Release date: March 10, 2026
Publisher: Atria
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Synopsis:
The women of the Novak family were each born with a gift: they can, just once, turn back time.
Lauren has known since she was fifteen that her mother Marcella saved Lauren’s father from a deadly car accident. Dave is alive and happy, and out on the Malibu waves. But ever since, Marcella, her power spent, has lived in fear of what she won’t be able to reverse. Her own mother, Sylvia, is her polar opposite: a free-spirited iconoclast with a glamorous past she only hints at. Lauren has spent her life between these two role models—and waiting for her own catastrophe to strike.
Then one summer, Lauren’s husband takes a job in New York and she moves back to Broad Beach Road, back into her childhood home on the shores of Malibu. Lauren looks forward to surfing with her dad again and perhaps repairing an unspoken fracture in her relationship with her mother. What she doesn’t expect is for the boy next to door to return home as well: Stone, Lauren’s first love, who broke her heart nearly a decade before.
As Lauren falls into familiar patterns, with her family and, more dangerously, Stone, she finds herself thinking about all the choices, large and small, that have brought her to this moment. And wondering, finally, if one of them should be undone.
Review:
Once and Again is another thoughtful entry into the world of magical realism that Rebecca Serle has become known for. The premise is instantly compelling: the women in the Novak family are each born with the ability to go back and redo one moment in their lives. As with many of Serle’s stories, the magic isn’t really the point—it’s the emotional ripple effects of the choices we make and the lives we build around them. The concept makes for a reflective reading experience, prompting you to think about your own “what ifs,” regrets, and turning points along the way.
I especially loved the multigenerational dynamic between Lauren, her mother Marcella, and her grandmother Sylvia. Their different approaches to life and to the family’s unusual gift create an interesting emotional tension that carries through the story. Serle also excels at creating a strong sense of place, and the Malibu beach setting is vivid and immersive. The Broad Beach Road house, the ocean, and the laid back coastal energy give the book an atmospheric quality that makes it an ideal weekend binge or vacation read.
While the story kept me engaged and turning pages, the ending didn’t quite land for me. One aspect of the final twist felt a bit silly compared to the otherwise thoughtful tone of the book, which ultimately bumped my rating down slightly. Still, this is a fast paced and reflective novel that explores family, relationships, and the weight of our decisions in a way that feels both emotional and entertaining. Fans of Serle’s work will likely find plenty to appreciate here.
Overall rating: 3.75/5
Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.
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