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Maybe in Another Life
Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9781476776880
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 Life raises 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.
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 Life raises 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.
342 pages, Paperback
First published July 7, 2015
About the author
Taylor Jenkins Reid
21 books184k followersTaylor Jenkins Reid is the New York Times bestselling author of Carrie Soto Is Back, Malibu Rising, Daisy Jones & The Six, and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, as well as four other novels. She lives in Los Angeles.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 28,234 reviews
April 10, 2019
“Life is long and full of an infinite number of decisions. I have to think that the small ones don’t matter, that I’ll end up where I need to end up no matter what I do.”
This is a such a sweet story. It filled me with so much happiness and contentment. That's not to say this is all a simple and feel-good tale. There's heartache and mess contained within these pages, but Maybe in Another Life is mostly a mature coming-of-age story about fate and choices and finding happiness when you're around thirty and still have nothing figured out in your life.
I loved Reid's The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, but was recently disappointed with the interview transcript format of Daisy Jones & The Six (I've heard it's better as an audiobook). So I decided to dig out one of the author's older novels. And, sure enough, Reid stole my heart once again.
This book is about Hannah Martin. She's twenty-nine, has no job, no real place that feels like "home", and she's currently running away from a disastrous relationship. She heads back to her hometown of Los Angeles, meets up with her best friend Gabby, and then finds herself in a bar and facing her high school boyfriend, Ethan. They were the perfect couple until life separated them, and now Hannah has a chance to rekindle their romance.
So... what does she do? Does she take the opportunity and go home with Ethan? Or does she shrug it off and go with Gabby instead?
In this book, the author explores both paths. In alternating chapters, Hannah both falls once again for Ethan, and heads in the opposite direction. Drastically different events occur, and throughout Hannah constantly wonders whether her life is dictated by the choices she has made, or something bigger. The fate vs. free will debate is hardly a new area for exploration, and yet Reid's take on it is refreshing and uplifting.
I should say that this book is not, for me, romantic at its core. Love and relationships feature heavily in Hannah's choices, but the real strength is in the wonderful, unbreakable friendship between Hannah and Gabby. Ethan? Henry? Who cares? Gabby is everything.
Reid knows exactly how to play it to make her novels surprising, warm and funny. I'm starting to wonder if part of her charm is that - at least with both The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Maybe in Another Life - she lures us into asking the wrong questions. It oddly makes the answers more satisfying when we figure out we were wrong.
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February 13, 2017
This was my third Taylor Jenkins Reid novel and the final nail in the coffin. MAYBE IN ANOTHER LIFE convinced me it’s time to cut ties with her writing and never look back. Despite the glowing and infectious declarations of adoration from other readers and friends, the promises of emotional and heart-wrenching storylines her blurbs tend to toss out and the often unique look at relationships she strives to deliver, I’m bailing. I’m done trying to convince myself that I should like her writing when
it doesn’t wow me.
The whole notion behind the story, the thought that our lives are shaped by the choices we make, instantly spoke to my optimistic heart. Through alternating chapters, the author explores what Hannah’s life would be like on both sides of the coin. What happens when she makes the choice to go home with her ex-boyfriend and when she opts to pass, instead. While I thought the idea behind it all was compelling, the execution was way off.
I’m blaming most of my discontent on Hannah (the annoyingly vapid main character), the author’s choppy writing style, and the repetition masked as ‘cute’ quirks. How many times do we have to hear about Hannah’s high bun and cinnamon roll obsession?! I’ll tell you . . . eighty times! Cinnamon rolls are mentioned 80 times in this 333 page book. I get the author was trying to be witty, but at a point it becomes excessive. Overkill. Eye-roll inducing.
Reading, much like everything else, is subjective. So take this for what it is - my opinion. Not every reader connects with every author and this just happens to be one of those times. #movingon
*Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
The whole notion behind the story, the thought that our lives are shaped by the choices we make, instantly spoke to my optimistic heart. Through alternating chapters, the author explores what Hannah’s life would be like on both sides of the coin. What happens when she makes the choice to go home with her ex-boyfriend and when she opts to pass, instead. While I thought the idea behind it all was compelling, the execution was way off.
I’m blaming most of my discontent on Hannah (the annoyingly vapid main character), the author’s choppy writing style, and the repetition masked as ‘cute’ quirks. How many times do we have to hear about Hannah’s high bun and cinnamon roll obsession?! I’ll tell you . . . eighty times! Cinnamon rolls are mentioned 80 times in this 333 page book. I get the author was trying to be witty, but at a point it becomes excessive. Overkill. Eye-roll inducing.
Reading, much like everything else, is subjective. So take this for what it is - my opinion. Not every reader connects with every author and this just happens to be one of those times. #movingon
*Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 5, 2020
Within all the masses of readers there are varied and eclectic tastes. I have found that it is the voice of the author that draws them in. The story is an important component, but the voice ultimately carries the day. Voice is like a tuning fork and each author is sending out their own individual frequency drawing in certain groups of readers like moths to the flame. The more compelling the frequency the more moths. A reader will be talking about a book and say, “That was the best book I have ever read, I couldn’t put it down.” And you ask them, “What’s it about?” They stop and think for a moment and reply. “I’m not really sure.” That’s because the voice carried the story, instead of the story carrying the voice. I am a moth flying headlong into any book Taylor Jenkins Reid writes. I’m locked into her frequency. “Maybe in Another Life,” has a story that is a well-used trope. No matter, I was entranced from page one. I think she could write a grocery list and I’d feel the same way. I don’t think there is higher praise for an author than one who has conquered voice.
You might read this review, pick up the book and say, “Meh.” And I’d say, no problem, you’re just a moth on a different frequency. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to the moths on my frequency.
David Putnam Author of The Bruno Johnson series.
You might read this review, pick up the book and say, “Meh.” And I’d say, no problem, you’re just a moth on a different frequency. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to the moths on my frequency.
David Putnam Author of The Bruno Johnson series.
April 10, 2016
Cinnamon rolls are not a character trait.
July 25, 2021
The mistake TJR made was assuming we cared enough about whatshername (Hannah) to want to read two -too tedious- versions of her life.
To be honest, the giant Cinnamon bun was the star of this story.
July 17, 2015
I have no apartment and no job. I have no steady relationship or even a city to call home. I have no idea what I want to be doing with my life, no idea what my purpose is, and no real sign of a life goal. And yet time has found me. The years I’ve spent dilly-dallying around at different jobs in different cities show on my face.This was an incredibly heartfelt and sweet coming-of-age story, a rather unusual fact given that our protagonist is technically an adult at 29 years of age.
I have wrinkles.
My life may be a little bit of a disaster. I may not make the best decisions sometimes. But I am not going to lie here and stare at the ceiling, worrying the night away.
Instead, I go to sleep soundly, believing I will do better tomorrow. Things will be better tomorrow. I’ll figure this all out tomorrow.
Tomorrow is, for me, a brand-new day.
As we all know, age means very little in terms of wisdom, maturity, and growth. Children have all sorts of beliefs about adulthood, mostly that one will eventually settle down. Life doesn't always work out that way, and some of us take longer to reach a final destination. As such, Hannah Martin's story and growth is one that I think is something to which most of us 20 and 30-somethings can closely relate.
It's an understatement to say that Hannah can't settle down. Since college, she has moved countless times, switched jobs (and boyfriends) relentlessly). She hasn't grown up, her haphazard lifestyle supported by a wealthy family. Why the wanderlust? Hannah doesn't even know herself.
I don’t move from place to place on purpose. It’s not a conscious choice to be a nomad. Although I can see that each move is my own decision, predicated on nothing but my ever-growing sense that I don’t belong where I am, fueled by the hope that maybe there is, in fact, a place I do belong, a place just off in the future. It’s hard to put into words, especially to someone I barely know. But then I open my mouth, and out it comes. “No place has felt like home.”After the latest incident in which Hannah ends up sleeping with a married man---and actually contemplating a future with him---Hannah decides that maybe it's time to go home.
