Tropes:
Slow burn



We follow the present and historical events between Arden and Evelyn. It switches back and forth and we get glimpse and moments of them throughout each lifetime. A part of me wishes to get more scenes or development but you go into the book knowing they are soulmates.


I wished I could rate it higher but I was bored 75% of the time and had to force myself to finish. The ending was rushed and it felt jumbled together

4.25 stars!! This beautifully written story had everything: a journey through the literal ages of time, a pair that is both enemies AND lovers, evocative poems, nuanced words from other languages that don’t fully translate, and an overwhelming overflowing outpouring of love of life!

This book truly is the perfect mashup of Addie LaRue and This is How You Lose the Time War, and the fact this came out of Laura’s head from a Taylor Swift lyric let’s you know just how gorgeous the writing is going to be!!

I absolutely ADORED the journey of Evelyn and Arden across the ages, with a baseline story of present day and then just glimpses into the past lives that brought them together only to be continuously broken apart. I’m a huge geography, cultural history, and general history nerd so these aspects of the stories were so incredible- I felt like I was traveling to all these places with our eternal beings!!! And Evelyn and Arden, whew!!! They made me laugh, cry, shout at them for being so silly, and reflect on my own life. I’m absolutely going to be looking out for those small joys!

Thanks so much to Laura Steven and NetGalley for a chance to read this in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the e-ARC of Laura Stevens upcoming novel “Our Infinite Fates”.
I have to give this book 5 stars! I honestly didn’t know what to expect going into it, but loved Arden and Evelyn’s story. It felt like a perfect mix of romance and fantasy with a dash of historical fiction. As someone who enjoys studying history, I thought the various lives of Evelyn and Arden all over the world in different time periods and during historical events added a unique element. Personally I loved the story of them in present day Wales and the way it changed the trajectory of their “curse”.
Throughout much of the book I couldn’t help but think how much the story linked with Taylor Swifts song “Invisible String” in a twisted fates type of way.
I highly recommend this book, especially for more YA readers.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 stars

I am really sad I didn't love this one like I thought I would. Two soulmates forced to kill each-other in every life time, sounds tragically romantic and up my alley.

I think this would have benefited from giving more information at the beginning of the book instead of the very end. It would have given the characters more depth and helped me feel and believe the love they have for each other. Possibly help it feel more tragic as well.

The poetry in it was very beautiful and I did really enjoy those parts of the book.

I absolutely adored this book and I can’t wait to recommend it to others and discuss it! It was addicting from the first page. The back and forth between the past and present was perfectly set up and the writing was beautiful. This was extremely compelling and I can’t wait to read more of these author’s books!

3.75 ⭐️ Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. The beginning and end of this book were gripping, but the middle left something to be desired for me. I was interested in the present day timeline, but the constant time jumping to past reincarnated lives that didn’t seem to add much to the story became arduous. There were tie ins at the end, but I’m not sure the pay off made up for how slow the middle was. I do think it was beautifully written, and I really enjoyed the way it wrapped everything up. I would still recommend to others but it wasn’t a home run for me.

I first heard about this book on TikTok in videos made by the author and was beyond intrigued. What a fascinating story and plot with plenty of twists and turns. There was so much great background provided by the author and alternating fates and timelines as well. It’s more than just a story it a whole journey. Evelyn and Arden, what a story and relationship they have. Overall just wow. Many thanks for the absolute privilege for getting to read this. I am planning to purchase a copy on release day.

For once, a comparison to The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is correct, and I don't take that lightly because Addie is one of my favorite books. The premise of this book was so interesting, and I was hooked immediately. The writing was also so lyrical and captivating, which I really loved. I thought the diversity of Evelyn and Arden in each lifetime was so well done, and the inclusion of the LGBTQ+ aspects was woven in beautifully. I liked the alternating timelines and the different settings for each chapter. I felt like I was with the two characters during each one. I also didn't expect the plot twist. This book was quick-paced, engaging, and heartbreaking. I couldn't stop reading. I would definitely check out more of Laura Steven's books because this was a winner! Thank you to Wednesday Books for the ARC to read and review!

Wow, this was really unique! I would definitely classify it as a YA fantasy, and I tried to go in without too much info beforehand. I saw a video of the author talking about how she came up with the idea for the story 7 years ago, and when she finally wrote it, it changed her life, was her first hardcover, etc.... Her enthusiasm and gratitude was infectious, and I picked up the ARC of it that night. To boil it down to the simplest of ideas, this story takes place in many different timelines and lifetimes, following two souls who are bound together through their love for one another, and their continuous murder of one another before their 18th birthdays. The story of Evelyn and Arden explores love and death, yes, but also reincarnation, heroes and villains, loss, grief, our capacity for pain, and the complexity of being human throughout centuries.....all without the constructs of gender, sexuality, or even particular historical time periods. To say too much more would be to spoil the ride of this lovely novel! Thank you to St Martins, Net Galley, and the author for this ARC!

