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The Once and Future Fling
Looking for love in all the wrong ages.
Time travel is now legal, and matchmaking agency Kairos lets clients travel through time in search of love.
Ada Blum has always been “an old soul.” She’s convinced that she was born at the wrong time, and after a series of break-ins at her apartment and threatening messages, she’s determined to figure out where she really belongs. She thinks she wants to go to Regency England, meet her Mr. Darcy, and settle down. However, a disastrous date ends with Ada covered in rancid chicken stock and rethinking her plans.
She returns to The Kairos Agency and agrees to try an entirely different era. She travels to 1920s New York where she meets Henry Levison, a small-time hood. After yet another horrible experience, she’s about to give up on the whole matchmaking, time traveling adventure when she bumps into her first love, Samson St. Laurent, a State Senator with whom she had an affair that resulted in a major PR scandal for him and ruined Ada’s life.
Sam is on the run through time, trying to use his knowledge of the future to make a fortune. He says he wants to win Ada back, but she’s not sure that he’s entirely trustworthy. In some ways, she’s drawn to Henry, and when she discovers that he is going to be murdered, she decides to go back and save his life by bringing him to the present day—even if it violates every single Kairos rule.
As Ada jumps back and forth from the present to the past, she’ll have to decide where her heart truly lies and which man she wants in her future.
Time travel is now legal, and matchmaking agency Kairos lets clients travel through time in search of love.
Ada Blum has always been “an old soul.” She’s convinced that she was born at the wrong time, and after a series of break-ins at her apartment and threatening messages, she’s determined to figure out where she really belongs. She thinks she wants to go to Regency England, meet her Mr. Darcy, and settle down. However, a disastrous date ends with Ada covered in rancid chicken stock and rethinking her plans.
She returns to The Kairos Agency and agrees to try an entirely different era. She travels to 1920s New York where she meets Henry Levison, a small-time hood. After yet another horrible experience, she’s about to give up on the whole matchmaking, time traveling adventure when she bumps into her first love, Samson St. Laurent, a State Senator with whom she had an affair that resulted in a major PR scandal for him and ruined Ada’s life.
Sam is on the run through time, trying to use his knowledge of the future to make a fortune. He says he wants to win Ada back, but she’s not sure that he’s entirely trustworthy. In some ways, she’s drawn to Henry, and when she discovers that he is going to be murdered, she decides to go back and save his life by bringing him to the present day—even if it violates every single Kairos rule.
As Ada jumps back and forth from the present to the past, she’ll have to decide where her heart truly lies and which man she wants in her future.
354 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 7, 2023
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5997 people want to read
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July 30, 2023If I had to describe my reaction to this book in one image it would be
Hands down one of the strangest books I have ever read. There were at least seven instances while reading where I went “What?!” out loud. Even at 95% into the book I still had no idea where the plot was going or who the main love interest was supposed to be. It was that wild.
Based on the title, the blurb, the cartoony cover, and pretty much everything about the marketing, I was expecting a romantic comedy. I think that’s the conclusion anyone would come to. Instead what I got was something approximating a very chaotic time-traveling thriller with two very strange romances at very different stages mixed in.
One thing I did enjoy was the representation. This might be the first book I've ever read in which a male love interest (rather than just the female protagonist) is fat. One romantic candidate is a middle-aged former linebacker turned state senator from the present, the other is a skinny Jewish gangster from the 1920s.
With stories about time travel—and I don’t mean stories where one person travels to another time once, as a fluke, but rather stories where time travel is integral and common—I'd say there are three options to avoid complete narrative chaos.
1. The predetermined angle: Every event in history is set in stone. You can try to change the events of the past, but the timeline will correct itself regardless of your efforts.
2. The multiverse angle: Any attempt to change an event of the past will create a new dimension, leaving two dimensions—the one with the change and the one without the change. Once the change is made, you can travel back to the future, but you’ll be stuck in the new timeline, and no one will remember the old world except you.
3. The butterfly effect angle: Anything you try to do in the past will have ripples that irrevocably change the future, causing incredible harm and leading to collapsing timelines and apocalypses.
Leigh Heasley has opted for a secret fourth option I didn’t know existed, which is: all of the above, or perhaps none of the above, or whatever you feel like at the moment, who the fuck knows?
The author never really seems to make her mind up about whether or not trying to change the past will harm the future or whether you even can change the future by going to the past. In fact, not even the law enforcement in this universe she’s created can make their minds up about this. Trying to mess with the past and save people who were meant to die is punishable by life in prison, yet somehow, it’s legal to set up a dating agency that sends modern people to boink people of the past?
Again, all I can say is:
Even without the time travel stuff, the plot was just incredibly chaotic. I couldn’t tell who the actual love interest was supposed to be—her ex boyfriend, or her new flame? The FMC waffled back and forth like crazy in her feelings about both.
Then there were the constant twists in the plot. One thing I’ll say in favor of this book is that I saw pretty none of the twists coming. I shit you not, a plot point that happened at 97 freaking percent in the book had me absolutely flabbergasted. (spoiler here) With 3% to go, the author just says "Hey, by the way, I know I haven’t even hinted at this anywhere in the entire book, but KILLER ROBOTS EXIST AND THEY’RE COMING TO MURDER YOU! Okay bye!!”
So, in conclusion, what the heck did I just read?!?!?!!?! and also thank you to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Hands down one of the strangest books I have ever read. There were at least seven instances while reading where I went “What?!” out loud. Even at 95% into the book I still had no idea where the plot was going or who the main love interest was supposed to be. It was that wild.
Based on the title, the blurb, the cartoony cover, and pretty much everything about the marketing, I was expecting a romantic comedy. I think that’s the conclusion anyone would come to. Instead what I got was something approximating a very chaotic time-traveling thriller with two very strange romances at very different stages mixed in.
One thing I did enjoy was the representation. This might be the first book I've ever read in which a male love interest (rather than just the female protagonist) is fat. One romantic candidate is a middle-aged former linebacker turned state senator from the present, the other is a skinny Jewish gangster from the 1920s.
With stories about time travel—and I don’t mean stories where one person travels to another time once, as a fluke, but rather stories where time travel is integral and common—I'd say there are three options to avoid complete narrative chaos.
1. The predetermined angle: Every event in history is set in stone. You can try to change the events of the past, but the timeline will correct itself regardless of your efforts.
2. The multiverse angle: Any attempt to change an event of the past will create a new dimension, leaving two dimensions—the one with the change and the one without the change. Once the change is made, you can travel back to the future, but you’ll be stuck in the new timeline, and no one will remember the old world except you.
