Paradox Lost

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Due to a messy break with the police, he can't get a referral to save his life. When an enigmatic stranger bangs on his door one night and promises a windfall for a missing-person case, it seems too good to be true. But the two men have an immediate connection, and Saul can't pass up the chance to spend more time with Reegan, even if he's clearly hiding something. Saul knows he shouldn't trust Reegan, and Reegan knows he can't get involved with Saul.

But as their attraction evolves into feelings neither can deny, will they have the strength to take a leap of faith—together? To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. To ask other readers questions about Paradox Lost , please sign up. Lists with This Book. Jun 23, Lilia Ford rated it really liked it Shelves: I'm not a huge fan of time travel and I had my doubts, but this was a great read, with cool, inventive sci-fi world-building, two wonderful leads and, especially welcome, some terrific side characters.

The story pulled me in immediately and from then on it was a total ride, with great action sequences and plenty of suspense, lightened by enough comic moments to keep the whole experience fun. Jan 31, Vanessa North rated it really liked it. This time travel romance was hot and alittle angsty, with tons of action, a very cool take on time travel--as tourism!

The narration of the audiobook fave it an almost noir-ish feel, which I really loved. This is my first book by Libby Drew, and I cannot wait to read more! View all 6 comments. Mar 26, Heather K dentist in my spare time rated it liked it Shelves: It started when I was a kid with A Wrinkle in Time and has continued throughout my adult life. I've read Outlander multiple times and practically hug it at night.

I just find time travel love stories to unbearably romantic. I always enjoy Libby Drew's writing. She writes in a way that feels Her stories have a great flow to them and this one was no exception. I was hooked from the start and effortlessly got into the groove of the book. I had a few problems with some of the finer details of the story.

Reegan had a PhD in history and was supposed to know the time period of like the back of his hand. That is why it was irritating for me when he didn't know some pretty basic facts about the era that he was visiting. He kept trying to open things voice activation and bumbling through 21st century appliances. It felt odd to me that a time traveling historian wouldn't know when things were invented. Also, I kept thinking that Reegan's speech would sound different from Saul's. If I think back over years and I traveled to that era, I would stick out from the moment I opened my mouth.

I kept waiting for them to comment on accent or speech usage or something like that.

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I tend to think of all of these details when I read a time travel book and they become distracting for me when I find inconsistencies. Despite my nit-picking, this book really did have a lot to offer. It had a decent amount of action, some nice sex scenes, and it kept my Kindle glued to my hand all day. View all 11 comments. Did you like them? Well, I did and Paradox Lost reminds me of both. I daresay this is more thriller than scfy, so for those that are looking for strictly scfy, you may be disappointed.

By and large, Paradox Lost focuses on the predicament in which Saul, Reegan and Sylvia find themselves in If you're wondering looks much the same as today. A bit disappointing, yes, considering that technology advances exponentially on an almost daily basis, but watching Reegan's fascination with all things "retro" more than made up for it. Also, there are several references to the future, it's technological advances and even some commentary on how technology has negatively affected society, all of which satisfied my scfy quotient.

Let's face it classics don't become classics for no reason. The star-crossed lovers trope, I admit it; I'm a sucker for it and Paradox Lost uses it effectively. It even managed to break through my insta-love boundary with just a few simple words: As though they were lovers connected by years of exploration and intimacy, not virtual strangers. Saul has a checkered past. He's not all that verbal and doesn't trust easily; so, his connection to Reegan shocks him as much as the rest of us. He's ex-military and an ex-cop so you can extrapolate that he's had his fair share of loss which he's unsuccessfully trying to bury in a bottle of Stoli when there's a pounding on his door.

Reegan tornadoes into his life and makes him an offer he can't refuse especially since his PI business is on the cusp of folding. You can also extrapolate that with Saul's military and police background that he's highly perceptive as well as observant, so he's not buying Reegan's story for a second. Aside from him believing that Saul would have him sent to the nuthouse, Reegan's playing it close to the vest for a reason: Research proves short jaunts are overwhelmingly safe.

