I loved this book! I was expecting a romantic love story but what really stood out to me in this book was the friendship and love between Dannie and Bella. Such a unique read, highly recommend!

This was my first read by Rebecca Serle and it will definitely not be my last, Welcome to my life in a nutshell. Now to only meet this gentleman or to see him quickly on my travels and to fall in love with him over the years. Sign me up!

Do you ever put off reading a book because you're worried it might not live up to the hype??? 🙋‍♀️

I received a copy of In Five Years through NetGalley and downloaded it to my Kindle. It's hit the New York Times Bestsellers List since then and still I put it off, and put it off, and put it off... It's received a lot of bookstagram attention, but if you, like me, have been procrastinating on this one, you shouldn't.

Thankfully, it's Boxing Day and I had so many uninterrupted hours all to myself. I thought I was in for a time-travel or parallel storyline type of romance, but this wasn't a romance at all. Just a love story. There were times I didn't care for the characters or their decisions, but all in all, it was an emotional heart-rending read. Hug your friends.

When reading the blurb for this book, it makes it sound like it is going to be a time travel book. But that’s not exactly what happened. That was a little misleading. This only happens at the beginning of the book and nowhere else. The rest of the book was a contemporary romance.
My favorite part was the connection and friendship between the main character and Bella. It made me jealous at times that they were so close.
My dream trip is to go to New York. So I loved that this book was based there. I loved hearing about all the different locations that I want to visit. Made me want to go to New York even more.
This book made me feel warm and fuzzy and I couldn’t put it down!

Absolutely loved this one ! This is a love story unlike any other love story I have ever read ! This is an emotional read that will make you take a closer look at your best friend ! The lengths to which the characters go for each other in a time of crisis had me really consumed and wanting to know exactly what would happen ! At the same time - not wanting it to end as I was hoping for a miracle to take place ! An act of love and selfness is what ties two incredible women together and will leave you completely heartbroken !!! If you wanting an excuse to ugly cry then this is the book for you !!!
A beautiful, unique and special love story ! Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this gem 💎

Rounded down to 4 stars. I absolutely loved this book! The last 10 chapters made me sob 😭. The reason I rounded down to 4 stars was this book wasn't really about romance. It was more about friendships and relationships in general. Half the book was spent talking about food, which made me jealous/hungry lol. I loved the friendship portrayal in this book and how Bella made the main character think about what she really wanted out of life. I will definitely be checking out more of this authors work because this book is amazing!

I received an ARC of this from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Let me start by saying that this was not what I expected. I don’t usually read the descriptions of the books in detail because I don’t want to ruin all the fun. Even though this wasn’t what I thought, I still enjoyed it.

This is a story about friendship, love in its many forms, and tragedy. It’s about growing up and recognizing who you are and what you want. It opens with a dream of a scene of five years into our main character, Dannie’s, future. It is both startling and a bit ominous considering where she currently is in her life. As events unfold through the narrative, she tries to do everything in her power to not relive that dream in reality. Through it all we are witness to some beautiful and heartbreaking relationships of family, friends, and lovers.

I enjoyed it and I managed to be a bit surprised by the ending. I’ll definitely check out this author in the future

Awesome story. Highly recommended for a book club! Can’t wait to read more from this author. .

This story focuses on Dannie, a highly ambitious and career driven woman and her 5 year plan. It is setup as a love story with relatable characters. I enjoyed the relationship between Dannie & her best friend Bella. I really liked the storyline, however felt the execution was a bit lacking. I loved that it surprised me as it wasn't a typical happy ending story.

To start this review, I have to give some background information. When I received In Five Years to review, I was expecting a Sophie Kinsella type read, therefore a lot of my review and feelings on this book are based on this initial assumption. Looking for a light, fun easy read… this is NOT what I found in In Five Years is.


This book and the story is beautiful and the characters are lovely – but when you are expecting a very light and fun read, but instead get this much heavier and sad read, it is a shock to the system to say the least! I feel that my initial expectation of the book clouded a lot of my ability to like the book after this. Had I known the actual premise of the book – and the impending sobbing feast that it would bring on – I probably would have left the book in my “to read” pile.

Aalst, I did not. And I read the book – and powered through the entire second half with tears steaming down my face. While it was a beautiful story, I really will only suggest it to people who enjoy a sadder and more emotional read. The writing was very nice, the story flowed, but so did my tears… Now, I must go find a Sophie Kinsella book to help cheer me up!!

