Lauren Rose (Asheville, NC)History brought to Life!

I loved this book. Nita Hughes created a stimulating romantic mystery that brings to life a very real place and people. Most of what is known of the Cathars comes from records of the Inquisition. These beautiful, peaceful people have, through the heart and words of Nita Hughes, been given back their dignity. I want the sequel!!!  

Valerie Storey (Albuquerque, NM USA)Past Recall--A Book to Remember

Reading Past Recall I was transported to another time and dimension that went far beyond the strong story line and sympathetic characters; in fact, I found myself so involved with the lives of thirteenth-century Clotilde de Mirepoix and her modern-day counterpart, Dana Palmer, I began to dream about them! The contrast of the two women set against their respective time frames and patriarchal challenges--Dana trying to save a spiritual treasure from the greedy, suspect archaeologist, Benjamin Carter, while Clotilde is literally trying to save her life in a world gone mad--will provide plenty for group discussion. Whether the topic turns to history, spirituality, or the role of women in brutal times, Past Recall makes an excellent choice for a book club or discussion group. Many of the travel sequences are portrayed so realistically (and deliciously!) readers will feel they've actually stepped into the French countryside. This is a marvelous work combining romance, travel, metaphysics, and yes--the meaning of life. For me Past Recall is one of those alchemical reads that left me a different person than when I first opened its pages. The title is apt, making me recall the characters and their lives with a deep sense of "what if?" and wondering if we really do hold the power to "change the world."

William J. Hays, Ph.D. (Peoria, IL)Once you begin...you will not want to put it down...

"Past Recall" by Nita Hughes is a well crafted historical novel that holds the reader's interest throughout. It compels me to wish that I had traveled further into Southern France to see the picturesque towns and landscape where the events unfolded in the book. There is even a map which is so often omitted from books today. The past is interwoven with the present to develop two exciting conclusions. The main characters are well developed, and the reader cares what happens to them. The book contains much of what a reader might want such as sex, love, intrigue, deception, action and a struggle between life and death in both the past and the present. Once you begin this book, you will not want to put it down until the end.  

Edward Crump, III (Salem, OR)Comments from a non-fiction reader

I wish I could rate this book 4 1/2 because it is that close to the highest rating. The character development was outstanding. The flow of action never stopped. If ever an author could be said to have done her research, it's Nita Hughes. The Cathar period was relatively brief, and its eventual demise is a lesson in courage and devotion to their ideals. It does not, however, deal kindly with Papal infallibility, and the Inquisition in general. The final chapters are both sad and exciting.

MARA SNAITH, M.A. (Maui, Hawaii USA) Sleep Deprived

I am sleep deprived because I read at night, and I cannot put down Past Recall! This book has it all: history (I'm learning something); romance (I can daydream); adventure (a real page-turner); and, at least to my way of thinking, a satisfying sprinkle of metaphysical mystery, (although that may not be what the author intended).

J. Philip Thomas (Maui, Hawaii)Plat du Jour for the Soul

This fascinating and well-researched novel has it all. Rather like reading the plat du jour in a French restaurant; Hughes serves up history and romance as titillating hors d'oeuvres, followed by a main dish of intrigue marinated in the conspiracies of 13th century France, and finally sweetened with a sprinkling of magic wherein the human spirit triumphs over mind, time, and religious dogma. A taste of the divine...

Linda Higueras (Sonoma, CA United States)Compelling Page-Turner

Having recently been detained on a flight from the East to West Coast, I started reading Past Recall and the 3 1/2 hour delay was transparent to me as this compelling story had me transfixed and transported to another place and another time. As it happens, I know the area of southern France in which the events of the modern-day heroine and her mysterious colleague travel in pursuit of the truth behind the persecution and genocide of a little-known religious sect known as the Cathars. Nita Hughes brings the place alive and makes me want to return and retrace the path of the heroine. The historical details and elements of suspense are wonderfully balanced and make for an entertaining and educational literary journey coupled with hints of the many charms of the area in wine, cuisine and accommodations. Past Recall would make a terrific play in the style of Tom Stoppard's Arcadia or an HBO miniseries. It's a fast read, especially since the plot builds to a crescendo and then leaves you wanting more. If your cup of tea is mystery, spiritualism, travel, romance and suspense, this is the book for you!

Alexander Reed (Pacific Palisades, CA., USA)Some poignant history and love

This is an exciting, romantic and educational novel. I was carried along by its excellently crafted plot and at the same time absorbed by the historical details of the Cathar religious movement in Southern France during the Catholic Inquisition. The author has ingeniously combined this thirteenth century drama with a well-drawn, modern love affair, surrounded by a great dose of mystery. In total, a deep and interesting story which not only offers a lot of pleasurable reading but a fascinating look at some real, poignant history.

Susan J. Oblinger (Los Angeles, CA United States)A Magical Visit with Past People

While there is a lack of historical knowledge about the Cathars, Nita Hughes has re-created the historical period and its people with a sensitivity to believability. The details of daily life and descriptions of locations were so vivid I felt I was really there. If you want a fascinating read with a heart-stopping climax - read Past Recall!

Douglas (Maui, HI United States)An amazing story about a woman's mystical quest through time

 Nita Hughes' debut novel is a fascinating journey to discover an ancient connection between love and wisdom. It incorporates two stories that are interwoven between the 13th Century and modern day France. We learn about the mystery and magic of the Cathars, an enlightened group of people who were massacred during the Inquisition. We discover that their cultural extinction was justified by those in power because they were said to control a treasure that could transform the world. In the story, this treasure is meant to be rediscovered in today's troubled world, but the same dark forces that tried to extinguish the light in the past are still present on our planet today. Their selfish desire to exploit the secrets and wield more power creates a tale of danger, romance, and spiritual wisdom that keeps the reader spellbound.