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We Have Hours Left 'Til Morning
Not yet published
Expected 20 Apr 27A devastatingly romantic speculative novel about two time travel agents who meet - and fall in love - out of order, racing toward an ending they already know can’t be changed.
Emilia is a loyal employee of the Directory, a shadow organization that governs time travel to ensure the integrity of the world’s timeline. When a fellow agent, code name Ariel, tries to kill Emilia for a crime she hasn’t yet committed, she gets pulled into a game of cat and mouse that spans centuries, where past and future blur. Everything they do has already happened, but their current selves are unaware of what’s to come. And if they step out of line, the timeline could collapse, and they themselves could wink out of existence.
Sent to a major timeline event when the President is assassinated, Emilia must ensure that the assassination occurs the way she remembers it. The assassination doesn’t go exactly according to plan, but with only slight aberrations, the timeline remains intact. Flustered after the partially successful mission, Emilia flees and runs into Ariel once again. This time she takes no chances and kills him…despite the fact he doesn't fight back.
But death doesn’t mean much to time travelers, and Emilia runs into Ariel again and again. This Ariel doesn’t contain the anger he once did, and Emilia can’t help but fall for him, all the while knowing she is his murderer, and their time is running out. Only by working together - with a little help from their younger selves - could they potentially change the fate of humanity.
Emilia is a loyal employee of the Directory, a shadow organization that governs time travel to ensure the integrity of the world’s timeline. When a fellow agent, code name Ariel, tries to kill Emilia for a crime she hasn’t yet committed, she gets pulled into a game of cat and mouse that spans centuries, where past and future blur. Everything they do has already happened, but their current selves are unaware of what’s to come. And if they step out of line, the timeline could collapse, and they themselves could wink out of existence.
Sent to a major timeline event when the President is assassinated, Emilia must ensure that the assassination occurs the way she remembers it. The assassination doesn’t go exactly according to plan, but with only slight aberrations, the timeline remains intact. Flustered after the partially successful mission, Emilia flees and runs into Ariel once again. This time she takes no chances and kills him…despite the fact he doesn't fight back.
But death doesn’t mean much to time travelers, and Emilia runs into Ariel again and again. This Ariel doesn’t contain the anger he once did, and Emilia can’t help but fall for him, all the while knowing she is his murderer, and their time is running out. Only by working together - with a little help from their younger selves - could they potentially change the fate of humanity.
336 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication April 20, 2027
About the author
Maren Chase
2 books39 followersMaren Chase is a writer and frequent museum-dweller from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She studied history in the UK, where she led tours through monastic cloisters and across plague pits on the weekends. Since returning home, she works in the contemporary art world. Her favorite stories are about vengeful women, forbidden romance, and the inherent angst of immortality.
For more information, visit marenchasewrites.com.
For more information, visit marenchasewrites.com.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
August 14, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Archer for sending me a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 stars. I really liked this story overall. Time travel is always a tricky subject to cover, but I think the author did a good job both in explaining this world’s version of time travel as well as completing all time loops that occurred due to the characters jumping back and forth in time and affecting their and other people’s lives.
But, while the author did a good job in ensuring the story ended full circle, I personally wish the book had ended differently. Namely, with a happy ending. Even after Emilia buried the body, I was still somehow hoping that she’d be able to change the last enough to get a happy ending with Blake. I also would’ve appreciated more scenes with the two of the where we see them falling in love. Because the book is told in first person POV, we get told a lot of stuff but we don’t actually see it happen. We’re told they spend a lot of time together with Sophia but we get just a small glimpse of that. We’re told they actually live together for about 2-3 years but we only get that one museum and graveyard scene. 1-2 more small, cute and everyday scenes where they’re not concerned with the fate of the world and just enjoying each other would’ve been nice.
Structurally, I also wish the end of the book featured timelines that showed which Blake Emilia interacted with in order, and conversely, which Emilia Blake interacted with in order in his timeline. The book does a fairly good job of showing that in the text but an actual timeline (like the world timeline in the beginning of the book) would’ve been a nice addition.
So, except for the ending, I really enjoyed this book! I do think the ending might cause a bit of an issue with readers but overall, I think most people will really like this book.
3.5 stars. I really liked this story overall. Time travel is always a tricky subject to cover, but I think the author did a good job both in explaining this world’s version of time travel as well as completing all time loops that occurred due to the characters jumping back and forth in time and affecting their and other people’s lives.
But, while the author did a good job in ensuring the story ended full circle, I personally wish the book had ended differently. Namely, with a happy ending. Even after Emilia buried the body, I was still somehow hoping that she’d be able to change the last enough to get a happy ending with Blake. I also would’ve appreciated more scenes with the two of the where we see them falling in love. Because the book is told in first person POV, we get told a lot of stuff but we don’t actually see it happen. We’re told they spend a lot of time together with Sophia but we get just a small glimpse of that. We’re told they actually live together for about 2-3 years but we only get that one museum and graveyard scene. 1-2 more small, cute and everyday scenes where they’re not concerned with the fate of the world and just enjoying each other would’ve been nice.
Structurally, I also wish the end of the book featured timelines that showed which Blake Emilia interacted with in order, and conversely, which Emilia Blake interacted with in order in his timeline. The book does a fairly good job of showing that in the text but an actual timeline (like the world timeline in the beginning of the book) would’ve been a nice addition.
So, except for the ending, I really enjoyed this book! I do think the ending might cause a bit of an issue with readers but overall, I think most people will really like this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 14, 2026
absolutely masterful. my jaw has been sitting on the floor since i turned the last page, and my brain is burning up with the complexity of paradoxes and time loops.
honestly, what a book. diving in blindly is the best thing one could do!
honestly, what a book. diving in blindly is the best thing one could do!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was a really interesting read. With brand new time travel elements and mechanics at work, it was refreshing to see new ways of using time travel in a novel. There’s a very nice underlying romance between two time travelers, and as you get attached to their story, you’ll have fears they may never get to fully enjoy their time together or share a future. This underlying love story blossoms slowly and unexpectedly, and you’ll desperately hope they can find a way to fix things in the past (and future?!) to allow them to have a life together.
Oddly, I enjoyed reading about and contemplating doomsday scenarios that were part of this narrative, such as geological disasters, the aftermath of population decline, advanced AI, bioware and how much autonomy is safe to give up, if any.
I’m always endeared to books that have a theme of enduring love and companionship of family. As a time traveler, the main lead Emilia is close to her parents and visits them often throughout their timeline. A stunning quote that would touch anyone captured my heart. I think it encapsulates our human desire to be reunited with loved ones long passed.
“Perhaps that’s the realest form of time travelling there is - the ability to go to a place where someone we love isn’t yet gone.”
I think what’s absolutely best about time travel novels are that they make you think about time in our own lives. I had to include one last bit from the author because it’s written in so perfectly and I simply loved it.
“Though we lived through multiple new years in his little house together, I'm not sure either of us remarked upon the date. When you have the power to visit eight hundred different New Year's Eves whenever you want, to live and relive them to your heart's content, there's not much magic in it anymore. People only celebrate the passing of time because it passes. They must leave something behind to step into another unknown. Years are special because they end… “.
BEAUTIFUL, and a nice reminder for us that ALL of our time is special.
Overall, a mixed review. I loved the characters, a sense of mystery in how their crossed paths will end, and the tension of time travel where even the smallest change in the past could cause a major shift in the future. I ran into some confusing moments with certain time jumps and the dynamics of the company who “invents” time travel, but tried to just go with the flow of the book and hope I would find my bearings again. It was a very enjoyable read and I’d recommend for fans of time travel and dystopian themes!
3-3.5🌟
Oddly, I enjoyed reading about and contemplating doomsday scenarios that were part of this narrative, such as geological disasters, the aftermath of population decline, advanced AI, bioware and how much autonomy is safe to give up, if any.
I’m always endeared to books that have a theme of enduring love and companionship of family. As a time traveler, the main lead Emilia is close to her parents and visits them often throughout their timeline. A stunning quote that would touch anyone captured my heart. I think it encapsulates our human desire to be reunited with loved ones long passed.
“Perhaps that’s the realest form of time travelling there is - the ability to go to a place where someone we love isn’t yet gone.”
I think what’s absolutely best about time travel novels are that they make you think about time in our own lives. I had to include one last bit from the author because it’s written in so perfectly and I simply loved it.
“Though we lived through multiple new years in his little house together, I'm not sure either of us remarked upon the date. When you have the power to visit eight hundred different New Year's Eves whenever you want, to live and relive them to your heart's content, there's not much magic in it anymore. People only celebrate the passing of time because it passes. They must leave something behind to step into another unknown. Years are special because they end… “.
BEAUTIFUL, and a nice reminder for us that ALL of our time is special.
Overall, a mixed review. I loved the characters, a sense of mystery in how their crossed paths will end, and the tension of time travel where even the smallest change in the past could cause a major shift in the future. I ran into some confusing moments with certain time jumps and the dynamics of the company who “invents” time travel, but tried to just go with the flow of the book and hope I would find my bearings again. It was a very enjoyable read and I’d recommend for fans of time travel and dystopian themes!
