Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a moving story. I was so moved by this story about regrets and righting them before it is too late. I felt so much for Helen and her family and was awed by her journey to correct a huge mistake from her teen years. This was such a great story and I really enjoyed it.

Enjoyed this audio book greatly. My long journeys passed very quickly as I lost myself in the characters of this story. It held my attention and I loved the twists and turns of the storyline.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Gillian Jackson for the advanced copy of this book. I agreed to give my unbiased opinion voluntarily.

It took me a while to finish, it was a slow read. This wasn't paced in a way that kept my attention. Nicely written and well plotted out just a bit too slow for me. Thanks for another good listen NetGalley

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC in audiobook format

In the audiobook “A Measure of Time,” Gillian Jackson weaves a poignant tale that transcends mere minutes and hours. Narrated by the talented Helen Lloyd, this exploration of life’s ticking clock invites listeners to reflect on their own existence.

Helen Reid faces a devastating diagnosis, her days numbered. But it’s not just about mortality; it’s about living fully within the confines of time. When her past resurfaces—a haunting mistake involving her boyfriend Rob and a cyclist—Helen grapples with guilt, redemption, and forgiveness.

 Jackson’s prose delves into the human psyche, unraveling regrets and hopes.

Helen Lloyd’s narration infuses every word with depth, capturing the essence of fleeting moments.

From love to loss, “A Measure of Time” resonates with anyone pondering their legacy.

This audiobook is about the heartbeat of existence, the echoes of choices made, and the grace of acceptance.

Good themes of making amends to do what’s right, importance of family and friendship, and forgiveness instead of bitterness.

I liked Helen as a character, and appreciated her end of life (warning for my fellow cancer-survivors or fighters) desire to do the right thing from regrets in her life.

I was not a big fan of the writing style. It read like a letter or journal entries. Very narrative heavy and not as conversational or first-person experience. The audio I listened to, the narrator did not vary her voice with the characters so if I was not paying total attention to the chapter into, I would sometimes miss that it was from a different character’s point of view and not Helen, and be super confused until halfway into the chapter. Add to it being a slower story rather than a mystery, and I struggled to really stay invested.

I did enjoy the ending and, while predictable, it was heartfelt and endearing.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this audiobook. All opinions are mine.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for providing with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. This was a nice heartwarming story about Helen Reid who receives devastating news and must start getting her affairs in order. The first struggle is to tell her daughter and her son about the devastating news. Helen is determined to live a good life for as long as she can and she decides that now is the time to come clean about a horrible tragedy that occurred when she was 16 yrs old. Helen has always regretted not speaking up at the time but she was afraid for her life and she knew that Rob would not be happy about her revealing this life long secret.....this was a good quick read that also tugged at the heart strings......Enjoy!!!

Sooooooo good! Took me a minute to get into but then LOVED it! Pick this one up! You won’t be disappointed!

A Measure of Time is heavy, beautiful, and melancholic. It reads like a slow-moving memoir of grief, as the main character Helen comes to terms with the end of her life and the choices she's made throughout it. A hit-and-run incident she was involved in as a young girl terrorizes her conscience and she reaches out to the perpetrator in an attempt to resolve and heal these past wounds before she's out of time. What happens next will leave you shocked.

A beautiful ,emotional love message to Helens family as she journals her last days , including a wrong she wants to make right . There are four ladies who each have a part in the story , it all comes together seamlessly.

"A Measure of Time" by Gillian Jackson is women's fiction, a departure from the thrillers that the author is more known for. It is a very moving and well written fictional memoir of Helen's last few months of life after a termination cancer diagnosis. She has several things to resolve and take care of before her time is up.

I felt very invested in this story because of my personal cancer battle with stage 3 colorectal cancer 7 years ago. This book reminds me of how lucky I am and how every day is precious. Even if you do not have cancer this book will remind you how precious time is. Spend time with your loved ones.

Helen Lloyd was the narrator for this audiobook. Her voice seemed to fit the main character perfectly.

Characters - 4/5
Writing - 5/5
Plot - 4/5
Pacing - 5/5
Unputdownability - 4/5
Enjoyment - 4/5
Narration - 5/5
Cover - 4/5 (different from the one on Goodreads)
Overall - 35/8 = 4 3/8 = 4 stars

Thank you to Netgalley, Dreamscape Media, and Gillian Jackson for providing this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

This is not what I expected from the blurb. Unfortunately, it does not hold my interest. I am not completing the book and not posting any external reviews because I feel I should not review it since I did not finish it.

Thank you for the opportunity.

I was driving my car as I finished the audiobook A Measure of Time, which was problematic given how fast my tears were falling. I wasn’t sure when I started the book if it was something I'd like, but its gentle, steady pace—most of it in the form of a journal written during Helen’s last days as she gracefully surrenders to the ravages of cancer—was a beautiful reminder of what should be our priorities. I’m not sure, however, how wide the audience for this book is. Helen is about my age: old enough to have young grandchildren but still young enough to have an ailing mother needing care, and like me, she responds to most of life’s stimuli—good and bad—by putting the kettle on for tea. She chooses not to “battle” cancer but instead focus her dwindling time on easing the inevitable practical burdens her death will cause her children and trying to right a wrong done in her youth that has refused to let her conscience rest. The book takes place in England, and the end-of-life care readily available to Helen will make Americans weep with envy, but the tale is otherwise universal. A Measure of Time is a beautiful book, and I hope it finds the readers it deserves. I am grateful to NetGalley for a review copy of the audiobook.

A Measure of Time was a reflective, redemptive story centered around Helen and her diagnosis of ovarian cancer and her pursuit to right a wrong from her past. I very much enjoyed Helen's character, her relationship with her children & Rachel, and her end of life quest. All of the main characters were quite enjoyable, and Helen was certainly a character to root for.

Going into this book, I was expecting more of a mystery/thriller, which this book is not. There is a twist at the end which I figured out quite early in the book, but my assumption did not detract from my enjoyment of the book. The pace is steady but not fast, dramatic, or shocking which I expected from a book labeled as a thriller.

Helen Lloyd had a wonderful narrator voice; however, she didn't use distinguishing voice for the various characters which sometimes made it hard to remember who was speaking.

A solid 3.5 stars rounded down to 3.

Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and Gillian Jackson for an audio ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was so good! I’m going to have to pick up the physical book to keep on my bookshelf! Don’t miss out on this book!

Master storyteller Gillian Jackson returns following The Accident with her latest powerful haunting novel, A MEASURE OF TIME —A gripping, introspective, and thoughtfully reflective emotional tale of guilt, regret, grief, and forgiveness.

Bittersweet yet ultimately comforting, uplifting, compelling, and full of hope, a woman faces an impending death from terminal cancer, haunted by a dark secret from the past, while on a quest to come forward against all odds with the truth before it is too late.

About...

Helen Reid, only fifty-nine, has received the untimely diagnosis of ovarian cancer spread to her other organs, and too late for chemo. First, she needs to visit her son and daughter (grown twins) with their own families. Her husband died years ago, and now she only has her group of women friends and her family.

Of course, the women (loved them) will be sad but will celebrate life with her while they can. Helen is keeping a journal of her thoughts and the things she wants her children to know about her life. (beautifully written).

There are some things she is not proud of with regrets from the past. An accident occurred when she was a teen. She was a passenger in a car with her boyfriend (bad boy Rob) after sneaking out of the house with her girlfriend. It ended in tragedy when he struck a cyclist. This has haunted her her entire life. She has kept this secret until now.

She was guilt-ridden, but then she was just a scared teen. Rob threatened her, and she was afraid to go to her parents and the authorities. However, now she is dying. She has nothing to lose. She cannot go to her death without setting the record straight and giving the boy's family closure and peace. Rob needs to be held accountable for his actions.

Compelled to find redemption and forgiveness, she journeys back to her old hometown to track down her ex and finally bring the truth to light. Rob is now married to her friend and very abusive. He denies it and tries to turn it around on her.

Helen is stressed and weak with her declining health and needs to be making arrangements for her death, hospice, getting her affairs in order, and enjoying what time she has left with those she loves, but she is tenacious and refuses to die until the wrongs have been righted.

From past to present we hear from Helen, her daughter, the hospice nurse, and her old friends. Will she find redemption or revenge? How are the characters tied together? The twist you will not see coming.

My thoughts...

A MEASURE OF TIME is beautifully written and bittersweet, I resonated with this one in many ways. As we get to a certain point in our lives we reflect on past, regrets and what we would have done differently.

Helen is a courageous character who loves her family. She wants desperately to rid herself of the guilt from the past and ask for forgiveness from the boy's family. A deft exploration of death and grief — bring the tissues. A wise and thought-provoking story blended with mystery and tension. The author writes with compassion and sensitivity. I enjoyed the journal entries, which are written with lyrical prose and are meditative, thought-provoking, and reflective.

A MEASURE OF TIME is full of wisdom, unflinching, and unforgettable, and will linger long after the book ends. It is an emotional, resonant story about the power of human connection, time, death, grief, reflection, hope, forgiveness, and what it takes to live life without regrets.

While I enjoyed The Accident my first book by the author, I loved A MEASURE OF TIME! I look forward to reading more of her backlist and upcoming books—I love her writing style, and her background is reflected on the pages with emotionally charged topics.

Audiobook...

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Helen Lloyd, who had a perfect voice for this profoundly moving tale filled with mystery, suspense, intrigue, love, and loss. It was very engaging and compelling—highly recommend it.

Recs...

For those who enjoy literary fiction, mystery, suspense, domestic, and women's fiction. I highly recommend this author, her writing, and A MEASURE OF TIME. For fans of Elizabeth Berg, Fredrik Backman, Jessica Strawser, Diane Chamberlain, Rea Frey, and Rochelle Weinstein. (all favs).

Many thanks to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for this gifted, advanced listening audio copy. I also pre-ordered the e-book.

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: June 17, 2024
My Rating: 5 Stars
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When Helen is diagnosed with terminal cancer, she knows that she has to right a wrong from many years ago, confronting her old boyfriend and convincing him to tell the truth about the night they killed someone.

This is a well written and emotionally driven story. Helen’s children and grandchildren are her world and the aspect of the story where they all have to confront the inevitable was heart wrenching, although I felt it was sensitively written as well.

The narration by Helen Lloyd was excellent and really brought the characters to life.

4.5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Gillian Jackson and Dreamscape for an ARC in return for an honest review.

You don’t get your choose when you leave this life. You do get to choose the imprint you leave behind. This story follows an upbeat woman as she tries to make amends to her surprisingly checkered past before her body fails her.
Though this story is about facing one’s own mortality, this is an upbeat & makes you question your own choices in life. An adorable tale.

Helen Reid is only 59 years old when she discovers she is dying of ovarian cancer and does not have long to live. She begins to get her affairs in order and also begins to right a terrible wrong she has been shouldering guiltily over many years. This is a story of self introspection and love of family. I found it quite touching and made me think about my own frail humanity and the love that I have for my own family. A very sweet novel. Recommended. 4 stars.

Many thanks to Net Galley and Dreamscape Media for a chance to listen/read an ARC of this audio book.

A Measure of Time by Gillian Jackson
Narrated by Helen Lloyd

One of the genres this book is listed under is Mystery/Thriller and I feel that is misleading. This is a much more reflective book than I was expecting and there really isn't much of a mystery for the main character, Helen. Something happened long ago, she was there, and she knows the outcome. But she also knows she wants to make amends if it's possible to do so.

Fifty nine year old Helen has just found out she has only a short time to live, changing all her plans for the future. We see this story from four POVs, Helen's, her daughter's, a hospice nurse assigned to her, and one other person who I won't name. Helen is writing her last diary in order to allow her children to know what happened so long ago. Doing so gives her the momentum she needs to seek out someone, despite her flagging strength. The story is very reflective and although I was expecting a mystery/thriller, what I got from this book is just as good, better even than what I was expecting.

Helen Lloyd narrates the story and even her website touts her voice as "mature". Her voice certainly works for the two characters Helen's age although it took me time to get used to her voice for the younger characters. I think it's mostly because there is always the sound of Helen in the narration. I soon got past that feeling and enjoyed her narration. There is very much a feeling of being ready to move on after a certain point and Helen conveys that well. This is touching book, full of love, family, and friendship and I am very glad I listened to the audiobook.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for this ARC.