This book had a lot of interesting things in the synopsis that had me wanting to take a chance on this book. I liked the fantasy/mythological aspects that were sprinkled in with the historical time period. I loved the banter between the two MCs and it was definitely a unique read from other historical romances out there now.

The main character is definitely morally gray with her decisions; she seemed angry (sometimes justifiably so, but more often it was closer to a dangerous rage where she wanted to inflict pain) and very selfish (I mean, not a lot of characters were super likeable though so somewhat understandable). I feel like the ending had some pacing issues and I wasn't super comfortable with all the deaths being justified because "they had wronged her" or "deserved it" and there wasn't a lot of remorse over the loss of human life (even if they were "bad").

The writing itself was good and, again, I appreciated the uniqueness of the story.

3.5 rounded up

—historical fantasy (you know, it's 1870s New York, but... magic)

—Irish inspiration

—closed door romance

The Basics:

When the influential Harrington family identifies amnesiac Rua as their missing daughter, she goes along with it for the sake of finding answers. The one person who does seem familiar with her is Finn, the mysterious Lord Donore—but he doesn't know exactly where they met before, either. The key is uncovering what happened to the missing Harrington girl. And they have no choice but to figure it out together.

The Review:

I see the vision here... in theory. Irish mythology is definitely having a moment in the fantasy/fantasy romance space, and I'm not mad about it. Additionally, it's fun to read a fantasy romance that's not only firmly rooted in a real setting, but in a real setting you frankly don't see a lot of in historical romance. The magic isn't super heavy, but it adds to the intrigue and mystery of the novel. Because it is kind of a mish-mash, blending romance, the fantastical, and a bit of a whodunit vibe.

Unfortunately, I think this could've used some tighter editing and less focus on getting swamped under the story and more focus on the romance. Though a slow burn, it is theoretically the emotional core of the book, and it was very... perfectly fine. I just couldn't get fully absorbed.

I do think it's important to note that this is closed door, which is going to be exactly what some of y'all want... and not for me. However, my favorite read of the year so far was closed door. That book compensated for the lack of sex on the page with truly intense chemistry and tension, which is a lesson I think a lot of closed door romance writers could learn from. This one didn't quite get me there with Rua and Finn. They had some lovely moments, they were cute, there just wasn't really a huge spark.

Conclusion:

Basically, I'm not mad at this one, but I don't think I'll remember it very much either. However, if you're interested in a nineteenth century NYC setting, Irish-infused magic, and a chaste love story, this could work for you.

Thanks to Alcove Press and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

“Whoever he was, he must be important enough that his memory could ressurface in her otherwise unoccupied mind.”

I wish I loved The Gods Time Forgot because on paper it had everything I needed to adore a book: historical romance in Gilded Age New-York, strong heroine and Irish Gods, with time travel and amnesia. Unfortunately, I completely missed out on this book. I think I had too high expectations.For example, I didn’t like the writing style, as I prefer something more developed –and more descriptive– when it comes to historical romance or fantasy. I didn’t see any decors or character evolution and the plot felt sprinkled by too many coincidences. The memories, for example, always happened without the characters’ intervention –and almost always at a convenient time. I couldn’t make myself root for any of them, who mostly reacted to the event. Where we could have had true female rage, and a strong FMC, we had an explosive one who needed her knight in shiny armor. The mythology and “time travel” were also very discreet and in the end what predominated was a “historical romance love triangle” in a space that could have been anywhere, and with villains (the third part of the love triangle and the FMC’s mother) a bit caricatural that remained me of young Nellie Oleson and her mother. I also might be (I’m probably) too “haunted” by another version of Cú Chulainn from another book –which is completely on me but influenced how I’ve read this one.
It made me very sad because the premise was full of promesses, but in the end this book wasn’t for me at all.
That said, if you like a book very dialog oriented, axed on a love triangle and with discrete elements of fantasy/mythology then this book could be perfect for you.

Thank you to the author and Alcove Press for the eARC via NetGalley. My opinions are my own.

