A historical romance set in Japan’s past, Isla is sent back in time and encounters a samurai, Kei. With the Satsuma Rebellion going on, she soon finds herself struggling with whether she should tempt fate and change the past while navigating falling in love. This book had all the things I love, but unfortunately, it fell flat. I love historical romance, and I love Japanese culture, so I was extremely disappointed that this didn’t live up to my expectations. The plot was all over the place, and there was a lot of repetition and jumping around. The story wasn’t flushed out well, and even though the book was a decent length, it felt rushed.

I was greatly excited by the premise of this book and the cover art is fabulous. The novel is a nice blend between historical fiction, science fiction ( time travel) and Romance reminiscent of Outlander , so if you enjoyed that book., this book is for you ! . The author does well writing the historical aspects portraying Satsuma Rebellion of 1877. The protagonist, Isla MacKenzie, is visiting Japan searching for information on her ancestor when she is caught out in a storm at a shrine and suddenly transported back to 1877 where she meets and develops feelings for the honourable samurai Keiichirō Maeda. Unfortunately, this style of novel with the romance focus was not for me ,if the book had stayed focused on looking for Isla`s ancestor, the historical time period and getting back home I would have enjoyed it more. The writing is good and blends historical facts with a romantic, and science fiction narrative. The characters, are well-developed and the portrayal of Japanese culture historically is respectfully written.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks | Harper Perennial for this ARC. This is my honest review.

the plot came twisted and unexpected as it should!!! this was a great historical fiction read. i wish we got a little more about the main character and the reincarnation at the end of the story

Thank you NetGalley for the ebook arc unfortunately it just wasn’t for me. I’m still hovering 5 stars cause just breccias ro could get into the book doesn’t mean it’s bad.

Firstly, thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the early access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

2.5/5 stars.

I was very excited to read this book as it certainly had all the elements in a book that interest me. I'm a huge fan of the Samurai and of the Japanese culture/history. The book cover is absolutely stunning and pulled me in without even having to read the summary. I have seen different reviews of how this book can be somewhat summarized into an "Outlander" kind of vibe, which I totally can see now that I have finished this book.

The story felt pretty rushed in general up until about halfway through. Some of the world-building just didn't feel completely there either. I did enjoy the characters themselves and wished to know a little more about each of them. The romance in the book between the two main characters also felt a little flat - I was really hoping for a little more tension between them or some kind of build-up for it.

Overall, the book is a quick and easy read though for anyone who is interested in a historical time-travel/romance story.

This was such a fun premise and had a lot of potential i really wanted to love this story a sort of Outlander in Japan story but overall it felt rushed. We’re told that she been in 1880 japan for weeks and the only thing we really learn is that her Japanese gets better. There is also no reference or at least I didn’t catch are references to Reincarnation at yet at the end we are supposed to just accept that reincarnation was always part of the story for it to make sense. Our love hero in the 1880 is a samurai and its his whole life and personality, the reason they cannot be together in 1880 and yet in president day he is a medical student slash barista. I just feel like the story wasn’t fleshed out enough, everyone needed more time together and we need to know more about. The president day love interest. Overall it was a fine story that i wanted to wow me and it just didn’t,

This book was a lot of fun. I really love time portal magic especially when the historical fiction part is so flushed out. I loved the characters. Isla's character development throughout the entire book was steady and felt genuine. I was really happy to have walked away from this book with new knowledge and appreciation for Japanese history and culture that I was able to reap from this story. I thought the action scenes were well done and action packed. I actually really liked the way that this story ended. I feel like it was neither the tragedy I was expecting or the magical, tied with a bow hea. The timeline and other information at the end was also really cool and i appreciated it.

