Maybe in Another Life

Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid

Genre: Fiction

Publisher: Washington Square Press, 2015

Pages: 352

Rating: Recommend

Synopsis: 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 story lines, 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: It's rare for me to wake up early to finish a novel first thing in the morning. It's just not my style. But, for this one that's exactly what I did.

This was the first novel I've read by this author, and I liked it. I really did. However, in a perfect world the ending would converge leaving Hannah in the same spot, regardless of the choices she made, thus proving that you end up exactly where you're supposed to be. Without this convergence, it feels like the author wrote two separate novels and the reader gets to choose which ending they prefer. It's like a Choose Your Own Adventure for the 1980s preteens who grew up reading that series, but now they're adults.

I will seek out another Jenkins Reid novel to read. I really did like it.

Other Taylor Jenkins Reid Novels:
Daisy Jones and The Six
Malibu Rising
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo