What do you think?
Rate this book
Prevent the Past #1
A Paradox of Fates
One woman bred to save the world…
Dr. Elaine “Lainey” Randolph was born with one sole purpose: to prevent the past. With her brilliant mind and unwavering spirit, she works tirelessly to solve the equations that will finally unlock the mystery of time travel. Then, she will leave the post-apocalyptic future her grandfather created and travel back in time to prevent his calamitous actions.
When handsome military captain Hunter Rhodes appears at Lainey’s remote scientific hub, he offers her protection. But there are strings attached to the mysterious soldier’s proffer, and Lainey finds herself wary of the man who stokes unwelcome longing and desire in her unemotional heart. For Lainey is a scientist, obdurate and dispassionate toward the notion of romantic love.
As Lainey’s band of ragtag scientists and loyal soldiers endeavor to escape the dystopian future, the evil New Establishment threatens to destroy them all. In their unpredictable timeline, the nefarious regime has become all-powerful and will stop at nothing to ensure complete world domination…
This novel is brought to you by a self-proclaimed science dork and lover of romance, fantasy and sci-fi. The reader can expect time travel shenanigans, smokin' hot chemistry between main characters in their late 30's and 40's and twists along the way. Enjoy the journey!
Dr. Elaine “Lainey” Randolph was born with one sole purpose: to prevent the past. With her brilliant mind and unwavering spirit, she works tirelessly to solve the equations that will finally unlock the mystery of time travel. Then, she will leave the post-apocalyptic future her grandfather created and travel back in time to prevent his calamitous actions.
When handsome military captain Hunter Rhodes appears at Lainey’s remote scientific hub, he offers her protection. But there are strings attached to the mysterious soldier’s proffer, and Lainey finds herself wary of the man who stokes unwelcome longing and desire in her unemotional heart. For Lainey is a scientist, obdurate and dispassionate toward the notion of romantic love.
As Lainey’s band of ragtag scientists and loyal soldiers endeavor to escape the dystopian future, the evil New Establishment threatens to destroy them all. In their unpredictable timeline, the nefarious regime has become all-powerful and will stop at nothing to ensure complete world domination…
This novel is brought to you by a self-proclaimed science dork and lover of romance, fantasy and sci-fi. The reader can expect time travel shenanigans, smokin' hot chemistry between main characters in their late 30's and 40's and twists along the way. Enjoy the journey!
282 pages, ebook
First published February 25, 2020
94 people are currently reading
583 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca Hefner
32 books1,236 followersUSA Today bestselling author Rebecca Hefner grew up in Western NC and now calls the Hudson River of NYC home. A huge Buffy and Star Wars fan, she loves an epic fantasy and a surprise twist (Luke, he IS your father).
Before becoming an author, Rebecca had a successful twelve-year medical device sales career. After launching her own indie publishing company, she is now a full-time author who loves writing strong, complex characters who find their HEAs.
Rebecca can usually be found making dorky and/or embarrassing posts on TikTok and Instagram. Please join her so you can laugh along with her!
You can find all of Rebecca's books here, along with content warnings: https://www.rebeccahefner.com/books
Before becoming an author, Rebecca had a successful twelve-year medical device sales career. After launching her own indie publishing company, she is now a full-time author who loves writing strong, complex characters who find their HEAs.
Rebecca can usually be found making dorky and/or embarrassing posts on TikTok and Instagram. Please join her so you can laugh along with her!
You can find all of Rebecca's books here, along with content warnings: https://www.rebeccahefner.com/books
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
March 12, 2020
First, let me say that I am a huge fan of Rebecca Hefner’s writing and this is my FAVORITE book to date. Huge hearts to all the sci-fi goodness and delicious plot of Laney, whose destiny has been spelled out before she was born: her grandfather was responsible for destroying the planet in a nuclear war. Her parents engineered her to be the one to save it—to build the time machine that would go back and prevent the cataclysmic event from ever occurring. Things get further interesting when Hunter, a soldier, shows up with an army intent on protecting her and the scientists she leads. (Hunter also has an interesting twist for wanting Laney’s time machine to work that I’ll let you discover for yourself—I love all the neat twists in this book!!)
There are only a few labs in the world like Laney’s and competing world leader are trying to capture their secrets. Of course, sparks fly. I loved all the characters and hope to see some of the side characters in future books! As with any good sci-fi, there’s lots of science going on, and lots of failed science (don’t worry, lots of romance as well!), and just as things start going the way our heroes want, of course disaster strikes. Of course! And oh!!! I did not see some of these time travel twists coming! Rebecca Hefner, you are too clever!!! I was cackling in delight. If you are a fan of paradoxes, of movies like TERMINATOR and PAYCHECK, then you absolutely have to read this book!
Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
There are only a few labs in the world like Laney’s and competing world leader are trying to capture their secrets. Of course, sparks fly. I loved all the characters and hope to see some of the side characters in future books! As with any good sci-fi, there’s lots of science going on, and lots of failed science (don’t worry, lots of romance as well!), and just as things start going the way our heroes want, of course disaster strikes. Of course! And oh!!! I did not see some of these time travel twists coming! Rebecca Hefner, you are too clever!!! I was cackling in delight. If you are a fan of paradoxes, of movies like TERMINATOR and PAYCHECK, then you absolutely have to read this book!
Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
Read
April 16, 2023🎧Available in Audio!🎧
Narrated by Heather Firth!
Rebecca's Direct Store: https://bit.ly/3SpDjE6
Audible US: https://bit.ly/AmzAudAPoF
Audible UK: https://bit.ly/AudUKAPoF
iTunes: https://apple.co/3rKUAKg
Scribd: https://bit.ly/ScribdAPoF
Chirp: https://bit.ly/ChirpAPoF
Kobo: https://bit.ly/2JBx2XK
Hoopla: https://bit.ly/3peCaAX
Google Play: http://bit.ly/399AjrG
Barnes & Noble Audio: https://bit.ly/APoFAudioBN
Audiobooks.com: http://bit.ly/3oaYI4j
Or, you can always download review copies of all of Rebecca's audiobooks on StoryOrigin if you are are an ARC listener and enjoy leaving reviews.💕
Narrated by Heather Firth!
Rebecca's Direct Store: https://bit.ly/3SpDjE6
Audible US: https://bit.ly/AmzAudAPoF
Audible UK: https://bit.ly/AudUKAPoF
iTunes: https://apple.co/3rKUAKg
Scribd: https://bit.ly/ScribdAPoF
Chirp: https://bit.ly/ChirpAPoF
Kobo: https://bit.ly/2JBx2XK
Hoopla: https://bit.ly/3peCaAX
Google Play: http://bit.ly/399AjrG
Barnes & Noble Audio: https://bit.ly/APoFAudioBN
Audiobooks.com: http://bit.ly/3oaYI4j
Or, you can always download review copies of all of Rebecca's audiobooks on StoryOrigin if you are are an ARC listener and enjoy leaving reviews.💕
July 28, 2022
Audiobook review:
A full five out of five stars for A Paradox of Fates!
As a previous fan of Hefner’s books, she has now cemented herself as one of my favorite authors with this book.
A Paradox of Fates is a true masterpiece filled with the perfect mix of romance, science fiction, and ingenious writing. The sheer though of planning out this story full of twists, turns, and time travel gives me a headache but Hefner has done a incredible job of keeping things straight while also keeping readers on their toes.
Watching Elaine struggle with her destiny and her desire, I instantly fell in love with her as a character, and every side character was exquisitely crafted as well, making me excited to read the rest of this trilogy.
This book is a must read for any fans of romance, science fiction, or just good writing in general!
*I was given a free copy of this audiobook from Authors Direct and this is my honest, voluntary review.*
A full five out of five stars for A Paradox of Fates!
As a previous fan of Hefner’s books, she has now cemented herself as one of my favorite authors with this book.
A Paradox of Fates is a true masterpiece filled with the perfect mix of romance, science fiction, and ingenious writing. The sheer though of planning out this story full of twists, turns, and time travel gives me a headache but Hefner has done a incredible job of keeping things straight while also keeping readers on their toes.
Watching Elaine struggle with her destiny and her desire, I instantly fell in love with her as a character, and every side character was exquisitely crafted as well, making me excited to read the rest of this trilogy.
This book is a must read for any fans of romance, science fiction, or just good writing in general!
*I was given a free copy of this audiobook from Authors Direct and this is my honest, voluntary review.*
February 26, 2020
A Paradox of Fates is author Rebecca Hefner’s lasted novel from her new series, “Prevent the Past”. Ms. Hefner is the author who last year converted me to reading Paranormal/Fantasy Romance. So when I heard she had a new Time Travel/Sci-Fi Romance I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it! I do not read Time Travel/Sci-Fi but absolutely love Ms. Hefner’s writing so decided to give this new series a try. Well, I can happily say she has converted me yet again, I loved it! I can’t wait for the next book in this series!
Dr. Elaine “Lainey” Randolph was born and bred for the sole purpose of saving the world, to go back in time to 2035 and prevent the destruction of humanity. It’s all she’s ever known or cared about since she was a teen. She’ll let nothing or no one stand in her way.
Captain Hunter Rhodes is an officer from the Old Rebellion. He was a friend of Lainey’s father and was asked to deliver a message to her if she was in imminent danger. He’s committed to protecting her and ensuring she succeeds.
What an absolutely amazing story and couple! I have to admit I was so caught up in the story that I struggled to put it down. I really liked Lainey from the beginning, an intelligent, sweet, caring woman who literally has the weight of the world on her shoulders. I could understand her reluctance to trust Hunter in the beginning and yet their chemistry was undeniable. Hunter, oh my! Ms. Hefner writes some of the most delicious heroes and Hunter was no exception. He’s handsome, kind and understanding and gives Lainey the time she needs to trust him. They were good together & I was glad to see Lainey finally accept Hunter’s support and allow him inside her heart. I also loved that both Lainey and Hunter were a little older than the norm for heroes and heroines with Lainey being thirty-eight & Hunter being forty-three. Great to see slightly older characters in romance books!
Ms. Hefner has got another winner with this new series! The writing as always was excellent and paced perfectly. The story was filled with some fabulous secondary characters too that I’m hoping we will get to see much more of in the coming series. I know I am anxiously waiting for the next book in this series and to check back in with all these fabulous characters! Way to go Ms. Hefner, you’ve got me reading Time Travel/Sci-Fi Romance and loving it! ;-)
Dr. Elaine “Lainey” Randolph was born and bred for the sole purpose of saving the world, to go back in time to 2035 and prevent the destruction of humanity. It’s all she’s ever known or cared about since she was a teen. She’ll let nothing or no one stand in her way.
Captain Hunter Rhodes is an officer from the Old Rebellion. He was a friend of Lainey’s father and was asked to deliver a message to her if she was in imminent danger. He’s committed to protecting her and ensuring she succeeds.
What an absolutely amazing story and couple! I have to admit I was so caught up in the story that I struggled to put it down. I really liked Lainey from the beginning, an intelligent, sweet, caring woman who literally has the weight of the world on her shoulders. I could understand her reluctance to trust Hunter in the beginning and yet their chemistry was undeniable. Hunter, oh my! Ms. Hefner writes some of the most delicious heroes and Hunter was no exception. He’s handsome, kind and understanding and gives Lainey the time she needs to trust him. They were good together & I was glad to see Lainey finally accept Hunter’s support and allow him inside her heart. I also loved that both Lainey and Hunter were a little older than the norm for heroes and heroines with Lainey being thirty-eight & Hunter being forty-three. Great to see slightly older characters in romance books!
Ms. Hefner has got another winner with this new series! The writing as always was excellent and paced perfectly. The story was filled with some fabulous secondary characters too that I’m hoping we will get to see much more of in the coming series. I know I am anxiously waiting for the next book in this series and to check back in with all these fabulous characters! Way to go Ms. Hefner, you’ve got me reading Time Travel/Sci-Fi Romance and loving it! ;-)
July 13, 2025
Lainey's obsession with her mission and aversion to "love" (read "sex") was at first interesting, but soon became annoying. She didn't seem to progress as much as just flipped one day to accepting love and that there is more to life than her mission. But what really bugged me was
There is a scene in which Lainey is talking to Hunter in a bedroom, and suddenly she's talking to Dalton, who gets mad and attacks her. Very confusing. I went back to listen to it three times before I figured out that Lainey is describing to Hunter something that happened to her with Dalton in the past. There's no clue in the text to indicate this; you're just suddenly "there", inside Lainey's story instead of in the room with her and Hunter.
The first time through, I didn't even catch that we'd switched to Dalton now instead of Hunter; I thought Hunter was getting angry and threatening Lainey. The second time, I thought Dalton must have entered the room with Lainey and Hunter and we weren't told. It took the third time through to figure it out.
And, on the pedantic side, to the narrator: the word is "nuclear", not "nucular". You'd think an avid science afficionado would know this.
There is a scene in which Lainey is talking to Hunter in a bedroom, and suddenly she's talking to Dalton, who gets mad and attacks her. Very confusing. I went back to listen to it three times before I figured out that Lainey is describing to Hunter something that happened to her with Dalton in the past. There's no clue in the text to indicate this; you're just suddenly "there", inside Lainey's story instead of in the room with her and Hunter.
The first time through, I didn't even catch that we'd switched to Dalton now instead of Hunter; I thought Hunter was getting angry and threatening Lainey. The second time, I thought Dalton must have entered the room with Lainey and Hunter and we weren't told. It took the third time through to figure it out.
And, on the pedantic side, to the narrator: the word is "nuclear", not "nucular". You'd think an avid science afficionado would know this.
February 27, 2020
This was my very first-time travel/sci-fi / dystopian read, and let me tell you: I was pleasantly surprised.
While this is not my favorite genre to read, this story caught my attention and was captivating from the beginning. It was easy to understand and follow along.
The attraction between Elaine "Lainey" & Hunter is met by resistance on both of their parts and that makes it worthwhile to keep reading. To find out how they'll get past their baggage and trust and learn to love [again]. It's slow-building but it's amazing to see it develop before your eyes.
All the characters are entertaining and I enjoyed getting the multiple POV the author allowed us to experience and the story was very well-written.
While this is not my favorite genre to read, this story caught my attention and was captivating from the beginning. It was easy to understand and follow along.
The attraction between Elaine "Lainey" & Hunter is met by resistance on both of their parts and that makes it worthwhile to keep reading. To find out how they'll get past their baggage and trust and learn to love [again]. It's slow-building but it's amazing to see it develop before your eyes.
All the characters are entertaining and I enjoyed getting the multiple POV the author allowed us to experience and the story was very well-written.
June 2, 2020
This one starts out with a (literal) bang and never stops rolling. I thought the characters were so well drawn, the science wasn't too complicated to follow, the romance element was hot but not overwhelming, and there were some great plot twists! Really looking forward to Cyrus & Claire's book next!
March 8, 2021
This was the first time I've read a time travel/sci-fi/dystopian/romance book and it won't be the last.
While these are not my typical genres to read, this story caught my attention and was captivating from beginning to end. The story was compelling. The characters were well-developed and likeable. Rebecca did a great job at pulling the reader in and not letting go until the very last page. There were plenty of spicy scenes as well. I look forward to reading more by Rebecca Hefner and to finishing this series.
