The concept of this book is just so cool! Part time traveling adventure, part romance this book was such a fun read.

The idea of a time traveling matchmaking service is so interesting, and following Ada’s adventures through time as she navigates it and the romances between, her, Sam and Henry resulted in a very intriguing plot.

I wasn’t sure what to make of the stalker plot line at first but I think it tied together well as we learned more about Ada’s past with Sam and her motivations as to why she wanted to move to another era. Sam also was a character that I didn’t love, but I liked that the author didn’t try and represent him without his flaws, even when Ada wanted to romanticize him.

Henry was such a sweet MMC, the gangster with a heart of gold is always a trope I’ll love.

I think my only complaint with this book is that I wish there had of been another 50-100 pages of the romance between Henry and Ada. I would have loved to see more of Henry learning about the modern world and navigating his new life.

The ending made me think we might be getting a sequel about Cel, so I’m hoping that’s the case!

Overall I really had a lot of fun reading this book and I definitely recommend checking it out when it’s released on November 7th!

Thanks to NetGalley, Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group and the author Leigh Heasley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I was so excited by the premise of this book — the idea of dating in different time periods to find your true love is just such a fun one.

But, unfortunately, this story felt very muddied and was quite hard to follow. The writing style is a bit sporadic for me and I just couldn’t really find a flow.

I’m someone who is a very character driven reader, and unfortunately, I didn’t really find any of the characters in this story very appealing. Ada was okay, but Sam and Henry were just not written in a way I could root for.

So, great premise, unfortunately lacking the execution to make a great story here.

I made it to 5% but it was rough. This novel doesn’t know what it wants to be, so it has no opportunity to shine. It wraps itself up in outdated cultural references and fails to firmly establish the plot.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wattpad for the ARC.

I loved the concept of this story but I felt like it needed more detail! I thought the world building had promise and loved the idea of a matchmaker that finds you a partner through time. With this book I wanted more time. I wanted to learn more about Ada and Sam. I wanted to learn more about Henry. I wanted more interactions between Henry and Ada. I thought the plot was great and very compelling. Definitely worth a read and quite easy to get through. I’d love to read a sequel or another book in this universe.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this arc in exchange for an unbiased review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

2.5 Stars

I absolutely loved the concept of this book but unfortunately it just fell a bit flat for me personally. It was a little slow, I didn't really connect with the characters and the writing style wasn't my favourite. However I do feel like this would be great for another reader, just not for me.

Thank you to Net Galley for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I liked the concept of this book, but I couldn't get into it. I couldn't connect with the main characters. There is definitely an audience, though, and I think the idea of time travel is intriguing for many.

This was such a cool concept for a book, but overall it was a miss for me. The idea of a time travel dating service is really cool, and I would have loved to see more first dates in the service. There was certainly strong potential here, the writing was easy to read in a way that's easily bingeable. But at the end of the day, I just wasn't invested. The characters felt really flat to me, and the overall tone felt quite juvenile to me, which further dampened my ability to relate to the characters. The nicknames in particular really irked me. I can see how they were an attempt to be funny, but for me, it really missed the mark. I also wish there were some more descriptive details, I found myself feeling lost at times, with scenes feeling a bit jumpy, and like I couldn't picture where the characters were. The plot at the start seemed like it had a pretty clear destination, with some great setups, but the further the plot progressed, the more chaotic it felt, and the end felt like I was being jerked around, with so many loose ends being tied up in a way that felt chaotic. It definitely had the starts of great plot twist material, but the way it was executed did not have that effect.

One particular detail that really got under my skin were the weight jokes. These were prevalent right from the start, and while I'm all for my plus-size characters and body positivity, the way they were written just felt uncomfortable, especially when it was Ada's loved ones making these, what seemed to me, mean-spirited comments that were never really addressed. I thought maybe there would be an arc of Ada embracing her body, but there was pretty much no progression or growth, nor acknowledgement of how damaging these comments could have been. The way bodies were described in general in this book was just discomforting, not just Ada, but also how Ada described Sam. I think these details could make for a great theme of addressing body image issues with some tweaking, but as it stands, it really dampens the overall vibe of the book

This was a fun romance read with a cool time travel/dating service concept. The writing was a tad immature/didn’t grip me but I enjoyed the story.

I love a good time travel story, so I was really looking forward to this one. Our main character Ada, in essence, had some terrible dates set up by a matchmaking time travel agency. Mr. Darcy was a dud, the 1920s did fare a bit better. And then … she runs into her ex on her 1920s trip. <spoilers happen> and she has to break the oldest time travel rule.

I felt like this was slow at first and geared towards a slightly different audience than myself. The writing felt a bit … immature? The base story was there and it did pick up at about the halfway mark. I definitely think there is an audience for this book. However, as a character driven reader who didn’t really connect with any of the characters, it was a bit of a struggle for me. All of that said, I loved the ending and how the relationships and the time travel debacle was resolved.

3 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group for an arc of this book.

I really liked the idea presented in this story. It was definitely something new and could make for an amazing rom-com plot.

However, I didn't particularly enjoy the writing style. I thought it was quite immature and not gripping enough to make me want to read more. The story felt all over the place at times and characters seemed to have been acting out of their character in different situations.

I can definitely understand why others would love it, though! It's a fast-paced and fairly easy read with a few turning points which make it more interesting. I guess that, unfortunately, it just wasn't for me.

A sincere thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I completely related to Ada and if only Kairos actually existed... this was perfection! The premise was fresh and new. I could not put it down.

"The Once and Future Fling" by Leigh Heasley is a delightful romantic novel that explores the possibilities of time travel and the complexities of love. The premise of the story is intriguing: a matchmaking agency called Kairos allows clients to travel through time in search of their soulmate. Ada Blum, the protagonist, is a woman who feels out of place in her own time and seeks to find love in a different era.

The author's writing style is engaging and witty, making it easy to get lost in the story. Heasley creates vivid descriptions of the different eras Ada travels to, from Regency England to 1920s New York, which add depth to the story and transport the reader to different times.

The characters are well-developed and relatable, and Ada's struggles with love and trust are universal themes that many readers can identify with. The love triangle between Ada, Henry, and Samson adds an element of suspense and keeps the reader invested in the story until the very end.

Overall, "The Once and Future Fling" is a fun, romantic read that offers a unique take on time travel and matchmaking. It's a book that will leave readers feeling warm and fuzzy inside and pondering the question of whether true love really knows no bounds.