3. The butterfly effect angle: Anything you try to do in the past will have ripples that irrevocably change the future, causing incredible harm and leading to collapsing timelines and apocalypses.
Leigh Heasley has opted for a secret fourth option I didn’t know existed, which is: all of the above, or perhaps none of the above, or whatever you feel like at the moment, who the fuck knows?
The author never really seems to make her mind up about whether or not trying to change the past will harm the future or whether you even can change the future by going to the past. In fact, not even the law enforcement in this universe she’s created can make their minds up about this. Trying to mess with the past and save people who were meant to die is punishable by life in prison, yet somehow, it’s legal to set up a dating agency that sends modern people to boink people of the past?
Again, all I can say is:
Even without the time travel stuff, the plot was just incredibly chaotic. I couldn’t tell who the actual love interest was supposed to be—her ex boyfriend, or her new flame? The FMC waffled back and forth like crazy in her feelings about both.
Then there were the constant twists in the plot. One thing I’ll say in favor of this book is that I saw pretty none of the twists coming. I shit you not, a plot point that happened at 97 freaking percent in the book had me absolutely flabbergasted. (spoiler here) With 3% to go, the author just says "Hey, by the way, I know I haven’t even hinted at this anywhere in the entire book, but KILLER ROBOTS EXIST AND THEY’RE COMING TO MURDER YOU! Okay bye!!”
So, in conclusion, what the heck did I just read?!?!?!!?! and also thank you to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.
February 7, 2024
I loved the idea of this book - like a time-traveling Tinder. I also really liked the writing and the MC; however, I was left pretty confused.
I never got a true grasp of the MC's relationships and there was a lot of back and forth (between her feelings over the men, the time periods, etc), which left me disoriented and unconnected to either romantic interest.
Despite the confusion and pretty rule-less time travel (where tf did the cyborgs come from), I will definitely check out Heasley's next work.
I never got a true grasp of the MC's relationships and there was a lot of back and forth (between her feelings over the men, the time periods, etc), which left me disoriented and unconnected to either romantic interest.
Despite the confusion and pretty rule-less time travel (where tf did the cyborgs come from), I will definitely check out Heasley's next work.
November 27, 2023
DNF. Very disappointing, poor writing. The idea seems really great but just no.
Find it in our SHARE Catalog today!
Ashley C. / Milton Public Library #CheckOutMPL
Find it in our SHARE Catalog today!
Ashley C. / Milton Public Library #CheckOutMPL
July 2, 2023
A messy opposites attract with time travel and morally grey characters!
In a futuristic society, Kairos Dating Service provides a clientele pool spanning centuries via time travel!
Needing a break, Ada decides to give it a try, but after an unfortunate event in Regency England, she finds herself in 1920s New York for her next date.
I think the best past is that every character is capable of questionable actions that add to the complexity of the plot.
And I hope Cel gets her own book!
In a futuristic society, Kairos Dating Service provides a clientele pool spanning centuries via time travel!
Needing a break, Ada decides to give it a try, but after an unfortunate event in Regency England, she finds herself in 1920s New York for her next date.
I think the best past is that every character is capable of questionable actions that add to the complexity of the plot.
And I hope Cel gets her own book!
June 22, 2023
Quite entertaining, but really my cup of tea at the end of the day. Romance, mystery, time travel.
The idea that you can go and look for the love of your life back in time seems interesting until you remember we're currently at the pinnacle of equality and it ain't even that good. So hoping you'll pop to regency England and meet someone better than you do in modern times is certifiable. Mr Darcy was only as dreamy as he was, because of Elizabeth Bennett's limitations in society.
But the intrigue was good - Leigh Heasley really had me twisted up in the mystery for a good bit there, before I caught on.
The idea that you can go and look for the love of your life back in time seems interesting until you remember we're currently at the pinnacle of equality and it ain't even that good. So hoping you'll pop to regency England and meet someone better than you do in modern times is certifiable. Mr Darcy was only as dreamy as he was, because of Elizabeth Bennett's limitations in society.
But the intrigue was good - Leigh Heasley really had me twisted up in the mystery for a good bit there, before I caught on.
October 22, 2023
First I want to say a big thank you to Leigh Heasley for allowing me to receive an ARC of her book in exchange for an honest review.
To my surprise I really really enjoyed reading The Once and Future Fling. When I was first introduced to the book and what it was about, I honestly didn’t think I would enjoy it as much as I did. A book about a time travel dating service is not one that I would have ever thought to pick up. I thought it was going to be a romance novel with an interesting time travel twist but it was so much more than that. I don’t want to give too much away but here are my thoughts;
What I liked about the book:
•I loved how I was always wondering what was going to happen next! I was always left guessing (and I was never right) when I would finish a chapter and that really intrigued me and made me want to keep reading.
•I loved the mystery element of this book. I think that it really added a lot to the plot and really drew me in and made me want to figure out who was behind everything happening to Ada.
•I really enjoyed the characters in this book! Although I was sometimes confused with Ada’s decisions, I was always rooting for her and wanted her to be happy in the end. I liked that she was witty, sarcastic, and made her own decisions. Ms. Little was by far my favorite character. I imagined her as being similar to Effie Trinket from the hunger games. She was just so quirky and fun and I loved how she had Ada’s back throughout the entire book. I also really liked Henry’s character and wanted Ada to end up with him from the beginning. I liked him because of how humble he was, he was able to keep up with Ada, and he was mostly a good guy. I was totally team Henry and not team Sam lol.
•I was very drawn to Heasley’s descriptive writing. I always felt like I could imagine the characters, the setting, the atmosphere and everything else really well.
•My favorite line in the book was “Ms. Little’s request felt more like a death sentence, the sound of the door entering it’s frame like the fall of a guillotine’s blade.”
•I really liked Ada’s & Teddy’s sibling relationship. Teddy was always ride or die for Ada while also giving her his opinions/advice that maybe she didn’t want to hear, but she needed to.
Other notes:
•This book left me with so many questions!!
•Maybe this is just me but for some reason I could not keep Rowland Fairchild & Officer Toussaint straight in my head.. I think in the end they kind of morphed into the same character for me lol
•I thought Penny’s “French” was very funny
•I wanted to like Sam but he made it so difficult
•I am so glad that Ada did not stay in regency era London
•I need a whole separate book of just Henry getting used to living in the 21st century.. I think that would be hilarious!
