Welcome to Friday Reads!
There’s a giveaway for a print copy of Twenty Something Else by Stephanie Mack, courtesy of the publisher. (US ONLY!) Enter by using the Gleam link at the bottom of the post. (Contest ends June 12, 2026.) If you’re the chosen winner, I’ll contact you for your information to pass along to the publisher.
About the book…
On the eve of her fortieth birthday, a woman wakes up from a pickleball accident with the unexpected chance to relive her twenties in this sparkling novel from a fresh, new voice.
Sutton Layne is almost-forty and fabulous, with a happy marriage, three beautiful children, and a successful interior design business. But there’s plenty of chaos behind the scenes of early midlife. Her preteen son is going off the rails, her husband is bailing on the party he was supposed to throw her, and that thriving business? If she can’t land her next big client, it might all come crashing down. Then a surprise DM from someone in her past sends her spiraling into what-ifs. What if she settled down too young? Walked away from her big break? Never had her great adventure?
Despite her simmering mini-crisis, Sutton can’t wait for the birthday luncheon and pickleball tournament her friends have planned in her honor. But when an accident on the court knocks her out cold, she wakes up somewhere else . . . and is offered the chance to do it all over again. She can revisit her twenties―out of order and on her own terms. And this time around, anything goes: cities, careers, friendships. Even love.
From star-studded Hollywood nights to the jungles of Nicaragua, from the heat of Coachella to the snowy summit of the Matterhorn, Sutton chases the life she fears she might have missed, with unexpected results.
With a wink to the classic It’s a Wonderful Life, Twenty Something Else is a witty, wistful journey through the dreams we outgrow, the life choices that shape us, and the surprising detours that can lead us home.
Excerpt…
If age thirty-nine were a fruit, some days I feel confident she’d be a beautiful yellow banana—just ripe, the best in the bowl, still young but deeply wise and poised to tackle her prime. She does the elusive all, with grit and passion and strength.
Marathon?
Banana.
Stomach bug?
Banana.
She is energy and potassium, with children of her own, perhaps, while her own mother still lives and breathes. The sweetest spot, in the center, that magical middle of everything. There is nothing thirty-nine cannot do.
Other days, I’m positive thirty-nine is a raisin. Boxed in. Sweet, maybe; delicious to some. She’s a pretty good snack in a pinch but has the effect of shrinking into both herself and the background. One of a handful, blending. The best seems behind her, mostly. Does anyone even eat raisins anymore, unless they’re part of a trail mix, second place to the chocolate and peanuts? Cotton Candy grapes (say, age ten) and expensive wine (maybe sixty) are by far the superior and more interesting iterations of this particular fruit.
Today, I’m the latter. The raisin. No doubt on earth. I’m shriveling next to my thirteen-year-old son, the coolest kid anyone knows. He murders me with his side-eye as I sink lower into the passenger seat.
“Mom, seriously? You had to leave the house with those rags in your hair?” He lifts a hand to his face in a shield as if to ward off possible witnesses.
One hand on the wheel, I scoff and note that I need a manicure.
“They’re not rags, Max. They’re heatless hair rollers. I saw them on TikTok.”
“What are you even doing on TikTok?” he whines. I don’t have to see his eye roll to know it’s scraping our SUV’s ceiling.
“I use it for work. And spying on you now, apparently.” I’m still frustrated, and so is he. He’s angry about being the only kid in middle school who doesn’t possess a smartphone; I’m angry at him for breaking our no-social-media rule in a big way.
Yes, our seventh-grade son created an entire secret YouTube channel of his sports commentary videos, straight from the family iPad.
Unfortunately, they were spectacular. Extra Point by Maxwell Layne has gone viral on various social media platforms: Instagram, TikTok, the works. Strangers worldwide were rave-commenting, gushing paragraphs of praise. Were they predators? Killers? Who knew!
Q&A with Stephanie…
Q: What inspired Twenty Something Else?
A: My favorite movie of all time is It’s a Wonderful Life. I’ve watched it every single Christmas for as long as I can remember, and for years I’ve dreamed of writing my own take on that classic what-if story. I’m endlessly fascinated by how our individual lives—and the choices we make—ripple outward, shaping the world around us. What would I change if I had the chance? What truly matters in the long run? And what parts of us remain intrinsically true, no matter the path?
That longtime dream collided with the timing of my own approaching fortieth birthday. Twenty Something Else poured out of a very real season of reflection—standing at a milestone as a suburban mother of three who married her college sweetheart nearly twenty years ago, and wondering how the past, the present, and the person I once was all connect.
Q: Why do you think so many millennials are looking back and wondering, What if?
A: I think many millennials are reaching a natural moment of reckoning. We were raised with enormous optimism and endless possibility, often by boomer parents who wanted to give us the world. Then we came of age amid economic upheaval, cultural shifts, and a pivotal global pandemic—all while navigating the constant sharing and comparison trap of social media. Many of us “did everything right”—earned the degrees, built the careers, started the families—yet still find ourselves asking if this is the life we imagined. Even when our dreams have come true, they can feel different than we pictured.
That tension is ripe for what-if reflection, not out of regret, but curiosity and meaning-making. We’re a deeply nostalgic bunch. We’re also old enough to have lived several versions of ourselves, yet young enough to still feel the weight of choice. Looking back becomes a way of understanding what truly mattered, what shaped us, and how to carry that wisdom forward.
Q: How did you develop Sutton’s personality, and what do you love most about her?
A: Sutton began as a bit of an extension-of-self character, but she quickly evolved into so much more. Her quirks, passions, and personality traits came very naturally to me along the way. I also drew inspiration from one of my oldest friends—a wildly successful interior designer—who even threw me my fortieth birthday party, which was incredibly special. I love Sutton’s adventurous spirit and her willingness to embrace what each balloon has to teach her. She’s deeply teachable, which I think is a highly underrated and important quality. And in many ways, she’s already wiser than she realizes.
Q: How does faith play a role in this story?
A: Sutton is a faithful woman, deeply rooted in her Christian beliefs, but she is far from perfect. She wrestles honestly with certain messages and ideas in a very human way, and ultimately holds fast to her trust that God’s way—even when it’s challenging—is the best way.
Q: Why do you believe female friendships are so important at all stages of life?
A: My female friendships mean everything to me. Our husbands and romantic partners are vital, of course, but they have never lived in a woman’s body—experienced things like childbirth, body image struggles, motherhood, and so much more of life in the same way. Female friendships have a unique power to anchor us, to see us through life, and to love us with their own particular kind of soulmate energy.
Q: How do you balance family life, marriage, and friendships while still pursuing your own dreams and passions?
A: Lots of coffee and Jesus! Truly, though, I’ll be the first to admit it’s not easy. Balance doesn’t come without effort. One thing that helps me is time blocking: being intentional with my actual calendar so I’m fully present when I’m writing, creating, or working—and fully present when I’m with my family, pouring into my girls, attending social events, or showing up to my weekly Bible study.
I once heard the phrase Wherever you are, be all there, and it stuck with me. The older I get, the more strategic I’m becoming with my yeses and nos. I’ve also had to untangle my people pleasing and get very clear about who—and what—I truly can’t afford to let down.
Q: What do you hope burnt-out women learn from Sutton’s story?
A: I hope they hear this clearly: You are incredible, and you are doing a wonderful job. You were called to be your husband’s wife, your children’s mother, your friends’ friend. Or maybe you’re single, and how incredible that you’ve experienced and achieved all you have, which you couldn’t have done otherwise. Everyone, take a deep breath. I’m in awe of you, and your people adore you!
Life is long. Old dreams may sit on the back burner for a season—for any number of reasons—but that doesn’t mean they die. They can always be revived. Women can do it all, just not all at the same level at the same time.
I hope Sutton makes my fellow forty-somethings feel vibrant, alive, and deeply thankful for every year they’ve lived. And all the ones ahead!
Q: What part of writing Twenty Something Else did you enjoy the most, and what was the biggest challenge?
A: I loved leaning fully into magical realism—listening closely to my heart, my faith, and my creative instincts, and not holding back. The biggest challenge was making sure the “rules” of the magical elements truly worked within the story. I spent a lot of time and care refining that, with the help of my team, and I hope the result feels both magical and utterly believable.
Q: You just turned forty. How did writing Sutton’s story make you think about your own life choices and what-ifs?
A: Like Sutton, I’ve just turned forty, I have three children, and I’ve been married for nearly twenty years. Writing her story made me pause and reflect deeply on my own life. One of my biggest takeaways was the reminder, chapter by chapter, in the most special way, that indeed I would still choose my husband today, a hundred times over. We’ve given each other space to grow and change together since marrying at twenty-one.
I also know I would still choose writing. I’m entering my forties with deep gratitude for every year lived, every word written, every good choice, every mistake—knowing that my calling is mine alone, as yours is yours!
Q: What do you hope your readers take away from your book?
A: Women are something else. (There’s a double meaning here.) Our lives, our choices, and our second acts deserve curiosity, grace, and celebration. We contain multitudes, within every decade and lifetime.
Thanks so much, Stephanie. I’m sure my readers enjoyed learning more about you and your book. I wish you all the best with it!
About Stephanie…
Stephanie Mack is an author, speaker, and podcast host with a passion for the art of great storytelling. Her novels blend women’s fiction and romantic elements with meaningful insights for readers navigating the complexities of modern life.
Throughout her career, Stephanie has been trusted to craft language for individuals, publications, and Fortune 500 companies. As a podcast host, she has interviewed numerous New York Times bestselling authors and literary stars. Stephanie’s work has also appeared on Scary Mommy, Faithit, Coffee + Crumbs, and more.
Stephanie lives in Orange County, California, with her husband and three daughters, balancing motherhood, creativity, and community. She invites readers to connect with her on social media and through her newsletter, where she shares book recommendations, behind-the-scenes insights, and conversations about life and womanhood. Learn more at stephaniemack.com
“Twenty Something Else” by Stephanie Mack
Rules for the giveaway can be found here.
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