Official Review: Crossing in Time by D.L. Orton

[MarisaRose]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Crossing in Time" by D.L. Orton.]

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2 out of 4 stars

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Crossing in Time is a dystopian love story that crosses many genres. The novel starts off with a bang when we first meet the main character, Isabel, in the middle of a sticky situation with a gun dealer in what appears to be a post-apocalyptic world. I couldn’t wait to find out how our character ended up in this situation. After the exciting prologue, our story reads like a typical romance. In present day time, Isabel runs into Diego, an ex boyfriend from 15 years ago, who goes on to save her from a terrible explosion, thus leading Isabel and Diego to rekindle their relationship. A sci-fi element is introduced to the story with the discovery of a strange sphere that no one seems to know the origin of, but soon becomes closely tied to one of our main characters. Although I found there was more than enough romance and erotica in the novel, I think the science fiction aspect was lacking. There is little in this book that could be classified as sci-fi other than the introduction of the mysterious sphere, which we learn little about, and the fact that both main characters are scientists, although they rarely talk or act like scientists. Despite time travel being a major theme throughout the story, there was no focus on or explanation of the “how” behind the characters ability to time travel.

The story is told from the point of view of both Diego and Isabel. I found this to be one of the more interesting aspects of the novel. Both characters seemed to have interesting personalities and I liked reading their different perspectives. Additionally, both characters had a good sense of humor, making the novel witty and humorous, which I greatly enjoyed. However, an aspect of the book I found rather annoying was the author’s use of multiple timelines. Although the different timelines themselves were exciting and integral to the story, it was not always made clear by the author which timeline the story was following.

From the beginning, this book appeared to have it all, romance, suspense, compelling characters, and a dramatic opening. However, as the novel progressed, I began to care less about the characters, and by the end I was down right annoyed with them, especially Isabel. When reading books I typically like to see a character mature over the course of the story, however, I found the main characters in Crossing in Time lacked any real, personal development. The book started out with potential but slowly turned into a juvenile romance that seriously lacked in the science fiction department.

Although I thought this book failed as a science fiction novel, it succeeded, in some aspects, as a romance. The idea of second chances is prominent throughout the book, which made the characters relatable and added a sense of suspense. Also, Isabel and Diego worked for me as a couple for the majority of the book; I was really rooting for their second chance to work, especially given the gravity of their situation.

Overall the book was a fast paced, easy read with a decent plot. I would recommend this book for those who care more for straightforward romance novels. I think this novel should be marketed in the categories of erotica and romance rather than as a sci-fi love story. I give this book a rating of 2 out of 4 stars. If the author had focused more on the sci-fi aspects of the plot and less on the erotica scenes I would have given this book three stars. Although Crossing in Time wasn’t for me, I think there are many people out there who would find it to be an enjoyable, fun read.

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Crossing in Time
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[kandscreeley]

It sounds like the characters fall short in this one. Good characters made good books. Don't think I'll be reading this one. Thanks for the review, though.