The idea that one small choice can change the whole trajectory of a story has always fascinated me. Five First Chances explores this idea through Lou’s slipping through time and discovering that maybe the path she thought she wanted isn’t the right one after all. This is a second chances story, but prepared to have your heart strings tugged.

The premise and concept of this book is sooooo compelling.

The story is not.

Told from first perspective, this was shockingly superficial and lacked depth in a character.

This was really disappointing.

I love a time loop/groundhog’s day feeling book. This book hits those marks perfectly. I loved it. The characters were terrific. I hope to read more by this author.

Heartbreaking but great story! Has the Groundhog Day thing but with a small twist. Definitely would recommend for someone who wants to read a romance with some heartache in it

Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the eARC of Five First Chances! All opinions in this review are my own.

I am always drawn to time loop books but then get tired of reading the same story over and over. Luckily, this doesn't happen in Five First Chances! I really liked that each chance Lou gets, she tries to approach the situation in another way. SPOILER - I also thought I was going to get stuck reading about Romain in each story but thankfully she ditches him pretty early on. I also liked that Nick goes through the time loop with Lou but wish this had been a little more explored. I don't know if you can call this a romance if Nick dies in the end, but I liked reading about Lou's journey. Overall, this was an incredibly engrossing book that I couldn't put down!

Wow— this book! It reminded me a little bit of The Last Love Note, so if that style of book moved you, I think you would like this.
Five First Chances uses magical realism to bring two people together over time. The novel explores love, but also friendship, found family, letting go, grief, and sacrifice. There’s a little bit of everything here and it was a really moving book. Just make sure you bring the tissues! Overall, I really enjoyed this book as soon as I realized what was actually happening!

Blurb:
What would you do if you had one more chance for the life of your dreams?

Lou feels like she is stuck on the wrong path: alone, in a city far from home, watching other people be happy. When the man she's in love with announces his engagement to someone else, Lou is consumed by 'what ifs'.

That's when she finds herself slipping back in time to a night two years ago, where one small decision changed everything...

My thoughts:
I haven't read many books that had a time loop but I'm surprised to say I enjoyed this one. I like that it was connected with certain events and that the character slowly realizing it little by little made me like it more. The many characters did take me a minute to get straight but once I did I was good the rest of the book! Solid read!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the book in exchange for my honest review!

This was a very interesting book and I had trouble at first wrapping my head around what the author was trying to relate. However, once I got into it, I became more and more intrigued. I loved how everything came together. at the end (with a surprise ending, I might add). This is not what I would necessarily call a "feel good" book but it surely addresses a number of important topics. Would I recommend this book? Absolutely. This is an author with a very creative imagination. I will look forward to future work from her.

Thank you for the opportunity to read Susan Just's great book.
Five First Chances was a wonderful read.

Oh wow! I really loved this one! Time travel/time loop books are my absolute favorites and this one does it so well. I enjoyed how in each loop the characters unfold and we learn more about them. This was a beautiful story.

Five First Chances is ultimately an exploration of love and second chances. Jost skillfully crafts a heartwarming narrative that revolves around five unique love stories, each with its own charm and depth. The characters are well-developed, relatable, and I really enjoyed watching all of their individual journeys. Jost's writing is engaging and laced with humor, making the book an enjoyable and uplifting read. What makes this a unique novel, and one that I would recommend to most everybody, is its ability to seamlessly intertwine the various storylines, creating a cohesive and satisfying narrative. While the overall tone is light-hearted, the book also delves into deeper themes of self-discovery and personal growth. This book was really a feel-good romance that strikes the right balance between sweet and meaningful.

I love a good time loop story and the angst and heartbreak and love that comes from it. this didnt dissapoint me. I love the message about growing and becoming better.

There is a lot of heavy subject matter in this book. Miscarriage, mental health issues, cancer, death and bereavement. They are all central to the story and are used sensitively and not in a gratuitous way.

The ending has a twist and I did not see it coming and was an “OMG!” moment for SURE.
Once you finish this one, the title hits the heart a little harder.

It took me a bit to wrap my brain around the situation, as there's quite a few characters and individual conflicts. But I became instantly hooked once I had everything straight.

As Lou slowly realizes she's being continually transported back two years to Saturday, July 15th, 2017— repeating the same period of time - it's a story of small moments making monumental rippling effects. It’s a BIG TIME L O O P, but also very well written.

“Every single small decision you make can spoil it all.”

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC. I liked the premise of this book, it just ended up falling a little flat for me. I can see how others could enjoy it though!

This was a great "Gorundhog day," loop story. I loved the characters and seeing how each instance affects each of them. How they grow, their happiness or lack of, etc. I like that it also shows the BIG events are going to happen. They still meat all the same people, there is still joy and the tragidies still exist. I literally was sobbing through the last loop. I highly recommend.

Very fun read a la Sliding Doors, or Groundhog Day, Louise starts reliving the same two years. This was the first book I've read by Sarah Jost, but it won't be the last!

Thank you Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark, Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC!

Wow, I normally hate to cry as I read a book. Allergies and smudging my glasses, but I think I can forgive this one. First I misjudged this one and thought it was a lighthearted romance and boy was I wrong. I’m not sure if this time loop constitutes a dip at magical realism or if it is time travel or what, but I don’t want to give too much away, because following along as the layered plot unfolded had me not wanting to put this one down.

What would you do if you had a redo to get things right in your life? Lou gets that chance. Five times. And instead of reliving a day, she lives a period of time. And time loops can feel repetitive, but enough changes in each one that while it’s not fresh, it isn’t grating.

And the beautifully written story that emerges as Lou relives these days are tragic and emotional. It’s been a long time since I stumbled into a book that I was pleasantly surprised.

Absolutely an interesting and unique premise and I was excited to get started, but unfortunately it’s not for me. The main character was just so grating and annoying, I absolutely hated her for most of story but I did really like Nick and some of the other characters in the story. The ending was heartbreaking and also interesting, but not my favorite type of romance.

This was such a fun read! I can't wait for more by this author. I would absolutely recommend! If you are looking for a book to get you back into reading. This is it!

Imagine Groundhogs Day but instead of repeating the same day over and over, you get to repeat the same two years over and over. Louise can't decide which is worse, to have loved and lost or not to have loved at all. In Chance one, Yuki, her best friend, suffers a huge loss. Her friend Ben dies a devastatingly young age. Lou can't wrap her head around it. This loss makes Lou question her own choices over the years and suddenly she finds herself, magically, back in time. She gets another chance to do things a different way. And this continues to happen throughout the book.
Sarah Jost is a new author and Five First Chances is her debut novel. I think Jost is off to a very good start! I love the premise for this book and was hoping to find a little something else in her writing. I think the five chances was a little long and I think Lou would have made drastic changes with the knowledge that she had gathered from the repeated trips back to the future. I can appreciate the character growth Jost showed with Louise (Lou) as the book progressed. I'll be honest, I thought she was kind of sappy in the first part of the book, a poor lost soul, running to find her future. I would love to read additional work by Sarah Jost, especially if she continue to bring a little magic touch into her work. Special thanks to NetGalley, Sarah Jost, and Sourcebooks Landmark for the advanced digital Copy in exchange for my honest opinion. 3.5 stars for me #NetGalley