by D. L. Orton
The past isn’t over, it’s an opening. The future’s not hidden, it’s a trap.
If she ever wants to see him again, she’ll have to take the risk…Publishers Weekly Starred Review: “Funny, Romantic & Harrowing!”
After reconnecting with the one-that-got-away—and then losing him in a pandemic—Iz struggles to survive alone in a remote mountain cabin. As loneliness and despair set in, she starts taking in abandoned pets—until an ill-equipped, clean-shaven man knocks on her door and offers her a one-way trip to the past. With humanity teetering on the edge, she sacrifices everything, including her beloved pets, in an attempt to alter the dystopian present—and see her lover one last time.
She’s rushed into a hastily built time machine…
…and awakens on a tropical beach, buck naked—and suffering from side-effects—but 20 years younger!
With only hours to live, she must persuade her future lover to fix their relationship and thereby set off a chain of events that will erase the pandemic—no one is quite sure how.
Our young hero falls hard for her—a middle-aged woman in a vixen’s body—until she blurts out that she’s from the future and came to “improve” him.
Turns out, it’s not him that needs fixing, it’s her—and it’s far too late for that.
Across the infinite expanse of space and time, love endures…
(Unfortunately, it’s not going to be enough.)
Content Warning!
This book contains material that may be disturbing to some and, in movie form, would be rated NC-17 for strong language, nudity, sexual situations, and violence. It includes attempted sexual assault, abduction, intense physical danger, miscarriage, confinement, a pandemic, religious fanaticism (Christian), government incompetence bordering on malice, mistreated animals, gun violence, near drowning, and (human) death.
Genre Warning!
Crossing in Time is a character-driven love story told from 3 points of view (in 1st-person, present tense): our plucky heroine’s, her steadfast lover’s, and a gay British physicist’s. At times, the book requires the gentle reader to keep track of 3 stories. So if you prefer your fiction to be straight-forward, light reading, this is probably not the book for you. (But the audiobook might be. It’s effing awesome.)
Although the book contains a love story, it does not have a Happily Ever After ending and is not a genre romance: No alpha male or damsel in distress here. If you’re inclined to assume smart, head-strong women are bitches—or thoughtful, empathetic men are weak—this is not the book for you.
Even though the story contains a time machine, no laws of physics are violated. (Disagree? I’d love to hear about it.) If you dislike science (or believe “alternate facts”), steer clear of this series.
There are realistic, flawed characters in the book, and they enjoy having sex, showing affection, and expressing strong emotions. If you’re looking for hard sci-fi that focuses on gadgets and world-building (or you dislike the word breast, for instance), skip this one.
This book is NOT a YA novel. If you can’t imagine being in love with someone you haven’t seen in twenty years, pick another book.
Finally, the story jumps—with wild abandon—between a dystopian action-adventure, a sci-fi techno-thriller, a time travel suspense mystery, and a poignant love story (not a romance). If you prefer your fiction to fit into neat and tidy genres, this is NOT the book for you!
This is the first in the Between Two Evils series, and all your questions—including the fate of our beloved furry friends—will be answered in time. Sorry, but you’re just going to have to trust me on this. I know how it all ends, and I think you’ll like it.
If you made it this far, Crossing in Time might be the “unpredictable and compelling love story” you’ve been craving.