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Middle Falls Time Travel #19

The Ambitious Lives of Evan Sanderson

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Evan Sanderson seems to be living a charmed life. He is a successful doctor, is respected in the community, and has a beautiful wife.

Evan accomplished what he has because he has a burning ambition to achieve, to be the best.

At the end of his life, he wonders if he did enough. Will people remember him when he is dead? He has a terrible feeling he has not accomplished what he wanted.

Evan lives in Middle Falls, where second--and third--chances abound, so he will have more opportunities to get to where he longs to be. Or will his ambition turn in new directions?

The Ambitious Lives of Evan Sanderson is the nineteenth book in the Middle Falls Time Travel Series. It can be read as a standalone novel, or as part of the series.

347 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 19, 2023

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108 people want to read

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Shawn Inmon

100 books607 followers

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
Profile Image for TL *Humaning the Best She Can*.
2,360 reviews169 followers
December 25, 2023
*read for free with Kindle Unlimited *

This is the longest series I've kept up with for a long time. Same concept but it never gets boring. Love seeing how each person makes it work/count with another chance/s each new life/lives gives them.

Evan is dealing with trauma from his past that he slowly comes terms with. He heals and finds strength in his own way.

His one life was my favorite, it felt peaceful,wonderful and... down to earth and honest.

His second life was full of things, but you can feel the emptiness of it before Evan does. It was interesting to see how he went about things and understood but not completely what it all came to and what it meant right away. I think he did on some level.

Makes you think about what is meaningful in life.

What would you do if given a second, third, or even fourth chance and you could remember everything from each turn at the wheel?

On one hand, some awful experiences taught me things and I met some wonderful people, some who are still in my life.
Would I want to change things and find them some other way? Would our relationships be the same?

I definitely would do things with my health differently in a few aspects.
378 reviews
December 19, 2023
Brilliant!

I've binged all of the books in this series, they are all worth reading. And if the Middle Falls time travel series carries on for a lot more years - I'll still be reading them.
Profile Image for Kathy.
9 reviews
December 21, 2023
Another Winner

Thank you Shawn for another winning read. My only complaint is that it could have been twice or even three times longer.
Profile Image for Kathleen Craig.
195 reviews
May 7, 2024
3.5 Stars
Note: I listened to the Audible edition but it's not listed on goodreads yet.
Another winner but too short for me. Or maybe I inhaled it too quickly!?

Profile Image for Jkane.
735 reviews2 followers
October 28, 2024
This was probably the most disappointing Middle Falls book because it started out great, had a significant amount of conflict and issues to resolve, all with a tremendous base given that he’s a physician. The ending was too abrupt, it missed an obvious plot device, and it felt like one of the few people who should’ve returned for another life. In all other 18 books, the story AND character reached their pinnacle. Here the story just got cut off and the character felt unresolved.

While this may have been the most disappointing book, it’s by no means the worst (#3 is still the worst). This book is actually great for the majority of the story, and I anticipated it earning 5 stars until the ending was thrust upon us with so much still left undone and unfulfilled for Evan. Way too abrupt.

SPOILER: if you’ve read this, then read on, but if not, then hold off. You have a very intelligent physician who flip flops on his life’s work - which is great, and the basis for our story. I can get behind his ultimate career choice, because he seems to learn that it’s about the journey, not the achievement of a goal. But what I can’t get behind is him missing the obvious. He decides to help a poor community and yet, in his ultimate life he makes NONE of the financial moves that made him the richest human on the planet. This little town, and the people in it, are desperate for a doctor. They can’t afford electricity or drugs, but he has the golden ticket and doesn’t use it. Evan need not be rich, but a few stock moves would greatly enrich his goal of helping the town. It was just obvious. Make a little money FOR THE TOWN. The fake medical degree was also a bit of a cop-out. I did find the ‘no significant other’ aspect of this story refreshing, though. Plenty of people find contentment without a spouse, and so this was a fresh idea.

