Official Review: You, Me and Destiny by J.F McLoughlin

[Stephanie Elizabeth]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "You, Me and Destiny" by J.F McLoughlin.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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When Danny Keane sustains life-altering injuries in a car crash, he doesn't quite know what to make of his current situation. Hovering over the hospital bed, he realizes that he is staring down at his own lifeless body. Rather than feeling at peace, Danny feels stuck—his young widow is wallowing in grief, and his ailing son needs a new kidney. Danny needs more time.

Danny is greeted by an otherworldly guide, who claims that he cannot move towards the afterlife until he makes peace with the past. He is granted the opportunity to clean up some of the mess that he left behind—a chance to right his wrongs. Still, the opportunity comes with conditions that must be followed. He must occupy another body, and he is forbidden from revealing his true identity.

How will Danny fare with this second chance?

You, Me and Destiny by J. F McLoughlin is an unconventional story about love, loss, and second chances. The author has crafted a charming tale that had me both wiping away tears and laughing out loud at its absurdity. The endearing book takes place in Ireland and follows two characters—Danny and his widow Lucy. It was written from the first-person perspective and alternates between the two lovers.

What I adored most about the book was the humor the author infused into the storyline. One might expect that the book would take on a somber tone by reading the synopsis, but it was not all doom and gloom. There was no shortage of giggling-inducing scenes, including Danny's reaction to his new body, his spirit guide's tough-love approach, and the awkwardness of getting physical with another woman.

Another thing that I loved was the evolution of Danny's character throughout the story. Readers were first introduced to a cantankerous man who was motivated by selfishness. Danny was a my-way-or-the-highway type of guy, but I began to notice a shift as he evolved into a compassionate person. By making an effort to build a relationship with his son, Alfie, and look out for Lucy's happiness, he was turning a new leaf.

The book's biggest downfall was the lack of professional editing. Unfortunately, it was riddled with grammatical errors that disrupted my reading experience. The incorrect placement of commas was the biggest offender, followed by the absence of hyphens. For example, "good-looking" was often written as "good looking." Sadly, that meant I was unable to provide this otherwise stellar book with a perfect rating. I have chosen to give You, Me and Destiny a rating of three out of four stars.

I would certainly recommend this charming story to readers looking for something different from a conventional love story. The book deals with the grief of losing a loved one, but the author has expertly woven in humor to lighten the mood. Furthermore, the prospect of being given a second chance to rectify past mistakes is a fantasy that would appeal to many readers. Due to some profanity, I would discourage younger readers from pursuing this book.

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You, Me and Destiny
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[Bookworm101520]

This sounds like a fascinating twist on the typical love story! Thank you for a comprehensive review.

[Stephanie Elizabeth]

This sounds like a fascinating twist on the typical love story! Thank you for a comprehensive review.

I was very pleasantly surprised; thanks for your comment!

[Chigo Nwagboso]

Wow! The conditions of this Second chance is a tough one oh! I wonder how he will be seeing his wife and son in grieve without trying to console them. Good review.

[Stephanie Elizabeth]

Wow! The conditions of this Second chance is a tough one oh! I wonder how he will be seeing his wife and son in grieve without trying to console them. Good review.

Thank you!

[Tarilan]

Wow! This is a gripping plot, not the usual love story. I wonder how he kept his identity a secret. Thanks for the insightful review.

[Tarilan]

Wow! This is a gripping plot, not the usual love story. I wonder how he kept his identity a secret. Thanks for the insightful review.

[madi15]

This review is simply written and impressive. There is a lot of info just in reading the review I kinda got the summary for the book , and would definitely want to read it in the future , than you very much

[Stephanie Elizabeth]

Wow! This is a gripping plot, not the usual love story. I wonder how he kept his identity a secret. Thanks for the insightful review.

Thank you

[Stephanie Elizabeth]

This review is simply written and impressive. There is a lot of info just in reading the review I kinda got the summary for the book , and would definitely want to read it in the future , than you very much

Thanks for your comment!

[Eutoc]

I think a lot of people, including myself, would appreciate the kind of second chance Danny got. Thanks for recommending

[madi15]

This review is simply written and impressive. There is a lot of info just in reading the review I kinda got the summary for the book , and would definitely want to read it in the future , than you very much

Thanks for your comment!

You’re very welcome

[Justine Ocsebio]

I like the fact that this book has a thread of humor in it despite the sad premise. Sounds like a lovely story. Thanks for your wonderful review!

[Gift5]

I kind of feel sorry for Danny for the conditions of his second chance, i would like to see how he manages to pull it off. Thanks for the interesting review.

[Abi_kanda]

You had me at humor. I am so eager to read this. Great review!