Cleverly woven theme of time travel and reincarnation, set in Ireland with impressive character development. These characters will withstand several books about their adventures in the present and past. If you enjoy historical romance with a dangerous and dark twist, Through the Veneer of Time is a great start. I'm looking forward to reading/hearing the rest of the trilogy soon.

I have to agree with other reviewers, this one was a true masterpiece. I should of listened to it a few times before it got archived on here!

** Thanks to @netgalley and @verabellauthor for an ALC in exchange for an honest review**

An epic romance, which transcends the boundaries of lifetimes and centuries, with an added spark of revenge and retribution; Through the Veneer of Time, is for all the lovers of romance, mystique and historical fiction.
Set in 16th Century Ireland and modern day Washington D.C; this sensuous, powerful suspense thriller, dripping with romance, is for every lover of Outlander and Diana Gabaldon.

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2009, Washington: Siena, an artist, harnesses her power of past life transgression to draw inspiration for her art; only to realise she used to be this Irish aristocrat Neave in her previous life, married to her soulmate, warrior King Aeden, living a life of love and fulfilment. But when Aeden rides off to fight the English forces, Neave is faced with a brutal attack from a bestial, ruthless, cruel man which consumes their future.
Siena realises, all her past-life connections have been reinstated in her present life. Does that mean her FBI husband Ryan is Aedan reborn? Does that also mean that the brute-ish attacker is back? Will this life and a few centuries of advancement in human history hold promises for a better future?
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With absolutely immersive, lyrical prose and a wonderful audiobook production with alternating American and Irish accents, this was a joy to listen to.
A binge-worthy, gripping story which also goes on to show how the inner-workings of patriarchy and the human condition hasn't altered in the past few centuries. Women, however, might just be armed with enough agency to have fate side with them, if only partially.

Something I could have done a bit more with is the the nuances and intricacies involving time travel, just to make it seem more plausible and a bit more FBI procedural details.

However, through the veneer of words and phrases, Vera Bell enthralls, entertains and makes one hope, for beyond the scope of a lifetime.
And that's more than a bargain, don't you think?

Interesting book. Violence alert!!

Loved the two time periods - in 1559 & Ireland and 2009 & Washington DC. The time travel was fun. The love stories were exceptional in both time periods.

The downside was violence, both physical and sexual. Also the main characters spend time wanting to die and considering suicide. Once the main characters experienced violence, it seemed like the really hard times went on forever and healing seemed hopeless.

This book is the first book of a trilogy. I will not be reading the next book. This book just had too much violence for me. Without the detailed violence, rape, coma and long recovers - this would have been a 4-5 star read for me.

I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed the Irish voices from 1559. The narrators did a good job.

I'll be honest upfront that this book was a DNF for me for two reasons. I received this book as an ARC audiobook. I did not care for the narrators, particularly in the past tense of the story. It was difficult to understand through the accents being portrayed (and I LOVE accents). The other thing I struggled with was the amount of cussing through the story. I read about 25% of the book and it just detracted from the story. I can handle some language in a book (though I don't prefer it) but this was just more than I found enjoyable.

The writing itself was really well done overall, I was optimistic for the book because of the writing style and plot line, but in the end this story just wasn't for me.

This book is a suspense novel. Do you believe in reincarnation and regression to past lives?
Siena begins to regress to her past life in Ireland in the 16th century. The problem is that the man who raped her in Ireland during that period is also living in the present day and very close to her.

This story is wonderfully well written, there are several timelines and I was never confused about which era it was in, and that only happens due to the mastery with which it was written.

However, due to the Irish pronunciation, this book is wonderful on audiobook. I had the opportunity to try the audiobook and the story is even more wonderful. To make it even better the author sent me an extra chapter. What a wonderful experience it was to read/listen to this book.

Looking forward to the continuation of this story.

Vera Bell’s time-travelling tale weaves a delicate balance between a gripping thriller and romantic suspense story. I had seen many comparisons to Outlander prior to reading, and while it lived up to some of these expectations, Bell does an incredible job of bringing a new and exciting element to the connection between the two timelines. Much like Outlander, this story has high highs and low lows, and I would strongly recommend readers review content warnings to confirm they are comfortable with the topics at hand (highly flagged for sexual violence, rape, and suicidal ideation).
The modern-day timeline follows Siena, a painter currently working on a commission at the National Gallery of Art, and her husband, Ryan, an FBI agent currently on the hunt for a violent killer. While I found these two likeable and their relationship believable, in some aspects they were written out of character [ how did Ryan, an FBI agent, no catch on to a woman showing up at his door?]. It was clear to me that the true core of the store was between Neave and her Aiden. This couple was written with true passion, showing how marriage vows can be tested to their limits when it comes to “for better or for worse.”

