A contemporary fiction novel about love, fate, friendship, and self-discovery. An instant New York Times bestseller, In Five Years by Rebecca Serle Frequently mischaracterized as another romance novel, this story packs an emotional punch that lingers long after the story closes.
Since its publication, In Five Years has been a choice for book clubs and discussion groups due to the unique nature of the premise.
Through the Book readers learn to question their ideals of love, chance and self-progression. In a sobering reflection, it delves into how our aspirations and plans might never pan out quite as we had mapped them out in our minds, yet they direct our path in unpredictable manners.
In this in-depth article,, we will summarize, review & analyse In Five Years based on the following points: Key plot points; Themes; Characters; Critical reception; Similar books; Conclusion & Writing the review. We’ll also cover if In Five Years is a romance novel, if it has spice, and if it is young adult appropriate.
Book Overview
Title: In Five Years
Author: Rebecca Serle
Kindle EditionGenre: Contemporary Fiction, Romance, Women’s Fiction, Magical Realism
Published: March 10, 2020
Pages: 272
Format: Kindle, Hardcover, Paperback, Audiobook
Setting: New York City
Key Topics: Friendship, Destiny vs. Choice, Love, Mourning, Self-Discovery
Complete Recap of In Five Years
Plot Introduction
The plot revolves around a young, ambitious woman named Dannie Kohan who prides herself in being organized and knowing how her life will unfold. She measures her life in New York City with David, her long-time boyfriend whom she hopes to marry.
Dannie is a planner, her life is planned to the letter, leaving no room for error.
On the night of her engagement to David, she falls asleep only to wake five years later–in a different apartment, next to a man that’s not David. It is December 15, 2025, and she spends an hour in this life some years in the future before returning to 2020.
Returning to the Present
This vision deeply disturbs Dannie but she tells herself it was just a dream. But for the next four and a half years, she stays on course, getting a top gig at a blue-chip law firm, keeping David in the picture as: Yet, as much as she wants to write it off, she has the nagging idea that it could indicate something deeper.
But everything is thrown off balance as she encounters the man from her dream, Aaron Gregory. The catch?
His current girlfriend, Bella, a free-spirited artist, is a total 180 from Dannie. To have made this realization propels Dannie into a personal hell where she is forced to reconcile the apparent reality of her dreamlike experience with the starkness of the life she is currently living.
Friendship and Tragedy
Bella and Dannie are lifelong best friends. Dannie is logical and business minded, Bella lives a more impulsive, creative and vibrant life. Growing up and becoming somewhat different in personality, though their friendship still is the emotional heart of the novel.
In the meantime, as Bella and Aaron’s relationship blossoms, Dannie suppresses the fear that she was always supposed to marry Aaron. Things take a turn for the worst when Bella finds out she has terminal cancer. The news is so devastating that it compels Dannie to reassess what is most important in life.
It proves that the connection between the two is deeper than any romantic involvement and that is why Dannie is fully putting her life on hold to look after Bella. So those four months of hell change the way that Dannie looks at life, love and destiny.
Rather than fixating on the course her life was supposed to take, she learns to let go and live in the present, taking advantage of the time she has with Bella.
The Truth Behind the Vision
Dannie ends up caring for Bella in her apartment as Bella becomes sicker and sicker. Only then does she understand the truth — her vision was never about romance with Aaron. What Bella thought was a night from five years ago was actually the night before her death.
The apartment, the strange bed, the man next to her felt less like love and more like mourning, death and the last days she wanted to spend with Bella.
Dannie is shaken by this truth, but in another way it gives her closure. No, the vision hadn — t told her her permanent fate; it was the most bittersweet, crushing lesson that her life was leading her to live through.
Dannie becomes less certain about destiny with the death of Bella — life is not about sticking to a schedule or a plan, it is about making do with what comes your way.
Top Five Themes In In Five Years
The Illusion of Control
Dannie, However, shows that life cannot always be so well organized. She thinks everything in life can be orchestrated and plotted, but Bella being sick is a game-changer. The novel deals with the message that at times, life aways has so much comfort to offer you, just need to let go and embrace the world as it is.
Love in Different Forms
While “In Five Years” is frequently advertised as a romance, the character’s primary love story isn’t romantic: it is between Dannie and someone she might meet in the future. The novel instead celebrates friendship as one of the highest forms of love. The real love story of the novel is that of Dannie and Bella.
Playing God with Karma and Destiny Perspective
Tiara Ramos: Historian and scribe of all things Los Angeles monster Rebecca Serle: Plays with fate vs. free will Dannie sees a vision assuring her that she is supposed to be with Aaron, but really it was a premonition of a loss that is going to happen, something that cannot be avoided.
It questions the idea of fate, and the belief that some moments are always meant to occur, whether we want them to or not.
The Power of Friendship
Even in the most perfect romantic relationship, friendships leave a lasting impression of care and support. The connection Bella & Dannie share is central to the story, & the source of transformation — this time through friendship rather than romance.
Grief and Acceptance
The path of grief, denial, acceptance — it just tugs on every heartstring with Dannie. The story depicts that grief is not merely sadness but a process of expanding, evolving, and learning how to hold onto memories without the constant fear of losing them.
Is “In Five Years” a Romance Novel?
The romantic bits are more plot device than conventionally romantic, so while the book contains romantic elements, it is not a conventional romance. This is not a love story in the same sense that so many people might expect, however, so I do want to emphasize that theme readers who are approaching this novel primarily from a romance pathway may need to adjust their expectations for this initial entry into the story.
Is “In Five Years” Spicy?
So, no — “In Five Years” is not spicy. Little to no romance or sex — basically, this book is for heart readers not bodice rippers.
Can a 13-Year-Old Read In Five Years?
The novel contains adult themes of loss, illness, and choices in life. There isn’t anything inappropriate but I think the emotional depth would be hard for younger readers. Recommended for Older Teens and adults
Final Thoughts
Rebecca Serle’s IN FIVE YEARS surprised me in the best of ways with its unique storytelling and a deeper emotional feel. A story that starts off feeling like an easy, romantic read, gradually falls into an excellent tale about friendship, loss and growing up.
Overall, if you want your book to challenge your expectations and deliver a touching story, I recommend picking up In Five Years. But if you’re looking for a steamy romance, this might not be the novel for you.
Would you read this book or do you like the old fashion love stories? Let us know in the comments!
