Beneath the Shadow of Time
Vera Bell
Timebound Publishing LLC (2025)
ISBN: 979-8989612475
Reviewed by Kathy Stickles for Reader Views (03/2025)
A little over 18 months ago I was asked to review the first book in this series, “Through the Veneer of Time,” and I adored it. It was incredibly well-written and appealed to readers not only of the romance genre but also to those who would enjoy a bit of history or a riveting mystery. Although I was not lucky enough to review the second in the series, I did buy a copy and read it because I just had to know what was going to happen. I have no doubt other fans of the series felt the same. Now I am back with the third book in the series, “Beneath the Shadow of Time,” and I can only say that Ms. Bell has surpassed herself with this new tale.
As always, the reader is given a back-and-forth look between the times and locations of the two couples that star in the storyline. In Ireland in 1566, Neave and Aedan continued their quest to rid Ireland of the rule of the English and the evil Queen Elizabeth. Neave is terrified as there is now a huge bounty on her husband, but Aedan will not back down in his attempt to free his homeland.
As Aedan reaches out to others for help, they both quickly find that evil is everywhere around them and there is no way to know who is actually a friend and ally and who is not. While Neave stands by her husband as she lives with the horror that she may lose the love of her life, Aedan refuses to back down and can only pray that there is a way to keep his promises to Neave without losing everything, including his life.
On the other side of the coin (or world as the case may be), we are in Miami, Florida in the present day following the lives of Siena and her husband Ryan. As Ryan, an agent with the FBI, tackles his most dangerous case, his wife finds out the horrible truth about it and begs him to quit. She has discovered the huge and real danger of the case and must attempt to deal with the fact that Ryan may not live through this one. That is not something Siena is willing or able to do.
Ryan is not one to give up and quit and so he refuses her requests and chooses to deal with the issues later, after he has succeeded. Unfortunately for Ryan, this choice may cost him not only his life but his marriage, especially when he is taken prisoner. Will these two couples, connected in so many ways, be able to survive the biggest fights of their lives or will everything end in tragedy on both sides?
“Beneath the Shadow of Time” is a captivating end to this series that offers readers so many twists and turns. As always, the writing is beautiful and flawless, and the storyline is such a creative one that I cannot say enough good things about this author. Truly, this is a book, actually an entire series, which will mesmerize readers as they turn the pages. You will not be able to put it down, at least I know I could not do so. Of all the aspects of the story, the characters are the most marvelous part. Each of these couples fits together perfectly and it is beautiful to see the connections between two certain people in their own time and space as well as the connections between all four of them spread out over so much time. The complexity of the two different plots as well as the emotions of the characters is an amazing accomplishment for Vera Bell and a true gift to her readers.
I do have to say to everyone out there that you should definitely read all of the books in order rather than just beginning with “Beneath the Shadow of Time” because this is a story that evolves over time. As a reader, you will do yourself a serious injustice if you do not have the entire picture. That would be truly sad for those who want to dig into an amazing story of romance, history, time travel, and mystery such as the Always and Forever Trilogy. I cannot express on paper how much I recommend “Beneath the Shadow of Time” and the entire series by Vera Bell. Definitely 5 stars (and I wish it could be more)!!