3.5⭐️ Irish mythology combined with Guilded Age New York?! Sign me up! I was really looking forward to this book, especially having seen it all over my TikTok. I think it’s a wonderful concept and really enjoyed the read. I personally would have preferred more of the Irish mythology. It’s touched on slightly through the book and more heavily in the last 25%. The focus was mostly on the lives of the upper echelons of New York society in 1870s. Having lived in the neighbourhood where a lot of the book takes place (albeit in much less luxury😆) made this read especially special.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the chance to review this ARC.

A modern-day Irish mythology historical romance retelling, with the vibes you would get from outlander but with a Manhattan gilded age twist.

Rua is our FMC who is suffering from an unfortunate bout of memory loss, all she can remember is her name. While Rua is searching for answers on why she cant remember anything a wealthy family mistakes her for their missing daughter Emma. While she is playing this role of the lost daughter to further find answers on her missing past and the real missing daughter she is out in society meeting and mingling hoping to find clues. One night she meets a mysterious new gentleman, the Lord of Donore who is strictly off limits, yet she feels as if she has a connection with him.

Rua is very differently than the other ladies in high society, making her some what of an outcast and the family who took her in threatens to send her to the asylum. Finn steps in and saves her from her fate. Finn ( the lord of Donore ) and Rua come to discover pieces of their past and fight to save their futures. https://lexariffe.com/the-gods-time-forgot/

This is a gritty and enchanting fantasy romance mixed with the right dose of mythology. This book almost checks all the boxes. However it felt like something was missing. The banter with the MCs was great, and i really did enjoy them both. I think the supporting characters irked me more than anything , however i feel as if some of them were intended to. I do wish that it was a little more on the fantasy side as well. Over all I really did enjoy this book and will be looking at others written by Kelsie Sheridan Gonzalez and will be buying a copy of this for myself for my bookshelf in hopes that this may be a series.

Thank you NetGalley and Alcove Press for the Digital ARC
#TheGodsTimeForgot #NetGalley

3.5 rounded down to 3

A young woman wakes in the forest with no memory of how she got there. All she knows is her name isn't Emma, like everyone else insists it is. It's Rua. Emma's social climbing mother gives her an ultimatum: behave or it's off to the sanitorium. Only it's next to impossible to comply when Rua doesn't know who to navigate Emma's world. And then there is Finn, a young man intent on making a name for himself. Only he finds himself torn between the path he set himself on and the mysterious Rua.

Read if you like:
-The Gilded Age
-Irish Mythology
-Reincarnation

I really enjoyed the Gods Time Forgot. While the pacing was a little off, overall it was the type of book that kept me engaged. Though I do wish that some revelations/realizations had come just a little bit earlier so they could have been explored more. The Gilded Age setting added so much to the overall experience. I would definitely read more from this author.

🤍 Irish Mythology
👗 Banter
🤍 Bridgerton Vibes
👗 Fierce FMC
🤍 Slow Burn

I *really* wanted to love this, but it just didn't hook me.

Rua finds herself *awoken* in a body that is not her own, with a name she doesn't recall, in a world that feels foreign to her. She is now Emma Harrington, and she is in a world of trouble with her family and with their high society peers for practicing witchcraft. She knows she is not who they say she is, but with the threat of being sent to an asylum and no other means of escape, she tries her best to blend into her newfound circumstances.

This book felt snail-paced. Outside of some fun banter and trying to unearth how the heck Rua ended up in a body that is not her own, the story wasn't that intriguing. I found that whenever we got a morsel of information, as readers, it was very info-dumpy, spanning pages of suddenly unearthed mythological connections. The plot feels repetitive, and the characters feel a little underdeveloped if I'm being honest.

The romance was just... lacklustre. The banter was fun, but Finn's continued drive to dismiss Rua and do what *society expects from him* was irritating. I think the author was trying to build in a slow burn and forbidden love element, but it just felt frustrating when the same situation kept repeating itself every few chapters.

I loved the unique roots of Irish mythology. I definitely felt there was a great historical fantasy and an almost Bridgerton-like vibe to the story, and Rua is definitely a fun character. She is sassy, confident, and intelligent.

Some readers will definitely love the unique premise and delivery here, but this one unfortunately fell flat for me.

𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓴 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓽𝓸 𝓝𝓮𝓽𝓰𝓪𝓵𝓵𝓮𝔂 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓐𝓵𝓬𝓸𝓿𝓮 𝓟𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓼 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓐𝓡𝓒 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓫𝓸𝓸𝓴. 𝓐𝓵𝓵 𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓯𝓮𝓮𝓭𝓫𝓪𝓬𝓴 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓶𝔂 𝓸𝔀𝓷.

