Indiana Belle

‘Indiana Belle’ is a time-travelling adventure by American author John A Heldt. We join the story in the present day and find our protagonist, Cameron Coelho, mesmerised by a photograph from long ago. This sets him on an adventure which sends him back in time to 1925. He manages this by painless but rather vague means. However, this is a fantasy adventure so the reader needs to suspend reality and become immersed in the tale.<br /><br />I found some of the dialogue a little protracted in the beginning however, once Cameron is ensconced in 1925, the pace picks up and his dual missions take over.<br /><br />Heldt has used a rather unusual technique when describing his main players; he has likened several to contemporary actors. This device is fine, but is dependent upon readers recognising the names of the stars. In my case, I hadn’t heard of one of them, so was none the wiser until I reached for the laptop.<br /><br />I also must confess to knowing little about 1920s American history, so I did check that there was a Tri-State tornado on the date in question and that Pete DePaolo won the 1925 Indianapolis 500; therefore I have faith that the author has done his homework regarding historical accuracy throughout the book.<br /><br />There was good use of literary tools and the tale has been well thought through and competently executed. Heldt certainly gave us a feeling of Indiana in 1925 with some good descriptive passages and has created two strong characters in Cameron and Candice. This is a gentle wholesome story with nothing to shock or offend.<br /><br />The idea of time travel is a well-used premise for a plot and often leaves a lot to be desired when history starts to be re-written, so I approached the book with a degree of scepticism. However I tried not to overthink it and was pleasantly surprised. I found the story engaging and read it in two days. If you enjoy the fantasy genre, you will like this book. I award ‘Indiana Belle’ a worthy four stars.<br /><br />Reviewed by Julie at <a href="http://www.whisperingstories.com" rel="nofollow noopener">www.whisperingstories.com</a>

John A. Heldt is back, and this time out he is taking us back to the era of Flappers, Speakeasies and old time church revivals as the country undergoes major changes and the lines between a free-spirited life and the more conservative become more clearly divided and crime is always waiting in the shadows. But first, we must travel to the near future…welcome to John A. Heldt’s <b>Indiana Belle</b>.<br><br>Cameron Coelho is writing his dissertation on life in the 1920’s and when he receives a packet regarding a determined and outspoken woman murdered in her prime in 1925, her photo beckons to him in an unusual way. When time travel expert, Professor Geoffrey Bell makes Cameron an offer he cannot refuse, although skeptical, he agrees to all of the conditions set before him, knowing full well he plans on breaking the most important rule at the first opportunity.<br><br>Geoffrey Bell is adamant that Cameron NOT do anything to change history and his reason is quite compelling, Candice Bell, a rebel, fierce-willed reporter and murder victim is the good professor’s distant relative and if the time line is altered, there is a chance he will never exist. No professor, no time travel. (Not to mention, no fabulous tales from John A. Heldt.)<br><br>Cameron has his own agenda and saving Candice is at the top of the list, has he fallen in love with an old photo or will he find the woman in the flesh to be everything he could ever want? Visit the Roaring Twenties from the comfort of today, feel the energy, the awakening of a world in need of expressing the simply joys of life and the battle of one woman to show her reporting chops in a world dominated by men, only to uncover some deadly truths. Once again, John A.Heldt has shown the power he holds in his pen, the hard work he brings to the tale of fantasy fiction through his vivid scenes of the era, the emotional draw to his characters as he brings everything to life, including the sounds of jazz, the force of love and the destiny of two souls meeting in a bubble of time reserved just for them.<br><br>I received this copy from John A. Heldt in exchange for my honest review.<br><br>Series: American Journey - Book 3<br>Publisher: John A. Heldt (April 14, 2016)<br>Publication Date: April 14, 2016<br>Genre: Fantasy Romance | Time Travel<br>Print Length: 295 pages<br>Available from: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Indiana-Belle-American-Journey-Book-ebook/dp/B01E9UB7Z8?ie=UTF8&amp;keywords=Indiana%20Belle%20by%20John%20A.%20Heldt%20%28American%20Journey%20%233%29&amp;qid=1464573915&amp;ref_=sr_1_1&amp;s=digital-text&amp;sr=1-1" rel="nofollow noopener">Amazon</a><br>For Reviews &amp; More: <a href="http://tometender.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">http://tometender.blogspot.com</a><br><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VzWcuxwzgIg/VCiZSxUyvmI/AAAAAAAAfb0/Zeysvfwdgos/s1600/June%2BHeader%2Bw%2Bhttp.jpg" rel="nofollow noopener"> <img src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1411946937i/11303744._SX540_.jpg" height="250" width="400" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"> </a><br><br>

<i>Indiana Belle</i> has so many things going for it that it really defies a distinct categorization. It has a romance thread that runs throughout. It is packed with a little mystery, intrigue, and adventure from the earliest pages. There is the historical setting and some significant events. Oh, and let’s not forget the very critical element of time travel!<br /><br />I have been a fan of <a href="https://goodreads.com/author/show/8093998.John_Heldt" title="John Heldt" rel="noopener">John Heldt</a>’s works since I first read back-to-back <a href="https://goodreads.com/book/show/19353394.The_Mine__Northwest_Passage___1_" title="The Mine (Northwest Passage, #1) by John A. Heldt" rel="noopener">The Mine</a> and <a href="https://goodreads.com/book/show/26214378.The_Journey__Northwest_Passage___2_" title="The Journey (Northwest Passage, #2) by John A. Heldt" rel="noopener">The Journey</a> in 2013 (both are from his other book series, The Northwest Passage). All of his books include an element of time travel and that was one of the elements that originally drew me to them. In <i>Indiana Belle</i> the time travel element involves some tunnels, some gypsum crystals, and some scientific formulas. While time travel does require some level of suspension of reality, and maybe it’s presentation here isn’t what most would expect for a method time travel, I found it creative, possible, and achieved the point of bringing Cameron back to 1925. The novel also tackles the age old idea that if you travel back in time you must be careful to not change the past or it could affect the future. Cameron wrestles with this premise as he does not wish to let a historical murder happen on his watch. Seeing how he struggles with this and what decision he ultimately makes is one of the central concepts of this novel. Some of the best scenes of this book were with Cameron making continuity mistakes while back in 1925 – some were things that I would never have even thought of.<br /><br />The romance element is a very light, but critical, part of the story. What happens if you fall in love with someone who isn’t from your time? It served as more of another obstacle to time travel and the completion of Cameron’s mission than anything else. The scenes were sweet and grew from a natural place.<br /><br />Heldt does an excellent job here of bringing to life the Roaring Twenties; from the quiet mid-west town, to the speakeasy parties, to the big church revivals, it has it all. Cameron sees it as a simpler time initially, but it is full of its own problems, like the KKK and women’s struggle for rights. Some of these elements are obvious while others are atmospheric, but all contribute to a well-formed time. Heldt also tends to cover an event of significance in most of his novels and here we get a little bit of the Tri-State Tornado of 1925. Having survived a tornado myself, it felt very real.<br /><br />There was only a small element that I questioned while reading, and I thought that it might resolve at some point in the novel, but ultimately wasn’t…Cameron comes from 2017. I wondered at the choice to set it in the near future at the time of publication instead of the current year. Additionally, how the difference in perception of that being a future date for us now, but come a couple years the entire novel will occur in the past. After reading, the resulting analysis: It didn’t seem to have an obvious purpose to me.<br /><br />While <i>Indiana Belle</i> is the third book in the American Journey’s series, it certainly is successful as a standalone novel. I have not read the first two books yet (<a href="https://goodreads.com/book/show/24244216.September_Sky__American_Journey___1_" title="September Sky (American Journey, #1) by John A. Heldt" rel="noopener">September Sky</a> and <a href="https://goodreads.com/book/show/27258807.Mercer_Street__American_Journey___2_" title="Mercer Street (American Journey, #2) by John A. Heldt" rel="noopener">Mercer Street</a>) and did not feel like I was missing out on anything. I have a feeling Geoffrey Bell, the professor referenced in the book description, probably has connections to the first two books based on some allusions to other time travelers and maybe we learn more about him there, but you still come away with a full understanding and appreciation of Indiana Belle on its own. <br /><br />There is a little something for everyone here and would appeal widely to both men and women!<br /><br />This book was received in exchange for an honest review and was previously posted at <a href="http://themaidenscourt.blogspot.com/2016/05/book-review-indiana-belle-by-john-heldt.html" rel="nofollow noopener">The Maiden's Court</a> and <a href="http://www.romantichistoricalreviews.com/indiana-belle-american-journey-3-by-john-a-heidt/" rel="nofollow noopener">Romantic Historical Reviews</a>.

