Carole's Monday: Beyond the Moon by Catherine Taylor

Author:   Catherine Taylor 
Title: Beyond the Moon
Genre: Scifi, Romance, Historical
Pages: ebook
Published:  June 25th 2019
Where I Got It: My shelf (By the author for my honest and unbiased opinion)



In 1916 1st Lieutenant Robert Lovett is a patient at Coldbrook Hall military hospital in Sussex, England. A gifted artist, he’s been wounded fighting in the Great War. Shell shocked and suffering from hysterical blindness he can no longer see his own face, let alone paint, and life seems increasingly hopeless.

A century later in 2017, medical student Louisa Casson has just lost her beloved grandmother – her only family. Heartbroken, she drowns her sorrows in alcohol on the South Downs cliffs – only to fall accidentally part-way down. Doctors fear she may have attempted suicide, and Louisa finds herself involuntarily admitted to Coldbrook Hall – now a psychiatric hospital, an unfriendly and chaotic place.

Then one day, while secretly exploring the old Victorian hospital’s ruined, abandoned wing, Louisa hears a voice calling for help, and stumbles across a dark, old-fashioned hospital room. Inside, lying on the floor, is a mysterious, sightless young man, who tells her he was hurt at the Battle of the Somme, a WW1 battle a century ago. And that his name is Lieutenant Robert Lovett…

Two people, two battles: one against the invading Germans on the battlefields of 1916 France, the other against a substandard, uncaring mental health facility in modern-day England. Two journeys begun a century apart, but somehow destined to coincide - and become one desperate struggle to be together.

I was drawn in by the cover and the story. Plus I love some time travel romances. So why not?

The story follows Louisa Casson and Lieutenant Robert. Louisa is a medical student in 2017 who has just lost her grandma and is heartbroken. She drowns her sorrows in alcohol and accidentally falls off the South Downs cliffs. The doctors fear she tried killing herself so they admit her to the psychiatric hospital. Robert is a soldier during WWI who is an amazing artist. He finds himself in the hospital due to some serious injuries. The two find each other and fall for each other and are destined to be together but it will not be easy.

Can't resist a good romance especially time travel ones. 

I liked Louisa and Robert. I felt bad for both of them. Robert has seen some terrible things and Louisa is locked up against her will and she didn't even try to kill herself. That psych place is terrible! How can it still exist? I mean...there are probably some terrible ones still around, but it seemed really horrible. 

From the beginning I was hooked. There were some huge lulls in the middle that had me wanting to skim, but I held firm because I had to know how everything was going to happen. I just wanted them to be happy and away from the war and that terrible psych place. They deserved love. 

At first, I was a little iffy about the insta-love. But it did seem to work for them. They are both damaged people and usually damaged people are drawn to each other. So it did make sense, but I was worried at first. 

I liked the ending. It was fitting. 

Overall, this was pretty good. Some ups and downs, but I was hooked and had to finish it. I just wanted the two to have the happiness they needed and deserved! I am intrigued to see what the author has next for us. I'll give this 3 stars.