Overall, I thought Vera Bell gave us an exciting mystery to solve, and I am intrigued at the thought of this being the first in a series.

The writing and the story were compelling and powerful. Seriously, it will get under your skin and haunt you for days. BUT, read this book with caution! There should be extreme trigger warnings for sure; this book includes harrowing descriptions of sexual violence, trauma, assault, murder and torture. It is very difficult to face these things even for readers that do not have trauma in their own life to contend with. It is empowering in the end, but it is a very difficult journey, do not step into it lightly. Know that these words and this story may cause pain, in order to get you through to the other side of trauma and assault. Vera Bell has put out a story that will tear you into pieces to help you find the strength to put yourself back together.

Book Title: Through the Veneer of Time
Author: Vera Bell – Debut Author
Narrators: Frankie Porter and Andrew Dickson
Publisher: Timebound Publishing LLC, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) Membes’ Audiobook
Genre: Time Travel, Romance. Mystery Thriller
US Audiobook Pub Date: September 28, 2024
My Rating: 2 Stars
Pages: 372

This story got my attention as I do love time travel stories. And yes I enjoyed Outlander.

In this story – the year is 2010 and Siena is doing her deep breathing exercises and while counting backwards, she is transported to her previous life in Ulster, Ireland in the 1500.

Story had me curious- I viewed several reviews and many readers loved this story.
Unfortunately it didn’t work for me.
I love a good audiobook but wasn’t enjoying the narrator’s performance. Additionally was also was having a hard time liking Siena and her FBI agent husband.
The story got more sexual than I like to read or in this case hear about.
I am a big thriller fan and am okay with romance - I prefer a sweet romance story - flirting and adoring looks-I have a great imagination so don’t need details about the characters sex lives.

I hung in there but never got to the point of enjoying the story.

Want to thank NetGalley and Timebound Publishing LLC for this audiobook.
Audiobook Publishing Release Date scheduled for September 28, 2024

Good story but could be a trigger for some. Very graphic sexual violence portrayed throughout the book and it deals with a woman who is overcoming a rape in the past and present times. I did think it was very interesting to hear both of the characters in a different accent thought the book. It was very well narrated.

Powerful imagery of characters and place during 16th C. Northern Ireland, as well as dialogue-driven excellence in lilting native dialects, drive Vera Bell’s debut dual-timeline audio-book version of her fantasy fiction novel “Through the Veneer of Time.”

Exploring the concepts of reincarnation and past life regression through hypnosis, “Veneer” compares and contrasts the lives of Neave and Aedan O’Neill in 1500s Ireland with that of modern day married couple, artist, Siena, and FBI agent, Ryan, living in Washington, D.C.

Ryan’s task force is on the hunt for a serial killer whose signature is rape and strangulation. Oddly, Siena has an unexplained fear of rape, and stresses hearing anything about her husband’s case. While working on a mural featuring medieval weapons, Siena begins lucidly dreaming about people from that early time period and calling out their names—making Ryan extremely jealous.

I totally enjoyed this novel about the possibilities that love endures throughout time, and look forward to hearing more from Bell.. At the end of the audiobook of “Veneer,” Author Bell says that this is the first installment of a three book series. I can’t wait!

JoyReaderGirl1 graciously thanks NetGalley, Author Vera Bell, and Timebound Publishing LLC for this advanced audiobook copy (AAC) for review.

Through the Veneer of Time is a captivating blend of Irish time travel, romantic suspense, and a gripping thriller. Vera Bell weaves a tale of a haunted painter whose past life visions are more than mere inspirations—they’re a key to an ancient vow and a present-day mystery.

The story follows Siena Forte, a successful artist who is commissioned to create a mural for the National Gallery of Art. She suffers from a creative block and decides to explore the practice of past life regression. She discovers that she was once Neave McConway, a young noblewoman who married Aedan O’Neal, the King of Tyrone, in 16th century Ireland. Their love story was cut short by a brutal attack from the English invaders, and Neave swore revenge on her enemies.

Meanwhile, Siena’s husband, Ryan Casey, is an FBI agent who is hunting a serial killer who targets women with red hair. He soon realizes that the killer has a connection to Siena’s past life and is obsessed with her. As Siena’s visions become more vivid and dangerous, she realizes that she has to fulfill her ancient vow in order to stop the killer and save her husband.

The book is a fast-paced and engaging read, with short chapters that alternate between the past and the present. The author does a great job of creating a vivid and authentic atmosphere for both settings, and the historical details are well-researched and accurate. The characters are well-developed and likable, and the romance is sweet and passionate. The plot is full of twists and turns, and the suspense is high throughout. The book also explores themes such as fate, destiny, karma, and reincarnation.

