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For Everything a Time
For everything there is an appointed time, even a time for every affair under the heavens.
After thirteen years it’s time for Mac to return home to face a past he’s been running from. A past his best friend Dave has been unable to escape.
It was 1990, their final year of school and with an INXS soundtrack, life was moving on. Bus stops, homework and football were giving way to pay slips and beer, to first cars and first loves.
Until one night changed it all.
As the story of that evening unravels, so too do the binds that cross generations of family. The pride of fathers. The love of mothers and a sister. The love of a mate; the prejudices that run deep. Testing them, and the strong social ties that small towns have, Mac searches for honesty and for the precious words never said, while Dave fights for his story to be heard.
Before it’s too late, can these once-close friends and their town still divided by tragedy find a time for peace?
After thirteen years it’s time for Mac to return home to face a past he’s been running from. A past his best friend Dave has been unable to escape.
It was 1990, their final year of school and with an INXS soundtrack, life was moving on. Bus stops, homework and football were giving way to pay slips and beer, to first cars and first loves.
Until one night changed it all.
As the story of that evening unravels, so too do the binds that cross generations of family. The pride of fathers. The love of mothers and a sister. The love of a mate; the prejudices that run deep. Testing them, and the strong social ties that small towns have, Mac searches for honesty and for the precious words never said, while Dave fights for his story to be heard.
Before it’s too late, can these once-close friends and their town still divided by tragedy find a time for peace?
- GenresAustralia
296 pages, Paperback
Published May 1, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
May 2, 2024
For Everything a Time is told through dual timelines (1990/2003) and from the perspectives of Mac and Dave; two best friends whose lives are dramatically altered by a tragic event.
“Have you ever wondered what things would have been like if that night had been different?”
I was gripped from the start. This book has such excellent sense of time and place. I enjoyed the various pop culture references that reinforced the era and location – if ever adapted into film, they will have a field day with product placement!
Mark writes with vivid imagery. It felt cinematic and was easy to picture. I was filled with intrigue, and found it hard to put down as fragments of the past inevitably merged into present. It kept me guessing as to what would happen, how various parts fit together. It’s a book that draws you in and doesn’t let go.
Chapters flew past. The different POVs and time jumps kept things interesting and worked smoothly. Each character had a distinct voice of their own. You can't help but connect, feel invested in their lives. Ennis Creek was a well-developed character of its own; ever present as life unfolded in different ways for each person.
“She linked her arm through his and they turned to the left, away from the town, until nowhere in particular became the other side of the world.”
I loved the different ways that ‘time’ was portrayed. There’s powerful symbolism, and moments that tug the heartstrings. The “in another life” interludes were incredibly effective – enough to make you pause and contemplate your own life choices, paths taken and not taken.
Each piece came together for powerful revelations and a memorable ending that left me emotional. For Everything a Time is both original and ambitious, and expertly crafted in a way that captures the heart (and attention) from beginning to end.
A great debut, best enjoyed with some INXS and packet of FruChocs. Highly recommend for those who love small town fiction and thought-provoking novels. I'm looking forward to reading more from Mark in future!
I’ll always remember the time spent with these characters in Ennis Creek.
“It was now a time for life.”
Many thanks to Ultimo Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
“Have you ever wondered what things would have been like if that night had been different?”
I was gripped from the start. This book has such excellent sense of time and place. I enjoyed the various pop culture references that reinforced the era and location – if ever adapted into film, they will have a field day with product placement!
Mark writes with vivid imagery. It felt cinematic and was easy to picture. I was filled with intrigue, and found it hard to put down as fragments of the past inevitably merged into present. It kept me guessing as to what would happen, how various parts fit together. It’s a book that draws you in and doesn’t let go.
Chapters flew past. The different POVs and time jumps kept things interesting and worked smoothly. Each character had a distinct voice of their own. You can't help but connect, feel invested in their lives. Ennis Creek was a well-developed character of its own; ever present as life unfolded in different ways for each person.
“She linked her arm through his and they turned to the left, away from the town, until nowhere in particular became the other side of the world.”
I loved the different ways that ‘time’ was portrayed. There’s powerful symbolism, and moments that tug the heartstrings. The “in another life” interludes were incredibly effective – enough to make you pause and contemplate your own life choices, paths taken and not taken.
Each piece came together for powerful revelations and a memorable ending that left me emotional. For Everything a Time is both original and ambitious, and expertly crafted in a way that captures the heart (and attention) from beginning to end.
