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Reset
In a world where turning fifty means becoming twenty-five again, one man's second chance is his family's ultimate betrayal.
"An absorbing, character-driven consideration of the unexpected cost of recovering lost youth."—Kirkus Reviews
"Well-written, well-conceived, and quite entertaining... their complex relationship is narrated with perfection."—BookBrowse (5 Stars)
Tom and Elena Miller built a beautiful life over nearly three decades of marriage. But as Tom approaches his fiftieth birthday, the crushing weight of his middle-aged responsibilities and a desperate desire for freedom drive a wedge between him and the people he loves most. He doesn't just want a break; he wants a second chance at his twenties.
In a society defined by "The Reset"—a global biological miracle where anyone turning fifty wakes up in their original, twenty-five-year-old body—Tom’s desire becomes a devastating reality. He chooses to undergo his Reset and leaves his forty-eight-year-old wife behind to live in a downtown bachelor pad, assuming he can just return to her when she finally Resets eighteen months later.
But his selfish "intermission" shatters his family. While Elena struggles to rebuild her life and identity without him, his oldest son, Jack, is driven into the arms of a radicalized movement determined to end the "Immortal Class" by any means necessary.
As Tom navigates the lonely, surreal reality of his new youth, he is about to discover that reversing the clock on his body might mean permanently running out of time to save his family.
"An absorbing, character-driven consideration of the unexpected cost of recovering lost youth."—Kirkus Reviews
"Well-written, well-conceived, and quite entertaining... their complex relationship is narrated with perfection."—BookBrowse (5 Stars)
Tom and Elena Miller built a beautiful life over nearly three decades of marriage. But as Tom approaches his fiftieth birthday, the crushing weight of his middle-aged responsibilities and a desperate desire for freedom drive a wedge between him and the people he loves most. He doesn't just want a break; he wants a second chance at his twenties.
In a society defined by "The Reset"—a global biological miracle where anyone turning fifty wakes up in their original, twenty-five-year-old body—Tom’s desire becomes a devastating reality. He chooses to undergo his Reset and leaves his forty-eight-year-old wife behind to live in a downtown bachelor pad, assuming he can just return to her when she finally Resets eighteen months later.
But his selfish "intermission" shatters his family. While Elena struggles to rebuild her life and identity without him, his oldest son, Jack, is driven into the arms of a radicalized movement determined to end the "Immortal Class" by any means necessary.
As Tom navigates the lonely, surreal reality of his new youth, he is about to discover that reversing the clock on his body might mean permanently running out of time to save his family.
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Expected publication September 14, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 5, 2026
This was a great dystopian read - one that really raised thought-provoking questions (and I love the group discussion prompts at the end!) about what life and age means to you, and how your decisions can affect not only yourself, but those around you. Reset raised the interesting situation of what if life "reset" at age 50, and you reverted back to your 25 year old self - a fascinating, unique take on what it means to be immortal.
I must admit, I didn't warm to the novel at the start, primarily because I was not team Tom (poor Elena!) and he rubbed me up the wrong way. Despite this, I kept reading, and I was so glad I did because it was an absolutely fascinating read! The characters all had great growth, and there were occasional interludes prompting us to question certain aspects of the Reset endemic e.g. how religion and politics would react, how it would affect relationships (would you stick with your partner if they/you Reset before them?), how would it affect how you lived your life etc. For me, a sign of a good dystopian read is one that raises lots of questions and this definitely delivered! I can certainly imagine this one as a classroom read of the future along the veins of Lord of the flies - just for the sheer variety of themes and societal issues it touches on.
Interestingly, as a woman in her 30s with health conditions, and two young 'uns, whose natural state is constantly *severely tired*...strangely, however, what this book made me end up reflecting on was not -what would I do in this situation - but what am I doing with my life currently? Will I look back in my 50s and be proud of what I'd achieved? I did find it hard to relate to the Resets as I was far from "raring to go" at 25, but it did make me feel more motivated to get more out of life NOW- I won't be able to Reset, what I have now, is my only shot. And I'm sure I'll be more exhausted at 50 then I am currently so I better go on with it! Is it weird that a dystopian book was a motivational read for me? I don't know what that says about me, but it certainly made for an interesting read!
I did find at times my attention drifted, and for this I leant more towards a 4 star than a 5star but for the ideas/concepts raised, it is a book I will happily recommend over and over!
I must admit, I didn't warm to the novel at the start, primarily because I was not team Tom (poor Elena!) and he rubbed me up the wrong way. Despite this, I kept reading, and I was so glad I did because it was an absolutely fascinating read! The characters all had great growth, and there were occasional interludes prompting us to question certain aspects of the Reset endemic e.g. how religion and politics would react, how it would affect relationships (would you stick with your partner if they/you Reset before them?), how would it affect how you lived your life etc. For me, a sign of a good dystopian read is one that raises lots of questions and this definitely delivered! I can certainly imagine this one as a classroom read of the future along the veins of Lord of the flies - just for the sheer variety of themes and societal issues it touches on.
Interestingly, as a woman in her 30s with health conditions, and two young 'uns, whose natural state is constantly *severely tired*...strangely, however, what this book made me end up reflecting on was not -what would I do in this situation - but what am I doing with my life currently? Will I look back in my 50s and be proud of what I'd achieved? I did find it hard to relate to the Resets as I was far from "raring to go" at 25, but it did make me feel more motivated to get more out of life NOW- I won't be able to Reset, what I have now, is my only shot. And I'm sure I'll be more exhausted at 50 then I am currently so I better go on with it! Is it weird that a dystopian book was a motivational read for me? I don't know what that says about me, but it certainly made for an interesting read!
I did find at times my attention drifted, and for this I leant more towards a 4 star than a 5star but for the ideas/concepts raised, it is a book I will happily recommend over and over!
Review of advance copy
I've really been enjoying my dystopian style reads recently, and Reset is another great one!
The premise is unique, and i was hooked from the beginning. For a debut, Kevin's writing style is one i really enjoyed.
Character wise, I wasn't a fan of Tom at first, but he did grow on me and his character development was great. Especially the growing relationship between Tom and Elena, and their children.
The POV changes for each chapter did confuse me at first, especially as this is a third person. But other than that, I really enjoyed this!
This is definitely a thought provoking read, and honestly scary how this concept has all the possibilities of being reality.
The premise is unique, and i was hooked from the beginning. For a debut, Kevin's writing style is one i really enjoyed.
Character wise, I wasn't a fan of Tom at first, but he did grow on me and his character development was great. Especially the growing relationship between Tom and Elena, and their children.
The POV changes for each chapter did confuse me at first, especially as this is a third person. But other than that, I really enjoyed this!
This is definitely a thought provoking read, and honestly scary how this concept has all the possibilities of being reality.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest evaluation of its merits.
I was fascinated by the premise and sped through this title. I greatly enjoyed how it examined the story primarily through the lens of Tom and Elena (and their kids), but also gave us insights into how others might view this "reset" (the religious angle was interesting).
The only part I wasn't that much of a fan of was the multiple POV ending, but perhaps that was just me.
I was fascinated by the premise and sped through this title. I greatly enjoyed how it examined the story primarily through the lens of Tom and Elena (and their kids), but also gave us insights into how others might view this "reset" (the religious angle was interesting).
The only part I wasn't that much of a fan of was the multiple POV ending, but perhaps that was just me.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I loved both the premise and the execution of this concept. The characters were well-drawn and their motivations were clear, whilst retaining the complexity of adult relationships. A full review will follow on Lyric Lounge Review but I would definitely recommend this book as it was one of the most interesting ones that I have read in a while.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews