This is a weird one. At its core it's a mismatched couple romance, set in space. But I'm not sure why it's set in space at all, because everyone in the book has magical powers, and it's the magic that's central, not the technology.
There is some political court intrigue, but again, it feels more appropriate for a fantasy setting.
An intersecting story set half in the present day, and half in an eternal Hell.
Hell in this world is darkly corporate, with the damned working their way up to eventually be able to sign away the souls of the living (after being tortured for near eternity). The two main damned souls are a lot of fun.
The other half of the book is a tense family drama with a super-dark twist.
No Time Like the Past (Jodi Taylor) 7/10
Book 5/14
Don't get me wrong - I love the Chronicles of St. Mary's series, but this is probably the weakest entry so far, and hopefully not a sign of things to come.
The romp through time felt a little samey, and the overall plot arch really didn't advance much when compared to the previous four books. Ditto for character growth.
Even when mailing it in, Taylor's prose is still a lot of fun.