This was very sweet, witty and sharp, though a little predictable. Everyone had their individual personalities and there were plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. The writing style was simple and straightforward and "The Time of Our Lives" was the perfect book to pick up for a quick weekend read. This was my first read of anything by Portia MacIntosh and it definitely won't be my last.  

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my own request, from HQ Digital via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This novel is sweet, funny, and perfect to bring smile to your face and deliver lovely happy ending. It's a great chick lit novel!

I really enjoyed this book.

I related to Luca a lot, being a single, independent 30-something woman myself, so I did find a lot of the things she mentioned relatable and sometimes funny.

I was really intrigued to find out what happened between Luca and Tom in Uni for her to be so put off of men, and I completely understood it when all was revealed. 

I enjoyed The Time of Our Lives. Books with friendships, and couples finding their way back to each other after years of being apart are always wins for me. Brilliantly written.

4,5 Stars

I've read many books featuring weddings, as well as many books on giving love a second chance. And both things are done very well by Portia MacIntosh. There are some slapstick-moments, and the inevitable misunderstandings that lead to more confusion. All very cliché, but they are somehow done in such a cute way and with a very likeable protagonist that I had really fun being Luca's plus One to this wedding. The supporting characters (Luca's circle of friends) stayed a bit in the shadows, but that was ok for me because their stories shouldn't distract from the main story-line.

This book could be easily made into a screenplay by Richard Curtis. It's the perfect story for a sweet rom-com, with a confined setting: a wedding. All of the "Now"-chapters take place on the weekend of the wedding, with a couple of "Then"-flashbacks to 10 years before. And the dramaturgy of the scenes is more than suitable. Only the title should be different. More catchy and more telling than the very general "The time of our lives".

This book was such fluffy fun. Luca and her college friends haven't seen each other in 10 years, but they're back together for a weekend wedding of one of their own. Luca feels like everyone has moved on in their own ways (dream jobs, spouses, babies, etc) except for her. She's stuck in a job she kind of despises and is dating her Netflix account. When she meets a new guy immediately upon her arrival at the wedding, she starts to think maybe this weekend will be a turning point for her. But then she bumps into her old love, Tom, and realizes that 10 years wasn't nearly enough time for her to get over him. Hijinks ensue as the distance from their days at university highlights just how much this group of friends has changed...and how much has stayed the same. 

The cast of characters here was just fantastic. It reminds me of the gang from Four Weddings and a Funeral. Kind of a mixed-bag of personalities, but they're a family. Ed's the grown-up of the group, with a thriving medical practice and 4 daughters, but he's holding on to a traumatic secret from college. Zach and Fi (wasn't there a Fiona in 4 Weddings? See?) finally got together after years of will-they or won't they, but they don't seem nearly as excited about their upcoming wedding as they should. Clarky is a MESS...flirting inappropriately, acting like a toddler, but somehow endearing himself to everyone anyway, just like he did at school. Even Luca's ex-boyfriend, Alan, makes an appearance at the wedding, though he's now a professional bodybuilder who keeps swooping in to save everyone with his ridiculously huge muscles (it's far more amusing than it sounds). They're all so charming and you just can't help but fall in love with them. 

I've never read any of Portia MacIntosh's books before, but I was a big fan of this one. It's an easy read, perfect for when you want to escape into a world of other people's hilarious drama. It was fun, and I'll definitely be checking out more of her work.

***Thanks to NetGalley and HQ Digital for the ARC in exchange for my honest review! ***

This is the second book I read from Portia MacIntosh and I am so happy that I chose this one to read because I absolutely loved that « the time of our lives » - it’s so fun to read! So entertaining! And not boring at all! There is always something fun happening in this wedding! And what I loved also about that book is how the chapters are divided. Every two chapters you go back to Luca’s and her friends past lives when they were students and living all together and every two chapters you come back to the present times at the wedding of one of Luca’s friend. I can only recommend this book to you and I will make sure to read the next book of Portia!!!!!

This book can't decide what it wants to be. Is it chick-lit, a thriller, something else? It was just so odd and meandering.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

This is a light and uncomplicated reading with a great starting point that becomes a little messy and boring sometimes. Don't misunderstood me, please, I've had a good time reading it but I think it could be so much better. It's chick lit, so I knew I wasn't going to read hot and sexy moments, but I thought the love story was going to be more important, which it isn't. 
We have two narrative times, one in a wedding at the present, and one ten years ago, when our main love story was about to happen but doesn't happen at all. At the present, Luca and Tom, the main characters, meet again after ten years and you can see there's still sparks between them, but we are constantly interrupted by the past so we can know what happened to them that frustrates their love story. Seriously, I was hooked by their love story and the thought that you have to be in the right palce at the right time so that you future can develop in the right way. But although Luca is constantly thinking about Tom and the way he makes her feel, their love isn't the main plot of the book and it made the book less interesting to me (the friends, the weeding, the lies... I couldn't care less about all of that)
It's well written but the comes and goes between the two temporal lines and the constantly reminder of fate put me out. I think it's a great idea but it isn't very well developed and made me lose interest.
However, I couldn't put it down. Luca and especially Tom are two funny and lovely characters and I needed more of them together.
I'm sure going to read more books of Portia, I think she can became a great voice in the romance novel 😊.

This book is a romance with the structure of a thriller 
This is an emotionally charged book which will remind you that some relationships last forever

This is a funny chic lit book if ever you needed one. It brings you out of your down days and will certainly envelope you into smiling. 
Luca is joining a friends wedding but is very reluctant to go with her her life is turning out. 
There's countryside wedding, ex boyfriends appear lots of unwanted events occur... 
Some of the story was a little rushed and could have been a little more, fast paced and a good solid book.thanks to netgalley

"It's not fate it's love"

I really enjoyed reading this book and read it all in one sitting.
I'm new to reading Portia MacIntosh books but after reading The Time Of Our Lives I will definitely be looking in to her back catalogue.
I loved how the storyline flowed and I like the fact it went back and forth from Luca and co being in University and then present day.
I loved getting an insight in to the gangs dynamic when they all lived together. 
It really made sense on how they were now.
I absolutely loved Luca and her friends and felt a connection to them.
I really routed for them.
I loved the laugh out loud moments, the friendly banter and the crazy dynamic this group had.
I especially loved the fact that it rang true that you don't have to see friends every day to still be friends and you love them warts and all.
It's a great book that you really need to one click and get wrapped up in the crazy goings on of a summer wedding and all the emotions it brings with it.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for a review

This story was absolute chaos - in the way only a classic, chick-lit/rom-com can be. The story unfolds over a single day. Aside from flashbacks to a decade earlier and an epilogue, it all takes place at a wedding reception. The plot involves a group of friends who lived together at uni, who haven't seen one another in about 5 years. Their history is narrated in single POV by the heroine, Luca.

I breezed through this in a couple of hours and it surprised me that I was so engaged by a group of people I really didn't like much. The only one I did like was perhaps the one who deserved it least, the hero Tom. 

This wasn't a comfortable tale for sure. Some characters were downright unpleasant and there was a bit of veiled hostility and the sense that things were off with others. Tensions increased with the amounts of drink consumed
Woven throughout was Luca's unrequited history with Tom, and ttheir almost-relationship that wasn't, revealed in flashbacks. Now at the age of 31, Luca is clearly still affected by those events, remaining single with no prospects and treading water in an unsatisfying life and the job she hates.
Luca tries to dodge a persistent Tom while past secrets and issues between the friends build to a dramatic but rather funny climax. 
In the end, it all plays out as expected and as it should for this genre. The story is messy and uncomfortable at times, while still managing to retain its humour and even produce some poignant, angsty moments.  

I didn't always understand the bond between this group or their enduring loyalty to one another, but I guess I don't need to. Nor am I sure that I liked anyone better at the end. But I was content with how it all ended and that's an important outcome for a reader. 
I'm pleased at the opportunity to discover a new writer that appeals to me. She has style and real skill in creating and developing characters. 

While I liked the book, I needed more likable characters. And the philandering husband with the man-bun felt like overkill with so much else going on. For those reasons I rated 3.5 stars.

thank you for allowing me to read this book. it was very easy to read. i enjoyed the story line and the characters. look forward to reading more from portia.

What a boring story chock full of unlikable characters, thin plot lines, no substance and an already been overdone concept

I liked it, I've had a very good time, it's a fun and quite fluid reading in which the present shares protagonism with the past.
It is a pure chick-lit, the book is about the reunion between Luca and Tom " her could be but was not" and her friends from the university at the wedding of one of them.
It is not a great love story considering that most of the book takes place during the wedding day of one of Luca's friends, it's a simple and beautiful story about friendship, reunions and second chances.
I had a lot of fun, although there were sad moments because of how bad Luca does everything, but in general it was a fun and light reading.

this the perfect summer read, a page turner with a deep yet not complicated plot.. this is a book about friendship first, love overall, and finding who you really are among all the cheos in life. i love it so very much.. it warmed my feelings enough to start believing again.. that ture and honest love can always finds it's home even in a broken heart like mine.

How do I start this review other than to say that this book was just what I needed. It made me smile, giggle and fall in love with the nostalgic feeling. You really do get the best of both worlds with the “then” parts but I also loved the present where you see this group of friends meet up after not seeing each other for a while. Then add in a few secrets to the mix and you get a brilliant story.

All of the characters were different they had their good points and bad. I guess just like any large group of friends! However they were all there for each other and this made the book extra special. There are plenty of mishaps both in the past and present and all of the characters share a wonderful chemistry whether it be through friendship or romantically. Even though there is a romantic thread it runs perfectly alongside the main theme which is friendship. I think Portia MacIntosh got this combination just right!

This story was so much fun but also had a depth to it as you see how there had been missed opportunities along the way. Both parts, past and present merged so well together and kept the momentum going all the way through. In fact I hated putting this book down and pretty much raced my way through. I loved it!

The Time of Our Lives is a fun filled feel good story with fabulous moments of humour and heart!

The chance for a second romance if fate will allow is the theme running through The Time of Our Lives.
Luca lost Tom to Cleo. Was it her chronic lateness that caused it or was Tom just not that into her? At a wedding of their uni friends, Luca may finally have a chance to reconnect with Tom but her lingering hurt and doubt plus meeting Pete may throw fate for a loop.
Cute read.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A beautifully writtwn story, sure to tug on your heartstrings and make you appreciate your relationships more . Will definitely read more book by this author.

This was my first book by Portia McIntosh, but definitely not the last. 

This book had a bit of magic, was full of humor, friendship and a whole lot of romance. Luca reunites with her old college friend Tom at a wedding, and the story bounces back and forth in time between 2009 and 2019. Each chapter is split between the past and the present and it is fairly easy to keep up. 
It's light hearted, refreshing and a delightful read. 

I received a free ARC of this book through NetGalley.