Phantom in Time - Softcover

Riley, Eugenia

3.84

394 ratings by Goodreads

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0380771586 ISBN 13: 9780380771585

Publisher: Avon Books, 1996

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Haunted by the hypnotic voice of a murdered tenor who lived and died many years earlier, a young opera singer is transported back in time to the side of her ghostly suitor and must prevent his murder. Original.

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Review:

Bella De La Rosa is meant to sing opera on the stage but she has a huge problem, Bella suffers from stage fright. In an effort to overcome her fear, Bella auditions for the chorus at the St. Charles Opera House in New Orleans which is said to be haunted by the phantom ghost of Jacques LeFevre, a womanizing rogue who was supposedly murdered almost 100 years ago. Jacques' ghost appears to Bella several times and she is intrigued by the handsome man. During a performance the kaleidoscope swirls it's light and Bella becomes dizzy, and then finds herself 100 years in the past! Bella, dressed in a Valkyrie costume, lands on the same stage where Jacques is singing a song from Carmen, but it is 1896. Jacques LeFerve is immediately appreciative of Bella's beauty, and he is in awe of her exquisite soprano voice. Jacques is set on claiming Bella as his own and she cannot resist his charm for long. But at a crucial time, Bella gets caught in the kaleidoscope lights and is sent to the present. Every time she distances herself emotionally from Jacques, she returns to 1996. Her ailing grandmother tells Bella that she must face her love for Jacques and the opera; Jacques tells Bella that she is meant to be his and to sing, that is her destiny. Bella worries that Jacques loves her voice more than he loves her, and she also worries that she could be the cause of his death. A little more research while in the present confirms that Jacques was in love with the mysterious Bella, who disappeared after he was murdered. Bella is not sure if she can save Jacques, or even return to him in the past, but she tries. While on stage again, the kaleidoscope lights swirl and she feels dizzy. Bella is on her way back and just as she lands on the stage, she sees someone throwing a knife at Jacques. This time, Bella is the phantom in time, but she is not a ghost. Can Bella save Jacques? Can Bella fulfill her destiny to love Jacques and sing on stage? And who is the real Phantom In Time? Bella goes from present to past several times with a lot more happening in the story. I became a little frustrated as every song that is performed in the present or past is mentioned by title and I found that to be a bit tedious. Aside from that, I found it a great time-travel.Phantom In Time is a wonderful time travel that is sure to delight fans of this genre, and even those who are not! A terrific story that really moves quickly! Transcends time, too! This time travel romance is sure to entertain! Good story, great characters and a unique way to travel in time! Eugenia Riley is a writing talent for all times!Gloria Miller -- Copyright � 1994-97 Literary Times, Inc. All rights reserved -- From Literary Times

From Publishers Weekly:

Bogged down with Gay Nineties descriptions, tired characterizations and wearisome dialogue, Riley's latest time-travel romance (after Timeswept Bride) revolves around stage-shy Bella De La Rosa, a modern-day opera singer who spirals back to 1896. There she confronts the living version of tenor Jacques LeFevre, whose ghost has been haunting the opera house since his murder. Bella accepts her unexpected trip to the 19th century without a peep of protest, figuring she's there to find LeFevre's murderer and will eventually be returned to her own time. What she doesn't know is that her destiny lies in the past, singing as a diva with LeFevre. But she can be successful only if she overcomes her fear of the theater and saves the man she loves. Flaws abound in this tale, but the coup de grace comes with an ending so implausible as to border on the ridiculous.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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