10 Fantasy Books About Time Travel
There’s something irresistibly thrilling about time travel — the idea of leaping through centuries, rewriting history, or colliding with fate itself. In the realm of fantasy, these adventures are often infused with epic romance, high-stakes quests, and mind-bending twists that leave readers breathless. Buckle up as we journey through ten spellbinding books that weave love, destiny, and the magic of time travel.
1. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
This stunning blend of historical romance and time-traveling adventure has captured the hearts of millions of listeners around the world and catapulted author Diana Gabaldon to the top of the New York Times bestseller list. Outlander introduces an exhilarating world of heroism and breathtaking thrills—as one woman is torn between past and present, passion and love.
Scotland, 1945… Or is it 1743?
When World War II nurse Claire Randall is mysteriously swept back to the 18th century, she finds herself entangled in a dangerous world of Scottish clans, political intrigue, and a forbidden romance with the dashing Highlander Jamie Fraser.
💭 Why it enchants: Claire and Jamie’s love story is a timeless masterpiece — raw, passionate, and heart-wrenchingly beautiful against the backdrop of history.
2. The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
Henry DeTamble travels through time involuntarily, meeting Clare Abshire at different stages of their lives — and hers. Their relationship is a tapestry of longing, love, and heartbreaking separations.
💭 Why it enchants: This book captures the fragility and resilience of love across time with poetic brilliance. Keep tissues close!
3. Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier
Kerstin Gier started writing women’s novels in 1995 when she found herself with a fresh teaching diploma in hand but without steady work. She is best known in the United States for her Ruby Red Trilogy, and her first book, Männer und andere Katastrophen (Men and Other Disasters), was recently made into a movie starring actress and singer Heike Makatsch. Her subsequent books have enjoyed great popularity in Germany as well. Her novel Das unmoralische Sonderangebot (The Immoral Deal) won the 2005 Best German-Language Romance Novel Prize from the Association of German-Language Romance Writers (DeLiA).
Gwyneth Shepherd thought she was a normal teen — until she discovers she inherited a time-travel gene. Suddenly, she’s thrown into a secret society and an even more mysterious romance with the enigmatic Gideon de Villiers.
💭 Why it enchants: The electric chemistry between Gwyneth and Gideon is as thrilling as the twists in this time-travel adventure.
4. 11/22/63 by Stephen King
One of the Ten Best Books of The New York Times Book Review
Winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize
This enhanced ebook edition contains a 13-minute film, written and narrated by Stephen King and enhanced with historic footage from CBS News, that will take you back—as King’s novel does—to Kennedy era America.
English teacher Jake Epping is given the chance to prevent the assassination of JFK by stepping through a time portal. But time resists change, and love complicates everything.
💭 Why it enchants: The bittersweet romance between Jake and Sadie is as gripping as the novel’s tense, twist-filled plot.
5. All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill
Imprisoned in a bleak future, Em must go back in time to prevent the creation of a catastrophic time machine — even if it means confronting the boy she once loved.
💭 Why it enchants: This heart-pounding, dual-timeline thriller is packed with tension, heartbreak, and the question: Can love survive fate?
6. The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North
Harry August lives his life over and over, retaining his memories each time. As he grapples with his unique existence, a threat emerges that could unravel time itself.
💭 Why it enchants: Harry’s complex relationships and profound reflections on love, purpose, and humanity are hauntingly beautiful.
7. Passenger by Alexandra Bracken
Etta Spencer is thrust into a centuries-spanning journey when a mysterious artifact propels her into the past. Alongside Nicholas Carter, a time-traveling sailor with his own secrets, Etta must unravel a dangerous conspiracy.
💭 Why it enchants: Etta and Nicholas’s slow-burn romance blossoms beautifully amidst high-stakes danger and lush historical landscapes.
8. Here and Now and Then by Mike Chen
Mike Chen is a critically acclaimed science fiction author based out of the San Francisco Bay Area. His debut novel HERE AND NOW AND THEN was a finalist for the Goodreads Choice, CALIBA Golden Poppy, and Compton Crook awards. His other novels include A BEGINNING AT THE END, WE COULD BE HEROES, LIGHT YEARS FROM HOME, and STAR WARS: BROTHERHOOD. He has also contributed to the STAR WARS: FROM A CERTAIN POINT OF VIEW anthology and covers geek culture for sites like Nerdist, StarTrek.com, and The Mary Sue. In previous lives, Mike worked as a sports journalist covering the NHL, DJ, musician, and aerospace engineer. He lives with his wife, daughter, and many rescue animals.
Kin Stewart is a time-traveling agent stuck in the 1990s. When his team finally retrieves him years later, he’s torn between loyalty to his mission and the family he built in the past.
💭 Why it enchants: This novel beautifully explores the lengths we’ll go for love, family, and the sacrifices time demands.
9. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
Meg Murry, her brother Charles Wallace, and their friend Calvin embark on a cosmic adventure to rescue their father, traveling through space and time with the help of three mysterious celestial beings.
💭 Why it enchants: While it’s not a traditional romance, the themes of love, courage, and the strength of familial bonds make this a heartwarming journey.
10. Kindred by Octavia E. Butler
Selected by The Atlantic as one of THE GREAT AMERICAN NOVELS. (“You have to read them.”)
From the New York Times bestselling author of Parable of the Sower and MacArthur “Genius” Grant, Nebula, and Hugo award winner
The visionary time-travel classic whose Black female hero is pulled through time to face the horrors of American slavery and explores the impacts of racism, sexism, and white supremacy then and now.
Dana, a Black woman living in 1970s California, is inexplicably transported back to the antebellum South, where she faces unimaginable danger and must navigate her connection to a white slaveholder.
💭 Why it enchants: This searing, thought-provoking novel explores love, survival, and identity with emotional intensity and a powerful historical lens.
Which Time-Travel Romance Swept You Away?
Whether it’s the thrill of forbidden love in a bygone era or the heart-pounding danger of rewriting history, time-travel fantasy has a way of capturing our imaginations. Which books made your heart race and your mind spin? Share your favorites — let’s unravel the threads of time together!
