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Come Again
Can you fall in love for the first time twice? A recently widowed women is about to find out when she wakes up and finds herself eighteen again in this "highly entertaining" story of second chances ( Guardian ) by the star of Peep Show-- now available in a specially priced edition
Kate's husband Luke -- the man she loved from the moment she met him twenty-eight years ago -- died suddenly. Since then she has pushed away her friend and lost her job, and everything is starting to fall apart.
One day, she wakes up in the wrong room and in the wrong body. She is eighteen again but remembers everything. This is her college room in 1992 on the first day of orientation. And this is the day she meets Luke.
Kate knows how he died, and that he's already ill. But Luke is not the man that she he's still a boy -- the annoying nineteen-year-old English student she first met. If they can fall in love again despite everything, she might just be able to save him. She's going to try to do everything exactly the same . . .
Kate's husband Luke -- the man she loved from the moment she met him twenty-eight years ago -- died suddenly. Since then she has pushed away her friend and lost her job, and everything is starting to fall apart.
One day, she wakes up in the wrong room and in the wrong body. She is eighteen again but remembers everything. This is her college room in 1992 on the first day of orientation. And this is the day she meets Luke.
Kate knows how he died, and that he's already ill. But Luke is not the man that she he's still a boy -- the annoying nineteen-year-old English student she first met. If they can fall in love again despite everything, she might just be able to save him. She's going to try to do everything exactly the same . . .
304 pages, Paperback
First published April 23, 2020
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April 26, 2020
A beautiful and magical tale of grief.
Come Again tells the story of Kate, the IT department head for a company that does Online Reputational Management. Basically, they are responsible to make bad press ''disappear'' using SEO and other algorithms, so when you search someone on Google, the bad stuff will be far back and a lot of new shiny and interesting information will appear on top.
But, Kate has been struggling a lot lately, she's extremely depressed after she lost her husband of 28 years. Luke had a brain tumor, one that was barely noticeable and that grew and grew symptomless until he collapsed on their kitchen floor after unloading the dishwasher.
Now, Kate has come across a new file at work that is a game-changer of epic proportions, only if she could care about anything other than drinking herself to sleep.
Come Again is divided into three parts, the first one (described briefly above) is the set-up of: here's Kate, this is why she is grieving and not coping, also, some crazy stuff happens at her job. This is the most emotional part and Robert Webb does a great job of immersing you in her story while adding some dry humor to keep this interesting.
Part 2 is where the element of magical realism/time-travel is introduced. On the night that Kate is giving up on her life she falls asleep instead to wake up on the exact night she met her husband when she was 18-years-old and attending the University of York.
Although this part didn't go quite the way I was expecting it to, it was refreshing and super funny to see Kate interacting with her young husband and friends. You see, she might have woken up in the body of an 18-year-old, but her brain is very much 45, and she had zero patience for the silly games these teenagers are playing, also - she's now back to 1992 and that means no cellphones, internet or any modern-day technologies.
Unfortunately, Part 3 is just not well executed at all. It seems like the parts are disjointed, almost like they could each be a story on their own (or that they were written by two completely different people), and then it fails to bring the different plots together in a satisfying resolution.
I do have to praise the writing though - many times Come Again made me laugh out loud or have tears in my eyes. It was beautifully nostalgic and I highlighted many quotes that will definitely stick with me for a while. And even though the book didn't quite take the paths I was expecting (or wanted) it was certainly gifted with bright pockets of cleverness and wisdom.
This was ARC provided by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Come Again tells the story of Kate, the IT department head for a company that does Online Reputational Management. Basically, they are responsible to make bad press ''disappear'' using SEO and other algorithms, so when you search someone on Google, the bad stuff will be far back and a lot of new shiny and interesting information will appear on top.
But, Kate has been struggling a lot lately, she's extremely depressed after she lost her husband of 28 years. Luke had a brain tumor, one that was barely noticeable and that grew and grew symptomless until he collapsed on their kitchen floor after unloading the dishwasher.
Now, Kate has come across a new file at work that is a game-changer of epic proportions, only if she could care about anything other than drinking herself to sleep.
Come Again is divided into three parts, the first one (described briefly above) is the set-up of: here's Kate, this is why she is grieving and not coping, also, some crazy stuff happens at her job. This is the most emotional part and Robert Webb does a great job of immersing you in her story while adding some dry humor to keep this interesting.
Part 2 is where the element of magical realism/time-travel is introduced. On the night that Kate is giving up on her life she falls asleep instead to wake up on the exact night she met her husband when she was 18-years-old and attending the University of York.
Although this part didn't go quite the way I was expecting it to, it was refreshing and super funny to see Kate interacting with her young husband and friends. You see, she might have woken up in the body of an 18-year-old, but her brain is very much 45, and she had zero patience for the silly games these teenagers are playing, also - she's now back to 1992 and that means no cellphones, internet or any modern-day technologies.
Unfortunately, Part 3 is just not well executed at all. It seems like the parts are disjointed, almost like they could each be a story on their own (or that they were written by two completely different people), and then it fails to bring the different plots together in a satisfying resolution.
I do have to praise the writing though - many times Come Again made me laugh out loud or have tears in my eyes. It was beautifully nostalgic and I highlighted many quotes that will definitely stick with me for a while. And even though the book didn't quite take the paths I was expecting (or wanted) it was certainly gifted with bright pockets of cleverness and wisdom.
This was ARC provided by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 27, 2025
UNPOPULAR OPINION COMING THROUGH.
Come Again is supposedly about a woman who loses her husband who she is madly in love with. She accidentally goes back in time, and has to make her husband fall in love with her again, while also trying to save his life from a tumour growing in his brain. The key word is "supposedly," because truthfully, the synopsis only describes about 10% of the book and the events within this section are much different than what we expect to conspire. I would like to say that I at least enjoyed this 10% of the book, but then I'd be lying.
There’s random chunks of information EVERYWHERE, and there’s so many character’s and all of them have a super complex background that takes up like three pages. I love getting to know characters, BUT THEY ARE LITERALLY IN THE BOOK FOR 2 1/2 PAGES, WHY DO I NEED TO KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT THEM? And holy, how, HOW, can these characters still manage to be SO one dimensional when all of this information is given?
In the book, there’s a part where Kate insults her husbands book (he's an author) and says the reason it sucks is because it has no meaning or plot, and in that moment, I just thought, “wow, maybe this book is aware that the exact same thing is happening here.” BECAUSE IT IS. THERE IS NO PLOT OR MEANING, ONE SECOND THERE'S THE RUSSIAN MAFIA, THEN THERE'S SOME DUDE WHO'S SUPPOSEDLY IN LOVE WITH THE MAIN CHARACTER (I did not sign up for a love triangle) AND THEN THERE'S A BUNCH OF RANDOM CHARACTERS THAT DO NOT EFFECT THE PLOT NOR CHARACTERS IN ANY WAY.
In the beginning, I felt this was a spy novel, in the middle, I thought it might be a badly written romance, but in the end, I realized this was just a mess.
I can’t even start to talk about part 3 of this book because I don’t think I’ve ever read anything messier, and let me remind you that I began writing when I was 12, so I’ve read a lot of terrible plotless stuff, but this definitely took the cake.
I hate writing negative reviews because I know authors pour their souls into their work, but I really feel this needs to be revised WAY more and some irrelevant parts really need to be cut down (70% of this book is info dumps that the reader doesn't need). Aspects need to be more subtle, I knew what the end result would be 20% into the novel which is never a good sign, and foreshadowing should definitely be used. The writing is not like that of a novel. I LOVE descriptions, they really help me dive deeper into the book, and I feel like a movie is playing in my mind as I read, but the descriptions were so plain and boring, I felt as if I were reading a text book, and the movie in my head was non-existent.
I also don’t think this should be branded to be a romance, but rather, a general fiction because nothing about this book is romance. Seriously, I do not know what was happening. I will not mention anything here because I don’t want to spoil anything, but MANY aspects of the non-existent “romance” (and I mean this quite literally, it was non-existent) was rushed and it was so painfully obvious.
