Keepers of Time is the first book in a dark YA romantasy trilogy by M.N. Kinch. Released 7th May 2024, it's 346 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

This is a well written and engaging fantasy told in alternating PoV chapters. It's a bit of a "worlds collide" type plot, with a brainy and driven female grad student becoming involved with a trio of peculiar siblings who run a local coffee shop. There are mysterious, slightly spooky, intertwined fates and the future of time hangs in the balance.

Three and a half stars. Worth a look for fans of romance fantasy, or possibly a buddy read.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

I completely forgot to post my review for this!!! It was so easy reading and enjoyable that I finished it during my train journey. I loved the escapism and characters so much. Fantastic, fun voice.

An awesome book I had a great time reading this! The different POVs really made the book such a different experience as well as the magic system being totally awesome!

I must admit I kinda DNF this book, not because it was bad! Just because at the time of me requesting it, I had so many other arcs and books that I was reading that unfortunately I didn't have the time to start/finish this book! I do look forward to reading it in the future when my life isn't as hectic!

Where to start with this book? It is heart wrenching at times and just takes you on a journey of family and found family. The characters draw you in to their story.

Joan Sanders is on track for a bright future at NASA, but a strange accident and even stranger dreams draw her to the Cardozas, three mysterious siblings with a charming coffee shop, a dark past, and an uncanny knack for knowing things they shouldn't.

As Joan grows closer to the Cardozas (especially the grumpy, yet charming, older brother), she's thrown into a world of secrets and magic that challenge everything she believes. And she realizes she may have more in common with them than she thought.

While Joan and the Cardozas race to unravel a centuries-old secret that could destroy time itself, an ancient, heartbroken drifter lurks on the edges of their lives, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

And he may know more about Joan's past than she does.

You will root for the good guys and hate the bad with a new time travel magic.

It was unique and intriguing, making for an overall enjoyable experience! I was left speechless at the end of this book, and I'm so excited for more!!

A wonderful story featuring an amazing found family trope! It follows three siblings and a scientist with a passion for stars and music. The past, present, and future are intertwined in a quest to save the world, centered around a Clock Tower that exists beyond time and space.

I really enjoyed the concept!! A moving clock that can be in any location at any time, and is breaking down and threatening all existence, was compelling and kept me engaged throughout.

The story was written. I think my only complaint was the alternating POVs of Joan, Gabby, Luna, and Thiago. It felt like a lot of perspective and a lot to take in at times.

3.5 stars!
Such a lovely cosy comfy read!
I really enjoyed the unique plotline and 'magic' system, I also love how it's not thrown in your face but subtly reveled as we journey through the story. I'm looking forward to finding out more about it!
I love the 3 siblings, I want to go to the cafe and try the muffins and Gabys lattes!
The slow burn was lovely, not spicy, just lovely!
This book has the ultimate found family feel, so welcoming and warm!
My only issue was the characters could be fleshed out a bit more, Joan especially, I want to know more about her background, what drives her, her family dynamics... etc...
Buuuuuuutttttt there's more books to come to find out, and I know its going to be a fun ride!
Thanks to Netgalley and the author for the ARC copy.

Thank you NetGalley, and M.N. Kinch for the advanced copy. Now available to everyone. This was a great read. It is a slow burn but this is book one and the setup is easy and I loved getting to know these characters. Excited for the next book.

I was hooked from the start! The character development, plot twists, and pacing of information given to us made the story strong. Let’s talk about the characters. Each one seriously won my heart as we moved through the storyline. Three siblings, Thiago, Gabby, and Luna own a cafe and take care of one another. Their connection is unbelievable and heartwarming. They all balance each other with their personality and gifts. Joan is a grad student who has been working on getting an interview with NASA. She starts to have visions about her mother and is unsure what exactly they mean. The four of these characters start to play a huge role in each other’s lives and they have no clue what it means until things start to unfold. I am excited to read the other books in the series and see where the storyline goes and how the characters continue to develop! Thank you, NetGalley, for allowing me to read this book and give my honest review. I enjoyed reading this book. Thank you, M.N. Kinch for writing a well-developed book that kept me engaged the whole time! I enjoyed the storyline and the characters! I can’t wait to continue reading their stories!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

This book has a great set up for the universe we are entering, even though I found the beginning a little bit slow, I see a lot of potential for this story. I loved the multiple POV’s and the FMC, Joan. I didn't really love the romance between her and Thiago, I think it could’ve been developed better.

The magic system (especially the time travel) left me super intrigued, it was super different from what we've been seeing in books lately and that’s really great!

I'll definitely read the next one :)

Such a great book to kick off a trilogy! The world building in this novel is top tier and I enjoyed the writers writing style. The characters were thoughtfully created and I enjoyed reading about them and their journey. The multiple POV's help keep the story interesting and fast paced. Im hoping book two has more character and romantic development.

This is a cute story sprinkled with magic. While a bit slow in the beginning, the story itself is a great fantasy comfort read. I enjoyed the mystery and friendship amongst the main characters. If you enjoy stories about time, you will definitely enjoy this one!

Keepers of Time was a riveting read that kept me coming back for more!
The storyline centers around Joan, an MIT student who has aspirations to someday work for NASA. Her life is completely centered around her future career and her NEED to score a prestigious summer internship with NASA, until an accident that triggers an unfortunate series of events changes those plans. Instead of spending the summer crunching number and looking at spreadsheets, she now finds herself serving coffee and working alongside the quirky (and mysterious) Cardoza family.
This book takes you on a journey with Joan while she gets to know, and falls in love with the Cardoza family. She soon finds out that they have special talents that challenge her scientific view of the world.
Written in a way that transports you into their world, this story of time travel, psychic ability, and working against the clock will have you counting the days until the next installment of this series is published!

This started out really good and I enjoyed the multiple characters POV. I was so intrigued, but then the big reveal happened and it kind of fizzled out.

Thank you NetGalley and M. N. Kinch for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is an excellent fantasy story, a well-written treasure that left me excited for more.

Joan is a high-achieving grad student who is one interview away from a dream internship, when puts a new future, and whole lot of forgotten past, in her path at the Cardoza Family's Clockwork Cafe.

The story unravels the future and the past together to create an intricate tale of heartache and mission to save a family and more.

First of all, I want to say thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and M.N. Kinch, the author, for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

3.3/5⭐

Through this book, I found out that I had a thing for a story where a character is a rationalist, a scientist, and someone who bases their life on facts. And then BAAAM! A world of magic slapped them on the face.

I’m actually surprised that I enjoyed this book. I love every character. I think it’s possible because of the multiple POVs that I can peek into the minds of every character. The pacing is perfect, and I can say that it’s a book with a story that will catch your interest as soon as you read it.

Final thought: It’s such an easy read, but I didn’t forget all the fun bits and twists. The only thing that still didn’t sit well with me was the romance subplot between the main characters. It just felt rushed, and I didn’t feel enough tension. But overall, I truly enjoy every second of it.

Publication date: May 27th, 2024

—denganafi.

On paper this book seems right up my alley & I did certainly enjoy it. I loved the mix between science & magic & the way the magic system was developed & explained.

My criticisms of the book are that I did feel that the characters lacked a bit of depth & development & that it didn’t really seem to pick up until well into the second half of the book. Despite this, being the first in a trilogy, this can sometimes happen so I’m excited to see what the next book in the series delivers.

“Tonight I feel different, like something has ended and something else is beginning.”

“That's when I realize were friends. Me, them, him. We're together in this now, whatever this is.
Connected. This is exactly where I want to be this summer. With this strange man, these three weird siblings, with their quirks and eccentricities and mysteries.”

Wonderful story with an amazing found family trope!! Three siblings and a scientist with a passion for the stars and music. Past, present and future intertwined. A quest to save the world and a Clock Tower that exists beyond time and space. This book grips you from the very beginning. There is no place for hesitation. You need to find out mor, whilst you’re reading. Thiago, Gabby, Luna and Joan will take residence in your heart, making you an able to get them out of it. The found family trope in this book was wonderful and the romance in it, even better. It was all so sweet but also complicated. So exciting but also scary. I couldn’t find the connections until they were shown to me. I had my ideas but I liked the surprises. And the journey to get to knowing more about the three siblings alongside Joan… it was interesting to say the least. Of course the ending made me cry … quite a bit to be honest!!! But the plot twist and the cliffhanger … they definitely left me desperately wishing for more !!!!

“A star has just exploded to reform into something new.”

“You need to understand, the clock CANNOT stop. It must be fixed, and the Keepers of Time must do it. No one else can.”

I really enjoyed the plot line and characters! Of course the romance was perfect as well. I also really really enjoyed the time traveling! It was such a different plot and took me to another place.

I finished this book 3 days ago, and it’s still all I can think about! The character building of each character and the relationships between the characters was beautiful. I felt like I truly was watching a movie versus reading a book with the descriptions. The story line was well organized and easy to follow, even with the different perspectives. My favorite part - the plot twist with Joan at the end! I am so ready for the next one in this series!