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The Gods Time Forgot
Irish mythology collides with Gilded Age New York in this sweeping debut enemies-to-lovers historical romantasy, perfect for fans of Outlander and A Fate Inked in Blood.
Manhattan, 1870. Rua knows only two things: her name, and that she has no memories. So when the wealthy Harrington family mistakes Rua for their missing daughter, Emma, Rua goes along with the charade, hoping for answers about who she really is. As she tries to blend into a society she doesn’t remember, she’s drawn to a firmly off-limits the Lord of Donore, a newcomer to Manhattan society who is somehow familiar to Rua.
Finn is new to this side of the Atlantic and knows that the best way to fit in as Lord of Donore is to make friends in high places and play by the rules of society. He knows he shouldn’t become involved with a mysterious, recently missing debutante, but he’s intrigued by Emma Harrington, and Finn has an uncanny feeling that this isn’t the first time they’ve met.
With societal pressures mounting on both sides, Rua is determined to discover the truth about the missing Harrington daughter and her own past. But when her memories begin to return, they’re of a world far stranger than New York and traced in dark magic.
As ancient secrets unfurl in Rua’s memory, Rua and Finn are forced to uncover the mystery of their past and try to save their future. In this gritty and glittering romantasy, nothing and no one is as they seem.
Manhattan, 1870. Rua knows only two things: her name, and that she has no memories. So when the wealthy Harrington family mistakes Rua for their missing daughter, Emma, Rua goes along with the charade, hoping for answers about who she really is. As she tries to blend into a society she doesn’t remember, she’s drawn to a firmly off-limits the Lord of Donore, a newcomer to Manhattan society who is somehow familiar to Rua.
Finn is new to this side of the Atlantic and knows that the best way to fit in as Lord of Donore is to make friends in high places and play by the rules of society. He knows he shouldn’t become involved with a mysterious, recently missing debutante, but he’s intrigued by Emma Harrington, and Finn has an uncanny feeling that this isn’t the first time they’ve met.
With societal pressures mounting on both sides, Rua is determined to discover the truth about the missing Harrington daughter and her own past. But when her memories begin to return, they’re of a world far stranger than New York and traced in dark magic.
As ancient secrets unfurl in Rua’s memory, Rua and Finn are forced to uncover the mystery of their past and try to save their future. In this gritty and glittering romantasy, nothing and no one is as they seem.
320 pages, Paperback
First published April 8, 2025
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October 14, 2025
the title was intriguing and suggested a story that would really pull me in. unfortunately none of that came true.
the plot was flat and I struggled to stay engaged. the romance, which seemed like it was supposed to be a central, lacked any development. I never really got a sense of connection between the characters, which made it hard to invest in their relationship or believe in their love 🥲
the writing didn’t stand out as well. It didn’t add much energy or emotion to it, it only added to lack of momentum. at times, it felt like the story was just drifting along without a strong direction. and the ending reveal was the most boring plots I’ve read in my whole life. the only one redeeming quality was the audiobook production. the narration was solid and helped make the experience more bearable, even though the content itself didn’t quite land for me.
***ARC provided by the publisher Alcove Press and ALC by Spotify Audiobooks.***
the plot was flat and I struggled to stay engaged. the romance, which seemed like it was supposed to be a central, lacked any development. I never really got a sense of connection between the characters, which made it hard to invest in their relationship or believe in their love 🥲
the writing didn’t stand out as well. It didn’t add much energy or emotion to it, it only added to lack of momentum. at times, it felt like the story was just drifting along without a strong direction. and the ending reveal was the most boring plots I’ve read in my whole life. the only one redeeming quality was the audiobook production. the narration was solid and helped make the experience more bearable, even though the content itself didn’t quite land for me.
***ARC provided by the publisher Alcove Press and ALC by Spotify Audiobooks.***
April 9, 2025
જ⁀➴3.5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Update (4/8/2025): Happy publishing date to The Gods Time Forgot!
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁
The Gods Time Forgot was one of my 2025 most anticipated releases and I'm super grateful I got an ARC for it. I'm a sucker for anything that's a retelling of any culture's mythology or mythology-inspired, so once I heard that this was 1870s New York City meets Irish mythology, I knew I couldn't pass it up. I feel like there aren't enough stories out there that are set during the Gilded Age so I knew this was also something I wanted to read about.
While I did enjoy some aspects of the story, there's also a lot that I felt was missing or I needed more of. The story felt very repetitive at times when Rua would go to a ball/social event with her "family," she acts out because she's the only person in the room with more than 2 brain cells and thinks that the customs and rules of NYC high society are stupid, everyone shuns her and gives her the stink eye, Flossie Harrington (ugh, I hate that nickname) threatens to send her to an asylum, her family gets embarrassed to then get her ass saved by Lord Donore and no one wants to disappoint Lord Donore because he's a rich, eligible bachelor that people want their daughters to marry.
There were parts of the story that seemed more drama-packed because of Manhattan's high society culture and lifestyle and Rua struggling to fit into a life that wasn't hers to begin with rather than the fantasy part of the romantasy (more on this later), but I personally didn't mind it at all because I like books where we get to sneak a peek at the happenings of the upper class and see how they live with their frivolous customs and mannerisms. They're so out of touch that I can't help but find it somewhat amusing to read about but I can see how people would easily get bored of reading about Rua going to another ball or going to the seamstress to get gowns made for her. The Harringtons remind me of the Featheringtons from Bridgerton if you've watched the show at all.
Now, my biggest gripe with this book is the fantasy portion, or lack thereof. I didn't feel like there was a whole ton of "fantasy" in the "romantasy" that this book was marketed as. There's aspects of Irish mythology woven throughout the story and it does tie in with Rua and Finn, but it didn't become a major aspect of the story until literally the last 20% of the book. I remember hitting the 80% mark and thinking to myself, "So...where does the fantasy aspect come in?" I know a big part of this is because Rua shows up with no recollection of her past life and has to impersonate Emma Harrington, the Harringtons' missing daughter, but once Rua starts finding out more about Emma's life, it all felt like a historical fiction book where a girl tries to fit in with NYC upper society by going to balls and keeping up with public appearances with a side of "she finds out that the girl she's pretending to be dabbled in the occult and witchcraft." Sure, there are brief flashbacks here and there once Rua starts to gain her memories back but they weren't long or frequent enough for me to feel like there was a prominent fantasy aspect in the story.
The entire ending of the story felt extremely rushed and ended abruptly. I feel like the author got so caught up in trying to have Rua fit in with society that she almost forgot to explain why Rua got there in the first place and how Finn ties into it all. I don't know if this is a new trend with books now because I felt this happened with 3/4 of the most recent ARCs I read or if this is just because I'm reading and reviewing the ARC so there's no guarantee that this is how the actual published work is going to end, but the ending felt as if the author tried to tie everything up in a nice little bow and used a ton of oh-so-convenient plot devices to make the ending feel complete. There was a lot more action in the last 20% of the book than there was in the first 80% but it also ended as quickly as it came which was disappointing, to say the least. (The reasoning behind Emma going missing is also really stupid, too. I won't say how or why but I couldn't roll my eyes any harder.)
The romance was definitely there, and there was a lot of drama to go with it, too. There is a love triangle involved so if you like love triangles more than I do, you might enjoy reading about Rua, Finn, and Annette. I don't like love triangles because most of them aren't really a true triangle per se and it's somewhat obvious who the main character and/or main love interest is going to end up with and this was one of those situations. This is NOT a spicy romantasy if anyone was looking for that, so if you read clean romance or like closed-door books over open-door, this might be the romantasy book for you! I don't mind either way, but I did like Rua and Finn's connection and that deja vu feeling they had with each other.
