Review: Only Time Will Tell by Amy Matayo

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

For newly published author Eliza Sterling, having her first book launch party at the Metropolitan Museum of Art is a dream come true. Since her book is a modern-day retelling of Great Expectations by Charles Dickens and the Met is hosting a display of rarely seen Dickens’ artifacts at the same time, she chalks it up to a case of good timing.

For publicly disgraced, former best-selling author Lew McDonnell, seeing a debut author having her first book launch party at the Met brings up all sorts of resentments. Especially when the book this lady is promoting just happens to be one of his old manuscripts that she’s clearly plagiarized and claimed for herself.

When heated words are exchanged in front of a display case containing an original copy of Great Expectations, both Lew and Eliza are prepared for a fight. But they aren’t prepared for the room to shake, for the display case to shatter, or for the old book to send them both careening toward a new existence entirely.

When Lew wakes up on the floor of the Charles Dickens museum in London to see Eliza working there as a tour guide, he knows something has gone horribly wrong. It’s the same day and time, but suddenly he’s the best-selling author headlining his own book launch again, and Eliza is serving him drinks and working all hours to make ends meet. And the weirdest thing of all?

Lew is the only one who remembers their former lives.

My Review

Rather than travel back in time like the first book, these characters experience a time shift where they live in a modern day alternate universe. For Lew, he's getting a second chance at the life he threw away, but does he deserve it? He has no memory of the events in the alternate universe leading up to the present day- he only remembers the reality he came from. Eliza in the alternate life is burdened with heartbreaking regrets and grief, and Lew can't let go of his connection to her. How can he remain in this world where Eliza is suffering? The more they grow closer together, the harder it is to imagine a perfect future for both of them. I enjoyed the unexpected journey the author took us on and the lessons of selflessness and courage that Lew and Eliza learn along the way.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

 

Don't miss the first book in the Charles & Company Romance series . . .