The Tiger Catcher

Simons opens the End of Forever trilogy with a quirky story of soulmates drawn together through time. Los Angeles blogger “Mr. Know It All,” aka Julian Cruz, cannot understand how he could so quickly fall in love with impetuous, enigmatic actor Josephine Collins and then be expected to cope with her sudden death. As he spirals out of control and becomes increasingly desperate to somehow reunite with Josephine, Julian meets Devi, a Hmong chef and possible shaman, in a tiny eatery in London. Devi recognizes in Julian an ability to overcome the boundaries of time and space, but Julian must wrestle with the idea of leaving friends and family to take the leap into the past in search of Josephine. While set mostly in contemporary L.A. and London, Simons expertly builds a world where readers will believe that Julian might be able to change his future by seeking his soulmate in the past. Josephine’s soul is both young and old, and it’s enjoyable to watch her evolve, though Julian is by far the most richly drawn character. Readers will root for this unlikely time traveler to find his future. (June)