I'm not kidding when I say this was one of the best books I have ever read in my life.

I love books that are not only entertaining but make you feel deeply about the human experience. This was all that and more. It was so beautifully written, poetic without being too flowery.

There are so many things to unpack from this story. The exploration of the connections between grief, love, and fate were explored beautifully.

Another piece of the story I loved was the portrayal of love and gender. In every lifetime Evelyn and Arden reincarnated into different genders which created a unique lens for their love story. The connection of their souls took precedence and I loved seeing that played out.

I'll be thinking about this book for a long time and I would highly recommend it!!! Perfect for fans of The Invisible Life of Addie Larue.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and the author for allowing me to read and review early through Netgalley!!

oh. my. god. our infinite fates wrecked me in the best possible way. this book has everything—breathtaking prose, high-stakes tension, a romance that aches, and a fate that refuses to be rewritten. i devoured it in one sitting and have not known peace since.

evelyn remembers her past lives, every single one—and every time, it ends the same way: arden kills her before she turns eighteen. but this time? she’s not just fighting for herself. she’s fighting for her sister, for control, even the slightest chance to break the cycle.

the slow-burn romance? exquisite. the writing? devastatingly beautiful. the emotions? my heart has been ripped out and stomped on.

if you love stories that make you question destiny, crave morally gray love interests, and leave you staring at the ceiling at 4 a.m., our infinite fates is your next obsession.

The concept of interwoven souls across multiple lifetimes SPEAKS TO ME and I ate up the beginning of this story. I do wish there was more explanation of the why behind what was happening. While I genuinely believe you can't age out of any type of book, I do feel like I've hit a stage where these books just aren't speaking to me in the same way they used to, and that's okay! I'll wholeheartedly be recommending this, as I think between the story and the tropes throughout, it's going to be a HIT, especially with the booktok girlies.

If you’re craving a book that drips with gorgeous prose and a tangible ache of longing, Our Infinite Fates by Lauren Steven should be at the top of your list. Steven’s writing is nothing short of luscious, weaving each sentence with a delicate, almost ethereal touch that feels like poetry in motion.

At its core, Our Infinite Fates explores the beauty of impermanence—the fragile balance of knowing your fate and the desperate need to carve out even a sliver of control. The characters’ yearning is palpable, their emotions raw and beautifully flawed, making every moment feel fleeting yet infinitely significant.

Highly recommended for fans of lyrical, atmospheric reads that challenge the boundaries of fate and free will. Our Infinite Fates by Lauren Steven is a master class for those who try and fail to walk the delicate line between lyrical prose and purple prose. Steven’s writing is a study in restraint, capturing the beauty of language without ever tipping into excess. Every sentence is a brushstroke, each chapter a canvas where longing, impermanence, and the fragile dance of fate come to life.

What sets this book apart is its ability to immerse you in its world without drowning you in it. The prose is luscious, yes, but also precise—never overshadowing the story but instead elevating it. It’s impossible not to adore the way Steven balances the ache of yearning with the need for control, exploring what it means to grasp at fleeting moments even when the future feels etched in stone.

This novel is perfect for readers who love to get lost in the rhythm of a story, where every word is chosen with intention and every emotion resonates with depth. If you’ve ever wanted to see how lyrical storytelling can enhance, not hinder, a narrative, Our Infinite Fates is an absolute must-read.

If you can’t tell, I loved it…

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for allowing me to read this advanced copy!

Thank you to Laura Steven, St. Martin's Press, and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm such a sucker for a good reincarnation story. I've grown up on a lot of Asian-based fictional media and know that the concept is capable of drawing out a variety of emotions. While Our Infinite Fates leans more into the standard angst associated with reincarnation stories, there were enough unique aspects that made it stand out for me.

The story follows two souls, Evelyn and Arden, and their seemingly endless cycle of living different lives approximately every two decades. They are cursed to die on or before their 18th birthdays, regardless of their current relationship in the timeline. In the present day, the two are living in Wales, where Evelyn, reincarnated as an ordinary girl named Branwen, is desperate to stay alive long enough to undergo a surgery to donate her bone marrow to her sickly younger sister.

I absolutely fell in love with how gender identity was approached. In most reincarnation stories, the two souls adhere to being a singular gender throughout all their lifetimes, so it was nice to see the rare instance where the two souls can be both male or female. That way, despite the current lifetime placing Evelyn as a female and Arden as a male, there were still chapters dedicated to their past lives where they were gender-swapped or even two males/two females.

The first 80% is a slow journey to unraveling the mystery behind the root of the inevitable killings. However, the last 20% presents an unexpected answer to the question and ups the angst to a new level. I did wish that the last 20% was more expanded upon and there were a couple more chapters dedicated to the final conflict.

Nonetheless, I still enjoyed the book and can honestly recommend this book for adolescents/teenagers who can handle some slightly mature themes.

I’m not the target audience for this book. I enjoyed the audio narration but there was too much language and additionally I was not expecting the amount of themes regarding lgbtq agenda. I don’t mind reading that content as a side plot or single instance, but when the book is focused around it I am not the target audience. Those themes were not included in the blurb at all and it was misleading, especially when books with lgbtq rep are highly marketed right now. I loved the writing style, the author is talented with words and I liked the idea of the premise as well. I did not finish reading this book, I stopped at a little over 50%.

"You are my family. My homeland. My soulmate."

I finished Our Infinite Fates last night and I need a moment (or a lifetime) to recover. This book is Addie LaRue meets This Is How You Lose the Time War meets Januaries, and it hurts... no, it ACHES in the best way possible.

We follow Evelyn, who remembers all her past lives—and how they all end the same way: with Arden killing her before she turns eighteen. Imagine knowing your death is inevitable, over and over again, but still fighting to change your fate. Because this time? Evelyn isn’t just fighting for herself—she has a younger sister to protect.

The writing? Breathtaking. The emotions? Heart-shattering. The romance? A slow-burn, tangled web of destiny and destruction that had me in a chokehold. Arden is the kind of morally gray character who makes you question everything, and Evelyn’s resilience is just so powerful. When I got the arc, I read one chapter and than stopped(because I got side tracked with real life stuff) but when I started reading it again last night, I was flying through it. Looked up and it was already 4 am, stared at the ceiling for some time and than I went to sleep(only to wake up get all the graphics ready for this post, lol) I haven't been able to stop thinking about Our Infinite Fates since when I finished reading it, totally worth pulling an all nighter.

Laura Steven absolutely delivers with this story. It’s haunting, poetic, and impossible to put down. With diverse character, themes, histories and cultures all weaved together through a beautiful BEAUTIFUL writing style. If you love books that feel like a punch to the heart, all while making you believe in the magic of love and fate, this one’s for you.

4.5 ⭐

2.75
Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday’s for the arc!
Unfortunately, this one did not live up to the hype unfortunately. Our Infinite Fates compares itself alongside The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and This Is How You Lose the Time War, yet fails rather spectacularly to be on the level of those books. On the surface level I can really get behind this book, and the story was intriguing enough for me to finish it, but
captures very little depth in its prose. You’re told over and over about their love, but even the main character doesn’t know why her and Arden are in love with each other besides “its always been this way.”
The ending, much like the rest of the novel, was lackluster and i did not think Arden was really justified in this millennium long miscommunication trope. It’s not a bad book, but it doesn’t quite meet to the expectations it sets for itself.

I enjoyed the first half of Our Infinite Fates in particular - I liked the flashback chapters meeting Evelyn and Arden in their past lives. You can tell the author put a lot of care into these character’s cultures throughout history and all over the world. I also found the writing style to be both lyrical and engaging in a way I really enjoyed!
That being said, I unfortunately found the plot to have gone totally off the rails in the latter half of this book. I was not expecting the direction this story went in and I’m not sure how I feel about it. The final scenes seemed very rushed and were missing the emotional impact felt in the beginning of the book. I think if the ending was more fleshed out I would’ve loved this, but still an enjoyable read nonetheless.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC!

“We were everything, we were everyone. We were love and want, pure and raw and perfect. How could the soul fated to kill me be the one to make me feel so alive?”

A beautifully tragic tale that echoes with the ache of forbidden love. In this heart-wrenching journey, two souls are bound by a love so fierce it transcends time, reincarnating through each life only to be cursed to kill each other before they reach eighteen. It’s a love that’s both celestial and cursed, a fire that burns brightly yet can never fully ignite. The passion and connection between these characters is unparalleled, but the beauty of their bond is forever marred by the tragedy of their fate. It’s a love story that leaves you breathless, knowing it will never truly come to fruition, but instead, will always be torn apart by the cruel hands of time. An unforgettable narrative of love that is both eternal and doomed, leaving an indelible mark on your heart. In the end, as with all things, everything comes to an end eventually, questions find their answers, and plot twists turn everything you thought you knew upside down

there was so much potential to create a book that contains everything you could want and more, but in the end you had nothing you wanted and just needed more to leave you fulfilled. the characters were flat and one-dimensional. for being hundreds of years old, they acted like 10 year olds, constantly. as the mystery behind why they continue to meet each other and are destined to end the other's life unfolds, instead of making it graceful, you trip and fall into the conclusion and are told "yup this is it." the writing felt disjointed and the repetitiveness (yes i understand it's meant to be repetitive but at least make it a little more diverse) got boring after the FOURTH EXACT SAME EXPERIENCE AND INTERACTION EVERY SINGLE TIME.