This is my first Boo Walker book, I was pleasantly surprised. While it was definitely out of my comfort zone, it was enjoyable. The main fact I would like to emphasize is that the generational family trauma is so relatable, this alone would appeal to a mass group of people.
While unfortunate and sad, there are take a way's for the reader in learning to deal with past traumas so theyre not trickling over into the present. It was an easy, down to earth read I feel would check a lot of boxes for many.

This is the first time I have read Boo Walker, although his stories have been recommended to me. “An Echo in Time” has an extremely interesting and fresh premise: generational trauma that can be healed by addressing family constellations using proxies and searching ancestry to discover what happened.

The concept of generational trauma is one I have been interested in and Boo Walker does a great job of using a retreat scene to establish how this type of therapy can work. Although considered a pseudo science (if that) family constellation theory seems highly interesting.

Boo Walker lays out the ways in which the main character, Charli, and her family have struggled through life. The reader feels for her especially and hopes things get better. She travels to England following some ancestral clues and meets a like aged barkeep who helps her along her journey.

This story goes back and forth in time to show where the trauma possible began, and intertwines families and love. It’s almost spiritual in nature.

What I am not a fan of is the use of third person narration. It takes on me out of some key moments where I felt that the author could have shown more without telling. Especially some emotional scenes.

This is a very different sort of story and I enjoyed it. Thanks to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and Boo Walker for an advance reader copy of “An Echo in Time” in exchange for an honest review.

"An Echo in Time" by Boo Walker is a compelling novel that blends elements of mystery, romance, and self-discovery. The story follows Charli Thurman, a woman approaching thirty who feels trapped by her family's tumultuous history and her own struggles in life and love. When she experiences a disturbing memory during family constellation therapy, Charli becomes determined to uncover the truth about her family's past and break the cycle of trauma.

One of the novel's strengths lies in its exploration of generational trauma and the impact it can have on individuals and families. Through Charli's journey, Walker delves into themes of healing, forgiveness, and the power of confronting the past to create a better future. The character development is well-done, particularly Charli's growth as she learns to confront her fears and take control of her own destiny.

The setting of Winchester, England, adds depth to the story, providing a rich backdrop for the unfolding mystery. The interactions between Charli and Noah, the charming pub owner with his own family secrets, are engaging and add a layer of romance to the narrative.

Overall, "An Echo in Time" is a captivating read that will appeal to fans of contemporary fiction and mystery. Boo Walker has crafted a thought-provoking story that explores the complexities of family dynamics and the resilience of the human spirit.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for an advanced copy to review for my honest opinion.

I've read anything by this author before, and I usually choose to read new authors (to me, at least) judging the books by its covers, yes.
The synopsis helps, sure.
And that's why I chose to read An Echo in Time - I did think this could be a little out of my comfort zone, but it's good to get out of it sometimes.
Even though I kind of liked the characters and the writing style, something was off to me. Something was failing to hold my attention, so I dnfed it. For now.
I'm choosing to wait for this book to be officially published (in August), so I can get an audiobook copy and give it another try.
Thank you, anyway, to NetGalley for providing me with a free eARC of this book.

I wasn’t so sure about this book in the beginning but because I know Boo Walker writes good books I kept reading and I’m not sorry. Charli hasn’t had the best life growing up with an abusive mother and her father away early in a living. She intends to never marry or have children because of her mother’s abuse. She stumbles onto generational trauma and sets out to find out what has brought her family to where they are today. She takes a trip to England to see if she can find out about her ancestors and their lives. There’s plenty of mystery and intrigue in this book and I was cheering Charli on all the way through. She certainly deserved to have a better life. I received an arc of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

Charli Thurman hasn’t had something good happen in her life in a while. Each relationship she’s been in ends right before the good parts. Charli is stuck in a dead end job with her dream of opening her own bookstore far out of reach. Worst of all, the rough past of her family history seems to hang over her head. Could it be the reason why nothing seems to go right?

Turning to her best friend, Charli is introduced to a “soul reader” who specializes in generational trauma. But during family constellation therapy with the guru, Charli experiences an inexplicable memory of terrible violence. Whatever happened in the past, it created an imbalance that’s still in the Thurman blood. Instead of running away, Charli decides to uncover her past with the hope of a fresh start in the end.

The past perspective of Charli’s third Grandfather, Sam, and Charli’s present perspective of learning more about him really drew in me. As she found out about the family or was in the same place as her relatives, the reader also follows Sam’s storyline as well. Both plots were intriguing and made me love the characters for different reasons. There is a touch of romance in each storyline, which I loved.

