Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
Pages: 342
Publisher: Washington Square Press
Goodreads rating: 3.75 Stars
Published:July 7th, 2015
Source: Audiobook/borrowed
Description:
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.
My Thoughts:
Hannah Martin has no clue what she wants in life or where she wants that life to be. So, when her current situation ends up being a very bad situation, she goes back to where it all started: Los Angeles, her childhood home, and her best friend Gabby {and Gabby's husband, Mark}. Closing up to her 30th birthday, Hannah is at a loss of what to do with her life, but being home with family seems like a good place to start.
Even though Hannah seems to be floundering as far as choosing where to actually start her life, she's doesn't seem to flaky. Reid gives her the history of someone who is more of a butterfly, flitting from place to place, job to job, and just not finding whatever it is that she needs to settle down.
I got pretty hooked into this book. I haven't read many books that have taken the "what if" and turned it into its own half of the book. The first time it switched to the other scenario, it was pretty easy to figure out what Reid was doing {as far as giving Hannah a second chance at the first fateful night}. I found myself rooting for one of the "sliding doors" a little more than the other, but I won't tell you which one *wink*.
Hannah has two love interests in this: Ethan, whom she's known forever, and Henry, who she's met following an accident in one of the storylines. Its amazing to see how everything comes together {and frustrating to see how certain things fall apart}. I found myself gasping when things happened in one storyline, but not in the other and jsut saying "no! But that has to happen! They have to know!"
However, I was not disappointed with how Taylor Jenkins Reid tied everything together and put a nice little bow on both storylines. While I still have a favorite, there were aspects that I loved from each one. She brought each story together beautifully, and I think no matter where you find yourself wishing the storylines would go, one will have you vclosing the book very satified, if not both.
