I was very excited to read this book because I love both romantasy and stories that intertwine mythology/folklore. Unfortunately, I was really let down by this book and felt that it could've been so much better.

To begin with the characters, I was constantly annoyed by the FMC. Waking up in the Gilded Age in New York, she is mistaken for the daughter of a high class family. It'd be understandable if she was confused and anxious about why she's in the situation she's in. Instead, she acts as though she doesn't really care to discover why and instead acts like a brat throughout the story. She makes no attempt to protect herself during social situations and is constantly lamenting about how she's not like the other women of the time. If the intention was for the reader to feel bad for the FMC, I definitely didn't and just found myself frustrated by everything she did. The MMC was interesting, and I did like how we got to read his POV.

But I really didn't like the insta-love aspect of this book. And I'm not saying that as an insta-love hater, some of my favorite romantasy books include fated mates and insta-love. But it really didn't hit right in this book. We don't really understand the history of the two main characters until much later in the story, so it's really just a guy immediately falling in love with a girl who's different from all the other girls. The romance between the two was written very much as telling and now showing, show it was hard to become invested in them and root for their relationship.

The plot itself was ok, but it definitely felt rushed and incomplete. While this book is supposed to be romantasy, the vast majority of the book is about the FMC going to parties and doing things that should definitely have ruined her reputation in her society. There is an aspect of the FMC regaining some of her memories and that's where the Irish folklore came in, but it was a very minimal aspect of the book and didn't live up to the expectations. The writing as a whole seemed very much like a bunch of info-dumps and felt much too telling and less showing. In general, I feel like the story could be so much better if the folklore was integrated into the book in a better way and if the FMC was almost completely different.

The ending of the book felt very rushed and as though the author just wanted to give the MCs a supposedly happy ending as quickly as possible while ignoring all of the conflicts and issues addressed throughout the rest of the book. If there's going to be a sequel, the ending might be a bit better, but even so, the ending was not great.

So incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to read this book! The Gods Time Forgot was such a unique concept and I was captivated the moment I read the blurb. The way Kelsie Gonzalez was able to paint such a vivid representation of the world she created was absolutely captivating and the twists and turns had me glued to my seat hurtling towards the end just so I could see how the story unfolded. I can't wait to see a copy of this on my shelves when it hits the bookstores, from the story, the characters and even the cover art - The Gods Time Forgot will be forever etched in my mind. Thankyou so much for allowing me to read this early!

I received an advanced copy of The Gods Time Forgot from Crooked Lane Books through Netgalley and am leaving this review voluntarily.

When Rua wakes up with no memories except for her name, is mistaken for someone who she's certain is not her and has to figure out how to navigate a society she knows nothing about, all while trying to figure out who she really is, I had a feeling I would be in for a wild ride. The Gods Time Forgot was an interesting story, but it wasn't everything I hoped it would be. I did finish it, though after doing so, I almost wish I hadn't.

Rua was an unbelievably frustrating character. I cannot even begin to explain how many times she talked about having to fit in and not arouse suspicion, only to turn around and do precisely that. I get it, we can't have a female main character these days who isn't a bada** back-talking machine, who lives for violence and banter, but holy cow, did Rua make me want to tear my hair out. There were so many ways she could have navigated the situations she was in without causing a scene every single time, but that's exactly what she did. Then, she had the audacity to be surprised that people were saying mean things about her and didn't like her. I'm sorry, but you were well aware of the conventions of this society and how it operated. Welcome to the consequences of your actions. I had very little sympathy for Rua, if you couldn't tell.

As for the other main character, Finn was a wishy-washy mess, and I honestly have nothing else to say about him.

The plot was ... well, I'm not sure what the plot was. I thought it was supposed to be about Rua getting her memories back, but that gets stuffed into a corner on the opposite side of the mansion for three-quarters of the book. Most of the book was about Rua poorly navigating New York high society, and I couldn't determine what the point of it all was. The answers to all of her questions are literally standing right next to her, and she just doesn't ask. And when she does ask and gets a roundabout answer, she doesn't push. She doesn't try harder. I don't know. Seemed a little silly.

