What a lovely story. Ben is 34 years old and at a crossroads. His fifteen year old relationship with Daphne is shaky, not helped by her career success and his failure which has led to him being very negative about himself. The sudden loss of his mother has poleaxed him too especially as they fought the last time he saw her. So, when an email comes from Alice,  a girl he was attracted to at university, he seriously thinks about starting an affair with her. But on Christmas Eve 2020 he is given a watch stopped at one minute to midnight which transports him back to the past, into the present and into the future giving him the chance to gain a new perspective on his life. 

I loved this book. Ben is such a likeable character even though he's a bit of a dick at times but then, who isn't?  I thought the use of the structure of A Christmas Carol was very clever and the insights he gained from his various 'trips' was great. I found the scenes with his mother very moving. We've all been there; wishing we had time again with loved ones to say the things we didn't say and ask the questions we didn't ask. A very wise book. Perfect for fans of David Nicholls this is bound to be a bestseller. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.

This book follows thirty four year old Ben, whose marriage has gone stagnant, as well as his career. The night before Christmas 2020, he is gifted a watch that will take him through to the past to relive some of his past experiences, and maybe appreciate them in a different way. A modern day Christmas Carol! 

I was SO pleasantly surprised by the course this book took. I was sure that it would be a case of Ben realising that he followed the wrong path back in University, and that he should have fallen in love with Annie, instead of Daphne (his present day wife). The fact that this book was about appreciating what you DO have, and Ben falling in love with Daphne all over again made my heart sing. I really enjoyed the appreciation for family and friends, and the lesson of opening yourself up to past mistakes and holding yourself accountable. The ending was realistic, and I think that it really rounded off the book well. 

I’ve read some Tom Ellen before (Freshers made me laugh out loud), and can honestly say that his writing style is one of my favourites. Witty, emotional, and honest. I want to give Daphne and Ben’s Mum the BIGGEST of hugs!

A charming romance, bound to be the One Day in December of 2020. Lovely take on relationships and family with a few terrific jokes. Tom Ellen assuredly makes the jump from YA to adult fiction.

One moment in time can change your life forever… so can the decisions that we make every single day, the encounters we have and the choices that we make.  

But what happens to all those other choices. The ones we didn’t take. How would our lives have ended up? Where would the journey have taken us? What things would change? And what would end up staying the same? If we had a choice to do things differently. Would we take it? 

Well this is the decision that Ben has to make. Ben loves the holiday season. He loves the sparkle, he loves the magic and he loves the joy that it brings. But this year Ben is missing all that joy he is missing all the usually magic. Because his marriage has hit the rocks. So when a chance encounter with an ex flame Alice comes calling, Ben can’t help but wondering what if? So when Ben meets a mysterious stranger on Christmas Eve who gives him a magical watch that freezes the hands of time, whizzing Ben back to the 5th December 2009. It seems that Ben can get all the answers to the questions that have been playing on his mind. But is life really greener on the other side of the fence?

A charmingly delightful and romantic story.  About love and second chances.