I really enjoyed the premise but didn't love the execution. I thought the writing was poorly structured and too simple for a fantasy. It made the world-building feel boring. The characters became more lovable as the story progressed but because i wasn't bought into them at the beginning, I wasn't invested in their outcome. Also, the spice felt very random and as if it was just shoved in quickly to be a spicy book.

2 Stars
I really wanted to love this, more so when I found out the FMC was Filipina (and so is the author! - how did I not know this before reading it? lol if you're Filipino then IYKYK) but I couldn't get into this book. I didn't really like how the romance was done, it felt abrupt to me and I would've loved more character development from our MCs and a bigger build up to their relationship. The premise for this book sounded so good but the pace was so slow and the story felt a bit disjointed to me and ultimately, I struggled to connect to the story and the characters.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC!

Lim writes a very unique love story imbued with gods and magic and it was quite a fascinating adventure. The story is confusing at first but Lim manages to get readers to agree to the lack of information and keep going to unravel the story and Camille and Ward's relationship. Definitely looking forward to more of Lim's books!

The premise of this book and the blurb had me really excited to read this!

Warring Gods? ✔️
Magical store that's actually an escape room sort of thing? ✔️
Star crossed lovers? ✔️
A mystery to solve? ✔️

Doesn't this sound so good??? Even the first couple of chapters had me thinking this was going to be a 5 star read...unfortunately that's not what ended up happening. I quickly realized that I did not buy into or care about their relationship, and I think that's because we are told that they are immediately in love in the book from basically chapter 1. This is a second chance romance, but we don't have details on their first go around (besides the repeating of "sex was always the easy part"). There's spice, but without any character or relationship development it just falls really flat and a little uncomfy. Also, how often their inner monologue veers towards lusty thoughts felt weird considering their circumstances.

I did think this story had a lot of promise, and I found aspects of it really cool but ultimately it just didn't work for me.

Thanks to Berkley for this ARC!

The story had a great start and the main characters had amazing chemistry. The concept was unique, but there was so much more that could’ve been done with it. In a universe of many gods, we’re being limited to only a handful. It became a bit repetitive towards the middle and somewhat confusing and nothing was really cleared up in the end.

After reading the premise, in theory this should've been a 5-star read. It was giving second chance romance between star crossed lovers while they were stuck in an escape room. Honestly, it was reminding me a lot of Divine Rivals. But what was promised and what I got just didn't align. I didn't really care for the two MCs being separated basically the entire book. It made the romance harder to appreciate. I also found the lore a bit confusing and the war between the gods convoluted. Overall, I just wanted more. With some structural improvement (because the writing is lovely!), this book would've been a hit

Camille and Ward have reunited after a breakup, finding each other in the same city for the first time in years with new job offers. The catch is that these new jobs trap them and make them unable to communicate normally with one another. Ward is selling jewelery to gods and Camille is helping ghosts.

A second chance romance with two main characters whose love language it physical touch can't communicate because of their jobs? The premise didn't work for me, nor was I convinced by the character development. I nearly DNFed a few times, but morbidly wanted to know the ending.

Some readers may enjoy the very light touch worldbuilding with the ability to suspend some disbelief at developmental plot holes. Contemporary romance second chance lovers may also really enjoy this!

Thank you to Berkley for an eARC for review. This is out 2/20/24.

I was pulled in by the premise - which was quite unique and fascinating - and I finished reading it this weekend!

Camille and Ward bump into each other in London, two years after their breakup and they reconnect while interviewing for new jobs. Just when they've decided to figure things out, they find themselves stuck in their respective workplaces while working opposing shifts with no way out. Not only do they not have any means to escape but they also have to deal with an unusual set of clientele - ghosts and gods - who seem to want something from them. Camille and Ward have been pulled into a war between the gods and their choices could decide the final winner. Though they cannot meet, they're able to find ways to communicate with each other and work together to solve the puzzles that could be the key to their freedom.

