Epoch (The Transcend Duet Book 2)
THE WHOLE DUET? 5-STARS FREAKING PLUS!!!!!! I LOST myself in this. Lost in the BEST of ways (and the worst). THAT is what I look for in angsty romance reads. I want all of the swoons… yes, but I also want all of the stress and trepidation and potential heartache, believable break-ups and make-ups and oh boy did I get it!!!!
Okay quick note. This review is going to be more of our buddy-read crazy reactions (since it’s a sequel and follow-up to Transcend) there’s no need in me doing a “so what’s it about?” nor do I want to spoil anything coming your way with this one (all of that can be found here in ➔ my review of book #1). So I thought instead, you’d enjoy our awesome buddy-read with us. 
Maryse: Okay I finished Transcend & Epoch and IT WAS EPIC!!!! OMG OMG you guys, 4:30am and I was sobbing into my pajama top. Full on, runny nose, soul-deep ugly cry (but oh how wonderful!!!!!!!!) OH WOW… that duet really put me through the ringer and gave me all that tension, and stress, and love-triangle-y goodness. I’ll be reviewing it tonight… I’m brain-dead right now in my night-reading sleepiness. LOL!!!! I 5 STARRED IT SO HARD!!!! MUST. READ.
Amy: Holy moly, it feels like my heart went 12 rounds with that book. I went for a pedicure and figured I would read on my phone and finish it up while the lady with the magical hands worked on my feet and legs, which was all well and good until I started sniffling and wiping my eyes. Poor lady thought I had received some bad news, LOL! I mean, that book was INTENSELY emotional throughout the whole damn thing, and then I finally get some hope right before it gave me a sucker punch and then a gut punch! Then the epilogue…I seriously had to drop my head and hide my face so she wouldn’t see how hard I was fighting the sobs. Then…THEN! She pulls out a silver tube of leg massage gel and what is it called? Epoch. I’m so not kidding. Freaking fate right there, I tell ya.
What the heck am I supposed to read now?? I’m going to be hung up on the feels from this duet for a while…5 FATEFUL STARS FOR BOTH OF THESE BOOKS!!!!
Charity: Me too!!!!!!!!!!!! Haven’t cried over a book in soooo long .. these two are in my top 10 of favs of all time
Maryse: Charity, I’m right there with you. How INTENSE WAS THAT??? GAH I loved it. I was on the edge of my seat so nervous about where it would go. Tee hee!! I love when that happens!!! I WILL NEVER forget this one and it will be in my forever favorites… FOREVER.
Cheryl: I agree Maryse. These books are intense and for the most part I believe what’s happening. I am getting a little perturbed at Griffin and Swayze’s interactions.
Melannie: Just finished it too and i loved it so much! Haven’t read anything this good in a while.
Melinda: I have finished both Transend and Epoch solid 5 stars for both I loved them. Just wish it went longer. I wasn’t ready for it to finish. Now I’m in a massive book hangover.
Tasha: Ohmygurd!!! I just finished Transcend and I have goosebumps! Ahh, I NEED to jump into Epoch right now and I can’t cuz life is in my way. It’s gonna drive me nuts all day.
Marina: Loved, Loved, Loved Transcend and Epoch. I read Epoch slowly because I didn’t want it to end, or maybe because I was just too flippin’ nervous? I love her books. If anyone out there hasn’t read Jewel E Ann’s Jack and Jill series and is looking for another epic series by her I would highly recommend. Way different subject but so good. So many emotions…
MichelleS: Finished Epoch. That is all. Don’t want to spoil it for anyone. 5 stars!
Amy: Still hungover from Transcend and Epoch. *dreamy sigh* Such a beautifully unique story.
I believed in this story, heart and soul, and was willing to let it take me wherever it needed to go (even if I had my own hopes of how it would end). Oh yes. When it comes to the heroes, there are two definite reader-teams in this one. And the STRESS that these characters caused me. My heart was in my throat the entire time, and yet I was freaking THRILLED!!!!!!
