Title: All About Us
Author: Tom Ellen
Publisher: HQ
Synopsis:
One moment in time can change your life forever…
Ben’s always loved the holidays but with his marriage to Daphne on the rocks, this year they’re missing their usual magic. So when his old flame Alice gets back in touch, Ben can’t help wonder: did he make the right choice all those years ago?
Yet everything changes on Christmas Eve when a twinkly-eyed stranger sells Ben a mysterious watch, the hands frozen at one minute to midnight. Opening his eyes the next morning, Ben is astonished to find that he has been catapulted back to 5th December 2005: the day he first kissed Daphne, leaving Alice behind.
Now Ben must make the biggest decision of his life, all over again. But this time around, will he finally find the courage to follow his heart?
All About Us is a deeply moving novel about love, loss and heartbreak — and how, with the help of a little magic, it’s never too late to find the one you’ve been searching for.
My review:
I didn’t know what to expect from All About Us before starting it – I worried it might be a little too cheesy for me, but I was completely captivated by this story. Tom Ellen’s writing – it flows so well, and the story is so easy to lose yourself in, that I didn’t want to put the novel down, and raced through it!
I always enjoy reading romantic stories which are told from a male point of view, as it makes a nice change – and it touches upon some important issues, one of which was the way in which male relationships often differ to women’s. When Ben tries to talk to friends about his relationship, or how he’s feeling, he often finds it difficult to spark a proper conversation, and we can see – from being inside Ben’s head – that this is something that’s really lacking in his life… and no doubt man other men’s lives too.
Also, time-travel element is something that always intrigues me. I love stories that play with time, moving the reader back and forth, and in All About Us, main character Ben travels back to his past and relives some key moments in his relationship with wife Daphne.
I don’t want to give too much away, but the plot is a sort of modern retelling of A Christmas Carol and it manages to be sweet, poignant and, at times, funny too. It has the perfect blend of escapism and emotion; it completely drew me in and I found myself rooting for certain people to end up together.
Although some parts of All About Us are quite easy to see coming, and perhaps a little predictable, I felt this doesn’t matter because the journey is so enjoyable!
Rating: 4/5
Many thanks to HQ for providing a copy of this book on which I chose to write an honest and unbiased review.