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1947. 1967. 1987. When Violet and Albert first meet, they are always twenty.
Three decades.
Over the years, Violet and Albert’s lives collide again and again: beneath Oxford’s spires, on the rolling hills around Abergavenny, in stately homes and in feminist squats. And as each decade ends, a new love story begins…
Two people.
Together, they are electric and the world is glittering with possibility. But against the shifting times of each era, Violet and Albert must overcome differences in class, gender, privilege and ambition. Each time their lives entwine, it will change everything.
One moment is all it takes…
As their eyes first meet, for a split-second it’s as if the clocks have stopped. Nothing else matters. Yet whichever decade brings them together, Violet and Albert are soon forced to question: what if they met the right person at the wrong time?

Thank you to the publisher, Orion, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the concept of this book from the moment I picked it up. The concept of two people meeting in alternate universes every twenty years and seeing if this time is the right time really called out to me. Although this one isn’t necessarily a book I’d usually pick up, I found myself really intrigued about where this one might go.

However this did let me down a bit. I didn’t quite feel as immersed in the story as I wanted to be, and it took me much longer to read than I wanted it to. The writing was the best thing about this book and I must say I felt quite an affinity to the characters, even getting emotional and having tears in my eyes in places.

I think where this one started to let me down was after the first story. I enjoyed the first story a lot, but I then realised that I was just in for another two stories very much the same. As this book follows three different timelines, I started to find the other two stories quite predictable.

The fact this book takes place every twenty years made for a great concept, and so much of the story was involved around the time period and then politics throughout the years. Although I found this really interesting and I liked the concept, I’m just not sure it completely paid off all of the time. I did like it, and it did make me emotional at times, but I also felt a bit let down by the end of it.

★★★★
3.5 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

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