“Sometimes I worry I’ll never find a place to call home.”
“Look, I don’t even know that he’s married,” I said. But I did. I did know it. And because I knew it, I had to run as far away from it as I could. So I said, “You know, Gabby, even if he is married, that doesn’t mean I’m not better for him than this other person. All’s fair in love and war.”Home being Los Angeles, California. (Or as a Southern California resident like me, calls it, Hell-A).
Two weeks later, his wife found out about me and called me screaming.
He’d done this before.
She’d found two others.
And did I know they had two children?
I did not know that.
It’s very easy to rationalize what you’re doing when you don’t know the faces and the names of the people you might hurt. It’s very easy to choose yourself over someone else when it’s an abstract.
And I think that’s why I kept everything abstract.
Back where she started, living with her best friend (an awesome black woman and her handsome husband, Mark! DIVERSITY, FUCK YEAH!), Hannah runs into a long, lost high school love, Ethan. High school sweethearts, first loves, broken up, as so many other couples are, when the inevitability of distance and circumstance separated them in college. Their reunion is bittersweet, full of questions for which there is no good answer.
“Something I’ve been wanting to ask you for a while,” he says. “Why did we break up?”
I look at him and feel my head cock to the side ever so slightly. I’m genuinely surprised by the question. I laugh gently. “Well,” I say, “I think that’s what eighteen-year-olds do. They break up.”
The tension doesn’t dissipate.
“I know,” he says. “But did we have a good reason?”
I look at him and smile. “Did we have a good reason?” I say, repeating his question. “I don’t know. Teenagers don’t really have to have good reasons.”
The book almost feels like a choose your own adventure as two different timelines, two different possibilities unfold. That night splits, and Hannah's story unfolds in ways one would not expect. But in this universe of infinite potentials, in the string theory of love (cheesy, I know! Pun intended) anything is possible.
"There is another version of you out there, created the second the quarter flipped, who saw it come up tails. This is happening every second of every day. The world is splitting further and further into an infinite number of parallel universes where everything that could happen is happening. This is completely plausible, by the way. It’s a legitimate interpretation of quantum mechanics. It’s entirely possible that every time we make a decision, there is a version of us out there somewhere who made a different choice. An infinite number of versions of ourselves are living out the consequences of every single possibility in our lives. What I’m getting at here is that I know there may be universes out there where I made different choices that led me somewhere else, led me to someone else.”This was a great book, with great writing and characterization. You think you know the ending? Just wait.
“And my heart breaks for every single version of me that didn’t end up with you.”
May 17, 2022
"What I’m getting at here is that I know there may be universes out there where I made different choices that led me somewhere else, led me to someone else. And my heart breaks for every single version of me that didn’t end up with you.”
Estoy muy sentimental porque se me salieron las lágrimas con esa frase ok.
Estoy muy sentimental porque se me salieron las lágrimas con esa frase ok.
November 7, 2017
Too many cinnamon and high buns.
October 26, 2018
An interesting concept, but unfortunately this didn't resonate with me the same way her other books (The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and After I Do) have. The alternate timelines mimic one another even down to the same sentences being repeated, which obviously became repetitive. Though, of course, this is a TJR book so I couldn't put the book down! This was one of her first novels, so it's great to see how her writing has improved.
July 8, 2015
::: FULL REVIEW NOW POSTED ::: 5 STARS!!!
WOW. WOW. WOW!!! Refreshing, thought-provoking, and highly addictive, this was easily one of the best books I’ve read this year! The story was unlike any other I’ve read, the writing was amazing, and it kept me glued to the page. Everything about this book was totally unconventional and gave a unique perspective on finding your soul mate and one true love. I cried, I laughed, my heart felt like it was bursting with emotions. I LOVED IT!!!
The story is about Hannah who is twenty-nine years old with no idea what she wants to do with her life. She’s willing to work hard, but just feels directionless. After a string of bad luck, she decides to move back to her hometown of LA where she stays with at her best friend Gabby’s house while she gets on her feet and sorts out her life. But going back to LA means being back in the same town as Ethan, her high school boyfriend. Even though they loved each other, after high school, life just took them in separate directions and they’d drifted apart. It was just the wrong time, the wrong age, too much of one thing, too little of another, and they were pulled apart by life and decisions they’d each made… and even though they’d both numbed the pain and convinced themselves they were happy, they’d never truly gotten over each other.
I actually love the way the blurb sets up the rest of the story, so I’m just going to quote it:
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 Life raises 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.
________________
Ahhhhhhh!!!! I just love that line!!
“And, in both worlds, she believes she’s found him.” <—– *shivers* !!! And as you read the book, you’ll see exactly how that possibility unfolds and let me tell you, it kept my heart RACING!!!!!
To clarify: this is not paranormal. It’s completely real-world. The parallel storylines are showing you two possibilities of her life and there’s an explanation at the end that I’m sure will fully satisfy readers.
And seriously, the way this storyline unfolded was incredibly well done! Starting from that moment when they left the bar and Gabby asks Hannah to leave with her, but Ethan offers that she come with him, the rest of the book is told in alternating chapters — one beginning with her leaving with Gabby, the other beginning with her leaving with Ethan. Each chapter after that would just switch between these two parallel realities and, because you only got one chapter at a time, it really kept you eager to keep reading because you’d always be left hanging on the brink of wanting ‘more’ from each of these realities. Gah, and there were times when it got intense because even though these two realities were vastly different in many ways, there were key elements that were fundamentally the same and it was so interesting to see the ways this one small thing could impact two potential lives SO differently! OMG. It was unputdownable!
It was such an honest portrayal of life — there were hardships and victories, love and loss, laughter and tears, hard choices and lucky breaks. It was incredibly real and honest and this author’s writing made the characters so relatable, believable, and understandable. It felt like I knew them and was experiencing what they experienced. It was just so well balanced and written in a way that begged me to keep reading.
While this is absolutely a romance, it’s also just as much about friendship and family and finding yourself. The story deals with a lot of themes and many different senarios. Some of them were so powerful that I would find myself suddenly reading with tears in my eyes (even if it wasn’t sad).
The two realities shown are quite complex — as life naturally is — so there’s a lot going on in this book. Honestly, it was fascinating and there was just never a dull moment. But even though a lot was happening, it was so well written that it was always gripping, never confusing, and loaded with feels.
Seriously… THE FEELS!!!!!!!!
Equal parts heart-breaking and heart-warming, this story really snuck up on me because out of nowhere, I’d suddenly just find myself overwhelmed with emotions. So much of my book is highlighted!
This isn’t a perfect fairy tale. In many ways, it feels very REAL and it’s told in such a way that it feels real. In real life, things don’t always work out the way you expect them. Things don’t even always work out, not even after you meet the love of your life. Even though two people may be in love, it doesn’t mean that life naturally leads straight-away to their happily-ever-after. Sometimes that road takes unexpected twists and turns, but the beauty of it is that sometimes you end up in a better place than you could have dreamed.
While some people might say that this is a love triangle, I would actually disagree. It’s not a triangle per se, but there are two different guys because… in each reality, the guy she’s meant to be with is different. At first, I found myself almost expecting/wanting her to be with one specific guy but the more I read, the more I loved the two different options. It’s just quite a “different” situation than most books. In each life, she’s found her soul mate, but she doesn’t know about the ‘other’ life so she’s completely unaware of even the potential of there being anything different than the reality she knows and the man she loves. Ohhhhhh and OMG at 90%, there’s this scene where I literally highlighted EVERY word on the page!!
The way this portrayed that sometimes a seemingly wrong decision can lead you down a path that actually might lead you to a better future than you ever thought possible… and no matter what road you go down, it’s possible to still find happiness is comforting and inspiring. It begs you to look at the big picture of life.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOOOOOOVED the ending. Totally loved it! Oh gosh, my heart was overflowing with emotions. I was feeling so much! There are two epilogues and I think I must have read them both three times each before I finally put the book down for good because I loved them that much!!
