One Minute Later by Susan Lewis (Review by Frieda Venechuk)

In Susan Lewis’s “One Minute Later,” the stories of two women with life-changing events are woven together to form an incredible story. The plot twists were plentiful, and the passion for living life in the moment was strongly felt. The book starts with Vivienne Shager’s life being tipped upside down when an unknown medical issue surfaces on her birthday. Having to go back to her childhood home to focus on her health resurfaces questions Vivienne has faced throughout her life around her identity.

The book transitions from Vivienne to Shelley through a range of years without ever losing the reader or the story thread. Reading “One Minute Later” felt like completing a puzzle. Each chapter seemed to have a piece that slowly started to connect as the story continued to form the big picture. As the characters started interacting between the two stories, the themes of vulnerability and love paint the pages. At the core of this book is the spirit of human persistence and finding ways to move forward through tragedy.

The character development makes the reader keep rooting for them up until the last page. If you want a happy fairytale story, skip this one. If you want an honest look at grief, life, and persistence, look no further.