3-3.5🌟
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Emilia is a loyal agent of the D irectory, a secret organization responsible for policing time travel and protecting the integrity of the timeline. Her world is turned upside down when another agent, Ariel, tries to kill her for a crime she hasn't yet committed.
What follows is a century-spanning game of cat and mouse, where cause and effect become almost impossible to separate. Emilia and Ariel repeatedly encounter one another at different points in their lives, often knowing things about each other that their younger selves have yet to experience. Then Emiliq is sent on a mission of utmost importance. She is meant to assassinate the president and make sure that history happens exactly as it is supposed to. But the mission goes sideways, and when Emilia encounters Ariel again, things go wrong in the worst way.
We have Hours Left till Morning, and we take the classic time travel question "What if you could change the past?" and turns it into a love story where the real question becomes "What if you already know how your love story ends and you fall in love anyway?" This premise was promising. The relationship between Emilia and Ariel is the absolute heart of this book. There's something particularly painful about watching emilia fall for someone when she already knows how it all ends. And because they keep encountering one another out of chronological order, their relationship develops in a beautifully confusing, almost dreamlike way. Their roommates make you question whether these characters are creating their own fate or fulfilling it. And I love that their romance isn't just an excuse to have a time travel gimmick. The story is interested in the emotional consequences of knowing that your future may already be written. The story intentionally plays with nonlinear relationships, predestination, alternate realities, and cause and effect loops. This book isn't fluffy, itss heart wrenching and will give you the feels. This book may ruin you emotionally 4.25 stars. I received this ARC from Netgalley.
What follows is a century-spanning game of cat and mouse, where cause and effect become almost impossible to separate. Emilia and Ariel repeatedly encounter one another at different points in their lives, often knowing things about each other that their younger selves have yet to experience. Then Emiliq is sent on a mission of utmost importance. She is meant to assassinate the president and make sure that history happens exactly as it is supposed to. But the mission goes sideways, and when Emilia encounters Ariel again, things go wrong in the worst way.
We have Hours Left till Morning, and we take the classic time travel question "What if you could change the past?" and turns it into a love story where the real question becomes "What if you already know how your love story ends and you fall in love anyway?" This premise was promising. The relationship between Emilia and Ariel is the absolute heart of this book. There's something particularly painful about watching emilia fall for someone when she already knows how it all ends. And because they keep encountering one another out of chronological order, their relationship develops in a beautifully confusing, almost dreamlike way. Their roommates make you question whether these characters are creating their own fate or fulfilling it. And I love that their romance isn't just an excuse to have a time travel gimmick. The story is interested in the emotional consequences of knowing that your future may already be written. The story intentionally plays with nonlinear relationships, predestination, alternate realities, and cause and effect loops. This book isn't fluffy, itss heart wrenching and will give you the feels. This book may ruin you emotionally 4.25 stars. I received this ARC from Netgalley.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I am absolutely blown away. Speculative fiction is one of my favorite genres (especially when it involves time travel!), and We Have Hours Left 'Til Morning has immediately been added to my all time favorites list. The way that I felt reading this was reminiscent of some of my very, very favorites like Oona Out of Order, The Book of Doors, The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, Blake Crouch's work, or watching Loki. I was immediately invested in the world, and found the story to be written in a way that made sense to keep track of various timelines and what was going on.
One of my favorite things about speculative fiction as a genre is when things are self-referential and we close loops – either in front of the original event happening or after it happens. Getting to see so many moments come full circle was incredibly gratifying! The pacing was so well done, and I truly couldn't put this down or inhale it fast enough. It had me fully emoting at my desk – I gasped, I cried, I screeched in a very embarrassing Gen Z style way – because I was so invested in what was going on.
I can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy of this for my bookshelf!
*Thanks to Bloomsbury USA - Bloomsbury Archer and NetGalley for the ARC!*
One of my favorite things about speculative fiction as a genre is when things are self-referential and we close loops – either in front of the original event happening or after it happens. Getting to see so many moments come full circle was incredibly gratifying! The pacing was so well done, and I truly couldn't put this down or inhale it fast enough. It had me fully emoting at my desk – I gasped, I cried, I screeched in a very embarrassing Gen Z style way – because I was so invested in what was going on.
I can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy of this for my bookshelf!
*Thanks to Bloomsbury USA - Bloomsbury Archer and NetGalley for the ARC!*
Did Not Finish
August 14, 2026DNF @ 61%
I honestly hate to dnf something. Especially an arc!! I do appreciate Maren Chase, Bloomsbury and Netgally for the ARC to read but I think unfortunately this was just not my vibe (or possibly found me at an off time for a scifi story.)
I thought at first I was just busy with work/my personal life or on too much of an audiobook kick to pay attention, but I don’t think that’s the case. I make any excuse and time to read something I’m locked in to but I was just not captivated enough to finish.
What I did like
The concept, as usual, the blurb sold me immediately. Seemingly Loki-coded/multiverse, “I’d love you in any lifetime”? Sign me UP. The plot was also interesting as well! The author emotionally damages you early on and I was dying to know what was next in the first half
What wasn’t hitting for me
(*Disclaimer: sometimes when I’m trying to wrap my head around the “rules of the book” (i.e. set up, magic system, realms/gods (or in this case, how time travel works)) at times it feels like my only two brain cells are desperately rubbing sticks to start a fire*)
That being said, the systems of the Directory and time travel, lore etc was difficult to keep up with and I found it confusing at times and stopped trying to understand around 30%ish and just roll with it.
The pacing was a little wacky and it was as if the time travel was trying to be the excuse for lack of structure and inconsistent pacing. (However this doesn’t really hold up in court because I dnf’d, but anyway these are just my thoughts you don’t have to read them)
Anyway, I hope I pick this back up again. Im not going to read any spoilers I think maybe I could potentially come back, which is why I didn’t rate any lower. Fingers crossed 🤞
I honestly hate to dnf something. Especially an arc!! I do appreciate Maren Chase, Bloomsbury and Netgally for the ARC to read but I think unfortunately this was just not my vibe (or possibly found me at an off time for a scifi story.)
I thought at first I was just busy with work/my personal life or on too much of an audiobook kick to pay attention, but I don’t think that’s the case. I make any excuse and time to read something I’m locked in to but I was just not captivated enough to finish.
What I did like
The concept, as usual, the blurb sold me immediately. Seemingly Loki-coded/multiverse, “I’d love you in any lifetime”? Sign me UP. The plot was also interesting as well! The author emotionally damages you early on and I was dying to know what was next in the first half
What wasn’t hitting for me
(*Disclaimer: sometimes when I’m trying to wrap my head around the “rules of the book” (i.e. set up, magic system, realms/gods (or in this case, how time travel works)) at times it feels like my only two brain cells are desperately rubbing sticks to start a fire*)
That being said, the systems of the Directory and time travel, lore etc was difficult to keep up with and I found it confusing at times and stopped trying to understand around 30%ish and just roll with it.
The pacing was a little wacky and it was as if the time travel was trying to be the excuse for lack of structure and inconsistent pacing. (However this doesn’t really hold up in court because I dnf’d, but anyway these are just my thoughts you don’t have to read them)
Anyway, I hope I pick this back up again. Im not going to read any spoilers I think maybe I could potentially come back, which is why I didn’t rate any lower. Fingers crossed 🤞
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
**5 Stars**
As always, I would like to thank NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Emilia is trying to lead a normal life, or as normal as it can get when working for a time-travelling agency to keep the time continuum on track. But, when a man shows up in her designated year to monitor and tries to kill Emilia, she realizes she's in danger. In a deadly game of cat and mouse, Emilia eventually wins, but was it a matter of fate or just how time worked out? What does one do, if they fall in love with the person they've killed and there's no way to undo it. Or, what if the agency they work for is a greedy corporation using time and their agents for their own selfish gains.
In this story of star-crossed lovers, Emilia and Blake must steal what little time they have to discover the love for each other as well as finding a solution against this corrupt establishment. If you're a fan of Katabasis by R.F. Kuang for it's complex paradoxes and complicated lovers and Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir for its heavy sci-fi element, then you would absolutely enjoy this book.
I truly wish I could rate this a 6 stars. This book was absolutely amazing and gut-wrenching, I haven't been this emotionally invested in a book in a long-while. I absolutely recommend this book to anyone who wants to cry or loves sci-fi. The time-travelling system is a little complex and there was a few times I was breaking my brain to understand certain concepts, but I eventually got it. Additionally, this book is extremely fast-paced and there was a lot of action that I greatly appreciated.
As always, I would like to thank NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Emilia is trying to lead a normal life, or as normal as it can get when working for a time-travelling agency to keep the time continuum on track. But, when a man shows up in her designated year to monitor and tries to kill Emilia, she realizes she's in danger. In a deadly game of cat and mouse, Emilia eventually wins, but was it a matter of fate or just how time worked out? What does one do, if they fall in love with the person they've killed and there's no way to undo it. Or, what if the agency they work for is a greedy corporation using time and their agents for their own selfish gains.
In this story of star-crossed lovers, Emilia and Blake must steal what little time they have to discover the love for each other as well as finding a solution against this corrupt establishment. If you're a fan of Katabasis by R.F. Kuang for it's complex paradoxes and complicated lovers and Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir for its heavy sci-fi element, then you would absolutely enjoy this book.
I truly wish I could rate this a 6 stars. This book was absolutely amazing and gut-wrenching, I haven't been this emotionally invested in a book in a long-while. I absolutely recommend this book to anyone who wants to cry or loves sci-fi. The time-travelling system is a little complex and there was a few times I was breaking my brain to understand certain concepts, but I eventually got it. Additionally, this book is extremely fast-paced and there was a lot of action that I greatly appreciated.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
sometimes a time travel story is complicated, but still somehow clicks perfectly into place with the right prose and pacing – unfortunately, "We Have Hours Left 'Til Morning" never did for me. i can absolutely appreciate the ambition behind its intricately woven, out-of-order romance, but the rules of the time travel became so convoluted that i spent more energy trying to understand when and why things were happening than actually caring about Emilia and Ariel. and because i never really connected with either character, their unconventional romance – which is clearly meant to be the emotional heart of the book – never landed with the gut punch i think it was supposed to. there are some clever ideas here, but ultimately the complexity kept me at arm's length from both the story and the characters.
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
"I don't think there's a play for Ariel and Emilia." Well, there's not, but there sure is a story for them in We Have Hours Left 'Til Morning. I knew I was going to experience time travel, a little bit of romance, and some corruption. However, I was not ready for the pain in my heart and hurt feelings I had reading the end chapters. Nothing was left unturned. It all come to completion in the way that Emilia and Ariel had planned, but at what cost? My own heartbreak, apparently.
Reading this felt like a movie. I was following along with them, could see it playing as I went. Beautiful.
Reading this felt like a movie. I was following along with them, could see it playing as I went. Beautiful.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
now why am I choking back a little tear! Star crossed lovers and time travel (their timelines running in opposite directions).
I flew through this and while some parts didn’t quite work for me (the actual mechanics of the time travel were confusing and the pacing in the middle a bit clunky) but the central emotional core of the story (and its inherent tragedy) moved me! And Maren Chase really sticks the landing
I flew through this and while some parts didn’t quite work for me (the actual mechanics of the time travel were confusing and the pacing in the middle a bit clunky) but the central emotional core of the story (and its inherent tragedy) moved me! And Maren Chase really sticks the landing
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
We Have Hours Left 'Til Morning is an incredible time travel book. I did not want to put this book down once I started reading it. It has plenty of action and unexpected events. The love story within the book is wonderful. The book has moments of hope, grief, anger, corruption, and betrayal. There are moments where you will want to laugh and others where you will want to cry. I highly recommend this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5⭐️
oh my goodness, where to start! i really enjoyed this time travel romance even though some parts are sad. i liked the overall message about time itself and how we should make the most of it :) the world building in the book was easy to grasp and such a cool concept. if you like time travel or sci-fi elements, you’ll love this book!
thank you NetGalley and Bloomsbury USA for the digital ARC.
oh my goodness, where to start! i really enjoyed this time travel romance even though some parts are sad. i liked the overall message about time itself and how we should make the most of it :) the world building in the book was easy to grasp and such a cool concept. if you like time travel or sci-fi elements, you’ll love this book!
thank you NetGalley and Bloomsbury USA for the digital ARC.
August 23, 2026
this book had me ugly crying for quite some time after I turned the last page, and it was worth it. I am so blown away by this story. The time jumps and paradoxes can be hard to keep track of at times, but the story itself is incredible. although the ending is gut wrenching, it’s also beautiful in its own way. I wouldn’t change a thing.
“And with my last breath, tell him my name.”
“And with my last breath, tell him my name.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy
*3.5
I felt so connected to these characters in the first half of the book, but I wish we saw more of their romance in order for the ending to have more of an emotional impact. There were also some time travel elements I didn't quite understand, but that might just be me.
I felt so connected to these characters in the first half of the book, but I wish we saw more of their romance in order for the ending to have more of an emotional impact. There were also some time travel elements I didn't quite understand, but that might just be me.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
I really loved this one. I ended up making a conscious decision to not get too caught up trying to understand the time travel logic, but I loved the characters, the emotional impact it had, and I had a hard time putting it down.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Cried on the subway multiple times while reading this book, it’s absolutely fantastic. The time travel is done exceptionally well and the twists?? Omg. 6/5 stars everyone needs to read this
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
There's a small part of me who wish I have a temogen so I can go back to the time I ever laid my eyes on this book and save myself from this hurt.
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