Imagine this: YA, sci-fi, time travel—basically everything you’d expect me to avoid like a TBR pile in the wrong genre aisle. But After Eden found its way to me in a surprise box (my impulsive book-buying decisions are practically blameless this time!), so here we are.

Written in refreshingly simple English, Helen Douglas keeps the prose light, sparing us from lengthy vocabularic acrobatics. In fact, I was reminded of About a Boy by Nick Hornby, except swap out Hornby’s dry British wit for an earnest teen love story with a sci-fi twist. There’s a kind of easy-going, uncomplicated charm to Douglas’s style that even this sarcastic soul has to admit makes for a breezy read.

As for the plot’s whole cosmic time-travel shenanigans…let’s just say, I wasn’t exactly swept off my feet by the stars. Discussions of astronomical phenomena and timelines made my eyes glaze over a bit; I ended up skimming most of that part, hoping I’d still catch the general drift. Spoiler: it didn’t work too well. There’s something inherently challenging about following a time-travel plot when you’re skipping the time-travel bits.

Then, the characters. Eden, Connor, Ryan—well, it’s safe to say we didn’t become besties. Eden, in particular, wasn’t exactly the heroine I’d invite over for coffee. Connor? Meh. Ryan? Double meh. But maybe that’s because I’m no longer part of the book’s target audience. Let’s face it, my younger self might’ve swooned at a sci-fi love triangle with a sprinkle of starry destiny.

Ultimately, After Eden is a quick, light read with a decent enough plot and writing style to pass the time, especially if you’re a fan of starry-eyed YA romance with a dash of sci-fi. If you are, this might be for you. As for me? Let’s just say, I won’t be time-traveling back to pick up the rest of the series.