The premise of this one caught my attention right from the start, as I'm always attracted to books in which we know the length of the characters lives. In this one, Charlie is a doctor who, one random day, begins to see how long his patients have left to live, down to the day.

I was intrigued and wanted very much to see how this one played out, but it just never quite got off the ground for me. The beginning was really promising, but there was a lot going on and the story lost steam as it went on.

What I did love was the relationship between Charlie and Gen, and I adored Malcolm. I wanted to know so much more of Charlie's mom's story, as Lorraine was perhaps the most interesting character in my opinion.

If you knew how many days a loved one had left to live, would you tell them? How would you spend those last days?

If you could see into the future, would you want to?

Reliable Family Doctor Charlie Knight leads a predictable life. He’s used to treating his regular patients for the typical aches and pains. But if he’s being honest with himself, Charlie has been silently been hoping for more out of life for some time, part of his desire connected to the one that got away.

Then the very same one, Genevieve Longstaff, returns, and Charlie’s feeling are turned upside down. But it isn’t just having Genevieve back in his life that is causing Charlie stress. He’s also oddly developed the ability to see how many days people have left to live.

Being a doctor who can see into his patients futures quickly blossoms into both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, he can confidently advise that hypochondriac patient that all will be okay. But what happens when you have a patient with only days left to live? How do you begin to explain they should, quite literally, be living as if they were dying?

Further adding insult to injury is that this ability works on anyone Charlie encounters and has any sort of health related conversation with. Suddenly Charlie finds himself avoiding giving informal advice out of fear of finding out the worst about loved ones. But just when Charlie begins to think it can’t get much worse, he realizes his newfound gift may have a degree of error, and an expiration date of its own.

All the Perfect Days is a book whose message is to not take life for granted, cloaked in a clever concept. I was charmed by Charlie, his quirky patients, and his cherished love ones. While the overarching premise isn’t new, author Michael Thompson continues to tug at readers heartstrings with his sophomore effort, carving out a career whose own days are far from numbered.

“Everyone’s got something they’ve been holding on to, waiting for the right moment. If you’ve got one of those things, do it.”

Ahh I thoroughly enjoyed this book! From the moment I started reading I couldn’t put it down.

I loved Dr. Charlie Knight, he was the most wonderful Dr in town, so caring and helpful, what a beautiful soul. Then one day, he realises he has the ability to tell how many days a patient has left and his life gets a little bit more complicated.

My goodness did this book get me thinking! Imagine knowing someone’s last day? Your own last day? What would you do?

This was amazing magical realism, written perfectly! I cried, smiled, laughed and questioned so much. It’s hopeful, heartfelt and uplifting. I don’t think I’ll ever forget about it.

As Michael says, “It’s a novel about appreciating what you have, while you have it.”

This book is a magical realistic look at life and death and how to go about the days not knowing how much time is left. When a doctor suddenly develops a mysterious insight into how many days his patients have left to live, he is confronted by his own grief and regrets of the past. Complicated family relationships, lost love, and the duty of caring for others are examined in this deep-but-easily-digestible story.

I loved that there was grief in a variety of ways, one of which was actually quite triggering for me due to my own experiences, but the tone of the book overall was hopeful and full of life. I really felt for the main character as he grappled with whether this was a gift or a curse, and I related to the anxiety he felt over how much to use it when trying (and sometimes failing) to help others.

I do wish we’d gotten a bit more character background on the love interest and her journey, mostly because I really enjoyed getting to know her and their shared history.

Overall I enjoyed this new book and will continue to watch for others from the author. Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and Netgalley for the advanced copy of the book!

Family doctor Charlie Knight has a plan to live the life that he wants, even if the woman he loved left him behind. But then Genevieve comes back to their hometown just as something extraordinary happens. Charlie begins to have visions of the exact number of days someone has left until they die.

This gift had its upsides but also came with painful consequences. One of them had to be keeping Genevieve at a distance before he knew her own lifespan. Things got intense towards the end but I loved the ending.

The narrator did a great job and definitely upped the ante when emotions were high. Thank you to Netgalley and Publisher for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4⭐
Steam level: 1🌶️ Kissing only

I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley for review. My opinions are my own.

5/5 stars

Read this book if you want to cry. A lot. Repeatedly. Over and over and over. I mean it.

In all seriousness, I loved “How to be Remembered” and maybe I like this more… but you will cry. You have been warned.

3.5⭐️ The premise of this book was very intriguing. What would you do if you knew how long people had left to live? Charlie is a doctor who cares about his patients, and that ability is both a blessing and a curse. This book has a romance subplot, but most of the story is about Charlie’s personal growth.

Would you want to know the day you will die? There have already been a few novels out that are dealing with this question. All The Perfect Days is giving Dr Charlie Knight, the local family doctor, the special ‘gift’ of seeing exactly how many days his patients have left to live. An incredible and unimaginable responsibility. And granted, Charlie starts to struggle with this moral dilemma quickly. Not sure what to do with his power, how to use it, knowing the fate of his patients weighs heavily on him. On top of that, he is dealing with family and relationship issues and just doesn’t seem to get a break. No wonder he wants to move away and start a new job in London. I have to say, I really fell for Charlie. He is such a lovable character, you just want to hug him and comfort him. I loved the small town dynamic with all the close knit connections. Apart from the main topic, the author tastefully addresses topics like death, grief, family dynamics, second chance love and life in a small town community. The writing is superb and the book definitely leaves food for thought. It will stay with me for a long time. All in all, a very gripping character-based plot with occasional repetitiveness that does however not take away from the entertainment. A good bit of romance and a touch of magical realism completely kept me engaged throughout, and I can’t wait to read more from this author. @Sourcebooks Landmark #AllThePerfectDays #MichaelThompson
Many thanks to Netgalley, Sourcebooks Landmark and Michael Thompson for gifting me a digital advance copy. I’m truly honored and thoroughly enjoyed reading it. The above is my honest review and own opinion.

I was hooked from the beginning!!
It was amazing and engaging.
I was instantly sucked in by the atmosphere and writing style.
The characters were all very well developed .
The writing is exceptional and I was hooked after the first sentence.

All the Perfect Days captured my attention from the first page. Author Michael Thompson has a gift for conceiving a unique human condition and then weaving an intriguing story around this. His characters are endearing and I found myself concerned over how they would fare under their difficult circumstances. The author has once again crafted a great story that is infused with a sense of morality and optimism. All the Perfect Days was a joy to read!

Carolyn K
Texas

I was intrigued by the premise of this book. I’ve read other books with a similar trope and have enjoyed them. Working in healthcare all my life, I know that delivering difficult news to families is such a big part of what doctors have to do. But, does knowing the exact timeline of someone’s passing make it easier? This book was slow in many places and also not much of a romance as was slated. It was still a thought provoking book that left me thinking about it while not reading it. For me, I would NOT want to know. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

This one was an emotional, quietly powerful read that really snuck up on me. Dr. Charlie Knight is just coasting through life in his small hometown, until he suddenly develops the ability to sense exactly how many days his patients have left to live. What starts as a surreal twist quickly turns into a deeply human story about love, loss, and what we’d do with the time we have left.

Michael Thompson weaves magical realism and heartfelt emotion beautifully here. The premise is unique, but it’s the relationships, especially Charlie’s ties to his patients, his family, and the woman he’s never quite stopped loving that give the book its real depth. It had me smiling, tearing up, and reflecting on how we connect with the people around us.

It’s a slower burn, so if you’re looking for a fast-paced plot, this might not be it but if you enjoy thoughtful, emotionally layered stories with a touch of magic, it’s a lovely ride.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This beautifully written novel blends two of my favorite tropes—magical realism and second chance romance—into a thoughtful, heart-tugging story about time, love, and what really matters.

Charlie Knight is a small-town doctor living a life of routine—same streets, same patients, same Friday night tennis games. But when he starts seeing the number of days people have left to live, his world shifts. What begins as a strange, almost hopeful gift quickly turns into a burden—especially when Genevieve, the woman he never quite got over, returns to town.

This book is emotional in the best way. The magical realism is subtle but powerful, giving the story a touch of the surreal while staying grounded in the deeply human. Charlie’s struggle to balance the weight of what he knows with his desire to fix things—both for others and himself—makes for a compelling internal journey. The romance is gentle, aching, and full of that bittersweet “what if” energy I love in a second chance story.

It’s a quieter novel, more reflective than fast-paced, but that suits the themes perfectly. Thompson explores love, regret, mortality, and hope with care and nuance.

✨ If you’re drawn to stories that ask big questions, stir your emotions, and make you think about the time we’re given—All the Perfect Days is a must-read.

What would you do if you knew how many days someone you know has left to live? That is what Charlie Knight is faced with.

A thought provoking read for me. It left me wondering what I would do if I were in his shoes.
I really loved that. It's great when a book leaves you pondering long after you are done reading.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Author and publisher for the opportunity to read and share my thoughts.

I haven’t read any magical realism stories since teaching the works of Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Isabel Allende in Spanish literature classes. In ALL THE PERFECT DAYS, Michael Thompson presents an intriguing premise: what if a doctor could see exactly how many days his patients have left to live? This book is well-written, with a plot that keeps even a casual reader engaged in the story; but an audience who is more deeply invested in underlying themes, will be fascinated by Charlie’s ethical, logical, and moral dilemma. Is it wise to ALWAYS tell a patient the truth? Should Doctor Charlie intercede? Can the mind and hand of man prevent any of us from living beyond our expiration dates? I can’t think about that anymore…

But I have to! This book is so thought-provoking that the ideas and concepts in ALL THE PERFECT DAYS keep rolling around in my mind days after I finished reading the story. This novel would make an excellent book club selection with so many springboards for discussion.
The writing is flawless—clear and concise, with deeply meaningful sentences that call to be read again. Woven into the narrative is a subtle call for each of us to live life to the fullest.

“The end is already set. But the days before that are still in play.”

What would you do if you were Dr. Charlie Knight and could know when a patient will die? This is a poignant tale of a small town doctor who bears a heavy burden. It's not depressing but rather thoughtful as Charlie deals with each of his neighbors and friends and what he knows. And there's a whiff of romance (no spoilers). Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A different sort of novel and one I enjoyed.

🎧 Audiobook +📗 E-book: All the Perfect Days-a standalone

✍🏾 Author: Michael Thompson-a new to me author

📃Page Count: 352

📅Publication date: 5/21/25 | Read: 5/20/25

🏃🏾‍➡️Run Time: 8:47

🌎 Setting: Marwick

👆🏾POV: 3rd person, single

Genre: Adult Fic, Fantasy, Romance

Tropes: small town, magical realism, 2nd chance romance

⚠️TW: death, car accident

🗣️Narrator: Ryan Ennis voices all the characters with standouts from Charlie and Gen. The reading style brought the text to life, and the author and narrator worked together perfectly. The pacing and flow allowed me to get lost in the story. The narrator paused and announced new chapters and there was a table of contents which helped me follow along.


Summary: Charlie has decided to start again by leaving his small town of Marwick as a family doctor to Emergency Medicine in London. While with a patient he experiences his first vision and senses how many days his patients have left to live.


👨🏾 Hero: Dr. Charles "Charlie" Knight-38, family doctor in a small town.

🎭 Side Characters:

*Edna Bradley-84 yr old patient, a beloved retired teacher who sets off Charlie's abilities
*Genevieve "Gen" Longstaff-returns to town after 7 years away. Has epilepsy, Charlie's neighbor
*Lorraine + Malcolm Knight-Charlie's mother-estranged from Charlie and his father is a realtor
*MaryAnne Steiner-38, Charlie's boss

🤔 My Thoughts: This was a little boring because it was a slice of life featuring Charlie's interactions with the townspeople. He took on the responsibility to keep his patients alive and felt like he was playing god.

*Rating: 3/5 ⭐

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark, Tantor Audio, and Michael Thompson for this ARC & ALC! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions are my own.

In my opinion, this could have been an amazing book.

The premise is interesting and unique: a doctor who experiences 'visions' and is able to know exactly how many days a person has left to live. The moral question then becomes: what does one do with this information?

Unfortunately for me, this was a lackluster follow through on this interesting premise. There was also a teaser of a second chance romance, 'the one that got away', however that was also quite lackluster in execution.

I feel this book will do well in book clubs as it would be excellent to discuss the idea of what one would do with the gift (or curse) that Charlie now has.

What would you do if you knew when people were going to die would you tell them? That’s exactly what happens to Charlie, a doctor who starts to see the amount of years people have left. When his old love comes back to town just as he was about to move away Charlie is faced with some difficult choices. Faced with a lot of guilt over things out of control, Charlie has to figure out how to navigate his life and what he really wants.

This book had an interesting premise that was unique and enjoyable to read. At times it felt a bit slow but not in a way that took away from the story. Thank you to Netgalley and to the publishers for allowing me to read this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I loved Thompson’s previous novel, How to Be Remembered, so I had high hopes for All the Perfect Days. I was not disappointed. In All the Perfect Days, Charlie Knight is a doctor who’s ready to make a change, when life suddenly throws him a curveball. His routine is profoundly shaken up when he starts seeing visions that reveal to him exactly how many days his patients have left to live. It’s an unsettling ability, to put it mildly, and comes with a lot of responsibility and some unexpected fallout.

All the Perfect Days is thoughtful, hopeful, poignant, and has a touch of romance. I loved it and couldn’t put it down once I started.

Ryan Ennis does an excellent job narrating the audiobook.

Thank you Michael Thompson, Sourcebooks Landmark, Tantor Audio, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.