While these are not my typical genres to read, this story caught my attention and was captivating from beginning to end. The story was compelling. The characters were well-developed and likeable. Rebecca did a great job at pulling the reader in and not letting go until the very last page. There were plenty of spicy scenes as well. I look forward to reading more by Rebecca Hefner and to finishing this series.
October 18, 2020
While reading A Paradox of Fates I found myself comparing and contrasting Rebecca Hefner's time travel novel to others I've read over the years and concluded I like the twists Rebecca added. Lainey is a very sympathetic character having been born and raised to feel the weight of the world on her shoulders and to believe that her reason for being was to save the world. No wonder she's so driven and in desperate need of close friends to ensure she eats, relaxes and sleeps occasionally. I really like having a strong, beautiful female scientist be the genius who "breaks the code" for time travel. However, I'm also glad the author just alluded to working and re-working the relevant physics equations and refrained from over-whelming us with too much detail. She really captured the dilemma driven women on a mission face, especially the difficulty of balancing work and family life as well as finding time for romance and relaxation. I received a free review copy of the book and am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
March 12, 2020
I'd like to start off by saying first that I adore Rebecca and am a huge fan of her work. I was first introduced to the world of Rebecca Hefner when I read 'The End of Hatred' and have been hanging on for the ride ever since. When I heard that she was writing Paradox of Fates, I got to admit, I was interested.
I had no idea what to expect when I opened my kindle of Feb 26, 2020, and started reading, within the first couple of pages I was hooked, this book had everything I expected when reading Rebecca, the story was interesting the cast that she had assembled had dimension, charisma, and character.
The romance and sex you expect from her was a slow burn, but, when it ignited it was pure passion, hot, sweet and sticky!
Five stars from me on this one⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The balance of this book is sheer brilliance
it's as intriguing as it is romantic
it's as scientific as it is dramatic
Rebecca's finest work to date.
I can't wait for the rest of this dynamic series.
Johnny
www.meetawriterreadabook.com
I had no idea what to expect when I opened my kindle of Feb 26, 2020, and started reading, within the first couple of pages I was hooked, this book had everything I expected when reading Rebecca, the story was interesting the cast that she had assembled had dimension, charisma, and character.
The romance and sex you expect from her was a slow burn, but, when it ignited it was pure passion, hot, sweet and sticky!
Five stars from me on this one⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The balance of this book is sheer brilliance
it's as intriguing as it is romantic
it's as scientific as it is dramatic
Rebecca's finest work to date.
I can't wait for the rest of this dynamic series.
Johnny
www.meetawriterreadabook.com
July 28, 2020
Move over Marty and Doc!!!
The year is 2075. Dr. Elaine "Lainey" Randolph is building a portal that would allow her and her ragtag team of scientists to return to the year 2035. She needs to go back to the year 2035 to "prevent" her grandfather from starting a war that would forever change humankind.
Enter Captain Hunter Rhodes, a soldier selected to protect Lainey after her father's death. The sexy toothpick chewer is the love interest of our scientist and has a personal reason for going back in time.
I usually stay away from scientific romances out of fear that I won't understand the concepts. Rebecca made the notion of time travel very easy to understand. I fully immersed myself in this new world. At the end of the book, I was convinced that we could go back in time.
The romance was sexy and mature. I especially enjoyed Lainey's clinical approach to lovemaking. LOL
Rebecca, thank you for writing such an exciting story. I can't wait for Claire's book.
The year is 2075. Dr. Elaine "Lainey" Randolph is building a portal that would allow her and her ragtag team of scientists to return to the year 2035. She needs to go back to the year 2035 to "prevent" her grandfather from starting a war that would forever change humankind.
Enter Captain Hunter Rhodes, a soldier selected to protect Lainey after her father's death. The sexy toothpick chewer is the love interest of our scientist and has a personal reason for going back in time.
I usually stay away from scientific romances out of fear that I won't understand the concepts. Rebecca made the notion of time travel very easy to understand. I fully immersed myself in this new world. At the end of the book, I was convinced that we could go back in time.
The romance was sexy and mature. I especially enjoyed Lainey's clinical approach to lovemaking. LOL
Rebecca, thank you for writing such an exciting story. I can't wait for Claire's book.
January 20, 2021
A Paradox of Fates takes place in a post-apocalyptic world, where human civilization is now confined to small enclaves of pre-industrial towns. There are, however, some "scientific enclaves" that still have electricity, sophisticated building techniques, and the ability to keep iPods running after 30 years of no service at the Apple store. As the first in a trilogy, it spends much of its time setting up the world, the characters, and the plot. While there is a bit of a resolution at the end, it is really focused on the relationship of our two main characters rather than the elaborate time travel plot that the book puts in place.
We liked:
*The well thought out time travel theory and its integration into the plot. This could have been confusing but ended up as one of the highlights of the book.
*The multiplicity and diversity of the sympathetic characters. Some books throw in a lot of characters but never give them more than a name and a face. Here, all of the supporting cast was well fleshed out. Each character had his or her own motivation, relationships outside of the main couple, and worked together really well.
*The steamy scenes. They took a while to get there, but the wait was worth it. Very sexy, consent-driven, and fun to read.
We were less keen on:
*The continual references to 20th Century American pop culture. Lainey and her team may have been raised in a scientific enclave, but did they really have time to listen to 80s rock or watch 50s movies?
*The "current day" fashion and habits of the characters. Similarly, the fashion seemed based in the reader's present rather than a true post-apocalyptic world. The characters wear tennis shoes and jeans, put on nail polish, smoke cigarettes or chew toothpicks... all things that would need a global or national supply chain and industrial support.
*The motivation of the baddies. We're still not exactly sure why there is a global cabal to destroy the world as we know it...
All told, the time travel aspects were very interesting and the characters were sympathetic and fun to read. The book definitely made us want to get to the conclusion of the full story arc!!
This objective review is based on a complimentary advance review copy.
We liked:
*The well thought out time travel theory and its integration into the plot. This could have been confusing but ended up as one of the highlights of the book.
*The multiplicity and diversity of the sympathetic characters. Some books throw in a lot of characters but never give them more than a name and a face. Here, all of the supporting cast was well fleshed out. Each character had his or her own motivation, relationships outside of the main couple, and worked together really well.
*The steamy scenes. They took a while to get there, but the wait was worth it. Very sexy, consent-driven, and fun to read.
We were less keen on:
*The continual references to 20th Century American pop culture. Lainey and her team may have been raised in a scientific enclave, but did they really have time to listen to 80s rock or watch 50s movies?
*The "current day" fashion and habits of the characters. Similarly, the fashion seemed based in the reader's present rather than a true post-apocalyptic world. The characters wear tennis shoes and jeans, put on nail polish, smoke cigarettes or chew toothpicks... all things that would need a global or national supply chain and industrial support.
*The motivation of the baddies. We're still not exactly sure why there is a global cabal to destroy the world as we know it...
All told, the time travel aspects were very interesting and the characters were sympathetic and fun to read. The book definitely made us want to get to the conclusion of the full story arc!!
This objective review is based on a complimentary advance review copy.
May 22, 2023
The description of A PARADOX OF FATES immediately caught my eye and I was not disappointed! In fact, I devoured this one in a single day because I had to find out what happened next and the twists just kept coming. This was my first Rebecca Hefner book but it won't be my last because she can certainly tell a story. I was sucked in right away but when we hit about 50% things started to get really interesting and I knew this was a 5 star read for me.
I liked Lainey from the moment we met her; she's super smart, dedicated, and so devoted to the family that's been created at their science hub. She never gives up and has sacrificed everything to help save the world. Letting her emotions lead her is not something Lainey is used to so the relationship she begins to develop with Hunter is by no means easy. I was a bit unsure of our hero, Hunter Rhodes, at first but I came to love him as the story went on. There was no doubting his commitment to helping Lainey but I was unsure of his feelings until more of his history was revealed. Hunter is your quintessential soldier and protector but he never tries to coddle Lainey or prevent her from fulfilling her mission.
In addition to Hunter and Lainey, there's an excellent cast of side characters and I loved how much of their stories were incorporated into A PARADOX OF FATES. There was a definite setup for the future books and future couples but more than that I really felt like I knew and cared for the side characters just as much as our leads.
The entire time I was reading this, my mind was racing and trying to figure things out and guess how the different time lines might affect the story. It was just so enjoyable and I can't wait for the next in the series!
**ARC provided by A Novel Take PR in exchange for an honest review**
Content Warning: Hunter’s wife was murdered in front of him by a firing squad (off page); a pet cat dies as a test subject for time travel
I liked Lainey from the moment we met her; she's super smart, dedicated, and so devoted to the family that's been created at their science hub. She never gives up and has sacrificed everything to help save the world. Letting her emotions lead her is not something Lainey is used to so the relationship she begins to develop with Hunter is by no means easy. I was a bit unsure of our hero, Hunter Rhodes, at first but I came to love him as the story went on. There was no doubting his commitment to helping Lainey but I was unsure of his feelings until more of his history was revealed. Hunter is your quintessential soldier and protector but he never tries to coddle Lainey or prevent her from fulfilling her mission.
In addition to Hunter and Lainey, there's an excellent cast of side characters and I loved how much of their stories were incorporated into A PARADOX OF FATES. There was a definite setup for the future books and future couples but more than that I really felt like I knew and cared for the side characters just as much as our leads.
The entire time I was reading this, my mind was racing and trying to figure things out and guess how the different time lines might affect the story. It was just so enjoyable and I can't wait for the next in the series!
**ARC provided by A Novel Take PR in exchange for an honest review**
Content Warning: Hunter’s wife was murdered in front of him by a firing squad (off page); a pet cat dies as a test subject for time travel
May 12, 2020
This story follows Dr. Elaine Randolph in the year 2075. She is a scientist who lives in an isolated underground compound in the mountains of Virginia along with a team of half a dozen fellow scientists/allies. The world she lives in is vastly different to ours. In 2035, Dr. Elaine’s grandfather, the United States’ President launched a first strike in what would become an all-out nuclear war. The resulting catastrophe, coupled with rising sea levels due to global warming, have dissolved all modern nation states. The surviving people have clung to isolated villages set on the more higher elevation areas and the majority of remaining electronic technology exists only on the 4 isolated scientific hubs. Looking to capitalize on the chaos and dominate the world is the ominous New Establishment. They’re what is left of President Randolph’s faction prior to Armageddon, and serve as the story’s main antagonist. It is Dr. Elaine’s singular goal in life to build a machine that would allow her to travel to the past and prevent the actions of her grandfather that led to her current post-apocalyptic way of life. She encounters a few unexpected friends along the way, most noteworthy is the rugged and sexy Captain Hunter Rhodes who quickly becomes a love/lust interest.
The plot is thrilling as Dr. Elaine struggles to solve the riddle of time travel as the New Establishment is starting to take an interest in, and forcibly seize the various scientific hubs. Time is starting to run out in the race to master Time. In regard to what “type” of time travel universe we have here, I’d say it’s likely the infinite parallel timelines version. Each act of going forward or backward in time, alters events slightly, thus sending the travelers into a completely different timeline. In this universe, time is neither linear, nor is it merely a flat circle. Instead, it is an infinite number of flat circles lying on top of another like a stack of space-time flap jacks.
As the “Note from the Author” at the beginning of the book makes clear, there was a significant amount of research and consideration to make A Paradox of Fates as close to being scientifically realistic as possible. What does that mean in a post-nuclear apocalypse world when trying to accomplish something that is merely theoretical at best? I’ll leave that up to you, but I can say as a slight science dork that Hefner does an exceptional job at putting in Big Science concepts in a way that would not lose or confuse a layperson. Are one or two aspects of things, strictly speaking, perfectly scientifically accurate? Yeah, but they are minor and don’t detract from the story in any way. Like I said, the characters in the story are trying to solve something that is only theoretically possible and may be impossible, so there’s still some room for artistic license.
Hefner does a wonderful job in creating interesting and relatable characters, with various interconnected subplots that make the reader yearn for more. When I got to the end of this story, my mind was racing with ideas of how the story will diverge going further. Time travel is a very tricky venture, and I think as the only known species that has a concept of capital “T” Time, humans can derive some joy in these sorts of temporal puzzles.
Now, mild spoiler alert, eventually things get hot ‘n’ heavy between Dr. Elaine and Captain Rhodes. There is a tremendous amount of build up until the final release, so if you enjoy foreplay and teasing, this pacing is right up your alley. And while I did enjoy the scenes when they did eventually happen, my only complaint was that they were a little vanilla in terms of variety of positions. However, this is only Book One, and the good stuff doesn’t come (lol punz) until you’re 80% of the way through the story so the lovemaking and sexual chemistry can only go up from here.
Rebecca Hefner’s A Paradox of Fates was just released February 25 on Amazon (and probably other places too, but Amazon’s the big boi of online shopping) and you should absolutely pick up a copy. Just as important, you should set aside some money for the subsequent books, because I can tell you that you’ll definitely be wanting more after this initial taste.
Special thanks to Rebecca Hefner for providing an advance copy of A Paradox of Fates to TehBen.com for review. All thoughts and opinions are our own.
The plot is thrilling as Dr. Elaine struggles to solve the riddle of time travel as the New Establishment is starting to take an interest in, and forcibly seize the various scientific hubs. Time is starting to run out in the race to master Time. In regard to what “type” of time travel universe we have here, I’d say it’s likely the infinite parallel timelines version. Each act of going forward or backward in time, alters events slightly, thus sending the travelers into a completely different timeline. In this universe, time is neither linear, nor is it merely a flat circle. Instead, it is an infinite number of flat circles lying on top of another like a stack of space-time flap jacks.
As the “Note from the Author” at the beginning of the book makes clear, there was a significant amount of research and consideration to make A Paradox of Fates as close to being scientifically realistic as possible. What does that mean in a post-nuclear apocalypse world when trying to accomplish something that is merely theoretical at best? I’ll leave that up to you, but I can say as a slight science dork that Hefner does an exceptional job at putting in Big Science concepts in a way that would not lose or confuse a layperson. Are one or two aspects of things, strictly speaking, perfectly scientifically accurate? Yeah, but they are minor and don’t detract from the story in any way. Like I said, the characters in the story are trying to solve something that is only theoretically possible and may be impossible, so there’s still some room for artistic license.
Hefner does a wonderful job in creating interesting and relatable characters, with various interconnected subplots that make the reader yearn for more. When I got to the end of this story, my mind was racing with ideas of how the story will diverge going further. Time travel is a very tricky venture, and I think as the only known species that has a concept of capital “T” Time, humans can derive some joy in these sorts of temporal puzzles.
Now, mild spoiler alert, eventually things get hot ‘n’ heavy between Dr. Elaine and Captain Rhodes. There is a tremendous amount of build up until the final release, so if you enjoy foreplay and teasing, this pacing is right up your alley. And while I did enjoy the scenes when they did eventually happen, my only complaint was that they were a little vanilla in terms of variety of positions. However, this is only Book One, and the good stuff doesn’t come (lol punz) until you’re 80% of the way through the story so the lovemaking and sexual chemistry can only go up from here.
Rebecca Hefner’s A Paradox of Fates was just released February 25 on Amazon (and probably other places too, but Amazon’s the big boi of online shopping) and you should absolutely pick up a copy. Just as important, you should set aside some money for the subsequent books, because I can tell you that you’ll definitely be wanting more after this initial taste.
Special thanks to Rebecca Hefner for providing an advance copy of A Paradox of Fates to TehBen.com for review. All thoughts and opinions are our own.
January 12, 2021
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
What do you say about a cliffhanger book about time travel, time paradoxes, and so much past-future talk that almost blows your mind?
One word: AMAZING!
It took me a while to read this because of the holidays, and MAN do I regret not getting to it immediately. Because dayum! I've dabbled in the whole 'have to travel into the past to change the future' genre before, but never to any great success (also I've read Outlander, too, so there's that). And then Rebecca Hefner came along and now I'm sold.
The story premise is pretty simple really: one president decides to nuke Earth in 2035, and the rest respond, so in the end it's a barren wasteland of oceans and landcroppings with humanity in tatters. And then there are scientific hubs trying to somehow figure out a way to undo this great disaster, which brings the focus to Elaine Randolph, granddaughter of the man who destroyed the planet, and Hunter, the soldier who her father recruits to help her out.
Suffice to say, time travel does exist and comes into play in this story, but with a MASSIVE twist in the form of what appears to be an infinite loop - and how the heck do you break that one? How do you live your life knowing there is a fate paradox saying the moment you're destined to die will remain no matter what you do to change it?
I would note for future readers that nothing actually HAPPENS in the book until about halfway through it, when the experiments succeed. Before that, we meet all the characters and the world, but there's a bit of a build up and I can see how someone might think this isn't worth their time, when in fact, once it all actually gets going, and Eli Hernandez enters the picture, OH MAN IS IT WORTH IT ALL.
And at the heart there's Lainey and Hunter, the woman convinced she was put on this world with the single purpose: to save it, not to be distracted by love and happiness, and then the man who convinces her otherwise.
The cover of the book might fool you - this is NOT one of those summer romance reads. This story fully features a nerdy scientist who's full of doubts and with an enormous burden on her shoulders, but it also focuses on her personal growth and how she comes to accept what she can or can't do. All while working on equations and trying to save the world.
The timeline is apparently fractured, loopy, and people from 2075 are scattered throughout. I'm eager to see just how this all continues, and how it ends in the last book of the trilogy.
So if you want a smart heroine who stays true to her beliefs and actually responds realistically to sci-fi situations, don't hesitate. This is the book for you.
What do you say about a cliffhanger book about time travel, time paradoxes, and so much past-future talk that almost blows your mind?
One word: AMAZING!
It took me a while to read this because of the holidays, and MAN do I regret not getting to it immediately. Because dayum! I've dabbled in the whole 'have to travel into the past to change the future' genre before, but never to any great success (also I've read Outlander, too, so there's that). And then Rebecca Hefner came along and now I'm sold.
The story premise is pretty simple really: one president decides to nuke Earth in 2035, and the rest respond, so in the end it's a barren wasteland of oceans and landcroppings with humanity in tatters. And then there are scientific hubs trying to somehow figure out a way to undo this great disaster, which brings the focus to Elaine Randolph, granddaughter of the man who destroyed the planet, and Hunter, the soldier who her father recruits to help her out.
Suffice to say, time travel does exist and comes into play in this story, but with a MASSIVE twist in the form of what appears to be an infinite loop - and how the heck do you break that one? How do you live your life knowing there is a fate paradox saying the moment you're destined to die will remain no matter what you do to change it?
I would note for future readers that nothing actually HAPPENS in the book until about halfway through it, when the experiments succeed. Before that, we meet all the characters and the world, but there's a bit of a build up and I can see how someone might think this isn't worth their time, when in fact, once it all actually gets going, and Eli Hernandez enters the picture, OH MAN IS IT WORTH IT ALL.
And at the heart there's Lainey and Hunter, the woman convinced she was put on this world with the single purpose: to save it, not to be distracted by love and happiness, and then the man who convinces her otherwise.
The cover of the book might fool you - this is NOT one of those summer romance reads. This story fully features a nerdy scientist who's full of doubts and with an enormous burden on her shoulders, but it also focuses on her personal growth and how she comes to accept what she can or can't do. All while working on equations and trying to save the world.
The timeline is apparently fractured, loopy, and people from 2075 are scattered throughout. I'm eager to see just how this all continues, and how it ends in the last book of the trilogy.
So if you want a smart heroine who stays true to her beliefs and actually responds realistically to sci-fi situations, don't hesitate. This is the book for you.
November 7, 2020
Anyone who knows me is well aware that I'm a huge sucker for time travel. Seriously, I will watch/read anything with it, especially when the destinations are my favourite eras in history.
This book was a bit different since the time travel was in the future (to 2035 from 2075) but it was still fun to read. The science was pretty cool too, even though I'm not huge on physics myself (my major has physics cleverly disguised in every other subject, I've had enough).
Our heroine Lainey is a thirty eight year old scientist who tends to be robotic but at the same time not. She was burdened with a glorious purpose (I couldn't resist), to finalise her father's time travel plans and go back to 2035 to stop her grandfather from blowing up the world.
Captain Hunter Rhodes doesn't enter the scene immediately, but when he does sparks fly. He promised Lainey's father he'd look after her and that's exactly what he intends to do no matter how much she objects.
Together, and with the help of Laiey's friends and fellow scientists, they're about to change history. But is it for the better or worse?
There's nothing wrong with this book and I knew it was a trilogy from the beginning, but I still wish the time travel happened earlier. We did get some time to get to know the characters so in a way that's good, but I don't think the plot would've suffered had it happened halfway instead of in the last third.
Lainey's relationship with Dalton was very interesting, even though he wasn't the man for her. As for Hunter...I don't know. I think they're okay but still not an exact match. Similarly, I wish there was more action than romance in the final third but I understand why there was so much of it. Lainey was finally letting go.
My favourite couple by far were Cyrus and Claire, I'm so excited to read their book. Hopefully more of 2035 will be shown because I need to know what's gonna happen now that they've arrived.
*Thank you to BookSirens for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
This book was a bit different since the time travel was in the future (to 2035 from 2075) but it was still fun to read. The science was pretty cool too, even though I'm not huge on physics myself (my major has physics cleverly disguised in every other subject, I've had enough).
Our heroine Lainey is a thirty eight year old scientist who tends to be robotic but at the same time not. She was burdened with a glorious purpose (I couldn't resist), to finalise her father's time travel plans and go back to 2035 to stop her grandfather from blowing up the world.
Captain Hunter Rhodes doesn't enter the scene immediately, but when he does sparks fly. He promised Lainey's father he'd look after her and that's exactly what he intends to do no matter how much she objects.
Together, and with the help of Laiey's friends and fellow scientists, they're about to change history. But is it for the better or worse?
There's nothing wrong with this book and I knew it was a trilogy from the beginning, but I still wish the time travel happened earlier. We did get some time to get to know the characters so in a way that's good, but I don't think the plot would've suffered had it happened halfway instead of in the last third.
Lainey's relationship with Dalton was very interesting, even though he wasn't the man for her. As for Hunter...I don't know. I think they're okay but still not an exact match. Similarly, I wish there was more action than romance in the final third but I understand why there was so much of it. Lainey was finally letting go.
My favourite couple by far were Cyrus and Claire, I'm so excited to read their book. Hopefully more of 2035 will be shown because I need to know what's gonna happen now that they've arrived.
*Thank you to BookSirens for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
February 11, 2020
A Paradox of Fates by Rebecca Hefner is the first of three books in a new series known as Prevent the Past which is centered on time travel. It is the story of a woman’s mission to go back in time to save the world from being destroyed. The story starts in a post-apocalyptic world in 2075 where a group of ragtag scientists and soldiers work to stop a catastrophic event and at the same time prevent themselves from being captured by an evil association known as the New Establishment. This book served as a wonderful introduction to a new world and its characters.
