Reviewed by Liz Konkel for Readers' Favorite

In Bound by Blood: Timecaster Chronicles Book 3 by R.L. Perez, Desi gets the shock of her life when she finds herself time-traveling yet again. This time she returns to the present and is back in the same bathroom that she originally left. After a frantic search, she discovers that Oliver has traveled with her and is now facing the impact of modern reality. Back in her correct timeframe, Desi reunites with familiar faces she thought she would never see again, deals with the Council regarding the consequences of traveling through time, and faces an impending disaster at the hands of a dangerous demon. Waging war won’t be that easy as Desi uncovers a connection to the past and the deaths of her parents.

R.L. Perez used time travel as the foundation for Desi’s journey. By going back in time, she managed to find herself, make friends, and even fall in love. Now circumstances have flipped with Desi back into the present, with Oliver having to adjust to a new (and strange) world. While time travel adds drama to her life, it also adds humorous elements such as Oliver seeing a car for the first time and discovering modern appliances. Their relationship has a great blend of drama, conflict, and chemistry as they have dealt with this blooming romance against the tensions of war and the period. By pulling them into a modern setting, Perez offers them a chance at being together as it takes away several of the challenges that plagued them in the past. The familiarity of fighting demons carries into book three with stakes even higher as they face the danger posed by Levarret (a demon lord).

Desi’s journey has been about finding herself and who she is as a huntress but Bound by Blood answers questions about her past that will help define her next steps. Magic is an important element in the series and within the lives of the different characters, helping to shape their dynamics. It’s fun to see more of the magical society in a modern setting such as the Council’s laws against altering history (via time travel). The Council provides another obstacle to the relationship between Oliver and Desi as they face the threat of being torn apart again. This adds a delightful dose of drama to the story and helps to round out Desi’s journey through time. This book takes Desi’s journey full circle with her romance facing new challenges, an exciting final battle against a dangerous demon, and plenty of magic.