Indiana Belle by John A. Heldt is an amazing book that caught my attention from page one to the end. I wish I could give it more than 5 stars!<br /><br />I found it easy to get to know and relate to the characters, especially Candice Bell. Candice is one of the most wonderful characters I've read in a long time ... very well-developed, very likable, yet not at all Mary-Sueish. The villains were likewise well-developed and interesting ... and you hated them just the right amount. :)<br /><br />The plot ... well, let me just say it was a masterpiece. Very original, very exciting. There were lots of great plot twists. It was a well-plotted, thoughtfully written book.<br /><br />The novel was thoroughly researched. There was a lot of attention to detail, but it never got boring for an instant. The writing was amazing, too. It's a style I believe I seen before ... a straightforward, no-nonsense, not extremely poetic style. I really like it. It doesn't take you off on rabbit trails describing a sunset for three paragraphs, nor does it take you away from the action long. On the other hand, I got a really good idea what everything looked like, how everything worked, etc. I almost felt like I traveled back in time with Cameron and went to the Roarin' 20s myself!<br /><br />If you like action, adventure, time travel, historical fiction, and a bit of a murder mystery besides, you'll enjoy Indiana Belle.<br /><br /><a href="https://kellynroth.wordpress.com/2016/05/26/indiana-belle-by-john-a-heldt/" rel="nofollow noopener">Find a more detailed, more organized review on my blog.</a><br /><br />~Kellyn Roth<br /><br />**I received a free copy of Indiana Belle in exchange for an honest review**

I don't read many time travel books. This one was fun to read for me. I am from Illinois so this book was interesting to read about the 1920s in Illinois. Changing things in the past when you travel back can be bad or good but you never really know for sure. This book was very romantic as well and I enjoyed it very much. I would recommend you try out this author and this book and see if you like it too! *This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.*

<a href="http://125pages.com/indiana-belle-john-a-heldt/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">This review, and many more, was originally posted on 125pages.com</a><br><br> <br><br><br><br><br><br><a href="http://125pages.com/bellegif/" rel="nofollow noopener"> <img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1467505625ra/19600167.gif" alt="bellegif" width="353" height="266" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"> </a> <em>Indiana Belle</em> by John A. Heldt is the third book I have read by this author, and the second I have read in his <em>American Journey</em> series (see my review of <em> <a href="http://125pages.com/mercer-street-john-heldt/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Mercer Street</a> </em>). This is number three in the series but they can all be read as a standalone. This book focuses on Cameron, a doctorial student who is focusing on Indiana in the 1920's. When he purchases a lot of papers from that era, it sets him on a path her could have never expected. Time traveling to meet the woman whose life he glimpsed through writing, he will need to decide where and when he belongs.<br><br><em> Indiana Belle</em> had some great moments and some not so great moments. The historical aspect was well done and I enjoyed the inclusion of things like the KKK and a speakeasy. I did not love the way Cameron was introduced. He bullied his way into the time travel and that just left me with a bad impression of him. I have seen a consistent improvement in writing of John A. Heldt which each book of his I read. He is able to mesh many different things, such as romance, time travel and shady dealings in a very cohesive manner. I will say that I do enjoy his writing when he has a male main character better, as I think he is more able to connect. The pacing had a few issues but it all came together in the end. The world built was very rich and I enjoyed seeing the past so well crafted.<br><br><em>Indiana Belle </em>was an interesting read. There were a few moments that were super over the top (an encounter with a mountain lion was not needed at all) but as a whole it was successful. There was also a chapter that traveled to the future that I was super interested in, and I would love to see John A. Heldt expand on that world.<br><br>name="fa-star"] Favorite lines - He kissed her until a million stars appeared in an indigo sky and promises he had made to a distant professor retreated to the recesses of his mind.<br><br> Biggest cliché - There is no butterfly effect.<br><br> Have you read <em>Indiana Belle</em>, or added it to your TBR?<br> <br><br>This book was most likely received free from the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Roaring 20’s are a time that live in our imaginations, fueled by books such as F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby and movies surrounding the same era – the glitz, the glam, and the hidden speak-easy’s. Women trying their hands at working outside the home and building their own businesses, albeit hiding behind pseudonyms and nicknames.<br />When Cameron is given the option of studying the very family surrounding Dr. Bell’s family he immediately jumps on the opportunity and turns Dr. Bell’s policies and procedures upside down in an attempt to save one Indiana Belle, Candice Bell, from an untimely death at the hands of someone who wanted her dead for their own selfish reasons. Immediately the story draws you in, initially telling Cameron’s story, giving the reader his short back story and delving into his character. Then telling the entire Bell family story. John always does an amazing job of developing characters, the environment, and pulling readers into his stories very quickly, Indiana Belle, once again does not disappoint.<br />I cannot say enough about John’s writing style and his ability to develop characters and draw the reader into the time period in which he’s written, be it the roaring 1920s, the 1930s and the impending doom of WWII or even post WWII America. How he does it is astounding, and how he gets such detail is amazing. I cannot say other than a lot of research! I am looking forward very much to his next writing endeavor!