I fell in love with this book almost immediately. I was not expecting the story to be what it was, the synopsis left a considerable amount of plot lines out. I read this novel fairly quickly, which I believe speaks to the flow and the novel. I wanted to keep reading as I was getting more invested and drawn into the story by the characters and their development throughout the novel. The writing style and the flow of the words seemed to come effortlessly to Serle.

This was a soul searching book for me. I took away a considerable amount of life lessons and a new outlook on my life after this book. This novel triggered me in a way I did not expect, it came as a shock to me.

I can’t pinpoint what was awful about this novel, I loved every tear-soaked minute of it. I liked the characters, the plot, the flow, the writing style, everything.

3.5*

In Five Years by Rebecca Serle surprised me. The synopsis did not leave me to believe I would feel this many emotions (OK, and maybe cry) but it did. It's about love and friendship and finding your place. I did see some of it coming but I was still agreeably surprised. Honestly, I was expecting a light romcom book and even though it wasn't it, I am not mad! Thank you NetGalley for the free ebook copy.

This book had so much promise, and I couldn't put it down, but only because I kept hoping it would get better.

It's one of those endings that leaves you feeling blindsided, but confused and hurt. I couldn't get past the main character's absolute selfishness and disregard for everyone other than herself.

I enjoyed the format, there was a nice sort of dramatic irony, but I'll have a very hard time recommending this book to anyone whose company I enjoy.

I'm not really sure how to review this.
I enjoyed the story and the characters, but couldn't get over why that futuristic dream was there.
It seemed to have no purpose.
The MC is not psychic.
The book didn't have dual timelines for separate outcomes on a decision.
She doesn't have time travel abilities.
I feel like I probably would have enjoyed this more if the whole futuristic dream had been omitted and the story left to develop organically instead.
The book is hella emotionally charged, but I wasn't as focused as I could have been.
I kept waiting for time travel or psychic abilities that never presented.
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for my copy.

I loved this book! Thank you for the ecopy access. I also have access to the complete book so I will be leaving my full review there.

I walked into this book expecting a cutesy/light/fluffy story, and it took such big sweeping turns that I didn't see coming at all. I really enjoyed the journey it took me on.

This book was a much heavier read than I was expecting. It dealt with some really tough situations but I think the author handled them really well. The writing was seamless and flowed so well. The story was emotional and hard hitting. I really enjoyed reading about Dannie and Bella’s friendship along with their relationships outside of their friendship. I think this story is a great example of how you can plan your life out to a tee and things will still not go as planned as life always throws a wrench into the plan somewhere along the way.

A touching tribute to friendship and what love means.

Danielle is a busy lawyer in New York city who, on the eve of her proposal from her long term boyfriend, wakes up 5 years in the future for one hour, but the man in her apartment is not her soon to be fiance.

The premise of this book and set up (particularly when you meet the future man in question in the present) was anxiety inducing. I had to put the book down for a while to mentally prepare for the situation that the author puts forward.

All the characters in this novel are lovable. Bella in particular was a shining light throughout.

I cried while reading this novel, and the ending is not what you expect.

5 glowing stars!

Thank you to Atria Books, and Simon & Schuster Canada for providing me with an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

In Five Year was one of my most anticipated reads of 2020 and it did not disappoint! Without even knowing what it was about, I was drawn first to the title and then the cover. After reading the synopsis, I just knew it was a book for me!

Dannie, an ambitious young lawyer, lands her dream job, gets engaged to her boyfriend, and experiences a vivid dream propelling her five years into her future all in one day. In the dream, she wakes up in an unknown apartment, with an entirely different man. This vision has the potential to alter her entire life forever. When she wakes up the following morning, she cannot shake how real it all seemed, but does her best to bury it. Her best friend, Bella, couldn't be more different than her, wild, whimsical and living life on edge. Despite their differences, Bella has always been a constant in Dannie's life. A couple years down the road, she meets the very man from her dream. Dannie's five-year plan begins to unravel as she moves closer and closer to the moment she lived in her dream. A beautiful story of loyalty, friendship and love.

Serle has crafted a literary treat with In Five Years - the story, the characters, the setting, the writing, the flow, I could go on and on. This was not the story I was expecting, it was so much more - an ode to friendship, a different take on love. It made me laugh and it certainly made me cry, but most of all it made me embrace life. The friendship aspect is one of the reason I loved this one so much. I'm hopeful this is the start of a new sub-genre celebrating the different types of love, not just romantic love. The uniqueness, emotional depth and unpredictability made this a 5-star read for me.

There's a reason this book is everywhere - it's a story unlike any other and I cannot recommend it enough! If you're looking for something a little different, stop what you're doing and get yourself a copy! If you loved One Day or Me Before You, you need to read In Five Years. Even if you don't read romance novels, you NEED to read this one. Lastly, it would make a perfect book club selection, especially one involving your closest girlfriends. This story was simply a breath of fresh air during a particularly difficult time for me. I cannot wait to read for of Rebecca Serle's work!

Content Warnings; There are definitely some elements to this book that may be difficult for some readers, but I cannot list them without spoiling the story. If you are concerned, feel free to reach out to me.

I'm sure you've been seeing Rebecca Serle's In Five Years everywhere. And it's for a good reason. This book contains a story unlike any I've ever read and packs an emotional punch that left me crying my eyes out. But it was good - I promise!

Here's the synopsis:
Where do you see yourself in five years?
When Type-A Manhattan lawyer Dannie Cohan is asked this question at the most important interview of her career, she has a meticulously crafted answer at the ready. Later, after nailing her interview and accepting her boyfriend's marriage proposal, Dannie goes to sleep knowing she is right on track to achieve her five-year plan.
But when she wakes up, she’s suddenly in a different apartment, with a different ring on her finger, and beside a very different man. The television news is on in the background, and she can just make out the scrolling date. It’s the same night—December 15—but 2025, five years in the future.
After a very intense, shocking hour, Dannie wakes again, at the brink of midnight, back in 2020. She can’t shake what has happened. It certainly felt much more than merely a dream, but she isn’t the kind of person who believes in visions. That nonsense is only charming coming from free-spirited types, like her lifelong best friend, Bella. Determined to ignore the odd experience, she files it away in the back of her mind.
That is, until four-and-a-half years later, when by chance Dannie meets the very same man from her long-ago vision.
Brimming with joy and heartbreak, In Five Years is an unforgettable love story that reminds us of the power of loyalty, friendship, and the unpredictable nature of destiny.

As soon as I read the book's description, I knew I needed to read it. I don't read fantasy or magic realism much these days but I absolutely loved the time travel blip element to the story. (I've always been a fan of time travel stories from a book I loved as a kid to now with Outlander.) It really is a blip though (and the only fantasy element to the entire novel). It happens, she freaks out internally, decides to forget about it, and the story fast forwards to almost five years later. Except...she clearly doesn't forget about it. You would think her life would have been just as she expected when we settle back into the story with her but it's not. That blip had clearly thrown Dannie, whether or not she wanted to admit it, and I was interested to see what was going to happen next. Just who was that other guy?

I have seen a lot of readers mention they were surprised and/or put off by the turn the story took or because it wasn't as much of a romance as they expected. I'm sure I've felt the same with other books that didn't quite live up to my expectations but...I don't get it with this book. Maybe it's because I went into it expecting it to be about Dannie's life. You know, her life as a whole. Not just who she's falling in (or out) of love with. Or into bed with. Maybe it's because I read a lot of romances and understand that the story is usually about more than the romantic relationship (if it's not, it's an incredibly boring book). Everyone's allowed their opinions, of course, but those comments just baffle me.

Of course, that being said, I wasn't expecting this book to be as much as an ode to friendships as it was. And I think it's really because I just don't see stories like that nearly enough these days. At least, not like the one Serle wrote. Now I want more. I want more friendship love stories. Though...I will say I wish Bella had been a bit more...substantial in this book. Especially at the start. I only got to know her from Dannie's perspective and it didn't quite seem like enough.

In Five Years was one of those books that I wouldn't necessarily say was great but I really freaking loved reading it. The story completely grabbed me and I was 100% into it from the minute I started reading.

I enjoyed In Five Years and I encourage readers looking for something a little different to pick it up. And to keep an open mind. Rebecca Serle's novel, and the characters in it, aren't cookie cutter people or stories and we need more books like that. No one is perfect and life is hard. But it can be pretty beautiful, too.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Simon & Schuster Canada, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*