Thank you Netgalley & Crooked Lane Books for an eARC❤️❤️❤️

There’s something deeply human about the desire to revisit the past—not to alter it, but to stand in it again, to feel the weight of a moment that slipped away too soon. Dete Meserve’s *The Memory Collectors* captures this longing with aching beauty, weaving a narrative that is as much about grief and redemption as it is about the tantalizing—and treacherous—possibility of time travel. 🧭 🧳

What struck me first was how Meserve sidesteps the usual tropes of the genre. This isn’t a story about fixing mistakes or rewriting history. Aeon Expeditions, the company that offers clients a fleeting return to their past, imposes a cruel but fascinating rule: you can’t change anything. The past is immutable. And yet, the characters go anyway, desperate for even a whisper of what they’ve lost. Elizabeth’s need to see her son again, Andy’s hunt for a love that vanished, Logan’s yearning for the freedom of his old life, Brooke’s torment over a mistake she can’t undo—their motivations are so raw and real that the sci-fi element feels almost incidental. This is a story about people, not paradoxes. 💔

Then, the twist. When their allotted hour stretches beyond its limits, stranding them in the past, the novel shifts from quiet introspection to something far more sinister. The discovery that their lives were shattered not by chance but by design—that someone else was there, hiding in the shadows of that fateful night—sent chills down my spine. Meserve masterfully tightens the screws, transforming a meditation on regret into a gripping mystery. I found myself racing through the pages, desperate to know how these strangers’ lives intertwined and who, exactly, wanted them broken.

The pacing is deliberate, lingering in the characters’ pain before unraveling the larger conspiracy. At times, I wished for a swifter reveal, but the slow burn serves a purpose. It makes the eventual collision of their stories all the more powerful. And while the time-travel mechanics are light on technical detail, that’s not the point. This isn’t a book about how time travel works; it’s about what it *means* to those who wield it—and what it costs them.

What lingered with me long after I finished, though, was the unexpected solace in the characters’ shared journey. Their isolation—Elizabeth’s grief, Logan’s frustration, Brooke’s shame—feels so palpable that when their paths finally converge, it’s like watching fractured pieces click into place. The revelation that they were never truly alone in their suffering is a quietly profound one. It’s a reminder that even in our darkest hours, there are others carrying similar weights, even if we can’t see them.

*The Memory Collectors* is a rare breed of novel: a speculative thriller with a pulse of real emotion. It’s for anyone who’s ever replayed a moment in their mind, wondering what they’d do if they could step back into it. For anyone who’s felt the ghost of a memory like a physical presence. And, perhaps most of all, for anyone who needs to believe that even the most shattered fragments of a life can, in time, form a new mosaic ❤️

And now I’m left wondering: If you had one hour to relive—knowing you couldn’t change a single second—what moment would you choose? (Be warned: This book will make you ask yourself that question. Over and over again.)

The Memory Collectors is a contemporary sci-fi novel with strong romantic elements and family themes. When our four main characters get stuck on a one hour trip to the same day in the past, they find out their lives might be linked in more ways than one.

“Here at Aeon Expeditions,” he says, “we don’t change time. But time changes us. What will you discover when you look back with fresh eyes? The most important part of your journey happens after your hour is over.”

Meserve knows how to write a strong opening chapter. We get thrown right in the action and intrigue. While some novels switch POV too often, Meserve knows how to strike the right balance here. Feeding us small amounts of information, while developing the characters and keeping the plot moving. An astounding feat. Meserve's writing style flows and makes for an easy and quick read.

I quite enjoyed the emotional journey our characters took over the course of the novel. While at times the plot seemed a bit too convenient and some elements felt a bit too on the nose, the overall hopeful message is meaningful and relevant in our current world. The character growth did feel a little quick at times, but that is probably because of the total of four main characters. I also struggled to keep some of the voices of the characters apart, especially in the beginning. It would have helped if the character voices were a bit more distinct.

"But the past is reshaping me. It’s not that I’ve become someone different —it’s as if I’m seeing my life with new eyes."

The Memory Collectors might be your next favourite read if you enjoy character-driven science fiction novels involving an intriguing mystery. This novel would be perfect for people that enjoyed Matt Haig's The Midnight Library.

Ok…so normally I don’t even want to read books that involve time travel. But I LOVE Dete Meserve’s books! So I gave this a chance and was immediately sucked into this story! I loved the search for answers to the events of one particular day in the past, and the ending was just perfection! You won’t regret reading this one!

The Memory Collectors is a splendid twisty ride that packs as much sci-fi as well as emotional punch for a riveting journey.

Would you spend an hour in the past even if you couldn’t change the future? The four protagonists in this book do exactly that. But while they may not be able to change past events, they find they can change their present selves. Great read. Very thought provoking and inspirational.

I requested this book when I mis in the midst of my Severance obsession, and I was thriller while reading it to see some similar themes: what do we do with our grief, can scientific breakthroughs help with our heavier human emotions, and finding healing within yourself with the help of others.