I did like the concept, though I didn’t like how it was executed, but it was still a cool idea and that’s why I requested this book from netgalley in the first place. It's just that I was not given what was promised in the synopsis, and this book felt like it was struggling to find a genre it could conform to.
After this book, I am officially taking a break from romance books (though as I said previously, I wouldn't classify this as a romance). Well, technically, after I finish reading Instant Karma by Marissa Meyer (I can’t resist). Any recommendations for other genres (I'll read anything as long as it's interesting) are welcomed!
Trigger warning: , suicidal thoughts, depression...etc.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a review copy. All opinions are my own.
| goodreads
April 14, 2020
Oh how I loved Come Again ❤️ Actor and comedian Robert Webb has written an emotional and witty story of grief, self discovery and time travel and I couldn’t put it down.
The characters in this book are wonderful. The main character Kate begins the book in a very dark place, grieving the loss of her husband Luke. 9 months earlier he died suddenly and she still has not come to terms with it. She has pushed her loved ones away, she has been fired from her job and she spends her days and nights drinking herself to sleep.
When she wakes one morning back in her 1992 college dorm room she sees a chance to save Luke. She knows that he was sick back then, as a 19 years old student. And this is the day that she firsts meets her future husband.
Kate learns a lot about herself, family and friends through this journey. What she has always believed to be true is not exactly how things were. The trip back in time is hilarious, with Kate meeting her friends all over again and trying not to talk about anything that hasn’t already happened in this time period. 90’s fashion and music galore... it is a step back in time for all.
A big thank you to Allen and Unwin for my copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased
The characters in this book are wonderful. The main character Kate begins the book in a very dark place, grieving the loss of her husband Luke. 9 months earlier he died suddenly and she still has not come to terms with it. She has pushed her loved ones away, she has been fired from her job and she spends her days and nights drinking herself to sleep.
When she wakes one morning back in her 1992 college dorm room she sees a chance to save Luke. She knows that he was sick back then, as a 19 years old student. And this is the day that she firsts meets her future husband.
Kate learns a lot about herself, family and friends through this journey. What she has always believed to be true is not exactly how things were. The trip back in time is hilarious, with Kate meeting her friends all over again and trying not to talk about anything that hasn’t already happened in this time period. 90’s fashion and music galore... it is a step back in time for all.
A big thank you to Allen and Unwin for my copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased
October 28, 2020
Come Again is a cute book. The book starts with Kate's husband, Luke dying. She then wakes up the day she first met Luke. She tries to save him from dying. Can Kate save Luke? Can Kate and Luke fall in love twice even though they are both different people the second time around?
Fans of The Two Lives of Lydia Bird will probably like Come Again.
Olivia Coleman did a good job narrating and I loved the British accent. Her voice worked well with the story.
Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio for this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
Fans of The Two Lives of Lydia Bird will probably like Come Again.
Olivia Coleman did a good job narrating and I loved the British accent. Her voice worked well with the story.
Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio for this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
June 2, 2020
I was really excited to read Robert Webb's first novel as I'm a fan of his and I really liked How Not To Be A Boy. So I went in fully on his side and hoping to enjoy it, and it was going well.
And then he got rid of the one actually interesting plot point (a USB stick with a damning video on it).
And I was like mkayy
And then there was some very on-the-nose political commentary, which kept cropping up.
And I was like mkaayy
And then there was some pretty cringey dialogue.
And I was like mkaaayy
And then the main character travelled back in time.
And I was like mkaaaayy
And then the main character, who's supposed to be really smart, started acting like she was fucking stupid.
And I was like mkaaaaayy
And then York was described as the countryside.
And I was like mkaaaayyyy
And then there was a quick string of pretty bad writing, ending with the main character fainting for no apparent reason. And at that point the penny dropped that unfortunately, Robert Webb just isn't that good at novel-writing, and should probably stick to what he's best at. So I DNFed it. Sorry Robert.
And then he got rid of the one actually interesting plot point (a USB stick with a damning video on it).
And I was like mkayy
And then there was some very on-the-nose political commentary, which kept cropping up.
And I was like mkaayy
And then there was some pretty cringey dialogue.
And I was like mkaaayy
And then the main character travelled back in time.
And I was like mkaaaayy
And then the main character, who's supposed to be really smart, started acting like she was fucking stupid.
And I was like mkaaaaayy
And then York was described as the countryside.
And I was like mkaaaayyyy
And then there was a quick string of pretty bad writing, ending with the main character fainting for no apparent reason. And at that point the penny dropped that unfortunately, Robert Webb just isn't that good at novel-writing, and should probably stick to what he's best at. So I DNFed it. Sorry Robert.
May 7, 2020
I could just about deal with some of the clunky writing and two-dimensional characters as the initial premise of the story was intriguing. However, it feels very much like the last section of this book was written as a deadline rapidly approached. The tonal shift it undergoes is ill-advised and unsuccessful. It felt as if Webb was trying to throw everything at his narrative in the hope that some of it would be good. A shame, this book could have been so much better.
July 14, 2020
Come Again is the first novel by award-winning British actor, comedian and author, Robert Webb. Nine months widowed, and all Kate Marsden wants to do is drink herself daily into oblivion, where at least she can dream of Luke. If the dream of their first encounter is never quite right, her memories always are.
Since Luke was suddenly taken by a sneaky, slow-growing tumour he’d had since before they met, Kate has withdrawn, merely existed, worked her IT job on auto-pilot. But when her mourning fog momentarily lifts, she uncovers an explosive piece of information: something with far-reaching effects for the world. Trouble is, deciding what to do when you are grief-stricken, suicidal and half-drunk is an undertaking she’s not sure she can face.
On reaching the milestone of ten thousand days since they first met, Kate decides the appropriate step is to stop living; just one more Luke dream, and then she’ll take the pills and the vodka. But when Kate wakes, it’s in her single bed in Benedict College, in her eighteen-year-old body, on the day she first met Luke Fairbright, back in October 1992. It’s not a dream.
Her immediate instinct is to save Luke: “it was perfectly straightforward. She was going to convince Luke that she was from the future and he needed to get a tumour removed from his brain otherwise he would drop dead at the age of forty-seven in his kitchen, which was incidentally also her kitchen because she was his wife. Fine.”
And if that’s not challenge enough, another tiny problem becomes apparent: her forty-five-year-old brain is more irritated than charmed by nineteen-year-old Luke, his lies, affectations and his pretentious manuscript. For his part, Luke is both sceptical and angry about the bizarre and rather disturbing revelations this (clearly crazy) total stranger dumps on him.
What an absolute treat Webb’s first novel is! He gives the reader a clever plot, marvellous characters, witty dialogue and an action-packed finale that features Russian thugs, a car chase involving a fleet of London cabbies, an avant-garde Shakespeare production, MI5 and quite a lot of karate. It is filled with generous helpings of brilliant British humour, much of it quite black, especially the insults, though some readers may object to the expletives.
Webb’s descriptive prose is wonderfully evocative: “The main body of the bar was the setting of a vast, ongoing brawl between broken tiles, strip-lighting and chipped Formica. The walls were brown, but with that hint of yellow that gives horse manure its element of drama. Around the edges were a series of semi-circular ‘booths’ featuring red plastic banquettes and tiny, quivering tables guaranteed to immediately spill any drink they came into contact with. The metal chair legs had all lost their rubber stoppers years ago and the effect of a hundred of them scraping against the ‘terracotta’ floor was – until you learned to tune it out – what insanity might sound like if it lived with a dentist. It was a room that couldn’t hear itself think and which understood no smells but tobacco and last night’s beer. Kate felt immediately at home.”
This is an outstanding debut novel and whatever Webb puts his hand to next will be eagerly anticipated.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by Allen & Unwin.
Since Luke was suddenly taken by a sneaky, slow-growing tumour he’d had since before they met, Kate has withdrawn, merely existed, worked her IT job on auto-pilot. But when her mourning fog momentarily lifts, she uncovers an explosive piece of information: something with far-reaching effects for the world. Trouble is, deciding what to do when you are grief-stricken, suicidal and half-drunk is an undertaking she’s not sure she can face.
On reaching the milestone of ten thousand days since they first met, Kate decides the appropriate step is to stop living; just one more Luke dream, and then she’ll take the pills and the vodka. But when Kate wakes, it’s in her single bed in Benedict College, in her eighteen-year-old body, on the day she first met Luke Fairbright, back in October 1992. It’s not a dream.
Her immediate instinct is to save Luke: “it was perfectly straightforward. She was going to convince Luke that she was from the future and he needed to get a tumour removed from his brain otherwise he would drop dead at the age of forty-seven in his kitchen, which was incidentally also her kitchen because she was his wife. Fine.”
And if that’s not challenge enough, another tiny problem becomes apparent: her forty-five-year-old brain is more irritated than charmed by nineteen-year-old Luke, his lies, affectations and his pretentious manuscript. For his part, Luke is both sceptical and angry about the bizarre and rather disturbing revelations this (clearly crazy) total stranger dumps on him.
What an absolute treat Webb’s first novel is! He gives the reader a clever plot, marvellous characters, witty dialogue and an action-packed finale that features Russian thugs, a car chase involving a fleet of London cabbies, an avant-garde Shakespeare production, MI5 and quite a lot of karate. It is filled with generous helpings of brilliant British humour, much of it quite black, especially the insults, though some readers may object to the expletives.
Webb’s descriptive prose is wonderfully evocative: “The main body of the bar was the setting of a vast, ongoing brawl between broken tiles, strip-lighting and chipped Formica. The walls were brown, but with that hint of yellow that gives horse manure its element of drama. Around the edges were a series of semi-circular ‘booths’ featuring red plastic banquettes and tiny, quivering tables guaranteed to immediately spill any drink they came into contact with. The metal chair legs had all lost their rubber stoppers years ago and the effect of a hundred of them scraping against the ‘terracotta’ floor was – until you learned to tune it out – what insanity might sound like if it lived with a dentist. It was a room that couldn’t hear itself think and which understood no smells but tobacco and last night’s beer. Kate felt immediately at home.”
This is an outstanding debut novel and whatever Webb puts his hand to next will be eagerly anticipated.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by Allen & Unwin.
April 4, 2020
It pains me to only give this book a 2 star review.
The book was split into 3 parts, part 1 and 2 were wonderful to read, it was interesting to see the format and the characters as they experienced the story.
Part 1: Kate being depressed and suicidal following the death of her husband who she loves with all of her heart. Before deciding to kill herself she has one last sleep....
Part 2: Kate awakens back in her 18 year old body, on the day she first meets Luke. She then attempts to repeat all of the same actions but with one difference, this time she will save his life.
An excellent story seeing mess ups lead to an appropriate and perfect conclusion.
Part 3: This is where it all goes wrong. Kate wakes up present day, she got the tumour removed from luke as a student. BUT LIKE IS STILL DEAD? It changed nothing.
THEN a good few chapters were spent on a high speed car chase and fight in a theatre with spies and cabbies and Russian heavies. Totally different from the main thread and frankly had no place in the story.
THEN!!! It turns out whilst her husband Luke did die, there's another Luke in America. The same luke but different who is a doctor with a new family and remembers the incident in part 2. Nobody else remembers is in the present only him.
AND WHY IS KATE WHO LOVES HIM NOT WITH HIM.
IT MAKES NO SENSE.
She tries to save his life, does it, her husband is still dead but a new version of her husband is alive with a family in America.... Like what the hell???
I expected the book to go 1 of 2 ways
1. She will save luke and they'll live happily ever after as he's alive.
2. She'll realise she can't save him, go back to find out he's dead still and move on rather than be suicidal.
NOPE. LET'S MAKE THE DEAD HUSBAND STILL ALIVE BUT DEAD BUT ALIVE BUT IT'S OKAY BECAUSE YOU HAVE A NEW BOYFRIEND.
The start and middle of this book were excellent and absolute 5 star. The ending has destroyed it for me. Destroyed an enjoyment or want to reread or even remember the book.
The book was split into 3 parts, part 1 and 2 were wonderful to read, it was interesting to see the format and the characters as they experienced the story.
Part 1: Kate being depressed and suicidal following the death of her husband who she loves with all of her heart. Before deciding to kill herself she has one last sleep....
Part 2: Kate awakens back in her 18 year old body, on the day she first meets Luke. She then attempts to repeat all of the same actions but with one difference, this time she will save his life.
An excellent story seeing mess ups lead to an appropriate and perfect conclusion.
Part 3: This is where it all goes wrong. Kate wakes up present day, she got the tumour removed from luke as a student. BUT LIKE IS STILL DEAD? It changed nothing.
THEN a good few chapters were spent on a high speed car chase and fight in a theatre with spies and cabbies and Russian heavies. Totally different from the main thread and frankly had no place in the story.
THEN!!! It turns out whilst her husband Luke did die, there's another Luke in America. The same luke but different who is a doctor with a new family and remembers the incident in part 2. Nobody else remembers is in the present only him.
AND WHY IS KATE WHO LOVES HIM NOT WITH HIM.
IT MAKES NO SENSE.
She tries to save his life, does it, her husband is still dead but a new version of her husband is alive with a family in America.... Like what the hell???
I expected the book to go 1 of 2 ways
1. She will save luke and they'll live happily ever after as he's alive.
2. She'll realise she can't save him, go back to find out he's dead still and move on rather than be suicidal.
NOPE. LET'S MAKE THE DEAD HUSBAND STILL ALIVE BUT DEAD BUT ALIVE BUT IT'S OKAY BECAUSE YOU HAVE A NEW BOYFRIEND.
The start and middle of this book were excellent and absolute 5 star. The ending has destroyed it for me. Destroyed an enjoyment or want to reread or even remember the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 12, 2021
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book but, I was pleasantly surprised. It was a lovely story, very different and the subject matter was a completely different idea. Although at times this book could be sad it didn’t put me off it. The story flowed along well and I found myself picking it up to read a bit more during the day. My thanks to my lovely daughter for lending me this book she said I would enjoy it and she was right.
July 20, 2020
This is a review of the audiobook for Come Again by Robert Webb, narrated by Olivia Coleman.
Come Again is the story of Kate, who has lost her husband to cancer and is reeling from mind-numbing grief. Kate's grief is well written here, and well portrayed by Olivia Coleman. There is an honesty that comes out of raw grief, when you say what's on your mind because you know that nothing but truth really matters anyway. This is captured perfectly in the book.
The second part of the book shows Kate, who has attempted suicide, traveling back in time to her 18 year old self. As a time travel fiction buff, I was a little disappointed that the means of time travel was not really shown or discussed. Kate meets her husband all over again. This is a fascinating study of the age old question, "if you could go back again, knowing what you know now, what would you do?"
The third part of the book is a sort of spy/thriller, but it does not come out of nowhere as it was set up in part one.
I enjoyed this book very much and Olivia Coleman did a great job of portraying the emotions throughout: Heart stopping grief in part one, shock, wonder, and confusion in part two, and then danger and terror in part three.
The epilogue was a little confusing and, again, broke some rules of time travel fiction and left some things unexplained.
Overall, this is a well written book. The grief of losing a spouse is especially well portrayed. This is a very British book, so I was surprised and a little annoyed at the American political commentary thrown in for no apparent reason . Olivia Coleman does a fantastic job with the narration and gets 5 stars.
Overall: 4 stars.
I received a free copy of this audiobook from Netgalley. My review is voluntary.
Come Again is the story of Kate, who has lost her husband to cancer and is reeling from mind-numbing grief. Kate's grief is well written here, and well portrayed by Olivia Coleman. There is an honesty that comes out of raw grief, when you say what's on your mind because you know that nothing but truth really matters anyway. This is captured perfectly in the book.
The second part of the book shows Kate, who has attempted suicide, traveling back in time to her 18 year old self. As a time travel fiction buff, I was a little disappointed that the means of time travel was not really shown or discussed. Kate meets her husband all over again. This is a fascinating study of the age old question, "if you could go back again, knowing what you know now, what would you do?"
The third part of the book is a sort of spy/thriller, but it does not come out of nowhere as it was set up in part one.
I enjoyed this book very much and Olivia Coleman did a great job of portraying the emotions throughout: Heart stopping grief in part one, shock, wonder, and confusion in part two, and then danger and terror in part three.
The epilogue was a little confusing and, again, broke some rules of time travel fiction and left some things unexplained.
Overall, this is a well written book. The grief of losing a spouse is especially well portrayed. This is a very British book, so I was surprised and a little annoyed at the American political commentary thrown in for no apparent reason . Olivia Coleman does a fantastic job with the narration and gets 5 stars.
Overall: 4 stars.
I received a free copy of this audiobook from Netgalley. My review is voluntary.
March 25, 2020
I really enjoyed the nostalgic tone with Webb’s debut novel. The concept of time travel is certainly not new yet, I feel like Webb did something different here. There are highs and there are lows to this narrative and readers are taken on Kate’s journey of self-discovery.
Before Kate magically arrives back in 1992, she is in an incredibly dark place. The depressing atmosphere is inevitably depressing but the narrative contains frequent moments of comedy and witty one-liners. Indeed, I loved the relationship between Kate and her dad, especially his unwavering belief in her – even when Kate doubts herself. The workplace scene that is described in the early stages of the book introduces the theme of Russian spies but, this does not dominate the narrative. It seems to resolve itself by the closing pages of the story but I can understand other readers’ frustrations of this thread: it is as if Webb needed something beyond the time-travel theme to add to the plot.
That being said, the final chase scene between Kate and the Russians was rather ridiculous. I could cope with the concept of time-travel but the car chase through London was pushing my imagination just a bit too far. Again, it felt like a convenient way to tie up a narrative thread and help push Kate forwards into life back in present day. If it wasn’t for my overall enjoyment and that this does not feature largely in the narrative, I would have not been able to award this the full five stars.
So, I really enjoyed Kate’s time travel adventure. I had to laugh at her attitude towards Luke when she sees him again as a university fresher. She discovers that as her older self, there are quite a few unattractive traits that rubs her the wrong way. The desire to impress, trying to seem intelligent… all of these things I remembered from my own university days. Whilst 1992 was pre-degree for myself, I could easily relate to a lot of the friendship politics and university life that was portrayed. It was vivid and very entertaining.
The ending of the novel was very unexpected and tied off many loose ends that I had from the time-travel conflict. I wanted to know if Kate had managed to alter the course of history and whether there would be any evidence of this? Whilst the actual time-travel is never made clear (was it really a dream from the medication that Kate took? or did it, somehow, actually happen?), Webb seemed to recognise that readers need everything closed off and tied up with a neat bow. In other words, the ending was completely satisfying and certainly made up for the odd Russian car chase previous to it.
There are a lot of emotions that run through this book and I think readers experience many of them. However, Webb’s witticisms brighten the atmosphere which is key, particularly when reading about Kate’s dark times. Whilst Kate experiences so much regret over her life choices, the chance to repeat and make a difference reflects her kind and generous nature. I often found myself chuckling when reading this book and this is what I expected from a book by Robert Webb. I wonder what it would be like if he wrote a totally serious book? Would it be as enjoyable?
I really enjoyed this gem of a read and feel like the cover really doesn’t do the story justice. It would have been nice to see some nostalgic references to the nineties but, one can’t have everything. The story within the covers is a great read. It’s not confusing, not complicated and one that builds in interest as the plot develops.
With thanks to Canongate books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Before Kate magically arrives back in 1992, she is in an incredibly dark place. The depressing atmosphere is inevitably depressing but the narrative contains frequent moments of comedy and witty one-liners. Indeed, I loved the relationship between Kate and her dad, especially his unwavering belief in her – even when Kate doubts herself. The workplace scene that is described in the early stages of the book introduces the theme of Russian spies but, this does not dominate the narrative. It seems to resolve itself by the closing pages of the story but I can understand other readers’ frustrations of this thread: it is as if Webb needed something beyond the time-travel theme to add to the plot.
That being said, the final chase scene between Kate and the Russians was rather ridiculous. I could cope with the concept of time-travel but the car chase through London was pushing my imagination just a bit too far. Again, it felt like a convenient way to tie up a narrative thread and help push Kate forwards into life back in present day. If it wasn’t for my overall enjoyment and that this does not feature largely in the narrative, I would have not been able to award this the full five stars.
So, I really enjoyed Kate’s time travel adventure. I had to laugh at her attitude towards Luke when she sees him again as a university fresher. She discovers that as her older self, there are quite a few unattractive traits that rubs her the wrong way. The desire to impress, trying to seem intelligent… all of these things I remembered from my own university days. Whilst 1992 was pre-degree for myself, I could easily relate to a lot of the friendship politics and university life that was portrayed. It was vivid and very entertaining.
The ending of the novel was very unexpected and tied off many loose ends that I had from the time-travel conflict. I wanted to know if Kate had managed to alter the course of history and whether there would be any evidence of this? Whilst the actual time-travel is never made clear (was it really a dream from the medication that Kate took? or did it, somehow, actually happen?), Webb seemed to recognise that readers need everything closed off and tied up with a neat bow. In other words, the ending was completely satisfying and certainly made up for the odd Russian car chase previous to it.
There are a lot of emotions that run through this book and I think readers experience many of them. However, Webb’s witticisms brighten the atmosphere which is key, particularly when reading about Kate’s dark times. Whilst Kate experiences so much regret over her life choices, the chance to repeat and make a difference reflects her kind and generous nature. I often found myself chuckling when reading this book and this is what I expected from a book by Robert Webb. I wonder what it would be like if he wrote a totally serious book? Would it be as enjoyable?
I really enjoyed this gem of a read and feel like the cover really doesn’t do the story justice. It would have been nice to see some nostalgic references to the nineties but, one can’t have everything. The story within the covers is a great read. It’s not confusing, not complicated and one that builds in interest as the plot develops.
With thanks to Canongate books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 8, 2021
this review is also available on my blog!
I got a signed copy of this because I love Robert Webb as an actor - and of course I was nervous that this wouldn't be as good as I hoped. But thankfully, that turned out to not be the same!
Come Again is ostensibly a romance/drama about a woman who was widowed unexpectedly in her 40s, only to wake up and find herself back in university at the age of 18, about to meet her husband for the first time again.
But it's so much more than that - and actually, that plotline doesn't feature quite as prominently as the blurb implies, but that's in some ways a good thing - because that meant I wasn't expecting the suspense part at all!
Some reviewers have said the suspense element was jarring and felt like two different books collaged together, but I think it worked perfectly; both the main threads of the story were entwined together from the very first chapter.
All in all: Highly recommended!
I got a signed copy of this because I love Robert Webb as an actor - and of course I was nervous that this wouldn't be as good as I hoped. But thankfully, that turned out to not be the same!
Come Again is ostensibly a romance/drama about a woman who was widowed unexpectedly in her 40s, only to wake up and find herself back in university at the age of 18, about to meet her husband for the first time again.
But it's so much more than that - and actually, that plotline doesn't feature quite as prominently as the blurb implies, but that's in some ways a good thing - because that meant I wasn't expecting the suspense part at all!
Some reviewers have said the suspense element was jarring and felt like two different books collaged together, but I think it worked perfectly; both the main threads of the story were entwined together from the very first chapter.
All in all: Highly recommended!
January 3, 2022
First read of 2022!
3.5!
3.5!
December 30, 2021
3.5
Yay, incredibly enough I finished a book. It's been two weeks since I last touched a book - I blame it on the Christmas/holidays craziness and me discovering another musician to become obsessed with (I love music even more than reading). Anyway, imagine my horror to discover I had 4 audiobooks waiting in my library overdrive, Come Again being one of them. I confess I couldn't remember what/who prompted me to add it to my holds; upon noticing it was very brief I thought I should pause the music and try to listen to it. Let's just say that had my family been believers they would have praised god. I'm an all or nothing kind of person, so for the past two weeks, I've been playing the same two albums on repeat for hours on end. Anyway, timing is everything and this book was the right kind of novel I could concentrate on. Having the delightful Olivia Coleman as the narrator made it all that more special. I didn't even grumble about some aspects that needed a good dose of suspension of disbelief, something I usually struggle with.
I should say what this was about. Forty-five-year-old Kate had recently lost her husband - the love of her life. Her grief and guilt are enormous. She now hates her job - she's a computer expert at some sort of history and internet cleaning company, which deals with cleaning some very nasty people's online presence. She's kind of had enough and doesn't feel like there's anything to keep her going. This sounds like a downer of a book but it wasn't.
Was this perfect? Far from it. Honestly, given my complete avoidance of anything book related in the past two weeks, I almost feel elated I finished a book, be it just an audiobook.
Back to listening to music.
Wishing you all a great 2022.
Yay, incredibly enough I finished a book. It's been two weeks since I last touched a book - I blame it on the Christmas/holidays craziness and me discovering another musician to become obsessed with (I love music even more than reading). Anyway, imagine my horror to discover I had 4 audiobooks waiting in my library overdrive, Come Again being one of them. I confess I couldn't remember what/who prompted me to add it to my holds; upon noticing it was very brief I thought I should pause the music and try to listen to it. Let's just say that had my family been believers they would have praised god. I'm an all or nothing kind of person, so for the past two weeks, I've been playing the same two albums on repeat for hours on end. Anyway, timing is everything and this book was the right kind of novel I could concentrate on. Having the delightful Olivia Coleman as the narrator made it all that more special. I didn't even grumble about some aspects that needed a good dose of suspension of disbelief, something I usually struggle with.
I should say what this was about. Forty-five-year-old Kate had recently lost her husband - the love of her life. Her grief and guilt are enormous. She now hates her job - she's a computer expert at some sort of history and internet cleaning company, which deals with cleaning some very nasty people's online presence. She's kind of had enough and doesn't feel like there's anything to keep her going. This sounds like a downer of a book but it wasn't.
Was this perfect? Far from it. Honestly, given my complete avoidance of anything book related in the past two weeks, I almost feel elated I finished a book, be it just an audiobook.
Back to listening to music.
Wishing you all a great 2022.
June 28, 2020
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
‘There. Standing in the doorway, politely letting someone out, running a careless hand though his dark hair. Luke Fairbright, nineteen years old, come again.’
British author Robert Webb is both a Sony and BAFTA award winner. He has one book, an autobiography under his belt, but Come Again is Webb’s first adult fiction offering. A story of love, grief, hope, grand adventure and change, Come Again offers an entertaining read for contemporary fiction readers.
In this sliding doors type scenario, Come Again looks at the possibility of falling in love for the first time again thanks to a magical possibility. In the present day, forty-something Kate is nursing a broken heart and a whole lot of grief following the loss of her husband Luke to a brain tumour. Kate has loved Luke for almost three decades and his loss has left a huge hole in her life. Unable to focus on her job, life or friends, Kate is inconsolable. When Kate reaches breaking point, wakes up in the past. Kate has been transported back to the pivotal moment in time when she first met Luke, her college years. Kate realises she has the opportunity to recreate the moment that she first fell in love with Luke. Kate also sees this leap back in time as a chance to change the future, can Kate save Luke? But when Kate messes with time and circumstance, the results may cause further complications for this grieving widow.
I am not familiar with the author of this novel, Robert Webb, so Come Again was my first taste of his work. A popular screen star and columnist, Webb ventures into the fiction world in his new release. Come Again is one of a spate of books that I have read recently that seem to have a strong visual and screen quality. I think my immediate impression of this book is that it would work far better on the small or big screen, especially as a great British rom com. The author’s background in the screen industry has influenced the style and direction of this novel.
Come Again is segregated into three distinct parts. When the story begins, we meet Kate, who is desperately grieving over the loss of her husband less than a year earlier to a brain tumour. Webb offers some insight into the world of grief and pain following such a tragic loss, which I appreciated.
‘Grief though . . . grief is the opposite of meaning; grief is where the present can’t breathe; where the past is everywhere you look; where every new moment is dead on arrival. Grief is Groundhog Day.’
I also sympathised with Kate and her situation. I had great hope that Kate would be able to pull herself through the grief process and come out the other side. In part two we are placed in a time warp situation as Kate is miraculously transported back to her youth, her college days, where she meets her husband Luke again. It took me awhile to get my head around this idea and as I have come to realise with time travel novels I had questions about the whole mechanics of the time travel situation. Anyway, I did see this as more a sliding doors situation, a what if. Imagine if you had the chance to recapture the moment you fell in love for the first time again, it is quite a romantic notion. However, the complication to this narrative is that Kate is a forty plus widow and the Luke she falls in love with again is immature. Luke clearly needs much more time to grow. I did like how Kate saw the time leap as a lifeline as such, Kate has the power to change to course of Luke’s life and to warn him of his early death from a brain tumour. This aspect of the novel was interesting. However, there were some far fetched, almost ludicrous moments in Come Again, where Kate encounters gangsters, spies and karate chops her way through the road blocks she faces. It was all a bit silly to be honest and it steered me away from my full enjoyment of Robert Webb’s novel. Some may find it funny, but for me it just seemed absurd!
In the third and final part of the novel, Kate is thrown back into the present day after her sojourn in the past. We learn of the results of her tinkering with Luke’s life and the results were surprising. On reflection, this one didn’t really work for me, there were some glimmers of interest, which came from Kate’s emotional recovery process, along with some of the sequences in the past that enabled Webb to throw in some 90s nostalgia. I also genuinely wanted Kate to save Luke from his brain tumour, so I did care for these characters.
It would be a little remiss of me to say this one would be an easygoing read for those who want some escapism from reality, especially as Come Again deals with overwhelming grief and devastating loss. However, Come Again was a quick read and there are some witty moments that may appeal to those who are familiar with Webb’s work.
*Thanks extended to Allen & Unwin for providing a free copy of this book for review purposes.
*Book #6 of the 2020 International Male Author Challenge.
‘There. Standing in the doorway, politely letting someone out, running a careless hand though his dark hair. Luke Fairbright, nineteen years old, come again.’
British author Robert Webb is both a Sony and BAFTA award winner. He has one book, an autobiography under his belt, but Come Again is Webb’s first adult fiction offering. A story of love, grief, hope, grand adventure and change, Come Again offers an entertaining read for contemporary fiction readers.
In this sliding doors type scenario, Come Again looks at the possibility of falling in love for the first time again thanks to a magical possibility. In the present day, forty-something Kate is nursing a broken heart and a whole lot of grief following the loss of her husband Luke to a brain tumour. Kate has loved Luke for almost three decades and his loss has left a huge hole in her life. Unable to focus on her job, life or friends, Kate is inconsolable. When Kate reaches breaking point, wakes up in the past. Kate has been transported back to the pivotal moment in time when she first met Luke, her college years. Kate realises she has the opportunity to recreate the moment that she first fell in love with Luke. Kate also sees this leap back in time as a chance to change the future, can Kate save Luke? But when Kate messes with time and circumstance, the results may cause further complications for this grieving widow.
I am not familiar with the author of this novel, Robert Webb, so Come Again was my first taste of his work. A popular screen star and columnist, Webb ventures into the fiction world in his new release. Come Again is one of a spate of books that I have read recently that seem to have a strong visual and screen quality. I think my immediate impression of this book is that it would work far better on the small or big screen, especially as a great British rom com. The author’s background in the screen industry has influenced the style and direction of this novel.
Come Again is segregated into three distinct parts. When the story begins, we meet Kate, who is desperately grieving over the loss of her husband less than a year earlier to a brain tumour. Webb offers some insight into the world of grief and pain following such a tragic loss, which I appreciated.
‘Grief though . . . grief is the opposite of meaning; grief is where the present can’t breathe; where the past is everywhere you look; where every new moment is dead on arrival. Grief is Groundhog Day.’
I also sympathised with Kate and her situation. I had great hope that Kate would be able to pull herself through the grief process and come out the other side. In part two we are placed in a time warp situation as Kate is miraculously transported back to her youth, her college days, where she meets her husband Luke again. It took me awhile to get my head around this idea and as I have come to realise with time travel novels I had questions about the whole mechanics of the time travel situation. Anyway, I did see this as more a sliding doors situation, a what if. Imagine if you had the chance to recapture the moment you fell in love for the first time again, it is quite a romantic notion. However, the complication to this narrative is that Kate is a forty plus widow and the Luke she falls in love with again is immature. Luke clearly needs much more time to grow. I did like how Kate saw the time leap as a lifeline as such, Kate has the power to change to course of Luke’s life and to warn him of his early death from a brain tumour. This aspect of the novel was interesting. However, there were some far fetched, almost ludicrous moments in Come Again, where Kate encounters gangsters, spies and karate chops her way through the road blocks she faces. It was all a bit silly to be honest and it steered me away from my full enjoyment of Robert Webb’s novel. Some may find it funny, but for me it just seemed absurd!
In the third and final part of the novel, Kate is thrown back into the present day after her sojourn in the past. We learn of the results of her tinkering with Luke’s life and the results were surprising. On reflection, this one didn’t really work for me, there were some glimmers of interest, which came from Kate’s emotional recovery process, along with some of the sequences in the past that enabled Webb to throw in some 90s nostalgia. I also genuinely wanted Kate to save Luke from his brain tumour, so I did care for these characters.
It would be a little remiss of me to say this one would be an easygoing read for those who want some escapism from reality, especially as Come Again deals with overwhelming grief and devastating loss. However, Come Again was a quick read and there are some witty moments that may appeal to those who are familiar with Webb’s work.
*Thanks extended to Allen & Unwin for providing a free copy of this book for review purposes.
*Book #6 of the 2020 International Male Author Challenge.
July 18, 2020
Come Again is the first novel by award-winning British actor, comedian and author, Robert Webb. The audio version is brilliantly narrated by actor, Olicia Colman. Nine months widowed, and all Kate Marsden wants to do is drink herself daily into oblivion, where at least she can dream of Luke. If the dream of their first encounter is never quite right, her memories always are.
Since Luke was suddenly taken by a sneaky, slow-growing tumour he’d had since before they met, Kate has withdrawn, merely existed, worked her IT job on auto-pilot. But when her mourning fog momentarily lifts, she uncovers an explosive piece of information: something with far-reaching effects for the world. Trouble is, deciding what to do when you are grief-stricken, suicidal and half-drunk is an undertaking she’s not sure she can face.
On reaching the milestone of ten thousand days since they first met, Kate decides the appropriate step is to stop living; just one more Luke dream, and then she’ll take the pills and the vodka. But when Kate wakes, it’s in her single bed in Benedict College, in her eighteen-year-old body, on the day she first met Luke Fairbright, back in October 1992. It’s not a dream.
Her immediate instinct is to save Luke: “it was perfectly straightforward. She was going to convince Luke that she was from the future and he needed to get a tumour removed from his brain otherwise he would drop dead at the age of forty-seven in his kitchen, which was incidentally also her kitchen because she was his wife. Fine.”
And if that’s not challenge enough, another tiny problem becomes apparent: her forty-five-year-old brain is more irritated than charmed by nineteen-year-old Luke, his lies, affectations and his pretentious manuscript. For his part, Luke is both sceptical and angry about the bizarre and rather disturbing revelations this (clearly crazy) total stranger dumps on him.
What an absolute treat Webb’s first novel is! He gives the reader a clever plot, marvellous characters, witty dialogue and an action-packed finale that features Russian thugs, a car chase involving a fleet of London cabbies, an avant-garde Shakespeare production, MI5 and quite a lot of karate. It is filled with generous helpings of brilliant British humour, much of it quite black, especially the insults, though some readers may object to the expletives.
Webb’s descriptive prose is wonderfully evocative: “The main body of the bar was the setting of a vast, ongoing brawl between broken tiles, strip-lighting and chipped Formica. The walls were brown, but with that hint of yellow that gives horse manure its element of drama. Around the edges were a series of semi-circular ‘booths’ featuring red plastic banquettes and tiny, quivering tables guaranteed to immediately spill any drink they came into contact with. The metal chair legs had all lost their rubber stoppers years ago and the effect of a hundred of them scraping against the ‘terracotta’ floor was – until you learned to tune it out – what insanity might sound like if it lived with a dentist. It was a room that couldn’t hear itself think and which understood no smells but tobacco and last night’s beer. Kate felt immediately at home.”
This is an outstanding debut novel and whatever Webb puts his hand to next will be eagerly anticipated.
This unbiased review is from an audio copy provided by NetGalley and Hachette Audio
Since Luke was suddenly taken by a sneaky, slow-growing tumour he’d had since before they met, Kate has withdrawn, merely existed, worked her IT job on auto-pilot. But when her mourning fog momentarily lifts, she uncovers an explosive piece of information: something with far-reaching effects for the world. Trouble is, deciding what to do when you are grief-stricken, suicidal and half-drunk is an undertaking she’s not sure she can face.
On reaching the milestone of ten thousand days since they first met, Kate decides the appropriate step is to stop living; just one more Luke dream, and then she’ll take the pills and the vodka. But when Kate wakes, it’s in her single bed in Benedict College, in her eighteen-year-old body, on the day she first met Luke Fairbright, back in October 1992. It’s not a dream.
Her immediate instinct is to save Luke: “it was perfectly straightforward. She was going to convince Luke that she was from the future and he needed to get a tumour removed from his brain otherwise he would drop dead at the age of forty-seven in his kitchen, which was incidentally also her kitchen because she was his wife. Fine.”
And if that’s not challenge enough, another tiny problem becomes apparent: her forty-five-year-old brain is more irritated than charmed by nineteen-year-old Luke, his lies, affectations and his pretentious manuscript. For his part, Luke is both sceptical and angry about the bizarre and rather disturbing revelations this (clearly crazy) total stranger dumps on him.
What an absolute treat Webb’s first novel is! He gives the reader a clever plot, marvellous characters, witty dialogue and an action-packed finale that features Russian thugs, a car chase involving a fleet of London cabbies, an avant-garde Shakespeare production, MI5 and quite a lot of karate. It is filled with generous helpings of brilliant British humour, much of it quite black, especially the insults, though some readers may object to the expletives.
Webb’s descriptive prose is wonderfully evocative: “The main body of the bar was the setting of a vast, ongoing brawl between broken tiles, strip-lighting and chipped Formica. The walls were brown, but with that hint of yellow that gives horse manure its element of drama. Around the edges were a series of semi-circular ‘booths’ featuring red plastic banquettes and tiny, quivering tables guaranteed to immediately spill any drink they came into contact with. The metal chair legs had all lost their rubber stoppers years ago and the effect of a hundred of them scraping against the ‘terracotta’ floor was – until you learned to tune it out – what insanity might sound like if it lived with a dentist. It was a room that couldn’t hear itself think and which understood no smells but tobacco and last night’s beer. Kate felt immediately at home.”
This is an outstanding debut novel and whatever Webb puts his hand to next will be eagerly anticipated.
