I’ve been absolutely LOVING magical realism and this has to be one of my all time favorites. This was so heartwarming and gave me the warm&fuzzies. If you liked Seven Year Slip or any of Cousens other books, absolutely pick this up!!

I swear every time Sophie Cousens writes a book they just get better and better, and as with her previous novel I absolutely LOVED The Good Part. This is time travel book 4 for me in the last couple of months and the only one that has left me with a smile on my face and tears in my eyes in quite the way this story did. Besides the book itself being amazingly touching and fresh, I loved the last section in the book where people are giving advice to their 26-year-old selves. This isn't something that was in the audiobook, so please do yourself a favor and make sure you have a copy of the book in another format as well! While I did say this story is fresh, it is also very reminiscent of the movie 13 Going on 30 which I watched and loved when it first came out. Lucy isn't quite sure of her place in the world, and the things she learns when she jumps from the young age of 26 to 42 are priceless.

I would also strongly recommend the audiobook which just made my entire experience that much better. Kerry Gilbert was a terrific narrator and she totally fit with Lucy in all the best ways. Her pace, pitch, and emotion were all on point and even though I loved the storyline, I loved hearing it through Gilbert's voice even more. The Good Part made my heart swell, and there are plenty of funny moments along with some that are much more serious. I would definitely recommend checking triggers on StoryGraph beforehand if you do have any, but for the most part, this isn't a super heavy read. It also isn't set at Christmas but would be a perfect choice if you are looking for something to make you laugh, cry, and just feel generally good about yourself afterward. It teaches that life can be messy, but it is here to be lived all the way through.

This was a kind of fun, slightly different take on a time travel book, though I was disappointed in the ending. I was very interested to see where this was going to go, and enjoyed the process of getting there, until I saw what was happening. I just wish there had been a bit more. Overall this was fun and cute though.

Loved every part of this book! Sophie Cousens does it again. It was a beautifully written story about the choices we make that make us. Highly recommend!

Lucy Young is going through it. At 26 her life is nothing like she thought it would be. She lives in a run down flat with horrible roommates, goes on continually horrible dates, and can’t break out of her entry level job despite her best efforts. When she comes across a wishing machine, she wishes to get to the good part of her life. When the wish comes true, it’s not everything she thought it would be.

This made me think. How wonderful would it be to wake up in an amazing life? But how sad would it be to miss everything that led up to it? Falling in love with your husband, the birth of your child, and all the little moments in between.

Thank you Net Galley for the eARC. This one was huge letdown for me. DNF at 50%. I just couldn't connect with the main character and the storyline fell flat for me.

I overally liked the concept of this book. Everyone wants to get to the good part of their lives but sometimes the ride is what makes all the reward and happiness worth it. That is what happens in this book. It was very 13 going on 30 and all the movies that relate to this. Plus, I did not like the ending.

I really wanted to love this book and some parts of this book were very enjoyable. But to start to finish it was just ok. Still recommended but not the best.

Thanks to Net Galley, Sophie Cousens and Penguin Group Putnam and Sons for an ARC in echange fir an honest review.

Already available

I had high hopes for this book & unfortunately it fell kind of flat for me. The good thing is that it is a quick & easy book to read.

I found the way Lucy acted once she came to the future was not how a person would really act. I also feel like the end made the whole book kind of pointless.

Ultimately I wouldn’t recommend this book, which is a shame because I did like the other two books that I’ve read by this author.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you NetGalley Penguin / Putnam Group for this advanced copy.

I adored this book! I completely binged it! I felt entirely seen as a woman who has survived major heartbreak. A good friend of mine said she has never felt more seen as a mother. This story is going to resonate with SO MANY people!!! It's such an eye opening book that really makes you think. If you could skip to the good part, would you?? I can’t wait to hear other people’s thoughts, but this was my favorite read for the month! I added all of Sophie Cousens' backlist to my TBR!

I don't want to list any spoilers, but definitely research the trigger warnings on this book if you're a sensitive reader. There are a couple of topics that could be troublesome for some readers.

3.75 stars

This was a good combination of women's fiction, romance, and sci fi almost? We follow Lucy, who is in her twenties and absolutlely hating it. After a night out ends horribly, she finds herself sheltering from a storm in a nearby news shop. She wishes upon a wish machine to ~get to the good part~. The next morning, she wakes up in her forties, next to a super hotties, with 2 kids and her dream job.

Lucy has to navigate this new (her future) life and realizes that missing out on 16 years of her life to get to the good part isn't what it's made out to be.

This was a good coming of age story and had me reflecting a lot. I found myself most attached to Sam (the MC's future husband) and was really rooting for them. I wish the ending gave just a LITTLE bit more and it would've been a 4 star read.

The Good Part

Thank you to Putnam Books and NetGalley for the advance copy.

Lucy’s life is far from ideal - her job, her love life, and even her housing situation are all a mess and she’s tired of it all. During a sudden rainstorm after another terrible first date, Lucy finds herself in a tiny shop that has a wishing machine. She makes a wish to skip to the good part of her life. The next morning, she wakes up, in an unfamiliar home, next to a handsome man. She has a ring on her finger, 2 kids calling her mom, and the perfect job. Oh, and she’s suddenly about 40 years old. While her life is perfect, she has no memories from the missing years and has to fill in the blanks as she goes.

I love Sophie Cousens writing and this book was *chefs kiss*. Of the many time lapse books I’ve read this winter, this was the most emotional journey. Lucy’s journey was filled with moments of joy and heartbreaking moments, and Sophie really captured all of the feels throughout this story. This is a book that had me both laughing out loud and tearing up at different points. The side characters here were incredible - Lucy’s husband, Sam, was incredibly patient and kind, her friends were amazing, and her son was so wise and sweet. And I adored her former neighbor Mr. Finkley. I highly recommend picking this book up - you won’t regret it!

I loved every single one of these characters. I was sad when this book ended because I truly just wanted to keep reading about this sweet family. Overall, this was a fantastic read. It was fun and heartwarming. I felt the ending was a bit rushed.

Another great book by Sophie Cousens! I have become a huge fan of hers and this one was no different. Great characters and great story.

This book was so freaking adorable! I read it a couple months ago and it was just so cute! Kept me hooked the whole time.

📖: The Good Part
✏️: @sophie_cousens
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨️/5

This book depicts the perfect reminder for the catch phrase "Live in the moment." The overarching theme of appreciating every chapter of life; the good, the bad, and especially the stressful, is such a strong message in this book, and I appreciated the gentle reminder. Because, let's be honest, the chapter of life I am currently in is stressful!!

I loved the themes of friendship through the book and appreciated getting to see a glimpse of the early days of Lucy with her friends, compared with the future days with her friends.

Now, Felix...what can I say, he is a character wise beyond his years, and I found his sense of wonder and imagination to be a heartwarming addition to the storyline. He was by far my favorite secondary character.

Overall, I found the plot to be heartwarming, the characters were endearing, and the pace was perfect for the story from start to finish!

Happy pub day to The Good Part!

Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

The author has yet again created a masterpiece, and I am thoroughly impressed with their work!
Lucy is feeling stuck in her dead-end job, living with unproductive roommates and going on dates with the wrong guys. One day, she discovers a wishing machine and makes a wish to fast forward to the moment in her life when everything is sorted out. To her surprise, she wakes up in a strange house with a stranger sleeping next to her and two children who require her attention. As she looks at herself in the mirror, she realizes that she has aged 16 years!
Determined to return to her old life and not mess up the present one, Lucy begins to question if returning is what she truly wants. Despite missing 16 years of her life, she discovers that her new life is equally amazing. As someone who enjoys movies that involve time travel or time loops, this book did not disappoint. It is a touching and captivating story that will tug at your heartstrings.

This was a sweet story with endearing characters. It's both heartwarming and entertaining. I enjoyed it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the E-ARC

All thoughts and opinions are honest and my own.

The Good Part is my 4th novel by Sophie Cousens and it might just be my new favorite.
Lucy is in her mid twenties and struggling: with her job that doesn't seem to be going anywhere, her dead end and disastrous relationships with men, and struggling with her changing relationships with life long friends. She wishes life would just "get to the good part". Thanks to her encounter with a wishing machine, she is catapulted into the future 16 years and suddenly finds herself at 42 with a fantastic career, a cinnamon roll husband, and fun quirky children that she doesn't recognize. I know you have heard this story before but trust me, Sophie Cousens does it justice and then some.

Lucy isn't quite sure if she has jumped in the future or if she has a sudden bout of amnesia. Her struggle is definitely real as she tries to cope with life in the future. I loved watching Lucy trying to navigate her new career success, instantly parent a precocious 7 year old (who thinks she is an alien and wants his mom back) and an adorable inquisitive toddler, and especially fight her growing feelings for sexy husband.
As Lucy slowly begins to embrace her new life, she discovers there may be a way to go back. But if she can go back, does she really want to? Grab "The Good Part" and find out for yourself. I am extremely grateful to Sophie Cousens, NetGalley, and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam/G.P. Putnam's Sons for providing me with a digital reviewer copy in exchange for an honest review. The Good Part is now available for purchase.

Thank you to @netgalley and @putnambooks for the advanced copy!

𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲: The Good Part
𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿: Sophie Cousens
𝗡𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿: Kerry Gilbert
𝗣𝘂𝗯 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲: November 7, 2023
5⭐️

⏰ 𝙈𝙮 𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 ⏰
Wow, I can see why this book has been given such high ratings! It’s a book anyone can pick up and learn something from. 26
year old Lucy is tired of her job going nowhere and her living situation. She wishes she could just skip to the better part of her life where things are more settled.

The next morning Lucy wakes up in an unfamiliar bed, next to a man she doesn’t know and a ring on her finger. She soon discovers she has skipped past 16 years of her life. She now has an awesome job, 2 kids and a great husband. After getting to know her future life, Lucy has a choice - stay here where things are great or go back to her current age and live forward - leaving behind the great unknown.

This book is heartfelt and humorous. I think it would be a delightful read for many, especially if you are going through a time of struggle.

Put this one on your Christmas list ya’ll!!

I love a good wish gone wrong but … right? This was engaging from start to finish and I love the way Cousens writes. I laughed, I cried, I said “What the hell?!” Overall really fun read!