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by Amanda Luper (Author)
Dani has always tried to outrun the truth, whether on the soccer field, in her friendships, or from feelings she won't admit. At twenty-one, she's quick, bold, and insists she isn't in love with her best friend. That's what she keeps telling herself-until Mary leaves for college, taking with her all the words Dani never found the courage to say. Mary leaves behind a mysterious heirloom box and a silence that shatters everything Dani thought she understood about her own heart.
When Dani opens the box, her world changes completely.
Dragged through a tear in time, Dani finds herself in 1905 Portland-a city lit by gas lamps and bound by strict rules, where women are boxed in by expectations and standing out can be dangerous. All she wants is to get back home, but to survive, Dani has to rely on her wits and adapt to a world she barely understands. The past, though, holds onto her tighter than she ever imagined.
Take Rowen, for example.
Everyone sees Rowen as exactly what this era expects: polished and impossible to touch. But Dani sees someone else entirely-someone hiding behind a mask, driven by duty, stuck in an engagement they can't get out of, and doing whatever it takes to keep their mother safe. If Rowen lets Dani in, everything they've worked so hard to protect could unravel.
And then there's Gabe.
He's charming, sharp-eyed, and strangely familiar. His clock shop is filled with mysteries, and his interest in Dani doesn't feel like an accident. The more Dani gets drawn into the secrets of time-and her own broken heart-the more she realizes she didn't just end up here by chance. Finding her way home might mean making a choice she can't undo.
With centuries pulling her in different directions, and desire at odds with survival, Dani has to figure out what she's willing to risk before time runs out for good.
The Light Gazer is haunting, romantic, and unapologetically queer-a story about forbidden love, hidden truths, and the painful cost of choosing yourself in a world that isn't built for you.