A great debut, best enjoyed with some INXS and packet of FruChocs. Highly recommend for those who love small town fiction and thought-provoking novels. I'm looking forward to reading more from Mark in future!
I’ll always remember the time spent with these characters in Ennis Creek.
“It was now a time for life.”
Many thanks to Ultimo Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 15, 2024
✰ 3.75 stars ✰
“Maybe if I tell my story, even just to myself, it will set off a spark. But where does my story even start? Where does any story start? What in the past makes the present what it is? He said this. She did that. This happened. Then this took place.
Change it all to ifs and maybes and it can mean another life for everyone.”
With these opening words, Mark McAvaney sets the tone For Everything a Time - a poignant and emotional journey of life and loss, regret and happiness, love and forgiveness, acceptance and grief, and how time tests the lasting bonds of family and friendship. It is the story of two best friends, Mac and Dave, and how after one tragic accident during their final year in school, their lives were drastically changed - never to be the same again. Thirteen years later in 2003, the story alternates between their dual perspectives as they reflect on their past and the present and how they both learn to accept the hand that fate dealt them and what it will cost them to have just one chance for forgiveness.
“The living take this to heart: We are not only our past. We are also our future.”
What is this story about? It is about how when we are young we can make certain mistakes or decisions that may cost us more than what we anticipated. It is about how some actions we never stop punishing ourselves over nor is it enough for us to get over them. It is about lost chances and the aching pain of seeing if it could have ever been something else - in another life. 'What people will do for even a tiny portion of love is incredible.' 😟 It is about the relationships that matter to us more than life itself, and how if we could choose to save anything - it would be the memory of what they were and only hope that we can make them stronger than what they were. How love and anger, jealousy and rash hasty decisions can lead to so much more hurt and sadness than intended or expected - one that doesn't only affect you but everyone who knows you.
The sorrowful truth is that I knew which direction the story was heading - but it didn't make it any less impactful for when the hurt - hits. It is in the telling and the unraveling of the events that take place leading up to it that make it such a gripping read. 'A time to skip, a time to laugh. Seems there’s a time for everything.' 🫂🫂 One that you're not exactly waiting for the inevitable, but seeing if there may be a chance to avoid it. And by alternating between the dual timelines, giving the readers brief glimpses into the friends and the lives they had before, compared to who they are in the present - it resonates deeply with you - of how tragic and precious life is - how we don't treat it with enough care or respect and realize just how fleeting it is. 😔
“I knew there was nothing I could change. It’s too late for me to undo the mess I made, to take back the stupid things I said. I just pray everyone else understands they still have a chance.”
Yet to truly appreciate the story for what it is, you really do have to be as vague as possible about it. Even though I knew what the story was leading up to - it still doesn't make the pain and the sadness any less hard-hitting. The author's writing evokes both a nostalgic feel and one that makes it so easy to picture in one's mind as the events unfold. Whether it is when they were seventeen and grappling with the final decisions before they leave their Australia small-town - both keen on having a fresh start of travels and adventures - or when they're thirty - aged and weary and coming to terms with the reality of what they're both living and knowing that it is not a time to escape, but to face it head on - there is a raw and gritty intensity to their emotions that is so very tangible. 👍🏻👍🏻 'I wanted to hold her and push her away at the same time. How does love and hate exist all at once like that?' Prevalent in the writing that echoes their sentiments so honestly and clearly that is so very relatable. Their hopes and dreams and of those who were in their lives - so much is impacted by that one fateful night that ultimately decides everything for them. A time that can never turn back the clock, but it doesn't mean that you can't make the most of it. ❤️🩹❤️🩹
“For everything a time,
Under the stars, still time for everything.”
