First Lines Friday is a weekly feature for book lovers created by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines? Here’s how to join in:

• Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page.
• Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first.
• Finally… reveal the book!

This week’s lines are from a recently released book that I’m eager to read:

As the water taxi sped across the lagoon, the two young honeymooners gazed ahead in awe.

So what’s the book?

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The Midnight Train by Matt Haig
Release date: May 26, 2026
255 pages

Synopsis:

When your life flashes before your eyes, where would you stop?

No one can change the past, but the Midnight Train can take you there.
The chance to re-live the moments that meant most.
To see what kind of person you really were.

For Wilbur his best days were with Maggie, the love of his life. On his honeymoon in Venice.

Before he gave it all away.

He wishes he could go back and live differently. But to do so risks everything . . .

A magical, time-travelling love story, from the world of The Midnight Library.

I had the pleasure of attending a talk and book signing with the author this week! The event was wonderful, and I can’t wait to start the book.

Does this sound like something you’d enjoy?

Happy Friday! Wishing everyone a great weekend!