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The Last Labyrinth
From USA Today bestselling author Gwendolyn Womack comes a thrilling and romantic science fiction adventure about a musician who travels back to the 1800s on the currents of sound and falls for an earl as the two must decode the secrets of time and music to save both of their futures.
Magellan Brighton may be a musical prodigy with limitless talent, but her soul yearns for something more than playing in concert halls or at weddings. As the world is on the brink of a catastrophic polar shift, she mysteriously vanishes while playing an ancient organ and awakens in 1829. The answers to why lie in a lost diary belonging to Gwynedd, Merlin’s forgotten twin sister.
Rhys Sherwood, the dashing and brooding Earl of Liron, is still haunted by the memory of his father, a scientist and historian who was killed in an experiment gone wrong. When Rhys stumbles upon a strange woman at the center of his estate’s labyrinth, her arrival couldn’t have come at a worse time, interrupting an important house party he’d planned to select his future wife.
Yet the two find themselves inexplicably drawn to each other, and when they discover that Magellan’s musical gifts and the diary are connected, they must uncover its secrets and connection to the key to saving the world. From candlelit medieval abbeys to opulent Renaissance courts in a perilous journey through the past to find the key, Magellan must risk everything and face the sinister forces who want the key for themselves.
Magellan Brighton may be a musical prodigy with limitless talent, but her soul yearns for something more than playing in concert halls or at weddings. As the world is on the brink of a catastrophic polar shift, she mysteriously vanishes while playing an ancient organ and awakens in 1829. The answers to why lie in a lost diary belonging to Gwynedd, Merlin’s forgotten twin sister.
Rhys Sherwood, the dashing and brooding Earl of Liron, is still haunted by the memory of his father, a scientist and historian who was killed in an experiment gone wrong. When Rhys stumbles upon a strange woman at the center of his estate’s labyrinth, her arrival couldn’t have come at a worse time, interrupting an important house party he’d planned to select his future wife.
Yet the two find themselves inexplicably drawn to each other, and when they discover that Magellan’s musical gifts and the diary are connected, they must uncover its secrets and connection to the key to saving the world. From candlelit medieval abbeys to opulent Renaissance courts in a perilous journey through the past to find the key, Magellan must risk everything and face the sinister forces who want the key for themselves.
343 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2026
About the author
Gwendolyn Womack
5 books986 followersGwendolyn Womack is the USA Today and Los Angeles Times bestselling author of The Fortune Teller, The Time Collector, The Memory Painter, and her YA debut The Premonitions Club. Up next is The Last Labyrinth, a scifi romantic adventure coming 4/1/26 with 47North.
Gwendolyn went to college in Fairbanks, Alaska to study theatre and received an MFA in Directing for theatre and film from California Institute of the Arts. She lives in Houston, Texas with her family, is an adjunct faculty member at HCC, collects and photographs kaleidoscopes, and can usually be found either immersed in a book or dreaming up a new story. Visit her at www.gwendolynwomack.com.
Gwendolyn went to college in Fairbanks, Alaska to study theatre and received an MFA in Directing for theatre and film from California Institute of the Arts. She lives in Houston, Texas with her family, is an adjunct faculty member at HCC, collects and photographs kaleidoscopes, and can usually be found either immersed in a book or dreaming up a new story. Visit her at www.gwendolynwomack.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 281 reviews
April 5, 2026
One of the books that has stuck with me for ages is Labyrinth by Kate Mosse. Ever since I read it, that word always catches my attention. That’s how I came to read the synopsis for The Last Labyrinth by Gwendolyn Womack. To be perfectly honest, I’m quite particular about my sci-fi. I much prefer fantasy. However… a good time-travel story will draw me in time and time again. This story proved me right on both the word and time travel.
Magellan is preternatural with musical instruments. She can simply pick them up and figure out how to play them like a virtuoso. On her most recent birthday, an aurora borealis paints the skies all over the world. What some people believe to be nothing more than beauty is actually the sign of an imminent polar shift — the world is going to end. Magellan happens to be performing at a wedding when the world learns this, and the guests go crazy. She calms herself the way she knows best: music. Her fingers dance over the organ’s keys as the world goes insane… and then she wakes up. In 1829, in the middle of a giant labyrinth, with the owner of it standing before her. All of the answers to the whys and hows are contained within the ancient diary of Gwynedd, Merlin’s twin sister.
I really enjoyed Magellan and her quirks. Reading how she connects with music is like recognizing my own passion for something — in my case, books — in another person. She’s pleasant enough, and her long list of anxieties makes her feel a touch more real. I deeply related to how she uses her passion to cope whenever she is frightened. The other main character is Rhys, the owner of the labyrinth she awoke in. I appreciated experiencing parts of the story through his eyes, although he felt a bit less tangible to me. The various settings in the tale are like a character themselves. I could tell the author did her research, because I felt as if I was indeed in those times with Rhys and Magellan.
The writing, though, is where I could rain praises for eternity. It scales to whatever point in the story like a well-tuned piano. Much of it is straightforward and readable, nothing overly ornate. Subtle emotional cues are used to highlight feelings and reactions. I’d call it smooth, traditional storytelling with gentle emotional beats and a focus on character interaction over flashy prose. However, the tale continues to build and build, much like a symphony, until we reach the peak, and then it ends with a lush, luminous finale. Here the prose becomes almost musical itself, reflecting the story’s theme of sound, resonance, and connection across time. I struggle to even put my thoughts about it into words. It was simply a vibration, and a gorgeous one at that.
I found The Last Labyrinth to be magical and transportive. I was utterly absorbed each time I picked it up. I’m sure many others will liken it to Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander, and I’ll be no different. This is the book I feel it comes nearest to for comparison purposes, but don’t be fooled, because it’s definitely individual. All the same, I highly recommend this to readers who loved Outlander.
Nerd Rating: 🤓🤓🤓🤓🤓— Lush, musical time-travel story
Let's Discuss
If you could travel through time using music, what song would you choose?
I read a digital copy made available by 47North through NetGalley, and this review reflects my honest opinion.
Magellan is preternatural with musical instruments. She can simply pick them up and figure out how to play them like a virtuoso. On her most recent birthday, an aurora borealis paints the skies all over the world. What some people believe to be nothing more than beauty is actually the sign of an imminent polar shift — the world is going to end. Magellan happens to be performing at a wedding when the world learns this, and the guests go crazy. She calms herself the way she knows best: music. Her fingers dance over the organ’s keys as the world goes insane… and then she wakes up. In 1829, in the middle of a giant labyrinth, with the owner of it standing before her. All of the answers to the whys and hows are contained within the ancient diary of Gwynedd, Merlin’s twin sister.
I really enjoyed Magellan and her quirks. Reading how she connects with music is like recognizing my own passion for something — in my case, books — in another person. She’s pleasant enough, and her long list of anxieties makes her feel a touch more real. I deeply related to how she uses her passion to cope whenever she is frightened. The other main character is Rhys, the owner of the labyrinth she awoke in. I appreciated experiencing parts of the story through his eyes, although he felt a bit less tangible to me. The various settings in the tale are like a character themselves. I could tell the author did her research, because I felt as if I was indeed in those times with Rhys and Magellan.
The writing, though, is where I could rain praises for eternity. It scales to whatever point in the story like a well-tuned piano. Much of it is straightforward and readable, nothing overly ornate. Subtle emotional cues are used to highlight feelings and reactions. I’d call it smooth, traditional storytelling with gentle emotional beats and a focus on character interaction over flashy prose. However, the tale continues to build and build, much like a symphony, until we reach the peak, and then it ends with a lush, luminous finale. Here the prose becomes almost musical itself, reflecting the story’s theme of sound, resonance, and connection across time. I struggle to even put my thoughts about it into words. It was simply a vibration, and a gorgeous one at that.
I found The Last Labyrinth to be magical and transportive. I was utterly absorbed each time I picked it up. I’m sure many others will liken it to Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander, and I’ll be no different. This is the book I feel it comes nearest to for comparison purposes, but don’t be fooled, because it’s definitely individual. All the same, I highly recommend this to readers who loved Outlander.
Nerd Rating: 🤓🤓🤓🤓🤓— Lush, musical time-travel story
Let's Discuss
If you could travel through time using music, what song would you choose?
I read a digital copy made available by 47North through NetGalley, and this review reflects my honest opinion.
December 23, 2025
Thanks NetGalley and 47North for the eARC!
(11/28/25) The Last Labyrinth is a beautiful time travel adventure about Magellan, a music prodigy from our time who saves the world by gathering four symphony movements from woman composers in four different periods of human history. It’s overall a very cute story, but I’m surprised that it’s categorized as General Fiction for Adults rather than Middle Grade/YA, because it reads like a slightly more convoluted version of a Magic Tree House book.
What I liked:
- We get to meet woman composers who never got to step into the spotlight due to gender inequality throughout history.
- Time travel, and the journey comes full circle at the end.
- The love interest Rhys, who is also the Earl of Liron, randomly thinks about words in other languages that don’t exist in English as they have a very unique meaning that English cannot convey.
- The author did her research on history, myths, and music, and all of it was very informational to read about.
What could be stronger:
- No obstacles besides Magellan getting kidnapped for a couple of hours before her journey set out to look for the women composers. She just knew who to look for and always succeeded. This doesn’t seem like it’s for a more mature audience.
- The romance was bland and a lot of telling/no showing. They both thought each other looked good and decided to love each other, especially Magellan to Rhys. At least Rhys liked Magellan playing music.
- No closure. There’s nothing about how Magellan actually gathered people to play the symphony, unless it’s metaphorical and I missed something? I was so surprised to see the Acknowledgment Chapter like that's it? All we get is a mutual dream between Rhys and Magellan about being in modern day New York and the symphony playing, but nothing about Rhys figuring out his life back in 1829. What about Garesh? And the poles?
-
In the end, I believe this book has a very promising concept but I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would- I think someone much younger would enjoy it more.
-
Easy to read 5/5
Plot 4/5
World-building: 3.5/5
Romance 2.5/5
Spiciness 0/5
Overall 3/5
(11/28/25) The Last Labyrinth is a beautiful time travel adventure about Magellan, a music prodigy from our time who saves the world by gathering four symphony movements from woman composers in four different periods of human history. It’s overall a very cute story, but I’m surprised that it’s categorized as General Fiction for Adults rather than Middle Grade/YA, because it reads like a slightly more convoluted version of a Magic Tree House book.
What I liked:
- We get to meet woman composers who never got to step into the spotlight due to gender inequality throughout history.
- Time travel, and the journey comes full circle at the end.
- The love interest Rhys, who is also the Earl of Liron, randomly thinks about words in other languages that don’t exist in English as they have a very unique meaning that English cannot convey.
- The author did her research on history, myths, and music, and all of it was very informational to read about.
What could be stronger:
- No obstacles besides Magellan getting kidnapped for a couple of hours before her journey set out to look for the women composers. She just knew who to look for and always succeeded. This doesn’t seem like it’s for a more mature audience.
- The romance was bland and a lot of telling/no showing. They both thought each other looked good and decided to love each other, especially Magellan to Rhys. At least Rhys liked Magellan playing music.
- No closure. There’s nothing about how Magellan actually gathered people to play the symphony, unless it’s metaphorical and I missed something? I was so surprised to see the Acknowledgment Chapter like that's it? All we get is a mutual dream between Rhys and Magellan about being in modern day New York and the symphony playing, but nothing about Rhys figuring out his life back in 1829. What about Garesh? And the poles?
-
In the end, I believe this book has a very promising concept but I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would- I think someone much younger would enjoy it more.