Maybe In Another Life was a refreshingly original, uplifting, and captivating story that made my heart race, kept me glued to the page, and left me overflowing with feels. I highly recommend it!!
Rating: 5 STARS!! Contemporary romance standalone.
_______________________________________
For more of my reviews, book news and updates:
✦ Main blog: Aestas Book Blog
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✦ Subscribe by email
WOW. WOW. WOW!!! Refreshing, thought-provoking, and highly addictive, this was easily one of the best books I’ve read this year! The story was unlike any other I’ve read, the writing was amazing, and it kept me glued to the page. Everything about this book was totally unconventional and gave a unique perspective on finding your soul mate and one true love. I cried, I laughed, my heart felt like it was bursting with emotions. I LOVED IT!!!
The story is about Hannah who is twenty-nine years old with no idea what she wants to do with her life. She’s willing to work hard, but just feels directionless. After a string of bad luck, she decides to move back to her hometown of LA where she stays with at her best friend Gabby’s house while she gets on her feet and sorts out her life. But going back to LA means being back in the same town as Ethan, her high school boyfriend. Even though they loved each other, after high school, life just took them in separate directions and they’d drifted apart. It was just the wrong time, the wrong age, too much of one thing, too little of another, and they were pulled apart by life and decisions they’d each made… and even though they’d both numbed the pain and convinced themselves they were happy, they’d never truly gotten over each other.
I actually love the way the blurb sets up the rest of the story, so I’m just going to quote it:
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 Life raises 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.
________________
Ahhhhhhh!!!! I just love that line!!
“And, in both worlds, she believes she’s found him.” <—– *shivers* !!! And as you read the book, you’ll see exactly how that possibility unfolds and let me tell you, it kept my heart RACING!!!!!
To clarify: this is not paranormal. It’s completely real-world. The parallel storylines are showing you two possibilities of her life and there’s an explanation at the end that I’m sure will fully satisfy readers.
And seriously, the way this storyline unfolded was incredibly well done! Starting from that moment when they left the bar and Gabby asks Hannah to leave with her, but Ethan offers that she come with him, the rest of the book is told in alternating chapters — one beginning with her leaving with Gabby, the other beginning with her leaving with Ethan. Each chapter after that would just switch between these two parallel realities and, because you only got one chapter at a time, it really kept you eager to keep reading because you’d always be left hanging on the brink of wanting ‘more’ from each of these realities. Gah, and there were times when it got intense because even though these two realities were vastly different in many ways, there were key elements that were fundamentally the same and it was so interesting to see the ways this one small thing could impact two potential lives SO differently! OMG. It was unputdownable!
He still, all these years later, shines brighter to me than other people. Even after I got over him, I was never able to extinguish the fire completely, as if it’s a pilot light that will always remain small and controlled but very much alive.
It was such an honest portrayal of life — there were hardships and victories, love and loss, laughter and tears, hard choices and lucky breaks. It was incredibly real and honest and this author’s writing made the characters so relatable, believable, and understandable. It felt like I knew them and was experiencing what they experienced. It was just so well balanced and written in a way that begged me to keep reading.
“Something I’ve been wanting to ask you for a while,” he says.
“OK,” I say.
“Why did we break up?”
“When you left, I smelled your old T-shirts,” I say. “I used to sleep in them.”
He listens to me. He takes my words, my metaphors, and he spits them back out into facts. “You loved me,” he says.
“Yeah,” I say. “I did. I loved you so much it sometimes burned in my chest.”
While this is absolutely a romance, it’s also just as much about friendship and family and finding yourself. The story deals with a lot of themes and many different senarios. Some of them were so powerful that I would find myself suddenly reading with tears in my eyes (even if it wasn’t sad).
The two realities shown are quite complex — as life naturally is — so there’s a lot going on in this book. Honestly, it was fascinating and there was just never a dull moment. But even though a lot was happening, it was so well written that it was always gripping, never confusing, and loaded with feels.
Seriously… THE FEELS!!!!!!!!
Equal parts heart-breaking and heart-warming, this story really snuck up on me because out of nowhere, I’d suddenly just find myself overwhelmed with emotions. So much of my book is highlighted!
He calls my name. I turn around…
“I love you,” he says. “I don’t think I ever really stopped.” …
“And now?” I say…
“I still love you,” he says. “I’ve always loved you. I might never stop.”
This isn’t a perfect fairy tale. In many ways, it feels very REAL and it’s told in such a way that it feels real. In real life, things don’t always work out the way you expect them. Things don’t even always work out, not even after you meet the love of your life. Even though two people may be in love, it doesn’t mean that life naturally leads straight-away to their happily-ever-after. Sometimes that road takes unexpected twists and turns, but the beauty of it is that sometimes you end up in a better place than you could have dreamed.
While some people might say that this is a love triangle, I would actually disagree. It’s not a triangle per se, but there are two different guys because… in each reality, the guy she’s meant to be with is different. At first, I found myself almost expecting/wanting her to be with one specific guy but the more I read, the more I loved the two different options. It’s just quite a “different” situation than most books. In each life, she’s found her soul mate, but she doesn’t know about the ‘other’ life so she’s completely unaware of even the potential of there being anything different than the reality she knows and the man she loves. Ohhhhhh and OMG at 90%, there’s this scene where I literally highlighted EVERY word on the page!!
The way this portrayed that sometimes a seemingly wrong decision can lead you down a path that actually might lead you to a better future than you ever thought possible… and no matter what road you go down, it’s possible to still find happiness is comforting and inspiring. It begs you to look at the big picture of life.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOOOOOOVED the ending. Totally loved it! Oh gosh, my heart was overflowing with emotions. I was feeling so much! There are two epilogues and I think I must have read them both three times each before I finally put the book down for good because I loved them that much!!
Maybe In Another Life was a refreshingly original, uplifting, and captivating story that made my heart race, kept me glued to the page, and left me overflowing with feels. I highly recommend it!!
Rating: 5 STARS!! Contemporary romance standalone.
_______________________________________
For more of my reviews, book news and updates:
✦ Main blog: Aestas Book Blog
✦ Facebook Blog Page
✦ Subscribe by email
October 1, 2020
This is the best version-of-Taylor-Jenkins-Reid-that-writes-chick-lit-about-marriage-scenarios-that-make-my-brain-and-heart-hurt book.
(As opposed to the current TJR, the version that writes exclusively historical fiction about empowered women in rarely-written-about eras of the second half of the 20th century.)
I would know, because I read all of them in like a week.
This subgenre that is wholly dominated by TJR is so addictive that it tricked me into thinking I was out of my reading slump. This was a month ago. I'm still not out of it. I'm in the slump of my life and yet I COULD NOT STOP reading these books.
This is a heartwrenching nightmare, but also the characters are funny and fun and there are a lot of cinnamon roll descriptions.
So it balances.
Bottom line: Current historical TJR's books are better, but man oh man they do not have that concerningly addictive drug pizzazz.
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if making me like books more than i expected to was a game, taylor jenkins reid would be undefeated.
review to come / 3.5 stars
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there's a character in this who works in a hospital who collects the hair ties he finds on the ground there.
i'm sure there are also other things happening in this book, but i wouldn't know, because i now devote 100% of my time to being grossed out by that.
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for too long i've decided on what to read by "whether the plot sounds like something i could possibly be interested in for even a second" or "if this book sounds like a full-on nightmare or not" but no more!
we're reading for no reason now
(As opposed to the current TJR, the version that writes exclusively historical fiction about empowered women in rarely-written-about eras of the second half of the 20th century.)
I would know, because I read all of them in like a week.
This subgenre that is wholly dominated by TJR is so addictive that it tricked me into thinking I was out of my reading slump. This was a month ago. I'm still not out of it. I'm in the slump of my life and yet I COULD NOT STOP reading these books.
This is a heartwrenching nightmare, but also the characters are funny and fun and there are a lot of cinnamon roll descriptions.
So it balances.
Bottom line: Current historical TJR's books are better, but man oh man they do not have that concerningly addictive drug pizzazz.
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if making me like books more than i expected to was a game, taylor jenkins reid would be undefeated.
review to come / 3.5 stars
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there's a character in this who works in a hospital who collects the hair ties he finds on the ground there.
i'm sure there are also other things happening in this book, but i wouldn't know, because i now devote 100% of my time to being grossed out by that.
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for too long i've decided on what to read by "whether the plot sounds like something i could possibly be interested in for even a second" or "if this book sounds like a full-on nightmare or not" but no more!
we're reading for no reason now
July 22, 2019
the thing i love most about TJR and her stories is how easy i find it to place myself in the characters shoes. and because of that, i can never walk away from one of her books without learning something new about myself or more fully understanding the kind of person that i am.
as someone who is constantly thinking ‘what if?’ and going over the thousands of paths my life could take based on one decision, this book really hit home. but i appreciate how this story played out, especially the ending(s). i enjoyed the closure it provides to such a massive question as ‘how will this affect my life?’ i love that it focuses on the idea that as long as you are happy and doing the best thing for you, everything will work out. kind of a comforting thought and one i can hold on to.
side note: i read this as an ebook and there were a lot of formatting issues with it, which lead to confusing transitions between the two variations of hannahs life. it became really frustrating after a while and, although i know thats not the storys fault, i definitely would have rated this higher if i had read a physical copy, only because my reading experience would have been more enjoyable. kind of unfortunate circumstances which lead to unfair lower rating.
↠ 3.5 stars
as someone who is constantly thinking ‘what if?’ and going over the thousands of paths my life could take based on one decision, this book really hit home. but i appreciate how this story played out, especially the ending(s). i enjoyed the closure it provides to such a massive question as ‘how will this affect my life?’ i love that it focuses on the idea that as long as you are happy and doing the best thing for you, everything will work out. kind of a comforting thought and one i can hold on to.
side note: i read this as an ebook and there were a lot of formatting issues with it, which lead to confusing transitions between the two variations of hannahs life. it became really frustrating after a while and, although i know thats not the storys fault, i definitely would have rated this higher if i had read a physical copy, only because my reading experience would have been more enjoyable. kind of unfortunate circumstances which lead to unfair lower rating.
↠ 3.5 stars
February 26, 2016
5 stars
Thought provoking, completely unique, brilliant and beautifully written. Maybe in Another Life is unlike any book I’ve ever read before. It’s my first Reid novel, and after reading, I want to go and gobble them all up. It was SO GOOD!
Hannah Martin is almost thirty and doesn’t quite know what she wants in life. She’s traveled a lot, but she’s back to LA where her best friend, Gabby lives. Her first night back, Hannah goes out to a party with Gabby and Gabby’s husband, Mark. Hannah sees Ethan there. Her boyfriend from the past. One she never 100% got over. Hannah decides that night whether or not to go home with Ethan. And just that one choice changes the direction of her life drastically.
I thought the concept of this book was so clever. When Hannah doesn’t go home with Ethan, something big happens to her that makes her meet a night nurse named Henry. Henry just might be the one for her. But then there is this parallel universe where she did go home with Ethan. And she ends up with him. But it’s not only the men that change in the universe, there are SO MANY other factors! I am so concerned about what happened to that little dog in one of the ‘universes’. Like, who found baby Charlemagne and took care of her if Hannah never did? I feel a little crazy worrying about a fictional dog, but it was a big deal to me!
One of my favorite parts of this book was the consistent ONE THING that never changed in Hannah’s life and the directions it took. And that one thing is Gabby, her best friend. No matter what universe or path Hannah is in/on, Gabby is right by her side. I have a bestie like that and I love that Hannah does, too!
If you’re looking for a book that is original, well-written, will make you think and make you feel, this is one I would recommend. I loved it! I also listened to the audio version and I thought the narration was great.
“Fate or not, our lives are still the results of our choices.”
Thought provoking, completely unique, brilliant and beautifully written. Maybe in Another Life is unlike any book I’ve ever read before. It’s my first Reid novel, and after reading, I want to go and gobble them all up. It was SO GOOD!
Hannah Martin is almost thirty and doesn’t quite know what she wants in life. She’s traveled a lot, but she’s back to LA where her best friend, Gabby lives. Her first night back, Hannah goes out to a party with Gabby and Gabby’s husband, Mark. Hannah sees Ethan there. Her boyfriend from the past. One she never 100% got over. Hannah decides that night whether or not to go home with Ethan. And just that one choice changes the direction of her life drastically.
I thought the concept of this book was so clever. When Hannah doesn’t go home with Ethan, something big happens to her that makes her meet a night nurse named Henry. Henry just might be the one for her. But then there is this parallel universe where she did go home with Ethan. And she ends up with him. But it’s not only the men that change in the universe, there are SO MANY other factors! I am so concerned about what happened to that little dog in one of the ‘universes’. Like, who found baby Charlemagne and took care of her if Hannah never did? I feel a little crazy worrying about a fictional dog, but it was a big deal to me!
One of my favorite parts of this book was the consistent ONE THING that never changed in Hannah’s life and the directions it took. And that one thing is Gabby, her best friend. No matter what universe or path Hannah is in/on, Gabby is right by her side. I have a bestie like that and I love that Hannah does, too!
If you’re looking for a book that is original, well-written, will make you think and make you feel, this is one I would recommend. I loved it! I also listened to the audio version and I thought the narration was great.
March 10, 2016
This is probably a 4 Star read. Then why did I give it 5 Stars? Because this book MADE ME FEEL! And why do so many of us love books? It's for the feels!
I listened to the audio version. Julia Whelan's narration is nothing less than amazing! If you are looking for a good audio book look no further! This one is fantastic!
Hannah Martin is a twenty maybe early thirty something living in New York City. She's moved around for many years, making bad choices and not laying down roots. Until everything changes when she goes back to the city she is from, LA. One night Hannah is at a bar with her friend Gabby and then something happens and the book splits off into a parallel universe. This novel smoothly goes from one life to the other life during the same time frame. Hannah is a very likeable character. She is human and makes some poor choices, but isn't that what life is all about?
This book truly made me think what would my life be like if I made a different choice or went to a different place or moved to a different city. I thought about this book all last weekend because I didn't have time to listen to it. I also thought about this book pretty much the entire time that I was listening to it and I have a feeling Hannah will stay with me for a very long time!
This concept is not new. In 1998 Gwyneth Paltrow was in a British film called Sliding Doors that was quite similar. This is like it's American cousin but I thought this was better.
Highly recommended!
I listened to the audio version. Julia Whelan's narration is nothing less than amazing! If you are looking for a good audio book look no further! This one is fantastic!
Hannah Martin is a twenty maybe early thirty something living in New York City. She's moved around for many years, making bad choices and not laying down roots. Until everything changes when she goes back to the city she is from, LA. One night Hannah is at a bar with her friend Gabby and then something happens and the book splits off into a parallel universe. This novel smoothly goes from one life to the other life during the same time frame. Hannah is a very likeable character. She is human and makes some poor choices, but isn't that what life is all about?
This book truly made me think what would my life be like if I made a different choice or went to a different place or moved to a different city. I thought about this book all last weekend because I didn't have time to listen to it. I also thought about this book pretty much the entire time that I was listening to it and I have a feeling Hannah will stay with me for a very long time!
This concept is not new. In 1998 Gwyneth Paltrow was in a British film called Sliding Doors that was quite similar. This is like it's American cousin but I thought this was better.
Highly recommended!
July 6, 2022
the 1 - taylor swift.
