Loved this. Heartbreaking and delightful about second chances and true love. Hit me right in the feels. Some of it felt over-written but it dealt with some pretty heavy topics so it didn’t detract too much for me. This was a true 5/5!

I received an ARC of this book and would like to thank both NetGalley and Alcove Press for providing it in exchange for an honest review. This book puts the butterfly effect theory front and center. It is about faith, love and what you would do if you had a chance to do things over. The main character, Isla is so good at building others up but tears herself down. I was rooting for her throughout the book and hoping she would somehow be ok. A bit of spice but just the right amount. Triggers: anxiety,panic attacks,social phobia,lack of self-esteem,discussion of suicide. I would recommend this book but it is very raw and honest so be prepared if you are dealing with any of the aforementioned issues. You will feel seen. There is a light at the end of the rainbow!

This book is very heavy and emotional! Not a happy-go-lucky time-loop book like the blurb makes it out to be.

Have a box of Kleenex, a huge glass(ok, a bottle) of wine, and a whole lot of chocolate ready as you get further into this one.

Be prepared going into it that you will need to be in the right mindset for an extremely, mentally and emotionally heavy book. It’s not just a story about someone suffering from anxiety, but there is a lot of discussion about mental illness and suicide, car accidents and loss (also parental loss from cancer, pre-book, and traumatic brain injury).

Yes, there are some very high highs, but there are some very deep lows as well, on this emotional roller coaster ride. It’s extremely good, but buckle those seatbelts because you are definitely in for a wild emotional ride with this one!

If you have had anyone you’ve loved suffer a traumatic brain injury, or lost in a vehicle accident, or suffering from mental illness (anxiety, depression, etc.) and had suicidal thoughts or attempts and reading a book that is filled with this, please, give this book a miss. If you think reading these topics could be at all triggering to yourself, or you’re just not in the right place on the day you decide to pick it up, maybe wait for a more stable or upbeat day. It’s a tough mental read - and even being strong myself, I found myself quite down in the dumps after (though I did read with a migraine and felt a lot of Isla’s pain as she and Ewan navigated everything).

It is a very unique storyline and absolutely worth the read, you just have to be very prepared going in, it’s not what the blurb makes it out to be!

I received an advance copy from NetGalley and Alcove Press, and this is my honest review and feedback.

What is real and what is imagined in this clever novel about Isla, a young artist who works in marketing and web site design. Isla leaves Chicago and relocates near St. Louis to take a less demanding job. Soon she is being contacted by Ewan, a man who says he was her husband. Isla realizes she has to turn back time from a deadly car accident on Lake Shore Drive near Northwestern. Readers will be taken through many twists and turns involving traumatic brain injury. A good novel that will create lively book discussions.

The following review will be posted on my blog on Sunday, December 4th, 2 days before publication. It will be shared on Twitter and Instagram closer to the day of publication, as well, but it has already been posted on Goodreads. The blog post includes links to order the books and to its Goodreads page, so readers can add it to their to-be-read books.





“Okay, she typed. Okay, weirdo, I’ll humor you.”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 5+ stars
Spicy Meter: 4 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Discusses and describes car accidents, suicide, and physical therapy. Describes panic attacks. Has explicit sexual content.

“Twice in a Lifetime” follows Isla, an insecure graphic designer that, due to her struggles with generalized anxiety disorder, decides to leave Chicago for rural Missouri. All is well until, one day, she receives a text message from her non-existing husband(?). Isla knows she’s not married but Ewan assures her he is actually texting from the future, in hopes to change their fate. Isla, naturally, doesn’t believe him—until he send her an all-too-real picture of them on their wedding day. In this novel, you’ll get butterflies and heartbreak tied with a pretty little ribbon. Isla’s and Ewan’s story is as unique as it get.

I had not give a book 5+ stars in quite some time, but this book is taking that cake. “Twice in a Lifetime” has been one of my favorite reads this year. With distinct characters and a beautiful setting, sometimes the time traveling aspects of this book weren’t even the most unique part. I fell in love with Isla and Ewan and the love so pure they had for each other—even breaking through timelines.