Rate 2.5/5

Like a fantasy version of Bridgerton in Manhattan 😍 There was just the right amount of drama and mystery, along with a splash of Irish mythology ☘️ I found myself swooning and kicking my feet over the flirty banter, and being hooked by the societal scheming. I loved slowly uncovering the mystery while seeing Finn + Rua fall in love.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really enjoyed this overall!! I liked the characters, was invested in the politics, and couldn’t wait to see what happened next.

Plus, it’s SPICE FREE! 🌶️ There is one brief steamier kissing scene, but no s*x scenes.

I’d highly recommend this book if you love Bridgerton but want a little bit of fantasy ✨ The Gods Time Forgot releases on April 8th! 🗓️

So grateful to @netgalley @alcovepress and @kelsiesheridangonzalez for the advanced reader copy of this ebook 📖

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I will be sharing to IG on @cocos.book.nook within the next week! :)

I can definitely see why the book comps what it does, and saw the author's pitch clearly within it, but overall the prose was difficult for me to stick with. A little overwrought without being lyrical. Still a solid read and will probably be a very enjoyable book for fans of histfic that yearn for that romantasy emotional core.

This was an interesting read and I don't quite know what to make of it. I think for some historical romance fans this could be a new favourite but it didn't quite hit the mark for me. The first 30-50% of the book was a little too slow with not enough progression for my taste, although if you like a slow burn then this might hit for you. The fantasy is very light which I don't mind but I do which it was explored more, it was all shoved in at the very end that didn't feel finished to me.

The relationship was good, although I think it should have been explored a little more, like is Finn just a mortal reincarnated? Is he now a true demi god again? Because I assumed that they needed to go back to wherever but now they don't have to? Why did Rua have some powers? It just didn't make a lot of sense to me, but that could also just be a me being nit picky or missing something. Also, I wish there was a solid female friendship in the book, it felt very isolating and mean on purpose to make the reader feel extra bad for Rua even though she is technically a morally grey character who murders people and I wish we got to lean into that more. I would have felt WAY different if Mara was a girls girl, helping Rua figure shit out, commiserating over not knowing what happened to Emma, and then Rua doesn't care if she lives or dies at the end.

Anyway, this is definitely for someone, it was well written, the characters feel fleshed out, I don't mind the world building and I definitely don't mind not knowing every nook and cranny about the fantasy elements, I just wish there was a little bit more exploration into what we were shown.

First of all, many thanks to the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book!

Well, I don't have many things to say about this book, unfortunately it wasn't a revolutionary experience for me and I was expecting much more, but it was still a good read.

I found the universe to be a bit creative and the writing is quite enjoyable, without errors or disconnected slang and quite consistent with a fantasy world. The characters are quite likable too, especially the male protagonist.

I think the biggest problem for me was the lack of connection. Despite many positive points, I didn't find the book as entertaining and it wasn't as unique as I expected it to be. At many moments I struggled to maintain my concentration because I really found the book a bit boring.

Despite all this, I am grateful to have had this reading experience and I thank you again for offering me this book.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this book!

Unfortunately, this was a huge miss for me. I ended up not being able to finish it because there was nothing compelling me to do so in what I had read. Neither the writing style nor the characters worked for me and I found the aspects of magic and gods severely lacking.

As someone who was not a fan of Outlander (I know, I know father the pitchforks) but this was so beautifully done I was swept away within minutes. The atmospheric tone of this book absolutely captures you, the FMC/all ladies involved are so incredibly cool I just wanted to be their friends. And lastly, most importantly, this was a love story for the ages. I loved it wholeheartedly. I wish I could read it again for the first time.

Set before the Manhattan skyline with a Celtic twist, The Gods Time Forgot is a whirlwind of balls, badass women, and perhaps the best part—a love story spanning centuries.

As someone whose kryptonite comes in the form of the fated/soulmates trope, this was exactly my cup of tea. Throw in a splash of mystery and magic, and I’m sold.

I adored the setting/time period and felt it brought a super fresh take to the mythology. Those eagerly awaiting the next season of a certain regency show can expect to find an equally immersive experience in Rua and Finn’s story.

A swoon-worthy romance through the eyes of two individuals who can’t remember who they really are is both full of yearning and immediate tantalizing intimacy. It was so much fun to watch their memories slowly return the more they interacted, but also to see the progression of the other mysterious happenings surrounding their shared bought of amnesia.

