Hello, reader!

It’s time for another #TheWriteReads Ultimate Blog Tour! Today, I’m one of the stops on the tour for a time-travelling love story called Crossing in Time by D.L. Orton. I want to thank Dave @TheWriteReads, Rocky Mountain Press, and the author for sending me a free e-book in exchange for this honest review! I’m excited to give you my thoughts on this fast-paced tale.

That being said, let’s get to it!

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“The past isn’t over, it’s an opening. The future isn’t hidden, it’s a trap.
If she ever wants to see him again, she’ll have to take the risk.

Fall into this “Funny, Romantic & Harrowing” (Publishers Weekly Starred Review) dystopian love story and prepare to encounter a finicky time machine, a mysterious seashell, and a very clever dog (some sex, some swearing, some violence, but no vampires and absolutely NO ditzes!)

When offered a one-way trip to the past, Isabel sacrifices everything for a chance to change the rapidly deteriorating present–and see her murdered lover one last time. When she arrives twenty years in the past, buck naked and mortally wounded, she has 24 hours to convince a stunned but enraptured nineteen-year-old to change their future. Definitely easier said than done, as success means losing him to a brainy, smart-mouthed bombshell (her younger self), and that’s a heart breaker, save the world or not.

This offbeat tale is about falling madly in love when one is too cynical for such things, letting go of pessimism when it’s the last life jacket on a sinking ship, and racing against the clock when one doesn’t have the proper footwear. It’s a coming-of-age story for old fogeys, a how-to-make-love guide for diehard celibates, and a laugh-out-loud tragedy with a hopeful twist.”

• Author: D.L. Orton
• Publisher: Rocky Mountain Press
• Series: Between Two Evils #1
• Publication date: April 21st, 2015
• Genre: Science Fiction/Romance
• Age group: Adult
• Content/Trigger Warnings: Sexual assault, attempted rape, miscarriage, cheating (off-page/implied), animal death

Book Links

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Author Links

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If you don’t know, science fiction is my favorite genre right after fantasy. I’ve loved it since I was a young reader and continue to enjoy it to this day, though I don’t read it nearly as much as fantasy. That being said, there is one aspect of science fiction that has always thrown me off: time travel. I don’t know… I just can’t wrap my mind around it! Whenever I’ve read a book involving time travel, I find myself getting caught up trying to make it make sense and it usually never does. So I had a little trepidation when I discovered that Crossing in Time was centered around the concept.

Thankfully, though this book definitely delves into time travel, there’s so much more to it that kept me intrigued. This was an intensely fast-paced novel that kept me on my toes the entire time! We are thrown directly into the action, meeting one of our main characters, Isabel, as she’s learning to navigate the world after some unnamed disaster has left it in devastation. We’re only with her for a little while before we’re whisked back to the past to see how this story all began and to meet our other main character, Diego. Isabel and Diego’s love story is another core element of this book and possibly the key to saving the world.

I have to say, the pacing of this book is top notch! It’s a longer story, coming in at 412 pages, but the pages flew by. I was so wrapped up in Isabel and Diego’s story that I just couldn’t look away! This is definitely a compulsively readable book that won’t leave you feeling bored at all. The plot can get a tad convoluted, but I think it did a great job of not getting too confusing, even with all the different dimensions and timelines! I will say that there were some plot points that I felt could have simply been mentioned as opposed to written on-page, like the miscarriage. I can see why it could be an important part of the plot, but the graphic depiction personally seemed like it was mostly there for shock value. Still, this was a quick, fun read that kept me engaged the entire time.

Now, let’s talk about the romance. Though I was rooting for Isabel and Diego, I have to be honest, it was hard to do. Mostly because Isabel is absolutely insufferable! I’m surprised there is any universe where Diego doesn’t just give up on her needy, game-playing, obnoxious ass. I understand (kind of… since Isabel is terrible at communicating even though she demands that Diego be better at communicating… ugh) that she has been hurt in the past and has a ton of baggage, but watching her take it out on Diego just made me want to raaaaaaage! I’m not saying Diego is perfect and I’m not saying Isabel needs to be, but I find it hard to get behind a relationship where one of the people is constantly testing the other one. Just… no thank you. That being said, I also hate the miscommunication trope and I know that’s a lot of people’s jam, so, though I couldn’t get into it, I still think it was well-written and could definitely be someone’s cup of tea!

Final thoughts: This is a thrilling, sci-fi romance that is intensely readable. Once you fall into Isabel and Diego’s story, you can’t help but want more! Though I wasn’t a huge fan of the romance, it was well-written and definitely steamy. If you like your romance with a healthy dose of tension and wibbly wobbly, timey wimey stuff, I think you’ll love Crossing in Time!

Star rating: