Beyond The Moon
by Catherine Taylor
🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Synopsis:
“Outlander meets Birdsong is this haunting debut timeslip novel, where a strange twist of fate connects a British soldier fighting in the First World War and a young woman living in modern-day England a century later. Shortlisted for the Eharmony/Orion Write Your Own Love Story Prize 2019”
In 1916 1st Lieutenant Robert Lovett is a patient at Coldbrook Hall military hospital in Sussex, England. A gifted artist, he’s been wounded fighting in the Great War. Shell shocked and suffering from hysterical blindness he can no longer see his own face, let alone paint, and life seems increasingly hopeless.
A century later in 2017, medical student Louisa Casson has just lost her beloved grandmother – her only family. Heartbroken, she drowns her sorrows in alcohol on the South Downs cliffs – only to fall accidentally part-way down. Doctors fear she may have attempted suicide, and Louisa finds herself involuntarily admitted to Coldbrook Hall – now a psychiatric hospital, an unfriendly and chaotic place.
Then one day, while secretly exploring the old Victorian hospital’s ruined, abandoned wing, Louisa hears a voice calling for help, and stumbles across a dark, old-fashioned hospital room. Inside, lying on the floor, is a mysterious, sightless young man, who tells her he was hurt at the Battle of the Somme, a WW1 battle a century ago. And that his name is Lieutenant Robert Lovett…
Two people, two battles: one against the invading Germans on the battlefields of 1916 France, the other against a substandard, uncaring mental health facility in modern-day England. Two journeys begun a century apart, but somehow destined to coincide - and become one desperate struggle to be together.
Part WW1 historical fiction, part timeslip love story - and at the same time a meditation on the themes of war, mental illness, identity and art - Beyond The Moon sweeps the reader on an unforgettable journey through time.
Review:
I loved this book! Beyond The Moon is a wonderful romantic historical fiction. After being forcibly admitted to Coldbrook Mental Hospital, Louisa is desperate for a way out. While exploring an old abandoned wing Louisa meets the handsome Lieutenant Robert Lovett. Then Louisa discovers something strange. Instead of being in 2017, she has been somehow transported back to 1916 and Robert is the only one who can see her. The two quickly fall in love but how can they possibly make things work?
Our story begins with Lieutenant Robert Lovett waking up in the hospital to find his sight is gone due to shell shock. He ends up falling and is calling out for help when Louisa hears him and comes to his aid. Just like that their two worlds collide and I am hooked. Taylor does an amazing job of bringing the future to the past and sprinkling it with supernatural elements to create a perfectly balanced masterpiece.
The characters are enjoyable and very easy to fall in love with. The writing is absolutely beautiful. Reading Beyond The Moon is like experiencing an old time love story. There's something so magical about leaving this modern day and going back to a different time where yes, things are definitely harder, but it's still an escape to a romantic dream come true. I thought this was amazing and beautiful and I just loved it.
Before this book, I never understood when people would say "I want to finish it to see what happens, but I don't want to finish it because then it'll be over." I get it now, and I am so in love with this book. I think it would be a great choice for those who enjoy truly impossible love stories.
Purchase Links:
US - https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Moon-Haunting-Novel-Travel-ebook/dp/B07TQMTTPY
UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beyond-Moon-Haunting-Novel-Travel-ebook/dp/B07TQMTTP
CAN - https://www.amazon.ca/Beyond-Moon-Catherine-Taylor/dp/1916093213/
Catherine Taylor was born and grew up on the island of Guernsey in the British Channel Islands. She is a former journalist, most recently for Dow Jones News and The Wall Street Journal in London. Beyond The Moon is her first novel. She lives in Ealing, London with her husband and two children.
Social Media Links:
“Outlander meets Birdsong is this haunting debut timeslip novel, where a strange twist of fate connects a British soldier fighting in the First World War and a young woman living in modern-day England a century later. Shortlisted for the Eharmony/Orion Write Your Own Love Story Prize 2019”
In 1916 1st Lieutenant Robert Lovett is a patient at Coldbrook Hall military hospital in Sussex, England. A gifted artist, he’s been wounded fighting in the Great War. Shell shocked and suffering from hysterical blindness he can no longer see his own face, let alone paint, and life seems increasingly hopeless.
A century later in 2017, medical student Louisa Casson has just lost her beloved grandmother – her only family. Heartbroken, she drowns her sorrows in alcohol on the South Downs cliffs – only to fall accidentally part-way down. Doctors fear she may have attempted suicide, and Louisa finds herself involuntarily admitted to Coldbrook Hall – now a psychiatric hospital, an unfriendly and chaotic place.
Then one day, while secretly exploring the old Victorian hospital’s ruined, abandoned wing, Louisa hears a voice calling for help, and stumbles across a dark, old-fashioned hospital room. Inside, lying on the floor, is a mysterious, sightless young man, who tells her he was hurt at the Battle of the Somme, a WW1 battle a century ago. And that his name is Lieutenant Robert Lovett…
Two people, two battles: one against the invading Germans on the battlefields of 1916 France, the other against a substandard, uncaring mental health facility in modern-day England. Two journeys begun a century apart, but somehow destined to coincide - and become one desperate struggle to be together.
Part WW1 historical fiction, part timeslip love story - and at the same time a meditation on the themes of war, mental illness, identity and art - Beyond The Moon sweeps the reader on an unforgettable journey through time.
Review:
I loved this book! Beyond The Moon is a wonderful romantic historical fiction. After being forcibly admitted to Coldbrook Mental Hospital, Louisa is desperate for a way out. While exploring an old abandoned wing Louisa meets the handsome Lieutenant Robert Lovett. Then Louisa discovers something strange. Instead of being in 2017, she has been somehow transported back to 1916 and Robert is the only one who can see her. The two quickly fall in love but how can they possibly make things work?
Our story begins with Lieutenant Robert Lovett waking up in the hospital to find his sight is gone due to shell shock. He ends up falling and is calling out for help when Louisa hears him and comes to his aid. Just like that their two worlds collide and I am hooked. Taylor does an amazing job of bringing the future to the past and sprinkling it with supernatural elements to create a perfectly balanced masterpiece.
The characters are enjoyable and very easy to fall in love with. The writing is absolutely beautiful. Reading Beyond The Moon is like experiencing an old time love story. There's something so magical about leaving this modern day and going back to a different time where yes, things are definitely harder, but it's still an escape to a romantic dream come true. I thought this was amazing and beautiful and I just loved it.
Before this book, I never understood when people would say "I want to finish it to see what happens, but I don't want to finish it because then it'll be over." I get it now, and I am so in love with this book. I think it would be a great choice for those who enjoy truly impossible love stories.
Purchase Links:
US - https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Moon-Haunting-Novel-Travel-ebook/dp/B07TQMTTPY
UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beyond-Moon-Haunting-Novel-Travel-ebook/dp/B07TQMTTP
CAN - https://www.amazon.ca/Beyond-Moon-Catherine-Taylor/dp/1916093213/
Author Bio
Social Media Links:
Instagram: @catherine_taylor_author
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CathTaylorNovel
https://catherinetaylor.net/
Giveaway:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CathTaylorNovel
https://catherinetaylor.net/
Giveaway to Win 5 x PB Copies of Beyond The Moon (Open INT)
*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Sounds good, if a bit too romantic for my taste. Glad you enjoyed it!
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