🎧 Audiobook +📗 E-book: All the Perfect Days-a standalone

✍🏾 Author: Michael Thompson-a new to me author

📃Page Count: 352

📅Publication date: 5/21/25 | Read: 5/20/25

🏃🏾‍➡️Run Time: 8:47

🌎 Setting: Marwick

👆🏾POV: 3rd person, single

Genre: Adult Fic, Fantasy, Romance

Tropes: small town, magical realism, 2nd chance romance

⚠️TW: death, car accident

🗣️Narrator: Ryan Ennis voices all the characters with standouts from Charlie and Gen. The reading style brought the text to life, and the author and narrator worked together perfectly. The pacing and flow allowed me to get lost in the story. The narrator paused and announced new chapters and there was a table of contents which helped me follow along.


Summary: Charlie has decided to start again by leaving his small town of Marwick as a family doctor to Emergency Medicine in London. While with a patient he experiences his first vision and senses how many days his patients have left to live.


👨🏾 Hero: Dr. Charles "Charlie" Knight-38, family doctor in a small town.

🎭 Side Characters:

*Edna Bradley-84 yr old patient, a beloved retired teacher who sets off Charlie's abilities
*Genevieve "Gen" Longstaff-returns to town after 7 years away. Has epilepsy, Charlie's neighbor
*Lorraine + Malcolm Knight-Charlie's mother-estranged from Charlie and his father is a realtor
*MaryAnne Steiner-38, Charlie's boss

🤔 My Thoughts: This was a little boring because it was a slice of life featuring Charlie's interactions with the townspeople. He took on the responsibility to keep his patients alive and felt like he was playing god.

*Rating: 3/5 ⭐

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark, Tantor Audio, and Michael Thompson for this ARC & ALC! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions are my own.

In my opinion, this could have been an amazing book.

The premise is interesting and unique: a doctor who experiences 'visions' and is able to know exactly how many days a person has left to live. The moral question then becomes: what does one do with this information?

Unfortunately for me, this was a lackluster follow through on this interesting premise. There was also a teaser of a second chance romance, 'the one that got away', however that was also quite lackluster in execution.

I feel this book will do well in book clubs as it would be excellent to discuss the idea of what one would do with the gift (or curse) that Charlie now has.

What would you do if you knew when people were going to die would you tell them? That’s exactly what happens to Charlie, a doctor who starts to see the amount of years people have left. When his old love comes back to town just as he was about to move away Charlie is faced with some difficult choices. Faced with a lot of guilt over things out of control, Charlie has to figure out how to navigate his life and what he really wants.

This book had an interesting premise that was unique and enjoyable to read. At times it felt a bit slow but not in a way that took away from the story. Thank you to Netgalley and to the publishers for allowing me to read this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I loved Thompson’s previous novel, How to Be Remembered, so I had high hopes for All the Perfect Days. I was not disappointed. In All the Perfect Days, Charlie Knight is a doctor who’s ready to make a change, when life suddenly throws him a curveball. His routine is profoundly shaken up when he starts seeing visions that reveal to him exactly how many days his patients have left to live. It’s an unsettling ability, to put it mildly, and comes with a lot of responsibility and some unexpected fallout.

All the Perfect Days is thoughtful, hopeful, poignant, and has a touch of romance. I loved it and couldn’t put it down once I started.

Ryan Ennis does an excellent job narrating the audiobook.

Thank you Michael Thompson, Sourcebooks Landmark, Tantor Audio, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

This had an interesting premise where a small town English family doctor is given the gift of being able to know how many days his patients have left. While at first he thinks this will help his patients, certain effects throw him into despair. Touted as a romance (which I would argue with) this gave me more of a James Herriot vibe as the focus is more on Charlie's relationships with his patients and father. Good on audio, I liked it but definitely wouldn't recommend as a romance. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

What a fascinating take on the age old question, "If you knew when people were going to die would you tell them? Would you try to stop it? What would you do?". I enjoyed how Thompson showed us different outcomes to this question. You grow to care about the characters with just the right amount of backstory. My only complaint would be I wish Thompson leaned into the romance aspect a touch more.

All The Perfect Days by Michael Thompson ran the gamut of emotions in each page. It's not my usual read but I am so glad I picked this ARC from Netgalley because the whole experience was fascinating. It had a Final Destination type of vibe but I also loved how the author dove deep into Charlie, the main protagonist. His dreams, fears, passion and regrets form the story. There is a happily ever after with an important romantic element so technically you can call it a romance but for me it was more of a fiction with some paranormal element.

Charlie is stuck in his home town as a general practitioner for last seven years. He left his job as emergency doctor on his mother's request but circumstances tied him here..till now. He is leaving for a new job in London but just before that he starts having strange visions while seeing his patients. At the end of the vision, a number appears. And slowly he realises that this is the number of days left for the person. It becomes a boon and a curse at the same time. His ex Genevieve moves back to the neighboring house and he is torn. So begins a messy and chaotic joinery where his past and present collide. I would say the author tied up the ends pretty well at the end and it was a happy ending for all.

The story is told from Charlie's POV. Being a doctor myself, his dilemma with his suddenly acquired skill resonated with me. He is such a nice guy. Too nice. Always helping. Always caring. Always going the extra mile to help others. That's why the numbers were taking a heavy toll on him. He had a lot going on in his personal life as well. The mother who asked him to come here all those years ago, no longer has a relationship with him after some really unfortunate circumstances. He has a lot of guilt and self hatred and grief those never got dealt with properly. Gen and his break up wasn't just a simple one. It was full of heartbreak and trauma. And he still loves her but he is afraid to take the second chance considering the special power and his uncertain future. I felt his pain and struggle deep in my heart and I am really happy he decided to face his demons directly at last. This plot has a feeling of thrill and doom because Charlie was chasing and avoiding death at the same time. But the ending was beautiful. After an emotional journey, you will find peace and healing. The small town with the vast cast of people and their colorful personalities forms a beautiful setting for the story.

I reviewed an early copy voluntarily

4.5 stars.

All the Perfect Days by Michael Thompson is a wonderful novel with a magical storyline and fantastic characters.

Dr. Charlie Knight is ready to leave his small hometown to find his “spectacular”. With plans already in place, he is waiting for the right moment to tell his family, friends, and patients. But Charlie suddenly has an unexpected ability to know how many days people he treats have left to live. Initially, he believes this newfound information is a gift but he soon changes his mind when tragedy strikes.

Charlie is a wonderful person. He is kind-hearted, thoughtful, and giving. He has a fabulous relationship with his gregarious father, Malcolm. But his relationship with mother Lorraine has been fraught for several years.

Another change in Charlie’s life occurs right around the same time he knows when people will die. The former love of his life, Gen Longstaff returns to town after living the dream they planned together. Now Charlie has reservations about leaving, but will his feelings for Gen change his plans?

All the Perfect Days is an engrossing novel with an enchanting storyline. The side characters are well developed and likable. The small town is lifelike with endearing residents. The storyline is charming and takes unexpected twists and turns. Michael Thompson brings this delightful novel to a bittersweet yet uplifting conclusion.

Poignant. Profound. Insightful. Magical...

"All the Perfect Days" is a book I was attracted to by the cover first, and the synopsis second, but after a few chapters, I thought I may have made a mistake. I carried on with the mindset of it being a respite read and immediately felt better. Then something extraordinary happened:

I connected with Dr. Charlie Knight...

Charlie is the main character and anchor of this story. He is a family doctor - the kind of GP who genuinely cares about and talks to his patients. He is observant, accessible, and empathetic, sometimes to a fault. He has a few teeny tiny issues, some of which are his own making, while others are entirely out of his control. He is why I continued to read this story; I understood his dilemma, what makes him tick. I was rooting for Charlie all the way.

An immersion read, the audiobook was narrated by Ryan Ennis, who recounts the story with enthusiasm and energy, and whose gender voicing skills are pretty remarkable. Listening to the audiobook is my preferred format for the full enjoyment of this book. I fell in love with Ennis' voice!

"All the Perfect Days" has a quaint small-town setting, developing family dynamics, possibilities of second chance romance, memorable characters, and an engaging premise, all mixed in with a bit of magic, and the more I read, the more satisfied I became. A perfect in-between-book, a palate cleanser, if you will, when you crave a break from all the heavy reads you love so much!

4⭐

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark, Tantor Audio, and Michael Thompson for the gifted DRC and ALC through NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.

DNF at 22%.

I had tried a few separate times to read this book, and unfortunately, it just isn’t the book for me. Charlie is a medical doctor who also can see how much life an individual has left to live. I think the premise of this story is intriguing, which is why I kept coming back to it and trying to read it. I didn’t really feel connected to Charlie. Further, there was a car accident described in a lot of detail, which was hard for me to read about. I kept trying to get back to the story, but ultimately am deciding to put this one aside.

Pensive, heartwarming, and hopeful!

All the Perfect Days is a charming, captivating tale that takes you into the life of Charlie Knight, a young doctor who after years of doing the same thing in the same town finally decides it’s time to move on until he’s suddenly struck with the ability to see the number of days a person has left to live, and the love of his life, the one he let get away all those years ago, returns home.

