The Life She Wanted by Anita Abriel is a novel full of surprises. The main character, Pandora is a strong and independent female lead who doesn’t let society’s restrictions limit her. It’s one of those books that takes you in the story and you feel part of it, making it so difficult to put it down. A warning, I was looking for a little bit of free time at work to keep reading and also I missed my train stop once because I was so deeply involved in the story. In my opinion, Pandora’s story also teaches us to be resilient, and never give up on what gives us joy. Thank you, NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the advance reading copy.

I felt like this was a good book. I like how the main character, Pandora, never gave up on her dreams. She had ups and downs but she kept her focus on her goal of owning a boutique. I would definitely recommend this book to someone else

Watch out for the main character, a strong female lead who’s surely going to blow your mind.

And yes, be ready to get surprised when once you start reading the book you would not be able to stop.

There I warned you!

I love the female characters so much, the way they’re written, how independent and strong they actually are despite the struggles they were going through.

But you will know how heartwarming it is when a woman supports another woman through thick and thin.

Focus on the main character, Pandora. And another male character, Archie. I would say do not expect much on the romance but rather on the characters and their purpose.

I like how different this book is. I thought it would be another romance read. But I am totally surprised with how much the writing is focused solely on the characters, staying true to the title.


I love Pandora. I wish there were more involvement of the side characters. I wish I know Archie more.

Thank you, Montlake, for the advance reading copy.