Amy: I didn’t think I could adore Nate and Griffin more after Transcend, but Epoch took both of them to a new level. They. Are. Amazing. And human and REAL.
Maryse: Jean!! I’m halfway through Epoch, and what I love about Griffin (he’s my favorite even though he BURNS ME UP!!!!) is that when he’s being moody, or mad, or jealous, he’s SUCH A JERK (even if he has the right to be) and just… so intense! But SO believable. I can see him vividly, especially when he’s being dismissive. Especially when he’s about to have a jealous fit. I swear he’s real… *swoon* and… also… *throws my Kindle at him*
Jean: Yes, yes, yes Maryse! I love him!!!!!
Kandace: Maryse! I felt the same way about Griffin. *bites nails*
Maryse: P.S. The *spoiler* is STRESSING me out. STRESSING. I’m so nervous.
Jean: You should be……
D.G. *waves hands and gives a pointed stare* I call dibs on Griffin…just sayin.
Jean: Ummmm……no D.G….. just no! Lol
Maryse: Eeeep! I wanna ask why Jean is saying NO and sort of chuckling… but I’m afraid it would be a spoiler and I have a feeling I’m going to find out. Eeeeeeeeeep!!!!!
Jean: Maryse, I’m saying NO because Griffin is MINE, MINE, MINE!!!!!
Lisa: Two words…Team Nate. You can have Griffin. Robin and I are sharing Nate!
R: 100% Lisa. Not a Griff fan.
D.G. Kinda reminds me of Twilight…which team are you on?!?!
Amy: Transcend – swooned over Griffin Epoch – tummy in knots over Griffin, even if I could see where he was coming from
Overall – LOVED HIM
Cheryl: Exactly how I felt about Griffin. I understood where he was coming from, but he made me so mad acting like a big baby!!!
Jean: But I thought his behavior was totally justified!
Jean I’m right there with you. HOLY MOLY when he’d react… I would ACHE for what felt like DAYS reading those chapters. And yet, I totally “got” him.
And… I had NO clue how it would end, right to the very end.
Maryse: I’m a bit delighted that there’s a reader divide between Griffin or Nate. Means I have NO idea how this is going to end. YAY ME!!!!!
Amy: Oh Maryse, just you wait.
And that ending!!!!! It had my heart SOARING!!!!! Elated. And sobbing. Hrmmm.. maybe I should say TWO endings ‘Cause also this duet has one of the BEST most clever epilogues ever!!!
Maryse: I am SO taken with this love story. HOLY MOLY. AND. THAT. ENDING!!!!!!!!!! GASP!!!!!!
Melannie: that ending was soooooo great
Adele: I’m embarrassed to admit, but I was SO scared going into Epoch that I read the end first! Just enough to know I’d be okay with it. Not the whole end. If it wasn’t going to end how I wanted I wasn’t going to read it. And you know what? I was still crying and on the edge of my seat, it was that good!
Maryse: EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!!! You took the words right out of my mouth!! AND MY HEART!!!
Bianca: I’m so in love. I’ve read only a handful of books this year because I’m struggling to connect to any new authors. Then BANG, mind blown… Both books devoured within 18hrs (damn kids, sleep n responsibilities
). I can’t stop thinking about them.
Summer: Yep I agree. I was waiting for you to read it and fall all over it. Im in book hangover still finding it hard to pick up another book
Joy: I have major book hangover! I love this duet!
FIVE STARS PLUS!!!! <— BLEW. ME. AWAY. Yes my friends. This romance duet is the WHOLE SHEBANG. READ IT RIGHT NOW!! It’s complete and it will complete you.
I am happily addicted to reading but I need to expend my book energy (especially when one puts me in an emotional frenzy - SO fun!). So, I release my feelings about the stories, by writing them down here. It's my book therapy. 
{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }
yes YES yes to all the love for EPOCH DUET!!!!
Now the dreaded decision of what to read next… DUN DUN DUUUUN!!!
I’m picking one for tonight… just not sure which.
Just finished reading this duet last night. I’m still sooooo emotional this morning. Griffin or Nate??? They were both perfectly perfect. I could never choose. My heart ping ponged back and forth thru this epic duet. Loved Swayz completely too!!! I’ve said this before about Jewel E Ann’s writings but I feel the need to repeat it because for me it’s huge. I read EVERY SINGLE WORD of her books. Her writing is flawless. I implore all you beautiful ladies to read her Jack and Jill series, Look the Part, etc if you haven’t already. I read her books and then I end up ordering them in print to add to my library. Every. Single. Time!!! Perfect review Maryse!!! Thank you. Xoxo
P. E. R. F. E. C. T. I. O. N.
What else can I say?
I think this duet will be on many “best of 2018″ lists come next January! Both were 5 stars for me.
I’m not much of a duet person and I’m glad I waited to read them together because those were intense! I’m still thinking about them! The writing was beautiful and you just felt so torn through it. That epilogue. Ahh. I said it before … THIS is why I love books.
*hangs head in shame*
ladies. i couldn’t do it. i got half way through Epoch….felt my heart radiating with anxiety…decided to flip to the last page to see if i could handle it….i couldn’t handle it. i stopped reading. i walked away.
the book has haunted me ever since. i have also had to stop myself from sending maryse distraught tweets on twitter. #forlorn
I sent Maryse distraught tweets on twitter long before I joined this blog. She handled my ranting like a pro!
By all means… send me all your distraughtness.
I will 
giggle, I mean… support you in your rants and fears.P.S. Amanda!!! You can handle it. YOU CAN!! I just know it!
Let me start by saying that I am in love with Griffin and all of his ***holery at times. It’s so hard to write anything about this book without giving anything away, and there is soooo much to say about this duet! There were times when my heart rate spiked so high that I had to walk away from my iPad. There were things that happened that I feel was not explained in enough detail and I feel empty! GAH, sugar, honey, ice, tea, I wanna ask you guys questions, but I don’t wanna spoil anything. This duet is too amazing to spoil for anyone that plans to read it. I love the way that she and Griffin love each other. My heart ached for baby Morgan and Nate! My heart felt torn apart for Swayze!!! That woman had gone through the wringer. Dr. Albright was a wonderful addition to the story. I laughed so hard at Swayze 2.0!!!! I need a novella for this duet. Something that explains the “why” questions in detail. Doug, need I say more. I can’t give this duet enough stars. It rocked my world!
SQUEEEEEE!!!!
!!!!!!
To me… it healed me. Then… the epilogue healed me even more. Get me?
*blink blink*
the epilogue is the only reason i’m still functioning and haven’t given up reading all together.
the. only. reason.
LOL!!!!
*snuggles Amanda*
HELP!!!!! WHAT IN THE NAME OF HOLY BOOKS DO I READ NOW???
there is soooo much to say about this duet!! I’m so torn and still riding a HUGE HIGH from this one. I think I’ll need a few days before I can start something else….. I fell in love with this author! and it’s the first book of hers I’ve read. Do I read Jack and Jill???? or what HELP ME!
OOPS…..I FORGOT TO CHECK THE BOX TO GET EMAIL NOTIFICATIONS!
R!!!!! I hear Jack and Jill is a MUST read and some were appalled that I haven’t read it yet (when it was a SURE tried-and-true) and yet I ran right through THIS one. LOL!!!
So that’s my next.
Thank you! Can’t wait to start it!
Maryse, I just finished Transcend and Epoch in about 18 hours. This is the first time in a long time that a book has affected me this way – I keep going back and re-reading the last 50 pages of Epoch! I don’t know where to go from here. Part of me doesn’t want to start a new book so soon because I don’t want to let this one go but I’m curious what you thought of the Jack and Jill series? I never would have looked at Transcend or Epoch without your review (and comments from others on here) so thank you!
SPC I still haven’t read the Jack & Jill series but I hear it is as awesome and addictive as the Transcend duet. I need to get on it, because I one-clicked them already.