Have you ever wanted to change the past and discover the result of choices not taken? Now, in this brilliantly fun novel of what-ifs, missed chances, and new beginnings, Frankie McKenzie discovers what starting over might bring…

Despite living firmly in her comfort zone, Frankie McKenzie feels unsettled. She can’t help feeling something’s missing. Is it a home to call her own? Travel? A more rewarding job? A relationship? Before she can work it out, she dies in a freak kebab-related accident after what she sees as yet another dud of a first date.

But life isn’t over for Frankie. Instead, she is miraculously offered a second chance: Frankie can revisit key moments from her past to see if different choices will lead her to the fulfilling life she’s always dreamt of.

And there are so many opportunities! Should she decide to languidly lounge by warm Mexican waters with sexy Raphael? Or say yes to the proposal of earnestly reliable university-sweetheart Toby? Perhaps a worry-free gilded cage with Callum is the solution! Or what about that high-powered media career she thought that she wanted?

Soon, Frankie will see what her life would have been if only she’d caught that one-way flight, accepted the marriage proposal, or attended the intimidating job interview. Will she finally find her Mr. Right? Or discover she already had? Which way should she turn? And over and over she asks herself the question…

What would she change if she could begin again?

This is the kind of book that scratches a very specific itch for me. I love a good “do over” story. Ones that address the quiet, nagging question of what your life might look like if you’d just made one different choice.

Frankie McKenzie is living a perfectly fine life. Stable job. Comfortable routines. Nothing actively wrong. And yet, she feels unsettled, like something is missing that she can’t quite name. Before she has time to figure it out, she dies in a freak kebab-related accident after a truly lackluster first date. It’s abrupt, slightly absurd, and oddly fitting. Frankie’s life hasn’t been dramatic. It’s been safe. And then suddenly, it’s over.
Except it isn’t.

Instead of moving on, Frankie is offered a second chance. Actually, four of them. She’s given the opportunity to revisit four key moments from her past and explore what would have happened if she’d chosen differently. Each path opens into a distinct timeline, complete with its own version of love, success, and compromise. A beachy life in Mexico. A dependable university sweetheart. A glossy, gilded relationship. A high-powered media career. Same woman, wildly different outcomes.

What I appreciated most is how cleanly the author executes this structure. The timelines are easy to follow and feel fully realized, not rushed or half-formed. Each one has its own tone and emotional rhythm, which helps keep the story from blending together. You never forget which version of Frankie you’re with, or what she has gained and lost by choosing that particular path.

None of the outcomes surprised me, and I don’t think that’s a flaw. This is not a book built around a shocking twist or a big reveal. The appeal is in watching Frankie live with the consequences of her choices, even when those choices initially look like the obvious “right” ones. The book is honest about the fact that every life comes with trade-offs. Romance can be fulfilling and limiting at the same time. Career success can feel hollow if it costs you everything else. Stability can become stagnation if you never challenge it.

Frankie herself is a big part of why this works. She’s relatable without being bland. Watching her move through different versions of her life highlights how much of identity is shaped by circumstance, timing, and who we allow ourselves to become. The supporting characters across the timelines are memorable, even when they only appear briefly. Each relationship feels purposeful rather than symbolic.

The writing is tight and accessible. Acton doesn’t over-explain the mechanics of how this second chance works, which I appreciated. The focus stays where it belongs, on character and emotional impact. The pacing moves quickly, making this an easy, engaging read without feeling shallow. It’s the kind of book that keeps you turning pages while quietly nudging you to reflect on your own “what ifs.”

At its core, this book is about choices, but it’s also about acceptance. It asks whether fulfillment comes from picking the perfect path or from learning how to live fully in the one you’re already on. The answer isn’t particularly radical, but it’s comforting in the way familiar truths often are.

This was a fun, thoughtful way to kick off the new year. If you enjoy time-loop stories, alternate timelines, and novels that explore missed chances and “what would have happened if…” scenarios without becoming heavy or preachy, this one is well worth picking up.

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