December 11, 2023
In this twist-filled romantic urban fantasy from Lim (Sophie Go’s Lonely Hearts Club), ex-lovers Camille Buhay and Ward Dunbar reunite and rediscover their spark when they both accept jobs in London, not realizing their new employers represent two sides of a single mysterious business serving a tiny, select clientele. Camille accepts the position of night shift acquisitions at Lethe’s Curiosities, a posh antique shop, while Ward takes on the day shift in Lethe’s, another high-end antiquities and jewelry store. Despite their opposite schedules, the two are determined to make their rekindled relationship work. That is, until they realize they’re both trapped in their respective locations between shifts and caught up in a strange and deadly game of gods and ghosts. They’ve been chosen for some unknown reason to help bring about the end of an ancient conflict once and for all. Barely able to communicate with each other and unsure who to trust among the enigmatic, mercurial beings who frequent the stores, the two lovers are all that stand between victory and apocalypse. Despite the epic stakes, Lim’s tale feels intimate and almost claustrophobic, her limited cast and setting lending both atmosphere and tension. Though the fascinating concept and skillful storytelling will carry readers through to the end, at times it’s hard to see what Camille and Ward have in common besides intense physical attraction. Still, there’s plenty to enjoy here. Agent: Jenny Bent, Bent Agency.
January 1, 2024
An antique shop and a high-end jewelry store don't seem the most likely places for gods and immortals to wage a battle for the ages, but London is full of surprises. Vying for superiority across centuries, immortal beings have long used humans as pawns and playthings. Trapped in the new war are mortal shopkeepers Ward and Camille, forced to serve all manner of otherworldly creatures in their respective stores. Camille and Ward have a complicated history, but catering to a clientele unbound by time and space is quite the new challenge. While they attempt to understand their place in the supernatural realm, they're also forced to reconsider what they mean to one another. Lim (Sophie Go's Lonely Hearts Club, 2022) blends romantic intrigue, historical details, and fantasy tropes in Ward and Camille's complex world, making this sure to appeal to fans of her previous novels and books like Kerry Anne King's Improbably Yours (2022). The supernatural realm requires a hasty suspension of disbelief, but all involved, characters and readers alike, are richly rewarded for their efforts.
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Starred review from January 15, 2024
Two Americans working in London are unexpectedly caught up in a war between immortal gods. Camille Buhay started dating Ward Dunbar when they were in college in Chicago. Though they were opposites, they were deliriously happy with each other--until they weren't. Dissatisfied with what she took to be Ward's entitlement and privilege, Camille moved to Manhattan. A short time later, Ward headed to Los Angeles. But distance didn't heal their emotional wounds. When they both end up heading to London, where they're interviewing for similar jobs selling art and antiques, neither knows the other is there until Camille notices a post on Ward's Instagram and impulsively reaches out to him. Meanwhile, on a separate plane of existence, a massive war between immortal gods--the Eastern Faction and the Western Faction--has been raging. Now the gods have decided to pit Camille and Ward against one another, forcing them to participate in a game before choosing a side; if both choose the same side, that faction will be declared the winner. Ward and Camille find themselves trapped in the buildings where their new jobs have taken them: it turns out that the final battle is a cosmic escape room. When pragmatic, sensible Camille had interviewed for her well-paid night-shift position at an antiques shop, she negotiated for an apartment and grocery service, an agreement the gods decided to honor, making her ongoing imprisonment surprisingly comfortable. Ward hadn't thought of asking for such things, so he finds himself stuck with nowhere to sleep, nothing to eat, and nowhere to wash--thus totally reliant on favors from the gods for everything, including all efforts to communicate with Camille. This carefully plotted story, dense with clues that Camille and Ward work to solve, is sure to appeal to puzzle masters. A clever novel that is part fantasy, part escape room strategy and trickery, and part romance.
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November 17, 2023
It seems like kismet when Camille and Ward are in the same city again two years after their breakup. They've accepted jobs in London, and once they are reunited, they realize that they should have fought harder to stay together the first time. The time apart has let them grow individually, and they know how to make their relationship work despite their differences. However, both of their new jobs are not the exciting fresh starts they were expecting. Suddenly, they are both trapped at their work while navigating a game that decides a war among the gods. Having faith in each other should be easy, but the other players in the game make Camille and Ward question their new foundation. As they learn that every choice has consequences, they have no idea who to trust when deciding which side should win the war. VERDICT Lim's (Sophie Go's Lonely Hearts Club) magical tale is like a cross between Lore by Alexandra Bracken and The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes as it leads readers on a twisted journey that will keep them guessing until the very end.--Ashli Wells
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