ABOUT THE BOOK:
Acclaimed author Colleen Oakley delivers a heart-wrenching and unforgettable love story about a woman who must choose between the man she loves and the man fate has chosen for her, in a novel that reminds us that the best life is one led by the heart.
Mia Graydon’s life looks picket-fence perfect; she has the house, her loving husband, and dreams of starting a family. But she has other dreams too—unexplained, recurring ones starring the same man. Still, she doesn’t think much of it, until a relocation to small-town Pennsylvania brings her face to face with the stranger she has been dreaming about for years. And this man harbors a jaw-dropping secret of his own—he’s been dreaming of her too.
Determined to understand, Mia and this not-so-stranger search for answers. But when diving into their pasts begins to unravel her life in the present, Mia emerges with a single question—what if?
MY REVIEW:
What an outstanding novel! I am obsessed with stories about what might have been. Why do certain people come into our lives? Is it all just coincidence? Mia and Harrison have a wonderful life together. Things are not 100% perfect but whose life really is? They are happily married but have experienced real sadness in their marriage. Nonetheless, they remain in love and devoted to each other.
Mia has dreamed about a certain man for years and once she and her husband move to a small town in Pennsylvania, she is stunned to actually meet him in real life. The stranger from her dreams turns out to be the real-life Oliver. Did Mia and Oliver know each other at some point in their lives? Mia is shocked when she learns that incredibly, Oliver has dreamed about her as well. What did all of this mean? Oliver and Mia cautiously share their ideas with their family and friends and begin to explore the meaning behind their shared dreams. All of this also leads Mia to question her current life with Harrison.
“It doesn’t feel like this is where I’m supposed to be.”
As Mia slowly begins to adjust to her new life with her husband in their new home, she also senses Harrison pulling away from her. He works long hours as a physician and recently experienced a traumatic event that deeply scarred him. Mia has also suffered, and Harrison shares something with her that she is not sure their marriage can recover from.
“I can’t help but wonder if Harrison’s stopped choosing me. If we stopped choosing each other.”
There is no question that Mia is deeply committed to her husband. But what if she was meant to be with Oliver? Every person in this story, every scene is meaningful and it all comes together in the end. I could not put this book down! I love Colleen Oakley’s writing style. The characters are all fully developed and the emotional impact of the story was profound. My predictions about the book were completely wrong and the ending was filled with surprising twists and turns. This is an extremely emotional book and the ending had me reeling. I love books about married couples and all throughout the story, I was on the edge of my seat, guessing which direction Mia would take.
“I’m standing on a precipice with him in this room and if I take a step—if I move my foot three inches forward to brush against his, there’s no turning back.”
This was a standout read for me and I highly recommend this book. It is filled with some very powerful and emotional scenes so be prepared to have your heart broken a few times. Don’t expect a perfectly neat ending tied up with a bow. This is an original and very moving novel that should be on your must-read list.
“Maybe instead of wondering why we’re all connected, what’s important—the only thing that’s important—is to know that we are.”
(Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in return for an honest review.)
