I have been waiting to read this book for a long time - the hold list at the library was stagnant for more than six months as books were lost, rebound, and reordered. I can't rememmber where I first read about this book - could have been the Bookpages magazine at the library, could have been recommended from another book I viewed on Amazon - but I remember being drawn to the title. "I've had the time of my life, and I've never felt this way before..." drifted into my thoughts.
While I was waiting for this book, I checked out the author's previous book, The One That I Want, last year. It was one of the lowest rated books on my list. I'm obviously not taking very good notes on my book list, because I can't remember why I didn't like it!
However, this week my hold finally came due and I read Time of My Life over the past two days. The book starts with Jillian having given up her job in advertising to move to the suburbs of NYC and be a full-time mom to her infant daughter. Her marriage has become a shell, with her husband traveling and working late hours for work, and Jillian finds her life as a stay-at-home mom not as fulfilling as she had hoped. She wonders what her life would have been like if she had not left her previous long-term boyfriend seven years prior. When she wakes up in her life seven years ago, she has the chance to answer those questions.
I think we all have "what ifs" in our lives. My biggest ones - what if I had been braver and had looked at colleges outside of Kansas? what I had been braver and had taken the job I was offered with Teach for America? I've learned some from these decisions, because when I was braver when I changed careers, when I ran for City Commisison, and particularly when I made the terrifying decision three years ago to have a baby! All of these paid off (and in the case of Lily, paid off big time!). What are your "what ifs?"
