With or Without You by Shari Low first attracted my attention because when I read the blurb it sounded like a similar premise to one of my favourite films: Sliding Doors. I wasn’t sure what to expect though because if it was badly written then it could be terrible. Luckily With or Without You was a very enjoyable read.

In the last few seconds of 1999 Liv and Nate have to decide whether to give up on their marriage and walk away or whether to give it another try. With or Without You explores the outcomes of both these decisions and the impact it has not only on Liv and Nate but also on the lives of their friends and family.

Liv and Nate had been together since they were at University and got married shortly after they graduated. Recently they have come to the conclusion that there is no passion between them anymore, they are more like friends than anything else. She thinks they should split but at the last-minute Nate says he isn’t sure.

“We were entering a new millennium.

But was I going to spend it with Nate…

Or Without him?”

Liv’s decision will impact not only her and Nate but also her friends. Sasha is brash, outgoing and opinionated but has a more vulnerable side that even her friends rarely glimpse. Her boyfriend Justin is the life and soul of the party but sometimes that has begun to wear a bit thin with Sasha.

Chloe is the peacemaker of the group. She is single since declining a marriage proposal from the love of her life, Connor. This is something she has regretted ever since.

Then there is Richard, a handsome ER doctor and a potential rival for Liv’s heart.

Often, I find that character development in romance books is lacking unless it relates to the potential couple but all the characters in With or Without You are important to the story and capture the reader’s attention.

I liked the way With or Without You was split into two sections. The first half dealt with what would happen if she decided to leave Nate and the second half dealt with what would happen if she decided to stay.

“What if her decision had been different?

What if she had stayed? Given it another shot?

Would their marriage have been reignited…

And would her friends’ lives have changed as a result of her decision?

Would they have taken a different turn, missed a cataclysmic event, found a better path in the road?

Or are we all just pawns of some inviable force that has our destiny mapped out for us?”

With or Without You was an unexpected book that made me laugh and cry and I am pleased I chose to read it.

I won't be giving feedback on this title as I downloaded it thinking it was something else-I apologise.

For fans of sliding doors, an amazing look at having the love of your life slip through your fingers. Although I am happily married I found this really thought provoking. One of the best reads of the year.

Brilliant. 2 books in one with the same characters showing how 1 decision .can alter the outcome of your life. Compulsive reading. Loved it.

The Blurb :
When Liv and Nate walked up the aisle, Liv knew she was marrying the one, her soul mate and her best friend.
Six years later, it feels like routine and friendship is all they have left in common. What happened to the fun, the excitement, the lust, the love?
In the closing moments of 1999, Liv and Nate decide to go their separate ways, but at the last minute, Liv wavers. Should she stay or should she go?
Over the next twenty years we follow the parallel stories to discover if Liv's life, heart and future have been better with Nate... Or without him?

My Thoughts :
I loved that this story was told in a Sliding Doors kind of way. The first half concentrates on life for Liv Without Nate and the second half concentates on life With Nate. I am glad this was told in two halfs rather than flicking back and forth throughout the story as that is where it gets confusing.
This story completely gripped me and I just had to keep reading to see how different both lives would have been.
Shari Low, kept this realistic story moving along nicely with incorperating yearly timelines of Weddings, Births, Milestone Birthdays and important events. You really get a sence that your involved in the charactors lives and living it with them. I liked how certain elements from part 1 was entwined with part 2 and Shari has made a conscious effort to mention them.
This is a great story with an array of charactors that will stay in my mind for a long time to come.
And in the departing words of Shari Low - I’m choosing to believe that no matter what path we take, what decisions we make along the way, we still end up exactly where we were meant to be, with the people we’re supposed to be with.

A question we have all asked ourselves, "what if I had chosen a different path when this happened?". A warmly written story with well rounded and interesting characters, who are not perfect, and the relationships are also not perfect, which makes for a far more engrossing tale because you are not sure what will happen. There are a small group of people and the story follows the two different paths of all of their lives based on the one decision made at the start of the book, switching to the other decision half way through. You can agree or disagree with the opinion of the author at the end of the book, regardless, it is an enjoyable read.

Liv and Nate have come to a cross roads in their marriage, the love is lost and after a year of relationship reflection NYE 1999 is the chance for them to make a big decision. Two stories/perspectives in one, the first half of the book reveals their story if they choose to break up, the second half reveals the outcome if they choose to stay together.

I really loved this book! I read it in one sitting and even shed a tear. It's a really great summer read that's fun and not too predictable, a downfall for many rom coms. It also has likeable leads and supporting characters that you invest in. One of my favourite things was the odd reference to a situation/character/scenario in either half of the book which had been tweaked or differed depending on whether or not Liv and Nate decided to stay together or break up.

5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley, Shari Low and Aria for my free copy in exchange for an honest review.

With or Without you is an enjoyable and easy read. This isn’t the first time this concept has been done where a story has explored the what if’s in life but I did feel it was done in a fresh way. The narratives were back to back not parallel in style which I think allows the reader to really commit to the one story/life before moving to the next one.
I always find a story interesting that really explores human nature and emotion and I felt like this story did that while carrying the theory that ultimately things work out how they should either way or – with or without you. Whether you subscribe to this line of belief or not it still makes for an interesting and touching story. There were plenty of moments of deep emotion through pain and joy but also witty humour. There was a continuous theme of loyalty and acceptance throughout and all in all it makes for a sweet and touching read.

We've all had a choice to make that will take our lives on a different path. This book examines both options in an unusual way.

The characters are a little cliched. In as much as you have the glamorous cynical one, the gorgeous one and the main character is overweight and not as perfect as her friends. However, instead of mulling over this and having it hold her back in her relationships, Liv's problems are all circumstantial and can be traced back to that pivotal decision.

This book would be well enjoyed by readers who enjoy a little romance and a light-hearted read. Though it does touch on some uncomfortable topics, such as alcoholism, it doesn't get too dark. Best enjoyed on a holiday with a nice glass of wine.

It's New Years Eve in 1999 and a group of friends, Liv & Nate, Sasha & Justin and Chloe are all celebrating. But Liv and Nate are on the point of making a big decision... to stay together or separate. The story starts on 1st January 2000 and Liv chose to walk away from her marriage and it follows all of their journeys over the next 15 years. It tells of the loves, laughs and heartbreak of each of their lives. The second half of the story reverts back to 1st January 2000 but this time Liv chooses to stay with Nate and again tells of all of their journeys over the next 15years. It shows of how one persons decision can not only change the direction of their life but also of those closest around them without even realising it.
I really enjoyed this book as it only concentrated on celebrations and special events of when the group got together rather and how each of them dealt with everything that was going on in their lives. I agree with Shari Low's comments that no matter what decision you make- you will eventually end up exactly where you are supposed to be and with the person you are meant to be with. Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to review this book.

Intriguing, thought-provoking, and creative!

With or Without You is a moving, parallel-universe tale that takes us into the life of Liv, a young woman whose fate will be decided by the choice she makes one New Years Eve, and by dividing the story into two parts highlights the effects either choice has on her own life and those she loves.

The writing is emotive and fluid. The characters are flawed, supportive, and real. And the multi-layered plot is a heartfelt, absorbing story about life, loss, love, family, friendship, compassion, romance, happiness, and destiny.

Overall, With or Without You is a fascinating, pensive read that reminds us that life is complicated, things happen for a reason, and often the choices we make have far-reaching consequences.

I received a copy of this book in return for my honest independent review.
This was a really enjoyable read and very thought provoking. I am sure most of us at some time have reflected on decisions and choices we have made. What if we had gone down path A rather than path B when given a choice. What would our lifes have been like! This is essentially about the lives of six young couples whose lives have different outcomes whether one of them stays with her husband or leaves himNew Years Eve at the start of the book.
It is a beautiful look at male and female friendships, the effects of everyday decisions on life and their consequences good and bad. All the characters were very real for me.
It is split into two. How the lives of these six friends differ depending on which option was chosen. I loved the first half so much that I found I wasn't invested in part two so much and whilst I understood the concept, I just wanted the first life for them all. What is evident though and this book certainly made me think, perhaps our destinies are already written. Whatever happened to the characters still happened only in different ways and following different time lines.
This was a really well written enjoyable book and the only reason why I didn't rate it 5* is that for me the last section of the book wasn't as interesting.

Fantastic book by Shari Low. The story of friendship at its best and worst. This book made me cry and laugh in equal measure. The first part of the book is written as though Liv and Nate have decided to divorce and the 15 years that follow, while the second half follows Liv and Nate if they hadn’t divorced, a clever book that I really enjoyed.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the Publisher, Aria for this review copy given in exchange for an honest review. Also thank you to Melanie from Aria for organising this blog tour.

Shamefully, this is only my second book by this author. I have no idea why as I absolutely loved the other book I read, One Day in December, and can’t believe I haven’t picked up any other of her books until now. With or Without You is based mainly around the Glasgow area and is a story full of “what if’s”! It focuses around a group of friends, but mainly around Liv and her husband Nate. Back on a fateful New Year’s Eve in 1999, Liv and Nate are trying to decide whether they should stay together. After 6 years of marriage, they feel that the spark has gone and they don’t really love each other. This is the story of what happens when they decide to not be together any more…..and also the story of what happens when they decide to give it another go. Parallel stories with the same characters, but what if the decision you made was wrong…..

I knew as soon as read the blurb on this book that I was going to love it. The only problem being is that it is going to be such a difficult book to review without giving anything away! I’ll try my best though! The book, of course, smacks you in the face with its similarities to the film Sliding Doors. Fortunately, I also love that film as well which is a good job really! The story centres on a group of 3 best friends and their partners, husbands and significant others! Liv is married to Nate. She is a nurse working on a palliative care ward. They have been married for 6 years but the romance has gone and what was a fun, flirty, loving relationship has now become just friends. Chloe is also a nurse working on an A&E ward. She let the love of her life, Connor, slip through her fingers and is now footloose and fancy free. Sasha is the final friend, a teacher, who is in a relationship with Jason who likes to drink too much. Throw in the dashing neurosurgeon, Richard and you have the group of friends which this book revolves around.

The first half of the book is based on the “what if” Liv left Nate back at the New Year’s Party in 1999. Each chapter is told at the time of a major event in one of the friend’s lives over the next 20 years. The second half of the book is obviously based on the other “what if” – what if Liv didn’t leave Nate that night, what if she stayed with him and made a go of it. Again, each chapter is told at the time of a major event in their lives, but how different will the stories be from the two different “what ifs”. Of course, I’m not going to tell you how either of them end up, or what happens over the course of the next 20 years as that just wouldn’t be right!!

What I will say is that I found this book absolutely perfect. There is nothing which I didn’t like about it. I have sat and laughed and cried over this book. I’ve gone from feelings of hope and happiness to sadness and despair. The characters all felt so true to life and you felt that you yourself were part of their group, experiencing all their feelings with them. I’ve loved each and every one of them as I’ve travelled these two different paths and was genuinely sad and disappointed when I finished this book.

For me, I preferred the first story – The One Where She Leaves! But which one would I have preferred if the stories were swapped round – would The One Where She Stays have been the story I felt more connection with….who knows! The endings were just right though, both of them! Just as they should have been! I also loved the little added extra from the author at the end and this was probably the most thought provoking bit of the book.

An absolutely wonderful book which goes up there on the list of ‘My Favourite Books of the Year’. I will certainly be recommending this book to everyone who will listen to me! Stunning!

Interesting concept but a bit disjointed! Liv is at a crossroads in her life. Her marriage has become stale and on New Year's Eve she faces the decision whether to give her husband another chance or whether to move on and get a divorce. The book explores both branches of fate and the impact Liv's decisions have on the lives surrounding her. Some existential crisis are explored - what do we need to be happy? Should we expect relationships to always have passion? Is a comfortable, safe, loving marriage enough? What affect does our free choice have on our fate?

On the positive side, I felt like I got to know the characters (Liv and her crowd of friends and family) and felt their special bond with each other. The story lines were interesting and unpredictable. And there were some insightful messages.

However, it was too disjoiinted for me. Each chapter could be months or years apart. I found this disorientating and I kept having to flip back to remember what year we were in and how old the characters were and when had they met. I felt it was too ambitious to bridge the time in this way. It also felt like two separate books. When I got half way and the first story ended, I found it hard to pick the book up again. It felt like groundhog day. Kudos to the writer that I did get sucked back into the story, and it was materially different from the first part.

Thanks to Net Galley and Aria for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.
This is a girlie chick flick, light read. Liv is telling the story of her and her husband Nate, in the first half of the story she follows her heart and instinct, leaves Nate and tells us what happens, not just for her and Nate but for her close knit group of friends.
Then there is the other story, what if she stayed with dependable, reliable Nate, what happens then for Liv, Nate and the others?
Simply a story of ‘what if’. An enjoyable read 3.5 stars

Brilliantly written from two points of view, how will they differ and which way is best? Very entertaining and a good read for the summer.

This book is like sliding doors and explores the 'what if?' scenario. I enjoyed reading this book and it made me think of an alternate life. It's thought provoking and moving. Would recommend. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me review this book.

I do look forward to Shari Low's books, I've been reading them for years! This was quite different. A group of friends that we really got to know, and two parallel stories. It was interesting that the stories were presented as two distinct stories, one after the other rather than alongside. I liked the concept and it actually made me think what differences some of my decisions might have made. Interesting to see the dynamics of the relationships in both stories, and some great moments, especially how the girls got on with each other. . A good reflection of life, and some funny bits, like when Chloe uses "facepage" and they talk about "that internet" as we move into the 21st century. A great read.

A sliding doors kind of book, but the story is interesting enough that you don't know how the alternate life is going to be. A good read, and original enough not to be a rehash of the film.