Suspend belief and enjoy. Antiques shop owner Eve and Adam meet while clearing his family home. The story’s mainly set in historic Clockmakers Court, Cambridge, where some of the shop-keepers share an unusual secret. Eve discovers that her great-grandmother Dottie did too. The characters are well-developed and the setting is lovely. An intriguing read, if a bit strange at times.

I did enjoy this story with its mix of romance and magic. Eve is going to do a house clearance job on April 29th, her birthday, as her antique shop didn't turn out quite as expected. She had a lot more in common with Adam than just their names and birthdays. As the plot slowly unravels, all sorts of unusual occurrences begin to unfold. Are they coincidental?

There are some excellent characters in this story and I did like learning their background stories as the book went on. I did like Adam and Eve; their characters were well developed, and I liked them, which is always a plus in any story.

Overall, it was a really good read. I did feel at times it was a bit long-winded with too much explanation, however, the plot is unusual and intriguing. It is definitely worth a read if you like a few twists and a bit of mystery in your romance books.

1.5/5 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for the ARC of this book.

Unfortunately this one was not for me. The writing was clunky, the characters had no personalities and if I have to read “Clockmaker’s Court” used in a sentence one more time I might just go insane. With it being a mystery, the main characters did very little of actual mystery solving and were just given the answers by the supporting cast. Always presented in an unnecessarily long, exposition dump style, monologues.

ALSO there was a temporary suggestion that the main couple might be related??? Why would you put that in if you’re already developing the romance? WHY.

I thoroughly enjoyed this sweet, cosy, time travel mystery romance!

This book pulled me out of a reading slump so for that I am eternally grateful to the author Ali McNamara for that! Thank you!

I loved the whole concept of this story. The set up with the house clearance, the meeting of the main characters, the mystical, magical elements were right up my street!

This book really kept me intrigued the whole way through and I really enjoyed following the little bread crumbs to see where they wold lead.

I loved all the characters stories. So many great characters in this, I warmed to them all which is rare! I also loved how everything was interwoven and how you gradually found out how everyone was connected.

I did find the way that time travel worked to be a little complicated and hard to get my head around. I can usually suspend disbelief and just go with a story like this, but I found myself wondering *why* time travel worked in this way (for example, why/how did sunlight open the portal?) and would have loved a bit more back story. I got that it was all supposed to be a big mystery, but I would have really liked a bit more information to just help me accept the process rather than finding myself questioning it. I also did feel that the constant references to Back to the Future kind of pulled me out of the world of this story.

The other important thing to mention is that I wouldn't really call this a "romance". The two main characters do find their way together, but it's almost like a sub plot, just something that casually kind of happens while the main time travel plot is at the forefront. There was a lot of love between the characters, but not much in the way of chemistry, tension, no kind of slow burn or anything, and all the romance is very sweet, totally closed door. I think we see them kiss at one point but that's it.

Really enjoyed it though! Would recommend if you enjoy cosy magical realism and time travel!

Right Place, Right Time is a charming and heartfelt story filled with warmth, nostalgia and a touch of fate. Ali McNamara has woven a gentle romance that celebrates the beauty of the past while offering hope for the future.

Eve is a delightful lead, with her deep love of antiques and her heartfelt dedication to preserving the stories behind each item she sells. Her little shop in Cambridge is a perfect setting, brimming with atmosphere and character. Adam, in contrast, is pragmatic and focused on moving on, which makes their initial friction all the more entertaining.

The relationship between Eve and Adam unfolds at a lovely pace, with just enough mystery and emotion to keep the pages turning. I particularly enjoyed the way the book blends the sentimental value of antiques with the unexpected connections between people. The idea that someone’s past choices can shape the future in quiet, meaningful ways adds a thoughtful layer to the story.

This is a book to curl up with, one that celebrates second chances, gentle romance and the magic of timing. If you enjoy uplifting reads with heart and a touch of serendipity, Right Place, Right Time will leave you smiling.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

I was looking forward to this book, having enjoyed Ali's books in the past.

The story started off well, quickly drawing me in to Eve's world as she meets Adam for the first time and discovers they are both leap year babies, sharing 29th February as their birthday.

A few chapters in, as certain things were explained I suddenly felt the story had got a bit silly but I'm glad I persevered as it got better and I felt was very cleverly twisted and turned to tie up lots of loose ends.

I liked the characters and how things were explained.

Would recommend!

Who knew that a house clearance for Antique shop owner, Eve, would change her life forever - bringing romance, time travel, ,and learning about the secrets of her family and her fellow shopkeepers. ? Hard to put down with its unusual theme. A really enjoyable book.

A delightful, romantic story with some added time slip and social history. Adam and Eve are a lovely duo.

I normally love books by Ali McNamara, but this one didn't quite hit the mark for me. It's not that I found the time travel element far fetched, more that the plot didn't quite deliver. Also, there was a lot of telling, a lot of facts and names, which were hard to keep track of. The sense of mystery didn't quite come to fruition. Also, I feel the romance was not given as much attention as the time travel plot. I have to say I don't think some of the characters were authentic and that there was an element of box ticking in terms of diversity. I also felt the ending was a little flat. There was enough there to keep me reading, however. With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I've read and loved all of Ali McNamara's books and was delighted to have the chance to read this. I love the way she weaves magic into her stories. It makes them different to the usual romance genre. I liked all the characters in the book and the story was a gentle adventure into unusual realms - in this instance, time travel. Although I enjoyed the book I didn't engage with it as quickly or thoroughly as previous ones and was a little confused at times and found myself retracing my steps and going back several pages to check if I'd missed something. The twist was good and, overall it was an enjoyable story but not my favourite. Maybe I just wasn't in the right mindset for this one but nevertheless I will look forward to Ali's next book. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was thrilled to receive this amazing novel in exchange for an honest review, and it’s been a delightful experience! I instantly connected with the two main characters, Adam and Eve, with their sparky relationship and the supporting cast of well-developed friends and family members adds depth to the story. I particularly enjoyed the characters Ben and Barney. The setting in Clockmakers Court, Cambridge, is beautifully described, allowing me to vividly imagine the scene. The storyline is captivating, intriguing, and unique—I won’t spoil anything here, but there’s more to this than many contemporary romantic novels! There is a historical twist running through this story as you discover the links between Adam and Eve and how they have been brought together. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

Eve Sinclair es una apasionada por las antigüedades y la historia, tiene una tienda de antigüedades Rainy Day Antiques, vive una vida tranquila y metódica, marcada por su amor por los objetos del pasado y su afán por descubrir las historias ocultas tras ellos.

El 29 de febrero, el día del cumpleaños de Eve recibe el encargo de vaciar una antigua casa georgiana en Grantchester. Esta propiedad pertenece al difunto abuelo de Adam Darcy, un hombre encantador, algo misterioso y claramente fuera del molde, con quien Eve comparte no solo una conexión profesional inesperada, sino también la coincidencia de haber nacido en un año bisiesto.


Lo que comienza como una simple limpieza de casa se transforma en un viaje emocional y revelador, tanto para Eve como para Adam. A medida que exploran juntos la residencia y sus objetos, también empiezan a desentrañar secretos del pasado, reflexionar sobre el legado familiar, y explorar sus propios sentimientos. La química entre ellos es evidente desde el principio, y está cargada de diálogos ágiles, bromas inteligentes y una creciente intimidad emocional.



Al principio casi lo abandono porque no lograba conectar con la historia, pero conforme avanzaban los capítulos se volvió entretenido. No vi venir la parte final, cuando descubren la verdad.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest

Ali McNamara is one of my favourite authors and this latest book has it all. A romance between Adan and Eve, the history attached to antiques and collectibles, time travel and a host of brilliant supporting characters. The setting of Clockmakers Court was wonderful. I enjoyed and highly recommend this book.

As a long term fan of Ali McNamara I jumped at the chance of a ARC from netgalley. It delivered a gentle adventure, with twists and turns and a little romance throw in to the mix. Whilst it does cover trauma it's not an indepth study but more a nod to explain why characters react to situations as they do.
A wonderful cast of characters and a thoroughly enjoyable novel.

I’ve always loved Ali McNamaras books. I know she took a break for awhile do to personal reasons and I’m so glad to see her back. I love antiques and things that have history and tell a story so this was the prefer. Read for me. Romance, History, and Family this book has it all. Highly enjoyed

I have enjoyed all of Ali McNamara's books and this was no exception, despite being a romantic story with a twist. I was unsure about the twist at first but it was done well and I enjoyed the story.

I enjoyed this book, it was not the usual ‘romance’ type book that I was expecting as it had such a good twist to it. I’d have loved to learn more about the portal!
Highly recommend this one, it’s so good!

I was really enjoying this book, it started off with Eve meeting Adam, and your intrigued to know why she was chosen to carry out his house clearance. You eventually come to realise what the story is about and while it was ok, I didn’t love the time travel element, obviously you have to suspend belief and take it as a nice part of the story but the lead up to it got very elaborate and just all a bit too much in my opinion, maybe just the way I was feeling but it got a bit tedious to follow. I’ve read Ali’s books before and I Love her, she is a fabulous writer so it’s probably that this one just wasn’t for me. Thanks for the early copy.

Free courtesy of Netgalley

I really enjoyed this book, half way through I thought it was going to be really far fetched and stupid but it wasn't like that at all. It looked at a situation that we wouldn't believe could happen but it was done tastefully and kept to the story of the residents of Clockmaker's court.

I don't want to give away spoilers, so I will keep it brief. When Eve takes on a house clearing job for her antiques shop on her birthday, she meets Adam, the grandson of a deceased gentleman, whose house it is. Unbelievably it is Adam's birthday too and stranger still even though they were a few years apart, they were both February 29th babies.

Whilst working together they become friends and realise they were brought together for a reason but who in Clockmaker's court knows the true story of what is going on ?

I would recommend this book as it has a beautiful story that weaves itself through the past and the future

Eve is one of a rare number of people who were born in a leap year on 29th February. Her mother mysteriously disappeared when Eve was young so she was brought up by her grandparents who owned Rainy Days Antiques, one of a collection of small, interesting shops in Clockmaker Square, Cambridge.. As Eve grows up she loves the shop even more and enjoys researching stories behind as many of the objects for sale as possible. Needless to say she inherited the business after the death of her Grandmother and becomes a valued member of te small community of interesting collection of fellow shopkeepers in the Square.

She is very surprised to be summoned to a Manor House in Grantchester to do a house inventory and clearance following the death of the elderly owner whom she did not know and had never met. She is greeted at the door by a grandson who promptly tells her that his name is Adam and that “today” is his birthday - a striking coincidence as “today” is 29th February.

Adam is anxious to get back to is London-based life so willingly joins Eve i getting stuck into the job of identifying objects worth selling or totally discarding, and amongst a box of papers and photographs, many of which look rather dated and odd, Eve finds one that immediately reminds her of her long-lost mother. Is there something strange about this and were Adam and Eve meant to meet? The mystery deepens.

A gripping read that I couldn’t put down!