Review : Time of my Life
Time of my Life by Allison Winn Scotch
Pages : 286
Genre : Women’ Fiction
My Rating : 
Jillian Westfield has the perfect husband, the perfect baby, and the perfect home in the suburbs, but sometimes she finds herself wondering about the life she left behind. A few short years earlier, she was living with her undeniably attractive but unreliable boyfriend Jackson, working a demanding job at an ad agency, partying too much, and living in a less-than-perfect New York apartment. But those days were full of possibility and free of diaper changes, trips to the grocery store, and endless days fulfilling only the needs of her daughter and husband. Now, discontented in her faltering marriage, Jillian can’t help but think about what her life would have been like if she hadn’t married Henry, quit her job to be a stay-at-home mom, or spurned her mother’s own attempts to reconcile after two decades of silence. What if she’d stayed with Jackson in their run-down apartment and tried a little harder to make their relationship work? What if she’d answered her mother’s letter? What would her life be like now?
One morning, Jillian gets a chance to find out. She wakes up in her old apartment, right in the middle of her life as it was seven years ago, before she’d left Jackson and her job and ignored her mother’s letter. With twenty-twenty hindsight, Jillian has the chance to discover “what if” once and for all—and to decide which life she really wants.
With Time of my Life, Allison Winn Scotch gives her character, Jillian, the chance to answer one of the most haunting questions that regularly comes and troubles our lives : what if? And though the book is mostly about her romantic choices, it also explores others “what if”s. What if you could do things all over again? Would you be more present for your friend going through a difficult situation? Would you do the same career choices? What exactly would you change, and where would these choices lead you?
I enjoyed this book, and found that its story had a lot more depth to it than I expected. Yes, there were a few funny moments, but mostly Jillian’s character took this chance to take a serious look at her life. The narration was well written, and it felt a lot like listening to a friend’s story. She spoke in a way that felt intimate and very true to life. I could relate to many of Jillian’s thoughts, even though our lives are different in various ways.
The only thing that let me a little down was Jillian and Jack’s relationship. Even though she says he was “the one who got away”, I never really felt their romantic connection. Jack seemed really self-involved and little inclined to compromises, with few redeeming qualities. I liked Henry much more, and even though he wasn’t “perfect” (who wants someone perfect anyway?), I liked his personality and their conversations.
I liked this book when I read it and I liked it even more after some time passed. The look the author takes on life, family and marriage was realistic and so beautifully put : it gives a lot to think about, and I could see this book as being a book club’s selection.I think many women could recognize themselves in Jillian’s fears, worries and disappointments. I enjoyed the ending, too, and I liked that, even though it was a happy one, it wasn’t an overly idealistic one.
In the end, I really enjoyed reading it. I’m extremely thankful to Lisa from TLC for giving me the chance to read it! For more opinions, stop by these wonderful blogs :
Or stop by this Book Tour‘s page to learn more on the author and the next steps of the tour!
I’ve seen a lot of good reviews of this one. I think I’ll have to add it to my gigantic pile.
This sounds like a good read. It sounds like that film, 13 Going on 30, but backwards. Great review 🙂
I have an award for you here btw:
http://notinthepink.blogspot.com/2009/08/tss-1.html
🙂
Wonderful review. Thank you.
I love this cover.
I’ve been dreaming of winter lately.
Psst…
There is a blog award for you on my blog:
http://talesofwhimsy.blogspot.com/2009/08/you-rock.html
It does sound like a book that would make you think. Great review!
That’s a good point about Jack. It seems ridiculous that Jill would like someone like him, but it didn’t bother me while reading the book.
I, too, was surprised at how deep it was! I’ll be keeping this book for a long time, because I imagine I’ll enjoy it at various times in my life. 🙂
It’s interesting to muse about the “what ifs”, isn’t it? This sounds like an interesting sort of book.
I’ve got an award for you! You can pick it up here: http://theladybugreads.blogspot.com/2009/08/lets-be-friends.html
i read this one a while back and didn’t love it…but as i said on trish’s review, i seem to be in the minority.
i did love the cover, though! 🙂
The plot reminds me a bit of Emily Giffin’s Love The One You’re With, which fell a little flat for me… mostly because I was outraged that the main character thought she’d be so much happier with her ex, who was completely a jerk and had disappointed her consistently! I wonder if I’d like this one more, or if I’d share that same sense of annoyance? Because if you can’t feel the romantic chemistry between Jack and Jill (heh, cute), I’m sure I’d be ranting about it! 🙂
This book seems quite popular among bloggers. I think this is the third or fourth review I’ve read on it and every time I read a review I can’t help but want to read it more and more. I try not to be a what if kind of person, but some days I just can’t help wondering. Would my life really be all that much different if I changed one tiny thing? Some days I answer yes other days I answer no. most of the time, I end up just being thankful for what I have because maybe taking a different road would have been better, but there isn’t much you can do about it now aside from embracing what you have now.
But we all knew that, didn’t we?
Hi Kay! I’m glad you enjoyed the book. Thanks so much for taking the time to read and review it as part of the tour!
I love the ‘what if’ question. This book does look interesting.