really begins and when Less finds out what she's made of.
Cat plays a big part in this book as Alessandra's "guide" to all things 21st Century. We also get more of Lucas who we met at the end of MSSSC (WOOHOO).
This was such a fun read, and I read it one sitting. Harris does a great job of maintaining Less's formal internal dialog and transitioning it to less formal as she becomes more comfortable in her new century. Less was sweet and funny and I really enjoyed watching her, eventually, fully embrace the freedoms she had available.
Austin is a great foil for Less--her formaility and rigidness vs. his complete laid back attitude--and it's great to see him reconsider his choices the more Less rubs off on him and vice versa as well.
A Tale of Two Centuries, had me smiling at the end and on a bit of a book high. If you're looking for a quick, light, easy, fun read I highly recommend you check it out.
About the Rachel Harris: I grew up in New Orleans, where I watched soap operas with my grandmother and stayed up late sneak reading my mama’s favorite romance novels. Now a Cajun cowgirl living in Houston, I still stay up way too late reading my favorite romances, only now, I can do so openly. I firmly believe life’s problems can be solved with a hot, powdered-sugar-coated beignet or a thick slice of king cake, and that screaming at strangers for cheap, plastic beads is acceptable behavior in certain situations.

When not typing furiously or flipping pages in an enthralling romance, I homeschool my two beautiful girls and watch reality television with my amazing husband.

I write YA, NA, and Adult Fun & Flirty Escapes. Taste The Heat is my adult romance debut, and I'm also the author of MY SUPER SWEET SIXTEENTH CENTURY and A TALE OF TWO CENTURIES, as well as a ton of other books to come. I love hearing from readers and dishing books!