Time After Time

Sweet sapphic romances progress in parallel a century apart in this slow-burn epic from Daughtry (All This Time). Shunned by her parents after using an inheritance to purchase a ramshackle Victorian house rather than funding college, 19-year-old Libby Monroe moves into the property, which has long fascinated her. Also drawn to the residence is student Tish O’Connell, whose frugality and fix-it skills make the house into a home. As sparks fly between the two teens, Libby learns more about the house’s former occupant, Elizabeth Post, through a diary she left behind. A privileged 19-year-old in 1925, Elizabeth falls in love with her similarly aged maid Patricia, a recent arrival from Ireland. Though readers learn early on that Elizabeth dies elderly, alone, and sad, the mystery surrounding Patricia’s fate ramps up the suspense as the present-day timeline similarly teeters on the edge of heartbreak. While some subplots aren’t satisfactorily resolved, vivacious banter and delightful found family narratives contribute to a fully realized cast. The characters in the 1925 timeline are predominantly white and closeted; the present, by contrast, features intersectionally diverse, openly queer protagonists. Ages 12–up. Agent: Liz Parker, Verve Talent & Literary. (May)