4 out of 4 stars
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There are many novels that fall into the romance genre nowadays that it can be hard to find one that is unique and engaging. Entangled (Ages of Invention Book 1) by S.B.K Burns is quite the exception as it is an even mix of romance, fantasy and science fiction. Dawn Jamison, a Hume’n, is a doctoral student striving to earn her degree and enter into the desirable upper class of Cartesians who are defined as unemotional and self-disciplined. Dawn is currently part of the lower class (Hume’n), a group driven by their intense emotions. Dawn’s celebrity advisor tasks her with guiding a group of misfit students through her theories on past life regression; simply stated, Dawn must teach her students how to travel back in time to their past lives. Also in Dawn’s path is her advisor’s brother, Taylor, a weightlifting hunk who is a member of the Cartesian class. Though Taylor is bound by the etiquette of his class, his previous self, Colin, an 18th century mathematician linked with Dawn’s past self, lacks any similar restraint. Will Dawn's adventures with past life regression wreak havoc on the current timeline? And what will become of Dawn and Taylor? Will they be able to overcome their societal class differences or will they have to live out their romantic feelings in their past lives only?
Entangled is a very difficult novel to describe as many of the ideas on which the story is built are atypical. Time travel is a major theme of the novel, but it is time travel with a twist; those traveling back in time embody their past selves and, in many cases, share the mind as well as the body of their past self. I applaud the author’s ability to take such an overused theme (time travel) and create something different. The explanations of the character’s emotions while traveling back in time and sharing a conscious stream of thought with their past selves were the most fascinating passages of the novel. Are all the characters able to coexist in harmony with their past selves?
The novel is very well written; a combination of quick pacing and alluring characters makes Entangled hard to put down. Further, the romantic aspects of the book were skillfully handled by the author. The book never felt sleazy and the erotica scenes were well placed, genuinely adding to the storyline.
The one downfall of the novel is the overzealous science talk sprinkled throughout the narrative. Much of the scientific explanation behind the time travel felt confusing and overdone. From the beginning, the book requires a certain suspension of belief on the part of the reader that the overwhelming scientific explanations were simply not necessary. Luckily, these passages do not occur too often and therefore, do not take away from the enjoyment of the story
Entangled is a fast paced, steamy read that easily deserves 4 out of 4 stars. Though I thought some of the scientific elements of the story were farfetched and confusing, they didn’t detract from the overall pacing of the narrative. Any fans of romance, especially those who enjoy a time travel or sci-fi twist, will surely enjoy this book. Please note graphic sexual scenes are included in this story and for that reason, this book may not be suitable for all readers.
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Entangled
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