-
Easy to read 5/5
Plot 4/5
World-building: 3.5/5
Romance 2.5/5
Spiciness 0/5
Overall 3/5
Review of advance copy
This book had no climax. So many reviews mention an "abrupt" ending, but that's not the case. It had NO ending because it had no climax, no third act. The book's ending was just the culmination of the second act of the story. It's an incomplete story and I'm pretty appalled. Would have given it 1 star because of that, but I was at least interested enough to finish the book.
Every plot point is rushed, perplexing me even more that the author couldn't just rush a proper ending as well. In the hands of a better author, this book could have been a whole series of books, that's how much plot it covered. Instead, we have a short, rushed book that still couldn't manage a proper climax and ending.
I'm not sure what we're supposed to like about the male love interest - he alternates between simping and being infuriatingly condescending. For a book that clearly prides itself on being feminist, it seems strange to have a romantic male character who treats the protagonist like she's dumb, and even compares her to a child.
Writing was so-so and many characters could have been fleshed out more. Even so I enjoyed it for what it was until it ended before any resolution - good or bad. Come on now. Let's do better.
Every plot point is rushed, perplexing me even more that the author couldn't just rush a proper ending as well. In the hands of a better author, this book could have been a whole series of books, that's how much plot it covered. Instead, we have a short, rushed book that still couldn't manage a proper climax and ending.
I'm not sure what we're supposed to like about the male love interest - he alternates between simping and being infuriatingly condescending. For a book that clearly prides itself on being feminist, it seems strange to have a romantic male character who treats the protagonist like she's dumb, and even compares her to a child.
Writing was so-so and many characters could have been fleshed out more. Even so I enjoyed it for what it was until it ended before any resolution - good or bad. Come on now. Let's do better.
March 23, 2026
Worst. Ending. Ever. It was a 3-star book until the abysmal ending. Based on the issues in the rest of the book, I can only assume the author didn’t know how to produce the final scene so she just decided to leave it out. The idea behind this is okay, but it needed some work. The “romance” and other relationships are not believable and the characters aren’t likable. More time needed to be spent developing these, and more time needed to be spent in time periods 2, 3, and 4 (and in crafting a final scene). This was rough and definitely needed more editing to smooth it out, perhaps spreading it over two or more books. (But that would have required more research than Wikipedia.) I did like the unique foreign language words sprinkled through the text.
February 23, 2026
My favorite read of 2026 so far. Gwendolyn Womack is the most brilliant storyteller of our time. I’m enamored by how colorful my pages are from highlight after highlight of soul teachings. This story is glittered with profound philosophy on the human condition and the key to returning to the beauty artistry holds. A glimpse into the stories lost to time and the power music has to save the world in the name of love. I’m in love with this book. Time travel, magic, music, past lives, prodigy artistry carried from lifetime to lifetime. And a savory dash of romance that too shows us love transcends time. This is your best work yet Gwendolyn. Must read.
April 6, 2026
It wasn't for me. I should have put it in the brand new DNF shelf as soon as I was done reading Chapter 1. Instead I read the whole thing. I did this to myself.
My two methods of reading this book were 1) smacking my head, and 2) falling asleep in my reading chair. I can't believe it's 343 pages long, it felt much, much longer.
The protagonist of this book is a girl named Magellan, who is a prodigy able to play any musical instrument, and instead of making bank with that talent, she's comfortable with just playing the harp at weddings. She also has a weak consitution, so she faints and passes out constantly, and I'm not sure if that's supposed to be funny.
She lives with a roommate named Wren, an opera singer, in a third floor "one-bedroom matchbox apartment" with a patio in Queens. Of course, the trip across town to Upper West Side stresses her out. Let me stop you there. First of all, anyone living in Queens travelling to Upper West Side would be stressed out by the trip. Second, who has a patio on a third floor? The place is not that small then, but maybe it's a balcony, and something I know about their architecture is they almost never have outdoor space beyond the ground floor. Third, going to Juilliard would for sure have cured her of her Manhattanophobia. And lastly, Queeeeeeeeeeens!? I don't, I don't do Queens.
The blurb at the top of this Goodreads page says "thrilling and romantic science fiction adventure" but this book is to science fiction as modern astrology is to astronomy. It's not based on "hard science" or "science fantasy" (such as in a Starwarsy way), but more of a magical hocus pocus the world is ending alakazam way. Combine that with a little bit of Arthurian mythology (or maybe it's history, I wouldn't know) of Gwenddydd, Merlin's sister. But, hey, time travel, hence science fiction, I guess, though that's a great way to introduce temporal paradoxes.
And so, time travel happens, Magellan is transported to 1829, where the book becomes Dollar Store Jane Austen with its very own Dollar Store Mr. Darcy. That's also where the "romatic" part of the blurb comes into play. Magellan believes she's plain or basic, and she's never been in love. But she appears at the center of Rhys Sherwood's favorite place, a labyrinth made of bushes with magical stones. Rhys has been studying languages, which trigger memories of R.F. Kuang's Babel and not in a good way, so it's also Dollar Store Babel. Of course, Magellan is the prettiest thing Rhys has ever seen, and Rhys is so handsome to Magellan's eyes but so disagreeable. By the way, I'm reading everyone with an American accent (not the southern kind), except for Rhys's mother, who Gwendolyn Womack chose to spell some of her words with 'v' because it's not enough to tell us she has an accent, she has to spell it out for us.
Most of the book takes place in this time period, 1829, and it just drags for 30 whole chapters. At the end of Chapter 33 is when the time travel mechanism is triggered once more, which leaves us 16 chapters to wrap the rest of the plot and save the world from annihilation. And that's where the "thrilling" part of the blurb comes into play, as the plot is finally moving along in a rather rushed way. Two other time periods take about 6 chapters to complete, leaving us with the final 10 chapters that take place in 1799, where some paradoxes will have some kind of explanation and one anticlimatic open ending that makes one think a sequel must be in the works.
