I liked Sloane because she was such a complicated character. She's a twin who craves the approval of a father who is threatened by her unique photographic memory. Then the author adds in a future where time travel is possible and the goal is to save the earth. While the storyline was engaging, watching Sloane claim her Identity and face her fears was the most engaging part of the novel for me.

"The consistently high emotional intensity throughout Nguyen’s novel is the fuel that powers its narrative engine, as is the complex dynamism between the two lead characters. The passion is incendiary in places: 'She wanted to touch him, taste him, worship him—but her body responded to his swift, assured movements like a flower unfolding to the sun; it yielded to him, softening, opening, blossoming beneath his touch, and she was powerless to resist.' Fans of time-travel romance are likely to find this story deeply satisfying.”
-- Kirkus Reviews

The cover is what drew me in and so glad I was able to read this. I thought the use of time-travel worked well overall with the story being told. The characters were everything that I was looking for and thought they worked well with the elements of this story. I enjoyed the way Rebecca Anne Nguyen wrote this and am excited to read more.

Contains spoilers.


This book started off really well - i loved the time travel element with the goal of eradicating climate change. I did not like the romance parts - they were cringey and poorly written as well as highly unrealistic. I also disliked how in almost every time travel book ive read with a female MC, they are always subjected to rape and sexual assualt as well as being portrayed as falling in love with anyone who crosses their path - this book was no exception. The ending felt cobbled together and rushed and the two main characters at the end felt like completely different people from the start of the book. The author dipped her toe into the idea that the MC might be traumatised from her assault with a quick 'have sex with me, no you might be traumatised, ill go back in time and kill him' and then they have sex anyway. It did not feel like a realistic portrayal of someone who had experienced sexual assault. And it used the tired old trope of 'oh no they've sent me back to the wrong year' which took the character an annoyingly long time to figure out. Despite all this i managed to get to the end but would not re read or recommend.

You've been dreaming of the same man that you've never met for 10 years and then one day he shows up, in person, at your work. Set in a future world where climate change is making Earth uninhabitable, a secretive group has developed time travel and is looking for the next person to send back in time to help reshape major climate decision points. Our FMC finds herself in the unlikely position of being one of their candidates and agrees to participate if only to learn more about the man she's been dreaming of.

The 23rd Hero is a love story that breaks free of the boundaries of time set against the backdrop of a dying planet. Writing about time travel can be a tricky thing, but Nguyen does an admirable job. The story takes us through complicated and painful family dynamics, the healing power of love, and the emotional struggle of making sacrifices for the greater good that will keep readers invested.

Rating 4-stars because the book ended up having a strong and unexpected religious element that didn't land for me.