Rea Frey’s In Every Life is a poignant and thought-provoking novel that explores love, loss, and the unrelenting pull of the “what-ifs” that haunt us all. Narrated with emotional depth by Jennifer Jill Araya, the story follows Harper as she navigates the complexities of her husband’s final wish: for her to find love again before he dies. What follows is a journey through parallel universes, old loves, and life-altering decisions that will have readers reflecting on their own lives and choices.

At the heart of the novel is Harper, a woman whose life didn’t go as planned. After a failed art career in New York and a lost love with Liam Hale, she has settled into a quieter, simpler life as an art teacher in Chattanooga. Harper’s relationship with her husband, Ben, is the emotional anchor of the story. Their love is deep and real, but it’s threatened by the devastating news of Ben’s late-stage cancer diagnosis. The shift in Harper’s world as she watches the man she loves face death is portrayed with tenderness and authenticity. Frey writes with a sensitivity that captures the unbearable weight of grief while also infusing moments of hope and beauty into the narrative.

The emotional twist comes when Ben, in a moment of heartbreaking selflessness, expresses his dying wish: for Harper to find a new partner before he’s gone. This sets up the novel’s central conflict, as Harper struggles with the idea of letting go, moving on, and honoring Ben’s final request. Enter Liam Hale, the man she loved before Ben—a New York journalist whose reappearance in Harper’s life shakes everything loose, bringing back memories and unanswered questions about the life she could have had.

Frey taps into the universal human experience of wondering how different choices could have changed everything. Through a touch of magical realism, Harper’s what-ifs become more than just abstract thoughts. After making a wish, she wakes up in an alternate reality where her life with Liam and her dreams of being an artist have come true. It’s a fascinating shift that allows Frey to explore the concept of parallel lives, and the contrast between Harper’s two possible futures drives much of the emotional weight of the story.

Harper’s journey between these two worlds—her life with Ben and the life she could have had with Liam—forces her to confront the age-old question: Is the grass really greener on the other side? The novel masterfully explores whether our alternate dreams would have made us happier, or whether they come with their own set of sacrifices and challenges. Frey doesn’t shy away from the messy realities of both paths, showing that no life is perfect, and happiness isn’t guaranteed by the pursuit of different dreams.

Jennifer Jill Araya’s narration brings this emotional complexity to life, capturing Harper’s vulnerability, grief, and confusion as she navigates the surreal situation. Araya’s performance lends authenticity to the characters and their emotional arcs, particularly as Harper wrestles with the overwhelming feelings of love, loss, and the possibility of a second chance with Liam.

The themes of In Every Life are powerful: the inevitability of death, the pain of unfulfilled dreams, and the idea that no matter which path we take, there are trade-offs and losses. Frey’s writing is lyrical and moving, pulling readers into Harper’s internal struggle as she contemplates whether to stay in her current life or embrace the alternate reality. The novel doesn’t just offer escapism—it invites readers to think deeply about their own lives, relationships, and the paths they’ve taken.

Final Thoughts:
In Every Life is a heart-wrenching and beautifully crafted exploration of love, grief, and the choices that define our lives. Rea Frey skillfully weaves together elements of romance, magical realism, and emotional depth, creating a story that will resonate with anyone who’s ever wondered "what if?" The novel’s blend of tender moments and difficult questions, coupled with a stellar narration by Jennifer Jill Araya, makes it a compelling read for fans of character-driven stories about love and second chances. This book will stay with you long after the final page.

In Every Life by Rea Frey
What a moving story! Get your tissues and prepare for a waterfall of tears! This is such a beautiful story of love and dreams.
My favorite quote,” …there’s never a perfect time to follow your dreams.”
In Chattanooga, TN, you find Harper and Ben living a comfortable life. She is a teacher and he is a musician. Early on, they find themselves faced with a diagnosis that will forever change their lives.
A decade ago, Harper found love and a possible art career in NewYork, but she ran. Now, holding on to every shred of hope, she thinks about her past when she is presented with Ben’s last wish. He wants her to find new love before he passes.
This book will have your heart soaring and breaking in the same chapter, but it is a very beautifully written love story.

I listened to the audiobook. It had excellent narration, the characters were well distinguished and the voice was clear and pleasant. The voice of the characters enhanced the experience of the book. Excellent job!

Overall the book was excellent and left you wanting more. 4/5⭐️s.

A very complicated love triangle, deadly cancer and time travel make up this romantic fiction by Rea Frey. There is a lot going on in this and at first I thought it was straightforward and I was a little bored. But soon it took an unexpected turn that made it much more interesting. The story is clever, albeit not the most original, as many other authors have also used this storyline. Still, a solid, thought-provoking listen that will make readers appreciate each new day. The narrator did an excellent job of successfully portraying multiple characters. I will recommend this to library patrons. For fans of Elizabeth Berg and Katherine Center.

Aspiring artist turned teacher Harper is a happy newlywed when her husband Ben gets diagnosed wtih late stage pancreatic cancer. Essentially a death sentence, the couple stick together through the last months of Ben's life only for Ben to make a last request that Harper try to find someone new to love before he dies.

Not interested at all in appeasing this wish, Harper brushes it off, only to have Ben reach out to a New York Times' reporter to write a story about them and when the reporter turns up he happens to be Liam - the one man who got away - Harper's one week love affair from ten years ago that she's always wondered about.

In another emotionally charged sliding door style women's fiction book, In every life delivers on all the feels and will have you rooting for Harper to achieve all her dreams. Highly recommended for fans of authors like Kristan Higgins and great on audio narrated by Jennifer Jill Araya. This was a huge hit for me! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

What might've been examined in a raw and unflinching manner with a big, open-hearted dose of magical realism. The characters are well-rounded and pull you into their lives and stick with you long after you close the book. An impossible love story that twists and tangles you until you want everything for the characters and more. You should read it.

I discovered Rea Frey’s books not so long ago and she’s now an author I look forward to read. Her stories are always unique and thought-provoking. This book took my breath away. And now I have a new favorite book from her, I loved every page.

Thank you Suzy Approved Book Tours for this tour invite.

𝗜𝗻 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲 by Rea Frey released August 6, 2024.

Engaging and immersive. This is a recommended purchase for collections where romantic fiction is popular.

Be carefull what you wish for, is a saying we all grew up with. What if we had the chance to change anything we wanted but finding out that everything we wanted not always is what we had expected it to be? And we start regretting what we lost? Only to change it again and losing something once more.

This was my second Rea Frey novel and these are the perfect summer reads! For anyone who really loves those ‘what if’ moments.

In Every Life takes a poignant look at death and what happens to the living who wait for it. Harper and Ben are a relatively new couple, only together for a couple of years and married for a day when Ben collapses on their honeymoon. A terminal cancer diagnosis follows and the story takes off from there. Ben is close to the end when Liam comes into the picture. A reporter from the NYT, Liam wants to do a feature story on Ben. Thanks to a mid-book plot twist of pretty large proportions, the plot freshens up just when Ben's story starts to slow down.

I enjoyed this well-voiced, entertaining story. It included an unexpected twist, adding an element of magical realism that actually worked (I don't always like magical realism). The characters were likeable, and the author made a fairly unbelievable premise work well. It was nice to read something a little bit different.

I am a sucker for books with a touch of magical realism and was excited to read In Every Life by Rea Frey. Harper is married to Ben but has unresolved feelings towards Leo . . . the one who “could have been.” After Ben is diagnosed with terminal cancer, Harper is given the chance to see what life would have looked like if things never ended with Leo.

The book kept my interest, but I never felt that it reached the depths that it could have with the storyline. The author kept it safe and by the end, I was hoping that she would shake things up. Let’s just say that the ending was a bit blah and predictable.

I listened to the audiobook and I felt the narration was fantastic. The narrator did a great job of giving a unique voice to each of the characters.

I was intrigued by the concept of this book with a tragic love story and an impulsive decision to find love for a partner before their own death. The beginning followed that storyline and then slowly, it turned into a time travel/alternate timeline concept that lessened my liking of the book. I extremely disliked the concept of a miraculous cure for cancer because it fed into the MC’s hope for a future with her husband. I also disliked how the book began to toe the line of emotional and physical cheating (especially when it came to the alternate timelines). Unfortunately, this book was not for me.

This is a MUST READ contemporary romance staring grief and dimension travel. If you enjoyed The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston and The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros, you will LOVE this book!!! This book will have you crying and giggling from the start.

In this story, Ben falls ill on Harper and Ben’s honeymoon. Turns out it is stage four pancreatic cancer, and it’s terminal. In comes, Liam—the one who got away—to write an article starring Ben’s life at the same time that Ben decides that he wants Harper to find love again and to start painting again. All Harper wants is for Ben to live, but she cannot help but wonder what her life would be like if she did not give up her dream to be an artist. Harper goes to her friend Wren for help, and Wren sends Harper off to do a full moon manifestation ritual. Except it does more than manifest, she wakes up in a parallel universe in a completely different life where she chased her dreams, lives with Liam, and has never met Ben.

I absolutely loved this book from the start. The narrator was fabulous and made you feel a part of the book. I think it's a must read.
It was also a book that during and after have had me thinking about the what if's of life and how the book ended. Sigh!
The book follows Harper who's husband is sick and how their life is unfolding immediately after getting married. There are then circumstanced that happen where Harper gets to see a parallel life if she hadn't married him and how that would all play out. Both good lives but very different. This book was very emotional, sweet, touching and easily flowed along through the different lives. It will for sure have you thinking about the choices you made and wondering what would have happened if you'd taken a different path.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC of this great book.

As a middle aged mom of four who has been divorced and remarried I guess I am just too jaded for this one. If my husband asked me to fall in love as he was dying I would be so annoyed and weirded out because I have done my labor that comes from being a wife and mom and I am not doing that again.
But Harper is young and only really has her husband, for whatever, reason. Liam must be hot.
The narration was perfect!
I liked Ben's line about the baby.

Rea Frey is one of my favorite women’s fiction authors. Not only does she write memorable characters, but she has also become the queen of parallel timelines and what-ifs.

Once again, she pulled at my heart and made me struggle with the choices Harper, the main character, had to make. I wanted to race to the end to get to the conclusion, but I didn’t want to say goodbye to these characters.

Harper and Ben were only just married when Ben received the devastating diagnosis of terminal cancer. Ben lovingly wants Harper to find someone before he’s gone. Harper is not on board with that but is shocked when Liam, the man she loved years ago, walks into their life.

A wish during a full moon allows Harper to go back and see what life might have been like if she had made different choices ten years ago. What if she hadn’t walked away from Liam, from being an artist, and what if Ben could be healthy?

While this was heartbreaking at times, it was also romantic and deeply moving. It explores love from such a unique angle and what we would do for someone we love.

Thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours and @reafreyauthor for a spot on tour and a gifted book.
Thank you @harpercollinsfocus for the gifted audiobook.

Wow! Have your tissues ready. Harper and Ben's love story is beautiful and heartbreaking. What is vs what could have been.

I love that Ben's wish to see Harper find someone new to love came true. I'm not into the magical stuff, so I'm pretending that part was an elaborate dream. I listened to this in one day as I could not stop.

This was an interesting concept for a book, and I was really intrigued by it!

This is by no means a light, fun book. I definitely teared up through the first bit of the book, but it was also a little awkward once Liam came into the picture. I’m sure this is an awkward thing to live through, but I was almost having second-hand embarrassment for the characters? Again, I can’t imagine living this scenario and what those emotions would feel like, but it was also hard to read for me which had me considering a DNF. Granted, books on hard subjects or that stretch your perspective are supposed to be like that. Just be aware that it’s heavy and conflicted and awkward and messy, and if you’re not emotionally up for that, maybe give it a pass.

I’m glad that I finished it, and *possible spoiler* it ended up giving me lots of the last season of How I Met Your Mother vibes. It was one of my favorite shows, and I was originally conflicted on the ending but came to really appreciate it for what it gave to the story which is how I ended up feeling about this book.

Thank you to Netgalley + the author for the audio ARC!

In Every Life
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A super beautiful written book. You will fall in love with the characters. It is a emotional lovely touching story that you will want to cherish. Enjoy the surprises along the way in the story.
Thank you NetGalley!

I really enjoyed this book. Although supernatural isn’t really my thing, it was presented in a really enjoyable fashion. I can envision this being a Hallmark movie. For those of us who wonder “what if”, this book allows the FMC to explore what would happen if she had chosen differently. As with anything, you’ll get the good with the bad. See how/what she chooses and how this changes the course of her life. Highly recommend!