How to Read Allison Winn Scotch's Books
The first and most important thing to know before diving into Allison Winn Scotch's library is that all of her novels are standalones. You do not need to worry about cliffhangers, multi-book arcs, or reading a specific series out of order. Instead, you can choose where to begin based on the themes that appeal to you most: whether that is Y2K college reunion nostalgia, a speculative time-travel twist, or sharp political ambition.
Recommended Starting Points
- For Y2K Nostalgia and Rom-Com Fans: Start with The Rewind (2022). Set on a New England college campus on the eve of the millennium, this second-chance romance follows two exes who wake up married with no memory of the night before. It is packed with Walkmans, dial-up internet, and late-'90s music references.
- For Speculative Elements and Second Chances: Start with Time of My Life (2008). This breakout New York Times bestseller follows a woman who gets the chance to travel back in time to revisit key life choices, forcing her to confront whether the path not taken was truly the better one.
- For Sharp, Modern Drama: Start with Cleo McDougal Regrets Nothing (2020). Focusing on a fierce senator who must confront a public list of her regrets, it is a great choice for readers who enjoy stories about female ambition, political life, and reconciling with the past.
Publication Order of Standalone Novels
While you can read her novels in any order you choose, reading them in publication order lets you see how Scotch's writing has evolved from her early journalism days to her status as a contemporary fiction powerhouse:
1. The Department of Lost & Found (2007)
Natalie Miller, a young congressional aide facing a breast cancer diagnosis and a sudden personal betrayal, must find resilience and re-evaluate what matters most. A debut that balances heavy themes with dark humor and optimism.
2. Time of My Life (2008)
Jillian Westfield has the seemingly perfect life, but when she magically wakes up seven years in the past, she gets to re-live her old choices. It is a heartfelt look at nostalgia and domestic expectations.
3. The One That I Want (2010)
Penny Richardson is given a fortune teller's prediction in her youth that dictates her life decisions. Years later, she is forced to decide whether she is living her own life or merely following a pre-written script.
4. The Song Remains the Same (2012)
After surviving a plane crash, Nell Slattery wakes up with amnesia. As she reconstructs her past, she must decide which parts of her old self she wants to keep and which she wants to leave behind.
5. The Theory of Opposites (2013)
Juliet's life has been guided by her father's bestselling book on relationships and destiny. When her husband asks for a trial separation, Juliet has to abandon the rules of fate and write her own path.
6. In Twenty Years (2016)
A group of friends from the University of Pennsylvania reunited twenty years after graduation to honor the legacy of their late friend, discovering how much their lives have drifted from their youthful ideals.
7. Between Me and You (2018)
This dual-perspective novel follows a marriage under strain when one partner's career rises while the other's stalls, exploring fame, love, and ambition.
8. Cleo McDougal Regrets Nothing (2020)
Senator Cleo McDougal has built a career on being unyielding. When a regrets list goes viral, she must embark on a public relations campaign that turns into a genuine journey of self-reckoning.
9. The Rewind (2022)
Ezra and Frankie broke up messily in college. Ten years later, they wake up together at a college friend's wedding with wedding bands on their fingers, forcing them to piece together their lost night and their shared history.
10. Take Two, Birdie Maxwell (2024)
Originally known during development as The Retake, this story follows Birdie Maxwell as she tries to rebuild her career and personal life after a highly public downfall, proving that starting over is possible at any age.
11. The Insomniacs (2026)
Four strangers struggling with insomnia meet late at night at a New York City diner. As they bond over coffee and shared anxieties, they team up to search for one of their members who goes missing.
Anthologies and Essays
In addition to her full-length novels, Allison Winn Scotch contributed to the 2019 anthology On Being 40(ish): Fifteen Writers on the Prime of Their Lives. Her essay, titled "There's a metaphor here," recounts a severe bone fracture that forced her to let go of her fiercely guarded independence and learn to accept the support of friends and family.
Screen Adaptations and In-Development Projects
Several of Allison Winn Scotch's novels have caught the attention of Hollywood producers:
- Time of My Life: Optioned by Columbia Pictures (Sony) with producer Meryl Poster.
- The Theory of Opposites: Optioned by Jennifer Garner’s production company, Vandalia Films.
- The Rewind: Optioned for adaptation as a feature film comedy (Netflix).