Twenty Something Else

This underwhelming contemporary from Mack (Suing Cinderella) finds a dissatisfied woman traveling back in time to rethink her choices. On the brink of turning 40, Sutton Layne is less than happy with her life: her 17-year marriage is on the rocks, her interior design business risks folding if she doesn’t win over a high-profile client, and her teenage son is giving her the cold shoulder. When an old college flame DMs her, she can’t help but wonder about the road not taken, and gets the chance to wander down it when a freak pickleball accident lands her in a purgatory where she’s given another go at her twenties. The normally practical Sutton delights at first in chasing her acting dreams in L.A. and seeing what might have been with her dreamy ex. But when challenges arise with returning to her old life, Sutton must reckon with how God’s plan has guided her and what she’s willing to give up to start anew. While Mack’s fun plot ticks along apace, readers will struggle to identify with Sutton, whose problems frequently come across as contrived and whose character arc feels forced. This flimsy take on the second chance trope offers few surprises. (June)