What do you think?
Rate this book
Wake-Up Call #1
Wake-Up Call
Sarah Winslow wakes up with a terrible hangover… and a kid in her boyfriend’s bed. She makes the horrifying discovery that, due to a head injury, it’s not a hangover. She’s got memory loss. Overnight, five years have disappeared, and she’s no longer the hard-living, fast-track, ad executive party girl she thinks she is. Now, she’s the unemployed, pudgy, married, stay-at-home-mom of three kids under five, including twins. As she slowly pieces together the mystery of how her dreams and aspirations could have disintegrated so completely in five short years, she finds herself utterly failing to manage this life she can’t imagine choosing. When Sarah meets the man of her dreams, she realizes she’s got to make a choice: Does she follow her bliss and “do-over” her life? Or does the Sarah she’s forgotten hold the answers to how she got here… and how she can stay?
246 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2015
10 people are currently reading
1284 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
September 23, 2015
What's a girl to do when she wakes up and discovers that she doesn't recognize her life?
In her debut novel Wake-Up Call, author Amy Avanzino weaves an entertaining tale that follows Sarah Winslow's personal journey of self-discovery after waking up with a head injury that results in amnesia and the loss of the last five years of her life.
Set in Washington state and told in the first person narrative, Sarah wakes up thinking that she has one hell of a hangover, only to discover that she doesn't recognize her surroundings ... and even worse ... she doesn't remember being married with three young sons! A once successful advertising executive with a promising future, Sarah is now a full-time stay-at-home mom. She can't believe that this isn't a nightmare, that it is really happening to her, and she wants to go back five years to her former life! Sarah is in for a wake-up call when she realizes that she has to deal with the reality of her new life.
Wake-Up Call is an entertaining tale that easily draws the reader into Sarah's life and the challenges that she faces when she questions how her life has changed, and whether she can make a go of her new life or get a do-over. This is an intriguing story that had a great mixture of humor and drama, you can't help but ponder what would you do if you were in Sarah's shoes. It is easy to relate to Sarah's struggles, especially if you find yourself looking in the mirror and wondering how you got to where you are in life.
Wake-Up Call is a heartwarming story about life, choices, decisions, regrets, happiness, family, love, and discovering what the really important things are in life.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours.
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...
In her debut novel Wake-Up Call, author Amy Avanzino weaves an entertaining tale that follows Sarah Winslow's personal journey of self-discovery after waking up with a head injury that results in amnesia and the loss of the last five years of her life.
Set in Washington state and told in the first person narrative, Sarah wakes up thinking that she has one hell of a hangover, only to discover that she doesn't recognize her surroundings ... and even worse ... she doesn't remember being married with three young sons! A once successful advertising executive with a promising future, Sarah is now a full-time stay-at-home mom. She can't believe that this isn't a nightmare, that it is really happening to her, and she wants to go back five years to her former life! Sarah is in for a wake-up call when she realizes that she has to deal with the reality of her new life.
Wake-Up Call is an entertaining tale that easily draws the reader into Sarah's life and the challenges that she faces when she questions how her life has changed, and whether she can make a go of her new life or get a do-over. This is an intriguing story that had a great mixture of humor and drama, you can't help but ponder what would you do if you were in Sarah's shoes. It is easy to relate to Sarah's struggles, especially if you find yourself looking in the mirror and wondering how you got to where you are in life.
Wake-Up Call is a heartwarming story about life, choices, decisions, regrets, happiness, family, love, and discovering what the really important things are in life.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours.
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...
June 25, 2015
Wake-up Call by Amy Avanzino is a 2015 Henery Press publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is a really cute story about life and the choices we make and what is really important in the long run. Sarah Winslow gets an opportunity to see how having expensive things, a high powered career, and money is not all it's cracked up to be, especially when compared to her home in the suburbs, her wonderful husband and her three beautiful children. But, before Sarah can appreciate all those things she will go through a traumatic experience, one that will slowly put things into perspective for her, but Sarah is not the only one who get a wake-up call.
I think many people have planned their lives out one way, only to have their priorities change along the way. But, Sarah doesn't remember why or how she wound up with this life, with this body, and hates every minute of it. She is desperate to reclaim her old life by touching base with old friends, going on a diet, and flirting with another man who makes her feel special.
While this book is very heartwarming, sweet and whimsical in someways, I think it can touch a nerve too. How many of you have caught a glimpse yourself in the mirror and were hit with the sudden realization that you are not as young as you once were, you've maybe put on few pounds, you don't spend hours in front of the mirror, you don't frequent the trendiest nightclubs, and your career, which you once thrived on, no longer takes top priority in your life. Do you miss those things? Do you feel like you are in a rut? Sure, especially if you are a woman and have made the decision to be a stay at home mom. You trade one in for the other and if you weigh the pros and cons you will draw the same conclusion Sarah did in most cases. But, you may find yourself feeling wistful, missing some of that fast paced life, and maybe even panic a little, like Sarah did.
But, having said all that, this book in not heavy reading at all. It's laugh out loud funny in places and I enjoyed watching Sarah's character development. I did find it interesting that Sarah's amnesia and her subsequent behavior caused her sweet, patient, long suffering husband to read some subliminal messages Sarah's “new me” character was sending him. So, while it's Sarah we are the most focused on, her family is also responding to her and growing along with her.
Overall, I really liked this story and had a lot of fun with it.
4 stars
This is a really cute story about life and the choices we make and what is really important in the long run. Sarah Winslow gets an opportunity to see how having expensive things, a high powered career, and money is not all it's cracked up to be, especially when compared to her home in the suburbs, her wonderful husband and her three beautiful children. But, before Sarah can appreciate all those things she will go through a traumatic experience, one that will slowly put things into perspective for her, but Sarah is not the only one who get a wake-up call.