I was heartbroken for many of the characters who travel back to one of their most difficult days, but the journey they went through still felt like an empowering one.

The Memory Collectors is a sharply written speculative mystery with fully fleshed out characters, and a deep emotional resonance. Fans of mysteries with heart an insight into the human experience will LOVE this one!

Five amazing stars!
This is not my usual genre but I could not stop reading! I’m not finicky about time travel plot holes or impossibilities, I just like a good story and boy was this a good story! It has enough mystery to keep you guessing. It was so well done! I enjoyed every minute of it!

An intriguing premise that asks the reader to suspend belief and assume it is possible (or will be possible in 2028) to time travel back for one hour but then become stuck in that pace. And, that five people will all choose the same moment. A horrible accident on 25 August 25 changed the lives of Elizabeth, Andy, Logan, and Brooke, as well as Mark, the genius behind Aeon expeditions. All of them want to change something about that night but none of them understand at first that they are all linked. If the science doesn't work for you, know that Meserve does a good job of creating these characters and making the reader care about the resolution of their anguish. And she's a good storyteller. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This has been pitched as sci-fi but think of it as a bit of a mystery.

Was really expecting more from this one, and I think it has fallen victim to mismarketing. I ended up DNFing because I just couldn't get into it.

I loved the overall concept of this book . It did take me a while to get all the characters straight but once I did i really enjoyed the story and it was really hard to put down . I wanted to know what would happen and if the four time traveler who were stuck in the past would be able to change the future or not ! There was some great character development and growth through out the story … and the book really challenges the concept of a “happy ending “ and what counts as one

My rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Memory Collectors is my first book by Dete Meserve — but it definitely won’t be my last! I love stories about time travel, and this one has quickly jumped to the top of my list. While time travel plays a central role, the novel is just as much a character-driven mystery as it is science fiction.

In this world, time travel involves the traveler’s consciousness being transported back to a specific point in time, allowing them to fully experience and interact with a memory for 60 minutes. It’s like stepping into an hour-long immersive video — except you're living it. When the traveler returns to the present, nothing has changed; the Butterfly Effect doesn’t apply here.

The story follows four main characters, each with their own point of view. All are emotionally wounded in some way and long to revisit a memory from before their lives unraveled. But when something goes wrong, they become trapped in the past for longer than intended — their stories begin to intersect, and each hopes to change the one moment that altered everything.

I was completely drawn into The Memory Collectors and the journey of each traveler. The plot is compelling, the characters are well-developed, and the way it all comes together is satisfying. I’d highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good sci-fi mystery with heart.

This started off so well. I was weepy from the start as Elizabeth travels in time and notices all the little details she never did back then. She is fully present as she relives a simple hour in her son’s childhood. She’s a heartbroken mother, and it’s her story that draws readers in. As other characters are introduced, we see they too have their own losses and heartache as well. Each of them is searching for answers and meaning.

The way the characters and their stories overlapped reminded me a bit of “A Little Hope” by Ethan Joella, although there were fewer people to keep track of and this one has a time travel element, of course. The book explores regret, grief, and time in such a delicate way for so much of it, but once I got back to the present time along with the characters, I felt rushed to the finish line. What felt very deep and thoughtful for most of the book became a bit contrived and convenient by the ending. I’m not certain what changes I would want to appreciate the ending more; I just know that for me as a reader, the ending fell flat while the opening and middle hit me strongly with emotion and empathy.

Overall, I enjoyed Meserve’s writing style and most of this story. I would still recommend it, but I wish that my 5-star prediction had been fulfilled with as strong an ending as the rest of the novel.

Many thank to Netgalley and publishers for providing my review copy. I really enjoyed the journey The Memory Collectors took me on as it was emotional and gripping right from the JUMP! See what I did there? I love time travel and I love emotional stories with characters who have depth. This was a solid one. I will be back for more from Meserve.

If you could go back to the past, would you? Nothing would change in the present but you would have a chance to relive one hour.
This was a well written book. It follows four strangers who all travel back in time. It was heart wrenching at times. I felt so sad for all of them. I really enjoyed this book!

Imagine being able to repeat a specific date in time—just for a few hours—and getting the chance to react differently, to say something you didn’t say the first time. The Memory Collectors by Dete Meserve is one of those stories that pulls you in with that intriguing concept… and then surprises you with how much heart it has.
What I really liked was how different all the characters were—completely different lives, personalities, struggles—and yet they were all thrown into this one moment together. It made me think about how random life can be, how total strangers can cross paths and end up connected in ways no one expects. They were each carrying something heavy—grief, guilt, things left unsaid—and getting to see them relive those moments with the benefit of hindsight… that hit me. It felt honest.
This didn’t feel like a typical time travel story. It wasn’t about going back to fix anything—it was more about understanding what really happened, seeing the past from a new angle. That shift in perspective made all the difference. I kept turning the pages for the mystery, but what really stayed with me were the emotional reveals and personal growth.
Big thanks to Crooked Books and NetGalley for the advance copy. If you’re drawn to stories about memory, second chances, and the weight of a single moment, I definitely recommend this one.

