This is a second chance will they/won't they romance
Where fate keeps intervening to give them another chance.
They met as teens and fell in love back then
But then were torn apart again.

The story is told from both points of view
With flashback filling the past events in, too.
But both are married to other people at the start
And seem reluctant from their spouse to finally part.

Neither have managed to follow their teenage dreams
Both are unhappy with how their life now seems.
Can they take a chance on each other once more
Or will fate have them showing them the door?

A moving story dealing with issues galore
With children, partners, grief, cancer and more.
A story of daring to step away and part
In order to help you make a fresh start.

I'm never comfortable with adultery as a key
But this is so much more as readers will soon see.
There are plenty of problems as they set off to discover
That love brings happiness to one another.

You're never certain how things will work out in the end
But I really liked the support given by Anna's friend.
That ending had me feeling oh so sad
But overall it is positive and for that I'm glad.

For my complementary copy of this book I say thank you.
I very different read and this is my honest review.

Anna lives with a husband she lost emotional connection with; a job that doesn't make her happy; and a life that is not what she dreamed of. 'The Girl I Used To Be' is the story of Anna who is on an adventure to discover the things that make her happy and alive.

One of the things that make her feel alive is Will. Anna and Will are teenage lovers who gets distanced due to various circumstances. But, over the years they crossed paths a few times. But this time it's different. Or is it?

I loved the plot overall. liked the first half of the story and it felt in-line with the story line. But, second half is very clumsy and confusing. The initial story is slow, and the events in second half went fast and scenes felt cut-off. I am not sure about writing - if I liked it or not. Sure, I liked a few lines and paragraphs. But, I believe there are some grammatical errors too.

One thing I did not get is that why is Anna's POV is in first person and Will's POV is in third person. I wonder if it is solely because it has to be Anna's story.

Also I thought she is dead and became sad. Later I am confused😶 I re-read the chapter to clarify it.

When I was invited to the blog tour for The Girl I Used to Be, I found the synopsis really enticng and couldn't wait to get into this book. The plot is just as enticing as the synopsis and the pace is good, but then it tails off to be more "slow burn".

The novel is true-to-life which is what I really hoped it would be and I enjoyed the character development.

I like nevels with storylines such as this where the characters are in love, go about their lives and then meet again. I admit I was anxious to see when, where and how they would meet again and what would happen to them in the meantime.
This novel has it all. Love, real life, tragedy and everything in between.

Thanks to Debbie Howells, Boldwood Books and Rachel's Random Resources for my eARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

4.5 stars.

How many of us actually get a second chance at life?
Anna is content, or supposed to be, with her job and husband. Then wham! She runs into an old love, Will. They could never get their relationship, their oaths crossing at varying intervals through the years.
This time, though, will it happen?
So many impediments and side roads got in the way.
If nothing else, this novel emphasizes the now or never mentality. Don’t put off what you really want. If you’re not happy, then change things so that you are. No one else will do it for you.

Anna and Will met as teenagers and instantly fell for each other. However when Will's mum passes away he realises he isnt in the right place for a relationship and the blossoming romance is put on hold.

Life happens: another family death for Will and serious illness for Anna means that, despite keeping in touch, their relationship doesn't develop. Eventually, they both find themselves in unhappy marriages with unsuitable partners, always wondering what could have been if life had dealt them diifferent cards....

With their marriages both on the rocks they bump  into ech other again. Is this finally their time?

I enjoyed this book but the characters were a bit frustrating at times!  Will was in love with Anna but ran away everytime he had a problem, so she was always second place to everyone else. He would then then expect her to just take him back at a later date (and she would without question! This is a turbulent story avout the ups and downs of a relationship and how it is impacted by family, illness and tragic events.

This latest novel from Debbie Howells is a lovely, at times frustrating, story of how life pulls us in directions we never thought would happen. Anna and Will were smitten with one another when they were young but just as they were getting started Fate stepped in to keep them apart.

The story is told predominantly from Anna's point of view, with Will's situation and perspective interspersed between the chapters to show us that it's not just Anna wishing they could turn back the clock and change things. They've both settled for relationships which are second best, their hearts not 100% in it, and are both wondering what happened to the hopes and dreams of their teenage years. Feelings which come crashing to the fore when a chance encounter between the two of them leaves them asking the question:what if?

I enjoyed this will they/won't they tale but would have really loved it if Anna and Will could have shared some of the more emotional experiences together rather than struggling in their separate lives. I feel they would both have become stronger individuals sooner with the benefit of each other's support. But I suppose that is a more realistic representation of how life has a habit of sending us the toughest challenges when we will learn the most from the lesson.

A lovely story of love, friendship and second chances.

A quick read about missed opportunities and second chances.

Life hasn't worked out the way Anna expected and when she meets someone from her past unexpectedly it gives her the push she needs to start making changes and maybe trying one more time for a true love.

This was a nice frothy book, but don't expect substance. The characters are a bit flat. Our main characters are both making huge life changes and have experienced major illnesses, breakups, moved but somehow have no personality flaws or animosity? I'd like them to be a little more real.

The Girl I Used To Be by Debbie Howells is the most beautiful contemporary book that will fill your heart with love.
The book is a celebration of love. Love comes in many forms. True love requires self-sacrifice. True love sometimes means letting go. True love is what will always remain.
We witness parental sacrificial love. This requires us to put our children’s well-being and happiness above our own. Love goes the extra mile for those we love.
Within the book there are two marriages in trouble and a long-lasting one that has stood the test of life.
The action is set over twenty years, alternating between present day and times in the past, moving forwards to collide with present day. We see the action from alternating points of view.
All the characters are well drawn, likable and realistic. Even the dog springs to life under the masterful pen of Debbie Howells.
Two characters meet but keep missing their opportunity. Life keeps getting in the way of true love. Their love transcends space and time. It is a love that will never die. This is a bittersweet love. We keep willing them on.
The Girl I Used To Be is breathtakingly beautiful. It sank into my heart and soul as the love radiated from the pages. I adored it. I am missing my new found friends.
I received a free copy from Rachel’s Random Resources for a blog tour. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

The story of Will and Anna was very intriguing at the beginning to entice you to know more. However after a little while it lost its momentum for me personally.

It was a very slow burn type of romance, rollercoaster emotions going back and forth. Just when you expect them to get together, something else gets in their way.

At times this novel felt like you are having a chat with an old friend. To reminisce over being younger again.

Some quotes I really enjoyed:
“We take on all these limitations, mostly dictated by other people. They hold us back. Get in the way of our dreams.”

“That’s why there are so many unhappy relationships ships. Safety and familiarity are not easy things to give up”
SO True! The amount of people I know is pathetic that do this. Staying together for the sake of the kids etc. if you want a kid go have one, don’t stay with someone because of them. Anyone can produce a baby. But to have your child around potential harmful people as you don’t know them is a major no for me at least. Thank goodness the main character didn’t have children, although she basically raised her step daughter. But she was living in a bubble, quite literally as she was having the same days on repeat and actually Losing Herself piece by piece until she finally met someone from her past that reminded her she has choices and the way she is currently she is not herself! She has become a complete bore that follows her dull husbands orders. Thank goodness people in the novel eventually seen what they were doing wasn’t right for them. You put yourself first. Self care and all that.

It was great to get views from both of them across random timelines you were not expecting. The characters are very well developed with their stories. I did wonder at times how did Anna stick with her husband with the way he was treating her.

Overall it was a cute love story based on fate and chance.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC!

I was drawn to this book hoping for some nostalgia and feeling I could relate as I am growing and raising kids. Unfortunately this book made me sad more than anything. I also didn’t connect with the characters very well. It’s a sweet, tender, and at times dramatic story but also has major themes of sad life events as you age through adulthood.

I found this a little bit of a slow burner at times. I enjoyed the overall message of the book, that life is ultimately about love and happiness but I found the way the plot reverted to the past at times and the different tenses a little disjointed at times. The use of the word ‘babe’ by Lucy really niggled at me as well! This was definitely more sophisticated than your stereotypical ‘chick lit’ novel but for me there was something missing. That said, I was an emotional wreck at the end and I thought the book really picked up pace in the last few chapters, which I liked.

Anna and Will meet when they're teenagers. Now 20 years later Anna is unhappily. So when she runs into Will something sparks in her and she longs for the person she used to be.

A great book about fate and second chances

A quick, easy and cute read that was a nice bit of escapism for a couple of hours. I really enjoyed it and would definitely recomend it.

This book felt like a sedate journey through Anna’s life, with Will’s viewpoint intertwined.

The couple who just keep missing their right time to be together as life throws it’s ups and downs in the way. They both certainly go through a lot, and I did enjoy that introspective look back on youth.

This was so, so, so good. It was a comfort read that would be perfect for fall. I highly recommend! 4 stars from me.

Anna is in a loveless marriage but just going through the motions when she bumps into an ex boyfriend. This brings back memories of her time with him and makes her really look at her present life. This brings about changes that bring happiness but sadness too. The twist at the end is very clever!!!
I haven't read anything by Debbie Howells before and I just presumed it would be the normal formula for a romantic fiction story. It was that and sooo much more!!. I really enjoyed it!!.
I was very lucky to have been given this book as a free ARC book by Netgalley for an honest review.
#Netgalley, #bookandtonic, #_debbiehowells.

The girl I used to be is full of ups and downs. It is a classic story of will they won’t they. Anna and Will are childhood sweethearts but life gets in the way of their happiness…not just once but over and over again.

The story has some wonderful characters and has a fairly unique setting. It shows the reality of life and all the hurdles that get in the way of finding the right person at the right time!

I enjoyed this read and did love the characters but somehow it didn’t grab me as much as some others in this genre. I’m not quite sure what it was that was missing to take it from good to great but somehow it lacked a spark along the way.

Overall an enjoyable read.

This book was everything I wanted it to be. It had me turned pages without even realizing. It was so good!

This book is magic. One line that stuck with me is that nothing is impossible if you want it enough. True love and soul mates do exist as evidenced by Anna and Will. However, in order to experience the magic of love, one has to go through pitfalls to realize one is slogging through life. We only have one life and like Anna did with her list, let's make it count. I would read this book numerous times as I can ensure it would touch and inspire me each time in different ways. We meet people for a reason.

While the plot is somewhat dated with the main characters in and out of each other’s lives over the years, Will and Anna are personalities you can relate to and want things to work out for, that said it was a very slow read overall