This book was a JOURNEY… and not necessarily a good one…

I think the point was that millenniums old Greek era gods and goddesses decided to hang their centuries old war on a magical escape room situation with 2 humans? I cannot even fathom WHY that is something they would do? And apparently in the end, Time and Chaos are all powerful anyways, so they could’ve just… done something to fix that maybe?

The characters already love each other at the start, so the angst feels SO FORCED (I mean, I love a good spicy book, but these “spice” scenes had me cringing). There is no real push from the reader to want them together. The FMC is insufferable. Stubborn to the point of very nearly DYING and being okay with that to prove a point? There was basically no growth, despite the characters thinking that they had grown by the end. All the really realized was how stupid they both were, and it only took being locked away and isolated from society to do it?

2 stars for this one, the extra star is only because at least the writing was clear and had a voice. This concept just did not work for me at all.

Thanks to NetGalley and those at Berkley - ACE for the eARC of this one!

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

Night for Day is a fun romance with a touch of magical realism, opposites attract, and a forbidden romance with second chances.

*many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

"Night for Day" by Roselle Lim is a vibrant and enchanting novel that beautifully intertwines romance with magical realism. Lim’s rich, lyrical prose and engaging characters create a captivating narrative that explores themes of love, loss, and self-discovery. The book’s imaginative setting and heartfelt story make it a truly memorable and immersive read.

I stopped at around 60% because this books was just not for me. It is super rare that I do not finish reading a book before reviewing but I also want to be true to myself so I stopped. I thought the idea the author was trying to convey was really interesting and different. However, I didn’t feel captivated by it. I had a really hard time understanding what was going on and I don’t know if it is because I had a hard time connecting with the characters and the situation they were in.

Thank you Berkeley for providing a free copy for me to read.

I think this is one of the worst books I’ve read in a while. The characters were one dimensional and the relationship felt so flat. While an interesting premise, it was not carried out well and the writing so sub par. Would not recommend.

Reunited lovers get sucked into a battle of the Gods. While the two are trapped in their respective night and day worlds, they must trust each other to get out of the situation.
The premise of this book was interesting, but I wish the concept of the war between the gods had been more developed. The ultimate stakes weren't clear. What are they fighting for (besides a life with each other) and why?

It's a fun, unique dual POV romance with a twist. Opposites attract, forbidden second chances, and intervention from the gods make it an exciting read. Loved the cosmic bet, puzzles, and the cool escape room challenge. The inclusion of ghosts, fantastical creatures, and two intriguing Asian MCs added a whole new level of depth. Highly recommend! #BookRecommendation #RomanceNovel 📖✨"

What a peculiar and creative fantasy this one was. It felt like an episode of Black Mirror mixed with a battle of the gods, which if these two mortals choose wrong, could end existence.It was also a different kind of romantasy. These two were already in love from their prior relationship, and recently reunited and decided to give it another go when they run into each other in London, far from where they both were before. They both are going for a job interview, unknowingly at the same magical place, where they are given counterpart shifts (he has the day shift, she has the night). However, they can’t leave the place once they’ve entered for their first shift and find themselves essentially as cashiers to the gods— he has to sell all their stock in order to escape, but each stock has meaning. She serves as a middle point to the afterlife, taking the ghosts tokens and memories so they can move on.
They also get played by the gods, which makes the decision on which side of the war to choose harder with the already limited information they have. Ward and Camille can’t talk to each other, though the gods give them alternative ways which come at a cost. So the two actually spend most of the book apart, with moments of interaction. The story is told in dual POV, switching back and forth just about every chapter.
However, I think the space allowed them to grow, as they knew in a way they still had each other. Also their encounters with their “bosses” helped them learn some things about themselves and also just value to life, as their bosses had already wasted most of their lives stuck in the store with them. It all had kind of a purgatory feel and was definitely different from anything I’ve read recently.

This book weaves together fantasy romances together with gods that like to involve themselves into one’s life If you like love stories with second chances that are against extraordinary odds you like this story. It’s a fast and easy book to read

This book has such a captivating and intriguing premise (with a gorgeous cover to boot).... my only wish was that it was executed better, because ultimately I left thinking one thing: "Lackluster." The characters were underdeveloped to the point where I found myself simply..... not caring about what was happening to them? I also expected there to be more world-building or at least some atmospheric mood *setting* but, alas, there wasn't much to be found there either. I just... meh. I really, really wanted to love this book, but unfortunately it was more of a miss for me.

