From the acclaimed author of Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo comes a breathtaking 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.
Book Information: Listening Length: 9 hours and 9 minutes. Narrator: Julia Whelan. Publisher: Simon & Schuster. Publication Date: 20 Jan 2022. Print length: 349 pages.
Taylor Jenkins Reid is the author of the New York Times Bestselling novels Malibu Rising, Daisy Jones and the Six and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, as well as One True Loves, Maybe in Another Life, After I Do, and Forever, Interrupted. Her books have been chosen by Reese’s Book Club, Read with Jenna, Indie Next, Best of Amazon, and Book of the Month. Her novel, Daisy Jones and the Six, is currently being adapted by Hello Sunshine into a limited series for Amazon. She lives in Los Angeles.
My Review:
This is my third book by Taylor Jenkins Reid having listened to The Seven Husbands (OUTSTANDING) and read Daisy Jones (BRILLIANT), so I was delighted when my monthly Audible Credit popped up and downloaded Maybe In Another Life beautifully narrated by Julia Whelan.
If you enjoyed Sliding Doors, then you will LOVE this book and I was enjoying it so much, I started to recommend it on my book club before I had even finished it!
This is the story of 29 year old Hannah Martin. Her parents emigrated to London when she was a teenager and she’s drifted from job to job, city to city for the past ten years unable to settle or find happiness. Deciding to return to her home town in LA and stay at her best friend Gabby’s house after yet another disastrous relationship she finds herself at a bar on her first night back reconnecting with her childhood first love, Ethan.
This is where the story gets interesting, because Hannah is faced with the choice of going home with Gabby or Ethan. The book then cleverly splits into two alternative realities…. Hannah returns home with Gabby and her life is changed in an instant and Hannah goes back to stay the night with Ethan and her life is changed in an instant. Fate has a huge starring role in this story and the reader/listener follows both of Hannah’s journeys which are equally full of emotional, heartbreak and love.
If you enjoyed TJR’s previous books, then you will love this one. Recommended for a feel-good and, at times, emotional story about love and loss, family and friendships. Maybe In Another Life will make you think and question what if…?
