Linda Green has a fabulous ability to turn a slightly bonkers concept into a heartfelt story, guaranteed to make you laugh and cry and everything in between. 
If I Had My Time Again is the story of three very different people, Jules, Emily and Carl, who die on the same day and end up in the afterlife which, as it turns out, is in fact a hotel on the outskirts of Halifax. 
The three are given the chance to make one change which could alter the trajectory of their lives and deaths.
They are not able to prevent their own deaths or kill anyone but they can make a director’s cut to the movie of their lives. 
The book deals with some difficult issues, digging deep in what it means to be human and the many challenges we face navigating life at various stages.
Linda does not shy away from the most challenging of topics including baby-loss, teenage terminal disease and alcoholism.
She approaches these subjects with compassion and sensitivity which serves to enhance the story and deepen the emotion.
As further details of the individual characters’ lives are revealed I felt totally connected to who they were and where they were going. 
As well as the challenging and serious storylines, which I must admit left me more than a bit teary-eyed, Linda sprinkles lots of humour throughout. I do love a Victoria Wood reference and there were a few.
There were also plenty of twists and turns, some of which are hinted at from the beginning and others which for me came totally out of the blue. 
Usually when I read a book it takes me a while to settle into the characters but I really felt instantly connected to the three of them.
Any story line that can make me laugh and cry in a matter of seconds is an absolute gift. 
Despite the subject matter of death and the afterlife the book is actually very uplifting and it left me looking back at my own life and the micro-decisions I had made and what they had ultimately led to.
I loved this book, it was a beautiful, emotion-filled story with some lovely characters and a great storyline. I can’t recommend it enough. 

Five stars * * * * *