Title: Falling Out of Time
Author: fallynsinclair
Genre/Subgenre: Mystery, Romance, Chicklit

Blurb: Amber Blake hates Carter Hayes - at least, that's what she tells herself.
She has since the day he walked out of her life after a falling out with her best friend, Mark. Close since childhood, Mark urges her to forget about the friend they once had, but when a confrontation brings the trio's years-long tension to a head, the aftermath has Amber wishing she could forget her life completely.

As they always say, careful what you wish for.

Next thing Amber knows, she's waking up in an unfamiliar bed, in an unknown city, staring at a stranger in the mirror. She's aged ten years overnight, and even crazier, she's married - to Carter Hayes.

Haunted by memories of the boy she knew, Amber struggles to see him for the man he is now. But when strange visions suggest a way to fix tragic mistakes from their past, and with Mark nowhere to be found, she'll need to trust Carter more than ever.

Someone's life depends on it.

Reviewer: Siluri

Review:

Title: 5/5
An interesting twist on a common turn of phrase. I like that it relates to the plot!

Cover: 3/5
The color scheme is attractive, but I wish the title had more contrast with the rest of the cover. The negative space is also a little too symmetric, making it feel like something is missing. The vertical positioning of text that flows with the dripping clock graphic is a subtle and clever reference to the title!

Blurb: 4/5
It's crisp, snappy, and effective. I see the potential for this blurb to be even cleaner and tighter, but it does a great job of introducing me to the story and its characters without giving anything away.

Spelling, Punctuation, Grammar, and Vocabulary: 13/15
There are no major grammar or spelling mistakes that detract from the story. There are, however, a few places where word choice makes the prose feel a bit stilted. The three chapters carry a casual, youthful tone overall.

World-building and Descriptions: 10/10
The world-building is well-executed and appropriately eased into. It feels familiar enough for me to understand but still unique that I'm curious to learn more.

Character Development: 20/20
Great use of dialogue to indirectly characterize while also developing the relationships between characters. I haven't read enough to comment on development in terms of change, but the process of developing has been well-paced. The use of a third-person narration that adopts a different character's point of view is an interesting way to get the reader in the head of someone they wouldn't have been able to otherwise.

Plot Development/Pacing/Chapter Structure: 17/20
I don't think I'm the biggest fan of the sandwiching of childhood flashbacks between current-time chapters. The difference in narration is very obvious, which helps with transitioning, but it felt almost self-indulgent and out-of-place as if a character-development exercise was slipped into the story. I'm sure that as they continue to show up, I would get used to them and find them enjoyable, but the first one was a bit jarring. As for plot development—and keeping in mind that the book as a whole has just under 60 chapters—the first mention of the "falling out" hinted in the blurb was mentioned at the end of the third chapter. I thought this was timed well alongside character introductions and world-building.

Originality: 9/10
The plot concept (waking up in the future with a partner and no memory of how they got there) is a common romance trope, but the execution thereof is something to experience. I'm sure the non-linear timeline helps with making this story feel fresh and original!

Enjoyment/Hook: 10/10
I thoroughly enjoyed reading these chapters! The first chapter was fun to read and effectively captured my interest.

Total: 91/100

Overall Impressions:
The characters are well-thought-out, the writing style is engaging, and the chapter structure is unique. If someone's a fan of even one of the genres this story falls in, I think they'd find this to be an enjoyable read. The numbered chapters feel like they're on the longer side, but some might find this a good thing!

Detailed Impressions:
Chapter 1:
Excellent introduction and a prime example of a good first chapter. Opening into a dream sequence is a fun way to drop the reader into some foreshadowing; I like that they can really give a writer the liberty to make it as wacky or serious as they need to. The dream is acknowledged again near the end of chapter one, securing the hook and reeling in the reader as it comes full circle.

Mark | Kindergarten:
Again, I think this is a creative way of switching narratives to develop the characters and their backstories without hijacking the main story and its timeline. Most of the prose was age-appropriate, immersive, and cute, but some things stood out to me in the sentence structure as more complex than the words used in them, creating an odd (but probably unnoticeable) juxtaposition in appearance versus tone.

Chapter 2:
My favorite thing in this chapter was the introduction of the complex family situation. Every character so far feels entirely distinct from the rest, and it's fascinating to see Amber interact with this variety of personalities and personal motives. This chapter also had a palpable tension throughout, proof of a well-developed atmosphere.