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Romance Novel Reviews, Author Interviews, Commentary
Review: Out of Time by Monique Martin
Number of pages: 256 pages
Book blurb:
New York in the 1920’s is the world of Prohibition, speakeasies and an underground run by the underworld. Vampires and mobsters vie for power in the seedy underbelly of Manhattan.A mysterious accident sends Professor Simon Cross and his assistant, Elizabeth West back in time to face demons real and imagined.
Simon Cross has spent his life searching for vampires and now that he’s found one, it just might take from him the only woman he’s ever loved. Simon’s life has been a ritual of research into the occult and stoic solitude. He prefers it that way. Until he meets Elizabeth West.
A gambler’s daughter, Elizabeth knows a bluff when she sees one. Behind Simon’s icy glares and nearly impenetrable armor beats the heart of a man in desperate need of love.
Trials of murder, intrigue and danger push Simon and Elizabeth to the edge of sanity.
Out of Time is an award-winning tale of love and redemption.
Not only did I get my share of gangsters, speakeasies and barfights, Monique Martin’s descriptive yet fluent writing transported me back in time to the New York of the ’20s. The small streets and diners, the pawnshop and bars and all the other major or minor characters became more than mere settings and characters on paper, I felt as if I were strolling those scary yet exciting streets alongside Elizabeth and Simon. The old New York came to life while I was reading Out of Time, the setting became reality, which doesn’t happen often, even with contemporary locations.
The other major high of this novel was the amazing characterization. In the characters of Simon and Elizabeth, Monique Martin gave us not simply two likable characters, but complex, layered characters, who have their own background which gives them depth and character. Even independently Simon and Elizabeth are both given history, little details that help the reader feel as if they know them personally, little quirks and faults that make them real everyday people and not larger than life unrealistic pawns of the story. But then, when Monique Martin combines their story and unfolds their attraction and feelings for each other, you just want to savour the experience of reading, to spend more time discovering their hidden thoughts and emotions. Their relationship and love are written wonderfully (I have to admit, even if Elizabeth and Simon’s story came without the more than great setting, I would have been happy reading about them).
The only tiny criticism I have with the story is that I don’t think introducing the paranormal element of vampires was necessary. I would have been more than happy with just the interesting time travel romance storyline, I felt it was exciting and intriguing enough.
I give Out of Time 4.5 bookies!
***FTC Disclaimer: Most books reviewed on this site have been provided free of charge by the publisher, author or publicist. Some books we have purchased with our own money and will be noted as such. Any links to places to purchase books are provided as a convenience, and do not serve as an endorsement by this blog. All reviews are the true and honest opinion of the blogger reviewing the book. The method of acquiring the book does not have a bearing on the content of the review.
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| 5 Stars: Perfect! I Love It! | |||||||||
| 4 Stars: Awesome Book! | |||||||||
| 3 Stars: I Liked It! | |||||||||
| 2 Stars: Not bad, but maybe not for me. | |||||||||
| 1 Star: Didn't like it! Did Not Finish it. | |||||||||
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Out of Time sounds great! Just added it to my goodreads list.