A laugh-out-loud sci-fi romance

All the Time in the World by Cara Bastone is a delightful story that blends romantic comedy and science fiction into one unforgettable listening experience. Narrated by Emily Bader and Lewis Pullman, this audiobook completely won me over. 

I typically prefer traditional audiobooks over dramatized productions with full casts and sound effects, but this one exceeded my expectations. Emily Bader, as Celeste Varick, and Lewis Pullman, as Everett Ludlow, bring incredible chemistry to the story. Their playful banter, emotional moments, and natural performances made it easy to lose track of time—I happily listened for hours.  

In this story, Celeste and Everett unknowingly charter the same plane to land on a remote island on Lake Michigan. Several years ago, the world plunged into chaos when a solar flare opened hundreds of wormholes across the planet. This island holds the last three wormholes in existence: one to the past, one to the future, and one to an alternate reality. Each character arrives with for deeply personal reasons, only to discover their stories are far more connected than they ever imagined.  

The dialogue between Celeste and Everett drives this book. We experience the island as they describe it to us. They have four days to find the wormholes and get back to the pick-up location for the charter plane. They have plenty to talk about along the way. The way their friendship starts and then morphs into flirtation was near perfection. They are the funniest, sweetest, quirkiest two people I think I’ve met in a romantic comedy in awhile.  

If dramatized versions aren’t usually your style, I’d still encourage you to give this one a try. There is a lot to love about All the Time in the World: laugh-out-loud banter, strangers-to-friends-to-something-more, family secrets, a puppy sidekick, and a touch of science fiction with wormholes and “what if” realities.