I really wanted to like this book. The synopsis sounded very intriguing - Outlander meets the gilded age of New York with Irish mythology and goddesses; but right off the bat, it fell flat for me. I usually like to give books a few chapters to see if it meshes well with me as a reader, and this one did not. The writing is in third person, which makes the entire story very clunky and hard to connect to our MC, in her amnesia-ridden confusion. As I read more, I couldn't find myself particularly caring what was going to happen next or who she truly was. Sadly, this led to me deciding this book was not for me and I DNFed it.

This was a really good book for those who like historical, fantasy, or romance novels!! It had quite a bit of mystery and myth in it as well. I really loved Rua’s characterization and dialogue.

A huge thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Kelsie Sheridan Gonzalez for providing me with an ARC of The Gods Time Forgot in exchange for my honest review.

Set in the gilded age of New York (1870), The Gods Time Forgot introduces readers to Rua, a compelling female protagonist who wakes up in the woods with no memory of who she is. Mistaken for Emma Harrington, the daughter of a wealthy and influential family, Rua is suddenly thrust into the glittering — and treacherous — world of Manhattan high society. As she tries to piece together her identity, she must also navigate her new role within the Harrington family. Enter Finn, the enigmatic Lord of Denore, an Irish nobleman who is the target of every socialite’s ambitions. Despite her lost memories, Rua feels an inexplicable connection to him, and the story follows her journey of self-discovery and intrigue.

This book is a unique blend of Irish mythology and high-society historical fiction. The seamless fusion of these two elements creates a rich, immersive narrative that feels fresh and original. Rua is a standout protagonist — strong, fierce, and intelligent — qualities that defy societal expectations of women in this era. Her interactions with the world around her are as thought-provoking as they are entertaining.

The story is filled with unexpected twists, keeping you guessing until the end. The romance is masterfully done, offering a satisfying slow burn between two compelling characters. Finn is swoon-worthy, and his banter with Rua is one of the highlights of the book, leaving you eager for more.

I devoured this novel in a single day and can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy once it’s released. Fans of historical romance and romantasy will adore The Gods Time Forgot. With Outlander and Bridgerton-esque vibes, this book is a must-read for those who love immersive settings, complex characters, and a touch of myth and magic.

This 1870s slow-burn romance is packed with more witty banter than you can handle, making it an absolute delight from start to (almost) finish. The inclusion of a pronunciation guide at the very beginning was a fantastic touch, immersing me deeper into the story's Irish mythology and folklore. It also made it easy to look up the relevant legends and characters online for added context, which enriched the reading experience.

Rua and Finn’s interactions were the highlight for me—their banter crackled with humor and chemistry, even if it felt a bit modern for the time period. Strangely enough, that anachronistic dynamic made the plot feel more grounded and believable in the context of the story. Watching Rua grow and discover more about herself, and the expectations placed on her, added depth and heart to the narrative.

Unfortunately, the ending left me wanting more. After such a strong buildup, it felt rushed and under-developed. While this may just be my perspective, I couldn’t help but wish for a bit more time to savor the resolution. Still, the journey was thoroughly enjoyable, and fans of folklore-infused historical romance will find plenty to love here!

4.25 stars

I really enjoyed this! Irish folklore and mythology is something which I think is overlooked when compared to Greek mythology or Norse mythology, so I really appreciated the incorporation of the Irish folklore in this book. I would give this 4 stars.

Some general thoughts:
- I loved the pronunciation guide at the very beginning! It really allowed me to get more into the story and the mythology, and it allowed me to look at the relevant characters online on pages dedicated to Irish folklore if I wanted more information
- I LOVED the banter and interaction between Rua and Finn, despite it being unlikely that it would have occurred in that time period - though I feel that made the plot more believable (no spoilers)
- I really enjoyed the development of Rua's character throughout the book as she learned more about herself and the person she was expected to be
- I was disappointed by the ending as I felt like it was rushed... the entire story led up to the ending, which felt like it was brief and not explained in enough detail, though this may just be my take on it. I wanted there to be more, a lot seemed to be brushed aside.

Overall a really great read, refreshing to see Irish folklore being given the spotlight! I'd happily recommend this to others, and I will keep an eye out for other works by this author.

I really loved the setting and folklore woven into this book, and the slow burn romance was a delight. However I found the latter half of the story was slow and a bit confusing, and I was hoping for a better flow throughout the book.

I liked elements of this book - the time period it was set in, the FMC’s spunkiness and some of the moments between the two MCs. Overall though the plot and mythology wasn’t layered and detailed enough to justify the slow pace and length of this book. The 3rd person POV was also pretty distracting at times. The last 5-10% of the book ramped up in pace but it came out of nowhere and felt rushed.

Sadly I was underwhelmed by this. The premise sounded really good but the execution left me wanting more. This was way more romance than fantasy. For someone who likes historical romance this book will probably be enjoyable. I did like the romance and the characters, especially Rua but I wish there was more of the fantasy elements. The ending also felt a bit rushed.

The book provided a transcendentalist experience, especially with our main character. We go through the highs and lows of her, regaining, her identity and memories. The ending felt a little rushed and questions left and answered. Hence why the book has a four star rating. The Irish mythology had intriguing educational lessons. I would recommend this book to reader interested in Victorian era fantasy with time traveling themes.

