This book is AMAZING! I read it in less than a day and breezed right through it. It hooked me from the beginning and I absolutely loved it. "Where do you see yourself in five years?" That is the question every single person gets at least once in their life. To Danielle, the answer comes almost immediately to her as she has had her whole life planned since she was twelve. What she didn't plan was falling asleep on the night of her engagement to David, waking up in a new apartment to a strange man with a different ring on her finger...five years later! When Dannie wakes up, she is immediately thrown back into her normal life and everything seems as it is, except this glimpse into the future has her completely thrown for a loop. As that date in the future looms closer, Dannie soon realizes that there are some things you can't plan for and bad things happen whether you schedule them into your life or not. I loved this book because it completely relates to what I am going through as a late 20s single woman, taking the good with the bad and realizing that bad things happen whether you plan for them or not but the important thing is to enjoy the ride and don't fight fate.

I really enjoyed In Five Years. It did not go as I expected it to but was a quick enjoyable read. It reminded me in tone of Me Before You.

This book was much different than I thought it would be but I enjoyed it more than Serle's first book. I will definitely read her next book.

The premise of this story is unique. One day, a woman has a dream about her life five years in the future. However, the man that she very vividly dreams about is not the man she’s currently engaged to. When she run into him not long after and the strange man from her dream is dating her best friend, what will happen next?⁣⁣
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But don’t the mistake of thinking this is a lighthearted rom-com. When I was explaining the storyline in more detail to my husband, he was like “Wow, that sounds depressing,” - and he’s not wrong! This book was kind of hard to read (I don’t want to spoil so I won’t go into details why) - so if you are looking for a fluffy romance? Put this one down and come back to it when you are in the mood for a good cathartic cry.⁣⁣
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But, despite the heavy subjects, I did really love this IN FIVE YEARS. Rebecca Serle is such an emotional writer... I fell in love with her writing last year when I read THE DINNER LIST. Also, the last few pages completely threw me - wasn’t expecting how it ended at all!⁣⁣
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Solid four-star read and a quick book (about 200 pages). Highly recommend if you are in the mood for something a little sad!⁣⁣ And sometimes we all need a good cathartic cry!

This book took my heart and threw it into a wood chopper! The story line was brilliant and very well thought through. In Five Years is absolutely unexpected in every sense of word. It's a story about love, friendship and finding yourself.

I have to say this was my first read by Rebecca Serle but it won't be last, that's for sure. I loved her style, the way she plays with words and descriptions - it felt super real to me.

This book intrigued from the start. It started off as an interesting take on the "where do you see yourself in five years?" question and really takes you on an emotional journey. If you're looking for a romance, this isn't the book for you. It's also not a light read. It's a beautiful look at friendship and the choices we make.

It is difficult to review Rebecca Serle’s book In Five Years without revealing spoilers. Like her previous novel The Dinner List, the plot centers on an interesting suspend-your-disbelief twist. The main character Dannie is a driven NYC lawyer, living with her equally driven boyfriend. One day she nails an interview for her dream job, gets engaged, has a frighteningly realistic dream about her life 5 years in the future. Fast forward 4.5 years and the dream starts to become a reality. In Five Years is a quick, light read. My only disappointment is that because the ending of the book is revealed in the beginning of the book, the reader has a preconceived vision for the story. I’d tell you more but well you know, spoilers. 3.5 stars for this engaging read. Thank you #NetGalley for the arc, all opinions are my own.

I had a rough time with this one. It was a DNF for me. I couldn't connect with the characters, they seemed forced to be how she wanted them to come across, very one dimensional.

How accurately can we all answer where we will be in five years? The writing style was perfect, I was drawn in by the first chapter. The characters were so believable, this book made me cry but for joy by the ending. Have tissues on hand as you read this and prepare to read it in one sitting. Can’t wait to recommend this to many types of readers.

Though many people dove into this book thinking it was going to be a cute romcom, myself like many others got whiplash when we realized it wasn't. Instead, we're presented with a thoughtful novel about friendship and growth in relationships. After the twist in the beginning, the reader may think they're going to spend the novel trying to plot out what's going to happen, but instead you end up focusing on a story about friendship. I highly recommend this novel.

So, everyone loved this book everyone but me it seems. I was left wondering did I read the same book or did I read it wrong. I know in this crazy lockdown time I was reading a romance book, something light to take a break from real life. Instead the only romance I thought was there was Dannie's infatuation with her best friend Bella which was truly a sisterly love. I was bored and disappointed it wasn't the escape I was craving.

I loved loved loved In Five Years by Rebecca Serle. The way the story is told was unique and interesting. I loved the writing and the characters. It was the type of book I wouldn't normally read, but I was hooked from the first few pages. Our patrons will love this novel and I can't wait to recommend it to them!

This is a great book!!! Totally did not see the end coming, This story was nothing like I thought it was going to be. It is full of love, trust, dreams, and friendships. I truly believe this could be a fabulous movie. It makes one go back to their younger years and realize that we make choices in our lives that will pave our future. I could not put this book down, I read it in a day, then I kicked myself because I wish it would of kept going. I highly recommend this

I'm between a 4-4.5 on this. What a fantastic, modern story of self discovery and friendship.

Despite the higher rating, it has taken me a few days to put my thoughts in order. This is my first Rebecca Serle book and it won't be my last. I'm pleased to say that this book really resonated with me. I was unfortunate in that about 10% through listening to this, I had a major plot point spoiled due to something I saw on Instagram and that was frustrating. I thought I knew how the book was going to go and I could feel something taken out of me in terms of how I was "into" the story. However, once that plot point was revealed, I was "glad" to see that it wasn't as I imagined so the book wasn't completely spoiled.

I did something I had never done before with In Five Years. I listened to the 50% mark and then transitioned to the kindle ARC for the last 50%. I enjoyed the narration of this immensely. I thought the narrator was PERFECT and sounded exactly how Dannie would be as I imagined her. However, I switched to the kindle version because the book started to drag for me (I kept thinking, when are we going to get to the major plot point I know is going to reveal itself??) and within 5 pages of reading - there it was. From then on, I devoured the book.

Dannie's character has caused me a lot of internal strife for me. I'm having trouble reconciling Dannie from the whole book and Dannie at the end. For whole book Dannie, I liked her and I saw a LOT of myself in her. I totally get why people think she was slightly inward thinking and a little crazy with the planning. I think the author did a great job of providing the necessary information to flesh out her character. We know why Dannie was a control freak. Why she lived everything by a plan. I think this book is a lot more complex than what a lot of us initially thought too. It isn't a romance, but as I said above, it's a story about self discovery and friendship. I could give the author a standing ovation for writing a book like this. The woman is in control the whole time, she is complex, has flaws and knows how to stand on her own. I also thought the end was near perfect. So let's talk about why I gave this 4 stars instead of 5.

This was not a 5 star book for me because of something that happened at the end. Maybe I'm sheltered and a prude, but it wasn't believe-able to me at all. I think the author did a fine job providing the framework for a lot of people to be okay with it and I'm not criticizing anyone who was okay with how the end transpired. However, to me it just didn't add up for either character involved.

So I can end this on a good note, I also want to commend the author for her portrayal of love in varying aspects. I think it's important to show that love can exist in many ways and is different with each person. It took me a very long time to figure this out in my own life and I wish this book could have been around when I was younger to guide me through a few things.

Thank you to the Libro.fm ALC program and Simon & Schuster audio for my free audiobook review copy. Also, thank you to Netgalley for my kindle review version, Atria Books and the author, Rebecca Serle. I was extremely fortunate to be able to have both formats to review and provide honest feedback.

Review Date: 04/06/2020
Publication Date: 03/10/2020

I had heard so much about this book and was excited to read it! The story was so well told, and the connection to the characters was incredible -- all of them were very different, yet very relatable at the same time. It was sad, but it ended happily, and left me with a good message, especially during this time we're in right now.

I love the way Rebecca Serle writes. It feels sharp and clear and easy to get lost in. She has such a knack for writing friendships and romantic relationships. The touch of whimsy she adds to her books is unique and I loved the way it worked in The Dinner List, but found it more confusing in In Five Years. I had a hard time understanding I had to reread a few parts, especially the end, but overall enjoyed this one. ⁣

I have been hearing good things about this book but sadly this story didn't work out in my favor. I didn't feel a connection to the characters and certain events in the book were a major turnoff for me and I had a hard time finishing the story.

I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this so much. It was so well written and kept me hooked until the end. I really loved the writing style and the pacing.

Thank you kindly to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this review copy.

As in her debut, The Dinner List, Rebecca Serle adds a splash of magic to In Five Years while grounding the story in reality. Dannie Kohan's life is unfolding exactly as she's planned. On the same day she nails an interview for her dream job, her boyfriend, David, proposes. She falls asleep that evening and wakes up in an unrecognizable apartment with a strange man, and, shockingly, realizes this is where she is in five years. Which is impossible, because it looks nothing like her plans.

Serle's novel then brings Dannie back to her current life, with the young woman unable to shake what she saw and what it means. It felt too real to be a dream--was it a premonition? Four and a half years pass, and she and David remain unmarried, supposedly because their high-powered lives have allowed little time to plan a wedding. Until Dannie meets her best friend Bella's new boyfriend, potentially "the one"--and he's the man from Dannie's vision years earlier. Soon after, Bella shares more big news, and Dannie rushes to get married to prevent her foresight from coming true and ruining everyone's lives.

Dannie and David make more money than most millennials and Bella is a trust-fund socialite/artist, but they remain sympathetic as they strive to find romance, rewarding careers and a sense of security in an uncertain world. The moving love relationship at the center isn't between obvious suspects; Serle's understated prose allows heartbreaks to resonate quietly and the final note of hope to land beautifully.

An extremely difficult book to review. It's excellent - the writing is strong, the emotions are intense, the principal character and secondary characters vividly rendered. It's also super depressing and heartbreaking (I definitely teared up at the end), and I can't say I liked it. It is not a traditional romance (HEA or HFN), or a love story, but has romantic elements. If you are looking for a happy feel great love story, you should avoid this one. <b>In Five Years</b> feels like a book 'old Emily' might have read. Lot's of hype, great writing, absorbing story - but no HEA when it's all said and done. Friends, these days I'm ride or die for the HEA/HFN, and while I did want to know what was going to happen, I was bummed and depressed when I finished it.

I'm grading the novel a 4.5 stars; my enjoyment? 2 stars.

Dannie Cohan, a Russian Jew (her words) with a Type A personality, is an ambitious lawyer in Manhattan. She lives her life by numbers and goals achieved. Oh joy. Everything is precisely as she plans it to be, and not much surprises her. When <b>In Five Years</b> opens, she's living with her boyfriend - their courtship and cohabitation plotted neatly into months and years and goals met - and on the cusp of securing a job she's craved since she was a girl. She's ready for the interview and leaves nothing to chance - from the timing of the trip to her perfectly crafted answers - she's got it planned. And she nails the interview. Elated, afterwards she shops for a new outfit to wear for dinner with David, her boyfriend, who she's certain will propose that evening after dinner at the Rainbow Room. David doesn't disappoint. The only surprise of the evening? The moment he got on his knee to ask.

Later than evening (an hour?), they're back at their perfectly located/perfectly decorated/perfectly perfect apartment lazing around and ordering take-out, and Dannie falls asleep. When she wakes up, she's in a strangers apartment. She's still wearing an engagement ring, but her outfit is different, and a strange man wants to know if she's hungry. An hour passes; Dannie notes the date and time on the TV playing in the background - five years exactly from when she fell asleep in her apartment with David - recognizes the clothes hanging neatly in the closet (her own), and finds herself in the arms of her very familiar stranger. She falls asleep again and wakes in the apartment with David.

The vision? dream? shakes Dannie's foundations. What did it mean? Why did it happen? She tries to call her free spirited closest friend since childhood, Bella, but it's clear she's busy...and Dannie isn't sure what she would tell her anyway. She consults a therapist, but it doesn't help either. And so she goes on living her life. David works, Dannie works, nobody plans a wedding, and she occasionally gets together with her bright, beautiful, live life for the moment friend Bella. Theirs is an odd combination - extreme opposites who seem to tolerate/love each other in spite of their differences - but it works. Until Bella invites her to a double date with her newest boyfriend, Greg.

Greg is the stranger in the apartment.

One of the best/worst things about this novel is not knowing where the story is going after we meet Greg. I honestly couldn't see a finish line at the 85% line, and I'm certainly not going to spoil the ending if you're planning to read it. Suffice it to say, although David is in a relationship with Dannie (our principal character), and Greg is the stranger in her future, both men are mostly relegated to the periphery of this story. It's Bella's life - and her relationship with Dannie - that drives the narrative in the second half. The story abruptly changes direction after the 'double date,' but not in a way that this reader was expecting. Reader, I was completely caught off guard.

As I mentioned at the top of the review, this novel is excellent in many ways. The writing - with the exception of a bit of loose editing at the start, is strong, and Dannie's characterization is superbly realized. I could vividly imagine who she is, what she's like, how she felt and her motivations. That didn't mean I liked her. I didn't. She's so controlled and controlling; joyless is the word that comes to mind. David, handsome but dull. Greg...a mystery. And Bella? Wealthy? Slightly spoiled? This character I didn't know at all. Serle paints her as a free spirited, generous, loving and artistically gifted woman who shares her time and energies with people who seem to embody the same...but that doesn't explain her relationship with Dannie. I never understood the friendship between these two, and since this partnership is the framework for the second half of the story, I felt a bit of disconnect from what was happening on the page. Their love for each other is intense - the yin to each others yang - and that shines through the material. But why? That maybe doesn't.

<b>In Five Years</b> likens itself to books like [book:One Day|6280118] & [book:Me Before You|17347634], and after finishing it, I can see the similarity. If you can, too, then you'll know whether this is something you might enjoy. I didn't. Absorbing and heartbreaking, and just not my thing these days.