Remember us…when I can’t.Thea Hughes has five minutes to live.A car accident stole her parents and left her with the second-worst documented case of amnesia in the world. She now has only minutes of experiences, of consciousness, of life…before her memory is wiped clean. The once effervescent artist with a promising future is reduced to scribbling with pens and paper, living an empty, quiet … an empty, quiet life, three hundred seconds at a time.
Jim Whelan is on autopilot.
A foster kid shuffled around the system since birth, he’s lived his entire life without knowing love…and it’s taken its toll—until he learned to fight back, carry his armor, and keep his head down.
Working as an orderly in the Blue Ridge Sanitarium, deep in Virginia countryside, Jim looked up…and found Thea.
When Thea has the chance to break free of her five-minute prison with a risky, experimental surgery, it could lead them both to an epic love they never thought possible… or one that could require the ultimate sacrifice.
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50 First Dates meets Awakenings in this emotional love story by international and best-selling author, Emma Scott.
A Five-Minute life contains subject matter that might be sensitive to some readers.
#standalone #newadultromance
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This book was amazing! I can’t even imagine what it would be like to live a life like Thea’s. Emma Scott did an outstanding job making it come to life with her words. Thea and Jimmy’s love story hit me right in the feels!!!
A Five Minute Life is devastatingly beautiful!! This book will break your heart and put it back together again! Jimmy and Thea’s love story is magnificently written and one of the my favorites of 2019!
Another beautifully heart-wrenching journey from Emma Scott who’s pen knows no bounds when it comes to honesty, intimacy, hope, and love. The story continually breaks you wide open while simultaneously stitching you back up. It’s a tribute to living in the moment and cherishing life in the present to the best of ones ability. To being strong and brave in the face of unimaginable feats and heart breaks. I adored every word and feel so glad to have finally sat down to become absorbed in the brilliant storytelling of this gifted author.
As someone who survived a devastating accident, myself, and was left with a lifelong brain injury, this book has affected me more profoundly than I ever imagined it would. Emma Scott has done her due diligence in her research of this highly ignored after effect of survivors of devastating accidents that affect many more people than is realized.
At the time of my accident I had infant twins. For a very long time I called them “Boy Baby” and “Girl Baby”. And my ability to understand they were mine, at the time, was non-existent. For years I would wake up with a clean slate…not knowing anyone in my life or even being able to take care of myself. The first 2 hours were spent reading my journal that told me what happened to me so I could move on with my day. Once I went to sleep…even for a nap…I reset all over again to a blank slate.
Someone in the reviews commented on how irritating it was that the book had so many repetitions. What a pity that some people cannot grasp the horror people like me live through. And yet, that ignorance is thrust upon us endlessly. It slows our healing to be yelled at, impatient with us, or to even think we are stupid or faking. The worst, of course, is the abuse. My guess is it happens to nearly all of us.
I, too, had notes everywhere…I actually still do. This is a lifetime injury, after all, and lifetime is as the name implies…lifetime. I will never have full use of my short or even long-term memory. I can watch a movie and the next time it comes on have no recollection that I had ever seen it. Yes, repetition is a part of our injury…we have no control over not being able to remember. But those around us can give us the dignity of patience and understanding.
I wish there was a miracle cure for this, but I’ve not heard of it yet. God bless each one of us. I pray we are all protected in our journey that begins anew each and every day. I am, blessedly, much better now. I awaken knowing most of what happened the day before. And when long-term memories come back they used to scare me to death b/c they would come across my mind in a rush as if they had just happened. It’s very startling even now.
Thank you, Emma Scott, for helping me cope with a debilitating remnant of a horrific accident. God bless you.
As a side note, I’d just like to mention that I got this book a few months ago then promptly forgot that I had it until I came across the book again just recently. I went to add it to my wishlist only to discover that I already had it. So you see? It’s a lifetime challenge. It never goes away. It got a great deal easier to cope with over the last 30 years but it will never go away.
I read everything Emma Scott writes because of her heart-grabbing words and lovely characters. A Five-Minute Life is a one-of-a-kind love story that breaks your heart, puts it back together, and entertains you until the end. Beautiful story.
Thea Hughes grew up in a loving family and always lived spontaneously, pursing her creativity as a painter. At 21, with all on the horizon for Thea, tragedy strikes and she is forced to live in a restricted existence. Two years later, and on a continually scripted reel, Thea is desperate to break out of her shell.
“She was direct as hell but smiled at me as if there was a secret between us that only we knew.”
For most of his life, Jim Whelan was bounced between foster homes until finally reaching eighteen. Now 24, Jim has relocated to a new town in hopes of getting an orderly position at the Blue Ridge Sanitarium. Accustomed to keeping to himself, Jim doesn’t talk much but a certain resident captures his attention.