This unbiased review is from an audio copy provided by NetGalley and Hachette Audio
July 19, 2020
This wasn't really all that bad, it was honestly completely average in basically every way I think of. Kate is in an incredibly difficult time of her life, having recently lost her husband Luke. Even in her depression, I could see Kate's personality and humor spark through every now and again. And the story really builds on itself, she doesn't 'go back in time until around the 40% mark, so we can really see her grow through the story.
But the book was seriously negatively effected by my reading experience. The new Netgalley shelf app must still have some kinks because every few minutes the book would stop playing. It would sometimes start again on its own, but sometimes I would have to pause/play it. Which is its own problem because sometimes pausing while in the middle of a chapter would dump me back at the start.
I'm trying to not let my experience change my rating much, and honestly this would probably be in the 2-3 star range for me. I'm not really sure why, but I get similar vibes to The Flatshare which was similarly ranked.
Overall an okay book that will probably be forgettable, but it's usually fun while it lasts .
I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
September 12, 2020
The blurb for Come Again lied to me. I was sold on the heartbreaking story of a newly widowed woman waking up on the day she first met her future husband, given the chance to live it again and -hopefully- save his life. What I found was a semi-humerous chaotic russian-mafia/taxi-spy story following a depressed and suicidal 42yr old woman who decides life isn't worth living without her husband, so why not blackmail a mob leader? It took a full third of the book for her to actually 'wake up' in the past, where she wreaks havoc for a day and decides she didn't much like her future husband anyway. Jump back to the present for some spy stuff, a car chase, and very impressive karate moves for a woman who hasn't practiced for 20+ years, and eventually an epilogue where we find out her husband somehow survived, moved to another country and lived his life, while also being dead?
I really struggled through this book, and while I might have picked it up to read knowing what the story was actually going to be, it was so much harder to push through with it being so different to the blurb, bringing it down to 2/5 stars.
I really struggled through this book, and while I might have picked it up to read knowing what the story was actually going to be, it was so much harder to push through with it being so different to the blurb, bringing it down to 2/5 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 6, 2020
What if you had known as an 18 year old what you now know as a middle-aged adult? This emotionally charged romantic comedy is a mad-cap romp across time and different fictional genres. It is a great antidote to the stress of these current fraught times, inducing in me an unexpected nostalgia for the Nineties!
Read & reviewed for Whichbook.net
Read & reviewed for Whichbook.net
May 2, 2020
Parts 1 and 2 were splendid. Part 3 was a complete change of tone and pace and felt rather like a different story entirely, but was still enjoyable. I love Webb's writing.
August 15, 2020
Audiobook Review
Overall 3.5 stars
Performance 5 stars
Story 3 stars
This was an entertaining novel, but not quite what I was expecting. From the blurb it sounded like a second chance-ish romance, but that didn't end up being the case. I think it actually falls more into the women's fiction/romantic suspense category. The story is broken into 3 parts, but each sort of felt disjointed from the others. Some parts of the novel were surprisingly very funny (lots of profanity sprinkled throughout) and there was a lot more action and suspense than I was expecting. The pacing was slow at times and then everything seemed to speed up in part 3. I'm still not entirely sure how to feel about the ending, even after suspending disbelief, but overall I found the book entertaining and enjoyable.
The narration was a true highlight and Olivia Colman's performance was wonderful. She had fantastic comedic timing and gave each character (male and female) their own unique voice. I had no trouble differentiating between characters and enjoyed all of her different accents. I look forward to listening to her other titles in the future.
*I voluntarily listened to an audio listening copy of this book.*
Overall 3.5 stars
Performance 5 stars
Story 3 stars
This was an entertaining novel, but not quite what I was expecting. From the blurb it sounded like a second chance-ish romance, but that didn't end up being the case. I think it actually falls more into the women's fiction/romantic suspense category. The story is broken into 3 parts, but each sort of felt disjointed from the others. Some parts of the novel were surprisingly very funny (lots of profanity sprinkled throughout) and there was a lot more action and suspense than I was expecting. The pacing was slow at times and then everything seemed to speed up in part 3. I'm still not entirely sure how to feel about the ending, even after suspending disbelief, but overall I found the book entertaining and enjoyable.
The narration was a true highlight and Olivia Colman's performance was wonderful. She had fantastic comedic timing and gave each character (male and female) their own unique voice. I had no trouble differentiating between characters and enjoyed all of her different accents. I look forward to listening to her other titles in the future.
*I voluntarily listened to an audio listening copy of this book.*
February 23, 2020
I was drawn in by the description of this book.
Unfortunately, it lured me in under false pretences. I wasn’t looking for a story about a spy, or USB sticks! The period of time where Kate goes back in time to fix Luke (as described in the blurb) is probably about 10% of this story. I was so disappointed!
I didn’t really like Kate as a character. She was very believable at the beginning, mired in grief, but I found her behaviour towards the end very uncharacteristic. She was so deeply in love with Luke- why would one small trip to the past enable her to move on? I found the spy stuff pretty dull- it’s just not a genre I enjoy.
I’m giving 3 stars, simply because I very much enjoyed the little twist at the end. I’d like to read a follow up that explains what happens next, but without the inclusion of Russian gangsters, please!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my copy of this book.
Unfortunately, it lured me in under false pretences. I wasn’t looking for a story about a spy, or USB sticks! The period of time where Kate goes back in time to fix Luke (as described in the blurb) is probably about 10% of this story. I was so disappointed!
I didn’t really like Kate as a character. She was very believable at the beginning, mired in grief, but I found her behaviour towards the end very uncharacteristic. She was so deeply in love with Luke- why would one small trip to the past enable her to move on? I found the spy stuff pretty dull- it’s just not a genre I enjoy.
I’m giving 3 stars, simply because I very much enjoyed the little twist at the end. I’d like to read a follow up that explains what happens next, but without the inclusion of Russian gangsters, please!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my copy of this book.
March 24, 2021
Who hasn’t dreamed of going back in time knowing what we know now? It’s by no means the first time I’ve read books or watched films on this theme and I was intrigued to see what a talent of Robert Webb’s order would do with this idea. He did well. I thought he created some credible characters I came to care about and the action unfolded in an unexpected way, especially towards the end, but I was just able to suspend disbelief and enjoy the ride. His wit shines through the dialogue and situations Kate finds herself in, trying hard to fit into her 18-year-old self yet finding herself inclined towards different people and for different reasons than before. Hugely entertaining and to be recommended.
With thanks to Canongate via NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC.
With thanks to Canongate via NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC.
August 12, 2020
I liked the idea of this story, and found it hilarious in places, however, there was so many problems with the new app, it spoilt the whole experience. Tracks jumping, repeating, pausing constantly. It was frustrating and took all focus from the audiobook. A shame really. I think it could be a good book.
January 12, 2022
2.5 but a 4 for the unparalleled nostalgia gleaned from Olivia Thee Colman describing freshers week at the university of york
July 7, 2020
A highly enjoyable read
You’re actually reading two books for the price of one when you purchase Come Again. A time-travelling retro trip to 1992, which shares more than a little in common with Back to the Future, and an action adventure espionage comedy.
I personally would have preferred more of a focus on the former, and fewer car chases and black cab conspiracy theories, but I’m not going to quibble, as the title says, it was a highly enjoyable read.
You’re actually reading two books for the price of one when you purchase Come Again. A time-travelling retro trip to 1992, which shares more than a little in common with Back to the Future, and an action adventure espionage comedy.
I personally would have preferred more of a focus on the former, and fewer car chases and black cab conspiracy theories, but I’m not going to quibble, as the title says, it was a highly enjoyable read.
time-pass-not-tbr
November 26, 2021I'm going to assume I'm not the only one who's mind went to the gutter after reading the title. I'm not, right...
May 16, 2020
The trope of a time-travel story where the protagonist goes back in time to fix something and comes back and things have changed in unexpected ways, is as old as Back to the Future at least. But this is not that. It's what I thought it was going to be. The book does start off that way, which is not to say it's cliched, the grief element is a nice twist and is fairly well handled I thought. But there's other stuff here that doesn't really work.
Ok let's break it down. The book is in 3 parts.
Part 1 - present day, pre time-travel
We're all familiar with this. It's the bit where we set up what the hero's life is like, what's wrong with it and what they want to fix by going back in time. It sets up what's going to change. In BttF we see Marty's homelife, his relationship with his girlfirend and his ambitions to be a musician. So in Come Again this section feels long - once we've established that Kate is grieving her dead husband and can't move on it's obvious why she would want to go back. It feels - at this point - like we don't need to set up what her work life is like and the memory stick maguffin.
Part 2 - back to 1992
This section works fairly well. It's worth pointing out that whilst it plays a little with the trope of look-how-things-were-different-in-the-past, there's not a huge amount of that. BttF has lots of fun with that idea. Also the trope of stuff we know from the present day story that the past-time characters but the hero and readers do. Again BttF plays with this more. Or maybe it just feels like it does.
I'm bringing this up not because I wanted more of this, but because without it then this section becomes more about the overall story and the characters' journeys. And ultimately a lot of that is stuff that doesn't go anywhere (see below).
Part 3 - back to the present
Non-spoilery bit. We come back and almost immediately we're dropped into a comedy thriller based on the maguffin memory-stick. It's quite well written and I enjoyed some of the action. But what the hell does it have to do with the story up until now? Yes the memory stick was set up in Part 1 but how does it relate to anything in Part 2?
Spoilery bit:
To conclude:
I wanted to like this. I like the author. I liked his memoir. I liked parts of this, but overall it was a bit of a mess. The book-tuber Daniel Greene said in a video on theme I watched recently that when a book feels disappointing or a mess it's often because the theme is unclear. I think what happened here is that there is a clear theme in this book - about accepting grief, getting over guilt and allowing yourself to move on - but that a lot of the book simply doesn't relate to that theme. If the thriller-y parts with the memory stick, or some of the 1992 shenanighans had fed more into that I think it would have felt more cohesive.
Ok let's break it down. The book is in 3 parts.
Part 1 - present day, pre time-travel
We're all familiar with this. It's the bit where we set up what the hero's life is like, what's wrong with it and what they want to fix by going back in time. It sets up what's going to change. In BttF we see Marty's homelife, his relationship with his girlfirend and his ambitions to be a musician. So in Come Again this section feels long - once we've established that Kate is grieving her dead husband and can't move on it's obvious why she would want to go back. It feels - at this point - like we don't need to set up what her work life is like and the memory stick maguffin.
Part 2 - back to 1992
This section works fairly well. It's worth pointing out that whilst it plays a little with the trope of look-how-things-were-different-in-the-past, there's not a huge amount of that. BttF has lots of fun with that idea. Also the trope of stuff we know from the present day story that the past-time characters but the hero and readers do. Again BttF plays with this more. Or maybe it just feels like it does.
I'm bringing this up not because I wanted more of this, but because without it then this section becomes more about the overall story and the characters' journeys. And ultimately a lot of that is stuff that doesn't go anywhere (see below).
Part 3 - back to the present
Non-spoilery bit. We come back and almost immediately we're dropped into a comedy thriller based on the maguffin memory-stick. It's quite well written and I enjoyed some of the action. But what the hell does it have to do with the story up until now? Yes the memory stick was set up in Part 1 but how does it relate to anything in Part 2?
Spoilery bit:
To conclude:
I wanted to like this. I like the author. I liked his memoir. I liked parts of this, but overall it was a bit of a mess. The book-tuber Daniel Greene said in a video on theme I watched recently that when a book feels disappointing or a mess it's often because the theme is unclear. I think what happened here is that there is a clear theme in this book - about accepting grief, getting over guilt and allowing yourself to move on - but that a lot of the book simply doesn't relate to that theme. If the thriller-y parts with the memory stick, or some of the 1992 shenanighans had fed more into that I think it would have felt more cohesive.
May 14, 2024
I picked this book based on the premise - widow time travels to when she first met her husband to try to save his life - and the problem with that is it only describes a third of the book. There are three parts to this novel and each has a fairly distinct genre from the others.
The first part is the heaviest, dealing with grief, alcoholism and self destructive behaviour. Having read Webb's autobiography, I get why he would find these topics interesting to write about, but they aren't topics I particularly want to read about. Coupled with the fact that this section read like chick lit with a hint of political thriller (fine genres if you like them, but not ones I tend to read), with nothing remotely speculative or time travelly in sight, I found it quite a slog to get through. In fact, in another book I would have given up, but I really wanted to get to the speculative stuff advertised on the cover.
And then I did. The middle section was very enjoyable. This was the speculative/historical section and it zipped along. It really felt like I was reading a different novel. This was the strongest part of the book for me.
However it ended very abruptly and suddenly I found myself hurled into the third section and now we're into some kind of action spy thriller and it gets very silly. I was not overly keen on how Kate just happens to have several amazing skills that mean she can deal with suddenly being in an action story. They are all set up, but it's still pretty unbelievable and irritatingly convenient.
So basically, this is a bizarrely uneven novel. Each section probably works for the right audience, but I am definitely not one who can enjoy all three of these genres and tonal shifts. Ultimately I think it was also too short for me, and it didn't have time to focus on what I wanted from the story. Basically, the advertising for this book is misleading. However, I believe Webb wanted it to be a romp and overall it is.
The first part is the heaviest, dealing with grief, alcoholism and self destructive behaviour. Having read Webb's autobiography, I get why he would find these topics interesting to write about, but they aren't topics I particularly want to read about. Coupled with the fact that this section read like chick lit with a hint of political thriller (fine genres if you like them, but not ones I tend to read), with nothing remotely speculative or time travelly in sight, I found it quite a slog to get through. In fact, in another book I would have given up, but I really wanted to get to the speculative stuff advertised on the cover.
And then I did. The middle section was very enjoyable. This was the speculative/historical section and it zipped along. It really felt like I was reading a different novel. This was the strongest part of the book for me.
However it ended very abruptly and suddenly I found myself hurled into the third section and now we're into some kind of action spy thriller and it gets very silly. I was not overly keen on how Kate just happens to have several amazing skills that mean she can deal with suddenly being in an action story. They are all set up, but it's still pretty unbelievable and irritatingly convenient.
So basically, this is a bizarrely uneven novel. Each section probably works for the right audience, but I am definitely not one who can enjoy all three of these genres and tonal shifts. Ultimately I think it was also too short for me, and it didn't have time to focus on what I wanted from the story. Basically, the advertising for this book is misleading. However, I believe Webb wanted it to be a romp and overall it is.
July 19, 2020
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*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review*
After the death of Kate's husband, Luke, she is devastated. They fell in love the moment they saw each other 28 years ago. Grieving, Kate is ready to give up, but then she wakes up in her old body on the night she first met the love of her life. Kate sets off on a quest to save Luke from the choices he made earlier in his life and prevent his early death.
This was extremely average for me... I didn't care much for Kate or the other characters or what happened to them. The romance seemed forced, I didn't feel a connection between Kate and Luke at all, they honestly seemed to despise each other. The idea of the time-traveling was cool, but then by Part 3 of the book you're thrown into this grand adventure that made no sense with the rest of the story. It was a very easy read though and flew by rather quickly, but it was nothing memorable in my opinion.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review*
After the death of Kate's husband, Luke, she is devastated. They fell in love the moment they saw each other 28 years ago. Grieving, Kate is ready to give up, but then she wakes up in her old body on the night she first met the love of her life. Kate sets off on a quest to save Luke from the choices he made earlier in his life and prevent his early death.
This was extremely average for me... I didn't care much for Kate or the other characters or what happened to them. The romance seemed forced, I didn't feel a connection between Kate and Luke at all, they honestly seemed to despise each other. The idea of the time-traveling was cool, but then by Part 3 of the book you're thrown into this grand adventure that made no sense with the rest of the story. It was a very easy read though and flew by rather quickly, but it was nothing memorable in my opinion.
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