Gabriella “Gabi” Betarrini is a modern American teenager who, along with her sister Lia, is transported back to 14th-century Italy while visiting Etruscan ruins. She lands in the middle of a war between rival city-states and meets Marcello Forelli, a young nobleman who becomes her love interest.
Gabi’s modern perspective is the engine of the series. She brings a 21st-century sensibility to medieval problems, whether that means questioning the social order, refusing to be a passive damsel, or simply being confused by the lack of indoor plumbing. Over the course of five books, she grows from a bewildered tourist into someone who belongs in both centuries. The River of Time: California companion series continues the time travel concept with new characters, but Gabi’s story is the heart of the original series.
Read the River of Time books in order.