This is Audiobook Fanatic’s first listen to Cesca Major, a novelist and screenwriter who has written fourteen novels under different names.
London literary agent Emma, constantly preoccupied with work and her never-ending incoming messages, fails to realize she’s neglecting her loving husband Dan and has forgotten to write him their traditional letter on their anniversary. She is too busy buried deep in her phone, watching over social media alerts, client messaging, and managing a local committee. After a heated argument, Dan walks out to take the dog for a walk, and moments later Emma hears the screech of brakes and runs out to see Dan’s lifeless body sprawled on the road. After a horrific night, Emma wakes up the next morning, and Dan is alive in bed again. And it’s Monday, their anniversary, all over again. The day repeats itself over and over, and Emma tries desperately to change the course of fate by doing things differently each time, sometimes going to extremes and becoming completely unhinged.
The audiobook is an addictive listen from the onset. Emma is the all-too-familiar modern-day, career-driven mom trying to do it all and be everything. Once the plot becomes established as a “Groundhog Day” phenomenon, the story takes some unexpected turns. Instead of Emma figuring out how to resolve her husband’s dire fate, she repeats the day in many different ways, expanding the story’s central focus and the roles of the secondary characters. Consequently, the book becomes even more interesting as listeners are delved into the world of book agents, childhood bullies, and London’s underground world.
Narrator Clare Corbett, an acclaimed narrator for many of her previous works, doesn’t disappoint in this one. She delivers both an emotionally heartbreaking and humorous performance as Emma and a heartfelt recounting of Dan’s love letters. This “what if” tale is perfect for those who enjoy stories about women struggling to balance it all. In summary, the story is compelling, but the narration makes this a definite worthwhile listen!
