Title: MAYBE IN ANOTHER LIFE
Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
ISBN: 978 1398 5166 56
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pages: 336
Source: Private Copy – Gift from Alicia
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 jobs since graduating college. On the heels of leaving another city, Hannah moves back to her hometown of Los Angeles and takes up residence with her best friend Gabby. Shortly after, 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 Life raises questions about fate and true love: Is anything meant to be? Is there such a thing as a soul mate? Hannah believes there is. And, in both worlds, she’s found him.
Official Summary
05 April 2023
Regular visitors to the blog will know that Romance is not my genre…. But Alicia is always trying to sway my opinion and she gifted me a copy of this book, so I had to read it. Alicia loves Taylor Jenkins Reid’s work and after I enjoyed Carrie Sotto is Back, she eagerly awaits my opinion on other books by this author.
Reaching for Maybe in Another Life I was not sure what to expect, and the book left me with a few what-ifs of my own. What if every scenario is possible, what if every decision you make could leave a different version of you heading in a different direction?
This author has a brilliant talent for drawing you into her books and leaving you will a tear running down your face. I might be a little sensitive, but again I had to swallow a lump in my throat and wipe away a tear while reading this book. Alicia insists that I am getting more emotional with age.
At the age of twenty-nine, Hannah Martin heads back to LA, her hometown. She has drifted from town to town since leaving college, searching for a place she can call home but she never feels like she belongs. Returning to LA she is reunited with her best friend, but her high school boyfriend is also there. Faced with the question if there is anything left between her and Ethan. On a night out Hannah’s life splits in two as she decides to either stay with Ethan or leave with Gabby.
I was engrossed in this book as I kept flipping pages wanting to see where the story was going to lead. I loved how the two scenarios of Hannah’s life played out. The switch between the two options was beautifully played out.
I battled to decide which of Hannah’s love interests I preferred. Both the men in her life were good options, yet by the end of the book I did find myself leaning more towards the nurse. Ethan just seemed to be lacking something. Gabby was brilliant – she is the girlfriend every woman should have. I loved that she was honest with Hannah, that she was loyal and always there for Hannah – even when she did not agree with Hannah’s choices.
This book might not fall in my genre of choice, yet I must admit that I enjoyed reading it. This was a pleasant change from my usual books of choice. While I am still not sold on the romance thing – Taylor Jenkins Reid certainly does something special with this genre and I would not be opposed to attempting more of her work in the future. (In the future Alicia…. Not tomorrow!)
Romance fans can expect a love story with a difference when they reach for this book – because here there are loads of questions raised that will leave you wondering about possibilities and the choices you have made.
Also By Taylor Jenkins Reid
Carrie Soto is Back
Carrie Soto is fierce, and her determination to win at any cost has not made her popular. But by the time she retires from tennis, she is the best player the world has ever seen. She has shattered every record and claimed twenty Grand Slam titles. And if you ask Carrie, she is entitled to every one. She sacrificed nearly everything to become the best, with her father, Javier, as her coach. A former champion himself, Javier has trained her since the age of two.
But six years after her retirement, Carrie finds herself sitting in the stands of the 1994 US Open, watching her record be taken from her by a brutal, stunning player named Nicki Chan.
At thirty-seven years old, Carrie makes the monumental decision to come out of retirement and be coached by her father for one last year in an attempt to reclaim her record. Even if the sports media says that they never liked the Battle-Axe anyway. Even if her body doesn’t move as fast as it did. And even if it means swallowing her pride to train with a man she once almost opened her heart to: Bowe Huntley. Like her, he has something to prove before he gives up the game forever.
In spite of it all, Carrie Soto is back, for one epic final season. In this riveting and unforgettable novel, Taylor Jenkins Reid tells her most vulnerable, emotional story yet.
About the Author
Author bio from the author’s site
Taylor Jenkins Reid is the New York Times bestselling author of Malibu Rising, Daisy Jones & The Six, and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, as well as four other novels. Her newest novel, Malibu Rising, is out now. She lives in Los Angeles.
Thank you, Alicia, for this unusual read. I appreciate that you push me to explore different genres – even when I complain about it. This one was different and I must admit – I did not hate it. Thank you for visiting the blog and reading my review. How often do you try different genres? Leave a comment below.
