Published By: Sphere
Pages: 320
Released On: 07/10/2025
When he is eight years old, Alfie Logan discovers the magical ability to get a second chance at everything. He can undo any moment and live it again. The one catch: he must accept the consequences of his second try – for better or worse.
He grows up correcting his mistakes and saving himself from adolescent embarrassments. He even takes foolishly dangerous risks, just to see what it’s like to come close to death, before tapping back to safety. Eventually, Alfie turns his gift to his love life, studying his crushes and going back to make himself more appealing. In time, he falls deeply in love with Gianna, the woman he believes is the one. He seems to find contentment.
But as the years pass, Alfie’s eye begins to wander. Which is when he learns a lone caveat to his power: once he undoes a love, that person can never fall in love with him again. Knowing if he gives into to temptation, he will risk losing what he has with Gianna, Alfie makes a choice that changes his life forever.
The book begins many years later, after an ailing Alfie is arrested for allegedly cheating and winning millions at a casino roulette wheel. As a curious detective interrogates him, he slowly uncovers Alfie’s incredible story, and its most unlikely conclusion.
*****
Thanks to NetGalley and Sphere for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.
I’ve only read one of Mitch’s books – The Little Liar – but it was one of the best books I’ve ever read and so I was really keen to read this.
It’s a fantasy story, a love story, a story about friendship and family and community, about grief and second chances. What would we do if we had a chance to redo any moment? Would we even do it? Risk what we already have, knowing you could throw it all away?
The whole story is told through a notebook, like Alfie has written a novel and is reading it out loud, but it’s actually his life. I was worried at first that this would make it very passive, very tell and not show. But it really works. And I think that is down to Mitch’s storytelling, his way with words and character creation.
For something written by one person and through one person’s POV (for the most part), it is so layered with such depth. So many themes and stories going on but it never feels too much. You just get absorbed by it all.
It is a romance novel but not a contemporary romance, not the type you would normally read when picking up a romance book. But it’s got absolutely everything going for it.
I dithered over writing about the characters. I would normally do it in a review, but I think part of the magic of this book, part of the soul, comes from the reader discovering them as they go, so I will keep schtum.
Generally speaking, I do not ask for longer books. 350 is my sweet spot so at about 320 pages, this should be perfect. And it was. And because of that, I wanted more. I couldn’t bear the idea of leaving this world
I read it in one day, I just couldn’t tear myself away at all. It’s a beautiful book. I had pre-ordered this but cancelled it when I was sent this digital ARC, but now I’ve read it, I might have to re-order it to have on my shelf.
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