Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC copy. This has not affected my review at all, which are my own thoughts.
Now, please, buckle up, because this is going to be a certified RANT. I didn't like this book a bit and I'm gonna shred it to pieces. Politely. But honestly, as all my other reviews. There's a lot I want to cover so hopefully I'll have both the space and the coherence.

Eliza has an average life, with a boyfriend name Connor, working from home and some friends in common. Except for the vivid and terrifying dreams that she suffers with from time to time. But, she does everything she can to just go along with her mundane life. Which bores her to death. Until Connor disappears, just like in one of her recent dreams. Enter Alden, who says that he might be able to help and that Eliza has special abilities that could help him save his home, Epoch, a city outside of time itself; mutual help for their loved ones. And such is the start of a new life for Eliza.

The premise is what drove me to this book: a boyfriend gone, Eliza left behind and finding out that not only is time malleable but that she's able to look into it, which she'll use to find said boyfriend. For once, it is him who disappears and her who goes looking for him, nor the other way around, and time travel and defying the laws of physics is something I'm always up to read, so I should have liked this book. But the execution was quite poor, hitting some cliches and with a character that tried to justify her actions when these hurt others.

So, where do I start? Maybe, let's try with the only aspect of the book that I did like: the world the characters inhabit and the magic system, which was well done in my opinion. Epoch is described in most of its possible aspects: distribution, the people that live there and how they contribute, who's Alden to them all and how they came to live there. It feels like a city that exists, a city well develop, rich and alive at every corner you look at. That is something that I'll grant the author grace for: that the world she's created, the magic system the characters use to manipulate time to their will and how this same phenomenon endangers them is very develop, details given out when necessary and without overwhelming the reader. Eliza visits most of the city, new to her, and so, new to us.

And this bothers me so much, because, the rest of the writing is so jarring in comparison. Moreover, when comparing the writing of the first part of the book (from the star right up to Eliza accepting going with Alden) to the rest of it; it feels like two different people wrote it. I think it mainly has to do with Eliza, who changes so much in a couple pages without justification, that it gave me whiplash.

She's nervous, reserved and quite bored with her life at the start, but the moment she accepts going with Alden, she makes a 180º change and all this is forgotten. And I'm not saying that's bad, as a reader I expect characters to change as their personal arc advances (for good or for bad), just not like that, in a way that is not possible and that in a character like Eliza feels unbelievable. She should have had a more gradual change, coming out of her shell little by little, finding out who she truly is and what she's capable of, flourishing in an environment that would let her. But no, we have to make her change almost entirely at the start, make her look like an awful person in some aspects so her attraction towards dangerous Alden can be justified.

That's what I liked less about the book: the dam romance. This might seem a bit spoilery, but I need to talk about it; besides, the book is already out, so, people can go and read it if they want to find out. Eliza is a f*cking cheater, and not once but two times. Since the synopsis only mentions her attraction to Alden, I won't mention the other man she forges a romantic relationship with just in case someone could consider it a spoiler (though I'm of the opinion that it is quite clear). But yeah, she's a cheater. To Connor. As of the time of this book, he's gone not dead, and so I'm of the opinion that Eliza should try to respect him. I would have understand it if she has changed so much that she fell out of love with Connor and, when she find him, tell him so. In fact, it was what I expected to happen. But no, she goes and pursue a romantic relationship with a man and barely spares a thought for Connor not does she feel bad. And later on, while still in this relationship, she ends up in a new relationship with Alden, without the other man knowing.

I can't stand this, because she rarely thought about Connor at all throughout the book, or wonders how he must be feeling and doesn't put any effort into making Alden find him or conquer her abilities so she can be the one to find him. And the, she goes and cheats on him with two other men, one to whom she also cheats on. I hate her for that. She (and the narration by extent) even tried to justify it. Sorry, but not to me, not in this life.

Also, the romance with the first man at least is develop, they spend a lot of time together, talking about their jobs, doing things together and enjoying each other so much that it sweats sugar. If it hadn't been for the cheating, I would have rooted for these two to end up together at the end of the book.

But with Alden there was no development at all. They share, like, 4 scenes total out of the whole book, and one of them is at the start, when Alden recruits her. The other three are full of idiotic banter (as if Eliza couldn't hep herself but be like that ONLY with him, so we know he is the final romantic interest) and a murder. There, I said it: I can't believe Eliza saw Alden murder someone in front of her, an innocent someone that he killed as a demonstration of power, and still wanted to be like him. Not only for sex, but as in "I love you, Alden". I wanted to puke right there and then.

They also try to compete for the "worst person in Epoch" title, though Alden clearly hols that title, given what I said in my previous paragraph. Eliza is only a bit mean to some people, drinks as if there's no tomorrow so she is off most of the time and refuses to practice with her abilities. And yet, there's a moment when she says (about her and Alden), quoting: "he is my monster, and I am his". Please, girl, you wouldn't even hurt a butterfly and you hate them (she states this fact quite a handful times, actually).

Anyway, I think you can tell by now that my main problem with this book was Eliza and the way she navigates new places and new relationships. Mainly, as mentioned, drinking copious amount of wine that would put a rum-addicted pirate to shame. And yet, she is never affected by this, no does someone try to intervene even after they find out about it. I would describe her behavior as one of an alcoholic, and she should get help with it before she develops liver problems. Though, she's past overdue. But, as I said, the only issues she faces out of this drinking habit is not being able to perform that well at her time readings to clients, and even then, the actual problem is that she doesn't have such a good handle on her abilities more than the alcohol itself. It feels like the author wanted to give Eliza some flaws, something that could affect her while also making this book look adult (see, my protagonist is a drunkar) but without the full commitment to it and what means for someone to drink so much. Alcoholism has real devastating effects on people, and those neither the consequences were explore accurately here.

I want to give a paragraph to how the women characters are treated in this book, too. I feel like doing that a lot lately in some of my reviews, but maybe, if they were treated better, equally to the men characters, I wouldn't have to. In "Time is a Room", there are three named women, including Eliza, and the other are a to-be friend that, at the end, turns out to be evil and someone Eliza has to fight off, and the other one that is a servant to Alden. Yet, the men are both good and evil, they're scientist like Sid, or trainers like the man that helps Eliza with her abilities in the name of Alden, or are complex enough. I hate it here, really.

Also, maybe because it is the first book in a series and, I believe, the first of this author, but the writing felt quiet clunky, sometimes introducing aspects or elements that didn't make much sense, trying to establish something and feeling short, to abandon it a chapter later, leaving us teetering at an edge that wasn't even real because nothing stayed long enough.

Anyway, I think I've ranted enough and manage to cover all I wanted to cover, really: my issues with characters, romance and the only thing I liked. So, I can say my goodbyes and until the next review. Obviously, I do not recommend this one. I'm grateful to NetGalley for the opportunity, but even if the next one of the series gets up there, I'll stay far away from it.

I had to DNF this one - I really tried to push through but the beginning was convoluted. Annoyingly, the time slip should have been the most interesting part of the book but everything felt foggy. I felt the intention was for the reader to be confused and just roll with it, which is a device I can really enjoy, but the payout didn’t come soon enough

An original and enticing premise. time is a room delves into concepts of time and something other-worldly. I wish i was able to connect to the story more but the pacing and structure of the story weren’t enough for me to be drawn in. I found the plot and world to be intriguing enough to continue but outside of that I found the characters to be slightly underwhelming. I think this story could be developed more but as far as debuts go, it wasn’t a terrible start.

I’m DNFing this about 55% through🥲 Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this, all opinions are my own.

I’ve tried so hard to get into reading this book as the plot was promising and was really intrigued by the synopsis, but I just can’t get into it. The writing is a little clunky for me and I feel like there’s a lot of random things thrown in that make no sense as to why they’re actually thrown in there. It’s a little unclear/uninspired. I think I would’ve enjoyed this a lot more if the book would’ve stuck more with working on her powers with Alden instead of him putting her in a weird uncanny valley ish town and having him randomly dip out and her becoming wine drunk every night. The chapters are also wayyyyy too long.

great book and I loved the action and the romance . I loved seeing the friends and family. I loved that they were able to figure things out. Overall a great book .

First of all: the cover is stunning!

That this is a debut is not something that comes to mind when you're reading it. It flows nicely and the writing is very good. I love the world building and how it is explained. The magic system is original and that is appreciated.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I really liked this book from the cover to the writing it was great. I think the characters were interesting to follow and I liked following them and learning each layer of their characters and the writing kept me engaged

⭐️⭐️⭐️

**"Time is a Room" by Sarah K. Trainor** is a poetic and introspective novel that explores themes of loss, memory, and the passage of time. The writing is lyrical and reflective, with moments of profound beauty. The concept of time being a room that can be entered and revisited is an intriguing one, offering a unique framework for the story.

However, despite the beautiful prose, the novel can sometimes feel overly abstract and slow-paced. The fragmented narrative style may leave some readers struggling to connect with the characters or the emotional core of the story. While the themes are thought-provoking, the disjointed structure made it difficult for me to fully immerse myself in the plot.

The characters, though sympathetic, remain somewhat distant, and I found it challenging to develop a strong emotional connection with them. The novel certainly has a lot to offer in terms of philosophical depth, but it may not be the most accessible read for those looking for a more straightforward narrative.

**Rating:** ★★★ (3/5)

*Time is a Room* is a book that will resonate with readers who enjoy reflective, slow-burning stories. However, the abstract narrative and pacing may make it harder for others to fully engage with the themes and characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-Op for an eArc of this book in exchange for an honest, unbiased reivew!

This review will be posted on goodreads.

Time is a Room is truly such a unique story and I have never read anything like it. I enjoyed the world building and the premise had me hooked but I was confused about a number of various aspects while reading and I had trouble connecting with the characters. Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to read and review!

This was a strong start to the Doyen series, it had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed the use of this world. The characters felt like they were supposed to and was invested in what was happening in the fantasy world. Sarah K. Trainor was able to write a strong story with characters that I cared about. I enjoyed the overall feel of this and am excited to read more in this world.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!!!

Get ready for stream of consciousness in the first person.

Desperate to find meaning in a life she primarily dissociates through, our protagonist Eliza won't be for everyone. If you view this story as a more speculative addition to the subgenre of "weird girl litfic", you'll likely have a better time. For me, this was a drawn out series of occasionally pretty quotes surrounded by nothing of substance and characters I didn't care about.

Eliza could almost be a perfect caricature of a 50s housewife. Oblivious to her own malaise, she passively moves throughout her life doing whatever she's told. Convinced she's always on the outside looking in—othered and longing to mask it—she's internalized the mantra "fake it 'til you make it" to a frightening degree.

Feeling more like a hollow shell than a person, Eliza isn't an unreliable narrator in the traditional sense just occasionally oblivous. Horrifically depressed and dissatisfied with her life, it takes a literal foray into the unknown to both realize and <i>accept</i> she longs for a different life. This does shift as Eliza spirals into alcoholism and disregards the myriad of red flags around her.

Interesting ideas were presented here—with the occasional philosophical aside—yet they never seemed to reach their full potential. I think another run through the draft to spend a bit more time <i>showing</i> concepts instead of mentioning them in passing would do this book a load of good. As this is the beginning of a series, I have hope that when I read the next book it will be a more enjoyable time.

A unique world that's part thought experiment, Epoch is a place I wish we explored more of. How does one find meaning in a functionally frozen world where little to nothing changes? The type of protagonist we follow dictates the story, and thus I knew what I wanted wouldn't be what followed in the text. A pity really, as i desperately tried to enjoy myself here.

Eliza's boyfriend vanishes and as time splinters into endless possibilities, she isn't sure where to start to find him. She agrees to be apprenticed to Aiden.
I wasn't sure about this book and was originally attracted by the description and it was an interesting concept but I felt it needed more development.
The world's and system of magic were interesting.
I did feel the characters could have been more developed. It is however a first book so they might be given more depth in the next book.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher.

2.5⭐️
Time is a Room by Sarah K. Trainor has a captivating premise—a young woman, Eliza, discovers she can bend time and is whisked away to Enoch, a mysterious world “between time.” It starts strong, with intriguing hints of Eliza’s dual existence and her strained relationship with her boyfriend, Connor. But while the setup holds promise, the execution falters.

The concept of time manipulation is compelling, but the world-building feels muddled. Enoch’s rules—like its ageless inhabitants attending high school—are confusing and leave more questions than answers. The pacing slows to a crawl once Eliza arrives there, bogged down by a plethora of characters who blur together. Even Alden, who offers to train Eliza, and Sid, a supposed scientist, are too similar to stand out.

Eliza herself is a polarizing protagonist. Her constant dissatisfaction and descent into alcoholism—mentioned repeatedly but never explored in depth—make her difficult to root for. While some readers may appreciate her flaws, others might find her lack of growth frustrating. And while there are moments of vivid, thoughtful prose, the writing often stumbles, with confusing dialogue and action sequences that sap tension from key scenes.

That said, the book isn’t without its merits. Trainor’s passion for her story shines through, and her descriptions of Enoch are often striking. The story picks up in the final third, and some side characters hint at untapped potential. But the rushed and unsatisfying ending leaves much unresolved, making it hard to fully invest in the journey.

Time is a Room brims with creative ideas but struggles to bring them to fruition. For those intrigued by the concept of time manipulation, it might still be worth a read—but with tempered expectations.

The book was good. The premise was interesting and fresh. However, the book is a bit hard to get into in the beginning of the novel, jumping from 3rd Pov and first Pov involving the reader as "you" when its mentioning things Eliza sees. Epoch was an interesting place to explore and learn about, and the characters really caught my interest. The character was relatable in certain aspects and the idea of being 'disconnected rfrom realisty' could also be interpreted in many ways, Overall a great read!

<i>Time is a Room</i> is an uneven, meandering tale that feels both too long and too short.

The book follows Eliza, a young woman who is unhappy in her stable, but perhaps a bit boring life. She starts fights with her boyfriend Connor, knowing that she's just lashing out without cause. She also experiences episodes in which she seems to be in two places at once, and can perhaps see the future?

Then Connor goes missing on night and she is visited by someone named Alden who tells her that she has some sort of time bending ability and that he will help her find him if she agrees to be his apprentice. She agrees and is taken to a place called Enoch, a place "between time".

The beginning was fairly intriguing but once Eliza is in Enoch, the pacing slows down to an agonizing crawl. We're introduced to a myriad of characters who all sort of blend together. The rules and structure of Enoch are not clearly defined or understandable (no one ages, yet they have a high school? Are there people who are just perpetually 16?)

We barely see Alden in the story and him and Sid, a scientist (though it's not clear what science he's doing) who follows Eliza around for again unclear reasons are far too similar. Eliza also quickly falls into alcoholism which is never really addressed and the repetitive beating me over the head with how Eliza is always drinking gets old fast.

The rest of the plot doesn't make a lot of sense and the ending is rushed and unsatisfying. <spoiler>I honestly could not stand Alden and was not rooting for him at all, but rather for Zisha. But also I don't know if that's what the author intended, am I supposed to be frustrated with Eliza screwing over Sid? Am I supposed to want Alden to "win"? It's unclear. <spoiler/>

The writing has some real issues too. There were many times when I just could not figure out who was speaking and to whom. There's a pivotal scene where two people are fighting with a knife and one person gets stabbed and I had no clue who it was between them. It was frustrating and made it difficult to feel what I think the author wanted me to feel.

While the beginning had potential, there's just not enough interest or growth with any of the characters to keep me in the story.

P.S. There's also a scene where someone throws up and then moments later is making out. Ew. I had to put the book down a bit after that.

The premise of Time is a Room by Sarah K. Trainor was quite interesting to me. A main character who could manipulate time and experience parallel realities sounded really fascinating.

Where I think the novel fell a bit short was with the characterization, especially with Eliza. She seemed like someone who was completely dissatisfied with the world around her, and it made me annoyed after awhile. She didn't feel like someone I could relate to.

Ultimately I think someone else might really love this book, but it just didn't land for me.

This book had a very rough start for me, and I really struggled to stay interested. Unfortunately, it turns out that this mysterious/vibey writing style is not for me. Everything seemed foggy and not understandable, and confusing, and frankly, boring. I was interested for maybe half a chapter, and then the struggle to keep going was too much. I had to dnf pretty fast, seeing as I did not care about the FMC at all, and I was not interested to stay and see what happens to her.

good and dreamy writing and interesting magic style that is a little undermined by the weakness of the characters. 3 stars. tysm for the arc.

Im surprised I haven’t heard more about *Time is a Room* by Sarah K. Trainor because the premise was so good. It’s about time and the people who can control it, which hooked me right away. I struggled to put it down, even when I was supposed to be working or finishing other projects.

That said, the main character, Eliza, was a bit of a challenge for me. I couldn’t relate to her constant disappointment with the world and everyone around her. She came across as one of those people who are never happy, and her addictions—to alcohol and even people—made it harder to connect with her.

The book really picks up about two-thirds of the way in. Some of the side characters stood out, and I found myself imagining their backstories, which was fun because we don’t actually get much about them. You can tell the author poured so much into this book. The descriptions of the epoch and the different places in the story are beautifully written. You can see the care in how every sentence is crafted to explain something clearly.

Still, there were parts I struggled with. The switch between third and second person narration threw me off a bit, and the ending felt rushed. It wrapped up too quickly, leaving me wishing it had taken more time to fully develop.

Even with its flaws, I think this book is worth picking up. The concept alone is so creative, and the author’s passion really shines through.
Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read and review

I had such difficulty with the writing style of this author in TIME IS A ROOM. Author Sarah Trainor has written this book in a stream of consciousness, daydream-like style that is so murky I often lost interest or just lost the plot. Is our protagonist depressed, visionary, psychotic or… incredibly inwardly focused. Some parts of the book really stand out in terms of mood and place creation. But apparently I am not the right reader for this book. I received my copy from the publisher through Netgalley.