Mac and Dave's friendship was so heartwarming to see - how close they were, the absolute trust they had with each other, despite how it felt that they were complete opposites, they still had the potential to make it last - they promised each other that. I loved how the author captured the heartbreak and uncertainties - the jealousy and sincerity - an honest portrayal of the highs and lows - the tenderness and the appreciation that comes by being friends - Dave more than others. And while it did make for an interesting choice not to have Mac's point of view for when they were younger - it made it all the more heart-wrenching to get his thoughts and feelings on what happened later - and how much he, himself, paid a price no one knew about. 😢 And there is nothing sadder than the possibility of a what if - a hopeful feeling that preys upon your conscience of if I hadn't done so and so where could I be now? ‘Everyone has a story. Every story has a time.’ The author showcases that in a really heartbreaking way - slight interludes where he depicts his characters in a light that will never come to be, but doesn't make it any less important to know of what could have been. Whether it is Mac or Dave or their family or friends - each person gets that moment to express what life could have been for them - if only . 🥺
It really hits hard in those scenes - that aching sense of loss - a sadness tinged with longing that it will never come to be. Those interludes really heightened how heartbreaking it was that life did take the turn that it did and the complications that arose from these complex dynamics that were all greatly affected by the tragedy that took place. Just remember: you can’t change who you were. But you can change who you are.’ The eventual truth is a heartbreaking one, beautifully captured - that slowly builds up to capture all the feelings that will pull at your core. 💔💔 It will leave an ache in your heart over hoping for some other possible outcome - a miracle, a sign, anything that might prove otherwise. But, even so, the author writes it as something very beautiful and hopeful. That for as long as time passed, it was not in vain - that there was something purposeful to what was gained and lost The beauty of it is that despite the shocking reveals and unexpected truths that came forward - despite knowing the inevitability of what is about to come crashing down on them and how many lives would forever be changed due to it - the author ends on a very hopeful, but cathartic and heartwarming that even though, the path wasn't exactly what we had intended it to be, does not mean that we can't still change its course to what we hope it can still be. 🙏🏻
“Maybe if I tell my story, even just to myself, it will set off a spark. But where does my story even start? Where does any story start? What in the past makes the present what it is? He said this. She did that. This happened. Then this took place.
Change it all to ifs and maybes and it can mean another life for everyone.”
With these opening words, Mark McAvaney sets the tone For Everything a Time - a poignant and emotional journey of life and loss, regret and happiness, love and forgiveness, acceptance and grief, and how time tests the lasting bonds of family and friendship. It is the story of two best friends, Mac and Dave, and how after one tragic accident during their final year in school, their lives were drastically changed - never to be the same again. Thirteen years later in 2003, the story alternates between their dual perspectives as they reflect on their past and the present and how they both learn to accept the hand that fate dealt them and what it will cost them to have just one chance for forgiveness.
“The living take this to heart: We are not only our past. We are also our future.”
What is this story about? It is about how when we are young we can make certain mistakes or decisions that may cost us more than what we anticipated. It is about how some actions we never stop punishing ourselves over nor is it enough for us to get over them. It is about lost chances and the aching pain of seeing if it could have ever been something else - in another life. 'What people will do for even a tiny portion of love is incredible.' 😟 It is about the relationships that matter to us more than life itself, and how if we could choose to save anything - it would be the memory of what they were and only hope that we can make them stronger than what they were. How love and anger, jealousy and rash hasty decisions can lead to so much more hurt and sadness than intended or expected - one that doesn't only affect you but everyone who knows you.
The sorrowful truth is that I knew which direction the story was heading - but it didn't make it any less impactful for when the hurt - hits. It is in the telling and the unraveling of the events that take place leading up to it that make it such a gripping read. 'A time to skip, a time to laugh. Seems there’s a time for everything.' 🫂🫂 One that you're not exactly waiting for the inevitable, but seeing if there may be a chance to avoid it. And by alternating between the dual timelines, giving the readers brief glimpses into the friends and the lives they had before, compared to who they are in the present - it resonates deeply with you - of how tragic and precious life is - how we don't treat it with enough care or respect and realize just how fleeting it is. 😔
“I knew there was nothing I could change. It’s too late for me to undo the mess I made, to take back the stupid things I said. I just pray everyone else understands they still have a chance.”
Yet to truly appreciate the story for what it is, you really do have to be as vague as possible about it. Even though I knew what the story was leading up to - it still doesn't make the pain and the sadness any less hard-hitting. The author's writing evokes both a nostalgic feel and one that makes it so easy to picture in one's mind as the events unfold. Whether it is when they were seventeen and grappling with the final decisions before they leave their Australia small-town - both keen on having a fresh start of travels and adventures - or when they're thirty - aged and weary and coming to terms with the reality of what they're both living and knowing that it is not a time to escape, but to face it head on - there is a raw and gritty intensity to their emotions that is so very tangible. 👍🏻👍🏻 'I wanted to hold her and push her away at the same time. How does love and hate exist all at once like that?' Prevalent in the writing that echoes their sentiments so honestly and clearly that is so very relatable. Their hopes and dreams and of those who were in their lives - so much is impacted by that one fateful night that ultimately decides everything for them. A time that can never turn back the clock, but it doesn't mean that you can't make the most of it. ❤️🩹❤️🩹
“For everything a time,
Under the stars, still time for everything.”
