In Five Years: A GMA Book Club Pick (a Novel)

This book had me hooked from chapter 1, I read it in one sitting. I loved the way the story flowed and how the characters meshed together. If you believe in love and fate, this is the story for you. Although there was a very sad turn of events, the love shown through all the way to the ending. Truly a great read! Looking forward to more from this author.

I don’t even know where to start with this one.It’s not the book I expected, and honestly? I think that’s the point.In Five Years hooks you with a mysterious, disorienting glimpse of the future and then quietly unravels everything you thought you knew about love, timing, friendship, and fate.Dannie is precise. Measured. A woman of plans. But none of them prepared her for the summer of 2025 when her life began to change in ways she could never have imagined. There’s a twist (or three). There’s heartbreak. And there’s beauty in the letting go.In Five Years reminded me that not every story is going to have a storybook, happy ending. But “we do not yet know what is coming…so let it be.”This book surprised me. It hurt in places I didn’t expect. But I’m glad I finally read it. I won’t forget it anytime soon.

A story of best friends, love, life, and loss. I read/listened to this in two days and couldn’t put it down.It’s been on my TBR list for a year and I wish I read it sooner. The characters were well developed and the author made you feel connected to them, as the reader. I’m not usually an emotional reader, but this one got me.

Let me start by saying, I’m not completely upset with the story or ending. But let’s be clear, this is not a love story, nor a story about friendship. Was love and friendship in the book? Yes, but so was a detailed description of their meals and the wine they chose to go along with it. I feel like I remember those scenes way more than the pages of the characters relationships.I loved the idea of having a vision of your life 5 years from now and seeing how it all transpires, but this book failed at connecting the reader to the outcome. The main character’s description of her best friend came off as obsession rather than best friends growing up together. Her reminiscing gave me stalker vibes. I couldn’t connect, I couldn’t route for anyone, except for Bella and her battle with cancer. This could have been a really good book with a great concept but unfortunately fell short.Easy read, but if you’re on the fence, find something else.

I loved the beginning and what I thought was the premise. And then I was annoyed that the premised was developed further. And then I was surprised at how far into the book I was (reading on Kindle) since I had no idea the ending was near. And I remained a little annoyed until those last pages. And then all was right with the (book) world. It’s good to be wrong.

I love this author. She never lets me down with all of her great books she has written. This has to be one of my favorites.

This book was riveting in its rawness and ability to make the reader feel such truth in emotion. It is about different facets of love and how we can love differently through familiarity. It splits your heart open in its path through reality while showing how grief cuts you to its core while etching the pure beauty of friendship onto a heart, always to remain a part of you. Often it is this closeness of a friend that touches us in a truer manner than a relation can ever hope to delve to the deepest level.We must be cautious with whom we trust with this depth of closeness and its fragile reality.

When I read the Amazon “blurb” on this book, I went into it thinking it would be one of those two friends who agree that “if we’re not married by the time we’re 35, we’ll get together” books.It was not that. Instead, this is an interesting and sometimes uncomfortable look at the truth of the old saying that “life is what happens when you’re making other plans.” This book, with its very interesting premise, is testimony to that frustration and futility.I still haven’t resolved my feelings on the ending. For me, it was a bit surprising, but overall it makes sense.