This book is about an existential life leap and it was fun! It is just as charming as the previous Sophie Cousens books. The premise is brilliant. Lucy is finally living the life she dreamed of but she could not remember the last 16years. At all. She cannot remember how she met her husband, what she does at work, and the most challenging one, in my opinion, she doesn't know how to be a parent to her firecracker of a son Felix and her baby girl. The conversations between Lucy and Felix about her timetravel keeps the tone of the book light. Lucy has had great loses in those years she cannot remember but Sophie Cousens balances out the sad parts of Lucy's story with funny moments. Lucy's husband Sam is a great partner, patient and supportive. Noone can blame her for falling in love with him for the second time.

I requested an ARC of The Good Part by Sophie Cousens on a whim, but what a pleasant surprise! I definitely loved this fun and thoughtful book! It was just the kind of feel-good book I needed!

Sophie Cousens is in television and that added authenticity to her main character's profession, but I also think it has influenced her writing in the entertainment area! This book felt like a wonderful rom-com movie, reminiscent of Big, but with a delightful, relatable twist!

Lucy is 26 years old, young and broke, fighting to climb the ladder in her career and getting no where. She finds a magical wishing machine after a truly horrific night and wishes to get to "The Good Part" of her life...... and she wakes up 16 years in the future. For those of us nearing that 40 year mark and beyond, I think she has it backwards? Haha.

But this truly was a heartwarming, fun ride. In the vein of Tuck Everlasting it reminds us to "Be afraid of an unlived life."

5 stars.

Lucy is 26 and ready to skip to the good stuff in her life. The ceiling in her bedroom of her shared apartment leaks whenever her upstairs neighbor takes a bath. Dating is a string of disappointments. She works in TV production, but her dream of actually doing anything productive (rather than gopher work) seems distant. One night, when she’s really had enough, she takes shelter from the rain in a shop that holds a wishing machine. Putting a couple of coins in, she makes her wish.

And the next day, she wakes up in a comfortable bed in a tastefully decorated bedroom. With a strange man sleeping next to her. After some moments of panic, and plenty of information-gathering, Lucy figures out that the wish must have come true. She’s skipped forward to marriage to a good man, a desirable job, and even parenthood. But she’s 42, and she lost 16 years of life: life she doesn’t remember.

As Lucy slowly gets to know her husband, accepts her older face and body, and picks up a little bit about parenting, she tries to figure out how to get back to 26. But as time goes on and she seems stuck at 42, it grows on her. It finally comes down to this: should she stay in a life that is pretty darn good, knowing she’s lost years of life, or should she fight to get back to the earlier stage that is kinda crappy but still allows her to experience all of it?

The Good Part is a charming novel. The author writes in the acknowledgments that the book “takes inspiration from” many familiar movies, such as Big, 13 Going on 30, and The Family Man. I particularly noticed very clear elements from the first and last. Sometimes it felt a bit too spot-on, but at the same time, those are beloved for good reason: they resonate. Many of us make wishes like this, but if those wishes really were granted, we would end up realizing we don’t want them after all. Here, I was actually torn: Lucy’s life is so good, her relationships with her husband and her 7-year-old son so sweet, that I didn’t want her to go back. (Her son is a kick in the pants. Anyone would want a 7-year-old boy like him.) What would really happen: what would Lucy (and Cousens) choose?

I really enjoyed all of this book.

4.5 stars, rounded up.

Lucy is tired of waking up and getting curve balls thrown in her direction. Her best friend is moving out, she doesn't like her other roommates, she keeps getting bad dates, and she doesn't seem to be moving up on the ladder at work. Tired of fetching coffee for others, Lucy makes a wish to "skip to the good part" of her life. When she wakes up the morning, she finds herself in a strange house with a husband and kids she did not know about. Little by little, Lucy finds out more about her life and what she missed over the last 16 years.

This was such a heartwarming book. There were times I was laughing along, and then the next my chest is tightening with emotion. I loved the overall message of this book. The Good Part is definitely a book that is a reread. The first time to enjoy and the second time to fully grasp the messages, especially after a time where it seems nothing is going your way.

Read if you enjoyed:
- 13 Going On 30
- Freaky Friday

Thank you so much to the publisher for my gifted eARC in exchange for an honest review!

26 year old Lucy is broke, an intern in a production studio who can’t seem to advance in her career, and is tired of terrible first dates. She stumbles on a wishing machine and wishes to skip to the good part of her life. When she wakes up in the morning, it’s 16 years into her future and she amazed by the “good ” things- husbands, children, an amazing career. But as time goes on and she can’t get back to being 26, Lucy wonders if skipping ahead was worth losing living life during those 16 years.

Lucy’s struggles as a mom and wife made me personally feel so seen. The scenes of trying to get out of the house with kids were so real! Lucy also becomes aware of some major tragedies that happened in those 16 years. It made me grateful for my own husband and for all the celebrations and tragedies we have faced together.

This book will be one of my favorites for the year! It was a wonderful look at life and how no matter what it throws at you, you have to lean on those who love you unconditionally. I love all of Sophie’s books but this one and last year’s are her best! Can’t wait to see what’s next!

In the aftermath of her worst day, Lucy stumbles upon a mysterious wishing machine and impulsively wishes to fast-forward to the good part of her life. To her shock, she wakes up in her own future—but in a body decades older. Terrified yet intrigued, Lucy navigates her unfamiliar executive role, embraces motherhood to two adorable babies, and grapples with loving the man now her husband. Trapped in the unintended consequences of her wish, Lucy faces a pivotal decision: return to her 26-year-old self or embrace this unexpected chapter as the good part of her life.

For fans of charming romcoms, Sophie Cousens delivers once again. If you enjoyed her previous work, "This Time Next Year," be sure to add this delightful tale to your reading list!

What a sweet and fun read that had me rooting for Lucy the whole time! As a mom, I loved all the scenes that had Lucy learning how to be a mom. The struggle is real sometimes haha! I laughed, I teared up, and I genuinely enjoyed everything about this book! Definitely recommend this book if you’re in the mood for a light read with a bit of magical realism.

Sometimes a lady (me!) just needs a heartwarming story and this one fit the bill perfectly! 💗

Twenty-six year old Lucy feels like her life is going no where. All her friends are finding love or success in their career which makes her only feel like more of a failure. After a horrendous night out she runs into a news agent to keep from the pouring rain. What she finds is a wishing machine. So she drops in a few coins and wishes to be transported to a place in her life where she's content and happy.

Your wish has been granted.

Now Lucy wakes up to find herself in someone else's bed. And there is a man sleeping next to her. Crap!!! How much did she drink last night, she thinks. She tip-toes to the bathroom and to her horror she see's her reflection in the mirror. She's......old. What in the world is happening?

Turns out she has traveled sixteen years into the future. She's married, has two kids, and a successful career at a television studio.

The only problem is that she can't remember anything from the in-between.

What's better? Being happy now but never knowing how you got there or really living the experience for yourself savoring each and every moment that brought you to the place you are today. Lucy must decide.

Such a cute story with lovable characters. Every woman needs a husband like Sam. Lucy hit the marriage jackpot and it's always a wonderful experience to read about a nice guy for a change. A precocious son, a toddler with a mind of her own, and strong group of girlfriends round out the cast of characters. Sophie Cousins is becoming my new feel-good author to read after having loved another of her books. Easy breezy reading yet still touching on heavy topics made this an enjoyable reading experience. 4 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for my complimentary copy.

I absolutely love Sophie Cousen’s books and The Good Part was no exception. This one hit me right in the feels and had me feeling pretty emotional at times. I think we all can related to wanting to skip ahead to the “good part” at some point in our lives.

I highly highly recommend this gem of a book and I strongly suggest going in pretty blind, as well as avoiding reviews that give a little too many details prior to reading.

I can’t wait to gobble up whatever Cousens whips up next!

Thank you to NetGalley, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the review copy of this book.

Lucy makes a wish one terrible evening to just "skip to the good part" of her life. But is it everything she hoped it would be? In her mind she's still mid 20's, single, living in a not so great apartment with roommates, and working for a promotion at work. So what happens when she wakes up 16 years later, married, with 2 kids, and has her dream job? What would you do in this situation?

This gave me 13 Going on 30 vibes right from the start. I would definitely recommend.

I love a good time leap story ... The Time Traveler's Wife, 13 Going on 30 ... it opens up your mind for all sorts of possibilities. And Sophie Cousens does not disappoint us in that endeavor with the simple question: what if you could skip the parts of your life where you're struggling and skip to the good bit?

With a single wish during a particularly garbage evening, Lucy does just that -- skipping ahead 16 years. But it comes with its own challenges and Lucy must decide if she'll take the shortcut or go back to live all the bad parts.

Lucy is a completely fallible character that you love, hate, and relate to all at the same time. And the premise is so splendidly put together that I found myself just as torn as Lucy when she had to make her ultimate decision. How would I handle it? How did I want her to handle it?

I'm still not sure if I agree with her final decision, but Cousens didn't leave me dissatisfied either. The ending provides enough closure for you to close the book in contentment but also leaves just a slight crack for you use your imagination to fill in. No cliffhangers but a lovely conclusion to the singular wish journey of our Lucy.

This rom com was kind a meh for me, I didn't love it but I also didn't hate it. But it was a fairly quick read.

Lucy, in her twenties makes a wish to skip to "the good part" of her life. When she wakes up the next morning, she is living an unrecognizable life in house with a husband and children she has never seen before. Is this really what she wants? Is getting to the good part really worth the struggle? Lucy soon begins to yearn for her old life while struggling with the thought of leaving this new life she has grown to love. I laughed, I cried and I cheered for Lucy. This book was heartfelt, raw and so much fun to read.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

Oh, this book! I know it would be classified as magical realism, but it really makes a person stop and think "what would I do in this situation?"lol

Lucy is twenty-six and stuck in her life with her job, relationships, and living arrangements. One night she comes across a wishing machine and makes a wish... "Please, let me skip to the good part of my life." The next morning, she wakes up in a place and a life she does not know! It appears it is sixteen years later, and she is a wife and mother of two. There are some sweet, heartfelt moments as Lucy tries to figure out this new world. I adored this new life and her family. Sam is the perfect book husband, patient and loving no matter the circumstances the two are facing. Watching Lucy and Sam grow closer in the current timeline...gah, so lovely! Sam's emotions of loving the current Lucy, but also feeling conflicted like he was betraying the Lucy from before and their past history. There were so many heart retching moments as Lucy fills in the lost timeline. But also, moments of pure joy, love and healing. Her little boy Felix absolutely captured my heart as he tried to help his "imposter mother" get back to the right timeline. Up until the end, I wasn't sure if Lucy would risk her current life to go back to her past timeline knowing there were no guarantees her life would follow the same path...

5 stars

This one is for the 13 Going on 30s girlies who miss the rom-coms of the early aughts. Sophie Cousens has been on my list of authors to try for awhile now and I'm so glad I finally gave her a chance. The Good Part was so cute and I really enjoyed the romance between Lucy and Sam, but what I was surprised by was just how funny this book was. There was so much humor in the writing. Still, the author never shied away from the sadder moments of life, and we got to see Lucy navigate those as someone who was expecting only the good parts. I'm glad we got to see some character growth from her.

I also loved how Stanley Tucci is the voice of the future.

Thank you to Putnam and NetGalley for a review copy. I can't wait to read from this author's backlist.

I love books with a time travel element so I was really drawn to this one! It reminded me so much of Big, 13 Going on 30, etc! It was a little more women’s fiction than I wanted it to be and I felt like I wanted to know Sam a bit more and definitely needed more from the ending but loved the kids; Felix especially was a firecracker and hilarious. There were also times I found Lucy immature but it diminished as the story went along and helped emphasize her character arc. All in all I would recommend if you enjoy heartwarming stories. I own all of Cousens’ backlist so I am curious to read those!

Rating: 5/5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Meet Lucy, a 26 year old who is broke and just trying to figure out life. Dating is rough, getting to a better position at work is rough; especial when friends are starting to get their life together. It’s when she find a wishing machine and she wishes for the good part in life that she wakes up next to a man and finds that she’s married and has children?! But is it really her dream come true?
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The Good part is told in a single POV, following Lucy as she navigates through the future, finding out how the world has changed and realizing all of the things that she has missed out on. This is a women’s fiction with so many incredible message about life that will have you appreciating whatever hardships you’ve experienced in life. Need some romance in your women’s fiction? This has it too, and let me just say - her husband is a dream.
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You’re going to feel all of the emotions in this one. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry and you’ll feel so grateful for all of your memories and experiences, the good and the bad. It’s the perfect book to call heartwarmingly bittersweet, if that makes sense. It’s a fast paced addicting read that will have you flying through the pages to see what happens next in Lucy’s world. You’ll quickly fall in love with all of the characters as they were well thought out, extremely relatable and totally lovable.
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I am obsessed with Sophie Cousens. She has a way of creating stories that will have a lasting effect on you. I’m about to be 34 and I definitely remember being in my 20’s, in nursing school feeling absolutely defeated by life and just wishing for the good part. Here I am in my 30’s with an amazing job in the NICU, the most beautiful and amazing daughter and the best friends and family a girl could ask for. But would I have traded the things I’ve learned along the way and the hardships I’ve faced to get to where I am now? No, not now that it’s all said and done, in the moment though, I may have used that wishing machine.
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The Good Part was just released on November 7th, dont sleep on this one - you’re going to want to read it! Huge thank you to NetGalley, Sophie Cousens and Putnam for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

What a heartwarming but still humorous story! It had a little of both, was a great romance read! I enjoyed it!

Very sweet and emotional love story! We have a lot of romance readers and this is just the adult romance that can be read by teen readers.

I always enjoy Sophie Cousens’ novels because they are heartwarming stories with themes that tend to really resonate with me. With its theme of “be careful what you wish for,” Cousens’ latest novel The Good Part is my favorite yet.

Lucy Young is 26 years old and is already just over how her life is going. She dreams of a career in television but so far has spent most of her time at the station where she works fetching coffee for others, even after earning a promotion to Junior Researcher. To add insult to injury, the job doesn’t even really pay enough for her to live on. Her personal life is just as much of a letdown as her professional one, and after another particularly bad date leaves her stranded near a tiny shop that happens to have a wishing machine in it, Lucy makes a desperate wish to please let her skip to the good part of her life. When she wakes up the next morning, Lucy is suddenly a forty-something year old married woman with children, and she also has her dream job. Has she skipped to the good part or has she simply missed out on most of her life?

I loved this story in part because it reminded me of several of my favorite movies like Big with Tom Hanks and It’s a Wonderful Life, which both feature that similar glimpse into what an alternate life could be like as well as that theme of be careful what you wish for. I also loved that this is a story that really makes you think about your own life and whether or not you’ve made it to the good part or would wish to skip over certain parts to, in theory, get to something better.

One of my absolute favorite parts of The Good Part though is watching Lucy’s journey as she navigates this new life she has found herself in. She has no idea if she’ll ever get back to her own life, or if she even wants to, so she decides to embrace where she is and try to make a go of it. There are of course plenty of humorous missteps along the way, particularly as Lucy adjust to technological advances and such, but it is just so lovely watching her get to know her husband Sam and their children. There is a bit of a romantic element as Lucy begins to really see how her future self could fall for Sam, but that is definitely secondary to Lucy’s journey to find herself.

If you’re in the mood for a heartwarming, humorous story that will leave you with plenty of food for thought about your own life, I highly recommend The Good Part.