Discover Amy Orrell’s debut novel
Tomorrow Was Beautiful Once
A page-turning sci-fi thriller
Current semi-finalist for the 2026
Small Spec Book Awards
Tomorrow was beautiful once, and it could be again. But Jack can only choose one future…
England, 2150. Time travel has accelerated climate change and set humanity on the brink of destruction. As a Person of Mixed Era Origin with the ability to recall parallel versions of time, British historian, Jack Elliot, seems the perfect candidate to travel to the past and prevent the advent of time travel.
The catch? Success means Jack will cease to exist.
Critically injured when he arrives in the past, Jack’s life is saved by Maddie, a second-generation immigrant and resistance fighter, who mistakenly believes he’s connected to the disappearance of her sister, Suraya.
Jack’s denial soon unravels with the discovery that Suraya can lead him to his father — the man who robbed him of his mother — and the inventor of time technology.
What begins as a fragile alliance soon puts their feelings and their missions to the test. Jack’s won’t be the only life affected by his sacrifice, but does he have the right to decide who should live and who should die — and will it be worth it for the futures he and Maddie hope to create?
Praise for Tomorrow Was Beautiful Once
“Cling to your memories and hope that the world you are living in is the one you remember. In this impressive first novel, Amy Orrell creates a credible theory and practice for time travel where various factions try to manipulate time for their own benefit, and the fate of the human race. Clever and absorbing.”
— Mike Ashley
Hugo nominated author and editor, and winner of the Pilgrim Award for lifetime achievement in science fiction scholarship.
‘A pacy, intelligent sci-fi thriller with high stakes… Plenty of topical issues- such as the rise of the far right and the demonisation of migrants - are explored but never in a way that eclipses the story being told. Highly recommended.’
— Amazon/Goodreads review
‘Tomorrow Was Beautiful Once is a great Sci-Fi novel, a fast-paced story perfect if you want a compelling and well-written proposal about time travel, thought-provoking moral dilemmas and excellent characters. A great debut for Amy Orrell.’
— Javier Vaquera, JamReads
‘The characterisation is exceptionally skilful. Jack and Maddie experience such emotional conflict in terms of their belonging and identity, and we are compelled to follow their journey through to the heart-wrenching but hopeful ending. Topical themes, such as climate change and morality, are expertly explored. A page turner, and I would definitely recommend this!’
— Amazon/Goodreads Review
‘One of the best sci-fi books I’ve read in a long while… I think fans of sci-fi will absolutely adore this book - I know I did!’
— jds_readingnook
Tomorrow Was Beautiful Once is out now in paperback and eBook.
Did you know?
The concept for this story was conceived during a high school English lesson. Amy still has the original, hand-written pages, complete with her teacher’s feedback.
Amy spent several years living between Norwich and Battersea, and knew straight away that Battersea’s iconic Power Station would feature in the story.
What you can expect from Tomorrow Was Beautiful Once:
Dystopian future
Time travel
Lost and unreliable memories
Impossible love
Genetic anomalies
Ticking clock
Climate change
Morals and ethics
Sacrifice and redemption
Perfect for fans of:
Recursion by Blake Crouch
11.22.63 by Stephen King
Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel
Travellers (Netflix, 2016—18)
-
Violence
Death
Reference to sexual assault
Discover Amy Orrell’s new cli-fi fantasy novel
These Fated Gifts
“A stunning tale of power in all its forms”
- Rachel Grosvenor, author of Witchborne and The Finery
Seeing a rare swallowtail may be a sign…
your long-lost twin seeing one too is an omen
Separated at birth for their own protection, twin sisters Elin and Bryn have grown up with no knowledge of one another, and no understanding of the gift they carry.
Elin of the Orvaear wants only two things: to lead a simple life and to avoid stirring up trouble. But it’s not easy when her world is limited to a handful of tiny islands, her only friend, Oran, is a member of the rival clan, and both clans are controlled by Gannon, the man who killed her parents.
Living in Londyn, a city of extremes, Bryn strives to hide her poverty. Working hard to win a coveted agronomy scholarship, she dreams of giving her family a better life. But her family includes a stranger, one whose arrival will threaten more than just her carefully laid plans.
Fated to defend both old world and new from the man who orphaned them, Elin and Bryn must bridge their divide and learn to wield their magic as one.
But Gannon won’t allow anything to stand in his way. He’s killed before, and if he must, he’ll do it again.
Praise for These Fated Gifts
“These Fated Gifts is a compelling CliFi Fantasy, illuminating the threat of climate change and the torment of taking responsibility for someone else’s choices. A stunning tale of power in all its forms.”
Rachel Grosvenor
Author of Witchborne and The Finery
What you can expect from These Fated Gifts:
Estranged twin sisters
Parallel world
Power and corruption
Reluctant heroines
Climate change
Nature based magic
Two worlds collide
Belonging and identity
Coming of age
Perfect reading if these mixes intrigue you:
Shadow and Bone (Netflix) meets Biohackers (Netflix)
Green Rising by Wren James meets Twin Crowns by Catherine Doyle and Katherine Webber
After The Flood by Kassandra Montag meets Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo