I'm teetering between 3 stars and 4 stars for this one. I loved the structure of the story and I enjoyed the weaving of time and experiencing the years through different characters' eyes, but some aspects of the story felt predictable or similar to other books I've read. I don't know if I can say more without spoiling, but I think the romantic relationships in this story were a strength while the magic system and the side characters were slightly lacking. I also was hoping that Amelia's character would be more developed by the end of the book.

That said, this book was overall enjoyable and I probably would recommend it to others, but I don't think it's the most unique or well done in this genre. I really look forward to what this author does next!

Lisavet Leavy’s father was a timekeeper. He made watches that could send a person through time. In Berlin, 1938, the Nazi’s were coming. He opened a door and put Lisavet through it to keep her safe. He told he to stay while he went to look for her brother. He never returned. Lisavet didn’t know anything about the time/space she was in. She discovered it was a place for saving memories, but some people wanted to burn them from history. Lisavet became the keeper of the memories. I loved reading The Book of Lost Hours. At the end of every chapter the author made you want to continue to find out what happened. Fantasy and love story all combined in one.

Thank you NetGalley, Atria Books and Hayley Gelfuso for the ARC for my review.

4.7⭐

now playing: One More Light - LINKIN PARK

—minor spoilers—

15+

romance: 7/10 (Lisavet and Ernest have sex but it is not on page or described. The sexual relations lead to a pregnancy. Kisses. Dirty jokes. Some of Moira’s coworkers are shown sexually harassing her. While kissing, Ernest has an erection, which is described as a “tingle”, that he is embarrassed about. Several easy to skip fade to black scenes.)

cursing: 2/10 (infrequent hell, damn, shit, and bitch, with occasional uses of the Lord’s name in vain.)

violence: 8/10 (gun violence. Death. Blood. Secret war. Terrorism.)

other: Smoking. Mentions of alcohol. Teen pregnancy. A mention of two men stealing longing glances.

tw: Suicide. Depression. Grief. Lack of father figure. The Holocaust

tropes: Enemies to lovers (kinda? lol), who did this to you?

third person

multiple pov

publish date: 8-12-2025

“Who cares if one more light goes out 
in the sky of a million stars?”—


–OVERVIEW–

The way this book slaughtered me…

Words cannot even begin to describe this experience. The amount of tears shed is not good. I’ve been beaten and bruised, and left to stumble along with half a heart barely beating in my chest. HAYLEY HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME???
Someone put me out of my misery 😭😭

Read this if you fancy a broken heart, love, or books of any kind.

The Timespace was excellent in theory, but I feel like it was poorly explained bc I’m confused as hell, BUT that’s ok. I love the Timekeepers and the memories stored in books and all of that. But, I don’t understand the history. Like the first Timekeepers got to the timespace through mediation and sundials, so what’s the deal with the watches being so important? Why couldn’t the TRP just train their Timekeepers to mediate and solve the problem all together? It’s kinda backwards to me buttttt okie.

The poetry references were so amazing and I loved that aspect.

ARE WE GOING TO IGNORE HOW AMAZING A MAN ERNEST IS? He’s standards. Period.

—the writing—

-> starting out strong, this is somehow a debut novel??? Bro, I honestly can’t even believe that. This book was so well written, the style is my favorite kind (descriptive and lyrical). It was lush and flowery while maintaining reading ease. The pace was a little bit off, at times it could be unputdownable and others I would struggle to read a page. Which, I guess, isn't too bad. But just be warned.

I can’t wait to see what else Hayley has in store for us.


—“It flickers, flickers”—


–PLOT–

It was engaging, and intriguing. It kinda switched from two different plots as the time we read in switched, giving us the whole history and a full meaty book.
The amount of point of views we have in this book is actually kind of wild– but it’s all to tell the story in a way that even though we know more than the mc’s we are JUST as clueless.
The second half of the book was really confusing and I had no idea what was going on, or why characters were making the decisions they made.


