Andie knew that leaving her abusive husband and starting over would be tough—but when a meddling therapist and a wish for simpler times send her back nearly 50 years, “starting over” takes on a whole new meaning. As she navigates the different conventions of 1985, Andie’s confidence grows and she begins to open up to the idea of friendship—even love. Meanwhile, paramedic Zack is plenty occupied with his job and large family; dating rarely even crosses his mind. When Andie literally tumbles into his life, though, he might have to reevaluate.

Throughout THE RIGHT TIME, author Lena Gibson deftly captures Andie and Zack’s rich emotional depths, giving the story plenty of heart. Both the mundanity and ache of constant loneliness permeate Andie’s perspective, making it all the more meaningful when she finds friendship with Zack and his sister Val. Zack’s fear of loss is more subtle, but it still comes through in his attentive care to everyone around him. Andie and Zack have chemistry from their first meeting, but it’s only through personal growth in their other friendships that they become actually compatible for a relationship. Neither character is reduced to just an arc of overcoming their traumas and fears, with Andie’s interests, humor, and stubbornness in particular giving her chapters an engaging voice.

Like many timeslip stories, the actual method of time travel in THE RIGHT TIME remains a mystery. Gibson prefers to infuse the narrative with more concrete details around the logistics of everyday life. For example, when Andie leaves her abusive husband in the first chapter, she must figure out housing, bank account access, and the divorce process. The quiet moments of making lists, cleaning, and problem-solving anchor the story and give readers confidence in her resilience when Andie is thrown into another new environment in 1985. Despite some initial struggles without her smart phone, Andie adapts remarkably well. Gibson briefly touches on some other differences of the time period, such as lack of sexual harassment protections in the workplace and less-advanced medical procedures. However, the book does miss the opportunity to explore any tension in Andie and Zack’s interactions or worldviews related to their being raised in different time periods.

Although THE RIGHT TIME does not fully romanticize the 1980s, the book is clearly inspired by movies of the time. From the quotes at the start of each chapter to Andie’s job in a video rental store, film fans will love all the cinematic history sprinkled throughout. Plus, everything from the cover to the plot makes THE RIGHT TIME a fantastic read for anyone celebrating the 40th anniversary of Back to the Future’s release in 1985!

A sweet, slow burn romance and love letter to ’80s cinema, Lena Gibson’s THE RIGHT TIME combines time travel with the everyday details of building a new life. Readers who enjoy non-spicy romance and character-driven women’s fiction are sure to get sucked in.

~ Cameron Gillespie for IndieReader