I think many people have planned their lives out one way, only to have their priorities change along the way. But, Sarah doesn't remember why or how she wound up with this life, with this body, and hates every minute of it. She is desperate to reclaim her old life by touching base with old friends, going on a diet, and flirting with another man who makes her feel special.
While this book is very heartwarming, sweet and whimsical in someways, I think it can touch a nerve too. How many of you have caught a glimpse yourself in the mirror and were hit with the sudden realization that you are not as young as you once were, you've maybe put on few pounds, you don't spend hours in front of the mirror, you don't frequent the trendiest nightclubs, and your career, which you once thrived on, no longer takes top priority in your life. Do you miss those things? Do you feel like you are in a rut? Sure, especially if you are a woman and have made the decision to be a stay at home mom. You trade one in for the other and if you weigh the pros and cons you will draw the same conclusion Sarah did in most cases. But, you may find yourself feeling wistful, missing some of that fast paced life, and maybe even panic a little, like Sarah did.
But, having said all that, this book in not heavy reading at all. It's laugh out loud funny in places and I enjoyed watching Sarah's character development. I did find it interesting that Sarah's amnesia and her subsequent behavior caused her sweet, patient, long suffering husband to read some subliminal messages Sarah's “new me” character was sending him. So, while it's Sarah we are the most focused on, her family is also responding to her and growing along with her.
Overall, I really liked this story and had a lot of fun with it.
4 stars
August 27, 2015
This book had me in stitches from the first chapter through the last! I'm not a parent, but I think it's fairly safe for me to say that every mom's worst nightmare would be to wake up and find that she's completely forgotten the past five years of her life - including her wedding, entire married life, and the conception, pregnancy, and deliveries of three children. That is exactly the premise in Amy Avanzino's hilarious debut novel, Wake-Up Call.
Groggy, dazed, and suspicious of a hangover, Sarah Winslow wakes up in bed next to a man she thinks she doesn't know in a home she thinks she's never been to before. She's chiding herself for making poor choices, drinking far too much, and going home with a man who wasn't her boyfriend, Kofi, and trying to quickly and quietly extricate herself from the house before anyone notices. But, when the man wakes up, Sarah sees that it is, in fact, Kofi . . . but a changed Kofi. For a frantic few minutes, confusion reigns. Soon enough, Kofi realizes that his wife may be more than just "shaken up" following a knock on the head she suffered the day before. For Sarah, five years are simply gone. She's no longer a woman on the professional fast track, she's living in the suburbs instead of a hip and trendy flat in the city, and there are three children calling her "Mommy," which is a problem, because Sarah doesn't even like kids!
I can't tell you how often I laughed out loud while reading Wake-Up Call. I was constantly trying to explain the scenes, characters, and dialogue to my family members, who met my laughter with blank stares, until I finally simply told everyone I met, knew, or ran into to get and read this book. A true study in character evolution, in addition to healthy doses of wit, humor, honesty, and a sprinkling of romance, make Wake-Up Call a must read book.
Please note that I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Groggy, dazed, and suspicious of a hangover, Sarah Winslow wakes up in bed next to a man she thinks she doesn't know in a home she thinks she's never been to before. She's chiding herself for making poor choices, drinking far too much, and going home with a man who wasn't her boyfriend, Kofi, and trying to quickly and quietly extricate herself from the house before anyone notices. But, when the man wakes up, Sarah sees that it is, in fact, Kofi . . . but a changed Kofi. For a frantic few minutes, confusion reigns. Soon enough, Kofi realizes that his wife may be more than just "shaken up" following a knock on the head she suffered the day before. For Sarah, five years are simply gone. She's no longer a woman on the professional fast track, she's living in the suburbs instead of a hip and trendy flat in the city, and there are three children calling her "Mommy," which is a problem, because Sarah doesn't even like kids!
I can't tell you how often I laughed out loud while reading Wake-Up Call. I was constantly trying to explain the scenes, characters, and dialogue to my family members, who met my laughter with blank stares, until I finally simply told everyone I met, knew, or ran into to get and read this book. A true study in character evolution, in addition to healthy doses of wit, humor, honesty, and a sprinkling of romance, make Wake-Up Call a must read book.
Please note that I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
September 16, 2015
I received a review copy
If you are prepping your fall reading list, make sure you write this one down! I was hooked from the first page and couldn’t put this down. I also loved talking to everybody about the concept – if you woke up five years later, would you be happy about where you are? Who you are? Who you married, the children you have, the career you have, the house you have? Absolutely brilliant and I loved how the entire book played out. Sarah wasn’t always likeable, but that made her even more relatable. From the first page to the last, I was all about this book. A must for your reading list!
If you are prepping your fall reading list, make sure you write this one down! I was hooked from the first page and couldn’t put this down. I also loved talking to everybody about the concept – if you woke up five years later, would you be happy about where you are? Who you are? Who you married, the children you have, the career you have, the house you have? Absolutely brilliant and I loved how the entire book played out. Sarah wasn’t always likeable, but that made her even more relatable. From the first page to the last, I was all about this book. A must for your reading list!
June 19, 2015
Loved this book. I couldn't put it down. I laughed through every page. Any woman who left behind a career for family has these thoughts at first, so I loved how the book tied all this together. We have time to adjust and see what's important to us as we grow into family life, but if I lost the last five years of my memory – I would be acting the same way!! I love the mystery characters and seeing the relationships build back with her husband and old friends, too. Overall, I would recommend to anyone! Great read!
August 30, 2015
This was an enjoyable read, at times tugging at the heartstrings. Sarah discovers that she has memory loss due to a head injury. She's not keen on her new family life and still years for the party girl days where she had a rewarding career. It provides some really amusing scenes and the characters are well developed. She wakes up in her 'new life' to discover that she has three children she doesn't remember having and a whole lot of responsibility that she's not used to having. It's such an interesting premise.
With many thanks to Net Galley for a copy of this book.
With many thanks to Net Galley for a copy of this book.
June 8, 2015
A funny, terrifying, and warmhearted look at motherhood and its sacrifices--and rewards. Yet Avanzino's charming debut novel is less about parenthood than it is about growing up--in all the good ways. With a marvelously snarky, sarcastic wit and a formidably flowed heroine, WAKE-UP CALL is frequently laugh-out-loud--and hard to put down.
May 25, 2016
**I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
Sarah wakes up one morning next to a slightly overweight man in a room she doesn't recognize. She tries to remember the previous night and how she could have ended up in a stranger's bed. Then a little boy pops out of the covers and her world turns upside down. It turns out that Sarah has a head injury and has lost the last 5 years of her life. She is married with children, living in the suburbs, and is a stay at home mom. A far cry from the life she had planned for herself. She should be rich with no children, living in Seattle, with a high level job at an advertising agency. She has different friends, different clothes, and a very different body than the one she remembers having.
I would give this book 4 1/2 stars. I loved it. The author's writing style was very similar to Liane Moriarty's and I flew through the book. I loved how she seemed to really "get it" as far as how mothers interact with their children and womens' relationships. I found myself laughing out loud at some parts. I would highly recommend this book. It is a great reminder to appreciate what you have for all the reasons you have it. Life may not turn out as you expect it to, but it doesn't mean it isn't a wonderful life to live.
Sarah wakes up one morning next to a slightly overweight man in a room she doesn't recognize. She tries to remember the previous night and how she could have ended up in a stranger's bed. Then a little boy pops out of the covers and her world turns upside down. It turns out that Sarah has a head injury and has lost the last 5 years of her life. She is married with children, living in the suburbs, and is a stay at home mom. A far cry from the life she had planned for herself. She should be rich with no children, living in Seattle, with a high level job at an advertising agency. She has different friends, different clothes, and a very different body than the one she remembers having.
I would give this book 4 1/2 stars. I loved it. The author's writing style was very similar to Liane Moriarty's and I flew through the book. I loved how she seemed to really "get it" as far as how mothers interact with their children and womens' relationships. I found myself laughing out loud at some parts. I would highly recommend this book. It is a great reminder to appreciate what you have for all the reasons you have it. Life may not turn out as you expect it to, but it doesn't mean it isn't a wonderful life to live.
October 25, 2015
A disturbing but also fun book which really tells life as it is as a mother of under 5s. Yes, your house will smell of poop as the nappy bucket needs to be emptied or the kids have accidents, and yes, they will follow you everywhere even into the loo and yes, little boys will try and pee into the bowl whilst you are still using it.
A story that is clearly drawn from real life experiences whether of the author herself, or her friends and family with small children.
But what must it be like to experience that chaos and smells all at once without it gradually creeping up on you? That slim, svelte, toned body you worked so hard for before you had kids is no longer there - overnight, literally, it appears to have vanished when amnesia kicks in and the years of child birth and early rearing are lost to you. When Sunday mornings are no longer for lie-ins and reading the paper over coffee, leisurely then making your way to brunch with friends. Now mornings tend to arrive at the crack of dawn - 9.15am with our grand-kids is when the small voice says in our ears 'Read me a story, Nana'.
So a thoroughly enjoyable light story but a fourth child? I know the author has 4 but I bring you the warning of my GP when I was expecting my 2nd - she had 3 boys and wanted a girl - so she got twin boys!
A story that is clearly drawn from real life experiences whether of the author herself, or her friends and family with small children.
But what must it be like to experience that chaos and smells all at once without it gradually creeping up on you? That slim, svelte, toned body you worked so hard for before you had kids is no longer there - overnight, literally, it appears to have vanished when amnesia kicks in and the years of child birth and early rearing are lost to you. When Sunday mornings are no longer for lie-ins and reading the paper over coffee, leisurely then making your way to brunch with friends. Now mornings tend to arrive at the crack of dawn - 9.15am with our grand-kids is when the small voice says in our ears 'Read me a story, Nana'.
So a thoroughly enjoyable light story but a fourth child? I know the author has 4 but I bring you the warning of my GP when I was expecting my 2nd - she had 3 boys and wanted a girl - so she got twin boys!
June 3, 2015
This was an interesting read. Reminded me of Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella and Forget About It by Caprice Crane, but it sadly wasn't as good as either of those books. It was only okay. I was intrigued from the start, but as Sarah resisted the fact she had kids, a husband, that her life was entirely different, I just ended up a bit bored. Her life WAS different, and railing against that fact didn't change a damn thing, it just annoyed me.
The novel could have had huge potential and it was very readable, I just ended up getting bored because it was your typical suburban novel, there was a hint of a mysterious person in Sarah's life, but it just didn't gain any traction I just kept waiting and waiting and waiting for it to come to light who this mysterious L person was (I still don't know - I skimread the last half of the book oops).
So, no, this wasn't really my kind of read. I thought it was, and I gave it the benefit of the doubt, but in the end, I just couldn't stick with it any longer.
The novel could have had huge potential and it was very readable, I just ended up getting bored because it was your typical suburban novel, there was a hint of a mysterious person in Sarah's life, but it just didn't gain any traction I just kept waiting and waiting and waiting for it to come to light who this mysterious L person was (I still don't know - I skimread the last half of the book oops).
So, no, this wasn't really my kind of read. I thought it was, and I gave it the benefit of the doubt, but in the end, I just couldn't stick with it any longer.
September 1, 2015
Sarah Winslow awakens one morning to a strange man in her bed and doesn't recognize the woman she sees in mirror. She learns to her horror that she is married to him and has 3 children under 5 years of age. As she tries to adjust to her new life Sarah begins to question her values. She begins a relationship with a stranger. Sarah starts to fall in love with her children.. What will happen if Sarah doesn't recover memory and chooses the newme instead of her old life. I recommend this book and plan to read more by this author.
Disclosure: I received a free copy from HENERY PRESS through Netgalley for an honest review. I would like to thank them for this opportunity to read and review this book. The opinions are my own
Disclosure: I received a free copy from HENERY PRESS through Netgalley for an honest review. I would like to thank them for this opportunity to read and review this book. The opinions are my own
October 8, 2015
Review first posted on my blog: http://spoonfulofhappyendings.blogspo...
28-year-old Sarah Winslow loves her life. She’s working hard on her career, has a nice apartment in the city, spends evenings drinking cocktails with her girlfriends, and shares passionate nights with her handsome boyfriend. Then, one morning, Sarah wakes up with a terrible headache. She immediately thinks it must be the hangover from hell, but when she finds a little kid in the bed she starts to freak out. She quickly discovers she hit her head in a skateboarding accident and is actually suffering from amnesia. She’s no longer 28, but 5 years have passed and she’s now married, a full-time mum to her three little kids (including twins), and living in the suburbs. Sarah can’t believe this is her life at 32; what happened to all of her hopes and dreams? She realises she needs to make the best of things, but does that mean turning her life upside down, longing for the past, or learning to accept the new Sarah and everything that comes with it?
Don't we all sometimes wish we could look into the future and see what our life will look like in a couple of years? That's what happens to leading lady Sarah Winslow in 'Wake-Up Call', except for Sarah it's not just a quick look into the future but a permanent one. She's suffering from amnesia and suddenly loses 5 years of her life, which happen to be the 5 years in which she got married, had 3 kids, moved to the suburbs, and gave up her job. I loved the storyline of this novel and really felt for Sarah, suddenly having to deal with so many changes in her life and not being able to remember anything that happened during the past 5 years. Occasionally, Sarah's behaviour annoyed me a bit and I thought she was quite selfish, but to be honest, who knows how I would react in her situation?
There are not that many characters in the novel, and the ones that are there are easily likeable. Sarah's kids are just the cutest and really made me both smile and laugh out loud quite a few times. It was a relatively quick read (I finished it in two sittings), thanks to the well-paced and easy-to-get-into writing style of the author; I was almost flying through the pages! I personally wouldn't have minded if another element had been added to the storyline, which just focused on Sarah and her amnesia, but it was still a read I enjoyed very much. Great for people who always think the grass is greener on the other side, 'Wake-Up Call' is a light, fun, and thought-provoking read and a promising start to a new chick lit series!
28-year-old Sarah Winslow loves her life. She’s working hard on her career, has a nice apartment in the city, spends evenings drinking cocktails with her girlfriends, and shares passionate nights with her handsome boyfriend. Then, one morning, Sarah wakes up with a terrible headache. She immediately thinks it must be the hangover from hell, but when she finds a little kid in the bed she starts to freak out. She quickly discovers she hit her head in a skateboarding accident and is actually suffering from amnesia. She’s no longer 28, but 5 years have passed and she’s now married, a full-time mum to her three little kids (including twins), and living in the suburbs. Sarah can’t believe this is her life at 32; what happened to all of her hopes and dreams? She realises she needs to make the best of things, but does that mean turning her life upside down, longing for the past, or learning to accept the new Sarah and everything that comes with it?
Don't we all sometimes wish we could look into the future and see what our life will look like in a couple of years? That's what happens to leading lady Sarah Winslow in 'Wake-Up Call', except for Sarah it's not just a quick look into the future but a permanent one. She's suffering from amnesia and suddenly loses 5 years of her life, which happen to be the 5 years in which she got married, had 3 kids, moved to the suburbs, and gave up her job. I loved the storyline of this novel and really felt for Sarah, suddenly having to deal with so many changes in her life and not being able to remember anything that happened during the past 5 years. Occasionally, Sarah's behaviour annoyed me a bit and I thought she was quite selfish, but to be honest, who knows how I would react in her situation?
There are not that many characters in the novel, and the ones that are there are easily likeable. Sarah's kids are just the cutest and really made me both smile and laugh out loud quite a few times. It was a relatively quick read (I finished it in two sittings), thanks to the well-paced and easy-to-get-into writing style of the author; I was almost flying through the pages! I personally wouldn't have minded if another element had been added to the storyline, which just focused on Sarah and her amnesia, but it was still a read I enjoyed very much. Great for people who always think the grass is greener on the other side, 'Wake-Up Call' is a light, fun, and thought-provoking read and a promising start to a new chick lit series!
December 14, 2016
A really great book about life, the choices we make and motherhood!The premise was interesting but once I began the book I was afraid I might not like it.At the start Sarah- the main character was a little difficult to connect with.But by the end I was in love with her, her kids and her family!I loved how the author managed to do that!
Sarah wakes up with a terrible headache one day, to find herself in a boyfriend's bed, with a kid!!Turns out she has amnesia and she has forgotten the last five years!She can't believe the fact that she is married, as two kids and is a stay-at-home mom!Where did her career go?What about all her dreams?Why is her boyfriend-now husband, working two jobs to make ends meet?
Sarah had me laughing from the first chapter itself!It was fun being in her head.I could totally emphatise with her situation.The way she reacted to her kids!Omg LOL!
She is in a really difficult position!Not only does she have to work to make things go back to the way they were before, but she has to figure out the reason why she is living a life completely different from her expectations.She can't believe that she was really happy.She has a lot to figure out before she ends up hurting herself and others, as there is a family depending on her.
I loved the slow development in the relationship between Sarah and her kids.How it changed from her initial reaction of disbelief to unconditional love and pride in her children.Kofi was so patient with her!He had his own problems at his university job, but he indulged his wife in her tantrums and self-discovery.I loved his faith in Sarah and her love for her family.He never doubted that she wouldn't come back to them.Sarah's mom circle was a superb addition.It takes a village to raise a kid!And these people proved it.
The best part about this book was the fact that all characters are realistic.They are just ordinary humans just like us and have flaws.Sarah reacted to her situation in the same way anyone of us would have and I loved her journey of self-discovery.
Guys, so please give this book a chance!Even if you're a teenager, married/unmarried, with or without kids - it's a beautiful story about life and love in all forms that one must not miss!
Sarah wakes up with a terrible headache one day, to find herself in a boyfriend's bed, with a kid!!Turns out she has amnesia and she has forgotten the last five years!She can't believe the fact that she is married, as two kids and is a stay-at-home mom!Where did her career go?What about all her dreams?Why is her boyfriend-now husband, working two jobs to make ends meet?
Sarah had me laughing from the first chapter itself!It was fun being in her head.I could totally emphatise with her situation.The way she reacted to her kids!Omg LOL!
She is in a really difficult position!Not only does she have to work to make things go back to the way they were before, but she has to figure out the reason why she is living a life completely different from her expectations.She can't believe that she was really happy.She has a lot to figure out before she ends up hurting herself and others, as there is a family depending on her.
I loved the slow development in the relationship between Sarah and her kids.How it changed from her initial reaction of disbelief to unconditional love and pride in her children.Kofi was so patient with her!He had his own problems at his university job, but he indulged his wife in her tantrums and self-discovery.I loved his faith in Sarah and her love for her family.He never doubted that she wouldn't come back to them.Sarah's mom circle was a superb addition.It takes a village to raise a kid!And these people proved it.
The best part about this book was the fact that all characters are realistic.They are just ordinary humans just like us and have flaws.Sarah reacted to her situation in the same way anyone of us would have and I loved her journey of self-discovery.
Guys, so please give this book a chance!Even if you're a teenager, married/unmarried, with or without kids - it's a beautiful story about life and love in all forms that one must not miss!
August 21, 2015
Original review at www.125pages.com
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
4 Stars
♦ There are 2,033 books listed as Popular Amnesia Books on Goodreads. In my list of 16 to be read ARCs on Netgalley I have one other wife/mom amnesia book waiting, Through Infinity by Libby Austin. I have read or re-read at least four other books where amnesia or memory loss is a key item in the plot this year including What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty and Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella. So I was not expecting big things from Wake-Up Call as faulty memory genre books can be very cookie cutter. I started reading this about 9:30 p.m. and was done at 10 after midnight; it flowed so well and the pacing was spot on, that the story just seemed to soak in. I liked the characters, the husband Kofi was genuinely a nice guy and cared for his wife, the friends were, for good or for bad, real people not caricatures, and Sarah was a real person. She was not perfect and didn’t care to be. Her path to realization was both touching and heart-breaking. I don’t know a mom out there who doesn’t want to just have a few hours of peace, and that made Sarah a character I could relate to. Now is this a deep thinking novel, no, but it is a sweet read about a real family that I suggest you take the time for.
◊ Favorite Lines from Chapter One – ““Mama, don’t leave!” I don’t know who this Mama person is, but I run for the exit. I reach for the door handle, that much closer to freedom, when I hear something, like an echo. It’s coming from the back of the house. The sound is suspiciously familiar. “What’s that noise?” I gasp. “Oh no. Do I also have a baby?” “No,” Kofi replies, frantically pushing me towards the door. “Oh, thank God. I couldn’t handle that right now.” I’ve got one foot out the door. I can almost taste the escape. “We have two.””
¤ Biggest Cliché – Woman with amnesia hooking up with someone other than partner, as “I don’t really know him so it’s fine to check out others”.
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
4 Stars
♦ There are 2,033 books listed as Popular Amnesia Books on Goodreads. In my list of 16 to be read ARCs on Netgalley I have one other wife/mom amnesia book waiting, Through Infinity by Libby Austin. I have read or re-read at least four other books where amnesia or memory loss is a key item in the plot this year including What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty and Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella. So I was not expecting big things from Wake-Up Call as faulty memory genre books can be very cookie cutter. I started reading this about 9:30 p.m. and was done at 10 after midnight; it flowed so well and the pacing was spot on, that the story just seemed to soak in. I liked the characters, the husband Kofi was genuinely a nice guy and cared for his wife, the friends were, for good or for bad, real people not caricatures, and Sarah was a real person. She was not perfect and didn’t care to be. Her path to realization was both touching and heart-breaking. I don’t know a mom out there who doesn’t want to just have a few hours of peace, and that made Sarah a character I could relate to. Now is this a deep thinking novel, no, but it is a sweet read about a real family that I suggest you take the time for.