Tidbit: I realized in this book for the first time that Shawn probably has no children. He makes the childhood of the protagonist a conflict point, but I can’t recall a single book where HAVING kids was significant to the protagonist in any way. For those of us who are parents, he’s missing an obvious novel theme due to the fact that Shawn probably lacks that part of his own life. That said, we write what we know, so that’s totally ok. Just like Evan did not need a spouse to feel complete, plenty of people never feel the need (or lack the ability or opportunity) for having children. Shawn has done more with one idea (self-reincarnation) than anyone I can recall given how fresh each next book seems, with a new lesson to learn.
Profile Image for Marilouise Gilley.
62 reviews1 follower
January 12, 2024
Once again I held off reading this book, because I know once I start, I don't want to put a Middle Falls book down. This one as well as all 18 predecessors brings hope to the heart of the reader. You know that the named character is going to die, only to find himself or herself back somewhere in their lifetime and wonder "what happened"????? "Where and what time am I"?????? Oh no, I'm a little kid, or a pimple faced Freshman in high school, or 30 something again in the worst situation I was ever in. But alas, Mr. Inmon's imagination has once again taken us into Middle Falls, that wonderful Oregon city where what was, is now again once more. I have been mesmerized with this place ever since I read Thomas Weavers story, and I am planning on sticking around until Hattie shows us her story. I especially liked the way it was revealed to us that Evan was the recipient of abuse, both mental and physical. It really gave reason as to why he was so totally set in his resolve not to have anything to do with his Mother. It really made me think that perhaps she will have her own story sometime in the future, as what was revealed to Evan and his Dad in the "great white waiting room" as to her continued recycling. I think as in all that dole out abuse, she must have been abused all her childhood, and maybe had to re-live that abuse over and over, much like Michael Hollister murdered his Dad so many times for the abuse. I was so pleased that Evan finally got to have a relationship with his Father, as well as his Father was wanting that same thing. "How many Lives has it been for you?" Wow, I'm not alone anymore. How you can continue to entertain us with the citizens of Middle Falls with that wonderful imagination is beyond me, but you had better keep it up, there are many of us doing that hurry up and wait dance until Hattie greets us. Another story so well done, just keep 'em coming is all I can say!!!!!
Profile Image for Sandy Gudaitis.
266 reviews1 follower
December 20, 2023
I love every book in this series. It’s a real - if I could go back in life what would I change -story.
The main character was someone I could relate to. A doctor who felt like he lived a great life but didn’t accomplish enough.
All the Middle Falls Series follows the same plot pattern of a reincarnation into their old lives at an earlier date with a chance to fix the wrongs and make new choices. Some choices are better and some prove to be much worse.
I can heartily recommend each book.
Profile Image for Ashwin Dongre.
340 reviews11 followers
June 28, 2024
This one was okay, it was interesting enough for me to not stop reading. But it's one of the lower side of the spectrum in the series.
First and foremost problem is, the story is just like every other last ten characters.
The usual theme emerges, that money does not make happy, people with you do. So be only rich enough to live without want and build relationship. Find meaning in life. Do we need same story told time and again? 20 times?
While I'm on the topic of the theme. Evan's mother in one scene says, "Glad to see you are thinking about themes in the book instead of just reading to see what happens next. That is the sign of a weak mind." Now like I said we know what the theme of this entire series is, so clearly we, all the readers, and also the fans of this series are reading to know what happens next in the life of the protagonist. Is Shawn Inmon mocking us?
Shawn accused me that I don't understand the substance of these stories. If that is true he's doing poor job of explaining. But I think the real reason is he himself is unaware of it, he's as usual evolving it with each or every second story. Clear proof of this is his evolution of universes these characters are living in. He's already changed it three times and has added so many goofs in the canon. I've explained this in one (or more) of the previous books' reviews.
Here's another proof of this. In this book, he three times he says something to this effect, that if this was a story(or movie), things would have happened in cliched way, following some trope; but because this is real life, things happened differently. It clearly shows what Shawn Inmon was thinking while writing that part of the story. Unsure of what should happen next, he'd think of the cliche`s and then discard to write something else. And he actually wrote down that thought process. He's already mentioned several times that he writes this way, that things come to his mind and he write them. He doesn't plan the overall plot, or even the next chapter. He just write them as it comes to his mind. Even in the 'Authour's notes' of this book he accepts that, 'never saw what was going to happen a few pages ahead'. He's already been upset with me when I pointed this out and the miskates he's been doing because of this. So I wont tell him again to actually think before writing.

