“In Five Years” by Rebecca Serle

A novel of change, growth, and love that is worth the read.

By: Bryna Goeking

Have you ever woken up from a dream feeling frustrated by the mundanity of everyday life? What if, on the night you got engaged to your long-term boyfriend and landed your dream job, you dreamed that in five years you would be living with another man and working another job? Dannie, the main character of “In Five Years,” falls asleep on the night of her engagement feeling peaceful and having received a new job offer, but finds herself five years into the future living with another man and working a different job. Throughout the book, Dannie struggles with job opportunities, true love, and tests of friendship, all with the overwhelming knowledge that in five years she will be living a totally different life. 

Serle presents the reader with a difficult question: is it really possible to live in the present when you’re so concerned about the future? Dannie spends much of the book dwelling on the future and wondering how events will unfold. Although this was annoying at times, it led me to question if I spend too much time worrying about the future. I think anyone who finds themselves spending a lot of time worrying about the future would enjoy this book. Serle writes about the anxiety of not knowing what is coming beautifully. 

There are many complex characters in this book, and each is relatable in their own way, which makes it intriguing to read. The characters feel real, almost like someone I could know. It felt personal to see their flaws and imperfections; this book felt like an accurate representation of the awkwardness that comes with growing into adulthood. There was not a consistent antagonist, but that’s what made it feel real. Sometimes Dannie would be in the wrong, other times her fiancé or one of her friends, and the complexity of characters made the book much more enjoyable and relatable.

I went into this book expecting a cookie-cutter romance but saw all sorts of characters grow up over five years in terms of romance, friendships, and their careers. Five years is a long time to cover in a single book, and Serle is careful not to draw the events out. Time moves effectively and effortlessly, and I felt like a fly on the wall watching Dannie’s life unfold, with many twists and turns. Just when you think you know what’s about to happen, Serle changes your expectations in a sentence. Knowing what to expect at the end but not knowing how it would happen made the read more interesting; it felt like putting a puzzle together. 

The payoff at the end is absolutely beautiful. It ends with a twist that pulled at my heartstrings. You may need some tissues. Serle explores not only who and how we love romantically, but also platonically. Some of the most touching scenes are between Dannie and her best friend, Bella. There are many flashbacks to their childhood, which help the reader to feel more connected to the characters. For example, when Dannie and Bella vacation at a beach house with their respective partners, Serle includes memories of other summers spent at the beach house to make it feel real. In some romances, the best friend functions only to give the main character advice, but Serle gives Bella a personality that makes her feel grounded in Dannie’s story. The reader also learns about Bella’s story in snippets: how she struggles to continue her relationship with her distant parents and her response to a serious health scare. While Dannie struggles with outgrowing her fiancé, she seems to continue growing up with Bella. 

“In Five Years” is a sweet book that delves into how we function within relationships and how we can grow with people or outgrow them. It also allows readers to immerse themselves in the story through relatable characters.