I really enjoyed "One Moment" by Becky Hunter. The characters, the storyline, underlying message- all of it. The author managed to combine numerous heavy topics (grief, chronic illness, relationship challenges etc.) into a novel that was fun to read. I became invested in the characters and was overall pleased with the ending. I look forward to reading more by this author!

loved this romance and how the characters were able to figure things out and find their way to love. Loved the friends .

A beautiful book about grief, friendship, and love. I loved seeing the evolution of each relationship and felt all the emotions while reading this sweet book.


Thank you netgalley for an advanced copy. My opinions are my own.

<i>One Moment</i> was surprisingly emotional in a good way. It got me. A story about dealing with grief and the growth that it forces the ones left behind to make.

"One decision has the power to change everything."

The meanings and lessons throughout this book were powerful. Would I trade the life of my friend for the life I could have with them gone? Knowing that losing someone, especially your best friend and soulmate, is crushing and absolutely debilitating. But in that loss, you discover more about yourself than what you thought was true. Would the time that you had with them be enough to carry on and show you how strong you are to live without them and how wonderful your life can still truly be?

<i>One Moment</i> provided the point of view of the best friend who died and was watching scenes of the past and present unfold with a different perspective and the point of view of the best friend left behind to figure out life without them. The access to both allowed for a deeper look into life after loss.

One Moment is the debut novel by Becky Hunter. Evie is coping with the death of her best friend Scarlett. After Scarlett's death, she is able to watch the impact that her death has on her loved ones. This is a beautiful story that explores life long friendship, love and loss. This is a wonderful debut, and the story will stay with me for a long time.
Thank you Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

What a wonderful and charming book! A spectacular debut!

This story of Scarlett and Evie is poignant, sad, uplifting and ultimately hopeful. While it begins with a truly unfortunate accident in Scarlett's death, the aftermath is beautiful to witness, even in its sadness. Evie's growth is marvelous to witness, and I loved her relationship with Nate and especially Astrid. When she nailed her violin solo I cried and cried!

This is a book that will make you really think about your life and examine it on a profound level: what will remain after we die? How will our loved ones cope? Do we actually get to stick around for a little while to witness what happens next?

The recurring thing of "one moment" that creates a ripple effect has stuck with me. You never know what it'll be or when it'll come.

The writing was really good and overall this book was so well done. Congratulations to the author and team! Looking forward to reading what Becky Hunter writes next.

I really enjoyed the dynamics of before/after someone important to you died. It is a real dynamic of grief, however I don’t know if I was emotionally prepared for this!

Becky Hunter's "One Moment" beckoned me with its promise of Jojo Moyes-like charm, and I was delighted to find it just so.

I found myself happily ensconced in the world of sincere and relatable characters. This charming story unfolds with some difficult, but also tender moments that evoke the spirit of beloved romances like "One Day", "Last Christmas" and of course, “Me Before You".”

The character development in “One Moment" is refreshingly natural, with no forced arcs or tropes. To me, each character feels authentic and undergoes subtle yet meaningful growth throughout the narrative. I especially loved the representation of chronic illness and the authentic portrayal of flawed yet relatable characters. If you are a girls girl, you are going to love them too.

While the pacing starts off strong, I believe it does falter a bit in the middle, becoming muddled and slow. However, the story finds its footing again with a strong and sweet finish that leaves a lasting impression.

Becky’s writing is clear and accessible, making "One Moment" an ideal choice for a beach or holiday read. The story is memorable and enjoyable, striking a balance between familiarity and originality without falling into cliché territory.

Overall, I awarded "One Moment" 4 stars. Although "One Moment" may not top my list of favorite reads this year, I can confidently recommend it to friends and would eagerly explore more of Becky's work.

Rating: 4 Stars

I absolutely loved this book. This is the story of Evie and Scarlett, best friends who are each other’s “person” through the ups and downs of life. After Scarlett is killed in an unfortunate accident, Evie must learn to navigate life without her. The story is told in alternating chapters between Evie’s story and Scarlett’s perspective as she watches Evie and her other loved ones from the afterlife. I loved this magical realism element as it helped provide context and backstory through Scarlett’s eyes. Adding another layer to the story is the fact that Evie has a progressive illness which she learns to manage throughout the novel. There is also a lovely romantic relationship that develops for Evie, but ultimately, this is.a love story between friends. It’s also a story that emphasizes the “one moments’ that make up our lives and affect our destinies. This story is inspirational, hopeful and magical. I hope to read more from this author. Thank you to NetGalley for putting this book on my radar and providing the ARC.

I really enjoyed this book. It was different than anything else I've read recently. I couldn't put it down! I will keep an eye out for this author's future work!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
What a beautiful, tragic story told from the POV of best friends Evie and deceased Scarlett.
This is a poignant, uplifting and life-affirming tale of friendship, love, grief and learning to let go. It’s also about finding the strength to be brave and let go of the fears you can’t control. I laughed and cried equally throughout. It ended with my heart feeling a little fuller.

Maggie Vine is a song writer and singer. On her 35th birthday her long time crush and friend Garrett Scholl kisses her. It's like magic and fireworks all bundled into one. Many years ago Maggie made a vow to Garrett (and Asher Reyes) that on her 35th birthday if she is still single they will get married. Maggie wrongly assume this is Garrett's way of binding the vow but Garrett is engaged!
Asher Reyes was Maggie's first boyfriend and first love. They met as teens but haven't talked in decades but that's all about to change when Maggie finds out that Asher has obtained the rights to her favorite novel. When it comes to Asher and Maggie sparks are blazing but Maggie can't stop thinking about Garrett.

Maybe Once, Maybe Twice is told in alternating timelines It shows the good and bad choices characters make and how complicated relationships can be. It had me thinking what if .... but the constant songs pulled me out of the book as I found them distracting and unnecessary. This doesn't meant that I didn't enjoy the book because I did but the song lyrics weren't for me.

I love a book about female friendships, and One Moment explores how these connections live on despite walking different paths. In this case, Scarlett walks side by side with her BFF Evie… even after Scarlett dies in a freak accident. I appreciate the sprinkle of magic realism.

Turns out the guy Scarlett saved from his own freak accident death on the day she died is about to become an important fixture in Evie’s life. Looking for answers about what happened, Evie connects with Nate to talk through Scarlett’s last minutes.

As Evie uncovers details that led up to the day Scarlett died, she re-examines their closeness and imagines what life without her looks like.

At the same time, Nate and Evie grow closer. He pushes her out of a comfort zone that's held her back physically and mentally since she was young. It’s a story about self-discovery and change, sweet yet predictable.

I wish I had connected with the main characters more, but maybe I was just hoping to see the characteristics of my own best friends in their interactions.

4.5 stars

An emotional story about love, friendships, loss, and grief. Scarlet and Evie are best friends that met by chance in their childhood. They may have gone to separate schools growing up, but they ended up living together after school in London. On a normal day, after a fight with Evie, Scarlet leaves her flat to go to work. She's got a big day ahead of her, and she doesn't want the fight to bring her down.

While walking a different way to work, Scarlet gets into an accident. Evie rushes to the hospital and Scarlet can see everything play out, but not from her body. What will happen after this accident changes many people's lives? How will her best friend survive this loss? How will she grieve?

There are so many valuable lessons in this story! If you lost someone, did you make sure you showed them how much you appreciated them? What will happen to Evie after?

This one took me a while to pick up as I knew it would be a heavier subject, but I am so glad I finally did it. It was so thoughtful and tender. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

When a book makes you smile as much as it makes you cry. That's One Moment by Becky Hunter.
Scarlett wasn't supposed to be there that morning but she was. She wasn't supposed to stop to help a guy that fell off his bike, but she did. She wasn't supposed to die before 30 but.....she did. As Scarlett starts to see her life in moments flashing back, she's realizes she might not have had it all figured out.
Evie is livid that Scarlett left her. Now she has no one to be her best friend, help her through her MS, and talk to about anything. She certainly doesn't want to be friends with the guy she blames for her death. Nate just doesn't seem to be going anywhere.
One Moment is a book like no other. I loved watching Evie grow as a character and seeing how Scarlett learns so much about the people she loved and those that loved her. Bravo to Becky Hunter for this winner!

One Moment by Becky Hunter is an emotional, tear your heart out kind of novel that is also a romance novel. It is a brilliant concept and a beautiful story, albeit tragic.

This is the story of Scarlett and Evie a set of BFFs and how a tragic accident changes their lives.

Scarlett has died and is now narrating her experience and gets to reflect on her life while also watching over her best friend Evie.

Evie is expectedly devastated and struggles with Scarlett's death. She places blame on a someone who may or may not be responsible but they keep popping up in her life and over time also makes an impact.

You will want to read this debut novel by Becky Hunter - trust me. It's captivating, well written, an interesting concept and the characters are incredibly well written!

In the end, this is a love story, it’s just told from the point of view of the friend who had to die to make it happen. Scarlett is killed and n an auto accident on her way to an important work event, leaving her best friend, Evie alone. Nate, responsible for Scarlett’s accident comes around to check on Evie and ends up pushing her outside her comfort zone and falling in love with her. Scarlett watches the present and remembers the past on her way to her afterlife. In the end, I liked this book, but it took me a while to really click with it. It definitely brings up emotions and is very thought provoking.

This book made me feel every emotion from A-Z. Thank you NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the advanced copy. Publication date March 12, 2024.

A touching and beautifully written novel that explores elements of friendship, love, loss and the resilience of the human spirit.
Many thanks to Forever and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Scarlett died in a freak accident right before her 30th birthday, just as her life was really beginning. However, she finds that she can’t fully let go of life on Earth and id somehow watching how her death is impacting her loved ones, especially her best friend Evie. In many ways Scarlett’s death completely changes the trajectory of Evie’s life. But one thing she struggles with the most is how Nick, the man who Scarlett was saving when she died, can fit into Evie’s life moving forward.

Don’t let the bright and happy cover fool you. This book will rip your heart open multiple times. I was not fully prepared for the emotional roller coaster this book took me on. I cried multiple times, and was touched by Evie’s grief and her journey of healing. While this book is heartbreaking in so many ways, it is also incredibly beautiful and will definitely sit with me for a long time.

Thank you to Forever Publishing and NetGalley for the advance copy.