A Moment in Time

by Bertrice Small

Young Wynne of Gwernach believes love is an illusion. She devotes herself to managing the great family estate in Wales, vowing to protect it and her younger brother until he comes of age to inherit. Then Madoc of Powys enters her life, and all her beliefs are turned upside down. For Wynne and Madoc have been lovers in another time, another place. And an unfinished destiny lies between them . . .

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Fantasy, Medieval, Time Travel, Fiction

496 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

Bertrice Williams was born on December 9, 1937 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA, the daughter of Doris S. and David R. Williams, both broadcasters. She studied at Attended Western College for Women and Katharine Gibbs Secretarial School. On October 5, 1963, she married George Sumner Small, a photographer and designer with a History Major at Princeton. They had a son Thomas David. She lived on eastern Long Island for over 30 years. Her greatest passions were her family; Finnegan and Sylvester, the family cats; Nicki, the elderly cockatiel who whistles the NY Mets charge call; her garden; her work, and just life in general.

Published since 1947, Bertrice Small was the author of over 50 romance novels. A New York Times bestselling author, she had also appeared on other best-seller lists including Publishers Weekly, USA Today, and the L.A. Times. She was the recipient of numerous awards including Career Achievement for Historical Romance; Best Historical Romance; Outstanding Historical Romance Series; Career Achievement for Historical Fantasy; a Golden Leaf from the New Jersey Romance Writers chapter of Romance Writers of America; an Author of the Year (2006) and Big Apple Award from the New York City Romance Writers chapter of RWA, and several Reviewers Choice awards from Romantic Times. She had a "Silver Pen" from Affair De Coeur, and an Honorable Mention from The West Coast Review of Books. In 2004 she was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by ROMANTIC TIMES magazine for her contributions to the Historical Romance genre. And in 2008 she was named by ROMANTIC TIMES along with her friends Jennifer Blake, Roberta Gellis and Janelle Taylor, a Pioneer of Romance.

Bertrice Small was a member of The Authors Guild, Romance Writers of America, PAN, and PASIC. She was also a member of RWA's Long Island chapter, L.I.R.W., and is its easternmost member on the North Fork of Eastern Long Island.

Reviews

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

This was....interesting. Our two main characters are soulmates and we are following them during their one lifetime, and then flash back to a previous lifetime where they face difficulty in being together. The beginning of this book is really slow and just follows everything conveniently happening and characters coupling off and getting married and having babies. Then, though, we flashback to what tore our two characters apart in the past, which was actually frustrating to me. The hero did NOTHING to save our heroine, and he acted as if he didn't do anything wrong? And she's just forgives him? What was the point of that whole flashback if the heroine was going to say, oh it's all good! Huh? Then, we have our heroine making a RIDICULOUSLY STUPID decision that then adds conflict and drives the last 150 pages of this book.

As a romance, this wasn't all that romantic. It was very insta-love and the hero and heroine spent a majority of the book apart. The heroine actually falls in love with someone else for a brief part of this book and the hero and heroine are barely reunited before the book ends. The ending definitely picked up and I was engaged in the story more so than I was for the first 250 pages. But I never really bought into the romance or was invested in them to have an HEA. I did enjoy the side characters and would have enjoyed more from them, but with two different timelines, there were A LOT of characters thrown in that I didn't think were that necessary. The writing in this was also very description and we would get three full paragraphs just on what food they were eating at a celebration. I skimmed through a lot of the excessive details and just wanted to get to the end of this book.

[Brooke — brooklynnnnereads · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

I don't even know how to describe this novel aside from one word: chaotic. This story was all over the place and there were so many different storylines and characters.

Some of the trigger warnings for this novel would be for content involving: rape, assault, and incest. Yes, you read that last one correctly.

There was a lot within this novel that would be considered problematic and it was moreso than the average historical romance that doesn't age well. This book would have been considered problematic then and it certainly is now. I am used to reading a lot of different things in historical romances but at points, even I felt uncomfortable with this book.

This novel is very different and for that I can understand why Bertrice Small is considered a foundational member for historical romance. I will read more of her books but definitely need a break after this one.

[RachelReadsandSings · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ms. Small certainly made some Choices™️ when writing this book.

Edit: well shit, I actually kinda liked that ending. Maybe 1.5 stars? 😂🤣

[Regan Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unusual Medieval Historical Romance Even for Small that is also a Fantasy

A fantasy as well as a historical romance set in 11th century Wales and England, this is the story of Wynne of Gwernach who, because of a past life, does not believe in love. She loves her family (her brother and sister) and her family estate in Wales. As she is about to become betrothed to a demanding suitor, Madoc of Powys enters her life, claiming they have been betrothed since she was a babe. What she doesn’t know is that Wynne and Madoc were lovers in another life where she was the Princess of the Fair Folk who fell in love with a mortal who ultimately failed her miserably.

Bertrice Small’s historical romances often lead the reader down a winding path with many trails leading away from the main love story. This is one of those. After having wed Madoc, Wynne is taken captive by Madoc’s evil brother and sold into slavery in England. There, Wynne leads another life away from Madoc. (Here’s where the story becomes a bodice ripper.)

The story gets off to a slower start than one might like but there are enough historical details to let you know the story set in a true historical time. Still, there are flights of fantasy (the hero, Madoc, can change his shape into a raven) that let you know this is something of a fairy tale. I prefer Small’s deeper historicals like the Border Lord series.

[Justin Chen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

Dated and excruciatingly drawn-out by today's reading taste, but with the right mindset, there are still nuggets of entertainment to be had. A Moment in Time is by no means a required reading, and only worth picking up by the most die-hard historical romance enthusiasts. I, surprisingly, didn't find my time spent a waste (though the chance of picking up another Bertrice Small is a definite zero).

I would challenge labeling A Moment in Time a 'historical romance', especially by the definition we upheld today: this is historical fantasy first and foremost, with a heavy does of fairy tale influence, and satirical in tone. While romance remains the underlying thread, with its 'soul mates across times' setup, there's barely any substantial development in this aspect; the hero and heroine are mostly kept apart, instead the plot revolves around circumstances with the book's absurdly large cast (25+) of secondary characters.

The Princess Bride is what I can compare this with; the novel doesn't seem to take itself too seriously (at least by my interpretation), and this self-aware attitude carries me across the finish line. There are definitely some colorful characters I still vividly remember (like those sisters with absolutely no redeeming value, lol!), and some dramatic Game of Thrones level familial betrayal. The female characters are for the most part strong and modern (perhaps too naively so), even the questionable moments of consent are not the worst I've encountered in older historical romance novels, thanks to the overall exaggerated, role-playing tone.

A Moment in Time was a ride I'm glad I've experienced (and had some fun in the journey), but will never revisit.

***Historical Hellions Book Club | December 2021 Selection***

[Marajean · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book scarred my youth.

Aside from the sucky ending, the light at the end of the tunnel is that there is hope for the future sans curse to have a new fresh start to their wonderful love. Oh, how sweet it is, if I hadn't already been incredibly hateful after learning their past story.


So the wonderful eternal love story begins when the heroine gives up her fairy queendom to marry the human hero who is some lord or prince or king or whatever. They live happily together until their new baby disappears and the hero blames the heroine. Then, he makes her live with the dogs in the great hall, and crawl on her hands and knees while people ride on her back to be brought in to the hall. Mr. greatest love ever completely forgets her existance, because he loves her so much of course, and shacks up with an ex-lover, until eventually the heroine's sister comes and rescues her and curses the hero to remember what happened in past lives in every new reincarnation, and be able to recognise the heroine, no matter what guise she's born in.

I think the heroine is being punished for renouncing her fairy queendom because her sister doth sucketh majorly at handing out those vicious curses. Guess what honey? The hero had no problem forgetting the heroine's existance and getting it on with another woman in the current incarnation, what makes you think this is going to be a hardship for him? How about making his little man shrivel and fall off and be impotent in every incarnation after. Also, he can remember WHY in every incarnation after as well.

[Christi (christireadsalot) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was wild and had so much going on. It is definitely long, very wordy and descriptive about everything. I still don’t know how I fully feel about this book. I mean it’s definitely 1991 bodice ripper level of storytelling (which has its place in romance book history), the story did feel meandering and so very long, for entertainment level I was invested and finished it, but then the actual romance I found so lacking sooo. 🤷🏼‍♀️ It’s set in medieval Wales, has fantasy elements, Celtic fairy tale vibes, curses, shape-shifting, kidnappings (multiple), rape (multiple), reincarnation, time travel, magic, revenge, so much family drama, and loads more.