All in all I was very pleasantly surprised by The Once and Future Fling!! I’m so glad that I got the opportunity to read this book. It was truly such a fun & unique read- I look forward to reading more from Heasley! I tried to keep my review free of any major spoilers but also still wanted to get across how much I liked it & what I liked about it.
To my surprise I really really enjoyed reading The Once and Future Fling. When I was first introduced to the book and what it was about, I honestly didn’t think I would enjoy it as much as I did. A book about a time travel dating service is not one that I would have ever thought to pick up. I thought it was going to be a romance novel with an interesting time travel twist but it was so much more than that. I don’t want to give too much away but here are my thoughts;
What I liked about the book:
•I loved how I was always wondering what was going to happen next! I was always left guessing (and I was never right) when I would finish a chapter and that really intrigued me and made me want to keep reading.
•I loved the mystery element of this book. I think that it really added a lot to the plot and really drew me in and made me want to figure out who was behind everything happening to Ada.
•I really enjoyed the characters in this book! Although I was sometimes confused with Ada’s decisions, I was always rooting for her and wanted her to be happy in the end. I liked that she was witty, sarcastic, and made her own decisions. Ms. Little was by far my favorite character. I imagined her as being similar to Effie Trinket from the hunger games. She was just so quirky and fun and I loved how she had Ada’s back throughout the entire book. I also really liked Henry’s character and wanted Ada to end up with him from the beginning. I liked him because of how humble he was, he was able to keep up with Ada, and he was mostly a good guy. I was totally team Henry and not team Sam lol.
•I was very drawn to Heasley’s descriptive writing. I always felt like I could imagine the characters, the setting, the atmosphere and everything else really well.
•My favorite line in the book was “Ms. Little’s request felt more like a death sentence, the sound of the door entering it’s frame like the fall of a guillotine’s blade.”
•I really liked Ada’s & Teddy’s sibling relationship. Teddy was always ride or die for Ada while also giving her his opinions/advice that maybe she didn’t want to hear, but she needed to.
Other notes:
•This book left me with so many questions!!
•Maybe this is just me but for some reason I could not keep Rowland Fairchild & Officer Toussaint straight in my head.. I think in the end they kind of morphed into the same character for me lol
•I thought Penny’s “French” was very funny
•I wanted to like Sam but he made it so difficult
•I am so glad that Ada did not stay in regency era London
•I need a whole separate book of just Henry getting used to living in the 21st century.. I think that would be hilarious!
All in all I was very pleasantly surprised by The Once and Future Fling!! I’m so glad that I got the opportunity to read this book. It was truly such a fun & unique read- I look forward to reading more from Heasley! I tried to keep my review free of any major spoilers but also still wanted to get across how much I liked it & what I liked about it.
May 31, 2023
Thanks to Netgalley and Wattpad Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
While science fiction is not my normal go to for books, the historical aspects drew me in. The story itself has a few twists, and some things I didn't see coming. It was a very fun read, and I couldn't put it down!
I particularly loved, as a plus size girl myself, the representation of a plus size person as the main character. While reading, I could relate to the character and how she felt about herself, her weight, and even how others perceived her. It is the most honest plus size character I have ever read in any book. She is confident, sarcastic, with bits of insecurities as well. I love that she did not have some sort of "Body Positivity Revolution," because that is not real life. People who struggle with their weight, and body issues, struggle for years.
While science fiction is not my normal go to for books, the historical aspects drew me in. The story itself has a few twists, and some things I didn't see coming. It was a very fun read, and I couldn't put it down!
I particularly loved, as a plus size girl myself, the representation of a plus size person as the main character. While reading, I could relate to the character and how she felt about herself, her weight, and even how others perceived her. It is the most honest plus size character I have ever read in any book. She is confident, sarcastic, with bits of insecurities as well. I love that she did not have some sort of "Body Positivity Revolution," because that is not real life. People who struggle with their weight, and body issues, struggle for years.
The young woman in the ad wasn’t dressed too differently from me, in a sack dress and cardigan, but the clothes accentuated her thinner, more androgynous frame. Maybe that was why. Yes, Henry had called me pretty, but so had Ms. Little. It was a hollow compliment filled with hidden conditions. Even someone as unpolished as Henry probably had the good sense not to call a girl fat to her face.
February 8, 2024
I love the whole concept of the book. Time travel dating, like this is such a good plot but it just wasn’t done good. Based on the description I was expecting a cute time travel romance but it ended up being the strangest chaotic romance. I’ve spend the whole book not knowing who would actually end up being the love interest.
This is such a quick easy paced book. It makes me you want to finish reading it just to find out what actually will end up happening.
SPOILERS!!
The main character was very bland. Sam which is one of the love interest was weird, I don’t understand why she kept going back to him. Henry on the other hand was quite nice, I really enjoyed reading about him, and the way he got used to the real world quite quickly was kind of disappointing. Also they way she told Henry that she loves him after being with him for not even three full days?
The way she kept switching between them every few hours, telling one that she loves him and then next time telling the other one, like make up your mind.
I would of really liked to read about how the Kairos Dating Service came to, like even a bit of it being explained would of been helpful.
Thanks NetGalley and the Publisher for providing me an arc for a honest review.
This is such a quick easy paced book. It makes me you want to finish reading it just to find out what actually will end up happening.
SPOILERS!!
The main character was very bland. Sam which is one of the love interest was weird, I don’t understand why she kept going back to him. Henry on the other hand was quite nice, I really enjoyed reading about him, and the way he got used to the real world quite quickly was kind of disappointing. Also they way she told Henry that she loves him after being with him for not even three full days?
The way she kept switching between them every few hours, telling one that she loves him and then next time telling the other one, like make up your mind.
I would of really liked to read about how the Kairos Dating Service came to, like even a bit of it being explained would of been helpful.
Thanks NetGalley and the Publisher for providing me an arc for a honest review.
November 4, 2023
"The Once and Future Fling delves into the intriguing concept of time travel as a means to discover one's ideal romantic partner. With the promising premise of a delightful romantic comedy, it had the potential to be a hit, but regrettably, it fell short of expectations.
Throughout the narrative, I found myself grappling with uncertainty regarding the primary love interest among the two male lead characters. The lack of clarity in this aspect left me somewhat disoriented. Moreover, the consequences of tampering with the past were underexplored, making it challenging to relate to the consequences of meddling with time.
The characters in the story felt somewhat one-dimensional, making it difficult for me to form a meaningful connection with them. The relationships, particularly between Ada and the two male protagonists, lacked depth and authenticity. Additionally, significant chunks of time elapsed in the plot without notable developments, leaving me puzzled.
One saving grace of the book was the endearing relationship between Ada and her brother, Teddy. Teddy's character injected a touch of humor into the narrative and provided a welcome distraction from the convoluted storyline.
Overall, while "The Once and Future Fling" had an intriguing premise, it struggled to deliver a cohesive and engaging romantic comedy, leaving much to be desired in terms of character development and narrative clarity."
Thank you to #NetGalley and Wattpad Books for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
Throughout the narrative, I found myself grappling with uncertainty regarding the primary love interest among the two male lead characters. The lack of clarity in this aspect left me somewhat disoriented. Moreover, the consequences of tampering with the past were underexplored, making it challenging to relate to the consequences of meddling with time.
The characters in the story felt somewhat one-dimensional, making it difficult for me to form a meaningful connection with them. The relationships, particularly between Ada and the two male protagonists, lacked depth and authenticity. Additionally, significant chunks of time elapsed in the plot without notable developments, leaving me puzzled.
One saving grace of the book was the endearing relationship between Ada and her brother, Teddy. Teddy's character injected a touch of humor into the narrative and provided a welcome distraction from the convoluted storyline.
Overall, while "The Once and Future Fling" had an intriguing premise, it struggled to deliver a cohesive and engaging romantic comedy, leaving much to be desired in terms of character development and narrative clarity."
Thank you to #NetGalley and Wattpad Books for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
November 4, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for having this available as an ARC.
I selected this book because the cover was cute and went in blind. Had no idea this was a book about time travel and romance, mixed with mystery and part sci fi.
After having broken up with her ex Sam, Ada was branded as a home wrecker by the media, as Sam was a politician and it was highly publicized. Little did they know that Sam's marriage was truly over, though that was never corrected and Ada's name got dragged through the mud. Added to this Ada is being stalked. She thought if men in her time weren't decent enough, maybe it was time to try men from different time periods, since time travel was possible. Ada takes on the services of a company Karios and her first encounter doesn't go down so well in Regency London. Her next trip to 1922 has her caught up with a gangster named Henry and her ex Sam has travelled back to this time to win her back. Sam engages in some dodgy dealings in this time period which sets off a whirlwind of events that follow Ada.
The idea that time travel was used as a way to date is a very unique concept for sure! If you can’t find someone in your own time, just travel to another period where suitable bachelors await.
I did find Ada's decisions frustrating at times. She was willing to go back to Sam who didn't really seem like he had the best intentions for her, and there was a point where she was willing to settle, just to not be alone. I thought her interactions with Henry weren't something you'd fall in love over. Her life was at risk at some points and they really were in two different worlds. If she didn't read online the time period in which Henry would die, would she have gone back? She really did have a saviour complex and I'm not fully convinced by their love story.
I enjoyed the murder mystery element of the story. Her best friend Cel and brother Teddy were enjoyable characters. Ms Little was peculiar and I was wondering what her angle was during the book. I imagine if time travel was discovered that the types of regulatory bodies and laws mentioned in this book would be the reality to preserve history. As some of the events are occurring you can definitely piece together what's happening to Ada.
I'm a bit 50/50 on this one. Parts of it I liked reading, other parts I was asking myself why I was still reading.
I selected this book because the cover was cute and went in blind. Had no idea this was a book about time travel and romance, mixed with mystery and part sci fi.
After having broken up with her ex Sam, Ada was branded as a home wrecker by the media, as Sam was a politician and it was highly publicized. Little did they know that Sam's marriage was truly over, though that was never corrected and Ada's name got dragged through the mud. Added to this Ada is being stalked. She thought if men in her time weren't decent enough, maybe it was time to try men from different time periods, since time travel was possible. Ada takes on the services of a company Karios and her first encounter doesn't go down so well in Regency London. Her next trip to 1922 has her caught up with a gangster named Henry and her ex Sam has travelled back to this time to win her back. Sam engages in some dodgy dealings in this time period which sets off a whirlwind of events that follow Ada.
The idea that time travel was used as a way to date is a very unique concept for sure! If you can’t find someone in your own time, just travel to another period where suitable bachelors await.
I did find Ada's decisions frustrating at times. She was willing to go back to Sam who didn't really seem like he had the best intentions for her, and there was a point where she was willing to settle, just to not be alone. I thought her interactions with Henry weren't something you'd fall in love over. Her life was at risk at some points and they really were in two different worlds. If she didn't read online the time period in which Henry would die, would she have gone back? She really did have a saviour complex and I'm not fully convinced by their love story.
I enjoyed the murder mystery element of the story. Her best friend Cel and brother Teddy were enjoyable characters. Ms Little was peculiar and I was wondering what her angle was during the book. I imagine if time travel was discovered that the types of regulatory bodies and laws mentioned in this book would be the reality to preserve history. As some of the events are occurring you can definitely piece together what's happening to Ada.
I'm a bit 50/50 on this one. Parts of it I liked reading, other parts I was asking myself why I was still reading.
January 5, 2024
I’ve seen a bunch of Marvel movies, and this book totally goes against everything the Multiverse stands for. 😂
Three stars for The Once and Future Fling. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Three stars for The Once and Future Fling. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
July 6, 2023
The Once and Future Fling is as much a time travel caper as it is a romance.
Ada has given up on looking for love – at least in her own time – and decides to go looking for her very own Mr. Darcy in actual regency England using a time travel matchmaking service. She accidentally gets sent back to 1922 instead, and meets Henry, gangster and musician. In 1922, she also runs into Sam – her ex, a married politician who let her take the public blame as a home wrecker when the news of their relationship was splashed across the front page.
I respect the ambition of The Once and Future Fling, but I don’t think the author completely sticks the landing. The story bounces back and forth between 1922 and the Ada’s present day. There’s a rather messy plot about temporal financial crimes, mobsters, and the unpredictable effects of time travel, which I’m not sure I fully grasped, especially as it tangles up with the love triangle plot. But I had a lot of fun, as long as I didn’t look too closely at any of the details.
The Once and Future Fling by Leigh Heasley
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
🌶️ Presumably Ada and Henry get to share a bed… eventually
🎻 I wish we got to see more of the artist side of Henry
🃏🎲🏇🦋 Somehow it makes sense that regulation of time travel for business came way later than for social reasons
🔑 Could have done without the whole stalker plot
Thanks to NetGalley and W by Wattpad Books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Ada has given up on looking for love – at least in her own time – and decides to go looking for her very own Mr. Darcy in actual regency England using a time travel matchmaking service. She accidentally gets sent back to 1922 instead, and meets Henry, gangster and musician. In 1922, she also runs into Sam – her ex, a married politician who let her take the public blame as a home wrecker when the news of their relationship was splashed across the front page.
