I’m now 2 for 2 with this author. I loved this so much and I’m not one for character driven novels. From the concept to the characters to the sprinkle of magical realism, just like his previous book, How to be Remembered, this book will be staying with me for a long time.

Overall, I liked this book! It’s definitely a mix of drama, romance with a touch of sci-fi. I don’t feel like I fit into one genre so that part appealed to me.

I think one of my favorite parts was when Charlie used his gifts to help save the girl in the accident and I would have really liked to see more of that. I felt like it could have been more exciting with a few more of those scenes in it.

I would still recommend this book to friends!

I really liked the concept of this book, but i think it was written strangely. It was in 3rd person, the story was a very very slow build which made it hard to keep up with. I think the premise was enjoyable and it did pick up in the end so at least that was good.

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this e-ARC! After an ambitious and successful debut How To Be Remembered, Michael Thompson is back with All The Perfect Days, a riveting read which follows Charlie Knight, a conscientious family doctor who discovers he has an unusual gift/curse, depending on how one sees it, and how its involvement in his life creates complications in his social life as well as professional practice.
Written in third person perspective, the novel explores Charlie's life in his hometown as he interacts with a diverse cast of characters each day. The tone of the story becomes much more serious about halfway through the book, and things pick up pace just before the end. I personally loved how Thompson described Charlie's experience of the visions, but I found the romance a little lackluster. There was a lot of potential in exploring the ups and downs of Gen and Charlie's relationship since they share such a complex history. Nevertheless, the novel paints a compelling picture of grief and love, and is a moving story that provides varied perspectives on dealing with the death of a loved one. I would have loved to know how the curse/gift played out without the added modifications towards the end, but the ending was still lovely and I appreciate it.
All in all the intriguing premise and unique characters made for a compelling read and a story that stays with you for a long while. 3/5.

This was a very different type of genre from books I usually read. I'm obsessed with books in the romance category, but this one had the main focus in another genre. Like, it was almost a book infused with sci-fi elements.

I am very glad that I gave this book a chance because it told me that I could potentially enjoy books with different sub-genres, but I don't think I enjoyed this book as much as I thought I would. It's a good book, but I don't know if it aligned with my reading style as of right now. I could see myself enjoying this book one day.

I think if you like books in the medical setting, then this book would be perfect for you.

Thank you to Micheal Thompson, Sourcebooks Landmark, and NetGalley for this arc!

This is a 3.5 or maybe even a 3.75 rating. But the reason I didn’t round it up to a 4 is because it is a little strange to me. It almost has a touch of sci-fi to it. And, to be honest, I am not a sci-fi fan. Charlie is the hero of the story and he is a doctor. He’s working in a small family practice but longs to work in an emergency department in a larger facility. But there are several things holding him back. And there it gets a little weird. Parts of the book, I really enjoyed and parts I almost laid it down to never pick up again. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy for my honest review.

If you could know how many days you had left to live, would you want to know? All the Perfect Days wraps you into a world where medicine and spiritual mix in the most perplexing ways. How could someone know this information, how would they live with it? This book started so many interesting conversations. Well written from a medical perspective, well written from a reader’s perspective. A book you wanted to finish to just find out what happens.

This book is a very thought-provoking read that will make you feel all sorts of feelings. I certainly wasn't expecting that! Charlie's gift made me think about people in my personal life and what I would do in his shoes. Incredible read!

If you enjoy romantic magical realism stories, you will enjoy All The Perfect Days by Michael Thompson. It was a great read.

Thompson’s writing is reflective and emotional, delving into the complexities of life, death, and regret. The novel beautifully explores how knowledge of the future can both enlighten and burden, especially when it comes to those we care about most. Charlie’s internal conflict is relatable, and his relationship with Genevieve adds a poignant layer of tension.

While the pacing can feel slow at times, the emotional depth and philosophical themes are captivating. This introspective, character-driven novel will resonate with readers who appreciate stories that explore life's impermanence and the choices we make along the way.

4/5

Charlie Knight is a general practitioner navigating complicated family relationships after a traumatic loss and subsequent family crisis that happened seven years ago. Just as he is about to make a huge life change and move away from everything he's ever known, two major things happen. First, Genevieve Longstaff returns to town, the woman who Charlie loved seven years ago but who ended up leaving him and moving away after everything happened. Second, Charlie develops an ability to see exactly how many days of life each of his patients has remaining before they die. What ensues is a beautiful story of contemplating mortality and having to put those you love above everything else.

To call this book a romance is a disservice, as it is so much more than that. It is a story of messy families, making decisions for the better of those around you, and living life to its fullest. In the beginning, Charlie's reaction to his "gift" was quite realistically done. He completely freaks out and starts to think of making even more major life changes. Overall, he really was an great character; my favorite scene was him calling Glenn to get two kittens after realizing Glenn would have many years to live alone after his cat died. Charlie's character shone in this scene among many others. Many of the decisions he made were frustrating to me, as the reader, but I could completely understand where he was coming from (especially once I understand everything that happened seven years ago). I thought the premise of being able to tell when people would die was very interesting; it went in a different direction than I initially expected which was a good surprise. It does lead to good self-reflection for the reader as Charlie and Gen think about how they're living out their lives. Gen was a great character as well. I love how she supported Charlie's decisions, even when she didn't necessarily agree with him, but still let him know exactly what she thought. I loved the ending for him and Gen; I thought it was beautiful. I love how each character doesn't necessarily get their storyline finished and tied with a pretty bow; some were left ambiguous, and I think it adds to the realism. Overall, this book wasn't what I expected at all, but I enjoyed it very much! Would thoroughly recommend

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this e-ARC!

Voracious and casual readers alike read the on-trend "The Measure" a few years ago and it was quite thought provoking, keeping lively conversations about how we shouldn’t know how long we have left. I can’t even imagine writing a review of “All the Perfect Days” without referring “The Measure,” and while this does have the same theme, it approaches the question in a much smaller way, more magical realism and less sci fi/ speculative fiction.

Charlie is a family doctor that has an episode in the first scene. Everything in his office and with his patient turn into grayscale, as if the world went into Black and White. When after a few minutes the world returns to normal, he sees the number 4. He doesn't yet put two and two together when that same patient dies 4 days later. Eventually he realizes that when he sees someone's number, that is how many days they have left to be alive. All the plot elements you would expect; someone with a larger number than you'd expect, someone with a much smaller number than you'd expect, and most of them being appropriate for the person's age.

There is a side love story about Charlie connecting with Gen- who quits her job to sell essential oils- and who Charlie is hesitant to get close to as he is expecting to move into Emergency Medicine far away. I wish we got to know Genny a little more, the narrative didn't tell us a lot about her and I would have liked that.

A few twists and changes to the story as Charlie tries to figure out how this works - how it happened- and should he or should he not- interfere with someone based on their number.

It is thought provoking for certain, and a classic twist on an old episode of The Twilight Zone- would you want to know how long you have left, and what would you do any differently? I think this book gives you all the alternatives, and enough space to decide for yourself what your answers are.

Thanks to @netgalley and @sourcebooks landmark for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Book to be published May 21, 2025.

Michael Thompson’s All the Perfect Days is a poignant and beautifully crafted novel that delves into the complexities of love, loss, and the fleeting nature of perfect moments. With a lyrical and introspective narrative, this book is a testament to how fleeting moments can leave lasting impressions.

The story’s emotional depth is its greatest strength, drawing readers into the characters’ lives and their bittersweet journeys. Thompson’s prose is evocative and poetic, capturing the highs and lows of life with authenticity. The characters are flawed yet relatable, their struggles and triumphs resonating on a deeply personal level.

Set against a vivid backdrop, the settings feel as much a part of the story as the characters themselves, adding an atmospheric quality that enhances the emotional tone. While the pacing meanders at times, the reflective nature of the story allows readers to fully immerse themselves in its themes.

All the Perfect Days is a moving exploration of the human spirit—a reminder to cherish the perfect days, no matter how fleeting, and to find hope even in the face of heartbreak. This novel is perfect for readers who enjoy introspective and emotionally resonant fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Family doctor Charlie Knight is in his late thirties, still playing tennis against the same people every Friday night. Still jogging the same streets every morning. Still treating the same patients every day—fixing the high blood pressure and arthritic knees of folks who’ve known him since he was a kid. But Charlie has a secret plan to escape. A plan to live the life he wants, even if the woman he was meant to do it with has left him behind.

But then Genevieve Longstaff comes back to their hometown, just as something extraordinary happens. Charlie begins to have a vision of the exact number of days a person has left until they die.

Charlie believes it’s a gift. It certainly seems like one—after all, he’s using it to help his patients, family and friends make the most of their to mend relationships, to travel, to retire. But this gift comes with awful consequences, and soon Charlie realizes there are things he doesn’t want to know—especially about the woman he still loves.

Loved it. will recommend to others

As a physician, Charlie is used to healing people. Even in those cases where he isn’t successful, he knows that he’s done all he can to help them. Being a small town doctor just means he’s that much closer to his patients. So when he starts to experience visions, he’s completely thrown off course. Because of these visions, he’s now able to see just how many days of living a person has left. Sometimes it’s many, many years. And sometimes it’s just a handful of days remaining. This leads him to avoid family and friends so that he doesn’t inadvertently get a glimpse into their futures. But that’s easier said than done. And he finds himself wondering if he can in some way affect the future as he’s seen it. This was an interesting premise for a book. The characters are intriguing, and the author has done a good job of weaving their stories together. And it leaves us with the question…How would you spend your time if you knew that your days were numbered?

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing this book, with my honest review below.

All the Perfect Days reflects on what a person might do if they could see how long those days around them had to live. Would it change how we treat them or what we tell them? Would we hold more closely those those that are leaving us but unintentionally neglect those that seemingly aren’t? Would it perhaps manifest a death that wouldn’t happen if we tell them?

These are questions I considered throughout the read, and some were answered for main character Charlie, but I do believe the point is to reflect on that for yourself. In this case Charlie, a doctor, can suddenly see how many days anyone he provides care for have left to live. This comes at an interesting time given Charlie has lived his life in suspension (in his eyes) for the past seven years to keep an eye on his mother, who doesn’t really speak to him. In a span of a few weeks Charlie not only believes in this strange occurrence but is faced with his past coming to a head while looking towards the future he thought he wanted. But everything pauses when Charlie believes his advice to a patient with one day left actually causes her death, quickly followed by change after change that leaves him wondering if he can believe himself.

I would like to not give too much away here but the story is thought provoking and I appreciated reading about the closure Charlie finds. I did find it left a lot of loose ends I would have liked explored with MaryAnn, Martin, Lorraine, and Abigail most of all. Perhaps this fits into the theme of life, and death, being unexpected and not tidy, but for such a concept to be introduced I expected something more significant to come with it. But then, I like things black and white in my reading and the beauty of this story is in the writing and ambiguity of the concept itself. I’d recommend this for readers along with the reflection on what you’d do if you could see someone’s days left to live.