Maybe In Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid - Restarting February 23rd 2020

[Kelly]

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.

[Kelly]

I started listening to the audio version and I’m at 1,5 hour. I have 7,5 hours left. I’m not sure what to think of this book yet. I think I’m liking it so far. I didn’t expect (view spoiler)[the accident and the pregnancy. (hide spoiler)]

[Kelly]

So there are two ‘storylines’ I guess? To be honest, it’s a bit confusing right now but we’ll see :/.

[Sarah Elizabeth]

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Date changed. Restarting August 10th 2019. Happy Reading ☺

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[Jill]

Starting!!

[Ashleigh]

Chapters 1-6

(view spoiler)[Oh honey. How naive of you to think you and this married man were destined to be together. He doesn't even have the decency to tell you he's married and is treating you like crap. Gabby is sooo right about this guy! At least we know she leaves him and moves away from his bullshit.

There's deffo gonna be a thing between Hannah and Ethan, but there looks like there's something about Ethan and Katherine. I smell a love triangle..

Oh, so this is one of those books where there's like two timelines and they split off from one point and you see what happens if our mc decided to do this or that. Interesting. I was confused for a second after Hannah got run over then it flipped to her staying out with Ethan haha.

(hide spoiler)]

[Jill]

(view spoiler)[Hannah doesn't really seem to have her shit together. Both of her decisions are drastically different. Interesting to follow both of them.

Hospital Hannah will fall for the male nurse I think. They had a meet cute and easy banter. Ethan is still in the picture though. I think he feels a little guilty maybe..

Ethan Hannah has no idea she's pregnant. I wonder how this will pan out.. (hide spoiler)]
28%

[Jill]

(view spoiler)[Hospital Hannah is making serious strides with her famiy. It seems like she's the black sheep and has never confronted it and now she is. She is kinda crushing on Henry but he shut it down when he didn't give her his number. Ethan still kinda in the picture but not really. She's getting a whole new perspective on life since she could have been killed

Ethan Hannah finally figures out that she's pregnant and is trying to digest the info. She's preggo with a married man's baby so wonder what will happen. She's started to make roots in LA and make this her official "home."

The big difference between Hospital Hannah and Ethan Hannah is the baby situation. This will alter her entire life obviously (hide spoiler)]
50%

[Jill]

(view spoiler)[I'm sad that Hospital Hannah and Henry "broke up." I thought would blossom into something..

Ethan Hannah is handling her unplanned pregnancy in the best way possible. It was so sweet that Ethan wanted to stick around and help out. I'm sad they broke up too :(((( (hide spoiler)]
70%

[Jill]

(view spoiler)[Both Hannahs in different timelines had different endings but were happy either way. I like that despite facing hardships in both lives, she was able to get through it and get her happiness in the end. Even though she ended up with different guys, they both made sense to her story. (hide spoiler)]
End

[Ashleigh]

Chapters 7-11

(view spoiler)[Interesting to see how diverse the two timelines are but how certain elements still pop up in each one. Like Ethan's maybe connection with Katherine.

It's horrific that in the timeline where Hannah got run over, she lost a baby. And she didn't even know she was pregnant. I can only imagine how it must be to grieve for the loss of a baby you never knew you had. Does that mean she's pregnant in the other timeline too? That's gonna cause some problems..

I kinda like Henry. He seems like a nice guy. I wonder if a romance will spark between Hannah and Henry..

(hide spoiler)]

[Karen]

Thread requested.

[Karen]

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Date changed. Restarting February 23rd 2020. Happy Reading ☺

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[Pragya]

"I’m scared of sharks, hurricanes, and false imprisonment. I’m scared that I will never do anything of value with my life." --- same here.

[Pragya]

Till Chapter 5 (view spoiler)[ The change of choice after such an incident has hooked me. (hide spoiler)]

[Pragya]

Till Chapter 8 (view spoiler)[ Hannah had a miscarriage and in alternate reality she doesn't know about her pregnancy yet, the one in which she and Ethan are going well. How will that play out. There alternates are changing way to sudden and fast. (hide spoiler)]

[Karen]

I’m going to start this tomorrow (got one to finish first).

[Pragya]

Karen wrote: "I’m going to start this tomorrow (got one to finish first)."

Np

[Pragya]

Till Chapter 15 (view spoiler)[ I like Henry more than Ethan.
I am so rooting for Henry. (hide spoiler)]

[Pragya]

Till Chapter 41 (view spoiler)[ I don't like Mark in both the alternative realities. (hide spoiler)]

[Karen]

Up to ch5. Easygoing start. The relationship with Ethan seems very natural but I’m curious to see how this split narrative works.

[Karen]

Pragya wrote: "Till Chapter 5 [spoilers removed]"

I'm curious to see how this works.

[Katie]

Started this one today. I already love the characters. I love this about Taylor Jenkins Reid's books...I am always instantly drawn to the characters.

Page 64- (view spoiler)[ I love Gabby...I think we all need a friend like Gabby. I love her relationship with Hannah. I love thought provoking stories/movies like this. The "what if this happened" type of moments that really get people thinking about things. (hide spoiler)]

[Pragya]

Finished (view spoiler)[ Why is it only with Hannah ending up with different people and not any one else in the story like Gabby? I mean its alternative universe shouldn't it apply to all. I know this leads to different outcomes for Hannah because of her one decision but still a lot of plot was same still so different. (hide spoiler)]

[Pragya]

Katie wrote: "Started this one today. I already love the characters. I love this about Taylor Jenkins Reid's books...I am always instantly drawn to the characters.

Page 64- [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ Their friendship is the best part in the story. (hide spoiler)]

[Katie]

Page 134- So many thoughts :) (view spoiler)[ I'm enjoying this...it reminds me of the movie "Sliding Doors." However, there are a few things happening in the book that are sticking out to me, and making it a little uncomfortable for me while reading....

1. Hannah's relationship with her family. It seems real and somewhat believable, but I just got to the point where they are leaving to go back to London. They JUST got here, so I don't quite understand their purpose in this book?? I get why they came and visited (their daughter almost died) but I thought they would have added so much more depth to the story.

2. I don't know how I'm supposed to feel about Ethan at this point. When we hear from him voice, he seems like he really loves Hannah very much, but did he really sleep with Katherine? Did he change his mind? We only saw a text...so I have this weird trust/not trust thing happening when I read chapters with him in it.

3. Henry...he seems great, but I hate love triangles, so I'm just so uncomfortable with what is going to happen here.

But...I'm still really drawn into this book, and I want to know more! I'm just sort of uncomfortable or "tense" and on edge while reading it...And I can't figure out why.

(hide spoiler)]

[Katie]

Page 141- (view spoiler)[ Okay...so I think I like Henry! HA! He just came in and shared parted of a cinnamon roll with Hannah, and helped her through her spasm. But I just don't enjoy tension with love triangles, so I hope that tension goes away soon!! But, I like him :) (hide spoiler)]

[Katie]

Pragya wrote: "Till Chapter 8 [spoilers removed]"

I honestly keep forgetting (view spoiler)[ that she is still pregnant in this timeline! I also wonder how Ethan will handle this. I think his reaction will tell me a lot about his character. (hide spoiler)]

Also something seems off with (view spoiler)[ Mark (I think that's his name)... There are these tiny jabs that he doesn't appreciate Gabby or that he's not interested in the same things she is. And then there was this one line that stuck out to me about him having weird things come up after 6:30 PM, but he's a dentist?? (hide spoiler)]

[Pragya]

Katie wrote: "Page 134- So many thoughts :) I'm enjoying this...it reminds me of the movie "Sliding Doors." However, there are a few things happening in the book that are sticking out to me, and making it a lit..."

(view spoiler)[ I too hate love triangles. (hide spoiler)]

[Katie]

Page 163- This page helped me so much! (view spoiler)[ Ethan came to visit Hannah in the hospital in that alternate universe, and she said to herself that it's nice seeing him, and that she may have been infatuated with the idea of him and her being romantically involved, but that she knows there isn't anything there anymore. That' she'll always love him on some level, but that it's more just being friends.

This has eased my tension! Even in this alternate universe, I was having a hard time knowing exactly where Hannah was wanting to go with her feelings for Ethan, which was making Henry seem uncomfortable to me. But this one paragraph helped me! (hide spoiler)]

[Karen]

Up to ch14. Katie, it’s very easy to get into this, you’re right. I don’t really like Hannah, but I’m curious by these two alternate stories.

[Karen]

Up to ch18. Will have to remember to check spoilers on pc tomorrow-it’s weird to have such varied stories. Each has its up and down - not sure which of the two is more appealing right now.

[Katie]

Page 203- (view spoiler)[ I just got to the part where Gabby told Mark to move out. Gabby and Hannah’s friendship is just amazing in this book! They are there for each other at some of their lowest moments. I believe them both when they say they will get through things together. (hide spoiler)]
 

[Katie]

Karen wrote: "Up to ch18. Will have to remember to check spoilers on pc tomorrow-it’s weird to have such varied stories. Each has its up and down - not sure which of the two is more appealing right now."

Karen-I'll be checking back to hear your thoughts on the different story lines! I was very surprised on how different they both were!

Do you have a preference on which one you like better? For ONCE, I enjoy both story lines equally!! I usually don't enjoy alternating timelines for that reason, but I actually enjoyed both of these story lines. I'm curious to hear if you have a preference for one over the other?

[Katie]

Finished- (view spoiler)[ I found this to be pretty good and interesting. I like alternate universe theory books, so I really enjoyed that part of it. There was just something missing for me, and I can't quite figure out what it was that didn't bump this into the strong 4 star rating for me. But it was a solid 3.5 for me! I liked that Hannah ended up with two different people, so it wasn't that. And I LOVED Hannah and Gabby in both, so it wasn't that either. But I'm not sure I connected a lot to the characters in this book. But I still very much enjoyed this overall! (hide spoiler)]

[Karen]

Pragya wrote: "Till Chapter 15 I like Henry more than Ethan.
I am so rooting for Henry."

I understand why Hannah was tempted by the past, but Henry is definitely a sweetie.

[Karen]

Pragya wrote: "Finished [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ I liked the fact that we saw similar things occur - and there were little differences in the way the similar events were written about. (hide spoiler)]

[Karen]

Katie wrote: "Karen wrote: "Up to ch18. Will have to remember to check spoilers on pc tomorrow-it’s weird to have such varied stories. Each has its up and down - not sure which of the two is more appealing right..."

Ooh...a tough one. Usually with two options, there's one that stands out. Honestly, I think there were things about each that worked for me. I think I prefer the Henry one on the whole because it was about moving on and learning about herself a little more. Either way, Mark was awful!