3,5 ⭐
3,5 ⭐
January 29, 2021
Since every decision I've ever made led me to being able to chill out on my couch with a coffee, my cat and this book, I guess I have no regrets :)
I did find the book a little preachy but I also don't even care because it would be nice if everyone irl was as decent and positive as these characters 😂
An easy 4⭐
I did find the book a little preachy but I also don't even care because it would be nice if everyone irl was as decent and positive as these characters 😂
An easy 4⭐
April 21, 2022
okay i’m SHOCKED by how much I enjoyed this. I usually never finish books in one sitting but I couldn’t stop w this one. Hannah was such an amazing, relatable character & I adored seeing her stories (get it? because there are two timelines) My favorite part of this book was the friendship of Hannah & Gabby, no matter how Hannah’s life turned out her constant was always Gabby.
“Maybe our girlfriends are our soulmates and guys are just people to have fun with.” <3
I will say, I loved both timelines but i’m team henry all the way!!! this book left me feeling like I learned a lot.. as if I read nonfiction? amazing. the quotes were also superior. The only reason this wasn’t a 5 star read is because of the ending. Listen, it was happy right? & I understood the entire concept of it all, but it left me having an existential crisis. I read books to get away from my issues, NOT GIVE ME MORE. i’m joking. but really the ending fcked me up.
“life is just a series of breaths in and out, all I really have to do in this world is breath in and then breathe out. in succession until I die. I can do that. I can breathe in and out.”
“Maybe our girlfriends are our soulmates and guys are just people to have fun with.” <3
I will say, I loved both timelines but i’m team henry all the way!!! this book left me feeling like I learned a lot.. as if I read nonfiction? amazing. the quotes were also superior. The only reason this wasn’t a 5 star read is because of the ending. Listen, it was happy right? & I understood the entire concept of it all, but it left me having an existential crisis. I read books to get away from my issues, NOT GIVE ME MORE. i’m joking. but really the ending fcked me up.
“life is just a series of breaths in and out, all I really have to do in this world is breath in and then breathe out. in succession until I die. I can do that. I can breathe in and out.”
November 9, 2022
★ /5
This was nothing special.
I was really excited to pick this book up, but sadly this book didn’t work out in my favor.
The concept was interesting, basically it is about how one choice can change your life, but in my opinion, this wasn't executed that well. The story itself was boring and even slightly original storytelling way didn’t help it at all. Both stories were basic and unoriginal, so it didn’t feel real, I didn’t feel attached to the character.
The main and side characters were pretty bland. They didn’t have anything that separated them from different characters in the literature world. I understood their reasoning, but I didn’t care for them, so then major things happened I felt uninterested and disconnected.
Personally, I do not think that this book is worth the time.
This was nothing special.
I was really excited to pick this book up, but sadly this book didn’t work out in my favor.
The concept was interesting, basically it is about how one choice can change your life, but in my opinion, this wasn't executed that well. The story itself was boring and even slightly original storytelling way didn’t help it at all. Both stories were basic and unoriginal, so it didn’t feel real, I didn’t feel attached to the character.
The main and side characters were pretty bland. They didn’t have anything that separated them from different characters in the literature world. I understood their reasoning, but I didn’t care for them, so then major things happened I felt uninterested and disconnected.
Personally, I do not think that this book is worth the time.
June 16, 2021
Não deu, galera...
Expliquei mais no vídeo: https://youtu.be/olDNyf1I3w0
Expliquei mais no vídeo: https://youtu.be/olDNyf1I3w0
March 16, 2019
Re-read 1/30/19: I liked this A TON but I'll be honest and say I didn't enjoy it quite as much as I remember enjoying it the first time. Although tbh I would probs die for Henry so take that with a grain of salt lmao
Original read 12/28/17: Omg. THE FEEEEELS.
Original read 12/28/17: Omg. THE FEEEEELS.
February 12, 2023
I love TJR novels in general so I picked this up without reading the blurb. I'm completely surprised by the storyline and couldn't be happier!
I adore her characters so much, they seem to come to life and are very realistic. The dialogues also flow very well. In "Maybe in Another Life" Hannah and Gabby are two best friends, so close they are like sisters. Their relationship through the ups and downs whichever life path is captivating. The rest of the characters are well-developed and I was hooked from the very beginning.
The only drawback was no chapter heading. I was confused for the longest time! If you listen to this great audiobook, read by Julia Whelan, pay close attention! 🥰
I adore her characters so much, they seem to come to life and are very realistic. The dialogues also flow very well. In "Maybe in Another Life" Hannah and Gabby are two best friends, so close they are like sisters. Their relationship through the ups and downs whichever life path is captivating. The rest of the characters are well-developed and I was hooked from the very beginning.
The only drawback was no chapter heading. I was confused for the longest time! If you listen to this great audiobook, read by Julia Whelan, pay close attention! 🥰
March 2, 2022
“I have to think that while I may exist in other universes, none is as good as this” The irony and significance of this statement will continue to blow my mind forever.
So we have all thought this, but I’m gonna ask anyway. Have you ever wondered what would have happened if you had made another decision than the one you previously made? And are you sometimes so adamant that if you had made that other decision, everything would have surely been better? Well, this book challenges that thinking a lot. What I got from this book is that no matter which decision you take, some things are going to remain constant in your life. Yes, somethings would have changed, but how sure are we that it was going to be better?
Hannah Martin is simply a person who doesn’t have her life together. She travels a lot and the relationship she just ended was a mess. At one point, my girl was scared to look at her bank account. She moves back to LA, which is her hometown and where her best friend Gabby and her husband live. Her family moved to London while she was in high school because of her sister’s acceptance to a ballet school, so all Hannah has had was her best friend and best friend’s family.
Hannah meets up with her ex boyfriend Ethan in a bar, and this is where the show begins. We get two alternate universes that depend on whether Hannah stays with Ethan at the bar or whether she leaves with Gabby and her husband. I thought it was going to be like magical realism, where she gets to experience both realities and maybe have to choose one. I think this was even better. I found my emotions shifting between each reality and wow, it’s definitely not something I experience with every book.
I found it so fascinating that there is no clear indication that one life was better than the other. I mean, you as a reader can choose which life you liked better for her, but I feel like ultimately, a lot of the same things happened in both realities and the things that were different did not feel necessarily better. For me, like I said in the beginning, it was just an illustration that there is probably never going to be a perfect life no matter what decision you take, and you just have to work with what life gives you. Hannah also constantly says this with sentences like, “Embracing the life you have,” “We can’t choose what happens in our life,” or “You never know what you’re ready for until you have to face it,” which was so interesting, and I guess ironic (I don’t remember a lot of literary devices I learnt in high school)because she says that in both realties. Wow!! how do people even get such talent to write a story like this that’s so though provoking? If there really is a God out there giving such talents to people, I’ve clearly been skipped.
I am convinced that this book was more about Gabby and Hannah’s friendship than the romances combined and don’t try to convince me other wise. I am absolutely not complaining. They are the type of friends who can read each other’s minds and are there for each other no matter what. Their relationship is so envious. Gabby is also here to constantly remind us that what society thinks about women is usually bullsugar, and I was here for it. Honestly, I did not care for the romances. I do not think they were the main focus of the book, but rather, there was a bigger picture. They were still cute though.
Oh, by the way, we also got cheating mofos in this book. All the books I’ve read by Reid has at least one man cheating and I just find that quite interesting. Hmmmmm, no more comments.
Nevertheless, Reid was born to write. No further explanation needed.
So we have all thought this, but I’m gonna ask anyway. Have you ever wondered what would have happened if you had made another decision than the one you previously made? And are you sometimes so adamant that if you had made that other decision, everything would have surely been better? Well, this book challenges that thinking a lot. What I got from this book is that no matter which decision you take, some things are going to remain constant in your life. Yes, somethings would have changed, but how sure are we that it was going to be better?
Hannah Martin is simply a person who doesn’t have her life together. She travels a lot and the relationship she just ended was a mess. At one point, my girl was scared to look at her bank account. She moves back to LA, which is her hometown and where her best friend Gabby and her husband live. Her family moved to London while she was in high school because of her sister’s acceptance to a ballet school, so all Hannah has had was her best friend and best friend’s family.
Hannah meets up with her ex boyfriend Ethan in a bar, and this is where the show begins. We get two alternate universes that depend on whether Hannah stays with Ethan at the bar or whether she leaves with Gabby and her husband. I thought it was going to be like magical realism, where she gets to experience both realities and maybe have to choose one. I think this was even better. I found my emotions shifting between each reality and wow, it’s definitely not something I experience with every book.
I found it so fascinating that there is no clear indication that one life was better than the other. I mean, you as a reader can choose which life you liked better for her, but I feel like ultimately, a lot of the same things happened in both realities and the things that were different did not feel necessarily better. For me, like I said in the beginning, it was just an illustration that there is probably never going to be a perfect life no matter what decision you take, and you just have to work with what life gives you. Hannah also constantly says this with sentences like, “Embracing the life you have,” “We can’t choose what happens in our life,” or “You never know what you’re ready for until you have to face it,” which was so interesting, and I guess ironic (I don’t remember a lot of literary devices I learnt in high school)because she says that in both realties. Wow!! how do people even get such talent to write a story like this that’s so though provoking? If there really is a God out there giving such talents to people, I’ve clearly been skipped.
I am convinced that this book was more about Gabby and Hannah’s friendship than the romances combined and don’t try to convince me other wise. I am absolutely not complaining. They are the type of friends who can read each other’s minds and are there for each other no matter what. Their relationship is so envious. Gabby is also here to constantly remind us that what society thinks about women is usually bullsugar, and I was here for it. Honestly, I did not care for the romances. I do not think they were the main focus of the book, but rather, there was a bigger picture. They were still cute though.
Oh, by the way, we also got cheating mofos in this book. All the books I’ve read by Reid has at least one man cheating and I just find that quite interesting. Hmmmmm, no more comments.
Nevertheless, Reid was born to write. No further explanation needed.
December 10, 2020
"Maybe in Another Life" by Taylor Jenkins Reid is a fun read!
Hannah Martin has decided to return to her hometown of Los Angeles, CA. You see, at 29, she's confused about her life. After 6 years of moving from city to city, floating from job to job since college and especially after reeling from a painful break-up, going back to L.A. is her best choice. She'll just stay with her BFF Gabby and her husband Mark for a while until she figures things out. Decision made!
BFF Gabby plans a get together for Hannah's first night in L.A. at a local bar with friends from high school. Hannah also invites Ethan her ex-boyfriend from high school to join because you never know, right? Great fun is had by all and shortly after midnight, Gabby approaches Hannah to let her know she's leaving with Mark. As Hannah gets up to leave with them, Ethan offers a ride to Gabby's later that night if she would like to stay longer. What should Hannah do?
Should Hannah leave with Gabby and Mark and play it safe?
Should Hannah stay with Ethan and see how the evening plays out?
She looks at Ethan and then at Gabby not knowing what to do! Life is full of decisions!
One should not dwell on the what-if's, the should-have's or the could-have's. Once a decision is made, stand by it - good or not so good, either bask in its glow or learn from its lesson and simply move on! But, this is Hannah Martin so it's an entirely different scenario. As you can see Hannah has issues with making decisions so having two options may be ideal here. Parallel Universe's? What's the risk? Could be fun, right? For the reader, getting to see both scenario's play out concurrently through this book is fun and mostly delightful!
I was hooked on this story within the first 20 pages. It held a unique story-line, but this is certainly not surprising coming from this innovative author. Hannah is a character who is easy to love! And, you love Gabby, too, because she's Hannah's greatest supporter. And, also because Hannah loves her!
The ending is a bit of a surprise for me but in a good way! I'm still thinking about and smiling about this sweet book. It's happy, it's sad, it's hopeful, it makes you laugh, it makes you cry and it checks off a lot of the boxes that I love in a book. I highly recommend it to those who love Women's Fiction & TJR!
This is a read worthy of 4 1/2 stars upgraded to 5 beautiful stars!
Hannah Martin has decided to return to her hometown of Los Angeles, CA. You see, at 29, she's confused about her life. After 6 years of moving from city to city, floating from job to job since college and especially after reeling from a painful break-up, going back to L.A. is her best choice. She'll just stay with her BFF Gabby and her husband Mark for a while until she figures things out. Decision made!
BFF Gabby plans a get together for Hannah's first night in L.A. at a local bar with friends from high school. Hannah also invites Ethan her ex-boyfriend from high school to join because you never know, right? Great fun is had by all and shortly after midnight, Gabby approaches Hannah to let her know she's leaving with Mark. As Hannah gets up to leave with them, Ethan offers a ride to Gabby's later that night if she would like to stay longer. What should Hannah do?
Should Hannah leave with Gabby and Mark and play it safe?
Should Hannah stay with Ethan and see how the evening plays out?
She looks at Ethan and then at Gabby not knowing what to do! Life is full of decisions!
One should not dwell on the what-if's, the should-have's or the could-have's. Once a decision is made, stand by it - good or not so good, either bask in its glow or learn from its lesson and simply move on! But, this is Hannah Martin so it's an entirely different scenario. As you can see Hannah has issues with making decisions so having two options may be ideal here. Parallel Universe's? What's the risk? Could be fun, right? For the reader, getting to see both scenario's play out concurrently through this book is fun and mostly delightful!
I was hooked on this story within the first 20 pages. It held a unique story-line, but this is certainly not surprising coming from this innovative author. Hannah is a character who is easy to love! And, you love Gabby, too, because she's Hannah's greatest supporter. And, also because Hannah loves her!
The ending is a bit of a surprise for me but in a good way! I'm still thinking about and smiling about this sweet book. It's happy, it's sad, it's hopeful, it makes you laugh, it makes you cry and it checks off a lot of the boxes that I love in a book. I highly recommend it to those who love Women's Fiction & TJR!
This is a read worthy of 4 1/2 stars upgraded to 5 beautiful stars!
April 18, 2021
This book was close to perfection! I loved following Hannah through a rollercoaster of emotions.
At first, we learn to know Hannah when she is about to come back to Los Angeles, where she grew up. One night, she comes to a fork in the road and, from this moment, the chapters alternate between the two parallel lives she's going to have depending on the choice she made.
I'm always thrilled to read stories about fate and parallel universes! In this one, there is a lot of romance, but I can say it's equally about friendship. It is an outstanding book and I loved how it ended. The morale was pretty similar to my vision about life and destiny.
Loved the characters, loved the setting, loved the writing... TJR writes books that I never want to end!
4.5 stars rounded up
At first, we learn to know Hannah when she is about to come back to Los Angeles, where she grew up. One night, she comes to a fork in the road and, from this moment, the chapters alternate between the two parallel lives she's going to have depending on the choice she made.
I'm always thrilled to read stories about fate and parallel universes! In this one, there is a lot of romance, but I can say it's equally about friendship. It is an outstanding book and I loved how it ended. The morale was pretty similar to my vision about life and destiny.
Loved the characters, loved the setting, loved the writing... TJR writes books that I never want to end!
4.5 stars rounded up
August 6, 2015
What a great concept! Parallel universes, parallel life stories, diverging at a single decision!
Unfortunately, the characters were boring and unidimensional, the plot(s) were puerile and passé, and the dialog was redundant, even within the single stories. How many times must I read about the "high bun" hairdo or the friend's "eye rolling"? How much vomiting--oh, wait, "puking"--must a careless, sexually active woman have before suspecting a pregnancy? And is finding the right man still the driving force in a woman's life--or was I transported to 1943, reading "Cherry Ames, Student Nurse"?
Great concept, very poorly executed. Don't...just don't.
Unfortunately, the characters were boring and unidimensional, the plot(s) were puerile and passé, and the dialog was redundant, even within the single stories. How many times must I read about the "high bun" hairdo or the friend's "eye rolling"? How much vomiting--oh, wait, "puking"--must a careless, sexually active woman have before suspecting a pregnancy? And is finding the right man still the driving force in a woman's life--or was I transported to 1943, reading "Cherry Ames, Student Nurse"?
