I went through so many emotions throughout this book, and that alone is what makes me give it 4.5 stars. The main character is a 'handler' at the Ministry of Time, who is in charge of acclimating a man from 1847 (I think) to modern culture and civilization (who is referred to as an 'expat' from his own timeline). I normally really don't like time travel shenanigans as plot devices, but I absolutely loved the little group of handlers and expats that centered the book. Their dynamics were wonderful. Each character is so distinct and unique, some unlikeable, and some incredibly loveable. Romance ensues, but honestly, even though that normally draws me in like no other, I don't even think it was the most interesting part of the story, just upped the stakes.  I was at a 5/5 stars until about 80% of the way through the book when time-traveling caught up to them, but again, that's personal preference on my end. The plot twist at the end was super surprising!

(mega props to the audiobook narrator who really sold it, I had no idea two of the characters were the same person.)

  I went from so happy, to kind of stressed, to extremely stressed, to heartbroken and drowning in existential sadness the characters ruining the lives they could have had, to hopeful/optimistic. It's a crazy roller coaster, and I highly recommend it. The writing was incredible too, and had so many banger lines that I'm almost certainly going to buy a physical copy of the book and a highlighter. Oh my god, some of those lines had me reeling with how poignant and visceral they were. Highlighted line for me that I can remember off the top of my head was something like "Before you judge my actions, please remember that love is a form of blunt force trauma."