Author: Tom Ellen
Narrator: Michael Fox
Publisher: Harper 360 | HQ
Publication Date: October 2020
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN
Description: If you could turn back the clock, would you choose a different life?
Ben’s always loved the month of December, but this year, with his relationship with Daphne on the rocks, it’s missing its usual magic. And then his old friend Alice gets back in touch. Ben’s always thought of Alice as the one that got away, and he can’t help but wonder: what if he’d done things differently all those years ago?
He never imagines he might get to find out… but when a stranger sells Ben a mysterious watch one freezing winter’s night, he’s astonished to wake up the next morning on 5th December 2005: the day he first kissed Daphne, leaving Alice behind.
Now Ben must make the biggest decision of his life, all over again. But this time around, will he finally find the courage to follow his heart?
All About Us is a captivating novel of heartbreak and loss, friendship and hope – and how the choices we make throughout our lives will shape our destiny.
My Thoughts: In all honesty, most of us have been exactly where Benjamin is. At a crossroads in life, things not going quite as well as we expect or wished and we find ourselves wondering what we would do if given a chance to do it all over. Tagging along with Benjamin as he explores his past, facing the same choices and deciding if he will make the same decisions was both enlightening and scary. Some things, like his mother’s death, he wishes he could change, have more time with her.
I loved this story and the Christmas Carol vibes it gives. Visiting the Christmases of your past, present and future is one thing but trying to figure out if you are living the life you are meant to and what needs to change is another matter entirely. I loved traveling back in time with Benjamin to relive his first meeting Daphne, seeing their relationship develop, his frustration with his writing career, his close relationship with his mother. There were so many poignant moments that had me in tears as well as laughing out loud. I also loved witnessing Benjamin grow and evolve from someone who initially comes off quite selfish and dissatisfied with his life to someone who learns how important our choices and decisions are.
This is my first time reading this author and I look forward to reading more of his work. The story flows smoothly and though there is so much happening, I was easily drawn in and anxious to know what would happen next and if Benjamin would ever make it back to the present. I paired the reading of this book with the audio format narrated by Michael Fox, which was delivered with amazing clarity and emotion.
My Final Verdict: My biggest takeaway from this book is that our lives are shaped by our decisions and choices. If we don’t like the life we’re living, we can change it. I find that to be so empowering and we don’t have to travel back in time to realize that. I highly recommend this book to everyone in the hopes they, too, will come to that realization before they become mired down in misery as our friend Ben was.
Thank you to the publisher, Harper 360 | HQ, who provided an advance reader copy of this book via NetGalley.
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