“Nothing good lasts,” I said. “That’s been a truth of my life.”
As the plot becomes invested in the lives of these two characters, the differences between Jim and Thea are many, yet Jim remains a good-hearted person despite his past. Following his instinct, Jim believes he is acting in Thea’s best interest even when it may jeopardize his own circumstance. This selfless behavior runs true to Jim’s giving nature. Of course, Thea’s experience is one that is uniquely hers and when she has the opportunity to live beyond, and without regret, she seizes it.
“Not whole. We’re both a little cracked and imperfect, but I love us.”
Together, Jim and Thea balance each other, as she gives Jim the unconditional acceptance he’s been seeking, while Jim is an anchor to Thea’s whirlwind personality. With this story, the level of character dimension is rich and delves into vulnerabilities and the notion of living in the now.
Without a doubt, Jim is an absolute standout character and I empathized with his situation on multiple levels. Given Thea’s condition, it is hard not to be sympathetic to her plight, yet Thea didn’t want sympathy, which is a commendable trait. The idea that they took advantage of every minute together was moving. Overall, I enjoyed the premise of this book and the variables that could happen.
A Five-Minute Life is a poignant and thought provoking romance about love and resilience.
Unforgettable, heart-warming, and so emotionally romantic. I love everything ES writes. Every story is unique and stands apart from the rest. Absolute perfection.
Thea James had it all- family, art school and then tragically she lost her parents and her memories. She can only remember basics about her family and about 5 minutes of life. Then her mind resets. Enter Jim an orderly who has a stutter and grew up in the foster care system. He really sees Thea and wants to help her anyway he can. Beautiful love story. I Loved it!!
Loved it…a beautiful story with 2 of the best characters ever….a must read from one of my favorite authors!
Full of emotions….
This story takes you on a roller coaster of emotions. You start up and then down and then middle and then way down and then way up just to plunge back down into the depths that you don’t know whether you will get back up. Emma Scott writes amazingly fantastic emotions and feelings and everything you want in an book. Another five star read for this author!
A Five-Minute Life — I knew that this book will make a mess of me but I couldn’t pass the opportunity to read another well-crafted story from this author any longer. The story just blew me away! I couldn’t remember a time that I needed a stand-by tissue while reading a book but I have a feeling this author will make me cry at some point and she does. Thea and Jimmy’s story was sweet, endearing and heartwarming for me. Emma Scott has captured the feelings and emotions of two people struggling to fight for their love. The pacing of each scene was just right and made you feel like you were an active part of the storyline. It was that good! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and one of my best read this year, no doubt. I highly recommend you get your hands on it because it’s worth it.
**ARC REVIEW**
A beautiful story about True Love, Hope, Believing and Trusting in someone a stranger who will always be there for you when life has been taken from you and placed in a hidden box.
Jimmy finds himself starting a new life in a new town. He meets the beautiful Thea (Althea) at this new job in the sanitarium. He can’t believe what he’s seeing, what his boss is explaining of her condition and everyone else there. It’s just hard to comprehend but there’s something he sees in her eyes, something that’s speaking to him and he needs to discover the meaning.
Althea is stuck in her mind. She has suffered a tragic accident and lives only 5 minutes at a time… with no memory of what’s currently happening or what previously happened. This is what everyone thinks. She needs to find a way to communicate, she still there and she’s aware..
After years of being silent and trying to communicate, Thea finally has someone who is listening. Who believes in her. Jimmy! and his goal is to discover how to make others understand Thea is here in the now.
A story of Survival, Love & Hope. Hope in having someone believe in you and you having the trust in that someone to always be there for you and care for you, when others are not.
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Can Emma Scott to write a bad book? Not in a million years. This person is not human. No joking, there is magic in her.
I was at the edge the entire time. What was that? Read when you’re calm and relaxed because it will drive you crazy. Get ready to feel. It is a beautiful story. I wanted to skip to end so many times so I could stop freaking out, but I didn’t and I am glad.
If Emma is new to you, you are about to find out an amazing author and be addicted to her work. If you already read one of her books, you know what to expect. It is as magnificent as all of her other books.
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Pode a Emma Scott escrever um livro ruim? Nem em um milhão de anos. Essa pessoa não é humana. Sem brincadeira, há mágica nela.
Eu fiquei no limite o tempo todo. O que foi isso? Leiam quando estiverem calmos e relaxados porque vai lhes deixar malucos. Preparem-se para sentir. É uma história linda. Eu quis pular para o final tantas vezes para que eu pudesse para de surtar, mas não pulei e fico feliz.
Se a Emma é novidade para vocês, estão prestes a descobrir uma autora maravilhosa e ficar viciados em seu trabalho. Se vocês já leram algum livro dela, você sabe o que esperar. É tão magnífico quanto seus outros livros.
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I really didn’t know what I was getting into with this book, but it was really good and so worth it. This is definitely not your traditional romance novel. On one hand, it had a 50 First Dates vibe (not as comedic though), but at the same time, for the beginning of the book, it didn’t feel like a romance. It had a feel of Jim trying to help, give someone a voice when he, for so long, didn’t have one of his own. He saw things other people missed. He was a new pair of eyes, a fresh pair of eyes to Thea and her situation. It was frustrating that the people that had been caring for Thea were ignoring things Jim was seeing because it was “normal” to them. I was really glad when Dr. Chen came in and started reevaluating Thea, and actually listened to what Jim had observed.
One of the most interesting things was Thea’s short POVs. It gave you some insight into what she was experiencing when she was “aware” before resetting.
I’ll admit, I did wonder if there would be any romance in the book at all…because how could anything happen when she wasn’t able to make new memories and she reset every 5-7 minutes? Obviously that wasn’t going to happen. But there were definite twists and turns and revelations that kept me glued to my kindle.
I definitely won’t spoil this book, but I have to say that I really hated Delia, Thea’s sister. Yes, I felt for her because of everything she had been through and endured with Thea’s situation but at the same time, I really wanted to shove her off a cliff.
This book is DEFINITELY a must read, and I can’t recommend it enough!
I really like Jim Whelan. His struggles and his compassion for and attraction to Thea make him likable from the start. He makes the novel worthwhile. Without revealing too much, when the reader gets to see more of Thea, her character is a little disappointing, but, the story itself is too good to miss.
A Five-Minute Life is one of those unique and memorable stories. Emma Scott has once again, crafted a soul searching tale that will consume your attention.
Jimmy and Thea, ahhhh and their promises to each other:
“Keep me safe.”
“Keep me wild.”
An unstoppable love that spans five-minutes at a time, eighteen months, or two years. Take your pick. It’s heart wrenching at times and so beautifully normal when the increments of time are on their side.
This review may sound a little confusing but you’ve got to read it in order to understand what I don’t want to spoil.
Emma Scott has done it again. She has this way of capturing human emotion in the pages of her books and laying them bare for us all to read. This book is fully engaging and hypnotic to read. The characters are beautiful, well developed, and created with such empathy. It almost feels like an invasion of their privacy to read the story, that is the gift of Emma Scott. She doesn’t just tell a story, she pulls you all the way in. Absolute magic. 5 stars.
So, so, so, so good. It gave me a bunch of feelings with a heaping side of love for this authors words. I always dive right in. I scroll past teasers and go in blind because her books never disappoint. Such a phenomenal story. I loved ever minute of it.
“He went into my world in order to bring me out.”
This is one of those very rare stories that touch your soul and sticks with you. I’ve recently become a fan of this author so when I heard she was releasing a new book, I was all-in without even knowing what I was in for. I’m struggling to find words to tell you how special this beautiful story is, but I’ll try.
The author introduced me to Thea before the car accident that stole her memory. It was only a brief glimpse, but enough for me to know that she was extremely talented, full of light and laughter, and most definitely colorful. She had me smiling from the first page which made knowing the tragedy that was coming my way hard to accept. But, I knew that it would be worth the pain I was sure to suffer as I experienced it with her. That’s something that’s important to me as a reader, being able to trust an author with my heart. This particular author has earned many of my tears, but she’s never made me regret the journey.
Jim (aka Jimmy) has had a very rough life growing up in foster care. Not that what he experienced had anything to do with ‘care’. Nope, it was more like the opposite. It’s mind-boggling that he made it to adulthood with the desire to help others, but he did. He truly cares about the patients at the Blue Ridge Sanitarium, especially Thea. He tries to distance himself from her, but he’s so drawn to her that it’s impossible, in spite of being warned repeatedly. He might only be able to reach her five minutes at a time, but those minutes are… everything.
I really don’t know what else I can tell you without giving anything away. This book ruined me. I raged. I sobbed. I sighed. I hoped. I yelled. I melted. I cried some more. My heart feels too big for my chest and I’m a hot mess. Thank you, Emma Scott. I’ll never forget A Five-Minute Life. It’s an ugly-cry movie worthy masterpiece that I hope everyone takes the time to read and hopefully will someday end up on the big screen. Well done.
4 1/2 stars. Emma Scott does it again. Her books are so much more than just romance. Wonderful, interesting stories and characters. I loved this one and all of hers that I have read.