The Gods Time Forgot

* Thanks to Alcove Press for the ARC and NetGalley for the ALC for review *

The Gods Time Forgot by Kelsie Sheridan Gonzalez

Rua wakes up in late 1800s Manhattan with no memories, surrounded by people insisting she’s a woman named Emma. But when she calls herself Rua, it just feels right—no matter how much everyone else protests. Stuck in a world of fancy dresses, high society rules, and a mother obsessed with climbing the social ladder, Rua feels trapped in a life that doesn’t belong to her. Desperate for answers, she sneaks away from her parents’ lavish home and roams the city, trying to figure out where she belongs—or how to get away.

That’s when she bumps into Finn, the brooding and sharp-witted Lord of Donore. From the start, there’s this weirdly familiar pull between them—like they should know each other, even though neither of them has a clue how. Finn’s used to dealing with the elite’s scheming and shallow games, but Rua’s mix of vulnerability and defiance throws him off balance. When he realizes her mother’s determined to trap Rua in a high-society marriage (ideally to someone like Finn), he can’t help but want to protect her from it all—even if she’s as stubborn as he is.

But Manhattan’s glittering ballrooms hide darker secrets than pushy parents and gossiping socialites. Whispers of devil worship and ancient gods circle through the city’s elite, and the more Rua and Finn try to untangle their shared past, the clearer it becomes that something sinister is at play. Their connection is more than just an odd sense of déjà vu—it’s a thread that ties them to old magic, lost memories, and a danger neither of them expected.

The Gods Time Forgot is a standalone novel that mixes the glitz and drama of Bridgerton with supernatural twists, time-wimey mysteries, and some seriously fun banter. Rua and Finn have to survive scheming socialites, hidden rituals, and their own complicated feelings as they uncover the truth about who they are and why they can’t seem to let each other go. It’s got ballrooms, gowns, and a touch of the divine—perfect for fans of romantic tension, sharp dialogue, and the kind of love that feels like destiny.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice Level: N/A

Blurb:

Irish mythology collides with Gilded Age New York in this sweeping debut enemies-to-lovers historical romantasy, perfect for fans of Outlander and A Fate Inked in Blood.

Manhattan, 1870. Rua knows only two things: her name, and that she has no memories. So when the wealthy Harrington family mistakes Rua for their missing daughter, Emma, Rua goes along with the charade, hoping for answers about who she really is. As she tries to blend into a society she doesn’t remember, she’s drawn to a firmly off-limits the Lord of Donore, a newcomer to Manhattan society who is somehow familiar to Rua.

Finn is new to this side of the Atlantic and knows that the best way to fit in as Lord of Donore is to make friends in high places and play by the rules of society. He knows he shouldn’t become involved with a mysterious, recently missing debutante, but he’s intrigued by Emma Harrington, and Finn has an uncanny feeling that this isn’t the first time they’ve met.

With societal pressures mounting on both sides, Rua is determined to discover the truth about the missing Harrington daughter and her own past. But when her memories begin to return, they’re of a world far stranger than New York and traced in dark magic.

As ancient secrets unfurl in Rua’s memory, Rua and Finn are forced to uncover the mystery of their past and try to save their future. In this gritty and glittering romantasy, nothing and no one is as they seem.