The Good Part by Sophie Cousens | 338 pages | 2023
At twenty-six, Lucy Young is tired. Tired of fetching coffees for senior TV producers, tired of going on disastrous dates, and definitely tired of living in a damp flat share with flatmates who never buy toilet roll. She could quit her job for a better living, but she's not ready to give up on her dreams. Not just yet. After another diabolical date lands her in a sudden storm and no money for bus fare, Lucy finds herself seeking shelter in a tiny shop, where she stumbles upon a curious wishing machine. Pushing her last coin into the slot, Lucy closes her eyes and wishes with everything she's got: Please, let me skip to the good part of my life.
When she wakes the next morning to a handsome man, a ring on her finger, a high-powered job, and storybook perfect little boy and baby girl, Lucy can't believe this is real--especially when she looks in the mirror, and staring back is her own forty-something face. Has she really skipped ahead to the future she's always wanted, or has she simply forgotten a huge chunk of her life? And as Lucy begins to embrace this new life and new relationships, she'll have to ask herself: Can she go back, and if so, does she want to?
(Synopsis taken from Goodreads)
I love a good "would you change your life" scenario, so this was a fun read. The author handled the mechanics of the time jump - and subsequent search to go back - really well. At various points I even started to question whether she actually jumped or if she really did have amnesia.
This book is about a lot of different kinds of love, and I really appreciated that. The plot of Lucy and Sam getting to know each other was really sweet and well done, but the love between friends, the parent-child relationships, and the support of coworkers were all beautiful too. I'm still mulling over the ending and whether I wanted it to end the way it did, but I can't be mad either way. This one will be fun to discuss in book club!