The basic premise is the hero and heroine loved in a past life, he did her wrong, gets cursed to always be pulled to her and remember everything from their past in new lives while the heroine won’t remember a thing, be anti-love but will feel pulled to the hero as well. There was a whole dramatic lead-up to her finding out their awful, tangled past. But as soon as she remembers, she instantly forgives the hero and accepts him in the current-story. But instead of the happy couple sailing off into the sunset, the dramatics are only just beginning for our couple. Kidnapped and sold off by a sex slave-trader kicks off part 3 of this story for the heroine and her life only gets more complex and tangled from there.

So this was a rough one, not only was there SOO much going on, it was also just a mess of figuring out what story it wanted to tell. More happens in this story with the hero and heroine apart from one another than together and I just didn’t feel anything for them or want for them to be together while reading. I had hopes this was going to be an epic tale of reincarnated, fated lovers finding one another again and again against all odds and time, but just never got that. I mean the ending alone was so unsatisfying and you have to read the epilogue for the HEA bit which was still meh. Oh and for the steamy parts, I was actually surprised how graphic and detailed and how many steamy scenes were packed in here. I read it for one of the historical romance book clubs I participate in, can’t wait to hear everyone else’s thoughts!

[Carissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

I don't think I would have finished this physical book if I also didn't grab the audiobook. Im going down on Day 7 with this head/chest cold. This is my 2nd Bertrice Small book, but my first of her fantasy ones? Seems Bertrice has a thing for captive/slave story arcs. I think it just jumped too quickly in places that I couldn't keep up with the pacing. Wynne's sisters are very annoying ( I just had to add that in there). Oh man, I just can't decide what to think of the last chapter and then the epilogue. I still plan on reading more Bertrice books as my Hoopla has newly added a ton.

[Princess Allie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I liked the paranormal aspect of this, but there was no swooning and it was boring. The choices the author made...ugh.

[Stella Luceat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this as a teen. It's the only book I've ever thrown across a room. Actually, it's the ONLY book I've ever thrown. It absolutely broke my heart. Tore it out and stomped on it. It was good though. Don't care to ever read it again because it's so mean to the reader's heart.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the very first Bertrice Small book I ever read and I still have a special place in my heart for it. It remains one of my all-time favorite Bertrice Small books.

[Blake · Rating 1 out of 5]

He committed every sin that one could possibly commit against a lover in her past life but she forgives him at the drop of a hat during this one. He should have at least had to work for it. I liked their romance at first but it turned sour after learning of his past mistreatment of her. He also had sex with her before she knew of these past crimes against her which is sickening to me. I didn’t finish(50%) but I couldn’t support their relationship at all and continued to wish that she leave him.

[Chickideee · Rating 1 out of 5]

I HATE this book.

[Naksed · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was there really such a thing as forever? Nay. There was but a moment in time, and those who were wise lived each moment to its fullest, for a moment gone could never come again.

I love the trope of reincarnated lovers who try through generations to defeat the curse that would keep them separated. Ladyhawke and Dead Again are two movies that come immediately to mind. And I love Bertrice Small, with all her over the top campiness and gloriously purple prose, because the lady can write an epic tale, and she does it with a wink and smile, because she is in on the joke.

Sadly, I found A Moment in Time, an escapist farce set in medieval times, with sorcerers, curses, kidnappings, and reincarnations galore, too uneven to really enjoy, principally because the two main characters who are supposed to be the passionate lovers who travel through space and time again and again to find each other, were actually rather flat, dull and lacking, when they eventually did connect.

Additionally, they spent the majority of the book apart, leaving a wide open field for a secondary male character to actually steal the show. This isn't the first time Bertrice Small writes a more interesting, more endearing "other man" who steals the spotlight from the alleged hero of the piece, but I found it rather ironic in a book that is supposed to be about a unique, undying love whose strength is such as to overcome the barriers of time, space, and logic!

I do love Small's writing though. She is capable of beautiful imagery, emotional poignancy, and a lovely, lyrical quality, yes, all of it among the many powerful lances endlessly thrusting into warm sheaths lol. There was enough of the good, especially towards the ending, that it kept me going without my DNF finger itching.

I would not recommend this book unless you are a die-hard Bertrice Small fan who can take the good and the bad, and just appreciate her quirkiness though. She is definitely an unconventional BR writer. I love her but this wasn't one of my favorites.

[Colleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up at The Book Thing, a local book swap, on a whim. I read a lot of bodice-ripper romance novels in high school and college and recalled the author as being a favorite.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, books like this formulated part of my romantic expectations of life - even though I would NEVER have admitted it (and am loathe to do so now in so many ways, obviously life and family have a lot of influence). This is why Generation X is so blighted! (sweeping generalizations aside, I am mostly kidding)

This book has pretty much every trope you'd expect. Feisty female lead who is better/smarter/prettier/kinder than most women of her time and yet still forced to marry for one reason or another, strong stoic male who has some sort of tortured past and needs said feisty female to redeem him, nefarious men who want to keep feisty female for themselves and thus strong male must save feisty female. Toss in a tough sidekick and his perfect bride who doubles as a built in BFF for the feisty female and you've got your ensemble cast.
I discovered part way through that if you skim over the sex scenes, you may want to think again. The sex dialogue is so bad in places that it's really pretty funny and might give you a good laugh.

On the plus side, the pages fly by and the pacing makes it a relatively quick read. The scenery is vividly described and I could probably draw some of the clothing so much detail was given. The good guys are good and the bad guys are bad. With so much attention on "smarter" novels in which characters are morally dubious, sometimes it's good to sink your teeth into something simple.
#junkfoodforyourbrain

In between picking this up and actually reading it, I was saddened to hear the author recently passed away.

[Shelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was facinating. I read it back in the 80's and have saved it to read again in the near future. I remember it as a favorite.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably my all time favorite book. I think I've read it at least 5 times. It's just a simple love story ...but for some reason - it is my favorite.

[Georgia7Pap · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh man... this was really really bad! I know this is supposed to be medieval but man this stuff was really awful! First off her sisters were really annoying. At the age of 13 and 12 they were talking about finding rich husbands. Then they got married and pregnant right away. We have a villain brother who hates the hero for no good reason at all. They had the same mother and they lived enough years together that they should love each other but no that would be too easy I guess. Then the heroine gets sold as a slave. And even though she loves her husband (our hero) so much she feels so attracted to the man who buys her after he rapes her the first night. AND if all the unnecessary descriptions weren't enough in the end of the book we don't even get a happy ending? The couple reunites after 3 years only for the hero to die?
This book was awful! I don't like leaving negative reviews but man.... I'm so disappointed with this book.

[Gaile · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite of all Bertrice Small's books. I own this book and have kept it all these years. I just cherish it!

[Marissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first read this book in 1998 and I have read it at least 6 times since then. This is one of my favorite Bertrice Small books!!

[Dee · Rating 1 out of 5]

least favorite of Bertrice Small books....stupid story & writing

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

My ALL Time Favorite Bertrice Small book!!!! I've read it many times!

[Katy Dailey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Did not age well.

I first read this book as a teenager in the nineties. I was so enthralled with it that it's stayed with me long after the actual book left my possession. Now in my forties I decided to revisit it. The story is just as thrilling, but it is marred almost unforgivablely by a simple detail. Wynne as a 15 year old, despite its historical accuracy is--gross. There's no better way to put it. I'm giving it three stars because I remember loving it, but I just can't give it more.

[Gina Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not what I expected.......

Once I figured out what was going on in this storyline I was apprehensive too finish it, but I kept going, I'm not a fan of any fantasy or sorcery but still kept on. It was your typical B.Small novel someone always gets kidnapped and sold into slavery.....I thought this would be different...... not what I expected.

[Ensie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a DNF for me but not for the reason you think. Part 1 was beautiful, airy fairy, romantic and just mushy good. A tad slow but given the setting it’s appropriately paced IMO. I could not get past part 1 after I heard about all the horrible things that’s going to happen. Take my advice just read up to part one and it’s actually a simple sweet story.

[Linda S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember reading this book for the first time many years ago when it was first published in the 1980s, I think, and I loved it then and still love it now. It's a very enjoyable romance novel and I was very surprised by all of the negative reviews!

[Jaelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book more than 20 years ago and will never forget it. I remember having such an emotional reaction to it. I cried, I loved, I hated, I threw it across the room. Then I carried it with me for weeks after I finished because I wasn't ready to say goodbye. ...then I read it again. 😂

[Erin Casey · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is rape, attempted rape, and torture in this book. I struggled to stay interested in the story with the time jumps, and I don't like reading the details of rape. It is a good story overall, but it just isn't "my cup of tea".

[Storm · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this book up and put it down so many times. It just couldn't hold my interest. The characters acted far too old for their age. I had to keep reminding myself that the MFC was only 15 years old. The whole thing seemed implausible, slightly chaotic and a little boring, tbh. DNFed. 1.5 🌟

[Silvia Carbone · Rating 4 out of 5]

M.E.R.A.V.I.G.L.I.O.S.O