My Other Half is the kind of book that doesn’t shout to be heard—it quietly seeps into your heart, and when you turn the last page, you realize something inside you has shifted. Xayley Rose has written a story that’s raw, tender, and deeply human.

At first glance, it’s a romance between two broken people. But what I found was so much more than just love—it’s about healing, about the parts of us we try to hide, and what it means to be truly seen by someone else. The characters feel real in a way that aches. They’re guarded, imperfect, and trying so hard to hold themselves together. Watching them slowly open up to one another was like watching a wound finally begin to heal.

Rose’s writing is beautifully restrained—lyrical without being overdone, emotional without ever feeling forced. Some passages made me stop and reread, not just because they were beautifully written, but because they felt like truths I’d never had the words for before.

This isn’t a story that relies on dramatic twists or fast pacing. It moves quietly but with so much heart. And somehow, that made it even more powerful. If you’ve ever known what it feels like to be lost in your own pain—and to find comfort in someone who doesn’t try to fix you but simply stays—this book will feel like a warm, gentle hug.

It reminded me of the emotional weight of A Thousand Boy Kisses or It Ends With Us, but with a softer, more introspective tone. A story about becoming whole—not through someone else, but alongside them.

this book went in an unexpected direction, at least for me. It was well written and thought provoking.

I read it in one sitting, straight through.

Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the review copy.

I went into this book thinking it was a lighthearted, cute YA childhood friends to lovers romance, but it was a whole lot more than that. Immediately from the beginning, this book deals with a lot of heavy topics - including AIDS, mental health disorders, abuse, and sexual assault, to name a few. It caught me off guard, especially given that at times the scenes were a bit more graphic and intense than I expected, but I did appreciate that the author chose to shine light upon these topics. However, personally, I feel the execution fell flat.

In my opinion, there wasn't a lot of buildup, or a steady buildup, rather, to the events that occurred. It felt like they were just coming out of nowhere. Also, there was a lack of depth surrounding the events, which I think stems from the fact that the writing in this book was more tell than show. Descriptions were given of what the characters were doing, what they were going through, but as a reader, I didn't experience it with them, I couldn't connect with them fully.

I did think that the relationship between the two main characters, Aiden and Isabella, was very sweet. Their trust and protectiveness of one another was heartwarming and it was truly really sad to read of the things they went through.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This story follows Isabella Washington and Aiden Cunningham best friends since childhood, first grade to be exact. Isabella was excited and full of enthusiasm while Aiden was nervous, shy, and unsure. From the first time Isabella said trust me to Aiden he seemed to do it without a real reason. While Aiden and Isabella both went through so much trauma in their lives they were consistent and present in each others life. I loved Aiden’s character he was so strong after dealing with everything he had to deal with. I wish things wouldn’t have ended that way for him. I enjoyed this book. I wasn’t expecting it to be as deep as it was and cover so many topics that can be triggering to other. I give it 4.5 ⭐️ rounded to a 5.

***Trigger warnings include: graphic violence, mature language, mental illness, various abuse, suicide, death, and sexual offense.****

Thank you to Xayley Rose LLC and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Despite reading the trigger warnings before reading, this was still a lot darker than i expected it to be. There was still some light moments/romance among the angst as we follow lifelong best friends, Isabella and Aiden, as they both navigate through challenging life events. This sort of felt like an episode/season of degrassi. Overall, I enjoyed it.

First off i liked that this book had the trigger warnings before the start of the story. That way as a reader we know what to look forward to and choose whether to read the book. My friend really liked this book so i just had to make the request myself. And of course i understood why. This book had me hooked right from the start and i must say it definitely was an emotional roller coaster. And yes this one made me cry and thats all the more reason i love this book. I can't wait for this to release so i can own a copy. If readers are alright with going ahead with the book after reading the trigger warnings then i highly recommend this book.
Thank you both Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this and my friend for her recommendation.

1.75/5 stars! I saw that some readers have really enjoyed this book, but it just didn't work for me. The cover is truly very horrible. Unfortunately, I can't imagine anyone picking up that cover from a shelf and choosing to buy it based off the cover. The premise of the story was intriguing, but the depth of trauma and potentially triggering content was extreme. There were portions of the story that felt very raw and real, but the majority felt like the author wanted to create as triggering content as possible. I'm happy to see that it has worked for some readers, but this story didn't work for me at all.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

I did cry!!! I cried over this book!!
I'm wordless, I do not have enough words to define how this book made me feel! It is the most amazing story I've ever read! Told heartbreakingly, its profound sorrow. Deep down, this book has shattered my heart into pieces. I've never cried this badly over a book before but this one has made me stunned. I would highly recommend it to every reader, but please check the Trigger I'm attaching below!
Make sure to grab some tissues around you and have enough water to calm you down, 🙂

Thank you to Netgalley for this free copy, and the review is on my own!

TW: Sexual Assault, Rape, Abusive Relationship, Suicide Attempt, Mental Illness, Past Trauma.