I have a whole rant about the ending of this book that I will not go into because of spoilers, but that ending was not it. When nothing had been resolved but I only had five pages left, I knew I wasn't going to like whatever happened, and lo and behold, I did not. It made absolutely no sense and didn't truly resolve anything. Maybe that's a spoiler in itself, but yeah. Ending = no good. ALSO! The title of the book is a spoiler. It made some of the "twists" utterly pointless because you already know because the title practically tells you. Ugh.

I could say more, but I think you probably get the picture. The Gods Time Forgot was not at all what I was expecting in both good and bad ways. I kept reading because I was curious to see where the story would go, but I was ultimately disappointed by everything. This was not the book for me, but if you're looking for a historical romance with a hint of magic, it might work for you.

Unfortunately this book wasn't for me.
It is classed as an adult romantasy and for me felt quite juvenile and lacking in the fantasy at times. The plot didn't seem to really go anywhere and didn't engage me as a reader. The writing style itself was fine but the pacing is slow and fell flat. I came very close to DNFing the book and honestly by the end, I wish I had.
Thank you netgalley for my ARC copy in return for an honest review.

✨ARC Review✨

Things I love:

Mythology (Irish in this instance)
Gilded Age NYC
Star crossed lovers
An unhinged give-no-fvcks FMC
A gorgeous Irish lord with a moral compass

This book combines all of these things and I loved it. I really had very little idea what I was getting into when I requested this ARC. I saw Gilded Age and clicked request so fast.

Emma Harrington has been lost in the woods near her upstate NY country home when she finally emerges from what we’ll soon learn is a hellmouth.

The people who find her lead her back to her wealthy family’s home and she tries to tell them she isn’t Emma. She says her name is Rua. This is all she can remember, but she doesn’t get to share that much before she’s sedated by the doctor.

Her mother, Flossie, is an absolute nightmare - a grasping, clawing her way up the social ladder kind of person and she never misses a chance to punch down at Emma/Rua.

Flossie’s social climbing schemes require them to go to Manhattan to attend all the parties and events. It’s here that Rua, still pretending to be Emma, meets Finn, Lord of Donore. They have an instant connection and as Rua starts to remember snippets, she thinks she remembers Finn too.

This book does an excellent job of combining Irish lore, an amnesiac woman trying to remember anything, and all the goings-on of the wicked Four Hundred (Gilded Age society.)

I don’t want to go into too much detail because it was wonderful to learn alongside Rua and Finn and discover if they did know each other before and how.

I received this eARC via #netgalley and @alcovepress. All thoughts are mine alone.

#booksbooksbooks #historicalromance #historicalfantasy #irishmythology #gildedagefiction #gildedage #thegodstimeforgot #kelsiesheridangonzalez #bookrecs #bookreview

This book gave me serious Outlander vibes and I was here for it!

Set in 1870 Rua wakes up in Emma’s body with no memory of how she got there or who she is. Navigating society at this time is proving very difficult.

I really loved the chemistry between Rua and Finn and how they’re both trying to fit in.
I did find the middle dragged a little and felt a bit repetitive but the ending really hooked me, I liked how everything unfolded and Rua got her memories back.

I did finish the book with some questions and wonder if this will be a series to continue the story.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC! In exchange I am happy to give my honest review.

OH. MY. GAWD!! This completely knocked my socks off in every possible way! When I saw that this story takes place in the 1800's, I was beyond excited. BUT THEN THE MMC IS AN IRISH LORD. I never stood a chance.

We start off with our FMC, crawling out of a tight hole in the ground and her only memory being her name, Rua. Covered in blood and confused, people surround her and inform her she is the missing Emma Harrington. After much fighting and confusion, she is dragged to Emma Harrington's summer home and thrown into this life of society and propriety. Struggling with her situation, she needs to find out her past and determine why she is here in the first place.

Our MMC, Finn, is a recently immigrated Irish Lord that has come to New York to make a difference. He is establishing himself in the old money community and everything he has dreamed for himself is coming to fruition. That is until a certain Miss Harrington barrels into his life, awakening a part of himself that had been dormant.

