I really enjoyed this book and genuinely could not stop listening wanting to know what was going to happen.

The audiobook: 4 stars
Brittany Presley did an excellent job of demonstrating the emotional resonance of Kate's panic and sadness in the early chapters. I really liked her natural voice but her 'child' voice was a bit shrill.

------------SPOILERS AHEAD--------------



The story: 3 stars
Essentially a dark version of my favorite movie, Sliding Doors. Because I am the mother of a daughter with a lot of similarities to Olivia, I was afraid to read this book. I was worried that it would launch me into some hardcore anxiety, and the first summer section (chapters 1-7) admittedly gutted me. But by chapter 10, it was becoming tedious to sit with Kate's grief page after page. Thank goodness the transitions between timelines allowed for some much-needed relief from the heartbreak.

However, as the story progressed, Kate's love life took center stage in both timelines. She's pretty much horny for every guy in her orbit (across both timelines) and she never seems bothered that they just show up unannounced and expect her to accommodate their emotional needs. (Jason is especially bad about this.)

A boring love-triangle storyline is not what I came here for, and I certainly didn't come for 2 different boring love-triangles in 2 distinct timelines. I wanted "life spent without your child" vs "life spent raising your child". Instead, I got "torn between two lovers" with a side of "Liv". She's so desperate for a man that she puts up with some really toxic behavior-- like in the -Liv timeline when Kate explains that she doesn't have romantic feelings for Jason, but Ian is still mad at her because Jason has feelings for her. Like, say what now? SHE'S responsible for another person's crush on her? No sir. Kick rocks, please. And then when he's peaced out of the relationship, she decides that maybe she DOES have feelings for Jason after all. I much prefer the +Liv timeline where she comes to the conclusion that Great Love doesn't have to mean Romantic Love.

The Sliding Doors ending is great, though. Maybe some things really ARE meant to be, across all timelines. And I looked up Serenbe to see if it was a real place, and was thrilled to find out that it is. Next stop: Zillow.

I appreciate NetGalley and the publisher for access to a digital ARC. My honest review is my own opinion.

DNF, couldn't get into this one unfortunately, but I'll be giving it a standard 3 stars cause I have no complaints on the writing or narration I just personally couldn't particularly get into it myself.

Oh my heart. This one was heartbreaking yet beautiful. Definitely shed a few tears throughout it. Rea has a great way with words. ❤️

Audiobook through NetGalley.

I think this book will really hit hard for parents. Personally, I'm not a parent, and don't have a desire for kids, so I can't really put myself in Kate's shoes, but I can still empathise with her.
I really enjoyed how this was written, and set up. The way the characters evolved in both timelines felt very real, and I can't find any flaws within.
The timeline with the daughter still alive, made me think back on me as a 10 year old, having these same arguments with my mum.

All in all, I'm very positive about my experience with this, and would recommend it to others, maybe especially people, who can relate more to Kate.

(3.75 stars)

What would you do if your daughter was there one day and gone the next?

The Other Year is a very immersive, heartwrenching, heartfelt, happy, sad, hopeful, gripping and full of memories.

The author's note is emotional and gripping. I especially love that the idea for the book is based on an experience the author had of a day at the beach with her daughter and the concerns she had as a mother about keeping her daughrer safe while there.

I really like the dual timeline structure and it's perfect for the plot of this book. One part of it is where Olivia lives and one is where she does not.

The plot is simple, but effective.

I think it perfectly captures the essence of what life is.

The use of Spanish in the book because of Olivia's ex husband Michael's Mexican heritage is something I loved as I speak Spanish too. and am passionate about the language and culture. I like how the amount of Spanish used blends seamlessly into the conversations in the story. I think it's comforting for those who speak and understand Spanish to have it in the book, and for those who don't, there are enough Spanish words sprinkled within the book (with English translations) that I think, and hope, they will end up learning some words.

Cultural heritage, both Olivia's American and Mexican heritage, and her father Michael's Mexican heritage, are incredibly important in this novel.
I enjoyed Ayana's backstory and it's interesting about her Ethiopian heritage and her adoption story. She's been through so much. I'm glad she was adopted and had a better life in the U.S.

