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She Wouldn't Change a Thing
Sliding Doors meets Life After Life in this story about a wife and mother who is given the chance to start over at the risk of losing everything she loves
A second chance is the last thing she wants.
When thirty-nine year old Maria Forrsman wakes up in her sixteen-year-old body, she doesn’t know how she got there. All she does know is she has to get back: to her home in Bienville, Mississippi, to her job as a successful psychiatrist and, most importantly, to her husband, daughters, and unborn son.
But she also knows that, in only a few weeks, a devastating tragedy will strike her husband, a tragedy that will lead to their meeting each other.
Can she change time and still keep what it’s given her?
Exploring the responsibilities love lays on us, the complicated burdens of motherhood, and the rippling impact of our choices, She Wouldn't Change a Thing is a dazzling debut from a bright new voice.
A second chance is the last thing she wants.
When thirty-nine year old Maria Forrsman wakes up in her sixteen-year-old body, she doesn’t know how she got there. All she does know is she has to get back: to her home in Bienville, Mississippi, to her job as a successful psychiatrist and, most importantly, to her husband, daughters, and unborn son.
But she also knows that, in only a few weeks, a devastating tragedy will strike her husband, a tragedy that will lead to their meeting each other.
Can she change time and still keep what it’s given her?
Exploring the responsibilities love lays on us, the complicated burdens of motherhood, and the rippling impact of our choices, She Wouldn't Change a Thing is a dazzling debut from a bright new voice.
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First published August 10, 2021
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About the author
Sarah Adlakha
3 books292 followersSarah Adlakha lives along the Mississippi Gulf Coast with her husband, three daughters, two horses, and one dog. She started writing fiction shortly after retiring from her psychiatry practice. Her debut novel, She Wouldn’t Change a Thing, was a CNN most anticipated book of 2021. Midnight on the Marne, her second novel, was the winner of the 2023 Mississippi Arts and Letters Award for the category of fiction.
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August 11, 2021
She Wouldn't Change a Thing by Sarah Adlakha
Thirty-nine year old Maria Forssmann lives an extremely busy life and she's always running behind, leaving things undone, knowing she will never be able to catch up with all she has to do. She is a psychiatrist, wife, mother of two girls, and nine months pregnant. Then something happens and she wakes as a seventeen year old again. Now, the things that a patient said to her before the patient committed suicide seem to have meaning. Maria wants her old life back, to be with her husband, daughters and her soon to be born son.
We also follow Jenny and Hank who are interconnected with Maria in ways that are hard to understand. I had to just go with the flow and not overthink this story because it's too complicated to figure out at times. Maria is forced choose what she is going to do in her new seventeen year old timeline and no matter what choice she makes it will have lasting ramifications that will affect people, not only in her present timeline but in her old timeline. Color me confused but I did enjoy the story.
Published August 10th 2021
Thank you to Macmillan-Tor/Forge and NetGalley for this ARC.
Thirty-nine year old Maria Forssmann lives an extremely busy life and she's always running behind, leaving things undone, knowing she will never be able to catch up with all she has to do. She is a psychiatrist, wife, mother of two girls, and nine months pregnant. Then something happens and she wakes as a seventeen year old again. Now, the things that a patient said to her before the patient committed suicide seem to have meaning. Maria wants her old life back, to be with her husband, daughters and her soon to be born son.
We also follow Jenny and Hank who are interconnected with Maria in ways that are hard to understand. I had to just go with the flow and not overthink this story because it's too complicated to figure out at times. Maria is forced choose what she is going to do in her new seventeen year old timeline and no matter what choice she makes it will have lasting ramifications that will affect people, not only in her present timeline but in her old timeline. Color me confused but I did enjoy the story.
Published August 10th 2021
Thank you to Macmillan-Tor/Forge and NetGalley for this ARC.
August 10, 2021
Now THAT is how you write an ending!
She Wouldn’t Change a Thing is a novel about time travel, and before I get back to it here’s a quick list of time-travelin’ books I’ve truly enjoyed before:
- none
- nada
- zilch
I tried twice to finish The Time Traveler’s Wife, and I only made it about 50 pages into Life After Life (which is actually called out as a comparative title in his one’s blurb). Who knows why I took a chance on Sarah Adlakha’s debut then, but if I could do it all over I wouldn’t change a thing.
The concept sounds simple. A 39-year-old pregnant woman wakes up as her 17-year-old self and must make the choice between fulfilling her “purpose” back then - which would then eliminate her present - or getting back to middle-aged life as she knew it with her husband and kids. Wait… did I get that right? Are you confused? Ah heck, I don’t know.
One of my favorite authors, Diane Chamberlain, provided a quote for the cover that describes this book as “a mind-bending story,” and she ain’t lying! The tapestry Adlakha weaves is intricate and requires a lot of brain power at times. Sometimes I didn’t feel up to the challenge, and many of the questions posed about the universe, spirituality, faith, and physics went pretty deep.
But then the ending! And an even better epilogue! Picture me standing up and giving this author a round of applause.
Audiobook listeners will be pleased to hear that the always-reliable Cassandra Campbell provides the narration. In the first few chapters she’s given the wretched task of performing the lines of toddlers, but rest assured this doesn’t last long. Hang in there… all the way to that epilogue… and it’ll be worth your while.
My thanks to the author, Forge Books, and MacMillan audio for providing me with advance copies to review!
She Wouldn’t Change a Thing is a novel about time travel, and before I get back to it here’s a quick list of time-travelin’ books I’ve truly enjoyed before:
- none
- nada
- zilch
I tried twice to finish The Time Traveler’s Wife, and I only made it about 50 pages into Life After Life (which is actually called out as a comparative title in his one’s blurb). Who knows why I took a chance on Sarah Adlakha’s debut then, but if I could do it all over I wouldn’t change a thing.
The concept sounds simple. A 39-year-old pregnant woman wakes up as her 17-year-old self and must make the choice between fulfilling her “purpose” back then - which would then eliminate her present - or getting back to middle-aged life as she knew it with her husband and kids. Wait… did I get that right? Are you confused? Ah heck, I don’t know.
One of my favorite authors, Diane Chamberlain, provided a quote for the cover that describes this book as “a mind-bending story,” and she ain’t lying! The tapestry Adlakha weaves is intricate and requires a lot of brain power at times. Sometimes I didn’t feel up to the challenge, and many of the questions posed about the universe, spirituality, faith, and physics went pretty deep.
But then the ending! And an even better epilogue! Picture me standing up and giving this author a round of applause.
Audiobook listeners will be pleased to hear that the always-reliable Cassandra Campbell provides the narration. In the first few chapters she’s given the wretched task of performing the lines of toddlers, but rest assured this doesn’t last long. Hang in there… all the way to that epilogue… and it’ll be worth your while.
My thanks to the author, Forge Books, and MacMillan audio for providing me with advance copies to review!
November 13, 2021
Decisions... Decisions.... !
Dr. Maria Forssman has one helluva moral dilemma: save the life of one child and thus forfeit her own future of a successful medical career, children and happy marriage, or allow that child to die and live with the knowledge that she could have prevented her death?
Could she face her husband, knowing that she could have taken away his lifelong regret at not being able to avert that young child's death?
I'm not going to pretend that I understood the mechanics of the galactic time warp/collision that sent Maria back into her seventeen year old body. Maria is horrified when she wakes up in her childhood bedroom, her parents still alive and sleeping soundly in their room down the hall from hers.
Earlier that day, her patient, Sylvia, had warned her not to go to the locker. Maria should also have kept her promise to her husband to stay home and leave the contents of the locker to the police, who were investigating a SIDS case involving one of her friends and coworkers. But Maria can't seem to stop herself. One moment, she is standing outside the locker, and the next moment, she finds herself in her old room, having awakened from a very disturbing dream.
Maria soon finds out that she, and her former patient, Sylvia, are not the only ones to have been sent back in time. All of the time travelers that Maria meets believe that they had been chosen by a greater power to perform a task, to reset history or to right a previous wrong.
Stuck in the past, Maria wants nothing more than to return to her future, but does she really have a purpose to fulfill? Has God/The Universe/Nature, really chosen her for a special task - to make a choice that would completely rewrite her and her husband's history?
I listened to this spellbinding audiobook, ably narrated by Cassandra Campbell, which I received as an ARC from NetGalley. The first few scenes were slow going, but I get that the author had to set the stage for what was to come. It is impossible to write a review for this one that doesn't contain any spoilers, so I am just going to urge you to read or listen to this edge of your seat, mind-boggling drama. I'm rating this one a 5 out of 5 stars because I am still trying to make heads or tails out of this complex but intriguing story. Well done, I was truly entertained!
P.S. Don't be misled by my Dr. Who and Back to the Future graphics. This is actually a TENSE read. Not at all funny, humorous or even lighthearted. But I like to have fun with my GIFs, and none of the other Time Travel TV shows had anything appropriate - but I am open to suggestions!)
My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of the audiobook of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
(Please check out my other reviews on my partnered Blog: Crossing the Pond on Wordpress.
https://crossingthepond.reviews/2021/...)
Dr. Maria Forssman has one helluva moral dilemma: save the life of one child and thus forfeit her own future of a successful medical career, children and happy marriage, or allow that child to die and live with the knowledge that she could have prevented her death?
Could she face her husband, knowing that she could have taken away his lifelong regret at not being able to avert that young child's death?
I'm not going to pretend that I understood the mechanics of the galactic time warp/collision that sent Maria back into her seventeen year old body. Maria is horrified when she wakes up in her childhood bedroom, her parents still alive and sleeping soundly in their room down the hall from hers.
Earlier that day, her patient, Sylvia, had warned her not to go to the locker. Maria should also have kept her promise to her husband to stay home and leave the contents of the locker to the police, who were investigating a SIDS case involving one of her friends and coworkers. But Maria can't seem to stop herself. One moment, she is standing outside the locker, and the next moment, she finds herself in her old room, having awakened from a very disturbing dream.
Maria soon finds out that she, and her former patient, Sylvia, are not the only ones to have been sent back in time. All of the time travelers that Maria meets believe that they had been chosen by a greater power to perform a task, to reset history or to right a previous wrong.
Stuck in the past, Maria wants nothing more than to return to her future, but does she really have a purpose to fulfill? Has God/The Universe/Nature, really chosen her for a special task - to make a choice that would completely rewrite her and her husband's history?
I listened to this spellbinding audiobook, ably narrated by Cassandra Campbell, which I received as an ARC from NetGalley. The first few scenes were slow going, but I get that the author had to set the stage for what was to come. It is impossible to write a review for this one that doesn't contain any spoilers, so I am just going to urge you to read or listen to this edge of your seat, mind-boggling drama. I'm rating this one a 5 out of 5 stars because I am still trying to make heads or tails out of this complex but intriguing story. Well done, I was truly entertained!
P.S. Don't be misled by my Dr. Who and Back to the Future graphics. This is actually a TENSE read. Not at all funny, humorous or even lighthearted. But I like to have fun with my GIFs, and none of the other Time Travel TV shows had anything appropriate - but I am open to suggestions!)
My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of the audiobook of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
(Please check out my other reviews on my partnered Blog: Crossing the Pond on Wordpress.
https://crossingthepond.reviews/2021/...)
October 2, 2021
Choices
Time travel is such a mesmerising timeless concept. Our fascination with returning to the past to relive precious moments, providing a heads up on the future (Humm lottery numbers), or preventing a devastating event, keeps us enthralled in the many tales that are told. She Wouldn’t Change a Thing is a time travel story with a difference and an impossible choice at its heart; would you sacrifice the happy family life you currently have to save an innocent life?
Dr Maria Forssman is thirty-nine years old, a psychiatrist, a wife to Will with two daughters and she is nine months pregnant with a baby boy. Her life is chaotic, managing her job, family matters, getting the children ready for school and all the requests for parent intervention but she is in love with her husband and loves her children. I felt embarrassed with the opening chapter with its vivid account of a wife/mother’s morning where the husband gets ready and runs out the door to work, leaving the house, children, appointments, and for good measure drops his appointment request on his wife's lap.
When Maria arrives at her practice and encounters a patient, Sylvia, who explains she is from the future, there are steps Maria must take and steps she must not, including staying away from a storage unit they rent. Curiosity killed the cat, and it seems it wasn’t too kind to Maria either. After visiting the storage unit, seventeen-year-old Maria wakes up in her parents’ home in Alabama in 1988.
Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander jumped to mind where returning to the future is nearly impossible, and people would think you crazy if you talked of time travel. Indeed, Maria’s parents are deeply concerned about her mental state and seek professional help, vividly painted with all its frustrations and worries. Likewise, this is not a story that regales with the adventures of a protagonist repeatedly travelling between different periods, but instead presents a stark heart-breaking choice; stay and lose your previous life or return and allow a devasting event to occur that could be unimaginable to live with. Which loss is greater? What can your conscience live with?
Sarah Adlakha’s novel is sensitively thought-provoking, compelling and as realistic as time travel can be. We’ll never stop imagining the adventures of time travel, the fascination with the opportunities to right wrongs, and the life-changing insights that could be to our advantage. However, Adlakha used the concept to explore the unmanageable choices we could face if we know the consequences of what we did or did not do and the empty feeling of loss if we have to give up a happy and loving future.
I would highly recommend reading this book, and I want to thank Macmillan-Tor/Forge and NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC in return for an honest review.
Time travel is such a mesmerising timeless concept. Our fascination with returning to the past to relive precious moments, providing a heads up on the future (Humm lottery numbers), or preventing a devastating event, keeps us enthralled in the many tales that are told. She Wouldn’t Change a Thing is a time travel story with a difference and an impossible choice at its heart; would you sacrifice the happy family life you currently have to save an innocent life?
Dr Maria Forssman is thirty-nine years old, a psychiatrist, a wife to Will with two daughters and she is nine months pregnant with a baby boy. Her life is chaotic, managing her job, family matters, getting the children ready for school and all the requests for parent intervention but she is in love with her husband and loves her children. I felt embarrassed with the opening chapter with its vivid account of a wife/mother’s morning where the husband gets ready and runs out the door to work, leaving the house, children, appointments, and for good measure drops his appointment request on his wife's lap.
When Maria arrives at her practice and encounters a patient, Sylvia, who explains she is from the future, there are steps Maria must take and steps she must not, including staying away from a storage unit they rent. Curiosity killed the cat, and it seems it wasn’t too kind to Maria either. After visiting the storage unit, seventeen-year-old Maria wakes up in her parents’ home in Alabama in 1988.
Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander jumped to mind where returning to the future is nearly impossible, and people would think you crazy if you talked of time travel. Indeed, Maria’s parents are deeply concerned about her mental state and seek professional help, vividly painted with all its frustrations and worries. Likewise, this is not a story that regales with the adventures of a protagonist repeatedly travelling between different periods, but instead presents a stark heart-breaking choice; stay and lose your previous life or return and allow a devasting event to occur that could be unimaginable to live with. Which loss is greater? What can your conscience live with?
“The battle in her mind was exhausting, like she was fighting a duel between two sides that were perfectly matched rivals.”The universe has a purpose in returning Maria to the past, and there is a personal connection. The dilemma is wonderfully drawn, equally convincing, and the emotions flood the pages in this tight plot.
Sarah Adlakha’s novel is sensitively thought-provoking, compelling and as realistic as time travel can be. We’ll never stop imagining the adventures of time travel, the fascination with the opportunities to right wrongs, and the life-changing insights that could be to our advantage. However, Adlakha used the concept to explore the unmanageable choices we could face if we know the consequences of what we did or did not do and the empty feeling of loss if we have to give up a happy and loving future.
I would highly recommend reading this book, and I want to thank Macmillan-Tor/Forge and NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC in return for an honest review.
November 13, 2021
"She Wouldn't Change a Thing" by Sarah Adlakha is a creative and riveting time-travel story!
Maria Forssman is a 39-year-old practicing psychiatrist living in Mississippi with her husband, Will and their two young daughters. Maria is also pregnant with their son who is due any day. The year is 2010.
One of Maria's patients recently committed suicide and she's still reeling from the news. Sylvia was a new patient and things she said during her visit with Maria were cryptic, hard to understand and confusing. She spoke of her purpose and warned Maria not to go to her storage unit. Why?
But Maria felt compelled to go. Despite Sylvia's warning and Will urging her not to go, she went to the storage unit because she was looking for answers. She needed answers!
In the next instant, Maria wakes to find herself in her parents’ home in Alabama. She's in her 17-year-old body but with her 39-year-old memory. The year is 1988 and Maria is wondering, "What just happened and why am I here?"
To tell you anymore than this is to 'spoil' it for you! I will tell you it is worth the wait to read or listen for yourself.
The story is complex and multi-layered, compelling, and addictive! I did NOT want to stop listening because it was so imaginative, and I wanted to know how it would end. But then I didn’t, and I wanted it to go on forever!
It's a story of 'damned if you do' and 'damned if you don't'. It's also about choices and regrets, hope and new beginnings.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Cassandra Campbell who does a fabulous job. She brought emotion into her narration and her voicing was believably gendered. This book has a lot of dialogs, and she completely pulls it off!
I will add, this is a time-travel story that drew me in right away. I'm surprised and delighted this is a debut novel from this author and I'll be watching anxiously for her next offering!
4.5 stars rounded up! I highly recommend!
Maria Forssman is a 39-year-old practicing psychiatrist living in Mississippi with her husband, Will and their two young daughters. Maria is also pregnant with their son who is due any day. The year is 2010.
One of Maria's patients recently committed suicide and she's still reeling from the news. Sylvia was a new patient and things she said during her visit with Maria were cryptic, hard to understand and confusing. She spoke of her purpose and warned Maria not to go to her storage unit. Why?
But Maria felt compelled to go. Despite Sylvia's warning and Will urging her not to go, she went to the storage unit because she was looking for answers. She needed answers!
In the next instant, Maria wakes to find herself in her parents’ home in Alabama. She's in her 17-year-old body but with her 39-year-old memory. The year is 1988 and Maria is wondering, "What just happened and why am I here?"
To tell you anymore than this is to 'spoil' it for you! I will tell you it is worth the wait to read or listen for yourself.
The story is complex and multi-layered, compelling, and addictive! I did NOT want to stop listening because it was so imaginative, and I wanted to know how it would end. But then I didn’t, and I wanted it to go on forever!
It's a story of 'damned if you do' and 'damned if you don't'. It's also about choices and regrets, hope and new beginnings.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Cassandra Campbell who does a fabulous job. She brought emotion into her narration and her voicing was believably gendered. This book has a lot of dialogs, and she completely pulls it off!
I will add, this is a time-travel story that drew me in right away. I'm surprised and delighted this is a debut novel from this author and I'll be watching anxiously for her next offering!
4.5 stars rounded up! I highly recommend!
August 10, 2021
I was offered an advanced review copy of this one and hesitated at first because it is a “suspend believability at the door” kind of story. However, since I was due for an “out-of-the-box” reading experience of a book I wouldn’t normally pick up, I accepted the challenge. I was pleasantly rewarded by doing so!
She Wouldn’t Change a Thing is a complex time travel tale. Maria, a 39-year-old psychiatrist who is living with her husband, two daughters and an in-utero son in 2010 Mississippi suddenly finds herself flung back into 1988 Alabama and her 17-year-old body. There is a specific reason for her to be sent there. BUT, if she does figure out what that is and carries through with her “purpose”, she cannot return to her life in 2010. Simple decision—blow off whatever this purpose is and just find a way to get back to her family in 2010, right? Maybe, maybe not.
This book required me to pay close attention, but that was not an overwhelming task as I was so engrossed in trying to figure out what the heck was going on. There is so much to this story. What is Maria’s purpose? How can she possibly choose between carrying out her purpose versus going back to her family? Can she live with herself if she abandons her purpose? Can she live with herself if she goes back to her family? How can she possibly explain to others what has happened to her when she doesn’t understand it herself? The story is much more complex (in a good way) than I am describing here, but I do not want to give anything away. Suffice to say the premise is intriguing, the characters are well developed, and the multiple threads are absorbing and suspenseful. The story had me grappling with what I would do in Maria’s situation. I could not think of any easy answers for myself and was compelled to fly through the book in order to find out what Maria would do.
If you are looking for a different kind of story, are willing to give the time travel premise a chance, and are ready for a real thought-provoking experience, give this one a try. I almost passed it up and am so happy I didn’t. Amazingly this is Ms. Adlakha’s debut novel; I’m very interested in seeing what she writes next.
Many thanks to Elizabeth Hosty of Tor/Forge, Net Galley, and Ms. Sarah Adlakha for gifting me an advanced copy. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
She Wouldn’t Change a Thing is a complex time travel tale. Maria, a 39-year-old psychiatrist who is living with her husband, two daughters and an in-utero son in 2010 Mississippi suddenly finds herself flung back into 1988 Alabama and her 17-year-old body. There is a specific reason for her to be sent there. BUT, if she does figure out what that is and carries through with her “purpose”, she cannot return to her life in 2010. Simple decision—blow off whatever this purpose is and just find a way to get back to her family in 2010, right? Maybe, maybe not.
This book required me to pay close attention, but that was not an overwhelming task as I was so engrossed in trying to figure out what the heck was going on. There is so much to this story. What is Maria’s purpose? How can she possibly choose between carrying out her purpose versus going back to her family? Can she live with herself if she abandons her purpose? Can she live with herself if she goes back to her family? How can she possibly explain to others what has happened to her when she doesn’t understand it herself? The story is much more complex (in a good way) than I am describing here, but I do not want to give anything away. Suffice to say the premise is intriguing, the characters are well developed, and the multiple threads are absorbing and suspenseful. The story had me grappling with what I would do in Maria’s situation. I could not think of any easy answers for myself and was compelled to fly through the book in order to find out what Maria would do.
If you are looking for a different kind of story, are willing to give the time travel premise a chance, and are ready for a real thought-provoking experience, give this one a try. I almost passed it up and am so happy I didn’t. Amazingly this is Ms. Adlakha’s debut novel; I’m very interested in seeing what she writes next.
Many thanks to Elizabeth Hosty of Tor/Forge, Net Galley, and Ms. Sarah Adlakha for gifting me an advanced copy. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
August 10, 2021
Time Travel, decisions, and the effect of choices.
"...if you must have regrets in life, let them be for the things you've done and not the things you wish you'd done."
Fans of time travel and complex books saddle up and enjoy this ride.
Thirty-nine-year-old Maria Forssmann is a psychiatrist, wife, and pregnant mother of two in 2010. After a meeting with a new client, things drastically change for Maria. What would have happened if she had listened to her husband and did not go to their storage unit????
After said visit to storage, Maria wakes up in 1988 in her seventeen-year-old body. Her parents can't understand why she is acting strangely. She must be sick! That would explain things! But alas, she is not sick, she time traveled. But why and for what purpose? Maria is just as confused as her parents initially. She can't understand why she is no longer pregnant, where her husband and children are. Everyone is befuddled and confused.
"It's important to always do the right thing, Maria, even if you suffer the consequences."
Maria has a purpose and a decision to make. I HUGE decision. It's a whopper! How will she choose? What would you do? Do nothing or make a decision that will have lasting effects on others and on your future? Would you serve your purpose? Whew!
I must say I was confused when Jenny and Hank were introduced to the story initially. "Um, what?" Hang in there folks, you have to stick this one out. That is all I am saying.
"Every day people make choices without knowing the outcome. Can you imagine though, if you knew the outcome before you made the choice?"
Suspend some disbelief and dive into this book. Make sure to give it your full attention. This one took a little brain power (at least for me it did). I loved the "what if" questions this book brought up. What if you could go back in time to your teenage years? What if you knew about a tragic sad event and could change it? What would you sacrifice to right a wrong? Would you change a thing???
This was a compelling, complex, and thought-provoking book. It is also unique, and I was invested in the story and the outcome. This would make a great book for book clubs. There is a lot to discuss in this book. A very interesting premise which kept me on my toes!
Complex, thought provoking and well thought out.
Thank you to Macmillan-Tor/Forge and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
"...if you must have regrets in life, let them be for the things you've done and not the things you wish you'd done."
Fans of time travel and complex books saddle up and enjoy this ride.
Thirty-nine-year-old Maria Forssmann is a psychiatrist, wife, and pregnant mother of two in 2010. After a meeting with a new client, things drastically change for Maria. What would have happened if she had listened to her husband and did not go to their storage unit????
After said visit to storage, Maria wakes up in 1988 in her seventeen-year-old body. Her parents can't understand why she is acting strangely. She must be sick! That would explain things! But alas, she is not sick, she time traveled. But why and for what purpose? Maria is just as confused as her parents initially. She can't understand why she is no longer pregnant, where her husband and children are. Everyone is befuddled and confused.
"It's important to always do the right thing, Maria, even if you suffer the consequences."
Maria has a purpose and a decision to make. I HUGE decision. It's a whopper! How will she choose? What would you do? Do nothing or make a decision that will have lasting effects on others and on your future? Would you serve your purpose? Whew!
I must say I was confused when Jenny and Hank were introduced to the story initially. "Um, what?" Hang in there folks, you have to stick this one out. That is all I am saying.
"Every day people make choices without knowing the outcome. Can you imagine though, if you knew the outcome before you made the choice?"
Suspend some disbelief and dive into this book. Make sure to give it your full attention. This one took a little brain power (at least for me it did). I loved the "what if" questions this book brought up. What if you could go back in time to your teenage years? What if you knew about a tragic sad event and could change it? What would you sacrifice to right a wrong? Would you change a thing???
This was a compelling, complex, and thought-provoking book. It is also unique, and I was invested in the story and the outcome. This would make a great book for book clubs. There is a lot to discuss in this book. A very interesting premise which kept me on my toes!
Complex, thought provoking and well thought out.
Thank you to Macmillan-Tor/Forge and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
August 16, 2021
Started off listening to this as an audiobook narrated by the amazing Cassandra Campbell. I absolutely didn't want to stop listening because the storyline hooked me right from the start. Eventually I switched to the print copy so I could keep reading when listening wasn't practical (in bed at night, etc.)
This story does require some concentration with sorting out timelines and characters. If you pay close attention all the way to the end your attention and concentration will be absolutely rewarded. The way that everything fits together is nothing short of stunning, and I gave a very satisfied sigh of contentment after reaching the end.