I absolutely love time travel books and having read and reviewed both the first and second in this series when asked--I knew I had to read this third installment. Although there is some continuity--it can definitely be read as a stand alone as all the books in this series can.<br /><br />Now one of the tenets of time travel is--you should never change what is supposed to happen because you will be changing the future as well. Hum, but what happens if you fall in love and the woman is going to be killed on a certain date in a most atrocious manner? Do you allow history to replay as it is supposed to or do you attempt to change it and then attempt to change what that would have changed? Meanwhile you have been charged with finding the cave where the key to time travel is to be found and bring back a bunch of the crystals.<br /><br />The Roaring Twenties is brought to life, both the good and the bad in this very fast reading novel set in Indiana. Yes, it is one of those novels that I started and finished in less then one day--I could not stop reading. There are a couple of sections that I advise having some tissues handy--especially towards the end. I truly hope you will read this book--I give it 5 stars and if I could I would give it even more!!<br /><a href="https://goodreads.com/book/show/29922773.Indiana_Belle__American_Journey_Book_3_" title="Indiana Belle (American Journey Book 3) by John A. Heldt" rel="noopener">Indiana Belle</a>

It's February 2017 and Cameron Coelho is a doctoral student in history writing a dissertation on the social norms and cultural dynamics of Middle America in the Roaring Twenties. He buys some private papers of Candice Bell, who was a reporter for an Indiana newspaper in the 1920s, which include personal letters, business correspondence, notes from interviews, pages torn from a diary and a picture. He is provided with the opportunity to travel back to 1925 to meet Miss Bell. He is forbidden to change events that happened which includes the murder of Miss Bell that summer.<br /><br />This is the seventh book I've read by this author and I liked it. I like time travel books when people go back in time. Though it is part of the American Journey series, you don't have to read the others to know what's going on since the only constant is the person who is able to send people back in time. The author wrote about 1925 well and I got a good sense of what it was like living in that time period ... you had to speakeasies for liquor, the KKK was strong, etc. It is written in third person perspective with the focus shifting between Cameron and Candice.<br /><br />Blog review post: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2016/04/book-indiana-belle-2016-john-heldt.html">http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2016/04...</a>

<br />I battled with myself over the rating of this book. It was written very well and was quite polished. There were just a few things that pulled it down for me.<br /><br />It started out pretty strong, but once our main character stepped into 1925, it lulled pretty badly for the next 20 or so chapters. I think the problem was there was absolutely no conflict at all until about 65% of the way through the book. To me, a book is not a book if there isn't some kind of conflict for the character.<br /><br />Speaking of characters. I had a hard time connecting with Cameron. There wasn't anything specific he did, I just didn't feel a defining moment throughout the book. In fact, I connected most with Candice and seemed to enjoy the few chapters that were from her POV the best. <br /><br />The ending of the book wraps everything up in a nice bow and answers all your questions, which is nice. I just feel that with some editing it could have cut some of the stuff out that wasn't 100% necessary and it would have enhanced the pace of the book. <br />