I was looking forward to this book because I'm collecting rare fantasy gems in which the protagonist in a 30-something mother - god knows we deserve characters like us too! Unfortunately, it just felt like a poor addition to the time travel trend (it seems to be the new •thing• in fantasy right now). For me what killed it was the Groundhog Day formula that removed all the fun and saved what every character stuck in the endless loop fears the most: painful boredom. On paper the concept of jumping into time and different dimensions is always captivating, but here the execution just lacked substance and in the end I felt that I was deliberately avoiding reading the book, because it was so dull. I didn't buy the main characters' relationship, it was shallow and there were no emotions.
I liked the narrator though, this is not my first time with her and her voice is particularly suitable for quirky fantasy.

Audio muy bueno pero libro no tan a la altura, bastante repetitivo y mal planteado, creo que la idea de mundos paralelos se puede explotar mucho mejor.

La narración lo hace muchísimo mejor todo

I really enjoyed this book! It felt fresh and unique amidst a romantasy-shelf that is often full of tropes. I loved that our main character, Kembral, is a new mother and a fully-matured adult woman. Often times in romance books, motherhood is the end of the story for our FMCs but here that is only the beginning of Kembral's story. She is a whole human, not just a mother. And she has many adventures still ahead of her.

I worried that it would feel a bit like Groundhog Day, or a bit repetitive as we continues the cycle of falling into new echoes at a steady pace. But I found each echo so interesting. And I just loved the narration, so that kept me interested and engaged. The narration was excellent. I would definitely listen to a book narrated by Moira Quirk again.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for providing an ARC of this audiobook. I have already received my Illumicrate edition of this book, and the cover and art is stunning!

In the last hour between worlds we follow Kembral, a new mother, at her first party away from her baby. When the party is upended by a murder she finds herself investigating only to get trapped in a time loop that is descending rapidly through echos, alternative worlds. Kembral and Rika, a thief that Kembral had previously gotten arrested, must work together to figure out why they keep repeating the same night.

Had a really good time with this one, my biggest issue with the book was that some elements I don’t think where properly fleshed out or explain, which caused the book at points to feel like the sequel to a book I hadn’t read.

The Narration was great. Moira Quirk is a truly excellent narrator and does a fantastic job conveying the emotions of the stories, while being able to maintain a variety of voices and still being readily understandable.

3.5 Stars

Thank you to Orbit for sending my a physical ARC to read and to Netgalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC.

I was sold when I heard that this was a sapphic read. The execution not my fave. I liked that the characters are more my age and I have something in common with Kembral of being a mother. This time looping was fine but it was a bit overdone. Pacing was slower. I didn’t most of this read on audio and I enjoyed the narrators voice and I could listen to it on 2x speed with no issues, the accent was dreamy Haha. I think the biggest issue for me was the amount of characters and I was mixing them up then we’d have a time loop and they’d be a bit different than the first time so I really had a hard time distinguishing them. I do enjoy the cover as well but it made me think it would be a bit more steampunky vs. Where we want to fit the echoes. I think the clock maker was my favourite character and even the voice she was given helped create the character in my mind.
I’m not sure if I would continue the series or not but I’d still recommend this read to time loop and fantasy lovers.

The Last Hour Between Worlds by Melissa Caruso delivers an inventive premise with rival guilds, reality-bending magic, and a refreshingly unique protagonist in Kembral Thorne, a new mother juggling her Hound duties. The story begins with intrigue as a party turns deadly, forcing Kem to team up with her nemesis, the sly burglar Rika Nonesuch. Together, they navigate the surreal Echoes created by a mysterious clock, encountering increasingly eerie and dangerous versions of their world.

While the concept and setup are engaging, the execution falters due to repetitive elements. The continuous cycle of entering Echoes and facing similar challenges begins to drag, making the middle section of the book feel overly drawn out. By the time the climax approaches, the novelty has worn thin, and the resolution feels overdue.

Kem’s perspective as a new mother is a standout feature, adding depth to her character and grounding the story in her relatable struggles and determination. The dynamic between Kem and Rika is another highlight, blending tension, begrudging trust, and sapphic undertones that add emotional stakes to their partnership.

Overall, The Last Hour Between Worlds offers a compelling concept and strong character work but suffers from a repetitive structure that diminishes the impact of its imaginative world. Fans of inventive fantasy may still enjoy the ride, but it might leave others wishing for a tighter narrative.

This is my very first book from Caruso. Such a rich and imaginative world she has built. It's brilliant. I loved every moment of this book. I couldn't put it down. Truly a fantastic read. Highly recommend.

A fun blend of humor, mystery, and fantasy, this title is a great read-alike for fans of titles such as The Paradox Hotel.

The audio really brought this story alive and helps you fall in with the characters better the journey is grand

Wow. Just, wow. This book utterly surprised me with how much I loved it. I went into this book not quite knowing what to expect, as I really hadn’t seen any reviews for this yet. But the premise sounded fascinating, and it definitely was. I started out by listening to the audio for this, but I was very confused, and ended up going back to the beginning and re-reading it with my eyeballs.

This book has a very complex fantasy system. Actually, maybe it’s not that complex, but so unique that it threw me for a loop. And while I loved that this jumps into the action right away, the lack of world-building makes things a little bit harder to figure out. However, it was very fun to try to discover what “echos” and “relics” or what a “Hound,” “Cat,” “Raven,” or “Butterfly” was.

Another aspect of the book that I loved was that it featured a fairly new post-partum mother (a single mother at that!) who was grappling with the decision of going back to work after having a child. And also dealing with other fun post-partum things like sleep deprivation and leaking milk. It made the FMC Kembrel Thorne so much more relatable, especially just the love she has for her new baby and wanting to get back home to her. (The end had me tearing up, too.)

Without making this review too much longer (although I could say so much more), if you like fantasy, and are okay with being thrown into a new fantasy world with not too much preamble, you should definitely pick this book up.

𝘼 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙚 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙣𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣: The narrator for this was absolutely fricking fantastic. I loved her accent and the depth she breathed into all of the characters’ voices.

*The Last Hour Between Worlds* by Melissa Caruso is a captivating and immersive fantasy novel that deftly blends magic, mystery, and complex characters. The story follows a young woman caught in the midst of a dangerous political struggle between two worlds, each filled with its own secrets. Caruso’s world-building is rich and intricate, creating a compelling setting where magic and intrigue are intricately woven into the plot. The protagonist’s journey of self-discovery and navigating difficult choices adds emotional depth. With its well-paced action and strong character development, *The Last Hour Between Worlds* is an unforgettable and thrilling read.

I really really wanted to like this - but it just fell flat. I thought the different time lines and worlds were confusing, and I constantly found myself thinking "well, there's nothing technically bad about this, but I keep waiting for it to get good"

Thank you Netgalley and Orbit for this Audio ARC,

DNF - I did not connect with this book at all. The way it was written just wasn't for me. I was BORED.

"So many people underestimate you, when you are kind. They don't understand that kindness is a sign of strength. Stars, if I were weak like him, I suppose I couldn't afford to be so nice."

You know that moment when you read a book and the title finally makes sense? With this one, it happens very early on and I was here for it!

There are two things that immediately pull me into a story: One is atmosphere, the other well developed characters. This book spoils us with both!

I had so much fun with this story. We enter it by attending a party and quickly learn that we are stuck in a time loop, that ends with murder at the very same celebration and an agent (on leave), who's trying to figure out what the hell is going on and how to prevent it.

"My responsibility on my night off had escalated from saving one houseful of people, to the entire city, to every single layer of all reality."

The magic-system felt so unique. It  revolves around a reality called Prime and many layers of Echoes one can fall into, which wasn't only an interesting concept but also executed in such a clever way. There are other magical elements, such as illusions or blink stepping (which, excuse that, I won't explain) and it was really cool to read about them.

"Two months at home with a newborn wasn't quite like falling into another world, but I'd had almost as little contact with my old life."

For me, this story wouldn't have needed any romance and it clearly wasn't the focus. Yet, I enjoyed the pieces we got, even though it could have been flashed out a little more. Neither the sapphic romance nor the non-binary character were discussed as such but present, giving me HOPE for a more open and accepting future in our world (maybe one should name a year that 👀).

"No one had yet invented a liquor that could keep Jaycel from the flawless execution of a bad idea."

Another thing I loved about this book: we get an actual strong female protagonist who doesn't have to tell us how strong she is, instead, she proves it casually along the way. And refreshingly, she also knows where her priorities should lie (at home in the shape of a newborn) and acts upon it.

"My spare time." I rubbed my forehead. "You're not a father, are you."

This book was so refreshing and everything I didn't know I needed. The characters are all flashed out brilliantly and the dialogue is witty and natural. I cannot recommend this enough. Also, it isn't really sci-fi, even though it is marketed as such. It reads as a time loop fantasy. It quickly turned into a highlight I didn't see coming, since neither the genre (sci-fi) nor the synopsis particularly sparked my interest. And yet, I loved it!

Also, it is beautifully narrated, so if you get the chance to pick up the audio book, read by Moira Quirk, I urge you to do so!

Audiobook received from NetGalley.

I absolutely loved listening to this book and enjoyed the story. Can’t wait to follow along for more. Thanks

I wasn't sure if I would enjoy this story at first but, as seems to be the case with most audiobooks I listen to, the narrator really reeled me in. This story was captivating and quirky. I really want to know more about the echoes and the beings that live in them. The premise was really cool and the characters made me laugh. The relationship between Kem and Rika was so cute and stressful at the same time because I wanted them to get back into each others good graces (which they do by the end of the novel) but watching them struggle with their feelings for one another was too much to handle at times! Overall, I enjoyed this story and I'm looking forward to what the rest of the series may hold.

This was definitely one of my favorite reads of the year, especially as a new mother myself. I was so fascinated by the worldbuilding (and so glad this is going to have a sequel because I absolutely want more of this world) and the plot had me hooked. Moira Quirk, as usual, killed the narration and really brought all the different characters to life.

The Last Hour between Worlds is a closed room fantasy/mystery hybrid with a slow descent into a bad fever dream of twisted reality in a contest between gods. I admit I had to restart the audiobook a few times and obtain a physical copy to understand the early world building. I'm not sure if it was Moira Quirk's accent or just the unexpected complicated world building, but it did help to have a physical copy to read along with the illustration (though the location of things didn't really mean anything to me - the proximity of places change in real time the deeper one descends so it becomes irrelevant fairly early on). Once I got through the early pages though, this is a rich treasure of mother/daughter relationships, both new and old, positive and estranged. Daughters protecting mothers protecting daughters. The struggles and frustrations and unconditional love of early motherhood. And second chances. And third and fourth...lol
The weakness is that aside from the two main heroines, characterization is weak, with most of the writing heavy lifting focused on setting. Other characters and then the full scope of the contest were not defined as clearly as they should have been. I really enjoyed this story overall despite this, and as it is the first in the series, I look forward to getting to know the characters more in future installments.
Even with the early struggle to understand, I found Quirk's performance matched perfectly this novel.
Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for this ALC to review!

Kembral Thorne has recently given birth, but she's off to a party for just a few hours of fun away from her baby, but when people start dying, she's determined to get to the bottom of these strange deaths. It doesn't help that her nemesis, Rika Nonesuch, is there as well. Oh, and did I mention that they're being dropped down an echo (layers of reality) every time the clock chimes. While the first echo isn't so unusual or different from the real world, the more they're dropped, the weirder and more dangerous things become.

This book started off rough for me. Not being a mom, I couldn't connect with all the lamenting Kembral does about missing her baby, about her milk coming in, etc. I know that means I'm probably not the target audience for this, but I thought the story was interesting, so I wanted to continue it. What made me like this book was finding out Kembral is bisexual, and that it had a hint (very small hint) of a love story to it. It got more interesting toward the middle and the end, but the beginning was rough for me. I also enjoyed the fight scenes, and the punchy dialogue.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ALC. I love Moira Quirk and will read anything she narrates. As per usual, she really brought this story to life.

This audio was PHENOMENAL! I thought the narrator was great and did a great job with the difference characters and their distinct voices. I was highly impressed.

However, while I was pulled in immediately with the plot line. I loved the fantasy version of Inception, I quickly became bored (okay not bored just wanting a change) at around the half way point when it came to the plot. I didn’t feel invested enough to continue on in a book that literally repeated itself. And so I ended up deciding to move on and not finish! Life is too short to get stuck in a rut, or a time loop multiple universe thing!


I wish the author could’ve pulled in other aspects of the story while still making the continued loop plot interesting. I just personally got a little bored, but still enjoyed this audio immensely!


I will NOT be review this book on my book review pages. Thank you for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!