What if.....

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I was fortunate to receive an advance copy of this fantastic debut novel by Sarah Adlakha. I was intrigued by the blurb and the exploration of "What if?" What if I had taken a different bus, or what if I had chosen to go to New Orleans instead of Mexico on vacation? We have no way of know how each and every little decision that we make every day ultimately comprises a life - and which of those small choices could have profound impacts. On who we love, where we end up in life, or even how long we live. This is a concept that I've often contemplated in my daydreams and I really enjoyed this unique and well written debut novel. The book follows Maria, a middle aged wife and mother of 2 (soon to be 3), who has all the joys and frustrations of balancing family with a successful career, as she journeys back in time to her teen years to carry out her life's purpose. While the concept might be viewed as nonsensical and unrealistic, the book is written in such a way that one doesn't even question the reality of the situation. There is a parallel story line in which we follow a woman named Jenny as she struggles with her own marital challenges and morality tests. Slowly these two narratives converge and we learn how these women are connected. Slowly the two eras also collide and we get to see how Maria's life evolved after she made the choices that she was forced to make. All in all this book was engrossing and an easy read. I could have gobbled this one up in one sitting, it's that good.