Chasing Time by Sarah Louise Dale
Insightful, Relatable, Heartfelt
Chasing Time by Author Sarah Louise Dale 
‘Lost Time Is Never Found Again’ – Benjamin Franklin
Time moves on and things change, circumstances, people, places. It’s one of the inevitable aspects of life. Even the place where you grew up that you think will never change together with the people who you’ve always known, will always evolve, even if it’s so miniscule you don’t notice. One day you will turn around and notice that, somehow, they are not the same as they were even if you yourself have never left. Then what if you make the decision to move away, or worse, leave under some kind of cloud and vow never to return until something pulls you back that you can’t avoid. Lizzie had intended to stay away, but once she knew that the source of her anger was no longer present, and that on some level she was needed, she had to go back. The question was, would she find everything as she had left it or would she live to regret the decision she’d made all those years ago? 
I’d been meaning to read ‘Chasing Time’ for a while which is ironic given the title of the book. Sarah has created strong characters with a plausible plot, so much so that I did begin to wonder if this story of fortitude, stubbornness and determination over adversity between two sisters coming at a situation from two very different perspectives, was semi auto-biographical. The cover design is so attractive with such beautiful colours, and is the primary reaon for reading this book. 
The character of Lizzie is written well and in the beginning as she arrives home from a disastrous evening and spends time on the beach recounting her night, the reader is really given a feel for who she is and I love the independent sassiness she displays. I also thought that her retort to Michael when he contacted her, clearly unfazed by his own behaviour and feeling that Lizzy should feel the same, was perfect, and this was instrumental in allowing me to warm to her. I was most impressed that her job came with a ‘package’ that catered for her specific needs to such a degree, but considering the history between her and Rosa, I didn’t think that their relationship was as comfortable as it might have been. It felt like Lizzie perhaps expected privileges that Rosa did not feel she was entitled to. When Lizzie’s back story is explored, I did feel that she had been somewhat naive and childish and that perhaps her reason for her departure needed an extra layer to make it credible, for example, the identity of the man that Lizzie had seen up at the cabin was maybe someone very specific to her. I thought her reaction to events as they were had been extreme and it was around that point that my warmth for her started to grow tepid. Lizzie’s droll indignation at Ginger not disclosing her details to Emma ‘when she had a perfectly good death bed on which to share it’ really appealed to my sense of humour. 
When Roman and Lizzie are at the cabin and find the letter, resolving to go back to talk to Emma, I was disappointed that that conversation didn’t take place in the narrative, as I was slightly confused as to what Emma was aware of at that stage. The push/pull relationship that the sisters have with regards to their differing personality in terms of Emma’s openness and Lizzie’s guarded persona, left me feeling sympathy with Emma, as I felt that Lizzie was judging her for what she was content to let others in on. Lizzie had, I think on some level been secretive about herself since leaving her home town maybe because she knew she had acted in haste and would be judged for it, whereas Emma took a much more liberal approach to what had taken place. Also when you live with a situation such as Emma’s, having to be open with people becomes second nature, especially if they can sense the issue before they are told. The way in which the sisters came at Emma’s circumstances from two different places, kind of left me feeling empathy with Lizzie, as all she wanted to do was keep her sister safe. However, she failed to acknowledge Emma’s awareness of her own situation, and Lizzie starts to push to obtain the outcome that she is looking for, rather than what her sister wants. I was frustrated at Lizzie’s thoughtlessness and her assumption that Emma felt the same and Lizzie doesn’t understand the coping strategies that Emma uses. 
The introduction of Charlie felt a tad forced to begin with, as if Lizzie had to have a love interest. Lizzie’s inner thoughts state that she is attempting to avoid any kind of entanglement in case it complicated matters. I felt though, that her resolve wasn’t as strong as it might have been when inviting him to sit next to her during the film and completely disregarded, after she fights with Emma. The irony of the film that the girls had grown up loving, now reflecting their situation showing how the presence or absence of a person can have an overwhelming effect on others, ‘life imitating art’ wasn’t lost on me. When Roman arrives, Lizzie’s behaviour mirrors that of her actions when she left town all that time ago, not thinking about the reason for other’s actions or their feelings. Emma needed someone who had known her since ‘that’ part of her life had been prevalent, and Charlie’s explanation to Lizzie was very pragmatic. 
Lizzie offering to spend the day with an angry, hurt and rejected Charlie, again displayed a behaviour, polar opposite to how she originally decided that she would play things with the handsome travel blogger. Emma is definitely more emotionally mature than Lizzie, as is shown when they talk at breakfast. The author makes the point that Lizzie isn’t shallow when it comes to seeking a wealthy partner, but in mentioning Emma’s choice of attire for their trip, she proves otherwise. 
The development whilst they are in California was very unexpected, and therefore a delight. This novel has been one of very few I have read this year that has surprised me with the reveal of a character’s identity and it blew me away. The author cleverly diverts the reader’s attention to other matters concealing the final larger detail that pulls it all together. It also didn’t occur to me that the person that the girls were tracking down was of such an affluent status. The retracting of this person’s decision to do what had been asked of him, confused me momentarily as it had seemingly happened so quickly. Emma no longer wants to put up a fight and Lizzie feels rejected as she feels that she had accompanied Emma for a purpose she is no longer required to serve. She is also hurt that Emma has so easily ‘given in’. The inner dialogue whilst Lizzie is on the phone to Charlie, I felt was a little superfluous as they hadn’t even declared themselves officially together, but now thinking about it, it was in keeping of Lizzie’s penchant for the dramatic and she did come across as something of a control freak! 
Emma was hasty I thought in shredding the letter without checking to see if it was legitimate, but then I also understood her state of mind. Had she had been fighting for herself or others? 
I was pleasantly surprised that, the conclusion wasn’t what I and maybe other readers might expect. I would say that there are parts of this story that feel overly prolonged and the accuracy in the writing could have been improved on, but all in all, this is a wonderfully heart-warming story of the fragility of being human, forgiveness and love.
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