Time travel, secrets, and sapphic longing — all in one reckless story.
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, andinsists she isn’t in love with her best friend. That’s what she keeps telling herself—untilMary leaves for college, taking with her all the words Dani never found the courage tosay. 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 gaslamps 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 couldunravel.
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, Danihas 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 aboutforbidden love, hidden truths, and the painful cost of choosing yourself in a world that isn’t built for you.
This is book one of the Arnautica series.
Stay tuned for book two: “The Key Between Hours.”
Ebook and Paperback out now!
AVAILABLE ON OTHER PLATFORMS
Kobo, Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, Barnes and Noble, Indigo, Ebooks.com, Bookshop, Fable, Overdrive
Sneak Peak The Chapters
Chapters
2
Be Good For Me
4
Home Renovation, Mental Deterioration
8
Angel of My Dreams
11
Rollerskate Confessional
15
Lady of No Propriety
22
Sweet Destruction
![My debut novel The Light Gazer is now available for paperback pre-order 💌
🗝️ [Link in bio] or grab it here → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FHJGCFM8](https://scontent-iad3-2.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/519819577_17859243441450198_3937172779328528899_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=100&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0xJUFMuYmVzdF9pbWFnZV91cmxnZW4uQzMifQ%3D%3D&_nc_ohc=Q4OgUzSm6nYQ7kNvwGiG7_N&_nc_oc=Adl5lQRUElwPH_9aTtn94u8ahJ1fBG_1dON7YLxfe5IWGApjDFmE2Bix5bTEmcC7670&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=_GamCWngkXivkMP3lpdBAA&oh=00_Afqt7ihIbZNDduOfsX3TvlhQGK_uajcAGF7AmqdBH1ZdsQ&oe=696DF521)
About the author
Amanda Luper
Amanda is a LGBTQ+ fiction author originally from Portland, Oregon, now living in Alaska. A lifelong lover of history—particularly the Egypt, Tudor, and Victorian eras—she blends romance, time travel, and queer identity into lush, emotionally resonant stories. Her debut novel, The Light Gazer, began with a dream in 2014—two girls, a forgotten century, and the feeling of falling in love for the first time. She wrote it down the next morning and spent the next decade bringing Dani and Rowen’s story to life between her full-time job and work as a wedding photographer.
What readers said
★★★★★
“A lushly written, queer gothic for romantics.“
“The Light Gazer is a lush, time-bending queer romance that follows Dani, a 21-year-old Portland soccer player, whose life becomes entangled with antique clockwork heirlooms and a love story that defies the centuries. The book opens with Dani chasing strange lights along the St. Johns Bridge — an echo of something bigger tugging at her reality. Her best friend Mary is half skeptic, half believer, and wholly the person Dani can’t admit she wants. When a Mary’s trinket box appears, so too does the pull of another time and place: a mansion house, a family legacy, and the ghosts of lovers who never got to finish what they started. What unfolds is part coming-of-age, part speculative adventure, and entirely a story about letting go of what you thought you were and claiming what you really are — even if it costs you the comfort of pretending.
Stylistically, the book shines in its rich prose and atmospheric world-building. Luper balances modern queer yearning with a nostalgic gothic vibe, weaving in folklore, Edwardian relics, and found family dynamics. Dani’s inner voice is sharp and funny, a necessary contrast to the surreal clockwork magic that lurks at the edges of her world. At its core, this is a love story for messy girls and the women who ruin them in the best possible way — tender yet self-destructive, honest yet full of secrets. Some pacing may feel meandering in the middle, and readers wanting straightforward answers might feel untethered, but for fans of vibes-forward speculative romance, this is exactly the point.
Readers who love The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue (V.E. Schwab) for its lyrical atmosphere, One Last Stop (Casey McQuiston) for its sapphic time slip romance, and The Raven Cycle (Maggie Stiefvater) for its magical realism and messy friendships will find themselves right at home. This is a book for readers who crave moody Pacific Northwest settings, queer longing that hurts so good, and speculative elements rooted in family secrets and impossible heirlooms.”
★★★★★
“Utterly Consumed by This Love Story“
“The Light Gazer” completely consumed me in the best possible way. It’s a dazzling blend of heart and havoc: fun, tender, and just the right dose of reckless. I found myself highlighting line after line, swept up in this amazing love story. If you’re drawn to forbidden queer love, hidden identities, and the thrill of time travel, this book belongs on your shelf immediately.
★★★★★
“The Love Story Within The Book Is Truly Wonderful“
I found Dani’s story to be exceptionally well-crafted, with a thoughtfully developed and flawlessly executed storyline, and I particularly enjoyed the time travel element, as well as the captivating love story.
When Dani travels back in time to 1905, she unexpectedly finds herself at her Great-Great Grandfather’s house, which is also where she currently lives with her parents. Throughout her journey in this historical period, she must adapt to her surroundings, while still maintaining her individuality, which I found quite engaging.
The love story within the book is truly wonderful, and I especially appreciated that it deviates from the typical romance tropes. It was a refreshing change from the usual “girl meets girl, they fall in love, happily ever after” or the “third act breakup, get back together, fall in love, happily ever after” narratives. I also enjoyed how Dani finds herself in a love triangle with Rowen and Gabriel, and I certainly won’t spoil anything; readers will have to discover the unfolding events for themselves.
Having expressed my thoughts, I must say that this was a truly wonderful read, which I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend. I am now eagerly awaiting the next book, given the way this one concluded, and I am very much looking forward to discovering what unfolds.
★★★★★
This book was THE find of the month!! It all starts when a queer girl accidentally travels back in time, getting stuck in the Edwardian era, attracting the attention of many people including the most eligible bachelor in town, Rowen Quinn or should I say… Rowena? I can’t say more 😝 so you’ll have to find out for yourself.
★★★★★
“Queer self discovery“
“I absolutely loved this book. From the romance to the time bending story. It shows how confusing, scary, and fun finding out who you are can be. I wish I had this book when I was younger. It’s truly a book worth owning.”
© 2025 Amanda Luper Books
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