Second Time Around

October 18, 2004
What if we could go back to one specific time in our lives and change the course of the future? In this sequel to the Christy Award–winning The Lottery
, Moser offers an intriguing look at the consequences of our choices. Three time lottery ticket winners all have regrets about their past. Movie star Lane Holloway is haunted by the life she might have had in a small town with her high school sweetheart. Vanessa Caldwell wonders about her abortion and her decision to live with her wealthy father rather than her hippie mother. The never-married CEO David Stancowsky longs to save his fiancée from an apparent accidental death that cost them their future. They can go back in time, but if they choose to stay and live a different life—their "Alternity"—they will die in real time. Intriguingly, given the plot, Vanessa's mother tells her "Life is not random... each of us has been created with a unique purpose. The trick is to find out what it is." Sharp, unobtrusive details, strong dialogue and interesting characters make the pages turn. Occasionally, Moser slips into preachiness, but the worst faux pas is a self-promoting reference to her earlier book The Seat Beside Me
, as a potential vehicle for Holloway. Despite ending on a sour note, this is a compelling read that faith fiction fans will enjoy.