Your Perfect Year

A Novel

By: Charlotte Lucas, Alison Layland - translator

Narrated by: Carly Robins, P. J. Ochlan

A man consumed by a meaningless life is going to do something he’s never considered doing before. He’s going to enjoy the day...

For hyper-particular publishing heir Jonathan Grief, the day starts like any other - with a strict morning fitness regimen that’ll keep his divorced, easily irritated, cynical, forty-two-year-old self in absolutely flawless physical condition. But all it takes to put a crimp in his routine is one small annoyance. Someone has left a leather-bound day planner with the handwritten title Your Perfect Year in his spot on his mountain bike at his fitness course!

Determined to discover its owner, Jonathan opens the calendar to find that someone known only as “H.” has filled it in with suggestions, tasks, and affirmative actions for each day. The more he devotes himself to locating the elusive H., the deeper Jonathan is drawn into someone else’s rich and generous narrative - and into an attitude adjustment he desperately needs.

He may have ended up with a perfect year by accident, but it seems fate has set Jonathan on a path toward healing, feeling, and maybe even loving again...if only he can meet the stranger who’s changing his life one day at a time.

©2019 by Charlotte Lucas. (P)2019 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Amazing!

I love this story and the narration. I wept, laughed and could not stop listening. I have recommended this book to all my friends and family.

A little long and a little sad but hopeful

Narrators did a fine job, but the main male character was unlikeable and I was so confused by the main female characters emotions that I had a hard time sympathizing. Felt it was a little too long. Took too long to get to the end.

nice story

preditable but pleasant easy listening. not fond of cozy books, but this one is okay

Your Perfect Year.

I've been a avid Audio book listener of Carolyn Brown s novels. I ventured out of my comfort zone with Charlotte Lucas and am so glad I did! Wonderful story line, great in-depth character s.5 Star!!!!!

Wonderful read

I enjoyed the story tremendously. while it was hard to put down as you couldn't wait till the characters finally met and got together unfortunately it was very anti-climatic. I absolutely love the premise of the book and the characters and still very happy that I read this book.

Very cute!

Cute easy read! Great translation! If ur looking for a light story this is for u!

Pleasant Surprise

Listening on Audible, I had a tough time getting into this book because the Male narrator sounded so stiff. I felt he was doing this on purpose as his conception of the character he was playing. it still was hard to get past. However, I'm so glad i hung in there as the story soon had me under its spell. I even began to enjoy the Male narrator. This was a delightful book. I hope you give it a chance.

A light, uplifting book

This book was not exactly what I'd envisioned based on the title. I knew it was fiction, but I'd expected more focus on creating a perfect year. I was pleasantly surprised by the story line and it still included many actions that the main character took to create a perfect year. I found myself considering how I could apply those principles in my own life.

The story isn't especially deep or profound, but it's an interesting and engaging story.

Mixed emotions

Overall it’s an entertaining, well-written romance fiction. The characters are engaging and the story line could be the kind of classic Nora Ephron would turn into a rom-com. I say this as a former drama critic where I made the suggestion to a playwright that his play would be a natural movie.

But Lucas loses that family-friendly genre with a dive into the occult, totally I necessary to the story and really an unfortunate distraction, almost as though the author has to insert her fortune telling bias and her “the universe” will decide detritus into an otherwise sweet story. Sad. You’ve lost the whole readership of those who love God and romance stories.

One other complaint. Unlike another reviewer, I found both narrators mostly excellent. But whoever decided to avoid allowing for them to speak in actual dialogue as the two stories merge, missed the opportunity to allow listeners to enjoy the full feeling of male and female voices together, rather than sticking to male or female separately, as though no progress was made to bring them together. Just my opinion.

If all of Charlotte Lucas’s work is occult, this will be my only read. Sad.

Lessons to always be positive and kind 🤗 💕

First of all… have your tissue box ready. This book leaves you with a lot to think about in life. Every action and words we make.

The story is being told (and narrated) in his, and her side. Hannah is in love, believes in fate, and the power of positive thinking. Jonathan is pessimistic, unhappy and almost robotic in life’s daily routines. The story gives a glimpse into living life positively.

Hanna’s life takes a turn when believing her boyfriend would finally ask her to marry her, finds out he’s terminally ill. With the hopes of not letting him give up, she gives him a daily planner. One full of positive quotes, and plans for the both of them. But, life always has other plans.

Jonathan is resentful divorcée, with no friends, and someone who believes to be superior intellectually. A real bitter man. His routine is interrupted when he finds a daily planner in his bike. The days are filled out with suggestions on how to enjoy daily life, and even specific outings. It slowly shows him to enjoy life from small things, and break away from his routines.

Good translation!! I did enjoy the use of the surnames Herr and Frau. The narrators’ pronunciation makes you travel and see this places in your mind. LOVED IT!!! 🥰 It is their narration that makes it all seem real. The emotions are felt deeply. It was more than story telling. It was a true performance of the novel.

The story is gripping and very emotional. Deals with sensitive issues. Terminal disease like cancer in late stage, has never made anyone positive. Not those I have lost in my life. With the horrible medical insurance system here in USA, it’s common saying your goodbyes early on, and move on. Heartless. This novel dwells in many feelings we go through in life.

My only regret is not reading/ listening to this novel sooner.

Book lesson: Always plan your life positively, and be kind even to those who don’t deserve it.