A nice romantic Christmas Carol inspired story and nice to read a romantic story with a male lead, however it didn’t really stand out for me, it’s an easy read, with an interesting premise of a Christmas Carol mixed with sliding doors, but it just wasn’t really a catch your attention and hold it kind of story, the characters felt a bit one dimensional and the story I felt fell a bit flat once or twice, it picked up towards the end and I felt more of a connection to Ben, but just a bit late, overall a nice read, but nothing memorable for me

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

“If you could turn the clock back, would you chose a different life?”

Ben is 34 years old.  He’s been with to Daphne, the girl he met at University, for 15 years, but they are having difficulties.  Daphne has a successful career, working long hours,and Ben is stuck in a dead-end job, lamenting that his writing career never took off.

Alice is his Uni friend, the quiet but humours girl who had a crush on him, who he spent a lot of time with and who many thought he would get together with.  When she gets back in touch, with the promise of more than friendship, Ben accepts an invitation to meet, knowing that he was going to be starting an affair.

However, things take a turn in the pub on Christmas Eve, an eccentric old man gifts Ben a watch that is broken, the time stuck on one minute to midnight. And when Ben goes to sleep that night, he wakes the following morning on 5th December 2005, the day he kissed Daphne, choosing her over Alice.

I enjoyed this book which is a modern twist on Dicken’s A Christmas Carol.  Ben gets to wake up on different days over the course of his life, his interaction with his (now) wife and his Uni friend Alice making him think about his life choices and finally bringing the realisation of what is truly important to him.  His habit of blaming others for his failures and wallowing in self-pity is frustrating, but I liked that Ben grew to realise what he had been doing and learning that he had to take responsibility himself.

I also enjoyed the fact that this was a women’s fiction Christmas book with a male lead - they are few and far between!

A thought-provoking but light Christmas read.

A beautiful read. It’s unusual to find such a book told from the male perspective and I think that’s why it was so special. Very sliding doors, with Ben travelling to significant years of his life. Will he see this as a chance to change the course of his life for good, or realise that the grass isn’t always greener. How amazing to have that chance at that stage in his life. I’m quite teary having just finished reading. Wonderfully captivating. #allaboutus #netgalley

This is essentially a retelling of A Christmas Carol for a modern audience, and I really enjoyed it. The story follows Ben, who seems to have fallen into a rut and out of love with his wife, moving through key milestones in his life in the past, present and future to determine whether he made the right choices.

It was a fairly light read for the most part (although it does cover parental death) and I particularly enjoyed the flashbacks with Ben’s mum and also from when Ben was a fresher. I think it did jump to different milestones a bit too much though.

I found Ben to be pretty unlikeable as he was selfish, thoughtless and whiny. To drive the plot, Ben had to be that way and I liked that he was flawed and pretty realistic even if I still didn’t really like him by the end. I also really appreciated that this was written from a male perspective as well- it made for a refreshing change!

Many thanks to HQ for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Christmas 2020. Ben is sitting in a pub with his friend while his wife, Daphne, is at a work event. His marriage is falling apart and he’s seriously questioning whether he’s made the right choices in life. When a strange old man hands him a watch, with the hands frozen on 1 minute to 12, Ben discovers he can revisit the Christmases of the past 15 years, back to when he first met Daphne. Although he finds he can’t change the past, will the past change him and will he make the same mistakes a second time around?

I loved this story for so many reasons. It was refreshing to have a male protagonist in a novel of this genre. His reactions to the behaviour of himself and those around him in the past was something I think we could all relate to, and his changing attitudes built up gradually through the chapters. At first I assumed that he would just change what happened in 2005, which would then have a knock on effect in the future, however, happily I was wrong. The fact that whatever he did made no difference apart from to his own feelings made this a gripping tale and one I thoroughly enjoyed.

Brilliant book.

Christmas Eve 2020 and an old man in a packed London pub hands Ben a wristwatch that allows him to revisit various moments in his life.....
What a brilliant read. Not my usual genre and I must admit I found myself initially thinking this might not be for me but boy am I glad I stuck with it.  The characters are so well rounded and just normal it’s like you know them . Think Sliding Doors and A Christmas Carol. A real path taken/not taken premise. Such a great read, I heard myself shouting at Ben at times and weeping for him at others.

On Christmas Eve of 2020, Ben thinks about two things. 
1) His marriage to Daphne looks like it might be over 

2) An old university friend, Alice, who has just got in touch again to meet up for a drink. 

He knows that that drink could turn into something more and he can’t help but wonder if Alice is the one who got away. 

Before he knows it, an eavesdropping stranger gives him a watch. Ben doesn’t think too much about it but the next morning he realises he’s woken up on 5th December 2005; the night that he first kissed Daphne, foregoing any chance he’d had with Alice. 

If you enjoy a Christmas romance, All About Us is a cosy read. It’s not all fluff though as Tom Ellen does a good job exploring grief, friendship and some of the hard stuff that comes with marriage and relationships. At times, I got frustrated with Ben and his silly choices but hey, he’s human, right? 

I found this book very honest as it’s human nature to think the grass is greener on the other side or to want what we don’t have. I’m sure we’ve all felt that way about something or the other but how many of us have dared to explore?

A delightful festive time slip  novel,  which will appeal to anyone who ever wonders about their "one that got away". Tom Ellen writes with a light comedy touch, and really tugs at your emotions. Recommended.

This was like a retelling of A Christmas Carol with a twist. 

Heartwarming and sad and funny and sweet all at once. 

All About Us tells the story of Ben who is feeling like perhaps he made the wrong choice 15 years ago. We get taken through Christmases past to see if Ben will change his mind about the decision he made then and about the consequences we all face following difficult decisions. 

Thanks to NetGalley and to HQ for the opportunity to read and review.

This book was not what I expected at all! It’s a modern day version of A Christmas Carol as Ben is taken back to his past, present and future to answer that burning question he has….did he choose the right girl all those years ago?!

Ben is always taken back to Christmas just a different year each time and each one was perfect. I thought the same as Ben most times, what could he possibly learn by going back to this moment, but as you go on this journey with Ben through each one you can see that what he saw at the time was always clouded by his negative thoughts or sadness he was experiencing. Each moment interlinked perfectly to the next, providing all the answers Ben needed. He learnt so much along the way and grew as a character.

The most heartbreaking and equally loveliest of moments was definitely when he got to go back to spend Christmas with his mum again who had sadly passed away. Ben is distraught and filled with so much guilt because he argued with her before she died, so for him to get the chance to go back was just so lovely. The author handled this so well and you could really feel how Ben must have felt. It was so emotional.

Overall it’s a beautifully written book which we can all definitely learn something from!

Ben is at a crisis point in his life and relationship. On Christmas Eve he is given a watch by a stranger in the pub and so commences a special journey for Ben. A modern twist on the Dickensian Christmas Carol when Ben time travels  to various key episodes in his life when he made life choices . Were they the correct ones? Can he alter? Does he like what he sees in the future? 
I warmed to the tale as it progressed willing the characters to resolve their issues. Filled with bright moments and sadness. A time to reflect on life’s pathways.

All About Us by Tom Ellen is the story of Ben.  He's finding life very hard, and is wondering if he made the right choices.  He's with Daphne, but should he have ended up with Alice?

It's Christmas Eve, and when he gets given a watch by a mysterious man at the pub, he puts it on, but he doesn't realise what's about to happen to him.  When he wakes up the next morning, it's not Christmas Day, instead it's 5th December, 15 years before, when he made his choice between Daphne and Alice.

This is a heartwarming, sad, sweet and funny story of Ben's past, his decisions, and the consequences.  

I really enjoyed the book overall, even if I did find some sections sad and hard to read.  It really is a very good book, and one that has a lot of Christmas in it, if you're looking for something festive!

 All About Us  is being published on 15th October 2020, and is available from  Amazon ,  Waterstones  and your  local independent bookshop .

You can follow Tom Ellen on  Twitter .

I was given this book in exchange for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to  HQ .

Okay I absolutely loved this book, I’m not a big romance fan but I was hooked! It hit every emotion possible I even had to take a break as it actually made me feel sad. This is just a beautiful written book and I loved every minute of it.

The festive season crystallises memories good and bad for most people and Christmas 2020 proves to be a memorable one for Ben. At a low point in his life, he has a serendipitous meeting with a man who gives him a watch and food for thought. What follows, defies belief but at such a magical time of year, anything is possible, right?

Ben, his wife Daff, best friend Harv and Alice the what-if lover are all well-described, relatable characters in this engaging story.  The festive twist comes from the December time frame and the contemporary interpretation of Dicken's  A Christmas Carol.

This story focuses on the turning points of Ben's life when he makes life-changing decisions. Given the opportunity, should he change them?  Revisiting the past forces Ben to see things differently, not everything is as he remembers it, and this is important for his future actions.

There's a new adult romance, coming of age, loss, love and magical time travel in this reflective story.

I received a copy of this book from HQ via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Aaah, this was such a satisfying story. I knew from the first few pages that I was really going to like this book and Ellen did not disappoint. It is sad, it is emotional, but the Christmas theme makes it warm-hearted as well.

It makes a change for me to read a book by a male author and one that features a male protagonist. Having recently analysed the books I read, I am painfully aware that it is female-dominated. Maybe this added to my enjoyment of the story.

Using Dickens’s 'A Christmas Carol', Ellen’s novel follows a similar story. After meeting a quirky watch-seller in a pub on Christmas Eve, Ben finds himself hurtling back in time and re-living significant moments of his life. He is disappointed, discouraged and questioning in present day and, with his broken watch, has the opportunity to see whether the choices he made were the correct ones. Occasionally, Ben meets with the watch-seller but, as Ben soon discovers, it is down to himself to find out the true answers.

I loved the fact that the premise of this story is based on Dickens. It is a familiar story to many and I think Ellen creates a fresh, new approach. Indeed, it took me a while to make the connection, even though references are made from the very beginning when we are with Ben in the early 2000s when he is at university, acting in a play that is a re-working of this festive tale.

The times when Ben was at university were particularly significant to me. Being of a similar age to Ben, I completely picked up on the cultural references throughout the novel. I think this meant the novel had an even more of a special connection with me. Coupled with the fact that 'Back to the Future' remains one of the best films ever, and that I used to watch a children’s program about a magic, time-shifting watch then, well, this was always going to be a success, right?!

I could not really foresee how the story was going to conclude. Sharing Ben’s bitterest and lowest moments over the years meant that I felt like I genuinely knew him. Ellen’s characterisation of Ben, Daphne and even Alice is precise and vivid: it makes them seem like they are part of your own group of friends.

I loved this festive novel. It has so many highs and lows that I think this could be read quite a distance before Christmas! Yes, there is a satisfying ending but, the emotional elements of the story does mean it has more of an edge that typical “slushy” stories. As a debut novel from Ellen, I am really excited to see what he produces next.

With thanks to HQ stories and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

An interesting take on A Christmas Carol, it was really good to read a story about regret that focuses so much on true love from a male perspective. The lead character is on the cusp of making some life changing decisions, when he is given the opportunity to relive some key moments in his life. I really enjoyed this, there were some great characters and also some really unpleasant ones. Nicely written and well balanced.

A brilliant easy read about what would you do if you had the chance to relive certain parts of your life over to show how things might have been. If you could do it differently, would you?
A chance encounter on Christmas Eve leads Ben on the journey of a lifetime, where one moment in time can change everything. 
Cleverly written, the time travelling aspect works really well in a fun, unbelievable and emotional way, and I loved Ben and Daphne from the start.
A clever spin on A Christmas Carol and a great fun read.

What a beautiful book! I loved following the story of Ben as he journeyed around revisiting key moments in his life. The characters were developed really well as the story progressed.  I felt like I got to know Ben,  Daff (his wife) Alice (the one who got away) and Harv his long-standing friend really well. 

Parts of the story I found profoundly moving, particularly the scenes involving his mother. I could empathise with his emotional confusion and was envious of some of the opportunities afforded to him. 

I was totally gripped by Ben’s world and found myself sharing his frustrations & emotions. This story cleverly portrays a unique opportunity to reflect on previous behaviours and the lessons which that can offer us as well as the dangers. I would highly recommend this.

If you could turn back the clock, would you choose a different path in life?

Ben’s relationship with Daphne is on the rocks so when Alice, the one who got away, gets back in touch with him one December, he can’t help but wonder: what if he’d done things differently all those years ago? He never imagines that he might actually find out… but when a mysterious man gives him a broken watch in the pub, he’s astonished to wake up the next morning on 5th December 2005: the day he first kissed Daphne, leaving Alice behind.

This magical, festive read is inspired by A Christmas Carol. It is warm, properly romantic and a tearjerker. I really cared about Ben and how things would turn out for him and I loved that the characters and relationships were fallible and complex.

The book explores toxic masculinity and how many men struggle to share and deal with their feelings: “But I suddenly, desperately want to find a way to actually talk to him. Because it’s too much, keeping all this stuff locked up in my head. It feels like a dam is about to burst somewhere inside me, and fifteen years’ worth of suppressed emotions are about to stream out onto the table between us.” Ben’s friendship with Harv is a friendship built on “ripping the piss out of each other”, banter and film trivia, not on openness and honesty about their feelings.

It also looks at regret and our human tendency to always wonder if the grass would be greener on the other side. Interestingly, there seem to be a whole host of male authors exploring the themes of regret and fate through time travel and alternate lives at the moment, such as Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library and Robert Webb’s Come Again (which interestingly also sees the protagonist unexpectedly waking up in their first year university bedroom!) You’d also love this book if you enjoyed Richard Curtis’ film About Time.

All About Us also explores grief and loss. It’s worth warning anyone who is separated from family at the moment, worried about their parents’ health or has experienced a bereavement, that this might be a difficult read. Personally, I found reading about Ben being separated from family at Christmas to be particularly tough given the current uncertainty caused by COVID-19. It’s the exploration of grief, though, that drew me even closer to the character of Ben – it was an emotional whirlwind through the highs and lows of his life.

At its heart though, All About Us is a love story and one that I would highly recommend. It is Tom Ellen’s adult debut (having previously written some brilliant YA with Lucy Ivison – I’d particularly recommend Lobsters and Freshers) and I’ll definitely pick up anything he writes in the future.

If you’ve ever been caught up in the magic of A Christmas Carol this magical time-travelling love story is for you! Tissues are advised! 

Ben and Daphne have been together for over a decade and there are evident signs that their marriage is on the rocks. We first meet the pair on Christmas Eve after having an argument about Ben’s lack of involvement in the festivities. As Daphne attends drinks with her work colleagues, a sulking Ben is asked to put the decorations up but instead meets his friend Harv in the pub. Although Ben is about to get a lot more than he bargained for when he engages in a chat with an old watch seller...

I don’t want to give any spoilers away but this book is just beautiful and so engaging. While reading I found myself reflecting on the ‘big moments’ of my life and how they have shaped me. At times we can all be guilty of wanting to change the past and have ‘what if’ moments when things haven’t always gone to plan. Tom Ellen describes these moments beautifully through Ben and the sense that we can sometimes remember things without all the facts. 

This story made me laugh, cry and hold out hope for a happy ending. A magical festive read!