Within the Space of a Second is the perfect example of why some books are worth giving a second chance. This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, however I struggled with the slow start and left it for a few weeks. When I picked it up again I raced through the pages and ended up reading it in one sitting!
Within the Space of a Second is a time travel fantasy romance, which follows Mariella (Ella), Parker and Rose, and is told in multiple POVs.
Ella is an introverted academic with vivid dreams who is immediately attracted to the mysterious time traveller Parker and as the story unfolds Ella and Parker’s connection to each other is revealed as well as dangerous secrets that threaten to tear them apart.
I really enjoyed how the book slowly revealed details about the friendship between Parker, Ella and Rose and the more we learned about them the deeper the emotional impact of the choices they made. I came to really admire Rose with her quiet strength and persistence—I feel like there’s a lot more to her than we got to see—so I’m hoping we’ll get more of her backstory in Book Two.
The secrets in Within the Space of a Second were incredibly suspenseful. There were so many pieces to the puzzle that, as the mystery unravelled and everything started coming together, I found myself desperate for more answers—reading as fast as I could to find out what happened next!
The magical realism and elements of romance were seamlessly woven together with themes of love and loss. The romance was slow burn with just the right amount of tension and tenderness and if you follow the breadcrumbs the twist won’t come as a shock, but it’s just as impactful. The world-building and complexities of time travel were really well written so there was no confusion and the different timelines were easy to follow.
Overall, this is a beautiful time travel romance that is reminiscent of The Time Traveler’s Wife crossed with Divine Rivals and a dash of Nightshade and that ending already has me excited for the next book!
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Publisher: Simon & Schuster Australia.
Format: Ebook, 352 pages
ISBN: 9781761635977
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Here’s the synopsis
Every morning, Mariella Adams wakes with a strange electrical energy buzzing beneath her skin. Terrified she has inherited her late mother’s mental illness, she tells no one. But when Mariella discovers her mother’s lost journals with an entry dated after her death, she’s desperate for answers.
The mystery only deepens when Mariella is approached by two strangers, Rose and Parker, who claim to be time travelers from the future. They say that interfering with the past – and Mariella – is forbidden, but they need her help to restore Parker’s ability to time travel before they’re caught in Mariella’s timeline.
Shocked, Mariella agrees to help them. After all, they might hold the answers she’s looking for. And the more time she spends with them, the more she finds herself drawn to Parker. As she fights to uncover the mysteries of her past and the secrets of his future, will Mariella discover the truth before time runs out – and Parker disappears forever?
What Caz Read 