A total treat for anyone who loves a dark, romantic twist on a classic! S. L. Breaker takes the familiar bones of Alice in Wonderland and turns it into something much more intense, moody, and deeply romantic.

The way the concept of "time" is woven into the plot, not just as a ticking clock, but as a literal trap for the characters' heart, is so clever and kept me completely hooked. Wonderland feels wonderfully eerie and lush, making it the perfect backdrop for a high-stakes romance that feels both nostalgic and brand new.

The tension between the leads is absolutely electric! The "enemies-to-lovers" energy is top-tier, and the chemistry is so thick you could cut it with a Vorpal sword. While some of the riddles and dream-like logic got a little dizzying in the middle of the book, the emotional payoff was 100% worth it. It’s a fast-paced, magical, and spicy adventure that I couldn't put down.

If you want a fairy tale retelling that is a bit darker and a lot more passionate than the original, you are going to love this! Thanks for the arc!

This was really engaging from start to finish. I would absolutely check out more from this author. I would recommend this one to my followers.

Trapped by clocks and hearts twists whimsy into shadow, turning wonderland into a realm of danger and obsession. Love and madness collide in a beautifully twisted tale where every heartbeat and tick of the clock counts.

Darkly enchanting and couldn't put down

Trapped by Clocks and Hearts is a whimsical, darkly enchanting reimagining of Alice in Wonderland—one that leans into romance, danger, and the strange magic of a world that feels both familiar and entirely new. From the moment Rabb Silverhope steps onto the page, all sharp charm and lethal purpose, the story hums with tension. He’s the Queen of Hearts’ most notorious assassin, a man who steals women’s hearts—literally—for his monarch to consume. He’s never failed a mission. Until Allie.

Allie, who isn’t really Allie at all.

Her amnesia gives the book a lovely, haunting quality. She’s a blank slate wandering through Wünder, a land full of clockwork oddities, twisted fairy‑tale logic, and dangers wrapped in beauty. She doesn’t know who she is or how she arrived here—only that she must find her way home. And the cruelest twist is that her blank, untouched heart is exactly what the Queen wants most.

The slow‑burn tension between Allie and Rabb is the beating centre of the story. He’s meant to manipulate her, charm her, deliver her heart on a platter. Instead, he finds himself drawn to her in ways he can’t explain—ways that threaten the carefully locked doors of his own past. Their dynamic has that delicious enemies‑to‑lovers pull: wary glances, reluctant trust, sparks that flare in the quiet moments between danger.

The worldbuilding is playful and eerie in equal measure, full of ticking clocks, shifting paths, and the sense that Wünder itself is watching. As the secrets of Rabb’s past entwine with the mystery of Allie’s identity, the stakes rise beautifully, turning the story into a race against time, fate, and the Queen’s hunger.

Romantic, adventurous, and threaded with a touch of steam, Trapped by Clocks and Hearts is a magical, addictive fairytale retelling that blends whimsy with peril and delivers a love story worth falling into.

With thanks to SL Breaker, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC

Thank you NetGalley and Zeta Indie Publishing for this eCopy to review.

S. L. Breaker delivers a whimsical, dangerous, slow‑burn romantasy set in a twisted Wonderland‑inspired realm. Trapped by Clocks and Hearts is playful, seductive, and surprisingly emotional.

⚔️ Plot Summary
In the magical, unpredictable Land of Wünder, notorious assassin Rabb Silverhope serves the terrifying Queen of Hearts by doing the one thing he excels at: making women fall for him so he can literally steal their hearts for the Queen to consume. Charming, lethal, and morally grey, Rabb has never failed a mission.

Until he captures Allie, a girl with no memories, no past, and no name of her own.

“Allie” awakens in Wünder as a blank slate, her heart untouched by magic, her mind wiped clean. She doesn’t know how she arrived in this world, only that she must return home. But her blank heart is exactly what the Queen wants most — a rare delicacy with the power to unlock ancient magic.

Rabb is ordered to deliver her.
But Allie is immune to his seduction.
And that terrifies him more than the Queen ever has.

As the two travel through Wünder’s enchanted forests, shifting clockwork landscapes, and the Queen’s treacherous court, Rabb begins to suspect that Allie’s heart holds the key to his own forgotten past, a past he’s been magically prevented from remembering.

Their forced proximity turns into reluctant partnership, then into something far more dangerous: desire. But with the Queen hunting them, time running out, and Allie’s memories threatening to return, both must decide what they’re willing to sacrifice.

Will Rabb betray the Queen… or Allie?
And can Allie trust the man who was sent to kill her?

Breaker blends whimsy, danger, and romance into a world that feels both familiar and freshly imagined.

🗝️ What I Loved Most
Rabb is a perfect morally grey MMC — charming, conflicted, and falling first.
Allie’s STEM‑minded logic contrasts beautifully with Wünder’s chaos.
The Wonderland‑inspired world is whimsical, eerie, and full of clever twists.
Excellent forced proximity and slow‑burn tension.
The emotional stakes rise steadily as Rabb’s past unravels.
Readers who enjoy enemies‑to‑lovers romantasy or fairytale retellings with a dark twist will be especially hooked.

❤️‍🔥 Final Thoughts
Trapped by Clocks and Hearts is a fun, romantic, and imaginative reimagining that balances danger, banter, and heart. Perfect for fans of morally grey heroes, magical worlds, and slow‑burn fantasy romance with a touch of steam.

I love a good retelling or alternate version of a classic story. This was an enjoyable one. Allie ends up in Wunder without her memories and without a heart. She meets Rabb who is insistent on saving her - but it may not be for the reason you think it is. This was a lovely retelling of the classic story, and there was an edge of darkness to it which really added to the story. I liked the characters and the plot line, and how the author has twisted the original into their own version.