I knew I had to read For All Time after seeing those comp titles. I absolutely loved Outlander and The Sun Is Also a Star, so I had high expectations going into this one. And it delivered! For the most part. I absolutely loved the first three-quarters or so as we're introduced to Tamar and Fayard across multiple lifetimes.
For All Time starts in the present day with the young lovers in high school. Fayard is a charmer but he only has eyes for Tamar. She loves him, but doesn't want to make their relationship official, but that doesn't stop him from making sure she knows that he's there for her. Tamar is struggling with some lung issues after contracting COVID-19. Yep, the author went there. It felt real though rather than like a ploy.
From there, For All Time jumps around from ancient Mali to early 20th century Philadelphia to a space station in the distant future. In each of these lifetimes, Tamar and Fayard fall in love but something comes between them. It was interesting how different they were in each life but that the events of their relationship are close mirrors to one another. I also liked how they're connected to the present through dreams or daydreams.
Where For All Time lost me was toward the end when everything starts coming together. This should have been the most interesting part, where we learn what has Tamar and Fayard stuck in this endless loop. However, once terrorists, the FBI, and worst of all, amnesia, come into play, I was out. I hate amnesia plots and this one was no different. I just wanted to know why they're destined to be together but never end up together. Are they going to unlock the mystery?! Instead it was like I picked up an entirely different book.
In the end, I still really enjoyed For All Time. It was unique and kept me reading even through that questionable ending.