Well, this is definitely a mysterious, suspenseful thriller with full on action and adventure; and of course a little romance to boot. I haven’t read a time travel novel since Lauren Kate and it was certainly an interesting read. I really enjoyed the writing style of Ms Cooper and will certainly pick up another one of her books. All the characters are strong and complex.Lara Crane is an ordinary teenager, although her Mother was shot and killed when she was younger, so therefore she lives with just her Dad, John. There is new technology available that allows users to travel back in time to visit past memories. For her birthday, her Dad got her some sessions to visit memories that included her Mum. That’s when an idea struck; she could go back in time to when her Mum was shot and save her, so they would have a happy family.Lara has a boyfriend, Rick and he is adamant that her idea is horrible. Rule number one in the time travel agency, Rewind is that you cannot change the past, the consequences would be enormous. But Lara only wants to save her Mum so they would be a family again and her Dad would be happy too. The other rule in Rewind is that you only have 15 minutes in the past before being taken back to the present. You appear as a hologram and cannot touch or change anything.Lara finds out she is different though, special, during her sessions she was able to touch, bump and speak to the people in her memories and that is when she makes her decision; she will save her Mother.Determined to make her Father happy and herself, Lara changes the past!Waking up from her trip, Lara discovers that her changing the past has certainly changed the present. Waking in her bed in a mansion of a house in an expensive neighbourhood, Lara is excited to see her Mother again. Being a school day though, her Mother has already gone to work; so off to school she heads.School is different as well, apparently Rick isn’t in the picture and Donovan is her boyfriend, but Donovan was not even acknowledged before the change. Things only get stranger.Lara starts receiving new memories from the present and during which bleeding noses and massive headaches arrive as well. Lara has heard of travel sickness and this is another reason why the past isn’t to be changed. But Lara wouldn’t take it back if only she can see her Mother again.The mystery only thickens when she arrives home from school and finds out she has a Step-Dad, plus twin siblings. Where is her paternal Father? Who are the men following Lara in black suits? Why is her Father in prison? Why is her Mother working at Rewind and experimenting on people illegally? Who will Lara choose, Rick or Donovan?Lara wants to know why her Father is in prison, she is finding clues all around for her and the memories come in short bursts. She may need some more time jumping in order to save her family, herself and find the truth.I was a little confused towards the end, I didn’t know if Lara was in reality or memories; but the twisty path that you take with Lara and the ending is well worth the journey to get there. I really enjoyed reading 15 Minutes and recommend this to time travel readers.
