Synopsis: “If you could see your future, how would you live now?

Margot Wayward is in manically gleeful self-destruct mode. Following the implosion of a ten-year relationship, she’s wilfully derailing her successful career, joyfully taking down men on dating apps, and living in total chaos.

Until one day, when Margot has a vision of herself with a man she’s never met before. She doesn’t believe in fate. But when Margot meets single-dad Henry, the vision comes true: exactly as she’d foreseen it.

As her future continues to reveal itself, a glimpse at a time, Margot realises she knows exactly what’s going to happen, and when. And there’s nothing she can do to change any of it.

So Margot has to decide how to live, how to love again, and how to be herself… Because if you can’t change your destiny, how on earth do you live your present? What you want isn’t always what you need…”

My Review

This was such a good book! It’s a new favourite for this year, which makes Holly Smale a new favourite author, after loving The Cassandra Complex three years ago.

The story is told from Margot’s point of view as she is on ‘Date 16’ as part of an experiment to find the right man. She’s a meteorologist, definitely not a ‘Weather Girl’, so knows how to collate data, which is what she’s doing on these dates, and it’s fascinating, especially as she finds out more and more about the ‘single’ men she meets.

I loved Margot straight away, even though she was heartbroken and angry about the way her life had turned out. She’s great fun, when she meets Henry and his six year old daughter, Winter, when there’s even more fun, with lots of occasions that made me smile and laugh out loud!

I loved reading about her journey with Henry, and the visions she has throughout the book, which frighten her and make her make some silly decisions until she finds out what they’re all about.

Highly recommended if you’re looking for a lovely feel good, contemporary novel.

Book 12 of 20 Books of Summer 2026