I was tearful on more than one occasion when listening to the book. It teaches us great things about life, death, and those we love.

The pacing and atmosphere is perfect, as is the attention to detail and so are all the emotions. Kate and Jason have belivable backstories. I'm glad they have each other.
I like how Ayana and Olivia get along. I felt sad about his wife Shelby's death, and the circumstances surrounding that. In the moments where deaths happen, it's powerful and heartwrenching that both Kate and Jason are as united through life as they are through their loved one's deaths.

That is beautiful to witness.

Family and love are huge themes throughout the book. I actually felt a part of Kate's familly while listening to this audiobook. Michael and his mother are caring. Kate has a special bond with her mother as she bought her up alone.

Another theme is the hard decision as to what you want most from life, and who you want to share it with. I really felt for Kate, as Jason is her best friend, and they're good together. The fact that they have the shared experience of children, as Kate has Olivia, and Jason is Ayana's adoptive father is something that I feel makes them bond even more.

Kate and Michael are still on relatively good terms despite the divorce. There are a few parts in the book where I wondered what she still feels for Michael. Her feelings seem strong I know she and Michael have to be strong for Olivia's sake, though.

What will Kate decide about who she loves most? Will she ever be able to choose?

There are so many twists, surprises, and bombshells in this novel.

It's outstanding.

The Other Year is one of my favorite books of the year.

Thanks to Rea Frey. The audiobook is expertly narrated by Brittany Frey.

5 stars but it deserves more

I loved this book! It was so well written. Following the two timelines was so easy. I was equally invested in both stories at the same time. This was a great read!

The Other Year
By Rea Frey
Narrated by Brittany Pressley

The book is told in parallel universes. In one universe, Kate’s world is shattered where her 9 year old daughter drowns. She is left with guilt and grief and learns to cope with her tragic loss. In the other universe, she explores a new love with her best friend.

Though I’m not a big fan of plots with parallel universes, I thought this book was so emotional and well written. I’m a huge fan of Brittany Pressley and she did a phenomenal job .

Grief an extremely personal journey. On a two-week beach vacation, working mom Kate Baker’s nine-year-old daughter, Olivia, vanishes suddenly among the waves—a heart-dropping incident that threatens to uproot her entire reality. But in the next moment, Olivia resurfaces, joyously splashing. The results as well as the alternative is explored so there are two stories within the book. Told in parallel timelines, Kate begins to live two lives—one in which Olivia resurfaces and one in which she doesn’t. In the reality that follows her daughter’s death, she maneuvers through every mother’s worst nightmare, facing grief, rage, and the ques­tion of purpose in the aftermath of such profound loss. She endures, day by day, in a world without her daughter. In her alternate timeline, while she explores a tremulous romance with her best friend, Jason, she finds herself grappling with the ex-husband who abandoned Kate and Olivia years prior. Even as eager Kate scrambles to hold her daughter close, Olivia pulls further away. The line between joy and loss seems to get thinner with each passing day. The reader also learns how fate finds a way for people to move forward and what is meant to be is determined by the person and how the diverging timelines merge in some ways. I would recommend the book as it is moving, good for discussions and well written. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity.

thank you netgalley for the advanced audiobook copy of this novel! what a compelling book! the grief felt was palpable. i’m so glad i had the opportunity to experience

The Other Year by Rea Frey is an emotional story about how one moment can change everything. The book follows Kate, a single mother, whose life splits into two paths—one where her daughter survives, and one where she doesn’t.

The story moves between both timelines, showing how Kate deals with love, grief, and the question of “what if.” The author does a great job showing the pain of loss and the strength it takes to keep going.

One quote that stood out to me was: “She’s not just a body. She’s a soul and will always be with you.” That line says so much about what this story is really about.

This book is heartbreaking, but it’s also full of hope.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the audiobook.

The Other Year is a compelling thriller that keeps you guessing with its twists and tense atmosphere. The characters are complex and relatable, and the storytelling feels tight and immersive. Some plot points are familiar, but overall, it’s a gripping and well executed novel. Great for fans of psychological suspense with emotional depth.

I received an ARC through NetGalley for an honest review.

Well that's another DNF for me.

In the year of our lord 2025 I do not fuck with people who go out of their way to use the clunky and suspicious "female" when woman would be much more appropriate.

The audiobook version presents a deeply emotional narrative set across alternative realities, exploring the profound question: What if, in a single moment, everything in your life changed—or remained the same?
In the life-altering reality, the main character grapples with the painful loss of a loved one, navigating the complexities of grief, loneliness, and the search for meaning. Conversely, in the alternate reality, she faces the challenges of raising a demanding child, dealing with a manipulative ex-husband, and wrestling with conflicting feelings about her best friend.
Both storylines take listeners on a poignant journey, prompting deep reflections on personal life choices and the paths we take. One minor critique is that the character of Olivia, the child, comes across as somewhat unsympathetic.

This was a gut-wrenching and emotional roller coaster of a novel. Once you get past that, it does make you self-reflect on how one split-second moment can change your life by leaps and bounds. So go home and hug your loved ones and cherish the moments.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #HarperMuse for this ARC.

Here's the thing about women's fiction, the storylines are complex and often difficult. And boy was that true with The Other Year. Talk about a book that punched me in the gut so hard that I wasn't sure I could finish it. And the way the narrator infused her performance with the intense pain of losing a child and portrayed it with that "numb" sensation that comes from grief was so intense, it made me wish I was able to read books rather than listen to audiobooks. I mean that as a compliment. The narrator was phenomenal.

Back to the book itself - wow!! As a parent, the fear of your child dying is often present when they are doing things that can be dangerous. In a split moment, our entire world can change. I loved how the author took this premise and gave us a year in the life of the mother, Kate, who goes on vacation with her daughter, Olivia. In one of the two parrallel timelines, Olivia drowns on the first day of vacation. In the other, she doesn't. Each chapter covers the same period of time, but split into the timeline where Olivia dies, and the one where she doesn't. It was interesting to see what things remained the same in both timelines, as well as the first year journey through grief Kate experiences in the death timeline.

As an editor, I'm often asking my authors to dig deeper and to "show" rather than "tell" emotions. Thank goodness the author of this book didn't show anymore than they did and balanced it out with telling because I was gutted listening to this book as it brought back the losses I've experienced.

Keep your tissues handy!

Thank you to Rea Frey for a powerful book, and to Harper Muse and Netgalley for the opportunity to enjoy this book.

The Other Year (Audiobook) by Rea Frey

Kate and her nine-year-old daughter, Olivia have just started their two-week vacation and the first place they go is the beach. As Olivia is swimming in the sea Kate only turns away for one second but when she turns back, she cannot see Olivia anywhere from there the book tells the story in two timelines, one where Olivia reappears from under the water and life goes on as normal and in the second where she drowns and Kate must learn to live without her.

This is a very emotional, heart wrenching story that tugs on your heart whether you are a parent or not.

I would like to thank Net Galley and Harper Muse Audiobooks for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I picked/requested this one specifically for my favorite narrator, Brittany Pressley, who did an amazing job with this audiobook as well!

This was my first read from this author and I think it was well written, but it was just very very heavy and sad and that's not normally my type of read. The authors note was great and you could feel her emotion in it. The biggest trigger warning with this book is the death of a child (and the grief that comes with it).

The Other Year was a dual timeline book with two very different outcomes. I think the timeline dealing with grief seemed very accurate, even though I have never lost a human child to compare. I could have done without the love triangles in both timelines though. I do like how the last two chapters had little snippets of the other timeline weaved into it, but I feel like the epilogue could have said just a little more to tie it all together better.

Thank you to Harper Muse & NetGalley for the ARC!

The Other Year excels in premise and execution (it’s hard to do both!). Chapters alternate between two different timelines, and as Kate’s life changes drastically in one timeline, she is asking herself similar questions on the other timeline.
Sweet, thoughtful, and hopeful, The Other Year is an entertaining listen that will warm your heart.

It was such a gut wrenching story. It was well done but just a little too much for me. I lost a child and this book had me in tears.