I was so excited to see Ms. Packard had released another book and then I read the synopsis and I was even more excited.
While I’m a few years older than Josie, I’m still a Gen Xer and could relate to so much and I found myself getting nostalgic as I read.
Josie ends up in a reverse 13 going on 30 situation by going back 30 years to right before her Senior year of high school which I know I wouldn’t be able to survive again, but at the same time there are definitely some things I would do differently. But I would still want the kids I ended up with even knowing what I know now.
There are so many little things from our past that have a huge impact on who we end up. Change just one of those things and it has a ripple effect.
Absolutely loved this book and read it instead of fully paying attention to the Olympics which I hope Ms. Packard realizes is a huge deal for me.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Robin Rankinhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngRobin Rankin2024-07-28 22:31:212024-09-26 13:13:07This Time Around by Kimberly Packard – Review by Robin Rankin
Just reading the plot of this story made me very eager to give this selection a try. Just like a few familiar past books and movies, adult Josie has hit hard times. Her life in shambles after husband threatened to take away from her children in the midst a divorce and her hard work and time consuming work in jeopardy, this all launches into a panic attack and leads her to somewhere familiar unexpectedly. She is back in the past in her senior year of high school where many pivotal life changes occur but now with a second chance, Josie contemplates whether she should risk it all to end up changing the present. These stories where the character goes back in time and gets a second chance to make changes really makes you question your own circumstances to see if you would do the same. Great flashbacks moments in this read and reconnecting to the past!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Jennifer Ramoshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngJennifer Ramos2024-07-28 21:59:332024-09-26 12:46:00This Time Around by Kimberly Packard – Review by Jennifer Ramos
After a shocking notice from her ex, Josie has some kind of transition back to her senior year in high school. Not only that but she remembers everything from her “present” . This book takes me back to my own days in high school. Being of a similar age to Josie the nostalgia I experienced was awesome. But this book will definitely make you wonder what would you do if you had a chance to do things over again? Really enjoyed this book. Wasn’t the ending I was hoping for but it is still a fantastic ending.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Kelli Harperhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngKelli Harper2024-07-28 21:27:282024-09-26 12:45:32This Time Around by Kimberly Packard – Review by Kelli Harper
I’m not even ashamed to say that I picked up this book just for the cover alone, but I was pleased to find that the story inside was just as incredible. It starts out in Austin, Texas which is a place that is very close to my heart so I had hoped it would do that lovely town justice. This was a new author to me, so I wasn’t sure what to expect, but they did an amazing job crafting a gripping, emotionally charged novel. Josie is one of the most relatable characters I have met in quite a while with raising kids and a love life that is far from perfect. It gives off ’13 Going On 30’ movie vibes and I loved every second of it. As soon as I finish this review, I am off to pick up more from this author because everything from the characters to the entertaining time-traveling story was perfect. I highly recommend this book to pretty much everyone!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Shannen Kernhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngShannen Kern2024-07-28 17:40:592024-09-26 12:43:42This Time Around by Kimberly Packard – Review by Shannen Kern
How often do we all wonder what if? What if we could change the past and do something differently? However, it must also be remembered what would happen to our current lives if we did. Josie, when suffering difficulties in her current life becomes overwhelmed and goes back to the age of seventeen. With the benefit of hindsight she sees things differently but will she change anything and potentially alter her future forever?! Read and find out! It’s definitely worth your while!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Gillianhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngGillian2024-07-27 23:12:472024-09-26 13:15:58This Time Around by Kimberly Packard – Review by Gillian Fawell
