Dom has spent the last 10 years regretting one thing - ending his relationship with the love of his life Mia. So when she suddenly comes back into his life, Dom can't believe his luck. But when their date ends in her death, Dom is distraught, and left desperately wishing that he could have saved her life. And to his amazement, his wish is granted when he wakes up the next day to find that it all appears to have been a dream. But then, their date happens again, and once again it ends in Mia's death. Soon, Dom realises that no matter what he does, the day keeps repeating itself, and each time it ends in Mia dying. Dom soon becomes obsessed with saving her, but is that really what this time loop is about? Or is there something more that Dom needs to do?

I'm a massive fan of Groundhog Day, so as soon as I saw the description for this one, I knew I had to read it. A modern day groundhog day with a dark twist? Um, yes please! However, I did find this to be a little underwhelming for me, and it didn't quite live up to my expectations.

The bulk of the book takes place over 9 repeats of Thursday 11th June, and while Dom's mission is to save Mia's life, the real focus of the book is Dom changing and becoming a better person. Seeing how Dom is affected by living through this loop was very moving, and it was really interesting to see how all of the events of the day conspired to create scenarios that created real change in Dom, who he is and what he values. In that sense, there was a really great message at the heart of this book - don't live in the past, obsessing over what might have been. Instead, focus on living a good life in the here and now.

However, I just really didn't connect with this. Dom felt desperate, and I didn't buy the whole 'I've been obsessed with Mia for 10 years' element of the plot. Mia wasn't developed enough to have any interest in whether she lived or not, and the twist of what she was hiding and why the loop was happening was too easy to guess, meaning all that build up felt wasted. I also found the actual ending of the book a bit abrupt and underdeveloped.

All in all, this was an ok read. It had a great message at it's heart, and the premise was certainly unique, but for me it didn't quite live up to its potential. The real joy in this was seeing how Dom became a better person, especially in relation to his growing friendship with a local homeless man he interacts with each day. But as a romance, it just didn't work, and so it's not one I'd recommend.

Disclaimer - I was fortunate enough to receive an advance reading copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way, and all opinions are my own.

This was so good! I was skeptical about the description but ended up loving it. The story follows Dom as he relives one day over and over trying to change the outcome each time. Sweet characters and a really lovely message.

Have you ever wished you were able to change something that has happened to you? Well Dom reconnects with his ex fiancé only to have her pass away on their first date. He pleads and wishes to have another chance. Then wakes up to her being alive. He tries over and over again to save her but he is always unsuccessful. He can not figure out how to keep her alive. All he wants is to be able to save her. Will fate allow him to save her or will he really lose her forever.

DNF at 30%. Thank you to the publisher, Netgalley and Brilliance Audio for the advance reading and listening copies.

I’ve really enjoyed other books by these authors but I think this is a case of bad timing. The Groundhog Day concept is interesting but I can’t handle reading about someone repeatedly failing to save a loved one right now.

I’m not sure what I was expecting from this book. I think what I liked most about this book was the message that I took away from it. I will also say I was confused at one point like what really did happen and what didn’t. I do wish we had gotten more about Mia but the book was about that one particular day so we are limited. As I read other reviews I see people didn’t like Dom but I have to disagree and say there are men out there like him. I think his fears are what many make/females experience before getting married. I think his actions made him real and relatable. I liked how he grew and chose to honor what Mia wanted as well in the end.

I have never met a Liz and Lisa book I didn't like and this one is no exception. Although I must say this one did seem a bit "deeper" and managed to evoke a few tears from me. I must admit I was a little skeptical about this "groundhog" day premise, but it did work. It got the message across and kept me glued to the pages.

Dom broke things off with Mia ten years ago. As they have both gone their separate ways, Dom thinks about Mia...every...single ...day...In fact he talks about her so much that his family and friends thinks he is obsessed with her. I must agree. Yet, I think that Dom is not entirely happy with his life and he thinks that Mia is the thing that would have made his whole life perfect. I think many of us do that. You think to yourself- well if I had done this in life, my life would be perfect. When in fact it may be just the same. SO I got you Dom, I understand.

Then ten years later, by chance Dom runs into Mia on the street. Do they have a chance to live happily ever after? It is as if the universe wants a say in this as Dom is forced to relive Mia's death- over and over again. OMG my heart broke each time for Dom. I just kept holding out hope that Dom can change the outcome...just one time...

Will Dom get his happily ever after? Will Mia make it to see another day? Can Dom literally save a life? I loved this book even though it tore my heart out many times! As for the title...well it is perfect! Not only do I LOVE this song by The Fray...it fit in perfectly with this book. Although, I am going to be singing this to myself for weeks to come...thanks Liz and Lisa...HAHAHAHA...at least I love the song.

Okay so it’s no secret I like the books the talented author duo of Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke write. They are also two of the nicest authors and I was lucky enough to do an interview with them for my blog a couple of years ago. One thing I admire is that they aren’t afraid to change up their writing style. Their current book is also a new writing departure for them. When I first started this book I worried I wouldn’t like it. That it wouldn’t be my kind of book. Well, early on in the book I started to see where this one was going and I was along for the ride. Poor Dom, the main character, has to keep living Thursday over repeatedly in a time loop as he tries to save his ex fiancé from dying. Another thing I love is second chance romance tropes and this has one of those too. The writing flows so well even with the back and forth Thursday’s. I loved the characters and was impressed with seeing
the personal development with Dom. Things were going along nicely for me until the ending. Don’t get me wrong the writing was still great and I had figured out how some of the ending was going to turn out but just not how it would happen. Ok - tissue in hand (sniffle) I have to say I loved this book. Thank you to Liz and Lisa for another great book for summer! Looking forward to seeing what you will do next.

In a time where we all feel like we’re living in the movie Groundhog Day I found an odd comfort in reading about Dom who is truly living the same day over and over again, and friends it’s not the best day for him. If I was feeling a little bit sorry for myself about how repetitive my own days have been feeling this quickly made me grateful that I wasn’t truly stuck in a time loop like Dom and made me count my own blessings just a little bit more.

While the basics of the plot may feel like they’ve been done before I do want to tell you that the authors put their own fresh twist on the concept. This was a departure from their latest few books and I’m once again super impressed by how they manage to come up with original story ideas time and time again. This felt like a combination of contemporary fiction and romantic suspense because the whole time you’re wondering if Dom will be able to save Mia and if so, how?! I’ll quit discussing the plot right here, but I found it to be fun and uplifting in the end. It’s also a super fast one sitting type of read and one that I definitely recommend that you add to your summer TBR.

So I just finished reading the latest from @lisaandliz this weekend and
It was quite a page turner, as I HAD to find out if Dom would be able to save his true love’s life! He is stuck in a Groundhog Day-like time loop that keeps repeating the same day over & over, trying to save Mia’s life as he struggles to understand what he needs to do to move forward & keep her from dying. It was such an interesting premise, and though it was a little gruesome trying to imagine what new way she’d die TODAY, I really really enjoyed it. As Dom finally works out what has kept him stuck in the past we get to appreciate his personal growth and see his life change.

I'm a longtime reader of Lisa and Liz, and can honestly say that How to Save a Life was my favorite book from the duo yet! Dom in a TV producer in San Diego. When his ex fiancee, Mia, walks in to a cafe, he begins to wonder if their chance re-encounter is fate. She recently moved back to the area and they haven't talked in 10 years, but when he sees her and realized the old spark is still there, he asks her for her number. They agree to meet at the San Diego state fair... when tragedy strikes and puts Dom in what feels like a time loop. Think Groundhog Day where he lives the same day over and over and has to prevent Mia from dying. Again.

This could have gone silly but the authors did a great job getting me to care about Dom and Mia. It was fun to think about the things Dom could try to do to change the course of fate (and I imagine it was a little fun for the authors to think of different ways to off Mia!) You might think reading about the same day over and over would get stale, but I couldn't wait to see how one little change would change the course of his entire day. I was invested in seeing if he would be able to save her and a twist at the end really got me in the feels. All in all, this was a perfect book to devour over the course of a summer weekend.

Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke do so many things well in this book. They have a hero you root for from the start. Dom may frustrate you, and you may want to grab him by the shoulders and shout at him, but you're on his side. When he runs into Mia, his ex-fiancée, his happiness makes you just as overjoyed.

Dom is also relatable. A decade has passed since his relationship with Mia ended, and he feels desperate to impress her. Part of that is proving that he's changed, not in a way that helps him, but rather in a way that pleases her. You know this is a mistake, but Fenton and Steinke invest you surely and acutely in Dom, and you find yourself holding your breath to see if he's successful.

When things don't turn out and Dom finds himself in a loop, repeating the day he runs into Mia over and over again, it gives you--and him--a chance to slow down and dig deeper into Mia, as well as Dom's roommate, parents, a homeless man, and a woman Dom saves from certain doom. The more you find out, the more you wonder: how many lives will Dom save?

Elements of this book might frustrate you, though. The pacing is inconsistent, and there is a subplot that feels a little too contrived. Yet you keep turning the pages, desperate to find out what will happen when Dom finally escapes that loop.

Let me know what you think of this one. What did you like about it? Were you frustrated in any parts?

When Dom bumps into his ex-fiancee Mia at a coffee shop ten years after they broke up, he thinks it must be fate, and tries to woo her back. There is only one problem...at the end of every date, Mia dies. Then Dom is forced to re-live the day all over again, and try to find a way to keep Mia alive, only to be thwarted over and over. In the midst of all this, every day he also manages to save the life of Amanda, who if not for him, would have gotten hit by a car that ran through a red light as she was starting to cross the street. He also changes the life of Chuck....a homeless guy that he always ignored before, but now felt compelled to help.
This reminded me so much of the movie "Happy Death Day" where every day started off with the same song playing and then she has to live the same day over again and again. I really liked how the tension built with each time the day repeated, as he tried to figure out why he was stuck in a time loop, and then the big reveal definitely blindsided me. This book was a lot different from their other books, but I thought that they did a really good job.

I really enjoyed novels by these women before, but this book did not do it for me. I found Dom to be super annoying and unlikable. I skipped to the end just because I couldn’t handle the story.

How to Save a Life
By Liz Fenton, Lisa Steinke
3.5 / 5 🌟


Okay, I love the song ʜᴏᴡ ᴛᴏ sᴀᴠᴇ ᴀ ʟɪғᴇ, by The Fray, but it was definitely stuck in my head while reading this book!

This is a heartbreaking romance, yet the overarching message is a positive one I think we all need to take to heart.

Dom runs into his ex-fiance, Mia, after ten years. Still riddled with guilt for calling off their engagement, he wonders if there is still a possibility of rekindling their love, so he asks Mia out on a date Thursday night. When Mia tragically dies during their date it sets Dom on a loop of reliving “Their Thursday”. Every morning he wakes up to their song “How to Save a Life.’ And every day Dom walks through his day knowing what will happen and that Mia will die tonight, again.

Dom is certain that he is meant to save Mia, he just needs to do or say something a little different this Thursday, but how many times will he have to watch her die? His friends and family start to worry about his mental health and well-being.

I’m going to be honest, it got a little slow for me when Dom just kept reliving his days - predictable and repetitive for obvious reasons. And due to the fact that Mia’s character is slightly closed off, I never felt like I got to know her.

As I mentioned above, the premise includes a bigger picture than just Dom and Mia’s romance. Sometimes it’s about the people and things you overlook each and every day; a kind word, a helping hand. It may just help to save a life.

Thank you so much to @lakeunionauthors and @netgalley for this advanced review copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Get your copy on July 14, 2020!

Thanks to Lake Union Publishing, Amazon Publishing, Netgalley, Liz Fenton, and Lisa Steinke for my gifted copy of How to Save a Life!

I challenge you to get through my review without the song (by The Fray) stuck in your head.

When Dom runs into his ex-fiancee Mia, he wants to give things a second chance. He asks her out, and they head to the fair. When Mia dies in a tragic accident, Dom desperately wishes to be able to have saved her. When he wakes up the next morning, he’s amazed to learn that she’s still alive. However, it’s still the same day! The cycle continues and no matter what, Mia continues to meet the same grim fate. Dom goes through an intense and tough journey, but will never give up trying to save her life.

Poor, poor Dom. I couldn’t imagine having to relive a day as tragic as this over and over again! Personally, I don’t think I’d hold up as well as he did each relived her death (though he did have some moments). Anyways, I sped through this book. The action moves quickly, the characters evolve with the plot, and most of all, I didn’t see the ending coming at all! That impressed me greatly, because I thought I had this book totally figured out. I’ll definitely be checking out the authors’ other books in the future.

Check this book out on July 14th! I liked it so much that I added it to my “quarantine favorites” shelf on Goodreads.

How to Save a Life follows Dom and Mia as they run into each 10 years after he broke off their engagement. They feel like it may be fate and he hopes to win her back but on their first date Mia dies. Dom then finds himself in a time loop (hello groundhogs day) and repeats Thursday June 11th over and over trying to save her life and win her over. I think the idea is pretty original but the reading becames repetitive as you are going over the same events of the day for the most part. Dom and Mia don't seem to be a perfect match and this makes it a little harder to root for them as a couple. I did enjoy Doms interactions with the other characters such as his friend Lance, Amanda and the homeless man Chuck. He began to grow throughout the book and that was fun to see. The book was a bit predictable though and this brought down the rating a bit for me. Overall a fun read. Thanks to Netgally and Lake Union Publishing for an advanced copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
Poor Dom finally reconnects with his ex-fiancé who he broke up with, but he has regretted that decision. every day for the last 10 years ... only for her to meet a tragic end on their date...

Then he keeps reliving that day over and over again ... trying to save Mia.

So I hav to admit I was expecting a mystery/ thriller from these two lovely ladies, which this is not. But having said that this is still a great book . I loved seeing how Dom grew and changed over the 9 versions of July 11, trying to save Mia, and learning a lot about himself.

Grateful to The Bookish Ladies Club and the publisher for my opportunity to read and review early.

I thought this book had a very unique premise, but it just wasn't for me. I got tired of reading about all the ways that Mia could die and I got tired of reliving the same day over and over.

Again, great, interesting idea just not my cup of tea.

I've read (and loved) all of Liz and Lisa's books! While I enjoyed their recent books that were thrillers, I was excited to read one in the contemporary romance genre. I also loved the magical realism aspect of this book! I also liked that it was from the male perspective--that was something unusual and different. I loved Dom as a character. I could NOT put this down and powered through the majority of the book in one sitting! I had several theories about how the book might end, and I couldn't wait to see what happened--all my theories were wrong. But don't worry, I won't spoil anything here! Though the book was about the same day over and over, it still held your attention because Liz and Lisa are such amazing writers!

Also: You WILL get How to Save a Life by The Fray stuck in your head while reading this. Good thing I love the song! :) This book is a perfect weekend or afternoon escape from reality. Liz and Lisa have done it again!

4.5/5 Stars

These two....are not afraid to think outside the box, Take a risk. I want to be friends with them! Fan girl all the way. Another fun ride thru this book. This time, the movie doppelgänger is Groundhog Day.

Dom is madly in love with Mia, but ends up running scared and braking off their engagement. After 10 years, he still can’t get her out of his head, when a chance encounter brings them back in each other lives. What starts as a best day turns into a worse day, again and again and again. While the reliving of the day changes somewhat, it does get a little repetitious. But, I loved the development of Dom, as a person. Also the relationships of Mia and her various friends. While this book played out exactly as I expected, I still enjoyed the character development.

Thanks to Ms. Fenton and Steinke, Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.