"Sometimes, the worst day of your life happens, and you have to figure out how to live after it.

So Clementine forms a plan to keep her heart safe: work hard, find someone decent to love, and try to remember to chase the moon. The last one is silly and obviously metaphorical, but her aunt always told her that you needed at least one big dream to keep going. And for the last year, that plan has gone off without a hitch. Mostly. The love part is hard because she doesn’t want to get too close to anyone—she isn’t sure her heart can take it.

And then she finds a strange man standing in the kitchen of her late aunt’s apartment. A man with kind eyes and a Southern drawl and a taste for lemon pies. The kind of man that, before it all, she would’ve fallen head-over-heels for. And she might again.

Except, he exists in the past. Seven years ago, to be exact. And she, quite literally, lives seven years in his future.

Her aunt always said the apartment was a pinch in time, a place where moments blended together like watercolors. And Clementine knows that if she lets her heart fall, she’ll be doomed.

After all, love is never a matter of time—but a matter of timing."

Read Date - June 2024

Length - 352 pages

Genre - Magical Realism, Romance, Fantasy

Rating - 10/10

Notes - I really like how it starts out with talking about how magical the apartment is, and eventually Clementine grows up and doesn’t believe anymore. I think its very bittersweet and talks greatly to our need to find magic in the world as adults, and how we lost the charm we used to have as children. It really builds up to the moment when the switch happens, and suddenly you’re 7 years in the past. I love the magic and mysticism of the world, and all the world building that’s been placed to get us 7 years in the past. I think the heartbreak between Analea and Vera is really good and sets the tone for the rest of the novel. I think Clemintine and Iwan’s interactions with each other are so adorable and silly, and i love the way it plays out so much. It’s so light and fluffy to begin with. Watching it play out is so sweet and i couldn’t get enough of it. The pain of Clem coming back to the present day is felt throughout the writing and you can feel it in your body as you read it. The reveal of James Ashton being Iwan is an amazing reveal and its the perfect levels of foreshadowing. And the reveal that he remembers?? DELICIOUS!! aside from that, the topic of loss is clear throughout the entire novel, and you can feel it weighing heavy on Clemintine. the reveal of suicide is so shocking, and i never saw it coming in a million years. That’s kind of the point, isnt it? There are sometimes warning signs, and other times there arent. Depression doesnt discriminate and it’s a very powerful thing. I think this book handled it extremely well, and beautifully done. the parts where the past and future start to intertwine are so amazing and answered all of my questions i had while reading. The spice in this book is REALLY REALLY MF GOOD. LIKE. I CANT GET ENOUGH, and thats saying a lot coming from me. AND THE REVEAL WITH VERA AND IWAN!!! man this book was just GOOD GOOD GOOD with every single thing it aimed to do. I couldn’t speak higher of this book if i could. It’s one of my absolute favorite books ever