House Call to the Past [Paperback]

In the year 1713, Maria Hallett is seduced and abandoned by the pirate, Black Sam Bellamy. Pregnant, she almost dies giving birth to his son, but help comes in the form of a stranger, a stranger her father sent for.

Modern OB-GYN, Dr. Angus McPherson is on his way to a delivery at the hospital, when he is flagged down by a man in the rain and goes to help the man's daughter, who is weak from loss of blood after a difficult birth.

Angus soon comes to love the young mother, Maria Hallett, and agrees to stay in the past and marry her, to prevent her going to jail accused of witchcraft. Maria reluctantly agrees to the match, but warns him that her heart belongs to Sam Bellamy and she can never love another.

Can Angus ever win her love, when Maria is so determined not to forget her pirate? And what would happen to them if Sam ever returns to claim his son and his woman?

This is a fast paced, page turning book and I was eager to see what happens next. It is based on a true story, but some things have changed for the book, adding to the story of Maria Hallett, rather than detracting from it.

Maria starts off as a bit of a tearaway, but marriage and motherhood have settled her and her transition from child to young woman was deftly handled. The subplots inlcude family feuds and Maria's gradual acceptance by the community who were convinced that she was a witch.

The ending was a little abrupt, but it certainly intrigues and would make you want to know what happens in the sequel "Port Call To The Future."

All in all, a very good read.

Reviewed by Annette Gisby, author of Silent Screams

For those of us who have followed Janet's writing over the years, House Call to the Past is a real treat. Drawing on her own family history, Janet has woven a tale of time travel, high drama and romance by focusing on her great grandmother, Maria Hallet as the heroine and the doctor, Angus McPherson, as the hero of the story.
Dr. Angus suddenly found himself in the past while on the way to deliver a baby, about to be born to Maria's descendant, Blair Smyth-Black, of Hyannis. He found himself in the year 1713, delivering Maria's child in Yarmouth instead. Maria's child was that of Black Sam Bellamy, with whom Maria was madly in love, even though he was again at sea, and there was a chance she would never see him again. This was just the start of the adventure, as Dr. Angus quickly found that he had to convince the locals that Maria was no witch, then marry her to keep her from death.
Black Sam had vowed to come back rich and reclaim his Maria. Dr. Angus vowed to keep it from happening. Maria was torn between the kindness and goodness of Dr. Angus and her love for Bellamy. Eventually Black Sam came to retrieve his Maria and his son, arriving one stormy night aboard his ship, the Whydah.
I found the tale to be exciting and one that kept me reading until the last page. Janet has promised a sequel to be titled, Port Call to the Future, where fans will learn just what happened to Black Sam Bellamy. We're all waiting.

Maria Hallett was a wild fifteen year old that lived in Yarmouth, Massachusetts (Cape Cod), in the year 1713. While her huge family slept, she would dash into town to spend a few hours at Crosby Tavern. There, Maria would flirt and tease all the customers, but never went to bed with any of them. Until Sam Bellamy. Sam and Maria spent one night together while a storm raged outside. Sam was a sailor with nothing to his name. He told Maria to wait for him. He would return for her as soon as he made his fortune from the sea. To do this, Sam became a pirate.

Dr. Angus McPherson is an obstetrician living in Brewster, in the year 1992. As a violent storm rages outside, one of his patients calls to inform him that she has gone into labor. "Dr. Angus" began his trip to the hospital. However, en route he spies a man, running toward his car from a pasture, frantically waving him down. Angus braves the storm to meet the man half way. John Hallett begs Angus to help his daughter, Maria, who is at his home in the middle of a difficult delivery. Knowing his other patient would be fine, Angus agrees. In no time at all, Dr. Angus realizes he has crossed an invisible barrier and entered the past. He saves Maria's life, and that of her baby boy. Yet before he could leave to recross the pasture and return to 1992, he learns that a council meeting was forming to declare Maria a witch and to kill her. Angus can't explain the strong feelings he has for Maria after such a brief time, but to save her again Angus decides to remain in 1713 and marry her.

Maria marries the doctor to save herself, but fully expects to leave him when Black Sam finally returns for her. Angus is just as determined to earn Maria's love, so she would never leave him. The town quickly trusts the new doctor in their area. Learning to trust Maria, an accused witch, is harder. And Maria wasn't really doing anything to help matters. Maria may only be around the age of sixteen, but she is going to have to mature quickly if she ever hopes to be truly happy.

**** I found the character of Maria to be extremely vexing, to say the least. Yet considering her age, I think the author made her maturity level realistic. The doctor's character is extremely well done! Most of this story comes from his point of view. As for the people of Yarmouth and its surrounding area, they gave this story a bonus touch. The author took the time to let me, as the reader, understand them and their beliefs. All-in-all, this romance is refreshing and perfect for a beach read or while you are outside enjoying the sunshine.

This is Maria and Dr. Angus's story. I understand that Sam has his own story in the next episode "Port Call To The Future". If it turns out to be as interesting as this story, I will be very happy. We shall soon see. ****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.