Josie Gardiner’s life revolves around her 2 children and the business that she built from the ground up. On one of the worst days of her life, her ex-husband wants to take her children away and her business is on the verge of failing, she collapses and wakes to find herself in her teenage bedroom, 30 years in the past. Josie realises that she has a chance to have a do-over and maybe fix some of the mistakes she made in the past, including telling the boy she always believed was the love of her life that she loves him. But all decisions have consequences and whilst she might end up with the love of her life, she could lose the children she already has. Is it worth it? I loved this book. The characters were so well-written and full of heart. you could really empathise with Josie and the choices she had to make to try to get back to her future. It was thought provoking and I thought the ending was perfect.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Lucinda Morton-Phillipshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngLucinda Morton-Phillips2024-07-26 03:39:482024-09-26 13:24:57This Time Around by Kimberly Packard – Review by Lucinda Morton-Phillips
Like every Freaky Friday movie ever, I loved this book. I can definitely say it’s relatable to think of the things you would have changed or done differently in your youth, but knowing if you would have done things differently you wouldn’t be the person you are today. Jo gets that chance when she wakes up thirty years in the past, right at the beginning of her senior year. The struggles of what she knows will be coming during the year and in the future, what she wishes she had the answers to in her adulthood. She can get those answers or completely change her future now. Which of those events will she try to change and how can she do those things without changing everything in the future. What things happen differently, even without her trying. This book is a great binge read
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Jessie Hopkinshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngJessie Hopkins2024-07-24 22:05:192024-09-26 12:39:11This Time Around by Kimberly Packard – Review by Jessie Hopkins
This Time Around is not only one of my favorite reads of the year but also an all-time favorite. It’s definitely a 5-star read for me!
How often have you thought you would like to return to your teenage years? That is precisely the predicament Josie Gardner has found herself in after a panic attack sends her back to the beginning of her senior year in high school, a year full of pain for her. She endured her parent’s divorce, closing her father out of her life, a friendship that doesn’t stand the test of time, and breaking the heart of the boy she was in love with.
She is still 47 but in an 18-year-old’s body. She has no aches and pains, and her body hasn’t endured the changes that come with having children and aging. I loved that she viewed her return with the wisdom of a mature woman. She tried to right some wrongs that occurred. I loved how she looked at her parents’ divorce; the time she spent with her parents was so endearing and heart-warming.
Josie was incredibly relatable. While she enjoyed her time with her family and friends, she desperately wanted to return to her children. While her heart ached as she remembered holding her children for the first time, I found myself doing the same. You think that time of no sleep and wiping runny noses will last forever, but it’s gone in the blink of an eye.
While she has a chance to make things right with Daniel, she has to ask herself how that affects her current life. Will she choose the unknown road with Daniel or the path she knows is fraught with joy and sadness (her impending divorce from her husband)? She has to do some soul-searching and ask herself some fundamental questions.
“That’s the thing about life. It’s the sum total of the choices, the mistakes, the right calls, that we make up until that moment. If you change one of those–turn left instead of right, go out with Mr. Football instead of the geeky guy in your class, or choose a different college–it completely changes who you are. Who you become.”
There were so many things I enjoyed about this book. I loved some of the new relationships Josie built outside of her usual group of friends. In addition, it took me back to a simpler time before the internet exploded…a time when you had to go to a library and use the card catalog to look up information…a time when you talked face-to-face with people instead of over a screen.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Christie Mitchumhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngChristie Mitchum2024-07-24 20:03:502024-09-26 12:38:56This Time Around by Kimberly Packard – Review by Christie Mitchum
This Time Around is not only one of my favorite reads of the year but also an all-time favorite. It’s definitely a 5-star read for me!
How often have you thought you would like to return to your teenage years? That is precisely the predicament Josie Gardner has found herself in after a panic attack sends her back to the beginning of her senior year in high school, a year full of pain for her. She endured her parent’s divorce, closing her father out of her life, a friendship that doesn’t stand the test of time, and breaking the heart of the boy she was in love with.
She is still 47 but in an 18-year-old’s body. She has no aches and pains, and her body hasn’t endured the changes that come with having children and aging. I loved that she viewed her return with the wisdom of a mature woman. She tried to right some wrongs that occurred. I loved how she looked at her parents’ divorce; the time she spent with her parents was so endearing and heart-warming.
Josie was incredibly relatable. While she enjoyed her time with her family and friends, she desperately wanted to return to her children. While her heart ached as she remembered holding her children for the first time, I found myself doing the same. You think that time of no sleep and wiping runny noses will last forever, but it’s gone in the blink of an eye.
While she has a chance to make things right with Daniel, she has to ask herself how that affects her current life. Will she choose the unknown road with Daniel or the path she knows is fraught with joy and sadness (her impending divorce from her husband)? She has to do some soul-searching and ask herself some fundamental questions.
“That’s the thing about life. It’s the sum total of the choices, the mistakes, the right calls, that we make up until that moment. If you change one of those–turn left instead of right, go out with Mr. Football instead of the geeky guy in your class, or choose a different college–it completely changes who you are. Who you become.”
There were so many things I enjoyed about this book. I loved some of the new relationships Josie built outside of her usual group of friends. In addition, it took me back to a simpler time before the internet exploded…a time when you had to go to a library and use the card catalog to look up information…a time when you talked face-to-face with people instead of over a screen.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Christie Mitchumhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngChristie Mitchum2024-07-24 20:01:322024-09-26 12:38:48This Time Around by Kimberly Packard – Review by Christie Mitchum
I was instantly drawn to This Time Around based on the cover art. I’ve read others by this author, but they were more intense. This was a fun, light hearted book about second chances. Josie is a middle age mother, running her own business. She is having a rough time, with her work and her relationship, when her husband hits her with wanting a divorce and primary custody. To say she is shocked would be an understatement. But, when she wakes up in her 17 year old body, in her parents house, that is even more of a shock. She doesn’t know how she got there, or how to get back to present day. This book was fun and so realistic to high school feelings, and having a teenager, I could relate to both sides of her life. I really loved it!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Elizabeth Sanchezhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngElizabeth Sanchez2024-07-21 21:53:382024-09-26 12:34:57This Time Around by Kimberly Packard – Review by Elizabeth Sanchez
Have you ever had a “what if I could go back in time” moment? Or what if you were forced to relive a year in your past? This is exactly what happens to the main character Josie in This Time Around by Kimberly Packard.
Josie’s life was turned upside down when her husband threatens to take her kids in their divorce, and the business she’s put most of her passion, time and money into building is at risk of failing. This leads to a reality shattering panic attack that causes Josie to wake up in her teenage home 30 years in the past, and now she is forced to relive her emotional senior year.
What an endearing story. I was pulled in immediately and didn’t want to stop turning the pages. This story is fast-paced, fun, and impactful with so many well-developed, intriguing, and interesting characters and with an ending that will make you laugh out loud and possibly shed a tear.
There is more to this story than just redoing a year of her life. There are choices to be made, memories to delight in, friendships to save, and deciding what she truly wants her future to look like.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Enisha Reaveshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngEnisha Reaves2024-07-21 19:21:472024-09-26 13:33:44This Time Around by Kimberly Packard
This was a very interesting read with a unique twist. It is a story of romance, lost love, fate, rediscovering yourself, and learning about consequences of your decisions. My heart went out to our main character Josie has to comes face to face with problems from her past but while she has the ability to make these right how will changing past events effect her future.
Josie is a mother and business woman. When her life feels like it’s falling apart, her husband is wanting a divorce and custody of the kids and the big deal for her business falls through she ends up having a panic attack. When she wakes up she finds herself back in time to her teenage self. Suddenly realising she now has the opportunity to change things about her past, make things right and finally be with the man she truly loves Josie plans to do just that. However having the knowledge and experience of an older woman will she make the sensible decisions she knows she should make or will she follow her heart. And what will happen to her future self if she makes those changes. Will she still end up married to Peter with her kids that she loves and adores or will she end up losing the one thing she loves more than anything in the world? I really enjoyed this story and I loved the trip down memory Lane with a return to the 90s. I could really relate to Josie and I felt how hard things were for her having a choice between the person she always loved and her kids who are her world. This was a captivating read that I couldn’t put down.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Kerry Carrhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngKerry Carr2024-07-21 09:34:482024-09-24 19:56:30This Time Around by Kimberly Packard – Review by Kerry Carr
Josie Gardner is a mom in her forties going through a divorce and finds herself in a position that more than a few of us have dreamt about. She wakes up in her senior year of high school. Will this be a chance for a do-over? Josie is a highly relatable character. She feels like her life is falling apart. Her husband wants to take primary custody of their children and her business just suffered a terrible blow. The part of the plot in the nineties is a fun blast from the past. The friendships with Emily and Sofia were sweet and felt nostalgic. I also enjoyed the scenes with Josie and her parents. You could especially feel the longing for her dad. It was fun guessing how Josie’s actions would impact the future. This was fun to read. If you enjoy time travel plots, this is highly suggested.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00La Toya Lewishttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngLa Toya Lewis2024-07-20 16:19:222024-09-26 12:31:33This Time Around by Kimberly Packard – Review by La Toya Lewis
This Time Around by Kimberly Packard is a second chance romance in the vein of 17 Again or 13 going on 30 (well opposite on that one). It follows Josie – middle-aged anxiety-riddled divorcee and mother of two. Her life is in shambles, mental health a mess, and her heart still hasn’t gotten over the one that got away. When the pressure becomes too much, Josie wakes up from a panic attack to find herself back in her teens getting ready to start senior year of high school. Josie is determined to right the wrongs of the past and armed with love of children as yet unborn. This is one second-chance romance you don’t want to miss.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Whisper Hymerhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngWhisper Hymer2024-07-20 05:08:522024-09-26 13:36:18This Time Around by Kimberly Packard – Review by Whisper Hymer
I really enjoyed this ‘what if’, second chance story and it kept me captivated throughout. Josie is given the chance for a ‘do-over’ of her teenage years, but whether she makes the same mistakes again is up to her. Josie’s life revolves around her children and her career, and is going through a divorce. When her husband threatens to take the children and then with her business at risk of failing, she suffers a panic attack. She then finds herself waking up thirty years in the past, in her teenage bedroom. She then has to relive her senior year at high school, which she found emotionally devastating the first time round. That year she cut her father out of her life, turned away the boy she loved and caused her best friend to sever ties. Josie is determined to get back to her own time and to her children. She tries to fix the mistakes she made, hoping that righting those wrongs will send her back to the present. But then she’s tempted by her high school crush to take a second chance at love. However, this may result in her losing everything she has in her future. The likeable and relatable Josie has a dilemma and I felt invested in her story. This is an enjoyable and engaging read which kept me happily turning the pages.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Jennifer Gordonhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngJennifer Gordon2024-07-19 11:00:132024-09-26 12:29:14This Time Around by Kimberly Packard – Review by Jennifer Gordon
Josie’s life couldn’t get any worse right now. A divorce on the horizon, custody battle, and her business is not doing good. It’s just one thing after another and it is taking its toll on her. She spirals into a full blown panic attack and wakes up 30 years in the past. Her senior year. Josie thinks that this is just a panic induced dream since she has a few regrets at this time including turning away the one boy who had her heart.
When Josie realizes she isn’t waking up back in the present, she decides to fix her mistakes from the past. She wants to tell Daniel how she feels but in doing so, she might erase her current life and lose her 2 kids she adores.
Who doesn’t love a time travelling trope. You’ve heard of 15 going on 30 but have you heard of 47 going on 17? Redoing your senior year in hopes of getting it right this time around. If only I could go back. I really enjoyed the main character Josie. She spent so long being a wife and mom first that she forgot what it is that she wanted in life. She may spend a lot of time inside her 17 year old body but she still has the mindset of her current age. Everyone has regrets. Only difference is Josie gets to change hers.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Santana Hickshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngSantana Hicks2024-07-18 08:13:352024-09-26 13:37:58This Time Around by Kimberly Packard – Review by Santana Hicks
I really enjoyed this one! There were many identifiable connection points for me. I thought the main character was relatable. I have often thought about the what if I went back and relived a point in time. I also appreciated the nostalgia of the piece.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Trish Annhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngTrish Ann2024-07-17 08:53:092024-09-26 12:23:39This Time Around by Kimberly Packard – Review by Trish Ann
Kimberley Packard’s This Time Around follows forty-seven year old Josie in the midst of a divorce, and the potential loss of her company looming in the distance. Then suddenly she’s seventeen again and faced with two options; to make the same choices she made the first time around, or to fix what she deems her mistakes. It’s a bit like Look Both Ways, or a reverse 13 Going On 30. I felt like there was a lot of unnecessary figurative language, and it could come across as a little misogynistic at times, but I got really hooked into the story and cried at the ending. Her relationship with the boys, her relationship with the girls, her relationship with her parents and ex-husband and children, her reunion with Daniel, it was perfect. I recommend this book because it really makes you think about life and is genuinely inspirational. I already believed this, but it reaffirmed that you shouldn’t regret any of the decisions you make as they all lead up to where you are now, where you’re meant to be. ‘I keep to myself that a decision only looks like a mistake in close proximity. When scar tissue grows around that mistake, one starts to realize something beautiful took root.’
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Maisiehttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngMaisie2024-07-15 02:52:542024-09-26 12:15:32This Time Around by Kimberly Packard – Review by Maisie Dickinson
What an entertaining book. For the week I had, this book made it so much better. I love a good romance that I can dive in that’s full of humor, romance, and fantastic characters. Right from the start, the story engages you. As a mama, I thought I was going to fall off my chair chuckling at the beginning. I haven’t read any of this author’s books before but I am going to need some more. You come away with a smile from this one.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Shelly Kittellhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngShelly Kittell2024-07-14 17:02:212024-09-01 06:37:25This Time Around by Kimberly Packard – Review by Shelly Kittell
This Time Around by Kimberly Packard is a wonderfully written Women’s Fiction/ Second Chance Romance that I absolutely loved reading. I pretty much devoured this book in one afternoon because I simply couldn’t put it down. My emotions were all over the place with this story. Some parts really made me think back to my teenage years and I found myself asking if I could go back would I change anything? No I wouldn’t because everything happens for a reason. The characters are fully developed relatable and complex. The storyline flowed well even going back and forth. I highly recommend reading this book to find out what happens next. It’s worth the time and I’m looking forward to reading more from this Author.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Dawn Daughenbaughhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngDawn Daughenbaugh2024-07-12 15:57:162024-09-26 13:47:31This Time Around by Kimberly Packard – Review by Dawn Daughenbaugh
Ok- right off the bat, this story would make a great movie. It gave me ‘Peggy Sue Got Married’ vibes, which I love- but with its own unique spin on the whole time travel/do-over theme. “Would you take a second chance for love… even if it meant losing everything?” Ms. Packard certainly packs a punch with some emotional and thought-provoking points. Depth and character ooze off the pages here, with plenty of life-lessons and meaningful content. It’s a bit of a ‘journey of discovery/rediscovery’ of self and of life, second chances, and finding purpose- with family, friendship, emotion, fate/destiny, adventure, drama, angst, and much more. Another superb read from Ms. Packard. Can’t wait to see what she delivers next. Happy Reading…
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Angela Hayeshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAngela Hayes2024-07-10 23:43:462024-09-24 19:31:14This Time Around by Kimberly Packard – Review by Angela Hayes
4.5 stars This Time Around is a heartwarming time travel RomCom that sees Josie Gardner’s life turned upside down when her ex threatens taking her kids away and on top of that her life as she knows it is falling apart. Suddenly finding herself thrown back in time what choices will she make? I like that Kimberly gives us a more mature woman as the main character as she has life’s lessons behind her. Kimberly got the balance right. This engaging tale had me from the start and I could not put it down. It is full of so many emotions as Josie struggles with what she wants. Reminiscent of movies like Ghosts of Girlfriends Past and 17 Again, This Time Around begs the question if your life was turned upside and you go back in time would you do it differently or do it the same all over again? And isn’t that is the million-dollar question. You may just find the life you were always meant to have but to do so means giving up everything you ever had. This wonderful tale not to be missed out on. It evokes many emotions within as you ruminate about your own past. Is love better the second time around?
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Jenni Bishophttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngJenni Bishop2024-07-09 20:22:582024-09-26 12:01:01This Time Around by Kimberly Packard – Review by Jenni Bishop
This book is totally relatable to anyone who has been out of high school for at least five years. Lost touch with one of your best friends? Check. Still hung up on what could have been? Check. Regret how you behaved toward your parents sometimes during your senior year? Check. Your current relationship and your business are both imploding at the same time? Okay, this is where it starts to get interesting. Have a panic attack? Relatable. The panic attack sends you back in time to re-do your senior year? Is time travel real? The main character discovers new friendships as she learns to cherish the relationships she already has.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Alison Risherhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAlison Risher2024-07-09 14:10:452024-09-26 11:59:14This Time Around by Kimberly Packard – Review by Alison Risher
When I started reading this book, I expected a lighthearted and fun story that involved reliving teenage years. I thought it would be an easy read with a great romantic storyline. And while it definitely felt like the book delivered on all that, but also offered a depth and emotion to the story that I wasn’t expecting. It added a whole other layer to the story that made it so much more enjoyable to read. I loved all of the characters in this story. They were so well interwoven and found them all to be so relatable, but in entirely different ways. It was great to see the main character embrace her old teenage life, in a way I bet many of us wish we could go back and do. This is a brilliant book and my favourite from this author so far.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Kerry Bakerhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngKerry Baker2024-07-09 13:18:482024-09-24 19:49:25This Time Around by Kimberly Packard – Review by Kerry Baker
This Time Around is the first book I’ve read by Kimberly Packard and I’m really glad I took a chance on reading it. The premise of the book is what drew me in. I mean the biggest ‘what if’ scenario that most people have thought about is going back in time to make better decisions, change things, try different paths, and will she actually be able to get back to her own time. In This Time Around Josie Gardner, a forty seven year old, nearing divorce, and a custody battle gets the chance to do just that. She discovers just how much our past influences our future and she tells the story with such humor, interesting characters. This story actually felt believable, was fast paced, and such a fun read.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Micalahhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngMicalah2024-07-08 23:06:492024-09-26 12:06:02This Time Around by Kimberly Packard – Review by Micalah Weatherholtz
This Time Around is a story about returning to your past and the potential to make changes. Josie is a 47-year-old woman, a mother, a business owner, and in the process of divorce. She is relatable as she deals with all the challenges life brings her way. After she has a panic attack, she awakens in her teenage bedroom, about to start her senior year of high school. Is this a time to change the “what ifs” or to repeat the past? Josie’s character draws you into her adult and teen life because she is realistic and understandable. Most of us have those experiences in high school that we know we could have handled differently now that we have the insight of living in the adult world. She handles everything carefully, trying not to give herself away to her friends and classmates that she is 47 in a teen’s body. With the opportunity to make changes in her past, does Josie change her future? If you enjoy a bit of time traveling with women’s fiction, this is a great read that explores the “what ifs” of life. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Sheri Schraderhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngSheri Schrader2024-07-07 18:53:462024-09-26 11:54:48This Time Around by Kimberly Packard – Review by Sheri Schrader
When I first started this this book, it seemed meh. Then I got really into it and made me think, what I would do if I was transported back to my senior year in high school? Would I make changes to affect my future self? This was a great story. I couldn’t wait to see what would happen. The story line was well written and thought out. Even though Josie made some slight adjustments that affected the future, it righted itself out in the end. She wasn’t the hormonal teenager who wasn’t thinking about anything but what she had going on in her life. She used that 40-something year old to thoughtfully make decisions. While she was dearly missing her children, you could definitely tell the shift in the book when she wasn’t as fretful over getting back to them and focused on the last couple of months of her senior year. She has the same Aubrey and Ben. Maybe even the happier ever after part. I cannot wait to see what may come next after this book. Definitely going to keep an eye out on future books.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Karrie Searshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngKarrie Sears2024-07-07 10:16:012024-09-26 11:53:26This Time Around by Kimberly Packard – Review by Karrie Sears
“This Time Around” is a captivating and emotional read that explores the complexities of second chances, self-discovery, and the power of love. Kimberly Packard has woven a thought-provoking narrative that delves into the intricacies of Josie’s past and present, making it difficult to put the book down.
Josie’s relatable struggles and inner turmoil make her a well-developed and endearing protagonist. Her character growth throughout the story is impressive, as she learns to confront her past mistakes and prioritize her relationships.
The book has an engaging plot- the time-travel element adds a unique twist to the story, keeping the reader invested in Josie’s journey as she navigates her past to fix her mistakes.
Even with the cliched elements of the “high school sweetheart trope,” this book is still a really fun read. I also really connected with Josie’s life in the past, growing up in the 90’s (Choose Your Own Adventure books, Back to the Future, etc.).
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Jennifer Crainhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngJennifer Crain2024-07-07 08:50:472024-09-26 11:47:16This Time Around by Kimberly Packard – Review by Jennifer Crain
Most of us would jump at a chance for a do-over of our teenage years…but what if our worst mistakes lead to our happily-ever-after?
Josie Gardner’s life revolves around her amazing children and her career. But, when her husband threatens to take her kids in their divorce, and the business she’s put most of her passion, time and money into building is at risk of failing, a panic attack shatters her grip on reality… and the present.
Josie wakes up in her teenage bedroom, thirty years in the past. She’s forced to relive her emotionally devastating senior year of high school — the year she cut her father out of her life, caused one of her best friends to sever ties, and turned away the boy she loved.
Determined to get back to her children in her own time, Josie tries to fix the mistakes she made, in the hope that righting wrongs will send her back to the present. But when tempted by her high school crush Josie faces the real possibility of losing her future for good.
Would you take a second chance for love…even if it meant losing everything?
Kimberly Packard is an award-winning author of women’s fiction.
When she isn’t writing, she can be found planning her next trip, asking her dog what’s in his mouth or curled up with a book. She resides in Texas with her husband Colby, a clever cat named Oliver and a precocious black lab named Tully.
Her debut novel, Phoenix, was awarded as Best General Fiction of 2013 by the Texas Association of Authors. She is also the author of a Christmas novella, The Crazy Yates, and the sequels to Phoenix, Pardon Falls and Prospera Pass, and her stand-alone titles Vortex,Dire’s Club and This Time Around. She was honored as one of the Top 10 Haute Young Authors by Southern Methodist University in 2019. Vortex was the 2019 winner of the Pencraft award in Women’s Fiction, and Dire’s Club, was awarded the 2021 General Fiction of the Year by the North Texas Book Festival.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/ThisTimeAround_Amazon.jpeg640427itsybitsybookbitshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngitsybitsybookbits2024-07-07 00:04:112024-07-23 10:31:05This Time Around by Kimberly Packard
Katie and Chase were high school sweethearts and seemed destined to be together forever. However, after graduating high school they ended up splitting up, and Katie went to the big city to follow her dreams. Chase did eventually leave himself, but went back to be closer to his brother. When his brother and sister-in-law tragically perished in an accident he became the guardian of his nephew. Now a decade has passed by and Chase’s cousin is getting married. He and Katie are about to be thrown together by his match making cousin and the results could either be disaterous, or turn into a reconciliation. The lead characters in this book were very likeable, and the narrators did an amazing job bringing them to life. I do wish the story had been a bit longer, but I was very happy with how everything turned out for Chase and Katie. This was definitely worth the listen.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Charlisa Wahtomy-Albahttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngCharlisa Wahtomy-Alba2023-09-20 07:48:262023-10-07 12:14:09This Time Around Audiobook by Jane Suen – Review by Charlisa Wahtomy-Alba
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