Book Talk | Feels Like the First Time
FEELS LIKE THE FIRST TIME
By Kimberly Packard
Romance, Time-Slip, RomCom
Publisher: Abalos Publishing
Publication Date: 16 June 2026
SYNOPSIS
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Blink and your life’s halfway over. What if that happens literally?
College party girl Emily Murray bounces through majors and boys until an ill-advised art major leads her to a rebellious relationship with an aspiring rock star. When her father cuts off the college fund—and her boyfriend ditches her to chase a record deal—Emily spirals, hard.
One shaved head and emotional black out later, she wakes up thirty years in the future, living a life she doesn’t recognize as a successful therapist and engaged to a total stranger.
With no apparent way to rewind the clock, Emily scrambles to make sense of her new reality. With a wedding date looming and a competitive therapist threatening her fragile career, Emily is forced to question: Was this really the future she was meant for?
Witty, sharp and unexpectedly heartwarming, Feels Like the First Time, the highly anticipated follow up to This Time Around, is a love letter to our younger selves, reminding us that even when we feel lost, we often end up exactly where we need to be.
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REVIEW
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One of our author's greatest strengths is her characterization. Our main character, Emily Murray, is a directionless college student whose life falls apart after a failed relationship and a series of bad decisions. Emily is flawed, funny, impulsive, and relatable, making her transformation feel earned rather than forced. The side characters add warmth and emotional depth to the story, while the romantic story line complements rather than overshadows Emily's journey of self-discovery.
While the pacing occasionally slows during Emily's emotional reflections, the story remains compelling because the stakes are deeply personal rather than action-driven.
Overall, Feels Like the First Time is a heartfelt, humorous novel about growing into the person you're meant to become—even if that path looks nothing like you imagined. If you're into contemporary women's fiction with a touch of magical realism, then you'll find it an enjoyable and uplifting read. Readers who have read Packard's earlier novel This Time Around will also appreciate the connections between the two books, although this story can be enjoyed on its own.
Until next time, Happy Reading!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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Kimberly Packard is an award-winning author of women’s fiction and romance.
When she isn’t writing, she can be found planning her next trip, asking her dog what’s in his mouth or curled up with a book. She resides in Texas with her husband Colby, a clever cat named Oliver and a precocious black lab named Tully.
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