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!

I was initially drawn to this book on NetGalley because of the beautiful cover, and then the second I began reading and listening, I became hooked on the premise. Immediately after Harper and Ben are married, he gets diagnosed with cancer that quickly progresses to stage four within a year. Harper learns from Ben that he wants her to meet someone to be with before he passes away, and he wants to help her find that person. Oh, and he's having a journalist do a profile story on Ben and Harper and their life together. Things become even more complicated when the journalist is Leo, the man Harper spent one perfect week in New York with forever ago.

I really enjoyed how the book portrayed the complexities of caring for someone with cancer and how it emphasized the idea that there isn't only one person for everyone. I did feel more chemistry in Harper's relationship with Leo than I did in her marriage with Ben. I also thought the book was going in a very different direction than it ended up in, but I did enjoy the journey. I dual-read and listened on Kindle and audiobook. The narrator, Jennifer Jill Araya, did a great job!

The book felt like it was moving very slowly for the first half, but then the last 40% just flew by, although that also could have been just because of how quickly I was reading. The miscommunications were a lot throughout the book, and I'm not sure why Harper felt like she had to keep her past relationship with Leo a secret from Ben. I've seen other critiques on the book regarding the inconsistencies with Ben's diagnosis, which is fair, but cancer is also so fickle and can show up differently for different people.

Read if you liked One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Read or The Good Part by Sophie Cousens.

Luckily for everyone I am less bitter now when a book makes me cry. OK this one made me sob and I knew it would from that very first chapter.

The author’s novels always have a little what if thrown into a tough situation. This one has a newly wed couple facing a cancer diagnosis and the dying spouse wanting the survivor to find a new other half. Before he’s gone.

I understand the concept but can’t fathom how it would work in real life other than a current affair stepping in but I didn’t think no way as I read this one.

Not really a love story but a my life story with what got Harper to her present along with a little what if. It’s a perfect bookclub book because everyone makes decisions worthy of discussion. Her story includes the only two men she has ever loved. Really tough choices. And an ending I could get behind.

Never thought I’d enjoy a touch of magical realism in a book with such a heavy topic but it worked. And I was a little surprised that what seemed like it would be about the diagnosis was really a study in Harper finding her true self.

Jennifer Jill Araya narrates the audiobook and does a great job with the somber tone of the story. She kept me engaged while telling Harper and Ben’s trials and tribulations. And she made the move to a little magical realism seamless with the present story.

But as I’ve already mentioned, make sure and have a box of tissues ready cuz even though I knew where this was headed, I still sobbed through part of it.

The concept of the book was interesting, romance with a touch of magic, being in love in parallel universes, while facing a fatal diagnosis. What would happen if the one that got away comes back?
Rea’s writing is so deep and emotional and gut wrenching and I feel tired afterward, it’s that profound. The love Harper feels is so big and overwhelming that I don’t know if it’s real or believable. Also, her whole life was around her husband, and the few pieces that weren’t (her work), seemed not enough or not worthy, she was willing to exchange everything for him. When asked “What do you really want?”, she could only think about him. She stopped being an individual, I mean, it happens. After this book, I’d like to think more about myself.
I liked the Magical realism, because life should have some magic in it.

Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for an advanced audio copy of In Every Life, in exchange for an honest review.

Rea Frey's latest novel, 'In Every Life,' is a tour de force of emotional storytelling that will leave capture you from beginning to end. The story follows Ben and Harper, a newly married couple whose world is shattered when Harper receives a devastating cancer diagnosis.

Facing the prospect of leaving Harper alone and heartbroken, Ben makes a selfless decision: to find her a new love while he is still alive. This sets the stage for a poignant and ultimately heartbreaking journey that explores the depths of love, loss, and the human spirit.

Frey's writing is deeply empathetic, perfectly capturing the complexities of Ben and Harper's emotions. She's an expert creating a world where the boundaries between reality and possibility blur.

As a reader/listener, I found myself deeply invested in Ben and Harper's love story. Frey's ability to evoke a range of emotions, from joy to despair, is truly remarkable. The book is not without its heavy moments, but it is ultimately a celebration of life and the enduring power of love.

The audiobook, narrated by Jennifer Jill Araya, is an exceptional complement to the written word. Araya's voice perfectly captures the emotional nuances of the story, amplifying the impact of Frey's words. I highly recommend the audiobook. The narrator truly brought the characters to live.

'In Every Life' is a must-read for anyone seeking a deeply moving and thought-provoking book. It is a testament to the human spirit and the transformative power of love, even in the face of adversity. This book will undoubtedly stay with you long after they finish the last page.
This was a 4.75 Star read for me!

I chose In Every Life because I love magical realism within Romance, but got nervous when the book started to imply that it was going to break my heart. Life is hard enough and I want to escape into book, not have my heart broken. However, I am SO GLAD I did not give up on this book!

It is absolutely stunning!! Yes, I did cry for probably an hour straight at the end, but I would do it again. In Every Life is just the most touching, poetic, emotionally intelligent story I have read in a long time. I fell in love with all of the characters and was rooting for everyone. Even with all of the heartbreak, I walked away from this story feeling more hopefully than I have in a long time. The topic of art was a beautiful thread and actually encouraged me to start being more creative and open-hearted in my own life. This is one of those books that changes you a little. I absolutely loved it and will recommend it to all of my friends.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The main character had a lot going on. I believe she is meant to be with Liam even though she’s with Ben. The ritual I think helped her at the end to make that last decision of ending up where she did. I wouldn’t mind reading a part 2 if written .