The description of Sliding Doors meets Life After Life is apt, yet it doesn't quite capture everything there is about this genre-busting novel. It includes some time travel, some destiny fulfillment, and some exploration of choice and living with the consequences of the choices we make. I connected with Maria, our main character, from the beginning, but there is an entire cast of interesting characters. The plot is brilliant with the way it is woven together to create an intricate picture. The only shortcoming I found is that it is occasionally confusing when trying to puzzle out which timeline is occurring and how they mesh together. Also I thought that when Maria goes back to her teen years the drama of searching for her husband and then Henry got drawn out way too much and became tedious when she wouldn't just sit back and examine the situation rather than constantly reacting and calling attention to herself..
This is an incredibly thought-provoking novel that would be perfect for book clubs or discussion groups. If given similar choices and situations, what would you do and how would you react? This book is well worth reading and the audiobook is an excellent format.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
This story does require some concentration with sorting out timelines and characters. If you pay close attention all the way to the end your attention and concentration will be absolutely rewarded. The way that everything fits together is nothing short of stunning, and I gave a very satisfied sigh of contentment after reaching the end.
The description of Sliding Doors meets Life After Life is apt, yet it doesn't quite capture everything there is about this genre-busting novel. It includes some time travel, some destiny fulfillment, and some exploration of choice and living with the consequences of the choices we make. I connected with Maria, our main character, from the beginning, but there is an entire cast of interesting characters. The plot is brilliant with the way it is woven together to create an intricate picture. The only shortcoming I found is that it is occasionally confusing when trying to puzzle out which timeline is occurring and how they mesh together. Also I thought that when Maria goes back to her teen years the drama of searching for her husband and then Henry got drawn out way too much and became tedious when she wouldn't just sit back and examine the situation rather than constantly reacting and calling attention to herself..
This is an incredibly thought-provoking novel that would be perfect for book clubs or discussion groups. If given similar choices and situations, what would you do and how would you react? This book is well worth reading and the audiobook is an excellent format.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
January 16, 2022
About the book: “Sliding Doors meets Life After Life in Sarah Adlakha's story about a wife and mother who is given the chance to start over at the risk of losing everything she loves.
A second chance is the last thing she wants.
Exploring the responsibilities love lays on us, the complicated burdens of motherhood, and the rippling impact of our choices, She Wouldn't Change a Thing is a dazzling debut from a bright new voice.”
I really enjoyed that the main character, Maria, is a psychiatrist. I also loved the time travel elements and felt like they were handled with are. Maria is also a wife and mom and juggling responsibilities of daily life. Maria has a serious dilemma on her hands involving choices she could possibly make, and it’s certainly not going to be an easy choice. Neither is a safe choice.
Overall, this is a carefully-rendered story with multiple layers and quite the page turner. It made me think and feel and left a mark.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
A second chance is the last thing she wants.
Exploring the responsibilities love lays on us, the complicated burdens of motherhood, and the rippling impact of our choices, She Wouldn't Change a Thing is a dazzling debut from a bright new voice.”
I really enjoyed that the main character, Maria, is a psychiatrist. I also loved the time travel elements and felt like they were handled with are. Maria is also a wife and mom and juggling responsibilities of daily life. Maria has a serious dilemma on her hands involving choices she could possibly make, and it’s certainly not going to be an easy choice. Neither is a safe choice.
Overall, this is a carefully-rendered story with multiple layers and quite the page turner. It made me think and feel and left a mark.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
June 10, 2021
Four Stars
I received an invitation from the publisher to request this book, and the synopsis sounded intriguing. This book had peaks and valleys for me. The first 30% of the story had me locked tight in its clutches. The rest of the book had me mildly interested, frustrated and occasionally confused. I had a little trouble keeping the trajectory of the characters straight at the end, but by that time I didn't much care anyway. Because I got the gist of the book, which was this: If you had the chance to correct a horrible tragedy that occurred to a love one, would you sacrifice your own happiness to right that wrong? Could you live with yourself (and still be happy without guilt) if you squandered that unique opportunity? And if you "did the right thing", what would your alternate reality be after doing so?
Maria and Will have been married for over a decade, with two daughters and a baby boy on the way. They still are very attracted to each other and as they say, are "lucky in love". Will is a surgeon and Maria is a psychiatrist with her own practice. The only problem is the lack of time and chaos that is their life. Maria doesn't want to hire help and is juggling so many things. Will even said that she could be a stay-at-home Mom, but Maria bristled at the idea that her career was somehow less important than Will's.
Maria's about 9 months pregnant when she encounters a very strange patient named Sylvia with an incredible warning. It sounds crazy (no pun intended), but Sylvia says she's from the future, realizes that Maria's had some trepidation about the expected baby, and that she should wait until the baby is born to retrieve a laptop from her storage shed-and give it to the police. The laptop belongs to Maria's longtime and devoted secretary Rachel, who lost her ten month old baby to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome six months ago. This all sounds bizarre and unsettling, and sparks the beginning of this book's fantastical journey.
I'm not going to delve further into the nuts and bolts of this story to keep it spoiler free. But the concept of returning to your teenage years... knowing the date of a tragedy is looming near and the power is in your hands to stop it...but if you do you might not be able to go back to your old life...what to do??? This was the emotional essence powering this story and it certainly was compelling.
Thank you to the publisher Macmillan-Tor/Forge for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley.
I received an invitation from the publisher to request this book, and the synopsis sounded intriguing. This book had peaks and valleys for me. The first 30% of the story had me locked tight in its clutches. The rest of the book had me mildly interested, frustrated and occasionally confused. I had a little trouble keeping the trajectory of the characters straight at the end, but by that time I didn't much care anyway. Because I got the gist of the book, which was this: If you had the chance to correct a horrible tragedy that occurred to a love one, would you sacrifice your own happiness to right that wrong? Could you live with yourself (and still be happy without guilt) if you squandered that unique opportunity? And if you "did the right thing", what would your alternate reality be after doing so?
Maria and Will have been married for over a decade, with two daughters and a baby boy on the way. They still are very attracted to each other and as they say, are "lucky in love". Will is a surgeon and Maria is a psychiatrist with her own practice. The only problem is the lack of time and chaos that is their life. Maria doesn't want to hire help and is juggling so many things. Will even said that she could be a stay-at-home Mom, but Maria bristled at the idea that her career was somehow less important than Will's.
Maria's about 9 months pregnant when she encounters a very strange patient named Sylvia with an incredible warning. It sounds crazy (no pun intended), but Sylvia says she's from the future, realizes that Maria's had some trepidation about the expected baby, and that she should wait until the baby is born to retrieve a laptop from her storage shed-and give it to the police. The laptop belongs to Maria's longtime and devoted secretary Rachel, who lost her ten month old baby to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome six months ago. This all sounds bizarre and unsettling, and sparks the beginning of this book's fantastical journey.
I'm not going to delve further into the nuts and bolts of this story to keep it spoiler free. But the concept of returning to your teenage years... knowing the date of a tragedy is looming near and the power is in your hands to stop it...but if you do you might not be able to go back to your old life...what to do??? This was the emotional essence powering this story and it certainly was compelling.
Thank you to the publisher Macmillan-Tor/Forge for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley.
March 7, 2021
SHE WOULDN'T CHANGE A THING
BY SARAH ADLAKHA
WOW!!! I really LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this novel. I don't think my review can even attempt to do it justice. It was a surprise because I have been having bad luck lately with being disappointed with my choices not living up to my expectations. This one did. This one really blew my mind it was just soooooo great. It deserves to win an award for its originality. I can promise you that if you take a chance on adding this novel to your must read list for 2021, you won't be sorry. First of all, the genre defies a category. I don't know if I would say that it is magical realism, Science Fiction or Fantasy but whatever it is it absolutely works.
I have never repeated the synopsis description in all of the year's that I have been reviewing for Net Galley, which has been I think seven years but I am going to make an exception for this outstanding debut from Sarah Adlakha. "Sliding Doors meets Life After Life." I have no idea what "Life After Life," is about, but I am certainly familiar with Sliding Doors, which is old enough to date myself for it must have come out at least ten year's ago and I am just estimating. This was one of the most beautiful, bittersweet novels of fiction that I have ever read in my life. It is the favorite novel I have read in my life that is so unique that it is in a class all by itself. If I could give it 1,000 stars I would because it is so fresh and yet flawless.
The plot is interesting and the characterization's so well developed that they are also flawless. Even the background character's sparkle with belief. This heartbreaking story is about a married woman who loves her husband and two young daughter's. They have been happily married and their names are Maria and Will. They are both doctors who have two young daughter's and Maria is expecting to give birth any day to a boy. Maria is a psychiatrist with her own private practice. As the novel begins Maria's first patient warns her of events to happen and Maria thinks that her patient is schizophrenic, but as things take a twist the story changes.
This really was a very pleasant surprise and I hate to say this but I am afraid that this novel has ruined me in the best of ways. What I mean is that I know that I will not read anything so fantastic that can compete with this. I hated to see this one end.
Would you give up your life and the family that you love to save someone that you never met before if you had to choose? This novel is so rich with selfless love it is also bittersweet. This is so great because you cannot predict how this story plays out. This one gets such high praise because I have never read anything quite like it before and the plot is just so unlike anything I will read again. I will be sure to watch what this author writes next because this was stunning, brilliant and not done before. I will be recommending and gifting this to everyone that I know. This one will be bought by me and is sure to be a lifetime favorite. I am so grateful that I had the good fortune to discover this fabulous debut and I will say it again--it is flawless!!
Publication Date: August 10, 2021
Thank you to Net Galley, the talented Sarah Adlakha and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for generously providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
#SheWouldn'tChangeaThing #SarahAdlakha #Macmillan-Tor/Forge #NetGalley
BY SARAH ADLAKHA
WOW!!! I really LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this novel. I don't think my review can even attempt to do it justice. It was a surprise because I have been having bad luck lately with being disappointed with my choices not living up to my expectations. This one did. This one really blew my mind it was just soooooo great. It deserves to win an award for its originality. I can promise you that if you take a chance on adding this novel to your must read list for 2021, you won't be sorry. First of all, the genre defies a category. I don't know if I would say that it is magical realism, Science Fiction or Fantasy but whatever it is it absolutely works.
I have never repeated the synopsis description in all of the year's that I have been reviewing for Net Galley, which has been I think seven years but I am going to make an exception for this outstanding debut from Sarah Adlakha. "Sliding Doors meets Life After Life." I have no idea what "Life After Life," is about, but I am certainly familiar with Sliding Doors, which is old enough to date myself for it must have come out at least ten year's ago and I am just estimating. This was one of the most beautiful, bittersweet novels of fiction that I have ever read in my life. It is the favorite novel I have read in my life that is so unique that it is in a class all by itself. If I could give it 1,000 stars I would because it is so fresh and yet flawless.
The plot is interesting and the characterization's so well developed that they are also flawless. Even the background character's sparkle with belief. This heartbreaking story is about a married woman who loves her husband and two young daughter's. They have been happily married and their names are Maria and Will. They are both doctors who have two young daughter's and Maria is expecting to give birth any day to a boy. Maria is a psychiatrist with her own private practice. As the novel begins Maria's first patient warns her of events to happen and Maria thinks that her patient is schizophrenic, but as things take a twist the story changes.
This really was a very pleasant surprise and I hate to say this but I am afraid that this novel has ruined me in the best of ways. What I mean is that I know that I will not read anything so fantastic that can compete with this. I hated to see this one end.
Would you give up your life and the family that you love to save someone that you never met before if you had to choose? This novel is so rich with selfless love it is also bittersweet. This is so great because you cannot predict how this story plays out. This one gets such high praise because I have never read anything quite like it before and the plot is just so unlike anything I will read again. I will be sure to watch what this author writes next because this was stunning, brilliant and not done before. I will be recommending and gifting this to everyone that I know. This one will be bought by me and is sure to be a lifetime favorite. I am so grateful that I had the good fortune to discover this fabulous debut and I will say it again--it is flawless!!
Publication Date: August 10, 2021
Thank you to Net Galley, the talented Sarah Adlakha and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for generously providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
#SheWouldn'tChangeaThing #SarahAdlakha #Macmillan-Tor/Forge #NetGalley
July 23, 2022
Where do I even begin? Have you ever been so surprised at how much you loved a book that you had a stunned euphoric feeling when you finished? Right here people…🙋♀️that is how I felt. You may say.. I don’t really care for time travel 🧳 books… and I will say�� well this is not your typical time travel…. 🤷♀️it wasn’t silly and repetitive as ones I have read before… it was amazingly good. I can’t say much without spoilers… but let me try…😉
Maria is a therapist.. life is good with her husband and children.. then one day a patient springs a mind blowing 🤯claim on her.. and Maria ends up back at home with her mother… who is no longer alive… whattt?! 😳 Did I mention Maria is now 17???
Okay I can’t even tell you how brilliant and thought provoking this book is. It involves several different characters… and you are wondering how on earth this is going to come together… and then there was a moment where there was a fishing 🎣 pole… and it all made sense… and it was brilliant… absolutely brilliant!! 💖
From the fishing scene on.. everything fell into place. The epilogue was one of the best I have ever read… it was.. mind blowing…how is this a debut?? I have no idea..😍I have thought about this book for days and will continue to for a long time!!
All the stars 🌟 for this amazing.. creative.. original.. brilliant book!!
💖💖 Have you read this one?? What is the last book that left you stunned and thinking about it for days???
Thank you to Suzy Approved tours and the publisher for this gifted copy!
Maria is a therapist.. life is good with her husband and children.. then one day a patient springs a mind blowing 🤯claim on her.. and Maria ends up back at home with her mother… who is no longer alive… whattt?! 😳 Did I mention Maria is now 17???
Okay I can’t even tell you how brilliant and thought provoking this book is. It involves several different characters… and you are wondering how on earth this is going to come together… and then there was a moment where there was a fishing 🎣 pole… and it all made sense… and it was brilliant… absolutely brilliant!! 💖
From the fishing scene on.. everything fell into place. The epilogue was one of the best I have ever read… it was.. mind blowing…how is this a debut?? I have no idea..😍I have thought about this book for days and will continue to for a long time!!
All the stars 🌟 for this amazing.. creative.. original.. brilliant book!!
💖💖 Have you read this one?? What is the last book that left you stunned and thinking about it for days???
Thank you to Suzy Approved tours and the publisher for this gifted copy!
March 12, 2021
Maria Forssman, thirty-nine years of age, a psychiatrist, wife, mother of two girls and a son due any day, had reasons to be worried.
Her thoughts were spiraling into knots, and her nightmares didn’t help any.
Maria’s memory was hazy..... she thought she was home, but soon realized her wrists were bound to a bed by leather restraints. She was in ICU.....in a psych unit.
She didn’t know why she was in the hospital. She didn’t know where her husband children were. And she certainly didn’t understand why she had a flat baby-less belly.
People’s lives were at risk......and deja vu coincidences were in question.
Maria wanted to get back to her family — instead she finds herself back in time as a seventeen year old: sent back to her younger days for a special purpose.....but she didn’t understand why or how — and frankly she was a little too shocked about what was happening to her to think clearly.
While in the hospital bed, Maria did remember a patient, Sylvia, whose dead voice and warnings were ringing through her head. Another sleepless night.
A schizophrenia specialist was reviewing Maria‘s chart and was part of her treatment team. It was thought that Maria had prospective hallucinations; it’s where people have memories of events in the future that haven’t even taken place yet.
The doctor said he saw something on the MRI of Maria’s brain that led him to his diagnosis.
But....Maria (a psychiatrist herself), knew a schizophrenia diagnosis could not be confirmed with an MRI.
There were so many people popping in and out of Maria’s life she didn’t know who to trust.
She thought she could possibly trust Dr. Johnstone.
Dr. Johnstone tells Maria....
“Our whole lives are measured and cycles: days and months and years. So all these planets are spinning and circling at different speeds and crossing paths with each other at different places throughout time and space”.
He goes on to tell her that it’s the same thing with our lives.
“Imagine each person being a planet. One cycle is one lifetime, and we’re spinning through these lives, interacting with people at various times and places throughout space”.
When there are no glitches in the system, a person completes a lifecycle and then is born into a new one, with no memories of the previous one.
“But every once in a while, an astroid or comet or some other space debris comes along and crashes into a planet, knocking it off it’s axis and back in time”.
So....like a metaphor with the ways that planets move, people rotate through time, too. Another way to think about it, is to think about it like reincarnation. “We’re born, we live, we die, and then our memories are wiped clean and we’re reborn again”.
Maria wanted to know how she could be alive in two different worlds.
Dr. Johnstone tells Maria that life cycles are constantly overlapping each other and crossing in various points.
The heart of the issue Maria faces is whether or not to give up her own life and the family she loves to serve a greater purpose.
I think we know by the title of the book, “She Wouldn’t Change A Thing”....ha....
that Maria ....‘wouldn’t’ change a thing.... but the journey we take with her ....was fascinating to think about.
Many other characters round out the drama, and the mystery suspense.
I enjoyed book....had a few quibbles...(would have liked to have seen more development with Maria’s husband and children), but this was a captivating debut.
Thank you Netgalley, Macmillan-Tor/Forge, and Sarah Adlakha
Her thoughts were spiraling into knots, and her nightmares didn’t help any.
Maria’s memory was hazy..... she thought she was home, but soon realized her wrists were bound to a bed by leather restraints. She was in ICU.....in a psych unit.
