I can definitely see why the book comps what it does, and saw the author's pitch clearly within it, but overall the prose was difficult for me to stick with. A little overwrought without being lyrical. Still a solid read and will probably be a very enjoyable book for fans of histfic that yearn for that romantasy emotional core.

This was an interesting read and I don't quite know what to make of it. I think for some historical romance fans this could be a new favourite but it didn't quite hit the mark for me. The first 30-50% of the book was a little too slow with not enough progression for my taste, although if you like a slow burn then this might hit for you. The fantasy is very light which I don't mind but I do which it was explored more, it was all shoved in at the very end that didn't feel finished to me.

The relationship was good, although I think it should have been explored a little more, like is Finn just a mortal reincarnated? Is he now a true demi god again? Because I assumed that they needed to go back to wherever but now they don't have to? Why did Rua have some powers? It just didn't make a lot of sense to me, but that could also just be a me being nit picky or missing something. Also, I wish there was a solid female friendship in the book, it felt very isolating and mean on purpose to make the reader feel extra bad for Rua even though she is technically a morally grey character who murders people and I wish we got to lean into that more. I would have felt WAY different if Mara was a girls girl, helping Rua figure shit out, commiserating over not knowing what happened to Emma, and then Rua doesn't care if she lives or dies at the end.

Anyway, this is definitely for someone, it was well written, the characters feel fleshed out, I don't mind the world building and I definitely don't mind not knowing every nook and cranny about the fantasy elements, I just wish there was a little bit more exploration into what we were shown.

First of all, many thanks to the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book!

Well, I don't have many things to say about this book, unfortunately it wasn't a revolutionary experience for me and I was expecting much more, but it was still a good read.

I found the universe to be a bit creative and the writing is quite enjoyable, without errors or disconnected slang and quite consistent with a fantasy world. The characters are quite likable too, especially the male protagonist.

I think the biggest problem for me was the lack of connection. Despite many positive points, I didn't find the book as entertaining and it wasn't as unique as I expected it to be. At many moments I struggled to maintain my concentration because I really found the book a bit boring.

Despite all this, I am grateful to have had this reading experience and I thank you again for offering me this book.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this book!

Unfortunately, this was a huge miss for me. I ended up not being able to finish it because there was nothing compelling me to do so in what I had read. Neither the writing style nor the characters worked for me and I found the aspects of magic and gods severely lacking.

As someone who was not a fan of Outlander (I know, I know father the pitchforks) but this was so beautifully done I was swept away within minutes. The atmospheric tone of this book absolutely captures you, the FMC/all ladies involved are so incredibly cool I just wanted to be their friends. And lastly, most importantly, this was a love story for the ages. I loved it wholeheartedly. I wish I could read it again for the first time.

Set before the Manhattan skyline with a Celtic twist, The Gods Time Forgot is a whirlwind of balls, badass women, and perhaps the best part—a love story spanning centuries.

As someone whose kryptonite comes in the form of the fated/soulmates trope, this was exactly my cup of tea. Throw in a splash of mystery and magic, and I’m sold.

I adored the setting/time period and felt it brought a super fresh take to the mythology. Those eagerly awaiting the next season of a certain regency show can expect to find an equally immersive experience in Rua and Finn’s story.

A swoon-worthy romance through the eyes of two individuals who can’t remember who they really are is both full of yearning and immediate tantalizing intimacy. It was so much fun to watch their memories slowly return the more they interacted, but also to see the progression of the other mysterious happenings surrounding their shared bought of amnesia.

For lovers of Bridgerton & Reign, this story is the perfect blend of folklore, fate, and feelings that stretch across time itself.

This story had a lot of promise, but fell a bit flat on execution.

I loved the Gilded Age New York setting for this story and how the societal restrictions of the time impacted the plot. I wanted a bit more from the characters and found it hard to be invested in their struggles. At times, it felt like this novel wasn't sure what it wanted to be; historical romance or fantasy. When the author focused on one were the times I felt this novel shined.

Ultimately, this story felt a little disconnected and unsure of its goal. There were scenes that needed to be cut to maintain the plot focus and also scenes that needed to be added for the same reason.

Overall this book was an enjoyable read, with an unusual and entertaining premise, and some great characters. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance reader copy.

Thank you to Netgalley and Alcove Press for the digital arc of this book. I really wanted to love this book, but unfortunately, it just fell flat in so many ways for me. The overall writing is well written, but the story line felt a little all over the place. I found the change in povs to be harsh and the overall plot to have a lot of holes. Unfortunately just a miss in my opinion.

This book was so intriguing and had my attention in the beginning. Mysterious Rua shows up in the woods and is presumed to be missing socialite Emma Harrington. Set in the gilded aged New York City, we follow Rua as she grapples with having no memory of who she is or how she got there, while also pretending to be Emma. We learn that Emma was a troubled girl who is bullied and abused by not only the upper class, but her own mother.
After Rua’s run in with handsome and sought after Finn, the Lord of Donore, the two realize their connection feels familiar. Along the way, they both remember their pasts and try to put the pieces together.
The fantasy elements of this are inspired by Irish mythology, specifically the Morrigan. I really think this had so much protection, but unfortunately the fantasy aspect was lacking. We only got brief flashbacks from both Rua and Finn that didn’t really do anything to progress the fantasy plot.
We spent the majority of the book in all the social dinners and events where Emma (Rua) constantly gets scrutinized and her mother threatens to send her away. This really doesn’t stop the whole way through. It’s a constant cycle. The ending was extremely abrupt. I actually had to flip forward to see if there was more because I thought, no way it ends like this?
Ultimately, I really liked the idea of this Irish fantasy/romantasy, but the execution was lacking in many areas.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for this E-ARC!

There was a lot happening in this book… I liked the elements of Irish mythology mixed in with the 1870s era and the romance, which had a lot of banter. I think the pacing could have been better, but overall, I really liked this!

It was hard to follow the flow of the story. It was also hard to understand whose POV I was reading because there was no clear indication when it was changing. I liked the premise of the story but the execution of it wasn't done as well. I also feel like the end was very abrupt.

What an interesting romantasy! I really enjoyed the way Gonzalez wove in some Irish mythology into the storyline. I also loved Rua’s feisty character and the vivid depiction of 19th-century Manhattan, capturing both its glittering wealth and the darker underbelly of New York, as well as the haughty pettiness of high society. I also appreciated the way Gonzalez depicted life the 1870s, when one’s wealth wasn’t enough to be accepted into Manhattan’s “royalty”, and women were not credited with having any intelligence, were not allowed to voice their opinions, or have any interests beyond discussing the latest fashion. Recommended for lovers of romantasy and fantasy. (Full review on my blog)

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC copy

Holy crap I'm OBSESSED with this book. The prose was gorgeous, the characters were so real. The banter, the wit, the 1870s insults! *chef's kiss*

Love the references to Irish mythology and the swoon-worthy romance. The pacing towards the end especially seemed rushed and the ending very abrupt. I do think readers will expect an epilogue or some conclusion after such a sudden ending! Nevertheless, a fun historical romantasy!

Beautifully written story of an aristocratic woman woken up in the woods with a blank mind and an Irish immigrant who is struggling to fit into the high society of New York set in the 19th century. Both feel a weird pull to each other and soon find out why...

There were some critical points i can't help but complain about:

- repetitive story (it was quite tiresome to go through the same moments again and again)
- lack of promised Irish mythology and forgotten gods (at least in this first installment)
- lack of description and too many actions per centimeter
- ending... omg, that was poor and rushed.


I think this one requires thorough editing and revision of the ending. It has good potential :)

I wanted to like this - I read it quickly, it was not bad but I kept waiting for more of the fantasy element. Early on, the FMC had no memory and there were some flashbacks but the relevance wasn’t really clear - that was ok, sometimes things don’t feel like they make sense and it becomes clear later. It mostly continued as a historical fiction with a romance story and flashbacks. Only towards the end did the fantasy aspects come into it more. The story was slower throughout and then quite rushed in the conclusion. I liked the Irish mythology, and I enjoyed the MCs and their relationship. The side characters were pretty much all awful, there were no redeeming qualities for any of them. The setting was great, early 20th century New York. The writing style was easy to read. I did enjoy it but after the rush towards the end, I was ok with it ending, though confused that the FMCs family never arrived at the end. It had promise but just kind of fizzled unfortunately.

Unfortunately this was a big miss. It‘s been more than a month since I finished this and I hoped that time would make a difference but I still feel the same: this was undeniably messy.
The pacing was so off and it dragged on forever. While the characters had some chemistry that I enjoyed, this wasn‘t enough to save the book for me. The ending was sort of abrupt and as a reader I felt unprepared for the revelations. Overall sadly not satisfying. 2,5⭐️

I enjoyed this Romantasy! I do feel that the pacing was off a lot of the story, but it was enjoyable!

I loved the premise of the book, but the delivery of it just wasn't for me. The slow burn was a little too explicit and less below the surface than I would have liked. I also felt like the ending wrapped up too quickly and I was left feeling as if some things were unresolved. I did enjoy learning about the Irish folklore and loved some of the fantasy that was involved!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! All opinions are my own.