Gate to Kagoshima by Poppy Kuroki was one of my most anticipated reads of 2025, so I was beyond thrilled to receive an advanced copy. As a lover of historical fiction, especially stories involving samurai, I was eager to dive into this tale. I loved the fantasy and time-travel elements. This book feels like The Samurai’s Garden meets Outlander, and if you’re a fan of the latter, it’s a must-add to your TBR list! Readers of time-travel novels may find some aspects of the plot predictable, the journey remains thoroughly enjoyable. Isla was a standout for me. She’s not perfect—her flaws make her relatable and her character growth all the more compelling. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for an immersive story.
Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks | Harper Perennial for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
#GatetoKagoshima #NetGalley

Overall if one enjoys historical fiction I think this one will be an enjoyable read. You can tell a good deal of research was put in to tell the story of the Satsuma rebellion from a different POV.

It had all of the makings of being something I would really enjoy but it felt like the target audience was off. It read a lot like YA and I often forgot the main character was an adult herself because she felt so young. It was jarring when sex scenes occurred because it felt out of place.

There were some pacing issues with how fast everything seemed to happen on the back half when the beginning of the book lagged some.

I also as much as I hate to say it would have preferred the sad ending versus the attempted happy one. It felt jumbled and incomplete in a way that wasn’t just to set up more books. It felt unnecessary to add.

I won’t purchase it for my own shelf but if I know people that enjoy historical romance it would be one I recommend.

This novel has a really intriguing mix of time travel and well researched history elements and I enjoyed learning through both! A well written and captivating story.

I am a huge fan of time travel stories, and this one certainly didn’t disappoint. The author did an incredible job bringing the culture to life, and it’s clear a lot of research went into it. Isla, the protagonist, is thrust back in time 128 years after a typhoon strikes. She finds herself in an era where she knows the fates awaiting the people around her—Samurais, rebellion, and all. This story weaves together themes of love, loss, grief, family, and rich Japanese history in a way that feels both captivating and immersive.

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins, and Poppy Kuroki for the e-ARC!

If you loved outlander than you with love this book! The story was very interesting and it kept my attention the whole time. I would highly recommend reading this book.

"Gate to Kagoshima" by Poppy Kuroki is an enthralling blend of historical fiction, romance, and time travel. Isla Mackenzie, a Scottish woman researching her ancestry in Japan, is transported back to the dawn of the Satsuma Rebellion by a typhoon. In this fascinating era, she meets her samurai ancestors and a captivating warrior, Kei, sparking a romance that defies time. As she grapples with the knowledge of history’s course and her love for Kei, Isla faces an impossible choice: change the past or return to her life. Rich in historical detail and emotional depth, this novel is a compelling journey of love and duty.

I really enjoyed this book. It was nicely written and I enjoyed the characters and their interactions with one another. The setting was also great.

I really enjoy historical fiction, and Gate to Kagoshima made me want to learn more about the Satsuma Rebellion and the history of the samurai in Japan. However, Isla came off as very immature and also quite flat - her romance with Kei never felt fleshed out or real, and the sexual content didn't pair well with the YA story or dialogue. The historical information was also included as info-dumps, which created a choppy narrative that was difficult to get through at times.
Overall, I found the premise of this book really interesting and I learned a lot about the samurai rebellion and the historical figures whose legacies still live on in Japan.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the eARC!

This was such a fresh concept and a beautiful integration of 2 cultures that are so so different. I devoured every page and flew through it(even with my final exams, so it has to be good 😊). Just a really fun time from start to finish. One issue that I did have is that the writing style felt a bit disjointed and simplistic for the story hence the 2 stars I cut off.

I enjoyed the story. Isla going to Japan to find information about her great-great grandfather for her recently departed grandfather was honorable.. Boy, did she more than she bargained for. I received an advanced copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Gate to Kagoshima by Poppy Kuroki is a third person multi-POV speculative historical in the vein of Outlander. Isla is a Scottish woman whose grandfather was Japanese and her ancestors were samurai. When she goes to Japan to learn more about her grandfather’s culture and language and to get confirmation of her family’s history as samurai, she accidentally goes back in time to several months before the Satsuma Rebellion. She meets Keiichirō, a young samurai-in-training who serves under the famous Saigō Takamori.

