If I Had My Time Again: A BRAND NEW magical and comforting novel from bestseller Linda Green for 2026

by Linda Green

The magical, heartbreaking and life-affirming new novel from Richard & Judy BESTSELLER Linda Green ❤️‍🩹 Perfect for fans of Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library, Mike Gayle and Ruth Jones! 🤍✨ How would you live your life differently, if you had a second chance? 💫

Emily, Carl and Jules have all ‘gone before their time’. After dying on the same day in Halifax, West Yorkshire, they each wake up in a room in a hotel on the outskirts of town. They’re instructed to meet in the basement headquarters of film production company ‘End Credits’, where no-nonsense producer Suzi tells them their lives have been secretly filmed and they must edit their own biopic before they are able to move on.

There are only three they can’t prevent their own deaths or anyone else’s, they can't kill anyone but they can make a director's cut - one change which will alter everything that comes after.

With the chance to undo their regrets and explore life’s infinite possibilities, what will they choose?

Praise for Linda

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Linda Green is bloody brilliant!' Amanda Prowse

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'A thought-provoking triumph' Mike Gayle

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Heart-warming and inspiring: a great read' Katie Fforde

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I felt so invested in the characters' lives' Lucy Diamond

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Warm, wise and very moving' Araminta Hall

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'A rollercoaster adventure full of inspiration, hope and sometimes tears.' Reader Review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Best book I've read in years! It may be because I'm from Yorkshire or because I'm a mum that I felt such an affinity to the characters in this book but I dare you not to enjoy it. It has everything.' Reader Review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'A brilliant book that made me laugh out loud, AND audibly so too. True to life characters with real problems.' Reader Review

338 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication March 13, 2026

About the author

I was born in North London in 1970 and brought up in Hertfordshire. I wrote my first novella, the Time Machine, aged eight, shortly after which I declared that my ambition was to have a novel published (I could have been easy on myself and just said ‘to write a novel’ but no, I had to consign myself to years of torture and rejections). I was frequently asked to copy out my stories for the classroom wall (probably because my handwriting was so awful no one could read my first draft), and received lots of encouragement from my teachers Mr Roberts, Mrs Chandler (who added yet more pressure by writing in my autograph book when I left primary school that she looked forward to reading my first published novel!) and Mr Bird.

My first publication came when I was thirteen and my Ode to Gary Mabbutt won second prize in the Tottenham Weekly Herald ‘My Favourite Player’ competition. At fifteen I won the Junior Spurs Football Reporter of the Year Competition and got to report on a first division football match from the press box at White Hart Lane (I got lots of funny looks and none of the journalists spoke to me.)

At sixteen I embarked on ‘A’ levels and a journalism course at De Havilland College, Hertfordshire, and my college magazine interview about football hooliganism with local MP and football club chairman David Evans made a double page spread in Shoot! magazine (they never paid me) and back page headlines in several national newspapers (only a nice man at the Daily Star bothered to check the story with me).

I joined my local newspaper, the Enfield Gazette, as a trainee reporter at eighteen. During a ten year career in regional journalism I worked as a reporter on the Birmingham Daily News, news editor on the Birmingham Metro News and Chief Feature Writer on the Coventry Evening Telegraph, winning Highly Commended in the Feature Writer of the Year category of the 1997 Press Gazette Regional Press Awards.

I loved working on regional newspapers but by 1998 my features were getting too long and the urge to write a novel had become too great so I left my staff job to write my first novel and work as a freelance journalist. I have written for The Guardian, The Independent on Sunday, The Times Educational Supplement, The Big Issue, Wanderlust and Community Care Magazine. I’ve also had a short story published in Best magazine

I found the writing and working from home a very solitary process so also worked as co-ordinator of the Birmingham Bureau of Children’s Express, a national charity which runs a learning through journalism programme for young people and taught journalism to schoolchildren for the National Academy of Writing. After I moved north in 2001 I qualified as an adult education tutor and taught creative writing classes to students aged between 18 and 82 for the Workers Educational Association across Calderdale, West Yorkshire.

After more than a hundred rejections from agents for my first novel (and more rewrites than I care to remember) I finally got an agent but still couldn’t get a publisher. I started work on my second novel I DID A BAD THING in 2003, finished the first draft and gave birth to my son Rohan in 2004, rewrote the novel and got a new agent in 2005, obtained a two-book deal with Headline Review in 2006.

I Did a Bad Thing was published in paperback in October 2007, made the top thirty official fiction bestsellers list (and number 3 in Tesco!) and has so far sold more than 77,000 copies. 10 Reasons Not to Fall in Love was published in paperback in March 2009, reached no 22 in the official fiction bestseller charts (and no 4 in Tesco) and has so far sold more than 80,000 copies. Both novels were also long-listed for the RNA Romantic Novel of the Year Award.