—“Who cares when someone’s time runs out”—


–CHARACTERS–

ERNEST
-> (aka best gentleman of all time) the amount of times I sobbed over this man is in no way healthy or normal, but WHO CARES bc I love him more than Lisavet ever could. He’s kind and caring and thoughtful and smart and nerdy. WHAT IS MORE TO LOVE? There was one time when he was kissing Lisavet and it’s their first date/kiss and he (as mentioned above in the content warnings) has an erection and his embarrassment killed me. It was cute in a way I probably shouldn’t think is cute… UHHH it’s fine. I’m fine 😋

He’s definitely one of my book boyfriends now. I’m in love.

BUT who names the MMC in a ROMANCE book after their grandfather? UHM… especially a guy who falls into bed with Lisavet more than once, who has passionate kisses with Lisavet, and even has his ✨desire✨ make an appearance. How did she not get crazy uncomfy? I could never…

**“You’re like the moon, only brighter.”**

LISAVET
-> this girl is a queen, albeit stupid at times, but that’s fineeeee. Her fierce love for her baby and for Ernest is so sweet and I loved reading her story. Her pain is my pain. Her grief is my grief.

**“I’ll take care of you. I won’t let anything happen to you,” she promised her. “I’ll rewrite all of history if I have to.”**
Hayley ate with that.

AMELIA
-> I feel like we’re kinda similar and completely different. If she were real and from THIS time we would probably be friends ngl. She reminds me of my best friend, Maylee.

MOIRA
-> when I first read her name I thought I had read it wrong. But girlie needs to quit smoking, she’s destroying her lungs. I hated her in the second half of the book. WHY did she sleep with Jack??? EW. Like there was no point in sleeping with him, she could have stolen his memories a different way. That just made me really uncomfortable bc he was weird with the “my girl” thing and it was just ick.

**“Are you always this rude or am I just getting special treatment?”**

SPOILER

Honestly, the “plot twist” of Moira and Lisavet being that same person was a leettlleeee beettt obvious. I wondered it since chapter 3, but guessed in chapter 8. SAURRR

END SPOILER

ANTON
-> STOPPPP him and Amelia are so cute. And koshka??? BROOOO– bc of 

**“You think I want to keep arguing with you? It is like talking to a cat. I do nothing at all and scratch, scratch, scratch.”**
😭😭😭 I was giggling my head off.

JUSTICE FOR ANTON. I’m seriously so sad we didn’t see more development in their relationship, they had all this cute banter and tension and then it disappeared literally at the end… disappointing.

JACK
-> go to hell.


—“If a moment is all we are, or quicker quicker?”—



–CONCLUSION–

So concludes another book, another life, another escape. So ends another review, another experience I can never live for the first time again. What I would give.
Read it. Please.

—“Who cares if one more light goes out? Well I do”—


–PLAYLIST–

Before You Leave Me - Alex Warren
If I Would Have Known - Kyle Hume
Better Off Without Me - Kyle Hume
Yours - Conan Gray
Best Sea In The House - Jamie Miller
Empty Room - Jamie Miller
Falling Up - Dean Lewis
One More Light - LINKIN PARK
See You Again - Jake Cornell
Astronomy - Conan Gray (idk man it just vibes)
I Love You, I’m Sorry - Gracie Abrams
Water Fountain - Alec Benjamin
And Then Some - Alex Sampson

A solid and enjoyable read if you enjoy magical realism. The book had a bit of a slower start but picked up about midway through and was a quick read to the end. If you enjoyed The Midnight Library, The Ministry of Time, and the Book of Doors, you will enjoy this read. The only critique I have is that the main character seemed inconsistent in their behaviors and I was struggling to connect the different points of the story based on what they've experienced.

This book has it all and I absolutely loved every minute of it. Romance, love, twists and turns, history and books! I loved the characters and they will stick with more for months to come

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC, in exchange for an unbiased review. PUBLISHING IN AUGUST 2025.

I loved "The Shadow of the Wind," "The Book of Doors," "The Midnight Library," and "The Ministry of Time." This book is in that vein: Time jump/travel, with strong personal connections between the characters. The characters themselves are compelling, especially Amelia, Lisavet, and Jack (the head of the CIA). But what sets this book above most is its multiple-threaded story that connects oh-so-perfectly as the book progresses.

I would highly recommend this stellar debut to anyone who is a fan of the above books and genre.
My only complaint about this book is that the first chapter feels lifted from Zafón's "The Shadow of the Wind," which is fairly unknown to US readers.