I respect the ambition of The Once and Future Fling, but I don’t think the author completely sticks the landing. The story bounces back and forth between 1922 and the Ada’s present day. There’s a rather messy plot about temporal financial crimes, mobsters, and the unpredictable effects of time travel, which I’m not sure I fully grasped, especially as it tangles up with the love triangle plot. But I had a lot of fun, as long as I didn’t look too closely at any of the details.
The Once and Future Fling by Leigh Heasley
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
🌶️ Presumably Ada and Henry get to share a bed… eventually
🎻 I wish we got to see more of the artist side of Henry
🃏🎲🏇🦋 Somehow it makes sense that regulation of time travel for business came way later than for social reasons
🔑 Could have done without the whole stalker plot
Thanks to NetGalley and W by Wattpad Books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 30, 2023
The concept of this book is just so cool! Part time traveling adventure, part romance this book was such a fun read.
The idea of a time traveling matchmaking service is so interesting, and following Ada’s adventures through time as she navigates it and the romances between, her, Sam and Henry resulted in a very intriguing plot.
I wasn’t sure what to make of the stalker plot line at first but I think it tied together well as we learned more about Ada’s past with Sam and her motivations as to why she wanted to move to another era. Sam also was a character that I didn’t love, but I liked that the author didn’t try and represent him without his flaws, even when Ada wanted to romanticize him.
Henry was such a sweet MMC, the gangster with a heart of gold is always a trope I’ll love.
I think my only complaint with this book is that I wish there had of been another 50-100 pages of the romance between Henry and Ada. I would have loved to see more of Henry learning about the modern world and navigating his new life.
The ending made me think we might be getting a sequel about Cel, so I’m hoping that’s the case!
Overall I really had a lot of fun reading this book and I definitely recommend checking it out when it’s released on November 7th!
Thanks to NetGalley, Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group and the author Leigh Heasley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
The idea of a time traveling matchmaking service is so interesting, and following Ada’s adventures through time as she navigates it and the romances between, her, Sam and Henry resulted in a very intriguing plot.
I wasn’t sure what to make of the stalker plot line at first but I think it tied together well as we learned more about Ada’s past with Sam and her motivations as to why she wanted to move to another era. Sam also was a character that I didn’t love, but I liked that the author didn’t try and represent him without his flaws, even when Ada wanted to romanticize him.
Henry was such a sweet MMC, the gangster with a heart of gold is always a trope I’ll love.
I think my only complaint with this book is that I wish there had of been another 50-100 pages of the romance between Henry and Ada. I would have loved to see more of Henry learning about the modern world and navigating his new life.
The ending made me think we might be getting a sequel about Cel, so I’m hoping that’s the case!
Overall I really had a lot of fun reading this book and I definitely recommend checking it out when it’s released on November 7th!
Thanks to NetGalley, Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group and the author Leigh Heasley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
October 25, 2023
Fans of Sci-fi, historical romance, and fantasy you will love this book😉.
Our heroine Ada is a plus size woman has some insecurities and self-trust issues and has always felt less and like she doesn't belong in the present time among these people and she is seeking marriage and love.
Kairos Dating Services had the answer for her , they are a matchmaking service that allow time travel through time to find the perfect match for you.
This service was perfect for Ada as she is looking for her Mr. Darcy but things won't be easy especially when she will get stuck in a love triangle and other difficulties.
A very different read from what I used to. It was funny part romance and part adventure but of course the read.
So make sure to check it out once its out.
Thanks to @netgalley and the publisher for granting me an ARC of #TheOnceandFutureFling in exchange for my honest review.
Xoxo💋
Our heroine Ada is a plus size woman has some insecurities and self-trust issues and has always felt less and like she doesn't belong in the present time among these people and she is seeking marriage and love.
Kairos Dating Services had the answer for her , they are a matchmaking service that allow time travel through time to find the perfect match for you.
This service was perfect for Ada as she is looking for her Mr. Darcy but things won't be easy especially when she will get stuck in a love triangle and other difficulties.
A very different read from what I used to. It was funny part romance and part adventure but of course the read.
So make sure to check it out once its out.
Thanks to @netgalley and the publisher for granting me an ARC of #TheOnceandFutureFling in exchange for my honest review.
Xoxo💋
December 20, 2023
I hate giving a book a one-star rating but I have no idea what I just read. That was an insanely convoluted plot that jumped all over the place without rhyme or reason. There were two possible love interests and I had no idea who the main character was going to choose up until the very end. She had no connection with either and went back and forth throughout the book.
This was, unfortunately, very poor writing and editing. It’s a shame because the premise started out interesting (time travel dating service) but really went off the rails.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was, unfortunately, very poor writing and editing. It’s a shame because the premise started out interesting (time travel dating service) but really went off the rails.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 7, 2023
I completely related to Ada and if only Kairos actually existed... this was perfection! The premise was fresh and new. I could not put it down.
June 23, 2024
Emotionale Geschichte über eine Frau, die nach einem öffentlichkeitswirksamen, schlechten Ende einer Beziehung vorzieht, Leute in der Vergangenheit zu daten. Ganz abgeschlossen hat sie mit ihrer vorigen Beziehung trotz allem nicht und steht deswegen zwischen zwei Männern. Für mich eine ganz andere Zeitreisegeschichte als sonst. Die Personen waren sehr stimmig, auch Nebenpersonen bekamen einiges an Tiefe, und ich konnte gut mit ihnen mitfühlen. Das Ende war mir etwas zu over-the-top und zu schnell, sonst hätte ich gerne noch einen vierten Stern vergeben.
dnf
April 20, 2024DNF on page 50 of ~300
I got 50 pages in yesterday when I started this book but I couldn’t bring myself to pick it back up again today. I just had no desire to read it. The premise is interesting but not executed well. I don’t really like the characters. It’s just not working for me, sadly.
I got 50 pages in yesterday when I started this book but I couldn’t bring myself to pick it back up again today. I just had no desire to read it. The premise is interesting but not executed well. I don’t really like the characters. It’s just not working for me, sadly.
