The Memo by Rachel Dodes and Lauren Mechling - An ARC Review

​​Book reviews are being kicked up a gear for 2024! Be sure to comment on ALL the book reviews you see for YOUR chance at a special book prize every month!

Do you ever feel like your life doesn’t measure up to everyone else’s—and wonder if you just didn’t get the memo helping you make the right choices?
Jenny Green dreads her upcoming college reunion. Once top of her class, the thirty-five-year-old finds herself stuck in a life that isn’t the one she expected. Her promising career has flamed out (literally) and her deadbeat boyfriend is cheating on her (again). All her friends seem to have it all figured it out, enjoying glittering lives and careers that she can only envy from the sidelines. Did she just not get the memo they all did?
As it turns out, she didn’t!
When she arrives at her alma mater for the festivities, she receives a text from an unlisted number.
“Jenny Green: please collect your memo.”
Somewhere on campus, a discreet female-led organization provides comprehensive memos to select students, a set of instructions that are a blueprint for success.
The first time around, Jenny didn’t receive hers. Now, she’s being given the second chance she wants—an opportunity to relive her life and make all the right decisions this time around. But at what price?

Click The Picture To Check Out The Details On Amazon.

 Review

Standalone or series?
Standalone 

How did I get this book?
Paperback turned up in the mail from the publisher.

Why did I choose to read this book:  
When I saw the cover I almost just put it to one side, but then the info sheet fell out and the it seemed a lot more intriguing. I am going to offer it up as a giveaway in the subscriber group as I would be interested to see what others think.

Genre:
 Time Travel / Contemporary 

Who would enjoy this book:  
The idea would appeal to anyone who likes the idea of a "do over" for the mistakes. 

And Now To The Review!

First Impressions:
This was a whole lot of story when all I really wanted to do is get the "The Memo" bit. The first 1/3 of the book is set up, which I felt was too much, and if I hadn't really wanted to know how the memo but was going to work, I probably wouldn't have carried on. 
​
General Review
Time Travel rules are a HUGE thing for me.  The Boot Strap Paradox (or as I call it when explaining things to Greg - The Bill & Ted Effect), is pretty much my go to default. If you are NOT going to use this in your writing then you really need a good explanation as to how your time travel rules work. My issue with this is that while the concept of going back to key moments to "fix" errors that changed your destiny is intriguing, in this case the cause and effect was so convoluted it failed to connect with me. I found my self frustrated both with, and for the protagonist, and ALL the things that were happening. 

Final Thoughts
I Without spoilers I will just say it was disappointing, The premise was not realized in any way I could relate to and I got to the point where I just wanted to know the outcome, and, you guessed it, I wasn't really happy with that either. 

Rating:
A generous 2 1/2 stars rounded up to 3 (mainly for the idea - and I will admit some of the issues could well be "Melanie Issues", I am well aware that that is a thing, but it's not going anywhere so I have taken to just noting it lol). 

As always let me know what you think in the comments!


***Disclaimer - Any Links To Buy and/or  Subscribe to Amazon Programs On Amazon on this website are Amazon Affiliate Links
Melanie's Muses is part of the Amazon Associate  program and earns from qualifying purchases which in turns helps support all the Muser giveaways we do!***