While the book shares some similarities with the Outlander series–Scotland, time-traveling, time-displacement, and star-crossed romance–Alsberg introduces an element of fae magic that separates this story from others. We don’t just get time-traveling here; we get travel between other worlds along with an impending battle that will either save or destroy all of the worlds. Feels like a typical sci-fi trope with a dash of fairy dust; and yet I felt that once I got past the Outlander-ish stuff, it became a story all its own focused on finding one’s own path rather than blindly accepting the one destiny has chosen.

I want to cry! I wanted to love this book so very much because I am a huge outlander fan and it gave me MAJOR outlander vibes when I read the synopsis.

The execution however did not keep my interest. I did manage to trudge my way to the end but I could not tell you most of what I read because it upset me about how this was a complete knock off with different names and the writing didn't keep me intrigued.

I'm sure someone out there will love this book. It just was not for me.

This was a pretty cool take on Scottish folklore and time travel, although I wish it were more detailed, especially in the first half of the book. The overall storyline and plot were good, but I think more backstory and details regarding the characters initially would have helped to draw me in more. It really picks up in the second half of the book, and this is where I became quite intrigued with it. The epilogue was great, and I'm looking forward to reading what happens in the next book in the series (I'm assuming it's going to be a series?).

Klara and Callum had an interesting relationship. It was definitely a slow-burn kind of situation, with both of them questioning what place their feelings for each other had in the pandemonium of the situation surrounding them. I did enjoy Callum's POV in the book a bit more than Klara's, as I think it explained a bit more in depth about the turmoil Callum felt about his situation in time and the growing attraction towards Klara. I'm not sure where they'll go from the way this ended, but I want to find out. Overall a 3.5 star read for me.

This review will be posted on my Goodreads, StoryGraph, Instagram, and Twitter accounts (see links below) as of May 19th, 2022.

Great characters and story, although it did move very slowly. When it finally did get going it ended with a cliffhanger which was disappointing. Not sure I’ll check out the next one to find out what happens.

Really wanted to like this book, the cover and premise (no matter how cliche) were fascinating. Sadly was bland writing and dialogue, the characters had a little chemistry or I was searching for anything redeeming. The attacks by mythical creatures were pretty much the most interesting part. Predicable cliffhanger, maybe if I were reading it 10 years ago I would have liked it better.

I received an ARC of Breaking Time from NetGalley! Thank you so much! I really enjoyed reading this book. Throughout, I like how she builds up the chemistry between Callum and Klara. Although I wish we saw more romance between them, but the scenes were really cute! I liked that she incorporated some personal things from her own life into the book. I recognized those right away and thought it gave a nice touch, making Klara relatable. There were moments where I would start to tear up. Klara talking with her father and the moments we see about her mother! The ending was awesome! I was shocked. I really hope we get a sequel. What a cliffhanger!

I give this book a 4.5/5! The reasoning behind this is because for me, there were some parts that I didn’t understand and I felt we’re taking a long time to explain things.

I was fortunate to receive an advance copy of this book for my honest opinion. I didn’t know what to expect from Sasha’s writing as I was a new reader to her. I really love how her experience traveling to Scotland lead her to know a lot of its beauty, myths, and ancient traditions. Her prose was beautiful but at times repetitive. There were a couple of scenes I thought I must have accidentally gone back to a previous page from earlier with fights and romantic conversations, but they were just a bit repetitive, causing the confusion. I love the family relationships and the individual voices of these wonderful characters. The story structure was very good, but pacing at times lagged briefly. Sascha does a wonderful job setting things up for the next book.

The story follows a young lady who has recently known a great loss and is trying to decide her next step in life, when suddenly she almost runs over a very handsome man from another time. Secrets ensue, not everyone is who they say they are, and painful choices must be made. All of this with ancient Scottish mythology taking a front seat part in the end game. Sascha definitely sets herself up for people flocking to get the sequel with the cliffhanger.

Content warnings: murder, violence, loss of a parent, grief

Klara lives in her family's Scottish B&B. She moved back to Scotland with her father after completing high school in America and losing her mother. She almost hits a man with her car and brings him back to the B&B to call an ambulance.

The man is Callum, who just witnessed the murder of his surrogate brother in the late 1500s. The murderer collected Thomas' blood and called him a pillar before Callum latched onto him and accidentally traveled to present-day Scotland.

While trying to unravel Callum's mystery, the murderer reappears and calls Klara the final pillar. Thomas was also a Pillar of Time, which are people who hold a portion of Welsh goddess Arianrhod's powers. These people are scattered throughout time to prevent her son, demigod Llaw, from using them to destroy the world.

