And we’re back with a fresh and fun book review thanks to the lovely folks at Lone Star Lit! I’ve always been a sucker for time travel and body swap stories. Everything from Outlander to Freaky Friday, and 13 Going On 30. If it involves a character displaced in time or relative space, I’m your gal. Which is why Feels Like the First Time was such a fun read for me.
Most of y’all already know I’m a cross-genre reader and author. I feel like each of them bring fresh ideas and perspectives, but I especially love when a story bends the rules a wee bit. In Kimberly Packard’s latest novel, we begin with a fresh dose of 90s nostalgia before deep diving into the surreal and supernatural. Maybe the thing I loved most about her story is the fact we aren’t explicitly told how and why. There’s hints of tricksy spirits being involved in the matter, but nothing is ever fully explained. I adored this because the how and why remain a mystery but ultimately don’t matter in this case. Because we are fully invested in Emily’s journey, and wonder how in the hells bells she’s going to make it home.
Curious yet? Keep reading for my review!
Feels Like the First Time
By Brian Martin
Historical Fiction
Publisher: Abalos Publishing
Pages: 274
Publication Date: June 16, 2026
Blink and your life’s halfway over. What if that happens literally?
College party girl Emily Murray bounces through majors and boys until an ill-advised art major leads her to a rebellious relationship with an aspiring rock star. When her father cuts off the college fund-and her boyfriend ditches her to chase a record deal-Emily spirals, hard.
One shaved head and emotional black out later, she wakes up thirty years in the future, living a life she doesn’t recognize as a successful therapist and engaged to a total stranger.
With no apparent way to rewind the clock, Emily scrambles to make sense of her new reality. With a wedding date looming and a competitive therapist threatening her fragile career, Emily is forced to question: Was this really the future she was meant for?
Witty, sharp and unexpectedly heartwarming, Feels Like the First Time, the highly anticipated follow up to This Time Around, is a love letter to our younger selves, reminding us that even when we feel lost, we often end up exactly where we need to be.
Most people have imagined a “do-over,” a chance to go back and make different choices in life. Few people over the age of ten imagine skipping thirty years into the future. For college party gal Emily Murray, her life feels over at twenty. Her rich lawyer father is on her case about the future she’s still not sure about. The man she loves moves on and leaves her behind, shattering her heart into messy pieces. Alone and despairing, she shaves her head, blacks out, and wakes up… thirty years later in what might as well be a mansion.
Emily doesn’t know what a smart phone is, the cars look like something out of a sci-fi movie, not to mention the T.V. She barely even recognizes the contents of her fridge, and she absolutely does not recognize the silver fox who shows up. If she can figure out her phone, she just might find the intel she needs to sort out her new life. Hilarity ensues as Emily struggles to get her bearings, all while keeping everyone in the dark so she doesn’t end up in the hospital.
What can I say about this nearly flawlessly structured story? Kimberly Packard is clearly a master of her craft. Even though this is a standalone sequel, it’s easy to pick up the threads and enjoy the ride as Packard brings us on a surreal journey to future’s past. The 90s intro felt authentic and nostalgic, without veering into stereotypical territory. Emily and her friends and family, especially Perfect Craig, felt like living, breathing people by the end.
My only non-issue was my annoyance with how perfect her future life seemed, even if it served as a perfect antithesis to how chaotic college-Emily’s life has become. But part of me wanted her to strike out and live a little more dangerously, maybe bring some of that 20-something energy into future-Emily’s life. And Craig, while totally swoon-worthy, was far too perfect at times. Again, he is the ideal foil for Emily’s emotional immaturity, of course. Have I said Packard is a brilliant writer yet? Don’t just take my word for it, dive into Feels Like the First Time and enjoy the ride.
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