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For the Lost Time
When Diego Delgado closed his eyes it was 2020. When he awoke, he was one-hundred years in the past.Thrust into the dawn of the Jazz Age with no money and nowhere to go, Diego encounters a veritable bouquet of acquaintances including a kind-hearted factory owner, a free-spirited flapper, a worldly-wise mystic, and a strong-willed heir named Thomas Greely.Diego, desperate to return to the future and reunite with his young daughter, must blend in with the roaring twenties lifestyle while searching for answers.But distractions are all around him, especially Thomas who is both beautiful and charismatic, and Diego must grapple with the reality that even if he succeeds in returning home, half of his heart will stay behind.
286 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 18, 2020
6 people are currently reading
67 people want to read
About the author
Heather Blair
4 books35 followersHeather Blair is the author of the new adult romance novels "Lucid Dreaming" and "Wide Awake" and the time travel romance "For the Lost Time."
She was born and raised in Vermont and has spent much of her adult life in New York and Los Angeles.
She currently resides in Connecticut with her two cats.
She was born and raised in Vermont and has spent much of her adult life in New York and Los Angeles.
She currently resides in Connecticut with her two cats.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
April 11, 2020
I received this arc by Booktamins in exchange of an honest review. All the opinions are my own.
Diego Delgado's life is turned upside down when he closes his eyes in 2020 and opens them one century before, alone and penniless. Forced to live in a time and world he doesn't know anything about, Diego decides to do anything in his power to try to understand what happened to him and how he could come back to his time, his best friend and ex wife Kendra and his daughter Molly.
In the America of 1920 he's helped by a kind factory owner, Henry Wallingford, he meets a peculiar mystic, Madama Olah (Dora) and his life is complicated and changed by the charismatic and exuberant heir, Thomas Greely.
But while trying to find some answers, he finds himself involved in the life of the roaring twenties and, above all, in that of the beautiful and complex Thomas, their attraction hard to fight.
I really liked For the lost time. The book is a very quick and sweet read, with interesting characters, both the main ones, Diego, Thomas and Henry, than side ones like the stubborn Kendra and Clementine.
Diego finds himself in a world he's not used to, saved by the generosity and gut feeling of the kind Henry, heartbroken and confused by something he doesn't know how and why it happened to him and missing his family. He's determined to find a way back, to not let himself get distracted, but while frequenting his benefactor and working in his factory, his path crosses Thomas', the buoyant and brilliant son of the co-owner of the factory, the dancer, the heir, the curious and smiling person he can't help be attracted to.
While Thomas is descripted as exuberant, too curious, maybe annoying sometimes with his attitude and insistence, the reader, through Diego's point of view learns how hard was and is his apparently perfect life.
Adopted in China by two globetrotter, Thomas suffered and suffers for his family's lack of attention and love, growing up spoiled and unloved, finding comfort and attention only in Henry, his father's friend and co-owner (and neighbor), kind and affectionate. Behind Thomas's smiles, his dancing and friendship with his friend Clementine, his curiosity, there's an intense sadness and loneliness.
Henry is another interesting character, but with a heavy and painful past and trauma and it was hard and shocking to read about Henry's nightmares and past memories. His kindness and love for Thomas are a constant in both of their lives, as his protection and desire to see him happy.
The three main characters are gay and, if Diego in 2020 is free to love and marry the person he loves, being gay in the America of 1920 is risky and dangerous, as Henry's past proved it.
The future is a common element in both Thomas' and Diego's situation.
Thomas, with his apparently golden and rich life, is terrified of a future that seems already written, that his parents want to impose on him, forcing and threatening him to go to college, to inherit their factory, throwing back in Thomas's face his adoption and what and where he would have gone without them.
At the same time Diego is burdened by the knowledge of his real life a century in the future and unable to be happy of the present, torn between his love for Molly and his blossoming one for Thomas and the friendship with Henry and Dora.
His relationship with them is very cute, I love Dora's help, her character is joyous and funny and Henry's protectiveness and affection.
Thomas and Diego are absolutely wonderful together and the way their relationship changes during the book is sweet. At first Diego isn't interested in Thomas' attention and attempt to be his friend, too caught up with his own problems, but slowly they start to see one other as they really are and their romance starts, blossoming in a cute and tender relationship. A relationship complicated by Diego's real time and family.
I won't write anything more because I don't want to spoiler anything.