The beginning of the novel sucks the reader in and makes them want to know more about the story, but when Arianrhod is introduced the story flags and it's hard to stay interested in the plot. The action picks up towards the end of the novel as the climax looms and ends in a cliffhanger, probably to ensure a sequel. The connection between Klara and Callum is very well-written and leaves the reader wanting more, but the fantasy element lacks the same skill.

I'm unsure of the author's intent, but using Welsh deities in a novel about Scotland seems an odd choice, as does turning Welsh folk hero Llaw into a villain.

Recommended only for teen readers who like romance and mythology, especially if they like Scotland or uncommon deities. The author is a BookTuber, and the trend toward people who review books writing books of their own doesn't seem to be producing great novels.

Representation: dyslexia

I had to DNF this 25% in. I just wasn't compelled by the plot or characters which was really disappointing because it sounded like a book I would really enjoy. Overall this book just wasn't for me.

"Fate brought them together. Time will tear them apart."

This book was my second most anticipated read, after The Bone Spindle, and it did not disappoint. It is a well-paced novel, set in Scotland, with fascinating characters, a romance you want so badly to happen, and is rooted in mythology (something I'm an absolute sucker for). Knowing about Sasha's love for Outlander makes this story that much more beautiful. While it does read more for younger readers, it opens up this type of time travel novel for the younger generation, which Outlander is not suitable for.

I was engrossed in this book until the last page, where Sasha stomped on my heart and ended with an epic cliffhanger. I need to know when the sequel will drop because I need answers! All in all, this is a book that will make Twilight readers nostalgic for a simpler time, where writing didn't have so much to say, only a great story about love and destiny...

Thank you to Netgalley for the early release copy to read, I adored this book!"Fate brought them together. Time will tear them apart."

This book was my second most anticipated read, after The Bone Spindle, and it did not disappoint. It is a well-paced novel, set in Scotland, with fascinating characters, a romance you want so badly to happen, and is rooted in mythology (something I'm an absolute sucker for). Knowing about Sasha's love for Outlander makes this story that much more beautiful. While it does read more for younger readers, it opens up this type of time travel novel for the younger generation, which Outlander is not suitable for.

I was engrossed in this book until the last page, where Sasha stomped on my heart and ended with an epic cliffhanger. I need to know when the sequel will drop because I need answers! All in all, this is a book that will make Twilight readers nostalgic for a simpler time, where writing didn't have so much to say, only a great story about love and destiny...

Thank you to Netgalley for the early release copy to read, I adored this book!

ARC acquired by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

As a fan of Outlander, I wanted to like this book, but I don’t think I was the targeting audience unfortunately. I thought this would lean more toward the new adult category, but the writing style made it feel very YA despite the language used. I think Sasha has the bones of a great story here, but I feel it needs to be fleshed out a bit more before it appeals to an older audience. I noticed some grammar and continuity issues that I’m hoping are fixed before publication.

We start off in Callum’s point of view in the 1500s, which is a strange choice since most stories start out from the female POV, but I didn’t mind it too much. It does a good job of setting up where Callum comes from. I can tell Sasha took a lot of time to develop that first chapter. Then we speed forward to present day and meet Klara, who recently moved back to Scotland with her father after the death of her mother. One day, while driving, Klara almost hits a man with her car and we quickly learn that that man is Callum, mystically transported through time. We follow the couple from there as they attempt to figure out why strange things are happening around them and what the feelings are between them. I didn’t really feel any chemistry between the two.

Overall, this story has a lot of potential. I probably won’t read any further in the series because the writing style just isn’t for me, but I am hopeful that Sasha grows as a writer and continues to hone her craft.

Based on the premise, BREAKING TIME had so much potential. I really wanted to love the story and the characters, but it fell a bit flat for me. I never really connected with Klara or Callum, so the ending didn't have as much impact for me. Additionally, I think the novel would have been more successful with a different structure. Had we met Klara first, had they gone back into the past instead of only staying in the present, and had the story been a standalone, I think it just would have worked better. The story ends in a cliffhanger, but this is one where I will be skipping the sequel.

Does a man from the 1500's really use the word latitude or understand the word energy without an explanation? If found a sentence that didn't read right and a strange word that probably wasn't right. If I remember correctly, some of his speech may have been a little to modern as well. A little more editing may have been needed, but I didn't finish the book. I stopped reading after the first visit to a "thin place." The writing didn't draw me in and keep me there. The bones of the story are good, but I was left unsatisfied.

