We Live in Time (2024), directed by John Crowley

Almut and Tobias are a young couple facing a significant health challenge. Their love story is told over three timelines, flashing back to how they first met and got together, how they cemented their relationship and how they each deal very differently with an uncertain future. This is confusing at first as it is sometimes difficult to distinguish between the timelines, until some radical changes in Almut’s appearance make it unmistakeable. Florence Pugh shines as Almut and there is sufficient chemistry between her and Andrew Garfield to believe they are soulmates. Their story is tender and often funny, with the ending more subtle than it could have been, but somehow the emotional punch doesn’t quite land.

Heart the Lover, by Lily King

A nameless narrator recounts her last year of college, with its academic challenges, rising level of debt and complicated romances. This chapter of her life ends in heartbreak. Fast forward a couple of decades, now a successful writer, she is married with two young boys. Her university days’ lover resurfaces unexpectedly, stirring up complicated feelings, guilt and secrets. A nickname from those early days persists and her true name is not revealed until the very last paragraph. This possibly signals a long awaited reckoning with her past and an acceptance of the decisions that have led to the life she now lives. Starting with an awkward relationship and ending with a sad goodbye and a note of hope, this is an emotional tale of growth through choices made and paths not taken. Perhaps giving up a love that doesn’t quite fit allows space for one that fits better.

The General Hospital, by Anne Buist & Graeme Simsion

Trainee psychiatrist Hannah Wright is back on the wards of the general hospital in this third novel following her life and career in psychiatry at the Menzies Hospital in Melbourne. It follows the same path as the first two, presenting case studies of mental illness and its treatment alongside Hannah’s personal and professional life. This is again done with warmth and heart, clearly showing the difficulties of working in the health system, particularly in the ‘poor relation’ that is mental health. There are successes as well as challenges and joy amidst the tragedy, as Hannah treats new and recurring patients and navigates her own family and relationship issues. Anne Buist is a psychiatrist and the case studies ring true, as does the hospital politics and resource and funding issues. But the examination is far more than clinical, leaving a sense of cautious optimism about the level of care that is possible.