“I’m happy to be me, and I’ve never felt like that.”
This Time Next Year is Sophie Cousens’ debut novel. Before becoming a full-time writer, she worked as a TV producer in London, but we’re so glad she stepped into the writing world because her first novel was an absolute pleasure to read. This Time Next Year follows the story of Minnie Cooper (yes, that’s really her name) and Quinn Hamilton, which were both born at the same hospital on the first day of the year in 1990. Their mothers bonded in the labour ward, as they were excited to see which baby would be the first to be born and who would win the £50,000 prize. Not only did Quinn win, thanks to being born one minute before Minnie, but he also took her name and all her luck too—according to her. Both grew up differently and had different life trajectories.
Minnie has always thought that her life would’ve taken another path if she had been named Quinn, and has always felt jinxed on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day; which is why she usually tries to avoid celebrating them. In the present day, she is also the struggling owner of a pie-business —one that she runs with her best friend—and is trying to keep it afloat with only a handful of co-workers. On the other hand, Quinn is a rich and successful businessman, whose life hasn’t been as easy as it may seem—as both the reader and Minnie get to discover throughout the novel. The pair finally meet on their 30th birthday, after Minnie has had a series of mishaps… What follows this encounter is a series of “will-they-won’t they” that will keep the reader invested in the story at all times! But what makes this novel truly a good one is that romance isn’t the sole thing it focuses on. There’s a lot more to this story than that.
Even though at first it seems like the only thing the main couple has in common is the day of their birth, the pair have insane chemistry. Minnie is caught up in the idea of her bad luck, which in the beginning can be a bit wearing, but as time progresses—and inspired by Quinn and his “you make your own luck” approach as well as that of her best friend’s Leila—she starts to change and to believe more in herself and put herself first; which only makes the reader love her more. And Quinn isn’t the spoiled rich guy that Minnie (and the reader) thinks he is in the beginning. He is one of those characters that grow on you as you get to know them and their backstory and once you understand where they’re coming from and why they act the way they act. And together, well, they are wonderful. Their relationship is a great narrative push and is filled with anticipation. They’re two people who have always circled each other, even without them knowing; as it is made evident thanks to the flashback chapters that are weaved in throughout the novel. When they meet for the first time, their conversation just flows and is filled with banter and it continues to be like that until the end. Yes, obviously, not everything is perfect and both characters have their flaws and things to work on but that’s what makes them real.
Because that’s one of the things Cousens did best in This Time Next Year, creating characters that feel real. This is a very character-driven book, and whilst the story is great, what makes you really love the book is the characters themselves. All of them were different but equally loveable and relatable. They are a fun set of characters: some are quirky, some are colourful, and some are more uptight and selfish… But this is life, this is how people are. On top of being a likeable set of characters, their dialogue felt natural and never dragged; it had the perfect mix of seriousness and banter.
The narration shifts from the main storyline to chapters focused on past NYE celebrations, which show that they’ve always gravitated towards each other, even if they weren’t aware of it. The main storyline takes place throughout the course of a year, which allows the reader to fully get to know more about the characters and their lives as well as to see how much they evolve! Because there are serious character developments in this book, which is wonderful to see. However, at first, these time jumps may seem a bit disjointed and may lead one to believe that they interfere with the pace of the story. But that only lasts a few chapters, because there’s a point when the reader will start connecting the dots and seeing how relevant these little intermissions actually are, both to understand the main story and the backstory of the characters.
This Time Next Year is much more than a romance novel. It is also a book about friendship, family, fate, and finding your own life-path and loving yourself. All of these subplots were equally interesting to read as the main plot, and Cousens did a wonderful job of balancing all of them in this sweet story. One of the subplots that stands out the most is the one about mental health, which is something that’s rarely discussed in romance novels and it definitely added another layer of depth to the book. It not only focuses on the persons who deal with it first-hand but also on how it affects those around them. And how helpful it can be to trust somebody else with your struggles, that it does not make you weak, and that it is okay to focus on yourself and your needs. So, we must congratulate Sophie Cousens’ writing and storytelling because both were beautiful. Definitely, an author you should be looking out for in the future!!
Overall, This Time Next Year is a heartwarming, funny, and uplifting story. The sort of feel-good romantic read to forget the rest of the world for a little while. It offers the perfect dose of escapism, which is something we all need right now.
This Time Next Year by Sophie Cousens is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of December 1st, 2020.
Will you be picking up This Time Next Year? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
When Minnie meets Quinn at an NYE party, it’s clear that they’ve got nothing in common – except for the strange fact of their being born in the same place at the same time on New Year’s Eve. A crazy coincidence, but not a reason to pursue a friendship, and definitely not an excuse for Quinn to hope for something more.
He is a privileged party boy who believes the world is his for the taking. She is a hard-working realist, whose lack of confidence tends to hold her back.
Opposites don’t really attract…it’s not like this is a rom-com, right?
The clock strikes midnight, their moment passes, and another year begins. But if Quinn and Minnie are from different worlds, why do they keep bumping into each other? And why is it that each frustrating interaction somehow seems to push their lives in the right direction? Could it be that instead of clashing, their different outlooks might complement each other?
Perhaps now is the time for them to finally come together…