This one had the perfect mix of fantasy+romance! Camille and Ward were complete opposites and though this is a second chance romance, it didn't have the second chance angst(thankfully 😂) because there was no doubt about the love or connection between them. They just had to work through some minor issues while figuring out a way to save their lives 😆 I also loved seeing how they approached their situation and problems in completely different ways. The romance was pretty unique since they didn't meet each other for a major part of the plot but they're still in touch with each other while working together. It's kinda like a fantasy version of an escape room but with meddling gods and magic. I was expecting some of the things near the end, but there were a few other things that surprised me too! It did end up working out well and I loved how things were resolved! I'm quite excited to read the author's other books now after enjoying this one!❣️✨

10 Word Summary
Ex-lovers trapped-one night, one day, god’s war decides fate.

Read if you enjoy
✨ Starcrossed Lovers
❣️ Second chance romance
⚖️ Warring gods
🗝️ Escape Rooms
🧩 Puzzles

This one missed the mark for me. It seemed rushed and like a missed opportunity. All the puzzle stuff came together just a bit too easily.

Night for Day

"The complications began as soon as the scorching kisses ended."

Truer words were never spoken for Camille and Ward. Two ex's who have accidentally ended up on opposite sides of a war of the gods, forever trapped in their respective work places, trying to communicate and escape this magical prison. Such an interesting fantasy adventure that makes you think. You're not sure who to trust, as Camille and Ward are dependent on their 'shop' patrons to try and help them escape this situation.

I'm not sure I knew where this was going and I just went along for the ride. I'm glad I did and glad I didn't overthink it! Fun, quick fantasy read if you don't think too hard about the logistics.

My rating: ⭐️

Spice level: 1.5 🌶️

Read if you like:
▫️dual POV
▫️second chance
▫️magical realism
▫️gods and bargains

I wanted to love this book. The premise sounds like something I would absolutely love. It’s a second chance romance with gods and immortals in an escape room setting.

However, it did not live up to my expectations. The writing was too formal at times and then tried too hard to be informal and misused American slang. This lead to the prose feeling choppy, stilted, and awkward.

Camille and Ward were supposed to have this epic romance, but there was no buildup. The book just started with them deeply in love, so I didn’t care about their relationship. It was actually very cringey. There was almost no character development or growth, and it made it hard to be invested in the story.

The entire book felt like someone was poorly explaining a fever dream that they had a few nights ago and they couldn’t remember all the details. There wasn’t enough world building or explanation to be helpful, and the storyline felt too opaque. I forced myself to finish it, but didn’t care about the resolution at all.

Thank you to Penguin Random House, Ace Trade Original, NetGalley, and Roselle Lim for the ARC. I received an advanced copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.

Night for Day was constantly unexpected. While this one has the most fantastical explicit elements - like gods and magical artifacts - it's more subtle than I thought. There's this distinct locked room feel not only because Ward and Camille are trapped, but also in the magic. Night for Day felt very much like a magical escape room with puzzles, artifacts, and a struggle between the gods. There's very much a question, throughout, about what anyone's motivations are and who they can count on.

Loyalty is a large theme in Night for Day. Not only between Ward and Camille, but also in their choices. Because of their quick separation, at the beginning I was struggling to see what connected Ward and Camille. These second chance exes separated by magic made me wonder what drew them together in the first place. This concern largely resolved itself as we get snippets of their memories, but Lim's past books have read more character driven as Night for Day.

This was such an unusual, charming romantacy about lovers destined to be together but also to be apart… plus an escape room element! I hesitate to compare it to other recent releases involving gods & mortals bc it was tonally much different, but I do think it’s a good bet for anyone who loves mythology themed stories.

Thank you so much @netgalley & Ace for the eArc!

Intriguing premise, but lackluster execution. I never felt invested in any of the characters. The writing style is a lot of "tell, don't show," which makes sense: Camille and Ward are pursuing a second-chance romance while trapped, separately, in two different shops. They communicate via notes and, occasionally, by magical phone call/virtual reality. Most of the relationship development is each character separately reflecting on their previous relationship and deciding that they truly do love each other enough to make it work. Sadly, this just didn't work for me.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

It wasn’t perfect, but it was charming in its way.

If were asked to describe this book I'd say it was The Night Circus in an escape room-esque setting with ex-lovers instead of strangers.