Overall, I would say I enjoyed it and I liked the writing, but I felt the fantasy aspect of the story could've been more prominent. It's marketed as a romantasy, and while both aspects were there and the romance between Rua and Finn plays a large part in the plot, the fantasy aspect of it didn't really play a huge role until the last few pages and then abruptly stopped. While I did enjoy the Irish mythology woven through the story and the decadence of the upper class throughout the story--this isn't a topic I know a whole ton about so I enjoyed learning more about it!--the lack of fantasy aspects up until the last bit of the story sort of offsets everything.
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁
Trigger warnings/content warnings: blood, violence, gore, sexism, murder, witchcraft/Paganism (if this is something that's taboo for you), institutionalization, mentions of prostitution, amnesia, blackmail, bribery, very mild sexual content (it's not even a chili pepper spicy, it's like a bell pepper in my opinion)
(P.S. If you want to read more about The Gilded Age, The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton is a classic book that's set during that time! I got a lot of The Age of Innocence vibes from the upper class in The Gods Time Forgot.)
𝒫𝓇𝑒-𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹: I didn't realize the eARC was getting archived by NetGalley NEXT WEEK TUESDAY (February 11th) so I'll be reading this now too😂
Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Update (4/8/2025): Happy publishing date to The Gods Time Forgot!
"The man was quarrelsome and arrogant, born to be her adversary. But there was something else there, something warm and familiar, and it felt like hers."
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁
The Gods Time Forgot was one of my 2025 most anticipated releases and I'm super grateful I got an ARC for it. I'm a sucker for anything that's a retelling of any culture's mythology or mythology-inspired, so once I heard that this was 1870s New York City meets Irish mythology, I knew I couldn't pass it up. I feel like there aren't enough stories out there that are set during the Gilded Age so I knew this was also something I wanted to read about.
↳Just a quick history lesson on the Gilded Age for anyone who comes across this review and isn't American or just forgot from US History class in high school so we can set the stage: the Gilded Age is a period in American history that spans from the 1870s to the early 1900s. It was the beginning of industrialization and urbanization in America; people were starting to build their wealth, immigrants were coming in to grow the population and start a brand new life for themselves, and inventions like the telephone and electricity were launched.
However, it was called the "Gilded Age" because while everything seemed amazing and everything was growing, in reality, a lot was going on underneath the surface. Women still didn't have the right to vote, working conditions in factories were abysmal, wealth inequality was starting to show between the upper and lower classes, there was a lot of political corruption going on, and things like basic cleanliness and regulations in regards to food and drug handling and processing were essentially nonexistent.
While I did enjoy some aspects of the story, there's also a lot that I felt was missing or I needed more of. The story felt very repetitive at times when Rua would go to a ball/social event with her "family," she acts out because she's the only person in the room with more than 2 brain cells and thinks that the customs and rules of NYC high society are stupid, everyone shuns her and gives her the stink eye, Flossie Harrington (ugh, I hate that nickname) threatens to send her to an asylum, her family gets embarrassed to then get her ass saved by Lord Donore and no one wants to disappoint Lord Donore because he's a rich, eligible bachelor that people want their daughters to marry.
There were parts of the story that seemed more drama-packed because of Manhattan's high society culture and lifestyle and Rua struggling to fit into a life that wasn't hers to begin with rather than the fantasy part of the romantasy (more on this later), but I personally didn't mind it at all because I like books where we get to sneak a peek at the happenings of the upper class and see how they live with their frivolous customs and mannerisms. They're so out of touch that I can't help but find it somewhat amusing to read about but I can see how people would easily get bored of reading about Rua going to another ball or going to the seamstress to get gowns made for her. The Harringtons remind me of the Featheringtons from Bridgerton if you've watched the show at all.
Now, my biggest gripe with this book is the fantasy portion, or lack thereof. I didn't feel like there was a whole ton of "fantasy" in the "romantasy" that this book was marketed as. There's aspects of Irish mythology woven throughout the story and it does tie in with Rua and Finn, but it didn't become a major aspect of the story until literally the last 20% of the book. I remember hitting the 80% mark and thinking to myself, "So...where does the fantasy aspect come in?" I know a big part of this is because Rua shows up with no recollection of her past life and has to impersonate Emma Harrington, the Harringtons' missing daughter, but once Rua starts finding out more about Emma's life, it all felt like a historical fiction book where a girl tries to fit in with NYC upper society by going to balls and keeping up with public appearances with a side of "she finds out that the girl she's pretending to be dabbled in the occult and witchcraft." Sure, there are brief flashbacks here and there once Rua starts to gain her memories back but they weren't long or frequent enough for me to feel like there was a prominent fantasy aspect in the story.
The entire ending of the story felt extremely rushed and ended abruptly. I feel like the author got so caught up in trying to have Rua fit in with society that she almost forgot to explain why Rua got there in the first place and how Finn ties into it all. I don't know if this is a new trend with books now because I felt this happened with 3/4 of the most recent ARCs I read or if this is just because I'm reading and reviewing the ARC so there's no guarantee that this is how the actual published work is going to end, but the ending felt as if the author tried to tie everything up in a nice little bow and used a ton of oh-so-convenient plot devices to make the ending feel complete. There was a lot more action in the last 20% of the book than there was in the first 80% but it also ended as quickly as it came which was disappointing, to say the least. (The reasoning behind Emma going missing is also really stupid, too. I won't say how or why but I couldn't roll my eyes any harder.)
The romance was definitely there, and there was a lot of drama to go with it, too. There is a love triangle involved so if you like love triangles more than I do, you might enjoy reading about Rua, Finn, and Annette. I don't like love triangles because most of them aren't really a true triangle per se and it's somewhat obvious who the main character and/or main love interest is going to end up with and this was one of those situations. This is NOT a spicy romantasy if anyone was looking for that, so if you read clean romance or like closed-door books over open-door, this might be the romantasy book for you! I don't mind either way, but I did like Rua and Finn's connection and that deja vu feeling they had with each other.
Overall, I would say I enjoyed it and I liked the writing, but I felt the fantasy aspect of the story could've been more prominent. It's marketed as a romantasy, and while both aspects were there and the romance between Rua and Finn plays a large part in the plot, the fantasy aspect of it didn't really play a huge role until the last few pages and then abruptly stopped. While I did enjoy the Irish mythology woven through the story and the decadence of the upper class throughout the story--this isn't a topic I know a whole ton about so I enjoyed learning more about it!--the lack of fantasy aspects up until the last bit of the story sort of offsets everything.
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁
Trigger warnings/content warnings: blood, violence, gore, sexism, murder, witchcraft/Paganism (if this is something that's taboo for you), institutionalization, mentions of prostitution, amnesia, blackmail, bribery, very mild sexual content (it's not even a chili pepper spicy, it's like a bell pepper in my opinion)
(P.S. If you want to read more about The Gilded Age, The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton is a classic book that's set during that time! I got a lot of The Age of Innocence vibes from the upper class in The Gods Time Forgot.)
𝒫𝓇𝑒-𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹: I didn't realize the eARC was getting archived by NetGalley NEXT WEEK TUESDAY (February 11th) so I'll be reading this now too😂
October 30, 2024
3.5✨
⏱️ Irish mythology
⏱️ Swoon worthy romance
⏱️ Lots of banter
⏱️ 1870s era
⏱️ Manipulation and schemes
⏱️ Slow burn
⏱️ Amnesia/Confusion
⏱️ Historical romance/fantasy
This book made me go through a roller coaster of emotions. Isn’t it amazing how words on pages can do that?
This is set in 1870 ; where women weren’t allowed to have opinions or display any ounce of intelligence. It was definitely frustrating at times… and quite angering. I don’t remember the last time I was this angry. So I know the author did a magnificent job.
Rua wakes up in Emma’s body, 2 days after Emma’s disappearance. Since Emma was already considered *problematic* ; Rua’s weird temperament didn’t really ring bells for a while. Rua was an absolutely fabulous FMC. She rapidly grew on me.
The strong suit of this book is definitely the romance. The banter was chiefs kiss 💋. It was definitely swoon worthy.
There’s 2 points that could be worked on. The pacing and the ending. The ending is so abrupt! It just made me feel like when my partner is telling me a story and I feel there’s more to his story but he just stops there. I highly wish there was an epilogue.
***Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for a chance to review this ARC!***
⏱️ Irish mythology
⏱️ Swoon worthy romance
⏱️ Lots of banter
⏱️ 1870s era
⏱️ Manipulation and schemes
⏱️ Slow burn
⏱️ Amnesia/Confusion
⏱️ Historical romance/fantasy
This book made me go through a roller coaster of emotions. Isn’t it amazing how words on pages can do that?
This is set in 1870 ; where women weren’t allowed to have opinions or display any ounce of intelligence. It was definitely frustrating at times… and quite angering. I don’t remember the last time I was this angry. So I know the author did a magnificent job.
Rua wakes up in Emma’s body, 2 days after Emma’s disappearance. Since Emma was already considered *problematic* ; Rua’s weird temperament didn’t really ring bells for a while. Rua was an absolutely fabulous FMC. She rapidly grew on me.
The strong suit of this book is definitely the romance. The banter was chiefs kiss 💋. It was definitely swoon worthy.
There’s 2 points that could be worked on. The pacing and the ending. The ending is so abrupt! It just made me feel like when my partner is telling me a story and I feel there’s more to his story but he just stops there. I highly wish there was an epilogue.
***Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for a chance to review this ARC!***
April 13, 2025
2 Stars
One Liner: I shouldn’t forget to avoid books with old gods
Manhattan, 1870
Rua remembers nothing but her name. However, when the wealthy Harrington family claims she is their missing daughter, Emma, Rua is more than ready to play the part. She needs to find out who she is and what happened. When Rua meets the mysterious Lord of Donore, she feels a sense of familiarity.
Finn knows being Lord of Donore is his best chance to fit into high society. Despite his reluctance, he is intrigued by the mysterious Emma Harrington, wondering why he feels as if he knows her.
Rua is in for a shock when her memories start to return. The secrets are as ancient as time, and there’s dark magic at play. Can Rua and Finn uncover the truth in their memories to save their future?
The story comes in the third-person POVs of Rua and Finn.
My Thoughts:
Well, what do I say? After having a bad time with YA Fantasy in 2024, I still grabbed this book since it was not YA. Stupid me!
The good things first –
The beginning is cool. We go right into the plot without any introductions or details. This creates a sense of confusion, which aligns with the FMC’s feelings. I like that we have to sort things out along with her.
The book is dark throughout, though not to the extent of being too uncomfortable. It doesn’t feel like the Gilded Age, but okay. The atmosphere feels oppressive, reminding us that the stakes are high.
Quite a lot of build-up for the conflict (good so far) but…
What did work for me –
Most of the book is wasted on setting the stage for the showdown. And when we get there, it’s over in a blink. In fact, there is no real face-off. It’s just… over. Not even an epilogue. We are left with so many questions. Grrrr!
The main characters start well but end up boring. For someone who knows even a slight mistake could put her in an asylum, Rua does everything she can to cause trouble. Half of her rebellion doesn’t make sense, especially the one that led to her meeting with the MMC the first time. That was plain stupid (sorry can’t sugarcoat).
Now Finn, what do I say? He starts well – a poor, rich Irish guy with ideals. But then, he spends too much time unable to decide what he wants. Then, he becomes a puppet in others’ hands.
When I read books where the characters have to decide between duty and love or safety and love, I have a cutoff point at 75%. They should more or less know what they want by then, even if they don’t reveal it until later. It gets stretched longer than that here.
The bad guys (of all genders) are so blatantly bad that there’s nothing else to define them. That’s still okay, but they aren’t even discussed or dealt with afterward.
While I could read fast without skimming, the plot as such doesn’t have much development. It’s the same thing in different settings.
The dreams have been underutilized, and let’s not even talk about the use of Celtic mythology. It could have been such an intense plot if we got more of the past and less of the ballroom nonsense. Wasted opportunity!
To summarize, The Gods Time Forgot has a good concept, by the execution, unfortunately, is severely lacking. This book needs to go back to the developmental edits stage and work on structuring and rewriting. The only saving grace is that I finished it faster than I expected.
Thank you, Mikaela, NetGalley, and Alcove Press, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #TheGodsTimeForgot
One Liner: I shouldn’t forget to avoid books with old gods
Manhattan, 1870
Rua remembers nothing but her name. However, when the wealthy Harrington family claims she is their missing daughter, Emma, Rua is more than ready to play the part. She needs to find out who she is and what happened. When Rua meets the mysterious Lord of Donore, she feels a sense of familiarity.
Finn knows being Lord of Donore is his best chance to fit into high society. Despite his reluctance, he is intrigued by the mysterious Emma Harrington, wondering why he feels as if he knows her.
Rua is in for a shock when her memories start to return. The secrets are as ancient as time, and there’s dark magic at play. Can Rua and Finn uncover the truth in their memories to save their future?
The story comes in the third-person POVs of Rua and Finn.
My Thoughts:
Well, what do I say? After having a bad time with YA Fantasy in 2024, I still grabbed this book since it was not YA. Stupid me!
The good things first –
The beginning is cool. We go right into the plot without any introductions or details. This creates a sense of confusion, which aligns with the FMC’s feelings. I like that we have to sort things out along with her.
The book is dark throughout, though not to the extent of being too uncomfortable. It doesn’t feel like the Gilded Age, but okay. The atmosphere feels oppressive, reminding us that the stakes are high.
Quite a lot of build-up for the conflict (good so far) but…
What did work for me –
Most of the book is wasted on setting the stage for the showdown. And when we get there, it’s over in a blink. In fact, there is no real face-off. It’s just… over. Not even an epilogue. We are left with so many questions. Grrrr!
The main characters start well but end up boring. For someone who knows even a slight mistake could put her in an asylum, Rua does everything she can to cause trouble. Half of her rebellion doesn’t make sense, especially the one that led to her meeting with the MMC the first time. That was plain stupid (sorry can’t sugarcoat).
Now Finn, what do I say? He starts well – a poor, rich Irish guy with ideals. But then, he spends too much time unable to decide what he wants. Then, he becomes a puppet in others’ hands.
When I read books where the characters have to decide between duty and love or safety and love, I have a cutoff point at 75%. They should more or less know what they want by then, even if they don’t reveal it until later. It gets stretched longer than that here.
The bad guys (of all genders) are so blatantly bad that there’s nothing else to define them. That’s still okay, but they aren’t even discussed or dealt with afterward.
While I could read fast without skimming, the plot as such doesn’t have much development. It’s the same thing in different settings.
The dreams have been underutilized, and let’s not even talk about the use of Celtic mythology. It could have been such an intense plot if we got more of the past and less of the ballroom nonsense. Wasted opportunity!
To summarize, The Gods Time Forgot has a good concept, by the execution, unfortunately, is severely lacking. This book needs to go back to the developmental edits stage and work on structuring and rewriting. The only saving grace is that I finished it faster than I expected.
