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The Time of My Life
Samantha Tonge
Publication Date: March 10th, 2026
Boldwood Books
363 Pages
Amazon | Goodreads | Bookshop.org
Genre: General Fiction | Women’s Fiction
Samantha Tonge writes wonderful books about women and self-discovery. In this one, Eliza decides she needs a different life, so she decides to “buy” one from Carrie. She gets Carrie’s house, car, belongings, and cat; she also gets a trial period at Carrie’s job, where she even meets her friends. Eliza decides this is meant to be; she feels as though she is reconnecting with her younger self.
While living Carrie’s life, Eliza takes some chances she didn’t get when she was younger. She put aside a lot of interests and passions when she became an adult and uses this opportunity to rediscover them. I loved the message that it’s never too late to be your true self. We need to stop wasting time watching the clock at work and start living in the moment. Maybe it’s because I turn sixty later this year, but this really hit home with me. I found this so uplifting—ever read a novel and have it feel like a hug in a book? That’s what this book was like for me. It was so relatable, funny, and heartfelt.
Tonge always writes her female leads authentically, and Eliza’s mid-life crisis felt real and natural rather than caricatured (Yes, that’s a real word!). The heart of the book is in its emotions; I loved the “what if” feeling because Eliza never really felt sorry for herself or came across as “woe is me.” I liked Eliza, and I cheered her on the whole way. I was so happy for her when she started to find her spark again. While this is Tonge’s typical feel-good book, the execution comes across as sincere and charming. It is very refreshing to find a book with an older woman realizing that growth isn’t only for the young, but also the young at heart. This was the perfect escapist read and very inspiring. This book is a real gem. There is something very special to me about this type of book, especially one that shows that we don’t have a best-before date on old dogs learning new tricks, and I am of the age where the themes of this book are an inspiring reminder of that.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
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