thank you netgalley and alcove press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

i have not read many historical romantasy books but I did thoroughly enjoy this one! It was whimsical, angsty, and filled with tension; three things i crave from any and all books i read, and this one delivered!!!

the romance was forbidden and so “i burn for her.” i loved finn’s character and his moral compass, and i loved it even more when he would give it up just to protect rua from any fallout. rua’s attitude was the cherry on top, and i think it was just what i needed this week after the election. her character did not give two-shits about causing complete and utter chaos in a society that clearly hates outsiders or women who are not demure and obedient.

i love a strong fmc, and even more, a mmc who supports their girl.

my only problem with this book was the ending. some books NEED an epilogue and this was just that book. it ended so abruptly that i felt like someone waved a lollipop at me and then dropped it on the floor.

3.5

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

We start off with Rua who 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 Emma. Rua has no idea about the life in which Emma lives and her "mother" Flossie tries everything she can to integrate her into high society as the original Emma has dabbled in magic which has put a stain of sorts on the family name.

We meet Finn, a lord from Ireland who quickly feels a connection towards Rua and vice versa, leading down a path of discovery and enemies to lovers romance. The pacing in the book was a little off, I feel like the beginning of the book was well paced and interesting, but then as we got towards the middle to the end, it slowed down significantly. I feel like things could have been summed up a little more quickly throughout the book.

All in all, I enjoyed the book. It does incorporate Irish lore, which I love, and the historical ambiance is set very well in the book. However, it is not a book I overall loved. It is definitely worth a read though.

This story desperately needs an epilogue or maybe another chapter or seven because I NEED MORE i can’t believe it’s ended. 100/10

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the e-ARC of The Gods Time Forgot!
3.5 / 5 ⭐

I read The Gods Time Forgot while battling a reading slump but found it very enjoyable anyways; when I had to pick it up after a break because of my slump, I never struggled to jump back into the story or characters. Rua and Finn were likable main characters, and the pacing was good overall. Historical settings aren’t my favorite, but I love Irish mythology and magically mistaken/forgotten identities. There was a higher emphasis on the historical elements than my preference, but that’s not a failing of the book. Given the trajectory of the narrative, the sequel would probably be even more up my alley.

3/5 ⭐ rounded up to 4, and I think the second book will be 4⭐ as we lean further into more fantasy elements.

TWs: repeated threats of institutionalization/ attempted institutionalization, one attempted SA

Thank you Netgalley and Alcove press for this arc 🤎
3.5
A historical fiction with a sprinkle of fantasy.
Set in 1870 in New York, where women were only allowed to set still, look pretty and not speak, let alone be heard. Out of the blue Rua finds herself in Emma Harrington's body with no explanation or any memories whatsoever. As well as having a control freak of a mother whos constantly threating Rua of sending her to an asylum. And with a classic case of new money trying to fit in with old money and the latter being very snobbish about it. Along with a strong connection to the magnetic Lord of Donore. Rua's survival and attempts to solve her mysterious past proves to be very diffcult.

A solid historical fiction read but leaves much to be desired in regards of the fantasy aspect of the story. Irish mythology is supposed to be at the center of the story, however, this felt loosely based on the myth.
A steady writing style, funny banter between our main characters, and stakes get higher and higher every chapter. This had me turning the pages with a great urge to know what's going to happen. Mind you, this ended abruptly.

This was a fantastic debut! I love how the book started. We don’t know who Rua is and figure things out right with her. The angst, banter, and longing -delicious!! At first, I wasn’t too much of a fan of Finn. By the end, I loved him!! I definitely recommend and would reread.

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

What an amazing and enchanting read!!I was hooked from the first page!The slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers dynamic between Rua and Finn, Lord of Donore, was exceptionally well done. Their chemistry crackled on the page, and their witty banter kept me hooked. As Rua’s memories began to surface, and the story ventured into ancient secrets and dark magic, I found myself completely absorbed. Gonzalez’s writing made it easy to feel like I was stepping into the 1870s, and her mythological elements added a sense of timelessness that elevated the plot.

For anyone who enjoys historical romances with a touch of fantasy—especially fans of Outlander or myth-inspired fiction—The Gods Time Forgot is a must-read. It has intrigue, a well-paced romance, and a vibrant historical setting that made it hard to put down.

Bridgerton meets Irish mythology!
This book had a really exciting premise! I was hooked in the beginning and kept interested as the mystery was unravelled. The pacing was decent with flashbacks and puzzle pieces throughout- however being so engaged, the ending was devastating for me. The storyline seems to set up for a big finish but unfortunately was quite anticlimactic. I would have loved to see the interaction between Rua, Badb and Nemain. I would have adored for Finn to be the hero or at least read about the look on Annette's snotty face when she heard they were to be wed. I wonder what might happen when the bodies were discovered? So many loose ends for me unfortunately.
Overall an enjoyable read.

When Rua wakes up half buried inside a Hellmouth cave, she has no memory of her past, only that her name is Rua. So why is everyone calling her Emma? Dropped into the vicious debutant world akin to Bridgerton, Rua must fake her way at being Emma and navigate through upper 1870's society. Desperate to find out about her past, she must keep up the charade and placate the Harrison's who believe her to be their troubled daughter Emma.

When the Lord of Danore (Finn) walks into the latest ball, Rua senses there is something different about him. It seems like they've met before, and as they become closer, her memories start to come back. Could this Lord hold the key to unlocking her lost memories as Rua?

This reminded me a lot of Bridgerton with the hosted dances and coming out parties of the upper class. Each mother desperately trying to match their daughters to wealthy bachelors, the Lord of Danore being the season's best catch. I enjoyed the unraveling of how Finn and Rua's pasts were connected and the slow burn romance between the two main characters. Flossie, Emma's mother is absolutely unbearable, and was very frustrating to read her treatment of her so called daughter. I loved every second of the book until the very end. The ending felt rushed and I had to read it several times to understand what had happened. After everything that these two fought for to be together, they just walk off into the sunset at the end? No epic battle against the BIG BAD? I wanted more from the ending and was hoping this might be book one in a series.

Great fantasy book. I loved the plot and the depth of the main character's relationship. Overall the book had a decent plot and a lot of drama that drove it.

I was so intrigued by this premise! Of the girl with no memory waking up as a manhattan socialite with only the Lord of Donore to guide her. I loved Rua's character and how the story unfolded, but personally I would have loved a bit more world-building, a but earlier on to help me immerse myself more in the story. I loved the Irish mythology aspect and soulmates is a trope I'll always have a soft spot for, the ending just fell a little flat for me.

The premise sounded so amazing and this book and I was so excited to read it but it ended up falling a little flat for me. The world building didn’t happen until later in the book which made me not as interested in it. I did like the characters but their chemistry together was only okay. I really enjoyed the vibes of the book. It reminded me a little of The Infernal Devices series. The ending felt a bit sudden. I think I was just expecting a little more out of the story so I was surprised when it was over. Overall, I did like some parts of this book but just wanted a little more.

Overall I enjoy this book!! It’s a fantasy romance set in old time NYC with Irish mythology woven in- a lot of my favorite things!!! Rua is goals, she’s got no filter and it was quite entertaining. Finn is the swoon worthy MMC we all love to read about!! I really loved their relationship and character arcs. Solid read and I’m looking forward to more books by Kelsie!!

I wanted to love this book so SO BADLY but my expectations were clearly too high. Something about the premise had me so intrigued and I honestly though that this was going to be a life changing kind of book you know??

The world building was stablished way too late and by that point I was already uninterested. The chemistry between the characters was alright but the mmc perspective made me roll my way too many times.

I am all in for soulmates finding each other again but it just wasn't executed the way I was expecting. New York gilded age mixed with Bridgerton vibes was a great setting but again, not enough for me to love the story. The ending came way too quickly and all I could think was "that's it? 🤨" I think there's still time to fix a few things in this book since release day is a few months away. Hopefully they'll do.

Thank you to Alcove Press for the advance reader copy.

I really wanted to enjoy The Gods Time Forgot, but I found it to be a frustrating read. The book starts with an intriguing premise—a girl with no memories mistaken for a missing debutante in Manhattan, and the promise of dark magic and Irish mythology—but the execution fell flat. Most of the story was consumed by the superficial drama of high society, which felt like a Gilded Age version of a soap opera or Bridgerton rather than a gripping fantasy.

Rua, the protagonist, was difficult to connect with. Her sharp tongue and abrasive personality often crossed the line from confident to irritating, and her character lacked the depth needed to make her compelling. The chemistry between Rua and Finn had potential, but their relationship quickly lost tension, becoming predictable and lacking any real stakes. The pacing was another issue—the plot dragged for too long before the mysteries and magical elements came into play, and even then, the revelations were underwhelming.

Overall, The Gods Time Forgot didn't live up to its potential. The mythology and magic felt like an afterthought in a story more concerned with social intrigue, and it ultimately left me disappointed and disinterested.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.

This book is set in the 1800s. Our main character that we follow is Rua. Rua appears out of nowhere and everyone believes she is Emma. She is thrown into a life she doesn’t know. Over time her memories start to come back. She continues as Emma as she tries to uncover the secrets from her past. It felt like it dragged a little bit but I enjoyed the overall story.

This one was really well designed. Mythology intertwined with more modern structures and secrets give us a fun and fast paced story. As the memories of her past return, she learns more about herself and her goals, but she also realizes that nothing is as it seems, and watching all of that unfold was really great.

For those just starting this, you are in for a RIDE! Fantastic world building and the plot was incredible!

New York Gilded Age meets Irish Mythology. 3/4 of the book had almost none to few magical elements. This historical romance was just a little too boring for me. I enjoyed aspects of the romance and fantasy but felt like it didn’t fully commit either way. The banter was very swoon worthy, but the romance didn’t really connect with me. The pacing felt super long in the first third and the ending was very rushed. I wished for an epilogue or some sort of further conclusion. I didn’t love our FMC because she was very ambiguous. Our MMC on the other hand felt a lot more interesting. I missed some background and history of both of them tho. All in all I had a good time reading this book but it didn’t really live up to my expectations and in the end felt lacking in intrigue, mythology, fantasy and feelings.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE. Rich worldbuilding, fantastic romance, and an unusual time period for this kind of story. I was hooked and now Kelsie Sheridan Gonzalez is going to be an auto-buy for me!