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A review by allisonwonderlandreads
Twice in a Lifetime by Melissa Baron
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.
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.