The Life I Didn’t Plan

What you want isn't always what you need…

In 2006, Beth didn't expect to get pregnant at seventeen.

Nor did she think she'd lose the name and address of the father of her child. Swept up in romance on her French exchange, all she remembers is that his hair smelt like mangoes.

Now, in 2026, at her school reunion, she opens the time capsule she wrote to herself at that time. A letter that alters everything Beth thought she knew about her past, and provides an all important clue for finding the father of her 19-year-old daughter, Maisie.

Hit hard by the difference between the life she hoped for and the one she’s living, Beth is faced with a choice: chase the adventures she once dreamed of, or embrace the new opportunities life presents?

AUTHORS LOVE CHARLOTTE BUTTERFIELD!

'The novel we've all been waiting for. Brimming with hilariously recognisable family dynamics, and characters you'll fall in love with… smart, fresh and funny – a brilliant read.' HOLLY MILLER

'You know it's good when you are snorting with laughter one minute and ugly crying the next!' AMANDA PROWSE

‘Funny, warm, poignant – totally brilliant… Another triumph.’ BECKY HUNTER

'Charlotte Butterfield is a Queen of Contemporary Women's Fiction… An absolute must read.’ JENNY BAYLISS

'Funny, heartwarming and oh-so-relatable… a fabulously comforting and uplifting read!' FIONA LUCAS

READERS LOVE CHARLOTTE BUTTERFIELD!

'You know that rare kind of book that makes you laugh out loud, swoon uncontrollably, and maybe rethink all your life choices because you’re that invested? Yeah, this is that book.' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

'I LOVED this! I was in a reading slump for a while and this has 100% pulled me out of it. I couldn’t put it down! I read it in one day.' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

'From start to finish, this novel does not lose momentum and I could not put it down. The characters are so well rounded and relatable and the plot is funny and realistic.' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

'I devoured this in a day! A perfect light and funny read.' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

About the author

A former magazine editor, Charlie Butterfield was born in Bristol and studied English at Royal Holloway. She moved to Dubai by herself on a one-way ticket with one suitcase in 2005 and left twelve years later with a husband, three children and a 40ft shipping container. She now lives in the Cotswolds, where she is a freelance writer and novelist.