I did feel at some point the book did draw on and the story could have wrapped up a bit sooner. The premise of exploring past family trauma was very interesting and made me curious about my own past. Thank you, NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC!

Lovely story with so many intricate and vivid moving parts. All the elements of a great story with multiple POV and dual timelines. I love the historical fiction and the tie in to the modern day realities. A whimsical tale that takes you through the lovely England countryside! The magical realism was naturally woven in and the protagonist’s pain really gripped my heart. I rooted for her journey all the way through! This is an interesting take on generational trauma and the little bit of magic used to heal it!

An Echo In Time takes place over several generations. It is a journey of family relationships and behaviors which Boo Walker weaves expertly. A story of love, loss and self discovery - in the end you will smile knowing dreams do come true.

Well, Boo Walker, you've done it again and you never disappoint! I've read thousands of books in my life and love many authors but as soon as I discovered this amazing guy I knew I was a fan for life. I really love how he can write with such a great imagination about so many different things so I never get bored or know what to expect. An 'Echo in Time' is another story that will grab you right from the start with a different look at things you can't explain in real life, but wonder about. Boo Walker made the time change over decades so easy to understand and intriguing to the point I didn't favor one era over the other, they were equally written very well, I was anxious to see what happened next. I will think about this for a long time, it really made me wonder about a lot of feelings we carry around. I'm not a spoiler so you need to read it to understand and see what you think. I highly recommend anything by Boo, he really makes his readers feel satisfied while looking forward to the next thing he writes.AAA+++

I loved the idea of solving a centuries-old murder, it had everything that I was looking for and thought the overall feel worked. The characters worked in this universe and had a great feel to it. Boo Walker has a great writing style and the characters were everything that I wanted from this type of book.

Charli just can't seem to get her life together. At the slightest obstacle, she convinces herself bad things happen because (as her mother's voice tell us) she is not meant to be happy. One day, Charli's best friend tells her about this constellation therapy retreat. Constellations are a way of stepping outside of your life and looking in, looking at the past trauma and seeing where the "red lights" are in your family tree. Out of pure desperation and concern for her self and her father (who is seemingly more and more depressed) she decided she needs to do something, anything, to help save her father. The information unveiled at the constellation retreat lead Charli to England, to chase the missing branch of her family tree. There, she find confirmation of the murder that was felt by all in her constellation group. What else will Charli learn about her family? Will Charli finally be able to start to heal? Can she save her dad?

The term "epigenetics" seems to be a hot new topic; Though generational trauma is not a new concept, how we heal and break the cycle is (thankfully, IMO) having its moment. The whole concept of this book spoke to me immediately, which is why I was sad it was so difficult to get into. I could not stand Charli and her self-sabotaging behaviors. Now, that being said, at about 100 pages in, I came around. I enjoyed the split time perspective - Knowing small things about Charli's constellation and seeing the events unfold that created her family's "red lights". There was a little mystery, a little love story, and hopefully, a little healing. I did find myself rolling my eyes a fair number of times. I did not care for the author's unnecessary mention of himself in the book (it was so weird!) and however predictable it was, I found myself thinking about it for a few days after I finished it. I will say, I believe this book hit the nail on the head for me, when we think of the quote from Hamlet "To hold as 'twere the mirror up to nature..." I was annoyed at Charli, because I saw so much of her in me, or me in her. And that is how I also realized I should be more compassionate with her, and in turn myself.

Thank you, NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this advance copy in return for an honest review.

When I first heard the premise of the book, I wasn’t sure I would like the it. But as usual, I really enjoyed the story. The characters were complex and interesting; the storyline was compelling and the descriptions of the English countryside made me feel like I was there. I thoroughly enjoyed being part of Charli’s journey and looked forward to the next bit of information that would help her find her joy again. The relationships between the characters were so well thought out; rich and complicated and true to life. The love between Charli and her father was sweet and the juxtaposition of the parental roles was so well written. But what I like best was that the author didn’t rush the outcome of the storyline but wrote it in such a way that you didn’t feel “rushed” into the ending. He just lovingly wrapped it and tied it with the perfect bow!

This is a wonderful story on generational trauma and changing your own destiny. Charli Thurman has known nothing but "red lights" in her life, both obstacles in relationships and career progress. When she learns about something called constellation therapy, she decides to see if something in her family's past could have caused the upset in her own life. From Boston to Costa Rica to England, Charli pursues answers to a violent event that occurred several decades before she was born. Her proactivity teaches her more about herself, her family, and her potential. A unique story of sacrifice and redemption that will resonate on many levels.

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union for the advanced copy!

I have enjoyed every Boo Walker book I have read and this one did not disappoint. I had never heard of generational trauma where tragedy, trauma, pain, etc. can be passed down through generations. The main character, Charli, comes from a family that has had bad luck and tragedy for generations. She had an abusive childhood herself and has self-destructive tendencies as a result. When she hears from her best friend of a family constellation therapy workshop in Costa Rica, she decides to attend in desperation. I was immediately caught up in the centuries old mystery of a murder in her ancestry which takes her to England to try and figure out. I loved the dual timeline story of her ancestor. Although I’m still skeptical of the generational trauma theory, the stories were well written and make it seem believable. The fact that she faces one coincidence after another, including meeting her true love whose family was also involved in the murder, is hard to believe, but I’d like to think someone higher can push us in the direction our lives need for the better. Very intriguing!

An Echo in Time
A Novel
by Boo Walker

Thank you, Boo Walker and Lake Union Publishing for the, An Echo in Time ARC.
I am a huge fan of Boo Walker and his writings and books are always magic. I did feel many thoughts and felt the book was my read. I did smile as Boo injected hismself in the book.LOVED this one.Bravo to Boo Walker.

I’m so thrilled I was chosen to read this ARC by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I’ve read several of this authors books and they do not disappoint. This one was a beautifully written book and the descriptors and scene building was enough to let you vividly picture being there with the characters. I lost myself in this book. The book follows Charli as she feels that her life has been negatively affected by generational trauma passed down through the years and how she can overcome the curse of her life. It was wonderfully written and researched. I also loved that the author even interjected himself in the book at one point. Very well written and worth checking out.

Navigating challenges in life and love as her thirtieth birthday approaches, Charli Thurman finds herself facing one hurdle after another. Given the Thurman family's tumultuous history, she's apprehensive about the future unless she can identify the root of their troubles.

I was completely engrossed in this book! Although I hadn't delved into Boo Walker's previous works, this one deeply resonated with me. Charli's enduring struggles have led her to avoid any relationship that hints at becoming serious. In her quest for answers that eluded her in the US,

She travels to England to explore her family's genealogy. The storytelling, with its intricate blend of characters and alternative timelines, was executed with finesse.

A heartfelt thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley.

I was absolutely hooked from the very first chapter. Charli just can't seem to have much luck in her life, and feels she carries a lot of burdens.

When a friend suggests some alternative kind of therapy help, she's understandably sceptical, but she's willing to give it a try.

It takes her on a long journey from Boston to the UK for answers to her past relatives, to maybe start to actually live life to the full.

I can't recommend this wonderful story enough

This book does excellently a topic that is very difficult to do well (generational trauma). Unresolved pain festers and bleeds into every area of our lives, and the next generation's lives. I loved that Charli took proactive action, going to England to try a new strategy into self-healing and research generational trauma. This book is fulfilling, thought provoking, and soul touching.

An Echo in Time is a heartfelt soulful read about ancestral healing, transgenerational trauma, and the redemptive power of forgiveness.

Charli's life is in a rut. Everything she tries fails and the baggage from her terrible upbringing isn't helping either. Obstructed by her own negative thinking, her best friend Viv recommends family constellation therapy to help break her out of the vicious circle she finds herself trapped in. With nothing to lose, Charli tries the therapy which brings up a devastating memory from long before she was born that has left an imprint on every subsequent generation in her family. With no other choice but to solve the family mystery, Charli heads to Winchester England to research her family history and to hopefully and finally put an end to the inherited trauma of her bloodline.

I was delighted to read a book about family constellation therapy as it is gaining popularity. I enjoyed the whole concept of this story, how the mistakes, pain, and trauma from our ancestors can be passed down through the generations. For some readers, this might be a little woo woo, but for myself and many others, it's a fascinating and thought provoking concept. As per usual with Boo Walker stories, the characters in this book were emotionally complex and their feelings so well articulated that you could feel their heartache emanating from the pages. Charli was an interesting character, a victim of abuse whose unresolved pain affected every aspect of her life. I'm glad that she was written with bravery and open mindedness since she was as much of a victim of her own self limiting behaviors as she was of her ancestral trauma.

The dual timeline was a great addition to this story as you could see the similarities between Charli and her ancestor and the ways in which the universe will conspire to bring you to your healing.

An Echo in Time is a story that will make you think, make you cry, and make you believe in the power to forgive, release the past, and choose a better tomorrow.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a free arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.