A quick, easy read that will keep you entertained from word one. It is well-written, with characters that you will care about instantly.

Vanna is going to be 40 in one month, and she wants to change, so she decided she is going to celebrate every weekend until her birthday. A lot happens in the 30 days, and we see the transformation in her. She has felt like she has been drowning most of her life, and just focused on being in survival mode. During the 30 days of celebrating with her girlfriends, she has had a lot more things happening that could sink her, but a friend Aden, she met when she was in college came to the funeral of her ex-husband, and didn't go away. He was always there, when she was going through all that was happening, she kept pushing him away, and when she realized that, with all those who loved and supported her, she had to find her way to the surface on her own. She had to let go of the dead weight and the shackles that she put on herself, they were chains meant to strangle her, keep her struggling to breathe, and she had to finally face them, deal with them, and let them break from her in order to find herself, and choose to give herself permission to be just who she is now, and not what others convinced her she was. This is a slower paced book, which I thought went along with the transformation in Vanna, because transforming doesn't happen overnight, it happens over time, so for me this added to the story.
I received an ARC from Montlake through NetGalley.

Everything I loved about this book was all due to Aden. It seems Vanna did everything she could to discourage his interest, but Aden saw through her and frankly just wanted her so much he was willing to walk through fire for her. I adore heroes like this. I did not adore Vanna for what she put him through, and yet I still found that I liked her. I can understand when life throws everything at you and what it takes to not only fight through it, but also how discouraging it can be. It's easy to believe you just aren't meant to have good in y0ur life. She was a very strong woman, but she had to be to survive life. I wanted to cry for Vanna when she finally got her reward through Aden.

The premise of this book interested me and I wanted to love it but unfortunately it fell short. The chapters were long and slow and I found myself losing interest. Thanks for the ARC Netgalley.

We first meet Vanna as she identifies her estranged husband’s dead body. The husband she had been separated from for 5yrs but hadn’t yet divorced, though they were effectively living completely separate lives. Vanna is in the middle of celebrating her FFSF (Freakin Forty and Still Fly) bday month, and reacts to the death as if it’s simply an inconvenience to her bday plans. All Vanna wanted was to celebrate turning 40, begin proceedings for her divorce, and start her new life but now she has all of this other stuff on her plate. Immediately after the funeral, Vanna finds herself arrested for something she had no idea her ex involved her in. But was it really him or is someone else out to get some kind of revenge and frame Vanna?

Vanna was a character that was kind of hard to root for. I definitely sympathized with her reasoning for leaving Caleb. She has a great support system and she is a smart independent woman but it was extremely frustrating how dumb she was acting. She constantly chose to look away from glaring red flags or to avoid thinking about things that needed immediate attention. I kind of wanted to shake some sense into her and make her realize the seriousness of what was occurring in her life.

Overall, 3.5 stars, rounded down to 3. It was an okay read but not one that will stick with me.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advance e-copy in exchange for an honest review!

A month of celebrating leading up to her 40th birthday Vanna life goes into tail spin. Separated from her husband for 5 years he turns up dead. Involved with stealing money from the local casino police focus on Vanna.
New romance, and entrant parent returning all add to the mix.
Will make you smile and value good friends

Savannah's life is turned upside down when her husband dies and she's accused of a crime. Despite the chaos, she manages to find hope in unexpected places. The story is certainly entertaining, with a cast of characters that are easy to connect with.

I felt the author thoroughly enjoyed writing this story as Savannah's journey is filled with ups and downs, but she always manages to find a way to keep going.

One of the biggest strengths of the book is its humor. Savannah's dry wit and sarcastic humor make the story enjoyable, even during the most difficult times.

However, the book could have benefited from shorter chapters and concise descriptions. The long chapters can be a bit overwhelming, making the reading experience a chore. It made me wonder when I will be done with this one.

Overall, "A Lifetime in 30 Days" is an inspiring read that is perfect for anyone reaching their 40s.

This isn't your typical romance story. Our main character, Savannah is approaching her 40th birthday and she is ready to make some changes in her life. She's decided this is the perfect time to start going after what she wants and decides she's going to make herself a priority. She's planned a month full of weekend celebrations with her two closest friends. Her plans quickly get derailed when her estranged husband turns up dead and she gets arrested minutes after the funeral ends.

I really liked the idea of this story, it's very unique and I dont think I've read anything quite like it before. The writing was okay. It was a little too wordy for me and I glossed over a lot of the paragraphs of details that weren't necessary and added nothing to the story. There were also quite a few phrases and slang that I was unfamiliar with. I am not from an urban area so that could be the reason why.

I was not a fan of Savannah. She seemed to always be aiming for an argument. Her inner thoughts were kind of rude most of the time. I understand she's a strong independent woman but girl needed to give it a rest. The other characters were okay. I liked Aden but he was kind of a doormat when it came to Savannah. There wasn't really much depth to their relationship or much depth to any of the other characters.
This book wasn't my cup of tea but the story and the idea behind it weren't terrible.

Thank you to the publishers & Netgalley for this arc

While it had a unique & interesting storyline, I just don’t think it was for me unfortunately. The Chapters were quite long at the beginning and it did seem to drag until about 60% and even then it picked up but not by much. The writing could be a little confusing at times and very overly descriptive for no reason, making it definitely a lot longer than it needed to be. It also felt that there was so much going on it ruined the plot line slightly. Characters were well developed and had really good connections between each other, but I definitely think the main character grated on me a lot rather than me relating to her. She didn’t come across as a 40yr old woman and her backstory became very repetitive.

Overall good plot line but it just fell flat for me

This was an interesting read. It wasn't, in my opinion, overly dramatic or overly romantic. There is a nice balance between drama, romance and even sense of humour.
I found the issues, struggles and angsts of the main character to be quite realistic and relatable for not-so-young readers, too.

I really enjoyed reading this book! It was a cute romance and the plot was very well written. The characters were adorable and I loved their storyline. The setting feels like a real place and the characters feel like real people.

Do you want to feel good about being older? Read a Lifetime in 30 Days. It definitely puts things in perspective.

3 ☆
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Honey, Vanna was really going through it in this book! From her estranged husband passing away in a boating accident to dealing with his mom and planning his funeral! Honey, just know Vanna is a strong woman because Caleb's mom would have received some strong words from me. But oh, it gets better. At Vanna's estranged husband Caleb's funeral, Vanna is arrested on embezzlement charges. No, this isn't funny, but it's definitely one of those moments where you laugh to keep from crying, lol. I liked this book so much, but it's kinda not realistic because who at 40 acts the way Vanna was acting? I wouldn't know because I'm not close to 40, but she acted more like late 20s, early 30s. Sorry, not sorry. We sometimes got over-descriptions of stuff we didn't need. It's the first book by this author, but it won't be the last.
𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 Dec.24
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Thank you, Netgalley, and Montlake for the eBook in exchange for my honest review.

Vanna is 39 years old - separated, but not divorced - and getting ready for her FFSF (freakin forty and still fly) birthday month celebration. Things turn sour when her not-yet-ex-husband is found dead and she gets arrested for embezzlement and we get to see how she navigates the 30 days before the big 4 0 navigating this unexpected mess.

As a 39 year old, with about 30 days to go to my 40th birthday i was getting ready to enjoy some light hearted fun. but, boy… this book did bot deliver for me.

i could not relate to the female lead. for the life of me, I've never met a 40 year old that behaves in this way. 20 year olds? Sure! early 30s? Maybe!

Vanna’s character is what I describe as an aggressive feminist who will walk all over men in an effort to defend her independence, pride and general sense of entitlement, while playing victim #1, taking zero responsibility for her life. Reading about all her hardship and injustice got old real fast, especially since her coping mechanism usually entailed with gathering more women around her, shopping, partying and booing about why her amazing FFSF month is being spoiled, but her ex-husband’s death, her bitchy MIL, the embezzlement charges. Her new love-interest turns out to be a rich doormat with never ending patience for her aggressive bullshit, that keeps dropping everything to save her.

I honestly just could not with this book!!

2 stars for a generally good premise and interesting side characters.

I was expecting more from this book. I'm 38 so the big 40 is coming right at me, however even though the main character is turning 39 she felt more like a young adult than a near 40 year old woman. The story in it's all is okay, I was just expecting more. It wasn't fast paced and way too many flashbacks in my opinion.

Quick summary of the book;
When a woman embarks on the next phase of her life, it’s all she can do not to break under pressure in a smart, cheeky, and bighearted novel about moving on. Savannah Carlson has one month before she hits the big four-oh. With her best friends, Jamaica and Ronni, she’s making every weekend toward that milestone count—party-wise. Vanna’s plans go awry when her shady, no-good, unreliable, estranged husband, Caleb is in a boating accident. The real sucker punch lands when Vanna is arrested for embezzlement at his funeral. Her man certainly is the gift that keeps on giving.

I'm not sure what I was looking for when I started this book, but I don't think I found it.

I found the idea of the book quite intriguing- a 39-year old woman ready to put her past behind her once and for all by going all out in celebrating the big 4 O with her best friends. Until her past hits her in the face in the form of a dead body and a lawsuit. I also enjoyed the vivid portrayals of the people closest to her. The characters were vibrant and full of life. But the enjoyment of the book stopped there.

I found the writing to be far too simple and far too descriptive at times. This book could easily be half its length if you remove all the unnecessary details that don't contribute anything but a higher word count. It just felt like I was getting bombarded with random niche details for no good purpose. The main character was also hard to emotionally connect with, partly because of where the story picks up from. Despite the pity we're meant to cultivate towards her, I found it hard to admire her determination to always keep going. Constant repetitions of her horrible past and the ever constant pep talks plus the affirmation cards... it was all too much for me. The character voice also felt far from unique besides from a few mannerisms; it felt like she could be a typical high-school girl and I wouldn't even know the difference.

How on earth is this woman turning 40 in a month? I'm no ageist but freakin' forty and still fly... really??

All in all a good idea for a book carried out with poor execution.

(Thanks to the publisher for the copy)

A Lifetime in 30 Days by new to me author A.C. Arthur, published by Montlake is a packed story. The heroine has a lot going on, nearing 4 o, having some partying to do, burying her ex-husband, you get the picture. But karma isn't finished and she gets another wrench thowrn her way.
An ok read, I enjoyed the story.
Blurb: When a woman embarks on the next phase of her life, it’s all she can do not to break under pressure in a smart, cheeky, and bighearted novel about moving on.
Savannah Carlson has one month before she hits the big four-oh. With her best friends, Jamaica and Ronni, she’s making every weekend toward that milestone count—party-wise. Vanna’s plans go awry when her shady, no-good, unreliable, estranged husband, Caleb is in a boating accident. The real sucker punch lands when Vanna is arrested for embezzlement at his funeral. Her man certainly is the gift that keeps on giving.
Talk about mixed emotions. Grief over good years wasted with the wrong man. Fear of that felony hanging over her head. And even some bliss given her long-simmering attraction to an old acquaintance that’s coming to a sweet boil. She has her faith, her cheerleading, Granny, and her besties to help her through the most trying times of her life.

With its blend of humor, friendship, and resilience, this book is a testament to embracing life’s twists and turns with grace and a smile. It’s a feel-good story that captures the essence of finding joy and strength in the face of adversity. I enjoyed reading it.

A.C. Arthur's "A Lifetime in 30 Days" is a stunning modern book that, in a shockingly short amount of time, describes the essence of personal transformation. The protagonist of the book undergoes a significant transformation in a span of 30 days, which distinguishes the work from other long-form novels and makes for an enjoyable and enticing read.

The narrative centres on a character whose life drastically changes in the course of a single month. Every day and decision feels crucial because of the intensity and sense of urgency created by this compressed schedule. Arthur's writing captivates readers with its ability to capture the intensity of each moment and the depth of the protagonist's feelings. Arthur is a genius at telling a story which is clear and powerful at the same time. The book moves quickly enough to maintain the story's momentum while giving readers just enough emotional and psychological depth to make their eyes water. The protagonist's quick growth and the high stakes of their adventure highlight how pivotal life events may be beneficial.

However not everyone will enjoy the fast-paced nature of the book. In contrast to more progressive storytelling techniques, some readers may find the fast character development and resolution to be a little hurried. Despite this, A Lifetime in 30 Days is a pleasant and thought-provoking experience for individuals who appreciate a skilfully knit story with instant emotional effect.

In summary, A.C. Arthur's A Lifetime in 30 Days is an engaging and experimental book that looks into the significant effects of significant life changes in a short period of time. For everyone curious about the significance of turning points and life-changing occurrences, this book is worth reading because of its unique perspective and significant emotional content.

I absolutely loved the Afterparty so I knew this one would be just as week written and an absolute blast! I could so relate to the content and wanting to squeeze everything in before a big milestone birthday and everything that comes along with that both good and bad. Such a great book!