I was excited to read a book set in Manhattan during the Gilded Age but with magic. I found it intriguing at the start, trying to figure out why our main character Rua had no memories but the longer the story went the less I cared for the direction it went in. There were some moments of banter that I enjoyed but I never felt the two we were supposed to want together actually wanted to be together or even truly liked one another that much. I just couldn't become invested in their romance because they themselves didn't seem that invested. This was just not a book for me.

Thank you to the publisher for the free copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was a unique storyline that really pulled me in! For a debut novel, the author really pulled out a win for this one. Such a unique read with some witty banter!

Loved the concept and idea. Frustratingly mysterious as to what was actually going on between Rua and Finn. I like how it resolved and how we came to know their entwined fates. It made sense given that neither character knew and was working to figure it out alongside the reader. I would have like to have more time with the characters after the resolution. I found myself wishing the secrets had been revealed earlier so we could see even more of the myth and the aftermath.

This was really cool! Very refreshing and unique. I loved the element of Irish mythology and the time period in which it took place. The banter and slow burn elements were so fun to read. All in all, a solid debut novel. Looking forward to more from this author!

WHAT AN EXPERIENCE!!
first of all thank you #netgalley for giving this. it was a treasure!!!
i loved Rua. my brave, outspoken and not tolerating anyone's shit queen!!!! her banter with finn was my favvvv!!!

tho there are few things that made me stop to give this book 5 stars like:
the past shouldve been explored more, i wanted to know more about the three sisters and there works, HOW did finn and rua fell in love in the past?? i wanted to know more about their time as gods, their moments and stuff(i am nosey). if we got those things then this book wouldve done more justice to the tag enemies to lovers, otherwise it did not really feel like enemies to lovers but more like annoyance to lovers. PLUS the ending felt a little rush, like yes they confessed, yes they are together but then what?? how are they going to navigate such cutthroat world,like okay they were not going to stay in new york they were going somewhere else but still!! an epilogue wouldve been nice😗(ikk i am asking alot, i cant believe i wont have more finnrua😭😭)
also mara will always be a mystery to me, like her character shouldve been explained more. she did all that sketchy stuff and we got very little explanation.

now speaking of romance this was epic!! the constant yearning, longing, the pull towards each other, stolen glances, jealousy, everything was great!! (thank you for not making it spicy in the name of romantasy😚) THE INTENSE SEXUAL TENSION WAS THRILLING!! I LOVED IT I LOVED IT
all in all, i would 100% recommend it!!

(also gave a feedback on goodreads)

The Gods Time Forgot blends the portrayal of Irish mythology and 1870s Gilded Age Manhattan. Rua and Finn’s relationship is the emotional core of the novel, characterized by tension, chemistry, and a shared sense of self-discovery. A captivating and engaging reinterpretation of beloved Irish myths, The Gods Time Forgot offers a fresh perspective on folklore with an interesting, detailed historical narrative.

💛1870’s vibe
💙slow burn
🩷banter banter banter
💚Irish mythology
🧡I am obsessed with this cover!!!

I absolutely demolished this book and was instantly in love with Rua the moment she dug herself out of that hole in the ground and was thrown into the life of a wealthy 1870’s family in Manhattan with no memories other than her name. Where she meets handsome a irish lord 😏😏😏 who just seems so damn familiar.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5


I felt that the ending was a bit rushed? it felt like it was leading up to a big ‘battle’ moment just for them to like fill a hole with dirt and leave me with a few unanswered questions, but did leave it open for another book in way? but also didn’t 🥲 I also wish there was an epilogue

What a magical world to get thrown into and experience for the first time in this book. Kelsie crafted this beautiful world full of magic & mystery, that I could not put down from the second I started reading this book.

The Irish mythology that gets thrown into this book makes it so much more interesting and enthralling. This was such a wild story and I loved every minute of it.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC!

I enjoyed the book. It incorporated Irish lore, which I love, and the historical ambiance is set very well in the book. However, it did fall short in some areas.

The FMC is found in the woods with no memory of how she got there, or who she is and is taken in by a family of upper class the Harrington's who believe her to be their daughter.

The MMC is a lord from Ireland who quickly feels a connection towards the FMC and vice versa, leading down a path of discovery and enemies to lovers romance.

The pacing started off well, but then it dragged a bit in the middle. I feel things could have been summed up a little more throughout the book. Overall I liked the story and the characters.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a free e-arc of this book.

4.5 / 5.0

Rounded up to 5 stars because the opening line is so good.

The Gods Time Forgot is a sweeping, luxurious, Gilded Age America story of love and betrayal. I enjoyed this so much and look forward to more by this author. The writing is immersive and just bleeds imagery of the people and places in this book. Both main characters are superb and the overall story is so intensely readable. There is some pacing issues through the center 40% of the book, but it doesn’t detract from the overall effect of the story too much.

I recommend this for those that enjoyed The Gilded Age show on Netflix, the old school game Myst, and Anastasia vibes.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC.

I really enjoy stories with strong female characters and a good love story. So I couldn't put this book away. It has an interesting setting, secrets and a really enjoyable writing style. The combination with Irish mythology and the Gilded Age with something that I have never read, and it was definitely a big selling point for me.

Thanks to Kelsie Sheridan Gonzalez and NetGalley for the ARC.