Thank you, Mikaela, NetGalley, and Alcove Press, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #TheGodsTimeForgot
April 5, 2025
firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc and an alc!
i absolutely loved this irish folklore/mythology inspired time travel romance, but i can understand why some people may not have enjoyed it.
i found the reasoning for rua’s and finn’s time traveling a little unclear, especially because it was explained very nearly towards the end of the book, but overall this was an enjoyable read!
i truly enjoyed the banter between rua and finn, and also highly enjoyed the insight to some irish folklore!
as for the narrators — they did a fantastic job! they truly helped transport me to the respective time periods
i absolutely loved this irish folklore/mythology inspired time travel romance, but i can understand why some people may not have enjoyed it.
i found the reasoning for rua’s and finn’s time traveling a little unclear, especially because it was explained very nearly towards the end of the book, but overall this was an enjoyable read!
i truly enjoyed the banter between rua and finn, and also highly enjoyed the insight to some irish folklore!
as for the narrators — they did a fantastic job! they truly helped transport me to the respective time periods
April 2, 2025
When I first started reading The Gods Time Forgot, I wasn't quite sure what type of story I was about to become immersed in. The book's described as a "romantasy," but personally, I feel a better description of the book is "historical romance with fantasy elements". And I think that so long as readers go into this book expecting that, they'll come away really impressed.
Before even falling for the characters or plot of this story, I'd immediately become immersed in the setting. The Gods Time Forgot follows Rua, a stifled woman living in gilded-era New York. She's plagued by missing memories and strange dreams, but cannot investigate them without being reprimanded, as her life is full of restrictions. I thought that the author did a fantastic job in making the reader feel just as trapped in upper-echelon society as Rua is. I also really enjoyed the author's writing style. I felt that the connection between the main characters was quite palpable. And finally, I really loved how this story wrapped itself up. The fantasy plot line, though more minor than expected, was incredibly engaging and really added a lot to the romantic plot.
My only major complaint of this book is the pacing. Many sections of this novel felt incredibly slow, and then the final chapter moved at lightspeed. But overall, I really enjoyed this novel. Despite some quirks, I kept reading this book because I really loved the world the story takes place in, both in terms of the glamorous New York setting, and the glimpses of Irish folklore we get. The romance and writing style are quite alluring. If you can get past the pacing issues, and let yourself slowly follow the plot instead of asking when things will pick up, I think you'll really love this story.
Thank you to Alcove Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Before even falling for the characters or plot of this story, I'd immediately become immersed in the setting. The Gods Time Forgot follows Rua, a stifled woman living in gilded-era New York. She's plagued by missing memories and strange dreams, but cannot investigate them without being reprimanded, as her life is full of restrictions. I thought that the author did a fantastic job in making the reader feel just as trapped in upper-echelon society as Rua is. I also really enjoyed the author's writing style. I felt that the connection between the main characters was quite palpable. And finally, I really loved how this story wrapped itself up. The fantasy plot line, though more minor than expected, was incredibly engaging and really added a lot to the romantic plot.
My only major complaint of this book is the pacing. Many sections of this novel felt incredibly slow, and then the final chapter moved at lightspeed. But overall, I really enjoyed this novel. Despite some quirks, I kept reading this book because I really loved the world the story takes place in, both in terms of the glamorous New York setting, and the glimpses of Irish folklore we get. The romance and writing style are quite alluring. If you can get past the pacing issues, and let yourself slowly follow the plot instead of asking when things will pick up, I think you'll really love this story.
Thank you to Alcove Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
March 15, 2024
I read an early draft of this and let me tell you: you are in for a ride. Kelsie crafts a glittering, glamorous world of gilded age New York and pairs it flawlessly with Irish mythology. Rua is such a compelling main character, and her journey of reemergence is one no time will compel me to forget.
July 10, 2025
“romantasy” where babes
May 21, 2025
what...? what???
for the first 65% i was at least intrigued, but the ending sped up into something that was more of a murder chase/mystery that felt so stupid, rushed, and incomplete. the fantasy in this book is nonexistent (For fans of outlander? WHERE? the time travel was not even explained)
the amount of potential this had for it to end up being the way it was.... smh. this was truly so disappointing. the "Gods" in question are barely ever mentioned or discussed, and honestly none of it made sense. I understand some of it was inspired by some mythology, but when I say that the fantasy/memories from the "time travel" doesn't exist until the third act, i really mean the last legs of the third act. had this been sectioned off into the present and some before chapters where we got a REAL fantasy story, perhaps it would have been better. and everything before and in between was just boring at best.
for the first 65% i was at least intrigued, but the ending sped up into something that was more of a murder chase/mystery that felt so stupid, rushed, and incomplete. the fantasy in this book is nonexistent (For fans of outlander? WHERE? the time travel was not even explained)
the amount of potential this had for it to end up being the way it was.... smh. this was truly so disappointing. the "Gods" in question are barely ever mentioned or discussed, and honestly none of it made sense. I understand some of it was inspired by some mythology, but when I say that the fantasy/memories from the "time travel" doesn't exist until the third act, i really mean the last legs of the third act. had this been sectioned off into the present and some before chapters where we got a REAL fantasy story, perhaps it would have been better. and everything before and in between was just boring at best.
November 5, 2024
The banter, the angst, the longing 👌🏻
I was unsure at first, but then got sucked in. I ended up really enjoying this debut.
I need to compose my thoughts. RTC
Thanks netgalley for an early review copy!
I was unsure at first, but then got sucked in. I ended up really enjoying this debut.
I need to compose my thoughts. RTC
Thanks netgalley for an early review copy!
April 10, 2025
the cover I'm deaddddd
December 17, 2024
3.5! i loved the fmc and the romance/banter was amazing but something was missing
December 23, 2024
The Gods Time Forgot is a historical romantasy that I would compare to Bridgerton if it were set in New York City and had magic.
Rua, the female protagonist, has no memories and finds herself being taken in by the Harrington family, who think she is their missing daughter Emma. Rua / Emma was a social pariah, and by proxy, made her family the subject of gossip and scrutiny too. Rua knows nothing about Emma other than that she was dabbling in some form of dark magic and had been expelled from school, thus scandalizing and alienating herself and her family from NYC's elite families. Her parents (especially the mother) make desperate strides to try and reaffirm their place in society, which is how Rua meets Finn Donore, a mysterious lord from Ireland.
Both Rua and Finn feel a magnetic pull towards each other. Finn is trying to establish himself in high society, so he tries to convince himself many times not to associate or be seen with Rua because of her awful reputation (which obviously doesn't quite go to plan). I loved the beginning stages of their relationship, where Finn tries to resist Rua, and Rua brushes him off. With this in mind I would lightly classify it as enemies to lovers, because there is a pull between them from the moment they meet which got rid of a lot of potential tension. I did enjoy their banter though.
Rua is very sharp-tongued and didn't hold anything back. She had many hilarious comments to Finn and to condescending high society members - she was truly unbothered. That said, she could be abrasive/irritating at times and there wasn't much depth to her character. Mara, an important side character, had barely any substance. But Finn was a much stronger, more captivating character in my opinion!
Another thing I struggled with was the pacing; the very beginning drew me in but it starts to drag shortly after. I think I struggled with the lack of information we get - the secrets start to reveal themselves eventually and the plot picks up as the book goes on but I think it took a bit too long in getting there. The writing was also a little choppy at times.
I didn't fall in love with this book, but it was a mostly enjoyable read - I just wasn't fully hooked. I think it's definitely still worth checking out for all historical romance fans looking for a magical twist.
Thank you so much to Alcove Press and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this ARC! 📚
Rua, the female protagonist, has no memories and finds herself being taken in by the Harrington family, who think she is their missing daughter Emma. Rua / Emma was a social pariah, and by proxy, made her family the subject of gossip and scrutiny too. Rua knows nothing about Emma other than that she was dabbling in some form of dark magic and had been expelled from school, thus scandalizing and alienating herself and her family from NYC's elite families. Her parents (especially the mother) make desperate strides to try and reaffirm their place in society, which is how Rua meets Finn Donore, a mysterious lord from Ireland.
Both Rua and Finn feel a magnetic pull towards each other. Finn is trying to establish himself in high society, so he tries to convince himself many times not to associate or be seen with Rua because of her awful reputation (which obviously doesn't quite go to plan). I loved the beginning stages of their relationship, where Finn tries to resist Rua, and Rua brushes him off. With this in mind I would lightly classify it as enemies to lovers, because there is a pull between them from the moment they meet which got rid of a lot of potential tension. I did enjoy their banter though.
Rua is very sharp-tongued and didn't hold anything back. She had many hilarious comments to Finn and to condescending high society members - she was truly unbothered. That said, she could be abrasive/irritating at times and there wasn't much depth to her character. Mara, an important side character, had barely any substance. But Finn was a much stronger, more captivating character in my opinion!
Another thing I struggled with was the pacing; the very beginning drew me in but it starts to drag shortly after. I think I struggled with the lack of information we get - the secrets start to reveal themselves eventually and the plot picks up as the book goes on but I think it took a bit too long in getting there. The writing was also a little choppy at times.
I didn't fall in love with this book, but it was a mostly enjoyable read - I just wasn't fully hooked. I think it's definitely still worth checking out for all historical romance fans looking for a magical twist.
Thank you so much to Alcove Press and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this ARC! 📚
March 4, 2025
New York's Gilded Age, 1870's. Rua and Finn first meet at an Upper Manhattan party where both feel they've met before in another time. But have they?
Mixing New York's high society with Irish mythology The Gods Time Forgot is an exciting journey of two people forced to attend a life that doesn't fit them, looking for a way out.
Beautiful storytelling, a great cast of characters, some clean romance, a hint of time travel, set in wonderful surroundings. An absolute treat. Meadowsweet.
Thank you Netgalley and Alcove Press for the ARC.
Mixing New York's high society with Irish mythology The Gods Time Forgot is an exciting journey of two people forced to attend a life that doesn't fit them, looking for a way out.
Beautiful storytelling, a great cast of characters, some clean romance, a hint of time travel, set in wonderful surroundings. An absolute treat. Meadowsweet.
Thank you Netgalley and Alcove Press for the ARC.
gave-up-on
October 23, 2024I like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me a read on this.
Welp. It was rough. It was like one thought running and running continuously - characters would be in different areas inside of a house without any action or description of how they got there. I felt like the character Rua and her situation was rushed from the get-go. Besides knowing that she has lost some memories, everything is very bland with her. Very point A to point B type writing. Nothing allowing you to understand who she is as a person. No real inner monologue or depth.
Finn had more depth than Rua, but still, the blandness of his character and the repetitive swearing / exclamations was strange to read.
I only made it 20% through and felt like this book required more editing and fluidity in the context. There is probably a story in here, but I'm too pressed to weed it out.
Out of respect for the author I will not be rating the title since I did not finish it.
Welp. It was rough. It was like one thought running and running continuously - characters would be in different areas inside of a house without any action or description of how they got there. I felt like the character Rua and her situation was rushed from the get-go. Besides knowing that she has lost some memories, everything is very bland with her. Very point A to point B type writing. Nothing allowing you to understand who she is as a person. No real inner monologue or depth.
Finn had more depth than Rua, but still, the blandness of his character and the repetitive swearing / exclamations was strange to read.
I only made it 20% through and felt like this book required more editing and fluidity in the context. There is probably a story in here, but I'm too pressed to weed it out.
Out of respect for the author I will not be rating the title since I did not finish it.
December 29, 2024
The story shines in its vivid depiction of 19th-century New York, capturing both its glittering wealth and its darker undercurrents. The opulence of the Gilded Age is beautifully juxtaposed with Rua’s haunting, otherworldly memories, which hint at a deeper connection to Irish mythology. These flashes of Rua’s past add an ethereal quality to the story, creating a rich tapestry of lore and suspense that keeps readers guessing.
Recommendation: for lovers of romantasy and anyone who enjoys stories brimming with magic, mystery, and heart.
*Thanks to Netgalley for the copy of the book
Recommendation: for lovers of romantasy and anyone who enjoys stories brimming with magic, mystery, and heart.
*Thanks to Netgalley for the copy of the book
November 3, 2024
Let me set the scene for you:
The year is 1870 in New York, and a woman emerges from the woods covered in dirt and blood and in someone else’s body, with no memory of her past, or who she is. To make matters worse she keeps feeling this pull toward a certain Irish Lord, but doesn’t know why. The Lord of Donore (aka Finn), also feels this pull but has no memory as to why they are feeling this way. As things begin to unravel around them, they soon discover why their love is so forbidden.
Now I am one of the people that have been frothing at the mouth for this book for years as Kelsie talked about and promoted it on her tiktok. The concept just sounded so incredibly cool and unique I couldn’t wait to read it. And, honestly, it lived up to my expectations. I could not put it down!! I loved the addition of Irish mythology in an adult romantic fantasy novel, it was so different from what I have read before, and combined with the time period, made for a truly captivating setting.
The Gods Time Forgot is a fantastic addition to the romantic fantasy genre! Rua is a very complex character, and seeing her thrust into this unfamiliar society where she clearly isn’t meant to be, was very engaging. And Finn? He put me through a rollercoaster of emotions and yet I still love him!
I would honestly read multiple books in this universe, and I’m excited to see where the author goes from here! Her writing immediately drew me into this world, and honestly made my historical romance and fantasy loving heart so so happy.
*I received an arc from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review*
The year is 1870 in New York, and a woman emerges from the woods covered in dirt and blood and in someone else’s body, with no memory of her past, or who she is. To make matters worse she keeps feeling this pull toward a certain Irish Lord, but doesn’t know why. The Lord of Donore (aka Finn), also feels this pull but has no memory as to why they are feeling this way. As things begin to unravel around them, they soon discover why their love is so forbidden.
Now I am one of the people that have been frothing at the mouth for this book for years as Kelsie talked about and promoted it on her tiktok. The concept just sounded so incredibly cool and unique I couldn’t wait to read it. And, honestly, it lived up to my expectations. I could not put it down!! I loved the addition of Irish mythology in an adult romantic fantasy novel, it was so different from what I have read before, and combined with the time period, made for a truly captivating setting.
The Gods Time Forgot is a fantastic addition to the romantic fantasy genre! Rua is a very complex character, and seeing her thrust into this unfamiliar society where she clearly isn’t meant to be, was very engaging. And Finn? He put me through a rollercoaster of emotions and yet I still love him!
I would honestly read multiple books in this universe, and I’m excited to see where the author goes from here! Her writing immediately drew me into this world, and honestly made my historical romance and fantasy loving heart so so happy.
*I received an arc from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review*
April 7, 2025
3.5 (spoiler free)
Release date: April 8th
I loved the Irish mythology in this book! Rua and Finns banter and connection was also fantastic. I did enjoy the time period it was set in as it did feel Bridgerton-esque with the balls and high society. But the mystery and plot in the first half of the book moved too slowly and by the time we started learning more about the mystery I was no longer interested. The ending also felt pretty rushed.
Thank you Alcove Press and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Release date: April 8th
I loved the Irish mythology in this book! Rua and Finns banter and connection was also fantastic. I did enjoy the time period it was set in as it did feel Bridgerton-esque with the balls and high society. But the mystery and plot in the first half of the book moved too slowly and by the time we started learning more about the mystery I was no longer interested. The ending also felt pretty rushed.
