Book Review: Speakeasy by Elyse Douglas

Author: Elyse Douglas 

Title: Speakeasy (Book 1)

Genre: Mystery, Romance, SciFI, Historical Fiction, Fantasy

Format: Paperback

Pages: 315

Published: April 5th, 2022

Where I Got It: My shelf (Given to me by the author/publisher for my honest and unbiased opinion)

Summary: 

In 2019, A West Village Nightclub Singer, Roxie Raines, stumbles through a basement doorway into the past and finds herself in Roaring Twenties New York, with all its dangers, secrets, excitement, and romance.

Roxie Raines lurches through a secret basement doorway in 2019, and time-slips back to New York’s raucous Roaring Twenties. While she dazzles the speakeasy crowds with her “modern sound,” she gets trapped in the dangerous web of Frankie Shay, an evil club owner. She struggles to escape his control and return to the basement doorway that sent her to 1925.

When she meets the handsome detective, Jake Kane, it’s love at first sight, but Jake has a secret past, and her own time travel secret makes him suspicious.

Roaring Twenties New York comes alive with flappers, gangsters, romance, and speakeasies and Roxie’s stunning rise to stardom could come with the price of losing both the man she loves and her own life.

Review:

I'm so addicted to this author's time-traveling books! When I saw this coming out I had to check it out. 

Here we follow Roxie and Jake. Roxie is from 2019 and she finds herself stumbling through a basement doorway and landing in 1920s New York. In order to make her way, she sings at one of the local speakeasies. However, she gets trapped in the dangerous web of Frankie Shay. She struggles to escape and tries to find a way home. That is when she meets the handsome detective Jake Kane. It is love at first sight, but they both have secrets. 

Ooooo the 20's sound like a crazy time to be alive!!! I don't recall a book when someone time-traveled to then so that was fun to read. Seemed like a fun time, but also a super dangerous time to be alive. 

I loved watching Roxie find her footing and actually be appreciated for her musical talent. Back in 2019, she was a nobody. In 1920...they seem to love her style and her musical abilities. Good for her. 

Now...I didn't like Jake at first. I had to really warm up to him. He seemed so flaky at times, but I get it...he is a detective. He can tell Roxie isn't 100% honest so that puts him on the defense. After a certain event, I started warming up to him and I actually adored him by the end. 

I do wish we had more of Frankie. Yes, yes, he was the baddie of the tale, but I felt like we didn't see much of him and I felt he was a little 2D. I think they could've fleshed out this baddie and made him scarier. I found myself not even worrying about him or even worried about our duo. 

Dr. Hall intrigues me. I hope we get a spin-off or learn more about that tale. 

OoooooOOOOoo that ending was good! It has me wanting more. I hope the next book is about Roxie and Jake. I feel like they still have some stuff to sort through before they can have their HEA. I am itching for the next one!

In the end, I really enjoyed this. I literally can't get enough of these time-traveling novels! They are just too good. I hope we get a book 2 for this couple! There is so much left for Roxie and her man! One can hope! Now, I did have that mini issue about the main baddie, but besides that, no other issues. This is a great summer read! Mysteries, time travel, gangsters, booze, music, love....what else can you ask for? 4 stars from me!