I’ve seen this book recommended multiple times since it first came out, and last night I was finally in the mood for something dark and angsty. Surprisingly, the book was neither as dark nor as angsty as I expected, though it included plenty of violence and more than one moment that made my chest do that delicious twisty thing. The premise of this story is both fascinating and tragic, and while the optimist in me wanted a happily ever after for each of the four men involved, I enjoyed the painful ride even once I figured out that might not necessarily be the final resolution.
McCormick subverts both the soulmates and psychopath tropes in this romance in unpredictable but still satisfying ways. In a way, the book is a sort of “reverse” psychopath romance. Along with the usual “I saw him so he’s mine” mentality of Kade’s character, these heroes also deal with the unexpected conflict of Kade having actual feelings for Seth. Even more unpredictable, these aren’t Kade’s feelings at all, which makes for a unique character arc as Kade comes to terms with how his new life will be different from his old one. In contrast, Seth faces the quandary of developing new feelings for the man wearing the body of the man he was in love with…who is also the man who might be a better fit for him.
This is where the soulmates angle comes in, fracturing this unexpected romance in interesting ways. Clay and Kade never quite fit on their first go around, but neither did Seth and Jayce today, despite the love that definitely existed in various forms between both pairings. The full story of what went down between Kade and Clay at the end of their first lives was a huge driving force for this book, which McCormick teases nicely even while the tragic resolution there was so obvious. That Clay keeps these secrets from Seth creates another interesting character dynamic I thoroughly enjoyed. This story wouldn’t work if McCormick had taken the easy route of reincarnation creating the same people over and over again, and the conflict between Seth and Clay sharing a body is presented well in how McCormick portrays the subtle transitions of thought and control.
I’ll go ahead and jump on the list of people who highly recommend this book if you’re looking for a psychopath and/or fated mates sort of romance that won’t be quite what you expect. However, I’m also pleased that I waited long enough to read this that the follow-up novella is already available. Now, I just have to anxiously wait to see what this creative author does with the next installment involving these characters.
One thought on “Book Review: Beyond Time (Beyond #1) by Lee McCormick”