Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc. Honestly, it's hard to get into the story and was slow to start. Some of the characters are meh and forgettable whilst others are ok and are somewhat relatable but overall this is not entirely bad. You just have to stick with it til the last page to really appreciate it. The narration was good.

This story is truly unique and will have you reflecting on your own life.
Mary’s journey of self-discovery is both relatable and heartwarming. It’s a charming, reflective tale that reminds you to appreciate the little things, leaving you with a meaningful message about what truly matters.

⛳ 𝘿𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙮 𝙜𝙤𝙡𝙛?

I love a good time travel story, and this one uses a unique mechanism to warp time. It involves an old Irish family curse and, well, a toothache!

Mary Mulligan is in her fifties, and as she takes stock of her life, she feels like she missed out. Her husband spends his free time playing golf, and her only daughter is moving overseas to be with her boyfriend. She wonders why she gave up a chance at her dream career for this: loneliness and unfulfillment.

After a trip to the dentist, Mary awakens as her twenty-four-year-old self in the present day. She soon realizes she has just erased the life she once knew.

This is a story about a woman who gets a “mulligan” or a second chance and comes to appreciate what she once had. I could relate to this on some level. It was hard to like Mary because she seemed so unhappy, and she should have communicated that to those she loved. But sometimes, realizing all you have takes reflection and a wake-up call.

One aspect I truly enjoyed was that Mary got to see that her life and actions, no matter how small, had an impact on people. 𝘍𝘶𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦!


🎧 I switched between the physical book and the audiobook, and Alex Picard’s narration added a touch of charm to the characters.


Thank you @brilliancepublishing for the gifted audiobook via NetGalley. #audiobooks #NetGalley

This book was a very frustrating and yet somehow engaging read.

The protagonist Mary started off strong and I felt sympathetic, but after her decision, it felt like she had absolutely no common sense. She wouldn't accept what was very obvious right from the start and refused to listen to reason. Darbi was also a very unrealistic character because none of her actions made any sense from an objective standpoint.

Engaging and entertaining. A recommended purchase in all formats for collections where women's fiction is popular.

I love when authors get a weird little idea and run with it.

WHAT IF a girl finds out her dad was a magical creature vet?
WHAT IF we watched Jurassic Park through a queer, feminist lens?
WHAT IF you could go back in time with the extraction of your wisdom teeth?

Belief Suspension is one of my greatest spiritual gifts.

I loved the premise.
I loved the characters (even if I wanted to snap the husband’s putter over my knee).
I loved the internal work the characters did throughout.

I did not love how Darbi wasn’t clear that Kendra would be WIPED OUT OF EXISTENCE.

CLARITY IS KIND, DARBI. Read some freakin’ Brene Brown, why don’t you?

*cough*

Can’t wait to use our library’s Interlibrary Loan service to find this author’s back catalogue.

I enjoyed this book that has magical realism as a 54 year old woman, Mary Mulligan, becomes 24 years old again to try to become the famous news anchor she always wanted to be.

Mary felt unseen and unappreciated as a wife and mother. Thanks to wisdom teeth surgery and a family curse, Mary has the chance to be 24 again and make some different decisions.

I liked the fact that Mary doesn’t go back in time but is 24 in her current time. I also like that Mary realizes her decisions and small incidents become part of a butterfly effect like an old roommate who went from famous musician to post office.

3 1/2 stars. The big question. If you had a chance to do your life over (with the knowledge you have now), would you? Almost everyone has some regrets, either small ones or the really big, turning point in life ones. But the butterfly effect, change one little thing and everything changes, would mess it all up.

Mary Mulligan gets that chance (she doesn't go back in time as such, she is just 30 years younger in the same time frame, in an alternate life). Her cousin's lack of explanation of the curse is frustrating and she further worsens it later in the book. Unfortunately, Mary's immediately regretful so she doesn't use it to her advantage right away. She could've had so much fun and really explored being that age again but didn't. She just repeatedly mopes about her old life and that became annoying.

I did like her 'second' relationship with her husband and her eventual journey of self-discovery. Happiness comes from what you make of life, despite the situation. A nice summer read. The audio version was pleasant to listen to and the narrator did a wonderful job.

Cute story. There was a lot of miscommunication which 1) is part of the story but 2) got to be very annoying. I mean, when it's practically life and death, you interrupt someone...even if they're arguing, and tell them the truth! But, I enjoyed it and the change in perspective from both ages.

Mulligan’s Curse follows a Mary, a 50something year old woman who gets the chance to go back to her greatest regret, well according to her cousin, but thats crazy right? All Mary has to do is get her wisdom teeth removed and she will wake up 30 years younger. The premise is wonderfully silly, but at its core, it seeks to ask the same big questions as The Midnight Library or The Measure: what makes life worth living?