But the longer a traveler stays, the greater the danger their presence will cause a potential paradox. Their interference radiates and expands at an exponential level. When that happens, when the ripples get too big, the traveler is eliminated. Thus, they need to find Sylvia quickly and get her and Reegan back to with a quickness. The trouble is Sylvia doesn't want to be found. So, it becomes a game of cat and mouse. They're literally dodging bullets both real and figurative.

Without spoiling too much, the thriller aspects were fun, kept me guessing as to why Sylvia's bodyguards were on their tale and kept the pacing up. I'll admit the rationale was a bit of a letdown. I was expecting something a bit more sinister or shocking. I'm not sure what exactly, but something with some meat; this felt a bit anemic.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed the story arc and the characters. Reegan's childlike fascination with everything from doughnuts to Garmins was highly entertaining. AND he dresses like Indiana Jones complete with the hat! It was Walmart, after all. Truer words were never spoken. The sexy times were intensified to near desperation by the exigency of the situation.

The secondary characters added positively to the story, adding some levity. The weaving together of present and future was executed well, but what I liked most was the message of time being relative to love. Like I said, I'm a sap for this trope. One final note which may be of no interest to you, the editing of Paradox Lost is sloppy.

The MCs name is misspelled, not an ellipsis is executed correctly, hyphens where there shouldn't be and none where there should, and I had a hard time keeping up with the dialogue due to the formatting. For the most part I was able to ignore it, but at times it was distracting. I would highly recommend Paradox Lost to saps like me who are a sucker for the star-crossed lover trope and those who enjoy a little scfy. I would like to thank the author for providing me with the ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review.

Jan 03, Ulysses Dietz rated it really liked it. Libby Drew has added a wonderfully written, grippingly fast-paced addition to the time-travel genre one I particularly value when well done, as this is. If the characters were a straight couple, this would be a national best seller. If I don't enjoy the writing for its beauty, I don't want to be aware of the writing at all: I want to get caught up in the plot, in the characters, in the emotional connection of the central relationship. And Libby Drew delivers.

The writing is crisp and journalis Libby Drew has added a wonderfully written, grippingly fast-paced addition to the time-travel genre one I particularly value when well done, as this is. The writing is crisp and journalistic. It moves you forward and sets the scene. This is a fascinating take on the idea of time travel as tourism, and on the notion of falling in love across time barriers Jack Finney did this beautifully in his classic "Time and Again". Both of the main characters get a rich, in-depth treatment; the sad and lonely Saul Kildaire, and the complex but haunted Reegan McNamara.

The secondary characters are less fully drawn, but vivid enough to capture your attention and your interest. The development of the emotional connection between the two men is choreographed elegantly, building in layers as the plot unfolds or, rather, collapses around them. Drew's development of the sci-fi aspect, crucial to the interest of the book, is well done: The core premise of time-travel here is essential to the plot, and makes this an edge-of-the-seat experience. I can't say more without ruining it. My only very minor quibble is that no one ever says "I love you. I hope women writers don't think that they'll be thought inauthentic if they do that.

Not everyone needs to read the three little words: This would make a fabulous movie, but since the majority of straight folk won't read about gay men in love, it's up to us to keep the faith. With books like this, it's an easy job. Jun 15, Xing rated it really liked it. I'm a geek for time traveling stories, but I'm also rather picky about it as well. And of course, it can be confusing as hell if the story gets ahead of itself.

But rest assure that PL is a love story made possible by time travel. It doesn't try to over-complicate things. There are simple rules to follow, and circumstances that result from breaking such natural rules. As such, I don't necessarily feel like you have to be a time traveling fan to enjoy this novel. Just someone who's open to the possibility of it in in fiction and don't over analyze the mechanics of it with a magnifying glass.

