I am a big fan of Anna Bell so I was excited to be approved to read this novel via @netgalley. I am pleased to say this new release from Anna lived up to my expectations. I loved it! In this novel Edie receives a surprise email on her 35th birthday - from her 17 year old self! During a long hot summer whilst working at a holiday camp many years ago, Edie used a website where she could write emails to her future self and they would be delivered on a set date in the future. So begins a summer where 35 year old Edie receives a series of emails from the past. The contents of these emails shakes up her life and gets her questioning her life choices, from her career choices to choices about her live life. Will Edie ultimately end up with the life her 17 year old self wished for? This book has a lot of heart. I thoroughly enjoyed it. In fact, I think it’s my favourite Anna Bell novel to date (and I e read them all). If you’re a fan of womens’ fiction, I recommend this one. It would be a great holiday read or the perfect book to pick up on a hot lazy weekend day in the garden.

Firstly a big thank you to HQ for my copy and having Me on the blog tour. I love Annas books and my goodness it was what I needed.

I devoured this and it left me reminded of love and joy.

It is romantic ,funny and so life affirming. Swoonworthy !

Was a joy to read and discover where the emails would take her ..

It definitely got the 39 year old me reminiscing of a younger me where life in some areas was easier.

This is a beautiful book perfect for those holidays or just to escape with.

Published 23rd June and do check out the other blogs taking part in the tour.

Edie is in a relationship with Scott and has a good job working as CEO of the family business. Things start to unravel when she receives an e-mail from herself which she sent when she was in her teens many years earlier. This email and the others that follow make her realise she is not fulfilling her potential in any area of her life and gives advice in order for her to do this. For some reason this book did not really work for me. The idea of receiving e-mails that you sent to yourself sounds a bit weak partly because the chances are you would have changed e-mail addresses and also as far as I am aware technology does not allow you to predate an e-mail. I also did not really warm to the character of Edie and did not think that she would have done some of the things she did later in the book. The e-mails challenged her to do things that she wouldn’t have done but they would also require a different personality. I also thought that the relationship between Edie and Joel would have developed quicker when it was patently obvious, they really liked each other. There were parts of the book I did like and could relate to, such as Edie’s difficulty in forming a relationship with her father’s girlfriend and her growing acceptance of her. The parts of the book which dealt with grieving were also well handled by the author. It was well written but just not quite right for me.

I have loved Anna Bells's booked since the first one that I picked up and this is one of the best books I've read this year! I was lucky enough to be sent an advance reader copy of this book and the cover is bright, sunny and cheerful and I was instantly drawn to it.

What can I say, the first chapter grabbed me and once it had I just flew through the chapters as I wanted to just keep reading and I kept finding time in my day to sneak in a few more pages. 

Whilst reading this book it made me think about my life and what I was feeling and question whether I was living my best life. It made me question my current roles and whether I would enjoy volunteering for children.

A great storyline, I guessed the plot twist but what makes this book better than others is that it encourages you to know the twist and you still want to eagerly keep reading. I loved the characters and their back stories and how they took me with them on their journey.

A highly recommended read, you won't regret it.

I felt like this novel is full of life lessons. As you get older, even so little as a year you do tend to reflect on your behaviour, actions and so forth and question some decisions.
Edie finds herself in her thirties with an on-paper “successful life”. One day, she receives an email from the 18 year old version of herself.
Imagine having that actually happen to you, it really is like a movie and to reflect upon every stage of a great summer you had right before things took a difficult turn. How would it make you feel? Especially in this day and age where we went through a few years of the most toughness in terms of mainly everyone’s mental health at hand. We tend to reflect on the past and on great memories or sad memories of people that are no longer alive and so forth. But to constantly replay those moments means you will never be happy. So instead you focus on how your life came to be as it is today and what it can become.
One quote I really enjoyed: “Looking back on the past and what might have been will only ever lead to heartbreak”
Even though this is a fictional book, the main character in a way is questioning her life and philosophy very lightly which I did really like in this novel.
“You shouldn’t talk yourself out of doing something just because it seems scary”
It was interesting to go on this journey and life lesson with Edie although it did reach a point where I am taking forever to finish a novel so if the details where a bit less it would have been an ultimate favourite as it was written in a way where I really enjoyed the life lessons she learned from young-adult version her.

I absolutely adored this book and could not put it down.

The mix between past and present was perfect to keep the reader engage and learn more about Edie, Soph, Douglas and Joel.

I love that what sparks the reunion is a mail Edie sends herself from the past. It was so clever and well done.

Although this is characterized as a romance novel it has romance here and there but the overall message of the book was so much greater than I could imagine - Self discovery. I loved every moment where we go with Edie to understand who she is and to become the girl she once was. We see how tragedy changed her but that you can persevere. We follow Edie who shows us that our tragedy shouldn't hold us back but we learn and it becomes a part of us but shouldn't be our identity.

The key themes of love, loss, family, friendship and alcoholism are so well written in this book and you feel for the characters. I cried at some parts but mostly laughed with Edie on her journey.

Definitely a good read and was so heart warming that I couldn't put it down.

My goodness, I absolutely loved this book!!

This is the first I have read by Anna Bell (I think I have been living under a rock until now) I was completely hooked, I loved every moment of this heart-warming and utterly charming book which is all about second chances.

I loved the concept of this, it’s completely unique, sending yourself emails years into the future, emails that will make you look at yourself and encourage you to take a step out of your comfort zone, take a chance make a change.

That is exactly what happens with Edie, one day out of the blue a message pops up in her emails from herself seventeen years previous, and then another comes and another. Each message that arrives brings more memories, wonderful memories and also memories she would rather forget. emotions come bubbling to the surface as she is transported back to the best and the worst year of her life, the year when her life changed.

Even though the emails bring back some difficult and heart-breaking memories, memories of losing loved ones and the grief which comes with it, they also make her realise that all these years later she has found herself well and truly stuck in a rut. Maybe this is the time to do something about it?

So with that in mind, she meets up with her the close-knit group of friends from when she was eighteen, but this will bring all sorts of emotional anguish out of the closet.

This book is so heart-warming, it’s absolutely charming and feel-good. It’s warm and relatable, sweet and full of hope for the possibility of happiness. I thoroughly enjoyed watching Edie change from a woman who is set in her ways to one who is willing to open her heart, grow in confidence and forgive.
This is thoroughly enjoyable, It’s light and cheerful with lots of emotion, I flew through the pages and was saddened when it finished.

A definite must-read for summer!

Edie runs a successful family business, owns her flat and has a boyfriend who suits her lifestyle, a perfect life looking in, but when she receives an email from her teenage self, it forces her to question her choices and find the life she wants.

I enjoyed this poignant mix of coming of age, romantic comedy and self-realisation that draws the reader in and keeps them engaged. The believable characters are easy to visualise, and Edie's emotional journey is full of heartbreak and heartwarming moments. The ending is breathtakingly romantic and the perfect conclusion to this lovely story.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an early.review copy in return for a honest review.

This is definitely a holiday read and one that I enjoyed. Our main character is lovable as are her friends and family - a feel good read.

Oh how I love good Anna Bell book, such a big fan and could not wait to read this novel. The blurb reads

"It’s never too late to follow your heart.
One summer’s day seventeen years ago Edie and Joel meet.
Their connection is instant and a friendship is born, although Edie can’t help but wish for more. But just as she builds up the courage to lay her heart on the line, one night changes everything…
Edie’s moved on from the heartbreak of years ago. So the last thing she expects to receive on her thirty-fifth birthday is an email… from her eighteen-year-old self. As more emails arrive, she starts to remember what – or rather who – she left behind.
Following her own advice, Edie heads back to the place where it all began, and finds her path unexpectedly crossing with Joel’s once more. Could this finally be their chance at love? Or are some things better left in the past?"

I seriously love Edie and Joel, such good well-rounded characters.

Edie appears to kind of have it all, great job and flat and then one day some emails come through that she sent to herself from 17 years ago. Edie starts to really have a think about her life and where she is now at the age of 35, she questions everything and everyone that she once new many years ago. Tinged with sadness but not too much, lots of laughter and does kind of make the reader think about their past self.

This is a great beach read, with fabulous characters that I dived straight into and kept me reading into the early hours.

Thanks to Anna Bell, NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

I real page turning summer read! Perfect for reading around the pool or on a beach!
If you enjoy women's fiction you’ll really enjoy this

I loved this book. I’m not a great fan of crossing timelines but in this case it wasn’t at all confusing and worked really well. I really liked the magic characters and how she regions true friends from her past. But the bit i enjoyed the most was the idea of writing a letter to your future self and wondering what it would say and what lessons it would give you. It really made me rethink areas of my own life and promise to step out of my own comfort zone.

Gréât writing and a fabulous idea.

Thanks to Netgalley and HQ for the advance read of this title.
I Loved the concept of the story line, emailing yourself in the future.
The perfect beach read. I really enjoyed it

Although there was some romance in this book, it wasn't the main focus. I would have liked to have read more about Edie and Joel in the present. I also found it a tad unbelievable that after just a few weeks spent together one summer (and they weren't even a couple), that after not seeing each other for 17 years, they're still in love with one another. Another thing I didn't fully understand was to do with Joel's email towards the end. He sent it to the email address which sent emails in the future, so how did Edie receive it the same day it was sent? No doubt I'm overthinking this. I did enjoy the story. A lot of issues were explored. I like some of Edie's insights. I did feel she herself was a little bland though. With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Erm…. Great concept let down by the very unbelievable ‘they didn’t tell each other how they felt’ premis. They were teenagers, full of raging hormones; of course they would have had sex that summer! The themes of grief and alcoholism were dealt with well, had they not been part of this story, which almost treated these important issues as a sideshow. To be honest, I wasn’t that keen on the characters either. The jealousy at the thought of the replacement mother figure felt very true though, so has elevated my review to three stars.

I will be honest and say I didn't love the book straight away however once I got into it I found in relevant, funny and also sad at the same time. The book is unique with the concept of the emails from her younger self. it explores grief and alcoholism along the romance theme of the book which I felt worked really well.  
 
Edie has hit 35 when a mysterious email from her past self arrives in her inbox. Edie throughout has to confront things from her past including Joel,who she met in the summer 17 years. She also has to confront her current situation and is she truly happy with how her life turned out compared to what she dreamed of her life would be like at the age of 35.

Could you imagine recieving emails from your teenage self?

Note to Self was such a fun, amazing and an incredibly realistic story about embracing life, grief and doing what makes you happy.

Edie is an amazing and strong character who I couldn't help but root for. I loved watching as she reconnected with her younger self and take risks that she usually wouldn't have taken.

Her friend group are amazing and I loved how much depth they had, each dealing with their own struggles.

I really enjoyed this one and it really tugged at my heartstrings! I now need to read all of Anna Bell's books!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Will add links later as I am part of the book tour :)

Edie isn't exactly where she wanted to be, but life is good enough. She's the co-director of her successful family business, owners her own home and has a boyfriend who's sweet and not too pushy about making plans for the future.

But then on her 35th birthday, she gets an email. Not the usual birthday-10%-off-cake email, but one from her 18 year old self that she'd completely forgotten she'd sent during the summer of her life. Her past self had such hope for the future, hopes of comfort and confidence and clarity - and also love.

Maybe with her teenage boyfriend, Scott, but then there was Joel - the one that was never quite was but left a question mark hanging ever since. So she takes her own advice - and goes back through the years looking for any happiness she might have left behind and reconnecting with old friends. Is this her chance at rediscovering herself? Or is the past better forgotten?

After Anna Bell decided to break my heart with The Man I Didn't Marry, I had high hopes going into this and I was not left disappointed. An absolutely refreshing and delightful summer read, full of relatable wit and humour and that sparkling feel-good charm.

As Edie reconnects with old friends, with past versions of herself, we're prompted to wonder if we'd really want to go back to the times we remember fondly or if the past should stay in the past. The story flows so easily, relationships falling back into rhythms, time and distance falling away with the pages. Full of deep nostalgia, Bells writing transports us to vivid summers and cool summer nights with ease.

This story reaches into the heart of loss and longing, and anyone who feels like they're not a main character in their own story - and shines light on the dark, heart-breaking parts of life in a sensitive, hopeful way that left me laughing through more than a few tears.

At 17, Edie spends her summer working at a holiday park in Westerly, building friendships, having fun, falling in love with Joel and ending in heartbreak, in more ways than one.
Starting on her 18th birthday, she starts to email her future self, documenting what she's up to.
In every email she includes a little challenge, encouraging her older self to push herself in different ways.
On Edie's 35th birthday, she starts receiving these emails and uses them to tackle certain challenges she is currently going through in her life.
As part of this she returns to Westerly, to visit her friend Sophie, and ends up having to spend time with Joel again.
Can Edie find the courage to make the changes that she needs to her lifestyle and confront those she needs to, to live a happier life.

I loved this book so much - it was definitely my favourite so far by Anna Bell.
It is written in a dual timeline between current day and Edie's summer when she was 17 and all of the characters were amazing.
I loved the friendship Edie had with Soph, Joel and Douglas, both now and when she was younger.
The story was full of happy and funny times, but also sad and emotional ones too - I was definitely rooting for Edie to find the happiness she so deserved!
All the stars for this lovely book!

Thank you to @netgalley for the advance e-copy!

When I first started reading this book, I did wonder what I'd let myself in for but a bit of perseverance and what a great book it turned out to be. Great characters and a storyline that slowly evolves and eventually leaves you hooked.