Status
Available
Collection
Publication
Quercus (2020), 272 pages
Description
Fiction. Literature. HTML:A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A Good Morning America, FabFitFun, and Marie Claire Book Club Pick "In Five Years is as clever as it is moving, the rare read-in-one-sitting novel you won't forget." �??Chloe Benjamin, New York Times bestselling author of The Immortalists �??Perfect for fans of Me Before You and One Day�??a striking, powerful, and moving love story following an ambitious lawyer who experiences an astonishing vision that could change her life forever. Where do you see yourself in five years? Dannie Kohan lives her life by the numbers. She is nothing like her lifelong best friend�??the wild, whimsical, believes-in-fate Bella. Her meticulous planning seems to have paid off after she nails the most important job interview of her career and accepts her boyfriend's marriage proposal in one fell swoop, falling asleep completely content. But when she awakens, she's suddenly in a different apartment, with a different ring on her finger, and beside a very different man. Dannie spends one hour exactly five years in the future before she wakes again in her own home on the brink of midnight�??but it is one hour she cannot shake. In Five Years is an unforgettable love story, but it is not the one yo… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member techeditor
Although Rebecca Serle did not intend IN FIVE YEARS to be a young adult novel, it still has a YA feel to it. The main characters, although adults in their late 20s, early 30s, refer to each other in YA terms (e.g., "best friends,” "besties"), and their circumstances almost always concern their
The real problem with this book is what, at first, seems like a good thing because it sparks your interest and draws you in.
Dannie has a dream that seems very real. Probably nothing will come of it, but maybe it was a premonition. So the entire book leads up to that particular day. And for the entire book you will be expecting an explanation of the dream/premonition. If it is a premonition, how and why did it happen?
That, alone, kept me interested in this story. Otherwise, IN FIVE YEARS is just a typical live-with-her-boyfriend-for-five-years-and-look-forward-to-marrying-him YA book. But there is that dream/premonition that sets it apart.
In the end, though, the story is unsatisfying. I still have questions and don’t feel like anything was explained.
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love lives (also very YAish). That may put off some adult readers.The real problem with this book is what, at first, seems like a good thing because it sparks your interest and draws you in.
Dannie has a dream that seems very real. Probably nothing will come of it, but maybe it was a premonition. So the entire book leads up to that particular day. And for the entire book you will be expecting an explanation of the dream/premonition. If it is a premonition, how and why did it happen?
That, alone, kept me interested in this story. Otherwise, IN FIVE YEARS is just a typical live-with-her-boyfriend-for-five-years-and-look-forward-to-marrying-him YA book. But there is that dream/premonition that sets it apart.
In the end, though, the story is unsatisfying. I still have questions and don’t feel like anything was explained.
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LibraryThing member Okies
There aren't many books I dislike - because I always look for a recommendation of some kind, from lists, or my preference for an author or narrator etc. And it's an anathema to me that I disliked this book and I finished it – what good book did I miss out on as a result?!
In Five Years was well
The characters, Bella and the two male leads, were too perfect (is that another word for shallow here?), and who was Danny - very much a narrator and not someone who could "carry the movie", as she wasn't interesting. Yet I found Danny and David's relationship a curiosity, and Aaron of course - how perfect was he! so devoted. Yet did I know him? what made him tick? Even Dannie was opaque somehow.
Her relationship with Bella was the downer of the book. It was invasive and stifling. I know some of that grew out of the paranormal experience she had had, but geez. The novel was so intense around the illness, and around the relationship between the two women. Not a recipe for an enjoyable or even meaningful read! in my book, no pun intended.
In Five Years was well
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written and drew me along to the end, but wow, this was not your usual romance novel. I liked the twist at the end, and (spoiler alert) although it was wrapped up into a probable happy ending, as is the definition of a romance novel, there was something dodgy about this one. The characters, Bella and the two male leads, were too perfect (is that another word for shallow here?), and who was Danny - very much a narrator and not someone who could "carry the movie", as she wasn't interesting. Yet I found Danny and David's relationship a curiosity, and Aaron of course - how perfect was he! so devoted. Yet did I know him? what made him tick? Even Dannie was opaque somehow.