But onto the story! PL isn't necessarily a thriller novel, but it is very quickly paced. I was surprised to realize that the majority of the novel happens over the span of two days! So much happens in such a short time that it didn't feel like two days at all. Our main characters, Saul and Reegan, were constantly on the move. They moved with one another and the world around them. While their attraction for one another was instantaneous, it didn't feel like instalove even though the time span from strangers status to lovers wasn't very long.

I also enjoyed both main characters. Reegan, the time-traveling tour guide with a Ph. But they both didn't really have a quality to dislike. They had good chemistry with one another. The sex was hot and tastefully done without feeling porny. I just wished the story fleshed out Reegan more in terms of his past life growing up. The book also had a good balance of secondary characters. I just wished they had more spotlight in the story, but understood that it would be difficult to fit them in due to the nature of the story and the pacing issue.

The changing POV between Reegan and Saul with each chapter was a nice touch and brought good insight into each characters' head space.

Overall, if you're looking for a fast-paced story involving love, time traveling, and what it means to be a hero, then give Paradox Lost a try. Jan 31, Eladio rated it it was amazing. Reegan works as a time-travel guide and lives in Washington DC in the year An accident on a recent Civil War tour has jeopardized the friendship between Reegan and his boss as well as their livelihood. But then he loses a customer Silvia in the crowd.

Turns out Silvia had planned Reegan works as a time-travel guide and lives in Washington DC in the year Turns out Silvia had planned to disappear into the past to escape her abusive marriage to a powerful politician, and now her husband will stop at nothing to retrieve her. Reegan would never return a runaway wife to an abusive husband, but unfortunately he needs to bring Silvia back to for a technical reason unbeknownst to her: This refers to the protection against paradoxes built into the time loops: Silvia is living on borrowed time, and so is Reegan when he returns to look for her.

Paradox Lost by Libby Drew

He hires Saul, a private detective from the year , to help him. The story has two alternating third-person viewpoints Reegan and Saul , and Saul is an ex-cop haunted by personal tragedy, loneliness, and alcoholism. He is deeply attracted to Reegan, and the sexual chemistry between them is mutually intense, but he knows that Reegan is lying by omission about almost everything. Of course the thugs are from , and the more Reegan reveals about the future, the more freak accidents he attracts. I loved reading Paradox Lost.

Paradox Lost

I would have loved it if it had just been what it is on the surface: But it goes deeper than that with the characterization of Reegan who is enthusiastic, cheerful, and geeky and Saul who is brooding, conscientious, and passionate. Both men are real individuals and they act like hot alpha males, very sexy! They go from immediate lustful attraction to caring about each other within only two days, but it feels believable and too complex to be insta-love.

And I loved the humor between the two men: I highly recommend Paradox Lost. Free copy of book received from publisher via Hearts on Fire Reviews in exchange for an honest review. May 17, DaisyGirl rated it it was amazing Shelves: I loved this book. This was my second time travel book this week I don't read time travel much; frankly, it never really excited me and I have a hard time wrapping my head around it. But Libby Drew has changed that. The backstory was interesting and the suspense kept me engaged for the entire story. The identity of the "bad guys" wasn't any mystery but how the whole thin 4.

The identity of the "bad guys" wasn't any mystery but how the whole thing would play out kept me on the edge of my seat. Titillating time-travel; this one was a WIN! Since I am new to the time travel plotline, I don't know how creative this book is compared to others in the genre, but I think Ms. Drew added some surprising and imaginative elements. I think she did a great job explaining the rudimentary aspects of time travel in her universe, but she didn't go into overly explicit detail, which I appreciated because physics and I get along about as well as Harry Potter and Voldemort do.

I definitely like how she invented the Novikov Principle, which states that if you try to change history in any way or stay too long in the past, the universe will literally try to kill you, any way it can think of. I have to commend Ms. Drew on her great writing. It was descriptive, had a smooth flow, witty, and highly entertaining. Best line of the book has to be: You can't kill Walmart.

