- Title: Beyond the Moon
- Author: Catherine Taylor
- Narrator: Liz May Brice
- Publisher: The Cameo Press Ltd. on June 26,2019
- Genre: Time Travel Romance
- Length: 13 Hours 18 Minutes
- Formats Available: Paperback, Audio, & Digital
- Rating: 4/5
Trigger Warnings: Graphic Details of War Violence, Abuse of Psychiatric Patients
Many thanks to Catherin Taylor and Rachel’s Random Resources for providing me with an Author’s Direct audiobook copy of Beyond the Moon with a request for an honest review.
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Beyond the Moon Blurb
A strange twist of fate connects a British soldier fighting in the First World War in 1916 with a young woman living in modern-day England a century later, in this haunting literary time travel novel.
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…
My Review
Catherine Taylor’s debut novel, Beyond the Moon, is a moving story that had me enthralled with every word. I am a huge fan of romance novels, but I haven’t had much experience with the time travel trope. This story is the perfect vehicle to get me to read more of this genre. Taylor’s finesse is extraordinary.
I have also been trying to listen to more audiobooks, so this novel’s offering was welcome. Ordinarily, I find that I can’t concentrate on an audiobook because my mind wanders. But to the credit of the narrator, Liz May Brice, I had no problem paying attention. Liz’s voice is very soothing, which would usually make me sleepy. Yet, this narration mesmerized me. I would listen to Liz May Brice read anything.
I was emotional when doctors forced Louisa into the psychiatric hospital. The scenes where she is in the psych ward bring back terrible memories for me. The treatment of the patients is appalling. It was much too close to personal experience.
However, Louisa’s stay in the hospital is her conduit to a better life with Robert. I relished her time in the past. Their love story made me smile and cry simultaneously. When they were apart, it hurt my heart. I so wanted them to find their way back to each other. And, I can say, when they do get together, it is oh so sweet.
I loved the way the secondary characters show up in the past. The explanation of how the past and the present coexist is plausible, as well. My only word of warning is that this is a long book. At over 13 hours, it is a time commitment. If you are like me, I listened to the whole thing over two days because the story held me close. So, make sure you have plenty of free time when you start this novel.
I award Beyond the Moon 4 out of 5 stars. If you enjoy romance novels, this is a good one to add to your TBR.
About the Author – Catherine Taylor
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.
Author’s Contact Links: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
About the Narrator – Liz May Brice
Liz May Brice is an English actress. She is known for roles such as the convicted murderer Pat Kerrigan on ITV1’s Bad Girls, and Agent Johnson in Torchwood: Children of Earth.
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