One scene, however, I liked. It happens in Evan's fourth life. I thought mother would change on receiving father's summons; like in Karl Strong with his wife in Karl's 35th life. But I'm glad it didn't. I also thought that she would be one of the Middle Fall's relivers when she committed suicide second time. Honestly speaking, I don't want to read her story. One redemption story in MF is enough.
I Loved it when father asked, "Diagnosis?" Couldn't stop laughing for few seconds. Also I thought Cese would answer which life she was on. Now that's a story I'd like to read.

All in all it's an Okay book. I might read it sometime again, but I'm not sure.
Profile Image for Donadee's Corner.
2,648 reviews63 followers
April 15, 2024
Fellow readers: Shawn Inmon's 'The Ambitious Lives of Evan Sanderson!'

Inmon's latest addition to the Middle Falls Time Travel series is a compelling narrative that seamlessly blends elements of ambition, regret, and the possibility of second chances. This nineteenth installment continues to explore the intriguing concept of time travel within the quaint town of Middle Falls, where life offers more than one opportunity to its residents. Evan Sanderson, a successful doctor respected in his community and blessed with a beautiful wife, stands at the center of this tale. His life, seemingly perfect, is marred by an underlying current of unfulfilled ambition and the haunting question: "Did I do enough?" As he reaches the end of his life, Evan is plagued by the fear that his existence might fade into oblivion, forgotten by those he leaves behind. It's a relatable fear that echoes the insecurities of many who strive for greatness and recognition.

Inmon's portrayal of Evan is both nuanced and profound. He captures the essence of a man driven by a burning desire to be the best yet also introspective enough to question his chosen path. Inmon has once again proven his ability to craft a story that is entertaining and thought-provoking, leaving readers to wonder about their own lives and the marks they will leave on the world. This book is a must-read for those who have followed the Middle Falls series. For newcomers, it's an inviting gateway into a world where the past is not set in stone, and the future is a canvas of possibilities. Shawn Inmon's work continues to delight and inspire, and this book is a testament to his skill as a storyteller and the enduring allure of the Middle Falls universe. Pick up your copy today and see what happens to Evan!

• ASIN: B0BZ57415K
• Publisher: Pertime Publishing
• Publication Date: 12/19/2023
• File Size: 606 KB
• Print Length: 347 pages
• Genre: Metaphysical Science Fiction eBooks - Time Travel Science Fiction - Time Travel Fiction
Profile Image for Glenn Younger.
Author 4 books5 followers
October 5, 2025
A riches to rags to riches story of freedom.

DOCTOR Evan Sanderson. To his mother, the title of Doctor has the right ring to it. To Evan, it represents a lifetime of living a life that is more to his mother’s liking than his.

Not that he knows what would be to his liking. He’s never been allotted enough time or emotional bandwidth to even consider it.

By all practical measures, he is successful. He has his thriving medical practice; a beautiful wife with whom he shares little intimacy, but she does tick all the boxes; an impressive home and a fancy car.

In short, he has everything his mother trained him for, his wife negotiates for, and society measures as desirable.

It isn’t until his first soul time travel loop puts him back in his early residency days that he’s willing to recognize that moving forward in his residency is the last thing he wants.

What he wants is… freedom.

In Evan’s mind, freedom needs money. The more the better. And freedom needs distance between him and his mother. Again, the more the better.

Thus begins his adventure from successful comfort to dire poverty to excessive wealth, only to loop back and have to do it all over again in order to recognize the missing elements needed for a fulfilling life well lived.

In a past review, I noted how often the author has included a spouse and children as the missing ingredients to a fulfilling life. Evan’s story is different. His lessons are learned through different means and, in that, it is refreshing. The fact that he goes through a time where he’s little more than a hard working vagabond makes him all the more likable and inspirational.
Profile Image for Steven.
Author 1 book7 followers
January 3, 2024
Note: I received a free copy of this book and this is my honest review.

