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Review: The Time of My Afterlife

The Time of My Afterlife The Time of My Afterlife by Lucy Mitchell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Florence and Clark have been irritating each other since they were six, so when a freak accident leaves them stranded together in the afterlife, neither is thrilled with the arrangement. That premise had me intrigued from the start. I loved the idea of having the main characters wake up in the afterlife with the person they've disliked since childhood. They are then given a chance to return to their lives, but only if they can figure out what they are supposed to change. With very little guidance, they begin looking outward, helping friends, neighbors, and people carrying grief of their own while slowly realizing they may have misunderstood each other for years.

I really enjoyed the mix of enemies-to-lovers, magical realism, and second-chance themes. Florence and Clark’s bickering gives the story plenty of humor. I especially loved watching their assumptions about each other gradually fall apart. Their relationship grows alongside the larger story instead of taking it over. And, while at times it was a bit far-fetched (isn't magical realism always that way), if you can suspend your disbelief for a bit, you'll enjoy the ride.

The supporting characters also gave the book more depth than I expected. Pearl, Jane, the podcast storyline, and the different ways people carry grief made this feel less like a simple romantic fantasy and more like a story about regret, forgiveness, loneliness, and appreciating the people already in your life.

Florence took a little while to grow on me, and the opening was slower than I expected. I also thought the ending wrapped things up too quickly considering how much emotional groundwork had been laid. I wanted a little more time with those final revelations and consequences.

Still, I was very glad I stayed with it. This ended up being funny, warm, thoughtful, and much more emotional than the premise initially suggested. A big thank you to Boldwood Books (@theboldbookclub) for providing access to the ARC in exchange for my unbiased review. Make sure to grab a copy this fall; it is definitely a fun read!

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