For lovers of Bridgerton & Reign, this story is the perfect blend of folklore, fate, and feelings that stretch across time itself.

This story had a lot of promise, but fell a bit flat on execution.

I loved the Gilded Age New York setting for this story and how the societal restrictions of the time impacted the plot. I wanted a bit more from the characters and found it hard to be invested in their struggles. At times, it felt like this novel wasn't sure what it wanted to be; historical romance or fantasy. When the author focused on one were the times I felt this novel shined.

Ultimately, this story felt a little disconnected and unsure of its goal. There were scenes that needed to be cut to maintain the plot focus and also scenes that needed to be added for the same reason.

Overall this book was an enjoyable read, with an unusual and entertaining premise, and some great characters. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance reader copy.

Thank you to Netgalley and Alcove Press for the digital arc of this book. I really wanted to love this book, but unfortunately, it just fell flat in so many ways for me. The overall writing is well written, but the story line felt a little all over the place. I found the change in povs to be harsh and the overall plot to have a lot of holes. Unfortunately just a miss in my opinion.

This book was so intriguing and had my attention in the beginning. Mysterious Rua shows up in the woods and is presumed to be missing socialite Emma Harrington. Set in the gilded aged New York City, we follow Rua as she grapples with having no memory of who she is or how she got there, while also pretending to be Emma. We learn that Emma was a troubled girl who is bullied and abused by not only the upper class, but her own mother.
After Rua’s run in with handsome and sought after Finn, the Lord of Donore, the two realize their connection feels familiar. Along the way, they both remember their pasts and try to put the pieces together.
The fantasy elements of this are inspired by Irish mythology, specifically the Morrigan. I really think this had so much protection, but unfortunately the fantasy aspect was lacking. We only got brief flashbacks from both Rua and Finn that didn’t really do anything to progress the fantasy plot.
We spent the majority of the book in all the social dinners and events where Emma (Rua) constantly gets scrutinized and her mother threatens to send her away. This really doesn’t stop the whole way through. It’s a constant cycle. The ending was extremely abrupt. I actually had to flip forward to see if there was more because I thought, no way it ends like this?
Ultimately, I really liked the idea of this Irish fantasy/romantasy, but the execution was lacking in many areas.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for this E-ARC!

There was a lot happening in this book… I liked the elements of Irish mythology mixed in with the 1870s era and the romance, which had a lot of banter. I think the pacing could have been better, but overall, I really liked this!

It was hard to follow the flow of the story. It was also hard to understand whose POV I was reading because there was no clear indication when it was changing. I liked the premise of the story but the execution of it wasn't done as well. I also feel like the end was very abrupt.

What an interesting romantasy! I really enjoyed the way Gonzalez wove in some Irish mythology into the storyline. I also loved Rua’s feisty character and the vivid depiction of 19th-century Manhattan, capturing both its glittering wealth and the darker underbelly of New York, as well as the haughty pettiness of high society. I also appreciated the way Gonzalez depicted life the 1870s, when one’s wealth wasn’t enough to be accepted into Manhattan’s “royalty”, and women were not credited with having any intelligence, were not allowed to voice their opinions, or have any interests beyond discussing the latest fashion. Recommended for lovers of romantasy and fantasy. (Full review on my blog)

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC copy

Holy crap I'm OBSESSED with this book. The prose was gorgeous, the characters were so real. The banter, the wit, the 1870s insults! *chef's kiss*

Love the references to Irish mythology and the swoon-worthy romance. The pacing towards the end especially seemed rushed and the ending very abrupt. I do think readers will expect an epilogue or some conclusion after such a sudden ending! Nevertheless, a fun historical romantasy!

Beautifully written story of an aristocratic woman woken up in the woods with a blank mind and an Irish immigrant who is struggling to fit into the high society of New York set in the 19th century. Both feel a weird pull to each other and soon find out why...

There were some critical points i can't help but complain about:

- repetitive story (it was quite tiresome to go through the same moments again and again)
- lack of promised Irish mythology and forgotten gods (at least in this first installment)
- lack of description and too many actions per centimeter
- ending... omg, that was poor and rushed.


I think this one requires thorough editing and revision of the ending. It has good potential :)