Time After Time (Time Between Us #2)

Let me give you all a little back story on me and this series. As soon as I finished my review of Book one (Time Between Us), I sat back in let all the feels I had wash over me. I was heart broken that Anna and Bennett had so much separating them because it was beyond obvious how they felt about each other. I was also super interested in Bennett's ability. I had never read anything about time travel and I became extremely interested in it. I wanted to be in Bennett's head and see how he felt about Anna and to see how he did the time travel thing. So I asked Tamara Ireland Stone via Twitter what the chances were of us getting a book from Bennett's POV and she never answered me. A couple months later, she retweeted me and told me about the plans for this. I flailed so hard I almost broke my arm lol So in other words, I have literally been waiting for this before I even knew it existed.
Stone has an amazing way with words and it was proven again in this installment to Bennett and Anna's story. I was hanging on each and every one on the page. So much so I found myself even losing myself in her acknowledgements. Seriously guys, she's amazing. There were so many different emotions (angst, heartbreak, love, and happiness) and you feel them all as you read this. So many times I cried but as soon as I turned the page I was clutching at my heart saying "Awwww." My feels were all over the place.
One thing I was worried about though was not liking this one as much as the first. The synopsis is really vague and because of that I was a little worried that the plot wouldn't be as good as the first one. But in all actuality, I ended up liking this one even more. We get to see more of Bennett's ability and it is even better because this time its coming directly from him.
As for the characters, I think I fell in love with Bennett even more. While reading the first one I never once thought how he might feel never being able to bring Anna home, how they would last the rest of their life, and what would happen to them in the far future. Bennett thinks about all of that and it is ne huge swoon fest. His love for Anna obviously shows no bounds. Gah, enough of this... I NEED MY OWN BENNETT. As for Anna, she had to make some really tough decisions in this one and I respect her for being strong enough to do it. I'm not sure if even I would have been that strong. Anna shows incredible growth in this novel and I admire her for doing it.
In short, this addition to Anna and Bennett's story is amazing. It has even more feels than Time Between Us and goes even more in depth to Bennett and his ability. Lastly, do not worry, there is no Second Book Syndrome here!

This is an enjoyable follow up from Bennett's point of view. I didn't remember a lot of details, but it did a pretty good job of naturally reminding what happened. I remembered that romance that shouldn't have happened because in different times but did anyway, that I thoroughly enjoyed. And while it is present in this one, we see them apart more than book one. We see a lot of character development from Bennett and him struggling with the limitations of his travelings, and possibilities of changing what bothers him.
Bennett is as sweet, charming and conscientious as ever, but he does learn a lot about how he has been spreading himself thin. He realized the friends and family in both places that wanted and deserved his whole head instead of always divided between two times or not.
I flew through the story, hoping for certain things to fall into place, some suspicions confirmed that I wished weren't true, and other twists taking me by surprise.
To me, I forgot all of the details about time travel and the specifics, but I didn't harp over the inconsistencies or the things that didn't quite make sense because some of it I am not scientifically minded to understand anyways, I just love the concept not the hows or whys. So it may bother some people, but for me it is about the very idea of time crossed lovers and how they make that work in the emotional not science realm. And on that level Ms. Stone delivers beautifully.
There are some really tough choices explored and I loved the flawed perfection and internal struggle and anguish it brings out in the characters. It forces them to look past the blinders into their hearts for the answer even if it is not easy.
I reviewed Time After Time because it was available as an e-arc. But it is a book that I would have bought after release or at the very least checked out from the library, because I enjoyed the first book so much and I wanted to be back in their world and see what happens with their romance.
The ending isn't as complete as I would like it to be, but it is kind of perfect in that contemporary sort of way. In that the main issues in the book are tied up and there is a half way open ending where I can keep imagining the characters and how they get to the spot that I know they will be and what will happen to them after that.

Bottom Line: Sweet conclusion that I devoured.