Rating edit: 4.5 stars

Book: The Memory Collectors
Author: Dete Meserve
Genre: Sci-fi/time travel/mystery
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Source: ARC from Netgalley.

The joy of reading an unputdownable book!
There's something so intriguing and fascinating and kind of uplifting about time travel stories.

‘When you know how easily things can be taken away from you, you appreciate them more.’

‘The Memory Collectors’ follows four strangers who are chosen for a rare opportunity — a time travel trip to the past for one hour.

Elizabeth yearns for some precious hour with her son, who died in an accident. She never knew why he, a newly appointed astronomy teacher, was at that place, at that time, with a drug dealer. Andy, a bestselling author is desperate to find his first love, Kate, a beautiful pianist who suddenly vanished after a whirlwind romance — the day after he professed his love for her. Logan craves the experience of walking, mountain climbing, or surfing once again, after a mishap landed him in a wheelchair. Brooke, after serving 900 days in jail, seeks an hour of relief from a haunting guilt of an unforgivable mistake by going back to a time when she wasn't tagged a criminal.

Strangely enough, their one hour time extends, as time travel scientists are seemingly unable to extract them from the past. As they spend more time in the same city, in the same timeline, their paths cross. And as they search for answers, they discover that their lives are interconnected.

‘We all think we know what other people should do. But I see now that each of us is going on roads only we can see.’

This unique story of love, grief, hope, and second chances is beautifully written and intelligently executed.

‘The details take my breath away. We’re at a wooden table in a courtyard. Mounds of red and purple bougainvillea spill over its stone walls. Rose-fingered sunlight drifts through the leaves of a guava tree which fashions a canopy over our table. I draw in a slow, soothing breath of salty air. The ocean is nearby. It feels so damn real.’

The book is full of surprises, secrets, twists, and turns that keep you hooked until the end (well, almost — we’ll talk about that later). The chapters are short and end with cliffhangers, making it difficult to put down.

The characters are well-defined; their emotions, regrets, doubts, and dilemmas are skillfully expressed. My favorite was Elizabeth. Her moments with Sam are so beautiful — full of love, hope, and emotion. Even a brief scene in the past with her husband Mark is lovely. Andy’s past with Kate is intriguing and mysterious. Brooke’s part felt okay but was essential, as she plays a significant role.

Now about keeping me hooked till the end —it did manage to do that, however in the final chapters, when they all come back to the present, the story starts to lose steam a bit and meanders.
Logan — I felt his character and backstory were not as compelling. In fact, I personally think the story could have been tighter without him.

I understand this is an advance review copy, but there were editing errors, which I hope will be fixed by the time of publication.

Overall, a very intriguing, mysterious, and engrossing story. A must-read if you particularly enjoy time travel tales.

Four strangers travel to the past and find themselves stuck on the day their life changed and try to unravel the course of events that altered their lives.

CAN REVISITING THE PAST BE THE CATALYST FOR MOVING FORWARD?

The year is 2028:

In Southern California’s arid terrain, lies an unassuming building which looks a lot like an aircraft hangar. It may not look like much from the outside, but inside, extraordinary things are happening. Aeon Expeditions has found a way to send lucky applicants back in time, and if you are one of the .001% selected, you will get to revisit the past for 60 minutes.

The first question on the application asks, “If you could spend an hour in the past, what would you do?”

The majority of applicants don’t choose a joyful moment-they choose to spend one more hour with someone or something that they have lost. And, even though Aeon cannot guarantee to send you back to a certain day, or that your time in the past will be meaningful, millions of people are willing to spend an exorbitant amount of money to try.

Four strangers will be making “The Jump” next-and all will be returned to the same date, despite two applicants initially being rejected because of something on their application that SHOULD have made them ineligible.

Elizabeth -who would give anything to have more time with her son who died in a senseless accident that day, after she spoke words she wish she could take back.

Andy-who is desperate to find a woman who vanished a trace, or without an explanation after a whirlwind romance.

Logan-an adventurer, who yearns to have the use of his legs for one more day, before returning to life in a wheelchair.

And, Brooke who is looking for answers that might allow her to forgive herself and bring relief from the guilt of an unforgivable decision that she made.

The date they will revisit is August 25, 2025:

Was there a SWISH OF MOVEMENT on that dark night along the Pacific Coast Highway that changed all of their lives?
And, if so, what was it?

They may not be able to change the past-but going back will end up ultimately changing each of them.

The Memory Collectors is thought provoking, speculative fiction that explores grief, forgiveness and second chances.

Although the ending DIDN’T have the “punch” that I expected, this IS a story that will linger with me and most likely make my favorites list for 2025 because of some beautiful passages and its original storyline.

4.5 stars ⭐️ rounded up!

Available May 20, 2025

Thank You to Crooked Lane Books for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. As always, these are my candid thoughts!

The Memory Collectors by Dete Meserve
Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
4 stars

This was my introduction to author Dete Meserve and I believe it is marketed as science-fiction. I don’t necessarily agree with the sci-fi label however it was a thought provoking read and I enjoyed it. The author is definitely on my radar to start reading her backlist.

As I noted above this is a “sci-fi” novel based three years in the future (2028.). Aeon Expeditions has technology that can send a participant back in time safely for 60 minutes ( at the cost of tens of thousands of dollars and a grueling application process.) They also claim that they cannot control what point in time you go back to so they cannot guarantee that you will see or re-experience the exact moment you’re wishing for. And you cannot change what happened in the past and nothing you do there will change how the future unfolds. There is not a lot of background or explanation on the science of how the consciousness leaves the body for this trip back in time.

We follow four main characters that all take their trip on the same day and are all sent back to August 25, 2025. Each person returns to the time around the singular event that irrevocably changed their lives. Eventually it becomes clear why they all returned to the same time. The character writing is done so well, it is easy to empathize, sympathize, somewhat relate to and even rage at them. (For me, I raged at Brooke!) The story from their pasts weaves pretty seamlessly into present day and there are many themes explored such as passion, grief, loss, forgiveness and redemption. There are many heartfelt passages in this novel and I really enjoyed the ending.

It really presents some space for self reflection.

“I may think I’m a good person, but when it comes down to it…”

And makes you question if it were possible, would you go back in time for an hour? What period of time would you wish to return to? Who would you hope to see? Would you spend your entire life savings for this one hour that cannot change any of the events that occurred or the future you return to?

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the digital advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Memory Collectors by Dete Meserve is an exceptional blend of speculative mystery, time travel, and emotional introspection. The novel follows four people who are sent back in time to relive moments in their past. The company that offers one-hour time travel experiences and their actions will not the future. As the characters unexpectedly find themselves stranded in the past, their intertwined stories reveal profound struggles, interconnections, and the redemptive possibilities of forgiveness and self-reflection. The story unfolds through their multiple perspectives and explores themes of grief, loss, regret, heartbreak, and hope, crafting characters with remarkable depth. I was drawn in to their lives and exploring both their pain and strength

The time travel element is seamlessly integrated into the narrative. As the characters navigate their extended time in the past, they confront their regrets, uncover hidden truth. The writing is thought-provoking and poignant. The novel raises fascinating "what if" questions about choices and second chances.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. I loved this book. It was so creative and I had no idea where it was going.

[arc review]
Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
The Memory Collectors releases May 20, 2025

Aeon Expeditions is a time travel company that allows successful applicants to travel back to one of their past lived experiences for a duration of sixty minutes.
If given the opportunity to do so, what event in your life would you hope to be sent back to?
Unsurprisingly, most are motivated by grief and are drawn to the possibility of seeing something or someone they’ve lost.

The Memory Collectors is comprised of four main pov’s: Brooke, Elizabeth, Andy, and Logan.
All of their time jumps have landed them three years in the past, to August 20, 2025.
In just a few days, Brooke will be incarcerated for 900 days from a hit and run that results in involuntary manslaughter, Elizabeth will divorce her husband (the CEO of Aeon) and lose her son, Andy will be ghosted by the girl he just made a soulmate connection with, and Logan will become paralyzed.

Meserve’s writing had me glued to the pages. Seeing how the characters were so intricately connected was extremely satisfying, and although history could not be changed, I think it was well worth it for them to gain the necessary context and closure, and to see things from a more fine-tuned and critical perspective.

More Women's Fiction Than Science Fiction. Seven years ago, in 2018's The Space Between, Meserve managed to take a quasi-science/ science fiction concept of a NASA scientist discovering an asteroid behind the sun and spin an electric missing person tale around it - and did so quite well.

Here, she again delves into the "science fiction" element... without ever writing a convincing science fiction book. Yes, it has elements of scifi - the main thrust of the plot is that it is now possible to "time travel" into your own memories and there is now tech to do exactly this. But that is where the science fiction begins and ends here, and other than a (brief) realistic look at the price of such groundbreaking tech and how it would spread to even remotely common use, there really isn't an actual "scifi" bent to this particular tale.

Now, if one approaches this from more of a "women's fiction" tale with a few nods to scifi... it actually works a LOT better and is actually quite a strong story... that just needed those nods to scifi to make it work. As a women's fiction tale of a mother devastated over her son's death and another mother devastated over something she did that can never be forgiven, both seeking to understand what happened and both desperate to have even a few more minutes of their lives before said events... this is a truly compelling tale.

Meserve manages to weave all four central characters' stories together seamlessly, though the fact that all use the same tenses and even the same verbal stylings *can* make it a bit hard to distinguish which character you're reading, particularly in the beginning bits of a hand-off. And still, you can almost see TV/ film producer Meserve - her "day job" when she's not writing - thinking of camera angles to show viewers certain elements of certain scenes that the characters themselves won't necessarily realize at the time. Which is actually a cool effect that she brings to the page quite effectively.

Overall I think opinions will likely be divided on this tale based on which side of it you give more weight, which is why I'm trying to caution you in this review. If you come into this book expecting a science fiction book... if you're familiar with/ enjoy science fiction before this book, you're going to be disappointed at the science fiction within it. If you're coming from a more women's fiction world and perhaps this is (somehow) your first brush with scifi... the scifi may well work for you here. On the other hand, if you're coming into this book expecting more of a women's fiction tale with scifi elements to make it work... congratulations, that is *exactly* what you've found.

If you're more of that first more scifi-oriented crowd that is perhaps looking to branch out but need something somewhat close to your scifi preference in order to take a baby step outside of that space to just test the waters... this really is a strong women's fiction tale that will allow you to do just that, and you'll likely find something you genuinely enjoy here. So take the chance.

Either way, maybe you think *I'm* the idiot here and that I have no clue what I'm talking about regarding this book. PLEASE, read the book, write your own review - and feel free to call me out as the idiot you think I am, should you feel the need. :)

Very much recommended.

The Memory Collectors is easy to get lost in. It moves along at a good pace and keeps you interested in where the story is going. Five people get trapped in the past for multiple days and all seem to be tied to the same event.

It's interesting.

And yet...if you are looking for the type of story that would be categorized as science fiction, fantasy, or thriller, this is not that. It reads like a general fiction book that just happens to have a time travel plot. I kept waiting for it to develop in a different way and veer off in a surprising direction, but it kept going in a straight line. For me, that's not really what I'm looking for in a book with time travel elements.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Admittedly I’m not usually a fan of time travelling books but I’m so glad I took a chance on this fabulous novel by Dete Meserve. There’s something that makes you think about time travel in this storyline that makes you think that maybe we aren’t THAT far off from this opportunity and just maybe it’s something I’d like to try. The storyline is well crafted and surprisingly believable. Took me a bit to get into it but then I couldn’t put it down and was fully captivated and entertained. I really enjoyed all the different POVs and usually have a favourite character in books that I enjoy and in this one - I appreciated all of them. Do yourself a favour and read this book - even if you think tales about time travel aren’t for you. This book is really about human relationships and the choices we are faced with in life - and what we might do differently had we another opportunity. Big thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. Excited already to see what Dete Meserve writes next!

Omg this book was constructed so beautifully. I am always hesitant about books related to time-travel because they can be a tad too convoluted for my liking. I’m always intrigued so I give most of them a chance. This one is special. The science just kind of bangs in the background. The core of the story is the characters, what they’ve lost and their journey in the midst of second chances and also coming to terms with their new realities. This one is going to be an easy one to recommend and I hope it gets the flowers it deserves.

It’s sci-fi with a contemporary fiction feel but also read like a thriller at times. The way everything came together was seamless.

Wow! I was interested in the premise of this book, but had no idea it would exceed expectations. Not only is the reader introduced to four unique characters who get the chance to go back in time, we slowly see how the characters are connected. The pace was perfect, the plot was enticing, and the moral was fantastic.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

A gripping speculative mystery that is very touching, well written and creates suspense and build up masterfully. The first chapter drew me in and I was immediately emotionally invested. I`m not always a fan of multiple POV stories but in this case I think it worked really well, gave the mystery more depth and allowed me to really get a good understanding of the characters. Thank you to the publisher for the chance to read this in exchange for an honest review!

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

In this story, four individuals are given the opportunity to have their consciousness travel back in time to their past bodies for an hour. Each of them have lost something or someone precious that they’re hoping to regain again, despite not being able to re-write their own past through this experience.

I thought the book beautifully encapsulated the pain and grief of losing something/someone beloved, and the all too realistic desire to seek out what we have lost, however briefly. As Elizabeth observed, most people would not be using that one hour in the past for altruistic pursuits, but would rather have a few more moments with someone that’s left them. Having also lost someone precious to me, I really resonated with that sentiment. What I wouldn’t give to have one more hour with my loved one…

There were some inconsistencies in the story that was hard to overlook, and I thought the reveal and truth of what happened the night all their lives changed was a bit dramatic and far-fetched. I also thought Andy’s feelings for Kate felt more like unhealthy infatuation than true love. I wasn’t really a fan of their story.

Overall though, I still enjoyed this speculative fiction and am interested in checking out more works by this author.

The Memory Collectors by Dete Meserve is a well written speculative fiction novel that is excellent!

The story explores the ability to time travel and relive a time in your past, but just to relive one hour. This is thanks to Aeon Expeditions, a new invention that allows this for only certain select individuals.

Four are chosen from Ventura, California. They are strangers, or appear to be, there are secrets revealed about this.

There are twists, turns and all kinds of things that happen that are really exciting.
This book was really hard to put down!

Time travel, magical realism, speculative fiction, mystery are just a few of the genres that make this an incredible read.

I absolutely loved this book!

Highly recommend!

The Memory Collectors offers an interesting twist on the time travel genre, weaving a mystery that follows characters who are stuck in the past.

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books for access to an ARC of The Memory Collectors! I enjoyed this book and felt the pacing was great, as well as the length. The book followed four characters paying for a service to travel to the past for the chance to relive a time in their lives for an hour. All four main characters end up stuck in the past for longer than they were told they could be. The twist in the book I did not see coming, and I felt myself rooting for the characters throughout the book (especially Logan.) The concept was well executed and I love how it mixed sci-fi elements with mystery. A great quick read for those that love a good mystery story as this book will have you trying to connect the dots constantly.

“Everything good begins with a maybe.”

What if we could revisit our past? How would we be changed by our experience? The Memory Collectors is a speculative science fiction mystery that attempts to answer these questions.

Aeon Expeditions allows four people the privilege of jumping to the past in the a time machine. Although the jumps are supposed to only last an hour on a random date, all four individuals jump to the same date and are stranded for five days in the past. They take advantage of their time to relive memories and to solve an interconnected mystery.

If you enjoyed Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister or are a fan of Blake Crouch, this book will hit the spot!

I immediately found myself engrossed in this character driven mystery. Told through multiple points of view, this captivating plot is very thought provoking and I didn’t want to put it down! Meserve explores themes of grief, loss, and forgiveness. This would have been a 5 star read, but I was left with a few lingering questions at the end.

Highly recommend!

4.5/5 stars rounded down

Expected publication date: 5/20/25

This was such a great read. A time travel thriller where four characters time travel back in time, and they get stuck on the same day that all of their lives connected and changed to lives forever. They were only supposed to be able to spend 1 hour in the past, but are now stranded there because of some sort of malfunction with the time travel machine.

You can truly connect to each character's story. The tragedy that they are all tied to. They learn that this tragedy was caused by something or someone that they just didn't know about at that time. They wonder if they can possibly change this tragedy in some way…and they definitely will try.

This mystery really gripped me, and I know if you pick this up, it will grip you too. It was intense and fast paced. And although it has the time travel sci-fi element, it's very easy to follow. I had all kinds of emotions while reading this one. I had no idea how it was all going to turn out and the way it did was satisfying. Such a fantastic book.

Thank you to the publisher, netgalley and Suzy approved book tours for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

“Many of us are stumbling through life. The first time around, we don’t always know what to do with a moment. We’re distracted or we waste it, not seeing its full value. Thinking there’ll be more. The second time around, we’ve gained perspective, we understand the significance of a moment, a gesture, or a word said. We know what’s at stake. What’s ahead that we may lose. We notice things we didn’t see before.”

Time travel sci-fi that’s character driven is my jam, and this book ticked so many boxes for me.

✔️ Unique time travel situations gone awry
✔️ A mish mash of messed up people shoved together and forced to reckon with their pasts
✔️ A multi-perspective mystery that is exciting but also contains a lot of character depth and development
✔️ Quotable lines about memories and the past and the present
✔️ Conversations and reflections about heavy topics like grief, regret, domestic abuse, life-changing physical trauma, and forgiveness

Did I have to suspend my belief more than once during this novel? Yeah. And was the ending kind of cheesy? For sure. But did I enjoy the heck out of the book? Absolutely!

Thanks so much to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the advanced copy!