This Time Next Year

Every New Year’s Eve, Minnie tries to stay home.  It’s the night before her birthday and things always seem to go wrong on her birthday, so why risk being out at 12:01AM?  It’s also the night before Quinn’s birthday, but things always go perfect for him.  At least that’s how it looks from the outside. But appearances aren’t always true.  That one night, one birthday party, one New Year’s Eve party, would change the future for them both.

This Time Next Year by Sophie Cousens is a delightful take on the star-crossed romance – what if you knew the love of your life from the day you were born?!  The narrative is filled with a cast of supporting characters that can easily steal the scene but build an understanding of the lives Minnie and Quinn have built for themselves as entrepreneurs.  The flashback chapters help to build the backstory for the main characters without taking away from the current timeline.  I found myself laughing at the adventures of Minnie and her friends, but also heartbroken for the life events Quinn experienced.

I give This Time Next Year 5 out of 5 stars.  I did find aspects of this story felt forced, such as the later relationship between Minnie and Quinn’s mothers, and the final chapter of the book when Minnie and Quinn realize how many times they have crossed paths growing up.  However, that did not detract from the easy read nature of this fun New Year’s Eve themed read.  I also found the story to be relatable for anyone who has attempted to start their own business or been out in the world of dating apps.  I also appreciate that Cousens did not shy away from depicting the self-improvement work these characters put in to themselves – Quinn attends counseling to address his childhood trauma, and Minnie pushes herself to overcome her somewhat irrational fears.

I would recommend this book for anyone looking for a quick themed read this New Year’s holiday weekend.  With some mild language and sexual references, I would suggest this for readers 13 and over.  Also, I chose the Audible version of this book.  I highly enjoyed listening to the story and the performance really captured my attention!

What I’m reading

• Current print book: Dark Angel, John Sandford
• Current audio book: Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, Gabrielle Zevin
• Book I’m most looking forward to: China Rich Girlfriend, Kevin Kwan