Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid | Reviewed by Michelle

 

Maybe in Another Life| Taylor JenkinsReid | Washington Square Press | Pub: 7/7/15

“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. And my heart breaks for every single version of me that didn’t end up with you.”

For my third Taylor Jenkins Reid book I read, Maybe in Another Life. This was gifted to me for my birthday and I just felt it calling to me from its new home on my bookshelves. It did not disappoint.

We follow 29-year-old Hannah as she moves back to LA after years of being gone. The story is told from Hannah in two different realities. In reality one, she goes home from a night out with her best friend that she is currently living with. In reality two, she goes home with her ex-boyfriend from high school.

Between both realities we see MANY struggles for Hannah but also many happy moments. I can’t tell you the struggles or the happy moments but just know there are dogs involved and gigantic cinnamon buns, very handsome men and a very incredible best friend.

To see Hannah grow from not having a single clue what to do with her life to her getting things figured out in both realities, it was nice. It was hopeful. Makes you feel like you won’t be stuck where you’re at forever, you can change it. It won’t be easy to change the path, but you CAN change it.

Hannah gets two happy endings, and I am still unsure which ending I liked more. I am leaning more one way than the other, but I can’t tell you because that would obviously be a spoiler.

I absolutely plan on reading more of her books. I own three more and there is one more I need to buy but she is absolutely one of my favorite authors. I plan on reading a book of hers a month and then I have no idea what I will do with my life until I wait for another new book from her (since I already read her upcoming release). Check her out. If you have any questions about what book to start with, well, they’re all good so far so take your pick!

Synopsis (Credit: Goodreads)

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.

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