Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor (2013) – Madeline Maxwell needs a change in her life, so when her mentor suggests applying to become an historian at the St. Mary’s Institute of Historical Research, it sounds like the perfect option. What she discovers only after signing on the dotted line is how St. Mary’s does their research. They “investigate major historical events in contemporary time”. In other words, they travel through time. With the occasional slip-up or explosion.
Why I Liked It – It’s just pure good fun!
This was a fun read from beginning to end. The story bounces along with some significant moments in history featured in the story. There’s something for almost every taste, from science fiction to romance. The hardcore genre fan will find things to grump about, but for most readers, it’s a romp of a read. It doesn’t tie itself up in the “science” of time travel, but focuses more on the ethical and moral issues about inserting anachronistic human beings into a past timeline. The ripple effects can follow you forward in ways that no one wants to imagine. Into the midst of this temporal minefield, the chaos agents of St. Mary’s tend to land face first. This results in a short professional life (and often a short life, period), and the agents of St. Mary’s must clean up the mess quickly.
I won’t give away the story and let you explore for yourself. The characters are interesting, and the situations offer plenty to draw you in. I also loved the dialogue! There’s a strong seam of snark that runs through the bedrock of the story. It gives a nice, light feel to the overall story. The mix of history, science fiction, and a bit of sexy (but not especially graphic) romance makes for fun read.
If you enjoy it, the good news is that it’s the first book of a now thirteen book series! Yes, this means I actually started with the FIRST book of a series for a change!
As a writer, there’s another cool thing about this book. It began as a self-published story through independent download sites, but was picked up by a publisher and became a bestseller! It gives hope to all of us who continue to toil away at our own writing.
“Just One Damned Thing After Another” is both fun and funny. What more could you want for your future?
Rating **** – Recommended
Stories Are My Life 
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