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Once in a Lifetime
Multi-award winner! PenCraft, IPPY, and International Book Award Winner.
Sweetbitter meets Bridget Jones in a John Hughes movie, Once in a Lifetime plays against a vibrant 1980s background of everything from slam dancers and rubber jelly shoes to social anarchy and AIDS.
“I’ve waited long enough for my life to happen. I want to be neck-deep in something that keeps me up all night. Something so cool I’ll be petrified and sick to my stomach at the mere thought of it. I want to absolutely fry in inspiration, then capture it in oils and charcoals and bits of broken glass, in a piece of art that oozes magic and fear and possibility. I want to find a city. An adventure. A song. Something. To hell with the American Dream. I want a reason to kick and scream.� � Jessica Addentro, 1980s waitress, artist, and aspiring multimedia sensation
In 1984, punk is rampant. Andy Warhol rules. And 20-year-old art student Jessica is sick of all the excitement going on without her. Hungry for the life she’s convinced is just beyond her fingertips, she sets her sights on an avant-garde study abroad program in London she can’t afford. Meanwhile, hometown boyfriend Drew wants to see other people if he’s not exciting enough to keep her stateside.
Jess and her buddies rent a beat-up apartment, trolling new wave clubs and waitressing double shifts in New Hope, PA, a cool and artsy restaurant town on the river, to scrounge-up tuition money. Then Jess meets Whit, a steamy daredevil guitarist who crawls through her window and makes her head spin like a record. The girls deal with cheating waiters, mystics, a military drag queen buddy, a Svengali bouncer, and the specter of AIDS. Before long, Jess has to decide if the men in her life will leave her as damaged as her cracked-glass mosaic art projects―and whether they’ll stand in the way of her dream semester in post-punk London.
ONCE IN A LIFETIME is character driven, coming of age women's fiction with a quirky female protagonist, focused on friendship, life choices, love and relationships. It's chick lit that's not all about the guy, with a smart and vibrant 1980's aesthetic, taking readers on an emotional journey that contemporary women will appreciate. Can women really “have it all?� If so, it all started in the brashness of the '80s.
Sweetbitter meets Bridget Jones in a John Hughes movie, Once in a Lifetime plays against a vibrant 1980s background of everything from slam dancers and rubber jelly shoes to social anarchy and AIDS.
“I’ve waited long enough for my life to happen. I want to be neck-deep in something that keeps me up all night. Something so cool I’ll be petrified and sick to my stomach at the mere thought of it. I want to absolutely fry in inspiration, then capture it in oils and charcoals and bits of broken glass, in a piece of art that oozes magic and fear and possibility. I want to find a city. An adventure. A song. Something. To hell with the American Dream. I want a reason to kick and scream.� � Jessica Addentro, 1980s waitress, artist, and aspiring multimedia sensation
In 1984, punk is rampant. Andy Warhol rules. And 20-year-old art student Jessica is sick of all the excitement going on without her. Hungry for the life she’s convinced is just beyond her fingertips, she sets her sights on an avant-garde study abroad program in London she can’t afford. Meanwhile, hometown boyfriend Drew wants to see other people if he’s not exciting enough to keep her stateside.
Jess and her buddies rent a beat-up apartment, trolling new wave clubs and waitressing double shifts in New Hope, PA, a cool and artsy restaurant town on the river, to scrounge-up tuition money. Then Jess meets Whit, a steamy daredevil guitarist who crawls through her window and makes her head spin like a record. The girls deal with cheating waiters, mystics, a military drag queen buddy, a Svengali bouncer, and the specter of AIDS. Before long, Jess has to decide if the men in her life will leave her as damaged as her cracked-glass mosaic art projects―and whether they’ll stand in the way of her dream semester in post-punk London.
ONCE IN A LIFETIME is character driven, coming of age women's fiction with a quirky female protagonist, focused on friendship, life choices, love and relationships. It's chick lit that's not all about the guy, with a smart and vibrant 1980's aesthetic, taking readers on an emotional journey that contemporary women will appreciate. Can women really “have it all?� If so, it all started in the brashness of the '80s.
- GenresFiction
332 pages, Paperback
First published March 24, 2022
22 people are currently reading
6,954 people want to read
About the author
Suzanne Grieco Mattaboni
10books47followersSuzanne (Grieco) Mattaboni is a fiction writer, blogger, poet, podcaster, and corporate PR consultant based in Northampton, Pennsylvania. She is a Newsweek Expert Forum contributor and a former community service and education reporter for Newsday. Her debut novel, Once In a Lifetime, is available from TouchPoint Press now on Amazon in print plus Kindle, Barnes & Noble, and Nook.
Suzanne's work has appeared in Seventeen, “Chicken Soup for the Soul,� The Huffington Post, Mysterious Ways, Guideposts.com, Child, 50 Word Stories, Turtle, Humpty Dumpty’s, The Best of LA Parent, SixWordMemoirs.com. She's had work in the anthologies “Running Wild Anthology v. 2,� �2017 Stories Through the Ages,� and “What’s a Nice Girl Like You Doing in a Relationship Like This?� You can read her short story series, “A Run in My Tights,� won runner-up for best series on the subscription-based literary platform, Channillo.com. One of her stories was nominated for a Pushcart Prize.
Suzanne is a past winner of Seventeen magazine’s Art and Fiction Contest and a National Council of Teachers of English Award. Suzanne is the area six representative (Philadelphia/Lehigh Valley) for the statewide Pennwriters group and a member of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association and the GLVWG writers group.
Suzanne has a B.A. in fiction writing from the University of Pittsburgh and studied literature and art at the City of London Polytechnic. As successful corporate public relations consultant, she has generated coverage with The New York Times, Bloomberg News, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Post, BusinessWeek, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Phoenix Business Journal, and other major business and trade journals across North America. She’s worked on PR campaigns with major high-tech companies including Microsoft, HP, Cisco, Lenovo, Sennheiser, and CCleaner.
Suzanne's work has appeared in Seventeen, “Chicken Soup for the Soul,� The Huffington Post, Mysterious Ways, Guideposts.com, Child, 50 Word Stories, Turtle, Humpty Dumpty’s, The Best of LA Parent, SixWordMemoirs.com. She's had work in the anthologies “Running Wild Anthology v. 2,� �2017 Stories Through the Ages,� and “What’s a Nice Girl Like You Doing in a Relationship Like This?� You can read her short story series, “A Run in My Tights,� won runner-up for best series on the subscription-based literary platform, Channillo.com. One of her stories was nominated for a Pushcart Prize.
Suzanne is a past winner of Seventeen magazine’s Art and Fiction Contest and a National Council of Teachers of English Award. Suzanne is the area six representative (Philadelphia/Lehigh Valley) for the statewide Pennwriters group and a member of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association and the GLVWG writers group.
Suzanne has a B.A. in fiction writing from the University of Pittsburgh and studied literature and art at the City of London Polytechnic. As successful corporate public relations consultant, she has generated coverage with The New York Times, Bloomberg News, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Post, BusinessWeek, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Phoenix Business Journal, and other major business and trade journals across North America. She’s worked on PR campaigns with major high-tech companies including Microsoft, HP, Cisco, Lenovo, Sennheiser, and CCleaner.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
May 11, 2022
This was like a new wave 80’s punk rock version of Mystic Pizza. 4 college roommates move to a town together and room in a one bedroom crap basement apartment with dreams of making money waitressing in a “restaurant� town to use towards their various hopes and dreams. The focus is on one particular girl, Jess, a college junior, who is sort of stuck feeling like she hasn’t reached true adulthood yet and is ready to experience life. She’s working on earning money for a student program in London as an aspiring artist and also finds herself in a love triangle. I felt this story started off slow and it took a while for me to really become involved in the characters lives. I really almost put it down in the first half but I am glad I didn’t. The second half really picked up and delved deep into the roommates relationships with each other, the relationship Jess formed with her employer and coworkers (inside your will find a pretenders concert, a cool multitalented drag queen, a most surprising caring boss, and even a tarot card reading ending with some good advice). I think anyone who has been a college student standing on the brink of leaving behind your adolescence and hovering over real adulthood could relate to this book. As an added bonus, it had all the elements of 1984 which made it a fun read. I loved the full circle ending and left it wanting to know more about the roommates lives after their amazing summer of �84.
Thank you to @netgalley for this E-ARC read and allowing me to provide my honest review and opinion. Also the cover is pretty dope!
Thank you to @netgalley for this E-ARC read and allowing me to provide my honest review and opinion. Also the cover is pretty dope!
April 11, 2022
Loved it!
This was such a fun read! It brought me back in time and made me smile repeatedly. I fell in love with Jess and I’m hoping to hear more about what life has to offer her.
