Mini Review: Maybe In Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Published: July 7th 2015 by: Washington Square Press

Genres: Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Chick Lit

Format: ebook Source: Library

My Rating: 

Add To 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.

 

~Review~

This is my very first TJR book, and it went fairly well. As the description says, this story is about 2 different scenarios for Hannah’s life. To be honest, I like the one where she went home with Gabby, instead of Ethan. I feel that story had more to offer than the other, it terms of shock value. Still, Hannah has tough decisions to make in both, so it was nice to see the character growth. I love the friendship between Hannah and Gabby. I think that aspect was the best thing about both scenarios. I wasn’t at all surprised about Gabby’s situation. I saw that coming from a mile away; in both cases. In the case of going home with Gabby, I like Hannah’s romance setup. Even though it was really messed up how they met, I think it just made me want to smile because something good came out of the situation. 

I don’t want to spoil the things that make the characters do this or that. Hannah, for the most part, is well developed for her to be so nomadic. I wasn’t sure she could be a character that I liked when I first started, but it quickly became clear that this girl really is emotionally immature. Her parents and sister needed to make more of an effort to be in her life. I do love that her dad talked to her about how they messed up as parents. Still, the relationship that she has with Gabby, and Gabby’s parents, is great. I’m not sure how I feel about one aspect in particular. Nope, I can’t say, because then that would be spoiling it. It just rubbed me the wrong way, but I quickly got over it all as both stories closed out. I think they both ended on great notes. I’m sure this won’t be my last TJR book. Definitely recommend!!