Great concept, very poorly executed. Don't...just don't.
September 20, 2017
Cinnamon rolls count: 75 times.
Pages count: 342 pages (incl. Acknowledgments)
That said, cinnamon rolls were mentioned almost every 4.5 pages.
Good job.
Pages count: 342 pages (incl. Acknowledgments)
That said, cinnamon rolls were mentioned almost every 4.5 pages.
Good job.
February 4, 2020
Man, oh man, what a book.
Taylor Jenkins Reid has blown me away again with Maybe in Another Life , another exceptionally beautiful, powerfully thought-provoking book, this one about destiny and soulmates and the choices we make.
As she nears 30, Hannah has been drifting from thing to thing, place to place. She doesn’t know what she wants from life. After breaking up with her boyfriend she decides to move home to Los Angeles, and stay temporarily with her best friend Gabby and her husband, Mark.
"Life is just a series of breaths in and out. All I really have to do in this world is breathe in and then breathe out, in succession, until I die. I can do that. I can breathe in and out."
On her first night back, at a get-together with old friends, she sees Ethan, her high school boyfriend, who broke her heart back then. They still have the same chemistry, and it’s clear there’s still possibility between them. When Gabby and Mark get ready to head home for the night, Ethan asks Hannah stay at the bar with him.
What happens if she stays? What will that mean for her and Ethan? What happens if she goes? Will that change how he feels about her? Hannah considers what both possibilities might mean. And then the book proceeds by exploring both scenarios, in alternate chapters, and the path that each scenario leads to.
"Life is long and full of an infinite number of decisions. I have to think that the small ones don’t matter, that I’ll end up where I need to end up no matter what I do. My fate will find me. So I decide to..."
I loved Maybe in Another Life so much. I am so in love with the way TJR writes, the way she pulls you into every story.
I can’t believe I have only one more of her books left to read! (Seriously, if you haven't read her books, you need to. Daisy Jones & The Six was one of my top 5 books from 2019 and One True Loves also was on my list of favorites, and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo was one of my favorites from 2018.)
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2019 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2019.html.
Check out my list of the best books of the decade at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/my-favorite-books-of-decade.html.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
Taylor Jenkins Reid has blown me away again with Maybe in Another Life , another exceptionally beautiful, powerfully thought-provoking book, this one about destiny and soulmates and the choices we make.
As she nears 30, Hannah has been drifting from thing to thing, place to place. She doesn’t know what she wants from life. After breaking up with her boyfriend she decides to move home to Los Angeles, and stay temporarily with her best friend Gabby and her husband, Mark.
"Life is just a series of breaths in and out. All I really have to do in this world is breathe in and then breathe out, in succession, until I die. I can do that. I can breathe in and out."
On her first night back, at a get-together with old friends, she sees Ethan, her high school boyfriend, who broke her heart back then. They still have the same chemistry, and it’s clear there’s still possibility between them. When Gabby and Mark get ready to head home for the night, Ethan asks Hannah stay at the bar with him.
What happens if she stays? What will that mean for her and Ethan? What happens if she goes? Will that change how he feels about her? Hannah considers what both possibilities might mean. And then the book proceeds by exploring both scenarios, in alternate chapters, and the path that each scenario leads to.
"Life is long and full of an infinite number of decisions. I have to think that the small ones don’t matter, that I’ll end up where I need to end up no matter what I do. My fate will find me. So I decide to..."
I loved Maybe in Another Life so much. I am so in love with the way TJR writes, the way she pulls you into every story.
I can’t believe I have only one more of her books left to read! (Seriously, if you haven't read her books, you need to. Daisy Jones & The Six was one of my top 5 books from 2019 and One True Loves also was on my list of favorites, and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo was one of my favorites from 2018.)
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2019 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2019.html.
Check out my list of the best books of the decade at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/my-favorite-books-of-decade.html.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
March 14, 2023
A story happening in two parallel universes 🖤
I just love how her writing always grips me from the very first page to the very last page.
I love her flawed characters but I love how perfect are the friendships and the family relationships are.
I cannot believe I started this book twice last year and didn't finish it up either time but, damn well, I am so glad to have read this book today!
I cried, I laughed, my heart got broken (like 4 times for different reasons..maybe more than that too but it's okay), felt hopeless and hopeful throughout the read.
Warnings for cheating/infidelity but the whole story/ies are quite wholesome.
And yes, some things may seem too convenient at times for the main characters (Hannah and Gabby) but they are things that can happen in real out of nowhere. So who knows? Leave the parallel universes alone. Yes, I believe in good things happening when most part of our lives end up getting more shitty than we expected.
Yes, expect nothing when you pick up this book.
I love Gabby so much! She's the queen. Our main character is heavily influenced by this character. And yes, I love Ethan for being so honest. I love Henry. I even liked Mark, Gabby's husband, for being his honest self.
I love the Hudsons. Found families be perfect like them.
I wish Sarah's character was a bit more elaborate and there was more connection with Hanah's parents.
That one scene in the hospital with Hannah and her father got me sobbing for hours.
You are my fav, Taylor. Give me your new book already!
I just love how her writing always grips me from the very first page to the very last page.
I love her flawed characters but I love how perfect are the friendships and the family relationships are.
I cannot believe I started this book twice last year and didn't finish it up either time but, damn well, I am so glad to have read this book today!
I cried, I laughed, my heart got broken (like 4 times for different reasons..maybe more than that too but it's okay), felt hopeless and hopeful throughout the read.
Warnings for cheating/infidelity but the whole story/ies are quite wholesome.
And yes, some things may seem too convenient at times for the main characters (Hannah and Gabby) but they are things that can happen in real out of nowhere. So who knows? Leave the parallel universes alone. Yes, I believe in good things happening when most part of our lives end up getting more shitty than we expected.
Yes, expect nothing when you pick up this book.
I love Gabby so much! She's the queen. Our main character is heavily influenced by this character. And yes, I love Ethan for being so honest. I love Henry. I even liked Mark, Gabby's husband, for being his honest self.
I love the Hudsons. Found families be perfect like them.
I wish Sarah's character was a bit more elaborate and there was more connection with Hanah's parents.
That one scene in the hospital with Hannah and her father got me sobbing for hours.
You are my fav, Taylor. Give me your new book already!
September 14, 2022
What if you got a second chance at your first love?
Hannah lives life with vigor, even when she lacks direction: messy bun on her head and cinnamon bun in hand. Her bestie Gabby's family took her in during her earlier years while Hannah's own family was abroad, and Hannah has been fumbling her way through adulthood, not knowing which way to turn. However, a chance encounter at a party brings the return of the one that got away: Ethan. The relationship that could have been everything. As the festivities draw to a close, Hannah is faced with a choice: leave with Gabby...or take a chance and see what lingers between her and Ethan?
A simple decision...or is it?
TJR then takes the reader through a series of alternating chapters, a la Sliding Doors, showing the dramatically different outcomes between choice A and choice B. And I won't say any more about the plot because it's so much more fun to go in blind!
Alternating timelines (and entire storylines) can be SUCH a difficult device to execute, particularly through the written word rather than through visual cues, but TJR handles it with ease. I have always loved this trope, alongside the concept of the Butterfly Effect, where one tiny flap of a butterfly's wings can impact the whole world. I am huge fan of the show Frasier, and one of my favorite episodes also uses this trope in "Sliding Frasiers", a nod to the film Sliding Doors as well. The underlying theme that can be found in all three is that the choices we make ALL have consequences: some positive, some negative, and the most important aspect of that is that we take ownership of them. Despite some dramatic differences, both 'versions' of the story have key similarities and highlight the importance of honesty, the support of friends and family, and the freedom that can be found when you dare to take a risk. Hannah was a wonderful main character who felt so authentic, and although both endings veer towards the happy, neither one provides a perfectly smooth path.