She didn’t know why she was in the hospital. She didn’t know where her husband children were. And she certainly didn’t understand why she had a flat baby-less belly.
People’s lives were at risk......and deja vu coincidences were in question.
Maria wanted to get back to her family — instead she finds herself back in time as a seventeen year old: sent back to her younger days for a special purpose.....but she didn’t understand why or how — and frankly she was a little too shocked about what was happening to her to think clearly.
While in the hospital bed, Maria did remember a patient, Sylvia, whose dead voice and warnings were ringing through her head. Another sleepless night.
A schizophrenia specialist was reviewing Maria‘s chart and was part of her treatment team. It was thought that Maria had prospective hallucinations; it’s where people have memories of events in the future that haven’t even taken place yet.
The doctor said he saw something on the MRI of Maria’s brain that led him to his diagnosis.
But....Maria (a psychiatrist herself), knew a schizophrenia diagnosis could not be confirmed with an MRI.
There were so many people popping in and out of Maria’s life she didn’t know who to trust.
She thought she could possibly trust Dr. Johnstone.
Dr. Johnstone tells Maria....
“Our whole lives are measured and cycles: days and months and years. So all these planets are spinning and circling at different speeds and crossing paths with each other at different places throughout time and space”.
He goes on to tell her that it’s the same thing with our lives.
“Imagine each person being a planet. One cycle is one lifetime, and we’re spinning through these lives, interacting with people at various times and places throughout space”.
When there are no glitches in the system, a person completes a lifecycle and then is born into a new one, with no memories of the previous one.
“But every once in a while, an astroid or comet or some other space debris comes along and crashes into a planet, knocking it off it’s axis and back in time”.
So....like a metaphor with the ways that planets move, people rotate through time, too. Another way to think about it, is to think about it like reincarnation. “We’re born, we live, we die, and then our memories are wiped clean and we’re reborn again”.
Maria wanted to know how she could be alive in two different worlds.
Dr. Johnstone tells Maria that life cycles are constantly overlapping each other and crossing in various points.
The heart of the issue Maria faces is whether or not to give up her own life and the family she loves to serve a greater purpose.
I think we know by the title of the book, “She Wouldn’t Change A Thing”....ha....
that Maria ....‘wouldn’t’ change a thing.... but the journey we take with her ....was fascinating to think about.
Many other characters round out the drama, and the mystery suspense.
I enjoyed book....had a few quibbles...(would have liked to have seen more development with Maria’s husband and children), but this was a captivating debut.
Thank you Netgalley, Macmillan-Tor/Forge, and Sarah Adlakha
July 28, 2021
I don't usually pay much attention to the publisher's recommendations regarding which best seller their book resembles, but in this case Sarah Adelkha's debut novel does have elements of both Sliding Doors and Life After Life. It's not only a novel involving time travel, but one where impossible choices must be made by the main character, without knowing the ramifications of these decisions. Lot's of 'what if' moments that had me wanting to know how the novel would play out. Adelkha does well weaving multiple story lines together into an engrossing story with a cohesive ending that I very much enjoyed.
With thanks to Macmillan-Tor/Forge and Netgalley for a copy to read
With thanks to Macmillan-Tor/Forge and Netgalley for a copy to read
January 12, 2024
I’ve always been drawn to the field of psychologist-psychiatrist and time-travel stuff always attracts me like a magnet. So I couldn’t help but grabbed the book as soon as it got released. For me, it's difficult to tell or describe in a simple way what makes "𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐧'𝐭 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐚 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠" so special, but all I can say is this is the first time I felt so connected to the main character. Her dilemma, confusion, making the right decision....I felt every kind of emotion through her journey. This whole story seemed like a puzzle to me that ended with excellent resolution.
“𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒘𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒏 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒊𝒕’𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒘𝒆 𝒈𝒐, 𝒊𝒕’𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒖𝒔 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍. 𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒖𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎.”
It's a debut book, but author wrote it in such a terrifying-otherworldly way that I was fascinated by her skills. Looking forward to more from Sarah Adlakha.
“𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒘𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒏 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒊𝒕’𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒘𝒆 𝒈𝒐, 𝒊𝒕’𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒖𝒔 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍. 𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒖𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎.”
It's a debut book, but author wrote it in such a terrifying-otherworldly way that I was fascinated by her skills. Looking forward to more from Sarah Adlakha.
September 7, 2021
You do not want to miss this debut!
She Wouldn’t Change a Thing can best be described as Freaky Friday meets The Matrix (minus Lindsay Lohan and Keanu Reeves)!
Maria Forssmann is given a second chance to live her life, but she will have to give up everything she already has. She wakes up in her seventeen year old body in 1988 and needs to figure out how to get back home, where she is a successful psychiatrist, wife, and mother. Maria must learn that doing the right thing means different things to different people. Ultimately, a difficult choice must be made that will have her questioning her beliefs in God and science. What will she do?
I really enjoyed this literary debut that was written by a retired psychiatrist. This book stands apart from many other time travel thrillers due to its thoughtful depth of characters. Maria and Jenny alternate narrating the chapters and I found them equally captivating. I was immediately drawn into the unique plot and was on the edge of my seat, trying to read faster to figure out which choice Rachel would make. While I was satisfied with the ending, it was very confusing. Be prepared for a mind bending story that will stay with you for a long time. I still have a few lingering questions, but highly recommend this book to those who enjoy thrillers and time travel.
Trigger warning: Suicide
4/5 stars
She Wouldn’t Change a Thing can best be described as Freaky Friday meets The Matrix (minus Lindsay Lohan and Keanu Reeves)!
Maria Forssmann is given a second chance to live her life, but she will have to give up everything she already has. She wakes up in her seventeen year old body in 1988 and needs to figure out how to get back home, where she is a successful psychiatrist, wife, and mother. Maria must learn that doing the right thing means different things to different people. Ultimately, a difficult choice must be made that will have her questioning her beliefs in God and science. What will she do?
I really enjoyed this literary debut that was written by a retired psychiatrist. This book stands apart from many other time travel thrillers due to its thoughtful depth of characters. Maria and Jenny alternate narrating the chapters and I found them equally captivating. I was immediately drawn into the unique plot and was on the edge of my seat, trying to read faster to figure out which choice Rachel would make. While I was satisfied with the ending, it was very confusing. Be prepared for a mind bending story that will stay with you for a long time. I still have a few lingering questions, but highly recommend this book to those who enjoy thrillers and time travel.
Trigger warning: Suicide
4/5 stars
July 24, 2022
This is a Women's Fiction with Magical Realism (Time Travel). This book may me think about what I would do if I got pulled back to when I was a teenager, and I think we all will say there is so many things we would do differently if we went back to our teenage self. Now, I think what would happen if I change anything. The characters is not what pulled me into this book, but the story itself is what pulled me in and kept me wanting to keep reading. The characters grow on me, but I have to say they did not stand out at first. The ending of this book is so beautiful, and it is so well done. I have to say I cried like a baby while listening to the last little bit of this book. If you are looking for a book that will touch you and make you think then you should give this book a try. I listen to the audiobook of this book, and the narrator doing a great job. I was kindly provided an e-audiobook of this book by the publisher or author (Sarah Adlakha) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.
October 11, 2021
A mother faces what seems to be an impossible choice. Maria Forssman is living her life at a frantic pace. Tragedy occurs and she finds herself back in time as her seventeen-year-old self. She is not the first to be cast in the role of a "repeater." There are others like Henry and the doctor who comes from Iowa to meet her. They have differing opinions on the choice she has to make. Meanwhile Jennifer Fontaine struggles to adjust to having an empty nest with her son Dean off to college. Husband Hank is away two weeks each month working on an oil rig. This was a fascinating take on the time travel theme. I found it most reminded me of The Dream Daughter. There would be much to discuss with a book group: motherhood, marriage, destiny, and free will to name a few.
Thank you to Forge Books and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Forge Books and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
July 30, 2021
I'm so excited to send this book out into the world. I'm giving myself an A for effort, and I hope you all enjoy it!
August 13, 2021
3.5 Time Travel Stars
This one is tricky to review without giving away important details! I think I can best describe it as a sliding doors/time travel story. I really had to think on this one and I’m still not sure I completely know what happened!
We meet Maria Forssmann when she is 39, a busy career woman with two girls and a little boy about to be born. There is some intrigue with one of her patients and the next thing we know, she is in her 17-year-old body.
She eventually figures out what needs to happen next, but it is a very difficult choice, and I wasn’t happy that she had to make this choice at all!
There is another parallel story with Jenny and Hank and the reader eventually learns how all these stories connect.
This one does end with a terrific epilogue, but I just couldn’t wrap my head around it enough to really enjoy it.
I did enjoy my discussion with Marilyn on this one as I tried to puzzle through some details.
Thank you to Macmillan/Tor Forge for the copy to read through NetGalley.
This one is tricky to review without giving away important details! I think I can best describe it as a sliding doors/time travel story. I really had to think on this one and I’m still not sure I completely know what happened!
We meet Maria Forssmann when she is 39, a busy career woman with two girls and a little boy about to be born. There is some intrigue with one of her patients and the next thing we know, she is in her 17-year-old body.
She eventually figures out what needs to happen next, but it is a very difficult choice, and I wasn’t happy that she had to make this choice at all!
There is another parallel story with Jenny and Hank and the reader eventually learns how all these stories connect.
This one does end with a terrific epilogue, but I just couldn’t wrap my head around it enough to really enjoy it.
I did enjoy my discussion with Marilyn on this one as I tried to puzzle through some details.
Thank you to Macmillan/Tor Forge for the copy to read through NetGalley.
August 17, 2021
If you got a chance to go back and redo some decisions in your life, would you change a thing? You might say no because whatever you went through made you who you are today. But you might even say yes because you want to erase some painful memories or regretful actions from your past. Whatever your answer, you know that this is not an easy decision to make as it has a lot of repercussions. But what if you are not given a choice? That’s the situation faced by the protagonist in this story.
Story:
The author’s style of plot structuring is quite different. As there is time travel involved, there are obviously two timelines. But even in between the chapters of the same timeline, there are minor time jumps in the story. So when the missing jumped part gets revealed casually in the subsequent chapter, you get a jolt of shock. The writing is quite lyrical and descriptive, which takes away a little from the pace of the story but is still a treat to read. What raises the bar is the author’s choice of ending. That’s how a plot ought to fulfil its logical destiny. Well done, indeed!
While the writing style is a treat, the pacing and character development left a little to be desired. The book started off really well and I was hooked onto it at first. But soon the content changed from action-oriented to musing-oriented, thereby dragging the pace of the story down. In addition, there are numerous characters and numerous interconnections across the characters. After a point, I gave up on figuring out their role in the character hierarchy and just went with the flow. Luckily, this doesn’t hinder the comprehension of the story. But because these characters don’t have a detailed background provided, you won’t be able to connect with most of them. Some of the characters felt superfluous to the plotline for this very reason. I would have loved to know more of Maria’s relationship with her husband Will. Whatever little was there in the story was sweet but left me wanting to know more.
PLOT SPOILERS AHEAD:
Understanding the exact nitty-gritties of the time travel in this book is a complex journey I initially attempted but later gave up on. As with every time travel book, there are procedural loopholes and so I just carried on tying to ignore them. If you decide to pick this up, keep aside your logic about theoretical time travel because the book deals more with the philosophical side of the topic.
For a debut work, the scope of the book is grand. And to a great extent, the author does justice to her idea. Her creativity is evident in the book, and I’m sure that she’ll be an author to look forward to in future.
This is an interesting book to read, no doubt. Pick it up when you are in the mood for something slow and contemplative. It’s more like sci-fi literary fiction than a sci-fi thriller. Keep your expectations in accordance with this.
3.75 stars, rounding up.
Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge Books, for the ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.
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Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever! , for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun.
Story:
39 year old psychiatrist Maria is living a busy life managing her home, career and two young children with a third on the way. One day, she has a strange encounter with a new patient named Sylvie, who possesses a lot of knowledge on Maria’s life and warns her to stay away from her assistant Rachel. Soon after, because of certain events I don’t want to reveal here, Maria finds herself back in time in her 17 year old self. How will she get back? Why has she been sent back? Can she reunite herself with her family? Can she change the past? Should she change the past? With a lot of confusion, questions, and choices facing Maria, you need to read the book to know what happens next.
The author’s style of plot structuring is quite different. As there is time travel involved, there are obviously two timelines. But even in between the chapters of the same timeline, there are minor time jumps in the story. So when the missing jumped part gets revealed casually in the subsequent chapter, you get a jolt of shock. The writing is quite lyrical and descriptive, which takes away a little from the pace of the story but is still a treat to read. What raises the bar is the author’s choice of ending. That’s how a plot ought to fulfil its logical destiny. Well done, indeed!
While the writing style is a treat, the pacing and character development left a little to be desired. The book started off really well and I was hooked onto it at first. But soon the content changed from action-oriented to musing-oriented, thereby dragging the pace of the story down. In addition, there are numerous characters and numerous interconnections across the characters. After a point, I gave up on figuring out their role in the character hierarchy and just went with the flow. Luckily, this doesn’t hinder the comprehension of the story. But because these characters don’t have a detailed background provided, you won’t be able to connect with most of them. Some of the characters felt superfluous to the plotline for this very reason. I would have loved to know more of Maria’s relationship with her husband Will. Whatever little was there in the story was sweet but left me wanting to know more.
PLOT SPOILERS AHEAD:
Understanding the exact nitty-gritties of the time travel in this book is a complex journey I initially attempted but later gave up on. As with every time travel book, there are procedural loopholes and so I just carried on tying to ignore them. If you decide to pick this up, keep aside your logic about theoretical time travel because the book deals more with the philosophical side of the topic.
For a debut work, the scope of the book is grand. And to a great extent, the author does justice to her idea. Her creativity is evident in the book, and I’m sure that she’ll be an author to look forward to in future.
This is an interesting book to read, no doubt. Pick it up when you are in the mood for something slow and contemplative. It’s more like sci-fi literary fiction than a sci-fi thriller. Keep your expectations in accordance with this.
3.75 stars, rounding up.
Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge Books, for the ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.
***********************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever! , for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun.
March 11, 2021
Wonderful debut novel by Sarah Adlakha! I was instantly drawn in to the story from the first chapter. I absolutely loved this author’s writing style and I couldn’t put this book down. The storyline and flow had an eerie element at times almost giving it a mysterious feel.
Maria is a wife, mother of two— soon-to-be three— and daughter overwhelmed with her life. As she juggles it all, along with her career as a psychiatrist, trying to keep everything in perfect order she never expects to wake up one day facing to make a decision that can change her whole world as she knows it.
What would you do if you could change the future by going back and making things right but at a huge cost? Would you give up your life and the life of the ones you love to do the right thing?
Fast paced, bittersweet, heart wrenching, and truly thought-provoking. I will be looking for more from this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC of She Wouldn’t Change a Thing in exchange for my honest review.
Maria is a wife, mother of two— soon-to-be three— and daughter overwhelmed with her life. As she juggles it all, along with her career as a psychiatrist, trying to keep everything in perfect order she never expects to wake up one day facing to make a decision that can change her whole world as she knows it.
What would you do if you could change the future by going back and making things right but at a huge cost? Would you give up your life and the life of the ones you love to do the right thing?
Fast paced, bittersweet, heart wrenching, and truly thought-provoking. I will be looking for more from this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC of She Wouldn’t Change a Thing in exchange for my honest review.
February 19, 2021
Wow! I loved this book so much. This easily could have been one of those books that I sat down and read in one sitting had I not been so busy. I loved following Maria on her journey. There were times I would find myself frustrated after she went back in time, however, it also felt like a very real interpretation of how it would be if something like this were to happen.
As a mother, I could also relate so much to her maternal instinct to want to get back to her husband and kids, and also constantly feel like you are a failure despite trying so hard and always falling short. All around she was a very relatable character, which I think helped add to the suspense of watching her go through a terrible internal debate and battle as she did her best to navigate what she wanted versus the moral implications of right and wrong.
I loved that this was a book that really made you think and ponder while also being incredibly entertaining. I also enjoyed the use of the different points of view and the inter lapping storylines. It really added to the story and made it that much better, especially since I couldn't wait to see how it all came together. Truly a great read and one I will recommend to everyone!
As a mother, I could also relate so much to her maternal instinct to want to get back to her husband and kids, and also constantly feel like you are a failure despite trying so hard and always falling short. All around she was a very relatable character, which I think helped add to the suspense of watching her go through a terrible internal debate and battle as she did her best to navigate what she wanted versus the moral implications of right and wrong.
I loved that this was a book that really made you think and ponder while also being incredibly entertaining. I also enjoyed the use of the different points of view and the inter lapping storylines. It really added to the story and made it that much better, especially since I couldn't wait to see how it all came together. Truly a great read and one I will recommend to everyone!
April 4, 2022
The premise totally sucked me in to read this one. I loved every bit of it. Could get confusing with past, future and the dreams in between plus switching between characters. However, if you can keep it all sorted out this story is amazing! Made me totally think alot the second I finished the book. I just sat flabbergasted and speechless. Great book!
August 17, 2021
This was a big Nope for me. IMO, it read more like a possible outline for a book, with a list of main characters that needed to be fleshed out, a list of just some "extras" (characters) that seemed to be just thrown in without purpose, plot points that needed to be worked into a cohesive whole, and a jarring
I enjoy science fiction including time travel, but nothing worked for me with this book.
My opinion is absolutely at odds with the vast majority of friends whose opinions I always value.
I enjoy science fiction including time travel, but nothing worked for me with this book.
My opinion is absolutely at odds with the vast majority of friends whose opinions I always value.
April 4, 2023
I could not put this book down and was glad to forfeit some sleep to finish it! I am so impressed by this debut novel I can’t wait to see what Sarah Adlakha has up next, because she is meant to write!
The characters are relatable and well developed. I enjoyed the twisted time scenarios & the difficult choices the characters find themselves perplexed with are very identifiable. This book left me wondering what would I do?? Would I have the courage and selflessness? Very thought provoking.
Thanks to the author, publisher and Net Galley for having the opportunity to read an ARC of “She Wouldn’t Change A Thing”
The characters are relatable and well developed. I enjoyed the twisted time scenarios & the difficult choices the characters find themselves perplexed with are very identifiable. This book left me wondering what would I do?? Would I have the courage and selflessness? Very thought provoking.
Thanks to the author, publisher and Net Galley for having the opportunity to read an ARC of “She Wouldn’t Change A Thing”
August 8, 2021
This was a very intriguing story and I was excited to get an advanced copy to read and review. I found the characters to be compelling, but I did find parts of the story hard to track (as is any good story with time travel). It’s a fascinating question - could you let a horrific event occur if changing it would cost you your family? Maria is a successful psychiatrist with a husband she loves, two daughters, and a son on the way. She finds herself back in her 17 year old body confused and desperate to get back to her children. Amazingly she finds several others who are “repeaters” and help her get some sort of grasp on what is happening. Eventually she realizes her purpose but is told if she saves the young life she was sent back to save she will lose her husband and her children will not be hers. It’s an impossible decision, but one she must make. I found the writing to be excellent and a very unique debut novel.
August 13, 2021
In She Wouldn’t Change a Thing, time travel is less a fantasy element and more of a nightmarish trap that sends a person back into their own earlier life.
Maria is close to her due date for her third child, married mostly happily but also incredibly frazzled, mother to two adorable daughters, and a successful psychiatrist, when a strange new patient shows up in her office. Sylvia comes with disjointed warnings and rambles on about having a purpose. She gives Maria a warning about her own life, and tries to gain Maria’s understanding — but Maria naturally sees Sylvia as delusional and offers medication and follow-up visits.
Later, Maria learns that Sylvia has killed herself, and has left a note for Maria. She can’t shake Sylvia’s words, and despite knowing she should ignore the warning, follows up. I won’t go into details on what happens next, but after a terrible encounter, Maria wakes to find that she’s back in her childhood home, in her 17-year-old body.
Completely frantic, Maria’s parents believe she’s having a breakdown, and Maria soon finds herself confined to a psych ward. Maria knows that she’s not schizophrenic, but who would believe a teen girl who claims to be a pregnant 39-year-old needing to return to her husband and children?
Time travel in this book, as we learn, is typically triggered by a death or a violent event which propels the person back to an earlier point in their lives — with a purpose. There’s something they have to accomplish, and it’s typically at great cost. For Maria, once she realizes her purpose, there’s an understanding that accomplishing her purpose will change events so completely that she and her husband will never meet. And while she thinks she may have a way to get back to her own life, it would mean ignoring this purpose, and ignoring the chance to save an innocent life. She has to decide — does she give up her “real” life to do the right thing, or put her need to be back with her family above everything else?
I’m a fan of well-conceived time travel plots, and can even accept far-fetched scenarios — but something about this concept of being sent back with a purpose really set my nerves on edge. I suppose if you believe in higher beings and deities and predestination, maybe this might be more appealing, but for me, it just smacks of quasi-religious mumbo jumbo.
There’s no good “why” to all of this. Okay, fine, there’s a purpose… but why these people and not others? Why doesn’t every unfair death get deleted and reversed? Why isn’t the world overrun with people from the future?
In Maria’s story, there are overlaps and revisions in her life, and we see characters from her own time transformed and changed by the actions she takes once she goes back. Some of the convergences are interesting, but for the most part, most of this plot felt forced and illogical to me.
As I said, I love a good time travel story. Sure, I can buy the idea of a woman wandering into a stone circle and being transported 200 years back in time (as happens in a certain favorite series…), but in She Wouldn’t Change a Thing, the mechanics and reasons and the higher purpose elements of the story just didn’t work for me at all.
Beyond the plot falling flat for me, the writing style is often awkward and clunky, and certain lines and stylistic choices took me right out of the plot. Overall, not a great reading experience for me… your mileage may vary.
Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley. Full review at Bookshelf Fantasies.
Maria is close to her due date for her third child, married mostly happily but also incredibly frazzled, mother to two adorable daughters, and a successful psychiatrist, when a strange new patient shows up in her office. Sylvia comes with disjointed warnings and rambles on about having a purpose. She gives Maria a warning about her own life, and tries to gain Maria’s understanding — but Maria naturally sees Sylvia as delusional and offers medication and follow-up visits.
Later, Maria learns that Sylvia has killed herself, and has left a note for Maria. She can’t shake Sylvia’s words, and despite knowing she should ignore the warning, follows up. I won’t go into details on what happens next, but after a terrible encounter, Maria wakes to find that she’s back in her childhood home, in her 17-year-old body.
Completely frantic, Maria’s parents believe she’s having a breakdown, and Maria soon finds herself confined to a psych ward. Maria knows that she’s not schizophrenic, but who would believe a teen girl who claims to be a pregnant 39-year-old needing to return to her husband and children?
Time travel in this book, as we learn, is typically triggered by a death or a violent event which propels the person back to an earlier point in their lives — with a purpose. There’s something they have to accomplish, and it’s typically at great cost. For Maria, once she realizes her purpose, there’s an understanding that accomplishing her purpose will change events so completely that she and her husband will never meet. And while she thinks she may have a way to get back to her own life, it would mean ignoring this purpose, and ignoring the chance to save an innocent life. She has to decide — does she give up her “real” life to do the right thing, or put her need to be back with her family above everything else?
I’m a fan of well-conceived time travel plots, and can even accept far-fetched scenarios — but something about this concept of being sent back with a purpose really set my nerves on edge. I suppose if you believe in higher beings and deities and predestination, maybe this might be more appealing, but for me, it just smacks of quasi-religious mumbo jumbo.
There’s no good “why” to all of this. Okay, fine, there’s a purpose… but why these people and not others? Why doesn’t every unfair death get deleted and reversed? Why isn’t the world overrun with people from the future?
In Maria’s story, there are overlaps and revisions in her life, and we see characters from her own time transformed and changed by the actions she takes once she goes back. Some of the convergences are interesting, but for the most part, most of this plot felt forced and illogical to me.
As I said, I love a good time travel story. Sure, I can buy the idea of a woman wandering into a stone circle and being transported 200 years back in time (as happens in a certain favorite series…), but in She Wouldn’t Change a Thing, the mechanics and reasons and the higher purpose elements of the story just didn’t work for me at all.
Beyond the plot falling flat for me, the writing style is often awkward and clunky, and certain lines and stylistic choices took me right out of the plot. Overall, not a great reading experience for me… your mileage may vary.
Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley. Full review at Bookshelf Fantasies.
January 10, 2021
Waking up in the wrong body is a concept I’ve seen mined for comedic value in the movies. But I never expected to encounter this scenario in such a thought-provoking story that is at times both terrifying and hopeful. She Wouldn’t Change a Thing is a page turner, but also a mind-bender that will make you stop and contemplate every small cause and effect....both in fictional Maria’s life, and your own.
September 20, 2021
I received this from a Goodreads giveaway for an honest review.
Maria Forssmann is a successful psychiatrist with two beautiful daughters, a husband she loves, and is soon to deliver her son. When a new patient surprises her with a dire prediction and some implausible facts about her life, Maria is skeptical. Her patient challenges Maria with this question: "Every day people make choices without knowing the outcome. Can you imagine, though, if you knew the outcome before you made the choice? Wouldn't you bear the responsibility of it, even if it didn't happen by your hand? It's important to always do the right thing, Maria, even if you have to suffer the consequences."
So when Maria wakes up in her seventeen year old body, she is desparate to return to her husband and children. But what price must she pay to do so?
A fantastic examination of morality, faith and the repercussions of the choices we make. A modern day "Sophie's Choice".
Maria Forssmann is a successful psychiatrist with two beautiful daughters, a husband she loves, and is soon to deliver her son. When a new patient surprises her with a dire prediction and some implausible facts about her life, Maria is skeptical. Her patient challenges Maria with this question: "Every day people make choices without knowing the outcome. Can you imagine, though, if you knew the outcome before you made the choice? Wouldn't you bear the responsibility of it, even if it didn't happen by your hand? It's important to always do the right thing, Maria, even if you have to suffer the consequences."
So when Maria wakes up in her seventeen year old body, she is desparate to return to her husband and children. But what price must she pay to do so?
A fantastic examination of morality, faith and the repercussions of the choices we make. A modern day "Sophie's Choice".
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