How to Save a Life by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke – 324 pages
ARC from Lake Union for an honest review.
Book Blurb:
Dom is having a very bad day—one he literally can’t escape.
When Dom bumps into Mia, his ex-fiancée whom he hasn’t seen in almost a decade, he believes they’ve been given a second chance and asks her out. When Mia dies tragically on their date, Dom makes a desperate wish: to be given the chance to save her life. And when he wakes the next morning to the shock that she’s alive, he thinks his wish may have been granted. But day after day, no matter what he changes about their time together, she still meets a terrible fate. Dom frantically searches for answers to save his beloved Mia and rekindle their former love. But the further he digs, the more obsessed he becomes, making him realize that slowing down time may be the only way to see things clearly. As he’s forced to confront the truth about himself and those he’s closest to, Dom vows that he’ll watch Mia die a thousand times if it means he can save her once.
My Review: 4 stars
How to Save a Life was an absolute pleasure to fall into. After reading the book you’ll understand why the word fall is italicized. This book had it all for me: romance, men’s friendship, the fate vs destiny conundrum and a magical realism/fantasy aspect. I’ve read most, but not all, of this dynamic duo and so far, this is their best yet.
Can you imagine reliving the same day, over and over and if you tell anyone they’ll think you’re a nutcase? And even worse, on that same day stuck on repeat, a beloved character dies. YIKES. It was fun living in someone else’s nightmare. I spent a lot of time deciding if Dom was crazy or if he was truly experiencing a repetitive day. If it was the latter, then what the heck was going on? That question alone kept the pages flipping.
In the past, this duo each wrote a chapter going back and forth and I assume this one was written like that too. The writing was fluid as if it came from one author, not two, which is pretty remarkable because the story is told from a male point of view. That’s not always easy but they hit the mark on this one.
I loved how men’s friendship was portrayed through the story. Just like women, Dom and Lance bonded and when they had moments of distrust they were able to talk it through. Mia and Dom’s relationship seemed a little one sided. We saw over and over again how much Dom loved Mia, but perhaps it was the “idea” of her that he loved. Did Dom pine for Mia more than she pined for him? Perhaps that was done intentionally to show he was still in love with the Mia he remembered. In my opinion, Dom had a greater chance and connection with the “walk of shame” girl.
With the many time-loop books and TV shows that are trending right now, it was in this book that I really felt the message of living each day to its fullest. It was a good reminder to enjoy the small things and appreciate everyone you love. During this crazy year, that message was so necessary and hopefully understood.
Quotes I liked:
But it’s so much more complicated than that. Because being together and being happy together are two totally different things.”
“What if you haven’t been able to save her because you’ve been saving me?”
“Because if you’re trying to come to tern with the fact that your time is short, it’s hard to reconnect with someone who makes you want to live.”
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