Book Title: In Twenty Years
Author: Allison Winn Scotch
Series: None
Genres: Women’s Fiction, Chick Lit, Contemporary
Goodreads
Date Read:
Pub Date: 07/01/16
4 STARS
Twenty years ago, six Penn students shared a house, naively certain that their friendships would endure—until the death of their ringleader and dear friend Bea splintered the group for good. Now, mostly estranged from one another, the remaining five reluctantly gather at that same house on the eve of what would have been Bea’s fortieth birthday.
But along with the return of the friends come old grudges, unrequited feelings, and buried secrets. Catherine, the CEO of a domestic empire, and Owen, a stay-at-home dad, were picture-perfect college sweethearts—but now teeter on the brink of disaster. Lindy, a well-known musician, is pushing middle age in an industry that’s all about youth and slowly self-destructing as she grapples with her own identity. Behind his smile, handsome plastic surgeon Colin harbors the heartbreaking truth about his own history with Bea. And Annie carefully curates her life on Instagram and Facebook, keeping up appearances so she doesn’t have to face the truth about her own empty reality.
Reunited in the place where so many dreams began, and bolstered by the hope of healing, each of them is forced to confront the past.
College is a milestone most wish they could relive from time to time. Personally, I didn’t finish college (never say never!) and didn’t have the typical experience that most did as I was married at a very young age (19 to be exact). Throw 2 kids into the mix and going back to school became a distant thought. This book brought all those feelings and dreams back to my forethought and felt somehow comforting as I read it. These friends, who seemed to live completely different lives than they expected as their younger selves, were interesting to watch grow throughout the story.
My favorite character ended up being Owen; I felt as a fellow stay at home parent I could relate to some of his struggles and lifestyle. Lindy was probably the most trendy character as a famous musician and I enjoyed reading about her lifestyle struggles as well. I think as women we all to some degree fear the aging process, as our society celebrates youth and tends to throw women away once that tiny aspect of our being is dried up completely. This is such a scary reality and I could really feel all the emotion Lindy experienced during her part of the story. The rest of the characters were also well developed and relatable, the previous two were just my personal favorites. I loved how this makeshift “family” seemed to be “stuck like glue” no matter how they tried to live separate lives. The years had passed, and this time capsule plucked everyone from their new lives to come together and relive old memories, learn from each other, and grow into a maturity they hadn’t realized quite yet they were missing. I’ve enjoyed Allison Winn Scotch’s novels before and was thrilled to read this one!
*I received my copy via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
