Explore our new BookBrowse Community Forum!

What do readers think of Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid? Write your own review.

Summary | Reviews | More Information | More Books

Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Maybe in Another Life

by Taylor Jenkins Reid

  • Critics' Consensus:
  • Readers' Rating:
  • Published:
  • Jul 2015, 352 pages
  • Rate this book

About this book

Reviews

Page 3 of 5
There are currently 35 reader reviews for Maybe in Another Life
Order Reviews by:

Write your own review!

Kathleen B. (Las Vegas, NV)

Oh if I had only done that.
As a Christian I am always a little put off by a book that has a casual attitude to promiscuity. But it was realistic for today's standards. I felt sorry that Hannah had gotten involved with a married man such a fruitless endeavor. What really surprised me is keeping her baby rather than getting an abortion. I am of course delighted being a right to life advocate. I like the idea of What if I had done that! I have certainly have had that though that many times. Even read a book titled What If. I picked this book from the choices because I enjoyed the movie with G. Paltrow Sliding Doors. Parallel universes really appealed to me.
The most beautiful sentiment was said by Gabby's husband. " What I am 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."
He looks at Gabby. " And my heart breaks for every version of me that didn't end up with you.". I read this over and over and read it to my husband and he agreed that it was beautiful and said the writer was so talented to be able to write something like that. I wanted Henry to be her husband.
Sheila B. (Danvers, MA)

Good summer read
This is a good, light summer read. The characters are relatable and it's an interesting tool to look at alternate sides of the paths fate leads us down. I think this book would be of particular interest to 20-something adults who are still finding their way.
Barbara G. (Acworth, GA)

Choices
"There are millions, trillions, or quadrillions, I guess, of different versions of ourselves living out the consequences of our choices." This is the main in theme of this very entertaining novel.

This is an easy, quick read with quite a few of quotable statements made mostly by the main character, Hannah. Hannah has come to a point in her life that she needs to make some real choices in her life. And thus begins the story; who should she go with, which turn should she take?

I enjoyed the way the story wraps up how her choices turn out. I also found the characters very likable, or not as the case may be. This is a great summer read that I will definitely recommend.
Susan J. (Twain Harte, CA)

Couldn't put it down!
I enjoyed the "Choose your own adventure" structure of this novel. We all wonder what the consequences would have been if we had made another choice at some point in our lives. Even a seemingly trivial decision can lead to a different life. I very much enjoyed the main character, Hannah, as well as her BFF Gabby, Ethan, and Henry. When I finished the book, I thought about both the overlap and the divergence of the two plots: a different decision will change some things and not others. The only weak spot of the book for me was the last chapter: Jesse's identical speech in both versions was unnecessary and redundant.
Kay B. (Lake Jackson, TX)

Maybe in Another Life
I really enjoyed this book! It would be a lot of fun for a book club to discuss how our choices affect our life's outcomes, especially since it's an easy, fun read. I would like to read more by this author.
Lucy S. (Westford, MA)

Path not taken
The author does a good job creating the characters and the setting and then weaves two story lines throughout the book, giving the reader what results could happen when faced with a choice. It was interesting to have a view into the alternative to the character's choice. The characters were enjoyable - not great writing, but entertaining.
Sue J. (Wauwatosa, WI)

Maybe in Another Life
I enjoyed the two different story lines resulting from a decision made at the end of an evening out with friends. The decision to go home with either her girlfriend or her former high school sweetheart determines two very different outcomes. The author does a good job at keeping the reader engaged in both stories, I'm still undecided on which ending I wanted for Hannah. The only complaint I have is Hannah's obsession for cinnamon rolls has carried over to me!
Betty B. (Irving, TX)

Endless Possibilities
At first I wasn't sure I was going to like this book and I found some of the dialogue a little annoying. But, then the story took over and I was quite fascinated by the contrast between the two possibilities. I began to like Hannah, Gabby, Ethan and Henry and didn't want to put the book down. I liked the alternating chapters and it was so interesting to see how the characters interact in both "universes". I think young women will love this book, and it would make a great movie. And this senior citizen enjoyed the book and will recommend it to friends.

Read-Alikes

Top Picks

  • Book Jacket: Our Evenings
    Our Evenings
    by Alan Hollinghurst
    Alan Hollinghurst's novel Our Evenings is the fictional autobiography of Dave Win, a British ...
  • Book Jacket: Graveyard Shift
    Graveyard Shift
    by M. L. Rio
    Following the success of her debut novel, If We Were Villains, M. L. Rio's latest book is the quasi-...
  • Book Jacket: The Sisters K
    The Sisters K
    by Maureen Sun
    The Kim sisters—Minah, Sarah, and Esther—have just learned their father is dying of ...
  • Book Jacket: Linguaphile
    Linguaphile
    by Julie Sedivy
    From an infant's first attempts to connect with the world around them to the final words shared with...

Members Recommend

  • Book Jacket

    Pony Confidential
    by Christina Lynch

    In this whimsical mystery, a grumpy pony must clear his beloved human's name from a murder accusation.

Who Said...

To win without risk is to triumph without glory

Click Here to find out who said this, as well as discovering other famous literary quotes!

Wordplay

Solve this clue:

F the M

and be entered to win..

Your guide toexceptional          books

BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.