Following the success of my first two novels I got another two-book deal from Headline Review, with Things I Wish I'd Known being the first of these. I am currently working on my fourth novel.

I enjoy travelling.

Reviews

[Jen James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before the book starts, the author, Linda Green, has written an author’s note, giving a trigger warning for suicide and baby loss. She also writes that she hopes she has addressed these issues sensitively. Having read Linda’s books for many years, I had complete confidence that this would be the case.

Jules wakes up in a strange room, the TV bears an intriguing message. She is to report for an induction meeting promptly. Realisation starts to dawn on her, as her memories return. The bridge, and the feeling of desperation. Jules isn’t exactly sure of where she is, but soon she finds she has company, Emily and Carl. They will be together for this emotional and unexpected process. As much as I would like to say more, and sound less enigmatic, I can’t, as it would be a massive spoiler.

The characterisation is wonderful, they were alive (ironically) in my mind and heart. They had all endured so much, in different ways. I felt so much empathy for them. At times I had to stop reading, to control the lump in my throat, and to stop more tears from rolling down my cheeks.
I love Suzi, she is the gift that keeps on giving. All of her cultural references are mine, she made me smile so much. I am fully on board with the VAA system too.

I loved that Prince had formed the soundtrack for one of Linda’s earlier books, In Little Stars. (If I can tangent for a moment, if you haven’t read that book, you really should, it’s wonderful) The music for this current book is provided by The Cure. As I read, I had Spotify ready to play any song that accompanied a chapter or moment. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to my beloved 80s music.

I ploughed through the pages so quickly, as I was so eager to know where and how the book would end. The author alternated between warming my heart, then tearing it to shreds in the next chapter, but it is also funny too.

Linda Green’s writing always brings out so many emotions in me, she makes me smile and cry, and so much more in between. I think she is such an underrated author. If I Had My Time Again is a gorgeous read, highly recommended, but please have the tissues at hand.

[Amanda Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up.

At the beginning of this book, there are trigger warnings for suicide and baby loss. After reading this I knew it was going to be an emotional read.

This is a story about the choices we make and our regrets, love and friendship. In the book we follow three very different people who have lost their lives in different ways. They meet in a hotel room for an induction meeting and they have no idea what is going on. I can’t say much more than this because I don’t want to spoil the book for others.

I did enjoy reading this book. It was sad but I felt that sometimes the comical elements of the book were too much. Some were really cheesy and cringy which did spoil it a little for me.

Thank you to the Publisher and the Author for the opportunity to read and review this ebook before the publication date.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

review to follow

[Rachel Gilbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't think I've ever felt on the verge of tears so many times in one novel as I did in this one.

I have been totally broken by this, but have ended up completely surprised by one of the endings more so than the others that has left me feeling oddly uplifted.

Especially as we know all three main characters are dead at the start of the book, and we meet them in the afterlife. Now this is the sort of concept that would normally have me running miles away from a book, but given I have read almost every Linda Green novel to date, I trusted that I was reading something in a safe pair of hands.

And I really was, she has a way of writing which really resonates with me and that a few of her books have tended to stick in some way shape of form to me a lot more than most other authors I have read. And this I suspect is going to be one such book.

I have no idea how to describe the contents of what I have just read, other than definitely unique, and completely amazing.

Of all the various theories there are out there about what happens when you die, I really really like Linda Green's ideas in this book, and really hope she is some sort of all knowing person, and that this is the reality. As that would be awesome.

Although it would raise an interesting question of what on earth would my life highlights be, and what sort of director's cut would I make for my own life. Which I think would make for an interesting book club discussion.

I think I've just about felt every emotion there is during this book, I definitely feel as though I've been through the wringer, and I devoured this book in two sittings over the course of the day. I just had to keep reading, and needed to discover more and more about the lives of Emily, Carl and Jules.

And it's not all death and tears, there is laughter too, loads of references that Emily the youngest of the three didn't get, but that I totally got, but equally there is a lot of references to Friends, that I was totally there for.

I'm not sure I'll forgive the author for the amount of times tears pricked my eyes during this book, but it's 10000% the sign of an excellent novel for me to be feeling that deeply that regularly. Utterly brilliant writing, excellent and unique concept and just something totally and utterly different.

Thank you Boldwood Books and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

[The Cookster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4.1/5

Linda Green has a true talent for penning engaging and emotional dramas that can have you giggling one minute, before shedding tears of sorrow the next. "If I Had My Time Again", a novel set in an imaginary afterlife, is no different.

The narrative is told in turn from the perspectives of Jules, Emily and Carl, three individuals of varying ages and backgrounds who have shuffled off their mortal coil and unexpectedly found themselves in a kind of processing centre. Here they will have the opportunity to review their time amongst the living and make one change - a "director's cut" - to the way that things originally panned out.

Much as I doubt that this is an option that will be presented to me when my time on this planet is done, it does provide food for thought for readers, who will inevitably find themselves contemplating what they would do in that scenario. The three central characters are beautifully drawn and relatable, but they are also backed up by an equally impressive supporting cast. Given that the story concerns itself extensively with the theme of death, there will be readers who may not feel comfortable with the subject matter and Linda Green considerately includes a warning about these potential triggers at the start of the book. Personally, I am more of the view that the author shares in the acknowledgments section, which is to say that the more we talk about grief and loss, the more we are able to understand and support those experiencing it.

As with some of her other novels, a number of the social references made in the course of the narrative may well go over the heads of non-British readers, as, almost certainly, will the well-depicted West Yorkshire accent that frequently rears its head. However, for a UK audience this is another well-observed and delightfully written book from Linda Green.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.

[hazel · Rating 4 out of 5]

rating: ★★★½☆

okay, so, this book had me hooked on the idea alone. three strangers in a sort of afterlife hotel, editing their own biopics? count me in, baby. that’s a strong, imaginative setup, and it kept me turning the pages. linda green really nailed the premise.
in addition to its strong premise, what makes this book work is its emotional core. especially the ending! the way the story handles suicide and baby loss is gentle, thoughtful, and never feels exploitative. emily’s ending completely wrecked me. it’s heartbreaking, tender, and written with so much empathy that i genuinely struggled to get through those pages without crying. the director’s cut rule is also a great touch, raising big questions about what actually matters in life: how long we live, or the meaning of one changed moment.
but getting to that ending wasn’t always easy. some choices really pulled me out of the story. the AI element felt unnecessary and honestly kind of weird in a book that’s otherwise all about human emotion and soul-searching. it broke the magic of the afterlife rather than adding to it. the book is also very noisy: constant pop culture references and a heavy soundtrack that sometimes feel like too much. and yes, some of the dialogue is painfully cheesy.
in the end, this felt like a 5-star ending stuck inside a 3-star book. if you can get past the pop culture overload and the cringey moments, there’s a deeply moving story here about womanhood, regret, and the choices that shape us. i liked it despite its flaws, mostly because the emotional payoff is that strong.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I was not special in life, and I will be unremarkable in death too."

Nothing less than five stars for a book that can make me feel emotions like that!
Jules, Emily & Carl all die on the same day in Halifax and that is where the similarities end. They wind up in a hotel on the outskirts where they have to make a directors cut of their lives to 'move on'. Together, they witness their grieving families and the journey to their deaths. I sobbed, I laughed and I listened to the stories because it could easily be the life of someone you know.

Favourite character: Suzi - at first she irritated me to no end, but as we learnt her story and witnessed how she helped our trio I can't help but love her.

My favourite part about this book was getting to feel so many emotions about complete (amd fictional) strangers. I can see small parts of myself in all the characters and I think that's what makes it all the more encompassing.

My only criticism for this book was that I wanted it to be longer, I wanted to see more of their lives and their families but that's just me being selfish.
Having read this book I will undoubtedly pick up more of this author's work in the future when I've recovered from this one!

"The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved; loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves."

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I Had My Time Again by Linda Green, Jules when the book starts is on the bridge trying to make up her mind to do it or not do it the next thing she knows she wakes up in a hotel on the outskirts of her town. She is left a message to go to the basement for a meeting. When she arrives Carl and teenager Emily are also there and this is when they learn they’re not only dead but have task to complete before the end. they all passed in three vastly different ways and some are more app to share than others there’s so much I wanna put in this review but as the book just deals with these characters and some of their past and some of their present and some of their families passed in present but not much else I don’t want to give any spoilers away just know I absolutely loved Susie and wish Jules would’ve been a Pixar director. I love books like this that act what if and then try to answer that question the only thing I didn’t like is how they kept insinuating that heaven wasn’t real but if it wasn’t where were they? In any event I love this book and highly recommended if you love magical Realism and heartwarming stories that may or may not make you cry then you will absolutely love this one. #NetGalley, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview,

[Sara Oxton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written five-star read. This deals with many subjects that some may not want to read about, but as someone who has lived through at least four of the major storylines, they are beautifully done. I loved how the author discussed the trauma of a baby born sleeping, but didn’t label it as that directly, and talked about Sands who are just a wonderful charity, this story will have you reaching for tissues, but it will also have you smiling so big your face aches. Just like life its not all smooth running, and sometimes we have to alter the edit to get what we need. The pace of the story was well done, you didn’t feel like you jumped from one sad circumstance to another, but it also wasn’t trivialised, you get pulled into the story and in some ways I feel that it helped me deal with my past, I had a friend in similar circumstances to Carl and it was wonderful seeing him get so much joy from riding, it reminded me of the better times my friend had. This story will make you think, what final cut would you make? Would you want to see your life again, the good the bad and the ugly? What would you do differently? I know what I used to think, but this story has changed my perspective and made me wonder if I would make that same final cut still.

[The Lit · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m giving this a 4.5 stars! ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! This book is a true tragi-comedy, filled with life-altering situations that will resonate differently with every reader. Please note the trigger warnings for suicide and baby loss before diving in.

The characterization is absolutely wonderful. I ploughed through the pages so quickly because I was desperate to see how it would all end. The author has a gift for warming your heart in one chapter and tearing it to shreds in the next, yet it still manages to be funny!

My only real criticism is that I wanted it to be longer—I was being selfish and just wanted more time with these families. The only thing that didn't quite sit right with me was the constant insinuation that heaven wasn’t real, which felt confusing given the setting. Regardless, I loved this book and highly recommend it if you enjoy magical realism and heartwarming stories. I’ll definitely be looking for more from this author once I’ve recovered from this one!

Want to see where this lands in my monthly rankings? Head over to my profile @TheLitWhisperer!

[Cocopopalicious · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jules, Carl and Emily have nothing in common except for one thing: they all died tragically on the same day.

Now they find themselves in a strange, almost parallel universe. They are dead, yet still present in the Halifax they left behind, and supported by a film production company, undetected by the rest of the world, helped to reflect on, process and reframe their most significant life experiences and their final moments.

What unfolds is a tragi‑comedy, full of scenarios and life‑altering situations that will resonate differently with each reader, depending on their own experiences of trauma, loss and ill health (and there is an author's note to give you advance warning of some of these).

This book doesn’t focus on where they are passing on to, or whose plan this epilogue chapter belongs to. Instead, it offers insight into three unique characters and their final journeys toward peace.

Thank you Boldwood Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Mercy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book!!

If I had my time again follows three people: Jules, Carl and Emily, who just passed and are in the afterlife or a passageway to their final destination in the afterlife?
While in this passageway they are tasked with writing their own life as a movie before they can move on. They only have 3 rules.
-they can’t prevent their death on anyone else’s
-they can’t kill anyone
-they can make a “director’s cut” which will change what comes next

All three stories made me sad and also imagine the numerous possibilities of different lives I can live if given the chance to make a cut that can change the trajectory of my life.

If I had my time again is a perfect read if you enjoyed The Midnight Library


**release date: 03/13/2026. Also please pay attention to the trigger warnings. This book heavily focuses on death and also has mention of suicide, alcohol use and PTSD

[ABain · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve loved Linda Green’s books for years, but this one didn’t resonate with me quite as much due to its heavier, more triggering themes. It’s a heartbreaking yet thought-provoking story about death, the afterlife, and second chances, and I really admired how she handled such difficult topics.

All the characters have tragic pasts, but their growing connection with each other was the emotional core of the book. The pacing felt slower than I expected and the ending a little rushed, but I appreciated the sense of peace and closure in the end. 💫

Perfect for readers who enjoy life affirming and thought provoking stories.

Thank you to Net Galley and Boldwood Books for this ARC. In exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Claire Mc Partlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting concept that I thought would be more lighthearted, but was actually very sad throughout.

Three people have died through various circumstances and are in a holding place (a hotel room!), and have to review their lives and make a film of it before moving on. They can make one director's cut to the film that may alter their ending, but can't prevent their own deaths. They visit their grieving families and attend their own funerals but can't be seen by anyone.

The story goes through their lives and explains why they ended up where they now are, which does explain quite a bit. I wasn't very keen on the ending though, as surely the director's cut could have changed the ending for another of the three characters too. An OK read for me.

[Marit · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful reminder that every life is made up of events that shape both us and our loved ones.

A beautiful book about (after)life, love, friendship and regrets — and about how behind every person the full story is always more complex than one would initially expect. Some parts made me laugh out loud, others moved me to tears. Warm, emotional, and very human. A definite 5-star read.

Advanced copy received via NetGalley.