What would you do if you could spend an hour in your past? Who would you visit and what would you do? Thanks to a new technology going into your past is real. You have to pass tests and it’s expensive but you can do it. The book opens with four people about to take the jump into their past. They are all loving their jump and time gets away from them and they realize they’ve been there longer than the allotted hour.

I flew through this book! I don’t want to give away spoilers so I’ll say the author did a masterful job creating the characters and weaving the story. I loved watching this story develop and I was lost in the book and was with the characters the whole time! This book is a must read if you enjoy second chances and great world building!

The Memory Collectors by Dete Meserve is a multi-layered, character-driven, intriguing and satisfying read. It's also very thought-provoking, and one I'm going to remember for a long time!

Four strangers time-travel back to the same town and same hour of a day three years ago; a day that changed each of their lives forever in painful ways. Will revisiting that time bring them clarity, healing, or help them in any way? Readers come to know each of the four individuals well as we explore their stories through their alternating voices and as we watch layers and layers be uncovered to reveal their interconnectedness. You can't change the past, but can revisiting the past and viewing it with more perspective change you? That is the question.

This story of grief, hope, resiliency, forgiveness, and second chances beautifully reminds us of two key points:

1) We may not be able to control or change the situations or circumstances in which we find ourselves, but we can control our actions and reactions within the situation.

2) When we know better, we do better.

This well-written novel with its richly drawn and relatable characters, intricate plot, and suspense building pacing kept me turning pages. I highly recommend it! Four stars.

My thanks to Dete Meserve and to Crooked Lane Books for allowing me access to a DRC of the novel via NetGalley. Publication is 5/20/25. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own and are freely given.

This book is set just a few years in the future, where time travel is a paid service. You can jump back into your own past for exactly 60 minutes—but you don’t get to pick when you go, and you can’t change anything while you’re there. Things take a turn when four people don’t return after their hour is up. Even more surprising: all four have landed in the same moment in time—one shaped by a shared, life-altering event.

I really enjoyed this one. I’m a big fan of time travel stories, and this had a fresh twist. Instead of focusing on paradoxes or changing the timeline, it explores a closed-loop version of time travel—where the past is fixed. But the fact that something goes wrong makes you question everything. Is there a glitch in the system? If they can't change anything, what’s the point of being there? And will they even make it back?

It did take me a bit to get into the four different perspectives, but once I got used to it, I found each of their stories really interesting—especially as their paths started to connect.

The ending was great—it offered a satisfying reflection on how revisiting the past shaped each character’s future. A thought-provoking and original take on time travel, The Memory Collectors kept me hooked from start to finish.

Thanks to NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books, and the author for the ARC!

The Memory Collectors by Dete Meserve is a very highly recommended speculative mystery with science fiction undertones in which four strangers all travel back to the same day in their past, a day that changed all of their lives. This is a compelling, un-put-downable novel.

In 2028 Aeon Expeditions, a time travel invention of Mark Saunders, allows clients the chance to spend an hour in their past. Four people in Ventura, California, have all been among the lucky applicants chosen to revisit a random day in their past. Elizabeth would love to spend one more hour with her son, Sam, who died in a senseless accident. Andy wants to find his first love who ghosted him after a whirlwind romance. Logan desires to experience the active lifestyle he had before an accident left him in a wheelchair. Brooke is looking for an hour of relief from the guilt of an unforgivable mistake.

Unknown to them before their trip to the past, they are all going to return before August 25, 2025, a day that changed all of their lives forever. When they don't return to the present after an hour, the four find themselves stranded in the past for five days and their paths eventually cross. Their visit can't alter the past or the future, but perhaps it can change how they view it.

The Memory Collectors is an exceptionally well-written, original, compelling, and fast-paced genre-bending narrative. Although the premise, traveling back in time, is a staple in science fiction, in this case it is simple the literary device used to propel forward and explore much deeper themes in the character-driven novel. These themes cover a myriad of topics, including loss, guilt, bitterness, second chances, hope, grief, forgiveness, closure, and redemption.

Chapters alternate between the points-of-view of the four characters and their experiences. The characters come to life and are all portrayed as fully realized, sympathetic individuals with both strengths and weaknesses. What they end up having to face as they all head for the date is unexpected and unpredictable, but ultimately it does result in closure.

Pick up The Memory Collectors if you enjoy character driven mysteries. Thanks to Crooked Lane Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The review will be published on Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

I was really excited to read this but it was a 3*** read for me.
A bit too sci-fi and characters weren't as developed as I'd hoped. I think that either readers will really love this or feel so-so about it. It is a good exercise in thinking about who/what you'd go back to if you could revisit a time in your life.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC.