REVIEW: The Once and Future Fling by Leigh Heasley

I have mixed feelings about it. It's not a bad read, but it's not knocking my socks off either. So, this book's all about second chances and rekindling old flames. Our main characters had a thing back in the day, and now they're thrown back together. Classic romance setup, right?

Heasley has a pretty smooth writing style; some moments will make you chuckle. The banter between the leads can be pretty cute, and if you're into that whole "sparks flying" vibe, you'll find some of that here. But here's the deal - we've seen this story a million times. Don't get me wrong, it's cozy and familiar, but if you're looking for something fresh and new in the romance department, this might not be it.

The characters are okay, but they could use a bit more depth. Sometimes, their actions felt too predictable, and I wished they'd surprise me more. The pacing's decent for the most part, but there were a few spots where things dragged a bit. I caught myself skimming a couple of times, which isn't great.

Plus, if you're into small-town romance vibes, this book's got that in spades. The setting's pretty well-drawn, and you almost feel like you're there. "The Once and Future Fling" is a solid middle-of-the-road romance. It won't rock your world, but it's a decent enough way to pass a lazy afternoon.

Thank you, Netgalley and Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group, for the free advanced copy for my honest review!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.
The cover drew me in, but the time travel wasn't for me.

Would really like to try this book, however it was archived so I didn’t have a chance to pick it up and download this title. I am sorry however, I bet this book is great! From reading the description it comes across as at least a 4 star read! I wish I could get a second opportunity for download… I am completely okay with not receiving it either.

I was initially drawn to this book because of the cover and the unique premise - I really enjoy romances with supernatural elements, and I also love time travel stories. It seems as though this book may be a victim of mismarketing, because it does not read according to romance formulas at all. This was an interesting choice but will definitely be surprising for readers, and will likely create a lot of dissatisfaction.

I enjoyed Leigh Heasley’s time travel romance. This was a new premise for me to read even though I’ve heard of other stories with time travel romance. I wasn’t drawn to those synopses enough to read them. Heasley’s style of writing is descriptive and makes it easy to jump from one time period to another without confusion. The writing was also witty and fun. I look forward to seeing what’s next for Heasley.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

The plot of this book was kind of all over the place, I wasn't a fan of it.
Not to mention the cover is extremely misleading, when I first saw it, I thought, hey it's gonna be a cute romcom about a time traveler!
Instead what was given was a more drama-centric romance, with little to no comedy. There were parts I enjoyed but I thought the main character would have one romantic interest but instead two romantic interests were delivered. I was confused by the actions of the female main character and the main plot point dragged. This story should've been cut to less than 300 pages, there were too much of certain details and not enough dialogue during certain scenarios.
The narrative for this book was pure chaos and reading other reviews, I agreed with their less than three-star rating. I had high hopes and was let down. I've been afraid to review this book since I received it from NetGalley, as an e-ARC. I want to be 100% transparent with everyone that reads my reviews, and I try really hard to only review books I enjoy. However, this book deserved a true review, the author doesn't deserve the hate, but needs to focus on natural dialogue, descriptive language, and maybe some more research into writing a time-traveling novel. There were parts that didn't make sense and between the two love interests I was never sure who she was meant to end up with.
At no point was this story predictable, I never knew what was going to happen and I never knew which love interest the author intended the FMC to be with. The ending was super confusing. But that's all I'm going to say to avoid any more spoilers.
Read with warning!!
I read this in the fall of 2023 and am still nervous to review and talk about this book. So hopefully this is decent enough!!

What a fun read. Don’t we all feel like we don’t belong in current time? Hah. I really enjoyed the stories and different settings.

I recently had the pleasure of delving into this book, and I am beyond impressed with the mesmerizing world that the author has crafted. From start to finish, the intricate plot weaves a tapestry of suspense, emotion, and unexpected twists that kept me eagerly turning the pages.

One of the standout features of this book is undoubtedly its characters. Each one is meticulously developed, breathing life into the narrative with their unique personalities, motivations, and flaws. The protagonists are not just names on paper; they are relatable, complex individuals with whom readers can form a genuine connection. The antagonist, too, is not a mere foil but a multi-dimensional force that adds depth to the story. The author's ability to create such well-rounded characters is a testament to their storytelling prowess.

The plot unfolds seamlessly, drawing the reader into a richly layered narrative that expertly balances tension, drama, and moments of poignant reflection. The pacing is impeccable, maintaining a perfect rhythm that keeps the reader engaged without sacrificing the depth of the story. The author skillfully navigates through various plot arcs, interweaving them with finesse to create a cohesive and satisfying whole.

What sets this book apart is its ability to tackle profound themes while maintaining an accessible and engaging narrative. The book seamlessly combines suspense and emotional depth, making it a truly immersive experience. The author's prose is both elegant and evocative, painting vivid imagery that lingers in the reader's mind long after the final page is turned.

As I reached the conclusion, I found myself yearning for more from this talented author. Their ability to craft a gripping plot and bring characters to life is truly commendable. I eagerly anticipate future works and would wholeheartedly recommend this book to any reader who appreciates a masterfully told tale. If you're searching for a book that seamlessly blends captivating characters with a compelling plot, this is a shining example. I can't wait to explore more literary worlds crafted by this exceptional storyteller.

This was a great concept but needed more cohesion. Ada flip flops between Henry and Sam so much that I didn't want her with either one of them. They were all manipulative while declaring love for each other. I would even have accepted a threesome, but this is very PG with only the mention of sex, so... The ending definitely left things open for another book. If so, I'd read it.

Such a fun romantic read! The use of time travel made this such a unique fun story. The characters were well developed and i highly recommend.

I hate giving a book a one-star rating but I have no idea what I just read. That was an insanely convoluted plot that jumped all over the place without rhyme or reason. There were two possible love interests and I had no idea who the main character was going to choose up until the very end. She had no connection with either and went back and forth throughout the book.

This was, unfortunately, very poor writing and editing. It’s a shame because the premise started out interesting (time travel dating service) but really went off the rails.

I don't typically enjoy time travel, but The Once and Future Fling is my exception! I loved the tropes, the love, and the overcoming of obstacles.

Adorable read!

DNF @ 20% due to poor writing, disorienting plot, and one-dimensional characters. This has such an intriguing setup, but ultimately didn’t work for me. I hope the author continues to hone their craft, because it seems like they have wonderful story ideas but struggle to execute them!

Not quite what I was expecting from this book. A time travelling romance got me all excited, but the relationships actually didn't feel very genuine and the time travel wasn't enough on its own to keep me wanting to read on!

Thank you to the publisher for providing a review copy

I received this book for free for an honest unbiased review from Netgalley.

I wish more books were this well written. Characters were witty and the setting fantastic.

Loved the concept of this book but found the lack of spark between Ada and either of her choices in men frustrating.

The Once and Future Fling was a really fun book with several twists. It's not like most romance novels I have read, and while relationships and the hopes of romance are at the core of this story, it was much more a temporal adventure.

I had a hard time putting this book down. I'm glad it's a romp through different eras and Ada doesn't spend the entirety of the story in Regency England, I think the author really helped illustrate the pitfalls of that era, even for someone like myself that loves Austen and has had the era thoroughly romanticized.

I saw other reviewers take issue with red flags present in both love interests for Ada, and honestly, it helped make them more real. And an infallible, perfect love interest isn't any fun. The three main characters are all damaged in some way and it made their actions make sense, it informed the motivation for those actions. My biggest issue was that there wasn't more depth to the relationship between Ada and Henry. With Ada and Sam it was written where you could tell they had years of history, good and bad, but you could feel their connection. I know with Henry it's all rather new and they're from different times, but the romance aspect was rather flat there beyond the ribbing of one another.

** thanks to NetGalley for the ARC and chance to read and review **

Synopsis:
Time travel is now legal and that means Ada can now find love in a new era, including the 1920’s.

Review:
Based on the cute cover, i expected a cutesy rom-com, and I personally felt it was far from that. I really liked the concept of the book but was left confused multiple times and found it jarring that the first chapter, which is clearly not set in present day, and has little explanation to where/when it is taking place, had modern day references like “food porn” and the food network. They seemed out of place. I struggled to make a connection with any of the characters as I felt none of them had much depth to them.

Thank you for the ARC NetGalley.

This book was a little all over the place for me. The plot intrigued, but it didnt hold me. I didn’t really like any of the characters and found it hard to connect to them.

I do give the author credit for trying something so unique. I think it’s important to try things differently. I did enjoy that it was so different.