Book Review: Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Maybe in Another Life
Author:  Taylor Jenkins Reid
Publisher:  Washington Square Press, 352 pages
Publication Date:  July 7, 2015

From Goodreads:
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.

Review:

I loved this. It makes you think about even the small decisions you make in your life and how they can dramatically change how your life turns out. But at the same time, it's not like one life is any better or worse than the other…it's just different. Very realistic.

This book also made me think about the questions of fate and true love. What's interesting were the things that stayed the same in both lives versus were different. So were the things that were different not fated? Were the things that stayed the same fated to be?

It was strange to have two great guys in both storylines (although they were not perfect), which made it impossible to root for one guy (or life) over the other.

A feel good romantic book with some depth (there are truly some heartbreaking moments).

Posted by: Pam