In Five Years – Review – Ashes Books & Bobs

Many thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for the chance to read this novel early.

It’s no secret I love mindbending books that play with the concept of time. As soon as I read the blurb for this one, I knew I would be bumping it to the top of my to be read list. I’m so glad I did because this book was very nearly perfect and not what I was expecting at all.

BLURB:

Where do you see yourself in five years?

When Type-A Manhattan lawyer Dannie Cohan is asked this question at the most important interview of her career, she has a meticulously crafted answer at the ready. Later, after nailing her interview and accepting her boyfriend’s marriage proposal, Dannie goes to sleep knowing she is right on track to achieve her five-year plan.

But when she wakes up, she’s suddenly in a different apartment, with a different ring on her finger, and beside a very different man. The television news is on in the background, and she can just make out the scrolling date. It’s the same night—December 15—but 2025, five years in the future.

After a very intense, shocking hour, Dannie wakes again, at the brink of midnight, back in 2020. She can’t shake what has happened. It certainly felt much more than merely a dream, but she isn’t the kind of person who believes in visions. That nonsense is only charming coming from free-spirited types, like her lifelong best friend, Bella. Determined to ignore the odd experience, she files it away in the back of her mind.

That is, until four-and-a-half years later, when by chance Dannie meets the very same man from her long-ago vision.

Brimming with joy and heartbreak, In Five Years is an unforgettable love story that reminds us of the power of loyalty, friendship, and the unpredictable nature of destiny.

The blurb for In Five Years is a little misleading, but I’m actually glad it was. Oftentimes the blurbs give so many details away, it removes the mystery of the story. This book, on the other hand, gives nothing away and I was left guessing about what would happen throughout. In fact, I enjoyed not knowing what would happen next so much, I’m loathe to give too much away in my review. I want every reader to have the experience I did with this story! I would encourage readers not to read too many reviews and simply dive in.

I was certain this was going to be another love-triangle, cheating story but I’m pleased to report this wasn’t even remotely the case. Instead, this novel deeply explores fate, friendship, and romantic relationships in a way that wouldn’t let me go even after I turned the last page. I was sucked in from beginning to end, unable to put this book down until I knew what would happen!

As I said, this novel was very nearly a five-star read for me. My only hangup about the story was, unfortunately, I didn’t connect with our main character, Dannie, as much as I would have hoped to. I’m not sure where the disconnect came from, other than my inability to relate to her lifestyle and choices, because I thoroughly enjoyed reading the story from her perspective. I think if I had felt a deeper connection to her, this would have easily become one of my favorite books. Despite that, I was still impressed by the beauty and creativity of the story, the important lessons it tackled, and its ability to tug on my heartstrings.

I highly recommend this to lovers of Women’s Fiction looking for a quick, compulsive read. In Five Years by Rebecca Serle releases on March 3, 2020.

Rating: 4 stars

Purchase on Amazon.