Finding Travis

No Time for Travis, Book 1

By: Melissa Bowersock

Narrated by: Jonathan Waters

Length: 7 hrs

Publisher's summary

2016 New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards finalist

Travis Merrill's life isn't going according to plan. He's quit several career paths, his wife has left him, and his only solace is volunteering to portray a cavalry surgeon at historic Fort Verde in Arizona, a place where time seems to stand still.

When a weird trick of time actually sends him back to the year 1877, he's boxed into impersonating the surgeon for real. Unfortunately, he finds his medical knowledge is no match for the primitive practices of the day, and he's forced to make life-or-death decisions, not always successfully.

He wonders if he will ever be able to return to his own time or if he might find a life - and a love - 140 years in the past.

©2016 Melissa Bowersock (P)2019 Melissa Bowersock

Another Great Book from Melissa Bowersock

WOW another winner from Bowersock. Great book it rolls history into a great love story the details are wonderful I could not put it down. On to number 2 in this series I like the narrator does a good job

I loved it!

This book was so good! I listen from beginning to end nonstop. I couldn’t it was too good! I feel like time travel romance and the closest to realistic you can get your love this book. Again I did! Jonathan Winters did a great job now writing. I have never heard a book narrated by him, but look forward to hearing from him again.

Should I stay or should I go…

A fun twist on traveling back in time. When your life isn’t what you want it to be, try a new one on and see if it fits.

I loved the concept, I loved the first scene...

...and the rest did not disappoint! This novel begins at a Christmas-themed living history event. I have attended many such events over the years and felt immediate nostalgia. I've also researched 19th-century medicine and forts of the American West for my own historical fiction, so I found most of this interesting and delightful. I have serious doubts about the use of chloroform, however—I'm pretty sure that was used solely as anesthesia and not as a painkiller after surgery. I also doubt re-inventing penicillin would be this simple. But the rest of the details about medicine and fort life ring true, the former rendered eerie by our current pandemic reality. Apart from his foul mouth, I really liked Travis, and I was very fond of Reilly. I'm thrilled the Irishman will be returning in the sequel. I would however advise the author to re-think her poorly Photoshopped covers, which do a disservice to the story. The narrator is good overall, but his Irish accent and female voices left me underwhelmed.

A wondrous tale

Another exciting time travel book. Melissa Bowersock is a genius at writing of time travel.A novel of fear, love, and severe hardships leads to another superb novel which I highly recommend.

Finding Travis

This was a very good story!Travis is a history interpreter at a historic fort in Arizona.He falls asleep in 2016 and wakes up the actual Calvary Surgeon! A nice twist on the time travel novels. Jonathan Waters was a fine narrator.I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.' 

Great time historical travel romance

Loved the story. It is well written and keeps your interest, I really enjoyed the story. Just starting book 2 and can't wait to see what happens next.

Narration was excellent. Jonathan Waters was a good choice for this book. Obviously I will listen to Jonathan again, especially since I already have book 2 started.


The book did not disappoint!
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Easy listening

Finding Travis is a great easy listening book.
It isn't a bold, fast paste tale of action and woe - but a measured and composed "what if" piece, which I like a lot (mind you - there are sections that are not exactly for the faint of heart) .The story isnt super deep nor is there a pervasive sense of urgency - but it comes together nicely to envelop me in a blanket of a good story.

The protagonist is likeable and relatable - finding himself in the one predicament where having paid attention in history and science classes finally would have made a lot of sense. The narrative highlights in some humorous ways some of the more practical challenges of standing out like a sore thumb, because you know things no one else does (or indeed could) and where even the way you speak will set you appart - and not exclusively for the better.

It doesn't pretend to be historically acurate nor does it pretend to be scientifically deep - there isnt much narrative to suggest this could happen or not. It makes sense, however, - there is enough reference to the differences in the times to make it feel plausible - 200years from now it would have changed a lot.

The premise of a protagonist who finds himself in a different time and trying to change his suroundings for the better while making a life for himself (and beginning to acutally finding things to care about and connect to) is not exactly new. Nonetheless "Finding Travis" has a certain southern warm charm (the setting notwithstanding) and entertains.
Being drawn between wanting to fit in and make a life on the one hand while being aware that being found out as a fish out of water, as it were, might have dire consequenses puts the main character in some interesting pickles.

The interplay between the cast is entertaining in its own right and had me smiling with a sense of "smooth" at some times and "too close for comfort" at others. A relatively short listen this one, it builds up for the next one in line - And I for one will continue the story.

As an addendum - while there are some elements reminisent of "Pride and Predjudice", "Finding Travis" doesn't have the rosy smoochy girly romance tinge but manages to build some emotional backdrop anyway, which is a surprising bonus.

a nice little listen
Jan

Travis

Great book. we'll worth listening to. made the characters distinc and interesting. look for ward to book 2.

Entertaining

This book is about a man (Travis) who is mysteriously transported from a life in 2016 to a life in 1877. He must "fake it till it feels right" and assume the role in real that he had been acting as a museum guide.

The story revolves around his day to day struggle to survive in a world without the support structure he is used to and the relationships he makes along the way.

This book was really entertaining and enjoyable. The narrator was very good and did multiple voices well.

This book was provided free of charge and this review is done voluntarily.