Veronica Wolff: Beyond the Bounds

 read in 2025

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/240939555-beyond-the-bounds

blog post for first book:  https://elbyslibrary.blogspot.com/2025/10/veronica-wolff-across-pressing-dark.html

Beyond the Bounds is the follow up to Across the Pressing Dark a young adult time travel romance set in Scotland (1600s).  This book picks up directly after the end of the first book and should be read in order.  

After Finishing up the first book (that ended on a cliffhanger) I have been looking forward to reading this book to finish up the story, I pre-ordered the book and I read it over 2 days once I received it.

Rose and Callum are separated through time Rose in present day Scotland with her mother Janet and Callum with the enemy in the past things are looking bad for our MMC... just when we think it's the end for him and the enemy is looking for Rose (who they shouldn't be able to find since she was sent to the future) someone comes out of the hut but it's not Rose, it's Janet.

Janet is just as unlikeable (if not more so) in this book as she was in the first book, she stole the items that Rose had collected to return her to the past to be with Callum and has returned to the past 19 years have passed in the future so for people of the past even though it's only been a few months whispers surround her due to her drastic age change discussing witchcraft and dark magic.  The end of the last book thinking that maybe Janet has turned a new leaf and is wanting to mend her relationship with Rose and actually help her for once we now know that she is even more ruthless than ever and that extends to her treatment of Callum she keeps him alive but as a prisoner for her own needs.  

Callum has found that the magic that flows through his clan members has woken up inside of him he has been having vivid dreams and he can see Rose in many of these dreams especially true when he escapes from the Campbell's clutches only to wind up being captured by a trio of witches set on getting rid of him.  

When Rose finally is able to return to the past she finds Callum in an even worse situation than she left him... will they ever be safe?  Will they ever be able to get away from everyone that is after them and live a quiet life together?  Maybe they could even return to her future and live out the rest of their lives with all the luxuries of the modern world, would Callum be able to get them both to the future?  Or would they be separated forever?  

Additional problems arise when the Campbells find them again and things get even worse when the Laird declares that Rose should marry his awful son Hamish... That's a no from Rose how is she going to get out of this she came back to be with Callum and things are worse than ever and now her conniving mom is there with her she can't trust her and she seems to be on a power trip... why can't things just be easy for them?  

This was a quick read that finished out the storyline.  I felt the story flowed well but some of the magical elements are just told as "this just happened because... Magic" with not really more of an explanation.  I also struggled with our leads at times because while in dangerous situations they stopped a few times to kiss/cuddle/more when they should have kept moving I get that they want to be together but when you are in enemy territory being hunted you don't have time to do these things it was pretty frustrating and had me shouting at them to stop and be careful/move on before they are caught.  

The author did a really good job with all the enemies and making them really unlikeable as people.  

I liked that Callum got a bit of time with a fellow clan member who was able to teach him and keep him a bit more grounded during dangerous situations when his magic was close to out of control.  

Our couple goes through a lot of hardships and you wonder if they will ever be able to truly be together with all these enemies against them?  Who knew that being born in different centuries wouldn't be the biggest thing keeping them apart!  

*strong FMC  *Time Travel romance  *young adult  *Scotland  *Outlaw MMC 

*no spice (kisses & brief mentions) 

*Slow burn  *American FMC  *Ancient Magic  *Cinnamon Role MMC

*Highlander MMC  *Touch her and 💀  *happy ending