What a fun and unique book! I absolutely loved the plotline and story. This is not your typical light/mushy romance. This story dives much deeper & really tugs at the emotions and makes you reflect on how life would be different if you were given another chance to make different decisions. I loved the mental health representation and thought this was a really strong debut novel!

Twice in a Lifetime can do for speculative literature and romance what Dear Evan Hansen did for musicals! Thank you Melissa Baron for sharing this story with the world and adding it to the stories that broach a topic that should not stay in the dark! This is a moving and powerful addition to the stories that help encourage empathy and understanding for those who suffer mental health concerns. It was heart-rending and poignant and real!

You get to glimpse into the protagonist's, Isla, heart and mind, full of both healthy and unhealthy thoughts and urges, as she battles her own negative self-talk and the very real difficulty in overcoming those thoughts and the physical reactions that follow them. It was so wonderful to watch her grasp onto the support system and resources necessary to find the hope and strength to carry on and live a full and rewarding life.

It is so devastating to know that the magic that changes her life for the better won't be available in the lives of the millions of people suffering similarly; but hopefully having stories like this out there in the world will help bring hope and light for those that need it most, when they need it most. I hope it can also reach those who have the opportunity to reach out to anyone suffering.

I have felt those types of thoughts and had those types of physical reactions to the negative self-talk, and this book was so open in how it dealt with these issues; it was very easy to connect to these characters. I loved watching Isla and Ewan desperately try and find a way to stay connected despite the obstacles that come their way, it was as heart-wrenching as it was inspiring.

I enjoyed this book about love, loss, and time travel. The characters were likable and believable, although for some reason I didn’t fully connect emotionally with Isla. I did still want to see how this played out, and I’m glad I did. This book had a great premise and was well executed. Time travel can be tricky and it has to make some sort of sense. I definitely recommend this book if you’re looking for a heartwarming, easy read.

Thank you to @netgalley, @alcovepress, and the author for the audio version of this book in exchange for my honest review.

LOTS of mental health diagnosis and talk in this book. HUGE trigger warning for whoever wants to read this. Very deep but good. Is written in the MC’s POV, although her husband has a few POV scenes as well. Thanks Netgalley and publishing for allowing me to read and review!

3 STARS

Please check TW before reading. The book mentions suicide, anxiety and depression. The beginning is especially hard as the character's story begins.

The narrator did a good job telling the story. Her voice fit the tone of the story and she transition well among the characters.

If you could prevent something from happening what would you do? Would you change it if you knew the alternative outcome?

This book has an interesting synopsis and the beginning started off strong. The middle of the book switches from one POV to dual POV. It felt unexpected and shifted how I was reading the book, but I do enjoy dual POV overall. I was able to predict how parts of the story would work out. The middle of the book did feel like it was longer than it should be but I understand why it all needed to be there.

The characters were enjoyable and I enjoyed the way the author brought the story together. It felt like it could be a story of hope realizing we are worth more than we think. Overall this is an interesting story and worth the read if you want something different.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Consumed with grief and desperate for a fresh start, Isla moves from the city to a cabin in rural Missouri. Her anxiety is at an all time high and she’s trying to put her best foot forward when she gets a text from an unknown number. It’s a stranger named Ewan who claims to be her spouse but from the future. As she continues texting him, Isla is sure it’s a hoax or some kind of confused wrong number but Ewan sends her a picture of her in a wedding dress and knows incredibly intimate things about her. As time goes on it becomes clear that Ewan is reaching out to her to save her from a certain destiny in the future. Will Isla be able to change the course of time to ensure a happy future with Ewan?

This book was incredibly hard but also fulfilling to read. I have dealt with anxiety and depression for years and I related so very much to Isla’s character; her thoughts, and even her anxiety that her anxiety is a burden to others. We all need an Ewan in our lives! This book kind of reminded me The Time Traveler’s Wife meets The Midnight Library, and if either of those resonated with you I think you’ll love this one!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 5/5

About 20% into this book a lightbulb went on and I gasped as I started to understand what was happening. I wasn't quite sure what to expect from a time travel romance but I was so, so pleasantly surprised.

I struggle with anxiety and depression and so many of the thoughts Isla has, I have had and the amount of times I wish I could change one small thing in my own timeline are endless. The over thinking and lack of control I have are main points I am currently working through with my own therapist.

Twice in a Lifetime exceeded all expectations I had going into this. It pulled at my heart and my soul.

It was beautifully written and the representation of mental health struggles was so spot on. It is so hard to be strong when your brain keeps telling you are so very weak. Isla is amazing and I wish that I could give her a hug, the same way I sometimes need a hug.

This is not a light read. While it is sweet you will have to be strong to read this.

I received this complimentary Audio-ARC from Dreamscape Media, courtesy of NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape for an audiobook arc for an exchange of an honest review.

This was a different kind of romance read where the FMC has to woo the MMC, and I did enjoy the change of pace. It has heavy topics so check triggers.

I liked the realistic representation of someone suffering from anxiety and depression, among other things. The character growth was there, most of the time as well.

I liked the characters, but the love story between them was lacking something for me. It could have been the way he had to council the FMC through most of her emotions throughout the book. He was just too perfect.

But the first time he called her Buttercup… and we learn why.. swoon! I love little details like that.

The way it slipped between povs was a little confusing. We get a little bit of his pov, but not a lot. I kind of wanted more!

I enjoyed the time traveling aspect, but also was a little confused about it.

I felt most of this was about self acceptance with loving and living with yourself. Especially with mental health/chronic illness.

The audiobook was amazing. I really loved the narrator.

I gave this 4 stars but…

Twice In A Lifetime
By Melissa Baron
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Out now

I really enjoyed this one even though it was not what I was expecting. I listened to it every second I got until it was finished.

That being said I feel like I need to tell you something about this book before you make a decision to read it yourself.

I feel like this book is not being marketed accurately. And maybe that’s because it can’t be. This book is marketed as a time travel romance and it is but it also is really about the MC’s mental health journey. I think it depicts anxiety and depression extremely well. If you struggle or know someone who does, you know the daily battle that a person goes through. That battle is shown accurately on the page but can make the book repetitive and a slower pace. That repetitiveness is also what makes this stand out as a true depiction of anxiety.

Romance journey 40% mental health journey/character arc 60%
*Also I realize mental health journey with a side of time travel romance would not make an intriguing blurb or cover*

If what I have said above doesn’t make the book any less intriguing to you, read this you’ll enjoy it. If you go into it looking for a standard romance, you may not like this book.

Thanks to Netgalley for the audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’m just gonna say it up front…this story had me sobbing and I was not okay there for a minute. Almost had my own panic attack.

That being said, I still really enjoyed this and am glad I gave it a chance!

There are so many ways in which I related to the main character, and I felt my own pains of anxiety and depression while reading about hers. I felt for her and just wanted to be able to talk to her to let her know that everything she’s feeling is valid and that she is so important and worthy and not at all alone. All of which I know I could always use more reminders of.

This tugged at my heartstrings and even though there were a few plot points that didn’t quite make sense, I enjoyed how it all tied up together in the end.

Many thanks to Dreamscape Media, NetGalley, and of course Melissa Baron for the opportunity of listening to this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book has ALL the Feels. It is not an easy book--take the content warnings seriously, because Isla suffers from panic attacks and depression, to the point of having previously been hospitalized. While not prone to panic attacks myself, I could relate to the rumination and self criticism, which made a fair number of passages uncomfortable to read (or in this case, listen) through. (As great as Megan Tusing's narration is, in my opinion she made Isla sound too fragile and broken for my taste.) With what we learn, then, between observing Isla and her text conversations with Ewan, we quickly catch on as to why they aren't together anymore. There are a fair number of moments where the reader is ahead of Isla regarding where the plot is headed, so their reveal doesn’t pack quite the punch.

I'm a sucker for timey-wimey (as the Doctor of "Dr Who" would say) romances--like "The Time Traveler's Wife" and "The Lake House," both of which ALSO take place in the Chicago area (even if Isla then moves to St. Louis)--so I accept it as plot device law that, more often than not, attempts at manipulating one's timeline exacts a price. It was that thought lurking around in the back of my mind that kept me perched on a bittersweet edge, at times to the point of my own anxiety, observing Isla and Ewan’s budding love story while trying to figure out when shoes were going to drop. (The biggest one to me not making any sound.) Ewan is such a loving and supportive partner that you wonder how exactly things fell apart the first time around. (Did he not understand her panic attacks and depression as well as he did later on? Or did the changes to the timeline he suggested mitigate some of that?)

Still, despite the decent number of stars I gave it, I’m torn about promoting it. It easily sits on the shelf with books like “You Were There Too” and “In Five Years,” literary romances that frustrated the hell out of me and left me feeling manipulated. Because of the intensity of the subject matter here as one goes into the book, the story instead taps little cracks into your heart as you knowingly wait for it to break. I may or may not have still read it if I had known more than I did going in. It’s one of those books that I greatly respect but am not sure I will give a repeat read/listen-to.

Twice in a Lifetime by Melissa Baron was a new take on the romance genre that I thoroughly enjoyed. I have read a couple time travel romances, but none compare to this one. It is deep, emotional, and had me guessing until near the end what was going to happen. I liked that the struggles that come with mental health are addressed in an honest and realistic way, and that therapy can help you understand why and grow, as Isla does. She and Ewan are perfectly imperfect, which I love.

Megan Tusing is a great narrator. Her voices for Isla and Ewan are distinct without losing their believability.

I rate this 5 stars.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media for providing me with an ALC.

Really was sucked in by this book and will be getting a physical copy of this as well, It was an emotional journey.. Please check trigger warnings as it deals with a variety of subjects and is not for everyone.

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.

This was a heartwarming read. I fell hard for the main characters! It deals with a lot of deep topics so beware going into it. The narrator did a great job as well.

This one is tough to review, because I think a lot of it was my mindset going into this book. The cover is cute, and the plot involves getting a text from someone claiming to be your future husband (and he can prove it!). Which sounds a little light and fun, and there's some time travel in it too, which also feels on the light and fun side to me. But this book is HEAVY and hits on some dark subject matter. It's hard to talk about without giving away any spoilers, but I'd recommend to readjust your expectations if you are reading this thinking it's a light romance.

I do think it was interesting to read a book where the main character suffers from anxiety and gets panic attacks. We get a look into her inner monologue, and this was just a perspective I'm not used to getting (and that was refreshing!). However, Ewan felt a little "too perfect" in my opinion - especially when compared to Isla who was very open about her perceived "flaws" and struggles. At one point Ewan hints that he wasn't always the best husband, but I don't think we really saw any of that and I would have liked to. I think it would have made their dynamic feel more real.

I enjoyed the narrator in this book, and I thought Megan Tusing did a great job and was a great fit for this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. Twice in a Lifetime by Melissa Baron tells the love story of Isla and Ewan with a time-travel twist. Now, I will say that if you are looking for a light fluffy rom-com, this is not the book. But instead, it is a heart-felt story of people and love and sacrifice. If you liked The Midnight Library or Oona Out of Order, you will love this book. Some of the time-travel plot got a little confusing at the end, but if you spent a minute thinking about the particulars, it made sense. I think it all came together in a very clever manner. The book does focus on anxiety and depression, which was a little much for me at times, but I still really enjoyed!

I listened the audiobook and thought the narration was on point. Very good at conveying emotion and tone. Overall, I would highly recommend.

A really strong and impactful debut novel. I’m not always a fan of the time traveling trope, but the execution of this was great and the mental health representation was top notch. Isla gets a text from a mysterious person claiming to be her husband, and he’s texting her from some time in the near future. Alternating between dual timelines, Isla has the opportunity to change the course of her life and prevent a tragedy from occurring. The only problem is that saving herself may cost her husband his. This was great on audio, and I highly reccomend for fans of Merideth Alone and Oona Out of Order.

Read if you like:
-Sliding door trope
-Emotional romances
-Mental Health rep
-Unexpected twists

Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape for the ARC of the audiobook version of Twice in a Lifetime.
3.75 ⭐️
Wow. This book is heavy on the feels and leaves you mulling everything over once you’ve read it. The first half was especially good, I was engrossed in the story and the time travel element was so interesting. I appreciated the depiction of generalized anxiety disorder in Isla as it felt grounded and real. What didn’t feel real was how Ewan didn’t have much of a role other than being there for Isla which was a little disappointing after his wonderful characterization. I do think the book could’ve been shorter, it got repetitive and frustrating at times - I recognize that Ewan and Isla’s relationship needed the time to develop but the pacing felt off here. This was emotionally heavy, more so than the typical romance and did not have as much time-travel as it maybe claimed, buuuut I still recommend this and am excited to read more from Melissa Baron as this is her debut and was largely so well-written.

First of all, this book ended up being even more than I anticipated. I drew my attention with the blurb and creative cover, but then really exceeded my exceptions with the storyline.

I love the true second chance romance that this book provided. When Isla is contacted by a man claiming to be her husband, she immediately doubts him. But then he follows up with pictures and knowledge that make her trust him. So, they begin a texting relationship. Isla becomes closer to Ewan but can tell he is grieving the loss of their relationship in the future. And that is a struggle for her.

This book was creative and beautiful. I enjoyed it even when I was reading it through my tears. It felt like a life lesson as I read it. Don't take today for granted because things can always change in a second and so much more.

AUDIOBOOK: The audio version of this book was well done and enabled me to toggle back and forth between the written and audible word. For me that can really enhance my enjoyment of a book. I thought the narration was well done and fit the story. 4 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to read and review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

Absolutely loved this book. This is not an easy book, as it deals with many hard topics, but it was real and raw and exactly what I needed. This felt like the most authentic description of panic attacks and anxiety in a character that I've ever read. I appreciate the open discussions about mental illness and how you can live and thrive with mental illness. This book broke my heart, made me cry and filled me with hope. I would read another Melissa Baron book in an instant!