All the Perfect Days by Michael Thompson - Book Review

Publication Date: 20th May 2025

Genre: General Fiction 

3.5 Stars 

One Liner: Nice! 

Charlie Knight is a family doctor in his late thirties. He has a fixed routine and the same clients he’d been seeing since he was a child. However, Charlie has a secret plan to escape and live the life he wants, even if Genevieve Longstaff, the woman he wanted, has long since left the town.  

However, Genevieve is back. Suddenly, Charlie realizes he has gained a new gift. He can see exactly how many days are left in the lives of his visitors/ patients. Charlie thinks he could use his gift to help his patients, but every gift comes with a price. What if there are things he would rather not know? 

The story comes in Charlie’s third-person POV. 

My Thoughts: 

Should I tag this general fiction or men’s fiction? Either works, I guess. 

The story starts with the MC gaining his gift unexpectedly and goes on from there. He is an easy guy to like. A friendly, sweet, and dedicated doctor whose life feels too structured and safe. He is also lonely. 

While there is some ‘romance’, it is not a love story or a romcom. So if you go in expecting it to be heavy on this element, you will be disappointed. Moreover, there isn’t much chemistry between Charlie and Gen as such. They’d make good friends, though. 

The book deals with themes like guilt, decisions, wanting a second chance, life, death, etc. Naturally, death is a bigger theme, so it does occur more than once. 

Characters like MaryAnn, Gen, Lorraine, etc., had potential, but it seems to be barely explored. In fact, it’s the same for the entire book. The whole narration has a slow and mellow tone. Quite a few topics are touched upon, but none are given full attention. 

The concept of seeing the numbers is intriguing. We get a probable explanation, which is not perfect since even the characters don’t know. This may not appeal to some readers, but it aligns with the book’s tone. 

The ending is hopeful and a tad bittersweet. I guess I can call it an open-ish ending since some issues are never discussed. Still, the book feels complete, so it is not vague or random.  

To summarize, All the Perfect Days offers quite a bit to think about, but doesn’t delve deep into any of those. The pacing is slow, so plan accordingly. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark, for the eARC. 

#NetGalley #AllThePerfectDays