Lizzie Recommends Books

The Do-Over by Bethany Turner
Publishing Date March 15, 2022
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Three stars

Synopsis – Goodreads

When McKenna Keaton walks into the boardroom of Wallis, Monroe, and Burkhead, she expects to be named senior partner. Instead, she learns she’s being investigated for embezzlement. To wait out her unpaid leave, McKenna sublets her Upper West Side apartment and goes home to Durham, North Carolina, to save money. Saving face is going to be another thing entirely, but she assumes her problems will blow over soon.

While living in her childhood hometown, McKenna learns about a family curse that—if real rather than imagined—could suggest she has less than a year to live. This information is troubling (of course!), but it’s the reunion with former classmate Henry—Durham’s favorite son—that flips her world upside down. Henry is now a celebrated documentarian, back in town to premiere his latest masterpiece. Vulnerable to (and desperately needing) a distraction as her life falls apart, McKenna begins seeing the shy nerd from high school in a whole new light.

As she waits out the results of the investigation and wonders if her literal life is hanging in the balance, McKenna debates her future and questions her past. She might survive it all in one piece—but a new love and a newly-examined life might be the only things that can save her.

My Review

I enjoyed this story of family dynamics, long-lost loves, and law (well, an attorney job).

The main character, McKenna, is a successful attorney in New York City. She left behind Durham, North Carolina, as soon as she could, praying she wouldn’t give up her dreams like her mom had. However, she’s accused of embezzling money from her law firm, and now she’s back and trying to remind everyone why she left in the first place.

It’s a fun read as we see McKenna begin to fall head over heels for her high school enemy, Henry. But was he really ever her enemy?

This story was a quick read that had all the sweetness of reuniting with your past, and finding out what you wanted all along was a bit different than you anticipated.

I’m rating three stars as it wasn’t entirely my favorite book, but the plot was fun, we saw the characters grow, and the story ended happily. Ultimately could we want more? I could see many people enjoying this as a weekend read.