The prose is fluid and smooth. The characters are troubled, complex, and genuine. And the plot is an absorbing tale of life, loss, love, family, guilt, grief, friendship, forgiveness, compassion, support, community, and romance all interwoven with a thread of magical realism.

Overall, All the Perfect Days is a compelling, emotional, thought-provoking novel by Thompson that reminds us that even the little choices we make often have far-reaching consequences, and sometimes, perhaps, things are truly just fated to happen.

Charlie Knight is a family physician adored by his patients. He’s empathetic, compassionate, and skilled. Having grown up in the community where he practices, Charlie knows his patients. He knows their families, their personalities, and their histories. Now, in an unexplainable twist, he also knows how many days they will live.

Charlie’s new ability is both a blessing and a curse, and poses an ethical dilemma. What exactly is Charlie supposed to do with this knowledge?

It’s no surprise that I devoured this book. A big fan of Nikki Erlick’s THE MEASURE and Michael Thompson’s first book, HOW TO BE REMEMBERED, this is the kind of magical realism I love. Thompson creates fully developed characters who act and react in completely believable ways. Relationships between characters are authentic and sincere. While this book has a bit of romance, the focus is on Charlie’s dilemma and the question of whether knowing the future aids or prohibits us from living life to the fullest.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the advance copies. All opinions are my own.

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

I love the doctor perspective of these premonitions and the internal conflict of what to do with them, do you tell someone they have 18 days left or just let them live their days out?

I adored the MC, Charlie, and honestly all of the characters were so whole and lovable. Such a good concept to contemplate and a very interesting read! The word “spectacular” has a whole new meaning🥹🩷

I think I, personally, struggle with magical realism as a genre since it isn’t a full fledged “magic system” like fantasy, but not a normal occurence in reality either. I very much want to know the “why” and “how” so it’s hard for me to just accept and fully enjoy without wanting to dig deeper.

[arc review]
Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
All the Perfect Days releases May 20, 2025

2.5

What would you do if you suddenly had the ability to know the exact day in which someone was going to die?
Well, as a well-known physician, this proves to be a moral dilemma for Charlie Knight as he naturally has a personal connection with everyone in his hometown.
Stuck at a crossroads in his life, Charlie must decide whether to go ahead with his move to London and escape everyone he knows, or stay tethered to the unexpected return of his old flame.

Thompson’s sophomore novel is charming and has a great sense of community, but lacks the right level of emotional depth that you’d want from a premise that hinges upon life and death since most of the emotional punches are left too late in the story.
The lack of logic tied to the fantastical elements of the plot also weakened the ending since nothing really made sense in those last couple of chapters — what was the purpose? If the numbers could often be wrong, what kind of takeaway is there, really?

I think this would appeal to readers who enjoy the works of Marianne Cronin and Clare Pooley, or books like <I>The Measure</I> and <I>Here One Moment</I>.

Dr. Charlie Knight is a small town doctor who suddenly develops an extraordinary condition. Whenever he treats a patient, he feels an intense headache, the colors in the world around him seem to drain, and then a number forms in his brain. Soon he realizes that the number represents how many days the person has left to live.

What would you do if you knew exactly how many days someone had left to live? That’s the question I was asking myself as I read this poignant, thought-provoking novel. I went through all the feels, grinning as Charlie uses his power for good, and my heart cracking in two at the moment he realizes his new ability is both a blessing and a curse. Although some of the themes are heavy, the author treats them tenderly and the book ends on an open-ended but hopeful note.

If you’re looking for a romance, the gentle second-chance romance between Charlie and Gen is more of a side plot and might not hit the spot for you. But if you’re looking for thoughtful contemporary fiction with a touch of magical realism, this one is for you. Also perfect for fans of “The Measure” by Nikki Erlick, “Here One Moment” by Liane Moriarty, and “Expiration Dates” by Rebecca Serle.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing me an advance copy of this book.

Thank you NetGalley for the ebook arc. This story would be great for fans of The Measure, and it wonderfully written with enough suspense to keep you guessing and hold your interest, as it follows a Dr who suddenly can see how many days a person has left. Upon keeping track he tells one patient that she has one day left and she goes out and kills herself instead of giving her family farewells like he thought that she would. Then following him through the grief of his decision and the the outcome of his choice to tell someone that they were about to die.

3.5 Stars
One Liner: Nice!

Charlie Knight is a family doctor in his late thirties. He has a fixed routine and the same clients he’d been seeing since he was a child. However, Charlie has a secret plan to escape and live the life he wants, even if Genevieve Longstaff, the woman he wanted, has long since left the town.
However, Genevieve is back. Suddenly, Charlie realizes he has gained a new gift. He can see exactly how many days are left in the lives of his visitors/ patients. Charlie thinks he could use his gift to help his patients, but every gift comes with a price. What if there are things he would rather not know?
The story comes in Charlie’s third-person POV.

My Thoughts:
Should I tag this general fiction or men’s fiction? Either works, I guess.
The story starts with the MC gaining his gift unexpectedly and goes on from there. He is an easy guy to like. A friendly, sweet, and dedicated doctor whose life feels too structured and safe. He is also lonely.
While there is some ‘romance’, it is not a love story or a romcom. So if you go in expecting it to be heavy on this element, you will be disappointed. Moreover, there isn’t much chemistry between Charlie and Gen as such. They’d make good friends, though.
The book deals with themes like guilt, decisions, wanting a second chance, life, death, etc. Naturally, death is a bigger theme, so it does occur more than once.
Characters like MaryAnn, Gen, Lorraine, etc., had potential, but it seems to be barely explored. In fact, it’s the same for the entire book. The whole narration has a slow and mellow tone. Quite a few topics are touched upon, but none are given full attention.
The concept of seeing the numbers is intriguing. We get a probable explanation, which is not perfect since even the characters don’t know. This may not appeal to some readers, but it aligns with the book’s tone.
The ending is hopeful and a tad bittersweet. I guess I can call it an open-ish ending since some issues are never discussed. Still, the book feels complete, so it is not vague or random.

To summarize, All the Perfect Days offers quite a bit to think about, but doesn’t delve deep into any of those. The pacing is slow, so plan accordingly.
Thank you, NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

This just wasn't it for me. In the genre of the 'The Measure', which I loved - this felt unfinished and underdeveloped.

I don't mind an element of magical realism and thinking about 'what if' we had certain powers or capabilities within our current world. But I never felt like there was a lesson - or a reason - for Charlie's ability to see how many days left on earth his patients had. Why did Charlie have this power and what did he learn from it? I honestly felt sorry for Charlie as he grappled with his newfound capabilities.

The love story felt forced and confusing - as we waited quite some time in the book to understand why Gen had left in the first place. In fact, all of Charlie's relationships felt confusing and lacked purpose.

Parts felt underdeveloped and I struggled to really connect with any of the characters. I found myself not often picking up the book and almost struggling to get through it.

All The Perfect Days is the second novel by Australian journalist and author, Michael Thompson. The first time it happens, country GP Charlie Knight thinks he is dying. His patient, Edna Bradley, is convinced he is having a stroke, but he recovers quickly with no ill effects. Except maybe one…

He describes the weird episode to a neurologist acquaintance: pressure in his skull, colours draining from his vision, and a shifting sensation behind the eyes, the impression of a number. But rush tests detect no abnormality. Stress? It keeps happening, seemingly triggered by the request for medical advice or treatment. Something makes him note down the numbers for each person, and he comes to understand, after the unexpected death of a patient, that they represent the number of days the person has left.

Charlie is bewildered as to why this information is falling into his brain. What is he meant to do with it? Surely, not tell people? Soon enough, he discovers how this thing he’s experiencing can be both a blessing and a curse: he saves a life, but also feels responsible for an unexpected death. Knowing this about patients for whom he has cared for years, let alone about family and friends, it’s such a weight on his mind. He starts avoiding those chats in the pub, on the street, at parties.

Charlie has a plan he hasn’t shared, either at the Marwick Family Clinic, or with friends and family: he intends to decamp from Marwick in six weeks to take up a spot in Emergency Medicine at St John’s Private Hospital in London, where he knows he can do something special, perhaps even spectacular. Seven years ago, events conspired to keep him in Marwick, but now he has an added reason to escape: knowing the life expectancy of strangers will be much easier to cope with.

And then, Genevieve Longstaff turns up, back after seven years, ready to resettle in Marwick. Ordinarily, if there was anything that could keep him here, her presence would be it. But they have a history and, of all people, Genevieve’s number is the last one he wants to know.

It would be hard to meet the standard that Thompson set himself with “How To Be Remembered”, but he’s managed to do it with this compulsive tale. The premise is one that will have most readers contemplating, and he easily evokes his setting. His characters have depth and appeal, are believably flawed but pull together in that inimitable small-town way: Charlie is the doctor everyone would want to have, especially if they had children. Only the hardest of hearts won’t empathise over his dilemma. This is enthralling speculative fiction
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark