Blagica Jankuloska
Such Promise
I’ve been sitting with my thoughts for over an hour after finishing this book, and I’m still not sure how to feel. To say I wanted to love it is an understatement. This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2025. With its stunning cover and compelling premise, I was expecting a five-star experience. Sadly, it landed closer to a three.
For those who did love it, I’m honestly a little envious.
Now, here’s what worked for me. The book unfolds in alternating timelines—historical chapters woven between the present day. It’s a love story stretched across centuries, where Evelyn and Arden are destined to find each other again and again, only to die together before turning eighteen each time. In the modern timeline, Evelyn is racing against time to stay alive long enough to save her sister, who needs a bone marrow transplant to survive cancer.
The historical chapters were the most intriguing part for me. They added texture and context to the characters' bond, and I appreciated the ambition behind the structure. But the execution didn’t quite land. The constant back-and-forth felt choppy, and it disrupted the pacing just enough to keep me from getting fully immersed.
More than that, I struggled to feel the connection between Evelyn and Arden. I wanted to fall into an epic, time-crossed romance—but I never quite believed in their chemistry. The love story felt more told than felt, and I never reached that emotional payoff I was hoping for.
There’s a twist near the end that genuinely surprised me, and I appreciated that. I just wish the resolution had been given more space. The ending felt rushed, and with a few more pages, it could’ve hit harder.
In the end, the book had strong ideas and emotional stakes, but the execution fell short of the promise. I don’t regret reading it, but I do wish I had connected with it more deeply.
Such Promise
I’ve been sitting with my thoughts for over an hour after finishing this book, and I’m still not sure how to feel. To say I wanted to love it is an understatement. This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2025. With its stunning cover and compelling premise, I was expecting a five-star experience. Sadly, it landed closer to a three.
For those who did love it, I’m honestly a little envious.
Now, here’s what worked for me. The book unfolds in alternating timelines—historical chapters woven between the present day. It’s a love story stretched across centuries, where Evelyn and Arden are destined to find each other again and again, only to die together before turning eighteen each time. In the modern timeline, Evelyn is racing against time to stay alive long enough to save her sister, who needs a bone marrow transplant to survive cancer.
The historical chapters were the most intriguing part for me. They added texture and context to the characters' bond, and I appreciated the ambition behind the structure. But the execution didn’t quite land. The constant back-and-forth felt choppy, and it disrupted the pacing just enough to keep me from getting fully immersed.
More than that, I struggled to feel the connection between Evelyn and Arden. I wanted to fall into an epic, time-crossed romance—but I never quite believed in their chemistry. The love story felt more told than felt, and I never reached that emotional payoff I was hoping for.
There’s a twist near the end that genuinely surprised me, and I appreciated that. I just wish the resolution had been given more space. The ending felt rushed, and with a few more pages, it could’ve hit harder.
In the end, the book had strong ideas and emotional stakes, but the execution fell short of the promise. I don’t regret reading it, but I do wish I had connected with it more deeply.