Blog Tour with Excerpt: The Backtrack by Erin La Rosa

Life, rewound…

THE BACKTRACK by ERIN LA ROSA

Series: n/a

Publication date: July 16, 2024

Published by: Harper Collins

Genre: romance, magical realism, time travel

 

SYNOPSIS

From the author of FOR BUTTER OR WORSE and PLOT TWIST comes a new speculative contemporary romance. One woman is sucked into the past—and shown glimpses of what her life could have been—as she listens to nostalgic hits on her old CD player. For fans of Rebecca Serle and Allison Winn Scotch.

When pilot Sam Leto jet-setted out of small town Georgia, she promised she’d never be back—even though it meant leaving behind her best friend, Damon Rocha. Now on a forced vacation home to pack up her childhood house (and help her injured grandmother), Sam is unexpectedly hit with nostalgia from her teens--especially her bedroom, perfectly preserved from the time she left all those years ago. Sam discovers an old CD player among her teenage possessions, and in listening to the burned disc inside, she receives flashbacks from her past life--senior prom, graduation, leaving home. But the memories aren't as she remembers them. They show an alternate past. What could have been. If she never left Georgia all those years ago, would she now have the life (and love) she always wanted for herself?

Purchase your copy now!

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Ripped Bodice

EXCERPT

Prologue

   At fifteen years old, Sam Leto knew a few things: humidity was not her hair’s friend, she was going to graduate valedictorian of her class and music was life. 

   “‘I Will Follow You into the Dark’ was by far the best song of last year.” Sam tucked her thumbs into the loops of her jeans, narrowly avoiding the spiky knobs of her metal studded belt. The spider-web chain she’d bought from Hot Topic slapped against her thigh as she walked across the asphalt of the Tybee Island High School parking lot.     “It’s mesmerizing and so poetic, and Ben Gibbard—” 

   “What are you talking about?” her best friend, Damon Rocha, interrupted. He threw his head back to get a strand of long dyedred hair off his forehead. He’d smudged dark black eyeliner all around his eyes to the point where he looked like he was cosplaying as the Hamburglar. She’d told him as much, but in the loving way they told each other everything. They walked so closely that they lazily bumped into each other, as if swaying to music only they could hear. “‘Sugar, We’re Goin Down’ reignited the genre.” 

   Sam blew air out through her lips to suggest her disagreement, then added, “That song is tight, but there are way too many words in the chorus. You can’t even hear what Patrick Stump’s saying.”

   “It doesn’t matter what he’s saying.” Damon hoisted his snare drum backpack higher on his shoulder. Night had settled, but the fluorescent glow from the football field lit their way to his car. “They owned that melody.” 

   But Sam knew why Damon was making such a hard push for Fall Out Boy. “You just want me to like Pete Wentz so those dyed red tips make sense.” She gave him a half grin. 

   “Whatever,” he said, holding back a smile of his own. Sometimes they agreed on music, but when they disagreed it was even more fun. And Sam knew she was right about this one. “I read in Kerrang! that Ben wrote the song in fifteen minutes. Can you believe that?” Sam looked off, knowing that if she was in a band, she’d be talented like that, too. 

   “Yes,” Damon said. “I believe it only took fifteen minutes, because it’s not the best song of 2005.” 

   She was choosing to ignore that dig. “What he wrote is totally romantic. To love someone so much that you’d follow them into the afterlife. It’s cool, don’t you think?” Sam realized she sounded a little ridiculous, but Damon always made her feel safe enough to say anything. 

   “Yeah, or pretentious.” Damon pursed his lips. 

   “Whatever,” Sam mimicked his sullen tone back. Then she jabbed him with the corner of her sticker-covered clarinet case. 

The sky was inky-black, and her arms prickled against the brisk air. Fall in Tybee was hard to plan for. The air was almost always balmy, because they were so close to the ocean, but it occasionally cooled down, as it had tonight. Still, she’d nearly sweat through her graphic skull T-shirt as their marching band played Beyoncé’s “Déjà Vu” during the football halftime show. 

   Now, though, they weren’t marching across a field lit by hot lights, and she shivered. Damon pulled her in close as they walked. He’d often tuck her under his arm this way. Sam was tall, close to six feet, but Damon always made her feel delicate in those moments. It was something she got unexpected comfort from, but didn’t dare tell him.

When she looked up, Damon looked down with the most genuinely sweet smile she’d ever seen. His mouth quirked up as they reached someone’s Ford Explorer. 

   “Hope you don’t hate Fall Out Boy too much, because I put one of their songs on this.” He pulled a CD sleeve out of his back pocket and handed it to her. His slanted writing and doodles were visible through the clear plastic, and Sam bit her lip. 

   They were constantly trying to impress each other through music—a kind of unspoken game of who could make the best mixes. And while Sam prided herself on finding obscure bands, Damon had the uncanny ability to put together songs that made her feel something. She wanted to listen immediately, but wouldn’t show her excitement that easily. Before she could think of something nonchalant to say, he brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. 

   Sam was taken aback by the gesture and nervously touched the spot his fingers had just left. She’d spent nearly a half hour flat-ironing it that morning, but now it was frizzed and tangled. As her fingers clumsily tried to untangle a knot, her earring fell to the ground. Before she knew what was happening, just as Sam went to reach for her earring, Damon closed the gap between them. 

   “You look really great.” He longingly admired her face. Damon reached for Sam’s hand and squeezed her open palm. 

