The first stop in our Summer Reading Challenge is with The Repeat Year by Andrea Lochen! The Repeat Year is a fun take on Gwyneth Paltrow’s “Sliding Doors” where one woman has a chance to repeat the worst year of her life–what will she change and what will she keep the same? You’ll have to read to find out! In honor of her debut novel, Andrea has chosen five picks for the books inspired her to write her first novel:

 The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

“I love the idea of a couple who are so meant for each other that their pasts, present, and futures are intricately interwoven together through time.”

Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf

“Such beautiful, eloquent writing.  The ending has always resonated for me, which is why the last image of The Repeat Year was inspired by it.”

Persuasion by Jane Austen

“A classic tale of one woman’s second chance at love, told only as Jane Austen can!”

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

“The kind of book that reminds me why I write: because authors can make characters come alive, deeply touch readers, and celebrate the triumphant human spirit.”

Atonement by Ian McEwan

“A stunning novel that grapples with the question of if we can ever truly make amends for the mistakes that we make.”

Pinterest PS – Check out this Pinterest board inspired by The Repeat Year!