Unfortunately, I found the main character unbelievably frustrating. Just listen to Darbi and get with the program—is it not obvious you can’t go back to your previous life?? There’s also a huge disconnect in how she suddenly idealizes her previous life (especially her husband) despite spending the first part of the book complaining about everything. The repetition got tedious, and I couldn’t help but stay frustrated at the self-pity and self-despair. Mary also is supposed to be a 54 year old woman in her 24 year old body, but she's written as incredibly naive with very little social skills or common sense. Darbi doesn't quite make sense... she comes across as a genuinely bad person which I don't think was the intention.

Despite a wacky fun concept and what I was hoping would be a great weird girl book, the execution and the characters fell flat for me.

Thank you NetGalley for access to this ARC.

In the thought-provoking and engaging novel "The Mulligan Curse," Diane Barnes crafts a captivating tale of self-discovery, love, and the complexities of life. The story follows Mary Mulligan, a middle-aged woman feeling unfulfilled and disconnected from her life, as she navigates a sudden and unexpected twist of fate.

Barnes' writing is witty, insightful, and relatable, perfectly capturing the voice and emotions of her protagonist. Mary's struggles to come to terms with her aging, her relationships, and her abandoned dreams are deeply resonant. The author expertly explores themes of identity, marriage, motherhood, and the challenges of midlife.

The supernatural element of the Mulligan curse is cleverly woven into the narrative, allowing Mary to embark on a journey of rediscovery and growth. As she navigates her new reality, Mary must confront the choices she made in the past and the person she has become. The author raises important questions about the nature of happiness, fulfillment, and the consequences of our decisions.

The supporting characters, including Mary's husband and daughter, are well-developed and add depth to the story. The author's portrayal of the complexities of family relationships and the challenges of maintaining love and connection over time is nuanced and realistic.

Throughout the book, Barnes balances humor and pathos, creating a narrative that is both entertaining and emotionally resonant. The story is engaging, and the characters are relatable, making it easy to become invested in Mary's journey.

Overall, "The Mulligan Curse" is a delightful, thought-provoking read that will resonate with fans of women's fiction, magical realism, and stories of self-discovery.

ARC REVIEW - NETGALLERY FIND
RELEASE DATE 2/4/25

🎧🎧🎧

While trying to follow my goal about not buying any books until June, I came across this audiobook.

Here is my review about this ARC LISTEN!

This story had so many quaint and hunourous elements wraved into the plot, which helped keep the story flowing smoothly. It is like a cozy mystery wrh a hidden message wrapped in between the lines.

What I loved:
🎧 Characters that had a sweet sense of vulnerability and courage
🎧 Characters face realistic dilemmas and turbulence, which image them relatable and endearing
🎧 Quirky plot twists and loved the dentist angle
🎧 Descriptive writing and storytelling;
☕️ Chapters flow smoothly, and the style of writing is strong and eloquent
☕️ The narrator did a fantastic job bringing each character to life using great tone dialect and poise
☕️the author reminds the reader of the question, "If you could trade your past and start over world you?"
☕️ This also brings to light the saying be careful what you wish for

MY RATING

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

#ARC #CHECKITOUT #books #bookstagrammers #readwithme #netgalley
#audiobooks #bookrecs #audiorecs
#februaryrelease #5star

I really enjoyed this second chance novel and I loved the magical realism aspect of it. Mary is unhappy with her life and contemplating the road not taken when she gets the opportunity to go back and make a different choice. Known as The Mulligan Curse the downside is your life from the point you return to up to the present is gone. I loved seeing the growth in Mary and the realization that she actually loves the life she had and the people in it. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Alex Picard and it was a fantastic way to enjoy this charming novel.

I love these types of stories that include some magical way of changing your life. (If you like this stuff, i recommend sarah ready) What I also love is that this story specifically makes you see the positive aspects of your real life again, and make you appreciate it much more. I think that's my favorite book message. I did miss a bit of explanation as to how what happened, happened, though i guess we dont need to know.
These characters will steal your heart, even though they might not always make the best of choices. How relatable is that though?!

Thank you to netgalley and the author for sending me the book in exchange for an honest review

I devoured this book and love the premise. It would be perfect for anyone who has ever wondered about the “path not taken” which I think is most of us. I really enjoyed being along for Mary’s “do over” and it caused me to do some self reflection. I would have enjoyed this one any time but it was poignant to read it so early in a new year as I think about things to prioritize in the year ahead. The narrator was perfect for bringing Mary’s story to life.

This is a well written fun story. It leaves you thinking. Great characters. The story flowed well and kept me interested.