The Mulligan Curse by Diane Barnes is, in essence, an updated version of It's a Wonderful Life, with the protagonist learning the important lessons being a woman, and the events of the book taking part in modern day.
Mary Mulligan has been cursed, or blessed depending on your point of view, with de-aging to the point in time when she made the decision that led to her greatest regret. That regret is deciding to follow her heart instead of accepting a promotion, which eventually saw her age into a somewhat bitter, angry, and unhappy empty nester of a housewife.
The book is well-written, with plenty of relatable instances as Mary deals with the consequences of getting her do-over. As the book unfolds, she sees how different her life, and the lives of those to whom she made a difference without realizing the importance of her effect, would have been had she accepted that job so many years ago. Of course, the reader cannot help but put themselves in her shoes, and wonder what would have changed had they could change their largest regret in life.
While Mary is often relatable, at other times she is irritatingly needy, stubborn, and selfish, refusing to listen to other people even when it has been proven that she should, or to take the feelings of others into consideration. Sadly, the irritating parts, and her internal woe-is-me meltdowns, are quite repetitive, and I found myself skipping entire paragraphs after a while.
Overall, however, the book contains a good premise and makes the readers reflect on their own regrets.
Thank you for the ARC of #TheMulliganCurse to #NetGalley.