Read
February 21, 2025DNF p. 86
May 22, 2023
I loved the concept of this story but I felt like it needed more detail! I thought the world building had promise and loved the idea of a matchmaker that finds you a partner through time. With this book I wanted more time. I wanted to learn more about Ada and Sam. I wanted to learn more about Henry. I wanted more interactions between Henry and Ada. I thought the plot was great and very compelling. Definitely worth a read and quite easy to get through. I’d love to read a sequel or another book in this universe.
Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this arc in exchange for an unbiased review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this arc in exchange for an unbiased review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
September 23, 2023
Man, I almost DNF'd this.
Actual Stars: 3.5
Summary: Time Travel is legal now (and a thing, evidentially) and so is time travel dating, which our protagonist, Ada, decides to give a try. She is hoping to find her own Mr. Darcy but is mistakenly sent back to 1922. That's where the story gets good.
The Good: In the end, this was SUCH a fun read. I really liked Ada, our curvy heroine, and the plot is more complex than your standard chick lit novel. The characters are all delightful, larger than life, and memorable when you finish. In fact, Ada might be the least memorable but she was also the most realistic (oh my goodness, the "fake French" ex-wife might be my favorite, what a great detail to give an unlikeable character).
The Bad: Man the beginning really made me think it wasn't going to be for me. Who on earth would do this? Women have been treated HORRIBLY throughout history. Then we find out our "heroine" was the other woman and caused a divorce. Even though that happens before the book starts, it is not a plot device I enjoy. Cheating is so ugly, I don't want it in happily ever after type books.
Ultimately, if you like well-written chick lit and love the idea of time traveling, you're going to love this one.
My review system is as follows:
5 stars - unbelievable, I am still talking about it, a book I'll recommend to everyone and refuse to hear any critiques of it (these are very rare)
4 stars - better than a typical read, I'll keep reading the series, really enjoyed but there were some minor issues
3 stars - average read (my most common rating)
2 stars - I didn't enjoy it, but I finished it
1 star - DNF or finished but it was awful
Actual Stars: 3.5
Summary: Time Travel is legal now (and a thing, evidentially) and so is time travel dating, which our protagonist, Ada, decides to give a try. She is hoping to find her own Mr. Darcy but is mistakenly sent back to 1922. That's where the story gets good.
The Good: In the end, this was SUCH a fun read. I really liked Ada, our curvy heroine, and the plot is more complex than your standard chick lit novel. The characters are all delightful, larger than life, and memorable when you finish. In fact, Ada might be the least memorable but she was also the most realistic (oh my goodness, the "fake French" ex-wife might be my favorite, what a great detail to give an unlikeable character).
The Bad: Man the beginning really made me think it wasn't going to be for me. Who on earth would do this? Women have been treated HORRIBLY throughout history. Then we find out our "heroine" was the other woman and caused a divorce. Even though that happens before the book starts, it is not a plot device I enjoy. Cheating is so ugly, I don't want it in happily ever after type books.
Ultimately, if you like well-written chick lit and love the idea of time traveling, you're going to love this one.
My review system is as follows:
5 stars - unbelievable, I am still talking about it, a book I'll recommend to everyone and refuse to hear any critiques of it (these are very rare)
4 stars - better than a typical read, I'll keep reading the series, really enjoyed but there were some minor issues
3 stars - average read (my most common rating)
2 stars - I didn't enjoy it, but I finished it
1 star - DNF or finished but it was awful
July 20, 2023
Time travel is a thing. Would you be willing to go back in time if it meant finding someone you could fall in love with? Ada has not had good luck with love in the modern era. She believes she will have better luck in the Regency Era. However, there is a mixup that send her to the 1920s, and she realizes this may have ended up being a good thing.
No explicit sex scenes.
**Please be away that I read an ARC, so some things may change with the final published copy**
Contains the following representation:
- Racial (white, Jewish, & Puerto Rican)
- #LGBTQ (#gay and #dragqueen)
⚠️The following content may be triggering to some people:
- Fat phobia
- Racism
- Breaking & Entering
- Stalker
- Affair
⚠️The following words may be triggering to some people⚠️
- Boob/rack: 3 times
- Hell: 36 times
- Damn: 22 times
- Bitch: 6 times
- Shit: 27 times
- Fuck: 3 times (sometimes combined with
another word)
- Ass: 14 times
- Bastard: 3 times
- Cock: 1 time
- Whore: 1 time
- Slutty: 4 times
- Douche: 1 time
- Dick: 1 time
⚠️The following was not used in a religious way
- Lord: 1 time
- Jesus: 3 times
- Christ: 1 time
- God: 35 times
No explicit sex scenes.
**Please be away that I read an ARC, so some things may change with the final published copy**
Contains the following representation:
- Racial (white, Jewish, & Puerto Rican)
- #LGBTQ (#gay and #dragqueen)
⚠️The following content may be triggering to some people:
- Fat phobia
- Racism
- Breaking & Entering
- Stalker
- Affair
⚠️The following words may be triggering to some people⚠️
- Boob/rack: 3 times
- Hell: 36 times
- Damn: 22 times
- Bitch: 6 times
- Shit: 27 times
- Fuck: 3 times (sometimes combined with
another word)
- Ass: 14 times
- Bastard: 3 times
- Cock: 1 time
- Whore: 1 time
- Slutty: 4 times
- Douche: 1 time
- Dick: 1 time
⚠️The following was not used in a religious way
- Lord: 1 time
- Jesus: 3 times
- Christ: 1 time
- God: 35 times
March 29, 2024
I liked the premise of the book. It was an interesting take on time travel. However, I wish there had been time stamps for each chapter. It would have clarified Ada's timeline and made it a bit less muddled. The relationship between Ada and Henry developed in an odd way. It made sense, overall, but their time together felt like an afterthought. Needed more interactions between them to really stoke the flames.
Her instantly turning on him was wild to me. It was so unfounded. She made the evidence match her idea of what happened. Even with the unclear timelines, it didn't make sense for Henry to be the killer. So it just seemed like she had a distrust in him already, which, of course, made their relationship seem lacking.
Her instantly turning on him was wild to me. It was so unfounded. She made the evidence match her idea of what happened. Even with the unclear timelines, it didn't make sense for Henry to be the killer. So it just seemed like she had a distrust in him already, which, of course, made their relationship seem lacking.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 17, 2023
This book was quite the ride. I was intrigued by the premise of a time travelling matchmaking agency and was ready for some fun cultural/time faux pas. However this book took some twists and turns I did not expect (stalker! Murder!) and was more tense than I expected. For this reason it took me a while to get into the swing of the book. The time travel laws were also…. Confusing. That’s normal for time travel but there was so little explained that I was confused how to feel about the ending.