I liked the idea of destiny and the whole concept of found souls in different times, but I wished the whole time travel (the reason why and how it happened) would have been explained better and I found the way Diego managed to familiarize himself in a time a century earlier a bit too overlooked, because I expected more difficulty in fitting in.
Nevertheless I liked this book, the story is sweet and tender, its characters interesting, stubborn and complex and through their experience the reader is involved in their romance and love and it's really sweet.
Diego Delgado's life is turned upside down when he closes his eyes in 2020 and opens them one century before, alone and penniless. Forced to live in a time and world he doesn't know anything about, Diego decides to do anything in his power to try to understand what happened to him and how he could come back to his time, his best friend and ex wife Kendra and his daughter Molly.
In the America of 1920 he's helped by a kind factory owner, Henry Wallingford, he meets a peculiar mystic, Madama Olah (Dora) and his life is complicated and changed by the charismatic and exuberant heir, Thomas Greely.
But while trying to find some answers, he finds himself involved in the life of the roaring twenties and, above all, in that of the beautiful and complex Thomas, their attraction hard to fight.
I really liked For the lost time. The book is a very quick and sweet read, with interesting characters, both the main ones, Diego, Thomas and Henry, than side ones like the stubborn Kendra and Clementine.
Diego finds himself in a world he's not used to, saved by the generosity and gut feeling of the kind Henry, heartbroken and confused by something he doesn't know how and why it happened to him and missing his family. He's determined to find a way back, to not let himself get distracted, but while frequenting his benefactor and working in his factory, his path crosses Thomas', the buoyant and brilliant son of the co-owner of the factory, the dancer, the heir, the curious and smiling person he can't help be attracted to.
While Thomas is descripted as exuberant, too curious, maybe annoying sometimes with his attitude and insistence, the reader, through Diego's point of view learns how hard was and is his apparently perfect life.
Adopted in China by two globetrotter, Thomas suffered and suffers for his family's lack of attention and love, growing up spoiled and unloved, finding comfort and attention only in Henry, his father's friend and co-owner (and neighbor), kind and affectionate. Behind Thomas's smiles, his dancing and friendship with his friend Clementine, his curiosity, there's an intense sadness and loneliness.
Henry is another interesting character, but with a heavy and painful past and trauma and it was hard and shocking to read about Henry's nightmares and past memories. His kindness and love for Thomas are a constant in both of their lives, as his protection and desire to see him happy.
The three main characters are gay and, if Diego in 2020 is free to love and marry the person he loves, being gay in the America of 1920 is risky and dangerous, as Henry's past proved it.
The future is a common element in both Thomas' and Diego's situation.
Thomas, with his apparently golden and rich life, is terrified of a future that seems already written, that his parents want to impose on him, forcing and threatening him to go to college, to inherit their factory, throwing back in Thomas's face his adoption and what and where he would have gone without them.
At the same time Diego is burdened by the knowledge of his real life a century in the future and unable to be happy of the present, torn between his love for Molly and his blossoming one for Thomas and the friendship with Henry and Dora.
His relationship with them is very cute, I love Dora's help, her character is joyous and funny and Henry's protectiveness and affection.
Thomas and Diego are absolutely wonderful together and the way their relationship changes during the book is sweet. At first Diego isn't interested in Thomas' attention and attempt to be his friend, too caught up with his own problems, but slowly they start to see one other as they really are and their romance starts, blossoming in a cute and tender relationship. A relationship complicated by Diego's real time and family.
I won't write anything more because I don't want to spoiler anything.
I liked the idea of destiny and the whole concept of found souls in different times, but I wished the whole time travel (the reason why and how it happened) would have been explained better and I found the way Diego managed to familiarize himself in a time a century earlier a bit too overlooked, because I expected more difficulty in fitting in.
Nevertheless I liked this book, the story is sweet and tender, its characters interesting, stubborn and complex and through their experience the reader is involved in their romance and love and it's really sweet.
April 21, 2020
I read this book for a blog tour with Booktamins and received a free copy of the ebook, but all opinions are my own.
Right from the start, I knew that I was going to enjoy this book and I found it instantly captivating and as the story progressed it was so sweet. One of the things that bugged me throughout was that we don't really get a before of Diego's life, we just meet him a few weeks into his trip into 1920, I think that I was just missing a bit of how it all started out, but I have to admit that meeting him and Thomas at Henry's soirée did have a feel of mystery.
All of the characters were solid, relatable and well-developed, my favourites and the main characters were Diego, Thomas and Henry and each were so special to the story. I adored Henry and Thomas's relationship. Henry was the father figure that Thomas never really had and was much more significant to his life and who he is in the book than his adoptive father. I had a soft spot for Henry.
I immediately liked Thomas, he comes across as such an easy-going, happy, enthusiastic person, but deep down he does struggle with his life and what is expected of him, it was really great to see him develop and read about his pain and struggles. It made him seem a lot more human and a lot less like he was wearing a mask for the sake of others.
I only really grew to like Diego at the end because overall I liked Thomas and Diego's relationship, but not really Diego until the last 100 pages of the book.
The plot was really original and I do really enjoy time travel love stories, this one was a really original one, I loved the setting of the 1920s, it was really mystical and set the stage nicely. it kept making me think of the Great Gatsby because of all the great vibes I was getting from the plotline. The ending was really satisfying too.
Overall, I really loved this book, it was fast-paced, well written, the characters were believable and pulled at my heartstrings, and I had a great time reading it. I flew through it and will be looking out for more books written by this author!
Right from the start, I knew that I was going to enjoy this book and I found it instantly captivating and as the story progressed it was so sweet. One of the things that bugged me throughout was that we don't really get a before of Diego's life, we just meet him a few weeks into his trip into 1920, I think that I was just missing a bit of how it all started out, but I have to admit that meeting him and Thomas at Henry's soirée did have a feel of mystery.
All of the characters were solid, relatable and well-developed, my favourites and the main characters were Diego, Thomas and Henry and each were so special to the story. I adored Henry and Thomas's relationship. Henry was the father figure that Thomas never really had and was much more significant to his life and who he is in the book than his adoptive father. I had a soft spot for Henry.
I immediately liked Thomas, he comes across as such an easy-going, happy, enthusiastic person, but deep down he does struggle with his life and what is expected of him, it was really great to see him develop and read about his pain and struggles. It made him seem a lot more human and a lot less like he was wearing a mask for the sake of others.
I only really grew to like Diego at the end because overall I liked Thomas and Diego's relationship, but not really Diego until the last 100 pages of the book.
The plot was really original and I do really enjoy time travel love stories, this one was a really original one, I loved the setting of the 1920s, it was really mystical and set the stage nicely. it kept making me think of the Great Gatsby because of all the great vibes I was getting from the plotline. The ending was really satisfying too.
Overall, I really loved this book, it was fast-paced, well written, the characters were believable and pulled at my heartstrings, and I had a great time reading it. I flew through it and will be looking out for more books written by this author!
May 1, 2020
✨FULL REVIEW OVER AT PAGES & PLOTS ✨
For the Lost Time is a time-travel LGBT love story, so I was instantly sold. Diego Delgado is a 2020 man that accidentally goes back in time and meets 1920’s Thomas Greely. Plot-wise, most of the intrigue and tension comes from Diego wanting to get back in time and to his daughter. So, the plot is pretty straightforward, which lets the characters shine.
History wise, I’m not sure how accurate it is, but the romance is what matters, so it’s okay. Something else I appreciate is how the writer didn’t try to flourish the writing. Which sometimes happens to differentiate the times each character is from, but it barely ever works. At least for me.
This is a multi-POV story, with both main characters and some side others being featured. Most of the chapters are either on Diego or Thomas’ POVs, but sometimes you follow Henry, Clementine, or Dora. At first, I only cared about the main characters and their love story. But as the book went on, I grew to appreciate the other POVs because they added to the inner struggles of the main characters. Kendra’s 2020 chapters gave Diego and his daughter’s relationship an emotional weight it needed. Those chapters also made me fall in love with some side characters, like Henry.
For the Lost Time is a time-travel LGBT love story, so I was instantly sold. Diego Delgado is a 2020 man that accidentally goes back in time and meets 1920’s Thomas Greely. Plot-wise, most of the intrigue and tension comes from Diego wanting to get back in time and to his daughter. So, the plot is pretty straightforward, which lets the characters shine.
History wise, I’m not sure how accurate it is, but the romance is what matters, so it’s okay. Something else I appreciate is how the writer didn’t try to flourish the writing. Which sometimes happens to differentiate the times each character is from, but it barely ever works. At least for me.
This is a multi-POV story, with both main characters and some side others being featured. Most of the chapters are either on Diego or Thomas’ POVs, but sometimes you follow Henry, Clementine, or Dora. At first, I only cared about the main characters and their love story. But as the book went on, I grew to appreciate the other POVs because they added to the inner struggles of the main characters. Kendra’s 2020 chapters gave Diego and his daughter’s relationship an emotional weight it needed. Those chapters also made me fall in love with some side characters, like Henry.
June 5, 2020
When Diego went to sleep it was 2020 when he wakes up he's in the year 1920. In an unfamiliar world with no home and no money, Diego is desperate to find his way home and back to his young daughter Molly. Along the way he meets a lively cast of acquaintances including Henry, a father factory owner, Clementine, a flapper and feminist hero, and Thomas Greely, a beautiful and care free heir. Thomas is immediately infatuated with the mysterious Diego and Diego cant resist Thomas's unnatural beauty and free spirited lifestyle. Diego struggles with accepting his place in 1920 while searching for answers to how to return to his time, knowing that if he returns home he will be leaving another love behind.
I dont know where to begin. Heather Blair is an amazingly talented writer!! Her story is so well thought out and just plain brilliant! From the very beginning I was in captured by her writing style and life-like characters. The writting, plot and character are just beautiful!! The romance between Diego and Thomas is a slow burn, but you don't notice. As a reader you become invested in Diego's journey though an unfamiliar time and his search for clues to get home. This book is so much more than a romance. Blair rights a couple of different subplots that come back around in a brilliant climax. As a reader im always so impressed when authors pull off such a smart and fleshed out plot, like im a child watching an amazing magic trick! Heather Blair really did that for me with this book!!
While reading i kept thinking about the research required for historical fiction like this including time travel. I think she really got it right! From the language/slang, to technology, historical events, landmarks in correlation to our modern time and the social and political norms of 1920!
With this being a historical fiction about gay men this book sheds a light on queer people who endured the heinous consequences for being homosexual and gave a voice to our lgbt brothers and sister who's suffering has long since been forgotten.
All I can say is you MUST read For The Lost Time!! It's beautiful, brilliant and will completely capture your heart!
I dont know where to begin. Heather Blair is an amazingly talented writer!! Her story is so well thought out and just plain brilliant! From the very beginning I was in captured by her writing style and life-like characters. The writting, plot and character are just beautiful!! The romance between Diego and Thomas is a slow burn, but you don't notice. As a reader you become invested in Diego's journey though an unfamiliar time and his search for clues to get home. This book is so much more than a romance. Blair rights a couple of different subplots that come back around in a brilliant climax. As a reader im always so impressed when authors pull off such a smart and fleshed out plot, like im a child watching an amazing magic trick! Heather Blair really did that for me with this book!!
While reading i kept thinking about the research required for historical fiction like this including time travel. I think she really got it right! From the language/slang, to technology, historical events, landmarks in correlation to our modern time and the social and political norms of 1920!
With this being a historical fiction about gay men this book sheds a light on queer people who endured the heinous consequences for being homosexual and gave a voice to our lgbt brothers and sister who's suffering has long since been forgotten.
All I can say is you MUST read For The Lost Time!! It's beautiful, brilliant and will completely capture your heart!
Read
April 1, 2020*I was provided an ARC by the author for an honest review*
Since I’m not a romance reader I do not feel adequately equipped to give a star rating. (For me, 2.5-3) That being said,
Pros:
Intriguing plot
Well researched on the 1920s environment, lingo, and style
Attention to detail
Cons:
Over mention of how the MC looks/how attractive he is
Sometimes over focus on minute details instead of driving the story along
Overall, if you like time travel and romance this will be the book for you.
Since I’m not a romance reader I do not feel adequately equipped to give a star rating. (For me, 2.5-3) That being said,
Pros:
Intriguing plot
Well researched on the 1920s environment, lingo, and style
Attention to detail
Cons:
Over mention of how the MC looks/how attractive he is
Sometimes over focus on minute details instead of driving the story along
Overall, if you like time travel and romance this will be the book for you.
April 24, 2020
I received a free copy of this book Booktamins as I was chosen to be part of their promotional blog tour. Thank you! However, all my opinions are my own.
This book was such a nice surprise and definitely not what I expected! I have to be honest, I was stressed out when I was chosen for this book tour because I forgot I signed up and I had a million things to do this week so I wasn’t sure I’d get the book done in time. Luckily, this was so easy to fly through and at certain points, I was reading it at work, under a clipboard pretending I was looking at something else just so I could see what happened next.
I thoroughly enjoyed the relationship between Diego and Thomas. I haven’t read any time travel romances but there were many moments Diego would say something that Thomas wouldn’t understand because it was a phrase that hadn’t been invented yet. I think those moments were a lot of fun, they grounded us back into the time period of the 1920s and reminded us of Diego’s ultimate goal, to get back to 2020 so he can see his daughter. I appreciated that was an underlying issue for one of our characters as it gave us a reason he was constantly brooding and wouldn’t allow himself to get too close to Thomas. The stakes were high and the tension was as well, so when we ultimately get the payoff it’s so much better. All of the scenes between the two are fade to black, so if you want something that’s not too smutty, I’d definitely recommend this one.
Unfortunately, there were a few aspects I didn’t enjoy while I was reading which ultimately brought it down to 3.5 stars. I didn’t think Henry’s POV was necessary at all. He’s essentially the person who raised Thomas since his parents were always traveling. I appreciated that it was there and I understand the author chose to write about the horrors people back in this time had to go through if they were gay to once again, raise the stakes of the relationship between Thomas and Diego as they’re two men in a relationship in the 1920’s. I just thought his nightmares were unnecessary and it was torturous to get through them as they detailed Henry’s childhood experiences waiting to be castrated because he was attracted to men. I’m not triggered by much, but this was definitely close to being something I couldn’t read. I think we could have learned about this experience through Thomas’s eyes as Henry told him about what happened to him and we still would have felt the same sense of dread about what could be done to Thomas and Diego if they were ever caught together. I also didn’t really understand the explanation of the time travel, but I still thought it was a lot of funny anyway so that wasn’t too huge of a hangup for me.
Overall, this book was a lot of fun. I enjoyed our side characters and our occasional look into what’s going on in 2020 as Diego is still stuck in 1920. I think it grounded the reader and showed us why we want Diego to get back to the right time period, even though he was slowly growing happier with Thomas. There was notable chemistry between the characters and I really felt myself put into each scene with the authors descriptive writing. If this book had just been edited a little bit more, I think it could have been pushed up to at least a 4 star read. However, if this premise sounds interesting to you at all I’d recommend you give it a try! I do know there’s a stigma against indie published authors and I was a bit hesitant going into this read because I wasn’t sure what I was getting into but this was great and so well done. Definitely give it a try if you’re looking to read more indie published stuff like I am.
This book was such a nice surprise and definitely not what I expected! I have to be honest, I was stressed out when I was chosen for this book tour because I forgot I signed up and I had a million things to do this week so I wasn’t sure I’d get the book done in time. Luckily, this was so easy to fly through and at certain points, I was reading it at work, under a clipboard pretending I was looking at something else just so I could see what happened next.
I thoroughly enjoyed the relationship between Diego and Thomas. I haven’t read any time travel romances but there were many moments Diego would say something that Thomas wouldn’t understand because it was a phrase that hadn’t been invented yet. I think those moments were a lot of fun, they grounded us back into the time period of the 1920s and reminded us of Diego’s ultimate goal, to get back to 2020 so he can see his daughter. I appreciated that was an underlying issue for one of our characters as it gave us a reason he was constantly brooding and wouldn’t allow himself to get too close to Thomas. The stakes were high and the tension was as well, so when we ultimately get the payoff it’s so much better. All of the scenes between the two are fade to black, so if you want something that’s not too smutty, I’d definitely recommend this one.
Unfortunately, there were a few aspects I didn’t enjoy while I was reading which ultimately brought it down to 3.5 stars. I didn’t think Henry’s POV was necessary at all. He’s essentially the person who raised Thomas since his parents were always traveling. I appreciated that it was there and I understand the author chose to write about the horrors people back in this time had to go through if they were gay to once again, raise the stakes of the relationship between Thomas and Diego as they’re two men in a relationship in the 1920’s. I just thought his nightmares were unnecessary and it was torturous to get through them as they detailed Henry’s childhood experiences waiting to be castrated because he was attracted to men. I’m not triggered by much, but this was definitely close to being something I couldn’t read. I think we could have learned about this experience through Thomas’s eyes as Henry told him about what happened to him and we still would have felt the same sense of dread about what could be done to Thomas and Diego if they were ever caught together. I also didn’t really understand the explanation of the time travel, but I still thought it was a lot of funny anyway so that wasn’t too huge of a hangup for me.
Overall, this book was a lot of fun. I enjoyed our side characters and our occasional look into what’s going on in 2020 as Diego is still stuck in 1920. I think it grounded the reader and showed us why we want Diego to get back to the right time period, even though he was slowly growing happier with Thomas. There was notable chemistry between the characters and I really felt myself put into each scene with the authors descriptive writing. If this book had just been edited a little bit more, I think it could have been pushed up to at least a 4 star read. However, if this premise sounds interesting to you at all I’d recommend you give it a try! I do know there’s a stigma against indie published authors and I was a bit hesitant going into this read because I wasn’t sure what I was getting into but this was great and so well done. Definitely give it a try if you’re looking to read more indie published stuff like I am.
April 22, 2020
"How much longer can I be a bystander in your story if I wish to see it end happily?"
I'm not an avid romance reader, hell I rarely read romance. The smallest or cringiest thing will put me off any romance books. So going into this, I tried my hardest to keep an open mind. But to my surprise I didn't have to have an open mind because I was hooked from the get-go! This is definitely my favorite romance of 2020 and probably my all-time favorite romance. And that is definitely saying something.
Diego Delgado is transported 100 years into the past. Closing his eyes, he's in 2020 but once he opens his eyes again, he's in 1920. He's desperate to go back to the future to reunite with his daughter but during his time in the 20's he meets Thomas and he's stuck between the sword and the wall.
† Diego Delgado. Honestly I can say that he took his situation far better than I ever could. Waking up 100 years in the past with no money and no friends? That sounds like trouble but with the help of the kind factory owner Henry, he's able to get a place to sleep. I loved Diego's character simply because of the determination he has to return to his child. Diego does things that aren't always the best and he knows it but it's human nature to be curious and explore. Throughout the beginning he's so rigid and serious so it was nice to see him relax as the story progresses.
† Thomas Greely. He's a ball of sunshine that deserves to be protected at all costs. He is definitely my favorite character from the book with the way that he's described. He's seen as too curious as well as annoying and honestly his laid back attitude just makes me love him more. But where there's sunshine there's also shadows and Thomas has always lived under one. His life, though from the outside might look glamorous and something worthy to be jealous of, the reality is much more heartbreaking. He has lived his spoiled life unhappy and alone. His parents rarely, if ever, show him attention and the only one by his side is Henry the co-owner of his father's factory. Thomas is a complex character and it just makes it much more enjoyable to read about him.
† Henry Wallingford. He's probably the only side-character that gripped me and didn't let go. It was absolutely heartbreaking reading about the trauma that was inflicted on him as a child. But no matter what he was put through, he manages to be a kind-hearted person that stood by Thomas through it all.
The writing is probably one of my favorite aspects of the book (apart from the characters) because it seemingly sucked me into the 1920s with the descriptions. The writing is what really fleshed out the characters.
And can I mention that this book is the most original I've read in a while? Time-travel romance that involves Mexican and Chinese men? Definitely applause for that.
Overall, this was a great read and it's definitely one that I would re-read multiple times because of how sweet it is.
I'm not an avid romance reader, hell I rarely read romance. The smallest or cringiest thing will put me off any romance books. So going into this, I tried my hardest to keep an open mind. But to my surprise I didn't have to have an open mind because I was hooked from the get-go! This is definitely my favorite romance of 2020 and probably my all-time favorite romance. And that is definitely saying something.
Diego Delgado is transported 100 years into the past. Closing his eyes, he's in 2020 but once he opens his eyes again, he's in 1920. He's desperate to go back to the future to reunite with his daughter but during his time in the 20's he meets Thomas and he's stuck between the sword and the wall.
† Diego Delgado. Honestly I can say that he took his situation far better than I ever could. Waking up 100 years in the past with no money and no friends? That sounds like trouble but with the help of the kind factory owner Henry, he's able to get a place to sleep. I loved Diego's character simply because of the determination he has to return to his child. Diego does things that aren't always the best and he knows it but it's human nature to be curious and explore. Throughout the beginning he's so rigid and serious so it was nice to see him relax as the story progresses.
† Thomas Greely. He's a ball of sunshine that deserves to be protected at all costs. He is definitely my favorite character from the book with the way that he's described. He's seen as too curious as well as annoying and honestly his laid back attitude just makes me love him more. But where there's sunshine there's also shadows and Thomas has always lived under one. His life, though from the outside might look glamorous and something worthy to be jealous of, the reality is much more heartbreaking. He has lived his spoiled life unhappy and alone. His parents rarely, if ever, show him attention and the only one by his side is Henry the co-owner of his father's factory. Thomas is a complex character and it just makes it much more enjoyable to read about him.
† Henry Wallingford. He's probably the only side-character that gripped me and didn't let go. It was absolutely heartbreaking reading about the trauma that was inflicted on him as a child. But no matter what he was put through, he manages to be a kind-hearted person that stood by Thomas through it all.
The writing is probably one of my favorite aspects of the book (apart from the characters) because it seemingly sucked me into the 1920s with the descriptions. The writing is what really fleshed out the characters.
And can I mention that this book is the most original I've read in a while? Time-travel romance that involves Mexican and Chinese men? Definitely applause for that.
Overall, this was a great read and it's definitely one that I would re-read multiple times because of how sweet it is.
May 21, 2020
A heartfelt, time-travel romance that's one of my favorite 2020 reads so far!
Thomas Greeley is the toast of New York's speakeasies and dance clubs. He has the finest clothes, a charming smile to match, and the eye of every modern young flapper in town. But his star-dusted life only shines on the surface. When Thomas meets the handsome, enigmatic Diego Delgado, he's instantly drawn to Diego's aura of loneliness. But Diego's hiding a secret: he's been transported one hundred years into the past, and he has no idea how to get back. As the two men grow closer, every moment brings them closer to the day they'll have to say goodbye. Because Diego doesn't belong in Thomas's world. But when tragedy strikes, Diego must find the real reason he was sent into the past, before it's too late.
I was really impressed by the obvious amount of research that went into this book. All the slang, the Jazz-age New York landmarks and details--it felt so authentic and rich. I immediately was pulled into the story because of Thomas's character. He's clever and funny, yet also very sincere. All the supporting characters, like Dora and Tiny, were well-drawn. This isn't a sci-fi novel, so don't expect a lot of sciency explanations of how the time travel works. It's more about fate and the mysterious ways of the universe. The ending worked for me, and I liked how the author wove in hints throughout as to what was really going on. I was immersed in this story, and I highly recommend it!
Thomas Greeley is the toast of New York's speakeasies and dance clubs. He has the finest clothes, a charming smile to match, and the eye of every modern young flapper in town. But his star-dusted life only shines on the surface. When Thomas meets the handsome, enigmatic Diego Delgado, he's instantly drawn to Diego's aura of loneliness. But Diego's hiding a secret: he's been transported one hundred years into the past, and he has no idea how to get back. As the two men grow closer, every moment brings them closer to the day they'll have to say goodbye. Because Diego doesn't belong in Thomas's world. But when tragedy strikes, Diego must find the real reason he was sent into the past, before it's too late.
I was really impressed by the obvious amount of research that went into this book. All the slang, the Jazz-age New York landmarks and details--it felt so authentic and rich. I immediately was pulled into the story because of Thomas's character. He's clever and funny, yet also very sincere. All the supporting characters, like Dora and Tiny, were well-drawn. This isn't a sci-fi novel, so don't expect a lot of sciency explanations of how the time travel works. It's more about fate and the mysterious ways of the universe. The ending worked for me, and I liked how the author wove in hints throughout as to what was really going on. I was immersed in this story, and I highly recommend it!
April 23, 2020
Now, I want to begin by saying that I really enjoyed reading For the Lost Time. It is a cute story about two men finding themselves and figuring out who they are and who they want to be, and as a romance, there is of course a HEA. While the main characters were not as deep as they could have been, they were written in ways that made the readers feel with them, and hints for the ending were strewn nicely throughout the book without giving too much away before it was time. And I mean, yeah, Diego and Thomas were the stars of the show, but Dora stole my heart. I love me a feisty woman who can hold her own in a man’s world.
However, as it is a self-published work, it shows that it has not been thoroughly edited by someone other than the author. This might partially be me picking up on this more as someone trying to get into the industry and editing myself, but the prose is inconsistent, and heavily overwritten at times. The author often tells rather than shows, and there are a few logical inconsistencies. I am confident that a professional edit could help improve the book immensely, as the bones of the story and characters are strong.
However, as it is a self-published work, it shows that it has not been thoroughly edited by someone other than the author. This might partially be me picking up on this more as someone trying to get into the industry and editing myself, but the prose is inconsistent, and heavily overwritten at times. The author often tells rather than shows, and there are a few logical inconsistencies. I am confident that a professional edit could help improve the book immensely, as the bones of the story and characters are strong.
January 22, 2023
For The Lost Time:
🕰💞🕰💞🕰
"I don't think I've ever seen anyone so beautiful in my entire life as you are right now."
🕰💞🕰💞🕰
The cover art drew me in.
Y'all know me by now, I like pretty things.
My Crow brain was like, "Hey, that's a nice cover, go read that!"
And here we are.
🕰💞🕰💞🕰
Thomas Greely was adopted from Beijing as a baby by a rich couple who loved to traverse the world.
That's all great, until they leave him at home to be raised by the neighbor and their home staff.
But on a summer day in 1920, Thomas comes across a man named Diego Delgado, who seemed to have fallen from the sky.
Little does he know that Diego is from 100 years in the future.
But the real question still stands: What is Diego doing there?
🕰💞🕰💞🕰
Thomas was charming and adorable, but I ended up adoring Ben much more!
When reading parts with Ben, I couldn't keep the smile off my face!
🕰💞🕰💞🕰
This book was such a beautifully devastating read at points, and even the tiny details at the beginning held true to the end!
I strongly recommend this book!
It's too beautiful to just sit on a shelf!
🕰💞🕰💞🕰
🕰💞🕰💞🕰
"I don't think I've ever seen anyone so beautiful in my entire life as you are right now."
🕰💞🕰💞🕰
The cover art drew me in.
Y'all know me by now, I like pretty things.
My Crow brain was like, "Hey, that's a nice cover, go read that!"
And here we are.
🕰💞🕰💞🕰
Thomas Greely was adopted from Beijing as a baby by a rich couple who loved to traverse the world.
That's all great, until they leave him at home to be raised by the neighbor and their home staff.
But on a summer day in 1920, Thomas comes across a man named Diego Delgado, who seemed to have fallen from the sky.
Little does he know that Diego is from 100 years in the future.
But the real question still stands: What is Diego doing there?
🕰💞🕰💞🕰
Thomas was charming and adorable, but I ended up adoring Ben much more!
When reading parts with Ben, I couldn't keep the smile off my face!
🕰💞🕰💞🕰
This book was such a beautifully devastating read at points, and even the tiny details at the beginning held true to the end!
I strongly recommend this book!
It's too beautiful to just sit on a shelf!
🕰💞🕰💞🕰
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 18, 2020
This was a fun book to read. I loved the character development, and she really made the 1920's come alive. I felt like I was right there with Diego and Thomas as they traversed the roaring 20's. It certainly was an interesting spin on time travel, and I really enjoyed seeing how this story unfolded, especially watching how two people from completely different time periods fell in love. I wasn't sure how she was going to end things. There were a lot grim possibilities, but she surprised me with a twist I wasn't expecting. This was a great read and a hard book to put down.
January 12, 2022
This book took me on a journey. There were multiple aspects of this book where there was a lot going on but the way it is all interwoven and wrapped up so neatly at the end, I was impressed. The banter between a person based in 1920 to someone in 2020 was so fascinating. There’s quite a bit of detail throughout the book and it does sometimes feel like it is dragging but it was so worth the read. For a MM time traveling love story, this had no seggsy scenes but does end with a HEA and an epilogue.
May 11, 2021
Couldn’t finish it. The author tried way too hard and fell flat.
May 18, 2020
You can find the full review on at Nikkie Reads
What I loved the most about the book were the characters, I love a character driven plot with great set up. The theme of time travel was well handled, at the beginning I thought it was just a trope added to the book to make the story seem different but boy was I wrong. The anomaly is given a very reasonable explanation (y’know, for a romance book, so don’t expect scientific or magic lingo).
The one thing I was not fond of, was the amount of times the author mentions the character’s attractiveness. At some point it felt like that was all there was to their appearance, like I could just imagine a tall handsome man with a tattoo and bam, that’s Diego; or a pretty Asian guy and there goes Thomas.
What I loved the most about the book were the characters, I love a character driven plot with great set up. The theme of time travel was well handled, at the beginning I thought it was just a trope added to the book to make the story seem different but boy was I wrong. The anomaly is given a very reasonable explanation (y’know, for a romance book, so don’t expect scientific or magic lingo).
The one thing I was not fond of, was the amount of times the author mentions the character’s attractiveness. At some point it felt like that was all there was to their appearance, like I could just imagine a tall handsome man with a tattoo and bam, that’s Diego; or a pretty Asian guy and there goes Thomas.
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