Mac and Dave's friendship was so heartwarming to see - how close they were, the absolute trust they had with each other, despite how it felt that they were complete opposites, they still had the potential to make it last - they promised each other that. I loved how the author captured the heartbreak and uncertainties - the jealousy and sincerity - an honest portrayal of the highs and lows - the tenderness and the appreciation that comes by being friends - Dave more than others. And while it did make for an interesting choice not to have Mac's point of view for when they were younger - it made it all the more heart-wrenching to get his thoughts and feelings on what happened later - and how much he, himself, paid a price no one knew about. 😢 And there is nothing sadder than the possibility of a what if - a hopeful feeling that preys upon your conscience of if I hadn't done so and so where could I be now? ‘Everyone has a story. Every story has a time.’ The author showcases that in a really heartbreaking way - slight interludes where he depicts his characters in a light that will never come to be, but doesn't make it any less important to know of what could have been. Whether it is Mac or Dave or their family or friends - each person gets that moment to express what life could have been for them - if only . 🥺
It really hits hard in those scenes - that aching sense of loss - a sadness tinged with longing that it will never come to be. Those interludes really heightened how heartbreaking it was that life did take the turn that it did and the complications that arose from these complex dynamics that were all greatly affected by the tragedy that took place. Just remember: you can’t change who you were. But you can change who you are.’ The eventual truth is a heartbreaking one, beautifully captured - that slowly builds up to capture all the feelings that will pull at your core. 💔💔 It will leave an ache in your heart over hoping for some other possible outcome - a miracle, a sign, anything that might prove otherwise. But, even so, the author writes it as something very beautiful and hopeful. That for as long as time passed, it was not in vain - that there was something purposeful to what was gained and lost The beauty of it is that despite the shocking reveals and unexpected truths that came forward - despite knowing the inevitability of what is about to come crashing down on them and how many lives would forever be changed due to it - the author ends on a very hopeful, but cathartic and heartwarming that even though, the path wasn't exactly what we had intended it to be, does not mean that we can't still change its course to what we hope it can still be. 🙏🏻
June 10, 2024
The last half of this book had me continually balling my eyes out
May 11, 2024
For Everything a Time by Mark McAvaney unfolds in the past (1990) and present (2003) and one of the things I loved most about this bittersweet novel is how many memories it brought back from both times.
It's a story about family and friendship and I was reminded of those friendships we develop when young, in our formative years... sometimes merely out of circumstance or proximity but there's something foundational about them that impacts the way we live the rest of our lives.
Much of this thoughtful and eloquently-written novel is spent building up to 'us' learning what happened to land Dave in hospital. McAvaney paces this well so it doesn't drag at all, even in the slow but steady build-up where snippets of past secrets and present revelations seep out.
Read my review here: https://www.debbish.com/books-literat...
It's a story about family and friendship and I was reminded of those friendships we develop when young, in our formative years... sometimes merely out of circumstance or proximity but there's something foundational about them that impacts the way we live the rest of our lives.
Much of this thoughtful and eloquently-written novel is spent building up to 'us' learning what happened to land Dave in hospital. McAvaney paces this well so it doesn't drag at all, even in the slow but steady build-up where snippets of past secrets and present revelations seep out.
Read my review here: https://www.debbish.com/books-literat...
May 18, 2024
“For everything there is an appointed time, even a time for every affair under the heavens; a time for birth and a time to die”
What an absolutely wonderful debut. The characters, setting and story are so well written and I was completely immersed in this fantastic story and I couldn’t put it down
Mac has returned home after 13 years of living and working abroad. He is the only one of his high school friends who ‘got out’ of their small country town, Ennis Creek.
However coming home has meant Mac has had to face his past.
Back in 1990, Mac, Dave, Simo & Robyn have almost finished high school, and their spare time was filled with football, photography, part time jobs and planning for life after school. The soundtrack was INXS and life seemed simple.
Best friends, Dave and Mac have big plans after school to travel the world, to be their own people, away from their families and experience life
Until one night changed it all..
