If you could repeat one year of your life, what would you do differently? This heartwarming and hilarious novel from the authors of The Status of All Things and Your Perfect Life features three best friends who get the chance to return to the year they turned forty–the year that altered all of their lives, in ways big and small–and also get the opportunity to change their future. Jessie loves … their future.
Jessie loves her son Lucas more than anything, but it tears her up inside that he was conceived in an affair that ended her marriage to a man she still loves, a man who just told her he’s getting remarried. This time around, she’s determined to bury the secret of Lucas’ paternity, and to repair the fissures that sent her wandering the first time.
Gabriela regrets that she wasted her most fertile years in hot pursuit of a publishing career. Yes, she’s one of the biggest authors in the world, but maybe what she really wanted to create was a family. With a chance to do it again, she’s focused on convincing her husband, Colin, to give her the baby she desires.
Claire is the only one who has made peace with her past: her twenty-two year old daughter, Emily, is finally on track after the turmoil of adolescence, and she’s recently gotten engaged, with the two carat diamond on her finger to prove it. But if she’s being honest, Claire still fantasizes about her own missed opportunities: a chance to bond with her mother before it was too late, and the possibility of preventing her daughter from years of anguish. Plus, there’s the man who got away–the man who may have been her one true love.
But it doesn’t take long for all three women to learn that re-living a life and making different decisions only leads to new problems and consequences–and that the mistakes they made may, in fact, have been the best choices of all…more
Do you ever wish you could go back and relive a moment even if just for the sole purpose of making a different choice about something? In The Year We Turned Forty, three fifty-year-old women get the opportunity to do just that. Co-authors: Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke incorporate magical realism in the storyline to assist their characters in going back in time and doing a year over, their 40th to be exact. Issues addressed in this book include parenting, fertility, faithfulness, priorities, regret, second chances, and letting go/moving on. Overall, I liked this book. I understand that there is always a “turning point” in one’s life that seems to set events in motion and it’s easy to feel that if that period of time was different then life would be much easier, and that may be very true. However, I strongly believe every day is a chance to start fresh and make things right again. Learn from your past, let it go, and move forward anew. We all possess the power to take control of our own life – use it!
My favorite quote:
“You never really get over losing someone or something you love. But the world keeps moving and you have to also or you will get lost. Learning to accept things and move on isn’t a weakness, it’s a strength.”
This is the story of three friends who have the chance to go back in time and make different life decisions. They have one year to make up their minds if they will go back to their former lives or stay living with the changes they have made. The only thing is that all three must agree with the decision that is made.
Jessie loves her son Lucas more than anything, but it tears her up inside that he was conceived in an affair that ended her marriage to a man she still loves, a man who just told her he’s getting remarried.
Gabriela regrets that she wasted her most fertile years in hot pursuit of a publishing career. Yes, she’s one of the biggest authors in the world, but maybe what she really wanted to create was a family.
Claire is the only one who has made peace with her past. But, there’s the man who got away–the man who may have been her one true love.
I loved this book and rooted for all three women. It made me think about what I would have chosen if I had the chance to do it all again.
Think about it, you and your 2 BFFs just turned 50 and suddenly you all have the opportunity for a do over. Do you? Have you learned anything in your life that will improve your happiness or level of contentment? There’s a lesson to learn here. Read this brilliantly written novel to find out.
I selected this book not knowing anything about it, but it drew me in because of the title. This is my year. I didn’t know it, but it was also the time when I was going to be losing my father-in-law. I loved this book because of the moms/wives and their catastrophes, and it reminded me of something by Liane Moriarty, and I’m a fan of all her books. There were three main characters and their stories, but it was written so that you are never confused when reading it. There were several pages I marked as I read through this book, because they had quotes that I wanted to write in my what I call “Keepers” book. I won’t quote them all to you but it was things like the words the authors used, how his arms danced when he talked. I loved that picture in my mind. And how you have to not just wait until your life suddenly has this or that in it, because then it would be so easy to be so happy, but you have to learn to be happy with the life you already lead. I loved the idea of a second chance and the “love the one you’re with,” and there was also lots of hilarity as they’re just trying to make it through, all the things girlfriends can say to each other, very inappropriate, but you CAN, because you are who you are for each other, and so then it’s okay. It was funny, touching, adventurous, heartbreaking and inspiring, if I had to pick some words to describe this book. Thanks, ladies! Amazing! Touched my heart!
*********3.5 Star Review*********
I Listen to the Audiobook and the narrator was quite enjoyable and did a good job at giving each character a distinctive voice.
The Book: I really enjoyed the whole concept of this book. Even though there was the time I wanted to shake all three ladies. I loved how the main theme explored isn’t necessarily making better choices but confronting the bad choices and dealing with the consequences early so life can be better later.
I often think in today’s society that we are all about the instant gratification and making sure I fell “good” all the time and we run at the slightest hint of trouble. Don’t make me have to self reflect or have to really deal with your mess. I love how all three of the main characters had to learn to stand their ground even when times got tough. These three ladies go back in time to get what they think they deserve a second chance at a perfect life and to right the mistakes, but what they end up doing is making a different set of mistakes. with themselves, each other and their families. But what they learned in life is seldom perfect and mistakes will happen, but how they react to them will change the course of their life.
By confronting their own deficiencies, and not blaming others for their choices, they are able to truly have a life that is not built on half-truths and what they find is a deeper meaningful life, that impacts their friendships, family relationships, and romantic relationships.
It really was a thought-provoking book that made you stop and think it’s not about the perfect life, family or marriage. it’s about being real, confronting pain, dealing with hurts and being real with the ones your love in order to really live.
This book was just okay, in my opinion. 3 women go back in time to determine if they can live one year of their life over- and make their lives better.
Interesting concept, however, it never really grabbed me. Their lives were tedious, and they cried and moaned about their lives a lot.
#TheYearWeTurnedForty #LizFentonLisaSteinke
Love this book! One of my all-time favorite reads!!! I adored the aspect of a “do-over” in your life!