Can't Take It Back

by Kelly Duran

Discover the power of friendship and the irreversible consequences of life's choices in this fast paced and relatable debut novel.

Huddled on their favorite park bench in a quiet Seattle suburb, Holly, Avery, Zoe, and Sasha might look like they’ve got it all figured out—but there’s more to their stories than meets the eye. Each of the women are facing an important crossroads in their life. Three must deal with unique threats to their infidelity, apathy & an unconventional request, while one must decide if joining the ranks of motherhood is the right choice.

As tough decisions are made, the friends begin to realize that what happens to one ultimately affects them all. So much so that when a tragic accident brings all their secrets into the light, everyone in their tight-knit circle feels the impact. Together they learn that once words are spoken and actions are taken; there is no way to take it back.

Genres: Audiobook, Fiction, Chick Lit, Friendship, Contemporary

346 pages, Paperback

Published April 16, 2024

About the author

Kelly Duran writes poignant and relatable stories about friendship, family and love.

Her debut novel—Can’t Take It Back—was released on Audible in 2020 and in print & ebook in 2024. She loves writing, reading, drinking coffee and spending time with her family. Not always in that order.

Keep up to date on her writing at kellyduran.com/subscribe and follow her on Instagram at @bykellyduran.

Reviews

[Anita Kushwaha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This multiple pov story first drew me in with its wonderful writing and relatable characters. I wanted to know more about these women and how they would manage navigating their unique circumstances, whether it be their careers, identity, motherhood, marriage, infidelity or other betrayals. My heart often ached for them when their partners proved themselves unworthy and my blood boiled when they bore the brunt of the consequences as opposed to the men in their lives, a bold statement in and of itself. The stories interwine and live up to the title. I was happiest for Holly, Sasha, and Zoe. Saddest for Carmen and Avery. The female friendships were the constant throughout all the ups and downs and was for me the most uplifting aspect. No matter what the characters faced, they supported each other with love and honesty, like women do in real life. A story full of love, pain, forgiveness and redemption.

[Lainey Cameron · Rating 5 out of 5]

The more I heard about this book, set over a kindergarten school year, and told from multiple points of view, the more it reminded me of all the things I enjoyed in Big Little Lies. And once I had a chance to listen to it (in a binge worthy way) I can confirm it will indeed, appeal to Liane Moriarty fans.

The multiple points of view lend themselves really well to the audiobook format, and a strong theme of female friendship, and helping uplift and support each other through all the ups and downs of life ( and especially marriage) threads through all the women’s stories.

I have to admit to being a little triggered by the one male point of view (more to do with my own history and dealing with issues around cheating), but I particularly enjoyed and appreciated how the women in the story were able to rise above and support each other in a non-judgmental way.

The story was indeed immersive and had me going from anger (at the male point of view), to relief and smiling at many heart-warming moments, as the women came together to support each other. I also appreciated how Kelly Duran took some tricky topics – like a husband suggesting an open marriage and how a wife responds and deals with this – and treated them with care, without turning any of that storyline into a cliché.

This book will definitely appeal to anyone looking for an uplifting interwoven tale of several women supporting each other through tricky times.

[Samantha Verant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Told in four distinct POVs, Duran has crafted a beautifully moving story that celebrates how the power of sisterhood and friendship create the truest of bonds, linking all the characters together. From the themes of settling, feeling unfulfilled, regrets and WhatIfs, switching back the light on a stale romance, betrayal, or aching for validation, there is a scenario (or a few) every woman on the planet will relate to. With its true-to-life characters and the situations they find themselves in, CAN’T TAKE IT BACK is a wonderful, heartfelt narrative that ultimately proves how women support and lean on one another–no matter the curve balls life throws in our direction, no matter our situation.

[Alex Kiester · Rating 5 out of 5]

With its alternating points of view and smooth, crisp writing, this book is easy to sail through! I listened to it in only a few days and loved the time I spent with each different character. While it's light and fun, it's nicely balanced with real heart and substance, exploring the beauty of female friendships and the nuance of marriage. Well done!

[Taslim Jaffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I was so caught up in this book that I found myself thinking of the characters and their stories, wondering what would happen next, when I wasn’t listening to it. The cliffhangers and plot twists were perfectly spaced, and I promised myself ‘one more chapter’ many times throughout. Beautifully developed and written - I am looking forward to more of Kelly Duran’s work!

[Rachel McKenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twisty, turny-- I had a hard time taking breaks from this one.
Every character is going through a crisis of sorts in their lives. When you're married with kids, you have it all figured out, right?
Uh, no.
If you like multiple POV stories, Duran's debut is like BIG LITTLE LIES meets FRIDAY NIGHT KNITTING CLUB. Check this one out on Audible!

[Alison Hammer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Duran’s debut is full of humor and heart.

It’s a thoughtful, honest exploration of the female friendships that ground us through the ups and downs of life. How else could you get through an open marriage, a pending divorce and a budding relationship?

A great listen for book clubs!

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won a copy of this audio book - I am fairly new to listening to audio books - If you are new to listening to audio books, I highly recommend this one! It reels you in and keeps you til the end. The characters are real and relatable. I enjoyed and was jealous of the friendships and bonds. there were many surprises, a few laughs and some tears.

I liked how it was written and I enjoyed the narrators. I also liked how it was set up into different view points.

I hope I can find another listen as good as this one!

[Nicole Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

With perfect pacing, Kelly Duran delivers an in depth look at marriage, motherhood and friendship from many different angles, giving the reader much to contemplate. Full of heart and insight, this novel would be great read for book clubs. Looking forward to the authors next book.

[Shamura Caruthers-Spaulding · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed these characters...their stories were so realistic. Hoping there is a second book soon :)

[Dany ( danythebookworm_ ) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This book is something special.
The author does an amazing job delivering an original, engaging and touching novel. One that shares the challenges of marriage and motherhood; and the power of sisterhood and female friendships.
There’s secrets and lies, romances and what-if’s; all tied up with a bow; into a book that will have you thinking about it long after your done.
The characters were compelling and relatable, and If you loved Desperate House Wives or Big Little Lies, and a fan ( like me ) of Katherine Center, then I’d definitely give this wonderful debut a listen.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 This was good I just didn’t love the end

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I... loved this. I was so drawn in. There are 4.5 perspectives (0.5 from one of the husbands who gets a few chapters) and all narrated by different wonderful people and is MARVELOUS. It is a lot of dialogue, so it's very engaging and I could just listen to this while doing any busy work. It's like a classic day TV show I guess but I don't really watch those. It was about these 4 women dealing with marriage, kids, being single forever, affairs, and getting through it and finding their identity. The women in this book and the female bonds were just AH! SO incredibly supportive and beautiful. I feel like I knew their lives and I feel that even the scandalous (:O) parts actually contributed to the story. I loved hearing about all their lives and their thoughts and secrets and perspectives and considerations. I love seeing all these separate lives intertwine and see how things fall into place or make huge impacts. It felt so real. Like they were considering so many aspects and trying to balance everything, not having drama just for story's sake. I hope I also have a community of strong women around me as I go through life <3

[Kasey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely devoured this book. It tackled complex issues of emotional and sexual issues in marriage in a nuanced way. Although I tended to side with one member of the couple in each of their stories, the author didn't make it so easy to "pick sides" because she challenged the reader to view marital challenges from multiple perspectives. The narration was great too; the emotion in each character's voice really came through.

[Shannon (The Book Club Mom) · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I had to choose just one word to describe Kelly Duran’s audiobook, Can’t Take it Back, it would be addictive. I listened to about 75% of it in one day because I just COULD NOT STOP. So damn good. Four friends, four perspectives, and four entirely different problems. Duran managed to include everything I love reading about all in one novel. It was the perfect mix of friendship, parenthood and marriage. Then she topped it off with oodles of juicy drama, secrets, lies and relatable real-life issues. I was getting a lot of Sex and the City and Desperate Housewives vibes! If you enjoyed Last Couple Standing or Big Little Lies, this audiobook is perfect for you. It’s available now, only on audible, so head over to amazon and give it a listen!

[Cassie L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars for many reasons: authentic characters that, I think, most any human can relate to in at least a few of the situations; strong relationships throughout (family, romantic, friendships) and overall the friendship theme runs deep which is always a win for me in a novel; multiple POVs told in such a way that you get a very distinct feel for the personality, desires, shortcomings, and growth of each character through the end. It was maybe a tiny bit slow to start while you figure out who is who but it quickly comes together and kept me itching to know what came next. Read a lot like Liane Moriarty - I loved it.

[Natalie Bechaver · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was immediately drawn into this story. The interconnected lives of these moms and their strong bonds are inspiring. The story made me cherish my own friendships, & wish that covid wasn’t around so I could plan my next girls trip. I loved listening to it!

[Amber Zrust · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a shockingly fantastic book. I grabbed it from the audible plus catalog on a whim and immediately was sucked in. It’s fast paced and so well written. The chapters all flow so well and left me thinking about it even when I wasn’t listening. It’s relatable in ways, shocking in others and so many twists and turns. I highly highly recommend.

[Olivia Chapé · Rating 5 out of 5]

8/10

After recently reading some nonfiction and classic children's fiction, it was nice to listen to my favourite genre! Chic flick, easy reading.

This book made me suddenly feel a whole lot better about my own life! An uplifting story, filled with drama, drama, drama! All endings are not so pretty, but NO SPOILERS HERE.

As many hovered around Starbucks, it reminded me of the TV show, "Two and a Half Men". However, the story reminded me of Tony Soprano and his many mistresses, in the TV show, "Sopranos".

It's a story about a few different couples, told by a few different voice actors. My favourite voice actors were Avery and Jake. Most of them are friends, who are likeable characters, and they all live in the same town.

The book follows Holly, Avery, Sasha, Zoe, and Jake. We discover their marital issues and secrets that they have been keeping from one another. Even with all the drama, there were beautiful friendships between the girls. Some were single working women, whilst others were stay-at-home mums with kids.

The grand houses of suburbia felt inviting. I could imagine a state of the art kitchen, filled with plates of food from a catering company and flutes of champagne being sipped upon over dinners in a restaurant downtown. They hosted Pinterest worthy displays in their homes for Halloween and Christmas, which makes you crave that perfect picturesque family life. The author makes you want what they have, yet simultaneously you do not wish to be in their shoes at all.

The only thing that put me off this book was the recording quality. It felt like it was in the red on a sound meter! When I tried to make it not so loud, it was suddenly too quiet. Once you get past the first narrator, then it's plain sailing after that, as the story hooks you in. Try listening to it on your speakers first, before switching back to headphones, like I did.

[Laurie • The Baking Bookworm · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 STARS - I grabbed this Audible Original because I was looking for something light and it came free with my subscription. Free is always nice! The group of narrators did a good job telling this story about a group of suburban women and their marital challenges, but overall, the story was a bit of a letdown.

I didn't connect with the characters or the story which was about a slew of marital problems. The characters got on my nerves and most came off as completely self-centred. I had wanted an empowering read with a cast of women who learn about their strengths, but this wasn't that book. It was actually quite a cynical and bleak read about a handful of unstable marriages and the issues often felt forced.

The friendship and support between the women were a highlight for me but overall, the story dragged, and I ended up not enjoying this book nearly as much as I had hoped to.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn’t stop listening to this novel and finished it in a day! CAN’T TAKE IT BACK is the perfect escapist listen. From the first chapter, I was completely drawn into the story world. This plot is full of secrets, lies, and delicious twists…I couldn’t wait to find out what was going to happen. Duran does a great job of capturing the nuanced complexities of both romantic and platonic relationships. Highly recommend!

[Ida Wilcox · Rating 5 out of 5]

My word this book right here was a mess.

I thought it was a young adult book - boy was I wrong.

The twist and turns and the connections with all the characters was insane. I LOVED IT>

Its amazing how a person can change their mind about something once they experience it.

[Katy O. · Rating 2 out of 5]

The most depressing take on marriage I’ve read (listened to), outside of deliberately traumatizing thrillers and literary fiction.

[John · Rating 1 out of 5]

I feel like there must be some kind of joke about how I can't take back the hours I spent on this book.

The plot was like the love child of a bad Telemundo and a Starbucks sponsorship. Seriously, this book was clearly sponsored by starbucks. The amount of melodramatic conversations the take place in or adjacent to a Starbucks with the establishment being mentioned by name is staggering. I'm sure within the lore of the book, many of the characters have chest tattoos of the Starbucks logo.

Speaking of the characters, I did not like them at all. I found them to be unbelievable and mostly despicable. Imagine if a crude AI wrote the adulterous backstory and dialogue of the people found in a Kohl's advertisement.

One of the couples, excessively and repeatedly described as being basically perfect and every way, just agree to get separated simply because they have a few months of a dry spell in their marriage where they're not super romantic. 3 months. 3 months. They have children together, seem to have no burdens in their life be they financial, medical, social, or otherwise. They come off as simply bored after a few months of being busy with completely normal grown up stuff, look at their marriage with Spock-like dispassion, appraise the telemetry of their relationship, bow to each other and do an about face on their marriage. This all happens without any prior discussion of the complications of mundane life entering their marriage. They literally just out of the blue decided to get separated and say okay after basically shaking hands on it, no counseling or anything.

This entire sequence was so dull and unbelievable and in my opinion, analogous to jumping out of an airplane with a parachute because you realized you didn't like the paint job on the outside. And the big reveal at the end of the book has them reuniting because apparently they realized they have absolutely nothing wrong in their first world lives, are great parents together, still deeply love each other as they did the entire book, and maybe, just maybe they should do absolutely anything at all to invest in the romantic side of the marriage before burning It to the ground.

The inconsistencies are bizarre too. One of the characters cheats on his wife and is perpetually and understandably a villain throughout the book, coming off as pathetic the way you might imagine. However, one of the other characters continues in an open marriage with her husband for like half a year after he decided against it - without his knowledge. She basically begins cheating on him by continuing the open relationship after he has bowed out of said open relationship. But this character is portrayed as a strong person saving her marriage by rediscovering her confidence through the lover that she ultimately uses for her own self-improvement and "to save her marriage." This seems to be written as commentary on the complications of relationships, but honestly it just comes off as slimy. The book ends with her saying that she's never going to tell her husband because he would only ever see the affair and not the tremendous improvement it made on their marriage. What in the world?

And don't even get me started on the dude she had the affair with. This guy is described in great detail as a literature loving, sexually dominant cowboy librarian, soft-spoken and gentle, a sensitive and voracious lover, commanding in bed, man that she simply cannot resist. But this dude has no sense of boundaries whatsoever. She ghosts him after they have a one-night stand, apparently the most incredible night of either of their lives, and he just keeps coming after her. Over and over. At one point he stalks her and follows her to the top of a parking garage, demanding that he deserves an explanation. But all the descriptors after this point still describe him as a soft sensitive person. No. This dude is a pushy jerk with no sense of boundaries. And then after that she starts sleeping with him again, only to later justify that it's to save her marriage. Absolute madness.

I told myself this year that I would try some books of other genres that I would not normally visit and I spent the first half of this book thinking that the genre just wasn't for me. However, I'm pretty sure that it's just this particular story that's not for me. I read with an open mind, and cheers to anybody who did or will enjoy this - but this one just wasn't compelling for me.

[Bethany Gray · Rating 2 out of 5]

The characters were very one dimensional. I also expected the couples to have different problems. Nope. The men wanted more sex and the women were tired. All around I felt like most of the characters were selfish and boring. I am an old boring married lady so I should be able to relate to some of these characters and I just never got interested.

[Rita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent book, decent story. It kept me interested, and I ended up liking many of the people, and despising a few of them. Zoe and Aaron were the most likable couple. Way too many coincidences for a city the size of Seattle. The honest friendships between the women was heartwarming.

[Isabella Swanepoel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book.
Loved the storyline getting into the 4 women's heads- their point of view.
It's reality - one small decision can change your whole life.
Kelly is one of my new favourite authors now.

[Natalie Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written and while the first few chapters were difficult to navigate the different narrators once I “met” all of them I really appreciated the story.. not what I expected in a good way.

[Teresa · Rating 2 out of 5]

A lot of really unlikeable people who never redeem themselves.

[Laura Mayer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this audio book!! Lots of characters which made it a bit tricky to keep track of names but I loved all the story lines. Felt like a soap opera!!