Dr. Elaine “Lainey” Randolph is the woman tasked with creating a “sphere” that will work as a machine to make time travel possible. Hunter Rhodes is a military captain tasked to keep Elaine and her group safe from evil. After countless failures, Elaine, Hunter and their friends finally unravel the mystery of time travel but will it be enough to stop world destruction? Or will their enemy always be one step ahead of them?
Lainey was brilliant as a scientist but really closed-off when it came to romance. She was hurt in the past because of which she thought she wasn’t capable of romance. She was sweet, cared a lot about her friends and determined to fulfill her mission. Hunter was perfect. He was handsome, kind, gentle and protective. He showed immense patience toward Lainey and slowly brought her out of her shell. Their romance was slow-building and absolutely amazing to read about.
Lainey’s friends also played an integral part in the story. Cyrus and Zach were amazing in their own ways. Claire was super bubbly. Luke and Sara were adorable and Marie was hilarious. I am extremely excited to see what happens to each of them. I am especially eager to read Cyrus and Claire’s story. I would definitely recommend this book to all sci-fi romance lovers.
Dr. Elaine “Lainey” Randolph is the woman tasked with creating a “sphere” that will work as a machine to make time travel possible. Hunter Rhodes is a military captain tasked to keep Elaine and her group safe from evil. After countless failures, Elaine, Hunter and their friends finally unravel the mystery of time travel but will it be enough to stop world destruction? Or will their enemy always be one step ahead of them?
Lainey was brilliant as a scientist but really closed-off when it came to romance. She was hurt in the past because of which she thought she wasn’t capable of romance. She was sweet, cared a lot about her friends and determined to fulfill her mission. Hunter was perfect. He was handsome, kind, gentle and protective. He showed immense patience toward Lainey and slowly brought her out of her shell. Their romance was slow-building and absolutely amazing to read about.
Lainey’s friends also played an integral part in the story. Cyrus and Zach were amazing in their own ways. Claire was super bubbly. Luke and Sara were adorable and Marie was hilarious. I am extremely excited to see what happens to each of them. I am especially eager to read Cyrus and Claire’s story. I would definitely recommend this book to all sci-fi romance lovers.
Read
March 31, 2021A Paradox of Fates is a sci-fi time travel adventure tempered with romance. Intense characters, a save the world plot and a seemingly impossible task make this a great read that I found hard to put down.
I appreciated the author’s scientific research that went into making time travel at least a little believable, even if it is still an impossibility – as far as we know. Scientific detail is minimal though, making the story move along nicely. Instead, the reader sees the time machine at work and the people that make it work.
Lainey is the extremely focused heroine of the story. Determined to succeed, she puts all her efforts into her work, shunning Hunter’s attention, even though we (the non-Lainey characters and the readers) know they are meant to be. The romance between Lainey and Hunter was slow and believable and exactly what it needed to be for these two characters.
A Paradox of Fates is a story of intentional time travel. That is, time travel for the purpose of causing something to happen or not happen. Change history, change the how things turn out. When it comes down to it, this is a very tricky thing to do. One wrong move and nothing turns out the way you expect.
Time is complicated. So here I am overthinking this. So, what if Lainey and Hunter achieve their objective. Does that mean there is no need for a time machine? And if so, how do the future Lainey and Hunter go back in time to achieve their objective and if they don’t go back, that means the timeline is not changed. So there really is a need for a time machine. You see where this is going?
Paradox is a common theme in the book and not fully resolved by the end of A Paradox of Fates. The story continues in two more books in this series. I’m going to have to see where this goes!
Thanks to the author who provided a copy of her book in exchange for my honest review.
I appreciated the author’s scientific research that went into making time travel at least a little believable, even if it is still an impossibility – as far as we know. Scientific detail is minimal though, making the story move along nicely. Instead, the reader sees the time machine at work and the people that make it work.
Lainey is the extremely focused heroine of the story. Determined to succeed, she puts all her efforts into her work, shunning Hunter’s attention, even though we (the non-Lainey characters and the readers) know they are meant to be. The romance between Lainey and Hunter was slow and believable and exactly what it needed to be for these two characters.
A Paradox of Fates is a story of intentional time travel. That is, time travel for the purpose of causing something to happen or not happen. Change history, change the how things turn out. When it comes down to it, this is a very tricky thing to do. One wrong move and nothing turns out the way you expect.
Time is complicated. So here I am overthinking this. So, what if Lainey and Hunter achieve their objective. Does that mean there is no need for a time machine? And if so, how do the future Lainey and Hunter go back in time to achieve their objective and if they don’t go back, that means the timeline is not changed. So there really is a need for a time machine. You see where this is going?
Paradox is a common theme in the book and not fully resolved by the end of A Paradox of Fates. The story continues in two more books in this series. I’m going to have to see where this goes!
Thanks to the author who provided a copy of her book in exchange for my honest review.
April 16, 2021
Now I’m the first to admit, I’m not a time traveller reader, all that science usually bores me or having me raising my eyebrows at all the mumbo jumbo, but give me a SciFi movie and I’m there! (Weird I know) but I really enjoyed the book. The action was fast paced and it was all really well written.
Lainey is the granddaughter of the man who destroyed the world! Being born to parents who loved her, but was constantly pushed to be the best, the pressure to be the saviour of the world was immense.
The goal was to return to the past and stop her grandfather from pushing buttons to start the War that ends it all!!
She’s really smart, but socially she’s a shy person.
I think because of what she knows she is so focused on her task, she doesn’t have time for socialising.
Hunter is assigned to protect Lainey and the project, but there is also another assignment that she’s not aware of! Is he really here to help, or to take over even the task is completed?
I’ve read this author before and loved her Etherya Earth series, so I had to see what this series was about.
And I’m glad I did, Lainey was a genius, but with such a responsibility on her shoulders. Knowing she was charged with saving the world (hello Terminator) but having to keep it a secret had to be really daunting.
The time machine seemed like a really interesting piece of equipment and we didn’t get too bogged down with terminology and techy speak!
Hunter was a great character, a little secretive (but you’ll find out why) but a good person at heart.
The story was an old genre, but with her knack, the author turned the mundane into an exciting read.
I could totally see this as a movie/mini series, it explained enough as so not to bore me, but enough information to keep it interesting.
I liked the explanation in the beginning, why they needed to return to the past, and how the future will save the past.
A few twists and turns I didn’t see coming, and they kept me riveted to the story. Plenty of techno speak, but enough hot and heavy romance to keep us all entertained.
Watching these two fight their feelings is always a good read. Love is suppose to be fought for and not just handed to you on a plate! Lainey doesn’t think she has time to fall in love, she has a mission and nothing should come before it.
So do I recommend this book? If your a time travelling fan, then I totally recommend this book. And if your a fan of this author, then you won’t be disappointed with her work here either.
🦋
Lainey is the granddaughter of the man who destroyed the world! Being born to parents who loved her, but was constantly pushed to be the best, the pressure to be the saviour of the world was immense.
The goal was to return to the past and stop her grandfather from pushing buttons to start the War that ends it all!!
She’s really smart, but socially she’s a shy person.
I think because of what she knows she is so focused on her task, she doesn’t have time for socialising.
Hunter is assigned to protect Lainey and the project, but there is also another assignment that she’s not aware of! Is he really here to help, or to take over even the task is completed?
I’ve read this author before and loved her Etherya Earth series, so I had to see what this series was about.
And I’m glad I did, Lainey was a genius, but with such a responsibility on her shoulders. Knowing she was charged with saving the world (hello Terminator) but having to keep it a secret had to be really daunting.
The time machine seemed like a really interesting piece of equipment and we didn’t get too bogged down with terminology and techy speak!