Thank you Alcove Press and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
April 2, 2025
He watched her looking up at the moon, wishing he could tell her that the orange of her gown made her look like his favorite part of a sunrise, the part that burned the brightest. But he wouldn’t dare. She had no need for his reassurances.
Emma. That's what they keep calling her but yet it doesn't feel right. That cannot be her, but the Harrington's are adamant that is their daughter. Rua plays along when the threat of being locked up in an asylum becomes a very real threat. Emma had been missing for a whole day before Rua was found coming out of a Hellmouth coated in blood, and with no memory. She is forced to quickly adapt as they make the Harrington's do their best to make their place in society. Enter Finn Donore.
There is a connection there, an unexplainable one. A feeling as though they have met before.
What to Expect:
📖Dual POV
📖Standalone
📖Irish Mythology
📖Murder
📖Gilded Age Fashion
📖New York Setting
📖Bridgerton meets Fantasy
When I first picked up this book, I wasn't immediately invested. My brain was having a hard time with the memory loss bits and it took me a decent chunk to get my barings straight and understand what was going on. Once we meet Finn I could not put down the book. The tension between the two was so palpable; I didn't want it to end. I nearly finished it that very day, but I had to go to bed at some point. I was so excited to find out how it all came together, but I did find myself a tad disappointed. The ending could have been so much more and I was left with a million questions. I think this would have made a fantastic duology. Where first we learn the secrets and then we live through the resolution. The characters deserved an ending worthy of their story.
Overall, I gave this book 3.5 ⭐. It was the ending that made me fall less in love because the story deserved just a bit more. It was all over too fast.
Thank you to netgalley and Alcove press for the arc.
Emma. That's what they keep calling her but yet it doesn't feel right. That cannot be her, but the Harrington's are adamant that is their daughter. Rua plays along when the threat of being locked up in an asylum becomes a very real threat. Emma had been missing for a whole day before Rua was found coming out of a Hellmouth coated in blood, and with no memory. She is forced to quickly adapt as they make the Harrington's do their best to make their place in society. Enter Finn Donore.
There is a connection there, an unexplainable one. A feeling as though they have met before.
What to Expect:
📖Dual POV
📖Standalone
📖Irish Mythology
📖Murder
📖Gilded Age Fashion
📖New York Setting
📖Bridgerton meets Fantasy
When I first picked up this book, I wasn't immediately invested. My brain was having a hard time with the memory loss bits and it took me a decent chunk to get my barings straight and understand what was going on. Once we meet Finn I could not put down the book. The tension between the two was so palpable; I didn't want it to end. I nearly finished it that very day, but I had to go to bed at some point. I was so excited to find out how it all came together, but I did find myself a tad disappointed. The ending could have been so much more and I was left with a million questions. I think this would have made a fantastic duology. Where first we learn the secrets and then we live through the resolution. The characters deserved an ending worthy of their story.
Overall, I gave this book 3.5 ⭐. It was the ending that made me fall less in love because the story deserved just a bit more. It was all over too fast.
Thank you to netgalley and Alcove press for the arc.
April 14, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley and Alcove Press for access to this eARC! All thoughts are my own.
__________
Unfortunately, this was not for me. I went into this thinking that the dialogue between the love interests would be my least favourite thing, and, surprisingly, it turned out to be quite good. I'm not usually a fan of all that 'banter' in romantasy books, it's often cringey and not very well written, but the banter in this book didn't feel like that at all. The writing style was also quite good, when we travelled to a new location I did feel like I got a good sense of what everything looked like and could picture it quite well in my head.
Some phrases and scenes in this book had me out loud laughing, and I think for the wrong reason. Our POV characters were *very* obsessed with each other, and while that is not necessarily a bad thing, it did make for some annoying comments when we were in their heads. In one chapter the MMC remarks how clever and quick-witted the FMC is (and continues to do this in subsequent chapters) which I was just at a loss for. I didn't get any of her supposed intellect; she seemed impatient and snarky, sure, but she never thought things out in a smart way and tended to just bulldoze into things. Which would be alright, but it conflated massively with what he was saying she was like. It got a little 'tell, don't show' at points and I found it easy to point out.
I wish we had done more with the world as well. Our characters don't remember anything until right at the end, but there is little worldbuilding with the supernatural elements which I found disappointing. The vibe with the 1870s was better, but the almost supervillain way the other high society women acted was laughable at times. The ending comes on super abruptly, and had another bit to it that made me laugh and go 'what even is happening?'
Overall, not a hit for me.
__________
Unfortunately, this was not for me. I went into this thinking that the dialogue between the love interests would be my least favourite thing, and, surprisingly, it turned out to be quite good. I'm not usually a fan of all that 'banter' in romantasy books, it's often cringey and not very well written, but the banter in this book didn't feel like that at all. The writing style was also quite good, when we travelled to a new location I did feel like I got a good sense of what everything looked like and could picture it quite well in my head.
Some phrases and scenes in this book had me out loud laughing, and I think for the wrong reason. Our POV characters were *very* obsessed with each other, and while that is not necessarily a bad thing, it did make for some annoying comments when we were in their heads. In one chapter the MMC remarks how clever and quick-witted the FMC is (and continues to do this in subsequent chapters) which I was just at a loss for. I didn't get any of her supposed intellect; she seemed impatient and snarky, sure, but she never thought things out in a smart way and tended to just bulldoze into things. Which would be alright, but it conflated massively with what he was saying she was like. It got a little 'tell, don't show' at points and I found it easy to point out.
I wish we had done more with the world as well. Our characters don't remember anything until right at the end, but there is little worldbuilding with the supernatural elements which I found disappointing. The vibe with the 1870s was better, but the almost supervillain way the other high society women acted was laughable at times. The ending comes on super abruptly, and had another bit to it that made me laugh and go 'what even is happening?'
Overall, not a hit for me.
October 22, 2024
3.5/5 ⭐️ ARC Read - releasing April 2025, as always a special shout out and thank you to NetGalley! I was immediately drawn to this book due to the beautiful, stunning, gorgeous cover art. The story is set in the 1800s primarily, focused on Rua. All that Rua remembers is crawling out from the earth in the dark woods. No past memories, no idea who she really is - but the people who find her are convinced she is Emma. Inserted into Emma’s life in high society, she feels wrong. Like nothing is familiar or hers. In time she starts to get memories of a past life, a time of gods, magic and guardians. She also meets Finn, who is also struggling to fit into high society as an Irish immigrant. Despite both their efforts, they are constantly drawn to each other. At the same time, Rua is trying to keep up her appearance as Emma and uncover the dark magic and secrets behind her life and current existence. Interesting plot, fantastic writing. I found the page quite slow, it dragged a little for me. I also found the end quite abrupt. I wonder if this is a set up for a sequel, it would definitely leave the door open for it.
November 2, 2024
I cannot believe a tree was harmed in the making of this book.
✧ 2 stars, only reason I made it this far was because I just had to know what became of this goddamn story. I was promised Irish mythology and forgotten gods, but the first 3/4 of the book was just basically the new york gilded age version of bridgerton. the most fascinating premise with the most disappointing, pathetic execution.
thank you to Alcove Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review
✧ 2 stars, only reason I made it this far was because I just had to know what became of this goddamn story. I was promised Irish mythology and forgotten gods, but the first 3/4 of the book was just basically the new york gilded age version of bridgerton. the most fascinating premise with the most disappointing, pathetic execution.
thank you to Alcove Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review
March 8, 2025
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I confess, I went into this thinking it's a time travel story of sorts only to find that it wasn't. Instead, we are given a spin on Irish mythology thrown into the late 19th century Manhattan. Rua wakes up with no memory other than her name. What she does know is that she is not Emma, daughter to a new rich and socially ambitious Harrington family. Emma's parents insist that Rua is their daughter Emma though and she is dragged along into the gilded age high society.
The Harringtons are unforgiving and an absolute nightmare for Rua who is trying to navigate a world she doesn't know as well as keep up the act of being Emma. The odds were against her from the start though as society has already labeled her an oddity before she even got there. Rua has a very strong character though which makes her a likeable main character and one that won't bend to the cruel situations she faces. Although a little slow to start, the mystery around Rua's missing memories and the odd things that happen around her were built up nicely and made this a really great read. I was at times surprised at how cruel most of the other characters were and the plot took a few dark turns.
This story is also told in a dual point of view, one of my favourites. Our second point of view belongs to Finn, an Irish lord who has come to Manhattan trying to establish his name so that he may continue his charity projects. He is in many ways Rua's opposite and yet they are both outsiders trying to find a foothold in society. There's an early connection between the two with a lot of push and pull as they both have their own agenda to follow and don't want to let the other get in the way. I enjoyed both main characters and how things unfolded with them. Given the circumstances, I thought the romance aspect was well paced.
As a whole, I thought this was a really great standalone fantasy with a few popular tropes mixed into a unique backdrop. The only true downside is that the ending was disappointingly anti-climatic. It felt as though a chapter or two were missing to truly bring closure. Not every little detail needs to be wrapped up when ending a story, but I felt as though only one single thing had been resolved. I do believe that all questions have been answered so there aren't any particular loose ends, but I just wanted to know a little more about what comes next. There were a few atrocious incidents throughout the novel and there weren't any consequences. The main characters, especially Rua, also boxed themselves into a situation that's not hard to get out of and I just feel like we didn't really get to see how she overcomes the odds against her beyond the main conflict.
Although I wish the ending had more, I've come to find that stories are hard to wrap up and they are often the weak link which is why I try not to affect an anti-climatic ending such as this one to get in the way of my enjoyment. It was a fun book and the ending wasn't as bad, thus making this still a very nice fantasy to pick up.
April 22, 2025
2025 reads: 81/300
2025 tbr: 33/300
i received an advanced listening copy from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating.
rua only knows two things: her name, and that she’s lost her memories. when the wealthy harrington family mistakes rua for their daughter emma, she reluctantly goes along with it. she has no means to get away from the harringtons, and hopes this charade will buy her time to figure out who she and emma really are. soon, she finds herself drawn to the lord of donore, finn, who is somehow familiar to her. as rua and finn work to uncover their shared past, rua is determined to find out what happened to the real emma.
i’m starting to think there are certain tropes/story elements that i only care for in fanfiction. i would normally consider myself a fan of the memory loss and (leaving out the second one since it could be a spoiler) tropes, but this is the second book i’ve read in the past month with those two elements that i really didn’t care for. unfortunately, for this book, not only did the plot not do it for me, i also didn’t absolutely get swept away by the romance, either. this did contain elements of irish mythology, though, which i did find cool, especially since i don’t see that in books very often. overall, this was just an okay read for me.
narration: kimberly m. wetherell and matthew forsythe narrated this audiobook. i liked the narration and thought it aligned well with the historical genre and slower pace of this book.
2025 tbr: 33/300
i received an advanced listening copy from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating.
rua only knows two things: her name, and that she’s lost her memories. when the wealthy harrington family mistakes rua for their daughter emma, she reluctantly goes along with it. she has no means to get away from the harringtons, and hopes this charade will buy her time to figure out who she and emma really are. soon, she finds herself drawn to the lord of donore, finn, who is somehow familiar to her. as rua and finn work to uncover their shared past, rua is determined to find out what happened to the real emma.
i’m starting to think there are certain tropes/story elements that i only care for in fanfiction. i would normally consider myself a fan of the memory loss and (leaving out the second one since it could be a spoiler) tropes, but this is the second book i’ve read in the past month with those two elements that i really didn’t care for. unfortunately, for this book, not only did the plot not do it for me, i also didn’t absolutely get swept away by the romance, either. this did contain elements of irish mythology, though, which i did find cool, especially since i don’t see that in books very often. overall, this was just an okay read for me.
narration: kimberly m. wetherell and matthew forsythe narrated this audiobook. i liked the narration and thought it aligned well with the historical genre and slower pace of this book.
April 25, 2025
✧₊‧˚⁀➷ 2.65/5 .ᐟ
i was slow to warm to this because the writing style wasn't my favorite, but rua shines regardless. because of her, i did enjoy this up to about 70% (the down part of the rollercoaster is whenever finn showed up. hate him). she's a truly witty and intelligent character, and even her stubbornness was endearing. usually, the idiotic ya lead who doesn't listen to anything or anyone would be insufferable at best, but rua was super fun to read about. i can't say i ever liked finn, though. he was a loser from the first time he opened his mouth, and pushy and stalkerish (in my personal opinion, not to the degree of being a criminal or a freak) to boot, but idk, some people like being pursued, so if that's your thing, tune in. while i didn't care for him by himself, their relationship was nice. it's one of the better written instalove tropes, i feel, since i actually didn't dislike it. they went slowly, even though though they immediately felt a pull towards each other, and it was mostly banter as they built their relationship, so there was proper development in the first 70%. what happened after that? well. this takes place in 1800 something, and finn knows for a fact what his pursual of rua (without offering marriage) will do to her, and he's still pushy and intense and insufferable about it. rua encourages him half the time, but even when she tries to say no, he's always in her personal space. it's uncomfortable. and at 95%, a certain action of rua's is revealed that ruined all the previous goodwill i had for her. usually, this action would make me like her more, if anything, and she does this twice before in the story and i liked it then, but the context of what she does this specific thing for is just. weird. for a man??? really??? i know she's a [redacted], and they don't have morals, but that was so embarrassing. especially when the man in question is finn. you could find his twin, probably three of them even, on every corner in new york. whatever, i guess.
to summarize, i don't like heterosexual romance and what it does to women.
thank you to netgalley for the advanced copy.
i was slow to warm to this because the writing style wasn't my favorite, but rua shines regardless. because of her, i did enjoy this up to about 70% (the down part of the rollercoaster is whenever finn showed up. hate him). she's a truly witty and intelligent character, and even her stubbornness was endearing. usually, the idiotic ya lead who doesn't listen to anything or anyone would be insufferable at best, but rua was super fun to read about. i can't say i ever liked finn, though. he was a loser from the first time he opened his mouth, and pushy and stalkerish (in my personal opinion, not to the degree of being a criminal or a freak) to boot, but idk, some people like being pursued, so if that's your thing, tune in. while i didn't care for him by himself, their relationship was nice. it's one of the better written instalove tropes, i feel, since i actually didn't dislike it. they went slowly, even though though they immediately felt a pull towards each other, and it was mostly banter as they built their relationship, so there was proper development in the first 70%. what happened after that? well. this takes place in 1800 something, and finn knows for a fact what his pursual of rua (without offering marriage) will do to her, and he's still pushy and intense and insufferable about it. rua encourages him half the time, but even when she tries to say no, he's always in her personal space. it's uncomfortable. and at 95%, a certain action of rua's is revealed that ruined all the previous goodwill i had for her. usually, this action would make me like her more, if anything, and she does this twice before in the story and i liked it then, but the context of what she does this specific thing for is just. weird. for a man??? really??? i know she's a [redacted], and they don't have morals, but that was so embarrassing. especially when the man in question is finn. you could find his twin, probably three of them even, on every corner in new york. whatever, i guess.
to summarize, i don't like heterosexual romance and what it does to women.
thank you to netgalley for the advanced copy.
March 15, 2024
I read an early draft of this book and when i tell you *chefs kiss*. Every time i thought i knew where something was going or what a plot twist was Kelsie always kept me guessing. Not to mention the romance!! The leading man is the leading man of my heart! ❤️❤️❤️ THE BANTER!!!
Also Rua is such a fun and interesting main character! She always has me laughing and knowing that i would think the same exact thing if i was her.
THE WORLDBUILDING IS AMAZING!!! The glitz and the glamor of the gilded age! absolutely spectacular!
I loved this book!! i can’t wait to own five and gift it to everyone i know!!
Also Rua is such a fun and interesting main character! She always has me laughing and knowing that i would think the same exact thing if i was her.
THE WORLDBUILDING IS AMAZING!!! The glitz and the glamor of the gilded age! absolutely spectacular!
I loved this book!! i can’t wait to own five and gift it to everyone i know!!
April 19, 2025
A intriguing blend of historical fiction, fantasy, romance, and Irish mythology, The Gods Time Forgot centers around a woman’s precarious place in the rigidly patriarchal world in the 1880s — and highlights one woman's determined actions to defy it. I'll be honest, there was something about the cover or description that made me slow to pick this one up, but once I did, I found myself easily swept away.
The story begins with a bang: Rua awakens, digging herself free from a hole, hearing the voices of people searching for a lost woman. While she's not certain that woman is her, a deep and pervasive amnesia makes her desperate for help. When she stumbles towards them, the searchers immediately mistake her for their missing family member Emma, despite her insistence that Emma is not her name. Without memory of her previous life in their home, she continues to make missteps that don't jive with their family's standing in polite society. Convinced that she is suffering from a mental break, her controlling parents threaten her with entry into an asylum if she does not quickly conform to their expectations. Enter: Finn, a businessman who has traveled from Ireland to New York and is working hard to establish himself within proper society. Though he knows he should not involve himself with the fiery and controversial Rua/Emma, he finds her oddly familiar and irresistible. There is a low-key mystery vibe that provides some tension as Rua looks into the disappearance of Emma, her own murky history, and how she can get back to her former life.
It was easy to want to root for Rua to overcome the oppressions of a heavily patriarchal era, however, her decisions, overall abrasiveness, and tendency to violence made me less sure. That said, her character felt fitting for the Irish mythology it was intended to reflect. I do wish the Irish folklore and her backstory could have been brought to center stage more effectively once introduced, so that readers would gain an understanding of the folklore instead of just references to it.
The dual narrative from Kimberly M. Wetherell and Matthew Forsythe was well performed, with fluid pacing and emotional nuance. Thanks to NetGalley, Spotify Audiobooks, Alcove Press, and Kelsie Sheridan Gonzalez for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. 3.75 stars rounded up.
The story begins with a bang: Rua awakens, digging herself free from a hole, hearing the voices of people searching for a lost woman. While she's not certain that woman is her, a deep and pervasive amnesia makes her desperate for help. When she stumbles towards them, the searchers immediately mistake her for their missing family member Emma, despite her insistence that Emma is not her name. Without memory of her previous life in their home, she continues to make missteps that don't jive with their family's standing in polite society. Convinced that she is suffering from a mental break, her controlling parents threaten her with entry into an asylum if she does not quickly conform to their expectations. Enter: Finn, a businessman who has traveled from Ireland to New York and is working hard to establish himself within proper society. Though he knows he should not involve himself with the fiery and controversial Rua/Emma, he finds her oddly familiar and irresistible. There is a low-key mystery vibe that provides some tension as Rua looks into the disappearance of Emma, her own murky history, and how she can get back to her former life.
It was easy to want to root for Rua to overcome the oppressions of a heavily patriarchal era, however, her decisions, overall abrasiveness, and tendency to violence made me less sure. That said, her character felt fitting for the Irish mythology it was intended to reflect. I do wish the Irish folklore and her backstory could have been brought to center stage more effectively once introduced, so that readers would gain an understanding of the folklore instead of just references to it.
The dual narrative from Kimberly M. Wetherell and Matthew Forsythe was well performed, with fluid pacing and emotional nuance. Thanks to NetGalley, Spotify Audiobooks, Alcove Press, and Kelsie Sheridan Gonzalez for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. 3.75 stars rounded up.
February 20, 2025
I love the premise of this book, but think some developmental editing was needed. In addition, there were so many historical inaccuracies that I wondered why the author chose to use gilded age New York as a setting instead of creating a world that was similar without the distracting issues for anyone who knows the period.
A lot of time is spent wondering why or how while reading. Moving one flashback to a prologue might have remedied this and had the reader feeling clued in earlier, though the main characters don’t remember those events. Even when the main characters remember, the reader is still left wondering about plot holes.
The use of Irish language is interesting, but some words are never defined and contextual cues don’t provide insight. It’s frustrating as a reader…especially as an Irish American! I genuinely wanted to know all those words!
Lastly, the relationship between Irish people and the British aristocracy is difficult and the Irish weren’t members of high society in the late 1800s. Making an Irish character a peer and giving them society status in gilded age New York made this hard to believe.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sharing a copy of this book in advance. This is my honest review.
A lot of time is spent wondering why or how while reading. Moving one flashback to a prologue might have remedied this and had the reader feeling clued in earlier, though the main characters don’t remember those events. Even when the main characters remember, the reader is still left wondering about plot holes.
The use of Irish language is interesting, but some words are never defined and contextual cues don’t provide insight. It’s frustrating as a reader…especially as an Irish American! I genuinely wanted to know all those words!
Lastly, the relationship between Irish people and the British aristocracy is difficult and the Irish weren’t members of high society in the late 1800s. Making an Irish character a peer and giving them society status in gilded age New York made this hard to believe.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sharing a copy of this book in advance. This is my honest review.
December 31, 2024
1.5
Dosadno kao proliv. Jedina pozitivna stvar je sto me je zainteresovalo za irsku mitologiju
Hvala NetGalley-u i Alcove Press-u na ARC-u u zamenu za iskrenu recenziju!
Dosadno kao proliv. Jedina pozitivna stvar je sto me je zainteresovalo za irsku mitologiju
Hvala NetGalley-u i Alcove Press-u na ARC-u u zamenu za iskrenu recenziju!
November 5, 2024
I wanted to love this book so SO BADLY but my expectations were clearly too high. Something about the premise had me so intrigued and I honestly though that this was going to be a life changing kind of book you know??
The world building was stablished way too late and by that point I was already uninterested. The chemistry between the characters was alright but the mmc perspective made me roll my way too many times.
I am all in for soulmates finding each other again but it just wasn't executed the way I was expecting. New York gilded age mixed with Bridgerton vibes was a great setting but again, not enough for me to love the story. The ending came way too quickly and all I could think was "that's it? 🤨" I think there's still time to fix a few things in this book since release day is a few months away. Hopefully they'll do.
Thank you to Alcove Press for the advance reader copy.
The world building was stablished way too late and by that point I was already uninterested. The chemistry between the characters was alright but the mmc perspective made me roll my way too many times.
I am all in for soulmates finding each other again but it just wasn't executed the way I was expecting. New York gilded age mixed with Bridgerton vibes was a great setting but again, not enough for me to love the story. The ending came way too quickly and all I could think was "that's it? 🤨" I think there's still time to fix a few things in this book since release day is a few months away. Hopefully they'll do.
Thank you to Alcove Press for the advance reader copy.
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