Upon receiving early access to this book, I was intrigued by its description, expecting a compelling page-turner, and I am grateful for the opportunity to read it ahead of time.

The story showcased excellent world-building, immersing me in its setting. There were moments when I felt transported to a struggling pub, sitting in a slightly uneven booth with torn cushions, ensuring my book didn't touch the sticky table.

Unlike many dual timeline stories, this book managed to keep me invested in both timelines. At various points, I found myself drawn to one storyline and then craving the other, creating a back-and-forth engagement that held my interest throughout.

However, there were some areas that I hoped the book would address but didn't fully explore, particularly the character development of those in the present timeline. While we were introduced to several characters, including the young couple, the difficult chef, and the enigmatic regular, their personalities and motivations felt somewhat lacking, which made it difficult for me to connect with them. Additionally, the dialogue between Brian and Jeff fell short of my expectations, leaving much to be desired.

The relationship between Brian and Jeff was central to the plot, yet it felt somewhat flat and lacked depth. I found myself more invested in the conversations that Jeff and Lily had through their notes, than the actual verbal communication he had with Brian.

One aspect that became increasingly bothersome was Brian's relentless self-deprecation. Initially, it served a purpose for his character, but as the book progressed, it became overwhelming and cringe-worthy, taking away from the overall enjoyment of the story. ALSO, I almost had to stop with the subtle comment by Lily that Daniel would be a good name for a boy. The fact that Brian heard that and the self-deprecation leading up to that moment, I struggled to continue.

Regarding the search for Lily, Brian's efforts to find her felt unconvincing. His actions throughout the journey seemed half-hearted and lacked a genuine sense of urgency. Instead of thoroughly investigating each location, he merely asked one employee and moved on when they couldn't provide a definitive answer, which felt unrealistic given the stakes involved. At the first stop he was basically told “IDK bro, I just started my shift” and he accepted it. This just made the rest of the journey hard to buy into due to the half-hearted (at best) attempt that it started with. (Make posters with the picture and your phone number)

In conclusion, I appreciated the potential of this story, hoping it would flourish into a great book. However, the excessive self-deprecation of the protagonist and the underdeveloped character relationships, coupled with the lack of convincing motivations for the search, left me feeling somewhat unimpressed. The book kept me hooked due to its mysterious elements, but overall, it fell short of my expectations.