Okay, so this was like, totally intriguing but also kinda frustrating? The whole memory library thing? Obsessed. Timekeepers running around deciding what stays and what goes? Wild. And the dual timelines?? Love when a book makes me work a little.

Buuuut… it kinda lost me towards the end. Like, I was vibing with the whole concept, but some of the character choices made me wanna shake them and be like, “GIRL, WHY?” Also, some parts felt sooo drawn out, and then suddenly—boom!—major stuff happened way too fast. Pacing, people!!

Real talk though, the main character had me struggling. Like, I get why she did what she did, but some of her choices? Painful. Made it kinda hard to fully root for her, even though I had to see where it was all headed. Also, if you're here for a deep dive into timey-wimey memory mechanics—heads up! This leans way more into romance and personal drama. Not a bad thing! Just depends on what kinda ride you're looking for.

Still, it was beautifully written, super creative, and had some moments that totally hit me in the feels. Just wish the execution had been a little tighter.

Big thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion! 💕

Perfect for fans of The Ministry of Time, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, and The Midnight Library. I really enjoyed the coalescence of romance, historical fiction, and sci-fi. The blend of timelines was executed beautifully, and I never felt confused despite the complex concepts of time and memory. Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books!

The Book of Lost Hours is a beautifully written blend of history, mystery, and magic. The story follows Eliza, a young historian, who discovers an ancient book that reveals lost moments in time, leading her to uncover secrets about her own past. Gelfuso’s lyrical prose and vivid imagery bring the story to life. The well-developed characters and the themes of time and memory are deeply engaging. The novel's seamless blend of fantasy and historical fiction keeps you hooked with its twists and turns.

This was certainly a unique take on a historical fiction. I loved the time swaps and really found myself enjoying all the characters. The timelines unfold exactly as they should. I was enthralled through the first three quarters but I put it down in the 4th and didn’t pick it up for a week. So the last bit lost me a little bit. I’m definitely interested in what a book club would have to say about this one.

The Midnight Library meets The Book of Doors and creates something unique, new and absolutely stunning!

I'll be honest the book cover - the simplicity and beauty of it - drew me in and the blurb captured my imagination. I knew I had to read it. And reading it was an adventure worth going on, again and again.

Gelfuso has created a story that draws readers into a world and captures their imaginations. This is a perfect read for these cool winter months when a quick escape is needed.

The Book of Lost Hours by Claudia Fox delivers a hauntingly beautiful tale of grief, magic, and self-discovery. The protagonist's journey to uncover the secrets of her family legacy is intricately woven with lyrical prose and vivid imagery. While the pacing can feel slow at times, the story's emotional depth and rich world-building more than compensate. This book is perfect for readers who enjoy dark, atmospheric fantasy with a touch of mystery.

Fabulous book!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So unique. So fun. So interesting. The author did a fabulous job describing the characters. I have love/hate feelings for most of them. Fun twists in this one. I love trying to figure out what was happening. This is time travel, but not normal time travel. Multiple points of view from various people and in various times. Love the underlining message of "I will do anything to protect those I love."

Thank you Atria Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book.!

For me a 5 star book is a book that is something unlike anything I’ve read and something I will think continue to think about. The Book of Lost Hours is exactly that for me. It is all the best parts of some of my favorites and something completely unique.
If you have read and loved Midnight Library, Book of Doors, Book Thief this NEEDS to be your next read.
So thankful for my ARC from Atria Publicity!

Just as the description suggests, this immersive story combines historical fiction (think Kristin Hannah) with a lighter-touch version of another book I loved, Haig's A Midnight Library. The characters are real and vivid--I could imagine the screenplay adapted for a limited series--and placed in impossibly painful and absurd situations, where they make understandably human choices that seem to fall short of ethical ideals. Perhaps the greatest tragedy is all that these imperfect humans don't know, but there's no omniscient narrator, so the reader learns some truths about the universe's rules along with the characters. Of the thousands of books I have read, relatively few of those are so interesting and absorbing I would want to read them again. This one needs at least one re-read, now that I know the ending!

I adored this novel as a romance enjoyer, but was a little lost with the timelines. They were handled well but I felt a little confused as they went, having to go back a page or two to kinda remember where I was supposed to be. Truthfully, I wanted to like the FMC more but I understand that the point of the novel was the flawed choices that had to be made.

Thank you so much for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I absolutely adored learning about Lisavet and delving into her story. The romance elements had me hooked throughout the entire book. I will say, I feel the time jumps could have been slightly more fleshed out and longer to achieve an impactful five-star feeling. Overall, I am really excited to recommend this book to other fellow readers when it is officially out. I will definitely be reading the Ministry of Time (a book similar to this one as described in the blurb) since I liked this so much.

The Book of Lost Hours by Hayley Gelfuso
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Release Date: 8/12/25

Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC!

The Book of Lost Hours by Hayley Gelfuso is a beautifully written, heart wrenching novel about the power of love and those stories that are forgotten by the history books. I already know this one is going to stick with me for a long time. The Book of Lost Hours follows the main character Lisavet Levy as she is thrown into the time space as a child and begins to save memories and history that others are trying to destroy, falls in love, and eventually does whatever necessary to protect those she loves.

The Book of Lost Hours uses a very well done dual timeline to tell Lisavet’s story. The characters are well developed and easy to connect with. This book made me cry a few times which to me means the characters are extremely well written. While the plot is important to the story, the main focus is on the characters interactions, the love story, and the morality of what is happening within the time space.

If you enjoy historical fiction with a focus on the love story and well written characters, I highly recommend giving this book a try.

A time travel (sort of) novel mixed with Cold War history? Right up my street. I liked the concept of a time space, where memories are stored, and that “timekeepers” are able to access and—at least some of them—even enter the memories. The central conflict involves the desire of countries’ agents to destroy memories that don’t suit the narrative they want for their countries’ image. The Cold War is being played out within the time space, as agents from the western countries and the USSR battle each other to destroy different memories—and each other.

The way Gelfuso explains the time space is a problem for me. It doesn’t seem to make sense, the way she constructs it, that it would be of such critical importance. <spoiler>Supposedly, only about a hundred people throughout all of history have been able to access the time space, almost all of them via special watches. If the time space is only accessible by a tiny number of people, and all that’s in there is a collection of memories, why would it be important to destroy any of the memories? If you want to alter history, isn’t it far more important to go after the written records available to everyone in the world outside the time space, and the living people who can attest to the past? Yet it’s never mentioned that any of that goes on.</spoiler>

The lead character, Lisavet Levy, is pushed into the time space as a young girl in Berlin in 1938, on Kristallnacht. Her father is a timekeeper, and they are Jewish, so he pushes her into the time space to keep her safe while he goes to find her brother to save him from the advancing Nazi mob. <spoiler>Lisavet never sees her father or brother again.</spoiler>

Lisavet Levy is not a conventional lead character. While she is initially sympathetic, she makes many decisions that cause a lot of harm, and she doesn’t seem to be much concerned about that, so long as she can accomplish what she wants for herself and those she cares about. She doesn’t seem to have any interest in what happened in the world while she was in the time space (i.e., WW2 and the Holocaust) or what is happening once she leaves it (i.e., the real-world Cold War). She is wholly consumed by her personal concerns. That makes it difficult to relate to her or care about her.

The multiple-timelines aspect of the novel is handled fairly well; not an easy thing to do. It also enables the author to put in some plot twists that make for interesting reading discoveries. The writing is generally engaging. However, once you get around halfway through the book, the timeline jumps happen so frequently in short chapters that for me it became a little irritating and the book dragged.

I was left feeling that the author focused far more on the romance element than the other two elements; i.e., (1) the science and logic of time and memory and (2) history. I am far more interested in the latter two elements than the romance, which means this book didn’t work well for me. It should work much better for romance readers.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Book of Lost Hours by Hayley Gelfuso. My favourite genres are historical fiction and fantasy and this book combines both. Set in 1938 Germany and 1965 Boston and follows Lisavet and Amelia.

In this book, history can be altered BUT at what cost? This book does a masterful job of persevering the past while describing the future.

Read this if you enjoy reading about the past, love a bit of mystery and some magic sprinkled in as well!