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A review by lisibee815
Love and Other Paradoxes by Catriona Silvey
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Joe is a young college student and, unbeknownst to him, a future famous poet. He has struggled with channeling his poetic voice while at Cambridge, and he worries that the writing talent he showed in high school is actually unfounded. Little does he know that he's set to meet the muse (Diana) who will lead him to fame. Esi is a time travel tourist on her way to correct a past event from her personal history, when she accidentally knocks Joe off course and must help him to connect with Diana while also correcting the future.
This was an interesting time travel romance, where the reader is asked to engage in a love story while also considering the ethics of changing the future and what constitutes emotional manipulation. I found the main characters to be likable and easy to root for. And the crux of the story kept me guessing as to the final outcome: can we change the future by tinkering with the past, or are our relationships and our future selves inherently unchangeable? I was surprised at the amount of tension I experienced while reading, I expected this to be a bit lighter but the emotional conflicts definitely gave the story depth. The author's descriptive writing style had nice bits of wry humor scattered amongst the more serious issues, although I wouldn't call this a funny book overall. This is a quick read but it's not a superficial read nor is it straightforward. Many of the events in the book seemed to be in flux, which fit the theme of the book, and it made for engaging reading. The book was written in 3rd person POV from Joe's perspective, and while it makes sense since this is essentially Joe's story it's also a nice change of pace to read a romance from the MMC's viewpoint. One final note: I love the idea of time travel tourism, and the fact that random people who stare at you on the street may just be time travel tourists from a future where you're famous! This is a new-to-me author and I look forward to reading more from her. Readers who enjoy books about time travel with a new-adult romance woven in amongst the ethical conundrums will love this book! Publishes March 11, 2025. Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book, all opinions are mine.
This was an interesting time travel romance, where the reader is asked to engage in a love story while also considering the ethics of changing the future and what constitutes emotional manipulation. I found the main characters to be likable and easy to root for. And the crux of the story kept me guessing as to the final outcome: can we change the future by tinkering with the past, or are our relationships and our future selves inherently unchangeable? I was surprised at the amount of tension I experienced while reading, I expected this to be a bit lighter but the emotional conflicts definitely gave the story depth. The author's descriptive writing style had nice bits of wry humor scattered amongst the more serious issues, although I wouldn't call this a funny book overall. This is a quick read but it's not a superficial read nor is it straightforward. Many of the events in the book seemed to be in flux, which fit the theme of the book, and it made for engaging reading. The book was written in 3rd person POV from Joe's perspective, and while it makes sense since this is essentially Joe's story it's also a nice change of pace to read a romance from the MMC's viewpoint. One final note: I love the idea of time travel tourism, and the fact that random people who stare at you on the street may just be time travel tourists from a future where you're famous! This is a new-to-me author and I look forward to reading more from her. Readers who enjoy books about time travel with a new-adult romance woven in amongst the ethical conundrums will love this book! Publishes March 11, 2025. Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book, all opinions are mine.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Blood