Twice in a Lifetime

By: Melissa Baron

“It’s because I suffer in silence well.”

This book blew me away and is my first 5 star of the month. Isla moves after a terrible year. She receives a text message from someone claiming to be her husband. She tells him it’s a wrong number, but he sends her a picture of them on their wedding day. Cautiously, Isla continues to text Ewan, her supposed husband. He knows things about her that no one else knows – including her about her panic attacks and her crippling anxiety. He claims to be from the future and he’s there to stop some future event from happening. He tells Isla that they are no longer together in the future. As she learns to love herself and her mind, it may keep Ewan away, but they may be able to find their way to each other again.

I’m not usually a fan of time traveling in books, but this book handled it so perfectly. The other thing that Baron handled perfectly was Isla’s depression, anxiety, and panic disorder. Honestly, it was nice to read someone like me in a book. I have suffered from all of those things in my life (and am on medication), that while she was dealing with it, I was dealing with it alongside of Isla.

There are so many emotional moments, not just in a romantic sense. I cried quite a few times during this book. I cried a lot for Isla. I know what it is like to have a parent pick on you and to continuously have self doubt. Ewan described it perfectly as bullying yourself. But how does one break the voice in your head that puts you down? Therapy, which this book talks about in such a positive light.

Ewan really was one of the good guys. Loving Isla as she was, even though she wasn’t perfect and at times suffering. He saw something in her that he wished she would see. That was really beautiful to read about.

There’s so much more to enjoy about this book, but I don’t want to give away any spoilers. Just read the book, you won’t regret it.

Get your copy of this book here.