Synopsis

On the eve of her fortieth birthday, a woman wakes up from a pickleball accident with the unexpected chance to relive her twenties in this sparkling novel from a fresh, new voice.

Sutton Layne is almost-forty and fabulous, with a happy marriage, three beautiful children, and a successful interior design business. But there’s plenty of chaos behind the scenes of early midlife. Her preteen son is going off the rails, her husband is bailing on the party he was supposed to throw her, and that thriving business? If she can’t land her next big client, it might all come crashing down. Then a surprise DM from someone in her past sends her spiraling into what-ifs. What if she settled down too young? Walked away from her big break? Never had her great adventure?

Despite her simmering mini-crisis, Sutton can’t wait for the birthday luncheon and pickleball tournament her friends have planned in her honor. But when an accident on the court knocks her out cold, she wakes up somewhere else . . . and is offered the chance to do it all over again. She can revisit her twenties—out of order and on her own terms. And this time around, anything goes: cities, careers, friendships. Even love.

From star-studded Hollywood nights to the jungles of Nicaragua, from the heat of Coachella to the snowy summit of the Matterhorn, Sutton chases the life she fears she might have missed, with unexpected results.

With a wink to the classic It’s a Wonderful Life, Twenty Something Else is a witty, wistful journey through the dreams we outgrow, the life choices that shape us, and the surprising detours that can lead us home.

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Review

If you could go back and revisit your younger self, would you?

Sutton is about to turn 40 when a pickleball accident gives her the opportunity to revisit her twenties. This is tied to a birthday wish she made with friends before the accident. What ensues is a chance for Sutton to right some wrongs, sort of. We have always heard that there are multiple timelines based on decisions made or not made. When Sutton goes back to these years, it is based on not meeting her husband at 21 and marrying him at 22. What would her life been like had something different occurred?

I dove into this and loved every moment. While I didn’t understand why she was unhappy because her life seems almost perfect, I can understand the desire to wonder what life would have been like if you did X instead of Y, or A instead of B. How would that have changed your life? Sutton does try to make changes, but anything she says or does, will not impact the timeline she knows. But what if it could? Especially when it comes to one of her best friends dying. She isn’t creating the butterfly effect in her timeline, but perhaps in another one.

I thought the concept was interesting with who was guiding her on this journey back in time. Does God give second chances when it won’t impact your current life? Or perhaps it is a lesson in being grateful for what you do have. Either way, I enjoyed this book immensely and give it 5 paws up.

About the Author

Stephanie Mack is an author with a passion for storytelling—on the page, on the mic, and beyond. Her novels blend women’s fiction and romantic elements with meaningful insights for readers navigating the complexities of modern life. Stephanie lives in Orange County, California, with her husband, three daughters, and beloved mini Bernedoodle.

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