Her relationship with Bella was the downer of the book. It was invasive and stifling. I know some of that grew out of the paranormal experience she had had, but geez. The novel was so intense around the illness, and around the relationship between the two women. Not a recipe for an enjoyable or even meaningful read! in my book, no pun intended.
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LibraryThing member LoriKBoyd
Ugly cry, face blotchy, eyes puffy, nose stuffed, tissues handy-type cry. This book was not what I expected. Thank goodness the review I read contained no spoilers, other than how good this book was. A story of love and friendship and planning out your life. To say anything else about this book is
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to say too much. Just read it and think! Show Less
LibraryThing member sanyamakadi
Lots of nice descriptions of NYC, engaging (if not extremely likeable) characters. I appreciated the plot twist at the end where we find out that the pivotal scene at the beginning of the book was not what it seemed, and also the plot twist after the main plot twist with which the book ends. I just
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wasn't a fan about how the plot twist arrived...Bella deserved better. Show Less
LibraryThing member sparemethecensor
Would not recommend. The characters are all so uninteresting and shallow (so many brand name-drops, why?!). The conceit, a premonition of a new love, implies it is a romance but it isn't. The way the book dispatches with a major character through cancer, as though to obviate judgment of the main
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character's behavior, is extremely gross. Show Less
LibraryThing member bookczuk
One of the online book clubs I follow read this. I liked that NYC played a role in the story, especially since sometimes I wanted to yell at some of the characters. Five years from now is never what you think it's going to be. Who could have predicted the COVID-19 lifestyle in 2015?
LibraryThing member JRlibrary
Aspects of this book reminded me of One Day in December but with a much weaker plot.
Happy successful lawyer Dannie has a very real dream of being intimate with a man who is not her fiancé and then five years later meets the man from her dream and finds out he’s her best friend’s boyfriend
Shortly after that the best friend Bella gets ovarian cancer and dies. Everything after that is very messed up and weird but I don’t want to ruin it. Some people loved this but it wasn’t right for me.
Happy successful lawyer Dannie has a very real dream of being intimate with a man who is not her fiancé and then five years later meets the man from her dream and finds out he’s her best friend’s boyfriend
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Aaron/Greg. Shortly after that the best friend Bella gets ovarian cancer and dies. Everything after that is very messed up and weird but I don’t want to ruin it. Some people loved this but it wasn’t right for me.
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LibraryThing member shazjhb
Wonderful love story. However, this is really a story about friendship. Easy to read in a single sitting.
LibraryThing member froxgirl
There's a strange premise here that doesn't quite work: attorney Dannie has a dream or an encounter with a strange man in an apartment in a borough she's never lived in before. In this vision, the calendar shows a date five years after a job interview where she was asked where she expected to be,
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career-wise, in five years. Enter her best friend Bella, a totally charming character who makes Dannie look like a corporate bore, and her new boyfriend, who turns out to be the man in Dannie's fantasy. Circumstances cause the reality to blur into the dream when disaster befalls Bella. The luminous portrayal of their friendship is the strongest part of the novel, but the end is weak and anti-climactic. Show Less
LibraryThing member KimMeyer
This is the first book I've really gotten into during this weird quarantine time! I loved the first two-thirds and then thought it lagged a bit. Definitely felt that "oh crap, am I going to cry?" eye prickle at one point too.
LibraryThing member SimplyKelina
I really enjoyed this one. It grabbed my attention right from the start. I thought this was going to go back and forth between the present and future, but it did not except for one scene.
This is a story around friendship and love. It does have triggers for terminal illness and loss. After the
This was a heartbreaking read. I was expecting to be bawling my eyes out, but it just never took my emotions there even with the hard hitting issues we go through.
Overall, I still really loved this one.
This is a story around friendship and love. It does have triggers for terminal illness and loss. After the
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initial scene, it was pretty predictable what was going to happen as you continued to read. It still did not take away from my enjoyment from the story.This was a heartbreaking read. I was expecting to be bawling my eyes out, but it just never took my emotions there even with the hard hitting issues we go through.
Overall, I still really loved this one.
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LibraryThing member LoriKBoyd
Ugly cry, face blotchy, eyes puffy, nose stuffed, tissues handy-type cry. This book was not what I expected. Thank goodness the review I read contained no spoilers, other than how good this book was. A story of love and friendship and planning out your life. To say anything else about this book is
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to say too much. Just read it and think! Show Less
LibraryThing member deslivres5
Okay, not exactly what I was expecting when I jumped into this story. I think the hint of magical realism, a bit of time travel and NYC vibes hooked me in. I was expecting a light read. But then things got really sad/serious and I wasn't prepared for it at this time.
This was a fast read for me and
This was a fast read for me and
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the resolution was interesting but once again unexpected. Show Less
LibraryThing member chrisblocker
I went into this story expecting one thing: a romance. And I left it with a very different thing: a story of friendship.
So In Five Years isn't perhaps really a romance, though it has elements of that category. What starts as a seemingly average Hallmark-eqsue story grows increasingly more serious
What alienated me most as a reader was all the wealth being thrown around. It's hard to connect with characters who are so fabulously wealthy. Personally, I could've done with all the bling.
So In Five Years isn't perhaps really a romance, though it has elements of that category. What starts as a seemingly average Hallmark-eqsue story grows increasingly more serious
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as it goes. This deeper exploration of love between friends and lovers is what gives this novel its gravitas through an otherwise absurd premise.What alienated me most as a reader was all the wealth being thrown around. It's hard to connect with characters who are so fabulously wealthy. Personally, I could've done with all the bling.
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LibraryThing member Twink
Rebecca Serle's latest book, In Five Years, is already a New York Times Bestseller and is a Good Morning America Book Club pick.
Lawyer Dannie Cohan interviews with a prestigious firm and knows she nailed the last question - where will you be in five years? She goes out to celebrate with boyfriend
Oh, lots of places this one could go! And I really liked where Serle took it.
In Five Years is told from Dannie's viewpoint, so we get to know her pretty well. But we get to know her best friend Bella just as well. Serle has created a wonderful friendship between the two women. I have to admit, it was Bella who stole my heart. She's the opposite of Dannie, definitely not a type A. But. Yes, there's a but. Fate, karma, the universe steps into their lives and changes things. And suddenly all of Dannie's carefully laid plans mean nothing. And that mystery man from five years hence? He appears again...and that's all I'm saying! (Note - you may need a few tissues - I did.)
I chose to listen to In Five Years. The reader was Megan Hilty and she was great. The voice for Dannie suited the mental image I had created - a little uptight, exacting, but emotive. Bella's voice was a bit gravelly, quite engaging and suited the artistic nature of this character. I'm always in awe when I listen and realize that the conversation between two characters is being narrated by one person. Hilty also provided believable voices for two male characters. Hilty really interpreted the book well. Not gonna lie, there's a lot of emotions in this tale and Hilty captured them with her voice. Her voice is clear, easy to understand and is pleasant to listen to. Hear for yourself - here's an audio excerpt of In Five Years. I've always enjoyed listening to books, but even more so in these uncertain times. I love becoming immersed in the story and escaping for a wee bit.
I really appreciated Serle's writing. She has penned a wonderful tale of friendship, love, loss and living. She caught me off guard with the ending, but on reflection, it's just right.
If you like JoJo Moyes, you'd enjoy this book.
Lawyer Dannie Cohan interviews with a prestigious firm and knows she nailed the last question - where will you be in five years? She goes out to celebrate with boyfriend
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David and he pops the question. She happily goes to sleep that night, knowing that her five year plan is right on track. But when she wakes up, it's in a strange apartment with a strange man, a different engagement ring on her finger. And the date? Five years in the future. Aaron seems to know her....is she dreaming? When she goes to sleep again, she wakes up with David in the 'right' time.Oh, lots of places this one could go! And I really liked where Serle took it.
In Five Years is told from Dannie's viewpoint, so we get to know her pretty well. But we get to know her best friend Bella just as well. Serle has created a wonderful friendship between the two women. I have to admit, it was Bella who stole my heart. She's the opposite of Dannie, definitely not a type A. But. Yes, there's a but. Fate, karma, the universe steps into their lives and changes things. And suddenly all of Dannie's carefully laid plans mean nothing. And that mystery man from five years hence? He appears again...and that's all I'm saying! (Note - you may need a few tissues - I did.)
I chose to listen to In Five Years. The reader was Megan Hilty and she was great. The voice for Dannie suited the mental image I had created - a little uptight, exacting, but emotive. Bella's voice was a bit gravelly, quite engaging and suited the artistic nature of this character. I'm always in awe when I listen and realize that the conversation between two characters is being narrated by one person. Hilty also provided believable voices for two male characters. Hilty really interpreted the book well. Not gonna lie, there's a lot of emotions in this tale and Hilty captured them with her voice. Her voice is clear, easy to understand and is pleasant to listen to. Hear for yourself - here's an audio excerpt of In Five Years. I've always enjoyed listening to books, but even more so in these uncertain times. I love becoming immersed in the story and escaping for a wee bit.
I really appreciated Serle's writing. She has penned a wonderful tale of friendship, love, loss and living. She caught me off guard with the ending, but on reflection, it's just right.
If you like JoJo Moyes, you'd enjoy this book.
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LibraryThing member SquirrelHead
This book description and beginning had me convinced this was a predictable plot, yet it surprised me with a serious turn of events. In the beginning we have David and Dannie, a successful young Jewish couple who have a five year plan and are supportive of one another in career goals. Danie is a
I thought this would be a chick lit sort of book once I started reading it but the author threw in a curve ball with a serious medical issue. Love and friendship are tested, lifestyles I could never imagine were described with detailed descriptions of the type clothing they wore and a plethora of foodie passages.
A hodgepodge if women’s fiction, the lesser grave subplots fitting the chick lit genre, a type A personality with a work ethic and dedication to the career that would wear me out (something that never came my way).
In a nutshell, Danie's best friend Bella is more like a sister, a forever friendship which started when they were children. They couldn't be more different in their personalities but they are very dedicated to one another. Bella's parents weren't ever there for her and enrolled her in a private school, Bella spending more time living with Danie and her parents than her own. Danie is a planner and never does anything impetuous. Bella decides to fly to Paris (or where ever suits her) and stay for months on a whim.
David is Danie's fiancee and they fit together perfectly. Each is supportive of the other's career goals and never have issue with the late work hours. But something is missing or why would they become engaged yet never make time to marry? The flash of color in the relationships is all from Bella. You'll like her. It's hard to do a detailed review because of the medical issue and that brings spoilers.
I would read another of this author's books but I say she's one of my go to new authors. This book had me interested enough to keep reading because I did want to know how it ended. It was not predictable and I was a bit surprised by the ending.
More about the author Rebecca Serle.
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successful attorney and knows, in her well detailed timeline, when she and David will become engaged and when they will marry.I thought this would be a chick lit sort of book once I started reading it but the author threw in a curve ball with a serious medical issue. Love and friendship are tested, lifestyles I could never imagine were described with detailed descriptions of the type clothing they wore and a plethora of foodie passages.
A hodgepodge if women’s fiction, the lesser grave subplots fitting the chick lit genre, a type A personality with a work ethic and dedication to the career that would wear me out (something that never came my way).
In a nutshell, Danie's best friend Bella is more like a sister, a forever friendship which started when they were children. They couldn't be more different in their personalities but they are very dedicated to one another. Bella's parents weren't ever there for her and enrolled her in a private school, Bella spending more time living with Danie and her parents than her own. Danie is a planner and never does anything impetuous. Bella decides to fly to Paris (or where ever suits her) and stay for months on a whim.
David is Danie's fiancee and they fit together perfectly. Each is supportive of the other's career goals and never have issue with the late work hours. But something is missing or why would they become engaged yet never make time to marry? The flash of color in the relationships is all from Bella. You'll like her. It's hard to do a detailed review because of the medical issue and that brings spoilers.
I would read another of this author's books but I say she's one of my go to new authors. This book had me interested enough to keep reading because I did want to know how it ended. It was not predictable and I was a bit surprised by the ending.
More about the author Rebecca Serle.
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LibraryThing member Vanessa_Menezes
I was quite hesitant to read this book. But I am glad that I did!
I wouldn’t call it a romance story but rather a women’s fiction or maybe a journey of self-discovery that’s full of heart and true friendship.
While the entire book was well written having a fair share of twists and turns. The
Overall, it is a story which will make you reflect about the unpredictability of life once you finish reading it.
I wouldn’t call it a romance story but rather a women’s fiction or maybe a journey of self-discovery that’s full of heart and true friendship.
While the entire book was well written having a fair share of twists and turns. The
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main highlight for me in this book was the relationship between Dannie and her best friend Bella- it felt so pure and kind of added the additional element make this book a bit more special.Overall, it is a story which will make you reflect about the unpredictability of life once you finish reading it.
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LibraryThing member jovemako
not a bad bath read. Little bit of a twist at the end.
LibraryThing member curious_squid
Was not a huge fan of the main character. Thought it was bizarre that she kept calling one of the other characters by the wrong name for the majority of the book and people only called her out on it 2% of the time.
LibraryThing member hobbitprincess
While I found the story to be interesting with a different approach, I never came to like the characters. I felt like the constant name-dropping such as fancy restaurant names, New York stores, and designer clothes detracted from the story. It hit me as an attempt to impress. I found that I really
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wasn't interested in what happened to these wealthy somewhat self-absorbed people. I gave this 3 stars because the plot of the novel is fine. It would have been more interesting with regular people. Show Less
LibraryThing member thereserose5
A really cute quick read!
LibraryThing member nicx27
In Five Years was not what I was expecting AT ALL! Don't think that means I'm disappointed with it because I'm not, not one bit. It's an absolutely beautiful, thoughtful and moving read.
What appealed to me initially was how the main character, Dannie, falls asleep and wakes up five years later. As
So you can imagine what I thought when I read the blurb. A love triangle situation perhaps? All I can say is that nothing in this book is what I thought it would be. There is a love story but not what I expected. It's so hard to review this book without giving away anything that's not already on the back of the book but that bit about it definitely not being the love story you're expecting is absolutely spot on.
In Five Years is a gorgeous story, beautifully written. It's a story of love, friendship and life, and the unexpected paths it takes you down. It's such an innovative story, and Serle has done an amazing job at creating a story that surprised me at every turn. It's a heartbreaker and I just didn't want to stop reading it. It's just lovely.
What appealed to me initially was how the main character, Dannie, falls asleep and wakes up five years later. As
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a fan of time travel I thought she was maybe travelling into the future. There's a man there when she wakes up, one who it seems like she's meant to be with, but what about her current life, her current boyfriend? After a brief spell as her future self she's back in her normal life but the reality of what happened is with her throughout the next four and a half years until, out of the blue, she sees the man again.So you can imagine what I thought when I read the blurb. A love triangle situation perhaps? All I can say is that nothing in this book is what I thought it would be. There is a love story but not what I expected. It's so hard to review this book without giving away anything that's not already on the back of the book but that bit about it definitely not being the love story you're expecting is absolutely spot on.
In Five Years is a gorgeous story, beautifully written. It's a story of love, friendship and life, and the unexpected paths it takes you down. It's such an innovative story, and Serle has done an amazing job at creating a story that surprised me at every turn. It's a heartbreaker and I just didn't want to stop reading it. It's just lovely.
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LibraryThing member CarrieWuj
Serle is good at taking those cliched 'party game' questions (What famous people would you invite to dinner....and where do you see yourself in 5 years?) and turning them into anything but a cliche. Here, Dannie Kohan has the dream day of her life: she aces an interview with the top M&A law firm in
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NYC, and her boyfriend David proposes at the Rainbow Room - all according to her five-year plan. But that same night she has a dream? premonition? flash-forward? to exactly 5 years from now and she is with a different guy in a different apartment in a situation she can't begin to comprehend. She returns, grateful to the reality she has carefully crafted with her goal-setting and hard work. The next 4 years fly by in a flurry of work accomplishments for both her and David, lots of phone calls and fun times with her best friend, free-spirit Bella, and no wedding. Dannie and David are still engaged, but just haven't gotten around to the wedding as they've been busy climbing the corporate ladder, climbing into better zipcodes in the city and generally being too exhausted to actually live the lives they've been building. Bella, artist and art gallery owner, is the foil to this and when she starts dating yet another someone new, Dannie is skeptical about her claims that Greg is different. But when Dannie meets him, he is the man from her dream, though he has no knowledge of their connection. Her controlling nature does everything to fight against this bizarre coincidence - she knows what's coming after all - but in a way she is fighting a dream that no one else knows about. How Dannie gets to that exact moment - it becomes almost a frantic countdown - is a path I didn't see coming and Serle masterfully guides the story where she wants it to go, avoiding triteness (thankfully) and really filling out the characters in the process. Great quote that gets to the heart of Dannie's issue: "You mistake love. You think it has to have a future in order to matter, but it doesn't. It's the only thing that does not need to become at all. It matters only insofar as it exists. Here. Now. Love doesn't require a future." (p.183) Who tells her this and in what circumstances will be revealed if you pick up the book! Show Less
LibraryThing member readyreader
Easy to read but characters unrealistic.
LibraryThing member Sheila1957
Dannie has her life planned out so she knows where she will be in 5 years. She'll be working at the job she wants, married to the man she loves, and making money. Life has a funny way with plans. She dreams on the night of her engagement which scares her. The date of her dream is 2025. Nothing she
I struggled to get into this book for a while. The Dannie we first meet is unlikeable. As I read further into the story and as I see her struggle, I started liking her a little better. She meets the man in her dreams, and I wondered what was going to happen. Her dream was very vivid. What was intriguing is the man is her best friend's boyfriend. I had to finish the book because I had to know why she was with her friend's boyfriend and what happened with her fiancé. I will tell you keep a box of kleenex nearby at the end. I almost didn't make it.
We learn about friendship and love. We learn about making plans and life happening. We learn about passion and settling. I'm glad I read this.
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has planned seems to have happened. Was it a dream? Or is it a premonition?I struggled to get into this book for a while. The Dannie we first meet is unlikeable. As I read further into the story and as I see her struggle, I started liking her a little better. She meets the man in her dreams, and I wondered what was going to happen. Her dream was very vivid. What was intriguing is the man is her best friend's boyfriend. I had to finish the book because I had to know why she was with her friend's boyfriend and what happened with her fiancé. I will tell you keep a box of kleenex nearby at the end. I almost didn't make it.
We learn about friendship and love. We learn about making plans and life happening. We learn about passion and settling. I'm glad I read this.
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Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2020-03-03
Physical description
7.72 inches
ISBN
1529405831 / 9781529405835