Welcome to the blog tour for the Dr. Dulac Series by Julia Ibbotson. Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources for the spot on the tour. Read on for more info, a giveaway, and my review.
A haunting Anglo-Saxon time-slip of mystery and romance.
Can echoes of the past threaten the present? They are 1500 years apart, but can they reach out to each other across the centuries? One woman faces a traumatic truth in the present day. The other is forced to marry the man she hates as the ‘dark ages’ unfold.
How can Dr Viv DuLac, medievalist and academic, unlock the secrets of the past? Traumatised by betrayal, she slips into 499 AD and into the body of Lady Vivianne, who is also battling treachery. Viv must uncover the mystery of the key that she unwittingly brings back with her to the present day, as echoes of the past resonate through time. But little does Viv realise just how much both their lives across the centuries will become so intertwined. And in the end, how can they help each other across the ages without changing the course of history?
For fans of Barbara Erskine, Pamela Hartshorne, Susanna Kearsley, Christina Courtenay.
“In the best Barbara Erskine tradition …I would highly recommend this novel” –Historical Novel Society
“Amazing …a really great book …I just couldn’t put it down” –Hazel Morgan
“Well-rounded characters and a wealth of historical research make this a real page-turner” –Amazon review
“Enthralling” –Amazon review
“Julia does an incredible job of setting up the idea of time-shift so that it’s believable and makes sense” – Amazon review
“Viv/Lady Vivianne … lovely identifiable heroine in both time periods….I love her strength and vulnerability. And Rory/Roland is simply gorgeous!” – Melissa Morgan
“gripping … a very real sense of threat and danger, an enthralling mystery … a wholly convincing romance, across both timelines” – Anne Williams
Purchase
Review
A Shape on the Air by Julia Ibbotson is a great start to the Dr. Dulac series. It’s an intriguing blend of historical, fantasy, and science fiction.
Vivianne Dulac is a really compelling main character. She is a history professor with an intricate background. While she is the most developed, the side characters aren’t flat. I love how well I was able to get to know these characters.
This story is quite the web of unexpected events that are woven together very well. This author’s writing style is very unique.
I enjoyed this read and look forward to see what the rest of series brings!
Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources for the free review copy. All opinions are my own and unbiased.
Rating
4★
A haunting medieval time-slip
Echoes of the past resonate through time and disturb medievalist Dr DuLac as she struggles with misfortune in the present. She and Rev Rory have escaped to the island of Madeira on a secondment from their posts, yet they are not to find peace – until they can solve the mystery of the shard of azulejo and the ancient ammonite. Viv’s search brings her into contact with two troubled women: a noblewoman shipwrecked on the island in the 14th century and a rebellious nun at the island convent in the 16th century. As Viv reaches out across the centuries, their lives become intertwined, and she must uncover the secrets of the ominous Dragon Tree in order to locate lost artefacts that can shape the future.
For fans of Barbara Erskine, Pamela Hartshorne, Susanna Kearsley, Christina Courtenay.
(for A Shape on the Air) “In the best Barbara Erskine tradition …I would highly recommend this novel” –Historical Novel Society
(for the series) “Julia does an incredible job of setting up the idea of time-shift so that it’s believable and makes sense” – book tour reviewer
“The idea of being able to ‘feel’ what happened in the past is enticing … The sense of the island is really wonderful … Julia brings it to life evocatively” – Joanna Barnden
“an engaging and original time-slip novel that keeps the reader turning the pages…the characters are authentic and the mystery is neatly woven between the centuries … seamless time transitions” – Melissa Morgan
Purchase
Review
Ahh, returning to the Dr. Dulac series with The Dragon Tree. I love time slip novels because they are so uniquely crafted. Julia Ibbotson’s writing is impressive because she keeps the reader engaged and keeps the plot seamless.
I was transported into this story. This story is so easy to get lost in and I really enjoy the mystery throughout the story.
Viv is back. I love her growth as a character and it’s been really great to watch her through this series so far.
If you like time-slip novels that allow you to get lost in the story and feel as though you’re there, check this series out.
Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources for the free review copy. All opinions are my own and unbiased.
Rating
4★
A haunting time-slip mystery of runes and romance
When Dr Viv DuLac, medievalist and academic, finds a mysterious runic inscription on a Rune Stone in the graveyard of her husband’s village church, she unwittingly sets off a chain of circumstances that disturb their quiet lives in ways she never expected.
Once again, she feels the echoes of the past resonate through time and into the present. Can she unlock the secrets of the runes in the life of the 6th century Lady Vivianne and in Viv’s own life? Lives of the past and present intertwine alarmingly as Viv desperately tries to save them both, without changing the course of history.
For fans of Barbara Erskine, Pamela Hartshorne, Susanna Kearsley, Christina Courtenay.
(for A Shape on the Air) “In the best Barbara Erskine tradition …I would highly recommend this novel” –Historical Novel Society
(for the series) “Julia does an incredible job of setting up the idea of time-shift so that it’s believable and makes sense” – book tour reviewer
“Dr Ibbotson has created living, breathing characters that will remain in the reader’s mind long after the book is read … The characters are brought to life beautifully with perfect economy of description … fabulous!” – Melissa Morgan
“A rich and evocative time-slip novel that beautifully and satisfyingly concludes this superb trilogy. The story is woven seamlessly and skilfully between the past and the present and the reader is drawn deeply into both worlds. Her portrayal of the 6th century and its way of life are authoritative, vivid and memorable” – Kate Sullivan
Purchase
Review
I’m really grateful I had the opportunity to read these books without having to wait for them to come out. I really enjoyed this trilogy. It’s beautifully written and allowed me go be transported into the story. I read to escape the real world and these books allowed me to do just that.
The Rune Stone provides a very satisfying conclusion to this trilogy but I’m sad it’s over! These characters feel real and alive. I think the best part about these books were the characters.
This plot seamlessly flows from past to present. Julia Ibbotson makes this plot device look easy, but it isn’t and I’m thoroughly impressed with how she wrote this!
Overall, a great read and a great series. Don’t miss out.
Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources for the free review copy. All opinions are my own and unbiased.
Rating
4★
Julia Ibbotson is fascinated by the medieval world and the concept of time. She sees her author brand as a historical fiction writer of romantic mysteries that are evocative of time and place, well-researched and uplifting page-turners. Her current series focuses on early medieval time-slip/dual-time mysteries. Julia read English at Keele University, England, specialising in medieval language/ literature/ history, and has a PhD in socio-linguistics. After a turbulent time in Ghana, West Africa, she became a school teacher, then a university academic and researcher. Her break as an author came soon after she joined the RNA’s New Writers’ Scheme in 2015, with a three-book deal from Lume Books (Endeavour) for a trilogy (Drumbeats) set in Ghana in the 1960s. She has published five other books, including A Shape on the Air, an Anglo-Saxon timeslip mystery, and its two sequels The Dragon Tree and The Rune Stone. Her work in progress is the first of a new series of Anglo-Saxon mysteries (Daughter of Mercia) where echoes of the past resonate across the centuries. Her books will appeal to fans of Barbara Erskine, Pamela Hartshorne, Susanna Kearsley, and Christina Courtenay. Her readers say: ‘Julia’s books captured my imagination’, ‘beautiful story-telling’, ‘evocative and well-paced storylines’, ‘brilliant and fascinating’ and ‘I just couldn’t put it down’.
Social Media Links –
Amazon Author page: Author.to/JuliaIbbotsonauthor
Author website & blog: http://www.juliaibbotsonauthor.com
Facebook (author): https://www.facebook.com/JuliaIbbotsonauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JuliaIbbotson
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julia.ibbotson
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/juliai1/
Goodreads author page: https://www.goodreads.com/juliaibbotson
Let me know what you think in the comments. I’d love to interact with you. If this sounds like something you would read, let me know!
Linktr.ee (All links!)
If you’d like to support me, check out my ‘Buy Me A Coffee’ page.
Jessica Belmont 
Thank you so much for your lovely reviews on all three of the Dr DuLac series so far! I’m glad you enjoyed them, and thanks for taking part in the book tour.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome!!!
LikeLike