Rua and Finn are both shocked at the undeniable attraction to one another, finding themselves constantly pulled into each others orbit. Flashes of a past start to overwhelm them both and they need to decide what is more important to them. The life they are living now, or the past that haunts them both.

This was an absolute joy to read! It was new, refreshing and exactly the fantasy I was looking for. I cannot wait to suggest this to literally anyone that speaks to me!

4.5/5 stars

Note: I did have a chance to Beta read this, and it has changed in the best way possible in my opinion. I can tell a lot of work, editing, and time went into this final version of the book and I couldn't be prouder!

The goods:
- Rua's personality is honestly something I aim to achieve. While she's trying to figure herself out, she still has traits where she's true to herself.
- This book has a lot of yearning, which I fully appreciated. I loved the insight into the time period.
- I loved all the connections to Irish mythology.
- If you're looking for Bridgeton vibes, this book fits it. I felt like I could imagine everything clearly and felt like I was in every ball, carriage, and library scene.

The loss of a half star:
- I'm not 100% sure where the book will go. If this is a standalone, I feel like I was left with too many questions. If there's a series, I feel like I'd need to read book 2 to fully finish rating book 1.

Overall, if you're hankering for a book with yearning, myths, and high society settings, this should be your next read.

3 Stars:
Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for an E-ARC of The Gods Time Forgot. This book starts off with us meeting Emma after being found in the woods. We come to learn that Emma is actually Rua and we do not know where the real Emma is or who Rua is. Rua has to pretend to be Emma in society and slowly regains bits of her memory. We meet Finn and an enemies to lovers romance begins. The two slowly learn that they are more connected than it seems. The idea of this book was cool with including Irish mythology but I feel like something was missing. It took me a long time to get into the book and overall was just an okay read.

Unfortunately, this book wasn’t for me for a couple of reasons. For an adult novel, I found that it read a bit juvenile. While I didn’t dislike the romance, I felt like a lot of their chemistry was told rather than shown (but I feel that way for a lot of books). I found the plot to be lacking too. The main overarching plot was that the FMC doesn’t remember who she is or what’s going on and for most, if not all, of the book, it didn’t feel like she was really seeking answers, she was just along for the ride. A lot of her lack of knowledge could have been resolved by speaking with one of the characters who had an idea of what happened and it wasn’t very clear why she didn’t ask her. Most of the plot just ended up being Rua going along with the events presented by high society, which I did enjoy and I enjoyed the Gilded Age setting, but it just felt like there should have been a more complex way for her to find answers than she did. She would have random flashbacks and it wasn’t very clear why, so it felt like her uncovering the truth wasn’t very well thought out. I also found Finn’s character to be very underdeveloped because towards the end of the book, there are big reveals about who he is and how he’s related to Rua, but for the majority of the book we don’t really know much about his past or who he is aside from being a love interest. Around 80% of the way through the book, I felt like character motivations and decisions/behavior were a bit weird, as if the author was trying to create some kind of push-pull dynamic why things couldn’t resolve, but it didn’t really make much sense to me. I do like that this book was a stand-alone, but there were just a lot of things that didn’t work for me to make this a book that I’d really love.

Review of "The Gods Time Forgot" by Kelsie Sheridan Gonzalez

⭐ 5/5 Stars (can I give it more??)

It’s official: Kelsie Sheridan Gonzalez has made me a fan of historical fantasy. From the very first page, I was hooked on Rua's mystery - who she was, where she came from, and what secrets her lost memories held. As she navigates the glittering but treacherous world of Gilded Age Manhattan, her chemistry with Finn crackles with tension, longing, and a deep, fated connection that kept me obsessed.

The way their love unfolds feels so natural yet utterly inevitable. The glances. The tension. Every piece of their past slowly slotting into place. It all built toward a romance that felt both timeless and unshakable. And the longing? Absolutely unmatched. Rua and Finn’s story is filled with that delicious ache of two souls meant for each other but kept apart by forces beyond their control.

Beyond the romance, I loved the story's pacing. The mix of present-day intrigue and flashbacks revealing their Celtic pasts kept me fully invested. Every revelation added another layer to the mystery, and I was just as desperate as Rua to uncover the truth. The blend of mythology, history, and love created a world that was both enchanting and dangerous.

This book is about love, destiny, and the hope that no matter how much time passes, some bonds can never be broken. If you love historical fantasy, fated romance, or just a story that will completely sweep you away, do not miss this one. I’ll be waiting with bated breath for every book Kelsie Sheridan Gonzalez writes next!

I was generously provided an ARC by Alcove Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own ♡

Review posted on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7308491135
And StoryGraph: https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/6bcd4552-8a36-469c-9fcd-4ba7c636b206

The blend of Irish mythology and 19th century New York society was such an intriguing and unique mix. This definitely leans into the romance aspect of the story and has more of a Bridgerton vibe mixed with myth and magic. The story did start to unfold slowly for me, but still the ending felt rushed and abrupt which was somewhat unsatisfying. I would have loved an epilogue to have a bit more closure, but the main storyline is nicely wrapped up. Despite the abrupt ending and slow start, I did really enjoy the story and its unique premise.

While I loved the premise of this book and adored the tension between Ryan and Finn, something about it just didn't hit the mark for me as much as I'd hoped!

(3.5 stars).

I enjoyed the premise of this book, which read like a (ya version of a) Mills & Boon/historical romance set in a fantasy world. The middle section was the strongest, as the author built the tension and romance between Finn and Rua well. However, I found the world-building in the beginning a bit clunky. For me, Rua knew too much about Manhattan, and the modern world for a goddess newly arrived from a parallel version of Ireland. Likewise, the novel's ending felt slightly rushed and confusing, but I am glad that it was predominantly happy. Furthermore, whilst I do like standalone fantasy books, I think that this story could have benefited from being a duology. The author would then have been able to base more of the story in Rua and Finn's home realm, and address/resolve the conflict between Rua and Madb upon Rua's return return.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Gods Time Forgot was one of my 2025 most anticipated releases and I'm super grateful I got an ARC for it. I'm a sucker for anything that's a retelling of any culture's mythology or mythology-inspired, so once I heard that this was 1870s New York City meets Irish mythology, I knew I couldn't pass it up. I feel like there aren't enough stories out there that are set during the Gilded Age so I knew this was also something I wanted to read about.

While I did enjoy some aspects of the story, there's also a lot that I felt was missing or I needed more of. The story felt very repetitive at times when Rua would go to a ball/social event with her "family," she acts out because she's the only person in the room with more than 2 brain cells and thinks that the customs and rules of NYC high society are stupid, everyone shuns her and gives her the stink eye, Flossie Harrington (ugh, I hate that nickname) threatens to send her to an asylum, her family gets embarrassed to then get her ass saved by Lord Donore and no one wants to disappoint Lord Donore because he's a rich, eligible bachelor that people want their daughters to marry.

There were parts of the story that seemed more drama-packed because of Manhattan's high society culture and lifestyle and Rua struggling to fit into a life that wasn't hers to begin with rather than the fantasy part of the romantasy (more on this later), but I personally didn't mind it at all because I like books where we get to sneak a peek at the happenings of the upper class and see how they live with their frivolous customs and mannerisms. They're so out of touch that I can't help but find it somewhat amusing to read about but I can see how people would easily get bored of reading about Rua going to another ball or going to the seamstress to get gowns made for her. The Harringtons remind me of the Featheringtons from Bridgerton if you've watched the show at all.

Now, my biggest gripe with this book is the fantasy portion, or lack thereof. I didn't feel like there was a whole ton of "fantasy" in the "romantasy" that this book was marketed as. There's aspects of Irish mythology woven throughout the story and it does tie in with Rua and Finn, but it didn't become a major aspect of the story until literally the last 20% of the book. I remember hitting the 80% mark and thinking to myself, "So...where does the fantasy aspect come in?" I know a big part of this is because Rua shows up with no recollection of her past life and has to impersonate Emma Harrington, the Harringtons' missing daughter, but once Rua starts finding out more about Emma's life, it all felt like a historical fiction book where a girl tries to fit in with NYC upper society by going to balls and keeping up with public appearances with a side of "she finds out that the girl she's pretending to be dabbled in the occult and witchcraft." Sure, there are brief flashbacks here and there once Rua starts to gain her memories back but they weren't long or frequent enough for me to feel like there was a prominent fantasy aspect in the story.

The entire ending of the story felt extremely rushed and ended abruptly. I feel like the author got so caught up in trying to have Rua fit in with society that she almost forgot to explain why Rua got there in the first place and how Finn ties into it all. I don't know if this is a new trend with books now because I felt this happened with 3/4 of the most recent ARCs I read or if this is just because I'm reading and reviewing the ARC so there's no guarantee that this is how the actual published work is going to end, but the ending felt as if the author tried to tie everything up in a nice little bow and used a ton of oh-so-convenient plot devices to make the ending feel complete. There was a lot more action in the last 20% of the book than there was in the first 80% but it also ended as quickly as it came which was disappointing, to say the least. (The reasoning behind Emma going missing is also really stupid, too. I won't say how or why but I couldn't roll my eyes any harder.)

The romance was definitely there, and there was a lot of drama to go with it, too. There is a love triangle involved so if you like love triangles more than I do, you might enjoy reading about Rua, Finn, and Annette. I don't like love triangles because most of them aren't really a true triangle per se and it's somewhat obvious who the main character and/or main love interest is going to end up with and this was one of those situations. This is NOT a spicy romantasy if anyone was looking for that, so if you read clean romance or like closed-door books over open-door, this might be the romantasy book for you! I don't mind either way, but I did like Rua and Finn's connection and that deja vu feeling they had with each other.

Overall, I would say I enjoyed it and I liked the writing, but I felt the fantasy aspect of the story could've been more prominent. It's marketed as a romantasy, and while both aspects were there and the romance between Rua and Finn plays a large part in the plot, the fantasy aspect of it didn't really play a huge role until the last few pages and then abruptly stopped. While I did enjoy the Irish mythology woven through the story and the decadence of the upper class throughout the story--this isn't a topic I know a whole ton about so I enjoyed learning more about it!--the lack of fantasy aspects up until the last bit of the story sort of offsets everything.

DNF around 30%

This book was described as a Romantasy and for fans of A Fate Inked in Blood. Everything sounded perfect for something I would enjoy but the book was way too focused on high society New York. There was a lot of repetitive focus and statements. Rua constantly thinking about being someone else and Finn always talking about making sure he keeps his spot in society. They are comments you only need on occasion but they felt so repetitive. After 30% of the way through the book, I felt like there was no growth, no new information about their past and found myself nodding off.

3.25⭐

LIKED:

- The setting and the infusion of Irish lore. More on the mythological aspects later, but I do think that Gilded Age New York is a really intriguing and enticing time period for a historical romance.
- I did like the characters. I thought they weren’t terribly grounded in many ways, but that’s fine. They’re not really supposed to be. Especially Rua
- I liked the dialogue between the two MCs. I wish we had more of it, honestly
- I enjoyed the prose. While slow at times, it flowed quite well and made it a pretty quick read for me (I’m a very fast reader so that may not be the case for everyone who picks this up - more on that later as well)
- The cover is really beautiful. My only critique on it is why they made Finn so scowl-y. It’s…a choice. - But it’s still gorgeous that aside
- The flashbacks were honestly the most interesting bits for me. I was usually pretty pleased to see those italics show up

LOATHED:
- Alright…my biggest gripe for this book is its marketing. Why is it being marketed as a fantasy first and foremost? The amount of actual fantasy in this book is next to nothing. There are some mythology elements, yes, but it’s not a fantasy or a romantasy. It’s a historical romance with some minor fantastical elements. That’s not to say that it BEING a historical romance is a bad thing, it’s absolutely not. I think it does quite a good job of being a historical romance. It not being a fantasy/romantasy/etc. IS going to disappoint people who are expecting more fantasy going in
- All that said, I was very disappointed SPECIFICALLY that I was promised Irish folklore and mythology in a fantasy setting and got barely a taste throughout the whole book. I am Irish and I know quite a bit about Irish mythology, so maybe for folks who are less aware this is enough. But there are are so many wonderful stories and characters and just bits of folklore in Irish mythology that I think I was just hoping for and never got
- The beginning is painfully slow to get into. Rua’s start is very confusing and questions to help you get into her headspace are not really written into her inner monologue. I’m not sure I have an answer as to how to remedy that, but this book didn’t pick up for me until like, nearly 20% of the book. Which isn’t great for the “average” reader
- The ending is very rushed. I liked it up until the last couple of pages, and then it’s just…done. That’s it. We get this culmination of everything that we’ve been asking questions about for the majority of the story and then…tada neat and tidy except not really don’t ask more questions everything’s fine

LONGED FOR:
- More Irish mythological elements
- More fantasy in general
- More flashbacks to connect the romance
- A more satisfying and less abrupt ending

Will I read the next one? : Maybe. Depends on the topic and if it’s actually a fantasy (I’m not the biggest reader of historical romance in general so that’s a me thing)

Unfortunately this book fell flat for me in every way.

The writing style was fine, but never managed to really suck me into the story. With the story set in the Gilded Age in Manhattan, I would expect a lot more flair and atmosphere, but unfortunately that never happens. The setting also never felt really fleshed out, the characters don't speak time appropriately nor do they really behave in the way I would expect.

Which brings me to my next issue: The characters just don't feel real. I can suspend my disbelief for a lot of things, but these characters never behaved like people. The protagonist is the worst offender by far. She doesn't want to be sent to the asylum, but all she does is antagonize the woman that thinks she is her daughter. Meanwhile Finn is portrayed like a saint of a person and honestly at some point I was just rolling my eyes at his inner dialogue. Holier-than-thou on a whole other level, but still does whatever all other rich people do because "he just has to".

I had high expectations for this one, as I actually love historical fantasy, but this was just really not it.

Thank you to the Publisher and Netgalley for the e-arc.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Historical fiction, mythology, and romance is really a winning combination overall. The Irish mythology was a nice change (even if I couldn’t pronounce most of the Irish words) and was a really interesting turn. Rua’s memory loss was incredibly frustrating, which was the point, we (as the reader) know exactly what Rua knows and nothing more. The Morrigan was a nice touch and the realistic portrayal of womanhood during the 1800s was as well. Remember, they didn’t burn witches, they burned women.

That’s not to say that there were no issues with the book. The sentence structure at times felt choppy and repetitive, almost juvenile. I also think that the plot with Mara was left hanging, and the ending was rushed with Rua and Finn just barely riding off into the sunset together.

No spice, nice clean romance. 3.75 ⭐️ rounded to 4.

The Gods Time Forgot is what we get when Irish mythology collides with Gilded Age New York - a historical romance, enemies to lovers, fated mates story wrapped up into one. Manhattan, 1870. Rua knows only two things: her name, and that she has no memories. So when the wealthy Harrington family mistakes Rua for their missing daughter, Emma, Rua goes along with the charade, hoping for answers about who she really is. As she tries to blend into a society she doesn’t remember, she’s drawn to a firmly off-limits the Lord of Donore, a newcomer to Manhattan society who is somehow familiar to Rua.
This was an interesting take on what I'm used to in the historical romance world - it felt Bridgerton-esque but with an added touch of amnesia. "New money" trying to make their place in society only to be snuffed out by the snobby "old money" families, match making and courting and engagements that only serve to help the business, and then the outcast daughter that causes a stir at every event. Definitely loved Rua and Finn's interactions, only wish we had had more time with them together at the end.The pacing of the story was a little off for me - the beginning was so slow for me and by the end I wish we had had a few more chapters - there was so much build up in the last chapter alone and the ending felt a little abrupt, but maybe after I do a little research of my own into Irish mythology, it might make a little more sense. Definitely recommend this one if you like a little fantasy in your historical romance 
Thank you, NetGalley and Alcove Press, for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!