This novel started off strong with an intriguing concept. The main character, Rua, finds herself in unfamiliar surroundings in the late 1800’s. Those around her believe she has amnesia, but she is convinced she is not who they all think she is. She navigates this new life while trying not to make mistakes that will negatively affect her “family”. As she tries to recover her memories and solve the
mystery of who she is, an undeniable attraction draws Rua and the Irish born Finn over and over again even though he knows he should stay away. The interaction and romance between the two is satisfying to read and I was invested in the outcome of where their paths would lead, However, just as the final arc tension was mounting the story ended. It felt abrupt and frustrating. I truly expected more of a battle between the characters, as if the final chapters were missing. Had the ending gone a little further into the story I would have given it 4 stars.

I LOVED this book so much! The world building is so good. I loved the characters and some of the characters I hated!! UGH- the MOM (iykyk). I loved the slow heat of the sweet romance was really enjoyable as well.

I'm sorry to say this was a DNF for me at 27%. The story didn't really pull me in, and neither did the main leads.

3.5 ⭐️
I was so intrigued going into The Gods Time Forgot. A mysterious girl with no memory mistaken for a disgraced socialite? High society secrets? An Irish lord with secrets of his own? Count me in. And to its credit, the book does deliver on atmosphere—think opulent balls, sharp tongues, and just enough scandal to keep your teacup full.

Rua, our main character, is taken in by the Harringtons who believe she’s their long-lost daughter, Emma. From there, she’s thrust into the spotlight of New York’s elite—who do not forget a scandal. Rua’s sharp, unbothered, and honestly hilarious at times. Her deadpan responses and general disregard for high society etiquette gave me a few good laughs, and I enjoyed the early stages of her tension-filled connection with Finn, our broody Irish lord. Their banter? Solid. Their chemistry? Simmering, though perhaps not quite sizzling.

But for all its potential, the story didn’t quite stick the landing.

The pacing is a real issue. After a strong opening, things slow way down. The middle of the book feels like a cycle on repeat—party, scandal, Finn rescue, mom disapproval, rinse and repeat. While that structure could’ve worked with stronger tension or deeper reveals, it starts to drag when the plot keeps promising magic and mystery but gives us…more etiquette lessons. For a story pitched as steeped in Irish mythology and dark magic, the fantasy elements were frustratingly minimal, almost nonexistent. If you’re expecting a lush world of fae lore or a deep magical system, you might be left waiting (and waiting…).

The writing itself has bright moments, but it also feels rough in places. There’s a lot of telling over showing, and some of the transitions felt choppy or underdeveloped. Rua’s lack of curiosity about Emma’s past also really held the story back. For someone who’s literally been dropped into another girl’s life, she barely investigates. That could’ve been a compelling mystery thread—but instead, we get breadcrumbs that lead nowhere until the final 15%, when suddenly things get interesting… and then the book ends.

There’s a really solid idea at the heart of this novel. The bones are there: a scandal-ridden girl impersonating someone she might actually be, enemies-to-lovers romance, and a chance to explore mythology through a Gilded Age lens. But it needs more: more magic, more momentum, and more character depth beyond snarky quips and dramatic entrances.

That said, it’s not a total loss—fans of historical romance who want just a hint of magic and some high society drama will probably still find it worth the read. I’ll be curious to see if the next book digs deeper, because this world has serious untapped potential.

An unfortunate DNF at 43%.

I really wanted to enjoy this story. I was pulled in by the description, excited about the Irish mythology and a good slow burn romance. Instead, what I found was a plot that barely smoldered and couldn't hold my attention. At almost half way through, our heroine Rua had learned almost nothing about how she had come to be in her situation. Every single event that had occurred up until that point had felt tiringly similar. A social faux pas, the mysterious Lord of Denore saving the day even though he knows he should not, the threat of institutionalization, rinse and repeat.

There is potential here, I just think that this read suffered from a lack of good pacing or a lack of a hook to keep the reader intrigued. I may pick this back up some day and try again, but right now it's a no for me.

This did not hook me and left me very confused in the first chapter.
Maybe that's on purpose to reflect what the character is experiencing but I did not care to continue.
DNF 4%
arc provided by Netgalley

Rua remembers nothing but her name. So she lets the wealthy Harrington family think she is their missing daughter Emma while she tries to figure out the truth. She has memories of another world, one laced with darkness. Trying to fit in 1870s Manhattan society, she is drawn to the 'not for her' Lord of Donore, come for business from Ireland. He also feels like he knows her. An ancient secret connects them, and as they rediscover it they must save the future.

It is like we emerge into the story, no introduction, no prologue — nothing, though certainly in an attention-grabbing way. We are discovering this world along with the protagonist and share her sense of newness and that something is not right. The mystery of why she looks like social pariah Emma and the glimpses of another place elevate the intrigue. The frequent use of consecutive short paragraphs caters to a state of immediacy enhances the need to know what happens next. But the narrative has a tangible stillness, a solemnity even when things go crazy. The author uses gorgeous figurative speech to bring forth vivid imagery that is deeply expressive.

The writing has a descriptive nature that helps us visualize the time period admirably, the environment, the societal pressures, the prejudices, the position of women. Trying to be in the good graces of this so-called high, though certainly self-serving, society is exhausting for our main characters and there is drama. Thanks to their backhanded or outright nasty comments, their hurtful actions, there are quite a few characters I would like to slap silly. Rua does not take it lying down and answers accordingly and boy do her remarks cut them down to size.

The protagonists' humorous 'meet-hate' ignites a spark and you get excited for this prospective couple. She is delightfully feisty and her comments are chuckle-worthy zingers but he holds his own. I love the fact that they are trying not to like each other but cannot resist, and this turmoil of emotions — including the way they feel like they already know one another — is depicted deliciously. There are some unfortunately repetitive thoughts, too many comments about reputation, even on the same page, that threw me out of the generally good flow of the story. But I am so glad we get to see both sides of this budding/possibly renewed relationship. Their encounters are swoon-inducing with romance and often comical due to unexpected things occurring.

Details of the inspired by Irish mythology fantastical element lightly season the narrative from the beginning. The upper-class drama is interesting, though I do wish some scenes were tighter to give more time to the fantasy aspect of the story. I needed more of the fantasy side of the story. Leading to the finale, things get intense as the truth gradually sneaks up on them and I couldn't put it down. Their situation turns on the heart-wrenching, becoming increasingly dangerous and leads to an undeniably wild ride of an ending.

A second chances, very different enemies to lovers historical romance, captivating and yearnful.

3.5 rounded up
The Gods Time Forgot by Kelsie Sheridan Gonzalez
I first saw this on tiktok when it was still in draft form, so I was so excited to hear that it was going to be published. I was intrigued by the concept of Irish gods sent to Gilded Age New York. Overall I did find it enjoyable but I struggled with the very quick ending that left a lot unresolved.
I enjoyed the mythology flashbacks that are interwoven into the book, but these could have been used more to highlight the stakes. There was a lot of focus on the society dynamics and the main character being institutionalized depending on her behavior, which seemed a bit too forgiving.
If you like romantasy, historical fiction, mythology, and gods in alternate settings you might be interested!

Thank you NetGalley and Alcove Press for an ARC!

CWs:
Graphic: Violence, Death, Sexism
Moderate: Murder, Infidelity, Blood
Minor: Forced institutionalization

I was super intrigued by the description and premise of this book - Outlander meets A Fate Inked In Blood but I ended up being kind of disappointed. Run crawls out of a Hell Hole and finds herself in 1870s New York. People think she is a young woman, Emma, who has been a bit of a trouble maker but it is time for her to make her debut into society and her family is trying to stay successful in their business plans amidst her scandals. We also get the POV of Finn, a young Irish businessman, who is opening a hotel with Rua's "father" and another man. As an Irish immigrant he is fighting against discrimination and doesn't want any drama. But he can Rua feel pulled to one another and he just might be the clue to who she really is and where she came from.

It isn't a particularly spicy book (fade to black) but there is romance. I wish we had gotten more of the mythology/world building of the magic but we rushed through that and there isnt' going to be another book.

When I read the synopsis of this book, it sounded intriguing. I was not disappointed. It didn't take long to really get into the story and once I was in, I was hooked. The mystery, the scandal, the characters complicated past and present...it all just sucks you in. I 100% recommend this book. This is a story I would like to read again.

Why couldn’t she remember her name?

The Gods Time Forgot had an intriguingly mystery start with leads that had catch your attention flickering chemistry but stagnated too much in the middle and delivered a rushed ending. Told from the leads, Emma/Rua and Finn's point-of-view, readers come into the story as a girl awakes lost in the woods, without her memory. A search party is crowding her and calling her Emma, but she doesn't recognize or feel that name. When the searchers express horror at her standing in a river, without harm, and she flicks water at a man, which in turn burns him, she's frightened into going where they want to lead her. She's brought back to her home and is impressed by the grandeur but still doesn't recognize anything. A portrait on the wall looks exactly like her and we learn she is supposed to be Emma Harrington, the only daughter of a rich tycoon in Gilded Age New York.

After what they’d just done— after what Badb had made Rua do? How dare she speak of love. Rua let out a sob.
“I have done this for us,” Badb said, desperate to make Rua believe it. She cupped Rua’s cheek, blood lust swirling in the gold of her eyes. “I will protect you, always.”
Lies. Rua jerked her head away.