This is exactly the type of magical realism I had been searching for.
Harper is newly married to Ben, however life throws her the biggest curveball when her husband is diagnosed with cancer. Now nearing the end she longs for a life that could never be. Enter Liam, a journalist doing a story about Ben, except Liam is no stranger, Harper and Liam have a secret history one clouded also in a life that could have been.
When an opportunity presents itself for a magic ritual that could give her the alternative life she craves, Harper finds herself in an alternative reality that is not what she imagined. Will Harper be happy in this new reality or will she long to go back to her old life where things were falling apart dramatically? Can Ben really recover or is his fate sealed and what about Liam, the spanner in the works, is he her happy ever after or a reminder of a path not taken.
An emotional read about the start reality of path taken and not taken, about life cut too short. This is a romance but not as you would expect it. An easy but difficult listen at times, this book will leave you guessing at how it's going to end...until the VERY end.

Many thanks to Harper Collins Focus for the audiocopy of this book provided via NetGalley for review. All opinions are my own.

Wow! Masterfully written and especially close of my heart as I lost a parent to a terminal illness. So full of love, the angst of decisions that don't come easily. Rea has a beautifully descriptive prose and pulls you into her characters world of art, and an artists world. It was completely absorbing and the characters will stay with me.

This book made me cry SO HARD. Oh my gosh, it was so beautiful and poignant and I can't say enough good things about it. It went in a different direction than I thought it would from the description, which ended up being much better than I could have dreamed up. So, yes.... cathartic tears were shed and everyone should read this book.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC audiobook in exchange for this review.

Imagine your husband receives a devastating cancer diagnosis, and as part of his final bucket list, he wishes to find you a new partner before he passes away. Then, the ultimate “what if” from your past shows up at your door to interview your husband. In “In Every Life”, Rea Frey delves into themes of love, grief, and the courage to embrace new beginnings, highlighting the strength one finds within themselves first before moving forward.

This was my first book by this author .I loved the characters and felt like I could relate to them .The banter was great .The book was fast paced and a great read .I could see myself as a character .Ben is one that will always stay with me .The audio was on point and entertaining. I most definitely will read more books by this author .

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for an ARC of In Every Life.

This was my first read by Rea Frey, so I wasn't sure what to expect. But it will certainly not be my last.

Right from the jump, this book tugs on your heartstrings and forces the question... Are you really living the life that you want to live?

Although at times I wanted to shake Harper and ask her what she's so afraid of, I really did enjoy reading about she was able to find herself among tragedy and start again.

I think the real winner here was the element of mystical realism. It came as a complete (pleasant) surprise, and really rounded the book out.

An easy 5 stars!

Thank you Harper Collins for the ALC!

I wanted to like this book so much, as I love a “hurts so good” kind of story. The premise (living with a dying husband) intrigued me and had me looking forward to diving in.

Unfortunately this one didn’t land with me. The main character was hard for me to root for and I found myself wanting to just finish the book for the sake of being done with it. I just couldn’t hang which is a bummer because I have loved other books with this story idea.

Overall this one just didn’t work for me, but I hope others can love it!

I was so pleasantly surprised by this book! I love a good "Sliding Doors" style story, doesn't everyone? There's always going to be one of those "What if I took this route?" questions in life, and I thoroughly enjoyed Rea Frey's take on the trope. She did a really amazing job of showing how much shifts as we go through our lives, and things that we want so badly at one point in our lives change. I thought this novel was extremely thoughtfully laid out and it was such an engaging story!

In Every Life is a romance about Ben, a thriving composer, who has less than a summer to live due to stage 4 pancreatic cancer, and Harper, his wife, is forced to come to terms with this. To make matters worse for Harper, Ben has made it his mission to make her realize there is more to life than just Ben and his diagnosis. From Ben’s perspective, it makes sense. From Harper’s it's everything but. Conquentidentally Liam, a hot reporter guy, who happens to have a history with Ben’s wife shows up on a trip to interview Ben and things get turned upside down. I liked this book. I am trying to branch out of my romantsy nook that I have going on and it had the right amount of drama and heartfelt “what ifs” that had me reading until the end.

My only complaint is that it felt like the meat of the plot was at the end. I would have loved more insight into the life with healthy Ben. I disliked how cut short it was. (maybe that was part of a lesson but still)

Thank you to NetGalley for being able to listen for my honest review.

I wanted to read this book because I remembered really liking “The Other Year” by the same author. I went back to that review after finishing this because I was curious about my thoughts. It seems the thing I didn’t like about that book was the thing I really didn’t like about this one - repetitive romantic tropes. Harper, the main character, said “NEVER in my ENTIRE life” a million time, which just feels like poor writing. The audio narration probably made that seem worse. At the halfway point, just when I was contemplating giving up, there was a plot twist that surprised me and changed the narrative a bit. I kept going but it didn’t change my opinion.

2.5 bumping to 3 because this book definitely has an audience, it’s just not me.

I loved this book. I couldn’t imagine watching my husband die while running into the “one that got away” I found myself rooting for both relationships. The way the story played out was perfect. I may have even cried a little in the end. I did enjoy the narration in the audiobook.

This wasn't your normal romance. Right off the bat, you find out that Harper's husband, Ben has cancer. So, you know what you're going into. It's a brutal and tear ridden story but it's full of so much hope and some beautiful moments.

Harper and Ben are newlyweds - - literally newly wed when he gets his cancer diagnosis. Their world is turned upside down and everything they had planned is suddenly out the window. But there is more to this story than the sadness. There is hope, triumph and determination. There is a little mysticism. And there is some drama when Harper's first love shows up.

I often enjoy a good tearjerker and I definitely got it with this one. But I also got a really good story and I highly recommend it. I thought it was a creative plot and it doesn't necessarily go the way you expect it to.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: This audio was well done with solid narration. I enjoyed listening to this and went between the book and audio as I was reading the story. 4 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley for early copies of both the audiobook and ebook.