This wasn't quite the book I was expecting. I was really expecting this to be a second-chance romance in a way, but it really didn't feel like it. I suppose that this is not a book problem, and is rather a me problem considering I expected different, but it almost feels like the blurb led me astray. While this is marketed as a romance, it didn't quite get to that point for me. It was cutesy in a way, but there were times where I felt like Ewan was mainly just there to help counsel Isla.

I love an emotional romance with a time travel twist, especially after reading The Time Traveler's Wife. This was done well, the emotional pull was there, and the magical realism present was a nice touch. All in all a solid, good read!

*Check Content Warnings prior to reading!

When Isla gets a text from someone claiming to be her husband, she ends up in a full love affair with someone she has yet to even meet in her own life. Ewan says that he is a few years in the future, and that he is contacting her since he can no longer be with her in real life.

This is a time-crossed romance that doesn't hesitate to tackle dark subjects that are true to life. Melissa Baron kind of rips your heart out in this book, but Ewan and Isla's love story is worth reading.

For a time travel story, it is easy to follow and get into, and though multiple "timelines" are being described at one time, I was never lost.

This book was written for you if:
1) You read and loved The Impossible Us by Sarah Lotz or The Time Traveler's Wife
2) You've checked the Content Warnings and feel comfortable with addressing some darkness alongside the romance of Isla and Ewan
3) You want to read a book that is equal parts heartbreaking and heartwarming.

The concept is really fun but there are better executed time travel romances out there if you're looking for that kind of thing

Well, I'm a sucker for time travel novels, especially when there's some kind of relationship depending on it involved. So naturally, I had to read this one! And while I loved the idea, the storyline had so much more potential than what it was, in the end. The writing was also to some extent repetitive quite a couple of times. But hey, I LOVED the time travel aspect and I really really LOVED the depiction of the protagonist's anxiety issues. Despite its issues a nice read.

This book was beautifully written! I was not expecting such an emotional read, but I enjoyed it. I also really enjoyed the mental health representation in this book. Thank you so much for an ARC of this book.

This book is beautifully and heartbreakingly written. The story of Isla and Ewan is one of so many heavy topics and emotions. I loved both the characters and thought Isla, especially, was a strong character who had to let herself be helped and heal with her anxiety disorder so that she could do whatever was in her power to save her from an awful fate. You meet Ewan as he texts back in time to set her on a different path, one that they both hope will end up happier for them, together. I loved the movie The Lake House and I feel this story did have the same type of vibe as that movie, which may be why I connected to it so instantly. I couldn't put this one down and I have a feeling it will stay with me for a long time.

I went into this expecting a light sweet romance and this was most certainly not that, which I think is why I wasn't able to give it a full five stars. I was surprised and not in a good way. It was still an excellent book but I would have preferred to be more prepared than I was.

There are a lot of difficult topics handled in this book. Mental health issues, death, grieving, suicide, depression, anxiety, traumatic brain injury, parental abuse, cancer, and car accidents.

What I liked:
-the anxiety rep was absolutely stellar! Very true to life but also very hopeful. I loved watching Isla grow, go to therapy, and learn to get support from other people

-Ewan. I absolutely adored him! I want to find a man just like him. He's sweet, caring, and I love his relationship with his friends and family. Also toxic masculinity who? Ewan is going to gay bars with his queer best friend and I loved it. I also loved the touches onto his Korean heritage and culture. I thought the ways that was twined into the story was excellent

-Isla and Ewan's relationship

What I didn't like:
-the cover and synopsis make this sound like a second-chance, time-travel-esque romance which isn't not. I'm honestly not sure what genre to put this in. Contemporary maybe. There's a heavy focus on mental health and it's darker than a romance usually is. And not in a dark romance kind of way

-it got a little repetitive

Overall 3.75 stars but I rounded up

It's a unique story but I was struggling a bit with how marketing set expectations versus what this book truly is

I was really into the concept of Twice in a Lifetime by Melissa Baron, but one should check the content warnings prior to reading this book. I'll post those below.

CW: Death, Suicide

I am torn about using these as part of the plot progression for the book, especially one with magic/magical realism at play.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Alcove press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Twice in a Lifetime is available now to pick up!

I really enjoyed this one - I thought it was a bit slow moving at the start, and I kept thinking…..how on earth are you going to show that love via “text messages from beyond” between Isla and Ewan, but once they meet in person and Isla changes the timeline, this one really picks up and gets going. I will say, the best part for me of this one was the ending and how Isla learns to live with the choices made in these timelines and how everything ends up wrapping up. If you don’t love a touch of magical realism in your fiction, or multiple timelines (although this one is not the traditional past/present dual timeline, it almost has a few going simultaneously if that makes sense), this one might not be the one for you. Overall I thought this was a great read to close out 2022 with. Happy New Year reading friends!

Thank you again to NetGalley and Alcove press for this advance copy.

Not this gem of a book sneaking in just in time to be one of my top reads of the year! I loved how the concept of time was presented in the story that was very reminiscent of The Lake House (one of my favorite movies). The mental health representation was spot on; it’s like the author was inside my head. Isla was so relatable and Ewan is now one of my all time favorite book boyfriends. I will definitely be rereading this heartbreaking, endearing and hopeful book in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley, Alcove Press and Dreamscape Media for the advanced copies!

“All this time, everybody had been telling her to be kinder to herself, but she’d had a hard time complying until she held up a mirror to her accomplishments and her courage and her passion and decided that she could love this person too. Maybe not all the time. Maybe loving herself more often than not would be a hard, long journey. But she wanted to keep trying to love her regardless. Like her. Root for her. Just as much as Ewan did.”

Oof—this book is so so good, but man, I will rip you apart. Don’t worry because it will pick up the pieces and put you back together. My recommendation? Don’t read reviews and go in blind especially if you don’t have any triggers. If you do, feel free to DM me on Instagram @bookishbeachbabe. This story is so much more than a romance — which by the way is so sweet and swoony. It’s really for anyone that struggles with mental illness. There are parts that are so hard to read but absolutely necessary to understanding Isla. She was such a complex character and Ewan was the perfect man to balance her out. I really can’t say more without spoiling things, but I highly recommend this unique story.

CW: two open door scenes…you can see them coming from a mile away so they’re easy to skip. DM me for trigger warnings.

Thanks to Alcove Press for an advanced copy. My thoughts are my own.

𝘊𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨!

Oh wow, I was not expecting to love this story so much, what a fantastic read. An original and powerful story about second chances that left me thinking so much. It touches sensitive topics but loved the writer’s approach. Loved it!

Thank you TLC Book Tours and Alcove Press for this tour invite.

𝗧𝘄𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 by Melissa Baron released December 6, 2022.

https://www.instagram.com/booksandcoffeemx/

I thought I had finalized my 2022 top picks for Chick Lit Central, but then Melissa Baron delivered this incredible gem of a novel and it usurped one of my choices (I moved that one to the list at my personal blog though). I cannot even begin to describe how amazing this story is and all the feels I got from it. It reminded me of The Lake House (movie starring Keanu Reeves) and I do agree with the comparison to The Time Traveler's Wife. There was also a Midnight Library vibe at times.

All I can tell you is that this is a must-read. And Ewan is now my book boyfriend. So swoon-worthy! Isla is a very relatable and lovable protagonist, as well. I really liked the focus on mental health, anxiety, and self-care. The dialogue and descriptions were so incredible and kept the story flowing. There were even some funny moments throughout. I really liked the supporting characters too (except one who was a bit of a minor character overall).

Like with most time travel books, my biggest issue is the way the time travel situation works. Some things got confusing after a bit but I can't explain why as to not spoil the story. However, this clearly did not ruin the overall effect and you do need some suspension of disbelief anyway.

Just read this book and thank me when you're done! It's like wrapping yourself in a cozy blanket and you'll want to sigh and hug it often.

Movie casting suggestions:
Isla: Alia Shawkat
Ewan: Henry Golding
Willow: Humberly González
Eleanor: Justine Lupe
Janelle: Barrett Doss
Tae: Jake Choi
Jun-su: Eugene Lee Yang
Arnold: Matthew Glave

DNF at 50%. I’m a sucker for a book being compared to Time Traveler’s Wife and I was drawn in by the concept. A woman receives a text from a man who claims to be her husband. But she’s not married - yet, anyway. That was all it took for me to be interested.

However I wasn’t prepared for some of the heavier topics that are covered in this book and ultimately it’s not right for me right now. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance reading copy.

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

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.

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.

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

A huge Thank You to The author, The publisher and NetGalley for providing the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Quite a bit late, but it was obviously amazing! I didn't expect anything less, starting with the title, cover and author, of course.

4 stars!

TW: death, familial trauma, suicide

I am not sure of the alternate timeline traveling mechanics of Melissa Baron's "Twice in a Lifetime," but I know that I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Isla, the main character, is a wonderful embodiment of what it means to have an anxiety disorder and depression. As someone who suffers from anxiety and panic attacks, I can tell you, Baron really hit the nail on the head with this. Some of the conversations Isla has with herself are the same exact conversations I have had with MYself. Readers might find some of the dialogue and conversations repetitive or long in the tooth, but let me tell you, anxiety and panic can strike at any place, at any time. Having people in your corner who are empathetic and accepting of your mental health issues, people who know how to calm you down, and talk you through them and off the ledge (so to speak) are critical and crucial to the healing process, to the LIVING process. Ewan is that calm, that trust for Isla. So sure, conversations repeat, but that's how life is with anxiety and panic. It felt all too real to me, in the best way possible.

There are magical/mystical/alternate timeline elements to this story, so know that going in. If you're not into this type of trope/plot device, you're not going to like this book. Things are *vaguely* explained here and there, but I'm still not sure I have a full grasp of how everything between Isla and Ewan's romance is allowed to happen, you know, cosmically. Chalk it up to my science-oriented brain. The setting is really important here. Is Isla's cottage magical? Is it in some weird cosmic vortex that allows Ewan and Isla's romance to continue despite what happens? The stage is set and is oh-so-beautiful in my mind. I can see the cottage right now. Author Melissa Baron really knows how to write imagery!

All in all, this is a sweet, beautiful, tragic, bittersweet, heartbreaking, heartwarming, heavy, visceral love story with time travel elements and a massive commentary on mental health, self-acceptance, and seizing the day, every day, to live life to the fullest. I can't wait to see what Melissa Baron writes next. Loved it!


Thank you to NetGalley, Melissa Baron, and Alcove Press for providing me with an ARC copy of this book! All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for my review.

Twice in a Lifetime by Melissa Baron
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Isla has moved to St Louis after her mother died. Since she struggles with severe anxiety, this move was a bit out of her comfort zone. She usually keeps to herself and is surprised when she gets an intimate text from an unknown number. And the person claims to be her husband.
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What I liked:
-I really felt for Isla. Anxiety is no joke and she had a rough go of it from day one (of her life, not just when the book picks up).
-I loved her cottage. It sounded so cozy and I was jealous everytime she was there.
-I really enjoyed the moments when she went after what she wanted, even when she had a panic attack right in the middle of trying to reach her goals.
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I really liked where this book was going but I wasn’t really feeling the last 10%. The epilogue was good though.
3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 There are some heavy topics here so be mindful of triggers.