This fast-paced read delivers on all fronts: it’s steamy and hot, it’s heartfelt, it deals with difficult and uncomfortable topics, it’s sweet, (oh, and did I mention that it’s steamy and hot?). There was a lot of character development, a lot of sincere communication between the characters. You could clearly see how they fell for each other. It truly made me believe in soulmates and that, perhaps, I’ve found the Ewan to my Isla as well.

I would highly recommend this book if you’re looking for a unique, fantastically romance. When reading the description, you might think it’ll be like “Landline” by Rainbow Rowell (which I rated at 3 stars last year), but it couldn’t be further from it.

“Twice in a Lifetime” would be the perfect holiday gift this season. Definitely add it to your cart if you’d like a fast-paced novel that’s more than just a steamy love story.

If you click here, you’ll be redirected to Goodreads, so you can add the book to your TBR list.

Or you could click here, and be redirected to Amazon, so you can order the book.

ARC provided by NetGalley and Alcove Press in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: December 6, 2022

“One of these days, she’d learned to get comfortable with good things happening to her as well as bad things. One day, her heart and her mind might be able to tell the difference between the two.”

Isla is deep in hreif and hiding away in the middle of nowhere. When she receives a text from an unknown number, this man claims to be her husband. She thinks this is some sort of joke but he provides information that no one else should know.

Can Isla stop the things that tear them apart in the future, before it's too late?

This was such an unexpected story about grief, lost, anxiety and second chances

This book was everything I wanted it to be. It had me turned pages without even realizing. It was so good!

The premise of this book intrigued me, and I was very happy that Baron delivered on a great read!

The author did a wonderful job making Isla's struggles with anxiety and depression real for the reader. I feel like people will appreciate how this book makes them feel seen or how it makes them more empathetic human beings. This book is just so tender and is a great pic for a cozy fall read.

That being said, Baron also included a few good plot twists that keep me really interested in the storyline, but I won't spoil them here! I'll definitely read more of her books in the future.

Thanks to Alcove Press for sending me an e-arc on NetGalley.

Time is just a construct, and this romance combines elements from one of my favorite novels, The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger with remnants of The Two Lives of Lydia Bird by Josie Silver. In this poignant story, Isla, on a sort of retreat from a very hard year, gets a text message from a stranger who seems to know her (and of her struggles with depression). Ewan seems to think he is her husband–or will be–and wants to save her from a fate he’s unwilling to disclose. The development of their relationship and the mystery behind what they are to one another made this unputdownable. Savvy readers will guess earlier than I suspected; I am not generally a fan of mystery, because I want to be entertained and lose myself in my reading, rather than figure things out. The tension was wonderfully drawn out, the romance sweet (if on lighter side) and the letdowns piercing. Excellent plotting, pacing, and character development… and a very satisfying conclusion.

Sidenote: The ARC was one of those annoyingly vertical formats where a slip of the thumb sent me back to the beginning of the book, and like rock-climbing I had to book mark each chapter as I went so I could easily find my place again. This is a HUGE pain in the tookus, so I have to really love a book from the get-go to stumble through this painful process of reading it.

I received a free advance reader's review copy of #TwiceInAlifetime from #NetGalley.

The concept of the book is unique, but I didn't really enjoy the execution. At times the book was too slow that I wanted to give up. But then some parts were really good that I wanted to know what will happen next. Overall, Ok read.

When I read the synopsis for Twice in a Lifetime, I was immediately hooked by the premise. Isla is a woman who lives with often crippling anxiety that has become worse after the death of her beloved mother. She moves from a big city to a small cottage and is taking steps to improve her mental health when she gets a text from someone claiming to be her husband texting her from the future. She believes someone is playing a trick on her, but cannot bring herself to block the number. The man, Ewan, is texting to attempt to change their future path and save Isla from something that happens years in the future.

The love story in this book is beautiful and moving, and you could say part of the love story is Isla learning to love herself. The texts from Ewan push her to examine her life and make some changes to better herself- going to a therapist and telling her the truth, using her artistic talents as an additional method of therapy, saying yes to invitations from people who could become her friends. Ewan helps her to see herself as a strong, brave woman who can face any challenge.

There is a conflict in the book that is genuinely moving and shows what a courageous woman Isla has become over the course of her love story with Ewan. I thought the scenes discussing panic attacks and anxiety were extremely well written and shine a light on some of the things people with mental illness struggle with. This is definitely not a light, fluffy rom com as it does deal with several serious issues.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove press for the ARC of this moving book in exchange for my honest feedback.

I felt like the writing could’ve been a lot better.

I didn’t like how Isla immediately jumped to time travel when she got a text from her “husband”. I feel like there should’ve been more of a build up to her thinking that. When you get a text from a strange man claiming to be your husband. you don’t immediately jump to time travel. He hadn’t given any indication yet that he was not from her time. I feel like she should’ve been stuck on him being a stalker or something else first

Thank you to the author and publisher for providing me with a digital ARC of this title via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

This is such a cute story. I found myself wanting to tell everyone about it. Such a great storyline- a woman receives a text from an unknown number only to be told it is her husband on the other line. She of course thinks it is a wrong number or a bad prank until he is able to provide too much info and even a picture that no one else should know. I loved watching them meet and fall in love over these unexplained texts and finding out when and how they would be together in reality. I sometimes got frustrated and wanted to yell "just tell him/her" when they held back feelings or second guessed each other, but overall it really was a sweet and fun read. It gave me that happy cozy feeling you get from a good chick flick where love always wins in the end.

Twice in a Lifetime by Melissa Baron is one of the best novels I have read this year! This beautifully written novel, is the story of Isla, who suffers from extreme anxiety, which escalates after the death of her mother. She leaves Chicago and settles in a small cottage outside St. Louis where she feels her life is more under her control, until she starts receiving texts from a stranger named Ewan, who says he is her future husband.

I loved the descriptions of Isla's anxiety and panic attacks, as it gave me insight into what my adult children, who have anxiety, must have gone through growing up. It was not an experience I thought I had, although after reading about Isla, it appears I did have some anxiety when I was younger, I was just able to rein it in before it became too difficult. The author does a wonderful job of portraying her anxiety and the steps needed to reduce it in order to have a good life.

Thank you to the author, Alcove Press and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review. I highly recommend this novel!

I could make a detailed list of all the things I liked about Twice In A Lifetime but I rather let my feelings talk. Why? Because, yes-the author told this story through the use of words but, to me, she did it mostly through emotions. As a matter of fact, while reading this book, I was completely overwhelmed by feelings... and I mean it in the most positive way! This is actually the main reason why I instantly liked Isla and Ewan and why it was an honor for me to be able to witness their love story from beginning to end. I swear that, page after page, I could feel the attraction and the tension between them. Throughout the book, I could feel their hopes, their joy, their desire, their fears, their sadness, and their despair. I got particularly emotional at the beginning of the story, when Isla and Ewan only communicated through text messages. To me, that can only mean one thing: this book is exceptionally good.
I sincerely think the author succedeed in writing one of those rare and deeply moving love stories that take up residence in readers souls with the intention of never leaving. I am telling you: Twice In A Lifetime is a story you won’t be able to (and will not want to) forget.

Thank you NetGalley and Alcove Press for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll go back to cry.... 'cause... you know... this book wrecked me and, my oh my, I could not be happier about it.

Imagine meeting your future husband texting him and speaking with him. Imagine the chance to know what your future self is doing or had done. Imagine if you could change the circumstances of your future.
Exciting right?
Well, that's exactly what happened with our Isla.
TW: death, anxiety disorder, depression, insecurities, bullying, and suicide.
Isla is a talented graphic designer who suffers from anxiety and depression which come and goes. Used to live in Chicago but after her mother got cancer and passed away and with all the work and life pressure she decides to leave everything and move to Missouri and got herself a beautiful cottage in the suburbs.
One day out of nowhere a text arrives from a man called Ewan and tells Isla that he is her husband speaking to her from the future. However, the thing is Isla and Ewan are no longer together in that future, and only could Isla stop that fate.
The story was one of the most emotional ones I've read this year, it's really heavy and not a fluffy romantic story so be prepared to cry🥺.
It's written in a smooth and grabbing way that you find yourself flipping pages wanting to know what next. Isla is so sweet but she went through much and we get to see and feel her struggles with mental illness and how it was reflected in her way of life and how she battles it. On the other hand, Ewan is an amazing person, the interaction we see between him and Isla was so good, especially the ones from the future.
The book had a dual pov which made it way better.
I totally enjoyed it and I think you will too so make sure to grab your copy and read it as soon as it comes out.

This book gave out “The Midnight Library” vibes! It does mention suicide and death, for anyone who is sensitive to those subjects.

Isla is spot on in regards to living with anxiety and depression. Nothing was over the top, amd felt very real.

Ewan’s involvement fit perfect in the story, connects awesome with Isla.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read & review

After losing her mother and moving out of the city, Isla’s chronic anxiety is running high, and she doesn’t know who to reach out to for help. That’s when she gets a text from a stranger named Ewan who claims to be her husband from the future. Can it be true? And if it is, can he save her from what tore them apart in his timeline?

Twice in a Lifetime is a poignant tale of love enduring through time, space, and adversity. This mind-bending romance is a stunning exploration of destiny and the lengths we’ll go to for the people we love.

📚 Twice in a Lifetime
✍ Melissa Baron
📖 Contemporary Romance
⭐ 4.5/5
🔥🔥🔥

Thank you to @netgalley and @alcovepress for the ARC of Twice in a Lifetime in exchange for an honest review.

The Time Traveler's Wife meets The Sight of You in this devastatingly heartwarming story about soulmates, sacrifice and self worth.
◾
Mourning her mother's death and overwhelmed by a high pressure job, Isla has recently relocated to a quaint cottage on the outskirts of St. Louis in an effort to preserve her mental health. Crippling anxiety and frequent panic attacks have prevented her from making many friends or embarking on the adventures she'd envisioned when moving but that all changes when she gets a bizarre text from a man named Ewan who she's never met- claiming to be her future husband.

He presents her irrefutable evidence of their future relationship and they begin communicating between past and present, consoling each other through immense grief. Through their bond, Ewan hopes to orchestrate a change in fate that may prevent a devastating ending but may also stop their meeting entirely.

Can two people defy a tragic event that brings them together but still ensure they meet? Or are their fates intertwined with loss no matter what?
◾
💭What I loved: Yes, this book was a love story but it was as much about self love as it was about loving another person. There are a lot of layers to Isla and Baron did an excellent job of shedding an authentic lens on what it's like to live with depression and panic attacks with an underlying message about the worthiness of those who battle invisible illnesses. It was clear that Baron wrote with the intention of reducing stigma around mental illness and Ewan was written as a perfect complement and loving companion to Isla as she worked on herself while being a supportive and loving partner to Ewan. I cried some big tears hoping for this endearing couple to get their happy ending.

What I didn't: There was a big jump in time at the end that left some gaps. The epilogue filled in some of those gaps but it almost felt like we were left on a cliff hanger. I'm still trying to figure out the role that the cottage played in their time bending communication but I *think* I liked that it played a part in their love story?
◾
TW: depression, suicide, panic attacks
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Read if you love:
*second chance romance
*mental illness representation
*time bending narratives
◾
See also: The Time Traveler's Wife, The Sight of You, Booked on a Feeling (similar writing style)

#twiceinalifetime #netgalleyarc #netgalley #melissabaron #netgalleyromance #romancereads

What would you do if you got the ultimate second chance?
I'm not talking about a second chance romance, although that does come into play. I'm talking about a second chance at life.

Isla Abbott is struggling.
To fit in.
To meet others.
To be social.
But one random text from a man named Ewan, changes everything.

This is one of those books where you have to suspend disbelief and just enjoy the process. This is as much a love story as it is about recovery. Knowing several people who suffer from anxiety, I thought the author did a good job exploring Isla anxiety - from what triggers her panic attacks, to how debilitating it became at its worst.

As hard as it was to read about Isla’s personal struggles, it was rewarding to see how Ewan helped her through these difficult moments. It showed not his genuine kindness, but how deeply he cared for her on a personal level. I also loved how Isla's confidence blossomed over time. It’s not overnight, as she constantly doubts herself. But when that confidence does come through, she shines.

I'm not sure I'd classify this as a romance, although the love story is truly special. I would recommend this for anyone looking for an emotional story about healing and the will to never give up.