This was such a fun read! It brought me back in time and made me smile repeatedly. I fell in love with Jess and I’m hoping to hear more about what life has to offer her.
April 5, 2022
Suzanne Mattaboni’s novel, Once in a Lifetime harkens back to the early 1980s before cell phones were commonplace and calling home cost more than the average college student could afford. Jess and her friends move into a dumpy apartment in New Hope, PA, and spend hours on their feet, slinging gourmet entrees to tourists. But sore feet don’t stop them from hitting the cool clubs and dancing to a playlist that will trigger memories for anyone who grew up in that decade. The beauty of Once in a Lifetime is it is a reminder of a time when society didn’t push children to grow up so quickly. Sex was still a bit of a mystery and growing up involved making decisions without parental calls, texts, and emails. Artist Jess is working to save money to start her “real world,� a study abroad program in London. But a summer of adventure, choices, and decisions elicit consequences, and she quickly learns that getting to the “real world� involves more than money. Ms. Mattaboni’s beautifully written novel is a tribute to life during a period many of us remember longingly. Susan Sofayov, author of Defective and Jerusalem Stone.
December 18, 2024
This was an edgy trip back to 1984 that was equal parts romantic rollercoaster/love story and ode to a decade full of drama.
I went back and forth between thoughts of "wow this is a great representation of the 1980s and shines a light on both the good and bad" and thoughts of "hmm, I'm having trouble picturing this scene but I'm sure it's because I was BORN in 1984." :D
Overall, this was an enjoyable (albeit slightly uncomfortable, for reasons I wasn't quite sure of) story. It kind of pushed me past my levels of comfort but, again, I can't put my finger on the reason. Teddy and Kimmer won the "best character" awards IMHO. Sometimes those supporting characters will get ya!
I went back and forth between thoughts of "wow this is a great representation of the 1980s and shines a light on both the good and bad" and thoughts of "hmm, I'm having trouble picturing this scene but I'm sure it's because I was BORN in 1984." :D
Overall, this was an enjoyable (albeit slightly uncomfortable, for reasons I wasn't quite sure of) story. It kind of pushed me past my levels of comfort but, again, I can't put my finger on the reason. Teddy and Kimmer won the "best character" awards IMHO. Sometimes those supporting characters will get ya!
May 19, 2022
𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥. 𝐈𝐬𝐧’� 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐮𝐬 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞? 𝐖𝐞’𝐫� 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 ‘𝟖𝟎�.
𝐖𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥.
𝐍𝐨 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐟 𝐰𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐭 𝐢𝐭.
________________________
If The Breakfast Club and Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants had a love child it would be this book!! A coming of age tale set in 1984 it follows 20 year old Jess and her 3 college roommates/best friends as they leave their university in Pittsburgh to live and work in New Hope, PA for the summer.
Jess� goal is to waitress her way to the funding she needs to study art abroad in London, but she ends up gaining so much more before the summer is over. In an age where suddenly the sky is the limit and possibilities are becoming endless, everyone is just trying to get the most out of life…and maybe figure out who they are and what they want in the process.
The cast of characters in this story is memorable and priceless. Between each of the characters, their stories, and the pure nostalgia this entire book gives you, it truly makes the ride as fun and meaningful as any 80’s rock song, hairstyle, or classic movie. I will also note as someone who was born and raised just outside of Philadelphia by parents who were children of the 80’s born and raised in the same place (one of them with strong Italian heritage), I can appreciate the author’s attention to detail in even the smallest aspects of this book (shout out to WMMR!!). It was really well crafted and between the details, the prose used in some areas, and the style of writing, this book read as if it were its own abstract piece of artwork.
The 4 girls truly made this book. Jess with her well planned out life and the mess she ends up making of everything in the process, Trina with her successful and over the top ways but with massive insecurity and a constant fear of judgement, Kimmer with her larger than life heart that makes her a doormat for everyone around her FINALLY finding something good and seeing what she’s worth and truly deserves, and Audrey, the glue who holds them all together, who is as motherly as she is sensitive and as deep and complex as she is nurturing. Each of their stories apart and together rang so true and realistic and they truly made this book everything it was.
The side characters leave just as much of an impression though. Giorgio, the owner of the restaurant Capresi’s where Jess secures her summer job, is the quintessential sage Italian grandparent figure. I knew him, I lived next door to him, I spoke with him at the deli on Ford Street, I celebrated family holidays with him, I was related to him. He lived right off the page for me in the sweetest, most entertaining ways and every time he said “we take care of our own� it made you feel like that included you too. Teddy, the sous chef at Capresi’s, was so Philly it made me laugh. Loud, crass, but with a heart of pure gold he stole my heart right away but then claimed it for good in a sweet twist by the end of his story. Miz Love was a tarot card reading, charismatic, piece of work but I couldn’t help but love her and her mischievous ways!! Tye, better known as the drag queen Babylonia, stole my freaking heart!! Miz Love and Tye and their tenuous business partnership represented the fine line between following your dreams and living in poverty, and Tye beautifully articulated the tightrope walk between being your authentic self in an unaccepting world, and the fear and constant concern that was the AIDS epidemic in the 80’s. And the girls� apartment neighbors, the sheltered housewife Paula and the stereotypical stoner named Russell, though they seemed like afterthought characters, both packed powerful life lessons of their own.
The boys of Jess� summer; her long time boyfriend Drew who she parted ways with to avoid a long distance relationship, and Whit the quiet but deep musician who spoke to her creative side and made her come alive, were both engaging, attractive, and stood out in their own ways. Jess� somewhat lopsided love triangle (that she didn’t see as a love triangle) was messy and really showed her immaturity, but beautifully illustrated the pitfalls brought by the “have it your way/have it all� uprising within the female empowerment of that generation. The lessons and maturity that came out of it were very well done, however, and while the fate of some things were left up to your imagination it certainly leaves room for hope that each one of them finds who they truly are in the end, whether together or apart.
All in all I enjoyed every moment of this book and highly recommend it to anyone who may be looking for a nostalgic trip down memory lane with fresh and fun characters. This book is full of fun, life lessons, heart, and more 80’s music and pop culture references than “I Love the 80’s�. If you’re looking for a good solid stand alone read with tons of heart then pick this book up, try the Neapolitan Cheesecake, and enjoy the ride.
Thank you so much to NetGalley, TouchPoint Press, and the author for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
𝐖𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥.
𝐍𝐨 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐟 𝐰𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐭 𝐢𝐭.
________________________
If The Breakfast Club and Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants had a love child it would be this book!! A coming of age tale set in 1984 it follows 20 year old Jess and her 3 college roommates/best friends as they leave their university in Pittsburgh to live and work in New Hope, PA for the summer.
Jess� goal is to waitress her way to the funding she needs to study art abroad in London, but she ends up gaining so much more before the summer is over. In an age where suddenly the sky is the limit and possibilities are becoming endless, everyone is just trying to get the most out of life…and maybe figure out who they are and what they want in the process.
The cast of characters in this story is memorable and priceless. Between each of the characters, their stories, and the pure nostalgia this entire book gives you, it truly makes the ride as fun and meaningful as any 80’s rock song, hairstyle, or classic movie. I will also note as someone who was born and raised just outside of Philadelphia by parents who were children of the 80’s born and raised in the same place (one of them with strong Italian heritage), I can appreciate the author’s attention to detail in even the smallest aspects of this book (shout out to WMMR!!). It was really well crafted and between the details, the prose used in some areas, and the style of writing, this book read as if it were its own abstract piece of artwork.
The 4 girls truly made this book. Jess with her well planned out life and the mess she ends up making of everything in the process, Trina with her successful and over the top ways but with massive insecurity and a constant fear of judgement, Kimmer with her larger than life heart that makes her a doormat for everyone around her FINALLY finding something good and seeing what she’s worth and truly deserves, and Audrey, the glue who holds them all together, who is as motherly as she is sensitive and as deep and complex as she is nurturing. Each of their stories apart and together rang so true and realistic and they truly made this book everything it was.
The side characters leave just as much of an impression though. Giorgio, the owner of the restaurant Capresi’s where Jess secures her summer job, is the quintessential sage Italian grandparent figure. I knew him, I lived next door to him, I spoke with him at the deli on Ford Street, I celebrated family holidays with him, I was related to him. He lived right off the page for me in the sweetest, most entertaining ways and every time he said “we take care of our own� it made you feel like that included you too. Teddy, the sous chef at Capresi’s, was so Philly it made me laugh. Loud, crass, but with a heart of pure gold he stole my heart right away but then claimed it for good in a sweet twist by the end of his story. Miz Love was a tarot card reading, charismatic, piece of work but I couldn’t help but love her and her mischievous ways!! Tye, better known as the drag queen Babylonia, stole my freaking heart!! Miz Love and Tye and their tenuous business partnership represented the fine line between following your dreams and living in poverty, and Tye beautifully articulated the tightrope walk between being your authentic self in an unaccepting world, and the fear and constant concern that was the AIDS epidemic in the 80’s. And the girls� apartment neighbors, the sheltered housewife Paula and the stereotypical stoner named Russell, though they seemed like afterthought characters, both packed powerful life lessons of their own.
The boys of Jess� summer; her long time boyfriend Drew who she parted ways with to avoid a long distance relationship, and Whit the quiet but deep musician who spoke to her creative side and made her come alive, were both engaging, attractive, and stood out in their own ways. Jess� somewhat lopsided love triangle (that she didn’t see as a love triangle) was messy and really showed her immaturity, but beautifully illustrated the pitfalls brought by the “have it your way/have it all� uprising within the female empowerment of that generation. The lessons and maturity that came out of it were very well done, however, and while the fate of some things were left up to your imagination it certainly leaves room for hope that each one of them finds who they truly are in the end, whether together or apart.
All in all I enjoyed every moment of this book and highly recommend it to anyone who may be looking for a nostalgic trip down memory lane with fresh and fun characters. This book is full of fun, life lessons, heart, and more 80’s music and pop culture references than “I Love the 80’s�. If you’re looking for a good solid stand alone read with tons of heart then pick this book up, try the Neapolitan Cheesecake, and enjoy the ride.
Thank you so much to NetGalley, TouchPoint Press, and the author for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
April 23, 2022
I received an e-ARC version of this book from NetGalley and the publisher.
“Once in a Lifetime� by Suzanne Mattaboni is a coming of age book set in the 1980s. For me, coming of age books tend to be hit and miss and, unfortunately, this book was more of a miss for me. While I enjoyed parts of the book (music references), other parts just feel incredibly flat for me. While I believe that finding ones true self is an individual journey of self discovery, this book didn’t convey it in a way I found enjoyable.
“Once in a Lifetime� by Suzanne Mattaboni is a coming of age book set in the 1980s. For me, coming of age books tend to be hit and miss and, unfortunately, this book was more of a miss for me. While I enjoyed parts of the book (music references), other parts just feel incredibly flat for me. While I believe that finding ones true self is an individual journey of self discovery, this book didn’t convey it in a way I found enjoyable.
May 27, 2022
This is the first book that I am putting in my DNF list. It just wasn't for me. It made me feel like I couldn't connect at all with the characters or the era or their whole vibe. I feel bad to give such a negative review, but maybe this just wasn't a book for me. What I find super pretty is the cover.
November 12, 2023
In the early 1980s, I was in my 20s, like Jess. And while I lived in the emerald city of Seattle instead of the Philadelphia area where this novel is set, it was the same experience.
"Once in a Lifetime" brought back so many bright gritty memories of me and my friends sharing a rental, making a buck, dressing for the clubs, focusing on our female freedom yet entangled in a kaleidoscope of relationships. I loved Jess and her friends as they stumbled through the summer of 1984. All the perfect details of this time! And chapter titles that created an immediate, sensory playlist!
I gulped this novel down in a weekend, but I know I'll read it again. To savor the experience and to reflect more deeply on how this unique moment in time affected Jess, Audrey, Trina, Kimmer, Tye, Teddy, and Whit. And me.
"Once in a Lifetime" brought back so many bright gritty memories of me and my friends sharing a rental, making a buck, dressing for the clubs, focusing on our female freedom yet entangled in a kaleidoscope of relationships. I loved Jess and her friends as they stumbled through the summer of 1984. All the perfect details of this time! And chapter titles that created an immediate, sensory playlist!
I gulped this novel down in a weekend, but I know I'll read it again. To savor the experience and to reflect more deeply on how this unique moment in time affected Jess, Audrey, Trina, Kimmer, Tye, Teddy, and Whit. And me.
May 18, 2022
This book gave me all the classic John Hughes movie vibes! So many great and colourful characters who are just looking to find their place in this big old world! The music references were amazing and had me singing along in my head the whole time - who doesn’t love a book that comes with it’s own soundtrack? With all of that being said, I did find this book quite slow! The last half was great but it took a long time for me to feel invested in these characters and their relationships to one and other which really is the backbone of the whole story.
If you enjoy coming of age stories and 80’s nostalgia, I think you will love this one!
Big thanks to the author, TouchPoint Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an e-ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
If you enjoy coming of age stories and 80’s nostalgia, I think you will love this one!
Big thanks to the author, TouchPoint Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an e-ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
November 2, 2023
Die Geschichte spielt in den 80ern, genauer gesagt, im Sommer 1984. Jessica und ihre 3 Freundinnen verbringen den Sommer in New Hope, um dort als Kellnerinnen in Doppelschichten Geld zu verdienen für das weitere Studium, und natürlich, um in Clubs zu gehen und zu leben. Die Mädels sind Anfang 20 und bereit fürs wahre Leben. Für Abenteuer. Fürs Erwachsen-sein. Für Spass. Für Action. Es sind die 80er, und hier ist die erste Generation Frauen, die alles haben kann, was sie will. Jessica ist Kunststudentin, und ihr Traum ist es, in London zu studieren. London ist die grosse Verheissung, denn nur dort, so denkt Jess, ist die Kunst zuhause, nur dort vibriert die Inspiration. Und Jess ist ehrgeizig, sie verfolgt ihre Träume � genau wie ihre Freundinnen auch. Und so folgen wir den Mädels durch einen Sommer voller Arbeit, in denen sie Bekanntschaft mit Drag Queens und teils anstrengenden Gästen machen. Aber auch durch einen Sommer voller Musik, Parties und coolen Musikern und Beziehungsdramen � das volle Leben also 😊. Und am Ende werden alle ein wenig mehr über sich selbst gelernt haben, und sich weiterentwickelt haben � ob mit oder ohne Boyfriend 😉.
Also, was soll ich sagen � ich fand das Buch cool. Ich bin in den 80ern aufgewachsen, ich war 1984 ein wenig jünger als die 4 Freundinnen, aber für mich kam das damalige Lebensgefühl perfekt rüber. Die Musik. Der Punk. Die coolen Jungs 😉. Die Aufregung darüber, dass endlich das wahre Leben startet, oder zumindest vor der Tür steht. Und natürlich die Mode, hahahaha, ich habe echt gelacht, wenn die Mädels sich gemeinschaftlich zum ausgehen aufgebretzelt haben und die Schulterpolster platziert haben!
Der Roman lebt zu einem gutem Teil von der authentischen Atmosphäre. Jedes Kapitel ist mit einem Songtitel versehen, und allein dadurch wird ein Feeling gesetzt. Der Zeitgeist ist einfach gut eingefangen, in allen Facetten. Es war ja nicht nur alles Party und Punk und Glam, sondern � und das thematisiert der Roman auch � das war die Dekade, in der AIDS aufkam und vieles verändert hat.
Aber auch ohne dass man � wie ich jetzt � in Nostalgie schwelgt und sich an die eigene Jugend erinnert fühlt, ist das Buch gut geschrieben. Alle Protagonisten, auch die Nebendarsteller, sind gut beschrieben, und „echt�. Ich war von Seite 1 an drin in der Story. Die 340 Seiten lesen sich super weg, das Buch ist flüssig geschrieben. Ich habe die englische Ausgabe gelesen (eine deutsche gibt es glaube ich auch noch gar nicht), und fand es vom Stil her sehr gut lesbar als Nicht-Muttersprachlerin.
So, ich mach es kurz: ich hatte viel Spass mit Jessica, Audrey, Trina und Kimmer, und empfehle das Buch sehr gerne weiter!
Also, was soll ich sagen � ich fand das Buch cool. Ich bin in den 80ern aufgewachsen, ich war 1984 ein wenig jünger als die 4 Freundinnen, aber für mich kam das damalige Lebensgefühl perfekt rüber. Die Musik. Der Punk. Die coolen Jungs 😉. Die Aufregung darüber, dass endlich das wahre Leben startet, oder zumindest vor der Tür steht. Und natürlich die Mode, hahahaha, ich habe echt gelacht, wenn die Mädels sich gemeinschaftlich zum ausgehen aufgebretzelt haben und die Schulterpolster platziert haben!
Der Roman lebt zu einem gutem Teil von der authentischen Atmosphäre. Jedes Kapitel ist mit einem Songtitel versehen, und allein dadurch wird ein Feeling gesetzt. Der Zeitgeist ist einfach gut eingefangen, in allen Facetten. Es war ja nicht nur alles Party und Punk und Glam, sondern � und das thematisiert der Roman auch � das war die Dekade, in der AIDS aufkam und vieles verändert hat.
Aber auch ohne dass man � wie ich jetzt � in Nostalgie schwelgt und sich an die eigene Jugend erinnert fühlt, ist das Buch gut geschrieben. Alle Protagonisten, auch die Nebendarsteller, sind gut beschrieben, und „echt�. Ich war von Seite 1 an drin in der Story. Die 340 Seiten lesen sich super weg, das Buch ist flüssig geschrieben. Ich habe die englische Ausgabe gelesen (eine deutsche gibt es glaube ich auch noch gar nicht), und fand es vom Stil her sehr gut lesbar als Nicht-Muttersprachlerin.
So, ich mach es kurz: ich hatte viel Spass mit Jessica, Audrey, Trina und Kimmer, und empfehle das Buch sehr gerne weiter!
May 16, 2024
Once in a Lifetime, which is named after a Talking Heads song, is a super fun coming-of-age story set in 1984, a.k.a. the gritty, slam-dancing, Mohawk-wearing, safety-pin-adorned shirt days as punk gave way to New Wave.
The characters are all wonderfully drawn, from the lead character Jess and her three friends/roommates to the adults she works with at a local restaurant. The story zips along as Jess tries to earn enough money to study in London. Mattaboni has quite a way with words, so on top of an entertaining, relatable plot and amusing, relatable characters, you get unique, colorful word choices and phrases. As a writer myself, I know that is not easy!
I felt a special affinity for this story because I came of age in the same era and with the same interests as the characters. But it will be a fun walk-down-Memory-Lane for anyone of a certain age. Do yourself a favor and take the walk.
The characters are all wonderfully drawn, from the lead character Jess and her three friends/roommates to the adults she works with at a local restaurant. The story zips along as Jess tries to earn enough money to study in London. Mattaboni has quite a way with words, so on top of an entertaining, relatable plot and amusing, relatable characters, you get unique, colorful word choices and phrases. As a writer myself, I know that is not easy!
I felt a special affinity for this story because I came of age in the same era and with the same interests as the characters. But it will be a fun walk-down-Memory-Lane for anyone of a certain age. Do yourself a favor and take the walk.
July 9, 2022
I wanted to read this book as I'm more or less of the same age of Jennifer and nostalgia can be strong.
The author did a good job in describing the mood and the atmosphere of that era and the character's ideas and aspiration are typical of my generation.
This a coming of age story, a summer when all seemed possible and you became a young adult.
I liked the well developed and likeable characters and the pop references to music and movies.
It's a book that requires some patience as it's quite slow in the first part but if you persevere the second part is excellent.
I was sad to say goodbye to Jennifer and her friends.
Recommended.
Many thanks for this digital copy, all opinions are mine.
The author did a good job in describing the mood and the atmosphere of that era and the character's ideas and aspiration are typical of my generation.
This a coming of age story, a summer when all seemed possible and you became a young adult.
I liked the well developed and likeable characters and the pop references to music and movies.
It's a book that requires some patience as it's quite slow in the first part but if you persevere the second part is excellent.
I was sad to say goodbye to Jennifer and her friends.
Recommended.
Many thanks for this digital copy, all opinions are mine.
April 5, 2023
I met the author at a recent event and her description of her book made me by it. I enjoyed the book, enjoyed the difference in the female characters and cringed at how different life was in the Eighties. While I did not have the good fortune of hitting my teen years until 1988, the author did a wonderful job of capturing so much of life and pop culture of the time. She worked to make the unique real-life town of New Hope come alive in her fiction, a testament to the town’s special vibe. And there’s a tight rope of light and heavy throughout the book that makes me wonder� is it a fun coming of age buldingsroman or a complex piece of women’s fiction that asks us how our life forms our personal values?
May 23, 2022
First up, the good points. I loved the 1980s backdrop, I loved the music, the fashion, even slam dancers was a reminisce of "my era" growing up. The talk of AIDs was a reminder of what it was like back then. It's not something that other generations will ever really understand and I like that this book incorporated it, as it was such a part of those years.
I wish I connected with the characters more. I loved Jess and her convictions that her future was more important than following a boy, but the other characters I just had trouble grasping. Still, I'm glad I read this book.
I received a free review copy from the publisher, via Netgalley. Thank you.
I wish I connected with the characters more. I loved Jess and her convictions that her future was more important than following a boy, but the other characters I just had trouble grasping. Still, I'm glad I read this book.
I received a free review copy from the publisher, via Netgalley. Thank you.
October 9, 2022
Music and Friends
Great coming-of-age story. The author captures the complexity and ambivalent relationships of young adulthood, including the occasional ugliness that can creep into the closest friendships and the tension between connection and being true to one's vision of a creative future. A reader who is unfamiliar with New Wave music and artists will miss the subtext provided by song titles and references (a clever solution to the issue of quoting lyrics!), but will still recognize the way music and the culture surrounding it comforts and challenges us as individuals while also creating community.
Great coming-of-age story. The author captures the complexity and ambivalent relationships of young adulthood, including the occasional ugliness that can creep into the closest friendships and the tension between connection and being true to one's vision of a creative future. A reader who is unfamiliar with New Wave music and artists will miss the subtext provided by song titles and references (a clever solution to the issue of quoting lyrics!), but will still recognize the way music and the culture surrounding it comforts and challenges us as individuals while also creating community.
December 10, 2022
I was sent this book in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this novel. It takes place during the summer of 1984 when Jessica, a mixed media art student, and 3 of her best friends/roommates spend the summer in New Hope, PA. The 3 love punk rock and have big dreams for their future post-college. For now, they’re waitressing for the summer and having a good time. I was hooked during the whole book to see how Jessica’s summer would turn out. Would she save enough for study abroad? What decisions would she make about her love life? Etc. The author did a great job with the setting and descriptions because I felt like I was living right there with the girls!
June 11, 2023
A love letter to �80s kids, Once in A Lifetime is a fun, edgy, and poignant coming of age story about that summer when you are young, carefree, and it feels like the entire world is at your fingertips. Oh to go back and do it again, knowing what you know now.
I appreciated the colorful characters and their realistic friendship, both the highs and lows. The pop culture references were perfectly placed and I loved Mattaboni’s writing style. It's hard to explain, but the vibe of the book just really connected with me.
The ending was perfect though I wasn’t quite ready to say goodbye to Jennifer and the gang. Can’t wait to see what’s next from this author.
I appreciated the colorful characters and their realistic friendship, both the highs and lows. The pop culture references were perfectly placed and I loved Mattaboni’s writing style. It's hard to explain, but the vibe of the book just really connected with me.
The ending was perfect though I wasn’t quite ready to say goodbye to Jennifer and the gang. Can’t wait to see what’s next from this author.
February 5, 2023
I really enjoyed this. Mattaboni perfectly captures the era, and what it was like to try to be cool in a city that was not NYC or Los Angeles. It brought back my own memories of being a college student in Columbia, SC, saving up for study abroad, being creatitve, working in a restaurant, edgy boys who crawled through windows, and trying to be New Wave. Lyrically written, ONCE IN A LIFETIME is a celebration of female friendship.
March 6, 2023
Took me back! LOVED this novel
I absolutely loved this novel... like going back in time! It has me listening to my favorite music again and living vicariously with a posse of adventurous friends guiding me! Fun and heartfelt!
I absolutely loved this novel... like going back in time! It has me listening to my favorite music again and living vicariously with a posse of adventurous friends guiding me! Fun and heartfelt!
June 26, 2023
Wow this one brought back memories; and it may have reached too close to home, being both happy and sad for me. There were a few parts that I felt conflicted in the storyline, and juggled between 3 and 4 stars. The soundtrack alone made me round up.
May 16, 2022
#netgalley publication date 24 May 2022
Unfortunately this book wasn't for me, I'm sure there are others out there who will love it but I didn't like the writing style or the characters. 1/5 stars
Unfortunately this book wasn't for me, I'm sure there are others out there who will love it but I didn't like the writing style or the characters. 1/5 stars
July 1, 2023
easy read
Easy coming of age read! The story follows the lives of twenty somethings learning about life in the 1980’s. Sticking together through thick and thin.
Easy coming of age read! The story follows the lives of twenty somethings learning about life in the 1980’s. Sticking together through thick and thin.
April 28, 2022
I received this ARC from NetGalley but it in no way influences my review. I had high hopes for this book because I truly enjoy coming of age stories. I had a hard time connecting to this story. Not because of the writing; I couldn’t connect with the characters. At first, I thought maybe it because of the time period but nope. In all honesty, it just wasn’t for me. I still will recommend it to those who like reading stories that take place in the mid 80s. There are many references to that time period.
Favorite line: I’m gradient. I’m ready for an authentic future.
Favorite line: I’m gradient. I’m ready for an authentic future.
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