I really enjoyed this book! The premise was so intriguing and I felt immediately pulled into the world and time in history.

Thank you to NetGalley, alcove press, and Kelsie Sheridan Gonzalez for providing this free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Unfortunately this didn’t do it for me. I loved the concept and the idea, but the execution was lacking. Nothing really happened for 75% of the book, and everyone was talking in circles. Rua kept saying to herself that she knew she needed to play nice with the Harringtons and society so that they wouldn’t send her to an asylum, but quite literally every interaction she had with them was the exact opposite of that.

I needed more action and plot from this book. We had a few flashbacks from the two main characters, but they didn’t do anything with them? It seemed like it WANTED to have them try and unravel the mystery of their identities but took so long to get there, I wasn’t invested by the end.

I had fun until I didn’t and wow did it all turn so fast.

The set up was so fun (1870s NYC? Tell me more!!) but the execution fell by the way side at about 75/80% and the ending was so abrupt that the moment I saw the words “The End” on the page I just starred into the distance trying to reconcile all the hours I wasted.

I’d skip it if I were you. 3 stars for the ambiance and the initial set up but this was not nearly as romantasy as you’re led to believe, the myths and magics are either not explained at all or are explained in such a rush you feel lightheaded.

I would have read 150 more pages for a better ending.

Thanks to the publisher for the earc! Pub day is 4/8!!

In 1870, being a woman means living under constant restrictions: intelligence cannot be displayed, personal opinions must remain unspoken to avoid causing offense, and life itself unfolds within rigid, oppressive boundaries. It is within this stifling atmosphere that The Gods Time Forgot takes shape, weaving together Irish mythology with the decadent allure of Upper Manhattan.

The plot is compelling and well-structured, guiding the reader through an engaging narrative centered on a love story that is both carefully crafted and sharp enough to feel genuinely authentic. The characters are vividly drawn, with depth and charm that allow them to resonate with the reader. At the same time, the novel is enriched with evocative details of 19th-century New York, skillfully balancing opulence with an underlying darkness, adding layers of complexity to the text.

The Gods Time Forgot stands out as a refined and confident debut, showcasing the author’s talent for crafting immersive and well-balanced narratives. A novel that undoubtedly leaves a lasting impression.

DNF at 28%

The blurb sounded interesting, and something I would enjoy, but unfortunately, this book wasn’t for me.

The pacing was so slow, and honestly I felt like falling asleep while reading. The beginning and first few chapters were promising, but after those, there was basically nothing happening. To me, the characters felt “flavorless” and flat (especially the FMC, Rua), and I would have hoped to see a bit more world-building.

I think the story has potential, but it would need more work and editing.

“The Gods Time Forgot” tells the story of Rua, who wakes up in the body of socialite Emma Harrington without any memories. Finn, lord of Donore, has traveled from Ireland and is working on integrating himself into New York society. The integration of Irish mythology with Gilded Age New York just really didn’t work for me, I found the plot uninteresting, and the characters uninspired. Not exactly a bad book, but so boring that I just don’t have much else more to say about it.

In this house, we support women’s rights but moreso we support women’s wrongs. Rua will continue to hold onto my heart for years to come. The plot was fantastic, the action was gripping, and watching Rua find her way was breathtaking. Kelsie Sheridan Gonzalez will be a must by author for me moving forward. This book was utterly captivating.

It was a beautiful tale of two beings who are meant to be together, who are soulmates in every lifetime but they are met with a tragic ending. But despite everything they oppose fate and find their happily ever after.

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC of this pretty book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was described as "perfect for fans of Outlander and A Fate Inked in Blood." Because of this premise, I was excited to read this book. After a promising start, the story's pacing slowed. The characters no longer held my interest, and I struggled to read it past the first act. For a book being marketed as a fantasy, there was not enough magic and mythology to hold my interest. Therefore, I will not be finishing this book.

“Their chemistry was undeniable. A perfect combination of attraction and curiosity; he’d never experienced anything like it. A desire so raw, he’d let the world burn for the chance he might satiate it.”

That quote is the highlight of the book for me. We encounter some good banter between our MCs, all set in historical 1870 America. Once we got about 20% through the book, then I couldn’t put this book down, but more so to find out what happened and to get some history on Irish gods I know nothing about.

We start out with our FMC, Rua, who doesn’t remember who or where she is. However, she finds herself in Emma Harrington’s body. As the story progresses, we learn more about Rua and Emma’s history, which are both pretty twisted. And, to add an extra layer of intrigue, her fate is twisted with Finn Donore (our MMC), who basically saves the day.

I wish there was more fantasy to the book. Really, it’s almost historical romance with the beginning and end dealing with these supernatural Irish gods, so to speak. The historical romance I very much enjoyed: balls and fancy dresses, drama between cliques, narrow escapes from doom! However, some of these elements weren’t completely fleshed out and seemed frivolous by the end. For example, having Emma’s gowns being made by the best seamstress in town. We get one big scene, but that’s it. This story focused on the history and politics of 1870 Manhattan too much, when it should have been focusing on the drama of the Morrígan three and Cu Chulain history and interactions in the present. Not enough fantasy, sadly.

Throughout the story, we get flashbacks of past events, but they happen in a sudden way that kind of confuses the reader. The person experiencing them doesn’t show outward signs or are sometimes dreaming… it just seems interjected into conversation and then the character knows what has happened.

Overall, I appreciated the mention of a mythology I’m unfamiliar with. If the story made a little more sense and gelled better, it might have received a better rating.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Alcove Press for allowing me to read an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This book will be published April 8th, 2025.

When Rua is rescued from a hole in the ground, she has no memory of her life other than her name. But she's mistaken for Emma Harrington, the daughter of a wealthy Gilded Age family. Criticized mercilessly by her social climbing mother for not conforming to the social mores of her class, Rua tries to fit in while waiting for her memories to return. She discovers that she can go back where she came from through a Hellmouth hole, but only on certain holidays.

When her family returns to NYC, Rua meets Finn, an Irish lord looking to become part of the city's ruling class. The two feel a pull toward one another that they can't explain. But getting romantically involved with a social outcast would foil all of Finn's plans.

This is a long book that mostly focuses in the first half on Rua's life as Emma and the abuse of her mother and by members of the city's upper class. Little by little both the reader and Rua learn more about her background and her connection to Finn.

I found the book very engaging, especially in the second half. All told, I'm going with four stars.

I was provided an ARC by the publisher via NetGalley.

This book was really good! I loved the premise of it, being set in New York City during the Gilded Age, not knowing who you really are or why you are here, and Irish mythology. I was hooked from the beginning. I loved the Irish mythology in the book. I have not red a lot of that in books before. I also loved the romance in this book. Finn and Rua were such interesting characters.

I loved this intoxicating romantic fantasy!! This story is set in New York during the gilded age which made this book even more exciting! Detailed descriptions coupled with Irish Mythology is like nothing I have read in the past. Engaging from start to finish.

The Gods Time Forgot by Kelsie Sheridan Gonzalez had such an interesting premise, blending the grit of Irish mythology with the glamour of Gilded Age New York and it started out strongly with a dramatic opening chapter that really caught my attention and drew me into the mystery of the story. I was hoping for a better balance between the mythology and the historical fiction aspects of the story but it definitely skewed more heavily towards the historical with lots of detailed descriptions of gowns and parties. In fact at times it was almost easy to forget that the story had any fantasy aspects at all. While I can appreciate attention to detail and vivid descriptions I do not want them at the expense of well developed characters and a plot that moves along and unfortunately that is what I found happening in this book. The pacing started out fine but definitely slowed significantly in the middle and then the ending felt very rushed which is a shame. This is a book that has potential and I am sure will find its audience, I think unfortunately it just was not for me.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

This book was so promising. A riff on Irish mythology...the Morrigan and Cú Chulainn set in 1870s New York has all the elements I normally eat up in a book: Societal pressure, mystery, mythology...should have easily been a 5 star book for me.

Unfortunately, this missed the mark for me. The beginning had me pulled in immediately, and then the pacing started to get off...slowing way down. I didn't really feel connected to any of the characters. And I feel like pulling in the mythology was an afterthought, once it was pulled more fully in, explaining the strings that are strewn throughout the stories and how they tie together felt forced and rushed, and the ending felt sudden and jolted.

Gods, Memory Loss & a love that transcends time and place.
This book was for sure one I really wasn’t sure which way it would go. Would I like it? Would I hate it?
But I will say I was pleasantly surprised with Rua and Fin’s romance setting in the 1870’s. The dialogue for Rua was for sure ahead of that time period where women were pretty much for decor. She fought the system but it was like putting bonfire against the ever rising tides of misogyny and just all around cattiness of that time period.
The story for sure dragged in some aspects where it kind of became repetitive with then wanting each other and then not wanting each other then wanting each other again.
The main thing I would change is to give the secondary characters more depth. I just felt like they were just there to push the plot. Which isn’t bad but I wanna feel more of a rounded cast of characters outside the main duo.
Overall this book was a 3.25 Star read.
Would I recommend it?
Hmm in some aspects yes CuaSe of the time period and the memory loss love trope. No in the sense that it wasn’t a major stand out, for me anyways.
I’d like to thank NetGalley for the ARC of this book. I am forever thankful for the honor.