She instinctively squeezed back, but her heart raced. Damon and Sam were best friends. They had been since middle school. Yes, Damon was inarguably cute. He understood her like no one else did, and she had already admitted to herself that she had a crush on him…but he was also all she had, in so many ways. Her mom had left her a year ago. Damon was her only friend.

   Sam knew that what he was doing might lead to a kiss, and she needed to stop him before he said something that would change them forever. She couldn’t lose his friendship, but if he tried to make them more, then she’d have no choice. Because she wasn’t going to end up stuck in Tybee. 

   Before she could find the words, he tilted her chin up gently with an index finger. His eyes locked on to hers as he asked, “Can I kiss you?” 

Sam sucked in a deep breath to slow the intense rush of adrenaline that flew through her at his words. Damon wanted to kiss her. And her heart soared at that fact, until her mom’s voice broke through. 

Don’t end up stuck in this place. 

   That’s what her mom, Bonnie, had told Sam right before she’d left.       And Sam had taken the warning to heart. 

   She was getting out, even if that meant she had to leave Damon behind. 

   As Damon searched her eyes, Sam silently implored him to stop. They could still be friends, couldn’t they? If she gave him another few moments, maybe he’d take the words back, or say he’d just been joking. 

   She waited, but he was waiting, too. And she was going to have to answer him, even if what she said irrevocably changed them. 

She took a step away and looked down at her Converse sneakers. She’d have to lie. She’d never lied to Damon before, but now she would. Her lower lip trembled, as unsure of the words as she was.           “Actually, I’m not feeling well.” 

   And she didn’t feel well. She felt nauseous from this whole situation and the confusion that flashed across Damon’s face. 

   “Oh,” Damon said. “Let’s, uh, let’s bounce, then.” He ran a hand through his hair and avoided her eyes. 

   As Damon turned toward the driver’s side of the car, Sam instinctively reached for him. Maybe she should just do what her heart wanted and kiss him. Because what if not kissing him meant he wouldn’t want to be her friend anymore? 

   But then, she also knew Damon. Knew that he wanted to stay close to his family. Knew how much he loved Tybee. And knew that if she didn’t break him now, she’d do it when she left. 

   Sam pulled her hand back and hoped that he could forgive her. She held on to his CD so tightly she was sure it would snap in half, but it didn’t. In fact, the CD seemed to pulse in her hand with the throbbing of her heart. As she walked herself to the passenger side of the car, she tried to forget how the light in his eyes dimmed just before he’d turned away from her.

Excerpted from The Backtrack by Erin La Rosa, Copyright © 2024 by Erin La Rosa. Published by Canary Street Press.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ERIN LA ROSA is the author of For Butter or Worse and Plot Twist, and on her way to writing romance, she’s also published two humorous nonfiction books, Womanskills and The Big Redhead Book. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and four daughters (two humans, two felines). Find her on Twitter and Instagram @erinlarosalit and on TikTok @erinlarosawrites.

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Blog Tour with Review: The Day Tripper by James Goodhand

The right guy, the right place, the wrong time.

THE DAY TRIPPER by JAMES GOODHAND

Series: n/a

Publication date: March 19, 2024

Published by: HQ Mira

Genre: time travel, sci-fi

 

SYNOPSIS

It’s 1995, and Alex Dean has it a spot at Cambridge University next year, the love of an amazing woman named Holly and all the time in the world ahead of him. That is until a brutal encounter with a ghost from his past sees him beaten, battered and almost drowning in the Thames. 

He wakes the next day to find he’s in a messy, derelict room he’s never seen before, in grimy clothes he doesn’t recognize, with no idea of how he got there. A glimpse in the mirror tells him he’s older—much older—and has been living a hard life, his features ravaged by time and poor decisions. He snatches a newspaper and finds it’s 2010—fifteen years since the fight. 

After finally drifting off to sleep, Alex wakes the following morning to find it’s now 2019, another nine years later. But the next day, it’s 1999. Never knowing which day is coming, he begins to piece together what happens in his life after that fateful night by the river. 

But what exactly is going on? Why does his life look nothing like he thought it would? What about Cambridge, and Holly? In this page-turning adventure, Alex must navigate his way through the years to learn that small actions have untold impact. And that might be all he needs to save the people he loves and, equally importantly, himself.

Purchase your copy now!

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EXCERPT

SEPTEMBER 6, 1995 | AGE 20

   It’s three-deep at the bar, and I get my order in seconds before they ring for time. I double up: a JD and Coke each and two beers to take with us. The lights are up and the music’s gone quiet as I weave the tray through the punters. Standing in the doorway out to the terrace, I am disorientated. There must be fifty tables outside between here and the river and it’s still packed out, darker and smokier than ever. I search the crowd but can’t see Holly.

   I negotiate my way down to the water’s edge. She’s maybe ten tables away, oblivious, a ciggie poised skyward in her fingers like she’s posing for Vettriano. I smirk, enjoy my good fortune again.

   “Excuse me, good gentlemen,” I say to a group of four in my path, voice cocky with booze and lust. They shuffle over, not breaking from their conversation. The resulting gap between their circle and the edge of the path isn’t wide enough—a careless elbow would send the tray of drinks into the river, possibly me with them.

   “If you don’t mind, guys?” I lay a palm on the forearm of the bloke with his back to me. Their circle opens out and he turns side-on, ushering me past. “Nice one,” I say, glancing at him as I pass.

I look back at the ground. There’s a delay in my brain processing who it is I’m walking past. There’s a moment in which it seems that we’ll just carry on, pretend like we don’t know each other.

   The air thickens. Time slows. I stop, a step past him. Look again.    Razor-sharp short back and sides, hooded eyes, lopsided mouth.    Preppy. It’s a face I catch myself imagining sometimes, never for long. A waking nightmare. Not that my imagination does it justice. Not even close, I now realize.

   His recognition of me unfolds in slow motion. Perhaps like me, alcohol has dulled his synapses, delayed the inevitable shift of mode.

Blake Benfield. There have been times in the past when just hearing that name in my head has stopped me dead, left me incapable.

How long since we last ran into each other? I was sixteen—best part of four years, then. Feels so recent. Our paths crossing has always been inevitable; we grew up barely a mile apart. He spat at me that last time, called me faggot cunt. The many times before that I’d just legged it, hidden from his fury and his hatred. But you get too old to do that.

This crowded place seems so quiet now. Like there’s cotton wool stuffed in my ears. The two bottles tip over on my trembling tray, foam splattering to the ground. One rolls over the edge and shatters on the concrete. People turn.

   How long have we stood here, him glaring at me, me unable to hold his stare? Saying nothing. A few seconds? Feels longer.

   There’s the smell of burned-out house in my nose. The sound of his whisper in my ears that I try to drown out.

   Don’t think about it. Do not think about that day. 

   Why do I shake? I’m a fucking grown man. Why am I shaking?

   He takes a half step closer to me.

   I once told him I was sorry. It was years ago—when I was still a kid.       I was sorry. Does he remember?

   I spin around. Where’s Holly? She must be watching this.

There’s no more delay. There is, of course, nothing for me and this bloke to say to each other. We have ventured into each other’s space, and that brings with it a remembering. And, as we always have, we must deal with that in our own way.

   His knuckles graze my chin. I stumble backward and the tray falls to the ground. His swing is off, though; there is no pain. Not even surprise. We definitely have an audience now.

   My response is pure instinct: palms raised, lean away. Easy now.

I don’t want to fight this man. I want to go back thirty seconds, walk a different route, have this night back for myself.

   Blake closes the gap, my weakness an invitation. His second punch crashes into my ear like a swinging girder. My brain slaps side to side in my skull. Vision sways. My head boils, a cool trickle from my eardrum.

   Where is Holly? Panic grips. I can’t just stand here and take this.

My eyes flit to our audience. He swings again, this time with his left. But I see it coming, dodge. He stumbles.

   I drive my weight, shoulder first, into his ribs. He goes over, sprawled among the spilled drinks and shattered glass.

   On all fours, he stares up at me. I’m perfectly positioned. I could kick him square in the face. End this right now. Why don’t I do it? Why can’t I bring myself to do it? I’d rather turn my back and cry than kick his head in.

   He glares up at me. Why do I pity him? Why am I so uncomfortable towering over him like this? It’s like the positions we’ve always held have been reversed. The power is mine.

   I let him find his feet.

   He’s up and level with me again. He glares like a bloodthirsty dog, wipes his nose on the sleeve of his polo shirt. If we were alone, maybe I’d run. But with people watching, with Holly watching, that’s no option.

   My punch lands perfectly. His jaws scissor against each other. For a second his head floats, eyes rolling.

   I realize my error too late. I should’ve followed up when I had the chance. One punch is only enough in the movies, everyone knows that. His hands are on the collar of my shirt, cloth tearing as he holds firm. His forehead slams into the bridge of my nose like a sledgehammer. My face is suddenly and totally numb. I drop to the ground. A ruby-red stain spreads fast through the jewels of broken glass around me.

He shouts above me. Every filthy word I’ve long come to expect. Something soft disperses against my head. Spit.

   The neck of the Stella bottle I dropped lies on the ground. Inches away. Blood gurgles in my mouth as I take a deep breath. I launch like a sprinter. Leading with the dagger of green glass, I’m aiming straight at his face and closing fast.

   Blake backs into a table, stumbles, hands slow to cover his face. His eyes widen, abject fear. But this is no time to be derailed.

   I see it too late. No time to react. One of Blake’s friends windmilling a table ashtray. The side of my skull cracks like thunder.

   The ground feels like a cushion, drawing me in and bouncing me back. My vision finds enough order in time to see the sole of boot accelerating toward me, like a cartoon piano from the sky.

   There is no pain. Just a sense of floating in space.

   Time passes. More blows land.

   The surface of the Thames billows like a black satin sheet as it rises toward me. There’s no fear. Is that Holly I can hear calling my name? It’s so distant, so hard to tell.

   The river gathers me in like it’s here to take care of me.

   Cool water spears my lungs like sharpened icicles. I sink forever.

A low hum builds in my ears. Lights fades to nothing.

   And I sleep.

NOVEMBER 30, 2010 | AGE 35

   My head throbs. It doesn’t matter if I open or close my eyes, the pain worsens either way. My mouth is like dust. Joints and muscles lie seized.

   Last night is a blank. I hate that. I look above me. Focusing is excruciating. The ceiling is browny cream, textured in spikes like a Christmas cake. An unshaded bulb swings in the draft, the filament shivering. It’s really cold in here.

   Where the fucking hell am I?

Excerpted from THE DAY TRIPPER by James Goodhand. Copyright © 2024 by James Goodhand. Published by MIRA Books, an imprint of HarperCollins.

Praise for The Day Tripper:

“Witty and wise, The Day Tripper had me pulling for Alex through all of his mixed-up days. James Goodhand brings a fun, fresh voice to the time travel genre in this gem of a novel. I loved it!”

—Shelby Van Pelt, New York Times bestselling author of Remarkably Bright Creatures 

“The Day Tripper is absolutely astonishing, from first page to last. Warm, clever, hopeful, and superbly written. James Goodhand is a brilliant storyteller at the top of his game. I adored it.”

—Stuart Turton, Sunday Times bestselling author of The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

“The Day Tripper is a brilliantly-written exploration of the choices we make every day, and how those choices shape the people we become. It blew my mind and broke my heart, and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since I finished it!”

—Gareth Brown, author of The Book of Doors

"A page-turner."

—Booklist

“Goodhand’s debut is a compelling look at the way decisions, good and bad, build up over time to create a life.”

—Library Journal

“A powerful, poignant twist on the time travel story that had me gripped right from the start.”

—Bobby Palmer, Sunday Times bestselling author of Isaac and the Egg

“I adored The Day Tripper. Utterly original, moving, and so brilliantly crafted.”

—Louisa Reid, author of The Poet

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

James Goodhand has written two YA novels. His YA debut, Last Lesson, was called "a powerfully charged study in empathy," by the Financial Times. This is his adult debut. He lives in England with his wife and young son. 

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REVIEW

The Day Tripper by James Goodhand
My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I'm a big time travel fiction fan, so of course when I came across The Day Tripper, it immediately appealed to me. This is a new-to-me author so I didn't know what to expect with the writing style. From page one, the story is told disassembled and jumbled back together in non-lineal order. We are experiencing the disorientation right along with Alex as he slips from one moment to another in his life. It did take some getting used to, which caused my reading pace to lag for a time.

If you've read the synopsis, you get the general idea: Alex Dean suddenly finds himself waking up every day at different points in the timeline of his life. It all seemed to start after a near-fatal assault he experienced in the mid 90s. After this day, life as he knew it was gone. It's certainly intriguing to think about seeing the effects things make on your life almost instantaneously. For most, collections of bad decisions and actions can take years to manifest into dire consequences. Alex sees his life destroyed before he even knows the cause.

Much of the first half is pretty grim and depressing. I can't say that I was a big fan of Alex as his alcoholism, bad choices with his girlfriend Holly, and his broken family comes to light. He's a damaged man who was deeply influenced by his father's emotional abuse, and his murky relationship with Blake Benfield as a troubled kid. None of the details come out until much later in the book, but we do know that there are significant events in his past that are driving his bad choices. Typically, in a normal, linear storyline, you get the backstory of the character fairly early and that helps you understand them better and empathize with them. That is very hard to do when you're reading things so out of order and trying to make sense of what is even happening and how.

Since my last memory, since the fight, has time 

really passed? What have I missed? 

What of Cambridge? What of Holly?

Alex is drowning in the current of his bad decisions from one moment to the next. Homelessness, alcoholism, prison time, rejection and shame from his parents, loss of the love of his life, and a short, failed marriage are things that he sees jumping through time in his life. He is desperate to find out what is happening to him, but more importantly, if he could alter anything and return to the promising life he once had. His one beacon of hope is a strange man that he encounters by the name of Dr. P.H. (Paul) Defrates. Paul seems to know quite a bit about his personal situation but isn't very willing to share any answers with him. He does explain Einstein's theory of time: how each moment in time is happening simultaneously rather than in individual, chronographic order. Alex seems to be viewing his life in a way that others can't because of an aberration that occurred. It's imperative that he finds out what jarred him into this new reality so he can try to repair his broken life.

Once Alex starts to face some hard truths about himself, he begins to make changes in his impulsive and unhealthy actions. This is when the "updates" start to occur and he finally believes that there may be a way to escape his doomed fate. In the end, the story is an uplifting one because Alex goes through a considerable amount of growth and is able to identify how he was his own worst enemy. He wants to make a difference in his own life as well as others'. He learns to express his pain, reach out for help, and share his gratitude and love with those that mean the most to him. In doing this, he gradually starts to heal-and the effects are clearly evident. Many people have regrets in life as they get older. Who doesn't wish that they could turn back time and do things a little differently? This story is an intriguing play on that idea, which fortunately ends with a lot of introspection in a positive light. While I didn't necessarily care for the main character for much of the book, I do appreciate the journey he went on and seeing the character development along the way. It was executed in a way that was a bit more dismal and gritty for my taste, but worthwhile if you hang on until the end.

“Change, Alex, comes about from a commitment 

to making a difference. To deviating from the path of history.” 

“Walking into the headwind.” 

“Exactly!”

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Review: Cassandra in Reverse by Holly Smale

If you had the power to change the past…where would you start?

CASSANDRA IN REVERSE

 by HOLLY SMALE

Series: n/a

Publication date: June 6, 2023

Published by: HQ/Mira

Genre: time travel, fantasy

 

SYNOPSIS

Cassandra Penelope Dankworth is a creature of habit. She likes what she likes (museums, jumpsuits, her boyfriend, Will) and strongly dislikes what she doesn't (mess, change, her boss drinking out of her mug). Her life runs in a pleasing, predictable order…until now.

• She's just been dumped.

• She's just been fired.

• Her local café has run out of banana muffins.

Then, something truly unexpected happens: Cassie discovers she can go back and change the past. One small rewind at a time, Cassie attempts to fix the life she accidentally obliterated, but soon she'll discover she's trying to fix all the wrong things.

Purchase your copy now!

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Praise for Cassandra in Reverse:

“Witty, touching and totally absorbing. Cassandra is a funny and sharply-observed character who I loved spending time with.” —Graeme Simsion, New York Times bestselling author of The Rosie Project

“A glorious testament to the transformative power of being our own true selves. It’s a brilliantly clever, twisty story that dazzles with its wit whilst touching our hearts. . . . A hugely entertaining book with an important message, Cassandra in Reverse is a triumph!” —Sarah Haywood, New York Times bestselling author of The Cactus

“A pure delight from start to finish. Cassandra Dankworth is a character as unique as she is endearing: hilariously prickly and unapologetically clever yet delicate and tragically misunderstood. Cassandra in Reverse is an unexpected take on time travel, exploring the challenges of human connection. Humorous and insightful, this is an absolute gem of a novel.” —Margarita Montimore, USA Today bestselling author of Oona Out of Order

“Hilarious, insightful, and bright with the whole spectrum of human emotion, Cassandra in Reverse reinvigorates the time loop trope with the perfect match of character and concept. Utter genius!” —Catriona Silvey, internationally bestselling author of Meet Me In Another Life

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Holly is the Number One bestselling, multi-award winning author of the GEEK GIRL series.

She fell in love with writing at five years old, when she realised that books didn't grow on trees like apples. A passion for travel, adventure and wearing no shoes has since led her all over the world: she has visited 27 countries, spent two years working as an English teacher in Japan, volunteered in Nepal, been bartered for in Jamaica and had a number of ear-plugs stolen in Australia, Indonesia and India.

Holly has a BA in English Literature, an MA in Shakespeare, and currently lives in London or at @holsmale.

The GEEK GIRL series has been an internationally bestselling no1. smash-hit. It won the Waterstones Teen Prize of the Year and the Leeds book award, was shortlisted for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize and the Branford Boase award, and was long-listed for the Carnegie.

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REVIEW

Cassandra in Reverse by Holly Smale
My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Anytime I see a new book pop up with a time travel theme, I'm automatically excited to read it. I'm a bit obsessed with time travel, and frankly, there isn't enough out there to whet my voracious appetite for it. Let me start off by saying that Cassandra in Reverse started off with a bang.

Cassandra, the main character, has some great philosophical, original thoughts that effortlessly pulled me into the story. As she begins her narration, she even breaks the fourth wall by speaking directly to the reader. It was a really promising first impression, and even better, she only became more interesting the more I read. I could see how many people might be frustrated or annoyed with her horrible interactions with everyone around her. After all, she hasn't a clue how to engage in small talk or polite, casual conversation. She inevitably manages to offend or anger the person she is speaking to-completely unintentionally. Still, for me, her clumsiness at personal and professional relationships made me feel so sympathetic towards her struggles. The author spent a lot of time explaining Cassandra's differences, daily challenges, and feelings of despair that she couldn't stop pushing people away. Based on all of these things, it became crystal clear very early on that Cassandra is autistic, but was never diagnosed.

The book begins with her getting fired from her job, getting dumped by her boyfriend, and her living situation with her roommates is pretty well destroyed. So far, it was reminding me very strongly of Penny Reid's Neanderthal Seeks Human just without the huge dose of humor. (One of my top favorite books, btw) Cassandra doesn't care much for her PR job in the first place, considering she just isn't a people person. However, nobody wants to be fired and lose their financial stability, so she is naturally distraught. Even more upsetting is her unexpected break-up with her lovely boyfriend Will of four months. She truly cares for Will, and was completely blindsided by his sudden extraction from their relationship. Will seemed to genuinely admire Cassandra's intelligence and wasn't put off by her differences. What seemed to be a breaking point for him was her issue with opening up to him about her feelings and sharing herself with him. No matter how many times he asked her to share what she was thinking and feeling, she didn't know how to give that to him.

Somewhere after this disaster of a day when her life implodes, she discovers that she inexplicably went back and started repeating the day over again. She's stunned to discover that she has a strange ability to manipulate time, rewinding moments and re-doing them to fix what she feels like she broke. The catch is that she can only go back to the beginning of that one day and no further. This time travel aspect is left pretty vague and not at all fleshed out. The rules seem arbitrary and erratic, fluid even. But putting that aside, if you suspend disbelief and explore the yawning possibilities with her, there's still potential.

   When I woke up this morning, it suddenly occurred 

to me that I’m not using my newfound abilities 

to their full capacity. I can travel through time, 

which means I can draw the day in pencil and 

then simply erase it when it’s done. 

I can have a holiday whenever I feel like it.

She struggles with questions of morality: should she even be re-doing so many failures with Will in order to prevent their break-up? If she keeps rewinding situations that end badly until Will is happy with her, isn't that a form of control and manipulation? Eventually, it doesn't sit well with her. She briefly thinks about doing illegal things just because she can and then erasing them, but she is an honest person at heart so she discards the possibility. In the end, what she cares most about is finding out where she went wrong with Will, preventing herself from getting fired, and preventing the day with her roommate Derek that ruins everything at home. So she begins an exhausting effort to reset everything. Along the way, she starts to learn things about herself as well as start to become more friendly with Salini and Sophie. Unfortunately, even with some successes, she keeps hitting walls when it comes to Will and the mystery woman named Diana that keeps popping up no matter what she changes. She starts to think that the harder she tries to put things back together again, perhaps she's just better off letting things fall where they may and accepting her life, flaws and all.

The mystery woman, Diana, set the story on a whole new course that I was not expecting. After Cassandra's reconciliation with her, the storyline with Will is completely altered. At first, I was extremely annoyed. After all, wasn't this book partially a romance? Now it wasn't feeling like one so much. Then the more I thought about it, I came to the conclusion that maybe there was a reason she and Will keep having issues in every alternate reality she creates. As sweet as he is, perhaps they really are too different, and she was wrong about fate. She can keep altering it, but in the end, things will eventually realign in the way they were meant to go. Different journey, same results. So I adjusted my thinking about her new projected ending. This is all about her deciding not to time travel anymore because she finally accepts herself for who she is, differences and all. Except...she starts making mistakes again with Diana, time traveling again to fix it (after declaring that she won't anymore), and then deciding to contradict everything she claimed to have learned and start COMPLETELY over again.

By the end, I was left floundering. I wondered what the lesson was. What was the message, the timeline of anything, the takeaway from everything I just read...? It's so unfortunate, but the promising beginning fizzled out to confusion in the final chapters. Everything I thought the book was about changed to something else, then left completely unresolved and undone. I decided on three stars, but this really was a tough one to rate. I enjoyed the author's writing style a lot, unfortunately the execution left something to be desired. Also, a minor complaint I have is the excessive references/comparisons to ancient Greek Gods. I understand that it was Cassandra's obsession, but there were so many insertions into the story that it became boring and I started skimming over them.

I wish I could have loved this one more, but I ended up having very mixed feelings. I will say that despite my issues, this was an original concept that held my interest pretty much the whole way through. I might be willing to give this author another try in the future if the right synopsis catches my eye again.

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Review: The Shadows of London by Nick Jones

A time traveler's work is never done.

THE SHADOWS OF LONDON by NICK JONES

Series: Joseph Bridgeman #2

Publication date: June 1, 2021

Published by: Blackstone Publishing

Genre: sci-fi, time travel

 

SYNOPSIS

Likable antiques dealer Joseph Bridgeman is back in the present and dreaming of a quiet life. But when a mysterious and enigmatic time traveler arrives in his shop, Joe learns that his first trip was just the beginning and this time, the rules of the game have changed.

Blackmailed into accepting a new mission, Joe is flung back to 1960s London where he comes face-to-face with a ruthless gangster and witnesses the brutal murder of an innocent woman. Joe knows better than most that death can be reversed and the final chapter is sometimes where the story actually begins. Emotionally involved, he has no choice but to act, and quickly. With the help of Vinny, his vinyl-loving sidekick, Joe once again sets out to change the course of history. Sounds simple enough ... but when it comes to time travel, nothing is ever as it seems. Who is the old time traveler working for? And who decides what can and can't be changed? In a thrilling twist, Joe discovers that the victim is critically important to the future and what starts out as a straightforward mission soon becomes a race to unravel a mystery--one that threatens the very timeline he fought so hard to protect. Joe must dig deeper than ever, master his newfound skills, and save the woman before the past catches up with him for good.

Turns out time doesn't heal after all. It just adds salt.

Purchase your copy now!

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Praise for The Shadows of London:

''A time traveler ready to settle into a new home and a new reality is convinced to return to the past to prevent a gang murder ... Travels to the past drive the plot, but it's the complexity of the present that makes this book worth spending time with.'' --Kirkus Reviews

''In the Joseph Bridgeman series you find yourself smack-dab in the middle of a time-traveling thriller mash-up written with a vividness that both enthralls and inspires.'' --Thrillerfix

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nick Jones was born in Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwickshire in 1972. He is the author of the Downstream Diaries, a series of novels that tell the story of an average Joe, who discovers he can time travel. It's autobiographical. He lives in his writing shed in the U.K. and can usually be found surrounded by notes and scribbling on a large white board.

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REVIEW

The Shadows of London by Nick Jones
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


After reading and loving And Then She Vanished, I knew I had no other option but to continue with this exciting time travel series. I'm a huge fan of the genre, but unfortunately, it's been difficult for me to find a lot of quality series to enjoy. The first book in the series was my first read by the author Nick Jones, and I was very impressed with his skill in creating a detailed, suspenseful, and flawless plot. With time travel stories it's very easy for plot holes to occur, but once again he managed to wrote a seamless story that my analytical mind could not find fault with. Book one was centered around the protagonist Joseph Bridgeman discovering his abilities and using them to save his sister. The Shadows of London focused on the aftermath of the events in book one as well as a new time traveling adventure in 1960s London. He's still the same lovable guy that appeared previously-Joe couldn't have asked for a more loyal friend to support him as he navigates his new life and mission.

Joseph was desperate to save his sister Amy who disappeared when he was a teenager. Her disappearance was the catalyst that destroyed the happy life his family once knew. He always believed that if he could just rewind time and change history that everything would be perfect again. It seemed that it would be at first. Then he realized that altering time has consequences. Changed events change the trajectory of people's life, people's personality, and so many other small things.

    All these huge changes and it’s sometimes the smallest details 

that are the hardest to get your head around.

When Joseph changed history, his family consequently lived a happy life free of tragedy. After jumping back to present time he replaced the version of himself that lived that happy life with his parents and sister. This is something that he finds difficult to accept-that he virtually erased who he calls "Other Joe." It's hard to imagine the guilt you would feel erasing someone from existence. Even if it's yourself and you still exist in another version. Rather than jumping into the perfect life, Joseph must now learn to adjust to his altered reality. Other Joe was adventurous, wealthy, self-absorbed, and athletic. Joseph is none of those things and now must walk in his new shoes convincingly.

    We all rode the same train until I was fourteen, 

and then the track split violently in two.

I enjoyed discovering the many various changes along with him. One of the most interesting developments for me was how he altered his relationship with the love interest Alexia. At the end of book one, he discovers that Alexia has no memory of the developing relationship they once shared. Instead of sharing a budding romance, she now can't stand the sight of him. He must discover what caused her animosity and hopefully make amends to form a new relationship. I was rooting for him to make things right once again because even though his sister was returned to him, he lost the woman who was just starting to mean something very special to him. His friend Mark did not make an appearance in this new installment, but his best friend Vinny returned to make Joe's new mission a little bit lighter. You couldn't ask for a more loyal and fun sidekick than Vinny, and he brings some much needed levity to some life or death situations.

There is new pivotal character introduced by the name of William P. Brown. (side note: I couldn't help but wonder if his name was a nod to Doc Brown from Back to the Future.) Bill is a man with intentions that you can't quite pin down. He forces Joe's hand in time time traveling once again and randomly pops up to give him advice and guidance. Joe despises him with a passion for entangling him in a mess that he wants no part of, but not everything is always black and white. Sometimes things must be done for the greater good. The question is, who will benefit if Joe manages to save Lucy in the 60s? Will it alter his own future for the worse either way?

Nick Jones did a great job setting the scene in the past for the reader. The clothing, language, and London's sights and sounds were all there in vivid detail. When Joe travels, he has new tools and knowledge to guide him on his path. He's not quite as green as he used to be, and there isn't that fear underlying his jumps because he has a better control over how and when to go home. That may have affected the level of suspense somewhat for me, but I did enjoy seeing Joe gain his new skills. He even got to enjoy himself a little in the past, more so than the first time when he was terrified that he wouldn't be able to get home.

The end sets us up a little bit with what's to come. After another successful read, I'm really looking forward to continuing on to see where the news twists lead Joseph Bridgerton. There are still plenty of questions unanswered-especially in relation to Amy in the past and future. She seems to be a troubled person and she didn't get a huge amount of page time in this installment, so I look forward to discovering some of her secrets. If you're like me, and you love a time travel book with plenty of twists and turns, there's a good chance you will love this series! I'm solidly hooked now and there's no looking back.

    “The future is in the past,” Vinny says conspiratorially, 

“and it’s waiting to be rewritten.”

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Review: All About Us by Tom Ellen

A chance encounter leads to the journey of a lifetime in this powerful and emotional love story, perfect for fans of One Day, Me Before You and In Five Years.

ALL ABOUT US by TOM ELLEN

Series: Standalone

Publication date: October 13, 2020

Published by: Harlequin

Genre: holiday fiction, time travel, romance

 

SYNOPSIS

If you could turn back the clock, would you choose a different life?

Ben’s always loved the month of December, but this year, with his relationship with Daphne on the rocks, it’s missing its usual magic. And then his old friend Alice gets back in touch. Ben’s always thought of Alice as the one that got away, and he can’t help but wonder: what if he’d done things differently all those years ago?

He never imagines he might get to find out… but when a stranger sells Ben a mysterious watch one freezing winter’s night, he’s astonished to wake up the next morning on 5th December 2005: the day he first kissed Daphne, leaving Alice behind.

Now Ben must make the biggest decision of his life, all over again. But this time around, will he finally find the courage to follow his heart?

All About Us is a captivating novel of heartbreak and loss, friendship and hope – and how the choices we make throughout our lives will shape our destiny.

Purchase your copy:

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Praise for All About Us:

”'Magical and beautiful.”

-Josie Silver, author of One Day in December

”'An insightful, nuanced look at modern relationships, I LOVED it. A Christmas Carol meets Love Actually.”

-Holly Bourne, author of Pretending

”'Has all of the feels - the messy complexities of family and friends, the power of love and a sprinkling of magic. Gorgeous.”

-Clare Pooley, author of The Authenticity Project

”'I loved it so much. Brilliant, lovable characters. So sharp, funny and poignant.”

-Rachel Winters, author of Would Like to Meet

”'A heart-warming and surprisingly feminist Christmas Carol-esque novel of 'what if' and 'who am I' - this really left an impression on me. The best novel of the festive season!”

-Laura Jane Williams, author of Our Stop

”'An outstanding story about regrets, self-reflection and love. Fantastic to have such a warm, genuine male voice in this genre. It’s a sure hit for 2020 - LOVED IT!”

-Roxie Cooper, author of The Day We Met

”'A warm, cosy delight. It’s SO honest, funny and sad about relationships and love, plans and dreams and living up to your own expectations. Most of all it is full of hope. It tugged at ALL of my heartstrings, and I loved it to bits.”

-Cressida McLaughlin, author of The Cornish Cream Tea Bus

”'A magical, compelling and thought-provoking story, full of depth and heart. The perfect holiday read.”

-C.J. Skuse, author of Sweetpea

”'Clever, funny and romantic. I hope the Netflix adaptation comes swiftly after.”

-Melinda Salisbury, author of The Song of Sorrow

”'Funny, warm and touching, perfect for Me Before You fans.”

-Suzy K Quinn, author of The Bad Mother’s Diary

”'Oh my gosh, it’s wonderful! I cried so much!”

-Polly Crosby, author of The Illustrated Child

”'Romantic and gloriously life-affirming.”

-Rachel Marks, author of Saturdays at Noon

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tom is an author and journalist from London, England. He is the co-writer of three critically acclaimed Young Adult novels: LOBSTERS (which was shortlisted for The Bookseller's inaugural YA Book Prize), NEVER EVERS and FRESHERS. His solo adult debut novel is the romantic comedy ALL ABOUT US (HQ/HarperCollins, published October 2020). His books have been widely translated and are published in 20 countries. He is a regular contributor to Viz magazine, and has also written for Cosmopolitan, Empire, Evening Standard Magazine, The Daily Mash, Glamour, NME, ESPN, ShortList, Time Out London, Vice, Stylist and many more.

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REVIEW

All About Us by Tom Ellen
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars


When I saw that there was time travel involved in this book, I didn't hesitate to request a copy to give this new author a try. Time travel is one of my favorite tropes to read and unfortunately there isn't a huge selection to choose from. This kind of holiday book is typically much more up my alley. Something with a more serious tone rather than fluffy, over-the-top cute. It's about "what ifs" and figuring out how to get your life on the track that it was always meant to be on. The problem is, most of the time we're just fumbling through life. How are we to know which direction is the right way? This story is about one man getting the chance to redo his past in order to possibly change his future.

Ben is at a crossroads in his life. He's unhappy in his professional and personal life and wonders how he could have gotten everything so wrong to arrive where he is. His wife Daphne has a successful career in publishing, and he can't help but feel inadequate because his career is non-existent. He once aspired to be a writer like his father who abandoned him and his mother, but that dream fizzled out when he accepted that he would never measure up. He loves his wife, but as the years have gone by, they've drifted so far apart that he's afraid that it's too late to bridge the gap. Their home is filled with heavy silences and cynical stares. They've been through challenges and heartache in their fifteen year relationship, but he can hardly say they've been through it together. Secretly he admits to himself that he's been unforgivably selfish in how he handles things. Guilt eats him alive for things he's said and done-and he pushes it all deep down as tight as he can fit it without cracking. He just doesn't know how to fix it.

Everything changes when he goes out for a drink with his best friend. He runs into a man who offers him the opportunity of a lifetime: reliving pivotal days in his past to help guide him into the future. If he had done things differently, would he have the perfect life? One that didn't fill him with shame and regret? At first he believes that his bizarre trip is meant to give him the chance to rewrite what already happened. But he soon discovers that the events that have occurred can never be altered. You know the expression, "Hindsight is 20/20?" Going through the motions of his past experiences, he's sometimes appalled at he took the most important people in his life for granted. How he treated them shabbily, always expecting a tomorrow to make things right again. Ben was much too consumed with self-pity and feelings of inadequacy to see his own worth.

To be honest, Ben becomes pretty hard to take for a while. He's insufferably rude at times, selfish, and contributes nothing to his marriage-emotionally he checked out long ago. There were times I wondered how his wife Daphne put up with his behavior for as long as she did. It helped that it was told from his POV, because he isn't without remorse. He's bursting with it. That softens that harsh edges of him considerably, but when we finally get to the Paris chapter he disappointed me big time in how he relived it. It didn't make sense to me that something that at him alive with guilt happened in the same way the second time around. If it destroyed him even thinking about what he did...why do it AGAIN? He did other things differently and felt he'd learned something about himself in the process. I was kind of pulling my hair out over that one because it was a massive mistake on his part that caused a great deal of harm.

The most touching moments were the ones Ben spent with his mother. After he lost her suddenly, he was never the same again. It was just the two of them growing up, but he always had her in his corner cheering him on. When she was gone, there was an emptiness there that couldn't be filled. Just imagining being in his shoes as he steps into the past and comes face to face with his mother again was really poignant. There are so many of us who have lost loved ones and we would give anything in order to have one more day with them. To say all of the things that we didn't and maybe take back some of the things we did. When he broke down over the gift of more time with his mother my heart ached for him.

It wasn't clear in the beginning of the book, but as things wore on, I realized that All About Us is something of a modern Christmas Carol retelling with romance. I really enjoyed that aspect of it. I also loved the watch-seller's impish moments. He took such calm delight in ruffling poor Ben's feathers. He couldn't seem to pin down straight answers from the man for the life of him. But then again, where would the fun be in that? Ben must discover what-and most importantly-who he wants in his life when this crazy trip he's on is over. Or will he even have a choice? Towards the end, the suspense really ramped up because you could see disaster looming. It was only a question of how and when.

Ben wasn't always the most well-adjusted person. As a matter of fact, he's pretty much the opposite. But I can appreciate the emotional journey he went on to become a healthier version of himself in the end. He discovered that happiness isn't handed to you on a silver platter. You have to put blood, sweat, and tears into earning it. Not only did he figure out a fulfilling career to pursue, he learned how to have a deeper relationship with the people in his life by giving back just as much as he took. I had to give him full credit and respect for that which rounded the book off on a very high note. I really appreciated the uniqueness of this holiday story, and would definitely read another by this author in the future. If you're like me, and prefer a holiday book with heavier themes woven through, this will be a good bet for you.

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