3.5 rounded up.

I was hesitant to dive into The Good Part because time travel premises make me a little itchy. I'm fine with a 13 Going on 30, and a Big, but then something like The Family Man (which involves kids) doesn't settle great with me.

The premise of The Good Part is Lucy Young is 26 and not where she thought she would be at 26. She lives in a small flat with three roommates that have their own messes and idiosyncrasies. The neighbor upstairs keeps taking baths and the water seeps through the floor and onto her bed. Her job is a disaster with no hope for promotions. She can't find meaningful relationships on the apps. So, one night she stumbles home, broke, lost, and encounters an arcade game that grants wishes. She goes with it and basically says take me to the part of my life that is good.

We know where this is going. She wakes up the next day in an unfamiliar bed with luxurious sheets, next to a very handsome stranger. She wakes up 42, married, with two kids, and a very successful job in TV production.

She has no idea what happened the last 16 years. But her wish came true, because she is at the good part.

Or is she?

This book wasn't super sci-fi or romance, though there are romantic parts. It's about self-discovery and reflection.

I love the author's note at the beginning of the book. "To my twenty-six-year-old self. Hang in there hon."

Because, girl, same. Twenty six was a long time ago, but I can remember frustrations of job, relationships, housing situations. You feel hopeless that the good part is so out of reach, that it will never happen. But the truth is in life there will always be good parts, and bad parts, and good parts again and all of these experiences help change you and help you grow.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC for my honest review.

In "The Good Part," Sophie Cousens weaves a delightful tale that takes readers on an enchanting journey through the complexities of life and the power of wishes. This five-star novel effortlessly captures the essence of human desires and the bittersweet longing for a life filled with joy.

Lucy Young, the relatable and endearing protagonist, finds herself at a crossroads, yearning for something more in life. Cousens masterfully introduces a unique twist when Lucy stumbles upon a wishing machine, setting the stage for a her adventure. Through Lucy's transformation from a young woman to a mature and fulfilled version of herself, Cousens skillfully explores themes of self-discovery and the pursuit of happiness.

With its engaging storyline, relatable characters, and thought-provoking themes, "The Good Part" is a must-read for anyone seeking a book that will captivate their heart and inspire them to cherish every moment. Sophie Cousens has once again proven herself as a master storyteller, deserving of the highest praise.

thank you to netgalley for the ARC! i loved this book. as a mom, reading about how hard motherhood is from the outside looking in and then watching her fall in love with her kids, it really hit home. it was such a sweet story, and i’ll definitely be reading more of sophie’s books as they come out.

4.25 Stars - Lucy is 26 and her life is not going the way she wanted to. After a terrible date, she ends up in a tiny shop and makes a wish to skip to the good part of her life. She wakes up married with 2 kids and a successful career with no memory of the "in-between.". She now needs to navigate this life of hers,

I thought this book was adorable and had very similar vibes to 13 Going on 30. Lucy's son Felix was so charming and he made me laugh at his dialogue with Lucy. This book made me smile, laugh, and cry. The ending wrapped up nicely.

Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

What a beautiful book. I read this entire book in one sitting and I have no words aside from this—this book is a must read! I admit I shed a tear or two throughout the story. The ending was perfectly bittersweet and I absolutely adored the characters and the friendships between them.

Sorry to shout but I LOVE THIS BOOK SO FUCKING MUCH OMG!!!

Whew. Ok. Not that that's out there, I'll explain why. I'm a fiction girl through and through. I'd love to read books about astrophysics and psychology but alas, I love a good romance or fiction book when I have the time to read a good book. So when I come across a book that not only tells a good story but also makes me FEEL something, well that's truly a special story indeed. And this one is oh so special.

Lucy lives in a flatshare with three other not so hygienic roommates, has a dead end job, and has literally around $43 a week to live off of after paying her expenses. One night after a truly horrific day, she wanders into a shop with a wishing machine. Doing what most of us would I assume, she puts her money in and wishes to get to the good part of her life. Only the machine actually works. She wakes up 16 years older with a husband and two children. While she remembers her old life and understands how she got there, she knows nothing about this new life. No clue the children's names or how to care for them. No memories of meeting her husband or of their life together. What evolves is a truly heartfelt story of a woman trying to make peace with her future while also trying to get back to the past. When she's given the choice to go back to her old life, the decision is a hard one for her. While laying out the honest struggles of working motherhood and marriage, we also get a front row seat to Lucy's existential struggle. To stay ahead, or go back and live it all again.

This book is magic! I spent time putting it down and thinking of my own life in some parts, and in others simply sobbing. It's beautiful. It's raw and real and describes the human struggle better than I've ever saw it described. Especially being a mother. Towards the end I started to realize that every single day is truly the good part. The sad days. The hard days. The amazing days all come together and make you exactly who you are. This is a thoroughly well written and well thought out beautiful book that I'll read again when in a slump to remind myself that no matter what, my very existence is truly good.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Thank you to NetGalley, Sophie Cousens, and Penguin Group Putnam for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was such a heartfelt, beautifully-written book. Although it has a fantasy element, which I usually don’t love, the plot unfolds with such depth and emotion that I found myself unable to put it down.

Thanks to Putnam Group for my ARC!

***Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House (G.P. Putnam's Sons) for this ARC in exchange for a review.***

4.25 stars ⭐️ Ever wish you could skip over the tough days, the messy parts, the dead ends and get to the good stuff?

After a truly terrible day, twenty-six-year-old Lucy has managed to wish herself into the future. She's shocked to wake up in a forty-two-year-old-body, with a (gorgeous) husband and two kids calling her Mom. She can't remember a single thing about the last sixteen years and struggles to find her footing in a life that's hers but... not. Did skipping ahead solve her problems or did she just miss out on her youth? Should she go back? Can she go back?

I absolutely devoured this book. I'm such a fan of anything even remotely reminiscent of Sliding Doors, so when I read the premise I was all in. The pacing was wonderful from the very first page when we are introduced to Lucy at the start of her epically bad day. She's stuck in a laughable living situation and a job that doesn't appreciate her (or pay her!) and she can't seem to figure out how to meet a partner who is worth her time. It's such a relatable story of being in your 20's and thinking everyone else has things figured out. I appreciated that the story felt balanced between whimsical and grounded in this very human experience. The story continues after the time hop and it becomes much more nuanced and deep. Marriage is complex, parenting is hard, her work-life is challenging...

I didn't know what to expect out of this story, a romance? a journey to self discovery? A story about lifelong friends? It was all of those things and greater than the sum of its parts. There were so many touching moments between Lucy and her friends, her husband and her children. I could feel how much Sophie wrote from the heart; a story about finding grace for all versions of yourself and learning to not wish time away just because growth (and life) can be messy and uncomfortable.

For as deep and introspective as this book is (it definitely deals with some tough topics), it was also hilarious. I found myself laughing quite a bit, appreciating the levity and humor written into the characters. This is such a charming book and as a 35 (almost 36) year-old, I felt perfectly positioned to take in the lessons of this story from opposing angles.

I do wish there had been a few more moments of Lucy having time to reflect alone throughout the book, I would even argue the book could have been a bit longer to allow for this. Maybe I just wasn't ready to end the story 😂

If you're looking for a feel-good book with substance and strong writing, definitely add this one to your fall TBR.

Absolutely fantastic plot! Could not put the book down once I began reading it. Cannot wait for it to be released. Will recommend it to everyone I know!

What a sweet, yet existential, book! As Lucy tries to make sense of the new world she wakes to, it reminds the reader that it is the journey not the destination that makes your life meaningful. I appreciated seeing a main character manage the struggles of both her 20s and 40s in terms of career, relationships, and parenthood. It raises the questions what is the "good part" of life and what makes it "good" in a lighthearted way. A truly enjoyable read!

Thanks so much Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley.

Lucy is 26 and tired of her life. When the end of an awful date finds herself in a storm with no money to get home, she takes shelter in a tiny shop. She makes a wish that she could fast forward life to the good part.

She wakes up and she has a ring on her finger, a family and gorgeous husband, and the career she wanted. Lucy tries to figure it all out while searching for a way to get back to her time.

I love books that involve a little time travel. I can relate to Lucy, and I remember being in my 20s in the midst of heartbreak and wondering when I was going to get to where I thought I would be. It's funny how you sit in parts of your life and have to realize it was what you asked for at another point in life. I liked Lucy and she definitely had a lot of growing up to do. This book is a reminder that 26 is so young! I laughed a lot. I kind of wanted Lucy to stay in the future, and I can also see why she wanted to leave at times. Every character is great in this.

It didn't hold my personal interest but I can see it being an easy 3-4 stars with general audiences.

I made it to about 6% in but was getting bored of Lucy's day, skipped to 10% when Dale is introduced, read another 2%, and ended up just not feeling interested in either one of the MCs.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the ARC.

Thank you net galley and publisher for this ARC. I really enjoyed this book from Sophie Cousens. I could relate to the main character and wanting to tell my 20-year-old self to just enjoy the ride and that it will all work out. I was very curious to see how it would all end. This was a cute book and I'll be recommending it.

✨Ｂｏｏｋ Ｒｅｖｉｅｗ✨

The Good Part 📚 by Sophie Cousens

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What a cute read! I teared up several times with this one 😥 It makes you want to tell your 20s year-old self to enjoy the ride. This book is similar to other stories out there - about time travel...let's fast forward to "the good part" but the characters, relationships and emotions sets it apart from other similar stories. I wasn't sure if the main character would choose t.
o stay in her future life or go back to her 20s. It's one that makes you think about the importance of enjoying the present moment, no matter how difficult it may seem.

Thank you to @netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the #advancedreaderscopy!

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All the nostalgia. If you grew up with the classics of Big, 13 Going on 30, and Freaky Friday- Sophie Cousens delivers all that your 90s heart can manage. But the story strikes a different chord as an adult- live now. Loved.

It's been a long time since I've read a book that took me back to my childhood. When I was reading this, I felt like I was a kid again watching 13 Going on 30, Freaky Friday, The Vow, and 17 Again (in reverse order) and I loved every minute of it.

It's been a long while since I've read a book that I also didn't want to rush through and get to the next chapter. I wanted to take my time and enjoy the story that Cousens was conveying to me as a reader.

I cried at the sad parts, laughed at the funny parts, and smiled at the good parts.

Sometimes with time travel novels I get lost in the weeds of how everything would work. Luckily with this one, the story pulled me right in and I was able to focus on the storyline. I flew though this and was so happy with the ending.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Sophie Cousens knocked it out of the park yet again with The Good Part. I. LOVED. IT.

Humor: 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Spice: 🌶️
Story: 📚📚📚📚📚
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Lucy is 26, lives outside of London in an over crowded apartment, and is stuck at the bottom rung of her career at a local TV station. As all her friends are growing up and making something of themselves, Lucy feels like she’s broke and going nowhere.

After an especially brutal day, she makes a wish on an old-timey wishing machine to “skip to the good part” of life. When she wakes up the next morning she’s in a luxurious bed, next to a sexy stranger, and in a body that she doesn’t recognize.

Over the next few weeks, Lucy must decide if she wants the dream career, the incredible husband, and the two children she suddenly woke up with, or if she wants to go back in time and live the life she fast-forwarded through.

The Good Part was not what I expected from a RomCom. Comedic? Yes! Romantic element? Yes! But the themes were much more than “romantic love conquers all.” Self-love, self-acceptance, and not wishing your life away were heard loud and clear. The parts that stuck with me the most were the ode to the messiness of motherhood and the love letter to all of us middle-aged women out there who don’t necessarily recognize the person they see in the mirror.

The Good Part is an incredible story that had me laughing (literally) and crying (again literally) with equal abandon. Sophie Cousens is masterful.

This was such a good read! I'm a huge fan of Cousens and was so excited to read her latest- and it didn't disappoint! A sweet romance while also full of surprises and delight.

YOOOO i had no idea going into this that it was going to be a time travel story! that part was so interesting and handled very well for a contemporary fiction atmosphere and lucy 🥹 she has my heart, definitely wouldn’t miss this one!