The Other Side of Now is a part romance, part magical realism story about a girl who is kind of stuck not loving her life, and decides to travel to Ireland where she ends up in some "Sliding Doors" situation where she lives out a life of what could have been. This isn't exactly a new concept, but I really enjoyed the execution and writing of this one for a few reasons. I feel like in these stories it's really all about "oh look I have no romantic love in my old life and look at all the love I have here" and while this did touch on that, it dives really deep into grief and loss and friendship. It was more about coming ot terms with the choices that we make in life, why we make those choices, and how life is partly what happens to us and partly about how we react to what happens to us. The focus on the friendship was my favorite part (in one life her friend has died, in the other she's still alive.)
A cute rom com at it's heart, with a nice focus on friendship, family, and coming to terms with the the big moments in our lives and how it affects us.

Thank you to Paige Harbison, the publishers, and NetGalley for this advance copy to review.

**Book Review: *The Other Side of Now* by [Author Name]**

*The Other Side of Now* is a captivating, thought-provoking novel that explores the profound impact of decisions, the paths we take, and the lives we might have lived. The story follows Meg, a woman at a crossroads in her life who experiences a unique sliding doors moment — the chance to see what would have happened if she had made a different choice years ago.

Through a twist of fate, Meg is transported into a parallel world, where the decision she never made has altered everything. In this alternate reality, her best friend Aimee is alive but the relationship they share is fractured, with Aimee harboring deep resentment toward her. This version of Meg is not only grappling with a strained friendship, but also with the weight of knowing that she never became the person she was in the world she knew, where she is Lana Lorde, a famous actress, and her best friend is gone. The two worlds—one where she chose one path, and another where she chose another—intersect in an emotional exploration of grief, love, and regret.

This novel is a poignant reminder of the fleeting nature of life and the importance of appreciating the people we love while we still have them. The story elegantly shows that we can never truly know the consequences of our decisions, and sometimes the choices we regret the most are the ones we never even knew we made. Meg’s journey is an exploration of self, the ramifications of what could have been, and the realization that the present moment is all we truly have.

*The Other Side of Now* is beautifully written, with rich, emotionally resonant characters and a narrative that keeps you turning pages. It skillfully blends the elements of speculative fiction with deep, reflective storytelling about the human experience.

The book serves as both a heart-wrenching reminder and an inspiring call to live life to the fullest, to cherish those around us, and to never take our relationships for granted.

A big thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy. This book is a must-read for anyone who has ever wondered about the road not taken and the people who shape our lives in ways we may never fully understand.

The Other Side of Now is a different kind of time travel book, it was and enjoyable read, perfect for summer. It's. the kind of book that makes you think about all the "what if I took this road vs that one?" It's a thought provoking rom-com.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my review copy, all opinions are my own.

I liked the premise of the book and while I felt it should be an easy, quick read, I never found myself to be that much invested in it.

The endless Hollywood references became a little tiresome and "Lana" never felt like I was reading about a big TV star. And Meg definitely never felt that way. She seemed like a college-age character. I just couldn't buy into that aspect.

Thank you to Netgalley.

The Other Side of Now was quirky, but full of heart and ultimately an extremely touching story. One of my favorite things was that Meg was believed and had allies in her weird situation - it made the story more fun that they got to help her figure out what she didn't know. I cried more than one time, and for good reasons in the end when Meg is back home with her parents and Aimee's parents!
Recommended for purchase by the Scottsboro Public Library.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC, in return for an unbiased review.

The "Alternative timelines" genre has gotten very popular recently. Much of what's written has devolved into rom-com clichés, revolving around "which timeline contains the man who will make her life complete" nonsense.

Harbison's book instead focuses on an alternate timeline of a teen friendship - the kind of adolescent best friendship that defines you and your youth. It's also a treatise on grief. This book was not at all what I expected, and I find myself thinking about it even after I finished it.

My only critiques are that plot dragged a bit in the middle, and could be tightened up; the swoony sex scene feels like a strange detour, and doesn't really match the book's tone; and I would have been happier if the book had ended BEFORE the predictable, clichéd Epilogue. The book was better than that obvious ending!!

A compelling story with solid character development and an intriguing premise – what if you made a different choice at a pivotal moment in life?

Meg (aka tv actress Lana Lord) is living the dream – starring role on a popular show, movie star boyfriend, endorsements, parties, all the trappings of an ideal Hollywood life. And trappings is what it’s all starting to feel like - superficial bindings keeping her from being her true self, or even knowing who her true self is.

On her 30th birthday, after a smart-phone scroll down memory lane, she impulsively decides to visit the small Irish town where she once dreamed of attending university. The college of arts where she and her BFF had planned to go together to start their adventure into adulthood. Her BFF who passed away over a decade ago in a car accident.

When she arrives in Avalon, Meg is immediately enchanted by the quaint town. That enchantment turns to confusion when more than one local resident seems to know her personally, calling her by her real name and not her stage name. Soon she realizes that she has not just traveled to a different country, she appears to have been transported to an alternate reality. A reality where she is not a famous actress, and her BFF is still alive.

The majority of the novel is Meg learning the nuances of this alternate life path, one without fame, money, or plastic surgery, but with good food, good friends, and a chance for real connections with others. There is quite a bit of emotional turmoil, processing of grief, and self-reflection, making the story one about personal growth as well as interpersonal relationships.

I definitely enjoyed it, and appreciated that the author wrapped it up with a feel-good ending. Highly recommended.

This was a slow burn, magical realism novel which is right up my alley. It felt both hopeful and nostalgic. I enjoyed that it also had a strong found family aspect.

Wow, just wow. I went into this thinking it was going to be romance heavy but it was so much more. Meg, "Lana", is uphappy with her super-star life in LA, is forever grieving the loss of her best friend Aimee, and just wants to get away. She books a ticket ro Ireland where she was supposed to go to school with Aimee, but that obviously didn't happen. When she gets there, she steps into an alternate world - one where Aimee dosn't only exist, but is alive and well -- except the Meg there isn't exactly on speaking terms with Aimee. Now is Meg's chance to undo all the wrong's other Meg has done ... but it all seems to good to be true.


I loved Meg's growth in this book. She truly is a strong person and you just want her to succeed. The friends she makes along the way are all added bonuses.

This book will make you feel all the feels, but still remains comfy cozy. I HIGHLY recommend this one.

Dejavú has a whole new meaning in this book. Actress Meg Bryan, stage name Lana Lord, feels unsettled in her world and takes an impromptu trip to Ireland. What she finds there is the life she would have led had she not made a certain choice. We follow Meg along as she falls into a comfortable rhythm in her “new life,” all while wondering how, why, and for how long.

This book tore my heart out with some decisions characters made, and made my heart leap with others. It was a very fun ride to be on, and gave the overall message of being content where you are, but also making sure you don’t live with regrets and “what if”s.

Special thanks to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for allowing me the ARC read in exchange for my honest review.

I love a good Sliding Doors story. This one had me feeling all the feelings by the end! It starts like this: in high school, Meg and her best friend Aimee visit a fortune teller who predicts that Meg will become briefly famous and her life will diverge into two paths, while she mysteriously says nothing about Aimee. We find out that it's been ten years since those events, and Meg is now a B-list actress in a primetime soap opera who has never been able to cope with Aimee's death, and who seems to enjoy a life of privilege and riches while feeling empty inside. She suddenly decides to escape to Avalon, Ireland, and shortly after arriving, she realizes she has been sucked into a universe where she made a different choice to move to Avalon for college instead of staying in Florida with Aimee. In this alternate universe, Aimee is still alive but no longer friends with Meg after they had a falling out. Meg tries her best to make up with Aimee, aided by her new Irish best friend, and she's also intrigued by a hot man who looks at her like he loves her (it's other Meg's ex-boyfriend). Now that things are going the way they should, can Meg stay in this universe? I enjoyed this book -- the writing flows, the side characters are great, the emotions are very real, and there was just a hint of spice, which I am fine with. It was the perfect amount for this touching story. I am looking forward to more books by Paige Harbison. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

I'm pretty picky about the magical realism genre, but I really enjoyed this book! It felt realistic enough to still be possible without being over the top or too much. The main character's literal and internal journeys were captivating and the way that she has to come face-to-face with herself, her reality, and who she's become were uniquely her own. I wanted more at the end and hope there's more to come. The friendship element both past and present was fun to explore. I really liked the main character's evolution through the book as she's searching for something that she doesn't even realize at the beginning. I'm hoping for a sequel!!

What a great book. The prologue set the scene, giving important background info on Meg and Aimee. And then we went to present day, where Meg is now Lana, famous and unhappy, Aimee has died, and Meg and realizes she needs to go find what’ll make her happy again. She goes to Avalon, Ireland, and everyone knows her. Aimee is there too, and wants nothing to do with Meg.
At its core, this is a book about grief. We watch as Meg comes to the realization that she never grieved her friend’s death, and has just been trying to escape.
The plot is interesting and enjoyable, and the characters are lovable. It’s easy to see how Meg could slip into this other life and stay forever.

I LOVED this book so much!! The characters are absolutely delightful. I loved the Irish setting and the friends that Meg has. The ending was so good and realstic - I need a second book about what happens next!!!

This book is chefs kiss. It’s everything you want in a book. What if your life went on another path and in a totally different direction? This book explores the what if and takes you on an emotional ride. You are going to love Meg and root for her. You will fall in love with the other characters and settings as well. Get this books as soon as it comes out.

Thank you NetGalley for the eGalley ARC copy. All opinions are my own.

I LOVED this book. This is the perfect execution of magical realism and I’m so excited for others to read it!

Meg is living her dream as an actress in Hollywood, but in a crazy twist of fate she’s catapulted into an alternative direction her life could have taken if she had gone to university in Ireland instead of Florida.

This book has everything: love, loss, grief, career decisions, fame, romance, drama, and really good dogs.🐶To top it off, it’s set in dreamy small town Ireland.

Words cannot express how much I enjoyed every minute of this book. Highly recommend to fans of women’s fiction, magical realism, and romance genres.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read an ARC of The Other Side of Now by Paige Harbison, in exchange for my honest review.

Perfection! Sliding doors/magical realism perfection! Love, loss, growth, so many feelings! The characters were all relatable, "real" people. Touching, funny, romantic, make-you-think perfection!

I highly recommend this book, and can't wait to read more by Paige Harbison.

This book was just ok to me. Maybe i am not the target audience but it took me a while to finish . It was just ok.

This was a step above chick lit. The story was engaging and surprisingly multilayred. Makes you appreciate the life you have and not take things for granted. I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A funny light hearted novel where Meg thinks she has it all a great job, love of her life but everything takes a quick turn.