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I loved this novel! Mia lives in a commune in rural Massachussetts and longs to leave. She’s strong, rebellious, and books are her secret passion. I really enjoyed how she was strong enough to leave everything she knew and ask for help to get to safety.

Of all the books Mia read on the sly while at the commune (outside books were prohibited), The Scarlet Letter was her favorite. She saw a similarity between how her mother was treated and how Hester Prynne, heroine of the Scarlet Letter, was treated. Or mistreated. Mia feels a strong connection to Nathaniel Hawthorne and dreams of somehow being able to meet him.

Will Mia be able to heal from the trauma inflicted at the commune? Will her love be enough to travel through time? Will she be able to accept and experience the friendship and love that is being offered to her in the here and now?

This novel also feature strong librarians and lots about libraries and books. And if that wasn’t fantastic enough, there is a real sense of seasons passing, of the flowers, herbs, fruits, vegetables, trees, and the rural New England landscape. That was a constant throughout that kept the idea of time travel rooted in the place. I highly recommend this novel.
Thanks to Net Galley for the advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review!