Take a photo of a barcode or cover
How many times can I start a review by saying I love anything time travel adjacent? Has to be approaching double digits by now. But I am nothing if not consistent, so when I saw this book is about a woman who gets the chance at a do-over, going back in time to make decisions differently, I was all in.
Jenny Green is 35 and feeling unfulfilled and left behind, in pretty much all areas of her life. Her boyfriend was a vacation fling she should have ended years ago, before he started cheating and she stopped caring, her job is unfulfilling and her boss is a nightmare, and her two best friends are excelling at everything, and she can't help but compare their lives, especially once they all meet up for their 15th college reunion. It feels like everyone else knows exactly what they're doing, and Jenny just didn't get the memo. Then she finds out that, lo and behold, she DIDN'T. Her best friends and other successful women she knows have been getting Memos--capital M--advising them on what paths in life to take in order to optimize their existence. Jenny didn't get hers, but now she's got a chance for a redo.
Bouncing back and forth between present day and past events that need to be changed, Jenny gets to see how even the smallest change can have a big ripple effect on her life. Her optimized existence is full of things she didn't even think to dream up, but there is no question that New Jenny is killing it. But as she goes back and forth between existences, Jenny starts to wonder why she doesn't immediately feel more fulfilled by her "better" existence. And that's on depression. But really, she has to evaluate all aspects of her life, and is faced with some harsh truths about herself and about society.
This is such a fun concept and was so well-executed. I loved the multiple timelines and all the various settings and events it showed us, and their larger impact on Jenny's overall life. The best part, in my opinion, was that the story's main focus was on Jenny at her core despite how plain or fancy her life was. It was a fun beach read but with a good message and a lot of heart. Thanks to Harper Perennial and the author for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review!
Jenny Green is 35 and feeling unfulfilled and left behind, in pretty much all areas of her life. Her boyfriend was a vacation fling she should have ended years ago, before he started cheating and she stopped caring, her job is unfulfilling and her boss is a nightmare, and her two best friends are excelling at everything, and she can't help but compare their lives, especially once they all meet up for their 15th college reunion. It feels like everyone else knows exactly what they're doing, and Jenny just didn't get the memo. Then she finds out that, lo and behold, she DIDN'T. Her best friends and other successful women she knows have been getting Memos--capital M--advising them on what paths in life to take in order to optimize their existence. Jenny didn't get hers, but now she's got a chance for a redo.
Bouncing back and forth between present day and past events that need to be changed, Jenny gets to see how even the smallest change can have a big ripple effect on her life. Her optimized existence is full of things she didn't even think to dream up, but there is no question that New Jenny is killing it. But as she goes back and forth between existences, Jenny starts to wonder why she doesn't immediately feel more fulfilled by her "better" existence. And that's on depression. But really, she has to evaluate all aspects of her life, and is faced with some harsh truths about herself and about society.
This is such a fun concept and was so well-executed. I loved the multiple timelines and all the various settings and events it showed us, and their larger impact on Jenny's overall life. The best part, in my opinion, was that the story's main focus was on Jenny at her core despite how plain or fancy her life was. It was a fun beach read but with a good message and a lot of heart. Thanks to Harper Perennial and the author for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review!