Begin Again by Helly Acton reminds me of my favorite book The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. They share the same premise of the protagonist dying but having the chance to explore other lives they could have lived had they made different choices. I really enjoyed the pacing of this book up until the last 15% of it, I felt like the story got really predictable and slow. I also finished the book wishing they had developed more of the story once she chooses a life, it felt like the story ended too quickly. I thought that the dialogue was really well thought out though and I enjoyed the plot and all of the characters.

This book is for anyone who’s ever wondered what might have been (and if you haven’t, count yourself lucky). The rest of us, like the main character, wonder from time to time what our lives might look like had we made different choices. The story opens with Frankie on yet another first date. Like many of the others, it’s not going well so she decides to skip out. Then she dies. Then she wakes up at the “station” which is something between heaven and hell. Frankie has been given a second chance of life. She has two options, go back to the life she was living (but felt lacking) or pick from a different life. She spends the next several chapters reliving her life but different, getting a glimpse of what would have been had she chosen differently. While this premise has been done several times, I applaud Acton’s take on this. I will recommend for fans of “The midnight library” and other similar titles. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and was happy with the ending, and Frankie’s choice. A feel good book with perfect narration, a great choice for a lazy Sunday!

I've always been a fan of the "what if" troupe, and Helly Acton does an excellent job of mixing emotion and comedy as the reader is lead on a journey through Frankie's life and the lives she could have lived.

Frankie meets her death in an unfortunate way (choking on a kebab) after living a life she felt was less than stellar. But given the chance to see what her life could have been, should she have made different decisions, she realizes that there isn't one perfect life to lead. I found Frankie's somewhat pessimistic outlook a bit grating at times in the beginning, but it was interesting to see the different lives she could have lived, and how her relationships dramatically changed depending on these choices. If you like books that delve into the big "what if?" questions, I recommend this.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperAudio for early access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the audiobook of Begin Again by Helly Acton.

This is a story of women named Frankie who is just going through the motions of her life. She feels like something is missing, she's unhappy with the way things have turned out. In a twist of fate she falls and smacks her head and passes away. Frankie wakes up in the afterlife with a chance to visit five different versions of how her life could have been. What if she traveled more, started a relationship with someone else, if she had said yes to the proposal, continued on with her life.

It was a little slow at some points when she visited alternate life choices. But, in the end it was worth it to go along for the ride. It was nice to Frankie grow and decide what worked best for her and what would make her happy.

Mabel brought a lot of character and laughter to the situation. She was a great person for the in between life.

Absolutely adored this! Engaging and expertly narrated. A recommended purchase for collections where WF is popular.

I loved this magical realities story. It had slow paving but I was invested in the story. The story aaa easy to follow. It was filled with great characters, humor, and lots to contemplate and discuss.

I adored this book. The narrator did a fantastic job and I found her voice to be very soothing. At first I wasn't sure about Frankie since she seemed so wishy-washy about everything in her life and so reluctant to change any of the things making her unhappy. However, as the book progressed I found Frankie to be really relatable and her growth was amazing. Sometimes you can't help but get caught in a rut in life and wonder what would have happened if you'd made other decisions. Life can feel so out of control sometimes and it can get really easy to forget that things don't just happen to you, everyone is an active participant in their own life and the decisions we make impact how things turn out and how happy we are. Frankie coming to realize this and understanding that she can't just float through life wondering what-if and then continuing to be upset when things don't miraculously happen was great since it happened so organically. This book was just very enjoyable and full of humor and heart and great lessons that I think everyone needs to remember. I'd highly recommend this audiobook.

Thirty-six year old Frankie's life is comfortable, but missing something. Should she have interviewed for the job she felt unqualified for, but wanted? Maybe she should've said yes to that marriage proposal when she was 23. Or maybe, instead of self sabotaging by walking out on a first date, Frankie should have stayed put. Maybe then, at the very least, she would still be alive.

Instead she finds herself stuck at The Station after dying in a freak accident. It's there that she's given a chance to see what could have been if she had made different choices during her life. After getting 24 hours to live in each alternate life, Frankie must decide which, if any, to go back to.

Begin Again is a thoughtful, humorous, intriguing book about our life choices, relationships, and what matters most.

An emotional women's fiction story that sees one British woman at a crossroads in life getting a chance to explore that ever present question of 'what if' and seeing what her life might have looked like had she made five different choices along the way. Perfect for fans of closed door romances, stories with lots of character growth and a touch of magical realism. Good on audio too. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!