What I really liked was how the lead-up to the Satsuma Rebellion focuses on the daily life of the lower class, such as the farmers and merchants. Isla works with the women, doing laundry and training to defend herself and her temporary home. Through Keiichirō taking her in, we see some of the family dynamics that did exist in that time, such as Keiichirō taking care of his sister and her daughter after the death of their father. We do get some time with Saigō Takamori, but not a lot and I’m fine with that as there is a lot of material on him out there and the scope of the book wasn’t so much on the courts or how the samurai class operated.

There is Japanese written in romaji throughout the book that might not be to some readers’ tastes. I’m used to it from being in anime fandoms in the 2000s and sometimes short Japanese phrases appear in older translations of Japanese classics, so, for me it doesn’t detract from the text but could pull a different reader out of their immersion.

The romance is more of a slowburn that starts as a friendship and ends in a passionate romance. Keiichirō does initially put some distance between him and Isla despite his attraction to her while Isla has a bit of a harder time staying away. Isla is also getting over a fairly recent break-up with someone she was considering marrying, which adds a bit of internal conflict that pops up when she realizes she is attracted to Keiichirō.

Content warning for mentions of sexual assault

I would recommend this to fans of Outlander who want something similar but taking place in Japan, readers looking for a historical with a light sci-fi element, and those looking for an interracial romance set in the age of the samurai

Thank you to HarperCollins and Netgalley for this ARC! All opinions are my own.

Gate to Kagoshima, while not an entirely original plot idea, was a really interesting story. It will appeal to lovers of historical fiction especially, I think, to learn about the Satsuma rebellion from a different angle. Kuroki has done some excellent research and presented it with likeable characters and clear prose.

I'm not entirely sure who the intended audience is; from the heavy-handed exposition to the very simplistic prose (such as repeatedly explaining the surname/given name order in Japanese), it really felt like an early YA. Then of course, the later material and explicit sex scene veered towards adult. It felt quite jarring to me - although I felt the same way about Fourth Wing, and we've all seen how that worked out, so I'm likely in a minority.

I did really take issue with the Kana reveal scene. The fact that Keiichiro immediately believed his rival rather than his sister is perhaps culturally appropriate in 1800s Japan, but still struck me as inconsistent with his character. What I cannot explain away is how he then left this highly traumatic conversation to immediately have sex with Isla. I felt like I had set this book down and picked up another one. I did not at all feel the way the author intended me to feel during that romantic scene. I just felt... confused. And kind of icky.

The ending, as well, felt random, with Keisuke's dreams making him and Isla spiritually connected or something. It didn't have enough build up or explanation to really make sense contextually. I would have just preferred the tragic ending, and I usually hate those. 🙃

I still want to give the book two stars though, for the solid historical research and the vivid depiction of the rebellion. Perhaps it's just the romance that fell flat for me; everything else that I can think of was enjoyable, especially if I think of it as a YA. I would have eaten that up as a teenager. I hope the book finds its audience and does well!

Like many people who study history for a living, I harbor a secret desire to see the past in real time. Of course, knowing that said past was far less romantic and appealing than the legends about it, I like a good time-travel story even better—especially if it visits places a little off the beaten path in terms of fictional stopping points.

By these criteria, Poppy Kuroki’s “Gate to Kagoshima” is the perfect read. The heroine, who bears a British passport and the very Celtic name of Isla Mackenzie, has traveled to Tokyo in part to escape an unfortunate romance and in part to track down information about her Japanese third-great-grandfather, whom family tradition portrays as one of the last samurai. On a trip to the former Satsuma province, where her ancestor reportedly lived, Isla gets caught in an ancient temple that transports her from 2005 to the 1870s. Despite her sketchy Japanese, which includes none of the local dialect, Isla manages to convince the people of Kagoshima that she is human, not a demon. Still, her red hair and her strange name mark her as an obvious foreigner, and that’s not much better in the eyes of a society in the midst of simultaneously adopting and resisting Western incursion.

Although Isla’s tendency to tumble into love with one man after another made me wonder how much she had really learned from her breakup, the rest of the story kept me enthralled. The rich detail, the emotional development, the drama of the samurais’ last stand, the fast pace, and the unfamiliar setting combine to make this a novel well worth reading.

I will be interviewing this author on my blog (link below) around the time of the book’s release in late January 2025.