Book Review: 23:27 by H.L. Roberts

Title: 23:27
Author: H.L. Roberts

Lilith and Alec are members of a band United Misfits. Theirs was a whirlwind romance, not too popular with the music executive high ups or, apparently, many of their fans. The novel begins with a depressed Lilith livestreaming to her fans, telling them about the anger and pain she still feels over her and Alec’s breakup. The livestream confession takes a terrifying turn when it is revealed that Lilith plans to kill herself. Now it is a race against time to save her. And Alec, understanding the truth about his and Lilith’s breakup, wants to rekindle the past. The question is, will they be able to come together to make their happy ending, or will the problems of the past continue to rear their ugly heads and keep true love apart?

It was unique the way the book switched between present and the past. The author tried to make these switches easy to discern by putting the times with the chapter numbers and titles. I only wish that this was more consistent. Sometimes, when chapters continued I feel like the placement of a timestamp would amp up the suspense and tension, letting us count down the minutes to the inevitable end. Perspective switches between Lilith and Alec, giving us both perspectives. The two distinct stories show two different sides of a complex relationship. Secrets are revealed, and we know the personal feelings of both the confessor and the confessed to. Full of description, detail, and exposition, a rather short and simple story is drawn out into a full novella. Certainly not a story lacking emotion, as each feeling and revelation is presented in expansive detail.