It takes a lot for me to tear up on Zoloft, I say that jokingly but this book was beautiful. Can love exist between timelines? is loved linked with an invisible string? I wanted to be friends with every character in this book. Also ET was my favorite movie as a child and this at the heart of the movie already automatically made me love. it.

This book explores the possibility of soul mates finding each other thru the years. I really like how the main story told was the current day and glimpses in the past of other times they found each other thru history. I really liked Evan and Shosh's stories and how they intertwined even before they actually find each other. It's a story to make you really feel like true love exists. Definitely would read again. Even the supporting characters have great arcs.

Evan has plans and they are starting to change. He wanted to take a gap year in Alaska, but after his mother had a cancer scare, he wondered if now was the right time. He is also hearing a song that no one else hears. Shosh is on her way to LA with a dream of being a star, but after losing her sister to a drunk driver everything changes. She also hears a voice singing that no one else hears.

I Loved You in Another Life is a stand-alone novel that weaves together these two young adults and a few other stories too. The premise of the novel was intriguing, yet the execution was lackluster. I so wanted to love this book, but in the end, I felt it was ho-hum. I’m sure there is a niche out there that will love this book, but it will not be appealing to the average reader.

I'm at a loss for words on how to describe this book.

The concept feels so original, and the beats so unique. Evan and Shosh never felt like typical romance characters, but their love story transcended time, and I ate it up.

The relationship between Evan and Shosh may have been billed as the love story of the book, but the true love story for me was between Evan and Will. Their relationship was the best, Will was easily the best character, and now all I want to do is watch ET.

I cried so much during this book, it's not even funny, but it was well worth it, and this book will be sticking with me for a long time.

In I Loved You in Another Life two teens experience tragedies that hinder their plans for the future. Shosh Bell, an aspiring actress, loses all ambition and turns to alcohol when her beloved sister is killed. Evan Taft has dreamed of a wilderness program in Alaska for his gap year when his father leaves and his mother is diagnosed with breast cancer. He feels responsible for the well-being of her and his neurodivergent 7-year-old brother. They both begin hearing a song in their head that ultimately leads them to each other. When they finally meet, they feel like they've met before, and indeed they have. Their alternating points of view are interspersed with stories from their different lifetimes together - Paris 1832, Tokyo 1953, Oslo 2109. When they hear a performer, Neon Imposter, singing the songs they thought only they could hear, they realize the connection is larger than themselves. Together these troubled characters find healing in each other. The author writes and records songs as Neon Imposter, including ones from this book that can be found online.

Special thanks to Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Books/Viking Books for Young Readers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Content Warning: This book includes: on-page alcohol consumption/addiction, sexual content: (one on-page vague scene, a couple of make-outs, implied & stated sexual content from other characters and written works, A couple of on-page swears, cancer/cancer treatments, drunk-driving, lots of conversations about death (car accident), grief, and panic attacks.

This was my first introduction to David Arnold’s work. I’m not going to lie; I was a little intimidated. I had heard nothing about this book when it was given to me. In fact, as I began reading the book, I got even more worried. However, I am so glad that I pushed through the initial awkward “getting to know you phase” because this book wrecked me emotionally in the best of ways.

How does one write not one, but two characters, to which I can relate? I felt as if Arnold had invaded my brain. This book was gripping, emotional, tragic, beautiful, and hopeful. This book will have you sobbing in a corner with a smile on your face. Are you picking up what I’m putting down? THIS BOOK WILL MAKE YOU SOB. Maybe. Or you may be more emotionally stable than I, in which case you are missing out.

The way that Arnold writes his main characters felt very fresh and relevant. I will say there was one character in the friend group that felt a little stereotypical but other than that I loved all the characters that we met. Will is precious, I want to bundle him up and protect him at all costs. Evan and Shosh deserve the world after all they have been through, and Ali Pilgrim just wants to know what a Hoya is. Ask me later what it is and why that whole scene will make you cry.

The only thing I found a little lacking was the historical stories. Honestly, I didn’t find multiple stories necessary at all. They were too short to be able to connect with (other than to identify what we already know about our soulmate pairing) I think one longer one would have sufficed. Or perhaps I’m too greedy and just wanted more Evan and Shosh.

Either way, this was a phenomenal book, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I think it’s perfect for young adults who are in that weird transition to adulthood. I would 100% recommend this book for anyone’s private or public collection.

I would recommend I Loved You in Another Life to anyone who loves realistic love stories with a soft hint of fantasy. Recommended reading would be The Strange Fascination of Noah Hypnotik (Same Author), You’ve Reached Sam by Dustin Thao (Love/Soft Fantasy), The Secret Shanghai Series by Chloe Gong (Best Historical Fiction/Love Story), and A Year to the Day by Robin Benway (Grieving Sibling Storyline).

David Arnold’s writing is so special. There’s a comfort that comes with it, a feeling of home. I’ve read all of his books and just feel like they’re all so unique, heartbreaking and yet hilarious. All of his characters are incredibly thought out and developed, and I guarantee you’ll fall completely in love with them.

This book was no exception. The book has present day timelines as well as from long, long ago with characters we don’t know. The two we do know spend a good portion of the book as strangers connected without knowing it. Imagine two lost souls navigating life and eventually being drawn together by a song they’re both hearing in their heads. Imagine the most perfect literary mother and her beautiful relationship with her two sons, the weight of the world on her shoulders. Imagine a half of a whole who has just tragically lost her sister, a Toad without her Frog.

It also deals with some pretty heavy topics, so consider these trigger warnings: loss of a sibling, divorce, cancer, alcoholism. These are pretty intense for a YA book, but it’s done in a way that is tender and raw while also being comforting.

Finally, I want to say that Will(iam), the little brother of one of the main characters, is one of the sweetest characters I’ve ever met. He had me laughing and crying throughout this book.

10/10 recommend reading something by David Arnold if you haven’t yet!

3.5 star read for me!

I really liked this book, but it also was different and that's making this review difficult to write! It was a major slow burn (the characters don't really interact until almost 2/3 through the book.

That being said, the characters are well developed, but they feel as though they were written for adults to read, not for the YA genre. They're very philosophical and the dialogue could be hard to follow as it's very back-and-forth.

I liked the quirks of the characters, and the friendships especially.

This one was a character-based novel so if you're looking for a really strong plot to follow, this may not be the book for you. It was very different from YA romances I've read recently and that made me keep picking this one up, because it was just so intriguing.

Thank you to Penguin Group and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis

Evan Taft has plans. Take a gap year in Alaska, make sure his little brother and single mother are taken care of, and continue therapy to process his father's departure. But after his mom’s unexpected diagnosis, as Evan’s plans begin to fade, he hears something: a song no one else can hear, the voice of a mysterious singer . . .

Shosh Bell has dreams. A high school theater legend, she’s headed to performing arts college in LA, a star on the rise. But when a drunk driver takes her sister’s life, that star fades to black. All that remains is a void—and a soft voice singing in her ear . . .

Over it all, transcending time and space, a celestial bird brings strangers together: from an escaped murderer in 19th century Paris, to a Norwegian kosmonaut in low-earth orbit, something is happening that began long ago, and will long outlast Evan and Shosh. With lyrical prose and original songs (written and recorded by the author), I LOVED YOU IN ANOTHER LIFE explores the history of love, and how some souls are meant for each other—yesterday, today, forever.

This is my first-time reading David Arnold's work, and it will not be the last. This is a beautiful story that explores the enduring power of love and the interconnectedness of souls across time and space. I highly recommend this heartwarming book to those who believe in the power of love to transcend everything else.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Penguin Group Penguin Young Readers Group, and Viking Books for Young Readers for the opportunity to read this ahead of its publication date in return for my honest review.

This book evoked a myriad of complex emotions and stirred an emotional turmoil within me. I have always been drawn to the themes of endless love and the pursuit of one's soulmate across different timelines. The unfortunate nature of short-lived love stories has always fascinated me, and I was eager to delve deep into this philosophical plotline. The author's poetic and somewhat enigmatic storytelling style seemed to be a perfect fit for this unique fantasy world. However, I found myself not fully enjoying the overall execution of this original story. The pacing was slow, making it difficult to get immersed in the narrative from the beginning. The introduction of the main characters' storylines took longer than expected, leaving me feeling somewhat lost and requiring extra effort to find my place in the reading journey. It was a challenging experience that demanded considerable effort to connect with the characters and understand their different timelines.

This book completely surprised me and upended me in the best ways. I loved Shosh and Evan's characters--they felt like real people to me. The writing felt like a song--so lyrical, so packed with emotion, so much deeper meaning behind the words.

I lost track of how many times I had to pause and tell someone about the incredible way this novel made me feel with the insightful and deep writing that felt so refreshing and made me experience the world differently. The time slip was sometimes confusing, but I patiently read on, trusting this novel to reveal its secrets.

My favorite part of this novel is the family relationships. Love for others was the major theme I connected to while reading--love for family, friends, and sweet romantic love too. The brotherly bond between Will and Evan made my heart soar and Shosh's own loss made my heart break over and over. Alone together--Frog and Toad forever.

Maybe because I listened to this via audiobook, but it was really hard to follow for me. The back and forth was confusing and just didn't keep my interest.

Solid 4.5/5 for me. I can't fully explain all of the emotions I felt throughout Evan and Shosh's story written so poetically in this book. So many heartfelt moments of invisible strings and starcrossed love. Beautiful love not just between the two main characters but also in their families and friends through so many complex dark moments of life and learning to find the light on the other side. I highly recommend this heartwarming book for those who love to look for the glimmers of life.

I Loved You in Another Life by David Arnold is a well written and thought-provoking story.
I thought the story was interesting and honestly it kept my full attention throughout.
My first time reading David Arnold’s work and I’m slightly impressed.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Viking Books for Young Readers for the opportunity to read this ahead of its publication date in return for my honest review.

When people speak of true love, often they are referring to an unadulterated, perfect iteration of feeling between two people. But love is rarely as pristine as it appears in these imaginings, and more frequently than not it is messy and fragile. Shosh graduated last year, Evan is in his senior year of high school, and everything seems to be disintegrating around them. From sudden and inexplicable departures of beloved family members to unhealthy coping mechanisms, these two teens are managing more than their fair share of hardship. But when it becomes clear that their connection runs deeper than a simple attraction, they both discover how they can be anchors for one another even while weathering their own storms.

This lyrical young adult novel does not shy away from many complexities faced by young people. Anxiety and alcoholism are prevalent and frequently mentioned, and both Evan and Shosh are trying to find their way through the challenges that find them. Strong language is used with some frequency, and the characters are not the most positive examples of their ages. However, these inclusions make Evan and Shosh both accessible and relatable, and readers of all ages will find some connection with the characters regardless of their own personal life experiences.

Told from multiple perspectives, much of the book is recounted through the eyes of Evan and Shosh in the present day. Their voices are distinct, and this is made even more clear by the fact that Evan speaks in the first person while Shosh is presented in the third. Peppered throughout the novel are asides to moments from their shared experiences across the fabric of time and space, which enhances the fact that they have found one another in various lifetimes and loved each other in each instance. Heartfelt, honest, and sentimental, this is a rich tale for young adult and older readers, especially those who believe in the power of love to transcend everything else.

Book Name:
Author: David Arnold

ARC

Thank you to Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group, Viking Books for Young Readers for an ARC of I Loved You In Another Life by David Arnold

This is an unfair review as I DNF'd this book around 25% I did however skim everything after in an attempt to understand where this plot was going... which was nowhere I wanted to go and nothing like it was marketed.

I had to DNF this one because I expected a sweeping romance spanning lifetimes but instead found myself immersed in an exploration of grief and change by two gifted teens with way too preachy internal monologues. It felt like the author was trying too hard to emulate The Fault in Our Stars or The Perks of Being a Wallflower attempting to be witty and engaging with difficult and heady topics yet somehow falling into the realm of boredom. In the end, it left me perplexed, wondering how something could be both clever and unengaging; this book was a prime example of that paradox.

Overall I feel for the "romance" marketing of this book. This is not a romance this is an exploration of grief transitions and the immortal spirit with a romance subplot.

Gorgeous and lyrical and gut wrenching. Such a wonderful love story. Perfect for all teen collections!

An endless tale of love through time. Evan and Shosh’s souls are intertwined and bound to found each yesterday, today and tomorrow. The friendship between Evan, Ali and their friends. His unique little brother Will, his mother, and all the second characters in the story made the plot emotional, heartwarming and full of deep emotions. The love of a lifetime.

Thanks for the arc netgalley. Unfortunately this was a DNF for me, I really enjoyed the main characters of Shosh and Evan but as other characters began to get introduced I got confused and wasn't really connecting to the new characters. I also was getting confused by the change in tone and the first person/third person narrator.

A YA story
Emotional and lyrical
Emotion focused rather than plot focused.
Two broken souls on a journey of healing and on a path that is reuniting them again and again over time.
It's a coming of age story with slow burn romance and a slow building plot.
The Synopsis was very promising when I requested this book unfortunately, it was pretty complex, the writing style was confusing, and very slow paced.
I found myself bored and lost not understanding on which timeline we are now and what's happening.
20% in and I couldn't continue with it so I DNF it.
Thanks to @netgalley and the publisher for granting me an ARC of #IlovedYouInAnotherLife in exchange for my honest review.