Delightful collection of short stories, some poignant, and all reminding us of the human condition, its fragility and man’s futility and limited control in a chaotic existence. (Andrew Bell Book Tour Reviewer)
Time is of the Essence is a lovely little anthology of stories centred around the concept of time. From the funny and whimsical “A Modern Fairy Tale” to the emotional rollercoaster of “Bonnie and Claude”, the author packs in 11 short stories that, at the very least, will leave you in a contemplative mood, and for some possibly a teary-eyed wreck. You’ll also laugh along the way, and the pacing of the different stories is aided perfectly by the order in which they are presented. The dialogue and scene setting are first class and the author has a wonderful ability to find the right voices for her characters. Each is believable and real, even when the situation they find themselves in might not be so straight forward. However, that is not all within this book, as you also get three interviews with veterans, one from the First World War, two from the Second, and here again the concept of time is demonstrated by those whose time was taken by the horrors of war. Finally, there is a short essay that delivers a thought provoking response to the question of how best to use one’s time and how different expectations can affect personal decisions. Having read, and re-read this wonderful anthology, I have no reservations in recommending. It is that good! (Andrew Oyston Book Tour Reviewer)
A book of short stories, all with a time theme linking them and all very different. Something for everyone. I have based my review on the first story – the one I enjoyed the most – but all were well written and easy to read. I did find that a couple of the stories had endings that, I felt, didn’t quite finish the tale adequately, and one tale confused me completely. There were also a couple of occasions that the author ‘head-hopped’ between characters, making it confusing for the reader. All in all, though, a nice read, and perfect to take on a journey because of the bite-sized nature of the stories. (Deb Barwick Book Tour Reviewer)
Time is of the Essence is a collection of short stories, some articles and a couple of essays. I was drawn into the first story from the initial paragraph and that feeling continued with each story throughout the book. Phoebe takes you to the heart of the matter instantly and creates characters you want to know more about. Be prepared to experience a range of emotions from happiness to sorrow and even anger. The variety in the stories, with some being fantasy based, some family orientated and some almost factual, keeps the reader guessing as to what the next one will hold. Twists and turns in the plots make this book a true page turner. The writing is accomplished and polished with a chatty, accessible tone that makes it easy to read. The articles that Phoebe has included at the end are immensely interesting and again, written in an engaging, story-like style. I would have no hesitation recommending this collection to any lover of short stories, or to anyone who finds themselves out of the reading habit due to busy lifestyles taking over. This is a great way to reboot the habit. (Eleanor Dixon Book Tour Reviewer)
Overall, there were some of the short stories that were better than others. I’m not sure the last three stories worked with the rest of the book but that is just my personal opinion. Well written with great character development. (Yvonne Marrs Book Tour Reviewer)
Time is of the Essence’ is an eclectic anthology of short stories and other writings, and as such, it has diverse themes and genres, with elements of fantasy, realism, comedy, drama, and romance, bound somewhat loosely by the shared theme of ‘time.’ However, each story is individually consistent with its theme, and I found myself enjoying the windows offered into the lives of the characters both in the short stories and in the biographical accounts. In some instances, I was entertained, and in others I was really moved. What I found that the author does best is the way that she makes characters relatable, especially when writing in the first person. With the range on offer, much like a buffet prepared by a skilled cook, I would venture that, while not every part will be for everyone, there is a lot to enjoy here. (Tim Marshall Book Tour Reviewer)
I am not always a fan of short stories by their very nature, and as a reader I am often frustrated that the story has finished before its truly begun. However having read the collection of short stories in Time is of the Essence written by Phoebe, I genuinely enjoyed many of them and I loved the variety of tales in this book and the connection to the theme of time that ran throughout. All were well written, the dialogue credible and the characters relatable and easy for a reader to connect to. I must admit one or two of the short stories I felt could have been lengthened in their telling, but this didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment of them. (Kirsty McKay Book Tour Reviewer)
Overall we are award 4 stars.