Hunter was a great character, a little secretive (but you’ll find out why) but a good person at heart.
The story was an old genre, but with her knack, the author turned the mundane into an exciting read.
I could totally see this as a movie/mini series, it explained enough as so not to bore me, but enough information to keep it interesting.
I liked the explanation in the beginning, why they needed to return to the past, and how the future will save the past.
A few twists and turns I didn’t see coming, and they kept me riveted to the story. Plenty of techno speak, but enough hot and heavy romance to keep us all entertained.
Watching these two fight their feelings is always a good read. Love is suppose to be fought for and not just handed to you on a plate! Lainey doesn’t think she has time to fall in love, she has a mission and nothing should come before it.
So do I recommend this book? If your a time travelling fan, then I totally recommend this book. And if your a fan of this author, then you won’t be disappointed with her work here either.
🦋
February 6, 2020
I received an ARC copy in return for my honest opinion.
Fair Warning to hard sci-fi readers: This is romance! The sci-fi aspect is sound but is not the main focus.
In 2035, the president of the US decides to attack other countries with atomic weapons and there is retaliation, death and destruction on a large scale. Elaine is the daughter of scientists and one herself. Her life is devoted to two goals: to make time travel possible and to prevent the attack from ever happening. She is getting close to her goals when -dark and handsome- Hunter appears at her doorstep to help her with her goals. Elaine finds herself attracted to Hunter but distrusts his advances and intentions. Hunter eventually convinces her that he is on her side and that there could be more between them. They travel to the past just to find out that changing it is going to be a lot harder than previously thought. I could tell you more but I'm not going to spoil it for you. I fell in love with Hunter from the moment he showed but it took me longer to connect with Elaine. I couldn't understand her reluctance but her attitude started to make sense towards the end. I look forward to reading how Elaine and Hunter's relationship will evolve in adventures to come.
Fair Warning to hard sci-fi readers: This is romance! The sci-fi aspect is sound but is not the main focus.
In 2035, the president of the US decides to attack other countries with atomic weapons and there is retaliation, death and destruction on a large scale. Elaine is the daughter of scientists and one herself. Her life is devoted to two goals: to make time travel possible and to prevent the attack from ever happening. She is getting close to her goals when -dark and handsome- Hunter appears at her doorstep to help her with her goals. Elaine finds herself attracted to Hunter but distrusts his advances and intentions. Hunter eventually convinces her that he is on her side and that there could be more between them. They travel to the past just to find out that changing it is going to be a lot harder than previously thought. I could tell you more but I'm not going to spoil it for you. I fell in love with Hunter from the moment he showed but it took me longer to connect with Elaine. I couldn't understand her reluctance but her attitude started to make sense towards the end. I look forward to reading how Elaine and Hunter's relationship will evolve in adventures to come.
February 23, 2020
Going into this book I wasn't sure what I was gonna think. I'm not always a fan of scifi type romances. I was worried that some of the writing was gonna be more than I could understand. I was wrong in all aspects. This book definitely wasn't like any of my normal reads. But it definitely flows well and kept me on my toes. You can't help but love all of these characters, good and bad (well bad-ish). They all have an integral part that makes them so lovable.
The thing I struggled with the most was the different POV's. I love duel POV and can handle 3 POV's every so often. But this one had POV's from 6 different people and I struggled with that. The majority of the chapters were from either Lainey's or Hunter's POV so when someone else came up I would get lost and forget that someone else was "talking". It got a bit frustrating. Then there was Elle's POV. Really? I got 95% in before I realized that this is a trilogy. Thank goodness because I have so many unanswered questions, especially where Elle is involved!
Go into this book with an open mind. It's definitely not what you may think it is. But, if you are like me, you'll love it. Just be prepared to want more. *I voluntarily read an advanced copy of this book for my honest and unbiased review.*
The thing I struggled with the most was the different POV's. I love duel POV and can handle 3 POV's every so often. But this one had POV's from 6 different people and I struggled with that. The majority of the chapters were from either Lainey's or Hunter's POV so when someone else came up I would get lost and forget that someone else was "talking". It got a bit frustrating. Then there was Elle's POV. Really? I got 95% in before I realized that this is a trilogy. Thank goodness because I have so many unanswered questions, especially where Elle is involved!
Go into this book with an open mind. It's definitely not what you may think it is. But, if you are like me, you'll love it. Just be prepared to want more. *I voluntarily read an advanced copy of this book for my honest and unbiased review.*
April 5, 2020
I must first say that I resisted reading this book for a long time for the simple fact that I'm no fan of sci-fi. Just not. Plus, I just can't wrap my brain around time travel, so it was a double whammy for me. Eventually, however, simple curiosity goaded me into cracking it open, and let me say that I was not disappointed! As far as the time travel, I was confused, just as I knew I'd be, but that's my fault, not hers. She explained it in very clear terms, and I can tell from reading the other reviews that it makes perfect sense, just not to me lol! As far as sci part of the sci-fi, she doesn't go into excruciating detail, so it's not a snore fest for those of us who aren't scientifically minded, so yay on that front as well.
I did find the first half of the book a little slow, with maybe too much emphasis on telling as opposed to showing, but that kind of can't be helped in the first volume of a multivolume, sci-fi serial. There's just so much world-building and back story to be told. And, in the case of this particular serial, the author is setting up multiple romances, I believe, stories to be told in subsequent volumes. It's quite a complicated plot, and she just gets going on it when this first book ends.
The second half contains steamy sex galore, in case you're wondering, and though the plot takes a while to get rolling, it's definitely on the move by the end of this, the first volume.
There were a few malapropisms, though no actual typos that I could spot, which was very refreshing and wonderful, and the author has a deft touch with dialogue which was great fun to read. And though there were a great many characters introduced very quickly, she did a nice job defining all of them so I could keep them straight. All in all, a very fun read. I believe I might give her other works a perusal, just to find out how it all turns out!
I did find the first half of the book a little slow, with maybe too much emphasis on telling as opposed to showing, but that kind of can't be helped in the first volume of a multivolume, sci-fi serial. There's just so much world-building and back story to be told. And, in the case of this particular serial, the author is setting up multiple romances, I believe, stories to be told in subsequent volumes. It's quite a complicated plot, and she just gets going on it when this first book ends.
The second half contains steamy sex galore, in case you're wondering, and though the plot takes a while to get rolling, it's definitely on the move by the end of this, the first volume.
There were a few malapropisms, though no actual typos that I could spot, which was very refreshing and wonderful, and the author has a deft touch with dialogue which was great fun to read. And though there were a great many characters introduced very quickly, she did a nice job defining all of them so I could keep them straight. All in all, a very fun read. I believe I might give her other works a perusal, just to find out how it all turns out!
June 13, 2020
A Paradox of Fates
Prevent the Past, Book 1
By: Rebecca Hefner, Author
Narrated by: Heather Firth, Audiobook Narrator
I am on a spree of romantic suspense and loving it! This story was so well written, I became immersed in their world! Lainey has one purpose. Save the world. She has to travel back to 2035 to prevent the destruction of humanity and will stop at nothing to do it. Hunter, a friend of her father, was asked to deliver a message to her if she was even in danger. Now together, this couple is engaged in a struggle through time, as they try to save the human race. These two are just amazing characters. Lainey is so focused, she doesn't even know how to deal with the attraction she feels towards Hunter. Hunter, polar opposite is the most patient man, as this slow burn romance goes forward. The science of this book is easy to understand, and the travels as we see characters like Cyrus and Claire, in each time period create a fluidity. We know them, we love to see where they are and what their take on life is at that time. It's exciting, suspenseful and extremely passionate. I can't wait to see where Hefner takes us next!
Heather Firth is amazing, and she brings this story to life with her vast array of characters. She easily transitions between each, and I love her male voices! Each is so easy to distinguish that I know exactly who is speaking. Add in her accents and this was a listen I will remember! Fantastic!
Prevent the Past, Book 1
By: Rebecca Hefner, Author
Narrated by: Heather Firth, Audiobook Narrator
I am on a spree of romantic suspense and loving it! This story was so well written, I became immersed in their world! Lainey has one purpose. Save the world. She has to travel back to 2035 to prevent the destruction of humanity and will stop at nothing to do it. Hunter, a friend of her father, was asked to deliver a message to her if she was even in danger. Now together, this couple is engaged in a struggle through time, as they try to save the human race. These two are just amazing characters. Lainey is so focused, she doesn't even know how to deal with the attraction she feels towards Hunter. Hunter, polar opposite is the most patient man, as this slow burn romance goes forward. The science of this book is easy to understand, and the travels as we see characters like Cyrus and Claire, in each time period create a fluidity. We know them, we love to see where they are and what their take on life is at that time. It's exciting, suspenseful and extremely passionate. I can't wait to see where Hefner takes us next!
Heather Firth is amazing, and she brings this story to life with her vast array of characters. She easily transitions between each, and I love her male voices! Each is so easy to distinguish that I know exactly who is speaking. Add in her accents and this was a listen I will remember! Fantastic!
April 24, 2020
You’re fated to read this book!!
A Paradox of Fates sucked me in from the first page! As a lover of sci-fi, I was thrilled when my favorite romance novelist decided to combine these genres. Hefner nailed it! Like in her Etherya’s Earth series, she creates a dramatic new world that I can only describe as rich food for the imagination. The story revolves around the brilliant Lainey, who, along with her crew of scientists, is attempting to solve time travel in order to change the past. Her efforts are threatened by the New Establishment, the ruthless regime that has been terrorizing her dystopian world. Suddenly, Hunter, the handsome and determined leader of a rogue band of militia appears at her doorstep with some mind-blowing news. Lainey is thrown into a quandry- stay her course with help from no one but her team and risk capture, or trust Hunter, accept his help, and open her heart (and thighs ;) to this stranger. Hefner’s protagonists had me routing for them the whole time, and I am intrigued to see where she goes with a couple mysterious characters. Bring on the next edition- I can’t wait!!
A Paradox of Fates sucked me in from the first page! As a lover of sci-fi, I was thrilled when my favorite romance novelist decided to combine these genres. Hefner nailed it! Like in her Etherya’s Earth series, she creates a dramatic new world that I can only describe as rich food for the imagination. The story revolves around the brilliant Lainey, who, along with her crew of scientists, is attempting to solve time travel in order to change the past. Her efforts are threatened by the New Establishment, the ruthless regime that has been terrorizing her dystopian world. Suddenly, Hunter, the handsome and determined leader of a rogue band of militia appears at her doorstep with some mind-blowing news. Lainey is thrown into a quandry- stay her course with help from no one but her team and risk capture, or trust Hunter, accept his help, and open her heart (and thighs ;) to this stranger. Hefner’s protagonists had me routing for them the whole time, and I am intrigued to see where she goes with a couple mysterious characters. Bring on the next edition- I can’t wait!!
August 10, 2020
Rebecca Hefner really knows how to turn a tale.
She has an intimate grasp of her characters, whether they’re brainy, strong heroines, complex villains, or sexy heroes with a tortured past. Even her side characters are well-fleshed out and realistic. Lainey is by far one of the most unique romantic heroines I’ve read in a long time. Hooray for a brainy main gal!
I think the author is at her best when she’s creating new worlds for the reader to be immersed in. As with her other novels, A Paradox of Fates presents us with a new, well-structured world that’s unparalleled in its details and layers. There were a couple of twists I didn’t see coming.
The science isn’t too heavy, nor does the time travel aspect weigh down the plot. It’s great for lovers of romance and for a good old-fashioned sci-fi romp.
I had a lot of fun reading this. I’ll definitely be reading more from the author in the future.
She has an intimate grasp of her characters, whether they’re brainy, strong heroines, complex villains, or sexy heroes with a tortured past. Even her side characters are well-fleshed out and realistic. Lainey is by far one of the most unique romantic heroines I’ve read in a long time. Hooray for a brainy main gal!
I think the author is at her best when she’s creating new worlds for the reader to be immersed in. As with her other novels, A Paradox of Fates presents us with a new, well-structured world that’s unparalleled in its details and layers. There were a couple of twists I didn’t see coming.
The science isn’t too heavy, nor does the time travel aspect weigh down the plot. It’s great for lovers of romance and for a good old-fashioned sci-fi romp.
I had a lot of fun reading this. I’ll definitely be reading more from the author in the future.
November 4, 2020
I thought this was an interesting story. This is book one in a trilogy. A young girl grows up after the destruction of most of the world by nuclear bombs. She is the daughter of two scientists. She is the granddaughter of the president that started the destruction of the world. The main character devotes her life to creating a time machine to go back and stop her grandfather. There is a lot of science naturally since it is science fiction. There is also a good amount of romance. This is an adult book with adult language and situations. The story ends but there is a lot of potential for more story. The title fits very well since paradoxes are a key part to the story. Time travel is tricky. If you go back on a mission and fail but warn yourself in the future to change things then history is changed. Do the people in the past remember what happened? This story had a lot of interesting ideas and if you want mindless action this book is not for you. There will be thinking involved.
October 27, 2020
What a great first book in series! A generation in a post nuke/EMD detonation future, Lainey is continuing her fathers’ work on time travel with a rag tag group of survivalists to find a solution to travel back and change the past. I really enjoyed all the different characters and the unique quirks and smiles they brought to the story. With so many working pieces and potential for “paradoxes”, I had to really pay attention to the details. Near the end, characters from different timelines and their knowledge about “things” emphasized the domino effect of this undertaking. I didn’t grasp how the time loop began, yet it is a key piece to the plot. There is so much more to be revealed! Looking forward to book 2. I received an ARC and am now voluntarily sharing my review.
February 25, 2020
I truly enjoyed every aspect of this book. I was immediately drawn into this story and I was not disappointed. Dr. Elaine (Lainey) Randolph's mission was to make time travel possible and go back in time and save the world. She was getting close when she meets Hunter. She's attracted to him, but she doesn't trust easily. I loved how their relationship slowly develops. A wonderfully written story, with amazing characters and side characters, the storyline is gripping and the plot flowed smoothly from page to page. I look forward to reading more of this series.
November 17, 2020
So, I'll be the first to admit that while I enjoy paranormal and fantasy, I'm not huge on dystopian and Syfy. But, I have to admit ai wanted to see if the author would make me a convert. Hefner did a good job of world building although for this reason, the novel didn't engage me from the onset, because it was a bit slow. Yes. Yes. I know. It's unavoidable when the author is pouring her creativity into a new Syfy series. However, once we were introduced to the characters, and to this new world, the story picked up. The plot is complex and interesting and in full swing by the end of Book 1. I think Hefner has created a new world that I for one am looking forward to experiencing fully.
February 16, 2021
A gripping tale and a possible future for humanity. The Paradox of Fates is set in a post-apocalyptic world, a clever story with well-developed characters. The plot made me think of how future remnants of humanity could be, especially with the scientific experiments done today. Time travel, is it possible? Can a future scientist, the brilliant Lainey and her team travel back through time, change history and alter the course of humanity? Is it even possible?
No spoilers here! The story moves along rapidly, has plenty of twists, romantic entanglement, is well written and hard to put down. I recommend this novel to anyone who is a lover of Sci-fi and romance.
No spoilers here! The story moves along rapidly, has plenty of twists, romantic entanglement, is well written and hard to put down. I recommend this novel to anyone who is a lover of Sci-fi and romance.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews