Reviews

Twice in a Lifetime by Melissa Baron

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katethepodtherapyartist's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring sad

5.0

This book destroyed me (in a good way). A sweet romance primarily about Isla, a woman who has anxiety and depression, learning slowly but surely to have confidence and to reach out in moments she’s not strong enough to love and care for herself.

Self-love and self-care are the kinds of love that saves the day and what an important and nuanced way the author goes about it. She doesn’t need to love herself to love others, but she needs to love herself enough to take care of herself and ultimately choose if that loves extends to Ewan and make a terrible, life-altering decision that will impact them both.

I read this for a book club, and I’m so happy this was the choice for our May read. I’m not sure I would have picked this up on my own.
If you are sensitive to triggers, take the trigger warning at the beginning seriously. I myself suffer from anxiety and while I was okay reading it, I was in a good head space when I did so, have good supports, and have worked on getting to a decent spot mentally for years. If you aren’t in a good space, don’t have supports, etc, this book can wait.

Content Warnings

allisonwonderlandreads's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Isla's depression and anxiety went into overdrive juggling her mom's failing health and an all-consuming job. After her mom's death, Isla needed a change of scenery to reorient herself. Freshly situated outside St Louis, Isla's still working on building up her confidence when she gets a strange text from a man claiming to be her husband... in the future. While at first she has no reason to believe him, it's ultimately a boon for our awkward, socially anxious protagonist to skip past the getting to know you phase and talk to someone who already knows and loves her. But it's not all rainbows and sunshine. Ewan's trying to prevent a nebulous disaster in Isla's future, one that left him grief-stricken and desperate for these text conversations with Isla of the past. They're as much to soothe him as to help Isla avoid her own destruction.

As is common with stories that spotlight mental health topics, things get quite heavy and could be triggering for some readers. The timey wimey aspects only elevate it. Isla struggles a lot with negative self talk, which can be hard to read. It helps somewhat that she's aware her self esteem is low, and it's an area of immense growth as the plot develops. We also see Isla have on page panic attacks, bouts of social anxiety, and all-too-relatable depressive episodes where nothing can bring her joy and all is hopeless. But we also see her do hard things, things that only with time can she acknowledge as brave-- take herself to therapy, put herself in stressful social situations to build important relationships, go on adventures even if they're overwhelming at first, and stick up for herself to loved ones though it could mean confrontation. We also see Isla pick up a paintbrush and acknowledge the artist she is. Through this strange opportunity to speak to a future loved one, Isla finds a needed avenue to confront herself and build the future she wants.

On the romantic front, I found both phases (the twice in a lifetime) equally compelling in different ways. It's an interesting concept to see a romance between the same two people play out twice in the same book without being quite a second chance trope. The book takes up thoughtful opposition to the romantic assumption that love is a cure-all for life's many ills. Isla and Ewan can support each other through life's toughest moments, but only Isla can do the work to love herself and make space for her hopes and dreams. Despite that, the power of love in its many forms is never in question throughout, even bending time itself to its will. There are moments both cute and devastating woven together beautifully. I feared the story's tragic elements throughout and admit to a fair bit of ugly crying before all was said and done. But I didn't appreciate the sweeter elements any less, and in fact, the happily ever after was that much more cathartic for it.

This book succeeds on many levels. By messing with time, it plays with concepts of destiny and free will. The author gives us two fully fleshed out protagonists in Isla and Ewan. From their work and hobbies to their family and friends, the complexities allow you to see right to the heart of them. It makes the romance more impactful because it doesn't detract from the many other meaningful parts of living. Cheers to a book that destroyed me but was kind enough to put me back together again! Thanks to Alcove Press for my copy to read and review.

booksadoodle's review against another edition

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5.0

Wow...where to start. This is not your typical romance love story. It's so much more. It's messy, emotional, complex, heartfelt, triggering (for those who might be triggered by mental illness, anxiety, and suicidal ideation), thought provoking, tear producing, and funny at times. I wasn't sure what to expect, and by the initial description, I felt like it might be more like a cross between The Time Traveler's Wife and Groundhog Day. Aside from the romance aspect, the subject matter in this story isn't one that I would intentionally gravitate towards, however, I loved everything about it. The characters are human, flawed, real, emotional, and you cannot help from routing for and encouraging them on, every step of the way. The narrator for the audiobook did such a fabulous job with bringing all their complexity to life. I kept glued to this one to see what would happen next and how it would end. I definitely recommend. Thanks so much to Melissa Baron, the publisher, Dreamscape Media, & NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ARC audiobook.

orsoshesaid's review against another edition

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emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

deelisch's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

Content Warnings

gbrolsma16's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I loved this book so much. It was a random one I grabbed off the shelf in the library to tide me over until my waiting list books were ready and I’m so glad I picked it. The character development is so thoughtful and done with care. I fell in love with the characters and their story. The depiction of mental health, the struggles that come with it, and the difference that a strong support network and meaningful work in your life can make was powerful. I laughed, I smirked, I cried (kind of a lot at one point). I haven’t loved a book this much since my last TJR book, and that’s hard to beat.

Content Warnings