The Five Times I Met Myself

by James L. Rubart

Overview

“If you think fiction can’t change your life and challenge you to be a better person, you need to read The Five Times I Met Myself.”

—Andy Andrews, New York Times bestselling author of How Do You Kill 11 Million People, The Noticer & The Traveler’s Gift

What if you met your twenty-three-year-old self in a dream? What would you say?

Brock Matthews’ once promising life is unraveling. His coffee company. His marriage.

So when he discovers his vivid dreams—where he encounters his younger self—might let him change his past mistakes, he jumps at the chance. The results are astonishing, but also disturbing.

Because getting what Brock wants most in the world will force him to give up the one thing he doesn’t know how to let go . . . and his greatest fear is that it’s already too late.

“A powerfully redemptive story with twists and turns that had me glued to every page. With a compelling message for anyone who longs to relive their past, The Five Times I Met Myself is another James L. Rubart masterpiece.”

—Susan May Warren, bestselling author of the Christiansen Family series

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781401686116
Publisher:	Nelson, Thomas, Inc.
Publication date:	11/10/2015
Pages:	400
Sales rank:	501,970
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.30(h) x 1.20(d)

Editorial Reviews

08/24/2015
From the outside, Brock Matthews appears to be a paragon of hard work and virtue: devout Christian, doting husband, attentive father, part owner of a fifty-million-dollar Seattle-based coffee company. But with his marriage slowly cracking under the surface, and his business becoming a draining tussle with his capitalist younger brother, Brock realizes something has been missing from his serene life. After a series of guilt-inducing dreams about his late father, Brock borrows a book on lucid dreaming and begins to learn how to control his dreams—going back in time to talk to his wife, father, and a younger version of himself. As he gets better at affecting his dreams, the dreams begin to affect his real life. Although the people Brock meets in his sleep appear to be dream versions of their younger selves, they also have the power to take his advice and turn the course of their future. Plot tensions are sometimes too convenient, and Brock’s unimpeachable fidelity and overall naivety rings false at times—especially set against his hard-nosed brother and ruthless business adversaries. Despite the often clunky plotting, Rubart infuses raw passion into his characters’ struggles with faith, loss, regret, and missed opportunities. A fine plunge into the psychological depths of married middle-age life. (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly

'Rubart does it again with another intriguing, thought-provoking concept. The author weaves in strong spiritual truth and opportunities for self-examination in addition to the fascinating premise.' - 4 1/2 starred and a Top Pick

RT Book Reviews

2015-08-17
A man meets his younger self in his dreams and tries to change the past in this novel from Rubart (Spirit Bridge, 2014, etc.). Brock Matthews feels like his life is falling apart. After devoting himself to his family coffee business, Black Fedora, he's dismayed when his brother tells him the company is in trouble. Brock has managed to neglect his wife and son while focusing on the company, and the distance between them is growing wider and wider. When he begins having cryptic dreams about his late father, his friend Morgan suggests he try lucid dreaming, a technique that allows him to control his dreams. As he sleeps, Brock meets up with his younger self and imparts advice about love, work, and family. He discovers that the conversations he has are actually changing his present-day life—and not necessarily for the better. Even when he tries to improve his relationship with his wife or gain business knowledge, the results get worse and worse. The book feels slow-paced at times, and the structure of Brock's dreams gets a bit repetitive. However, the clear message about loving others, relying on God, and focusing on your family leads up to an emotional conclusion. A spiritual and family-centered book that will appeal to readers of inspirational fiction.

Kirkus Reviews