The Year We Turned Forty - by Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

This heartwarming and hilarious novel from the authors of The Status of All Things and Your Perfect Life features three best friends who get the chance to return to the year they turned forty--the year that altered all of their lives, in ways big and small--and also get the opportunity to change their future.

Jessie loves her son Lucas more than anything, but it tears her up inside that he was conceived in an affair that ended her marriage to a man she still loves, a man who just told her he's getting remarried. This time around, she's determined to bury the secret of Lucas' paternity, and to repair the fissures that sent her wandering the first time.

Gabriela regrets that she wasted her most fertile years in hot pursuit of a publishing career. Yes, she's one of the biggest authors in the world, but maybe what she really wanted to create was a family. With a chance to do it again, she's focused on convincing her husband, Colin, to give her the baby she desires.

Claire is the only one who has made peace with her past: her twenty-two year old daughter, Emily, is finally on track after the turmoil of adolescence, and she's recently gotten engaged, with the two carat diamond on her finger to prove it. But if she's being honest, Claire still fantasizes about her own missed opportunities: a chance to bond with her mother before it was too late, and the possibility of preventing her daughter from years of anguish. Plus, there's the man who got away--the man who may have been her one true love.

But it doesn't take long for all three women to learn that re-living a life and making different decisions only leads to new problems and consequences--and that the mistakes they made may, in fact, have been the best choices of all...

Review Quotes

Praise for The Status of All Things:
"Pop culture references and a healthy sprinkling of magical realism combine to make The Status of All Things a timely reminder that all is not what it seems. With a sparkling narrative that will have you turning pages at a breakneck speed, this is women's fiction at its finest."
--Tracey Garvis Graves "New York Times bestselling author of On the Island and Covet"

Praise for The Year We Turned Forty:
"At once poignant and light-hearted, The Year WeTurned Forty is a spot-on, delightful read for anyone who has ever wonderedabout the road not taken."--Allison Winn Scotch, New York Times bestselling author

Praise for Your Perfect Life:
"I loved this from the very first line (which will go down in history as the funniest, bravest first line ever). Hilarious, honest and truly touching, Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke are two important new voices in women's fiction who write about life in such a real, relatable way."--Sarah Jio "New York Times bestselling author of The Violets of March"

"The Year We Turned Forty manages to be both uniquely magical and deeply real. It is classic Liz and Lisa: charming, fun, thoughtful, and clever; an honest and heartfelt exploration of friendship, love, regret, and redemption."-- "Taylor Jenkins Reid, author of Maybe in Another Life"

"Your Perfect Life has all of the ingredients that I love in a book--relatable characters who make me laugh out loud, a delicious, page-turning premise, and sweet and surprising insights about the perfect life may be the one you've already got."--Jen Lancaster "New York Times bestselling author"

"Your Perfect Life puts a fresh twist on a 'Freaky Friday'-scenario: What if you switched bodies with your best friend, and got the life you'd always secretly coveted? I adore Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke's witty, winning style and gobbled up their debut novel."--Sarah Pekkanen "author of The Best of Us"

"A lighthearted novel-touched with magical elements-exploring the emotional high jinks that ensue when three best friends are given the chance to travel 10 years back in time."-- "Kirkus Reviews"

"A magical read." -- "Woman's World Magazine"

"A new twist on modern day women's fiction...the integration of magical elements works surprisingly well in this witty story that is much more than charming romance. A fun and fast read for fans of Meg Cabot and Jennifer Weiner."-- "Library Journal"

"A quick, lively, and stimulating tale with highly likable main characters, this book addresses the what-if moments in life. An entertaining read for fans of Emily Giffin and Jennifer Weiner."-- "Library Journal"

"Fenton and Steinke have written a story reminiscent of works by Liane Moriarty or Jen Lancaster. Readers will hope and yearn for the best, even when the characters are at their worst. A great read, this is perfect for book clubs and beaches."-- "San Francisco Book Review"

"For every woman who's ever wondered about the path not taken, Fenton and Steinke mine--with tremendous humor and insight--the mixed blessing of unexpected second chances."--Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus "New York Times bestselling authors"

"Funny and poignant, The Year We Turned Forty is a great read for anyone who loves thinking about the road not taken - and the power of female friendship."--Laura Dave, author of Eight Hundred Grapes

"Hilarious and insightful, these writers have their collective finger on the pulse of what life looks like after 39."-- "Bookish"

"I raced through The Status of All Things at a breakneck pace. A perfect blend of what-if and what-should-be, Fenton and Steinke have found a rhythm together that works. They bring that little touch of magic we could all use in our own lives to the page with vibrancy and wit."--Catherine McKenzie "bestselling author of Hidden and Forgotten"

"If life came with a do-over button, could you really change your fate? That's the question three friends must grapple with when they're given a chance to relive the last decade of their lives. Wildly entertaining and sparkling with wisdom and wit, The Year We Turned Forty is Liz and Lisa at their very best."--Camille Pagan, bestselling author of Life and Other Near-Death Experiences

"If you had the chance to do one year of your life over, would you take it? Steinke and Fenton have done it again--turned a what-if, magical premise, into a funny, touching exploration of the choices we make and the impact even the little things can have on our lives. A must-read."--Catherine McKenzie, bestselling author of Hidden and Smoke

"Liz and Lisa have done it again. In The Year We Turned Forty, they remind us that life isn't perfect but to appreciate where we are. Their writing has grown dramatically making this their best book yet."--Andrea Katz, Great Thoughts, Great Readers

"Liz and Lisa's voices are warm and comforting, like a relaxed chat with great friends while wearing cozy PJ's and sipping wine. I highly recommend Your Perfect Life!"--Beth Harbison "New York Times bestselling author of When in Doubt, Add Butter"

"Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke blend their voices seamlessly and hilariously and remind us that even though the grass often looks greener under our friends' lives, nobody gets happily ever unless they go after it. Your Perfect Life is clever, quirky, fresh, and ultimately, empowering!"--Claire Cook "bestselling author of Must Love Dogs and Time Flies"

"Sassy, heartfelt, and smart, Your Perfect Life is a clever take on switched identities that will make you think hard about the choices you've made in your life and what matters most to us all in the end."--Amy Hatvany "author of Heart Like Mine"

"What a treat! The Status of All Things is a fun, clever and utterly engaging story of love, loss, the power of destiny and the importance of friends. A thoroughly enjoyable read. I loved everything about it, from beginning to end."--Mary Kubica "New York Times bestselling author of The Good Girl"

"With their razor sharp wit and astute social commentary, Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke--two of women's fiction's brightest stars--tackle the question: Would you be truly happy if you could rewrite your own fate via Facebook? And the answer is definitely not what you expect."--Emily Liebert "author of WHEN WE FALL"

"Written with heart and keen insight into the influences of social media, The Status of All Things tells the tale of one woman's quest to change the past. The story gives us magic, a touch of whimsy, and a reality that's hard to shake. Smart and true with a pitch-perfect ending, it will leave readers feeling satisfied and also asking 'what if?'"--Michelle Gable "internationally bestselling author of A Paris Apartment"

About the Author

Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke have been best friends for twenty-five years and survived high school and college together. Liz lives in San Diego with her husband and two children. Lisa, a former talk show producer, now lives in Chicago with her husband, daughter, and two bonus children.