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✨ “I assure you this is all very real” “But you just said that you’re a memory. You can’t be real.” “Why not? Memories are the realest thing any of us have Lisavet ✨

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Lisavet Levy and Amelia Duquesne as they navigate the “time space” a library filled with memories and a secret organization seeking to control history. Lisavet becomes a keeper of memories and meets an American spy, Ernest who sparks a journey to change history.

My Thoughts: *minor spoilers

DUDE WHAT IS THERE TO SAYYYY... WORDS DO NOT GIVE IT JUSTICE OF HOW FANTASTIC THIS NOVEL WAS!

OH. MY. GOSH let me tell you something RIGHT NOW, this book... buckle up because you will be going for a RIDE I will guarantee you that; yes ma’ am 👏👏I loved the poet references likeee helllo, and the fact that it stayed throughout the entire book was just ughh 😝🥰

PLEASE don’t even get me started on Ernest because the way this MAN is just PURE STANDARDS is not even funny👏👏. THE FACT THAT HE QUOTED POETRY TO HER OH MY GOSHHHH I DON’T KNOW HOW LISAVET DIDN’T FOLD SEVERAL times BECAUSE if it was me... I would have been so DONE👏😝🤪🤭🏃‍♂️‍➡️I freaking loved himm he was definitely added to my book bf list likeee check please thank youuu 🏃‍♂️‍➡️✨

Lisavet LEVYYYY A BADDIE 👏😝😎 she was so awesome, I loved her character so much she took no trash from anybody, didn’t care who you are likeee don’t play with MISSS MA’AMMM. Ayy ayyyy but don’t get it twisted though she made me rage a few times because I was just not agreeing with her choices😒BUT BOY DID SHE AVENGE HERSELF a queeen. The love she had for those she cared about was 🤌❤️‍🔥

Another Quote because it was just everything: “Can you recite a lot of poems like that?”
“Unfortunately, yes”, Ernest said, rubbing the back of his head and refusing to look at her.
“It’s one of my less masculine talents I’m afraid.”

SIRRR UNFORUTANTELYYY?! Like what the heck do you mean LESS that talent is 👏EVERYTHING👏 weird way to propose but 10000 percent YESS I will marry you, and then come to find out HE IS JUST INK ON PAPER like why this is not ok 😭😭

PAUSE 🤔... am I the only one who wanted to know what happened to ANTON?! I WANTED MORE OF HIS STORY WITH AMELIA WE WERE SO ROBBED😭
BROO AND HIS NICKANME FOR HER PLEASE STOP ITTT!!! THAT WAS SO ADORABLE I was SWOONING 🏃‍♂️‍➡️❤️‍🔥

There is so much more to say but dude just read the book and find out for yaself so you can freak out like me :)

Ok now what to expect:

-Multiple POVs

- Time travel romance

- Pre-WWI Germany to Cold war-era America

- Falling in love with my man ERNEST

- Wanting to time travel into novels and fight Jack yourself

TW’s:

Language (hell, damn, b****, s***, uses of The Lord’s name in vain.)

Violence ( gun violence, death, blood, war themes and terrorism)

Romance ( Ch 3 non-explicit scene, ch 7 non-explicit scene, fade to black scenes like 4 times)

Other: ( Smoking, depression, suicide, Holocaust)

As always thank you to Net galley and Hayley Gelfuso this was such a blessing of a book to read and can’t wait to see what other books she comes out with because best believe I'm reading them! Stay Blessed everyone 😊

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

The Book of Lost Hours by Hayley Gelfuso, a well written book that piqued my interest. Sadly this one ultimately failed to hold my interest. I do think others will enjoy it and thank you for giving me a chance with it.

I thought that if I gave it a day or two, I would be able to form thoughts that sounded lovely when written in a review, but to sum up the main feeling of the book: WOW.

I started crying 38% of the way in (thanks, Kindle, for tracking that) and cried on and off the rest of the book.

The amount of times I audibly gasped and went "NO!" was absurd.

The writing was phenomenal. The plot between the two story lines folded together seamlessly. The characters were lovely and flawed and finishing the book left a hole in my heart.

A fantasy must-read with historical points mixed in - truly a beautiful piece of work.

5 stars.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC; all thoughts & opinions are my own.

This book deserves more than just 5 stars, it was absolutely captivating. It has a fantastic plot, the character development is phenomenal with a perfect magical element within the real world. The Author noted that if you were a fan of books like The Time Traveler’s Wife or The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue you would love this book and I whole heartedly agree while it also deserves its own special place. I couldn’t recommend this book enough and have already told people about it.

I really enjoyed the concept behind The Book of Lost Hours, especially the dual timelines, which gave the story a nice rhythm and depth. I also appreciated that the characters weren't perfect — their moral gray areas made them feel much more real and relatable. The historical aspects were a highlight and added great texture to the story. That said, I found the mechanics of time and space a little underdeveloped, especially for a novel so focused on time travel. I was hoping for something a bit more intricate and layered. Some of the plot twists were also fairly predictable, but overall, I still found it an enjoyable and engaging read

Thank you to Hayley Gelfuso and Atria Books for this ARC.

I am not sure how I would classify this book as it has a little bit of everything, sci-fi, intrigue, historical fiction, political commentary, social injustice, romance, and some mystery. Some time travel purists might be put off by how some of the events unfold, but the book is, at times, so beautifully written that any discrepancies in the plot or theory aren’t really an issue. The multiple timeline approach and final converging point added depth to the storyline. Overall and enjoyable read.


Thanks to NetGalley and Atria for the opportunity to read this book!

This is a magical time travel novel. the characters are deep and the world building is great! The story is emotional and sweet and I couldn't finish it fast enough!

DNF. Unfortunately, this one just wasn’t for me. The plot and writing style did very little to keep my attention, and seemed very contrived at times.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC

I really enjoyed the overall feel of the historical element with the time-travel concept, it uses the overall feel that I was looking for and had that element that I was looking for. The characters were everything that I was wanting in this type of book and was engaged with their storyline. Hayley Gelfuso has a strong writing style and was hooked from the first page and how the end worked overall.

The Book of Lost Hours by Hayley Gelfuso is a hauntingly beautiful, page-turning novel that lingers in your thoughts long after you turn the final page. Set against the tense backdrop of the 1960s Cold War and flashing back to the final days of World War II, this story weaves historical fiction with elements of government espionage, mystery, and emotional depth.

Told from multiple perspectives, Gelfuso masterfully layers her characters’ experiences, revealing how memory, identity, and legacy intertwine. As secrets unravel and timelines converge, the novel forces readers to ask deeply human questions: Who will remember us? Are our memories worth saving? These questions are at the heart of a narrative that feels both intimate and grand in scope.

The espionage threads add a gripping edge to the story, but it’s the emotional resonance and thought-provoking themes that truly set this novel apart. With writing that is at once lyrical and suspenseful, Gelfuso captures the fragility of human memory and the power of stories to endure.

Releasing on August 26th, 2025, The Book of Lost Hours is a must-read for fans of historical fiction, thrillers, and thought-provoking literary fiction. Highly recommend adding this one to your shelf—you won’t be able to put it down.

The Book of Lost Hours is a beautifully imagined, atmospheric novel that weaves together history, memory, and time travel in a way that feels both intimate and sweeping. The concept of a timeless library holding the memories of those who came before is haunting and captivating, and the dual timelines of Lisavet and Amelia are equally compelling. While a few pacing issues kept this from being a full five stars for me, the book’s emotional depth and originality made it a standout read. Perfect for fans of The Midnight Library and The Ministry of Time, this is a story about the power of memory and the courage it takes to rewrite history.

Absolutely fantastic book. Will be giving it five stars and recommending it to everyone on my book group on Facebook!

Historical fiction mixed with time travel and magic. Loved it. I’m rarely surprised by twists but this one got me. One of the better books of the year so far.

Historical fiction is not normally my thing but I was happy I took a chance. From the characterization to the settings and the rules of the universe.

Thank you to #NetGalley for an ARC of this novel. If you are a fan of mystical realism and historical fiction this book is for you!

The first character in the novel is Lizavet, her father is a clock maker and also the creator of watches that allow one to enter a library suspended outside of time where the worlds memories are saved. Lisavet ends up locked in here without a watch during Kristalnacht, her father is killed before he can come back for her. She comes of age in this space and sees all that happens here.

There is also Amelia and Moira's story set in 1965, Amelia is grieving the loss of her uncle and Moira is a coworker from a branch of the CIA. Moira becomes the caregiver for Amelia as she has no other family besides her uncle. Moira has many secrets and information she slowly shares with Amelia. All the characters in this novel are distrustful, there are layers of conspiracy, censorship and many opinions on what memories from the world should be allowed to remain in the collective memory library.

It's hard to explain this book without giving too much away. If you are not a fan of sci Fi and stretching reality then I think it would be hard to get into this book. That being said, I am not a huge fan of this type of genre, however this story has notes of censorship and themes that are relevant to our own world history of the victors writing history and the dominant cultures silencing of other voices. There is also elements of coming of age and romance so even if you start getting lost in time theory you get brought back to the familiar love stories and growing pains that repeat no matter the time.

The Book of Lost Hours by Hayley Gelfuso is a mind bending page turner about time, memory, and fate.

In 1938 Germany, Lisavet Levy is the young daughter of a watchmaker with mysterious powers. In order to save her from the Nazi's he pushes her through a magical door conjured by his wristwatch where she becomes lost in time- a library that stores personal and collective memories. In this beguiling place, Lisavet grows up and attracts the attention of a network of spies whose aim is to manipulate time for their own nefarious purposes.

I have read many time-traveling books over the years, and The Book of Lost Hours is the best story I have read. Part mystery, part thriller, with just the right amount of magic, this book pulled me into its beguiling world of espionage and fantasy. Lisavet was an extraordinary character whose transformation was heartbreaking, although one of the best character arcs I have read in a long time. The twists and turns and reveals in this story mirrored the paradoxical nature of time that was explored in a captivating metaphysical way. The notion that time can be manipulated really speaks to the revisionism we see happening in our world, and the sci-fi deep dives into physics and consciousness wove perfectly into the big questions asked in this story about the nature of reality. The book gave vintage science fiction vibes and 1960s spy thriller aesthetics which is making a comeback right now. I couldn't help but think that the magical time space in this story could be the origin story of the library in The Midnight Library by Matt Haig.

I really loved this story and its complex plot and explorations of time- what happens if we change the past? What if there are parallel versions of our lives out there somewhere? Where is the collective consciousness actually stored?

The Book of Lost Hours by Hayley Gelfuso is the perfect read for fans of The Midnight Library and The Adjustment Bureau.

Describing this book as “for lovers of The Midnight Library” really was genius - I loved that one and I loved this one! As far as historical fiction novels go this one had less details about the specific timeframe and more details about the plot when compared to others I’ve read. This story was focused on other aspects with the setting kind of taking a lesser role. I really enjoyed the characters! The main ones were really relatable, and I loathed the antagonist the whole time. I enjoy when a book makes me feel things. The pacing was good. I felt it was slightly slow to start but with the amount of story in this one it came along nicely. I thoroughly enjoyed the author’s writing style - half the time I was in awe at the pretty language and the other half I was wondering how the author would conclude the story. I was also shocked at several plot revelations which kept me engaged with the story. Overall I really loved this book!

My thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for providing a free e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Time travel, the whims of history and love; three messy, complex ideas that would be a challenge to approach alone. Hayley Gelfuso pulls off a remarkable debut by weaving them together into a story that speaks to what it means to be human and find resistance in overwhelming times. Plus, it has good ol’ fashioned pining to keep things interesting.

Without dimming the novel’s voice by way of comparison, the Book of Lost Hours is reminiscent of The Ministry of Time, The Bone Clocks and, surprisingly, The Book Thief. The novel is a story about stories, the importance of memory and the necessary resistance against the co-opting of history while acknowledging the fluidity of an agreed-upon historical canon. If this scattered description of influences and ideas sounds a tad unwieldy and convoluted, then it accurately captures the novel, yet not to the narrative’s detriment. Instead, the maelstrom of ideas and questions swirl around an essential, human love story at the centre, about a boy and a girl, their beliefs, and the world they want to leave behind.
Lisavet Levy is one of two heroines, originally from 1938 but slipping into the liminal timestream at the outset of the story. Amelia Duquesne is her counterpart in 1965 and is slowly unravelling the secret life of her uncle Ernest and his ties to the Temporal Reconnaissance Program with help from the agency’s director, Moira. While the book is plenty plotty, it soars because of the characters. I’m relatively green to historical sci-fi romance — is there an agreed-upon portmanteau like romantasy to make that description a bit less unwieldy — but I found the characters played enough outside of the established tropes to pay respect to the reader’s expectations without losing any sense of originality in the cliches. Gelfuso crafts a layered and complicated cast who are understandable in their motivations without being absolved of their faults or failings. As the novel deals with the world of covert agencies and undercover operators, to give away any more of the characters would take away part of the fun of reading and enjoyment of spending time with the cast. Except for Jack, he encapsulates the repugnancy of a power-hungry bureaucracy.
Again, for fear of spoilers, the less directly on the plot, the better. Gelfuso balances the trappings of a spy novel with the time-spanning historical romance. I was surprised to learn this was her debut, as there was a confidence to the pacing and timeline-hopping between the two protagonists. As this was pitched to me as a romance, there are some familiar turns and beats touched upon, but it would almost be insulting if certain expectations weren’t met.
Even if they’re contained within this one novel, which is surely not the case, these ideas and beliefs matter. The urge to placidly allow the greater forces of powerful men, corporations and governments to steamroll over the world and the progress we have made in an attempt to reshape it into a twisted reflection of their own image on its face seems easier. Doomscrolling through the news or tuning it out entirely feels like the best option when the world feels like it is burning around you, but it's during these times that I find myself seeking out stories of hope and resistance. I’ll fail to describe how the themes of The Book of Lost Hours resonated with me, and there might be a time in twenty years when I revisit it to find that the novel is needlessly optimistic when I’m living in a better world, but for the moment, the story was a balm without ever falling into saccharine complacency.

An interesting read I loved all of the magical aspects. It was all of the things a good book needs; fast-paced, well-written, and hard to put down!

From pre-WWII Germany to the Cold War-era America, The Book of Lost Hours is a love story of a woman who grew up in the time space, a library filled with books containing the memories of all who bore witness to history.

The story had some touching moments that gave me goosebumps! This felt like a Romance sci-fi fantasy, which isn’t my cup of tea (I should’ve considered the genres more carefully). The first half was really heavy on romance, more than I’m used to. The middle was page-turning—the different timelines were done well—very nice! But I couldn’t understand the sci-fi/time aspects so using watches and going inside the memory/books felt more like a magical portal fantasy. This Romance book was not for me after all, but it was overall okay. For fans of The Book of Doors and Romance. Thanks to Atria Books for the opportunity to read an ARC of this novel.