All in all a fun read, though it’s difficult to say what kind of reader I would recommend this to. It’s not really romance, not really sci fi, not really women’s fiction.
All in all a fun read, though it’s difficult to say what kind of reader I would recommend this to. It’s not really romance, not really sci fi, not really women’s fiction.
February 24, 2024
The plot of this book was kind of all over the place, I wasn't a fan of it.
Not to mention the cover is extremely misleading, when I first saw it, I thought, hey it's gonna be a cute romcom about a time traveler!
Instead what was given was a more drama-centric romance, with little to no comedy. There were parts I enjoyed but I thought the main character would have one romantic interest but instead two romantic interests were delivered. I was confused by the actions of the female main character and the main plot point dragged. This story should've been cut to less than 300 pages, there were too much of certain details and not enough dialogue during certain scenarios.
The narrative for this book was pure chaos and reading other reviews, I agreed with their less than three-star rating. I had high hopes and was let down. I've been afraid to review this book since I received it from NetGalley, as an e-ARC. I want to be 100% transparent with everyone that reads my reviews, and I try really hard to only review books I enjoy. However, this book deserved a true review, the author doesn't deserve the hate, but needs to focus on natural dialogue, descriptive language, and maybe some more research into writing a time-traveling novel. There were parts that didn't make sense and between the two love interests I was never sure who she was meant to end up with.
At no point was this story predictable, I never knew what was going to happen and I never knew which love interest the author intended the FMC to be with. The ending was super confusing. But that's all I'm going to say to avoid any more spoilers.
Read with warning!!
I read this in the fall of 2023 and am still nervous to review and talk about this book. So hopefully this is decent enough!!
Not to mention the cover is extremely misleading, when I first saw it, I thought, hey it's gonna be a cute romcom about a time traveler!
Instead what was given was a more drama-centric romance, with little to no comedy. There were parts I enjoyed but I thought the main character would have one romantic interest but instead two romantic interests were delivered. I was confused by the actions of the female main character and the main plot point dragged. This story should've been cut to less than 300 pages, there were too much of certain details and not enough dialogue during certain scenarios.
The narrative for this book was pure chaos and reading other reviews, I agreed with their less than three-star rating. I had high hopes and was let down. I've been afraid to review this book since I received it from NetGalley, as an e-ARC. I want to be 100% transparent with everyone that reads my reviews, and I try really hard to only review books I enjoy. However, this book deserved a true review, the author doesn't deserve the hate, but needs to focus on natural dialogue, descriptive language, and maybe some more research into writing a time-traveling novel. There were parts that didn't make sense and between the two love interests I was never sure who she was meant to end up with.
At no point was this story predictable, I never knew what was going to happen and I never knew which love interest the author intended the FMC to be with. The ending was super confusing. But that's all I'm going to say to avoid any more spoilers.
Read with warning!!
I read this in the fall of 2023 and am still nervous to review and talk about this book. So hopefully this is decent enough!!
March 29, 2024
while i did enjoy the book, i felt as if there were a few things that i just simply couldn’t get past. i liked the idea and the premise of it was pretty cool, but for lack of better words, there simply wasn’t enough there. i wish there had been more to it. more of an explanation, more of a fleshed out relationship, etc.
but that being said, i am going to rate it 4/5. mostly because i did enjoy it, even if i had a lot of questions for it.
i kept track of my thoughts while reading. here they are:
but that being said, i am going to rate it 4/5. mostly because i did enjoy it, even if i had a lot of questions for it.
i kept track of my thoughts while reading. here they are:
October 18, 2024
A matchmaking service but with a twist. You can date a man from the 1800s, the 80s or anywhere in between. Because why use time travel for anything else!
I joke, but I did have this question as most readers probably did, why use time travel to have people find love instead of I don't know... curing diseases in a certain era?! The author mentions through the dialogue of her characters, that it is illegal to tamper with technology of the era you're traveling to, which makes sense... how would they go about inventing a cure if they already have it? Where did they get it from? Who researched the cure? The list goes on. I honestly don't understand the low rating for this book, it's a silly wattpad book, but it's not. It can be taken lightly or seriously and I think it has merit.
I'm satisfied with the pace of the story, I found myself flipping page after page, which is noteworthy because I haven't been like this with reading (so quickly!) in months or even years.
Ada, Henry, Teddy, Sam, Ms. Little... they all are quite interesting characters if a tad bit one dimensional. And I gotta say, I didn't see much change on Ada's part through the book but c'est la vie. Additionally, I was confused with the repetitive saying "What is to be, will be, even if it never happens." I found myself at times understanding it and then returning the book and realizing I don't have a dang clue what it means. Those were my only qualms with the book.
I think the writing was excellent, no typos, great pacing, I'd recommend it to others. Overall, a good read.
I joke, but I did have this question as most readers probably did, why use time travel to have people find love instead of I don't know... curing diseases in a certain era?! The author mentions through the dialogue of her characters, that it is illegal to tamper with technology of the era you're traveling to, which makes sense... how would they go about inventing a cure if they already have it? Where did they get it from? Who researched the cure? The list goes on. I honestly don't understand the low rating for this book, it's a silly wattpad book, but it's not. It can be taken lightly or seriously and I think it has merit.
I'm satisfied with the pace of the story, I found myself flipping page after page, which is noteworthy because I haven't been like this with reading (so quickly!) in months or even years.
Ada, Henry, Teddy, Sam, Ms. Little... they all are quite interesting characters if a tad bit one dimensional. And I gotta say, I didn't see much change on Ada's part through the book but c'est la vie. Additionally, I was confused with the repetitive saying "What is to be, will be, even if it never happens." I found myself at times understanding it and then returning the book and realizing I don't have a dang clue what it means. Those were my only qualms with the book.
I think the writing was excellent, no typos, great pacing, I'd recommend it to others. Overall, a good read.
November 8, 2023
*Title: The Once and Future Fling
*Release date: 11/7/23 read: 11/5/23
*Author: Leigh Heasley, debut author
*Format: ePUB
*Page Count: 393
*POV: h Ada
*Setting: NY, England
*Genre: Historical Romance, Time travel, Sci-Fi, Mystery/thriller
*Tropes:
✅ plus sized h/H
✅ love triangle
✅ matchmaking agency
✅ morally grey MMC
Look out for:
⚠️ bullying, stalking, racism, murder
*Synopsis: Time travel is now legal. Kairos allows you to go back in time and find love. Ada has had a string of bad dates and is unlucky in love in the modern era. She wants to go back to the Regency Era; however, a mix-up sends her to 1922.
Characters:
Adaliah Blum/Ada-plus size FMC, works for a bank, looking for love and prefers the 1800s to her own time.
Henry Levison-Jewish MMC, from 1920s, a struggling musician and gangster with a sweet spot for Ada.
Samson St. Laurent/Sam-plus size MMC, Ada's ex who caused her scandal and ruined her reputation. He wants her back but has his own motives for time travel.
Celena/Cel-Ada's BFF
Teddy-Ada's brother works for Kairos.
*Review: This was a great concept but needed more cohesion. Ada flip flops between Henry and Sam so much that I didn't want her with either one of them. They were all manipulative while declaring love for each other. I would even have accepted a threesome, but this is very PG with only the mention of sex. The ending definitely left things open for another book. If so, I'd read it.
*Rating: 3/5 ⭐⭐⭐
Thanks to NetGalley and Wattpad Books for this ARC🩷! I voluntarily give my honest review and all opinions are my own.
*Release date: 11/7/23 read: 11/5/23
*Author: Leigh Heasley, debut author
*Format: ePUB
*Page Count: 393
*POV: h Ada
*Setting: NY, England
*Genre: Historical Romance, Time travel, Sci-Fi, Mystery/thriller
*Tropes:
✅ plus sized h/H
✅ love triangle
✅ matchmaking agency
✅ morally grey MMC
Look out for:
⚠️ bullying, stalking, racism, murder
*Synopsis: Time travel is now legal. Kairos allows you to go back in time and find love. Ada has had a string of bad dates and is unlucky in love in the modern era. She wants to go back to the Regency Era; however, a mix-up sends her to 1922.
Characters:
Adaliah Blum/Ada-plus size FMC, works for a bank, looking for love and prefers the 1800s to her own time.
Henry Levison-Jewish MMC, from 1920s, a struggling musician and gangster with a sweet spot for Ada.
Samson St. Laurent/Sam-plus size MMC, Ada's ex who caused her scandal and ruined her reputation. He wants her back but has his own motives for time travel.
Celena/Cel-Ada's BFF
Teddy-Ada's brother works for Kairos.
*Review: This was a great concept but needed more cohesion. Ada flip flops between Henry and Sam so much that I didn't want her with either one of them. They were all manipulative while declaring love for each other. I would even have accepted a threesome, but this is very PG with only the mention of sex. The ending definitely left things open for another book. If so, I'd read it.
*Rating: 3/5 ⭐⭐⭐
Thanks to NetGalley and Wattpad Books for this ARC🩷! I voluntarily give my honest review and all opinions are my own.
May 14, 2023
"'What kind of girl are you?'
'The kind of girl who'll leave you with the bill if you don't stop acting like a Neanderthal.'"
Thank you Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group and Netgalley for the eARC! This was such a cool concept for a book, but overall it was a miss for me. The idea of a time travel dating service is really cool, and I would have loved to see more first dates in the service. There was certainly strong potential here, the writing was easy to read in a way that's easily bingeable. But at the end of the day, I just wasn't invested. The characters felt really flat to me, and the overall tone felt quite juvenile to me, which further dampened my ability to relate to the characters. The nicknames in particular really irked me. I can see how they were an attempt to be funny, but for me, it really missed the mark. I also wish there were some more descriptive details, I found myself feeling lost at times, with scenes feeling a bit jumpy, and like I couldn't picture where the characters were. The plot at the start seemed like it had a pretty clear destination, with some great setups, but the further the plot progressed, the more chaotic it felt, and the end felt like I was being jerked around, with so many loose ends being tied up in a way that felt chaotic. It definitely had the starts of great plot twist material, but the way it was executed did not have that effect.
"'I don't belong here. My grandmother used to say I was an old soul. Born in the wrong time. I'd never seriously considered it until she passed away a few years ago, but now I think she was right. I guess I'm just an Elizabeth Bennet looking for my Mr. Darcy.'"
One particular detail that really got under my skin were the weight jokes. These were prevalent right from the start, and while I'm all for my plus-size characters and body positivity, the way they were written just felt uncomfortable, especially when it was Ada's loved ones making these, what seemed to me, mean-spirited comments that were never really addressed. I thought maybe there would be an arc of Ada embracing her body, but there was pretty much no progression or growth, nor acknowledgement of how damaging these comments could have been. The way bodies were described in general in this book was just discomforting, not just Ada, but also how Ada described Sam. I think these details could make for a great theme of addressing body image issues with some tweaking, but as it stands, it really dampens the overall vibe of the book
"Yes, Henry had called me pretty, but so had Ms. Little. It was a hollow compliment filled with hidden conditions. Even someone as unpolished as Henry probably had the good sense not to call a girl fat to her face. Well, my love of Oreos was a lot stronger than my love of fitting into a size twelve."
December 6, 2023
The Once and Future Fling was a really fun book with several twists. It's not like most romance novels I have read, and while relationships and the hopes of romance are at the core of this story, it was much more a temporal adventure.
I had a hard time putting this book down. I'm glad it's a romp through different eras and Ada doesn't spend the entirety of the story in Regency England, I think the author really helped illustrate the pitfalls of that era, even for someone like myself that loves Austen and has had the era thoroughly romanticized.
I saw other reviewers take issue with red flags present in both love interests for Ada, and honestly, it helped make them more real. And an infallible, perfect love interest isn't any fun. The three main characters are all damaged in some way and it made their actions make sense, it informed the motivation for those actions. My biggest issue was that there wasn't more depth to the relationship between Ada and Henry. With Ada and Sam it was written where you could tell they had years of history, good and bad, but you could feel their connection. I know with Henry it's all rather new and they're from different times, but the romance aspect was rather flat there beyond the ribbing of one another.
I had a hard time putting this book down. I'm glad it's a romp through different eras and Ada doesn't spend the entirety of the story in Regency England, I think the author really helped illustrate the pitfalls of that era, even for someone like myself that loves Austen and has had the era thoroughly romanticized.
I saw other reviewers take issue with red flags present in both love interests for Ada, and honestly, it helped make them more real. And an infallible, perfect love interest isn't any fun. The three main characters are all damaged in some way and it made their actions make sense, it informed the motivation for those actions. My biggest issue was that there wasn't more depth to the relationship between Ada and Henry. With Ada and Sam it was written where you could tell they had years of history, good and bad, but you could feel their connection. I know with Henry it's all rather new and they're from different times, but the romance aspect was rather flat there beyond the ribbing of one another.
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