While Emma goes along with the identity everyone has given her, she starts to have memories of a different place, time, and called Rua. In that place and time, she loved a man called Cú Chulainn (Irish mythology is woven into the story). It's hard for Emma to act proper and she has the looming threat of her mother telling her if she doesn't act right, she'll be sent to an asylum. Her maid, Mara, seems to know what happened in the woods but is cagey about giving Emma any true answers. When the Harrington family arrives in New York City, Emma meets a Lord Donore, Finn, and they are instantly drawn to each other. We don't get much about Finn, except that he's trying to get in with society's elite so that he can gain enough money to support his charitable works. He's in business with one of the top families and is about to propose to their daughter. After the beginning of the story's allure, who is Emma really?, what happened between the time she entered the “hellmouth” and left it?, and what do these memories/dreams mean?, the middle stagnated with Emma/Rua contemplating the same questions over and over without many trickling answers given, and Finn constantly saying he couldn't have anything to do with Rua because it would ruin his reputation and thus money flow.

She continued walking, flexing her palm, wondering why she could still feel the touch of his hand on her skin.

As we get a little more from Finn in the latter second half, we learn that he is also having dreams of a different time and place and when Rua and Finn finally confide into each other about their dreams, the story and pace finally leaves the embedded in place of Rua trying to behave to appease her mother and Finn trying not to be drawn to Rua so he can marry rich and high society, and we get movement on the Irish mythology woven in plot. If Morrígan; Macha, Badb, Nemain are names that mean anything to you, then you'll have some knowledge to where the story is heading and if it's all new to you, you'll probably enjoy some of the reveals. I liked the Irish mythology inclusion and general plot idea but it stagnated far too long. I know the middle is supposed to be where Rua and Finn are falling in love but after that initial spark of chemistry, it felt more like words telling me they were made to be together instead of providing the emotion.

The man was quarrelsome and arrogant, born to be her adversary. But there was something else there, something warm and familiar, and it felt like hers.

The ending will give you the hows and whys of Emma/Rua and Finn but, for me, left out some dynamic scenes of confrontation and overcoming with key characters (Badb). I don't know, it just felt like the ending was left dangling, even though it was sort of wrapped up. The Irish mythology was a delightful additive but the story's pace stagnated too much for me in the middle.

The premise of this book is super cool. A God and Demi God forced apart for centuries by betrayal and duty, stripped of their memories, and brought together in a new world. As their memories return, they are drawn back together.

Unfortunately it was too long, super slow, at 50% there was still a ton to be revealed, and then when it finally got going, it abruptly ended.

Stunning and beautifully written fantasy romance. Amnesia trope laced with Irish mythology woven into a gilded age standalone romance. Perfect for fans of bridgerton.

I loved this one! I loved the historical setting of this book and the mystery behind the FMCs amnesia! I loved the plot of this book it was entertaining and had me hooked from the first page! I also read enjoyed the romance in this one I thought the characters had a lot of chemistry! The ending I feel a bit rushed, I just wish we had gotten a bit more from it rather than it end so suddenly. Overall though great read that I definitely recommend checking out!

I was interested in this book because of the title and the summary, however I couldn’t fully get into the story.

I really enjoyed that it was set in the 1800’s and I haven’t read a book before about Irish mythology which was interesting!

This was just okay.
I was so excited to read this as the premise sounds like something I would like, but this one just didn’t work for me.
The pacing felt off, the ending was abrupt; the only real saving grace was the romance and banter.
Overall, I was just really disappointed and almost thought of dnfing this multiple times.

2.5/5 stars

I was really intrigued in the beginning but unfortunately this just lost my attention and I couldn't get it back. I ended up DNFing.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book. This review is voluntary and is my honest feedback.

This book took me a while to get into but once I did, I sort of enjoyed it.

I felt that the book was more of a historical romance with a hint of fantasy, rather than the overused ‘romantasy’ trope. As with other books of this genre, Rua and Finn’s relationship developed a little too quickly for me, so it did take me a while to become invested in their story.

I did enjoy the affluent Manhattan setting. I also enjoyed the Irish mythology, as it’s something I haven’t read about much before, but I wish there was more of it.

I started this, but it aside until I completely forgot about it and then tried reading it again and was bored.

I was originally invested, but found that I was easily bored and underwhelmed as it went on. I couldn’t tell you a single plot point except that it’s in New York and that she’s a social climber. Supposedly there is a romance but I didn’t see it within the plot because it was so flat

The concept of this book totally caught my eye—Gilded Age setting, Irish mythology, and loved an mysterious identity twist with a possible storyline with gods, really intrigued me.
That said… I’ll admit historical fiction isn’t always my go-to genre, and this leaned a bit too hard into the slow pacing for me which really made it hard to get into it and read and I had to convince myself not to DNF several times. And just when the plot started picking up, the ending came in super fast without much payoff in comparison to the slow start. I would've loved more time to sit with the story, or at least an epilogue to round things out bit better
The romance and banter had potential, and I can see the appeal if you love a slow, atmospheric build. But for me, it really needed more tension and character depth to really land as a good enjoyable read for me