A sleeping princess, a handsome prince, and a dark time travel romance... I'm a librarian with a passion for history. I lead a quiet life. I get my adventures from the books I read, and I'm okay with that. Until I'm suddenly transported back in time. For as long as I can remember, my nights have been haunted by vivid dreams of a medieval kingdom and a beautiful princess trapped in eternal slumber. But one fateful night, my dreams transport me back in time, where I awaken in the body of Princess Aveline, who has been cursed to sleep forever. All the books in the world couldn't prepare me for the realities of medieval life. To make matters worse, I have to pretend to be the princess I've replaced. And then there's the dashing and determined Prince Alaric. He's handsome and everything I ever dreamed a prince would be, but how can I get close to him while he believes he's falling in love with someone else? And how do I keep my own feelings in check? I know I somehow have to break the curse that binds the real Princess Aveline—both for her sake and my own. But I might break my heart in the process. Dreams in Time is a captivating retelling of Sleeping Beauty, filled with romance, fantasy, and adventure. If you enjoyed the magic and romance of 'The Selection' series, you'll love this timeless tale of true love and sacrifice.
✨ DREAMS IN TIME ✨ is a spicy novella perfect for fans
• fairy tale retellings • new adult romantasy • friends to lovers • mystery with high stakes • time travel romance • a bit of magic • witty banter • Irish mythology and faerie tales • heart-pounding adventure • forced proximity • who did this to you • he falls first • fated mates • dark fantasy vibesGet ready to dive headfirst into sinful, heart-pounding romantic fantasies that drag you into wild, untamed worlds of medieval kingdoms, forbidden forests, and raw elemental magic. Picture fierce heroines tangled up with brooding, dangerous men who’d burn the world to keep them. These twisted, spicy fairy tale retellings turn the stories you know into something dark, obsessive, and deliciously irresistible. Magic crackles, passions ignite, and destinies collide—romantasy lovers, these dark fairy tale re-tellings are for you.
Kenzie Skye writes short and spicy books with a touch of magic. Her stories are over the top and always feature obsessed heroes who will do anything for the women they love. Sign up to my newsletter on my website to get a free book.
4.5 stars This was a short but enjoyable novella that captured elements of the classic fairy tale ‘Sleeping Beauty’, new adult romance, and time travel. It was easy to get into the storyline, characters, and overall adventure of the book!
Dreams in Time is a book with a very interesting concept — I especially liked how the author connected time travel with dreams. This element was original and pleasantly executed. The overall story had great potential as well, but some things bothered me and kept me from fully enjoying the book.
One of the issues was the frequent repetition of the same information. The main heroine repeated over and over — sometimes several times within a single short chapter — that she needed to tell the male lead the truth about who she really was and where she came from. The same thoughts circled again and again, which disrupted the pacing of the story.
Another thing that surprised me was the sudden sex scene on the balcony. The whole book had been written in a very innocent tone, without exaggerated physical attraction or any real erotic tension. Yes, there was a gentle, natural connection between the characters, but nothing suggested that it would escalate in such a way. And then — after a completely innocent conversation — the tone suddenly shifted. The scene felt rushed, unearned, and forced, as if it had been included just for the sake of having a sex scene. Especially the moment when he tells her he wants to “worship every part of her body” felt out of place compared to the rest of the book’s tone.
Similarly, I was disappointed by the final chapter, which felt written for the sole purpose of adding another sex scene. The story hadn’t been building toward that, and there were no hints that such intensity would suddenly appear. It was clear the characters loved each other, but the erotic scenes felt inserted into the plot rather than developing naturally from it.
Regarding the main plot twist, I expected something more unique. Instead, the story shifted from Avalon into Sleeping Beauty territory. The explanation — that she pricked her finger and simply slept — felt weak to me. But one thing was truly beautifully done: the idea that during the years she was asleep, she was born in the future as Aloria and lived an entire life there. That moment was original, emotional, and very powerful — and it was my favorite part of the entire book.
Despite all my criticisms, I have to say that the story is written nicely and includes several genuinely interesting ideas. I also loved the final revelation that Aveline and Aloria are actually the same soul living two lives because of the curse. It was a beautiful idea and a lovely way to conclude the story.
Introducing 'Dreams in Time' by Kenzie Skye! This novella is a captivating romantic retelling of Sleeping Beauty that flawlessly blends romance, fantasy, and adventure.
Imagine a quiet library, a librarian leading a content life surrounded by books, and one fateful night that changes everything. Her dreams of a medieval kingdom and a slumbering princess become vividly real, and she wakes up not in her own time, but inhabiting the body of the cursed Princess Aveline.
The peaceful life of a librarian is swiftly replaced by the harsh realities of medieval existence—castles, courtly intrigues, and the challenge of concealing her true identity. Enter Prince Alaric, a charming and dashing figure who believes he's falling in love with the slumbering princess, complicating matters further.
At the heart of the story lies the quest to break the curse binding the real Princess Aveline, intertwining the fate of our librarian-turned-princess with hers. Expect sacrifice, love, and magic as she grapples with her own emotions.
Dreams in Time is a spellbinding novella that seamlessly weaves together fairy tale elements, new adult romance, and time travel. If you enjoyed The Selection series by Kiera Cass, you will find echoes of its magic within these pages. With tension, witty banter, and the promise of true love, this story offers a delightful escape into the timeless allure of fairy tales, inviting readers to step beyond reality’s veil.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Dreams In Time by Kenzie Skye is from the Spicy Romantasy Fairy Tales series. It is a short fantasy romance that seamlessly combines a fantasy retelling of Sleeping Beauty, a Medieval setting and time travel from present day New York.
This is a short story so I won't go into too much, because this was an excellently executed time travel short story. There is a rich mix of history, magic and fairy tales curses. There is also a sweet romance between the prince and his princess. I enjoyed the mystery of it all - how and why with the time travel, is it real? But there was also adventure and sacrifice as our heroine unravels exactly what has happened to her and why she woke up in the body of a Medieval princess who had been cursed with a sleeping sickness.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This was a highly enjoyable story about Aloria and Prince Alaric that I read. This story took me back in time when I was many years younger and bought nothing but time-travel and mermaid romance books. This would have been one book I'll gladly grabbed off the shelves and put into my collection from my bookstore. This story is about Aloria a librarian who gets swept back in time into the body of Princess Aveline and her experiences. This fantasy fairytale story was well written and was very entertaining to read. The characters were likable and engaging and the sleeping beauty theme story kept me intrigued. Their romance chemistry simmered. Overall, I totally enjoyed reading this copy I'd received and volunteer to read and review.
First off, this is my absolute favorite princess that Kenzie is writing about here! I was so excited about this. This was a sweet and romantic read that really read like a old fashioned tale. The writing is done well and these characters are kind and the whole story feels like a dream. The lead is a good girl and loves books, wishing in her heart for a love of her own.
She awakens in another's body and discovers she had been asleep for quite some time.
And that female is awakened finally which is something to rejoice, however this prince doesn't belong to her. Or does he? This had a nice twist! I do wish everyone was fleshed out more, but love her sense of right and wrong. She has a strong core of justice, like a true princess should. A fun tale!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Dreams in Time by Kenzie Skyee is a fairy tale fantasy. It is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty. The author has done a beautiful job of putting all the pieces together and making it her own tale. It is modern and fresh with the same aspects of the old fairy intertwined in it.
Skye is a librarian who loves book. She pretty much lives and breaths them. One night she wakes up in one of the books. She now has a lot of work to do to get home and change the the story or fate could get them all.
2.5 at best, rounded up. 1 star for writing it. 2 stars cause I finished it. .5 stars because it wasn't terrible writing. Honestly there just isnt much to this story. Being a short novella does not mean that it cant hold merit or pack a punch, but this didnt. Its just a simple retelling of sleeping beauty with 1 dimensional characters that interact so weirdly with each other. Theres no real substance to the plot line. The heroine didnt really do anything to save anyone. It was more like she was just along for the ride. The smut was OK. Its a very forgettable novella.
My only complaint is that there wasn’t more of it! This fairytale retelling was short but oh so sweet! Absolutely loved the twist and the happily ever after that every fairytale rightly deserves. I myself love history and feel an affinity with the past so this story really spoke to me and I have to say I wouldn’t be averse to waking up somewhere long ago either. Definitely worth a read and it’s great that it can be read in a short time so perfect with a cup of tea and some biscuits! Enjoy 💜
Basic Plot: A librarian wakes in the body of a princess under a curse.
This isekai story was just meh. The characters didn't really have personalities, the world didn't really have details, the romance also didn't build. The main character didnt even really do anything to break the curse, it was a secondary character who precipitated that. It was words on the (electronic) page, but nothing that I'm going to remember later.
The author has given us a quick read that pulls us into the lives of Aloria/Princess Aveline and Prince Alaric. The story keeps us turning the pages with vivid dreams, time travel, connection and tough decisions.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This story had potential I liked the premise of this girl from modern day traveling back into time and ending up in this medieval princesses life. But otherwise the story was wayyy too fast, and the writing wasn’t fluid, each chapter something new happened, with the events of the previous chapter not being resolved. It was just okay.
Love the retelling story of sleeping beauty!!! The author gave it her own kind of spin to it!!! It did keep me reading wondering what was going to happen. It does have a nice little spice to it too. Would recommend to anyone that loves retelling stories. I know I do. Just wish their was more to it!
This steamy sleeping beauty retelling takes less than an hour and starts with librarian Aloria Harding of the Manhattan Public Library having a series of medieval dreams.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Spoiler alert! However, the spoiler is unlikely to take anything away from the enjoyment of the short story. 🪡 🪡 🪡 🪡 🪡 🪡 🪡 Sweet and steamy retelling of Sleeping Beauty in which the princess saves herself.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This book offers a delightful and quick read that combines nostalgia from the classic story of Sleeping Beauty with a more mature interpretation of the romance. The blend of these elements creates an engaging adventure that was enjoyable to explore.
It was okay. I didn't find the sex scenes to be very well-written. I didn't like that the MC praised Neil Gaiman since this was published after the allegations came out, but it was only very shortly after so the author may not have heard about it yet.
A fantasy version of Sleeping Beauty with a time travel twist, Kenzie Skye’s, Dreams in Time, is an absorbing short story. Waking up in the body of a cursed medieval princess, a modern librarian tries to figure out why she’s there, and how to break the curse. A little bit spicy with some adventure and mystery, Dreams in Time will keep you guessing until the surprising end.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This was my first book by Kenzie Skye and I thought it was an enjoyable retelling of Sleeping Beauty with a lot of details and world building packed into a fairly quick read. I look forward to seeing what Fairy Tale Retellings are added to this series in the future.
I received a free advanced reader copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.