It's like a giant, multi-billion-dollar cockroach. I just absolutely adored Reegan. He was just so charming and endearing and utterly lovable with his love for history and his child-like delight and wonder for all the new things he experienced in the 21st century. He is also someone who has not received a lot of love from the people in his life. Saul shook his head. I won't hurt you.

The last person to promise that had been his mother, over twenty years ago. When he met Saul, it was the first time he felt like somebody could actually care for him. Saul, when he meets Reegan, is understandably immediately attracted to him and not just for his appearance, but also for his oddball-ness. He couldn't get a handle on Reegan McNamara, who appeared so intelligent and competent one moment, only to start talking to Saul's bathroom appliances in the next. Reegan is the first person to bring happiness and color to Saul's life in a long time, who is an alcoholic struggling to stay sober who has lost one person he loved in a really cruel way and who was betrayed by another person he cared about.

A year ago the mystery would have intrigued him, and he might have found hours of pleasure in deconstructing it to find the answer. Now all he felt was an involuntary flinch and more of that conflicting desire to both push Reegan away and pull him close Even though Saul is afraid of getting hurt again and, therefore, doesn't want to let anyone close to him again, he just can't stay away from Reegan and his kind and captivating nature.

These two were just absolutely explosive when they did manage to find a reprieve together amid all the chaos. Me blowing you or you fucking me through this thin, shitty mattress? It shouldn't have been this intoxicating. They were still just learning each other, testing limits. Yet every taste, every brush of Reegan's tongue and teeth against Saul's body felt right. Because the attraction between Reegan and Saul wasn't insta-love, even if it was insta-lust, I really believed in the connection these two had and the feelings they developed for each later on.

And I couldn't help but root for them the entire time. This was my first novel by Ms. Drew, and she definitely gained a fangirl. The book was action-packed and fast-paced, and there never was a dull moment, at least for me. XD I am definitely recommending this book because it was just a fun read, a perfect introductory book to the time-travel subplot, and Reegan Saul burned up my Kindle when they were able to find some alone time. Jan 27, Heather C rated it really liked it Shelves: Seems like all the time-travel books I have ever read either started at the present date and then traveled to a historical setting in the past, or to the future.

Well, Paradox Lost is a bit different… The Situation: If you can afford it, you can walk into any business like Blast in the Past Time Travel Tours and take a quick jaunt back to whenever you want to go. Reegan and Saul are both easily likable characters. Both are holding on to past guilts and have some internal obstacles they must reconcile before they can allow themselves to be happy…their adventure together helps them through that journey.

And of course they fall in love. There is instant chemistry between Saul and Reegan and the sex starts off pretty fast, eh, not what I usually like but it was pretty hot. Plus, I loved the dirty banter between them. I was totally cheering for them. I would have liked for there to have been a bit more surprising and twisty. This book is on the long-ish side, but read really fast IMO…once I got into it.

I loved the ending of this book! I totally recommended this! Now which Libby Drew book should I read next? Jan 24, Megan rated it it was amazing. This book exceeded my expectations. This book is not hugely long by any means but it is perfect. I got to know the characters- and not just the main ones. The characters were all well fleshed out.

The story had more to it than just two people coming together. Saul's alcoholism was dealt with in a very honest and real manner. It was not just a device for sympathy for his cha This book exceeded my expectations. It was not just a device for sympathy for his character as issues of that nature so often are. Reegan and Saul do come together on a physical level but they also have a natural attraction that pulls them together on an emotional level.

They fit together and it is lovely to see it form over the course of the book. The supporting characters Cammie and Sylvia were delightful.

I loved that Cammie was such a supportive figure for Saul and that she loved mysteries. Such a fun gal! The fact that the characters are both male is not a focal point of the story. The feelings developing between the characters and the plot are the stars. Excellent read on so many levels! Nov 10, Brooke rated it really liked it Shelves: What a great audiobook! The story itself is quite good. There was a good balance of story and romance here although the romance is "insta-love" it doesn't feel cheesy since the whole story is very fast paced.

The meat of the story is only over a two day span, but these poor guys never catch a break with some downtime. The end did What a great audiobook! The end did drag a bit but still I found this to be a solid 4 stars. Mar 17, Vfields Don't touch my happy! Now this was a fun, well rounded romp. I'm not normally a fan of Time Travel but this worked well for me. The pacing was just right and the technical stuff was not mind-numbing.

The plot is simple, in the future time travel is a tourist trade but not without challenges. Reegan must find a missing tourist with the aid of PI Saul from the past. The heat between them built excellently and their coupling was as steamy as blue blazes. The female characters other than Saul's savior are a waste.

That b Now this was a fun, well rounded romp. That being said, I loved this book. Yes, I had some quibbles but when I'm having this much fun damn logic, enjoy the ride. Dec 06, Natalie rated it really liked it Shelves: An entertaining mix of sci-fi, time travel, and noir detective story. It's a credit to the meatiness of the plot that I didn't realize the main characters' relationship was essentially insta-love until the book was almost over. Jan 10, Kathy rated it really liked it. As a general rule, I do not read sci fi or futuristic stories but I just had to make an exception for Libby Drew's newest release.

A big fan of both time travel novels and Ms. Drew , I eagerly devoured Paradox Lost. Reegan McNamara escorts a group of time travelers back in time a little over years to for a historic presidentia 4. Reegan McNamara escorts a group of time travelers back in time a little over years to for a historic presidential speech. He has a bit of history with one of his travelers, Silvia Panitierre, and something about her puts him on high alert. He keeps a close eye on her once they travel back in time yet she vanishes when he is momentarily distracted.

With his job on the line and Silvia's angry and powerful husband waiting in the wings, Reegan enlists the aid of private investigator Saul Kildare to help him track down his wayward charge. Reegan is a fabulous character and as someone who loves history, I was jealous of his ability to journey back in time: On the surface, he seems to have an enviable life-he has a lucrative career he loves and the modern conveniences he takes for granted are simply ingenious!

Saul is also a great character and of the two, he is the most flawed.

He has been in a downward spiral since the loss of his job on the police force. He is also crippled with guilt about the circumstances surrounding a personal loss and he is struggling to maintain his sobriety. Reegan's case is a welcome diversion for an unhappy anniversary and although skeptical, he is soon immersed in the missing persons case. The case soon takes an ominous and perilous turn when Saul and Reegan discover that they are not the only ones hunting for Silvia.

They are quickly enmeshed in pulse pounding and exciting chases as they outwit the nefarious thugs that are hot on their trail. They are also in a race against time to avoid the dangers that could befall both Reegan and Silvia due to their time travel. In between following leads and evading foes, Saul and Reegan find time to explore their unexpected attraction. There is plenty of sexual tension between them and with little free time, their sexual encounters are brief but incredibly hot.

Lots of cool possibilities here! Just got a chance to play through for about an hour.

Physics > History and Philosophy of Physics

This is my favorite so far. I thought I was stuck at one point and it took me 10 minutes to figure it out. Also, perhaps I just lucked out into the right way to get to the exit, but I only ended up with 3 survivors on my way, and two of them I went out of my way to get. I really liked that one being a huge fan of metroidvanias. Keep it up guys I look forward to the next 3. This game is badass. You guys are really smart to have designed these levels. This game is awesome, the gameplay, the graphic and the music is well done.

The game could be a bit more difficult. Just picked this game up for the first time after finishing Shuten. This game requires Adobe Flash Player version Paradox Lost a game made in 72 hours A plane goes down, but a pilot surrives. Great mechanic and execution. Looking forward to the result of the polish. Great work all around. Looking forward to the full version!

Really glad you guys liked it! Great feedback and ideas all around. Absolutely blown away by Paradox Lost. Also, it would be nice if the charge shot transported enemies to another time as well: This is excellent guys, really. I love the direction this game is going.

The polished version is released! Liked the game, was a good use of 2 hours.

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