Would you want to know when you are going to die? That's what Marian gave Olivia as a birthday present (really?). Now Olivia is thinking about how she's lived her life and what she wants to do in the future. And, she's helping Marian who is conflicted about many things. Interesting look at friendship and mortality.

Olivia Strauss finds herself contemplating her mortality and the success of her life. Her story is highly relatable as she discusses her fears, failures and the things she wants to complete before she runs out of time. The writing is conversational between Olivia and the reader with majority of the content occurring as inner monologue. This format creates significant room for the reader to connect with the content and reflect on their individual feelings. While I spent majority of the book frustrated with Olivia for her actions, I spent almost the same amount of time reflecting on my life thus far and my progress towards my goals. The writing was decent, but the prose was a bit lacking and the formatting of the texts on page was not great at representing what the texts actually said (or it didn't read well in the netgalley shelf app -either way not ideal). Overall, the concept was interesting and thought provoking.

Olivia, an aspiring poet, is turning 39. Her best friend, Marian, takes her to a wellness clinic as a birthday present so they can find out their death dates.
I really enjoyed the first half of this book and it had me turning the pages. I did relate to Olivia as a mother but also as a person with their own dreams apart from having a family. It touched on topics that make you think about your own life. Am I running out of time to reach my dream? Is it too late to do what I really want to be doing?
After about 50% of the book, I felt the story was a bit choppy in a way that it seemed to be ending but then something would start back up, but then it would soon feel like it was wrapping up again just for something to jump back into the story.
This story will definitely stick with me and overall, it was a good quick read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little A for allowing me to read Olivia Strauss Is Running Out of Time by Angela Brown in exchange for my honest review.

All of the stars!! I loved this book! Friendship, dreams, an adult version of "growing up". To me, this was so "life-like". I could picture the neighbors, little Tommy, the "porch cigarettes", etc. I especially liked that this story included a solid marriage/partnership.

I look forward to reading more by Angela Brown.

Overall I did enjoy this book. I recently read The Measure by Nikki Erick. The idea of knowing how much time you have left. It definitely makes you contemplate whether you would want to know when your life will end. I think too much time was spent on the many neighbors of the main character and I found it hard to keep track of who was who. I would read another book by this author!

Olivia and Marian have been best friends ever since they found out they share the same birthday. When Marian gives Olivia a strange birthday gift, it has Olivia questioning her entire life.

This book brings up a lot of very poignant questions many of us have as we age, turn certain milestone ages, move into ages where we thought we would have it all together.

I really liked the story and the reoccurring themes in this book. There were some twists I didn’t see towards the end and I thought it all tied up nicely. Good read!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.

It was OK, fairly predictable and I was pleased to get to the end. Wasted a few hours but wouldn't go searching by more from this author sorry

DNF at 35%. three times through with going to get test results and repeating things over and over with no meaning. marian not going back for results and keep saying she will. olivia is whiny, annoying character who reads as young twenties and not someone 39 and should actually have her shit together.

On Olivia's 39th birthday, she writes out a list of everything that she hopes to accomplish in the next year, and like every previous year she expects to accomplish none of it. Her birthday twin and best friend, Marian, takes her to a sort of spa where the two undergo a genetic test to tell them the date that they will die. Olivia's results tell her that she might not have as much time as she always thought and she has to grapple with the implications. This book explores female friendships, how our lives change as we grow up, and our mortality. The author deals with all of these topics with humor and understanding. Although the characters could be frustrating at times, this seems like a very human response to the issues that they are dealing with. Would recommend to anyone who enjoys contemporary fiction or pondering their own mortality.

3.5 stars

Olivia (MC) is turning 39 when her best friend takes her to a “wellness clinic” where they determine your “expiration date”. Sounds god awful! Let alone, why at 39 would you take someone to this?? Not saying that you should do this at any age, but 39 is still so YOUNG! The ending is pretty predictable, but that didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story itself and had me reflecting on what I want out of life. That said, Olivia herself was pretty self-absorbed. I often felt like she wasn't thinking about anyone else but herself. I am sure we all do this, but it was kind of annoying to read about.

I think this book is the perfect book to start off the New Year when people typically reflecting on the past year and identifying areas they want to change and/or improve. Just don't believe Olivia and only think about yourself.

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for a fair and honest review.

"Olivia Strauss is Running Out of Time" is a delightful exploration of life's unpredictable nature, urging readers to savor every moment, chase their dreams, and find joy in the unexpected. It's a celebration of resilience, self-discovery, and the enduring spirit of embracing life in all its imperfections.

I enjoyed this book! The main character, Olivia, is turning 39 when her best friend takes her to a “wellness clinic” where they determine your “expiration date”. Thus begins a story reflecting on what one wants out of life. This book is an easy read - it is well-written and I devoured it in a day. I found myself hooked on the story (although somewhat predictable - I figured out the ending quite early on). Although I am the same age as the characters in the story, I didn’t personally relate to their experiences and there aren’t any deep insights into life, death, or aging. I also found the main character quite self-absorbed. I do wish there was more focus on some of the side characters, like the husband and friends. Overall, an easy and enjoyable read.

A fabulous premise and a particularly good read as we reflect upon our goals for the new year. This tale was alternately funny and sad, with portions quite entertaining and occasional bits that were profound. The story would have benefited from more character development, however, the protagonist was not very relatable, and the pacing seemed uneven.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Little A for the complimentary ARC. Opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley! I wasn’t a huge fan of this but I didn’t hate it either. The chapters didn’t transition great so most of the time it was frustrating to read. The characters felt very one dimensional across the whole book, I wish I knew more about them and wish we knew them as much as Olivia in this story.

3.5. Parts were amazing, like the protags pov and some profound messages. Parts were weak, like the stereotypes at points and the weird stylistic choice. So it came out here. Thanks for the arc

A six-word spoiler: (view spoiler) You're welcome.

Two friends, Olivia – who is the protagonist – and Marian, are born on the same day. On their 39th birthday, they visit a very experimental (and hilariously goopy) facility that can tell from your genes exactly when you will die (the author lampshades this quite elegantly, as Marian muses about how accidents and genes shouldn't go together). (There are lots of bracketed remarks that break the fourth wall, but, oddly, only in the beginning.) Dr Dahlia, who gives me strong Elizabeth Holmes vibes, and her ever-so-confused assistant Poppy, who gives me strong Bubble from Absolutely Fabulous vibe, take until 25% mark to meet up with the two friends to actually perform the tests. Olivia's… well, you know from the blurb.

What now?

Would you like to know when you will die? But not like, "one day in the future" or even "in the 2030s" – specific date? One that is not very far away at all? As Olivia Strauss is Running Out of Time unveils, Olivia veeeery slowly realises that instead of a life, she's leading an existence. She's promoted from a job she doesn't like much to another that she doesn't like more than the one before; her husband and son (I loved Tommy, by the way) are very nice, if you're fulfilled by domesticity; her dreams have been quite literally stuffed into a drawer. There is nothing wrong with her life, except being drawn into a circle of gossipy "friends" who keep trying to sell stuff at each other. Nothing to write home about. Is this how Olivia wants to spend the rest of her life? (Not that she believes in the stupid test. But what if…) The questions force her to look in the mirror… and notice a few wrinkles that weren't there when she was turning 38. As Dr Dahlia would put it, we all have our expiry date.

It's a very decent book. It's not bad. It's not great. It's, uh, a bit like Olivia's life before the test. *blushes* It's an easy read that flows well (I actually read it in one day) and it's quite enjoyable, even though I guessed the ending the moment the beginning happened – Brown is a bit too heavy-handed with lampshading there. Marian, who seems to be Olivia's extra appendage throughout the first part, curiously disappears later, reduced to rare phone calls – "I decided to call her soon. A few weeks after…" Money, which is an issue, somehow becomes a non-issue, until the problem is solved Carrie Bradshaw-style. I had my reviewer hat on, otherwise I'd probably just skim over those, and it's not like a book that opens with the promise of a genetic test that can tell you when you might die in an accident is going to become grimly realistic from that moment on.

There are some really good bits – the accusation of being ageist when Olivia points out that she has more work experience, or accusing Virginia Woolf of being sexist because "why doesn't the man get a room of his own?" There are a few running jokes that, luckily, don't get past their expiry dates. While Olivia Strauss is Running Out of Time is hardly life-changing despite pretty difficult topics it never quite tackles, it's also a very pleasant book to spend the day with. Recommended to everyone who can't wait for the next Marian Keyes or Emily Henry novel, and in the meantime would just like to enjoy themselves… even if the what if question lingers uncomfortably after the book ends.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley. This did not influence my review.

Rating: 6.5/10 rounded down to 3/5* for Goodreads

My ratings:
5* = this book changed my life
4* = very good
3* = good
2* = I probably DNFed it, so I don't give 2* ratings
1* = actively hostile towards the reader

A great story. A great plot line. A narcissistic main character that makes the story hard to read.

In the beginning of the book, the main character, Liv, is so relatable. She had feelings and thoughts that as we age, we can’t help to wonder. As a woman her age, I have had the same thoughts. But her lost dreams and what she deemed as a sad existence controlled her. All I saw was a very obsessed woman, who did not appreciate the beautiful family that she built with her husband and the friends that she had. All she thought was about herself and not what anyone else needed or wanted. I will say the other characters like Andy and Marian I enjoyed and loved.

The ending broke my heart. However her character arc was not enough to give it the five stars I thought I was going to give it in the beginning of the book.

I would still recommend this book but with the caveat that I thought the main character was someone I didn’t really like as a person in the end.

Despite the wonderful husband, adored son, and private school position, suburbia isn’t quite what Olivia Strauss pictured when she was publishing her poems. So, after her bestie (and birthday twin) arranges a 39th birthday visit to a woowoo medi-spa that serves dirt-flavored tinctures and death dates, Olivia ponders her life’s what-ifs when she realizes she’s running out time. A sincere and funny look women’s fulfillment

3.5 stars

I mostly liked this book. The mc is kind of off putting, but I’m sure that is by design. The dialogue was excellent and the message was what I needed to hear right now.

This book won’t be for everyone, but it will really touch some. It is both funny and sad.

Great book, it really showed the perspective of how we all look at life. It makes you sit back and wonder why we wait for a moment for to decide that our life needs to change. This is great for anyone struggling and needs a fiction book to bring them back to life.