When Grace Hansen finds a box belonging to her beloved grandfather, she has no idea it holds the key to his past—and to long-buried family secrets. In the box are his World War I diaries and a cryptic note addressed to her. Determined to solve her grandfather’s puzzle, Grace follows his diary entries across towns and battle sites in northern France, where she becomes increasingly drawn to a charming French man—and suddenly aware that someone is following her…

Through her grandfather’s vivid writing and Grace’s own travels, a picture emerges of a man very unlike the one who raised her: one who watched countless friends and loved ones die horrifically in battle; one who lived a life of regret. But her grandfather wasn’t the only one harboring secrets, and the more Grace learns about her family, the less she thinks she can trust them.

Time and Regret is M.K. Tod’s third novel. She began writing in 2005 while living as an expat in Hong Kong. What started as an interest in her grandparents’ lives turned into a full-time occupation writing historical fiction. Her novel Unravelled was awarded Indie Editor’s Choice by the Historical Novel Society. In addition to writing historical novels, she blogs about reading and writing historical fiction on http://www.awriterofhistory.com, reviews books for the Historical Novel Society and the Washington Independent Review of Books, and has conducted three highly respected reader surveys. She lives in Toronto, Canada, with her husband and is the mother of two adult children.

*******************************************************

I first heard about this book when it featured on Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours. I was able to get it through Net Galley (I was late to the party!) as it sounded like something I would like to read.

I really enjoyed this story and liked the mix of historical fiction and mystery. I feel like I read a lot of WWII but not as much WWI stories. This novel also raises the issue of PTSD, which was so prevalent for soldiers returning from Europe, but very much misunderstood.

While I found Grace sometimes a tad self-centered, and I was sorry that she never resolved her relationship with her grandmother, I did like her character for her tenacity and spirit.

Recommended if you enjoy this genre – a blend of history and mystery with a touch of romance!

Thank you for my e-copy!