I had low expectations and still was disappointed. I guess the point was to highlight some female figures in history, as their role has either been erased or forgotten, but it's not doing that. There's so much repetition that inflate the number of pages that could have been spent describing the surroundings and the objects beyond just calling them beautiful or exquisite.
My two methods of reading this book were 1) smacking my head, and 2) falling asleep in my reading chair. I can't believe it's 343 pages long, it felt much, much longer.
The protagonist of this book is a girl named Magellan, who is a prodigy able to play any musical instrument, and instead of making bank with that talent, she's comfortable with just playing the harp at weddings. She also has a weak consitution, so she faints and passes out constantly, and I'm not sure if that's supposed to be funny.
She lives with a roommate named Wren, an opera singer, in a third floor "one-bedroom matchbox apartment" with a patio in Queens. Of course, the trip across town to Upper West Side stresses her out. Let me stop you there. First of all, anyone living in Queens travelling to Upper West Side would be stressed out by the trip. Second, who has a patio on a third floor? The place is not that small then, but maybe it's a balcony, and something I know about their architecture is they almost never have outdoor space beyond the ground floor. Third, going to Juilliard would for sure have cured her of her Manhattanophobia. And lastly, Queeeeeeeeeeens!? I don't, I don't do Queens.
The blurb at the top of this Goodreads page says "thrilling and romantic science fiction adventure" but this book is to science fiction as modern astrology is to astronomy. It's not based on "hard science" or "science fantasy" (such as in a Starwarsy way), but more of a magical hocus pocus the world is ending alakazam way. Combine that with a little bit of Arthurian mythology (or maybe it's history, I wouldn't know) of Gwenddydd, Merlin's sister. But, hey, time travel, hence science fiction, I guess, though that's a great way to introduce temporal paradoxes.
And so, time travel happens, Magellan is transported to 1829, where the book becomes Dollar Store Jane Austen with its very own Dollar Store Mr. Darcy. That's also where the "romatic" part of the blurb comes into play. Magellan believes she's plain or basic, and she's never been in love. But she appears at the center of Rhys Sherwood's favorite place, a labyrinth made of bushes with magical stones. Rhys has been studying languages, which trigger memories of R.F. Kuang's Babel and not in a good way, so it's also Dollar Store Babel. Of course, Magellan is the prettiest thing Rhys has ever seen, and Rhys is so handsome to Magellan's eyes but so disagreeable. By the way, I'm reading everyone with an American accent (not the southern kind), except for Rhys's mother, who Gwendolyn Womack chose to spell some of her words with 'v' because it's not enough to tell us she has an accent, she has to spell it out for us.
Most of the book takes place in this time period, 1829, and it just drags for 30 whole chapters. At the end of Chapter 33 is when the time travel mechanism is triggered once more, which leaves us 16 chapters to wrap the rest of the plot and save the world from annihilation. And that's where the "thrilling" part of the blurb comes into play, as the plot is finally moving along in a rather rushed way. Two other time periods take about 6 chapters to complete, leaving us with the final 10 chapters that take place in 1799, where some paradoxes will have some kind of explanation and one anticlimatic open ending that makes one think a sequel must be in the works.
I had low expectations and still was disappointed. I guess the point was to highlight some female figures in history, as their role has either been erased or forgotten, but it's not doing that. There's so much repetition that inflate the number of pages that could have been spent describing the surroundings and the objects beyond just calling them beautiful or exquisite.
March 12, 2026
I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this one. It was surprisingly good until the end. It wasn't finished. Left too many unanswered questions. So most of the book is 4/5 stars but the ending was a 2 star. Probably won't read her again.
March 24, 2026
I am so MAD at this ending
April 11, 2026
4.5 stars
This is a fantastic, magical, beautiful story, quite different from other time travel stories I've read before. I loved the Merlin aspect and the historical bits about women who were composers but not recognized for their talent; but even more so I love love loved that music was the key to saving the world and the consistent theme of its importance to life, love, and the universe. There was so much to love here - the music, the story, the metaphors, the sprinkling of words and languages, the love story. All good.
The are only a couple of reasons this was not a 5 star read for me. First, the writing at times was a little choppy or weak. At other times, it was absolutely beautiful, but that almost made the weak spots even more jarring and noticeable. And secondly, the ending. Much like when I finished Onyx Storm, I turned the page expecting to continue reading on for more of the story, only to have the word Acknowledgements smack me in the face. I don't mind stories that leave some ambiguity at the end for readers to draw their own conclusions or fill in some blanks. But this felt like there was still a very significant scene/climax yet to come that we didn't get to see. I needed one more chapter to get to the end of the main adventure before I then was left to decide how the rest of the story might have wrapped up.
My bitter feelings about being left hanging at the end aside, this is an excellent book and worth reading for anyone who likes stories about Merlin, time travel, romance, historical fiction, or any combination of those!
This is a fantastic, magical, beautiful story, quite different from other time travel stories I've read before. I loved the Merlin aspect and the historical bits about women who were composers but not recognized for their talent; but even more so I love love loved that music was the key to saving the world and the consistent theme of its importance to life, love, and the universe. There was so much to love here - the music, the story, the metaphors, the sprinkling of words and languages, the love story. All good.
The are only a couple of reasons this was not a 5 star read for me. First, the writing at times was a little choppy or weak. At other times, it was absolutely beautiful, but that almost made the weak spots even more jarring and noticeable. And secondly, the ending. Much like when I finished Onyx Storm, I turned the page expecting to continue reading on for more of the story, only to have the word Acknowledgements smack me in the face. I don't mind stories that leave some ambiguity at the end for readers to draw their own conclusions or fill in some blanks. But this felt like there was still a very significant scene/climax yet to come that we didn't get to see. I needed one more chapter to get to the end of the main adventure before I then was left to decide how the rest of the story might have wrapped up.
My bitter feelings about being left hanging at the end aside, this is an excellent book and worth reading for anyone who likes stories about Merlin, time travel, romance, historical fiction, or any combination of those!
April 3, 2026
What a brilliant and beautiful tale. I absolutely loved this book. It has everything you could want - time travel, impending doom, female empowerment, great love, music, history and more!
The writing was beautiful and I loved the humor sprinkled throughout what is a very serious story. Rhys brings a dry humor to the plot that was so enjoyable and I adored his character and specifically his emotional development.
Magellan was such a strong female lead. She was brilliant and good and literally carried the weight of the world on her shoulders. She grew so much and her love for Rhys was beautiful.
My one critique for this story is I feel like the hunt for the female composers were always so quickly and easily achieved. I feel like those could have been a little more challenging to add some more drama to the plot, but at the end of the day, I didn't care. I loved this story regardless.
I've read some reviews where the ending wasn't well received by some. I like that the ending isn't spelled out for you and let's you draw your own conclusions. I usually like when I can determine for myself how I want a story to wrap up. Plus, I think there are plenty of clues along the way to ensure the ending you hope for is there. I won't say any more as I don't want to spoil anything for you.
This was an outstanding story. I absolutely loved everything about it and I highly recommend for anyone who is a magical realism fan.
The writing was beautiful and I loved the humor sprinkled throughout what is a very serious story. Rhys brings a dry humor to the plot that was so enjoyable and I adored his character and specifically his emotional development.
Magellan was such a strong female lead. She was brilliant and good and literally carried the weight of the world on her shoulders. She grew so much and her love for Rhys was beautiful.
My one critique for this story is I feel like the hunt for the female composers were always so quickly and easily achieved. I feel like those could have been a little more challenging to add some more drama to the plot, but at the end of the day, I didn't care. I loved this story regardless.
I've read some reviews where the ending wasn't well received by some. I like that the ending isn't spelled out for you and let's you draw your own conclusions. I usually like when I can determine for myself how I want a story to wrap up. Plus, I think there are plenty of clues along the way to ensure the ending you hope for is there. I won't say any more as I don't want to spoil anything for you.
This was an outstanding story. I absolutely loved everything about it and I highly recommend for anyone who is a magical realism fan.
March 13, 2026
3.75 stars. I both really liked this book AND know I could have loved it with more polishing, fewer plot holes and a more developed ending. I was warned by previous reviewers about the ending so I was prepared and I wasn’t as frustrated as other readers because I was prepared, but they are right! There could have been some epilogue. The author didn’t have to figure out how to write the giant scene. That wasn’t necessary. But it would have been fun to see what the MC’s were up to in like 10 years. Or to have a peek into Godwin’s life while Rhys was a child. An epilogue alone would have added at least half a star to the review.
But I really enjoyed the themes and topic. I learned so much about music and Knights of the Round Table history. I have read all sorts of things inspired by the Round Table myth but have never actually read the myth. I should do that very soon. The plot was clever (even with the weird, unnecessary holes), Rhys was truly infuriating which is always a little delicious in an MC, and I looooved the fashun aspect! Tell me all about the clothes 👗 I’m glad I picked it as my First Read and am happy to report that I don’t regret reading it like some of the early readers.
But I really enjoyed the themes and topic. I learned so much about music and Knights of the Round Table history. I have read all sorts of things inspired by the Round Table myth but have never actually read the myth. I should do that very soon. The plot was clever (even with the weird, unnecessary holes), Rhys was truly infuriating which is always a little delicious in an MC, and I looooved the fashun aspect! Tell me all about the clothes 👗 I’m glad I picked it as my First Read and am happy to report that I don’t regret reading it like some of the early readers.
March 16, 2026
LOVED The Last Labyrinth! A fast-paced, very readable story with many wonderful elements: little known women musicians and composers of past centuries; Merlin’s twin sister; the transformative power of music; ORGANS; romance, mystery, and adventure. Likable characters. A huge overarching theme:
“The death of this planet has been orchestrated and foiled many times. The scope of the ongoing battle between worlds and their dimensions cannot be contained within these pages.”
I’ve enjoyed all of Gwendolyn Womack’s books and always eagerly await the next one. Thants to Net Galley, I got to listen to parts of this one when I was unable to read. The narrators were excellent and I highly recommend both the print and audio versions of this book to those who enjoy exploring mind-expanding concepts encased in an engaging stories.
“The death of this planet has been orchestrated and foiled many times. The scope of the ongoing battle between worlds and their dimensions cannot be contained within these pages.”
I’ve enjoyed all of Gwendolyn Womack’s books and always eagerly await the next one. Thants to Net Galley, I got to listen to parts of this one when I was unable to read. The narrators were excellent and I highly recommend both the print and audio versions of this book to those who enjoy exploring mind-expanding concepts encased in an engaging stories.
April 17, 2026
This is a book that had so many elements that I should have loved, but just completely failed to work for me. I think that made it worse for me in the end - it had a premise that I really wanted to like, which meant that it had a much further distance to fall in my opinion, hence the frustration that's likely evident in my review.
My primary issues were inconsistency and lack of direction. There were multiple instances where a character did something with no motivation (neither alluded to beforehand, nor explained after the fact). The male lead in particular was frustrating in the worst possible way. He helps out a bit and then stops for no reason. He has feelings for and trusts the female lead, then doesn't believe a word that she says, despite her being proved correct over and over (to paraphrase a particularly egregious instance, "I'm being kidnapped." "No, you're just confused. Oh, I guess you were - oops." "That's fine - I nearly died, but no biggie."). There were several times where character voice is thrown out the window for a cheap joke that doesn't even land.
Another thing that really rubbed me the wrong way was the use of non-English/untranslatable words. I've seen other stories where this is done elegantly, or at least unobtrusively, but this is extremely clunky and comes across in a try-hard, "look at all these cool words I know" manner. The author throws out a term, followed by what seems like a definition lifted straight from a dictionary, and then that term is never used again in the entire rest of the book. And this happens over and over and over and over.
I get a similar feeling from the music history sprinkled throughout the book. It really feels like a case of "here's this obscure fact I know that you don't" without even helping to drive the story along. Some of the science is dodgy or flat-out incorrect - I'd usually give that a pass since it is ostensibly fantasy and it's used to advance the plot, but taken in the context of everything else, it feels more like a mistake than a choice.
I would normally want to wrap up a review with a concise conclusion, but... well... erm...
My primary issues were inconsistency and lack of direction. There were multiple instances where a character did something with no motivation (neither alluded to beforehand, nor explained after the fact). The male lead in particular was frustrating in the worst possible way. He helps out a bit and then stops for no reason. He has feelings for and trusts the female lead, then doesn't believe a word that she says, despite her being proved correct over and over (to paraphrase a particularly egregious instance, "I'm being kidnapped." "No, you're just confused. Oh, I guess you were - oops." "That's fine - I nearly died, but no biggie."). There were several times where character voice is thrown out the window for a cheap joke that doesn't even land.
Another thing that really rubbed me the wrong way was the use of non-English/untranslatable words. I've seen other stories where this is done elegantly, or at least unobtrusively, but this is extremely clunky and comes across in a try-hard, "look at all these cool words I know" manner. The author throws out a term, followed by what seems like a definition lifted straight from a dictionary, and then that term is never used again in the entire rest of the book. And this happens over and over and over and over.
I get a similar feeling from the music history sprinkled throughout the book. It really feels like a case of "here's this obscure fact I know that you don't" without even helping to drive the story along. Some of the science is dodgy or flat-out incorrect - I'd usually give that a pass since it is ostensibly fantasy and it's used to advance the plot, but taken in the context of everything else, it feels more like a mistake than a choice.
I would normally want to wrap up a review with a concise conclusion, but... well... erm...
April 17, 2026
Unheralded women musicians save the world from dark forces of evil.
Interesting premise but overly syrupy for my taste. This is a romantic fantasy that prizes sentimentality over believability. The best fantasy makes readers believe the magical events are plausible in the context of the imagined universe. In this book, magical solutions seemed to come out of thin air simply because the plot needed them. In places where the real world and the fantasy elements intersect, some additional research would help. In one passage, the protagonist's earlier incarnation asserts that the solar system orbits the galactic center every 24,000 years, half of which portend times of decay and despair while hope and progress are possible during the other half. Why this is so is not explained or even hinted at. Never mind the fact that the proffered time interval misses the mark by a factor of 10,000.
The biggest flaw in my opinion is that too much of the story's is simply narrated by the author rather than being revealed by the dialogue and actions of the characters.
A good effort but I felt the author would benefit greatly from a good creative writing course.
Interesting premise but overly syrupy for my taste. This is a romantic fantasy that prizes sentimentality over believability. The best fantasy makes readers believe the magical events are plausible in the context of the imagined universe. In this book, magical solutions seemed to come out of thin air simply because the plot needed them. In places where the real world and the fantasy elements intersect, some additional research would help. In one passage, the protagonist's earlier incarnation asserts that the solar system orbits the galactic center every 24,000 years, half of which portend times of decay and despair while hope and progress are possible during the other half. Why this is so is not explained or even hinted at. Never mind the fact that the proffered time interval misses the mark by a factor of 10,000.
The biggest flaw in my opinion is that too much of the story's is simply narrated by the author rather than being revealed by the dialogue and actions of the characters.
A good effort but I felt the author would benefit greatly from a good creative writing course.
March 28, 2026
I really liked the premise of this story. The mix of history, ancient mysteries, and the Merlin and druid elements pulled me in right away. It had such a cool foundation and I kept hoping it would go deeper because there was so much potential there.
The writing itself was solid, but some parts felt a little forced and I never fully connected with the characters. I wanted more depth, more development, just something to make me care a bit more about what was happening.
And that last chapter… oof. It just didn’t land for me at all and kind of took away from the overall experience. I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t love it either. It sits right in the middle for me at 3 out of 5. Definitely an interesting idea, I just wish it had been fleshed out more.
The writing itself was solid, but some parts felt a little forced and I never fully connected with the characters. I wanted more depth, more development, just something to make me care a bit more about what was happening.
And that last chapter… oof. It just didn’t land for me at all and kind of took away from the overall experience. I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t love it either. It sits right in the middle for me at 3 out of 5. Definitely an interesting idea, I just wish it had been fleshed out more.
March 30, 2026
A great time traveling story centered around music, I was slightly disappointed by the ending in wanting just one more chapter to wrap it all up in a bow for me. It’s not needed necessarily, but I just wanted a touch more.
April 9, 2026
I absolutely loved everything about this book - EXCEPT the ending. Which it didn't actually have an ending - it simply stopped. I guess there will be a sequel - but I simply hate reading a book not knowing it doesn't really end and there NEEDS to be a sequel.
In any event one of the things I love about historical fiction is that I learn things. I learned there were a few female composers and musicians that are largely unheard of because of their sex. Things like writing and performing were for men only. I also learned about Hildedard of Bingen - a sort of female version of DaVinci - many talented woman who left her mark across a wide variety of fields. So sad the world isn't really acquainted with a woman of such immense talent - because - well - she was born a woman. Incredible person for sure.
I also love fantasy books because the author is free to do so many different things - like time travel. And when stuff isn't really believable - you just remember it is fantasy.
All in all a great story, well thought out with good characterizations - but the lack of a suitable ending really makes me wonder if others should read it.
In any event one of the things I love about historical fiction is that I learn things. I learned there were a few female composers and musicians that are largely unheard of because of their sex. Things like writing and performing were for men only. I also learned about Hildedard of Bingen - a sort of female version of DaVinci - many talented woman who left her mark across a wide variety of fields. So sad the world isn't really acquainted with a woman of such immense talent - because - well - she was born a woman. Incredible person for sure.
I also love fantasy books because the author is free to do so many different things - like time travel. And when stuff isn't really believable - you just remember it is fantasy.
All in all a great story, well thought out with good characterizations - but the lack of a suitable ending really makes me wonder if others should read it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 28, 2026
WARNING: Time Travel Accident Ahead
This novel weaves together the major components of time travel, women music composers across the ages, and historic musical instruments. As a whole, the author presents the idea that music from different time periods is merged to prevent the destruction of the Earth during a major shift of its magnetic field. Through time travel the author introduces us to the magical time of The Druids in England, to characters from the Renaissance in Italy, to life in England in the 1200s, and to life in our present day. I was thrilled by the adventures in each time period and eagerly looked forward to each time shift. The author deftly dealt with issues of different clothing and money in each time period. I was thoroughly engaged by the story lines and looked forward to continuing the adventure each day as I read.
This novel weaves together the major components of time travel, women music composers across the ages, and historic musical instruments. As a whole, the author presents the idea that music from different time periods is merged to prevent the destruction of the Earth during a major shift of its magnetic field. Through time travel the author introduces us to the magical time of The Druids in England, to characters from the Renaissance in Italy, to life in England in the 1200s, and to life in our present day. I was thrilled by the adventures in each time period and eagerly looked forward to each time shift. The author deftly dealt with issues of different clothing and money in each time period. I was thoroughly engaged by the story lines and looked forward to continuing the adventure each day as I read.
May 1, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the ARC of this audiobook.
This book was okay. I felt like there is a lot going on (time travel, a romance, past lives, gods, music, saving the world) and it took awhile to get into.
I hated the FMC's name (Magellen). It drove me nuts, but I liked her as a character. I thought Rhys was a stupid, simpleminded, overly jealous man. I didn't think he added anything to the story, except for the finances for Magellen.
Absolutely HATED the ending (non ending actually). I am the kind of person that needs the stories I listen to be nicely wrapped up or open enough to prove there is another book coming after. This book had neither
This book was okay. I felt like there is a lot going on (time travel, a romance, past lives, gods, music, saving the world) and it took awhile to get into.
I hated the FMC's name (Magellen). It drove me nuts, but I liked her as a character. I thought Rhys was a stupid, simpleminded, overly jealous man. I didn't think he added anything to the story, except for the finances for Magellen.
Absolutely HATED the ending (non ending actually). I am the kind of person that needs the stories I listen to be nicely wrapped up or open enough to prove there is another book coming after. This book had neither
April 29, 2026
A writer in dire need of an editor. For example:
“Although the thought of making her way across town from Queens to the Upper West Side stressed her out, which was ironic since she shared the name Magellan with the famous Portuguese explorer who’d attempted to circle the globe in the 1500s.”
Thanks, Capt Exposition. Maybe swap that history textbook for a basic grammar guide?
Or:
“He would bring instruments she had never known existed and encourage her to play them. Instruments like the crwth, the nyckelharpa, the contrabass balalaika, the cimbalom, and the theremin.”
We get it. You did some basic googling and called it research. I don’t care.
Or this gem:
“Before he left, he presented her with a parting gift, a ring made of a bronze-like gold with decorative symbols engraved around the band.”
Bronze-like gold? So… bronze? Or gold that’s a crappy colour? Pick a metal.
This is just from chapter 1. I didn’t subject myself to any more. I have at least some self respect.
“Although the thought of making her way across town from Queens to the Upper West Side stressed her out, which was ironic since she shared the name Magellan with the famous Portuguese explorer who’d attempted to circle the globe in the 1500s.”
Thanks, Capt Exposition. Maybe swap that history textbook for a basic grammar guide?
Or:
“He would bring instruments she had never known existed and encourage her to play them. Instruments like the crwth, the nyckelharpa, the contrabass balalaika, the cimbalom, and the theremin.”
We get it. You did some basic googling and called it research. I don’t care.
Or this gem:
“Before he left, he presented her with a parting gift, a ring made of a bronze-like gold with decorative symbols engraved around the band.”
Bronze-like gold? So… bronze? Or gold that’s a crappy colour? Pick a metal.
This is just from chapter 1. I didn’t subject myself to any more. I have at least some self respect.
April 15, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the ARC of this audiobook.
I really enjoyed this book. The jumping around different timelines, the subtle funny jokes between the MMC and FMC because of their lingo. Like many others, I do wish the ending was a bit more fleshed out, but it's possible it was done that way for a potential second book?
Either way, this was a fun listen. The narrators were fantastic.
I really enjoyed this book. The jumping around different timelines, the subtle funny jokes between the MMC and FMC because of their lingo. Like many others, I do wish the ending was a bit more fleshed out, but it's possible it was done that way for a potential second book?
Either way, this was a fun listen. The narrators were fantastic.
April 7, 2026
Great read!
I loved the main characters in the book and how the different times and places were described. It was so much fun to be a part of it, I hope there's a second book because although there was closure, I felt like the door was left open. I wouldn't have minded some parts being more detailed in the later sections of the labyrinth but that's just because I lived the detail in the earlier parts so much.
I loved the main characters in the book and how the different times and places were described. It was so much fun to be a part of it, I hope there's a second book because although there was closure, I felt like the door was left open. I wouldn't have minded some parts being more detailed in the later sections of the labyrinth but that's just because I lived the detail in the earlier parts so much.
April 13, 2026
Magellan is a musical prodigy, and while playing at a wedding, is transported back to 1829 England, where she meets Rhys, the Earl of Liron.
I'm not a fan of the back and forth narration that seems to be in the majority of books out there today...but it works so well here! We get the story from Magellan and Rhys, as well as Gwynned...Merlin's twin sister (yes...THAT Merlin!).
Using Gwynned's diary, Magellan and Rhys need to work together to save the world...creating a symphony.
I will say - I started out SO EXCITED for this book. I'm a classically trained musician who also loves the story of Merlin and the Druids. HOWEVER, the first half of the book was intriguing. We get Magellan's backstory, then have her freaking out and trying to figure out how and why she went back to 1829.
Once she and Rhys figure out what's going on, and that Magellan needs to get the 4 parts of the symphony from 4 famous women composers, it speeds up...and up...and up...and then...it just ends.
There's no ending. The action just stops, and we're left not knowing whether the two of them saved the world or not.
I did love the fact that at the end, the instrument Magellan chooses to play is the oboe. Having played the oboe for 20 years, I was thrilled to see it highlighted in the book. I was less thrilled by the abrupt ending of the book though.
I REALLY REALLY REALLY wanted to like this book. And had it not been for the good first half, I would have left this at 1 star. I'm just glad I got this through Kindle First Reads, and didn't actually spend any money on it.
I'm not a fan of the back and forth narration that seems to be in the majority of books out there today...but it works so well here! We get the story from Magellan and Rhys, as well as Gwynned...Merlin's twin sister (yes...THAT Merlin!).
Using Gwynned's diary, Magellan and Rhys need to work together to save the world...creating a symphony.
I will say - I started out SO EXCITED for this book. I'm a classically trained musician who also loves the story of Merlin and the Druids. HOWEVER, the first half of the book was intriguing. We get Magellan's backstory, then have her freaking out and trying to figure out how and why she went back to 1829.
Once she and Rhys figure out what's going on, and that Magellan needs to get the 4 parts of the symphony from 4 famous women composers, it speeds up...and up...and up...and then...it just ends.
There's no ending. The action just stops, and we're left not knowing whether the two of them saved the world or not.
I did love the fact that at the end, the instrument Magellan chooses to play is the oboe. Having played the oboe for 20 years, I was thrilled to see it highlighted in the book. I was less thrilled by the abrupt ending of the book though.
I REALLY REALLY REALLY wanted to like this book. And had it not been for the good first half, I would have left this at 1 star. I'm just glad I got this through Kindle First Reads, and didn't actually spend any money on it.
April 6, 2026
Ugh. This book had all the makings of a great read, but it consistently fell short on every point. It felt rushed, at times surface-level, and the ending? Don’t get me started. What a disappointment. 2.5 stars.
May 13, 2026
The Last Labyrinth was a well received book club pick. It was a page turner with surprises and OMG moments. The ending left us is hanging and wanting more. is there going yo be a sequel?
May 16, 2026
A super fun time travel story with music, a garden labyrinth, romance, Merlin, danger and a mystery. I loved following along on this one. Well worth the read!
April 10, 2026
This one is kind of a mixed bag for me. I really liked the idea of the story—it has such a unique and intriguing premise with time travel, music, and a touch of Arthurian legend. A musical prodigy getting pulled back to 1829 through an ancient organ? That’s the kind of concept that instantly hooks me.
I also enjoyed the connection to Gwynedd, Merlin’s forgotten twin sister. That added a cool, mysterious layer to the story, and I found myself really interested in uncovering how everything tied together. The historical elements and magical undertones had a lot of potential, and at times, they really pulled me in.
But unfortunately, the pacing didn’t quite hold up for me. While the beginning and middle kept my attention, I started to lose interest toward the end. It felt like the story dragged a bit, and I just wasn’t as invested in what was happening anymore. The romance between Magellan and Rhys had its moments, but it didn’t fully keep me hooked either.
Overall, I liked the concept more than the execution. It’s a creative story with some strong ideas, but the slower ending made it harder for me to stay engaged. I’d say it’s about a 3-star read for me—worth checking out if the premise grabs you, but it didn’t fully deliver by the end.
I also enjoyed the connection to Gwynedd, Merlin’s forgotten twin sister. That added a cool, mysterious layer to the story, and I found myself really interested in uncovering how everything tied together. The historical elements and magical undertones had a lot of potential, and at times, they really pulled me in.
But unfortunately, the pacing didn’t quite hold up for me. While the beginning and middle kept my attention, I started to lose interest toward the end. It felt like the story dragged a bit, and I just wasn’t as invested in what was happening anymore. The romance between Magellan and Rhys had its moments, but it didn’t fully keep me hooked either.
Overall, I liked the concept more than the execution. It’s a creative story with some strong ideas, but the slower ending made it harder for me to stay engaged. I’d say it’s about a 3-star read for me—worth checking out if the premise grabs you, but it didn’t fully deliver by the end.
March 9, 2026
A Great read
Loved this book. Great fantasy story line - but with a message to those living in the 21st century.
I sincerely hope that there will be a sequal as although it ends with hope for the future, it isn't clear what that future will definitely be. Would love to know what happens when Magellan gets back to her own time
Loved this book. Great fantasy story line - but with a message to those living in the 21st century.
I sincerely hope that there will be a sequal as although it ends with hope for the future, it isn't clear what that future will definitely be. Would love to know what happens when Magellan gets back to her own time
March 8, 2026
I truly couldn’t put this down. I loved how all the small details came together full circle.
Ultimately, I feel like the ending was abrupt. I would have liked to see the song finished, a possibly reunion with Garesh, finding Horus. But I do appreciate the way this played out.
Anyway, loved this. So many tears.
Ultimately, I feel like the ending was abrupt. I would have liked to see the song finished, a possibly reunion with Garesh, finding Horus. But I do appreciate the way this played out.
Anyway, loved this. So many tears.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 8, 2026
Fantastic Story
I loved the whole book - except the ending! Yes, I can imagine the ending in my mind, but I would really have loved to read it.
I loved the whole book - except the ending! Yes, I can imagine the ending in my mind, but I would really have loved to read it.
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