Cara Patterson

This book is part of the Out Of Time series by C.B. Lewis, but don’t worry if you’re not caught up, this title can be read as a stand-alone. I haven’t read the rest of the series, but I have a feeling I will be reading it now.

Let me start with the characters. I loved Danny! He’s a Scotsman through and through. He’s a coder by trade and resorts to a bit of a drink when he needs to loosen up his brain and work on a puzzle. He’s open, caring and nurturing, funny and I adored him. Early on in the book, he accepts a lucrative short-term contract to work on a very secretive project solving a coding mystery.

When Danny arrives at his posting, he meets the man in charge, Lysander O’Donahue. Lysander is another very interesting character! He is all reserved strength and confidence behind his desk but has a tendency to carry too much weight on his shoulders.

Time Turns is a mystery of sorts. Set in the future, when time travel is tightly controlled and inspires awe in most people … it seems that someone is trying to undermine the Temporal Research Institute. Someone has been altering the coding behind the Institute’s work and Danny has been assigned to work out the mystery.

The longer Danny works at the Institute, the closer he gets to Lysander. They have a lovely relationship. Lysander seems to thrive off the nurturing spirit of Danny’s soul… and at the same time craves the control that Danny surrenders to him at times. They’re a very interesting pair because of their differences and the way that they relate to one another. I liked the ease they were quick to find in each other’s presence.

There are a couple of things that stand out… in that they don’t stand out. SPOILER COMING (in a way) Let’s see, about 1/3 of the way into the story, Lysander discloses that he is a Trans man. I say … it’s a spoiler in a way… because it’s just NOT that big a deal. I freaking loved that! Trans is just something that is part of who Lysander is… and Danny doesn’t really react to it at all. It’s just… something that is. THANK YOU, C.B. Lewis! Hopefully, we won’t all have to wait until 2065 to get that kind of inclusion.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it as many times as I’m able to… Queer isn’t the point of this novel… it’s just something that some of the characters happen to be.… (mehr)

This is the final installment in Lewis' "Out of Time" series. I have enjoyed this series, and this final novel is no exception to that.

This part of the series focusses on Ben Sanders. He's still on the run, hiding from his friends and colleagues and more significantly he is separated from his lover, Enoch. Enoch has stayed with the Time Institute... with a mission of keeping an eye on Matt.

There are a lot of characters in this series and most of them appear in this final installment. It's nice because Lewis has put a real effort into tying up all the storylines - one way or another. Ben Saunders remains one of my favorite characters. He's been single-minded about finding his father. For three years he's been on the run, trying to understand where his father disappeared and why he hasn't been able to track him down. His character is interesting not just because of his focus on his father's disappearance, he also suffers from PTSD. He's plagued by nightmares and an intense fear fo the dark.

The relationship between Enoch and Ben is endearing and engaging. I really wanted them to be able to find happiness. I attribute that to great writing by Lewis... the characterizations in this series are great. Ben and Enoch have found each other in spite of time and history and whatever is in the future.

Read the entire series! the time commitment is well worth it. If you're like me and like knowing that you're sitting down to begin a novel that is the first in a delectable series then this is one you will want to pick up.… (mehr)

Privacy is something most of us take for granted, at least where our personal lives are concerned. I know I’d never miss mine unless it was threatened – and then I’m sure I’d realize quite quickly that it is a treasure to be protected, especially when it comes under attack. Lack of privacy is something celebrities and politicians face on a daily basis, but how they deal with it varies from person to person.

The two main characters of this novel, Army vet Jack and aristocrat Edward, are both in the public eye, if for different reasons, and have accepted it as part of what they do. But when they become involved and their relationship might be exposed with adverse consequences for the work they do, it is a different matter. This novel is the story of not just their romance, but also their dilemma: will they deny what is going on, break up, and continue their charitable work or will they accept living their life in the public eye so they can be together. Not an easy decision in any circumstances, but it is far more stressful since they have to make it while the press haunts them and public pressure almost crushes them.

Jack is an Army veteran, has dealt with addiction, and has found new purpose working for Those Returned, a charity for veterans. He is just trying to do the decent thing, helping those who have fallen on harder times than he did, and he is excellent at it. Good enough to have garnered a reputation with the press, and for his boss to send him to gala events so he can collect much-needed donations. When he is tasked with “recruiting” a celebrity aristocrat for their cause, he not only captures the man’s financial contribution, but his personal attention, interest, and dedication as well.

Edward is an aristocrat, has dedicated his life to charitable work, and is used to living in the public eye. His carefully constructed public persona has almost nothing in common with the man he is underneath the cover, and that is exactly how he wants it. Meeting Jack and falling for him is not part of the plan, but Edward will not deny his feelings either. While coming out was never Edward’s intention, lying about who he is, now that he has a man to love, is not in Edward’s character. I loved how steadfast he is, how undeterred by a situation he never envisaged.

The secondary characters deserve mention as well. Edward’s parents are wonderfully eccentric English aristocrats in the traditional sense and not phased by much. Jack’s boss is supportive, knows what he wants, and just the right man to run the charity and keep Jack occupied. The villain is a truly hateful individual and I was tempted to strangle him more than once – which is as it should be. The setting of contemporary England was utterly believable, and the relentlessness of the paparazzi exactly as I have seen it play out multiple times over the years.

If you like stories about men from different worlds who meet and need to figure out how to live together, if you enjoy a suspenseful, exciting contemporary story that carries a touch of fairy tale magic (gorgeous “prince” included), and if you’re looking for a heartwarming read about amazing men who have to fight for the right to live their lives the way they choose, then you will probably like this novel as much as I do. It’s going in the reread file for sure.


NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.… (mehr)