Told in dual POV, the story follows Camille and Ward. Two exes with polar opposite personalities and at times little in common, except for their unyielding love for each other. Trapped in separate locations, with minimal means of communication, they must work together to free themselves from their otherworldly prisons if they hope to have a future together.

I will say Ward and Camille's chemistry helped sell their relationship to me. They have such an elemental attraction. It also doesn't hurt that either of them was in any sort of relationship during the years they were apart.

Bottom line: Do I think this book is anything groundbreaking? No, but I had fun for the most part and I'm good with that.

This romantic fantasy has a unique plot and very interesting characters. It's a second chance love story that gets hijacked by the gods to settle a war between east and west. I'm not sure what the war was about, but I enjoyed the escape room like setting and figuring out the riddles. The seven deadly sins come into play and that's never good. Night For day, day for night. Is all fair in love and war? I'm not sure, but in this book all's well that ends well.

Thank you Netgalley and Berkley!

3.25⭐

I was pleasantly surprised by the premise which was unique. Although the execution, world-building, and character development were lacking. It was predictable, and usually, that isn't a deal breaker for me because I don't always guess how it will pan out, but I did for this one and was slightly underwhelmed.

If you are okay with going in knowing that this is more of a character study with some magical realism, then you may enjoy it!

Brain dump 💭
- interesting premise – there are gods, magic, escape rooms, and riddles
- the characters were one-dimensional, and the author could've done so much more with the white privilege vs. POC excellence that was brought up various times throughout the story
- there's minimal world-building and very little history of the gods. I have so many questions…

I am interested reading more from this author and will pick up her previous popular books. This is her debut fantasy book, so I look forward to reading her future work.

Two former lovers are reunited when they become pawns in a war between gods. When exes Ward Dunbar and Camille Buhay find themselves together in London, they think perhaps this is their second chance at love, but they soon find themselves trapped in an escape room game of sorts with high risk stakes.

He works the day shift at a jewelry store; she works the night shift at an antique shop; and their clientele is unexpected to say the least. They just reunited before starting these jobs but find themselves separated again. Will they find their way back to each other?

This is an interesting one. I was intrigued by the premise of this book but would have liked to have seen more character development and world-building in the story or maybe even more of a backstory for the gods themselves.

There is clearly a physical attraction between Ward and Camille, but, like some of the characters mentioned in their backstory, I wasn’t completely sold on their relationship and how they worked together. I understand in some ways this is supposed to be an opposites-attract story, but in that dynamic, there is still a meeting or balance struck between the individuals. And, with so much of the book spent with these two characters in separate places, I didn’t feel like there was a complete resolution between them as to how their first attempt at being together ended and how they will move on from there. There was some telling, rather than showing, at the end of the book, but the relationship fell flat for me.

I received an advance copy of the book from Berkley and NetGalley. All review opinions are my own.

Happy pub day review🔮🌚🌞

Roselle Lim’s writing is always a bit magical and Night For Day is no exception.

This was another unique read and if you enjoy escape rooms, mythology, and second chance romance, you should check this one out.

I am living in my fantasy era this year and this premise really intrigued me. There are sprits and ghosts and star-crossed lovers. There is depth to the characters and what they battle and learn about themselves was entertaining.

This is a quick, bingey read and out today!

3.5⭐️

Thank you @berkleypub and @acebookspub for the free early copy

This might be more like a 2.5-2.75, but rounding to a 3. I wanted to like this so badly - the premise was interesting, the mystery aspect was intriguing, and I love a war between gods. Unfortunately, I did not end up connecting to the story or the character as much as I hoped.

When I started the book, it felt like I was dropped into the middle of the story and or had missed a chapter. Because of that, it was difficult to immediately care about the characters and what was happening. Ward and Camille are sorta frustrating characters and, based on the synopsis, thought they'd be able to interact for a little bit but that didn't totally turn out to be true and it was frustrating that our main characters basically spent the entire book apart. When the spicy moments happened, they felt oddly placed and a bit forced for the story. I love a spicy moment, but I did not like these ones.

I will say, I liked the mystery they had to solve and while I felt like it was immediately obvious who the good guys and bad guys were, I liked the twist at the end and how everything played out.

Thank you to Berkley Romance for the eARC - all opinions are my own.