This read more like an Outlander fanfic. The stakes were low, but the one good thing was the chemistry between the characters.

I'm not a fan of instant love stories, but the events surrounding the couple was interesting enough that I kept reading. I did not realize this was a first in a series and the ending made be very annoyed. All I can say is please no love triangle or at least a good thought out one if you have it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Inkyard Press for a digital galley in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed my time spent reading. I’m impressed with the research and effort that was put into a fluffy book about romance, Scotland, magic, and time travel. It’s a modern, reverse-Outlander.

Breaking Time does deal with heavier topics, but it still feels light.

The novel is well-written and beautifully edited with minimal flaws that I suspect have already been corrected before publication. The writing style is simple and easy to read but it still flows and has lyrical moments, which is no simple task.

I was impressed to see a dyslexic character, because aside from Percy Jackson, it’s not something I normally see in my fiction. I think Sasha’s own dyslexia probably plays a part in her unique and understandable writing style. I don’t feel like it adds anything to the story other than representation and characterization for Klara, who seems to be a self-insert Sasha.

Reading a novel that was written by someone you are familiar with on YouTube is a different sensation than reading a book by an author you know in name only. I know how much Sasha adored Outlander, and I can see how she is kind of living her Highlander dreams in this novel. From a distance, it even appears that Sasha is the model on the cover, I had to zoom in to be certain that she isn’t. It presents the informality of reading a “bully to lover” fic on wattpad where the blue haired protagonist is clearly an idealized version of the writer. I don’t take issue with it per se, but I’d like to see Sasha write about someone not like herself, or even take a pen name to maintain an author’s mystique. I enjoyed the novel even though I did see these parallels, but I wouldn’t be able to continue reading any author’s novels if their protagonist is based on themselves more than once.

There are some minor continuity glitches in Callum’s chapters, he is unable to identify modern technology because he’s from the past, but at times, during his narration, he does acknowledge those things without confusion, like a cellphone. He also seemed to except that he has travelled 500 years into the future entirely too easily. It wasn’t a big pill to swallow at all.

Small inconsistencies and criticisms aside, this read really did fly by because I enjoyed it so much. I am not a fan of romance, but this was very cute and not shoved down my throat, and doesn’t even really succumb to tropes. I enjoyed this couple and wanted them to end up together. The protagonist may have felt insta attraction, but not insta love which is a major annoyance to me.

I also enjoy being able to hear the accent when I read the dialogue.

I highly recommend working through the Outlander soundtracks during your read of Breaking Time.

Edits: Chapter 7, Page 141 of 597 on Netgalley shelf. The notebook was made two years ago in 1561, and it is currently the year 1568. The math doesn’t add up.

Extra points for originality. Really enjoyed the history and mythology that went into the story, and it had a very strong sense of place - the setting was key. Also thought the characters had a lot of detailed background and personality, but fell a bit flat in the writing. Disappointed to go in expecting a romance (with obligatory happy ending) and discover an extremely different ending that leads one to expect a sequel. Enjoyed the story and characters, but maybe not enough to hold out for a sequel. I do think the "meant-to-be" romance will appeal to teens, but as an adult I found it a bit dull. In regard to "show-don't-tell", I found the relationship leaning much more on "tell". All-in-all, interesting concepts, mediocre execution.

Like many other reviews state, I was drawn in by the Scotland and the time-travel. Unlike many others, I have never seen Outlander. So I do not know any of those comparisons. But unfortunately, I am not enjoying the story and will not be finishing it at this time. I previously tried to read the author's other work and didn't enjoy it either so it's probably a me thing and this author just isn't for me.

Thank you for the opportunity to review Breaking Time.

After the loss of her mother Klara finds herself back in Scotland helping her father run an inn. With the grieving of her mother Klara finds herself at a loss of where her life is heading, she pulls out of the school she was planning on attending before the passing of her mother. On a late night drive she comes across a stranger on the road, thinking that she has hit and injured the young man she takes him back to the inn for help. Little does she know her life is about to change with the appearance of the young man Callum who in his attempt to avenge the murder of his best friend Thomas has jumped through time and ended up in the year 2022. Together they must try and stop a dark force that wants to rip the very fabric of time apart.


I really enjoyed this story. And that ending! Definitely looking forward to the second book and seeing how the characters and story develops.

Thank you Netgalley and Inkyard for the eARC. Overall I was disappointed in this read. I was hoping for a riveting read and romance to curl up with on a cold afternoon. Which is the vibes the book cover and description give off. Overall, I found it was too similar to Outlander. The writing was okay but I did not feel a connection to the characters.