Thursday, July 9, 2015

Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid




What They Say.....From the acclaimed author of Forever, Interrupted and After I Do comes a breathtaking new novel about a young woman whose fate hinges on the choice she makes after bumping into an old flame; in alternating chapters, we see two possible scenarios unfold—with stunningly different results.

At the age of twenty-nine, Hannah Martin still has no idea what she wants to do with her life. She has lived in six different cities and held countless meaningless jobs since graduating college. On the heels of leaving yet another city, Hannah moves back to her hometown of Los Angeles and takes up residence in her best friend Gabby’s guestroom. Shortly after getting back to town, Hannah goes out to a bar one night with Gabby and meets up with her high school boyfriend, Ethan.

Just after midnight, Gabby asks Hannah if she’s ready to go. A moment later, Ethan offers to give her a ride later if she wants to stay. Hannah hesitates. What happens if she leaves with Gabby? What happens if she leaves with Ethan?

In concurrent storylines, Hannah lives out the effects of each decision. Quickly, these parallel universes develop into radically different stories with large-scale consequences for Hannah, as well as the people around her. As the two alternate realities run their course, Maybe in Another Liferaises questions about fate and true love: Is anything meant to be? How much in our life is determined by chance? And perhaps, most compellingly: Is there such a thing as a soul mate?

Hannah believes there is. And, in both worlds, she believes she’s found him.


What I Say....This was a truly unique book.  Hannah flees New York after an affair with a married man, running back to California to her best friend Gabby.

On her first night back, she meets up with her high school boyfriend, Ethan, the one who got away, and he asks her to go home with him.  This is where the story splits in two.  

In one version, Hannah stays with Ethan and begins to explore that relationship.  In the alternate universe, Hannah leaves with her friends, only to be struck by a car.  

Each chapter alternates between the two storylines, and Hannah learns that she may have more than one soulmate, although she is blissfully unaware that she is having two different lives.

I know that it sounds weird, but it really just worked.  I don't want to say too much and be a plot spoiler, but I loved that some things still happened in both lives, but other things didn't seem to be much of a possibility.  

I also liked that the author didn't go with the easy ending, having one of the lives end up being a dream or the product of a coma.  

It was just a really neat ending and felt very wrapped up.

Really good writing, storyline and imagination on the author's part.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Booksparks for the ARC.

Current Goodreads rating 4.07


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