The concept of this book was really neat - star-crossed lovers reincarnated and drawn to one another in each lifetime. While I enjoyed the parts of the novel that took place in ancient Egypt, the parts of the book that took place present day were hard to get through as I didn’t like our main character, Sarah, at all.

This is a fascinating read exploring the idea of an ancient Egyptian mystic reincarnated as a modern-day American fragrance CEO. The stories of the two characters are told in parallel as you discover the connections along the way. It was a quick read giving my interest, but I felt the ending to be a bit abrupt for the American. The story ended after the two modern characters recognized they were connected in some cosmic way, and I felt like it was missing some story. I found myself wondering, "So what?"

In short, it was a fun, fascinating read, but I wish there was more of a payoff at the end.

Arcanum is a love story told both in modern day New York and in ancient Egypt. The star crossed lovers meet later in life in both scenarios and feel fatally attracted. I loved that the heroine is a 40 years old woman in our time, not an age which is usually centered in fated romances. The tarot element is interesting, connecting the two storylines.

This story was a magical journey through time. It blends historical fantasy with romance and had me hooked from the beginning. There are two timelines which are skillfully weaved together telling of Sarah’s present and past lives. The pacing can be a bit slow at times but it is a very good read.
Many thanks to the author and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

The use of Tarot cards to guide the narrative adds a unique layer of mysticism, creating a captivating reading experience. "Arcanum" blends historical fantasy and occult fiction, making it an engaging choice for those intrigued by magic and destiny. The story weaves present-day New York City with ancient Egypt, delving into themes of past lives and reincarnation through the character of Sarah Fuller, a perfumer on a journey to discover her true self.

This read more like a romantasy than fantasy. There were so many moral qualms I'd with this one... Also kinda inaccurate ngl cause ancient Egypt was a selling point for me to read this.

I really liked this story and Sarah was an interesting FMC. I loved the reincarnation aspect of the story along with the magic that was part of the world building. I love Egyptian mythology so this was right up my alley. I look forward to reading the reat of the books! It was a great start to a whole new world!

A decently exciting time travel romance, Arcanum revolves around 2 women, modern day Sarah and ancient day Sarrah. They destinies are tied and the book goes back and forth between the two timelines to build the connection.

Decent read and i will follow the series.

#netgalley #ArcanumInTheTempleOfShadows

Arcanum: In The Temple Shadows offers an intriguing premise with its blend of magic and adventure. I appreciated the imaginative worldbuilding and the unique magical system that drew me in. The characters have potential, but I found some of their development lacking, which made it hard to connect with them on a deeper level. Additionally, the pacing occasionally dragged, especially during the exposition-heavy sections, which disrupted the flow of the story.
Despite its flaws, the book has an engaging concept that kept me curious, and I can see it appealing to fans of fantasy looking for something new.

This is apparently the first in a series. It is the story of Sarah Fuller, wife and mother of two, who runs a very successful business based out of Manhattan. She has been married to her husband Carl for a long time and seems to have the perfect life. The story was plausible as far as time travel and time slip novels go. All her life she has been drawn to the Egyptian wing at the national museum and her husband throws her a surprise 40th birthday party there, she meets a man named Harry and all the lines blur. Next we meet Sarah in ancient Egypt she has many mystical abilities she is a part of the royal court unlike most royal families Sarah‘s also has intrigue and dangerous situations I love the way the author gave ancient Egypt Sarah similar ties to modern day Zara. I found the story very complex and on paper I should’ve absolutely loved the book I don’t know if it was the African setting but I just couldn’t get into this book despite the great detail the awesome romance. Thank you to the author/publisher

If you like stories having to do with reincarnation, magic, and history - and if you love that romance is thrown in - this is the book for you. I happen to love stories like this, especially the fact that the main character, Sarah, is a 40 year old woman who doesn't have it all put together. Sarah is a perfumer who has her own company in New York. She is married with twins and seems to be in the right place. However she isn't happy and can't figure out why she has been feeling off - with her marriage especially. When she celebrates her birthday and meets Harry, she feels like she has connected to someone special. A quick Tarot reading shows her she does indeed have some major things to discover about herself and she must make the decision to either run with it or let it go. This is the first part of the book - and the only reason I have given it 4 stars. There are two stories being told, one with Sarah and one with another woman from another time, Sarrah. I was at first confused but I caught on quickly.

Sarrah, who lives in Egypt during the time of the Pharaohs, is being introduced to court because she has magical abilities. The Pharaoh wants someone to help guide his son, Meti, and Sarrah is the perfect person. She not only can see what is to come but she can also manipulate events to work in Meti's favor. Once Meti and Sarrah connect, nothing can stop them. Until Sarrah begins to sense a connection with someone else.

The book goes back and forth between the stories and it does get a little convoluted. Once you catch onto the writing style, though, it begins to flow. I loved all of the Egyptian history and O'Hearn really knows how to create beautiful imagery. The tension is there throughout and I became immersed in all of it. I have to say that I could have had a book with just Sarrah's story but having both made it interesting. She connected both plots nicely at the end and I could easily read a sequel. I can't wait to see what O'Hearn writes next.

I rate this a 3.8/5, rounded up to 4 on goodreads. I loved the premise of this book. I wouldn’t say I love the book as a whole but I really liked it. It’s a combination of Romance, Historical Fiction and Suspense. What’s not to like. I also think there will be a sequel that I will look forward to.

I think this was an interesting read and I loved the concept but the pacing was off. I wish the author had named her character in ancient Egypt something else besides Sarrah.

I don't usually like dual timelines because I find that one isn't as well written as the other. That is not the case here. I was intrigued with both time periods. I enjoy books about reincarnation and Tarot. To have both included in the book along with magic and ancient Egypt was a mix that worked well. I'm looking forward to more in the series.

This was an interesting book with two great stories, however, I didn't like the way it was written. It starts with Sarah in current times and the author gives us a great story that draws you in immediately. Then, the book changes to Ancient Egypt and we get to know Zara and her perilous life. We also meet Harry/Hasan in both stories. Each time period was so well written and I loved each one. The problem is - that too much time was spent in each time period so it felt like I was reading two different books. If the author had given us a few chapters of one period then a few chapters of the other one, switching back & forth more often, I would have given this book 5 stars. But because there were too many chapters at a time, I got irritated by the "interruption” of the time period I was reading because I was deeply embedded. I would like to read the next one, but I'm hoping I don't get more of the same or I will quit reading it and that would be a shame.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this work in exchange for my honest review.

As a first book in a series, O"Hearn does a great job of setting up the world, establishing characters, and setting up for what comes next. I enjoyed the weaving of past and present, the mystical elements, and the clearly well-researched history. I like the idea of the plot and look forward to reading what happens next.

I did think the pacing seemed off at times, and this hindered some of the enjoyment while reading. A few times the story was dragging, and I had to put the book down and come back to it later.
I also felt that some of the character development, particularly the supporting characters, was superficial.

Perfection on the Page

Sunday Fun Day! I am thrilled to declare that I've discovered a five-star gem. Words cannot express how much I relished this book. Already, I've earmarked three friends whom I must recommend it to. Yes, I'm that enthusiast—if something captivates me, you'll undoubtedly hear about it.

The tale opens with Sarah navigating a midlife crisis, further complicated by the arrival of a dark, mysterious stranger who triggers a sense of déjà vu. Her encounters with a psychic, who unveils her past as a Pharaoh’s lover and a mystic in ancient Egypt, infuse the narrative with layers of intrigue and fascination. Sarah's evolution from skeptic to believer is enthralling, albeit slightly hurried, driven by her profound longing to unravel her past.

O'Hearn's premise is spellbinding, deftly weaving together past and present lives to offer readers an immersive experience. The meticulously researched historical and mystical elements vividly depict ancient Egypt, enriching the storyline with depth and authenticity.

Nevertheless, the book does have its drawbacks. The pacing can be erratic, leading to moments where the plot loses momentum. Secondary character development, particularly of Sarah’s husband and best friend, feels somewhat shallow, often serving as mere plot devices rather than fully realized individuals. Admittedly, I found Sarah’s best friend more endearing than her husband, and the slower segments did little to detract from my overall enjoyment.

Sarah’s journey is undeniably compelling, yet her rapid acceptance of the psychic’s revelations may seem implausible at times. A deeper exploration of her internal conflict and skepticism would have added layers to her character arc. Furthermore, while the romantic elements add excitement, they occasionally overshadow the more profound themes of self-discovery and spiritual awakening.

In conclusion, "Arcanum: In The Temple Shadows" marks a promising debut for Kelly O’Hearn’s series. It offers a refreshing twist on the romance genre, blending past lives and tarot into a narrative that will appeal to enthusiasts of history, mysticism, and love alike. Personally, as someone not typically drawn to historical romance, I found myself thoroughly engaged throughout, making it a journey well worth embarking on.

I’ve enjoyed the idea of love across lives since I first picked up the Georgina Kincaid series. Reincarnation can be a bit of a cliche trope if not done right, but I think that Kelly O’Hearn has a great start here.

While this is obviously a story in 6 parts, I wish that each part had more completion. I feel like there is so much going on here that we really don’t get to experience the story because of the complexity of world building.

Will I read the next book? Absolutely because I want to know how it all ends!

I really had a hard time with this book. I almost quit reading it and then picked it back up twice. Netgalley was nice enough to let me read it so I felt I should finish it. Now I see in the description on goodreads it is described as a sexy past life romance. On Netgalley it said she meets someone she may have known before and there is an intriguing psychic and Sarah may have lived in ancient Egypt. I’m fascinated by ancient Egypt and love books with psychics and tarot readers so I was excited to grab this book. Unfortunately for me I really dislike romance stories and there was way too much “sexy romance” for me. I really didn’t Cara for Sarah she came across as a very spoiled woman. If I had known this book was more romance I wouldn’t have chose it. I did finish it but I did not care for it.

Gripping from the first page, ARCANUM: IN THE TEMPLE SHADOWS by Kelly O'Hearn is breathless, well-wrought fantastical wonderful. On board with the sensations that Sarah knows are not just dreams, are just as real as the reality she lives in New York City in the current day with husband and children in an apartment that never felt right to her. On her fortieth birthday, Sarah's hard-won reality is shattered and the lives she has lived come into full, living glory along with the man who has been there all along. I won't go into the details, but suffice it to say they are as heartfelt and sensory-rich as the Sarah in our here and now. Of course, there are dilemmas and complications, all described and handled with deft grace and creativity. Well-written, fun, and so well-plotted, this book is the first in what promises to be along line of wonderful stories. I received a copy of this book and these opinions are my own, unbiased thoughts.