The Last Hour Between Worlds (Spoiler-Free Review)

A satisfying if somewhat predictable sapphic enemies-to-lovers adventure

Melissa Caruso’s newest novel is an action-packed enemies-to-lovers adventure set in a time-looping ballroom, and while I had a lot of fun reading the novel, I’m not sure if it’ll stand up to the test of time (pun intended).

Let’s start with what I enjoyed: It’s crazy to me how a single twist can be your novel’s selling point. Case in point, The Last Hour Between Worlds proves that we don’t have enough stories about kick-ass new moms saving the world.

I like Kembral as a protagonist. I don’t plan on having children, but Caruso’s witty and honest writing nonetheless endears me to her struggles as a new mother. The novel does an excellent job of exploring her headspace, as well as the nuanced expectations society places on new mothers (and new mothers place on themselves). For me, this was the strongest part of the narrative—and rightfully so, because it’s what sets it apart from most other books in the genre.

I’m also a fan of Kembral’s characterization as kind of a heroic jock. She’s the loyal hound to Rika’s aloof cat, and the She-Ra parallels almost draw themselves. I personally have a lot of fun reading main characters who are completely oblivious to how others feel about them, and I’m also weak for love interests with traumatic backstories who just really need a hug, so Kembral and Rika’s relationship is right up my alley.

But I can’t help and agree with some other reviewers when they say that Kembral and Rika’s romance feels oddly toothless at times. Given the characters’ history with one another, I expected more intense confrontations and confessions. But what we got instead felt too safe, like the characters were being forced to move forward by the plot and made to air out their feelings before they were ready, rather than actively making the choice to repair their relationship (which is, in fact, exactly what happens).

Unfortunately, the plot itself turned out to be the biggest disappointment about the novel. Given that I’m a huge fan of alternative universes, cosmic horror, and time travel, I went in fully prepared to be blown away by the narrative. Instead, The Last Hour Between Worlds somehow devolves into what feels like generic YA fantasy material, complete with a male antagonist that the narrative can’t stop reminding you is hot (ugh), which is somewhat surprising given that this is a fantasy novel targeted to adults.

There were also multiple moments in the book where I was pulled out of the story because I couldn’t help and ask: Wait, what? That explanation made absolutely no sense. Parts of the narrative felt like they were barely hanging on by a thread, and the story’s pacing is so heavy-handed that you don’t have time to let something sink in before another thing takes its place. There’s so much potentially interesting world-building here, but it all gets distilled by a contrived narrative that’s racing Kembral toward a final confrontation with the big bad, which in and of itself isn’t very climatic.

But don’t let my criticisms fool you. Overall, I did enjoy my time with The Last Hour Between Worlds. The best thing I could say about it is that it never bored me. I had fun piecing together the mystery puzzles, even though the characters themselves were sometimes surprisingly slow on the uptake. I also enjoyed Kembral and Rika’s relationship, though I wish we had just one extra scene at the end of the book to see them sit down and relax. I’m also grateful that this is the first book in a series that works by itself as a standalone novel, because nothing annoys me more than a last-act cliffhanger that leaves you waiting for the next book.

And I’m secretly relieved, because I’m not sure I would have picked up the sequel to The Last Hour Between Worlds even if there had been a cliffhanger. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing absolutely repulsive about the novel, but there’s nothing making me all that enthusiastic to come back to the world and its characters either.

Did you read The Last Hour Between Worlds? If so, did you like it? Why or why not? Let me know in the comments below!