◊ Favorite Lines from Chapter One – ““Mama, don’t leave!” I don’t know who this Mama person is, but I run for the exit. I reach for the door handle, that much closer to freedom, when I hear something, like an echo. It’s coming from the back of the house. The sound is suspiciously familiar. “What’s that noise?” I gasp. “Oh no. Do I also have a baby?” “No,” Kofi replies, frantically pushing me towards the door. “Oh, thank God. I couldn’t handle that right now.” I’ve got one foot out the door. I can almost taste the escape. “We have two.””
¤ Biggest Cliché – Woman with amnesia hooking up with someone other than partner, as “I don’t really know him so it’s fine to check out others”.
July 20, 2015
[I received this book free from the publisher through NetGalley. I thank them for their generousity. In exchange, I was simply asked to write an honest review, and post it. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising]
"I am myself. I am the same person I’ve always been. It’s everyone else who has changed."
Sarah Winslow Reddix feels as if someone came and traded their life for hers. Yesterday she was an up and coming advertizing exec, single, with an apartment and a life that any other single woman would envy.
However, that morning she feels as if she has had that life stolen and replaced with typical suburban mother life....and how she'd been invaded is unknown. As she begins to come to grips with retrograde amnesia, 3 children and a husband, she finds she likes this life... for better or worse.
This story is vvery very different from the usual fare of this publisher. I wasn't so sure about what I began to see as some sort of "Capra-esque" nightmare. And then I started crying during the last third of the book, where I had been laughing through the beginning. This is a genuinely honest look at being a mother, a friend and a lover... of not settling but embracing- yes kicking and screaming- being grown up and, as the author says being present in the life you have. I really loved this book. Wahoo Amy and Henery Press!
"I am myself. I am the same person I’ve always been. It’s everyone else who has changed."
Sarah Winslow Reddix feels as if someone came and traded their life for hers. Yesterday she was an up and coming advertizing exec, single, with an apartment and a life that any other single woman would envy.
However, that morning she feels as if she has had that life stolen and replaced with typical suburban mother life....and how she'd been invaded is unknown. As she begins to come to grips with retrograde amnesia, 3 children and a husband, she finds she likes this life... for better or worse.
This story is vvery very different from the usual fare of this publisher. I wasn't so sure about what I began to see as some sort of "Capra-esque" nightmare. And then I started crying during the last third of the book, where I had been laughing through the beginning. This is a genuinely honest look at being a mother, a friend and a lover... of not settling but embracing- yes kicking and screaming- being grown up and, as the author says being present in the life you have. I really loved this book. Wahoo Amy and Henery Press!
September 6, 2015
This review was first published at M's Bookshelf - http://mssbookshelf.blogspot.com
First I have to mention the cover: I think it's absolutely brilliant in it's simplicity. The vibrant colours really make it 'pop' and I'm sure it wouldn't go unnoticed in a bookshop (online or otherwise).
It set the tone for the rest of the novel as well. There aren't too many characters to get to know and the story line isn't that complicated: the focus is solely on Sarah's 'journey'... or 'struggle', more appropriately. This way you could really invest yourself in her story without being distracted by too many other things happening around the main story line.
Amy Avanzino proves herself to be a very talented storyteller. Her main character goes through some 'ups and downs' (to put it lightly), and Amy's depiction of those 'downs', feels so real that Sarah's mood is almost contagious. This piece of brilliance is at the same time the one thing I didn't like about my reading experience: at the point where Sarah is truly unhappy and seems to be well on her way to mess everything up, I felt really down and it became harder to really enjoy reading.
That being said, if - in the future - I'm ever lucky enough to be raising a family which is making me feel exhausted and maybe even a little hopeless, I think I'd love to come back to this book - which is not only an entertaining read but also a huge thumbs up and pat on the back to all moms.
Wake-up Call is a truly moving, insightful and inspirational story and I'd love to read the rest of The Wake-Up Series.
First I have to mention the cover: I think it's absolutely brilliant in it's simplicity. The vibrant colours really make it 'pop' and I'm sure it wouldn't go unnoticed in a bookshop (online or otherwise).
It set the tone for the rest of the novel as well. There aren't too many characters to get to know and the story line isn't that complicated: the focus is solely on Sarah's 'journey'... or 'struggle', more appropriately. This way you could really invest yourself in her story without being distracted by too many other things happening around the main story line.
Amy Avanzino proves herself to be a very talented storyteller. Her main character goes through some 'ups and downs' (to put it lightly), and Amy's depiction of those 'downs', feels so real that Sarah's mood is almost contagious. This piece of brilliance is at the same time the one thing I didn't like about my reading experience: at the point where Sarah is truly unhappy and seems to be well on her way to mess everything up, I felt really down and it became harder to really enjoy reading.
That being said, if - in the future - I'm ever lucky enough to be raising a family which is making me feel exhausted and maybe even a little hopeless, I think I'd love to come back to this book - which is not only an entertaining read but also a huge thumbs up and pat on the back to all moms.
Wake-up Call is a truly moving, insightful and inspirational story and I'd love to read the rest of The Wake-Up Series.
July 5, 2015
Amy AvanzinoI was provided a copy of this by novel ,Wake-Up Call by Amy Avanzino, by the publisher Henery Press and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! Amy Avanzino has a relaxed style of writing and one which captivated me while reading. It is hilariously funny while at the same time giving food for thought as to what ones own life was like 5 years ago and how we adjust to changes in our lives. To suddenly wake up and find these changes have just happened with no memory is challenging.
Sarah wakes up to find she is no longer single and 28 but married, 33 and the mother of 3 little boys, including twins. She is no longer living in the city but the suburbs, an at home Mum who has put on quite a bit of weight as has her husband, who she only remembers as a boyfriend.
In this story of Sarah’s journey to come to terms with her life touches issues that many women can relate to and understand. The incredible demands of being a parent, the importance of friendship networks and the community in which we live. This journey was both endearing and heartfelt.
I highly recommend this novel and look forward to reading more of Amy Avanzino’s books.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! Amy Avanzino has a relaxed style of writing and one which captivated me while reading. It is hilariously funny while at the same time giving food for thought as to what ones own life was like 5 years ago and how we adjust to changes in our lives. To suddenly wake up and find these changes have just happened with no memory is challenging.
Sarah wakes up to find she is no longer single and 28 but married, 33 and the mother of 3 little boys, including twins. She is no longer living in the city but the suburbs, an at home Mum who has put on quite a bit of weight as has her husband, who she only remembers as a boyfriend.
In this story of Sarah’s journey to come to terms with her life touches issues that many women can relate to and understand. The incredible demands of being a parent, the importance of friendship networks and the community in which we live. This journey was both endearing and heartfelt.
I highly recommend this novel and look forward to reading more of Amy Avanzino’s books.
September 9, 2015
What would you do if you woke up one morning and your life was not how you remembered it? That’s what happens to Sarah, she fell off a skateboard trying to do tricks with her son, and bumped her head. She can’t remember her life for the past five years. She doesn’t remember marrying her husband Kofi, and she doesn’t remember her kids, or anything else for that matter. It’s a hard change from the business woman she used to be, and she doesn’t know how she is going to manage her new role as mother and wife. Will she get her memory back? Will she begin to fall back in love with Kofi, and her children? Will she accept the “new me” that she has become?
This book had me cracking up for most of it. Not only was the writing hilarious, but I know how it feels to be a mom who just can’t get it together. Sarah has some growing up to do, because she can’t remember anything, and it’s funny to watch her struggle (in a cute way) with her new life. I enjoyed this book. It was a light hearted read, with lots of love, hilarity, some sexiness and definitely a good time.
Read the original review on my blog: https://comfyreading.wordpress.com/20...
This book had me cracking up for most of it. Not only was the writing hilarious, but I know how it feels to be a mom who just can’t get it together. Sarah has some growing up to do, because she can’t remember anything, and it’s funny to watch her struggle (in a cute way) with her new life. I enjoyed this book. It was a light hearted read, with lots of love, hilarity, some sexiness and definitely a good time.
Read the original review on my blog: https://comfyreading.wordpress.com/20...
August 19, 2015
What happens when you wake up and the last 5 years are missing? Sarah is about to find out! An accident on her son's skateboard leaves her with amnesia and the last 5 years are gone from her memory and what she thinks her life should be like is not what is reality.
Sarah is definitely on a journey over the 2 month time period the book spans (approx.). Will she learn that the past is the past and not everything stays the same? Will she regain her memory? You'll only find out if you read the book!
Sarah is a character that you will sympathize with, but also dislike at times. While it is a shock to realize that how life as you remember is nothing like reality, it doesn't give a person the right to act like a spoiled child! But the flip side is that some of the traits she remembers having aren't what she is life today (neat, clean) and perhaps that will translate to a change.
I could relate to the book in the fact that our lives change over time and friends come and go. I can't imagine what I would think if I was in Sarah's shoes.
Sarah is definitely on a journey over the 2 month time period the book spans (approx.). Will she learn that the past is the past and not everything stays the same? Will she regain her memory? You'll only find out if you read the book!
Sarah is a character that you will sympathize with, but also dislike at times. While it is a shock to realize that how life as you remember is nothing like reality, it doesn't give a person the right to act like a spoiled child! But the flip side is that some of the traits she remembers having aren't what she is life today (neat, clean) and perhaps that will translate to a change.
I could relate to the book in the fact that our lives change over time and friends come and go. I can't imagine what I would think if I was in Sarah's shoes.
October 8, 2015
This was a strong debut. Amy's writing is truly very funny, and she's clearly a mother. (If not, that just makes her a better writer because Sarah's experiences as a mom in this book were gut-busting!)
I will say that in the beginning it was tough to like Sarah, which is probably the point since clearly she's unhappy with her current situation. She was a fabulous professional twenty-something who suddenly woke up a pudgy, thirty-something SAHM. Tempers will be lost. Maybe minds, too. I get it. I just wanted one or two more redeemable qualities from Sarah to keep me turning the pages. For me, it wasn't initially Sarah who kept my interest; it was the plot itself. But eventually I came to love her.
What was so wonderful to me about this book was the frustrating reality of parenthood displayed as 1) exactly what it is and 2) exactly what it can be. It IS a lot to handle. But it is also SO very beautiful. And that's what Sarah learns. Not everything is always shiny and pretty, but that doesn't mean it's any less valuable.
I definitely recommend!
I will say that in the beginning it was tough to like Sarah, which is probably the point since clearly she's unhappy with her current situation. She was a fabulous professional twenty-something who suddenly woke up a pudgy, thirty-something SAHM. Tempers will be lost. Maybe minds, too. I get it. I just wanted one or two more redeemable qualities from Sarah to keep me turning the pages. For me, it wasn't initially Sarah who kept my interest; it was the plot itself. But eventually I came to love her.
What was so wonderful to me about this book was the frustrating reality of parenthood displayed as 1) exactly what it is and 2) exactly what it can be. It IS a lot to handle. But it is also SO very beautiful. And that's what Sarah learns. Not everything is always shiny and pretty, but that doesn't mean it's any less valuable.
I definitely recommend!
August 23, 2015
Wake-up Call is a very well written and professionally edited, full length novel.
The heroine wakes up one morning to find herself living a life she doesn't recognize. Due to a head injury she doesn't remember the last five years of her life; she's no longer a fit, executive, but is an overweight, stay at home mother of three. She struggles with adjusting to this life she doesn't remember or want and learning to love her husband and children again.
The plot of this book is refreshingly original. I empathized with the heroine on many levels; including being shocked by her appearance. After raising children many of us don't recognize the reflection in the mirror. I also enjoyed the heroine's intelligence and loving nature as she dealt with readjusting to her new (to her) life.
I highly recommend Wake-up Call. It ends with a satisfying HEA.
ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.
The heroine wakes up one morning to find herself living a life she doesn't recognize. Due to a head injury she doesn't remember the last five years of her life; she's no longer a fit, executive, but is an overweight, stay at home mother of three. She struggles with adjusting to this life she doesn't remember or want and learning to love her husband and children again.
The plot of this book is refreshingly original. I empathized with the heroine on many levels; including being shocked by her appearance. After raising children many of us don't recognize the reflection in the mirror. I also enjoyed the heroine's intelligence and loving nature as she dealt with readjusting to her new (to her) life.
I highly recommend Wake-up Call. It ends with a satisfying HEA.
ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.
July 8, 2015
Have you ever woken up and wondered how you got to this point in your life? Are you where you thought you would be five years ago? This is what happens when Sarah wakes up one morning with amnesia from a head injury. She has lost the memory of the last five years. How did she go from an ambitious ladder-climbing ad executive to a stay-at-home mom of three children?
I loved reading this book and following Sarah as she discovered why she made the decisions she made over the last five years. The book is full of humor as Sarah deals with the trials and tribulations of dealing with young children. Every mother should read this book. Not only is it a well-written story, but it gets you to think about your life and the decisions you have made in your life.
(Note: I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.)
I loved reading this book and following Sarah as she discovered why she made the decisions she made over the last five years. The book is full of humor as Sarah deals with the trials and tribulations of dealing with young children. Every mother should read this book. Not only is it a well-written story, but it gets you to think about your life and the decisions you have made in your life.
(Note: I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.)
June 14, 2015
a lovely book about love. Sarah awakes with five years of her live erased. She cannot believe she is 33 and not 28 anymore. She has traded her career for a domestic engineer job -in other words, she is now a stay-at-home mom. First horrified, she will get to love her new life, her kids and husband.
I am always amazed to realize it is still the norm in the US to have women who do not work. That is long gone in Europe, more than a hundred years ago in France, for instance. Because 90% of the women work nowadays, it implies a lot of things are organized to simplify the life of two working parents.
Anyway, thee book is touching, and the author managed to convey us the feelings of happiness Sarah discovers day after day.
I am always amazed to realize it is still the norm in the US to have women who do not work. That is long gone in Europe, more than a hundred years ago in France, for instance. Because 90% of the women work nowadays, it implies a lot of things are organized to simplify the life of two working parents.
Anyway, thee book is touching, and the author managed to convey us the feelings of happiness Sarah discovers day after day.
September 2, 2015
Great Book!
This is a great book; this is the first book in The Wake-Up series by Amy Avanzino. Sarah Winslow wakes up thinking she has a really bad hangover, but soon discovers that she has memory loss and has no idea who she is. She is an unemployed, pudgy, married, stay at home mom of three kids under five. The more time she spends in her new to her life the more lost she feels. If you are looking for a great funny book, then you need to read this book. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
A Review copy was provided to me in exchange for a fair and honest review. The free book held no determination on my personal review.
This is a great book; this is the first book in The Wake-Up series by Amy Avanzino. Sarah Winslow wakes up thinking she has a really bad hangover, but soon discovers that she has memory loss and has no idea who she is. She is an unemployed, pudgy, married, stay at home mom of three kids under five. The more time she spends in her new to her life the more lost she feels. If you are looking for a great funny book, then you need to read this book. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
A Review copy was provided to me in exchange for a fair and honest review. The free book held no determination on my personal review.
September 21, 2015
I have stacks of books waiting for me to read on my nightstand...this book was just the right book at just the right time. I read it over the weekend. It was humorous, real, and very relatable and very thought provoking on the concept of dreams. We all have dreams and plans and we think those are what we want and when those dreams change or don't come true, we feel as if we've failed somehow. We didn't. Life evolves, dreams evolve and this book is a wonderful example of that and a lesson on what true success and happiness is.
August 25, 2015
I absolutely adored this book. It seems the author was able to get inside the head of every wife and mother and relate to the way we must all feel at one point or another in our daily lives - how did we get here. I loved following Sarah's journey and ended up finishing this book with my own sense of well-being and happiness about my own life restored!
September 16, 2015
This debut novel captured my attention from the start! I could relate well to the characters and enjoyed reading along as Sarah Winslow tries to piece her life together after forgetting the last 5 years. I laughed out loud so much and am looking forward to reading the next installment of the Wake-Up Call series.
February 23, 2016
Sarah wakes up one morning with a child in her bed who she’s never seen before. Turns out she had a skateboarding accident, hit her head and promptly forgot the last five years of her life. The story gets her reacquainted with her family and a new way of living, she initially doesn’t like nor understand.
Read
December 5, 2015“Funny yet tender...witty and charming...a reminder of the things that really matter in life.” – Jackie Bouchard, USA Today Bestselling Author of What the Dog Ate
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews