Rewind to us by Molly Morris

What is you had one chance at a do-over, one chance to turn back the clock and try again.  What would you use it for?  And would it be worth the risk of it being worse than before.

Dixie only has one plan for her annual summer trip to the little Californian town of Cielo Springs – to finally tell her best friend Sawyer that she’s in love with him.

Every Summer, Dixie leaves her fast-paced life and her wealthy parents in New York City and heads to Cielo Springs for a chance to slow down with her beloved Aunt Kate, cousin Bunny and best friend Sawyer.  The only problem is her feelings for Sawyer are complicated, and just as she finds the courage to confess her feelings, she sees Sawyer kissing someone else. 

Thankfully, Dixie is a Mulligan, and every Mulligan gets one chance at a do-over.  A chance to rewind to an event in the past 365 days and change the outcome.  Dixie sets out to claim her ‘rewind’, but the impact of her choice is far more complicated than just going back to where she thinks it all fell apart.   Dixie keeps her life in New York City separate from Cielo Springs but as the rewind processes, she must confront the fact that by doing so she is holding herself back from what she truly wants.

This book is told in two parts, before and after.  It isn’t a romance novel but rather a look at dealing with life and secrets, growing up, and discovering the ways in which our life choices shape who we are. 

I was expecting a lighthearted romance novel, but it is so much more than that.  The characters are well written and the plot twists in such a way that the reader is always engaged and surprised at the ways that the story unfolds. 

This is a book that will appeal to readers who are looking for more than just a romance novel, as it really shows that messy work of growing up, taking risks and learning to accept that sometimes your life story might not take the path you were hoping for.  I really hope that there are more stories about these characters from this author as I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Themes: Romance, Friendship, Family, Growing up, teenagers.

Mhairi Alcorn