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Fractured Past (Crimson Time #2)



[A quick note: I’d like to give a special thanks to Emily for providing me with an eARC of this book prior to its release. This is part of an ongoing series that explores time travel and one girl’s search for answers into her parents’ death. I’ve got a review of the first book HERE. However, I tried to keep this one free of spoilers.]


“𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐰𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝, 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦.” —Emily VanderBent

Rich with historical references and adventures back in time, Fractured Past is a time traveler’s dream! Adelaide’s determination filled me with intrigue and left me eager for answers that kept me coming back for more. Here we dive even deeper into the secrets of the Red Rose Society, something I was eager for after the first book. I love the ominous feeling that there’s something deeply wrong happening just out of sight, and that Adelaide must uncover the truth of it. Even better is the likelihood that discovering these secrets will also bring her answers into her parents deaths.


This is one of those effortless stories where the pages fly by. Because the chapters are short, each one had me saying, “Just one more!” It helps that Emily has a way of leaving each chapter on a mini cliff hanger so you don’t want to stop. Plus, all the action and intrigue go a long way in pushing the reader onward. I ended up reading this in just a couple of sittings.


This time, our trip to the past finds Adelaide partnered up with Teo in Civil War Richmond. They attempt to win the trust of a Union spy, Elizabeth as war breaks out across the country. I appreciated the attention to detail and factual recreation of this era. It was clear that a lot of effort was put into the research. My favorite aspect was watching the characters prepare for these journeys by getting into costume. The ERMA system for getting into character was awesome!!

As for the characters, Adelaide isn’t the only one searching for answers, and it’s clear that the answers she needs must be sought in both the past and the present. There are others within the society with their own deep secrets like Kolt and Teo. I did enjoy seeing Teo open up a little bit, and I love the hint of romance unfolding between him and Adelaide. They definitely have a bit of enemies-to-lovers going on, which is a favorite trope of mine. Teo acts like a grumpy tough guy, but every time there’s action, he’s the first to jump in and protect Adelaide.

Okay, let’s talk about the HUGE cliff hanger at the end. Phew! There was a ton of action the last few chapters and now I’m dying to know what happens next. I really do have a love-hate relationship with cliff hangers. It’s clear that Emily is using each subsequent book to build the characters and storyline deeper and deeper. I am really enjoying this series and can’t wait to see where it’s all going. 𝐌𝐘 𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆: 𝟒/𝟓⭐️

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