If you are a fan of Outlander or other time travel novels, you will love Through the Veneer of Time. It has a similar blend of historical romance, adventure, and fantasy, but with a twist of suspense and mystery. You will be immersed in the vivid and authentic settings of 16th century Ireland and 21st century Washington, D.C. You will root for the star-crossed lovers Siena and Ryan, who have to face their past lives and their present enemies. You will be surprised by the twists and turns, and the secrets that lie beneath the veneer of time. The only thing I did not like about this book was the narrator voice in the audiobook. I found it too exaggerated and annoying, and it distracted me from the story. I would recommend reading the book instead of listening to it. Through the Veneer of Time is a must-read for time travel lovers. It is the first book in the Always and Forever trilogy, and I can’t wait to read the next one.

Content warnings for rape, sexual violence, and suicidal ideation.

This book was a bit dark for me, so I probably won't continue on with the series. It was well written, and the historical characters were very compelling, leaving you wanting to know more about them. The modern characters were a bit two dimensional, but I felt like that had to do with entwined nature of the two sets of characters more than poor writing. There were several parts I had to skip through since they were graphic depictions of things in the warning above. Overall well written with a good premise, but slow and not for me. I'd recommend it to the right readers though.

The author does an impressive job with this one. It goes together two stories written simultaneously and how it’s done is fascinating. Plus the plot kept it moving along quickly, no dull spots, I genuinely wanted to keep listening.

🌀Synopsis
Siena is having dreams. Her husband, Ryan, is okay with it all until she calls out another man’s name during intercourse. The gates open wide and Siena is forced to make him see what she sees.
What she sees is a life from long ago. A life that her and Ryan both lived but as different people. Back then Neave married Aedan and they were infatuated with each other. Their future is tainted when Neave is assaulted while Aedan is away and he vows to avenge her.
Now, all these years later they find themselves again seeking to avenge her. This time, someone has been raping women and has put Siena into a coma. Will Ryan be able to save Siena just like Aedan saved Neave all those years ago, or will he finally be too late this time?

1559, a young noblewoman named Neave is attacked by a cruel invader of her castle, leaving her badly injured. Despite her desire to bring the attacker to justice, she doesn't have enough time to do so before her lifetime ends. Fast forward to 2009, and Siena, the wife of an FBI agent, encounters someone who caused her harm 500 years ago. She sees this as an opportunity for revenge. The plot idea and synopsis of the book were excellent, and I was eager to read it. However, my interest quickly dwindled. Firstly, the story was too long and could have been split into two separate books. Secondly, there was an excessive amount of erotica present, which I didn't expect nor want to see in the novel. Thirdly, the events in 2009 portion seemed artificial and unconvincing. It was difficult to read. Although I usually enjoy dual-time novels, this one didn't meet my expectations.

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with a free advance copy of the novel.

I didn't read this completely because of content it was well written but not my particular type of book it has explicit sex scenes and a lot of sexual violence as a result I can't finish it

I started this on audio book then realized it was on Kindle unlimited and read it that way. This wasn't really my cup of tea. The love scenes were cringe and word rape was used so much it was al.oat comical. Time travel is of course implausible but it seemed like everyone in this book was a le to travel to past lives. The book had potential but jia5 wasn't for me. I found the female narrator to be a. It over the top especially when she was talking in a male voice.

I really enjoyed reading this book and having a slight obsession with time travel, this story had instant appeal for me. The dual timelines work seamlessly together; switching between the 1500’s in Ireland and current timeline in the US, with past life regression being the link between the past and present characters' lives. We also have violent crime and a manhunt connecting the previous and the current timelines, making both timelines a compelling and suspenseful read. It is fair to say that this is an uncomfortable read at times and at other times you find yourself full of righteous indignation at the treatment and perception of women during the 1500’s, but if you can get past that, it's a great read. The Author's note at the end reveals that the inspiration for this story was a past life regression session she undertook and that is also fascinating. Thanks to NetGallery and Timebound Publishing LLC for allowing me the opportunity to get a copy of this audio book - Highly recommended as a story, with the dual narrators and narration adding something extra to this compelling story.

Through the Veneer of Time by Vera Bell is the first in a trilogy. I received this arc for free I. Exchange for an honest review
Sienna is an artist and the wife of an FBI agent Ryan. Ryan is working on a the case of a serial killer of the ghost that for some reason really bothers Sienna. After a bout of self hypnosis Sienna discovers that she was once an Irish lady married to a King. The two lives start to mirror each other as she encounters the murderer in both lives.
There was a repetitiveness in the writing that was a little annoying and I'm not a huge fan the new age past lives thing. I enjoyed the readers voice immensely and the acting. The story was addictive and I couldn't stop listening and thinking about it.

Description made this a must read for me, but it sounded much better than it was. Didn't like the characters and the writing could have been much better, so overall, it wasn't enjoyable. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook