Reviewed by Dee
TITLE: Once in a Lifetime
AUTHOR: Harper Bliss
PUBLISHER: Ladylit Publishing
LENGTH: 224 Pages
RELEASE DATE: June 15, 2015
BLURB:
Leigh Sterling and Jodie Whitehouse share a deep love and extreme passion in the bedroom. But when Jodie’s desire for a child becomes inevitable, it clashes with Leigh’s career ambitions as well as with her lack of maternal instinct, and forces them apart.
They go through life separately and, as years go by, their attempts at other relationships fail to measure up to the power of the union they once shared. When they see each other again eleven years after their painful breakup, an opportunity arises to explore if they really were each other’s one true love
REVIEW:
As always when picking up a book by Harper Bliss I know it’s going to be beautifully written and evoke many emotions in me. ‘Once in a Lifetime’ didn’t disappoint in that aspect. However, just because I love her writing doesn’t mean I’m going to love every plotline or character.
This story is told in first person, present and past tense, and from both Leigh and Jodie’s point of views. Leigh is an awesome character; she was upfront from the get-go. Jodie had her head buried in the sand certain, given time, Leigh would warm to the idea of them having a child together. Which I got as Leigh was fantastic with Jodie’s son, but when that didn’t happen the two part ways.
A great deal of the plot follows the main characters’ separate lives and attempts to move on, yet never again meeting ‘the one.’
I love that Harpers book don’t rely on miscommunication to drive the plots, the anguish these women faced was realistic to me. What I didn’t get, or should I say who I didn’t get was Jodie.
For me, Jodie was incredibly lucky to have a child, something some women who desperately want a child will never experience. To throw away the love of her life, again something many people struggle to find, to have another child evoked many emotions in me, most of them negative.
Her children are very much backstory, one could argue it wasn’t their story, but I disagree! Her drive to have a child ended a six-year relationship, to me that screams a woman who is so maternal she’s gonna be doing everything she can for her kids, school runs, etc. But that wasn’t to be.
Besides the lack of any maternal ‘feels’ ‘I got from Jodie, what really cinched the deal was when her and Leigh eventually got back together and she shipped Rosie off to a sitter so Leigh wouldn’t have to deal with the child right away. My mind kept screaming you selfish, self-centered woman. Put your knickers on, see if your ex is okay with the kid, then celebrate! But nope, two days of makeup sex then deal with the kid!
My issues aside, the fact the story had me screaming at these women like they were real people, is a true indication of character building. I loved the part Jodie’s son played in the lady’s reconnection. Oh, and Meredith was an awesome side character.
I recommend this story to readers who enjoy well fleshed out characters, and plots driven by real life issues more so than by convoluted BS, and/or miscommunication.
RATING: 
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