Accidentally Fell Into 1718 and Caught Feelings Send Help

Okay besties… sit down because I have THOUGHTS about this book and I need to debrief properly.

I went into this as my first historical fantasy/time travel read, so I was lowkey expecting to be confused or detached… but NO. I was emotionally involved within like 3 chapters and spiraling shortly after.

Let’s start with the opening because it actually hooked me so fast.

The whole scene in New York where Fable is just surviving—sleeping rough, constantly on edge—you really feel how sharp and guarded she is. So when that mysterious man shows up with the sword and the glowing sapphire pocket watch?? It doesn’t feel random, it feels dangerous. The struggle over it is chaotic in the best way, and then suddenly she’s ripped out of her world and thrown into 1718 England and I was like EXCUSE ME??? We’re doing this already???

And then… the garden scene.

HER FAINTING IN BEN’S GARDEN??? I know it sounds dramatic but it actually works because she’s completely overwhelmed. And Benjamin’s reaction is so him—immediately suspicious, annoyed, but still doing the “proper” thing. It’s giving “I don’t like you but I will absolutely take responsibility for you” energy.

What I LOVED was how uncomfortable those early interactions were. Like when she’s brought into his home and expected to act like a “lady”—and she just… doesn’t. The dinner scenes especially?? Painful in the BEST way. She says the wrong things, doesn’t follow etiquette, questions everything, and you can practically feel the secondhand embarrassment radiating off the page. But also?? You’re rooting for her because why should she conform to rules that make no sense to her??

And Ben during all of this?? Irritated. Fascinated. Conflicted. You can literally see the internal battle of “she is completely inappropriate” vs “I cannot stop thinking about her.” Delicious.

Now let’s talk about the slow burn because WOW. WOW. WOW.

There are so many almost-moments that had me internally screaming. The quiet conversations where they start actually seeing each other?? The moments where he softens just slightly, or when she lets her guard down and you glimpse how vulnerable she really is?? THAT is the good stuff.

There’s this shift at one point (you’ll know when you read it) where he stops seeing her as a problem to manage and starts seeing her as someone he wants to protect—and not in a controlling way, but in a “I would burn the world for you and I don’t even understand why” way.

I ate. That. Up.

BUT. I will say; there were moments where I wanted just a little more emotional depth from Ben. Like, we know he has trauma, we know he’s been hardened by life, but I wanted a few more scenes really digging into that instead of just hinting at it. Give me the ANGST. I can take it.

Also (being honest!!!), the pacing in the middle dips slightly. There are a few scenes where it leans heavily into the social setting—balls, expectations, societal pressure—and while it builds the world, I did find myself wanting to get back to the main tension with the watch and the danger chasing her.

Speaking of the watch… THE STAKES.

Every time the pocket watch comes up, it’s stressful. Because it’s not just “magic item = go home.” It’s like… okay but if she leaves, what happens to everything she’s built here?? And if she stays, what happens to her past?? There’s a constant emotional tug-of-war and I loved that it never felt like an easy choice.

And the enemy from her time??? Added SUCH a good layer of tension. It keeps the story from becoming too soft or purely romantic. There’s always that underlying “something bad is coming” feeling.

Now the romance—because I KNOW that’s what we care about.

It’s not super spicy (I stand by my 2/5), BUT the tension??? Off the charts. This is very much:

• lingering eye contact

• accidental touches that feel VERY intentional

• standing too close and pretending it’s normal

And honestly, it works. Because when they do have those softer or more intimate moments, they hit harder. It feels earned.

Things I didn’t love as much (keeping it real):

• Wanted more backstory/emotional unpacking for Ben

• Slight pacing lull in the middle

• I wish we had a bit more exploration of the time travel rules (I had questions!!!)

  
  

Things I LOVED:

• Fable being an absolute menace to 18th-century society

• The banter and tension between her and Ben

• The constant emotional stakes of “stay or go”

• The way the romance builds slowly but intensely

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Final verdict besties:

I’m actually shook at how much I loved this. For my first historical fantasy/time travel book, this set the bar HIGH. It’s emotional, tense, romantic, and just the right amount of chaotic.

I finished it feeling:slightly heartbrokendeeply investedand immediately needing to talk about it (clearly)

So yes—you’re all reading this so we can scream about it together. No excuses.