The story flows effortlessly between dual timelines, told from the POV of both Dave and Mac.
A beautiful story of friendship and family.
Thank you so much Ultimopress for sending me a copy of this wonderful book
What an absolutely wonderful debut. The characters, setting and story are so well written and I was completely immersed in this fantastic story and I couldn’t put it down
Mac has returned home after 13 years of living and working abroad. He is the only one of his high school friends who ‘got out’ of their small country town, Ennis Creek.
However coming home has meant Mac has had to face his past.
Back in 1990, Mac, Dave, Simo & Robyn have almost finished high school, and their spare time was filled with football, photography, part time jobs and planning for life after school. The soundtrack was INXS and life seemed simple.
Best friends, Dave and Mac have big plans after school to travel the world, to be their own people, away from their families and experience life
Until one night changed it all..
The story flows effortlessly between dual timelines, told from the POV of both Dave and Mac.
A beautiful story of friendship and family.
Thank you so much Ultimopress for sending me a copy of this wonderful book
Read
May 20, 2024One point-of-view character in this novel has been in a coma for years – which is occasionally disconcerting for the reader! Can Dave ever wake up, as he keeps willing himself to do, or can he eventually find peace? He has plenty of time to think about his friends and family, and mull over the events that led to the accident that put him here. He imagines alternate, happier futures for everyone involved, which feel oddly comforting.
The other character we hear from is Mac, returning from a successful career overseas to the rural Queensland town where he and Dave grew up. How will this situation resolve for Dave and those who remain close to him?
McAvaney’s debut novel is written deftly and assuredly, with occasional moments of poetry, such as this from Mac: “The sky he’d left was grey and complicated, but here flowed an easy blue.” An interesting read!
[Review written for the StoryFest Inc. newsletter, May 2024.]
The other character we hear from is Mac, returning from a successful career overseas to the rural Queensland town where he and Dave grew up. How will this situation resolve for Dave and those who remain close to him?
McAvaney’s debut novel is written deftly and assuredly, with occasional moments of poetry, such as this from Mac: “The sky he’d left was grey and complicated, but here flowed an easy blue.” An interesting read!
[Review written for the StoryFest Inc. newsletter, May 2024.]
April 28, 2024
“Everyone has a story. Every story has a time.”
Oh my heart. What a story. Brilliant.
We all think of the what ifs and the maybes, and what would life have turned out like if…
This book considers these questions as we go through a dual timeline of 1990 and 2003, between Dave and Mac, two best friends and one tragedy that changed everyone’s lives.
I loved being back in the 90’s, reading about the music they were listening to, the chocolates they were eating and the cars they were driving, what a great trip down memory lane. (We actually owned a Datsun 180B as a child!!!)
I couldn’t stop reading, I was so invested and needed to know how it was going to end. The last 50 pages I had tears streaming down my face. There was so much built up emotion throughout the story and then all the secrets came out and a big revelation ruined me. Bless Joy and Simo, honestly, they were brilliant characters. My heart.
But Dave, my goodness, the way McAvaney wrote about Dave was something I’ve never read before but something I’ve always wondered. I will keep this spoiler free but happy to chat with anyone who picks this up.
“You can’t change who you were. But you can change who you are.”
Thank you to the team @ultimopress for sending me this copy to read in exchange for an honest review.
Oh my heart. What a story. Brilliant.
We all think of the what ifs and the maybes, and what would life have turned out like if…
This book considers these questions as we go through a dual timeline of 1990 and 2003, between Dave and Mac, two best friends and one tragedy that changed everyone’s lives.
I loved being back in the 90’s, reading about the music they were listening to, the chocolates they were eating and the cars they were driving, what a great trip down memory lane. (We actually owned a Datsun 180B as a child!!!)
I couldn’t stop reading, I was so invested and needed to know how it was going to end. The last 50 pages I had tears streaming down my face. There was so much built up emotion throughout the story and then all the secrets came out and a big revelation ruined me. Bless Joy and Simo, honestly, they were brilliant characters. My heart.
But Dave, my goodness, the way McAvaney wrote about Dave was something I’ve never read before but something I’ve always wondered. I will keep this spoiler free but happy to chat with anyone who picks this up.
“You can’t change who you were. But you can change who you are.”
Thank you to the team @ultimopress for sending me this copy to read in exchange for an honest review.
June 1, 2024
Very enjoyable read, great use of dialogue.
March 26, 2026
A narrative between 2 best friends over 2 timelines..
their thought process and the things unsaid…
listened on audio
their thought process and the things unsaid…
listened on audio
August 24, 2025
I appreciated the concept of this one, felt a bit like the sort of story I'd read before (leaves town, doesn't want to come back, does come back.....) but with an added dimension. Didn't love the author as the narrator for the audiobook.
May 17, 2024
Great book greater author x
May 7, 2024
For Everything a Time is a debut masterpiece from Mark McAvaney.
Set against the backdrop of rural South Australia, the evocative descriptions of place and time leap off the page – you can feel the sun on your back and smell the dusty roads, not to mention hear the classic songs of a 90s adolescence.
McAvaney’s masterful storytelling is evident on every page. Through alternating timelines and interconnected narratives, he creates a rich tapestry of characters whose lives intersect in unexpected and poignant ways. Moving between their present lives and their past, the main characters face the impact of past decisions and paths taken, with moving interludes that imagine a different life course, if only…
Mark McAvaney has crafted a truly unforgettable story - one that lingers in the heart long after the final page has been turned.
Set against the backdrop of rural South Australia, the evocative descriptions of place and time leap off the page – you can feel the sun on your back and smell the dusty roads, not to mention hear the classic songs of a 90s adolescence.
McAvaney’s masterful storytelling is evident on every page. Through alternating timelines and interconnected narratives, he creates a rich tapestry of characters whose lives intersect in unexpected and poignant ways. Moving between their present lives and their past, the main characters face the impact of past decisions and paths taken, with moving interludes that imagine a different life course, if only…
Mark McAvaney has crafted a truly unforgettable story - one that lingers in the heart long after the final page has been turned.
July 2, 2024
I absolutely adored this book. The beautifully written, heartbreaking story of best mates Mac and Dave, growing up in a small South Australian town, evocatively described with charming local vernacular and rocking musical references. A devastating event leads Mac to move far away as an escape. Returning after 13 years, he’s forced to confront his past. As long held secrets are slowly revealed, Mac can finally forgive himself and move forward with hope.
May 26, 2024
I think we all have those moments where we think about what our life would be if we didn’t make a choice that we had. Between 1990 and 2003, we have a window seat to the lives of Dave and Mac: what pulled them together, and what created waves between them, and we walk a detailed path towards the final moments of the tragedy that they still cannot escape from.
This book may break your heart, several times. This moving story tackles many elements within a small town that has been holding on the repercussions of a tragedy that has been with them for 13 years. Family and friendship are explored from a number of positions: the friendship of two young men, and their school friends in the 1990s where they felt like they were invincible, the relationships between parents and children, the relationships between parents – all under the watchful eyes of a small town.
The movement in this story from 1990 to 2003 is fluid, effortless. It provides morsels of information about why Mac returned to Ennis Creek and why and how Dave is talking to us from his hospital bed. We meet characters in this book in the throes of adolescence, exploring and experimenting with life and all that is around them in their formative years. It is quite innocent the way in which the naivety of their thinking is unpacked as they deal with all the relationships that are around them - from friendships to family. There is also an exploration about decisions and choices made where sometimes the “what ifs” come too late. Mac, Dave, Roby, Simo, Aaron and Julie all have an awareness about them of what’s going on, and in both 1990 and 2003 are not always cognisant of the ramifications of their actions. Sometimes times does not provide the luxury to make things go away, or for the rose-coloured glasses to remain steadfast.
Thank you @ultimopress and @markmcavaney for the opportunity to become so engrossed in this story.
This book may break your heart, several times. This moving story tackles many elements within a small town that has been holding on the repercussions of a tragedy that has been with them for 13 years. Family and friendship are explored from a number of positions: the friendship of two young men, and their school friends in the 1990s where they felt like they were invincible, the relationships between parents and children, the relationships between parents – all under the watchful eyes of a small town.
The movement in this story from 1990 to 2003 is fluid, effortless. It provides morsels of information about why Mac returned to Ennis Creek and why and how Dave is talking to us from his hospital bed. We meet characters in this book in the throes of adolescence, exploring and experimenting with life and all that is around them in their formative years. It is quite innocent the way in which the naivety of their thinking is unpacked as they deal with all the relationships that are around them - from friendships to family. There is also an exploration about decisions and choices made where sometimes the “what ifs” come too late. Mac, Dave, Roby, Simo, Aaron and Julie all have an awareness about them of what’s going on, and in both 1990 and 2003 are not always cognisant of the ramifications of their actions. Sometimes times does not provide the luxury to make things go away, or for the rose-coloured glasses to remain steadfast.
Thank you @ultimopress and @markmcavaney for the opportunity to become so engrossed in this story.
October 6, 2024
I read this book as part of a book club. I definitely would not have picked it up on my own as it is all kinds of sad to which I generally don’t gravitate, however, once I started reading, I could not put it down and days later, I am still thinking about it.
The story slowly unfolds as we follow two main characters over two time periods, 13 years apart. It is 1990 and Dave and Mac are in their final year of high school. Life is about footy, girls and graduating. Cut to 2003 and Mac is returning home to face the inescapable events from 13 years ago.
I think it’s fairly easy to figure out the general gist of what happened one fateful night in 1990 quite quickly in the story, however, I was still surprised in the end by a few twists and turns.
There are a number of vignettes which explore what a particular character’s story may have been “in another life”. Ultimately, these vignettes are excruciatingly sad as we know how the events of this one night in 1990 have affected everyone’s lives.
I’m also not normally much of a quotes person but this really struck me: “I thought wanting love made me special; now I knew it made me normal. What people will do for even a tiny portion of love is incredible.”
The story slowly unfolds as we follow two main characters over two time periods, 13 years apart. It is 1990 and Dave and Mac are in their final year of high school. Life is about footy, girls and graduating. Cut to 2003 and Mac is returning home to face the inescapable events from 13 years ago.
I think it’s fairly easy to figure out the general gist of what happened one fateful night in 1990 quite quickly in the story, however, I was still surprised in the end by a few twists and turns.
There are a number of vignettes which explore what a particular character’s story may have been “in another life”. Ultimately, these vignettes are excruciatingly sad as we know how the events of this one night in 1990 have affected everyone’s lives.
I’m also not normally much of a quotes person but this really struck me: “I thought wanting love made me special; now I knew it made me normal. What people will do for even a tiny portion of love is incredible.”
April 27, 2024
Wow - what a read this was..... I was mesmerized, I was emotional, I was totally hooked.
I'm not giving anything away when I say that one of the most original voices in this story is from Dave whilst he is in coma - a coma he has been in since 1990 when tragedy struck.
Even though he is in a coma, kept alive by tubes and machines, he is aware of everything going on around him, he just can't wake up.
Told from the perspective of Dave and Mac - the Dave and Mac in 1990, and the Dave and Mac in 2003 - we learn what has brought them to this current moment in time, and how the events of 1990 has shaped the lives of themselves, their families, and their friends.
We learn how their lives are, and with Dave, we dream of how their lives could have been.
A powerful, emotional, original read.... highly recommended.
Thanks to the Publisher for the review copy of this book
I'm not giving anything away when I say that one of the most original voices in this story is from Dave whilst he is in coma - a coma he has been in since 1990 when tragedy struck.
Even though he is in a coma, kept alive by tubes and machines, he is aware of everything going on around him, he just can't wake up.
Told from the perspective of Dave and Mac - the Dave and Mac in 1990, and the Dave and Mac in 2003 - we learn what has brought them to this current moment in time, and how the events of 1990 has shaped the lives of themselves, their families, and their friends.
We learn how their lives are, and with Dave, we dream of how their lives could have been.
A powerful, emotional, original read.... highly recommended.
Thanks to the Publisher for the review copy of this book
September 29, 2024
Good to read a book set in South Australia (the story is set in a fictional town in the Clare Valley—I think) this has all the tropes—successful journalist returns to his home town to confront his past, the people/parents who stayed behind, and a teenage tragedy with lasting consequences.
This was well written and pulls the heart strings well.
It’s told in part present and part flashback and the stories intertwine gradually revealing the full details. This sort of worked well and sort of annoyed me because a lot of what is slowly revealed to the reader would have already been known to the characters. I felt that the narrative structure is doing a lot of heavy lifting for what is underneath it all a fairly standard plot.
Overall though: enjoyable and easy to read. Recommended.
This was well written and pulls the heart strings well.
It’s told in part present and part flashback and the stories intertwine gradually revealing the full details. This sort of worked well and sort of annoyed me because a lot of what is slowly revealed to the reader would have already been known to the characters. I felt that the narrative structure is doing a lot of heavy lifting for what is underneath it all a fairly standard plot.
Overall though: enjoyable and easy to read. Recommended.
October 23, 2024
I devoured For Everything a Time by Mark McAvaney while on holiday and was swept away on a wave of nostalgia. The book’s soundtrack is Kick by INXS, so if you’re a fan of the band, you’ll also love this novel.
It tells the tale of a group of friends and families tied together by country-town life. More specifically, it’s the story of best friends Mac and Dave and how their lives are irrevocably changed by the events of one night. Told in two timelines, 1990 and 2003, and from two points of view, it shows how the tangled overwrought emotions of high schoolers can have an everlasting impact.
Mark has a magical way of describing the world, evoking images with a depth of time and place beyond the surface. He plays through a string of emotions that left me teary-eyed yet satisfied.
It tells the tale of a group of friends and families tied together by country-town life. More specifically, it’s the story of best friends Mac and Dave and how their lives are irrevocably changed by the events of one night. Told in two timelines, 1990 and 2003, and from two points of view, it shows how the tangled overwrought emotions of high schoolers can have an everlasting impact.
Mark has a magical way of describing the world, evoking images with a depth of time and place beyond the surface. He plays through a string of emotions that left me teary-eyed yet satisfied.
May 5, 2024
#foreverythingatime by @markmcavaney was an incredible read! The novel centre’s around 3 friends and a tight knit community in rural Australia. In the theme of sliding doors, the books slides perfectly from 2003 back to 1990 retelling the events that lead to one fatal night that changed all their lives forever. The flow of this book is so beautifully intertwined with the lives now of our characters, and those around them and what could have been if different decisions were made. An original debut novel that’s out later this month, I’ll be hanging onto this one to read again, the writing & the story were brilliant 5 🌟 Thank you @ultimopress
July 19, 2024
It’s always enjoyable reading Australian fiction, especially when you’re living abroad. While sometimes I find there were slightly too many references, country life in the nineties was captured so well. It was sad in so many ways, but the love and support shown by so many characters to one another was heart warming.
January 31, 2025
I don't generally add reviews but this one is an exception. It is a beautiful story. Having said that I would suggest reading from the physical book or EPUB, not the audiobook. I struggled to sort everyone out with just the one narrator. I kept losing 'the voice' and found I was continually winding back. It is well written and very descriptive. Enjoy
May 3, 2025
This book is beautifully written. I have not read a book like this in a while.
The story reminded me of an Australian version of Stand by Me by Stephen King. The characters and story manage to capture and conjure feelings and memories of childhood and adolescent years.
I was moved and saddened by this story. I highly recommend this book.
The story reminded me of an Australian version of Stand by Me by Stephen King. The characters and story manage to capture and conjure feelings and memories of childhood and adolescent years.
I was moved and saddened by this story. I highly recommend this book.
June 26, 2024
Interesting enough I finished the book.
The author works in film and TV and you can tell. The book is written almost for a TV show. The next Netflix mini series.
And what a ‘and they all lived (sort of) happily ever after’. Bit of a cop out at the end. Good for tv though.
The author works in film and TV and you can tell. The book is written almost for a TV show. The next Netflix mini series.
And what a ‘and they all lived (sort of) happily ever after’. Bit of a cop out at the end. Good for tv though.
August 21, 2024
Loved this book. The characters, the town, the community... couldn’t put it down. Very moving story of friendship and of how life is framed by our choices and family. Looking forward to the next book!
November 16, 2024
Beautifully written, so much about the local area of Clare Valley, and so many memories of the era we grew up in. The characters were all excellent and it was good to see all the different perspectives. Would make a great TV show!
December 29, 2024
A very intriguing story set in a country town and involving friends and what happens when decisions made have far reaching consequences. I thought this was a clever piece of writing which plucked at the heart strings.
June 4, 2025
An interesting story about the mistakes teens make and the consequences of them. I listened to this as an audio book so got a bit confused to start with and which character was which (it swaps between the main characters and time frames) but a good story
May 10, 2024
Amazing. Could not put it down.
June 21, 2024
Pretty delightful!
July 8, 2024
A beautifully written story examining relationships, conflict and the complexity of being human, crafted with incredible care and attention to a captivating narrative. Ennis Creek really came to life and I could not put it down! Can't wait to see where this exciting new author takes us next.
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