The Last Hour Between Worlds

Rating:3.5

A Groundhog Day meets Sci Fi/Fantasy with a swashbuckling detective determined to save the day.

A fascinating concept of a book, lots of fun and occasionally highly baffling story where you follow Kem, a Hound currently on maternity leave unwillingly thrust into a game with the highest of all stakes.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC!

It took me some time to get into the novel, but once it sucked me in, it had me in a chokehold and didn't let go. I'm looking forward to find out what antics the characters get up to in the second book!

I wanted to love this book.
Positives. A main character who is a mum and worried about leaving her kids at home whilst she goes to work. And all the guilt in both directions that comes with that. Oof. I get it.
But. I struggled with the frantic pace of the book. It made it difficult to really get to know the characters.
There is a lot going for this book, but it’s not for me right now.

This book was a little bit out of my usual comfort zone, but I'm glad that I gave it a go anyway. The writing is pacy and the concept is really interesting, but unfortunately the multidimensional aspect meant that it started to feel quite samey and repetitive.

The Last Hour Between Worlds is a beautifully written, atmospheric fantasy with rich worldbuilding and a compelling premise. The dual timelines and shifting perspectives kept things engaging, though the pacing dragged a bit in the middle with slower character development. Still, the payoff in the final third made it worth the wait. A solid read for fans of thoughtful, time-bending fantasy.

What a great read! This book wasn't at all what I expected, and I feel that it should be marketed as romantasy rather than just sci-fi and fantasy. I enjoyed the urban fantasy setting, and the infinite worlds that we follow Kem through. The world building was so original and I absolutely loved the main characters. Highly recommend this one if you like time loops and you're looking for a refreshing fantasy book.

This book has been on my radar for quite some time and yet I never read it. Since the paperback is being released now, I saw the book on Netgalley and decided that it was time to request a copy. I was happy that Orbit granted me a digital one!

This book was amazing from start to finish! I really had no idea what to expect, but it was better than anything I could have imagined. That's firstly because the book has an amazing concept that's really well thought out. Without long info-dumps the author does a great job painting a picture of her world, the rules of it, the challenge our heroine was facing and all the possible loopholes and impossible choices that had to be made.

On top of the amazing world building I also felt a strong connection with the heroine. The author introduces her to us and within a chapter we start to understand what kind of person she is, what kind of life she had, what challenges she's facing personally and why she does what she does. Where things can get a little chaotic at times, I never felt lost because we always had the heroine to lean on. She guided us through this.

And then there's the romance. By the end of the book I was on the brink of tears. The build up is so well done! And although the characters have history together, it does feel like we're there when they really fall for each other, when the initial attraction becomes a lot more. I loved their emotional conversations. I loved those moments where they started to understand each other better and I can't wait to reunite with them in the next book!

Something about powerful female leads always make me happy. The twists and turns here made me grip my seat in anticipation and I was totally happy with it. I might need more of this
4⭐️ read for me

There are some genres where you know what to expect in terms of structure, like in romance or mystery, and there’s comfort in knowing roughly how the story will develop.
As much as I enjoy the predictability of those stories, I love coming across books that defy standard structures (think Piranesi, or The Futurological Congress by Stanislaw Lem). In that sense, The Hour Between Worlds was an extremely pleasant surprise! A mix between Inception and Groundhog Day, with a dash of This Is How You Lose The Time War, I thoroughly enjoyed this weird story.

The world building was amazing. At first we’re just thrown into this strange world and nothing makes sense, but bit by bit we learn the rules and things start to be more clear. I loved the concept of the 'Echoes': layers of reality that become more weird the further you go from 'Prime' (first layer, reality). This concept was extremely fun and it has a lot of potential for further exploring on the next books of the series.

I admit I wasn’t too sold on the romance aspect, there wasn’t too much chemistry in my opinion, but I still thought the relationship between the main character and the love interest was sweet and nicely developed. I'd love to see them interact further in future books.

My only true criticism of this book is that it's a bit too long for the repetitive nature of the story. I would've liked the plot to move a bit faster at some points.

All in all, this was an amazing story, it was my first time reading this author and I can’t wait to go back to this world in the sequel!

The premise of this book sounded interesting to me-

“Renowned investigator Kembral Thorne is determined to enjoy herself at the year-turning ball despite the presence of her nemesis, notorious cat burglar Rika Nonesuch. But when the guests start dropping dead, Kem has no choice but to get to work.

At the heart of the mayhem is a mysterious clock that sends the ballroom down into strange and otherworldly new layers of reality every time it chimes. As the party plunges through increasingly dangerous versions of their city, Kem will have to rely on her wits - and Rika - to unravel the mystery before catastrophe is unleashed on their world.”

I tried to enjoy this book, I really did, as a recent new mother myself I found the idea of the main character being a new mum too really intriguing. Unfortunately, the book and I did not get along.

The world that this book is set in is interesting, and I did want to know more about its structure, the different guilds, the magic system…but it felt as though there was a lot of showing not telling happening in the book. References were made to things which were then not explained, and the pacing was very rushed - which sort of makes sense given the nature of the Groundhog Day style plot. But it all felt a bit too much for me. I tried for a while to push my way through, but I couldn’t as I was not enjoying my time in this world. It may be that the issues I found difficult rectified themselves later on, and I hope that they do, but I’m afraid I wasn’t able to persevere to the end.

The actual writing itself is strong in certain parts, the language used is effective and the descriptions and some conversations were engaging. So for those positives I am going to rate this a 3/5 , which I feel is particularly fair considering I couldn’t finish the book.

The Last Hour Between Worlds by Melissa Caruso is an amazing story. 5 star read from me. Loved every single second of this book. So so good.

Really good start to a series, has pulled me in and want to read much more. I felt that the author held back a little to tease out the next book. Will look forward to reading the rest of the series.

This was a solid enjoyable start to a series. Fast paced and fun. I think the world building isn't quite fully fleshed out but I look forward to the next book.

2/5 stars! This story was hard to engage with. The writing style was lengthy ,and it dragged on at times but sped at others. It was exhausting trying to follow the plot. I felt like there was a lot of promise but it needed to be tightened up.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

The Last Hour Between Worlds by Melissa Caruso is a richly imagined fantasy with high stakes, sharp politics, and magic that feels both inventive and grounded. Caruso crafts a world teetering on the edge of collapse, and the tension builds with every chapter. Her prose is fluid, making for an immersive and accessible read.

The characters shine, especially the lead—driven, complex, and caught between loyalty and survival. Their relationships add emotional depth without slowing the plot, and the magical elements are well-integrated, enhancing rather than overwhelming the story. A few middle sections drag slightly, but the payoff is worth it.

By the final act, the stakes feel earned, and the resolution strikes a balance between closure and anticipation. The Last Hour Between Worlds delivers smart, character-driven fantasy with heart and bite. A strong 4-star adventure that leaves you eager for more.

The last hour between worlds is a fantasy novel with a great sci-fi twist. It features alternate realities and time loops while also portraying the strength of a maternal bond with its main character.

Kembral Thorne is spending a few hours away from her newborn, and she's determined to enjoy herself at this party no matter what. But when the guests start dropping dead, Kem has no choice but to get to work. She is a Hound, after all, and she can't help picking up the scent of trouble.

She’s not the only one. Her professional and personal nemesis, notorious burglar Rika Nonesuch, is on the prowl. They quickly identify what’s causing the a mysterious grandfather clock that sends them down an Echo every time it chimes. In each strange new layer of reality, time resets and a sinister figure appears to perform a blood-soaked ritual.

As Kem and Rika fall into increasingly macabre versions of their city, they’ll need to rely on their wits—and each other—to unravel the secret of the clock and save their home.

I really adored the world of this book, the realities being depicted as layers of one universe (like an onion) was really unique and drew me into the story. The author did a good job fleshing it out while also leaving parts of it to be explored in sequels. Similarly i really enjoyed the characters, both main and secondary. A standout for me has to be the Clockmaker, an echo, which is a being originating from one of the layers. Her depictions and motives were well written and her connection to our main cast was an amazing twist. Blair even though they were only a minor character was very fun to read about with their eccentric personality and cool backstory, having been chosen for the magic guild.

The romance was similarly refreshing, both in the slowburn and the queer normative world this book takes place in. Rika and Kem have my heart and i love the ride or die energy they develop through the book. Cant wait for book 2!!!

The worldbuilding hooked me from the start. It’s not dumped on you all at once, but carefully revealed in tantalizing pieces, like the author’s leaving a breadcrumb trail of magic and mayhem. And yes — it definitely left me wanting more.

The mystery was familiar in shape but elevated with the stakes, the style, and the danger. Everything just clicked — the atmosphere, the pacing, and that creeping sense that something darker is always just beneath the surface.

If you're into fantasy worlds laced with blood, secrets, and a promise of more to come… consider this your next obsession.

Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for my digital review copy.

3 stars.

I did enjoy this book, but I finished it wishing there was slightly more. Don't get me wrong, I am excited to read the sequel.

We follow Kem, a new mother, who is struggling to adapt to motherhood and the changes from being a workaholic, finally have some time to herself at a New Year's Eve party.

I found the overall premise of the book to be intreguing - the same party, but it gets progressively weirder and weirder as the night goes on as we go through different Echos.

This is definitely a book I'd want to see adapted into something- maybe an animated thing for how rich the different echoes were. But I found myself wishing there was some concrete explaination to the different guilds and what moons mean. We have a lot of promise from all the different guilds, but I felt like I needed more information to be immersed.

The main relationship between Rika and Kem left me feeling like I wanted more from it. It wasn't bad, I just felt like it could be developed more.

I am looking forward to seeing where this tale goes in the next book, though and will be picking the sequel up.

3.5 stars.
So this book was honestly kind of wild. At first I wasn’t sure what I was even reading, and it took me a bit to get into it. I usually don’t go for mystery type stories. The world is original, the magic system is creative, even if it confused me a bit in the beginning. The idea of the echo and how time works there was kind of hard to follow sometimes. It felt a little repetitive in places, but I think that’s just how the time loop thing works. Kembral is a solid main character, and I liked how she tries to figure things out while everything is going crazy around her. Her connection with Rika had some nice moments. There’s some action, a bit of humor, and the story moves fast. Overall, I liked it. Not my absolute favorite. Thank you so much to the author and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read the book in advance, I received this for free and I'm leaving a honest review

Okay this book threw me for a loop.

I tend to go into books blind and when i picked this up, I was pretty baffled what I was reading.

I was skeptical to begin with, as it seemed more of a mystery with slight fantastical elements and as someone who isnt big into mysteries, I wasn't sure i would like this book.

However, when I carried on reading, I became swept up quickly into the world and the intricacies. It is incredibly unique and has a refreshing magic system. I found it a little confusing to grasp initially but quickly got to grips with it.

I was quickly invested in the characters and their lives, Motivations and pasts.

Overall I found it incredibly enjoyable, fun, compelling and im excited for the next installment!