I thoroughly enjoyed my first foray into the early, romantic work of TJR. Her characterization and creativity shone throughout this book, and gave me a much needed boost of sugary serotonin...and a desperate craving for Cinnabon! 4⭐️
Hannah lives life with vigor, even when she lacks direction: messy bun on her head and cinnamon bun in hand. Her bestie Gabby's family took her in during her earlier years while Hannah's own family was abroad, and Hannah has been fumbling her way through adulthood, not knowing which way to turn. However, a chance encounter at a party brings the return of the one that got away: Ethan. The relationship that could have been everything. As the festivities draw to a close, Hannah is faced with a choice: leave with Gabby...or take a chance and see what lingers between her and Ethan?
A simple decision...or is it?
TJR then takes the reader through a series of alternating chapters, a la Sliding Doors, showing the dramatically different outcomes between choice A and choice B. And I won't say any more about the plot because it's so much more fun to go in blind!
Alternating timelines (and entire storylines) can be SUCH a difficult device to execute, particularly through the written word rather than through visual cues, but TJR handles it with ease. I have always loved this trope, alongside the concept of the Butterfly Effect, where one tiny flap of a butterfly's wings can impact the whole world. I am huge fan of the show Frasier, and one of my favorite episodes also uses this trope in "Sliding Frasiers", a nod to the film Sliding Doors as well. The underlying theme that can be found in all three is that the choices we make ALL have consequences: some positive, some negative, and the most important aspect of that is that we take ownership of them. Despite some dramatic differences, both 'versions' of the story have key similarities and highlight the importance of honesty, the support of friends and family, and the freedom that can be found when you dare to take a risk. Hannah was a wonderful main character who felt so authentic, and although both endings veer towards the happy, neither one provides a perfectly smooth path.
I thoroughly enjoyed my first foray into the early, romantic work of TJR. Her characterization and creativity shone throughout this book, and gave me a much needed boost of sugary serotonin...and a desperate craving for Cinnabon! 4⭐️
October 15, 2023
"Well, I'm sure I'll be seeing you," I say. "Some way or another."
"Yeah," he says. "Or maybe in another life."
I have yet to encounter a TJR book that hasn't left a mark on my soul or one I didn't like, and Maybe In Another Life is no exception.
🥐𝗠𝗔𝗬𝗕𝗘 𝗜𝗡 𝗔𝗡𝗢𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥 𝗟𝗜𝗙𝗘 - 𝗕𝗬 𝗧𝗔𝗬𝗟𝗢𝗥 𝗝𝗘𝗡𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗦 𝗥𝗘𝗜𝗗🥐
★𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
★𝗬𝗔/𝗡𝗔/𝗔: 🅽🅰/🅰
★𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗦: 𝚂𝚃𝙰𝙽𝙳𝙰𝙻𝙾𝙽𝙴
★𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗥𝗘 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗧𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗦: 𝙲𝙾𝙽𝚃𝙴𝙼𝙿𝙾𝚁𝙰𝚁𝚈 - 𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴 - 𝙳𝚁𝙰𝙼𝙰 - 𝙵𝚁𝙸𝙴𝙽𝙳𝚂𝙷𝙸𝙿
★𝗣𝗢𝗩: 𝙵𝙸𝚁𝚂𝚃 𝙿𝙴𝚁𝚂𝙾𝙽 - 𝙿𝚁𝙴𝚂𝙴𝙽𝚃 𝚃𝙴𝙽𝚂𝙴
★𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗦: 𝚆𝙷𝙰𝚃 𝙸𝙵? - 𝙿𝙰𝚁𝙰𝙻𝙻𝙴𝙻 𝚄𝙽𝙸𝚅𝙴𝚁𝚂𝙴𝚂- ���𝙴𝙲𝙾𝙽𝙳 𝙲𝙷𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴𝚂
★𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦: 👥👥👥👥/5
★𝗪𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ✍🏼✍🏼✍🏼✍🏼/5
★𝗣𝗟𝗢𝗧: 📜📜📜/5
★𝗗𝗔𝗥𝗞 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗦 & 𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗚𝗘𝗥 𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦: 💀💀/5 ( - 𝙱𝚁𝙴𝙰𝙺𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝚄𝙿 - 𝙵𝙼𝙲 𝙶𝙴𝚃𝚂 𝙸𝙽 𝙰 𝙱𝙰𝙳 𝙰𝙲𝙲𝙸𝙳𝙴𝙽𝚃 - 𝙷𝙾𝚂𝙿𝙸𝚃𝙰𝙻𝙸𝚉𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽)
★𝗦𝗠𝗨𝗧 𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗡𝗦𝗜𝗧𝗬 & 𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗧𝗬: 𝙼𝙴𝙽𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝚂 𝙾𝙵 𝚂𝙴𝚇 𝙱𝚄𝚃 𝙽𝙾𝚃𝙷𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝙴𝚇𝙿𝙻𝙸𝙲𝙸𝚃
★𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗧𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦: 🤐/5 (𝙸𝚃'𝚂 𝙰𝙻𝙻 𝚅𝙴𝚁𝚈 𝙲𝙻𝙴𝙰𝙽 - 𝙵𝙼𝙲'𝚂 𝙱𝙴𝚂𝚃𝙸𝙴 𝙳𝙴𝚂𝙲𝚁𝙸𝙱𝙴𝚂 𝙸𝙽 𝙲𝙾𝙻𝙾𝚁𝙵𝚄𝙻 𝚆𝙾𝚁𝙳𝚂 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝚂𝙸𝚉𝙴 𝙾𝙵 𝙷𝙴𝚁 𝙷𝚄𝚂𝙱𝙰𝙽𝙳'𝚂 𝙿𝙴𝙴𝙿𝙴𝙴)
★𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘: 🌹🌹🌹/5
★𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘 𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗟𝗘: ✔️❌
★𝗠𝗔𝗜𝗡 𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘: 𝙵/𝙼
★𝗥𝗘𝗣: 𝙵𝙼𝙲 𝙲𝙰𝙽'𝚃 𝚆𝙰𝙻𝙺 𝙵𝙾𝚁 𝙰 𝙿𝙴𝚁𝙸𝙾𝙳
★𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗠𝗘 𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗚: 🎶𝙰𝙻𝙻 𝙼𝚈 𝙳𝚁𝙴𝙰𝙼𝙸𝙽𝙶 - 𝙴𝙼𝙼𝙰 𝚁𝚄𝚂𝚂𝙰𝙲𝙺🎶
▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰
I can always count on one of TJR's books to make me feel seen and understood, and to always give my reader's heart the feels it so desperately craves from time to time.
On a technical level, the writing on this is very immature and it lacks the TJR's wit and breath-takingly memorable quotes that have become her distinctive hallmark. And while it's clear that this isn't a Daisy or an Evelyn, it's got the author's name all over the emotions that transpire from its pages.
I get it, though, her talent probably needed time to bloom and a lot of things can happen in a short period of time.
This book is an actual proof of it.
Maybe In Another Life is a story, a multiple story, that revolves around the question what if? and literally puts into words the outcomes.
Serendipity, destiny and, ironically, casuality are the fil rouge that lead the entire story, and you can't help but question your life as you watch Hannah's take different turns just to reach a bittersweet ending, each time.
I've become fond of Hannah's character, even if there were times I found her a little annoying and a bit of a loser. Those were the same times I wished she didn't have a family to back her up in both universes, because despite the problems, she always seemed to have it too easy.
Take this with a grain of salt, though. Hannah was really not that bad, and through the story she had to go through some shit that broke my heart, but...I maybe didn't really like how both universes felt similar, in the end. The alternatig chapters, for example, could have used at least a title, as well, to be honest.
Anyway, Hannah is a lovable main character and a very relatable one.
The romance(s) didn't make my knee shake, but I was more focused on what was going to happen to really appreciate on their depth of lack thereof.
What I loved more about this book, though, is the friendship between Hannah and Gabby. I feel like the fact that their friendship appears, lasts and gets stronger in every universe is very symbolic.
Taylor Jenkins Reid will always have a special place in my heart.
Love her books.
Love the feelings and memories tied to them, even more😌
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