Based on the description and the first few chapters, I thought this book might being some sort of time travel book, though that did not end up being the case. Instead it is a both heartwarming and heartwrenching look at love and friendship, and how time impacts both.

While I didn’t grow terribly attached to any of the characters, I did grow attached to their stories. How life can turn quickly in so many ways.

Dannie has followed a plan her whole life. She lays out her goals, she accomplishes them, and then she makes new ones. When she finally gets engaged, she is excited to check off that "husband" task and start thinking about the future. However, the night of her engagement, she has a dream or a vision, that puts her five years in the future (accomplishing very different things than she thought she would) and when she wakes up, everything stable in her life is now unknown. Can she change her future? Or is her vision inevitable?

This book was so much more than what it first seemed. I thought I was going into a love story...little did I know that it WAS a love story, just of a different kind.

Books with friendship themes at the forefront of the plot and as driving forces need to be written and praised more. There is so much more to love than just a significant other. This book encompasses many, many different forms and types of care and affection and how it plays out in crisis.


Get the Kleenex ready, because this one will surely make you shed a tear or two. Loved it!

Wow!! What do I say about this amazing story. It moved me so deeply, I cried. That doesn’t happen often for me in books. It’s not often that I find myself so deeply invested in a book and relating to the characters.
I think we all have a tendency to plan the way we want life to go, but the universe or God has other plans for you. It’s sometimes very hard to accept but you learn there are better things down the road.... once you get there.
This is a must read and re-read. I will treasure this book and be buying a hard copy to keep on my shelf.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 stars | In Five Years is one of those rare instances where the story and concept of the book itself moved me far more than the characters did, which it why I still rated highly. From start to finish, it was really difficult for me to empathize with Dannie Cohan, Type-A Manhattan lawyer who has her five-year plan nailed down to the last detail. That means the perfect job, apartment and getting engaged to her boyfriend. Then she has a dream set exactly five years in the future and she finds herself in a very different apartment, in bed with a very different man. It feels so real that she's shaken when she wakes up but she refuses to place any real weight on it except deep down, you know she kind of does. Then exactly four-and-a-half years later, Dannie meets the man from her vision in real life and it has her questioning everything. Like I said, I really enjoyed this premise but it was hard to connect to someone so regimented in life and who ultimately seemed to believe she had no autonomy. I'm someone who strongly believes that you always have a choice and that more often than not you have to adapt to the curveballs life throws you. So you can see why me and Dannie did not see eye-to-eye and I had genuinely hoped the author would take her character on a very different path instead of being so predictable. That said, friendship plays a big role too and we meet her lifelong best friend, Bella, early on in the book. The ups and downs plus the back and forth between them (they're complete opposites) was portrayed in a way that I found relatable and often-times moving.

Do I recommend? I do! Despite my frustrations with Dannie's personal journey and the ending quite frankly, I do think it's a thought-provoking book that will get readers thinking about destiny and choice.

In Five Years by Rebecca Serle is one of those books my heart will never forget. Definitely one of my top reads. A gorgeous and unique story about relationships, epic love and fate.

This isn’t your typical love story, it’s unique. The characters…their relationships…their journeys…I was sure I had this story all figured out but it was nothing like I imagined. In Five Years is one of those stories that immediately grabbed me and didn’t let go, I didn’t want to put it down. I will warn you, if you are a crier-as I am, you will need a box of tissues. I was lucky I was in my car when the sobbing, ugly tears started. I can’t remember the last time a book made me full-on ugly cry…But I promise, it is worth every single tear.

For those of you looking for something “more” from the stories you read, In Five Years by Rebecca Serle is definitely a book you need to read. I wasn’t ready to let these characters go.

This was such a bizarre reading experience for me. I was completely hooked to this from start to finish and I did VERY much enjoy this book, but I have some complicated feelings. I really liked all of the characters and I truly believed in all of their bonds and the messiness of their relationships/actions, but there were some things about this book that just made me feel a bit weird and I'm not really sure how I feel about it. I'm going with a 4 star rating for now because I really enjoyed the writing and I absolutely flew through this one, but that rating is definitely subject to change (in either direction!) the more that I mull this one over.

This book was so amazing. It wrecked me so. Its a beautiful story of friendship, love, and living your best life. It even made me shed a tear. This book will stay with me for a while.

Wow. This is a book that will absolutely be sticking with me for awhile. This book is certainly a love story, but not the one that you think it is. It is a love story about friendship, as well as self-love, and in all the ways that can show up. It explores dynamics of the different ways we all manage anxiety of the unknown, and what we can and cannot control, as well as what it means and how it can feel to be purely present in the moment. I flew through this page turner, initially looking for answers to one scenario, and ended up being glued to watching the friendship dynamics of Dannie and Bella play out. I will definitely look forward to reading other books by Rebecca Serle soon! Thank you for the advanced readers copy!

Review will be posted on 3/12/2020

Dannie has lived her life according to her plans from childhood. She has set goals for herself and today is her big interview at a law firm she has been dying to work at. Her life is truly starting to come together, especially when her boyfriend, David, asks her to marry him at New York City's famous Rainbow Room. This perfect day becomes a distant memory when she find herself waking up to an alternate reality where she isn't married to David, doesn't live in Manhattan, and is with a guy who is the polar opposite of David. Except this new guy has her feelings things she didn't know was possible. Is this an alternate reality? A dream? A figment of her imagination? Whatever it was, it threw her for a bit of a loop and makes her question her path, but after years go by, her life is consumed with her work so much so that her and David have yet to be married. Meanwhile, her best friend, Bella, has moved back to New York and all is good until she meets Bella's new boyfriend. It just so happens to be the guy from her "dream." What does this all mean for Dannie? In Five Years by Rebecca Serle is a heart-wrenching love story that was a bit sadder than I was expecting, but nonetheless, I enjoyed Dannie's journey.

Dannie is an interesting character in In Five Years. She is smart, successful, has her life figured out, but she rarely steps out of her comfort zone. Her best friend, Bella, is the more creative one who pushes her to live a little more; after all, Bella is the artist and Dannie is a lawyer. Dannie is engaged to David and while David is a nice guy, both Dannie and Bella know that he is a safe bet. But then there's the issue as to why they haven't married yet? To complicate matters further, Bella is head over heels for her new guy, and Bella rarely settles down, so Dannie knows this man must mean a lot to her. But once Dannie meets him, she realizes he is the guy form her "dream" and well, this is a problem. Clearly.

I loved the character of Bella in In Five Years. She is the kind of best friend that makes life interesting and really pushes people that may be a little more conservative. I loved how their friendship went all the way back to childhood and how loyal they are to each other. Bella's story took an unexpected turn and it really broke my heart. I wasn't expecting that sort of twist the novel, so I was a little surprised, and while it bummed me out, I still appreciated her story arc.

In Five Years really made me think about the future. No matter how much Dannie meticulously planned things out, life can always throw you a curve ball. That's what happens in In Five Years and I love that the book highlights the unexpected turns life takes while also demonstrating to readers that you can rebuild your life. In Five Years is just as much a love story between two best friends as it is a traditional love story. I didn't see that coming, but I really enjoyed that aspect of the story.

If you are looking for a heart wrenching story to get lost in this spring, check out Rebecca Serle's In Five Years. While many aspects of the novel took me by surprise, I still enjoyed Dannie's journey and appreciated the questions that In Five Years begs readers to ponder.

What a heartbreakingly perfect book.
All the feels...and lots of tears. Don't read this in a place where you can't cry publicly, because you probably will.
I loved all of the characters and miss them already even though I just finished. I also adore the author's true love for the city of New York and her homage to it in so many ways throughout the book.
Beautifully written and touching.

In Five Years started, for me, as a romance book. Two people in 2020 are living together, in love, getting engaged but then there was a twist. Dannie has a dream that she is in 2025 and that her life is different from what she is living now. It was a dream, right? It couldn’t have really happened, could it?
I love how her life in 2020 continues, she gets her dream job, she is with a wonderful man but is she really happy? I had many thoughts while enjoying this book. I wondered how many people settle in life, how many people wish their life could change and would they be happier if it changed? While Dannie doesn’t really want a different life, is she settling with her life?

The story of Dannie and her best friend broke my heart. I had tears rolling down my face as their story was told. Their friendships were so true. They fought, they loved, and they protected each other. Even while not getting along they did things for each other, just because they knew the other would appreciate or need it.

This is my first book by Rebecca Serle and I look forward to reading more. The twists, the friendships, the love, and the story are all amazing and I recommend picking up your own copy.

This book was not at all what I was expecting, and not in a good way. I liked the concept of a glimpse into the future and where Dani sees herself in 5 years.... but how this story got there just didn't work for me. I didn't like the romance with Aaron, I didn't like the open-ended finish, and I didn't like the twist the plot took. This wasn't what I thought I was going to be reading.

I received an advanced copy via the publisher and NetGalley and voluntarily left a review.

Kept seeing as "Book to Read", so was happy that publisher granted my wish for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I received 3/6, just a few days before its release, so I opened to preview and read in all in 2 days.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Dannie has planned everything and her life has followed the plan.
She believes in living by numbers.
After a day to remember she drifts off and wakes to five years in future...
Then after she falls asleep, she is woken up back in present times.

Reality or Dream??

Then, she moves on, but keeps some parts of her life on pause...

As she finally prepares to move up and makes big plans-
her dream is in front of her... reality or dream??

Good Read!
You want to read this book!

I absolutely loved this book! I fell in love with the characters and the storyline was totally captivating. A true page turner for me! As usual, I went in blind and after reading the book description, I suggest you do the same!! It had me questioning everything the whole time. I highly recommend checking this one out!

Thank you to the publisher and @netgalley for providing a free advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Dannie is a Type A personality. She’s very ambitious, believes in living by numbers and long-term planning. Her best friend since childhood, Bella, is the exact opposite. She’s carefree, goes through men like crazy and lives life with gusto. In a long term relationship, Dannie is having a problem taking the final step and marrying David. She loves David, saying he “just fits,” but why does she keep putting off the wedding?
An astounding novel about the enduring friendship of best friends, true love and the agony of grief. The imaginative plot, the strong female protagonist and the unexpected ending all make for an engaging read. I think it’s very good and would appeal to readers who enjoy women’s fiction and love stories.

Manhattan lawyer Dannie Cohan has her life mapped out to the minute and tonight is the night her longtime boyfriend David will ask her to marry him. That night she has a dream that is dated five years in the future. In that dream she is married to someone else. Skip forward to 4 1/2 years from that night and Dannie is still not married to David. Is that dream about to become a reality?

I way oversimplified the synopsis in the above paragraph but this is one of those stories where if you give too many details away you’ll spoil the surprises for other readers. I don’t want to do that! I can tell you a little bit about the characters. Dannie and Bella are best friends but they couldn’t be any more different. Dannie is structured, realistic, and has a plan for everything in her life. Bella is an artist, a dreamer, and falls in love constantly. They are the yin to each other’s yang and are always there to support each other through life’s ups and downs. They have one of those girl relationships that I’ve always envied. Even through life’s difficulties, anything is forgivable.

In Five Years synopsis fools the reader into thinking this is a love story between a man and a woman. It is kind of, but even more so is that it’s a love story between Dannie and Bella. Not a romantic love, but despite that, it’s a love that transcends life. In Dannie’s case, it’s a love that her fiance David can’t compete. Dannie’s journey through this novel is eye opening and actually uplifting despite the box of kleenex I used. Yes, this is a sad story, but despite that I felt like Dannie had revealed something inside of herself that would help her live her life more fully than she had which is a good way to end a story.

Be prepared for some twists and turns as this is not the novel you think you are going to read, but it’s a story that will make you think as you read it. Sometimes that is a bad thing, but in the case of In Five Years it worked. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review and it was honest!

As soon as I read the synopsis for In Five Years, I knew that I had to read it. Was it everything that I had expected? No, but in this case, that certainly wasn’t a bad thing. Rebecca Serle turned this story around in a way I hadn’t anticipated, it was so much more, and it ended up being just what my heart needed.

Dannie Cohan is a woman with a plan. She knows what she wants, when she should achieve it, and has her life pretty much all mapped out. Spontaneity isn’t needed in her life. She likes to be in control of her destiny. She’s an ambitious lawyer whose career is taking off as planned, she has a great boyfriend who is the perfect fit for her life, and everything seems to be on track to her ideal life. When a dream/vision of Dannie in 2025 shows her with a new man, in a romantic setting, Dannie’s shaken and questioning what this all means for her future. Is she really in charge of her own destiny or is it fate that will decide where her life leads?

After bottling up this dream for four-and-a-half years, Dannie comes face to face with this “dream man” and, once again, for someone who cherishes control, she is faced with the unknown. Can she fight fate and alter what is meant to be?

Oh, how I loved this story! In Five Years is more of a beautiful love story between friends than a romance. It’s a story about loyalty, destiny, being true to yourself, and letting life happen. I was completely captivated from beginning to end. It is a lovely story that is equally heartbreaking as it is hopeful. It’s not a novel that I was able to finish and then simply move on from. In Five Years is a story that will stick with me for some time to come.

*5 Stars

In Five Years by Rebecca Serle is a very well written and moving novel. It is story of a young and resourceful workaholic corporate lawyer, Dannie Cohan, who eventually finds her true self by virtue of her relationship with her best and most trusted friend. An endearing aspect of Serle’s writing is that these friends are polar opposites, and the author exquisitely reveals how loyalty and their troubled childhoods kept them together.

Now as adults, it seems that Dannie has everything under control compared to her whimsical friend Bella or does she? Bella, on the other hand, seems ready to settle down and be more like Dannie. Tragedy then hits their world and they realize it takes both their personalities and their strong bond to cope. The result is Serle’s poignant depiction of the boundless love between friends. Character development of each heroine through each other’s eyes is both refreshing and humorous. Serle also completely nails Manhattan, the intensity of corporate law and deal making, and the difficulty of achieving work/life balance in that environment.

The bond between Dannie and Bella as written by Serle deftly reminds us what is important in life. While I didn’t like the “hook” of the five-year premonition and its (unbelievable) resolution, I have to admit that the anticipation caused will keep some readers turning pages. For me, the quality of Serle’s writing was all I needed.
4.5 stars

I was a huge fan of The Dinner List by Rebecca Serle and was so excited to hear that she was publishing another book. As soon as I heard about In Five Years, I requested an ARC and entered every giveaway I could to try and get my hands on a copy. I am so happy that Ariel at Atria sent me a Netgalley widget; however, I have to be honest, In Five Years did not meet my expectations.

While I enjoyed the story, it was not my favorite. I was under the impression that this book was more about a love story than a friendship. Don't get me wrong, the story is still good and impactful, but it just fell a little flat for me and I think it had to do with my initial expectations. I wasn't overly encaptured by the story and felt like I was forcing myself to finish the book instead of wanting to read iy. I can see why a lot of people loved the strong female friendship and the beautiful storytelling, but it was a solid 3 star read for me. On the bright side, In Five Years was such a quick read that you don't have much to lose by giving it a shot. Huge thanks to Atria for sending me an eARC!

Oh, my word. In Five Years is an incredible read. A tearjerker, packed with substance, that kept me thinking about it long after I’d finished. I wasn’t sure what to expect which was actually a blessing. There are many twists and turns and while I had an idea about what would happen, the eventuality of the story packed a punch I didn’t see coming. Dannie’s story is unique, and I loved the premise. It was unlike anything I’d read before. A satisfying pace that keeps you in the moment. I highly recommend this emotional novel. I will be looking to read more from Rebecca Serle.