Title: Time of My Life
Author: Allison Winn Scotch
Genre: Chick-Lit; 283 pages
Copyright: 2008
Rating: 1.5 Bookmarks
I love the cover of this book, the pink and green caught my eye from the shelf at the library, and I was smitten. The premise seemed pretty straight forward: Affluent, suburban mom Jillian Westfield comes down with a powerful case of the “What Ifs” after learning her old boyfriend is getting married.
(note to self: Stop reading books just because you like the cover.)
The last few books I reviewed here were selected solely on the cover art and all left me uninspired*.
Maybe Time of My Life didn’t speak to me because I married my college sweetheart and we don’t have kids. I never had a ‘one that got away’ boyfriend and the dynamic of our relationship hasn’t shifted by the addition of children. I don’t wake up each day wondering how I ended up living the Stepford lifestyle because happily for me, I don’t.
When Jillian finds herself magically transported back in time 7 years, able to relive her past, she takes a cab to her home in search of her toddler daughter, Katie. But Jillian doesn’t live in her McMansion yet. And Katie hasn’t been born because Jillian hasn’t met her husband.
Is this my house? Is it the house of my future?…It seems insane, to come back here…but Katie! I can’t just leave Katie! What if she’s here? What if I’ve fallen down some mind-bending rabbit-hole and this is an LSD trip gone bad?
Simultaneously, there’s an abandonment sub-plot while the author manages to tackle myriad family and parenting issues along the way. Ultimately Jillian comes to a decision on which life she is destined (and desires) to lead.
The book is a quick read and does have appeal. If you enjoy mainstream chick-lit, or secretly wish you could rewind a part of your life and get a do-over, you’d probably get a kick out of Time of My Life.
Have you read this book? If so, what did you think? Or do you have a ‘One That Got Away’ story for me? I’d love to hear it…
*For the record, I’m an upbeat and positive person. I don’t enjoy writing negative reviews and it’s mere coincidence that my first few have been critical.
Book, Line, and Sinker 
I heard some good things about this one, it’s sad to see it didn’t meet your expectations! I haven’t read it yet, but I was planning to. Maybe I’ll just borrow it from the library instead. I’m like you though; I’m attracted to pretty covers like a butterfly to the light!
After I wrote my review, I surfed around to see what other people had to say. The reviews were mixed–but I did see a lot of support out there for ‘Time of My Life’.
I had high expectations for this book too. I received it as an ARC and read and reviewed it last year. Though her book left something to be desired, Allison Winn Scotch’s blog is fabulous.
http://allisonwinnscotch.blogspot.com/
ohh, i never thought of including the author’s websites or blogs. good suggestion…i’m doing it now. 🙂
Haven’t read this book and now I won’t be tempted. I do, however, ALWAYS choose a book by its cover.
it’s dangerous, picking books by their covers!
The reviews for this one seem to be all over the place. Sorry it didn’t work for you.
i’ve seen it around too. don’t worry–i have a ton of other books just waiting to be read. 🙂
I was attracted to this book by its cover too – so sweet and colourful! I couldn’t stand the book though – it completely annoyed me, I didn’t connect at all with the main character and I didn’t even end up finishing it!
whew! i was starting to think that i was too harsh on this book. i really do try to be honest and avoid other reviews before writing my own so that my opinions aren’t colored by other reviews.
This one reminds me a lot of the premise of Emily Giffin’s Love The One You’re With — at least in terms of the whole picture-perfect life which is a cover-up for all sorts of old hurts, and the premise of reconnecting with an old love and where that leaves you in the present. Though I love Giffin, I didn’t like that book, either. This one probably wouldn’t be for me!
Though I do love the cover art 🙂
Okay, I hope you like The Book Thief… I’m banking on a positive review! Don’t let me down, Natalie! 🙂 NO PRESSURE!
stop it! the book thief is haunting my life! i can’t deal with it…i’m so sad that i can’t get into this book. don’t worry…i’ll keep at it.
This book did not agree with me either. Very annoying characters. I wanted her to end up with no one! Here’s my review:
http://booksandcooks.blogspot.com/2009/03/not-my-usual-fare.html
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