I have loved all of the previous books in Shawn Inmon's Middle Falls Time Travel series, but Evan Sanderson may be my favorite one so far!

Sanderson is a ENT doctor, who was reared by an overbearing mother, who convinced him that his father (also a doctor in town) was no good. While Evan is a good doctor, he is unhappy, and decides to leave the town of Middle Falls without telling anyone where he is going. In fact, he does not know, as he is searching for a place to live and for fulfillment.

He lives several lives, during which he finds that he likes hard work, helping people, and (in one life) accumulating unbelievable wealth.

The best "minor" character in the book is Evan's mother, Camille, who is an abusive, control freak. I'd love to see Inmon devote an entire book to her!

It is wonderful how Evan connects with his father and works and travels with him. I found that very moving.

And an added bonus are the sections on crabbing in Alaska (taken from the author's personal experiences there).
Profile Image for John Loyd.
1,399 reviews31 followers
October 23, 2024
Evan is a doctor. He has a nice life, but never really connects with anyone. He dies and wakes up during his residency. The long hours are taxing, his girlfriend is clingy and that relationship didn’t end well so he’s going to make some changes. Pack up and go. There are ups and downs in that life. Once again not completely fulfilling and he is reset again, this time back to fourteen years old with an overbearing mother that can become abusive. He makes up his mind to run away, until he meets his father for the first time in his memory.

Fast and for the most part, fun read. I wasn’t too interested in the ins and outs of the crabbing operation, but Evan built up his stake and was off to his next adventure soon enough. 4.7 stars.
Profile Image for LizKat.
778 reviews4 followers
May 19, 2025
With a series this long there are bound to be some books that are misses for some readers and this one was a huge miss for me.
naturally I suspend disbelief when reading these but for a wealthy doctor to willingly become homeless and then working for less than two dollars an hour doing backbreaking labor? Yeah I couldn't see how anyone could ever do that. It was at that point that the book lost its charm for me and I really disliked Evan over how heartless he was over Mel's fate in his past life.
Later in the story everything fell into place too neatly and I was left dissatisfied because there were so many wrongs in his past lives that didn't seem to have been made right like in the other books in this series.

Oh well, onward to the next!
Profile Image for Beckie Hines.
398 reviews1 follower
June 14, 2025
thumbs up

This one seemed different than the previous books based in Middle Falls. It just had a different vibe.
I wasn’t certain why Evan dismissed his mother from his life until he revealed it later in the book.
Camille was a big time helicopter mom that was mentally and physically abusive. I tried to give her character the benefit of a doubt, I couldn’t.
Evan starting over is carjacked and left with no car, penniless and homeless. Getting back on his feet he takes on a crab fishing expedition and working on the Alaskan pipeline.
Evan’s dad left when he was a toddler. Alton, dad, re-enters Evan’s life and together they create new lives for themselves together.
Profile Image for John.
541 reviews17 followers
December 23, 2023
I felt like this book was quite different from the previous 18 in the series (all of which I have read and loved). This book still had all the hallmarks of earlier books (the dead are reborn to get their lives in order). Unlike previous books, Evan had what most people would call a successful life when he dies the first time. But is success, in financial terms, what makes people happy? Can people be happy when they don’t have money? The last part of the book was the one I enjoyed most. It took a twist I didn’t see coming. Excellent story. Don’t miss it.
Profile Image for Alyson Sheldrake.
Author 12 books39 followers
December 28, 2023
Shawn strikes again! The Middle Falls time travel series never disappoints and this book - incredibly the 19th in the series - follows the life of Evan Sanderson, a successful doctor, as he struggles to makes sense of what life is really all about.
The first part of the book almost reads like a memoir, it is so ‘lifelike’, and I happily settled in for a gentle revealing of the story, until suddenly I was plunged into a plot twist that left me reeling and spinning the pages to find out how things would turn out for Evan.
A really great read.
Profile Image for Cindy.
28 reviews21 followers
May 2, 2024
Absolutely fantastic book. I’d have finished it in a day if I hadn’t had to go to work!! I just couldn’t stop listening to it. I felt a bit of affinity with Evan and understood his dilemmas with his mother more than I care to admit so I found this book quite gut wrenching because I knew what he was going through on a personal level.

I think Shawn has an amazing ability to make his characters so real that we can’t help but feel for them whether we have experience of their situation or not and I have a feeling that is why his books are so well received.
Profile Image for Nancy.
72 reviews
January 26, 2024
My favorite author has done it again... kept me up all night reading! I have recently seen several other books of this genre, and have read a few, but none do it as well as Mr. Inmon! His captivating character and plot development are at the same time, accessible and thought provoking. I've read all 19 books in this series and will continue reading them as long as Shawn Inmon continues writing them... more please!
Profile Image for Karen.
145 reviews
April 14, 2025
Another unique approach in the Middle Falls series. Evan is a seemingly successful man in his first life, which is unusual for these main characters. But as he continues on his path, we learn more about him and why he is the way he is. Ultimately, Evan learns more about himself through his lives and ultimately reaches a satisfying end. Evan wasn’t my favorite character, but once again I enjoyed the story and the avoidance of predictability.

Tommy Weaver makes an appearance in this story.
Profile Image for Gene.
634 reviews
January 20, 2024
Definitely one of the weaker entries in this series. Spent a long time on Evan bouncing from job to job without really exploring who he was. Only in the last quarter of the book did we start to see some explanation for how he got whatever personality traits we were supposed to pick up in the first part.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
12 reviews
May 8, 2024
The stories just keep getting better.

I think I've read just about all of Shawn Inmon's books. These amazing stories are rich with opportunities to see potential growth and potential failures. The choices these characters make open up a whole new world for us read. I'm anxiously waiting for the next book.
18 reviews1 follower
May 23, 2024
What a winning streak of great books!

Every book I read by this author leaves me wanting more to read. I hope he never stops writing and continues the storylines. Many of the characters I have come to love, learn from and respect. This author makes each story his own tale of life And that's what makes it a better read. Shawn, keep it up!
305 reviews6 followers
July 26, 2025
always wonderful stories in Middle Falls

It's been a while since I have read one of these books in the Middle Falls Time Travel series... I think I have been saving a few for a time when I needed something that I KNEW I was going to love and I'm glad that I did! They never disappoint!
Now, on to the next....
Profile Image for Chris M..
273 reviews5 followers
September 6, 2025
Evan's story was an interesting read. It was interesting to see how this character changed emotionally throughout the story. In the beginning, he lives his life according to other's expectations, but then you see him break away from those restraints and become his own person with his own identity and values.
770 reviews4 followers
December 23, 2023
The ambitious lies of Evan Sanderson

So far in this series, I have not found one bad book. All have been excellent to read.
I lied that the author put in a character that does not show his other books. It adds life to the series that I hope he continues.
4 reviews
December 23, 2023
Again

Another good story from Middle Falls. I have read them all and will be waiting anxiously for the next. Of all life’s scenarios I have read, this comes the closest to what I think happens after death. At least partly. It’s a comforting idea.
Profile Image for Jeff Wetherbee.
4 reviews
December 24, 2023
Another great Middle Falls story

The directions that Evan Sanderson’s lives took were interesting. Although I thought I knew where it was going at one point, Shawn Inmon did a great job of going in a different direction. Another great visit to Middle Falls!
Profile Image for Ray Smillie.
754 reviews
January 3, 2024
First book of the year and I am glad I chose this one. The Middle Falls series by Shawn Inmon rarely disappoints. This ranks with the best from him. He always makes the trips varied and interesting plus the twist on the final trip back was unexpected and wonderful. Next one please.
291 reviews1 follower
January 11, 2024
Another Winner!

I’ve read most of Mr. Inmon’s books and will continue to read them. I’ve enjoyed all the Middle Falls stories. Each different but all with the goal of living life well. Nicely done here. I’m so glad Evan made you write this.
Profile Image for Alexa.
411 reviews15 followers
January 16, 2024
I felt the rhythm or pace of this one was a little off. I found it harder to get into, I wasn’t as absorbed in the story as I was with most of the others. Even the author admitted in the afterword that he struggled with it some.
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