In the midst of an earth-shattering gods' war, Ward Dunbar and Camille Buhay, two soulmates separated by past heartbreak, find themselves unexpectedly reunited in London, sparking a second chance at love. Their contrasting personalities draw them together, with Ward's optimism contrasting Camille's skepticism. As they navigate unique jobs dealing with ghosts and ancient artifacts, and contend with eccentric bosses, they discover they are key players in the gods' conflict, trapped in their workplaces with only magical instruments to communicate. Now, they must defy the odds, navigate perilous realms of magic and danger, and unravel the mysteries of time and chaos to reunite and seize their chance at love once more. This smart, imaginative fantasy romance challenges notions of self-growth and fate, delivering a thrilling and captivating journey.

This was so unique!!

Two soulmates may find their way to each other against all odds, even in the middle of an earth-shattering gods' war as both of them are trapped in their workspaces.

Looking forward to reading more from this author!

This sounded like it was going to be a great book.  It definitely had the potential however, it ended up just being a mess.  There was no character development, the plot didn't make sense which left me confused for more than half of the book and the romance just felt forced..  I wanted to DNF several times but I kept telling myself to stick in hope it will redeem itself.  It didn't.

Didn’t enjoy it and kept skipping through. The beginning made this sound so good but I completely lost interest. Was a promising start but left way too many questions and didn’t make sense overall.

DNF @ 15%

Night for Day has a gorgeous cover and intriguing premise. At first it gave me Divine Rivals vibes with the prologue showing immortals interfering in mortal lives.

Unfortunately, the execution of this book did not work for me. There was too much tell, not enough show. The reunion between the lovers was too fast, and while it felt extremely realistic, it lacked some tension.

If you like a more action-focused writing style and are looking for a mix of fantasy with light worldbuilding and second chance romance, this one might be for you.

When I DNF a book this early, it’s because the writing style itself does not match with what I enjoy reading. No matter how good the character development or how interesting the plot, I will not be able to enjoy it when I can’t feel what the characters are feeling. I did skim through more of the book and check other reviews to see if this style would change, and it does not.

Ward and Camille never got over their relationship and there was never a clear reason why it ended. When they meet again in London while both applying for jobs, they reconnect and decide to give their relationship another try. Camille takes a job working at a strange antique dealer during the night shift and Ward's job is at a high-end jeweler during the day.

When Camille starts her shift she realizes that the ghostly clientele is not what she had envisioned when she took the job. When her shift is over, she realizes she is stuck inside and cannot leave. Ward, on the other hand, is working with selfish and self-centered Gods. Somehow, he and Camille have found themselves trapped in a godly war with no escape other than the short time between night and day when they can speak with one another

Roselle Lim Never fails to write a creative and addicting story and this book was no exception. This adult fantasy is emotional as well as the characters come to terms with the people they were, the people they are, and who they want to be if they ever escape. This book was unputdownable and unlike any other book I have read.

Night for Day- 1.5⭐️3🌶️

Contemporary Fantasy Romance
Magical realism
Cozy Fantasy
Dual POV
Second chance romance
Gods/goddesses
Mythical/paranormal

This book was… boring. The whole thing could have been 200 pages shorter and turned into a novella and had about the same emotional impact. The plot was glacial and set up like and escape room for the gods. The world building was shaky and surface-level. The characters were not very likable. The most interesting were the side character gods.

Because the main characters were apart for 90% of the book, I was not at all interested in their romance or believed their chemistry.

Really, I wanted more of the gods, their war and magic system.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing Group for an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

It’s taken me a while to figure out what to say about this one. Definitely unique. I’m not sure if it qualifies as a romance because the characters are apart for all but the beginning of the book.

Two polar opposites rekindle their love 2 years after a brutal break up only to be split apart again.

High fantasy is not really my thing. I have trouble learning and remembering all the world building. Totally me as it happens in a lot of high fantasies. But I thought this one was more light fantasy so I tried, but was really confused for a bit of the book.

The two lovers are separated and at odds competing to survive. They find a way to compete by notes and an occasional phone call.

I wasn’t really invested in the romance probably due to the couple being apart.

Seriously check out other reviews because fantasy is not my normal genre and this could just be all me, but in the end I was confused and not rooting for love.

But there was one high note. The audiobook. After struggling a little reading, I realized the audiobook was available and the narrators were great. They helped me turn a DNF into a finish.