This novel is written from two parallel timelines that shift back and forth as the story progresses. Olivia is nine years old and for most of her development years she has been raised by her single mother Kate. The two timelines showcase Kate’s life after that fateful or not so fateful day at the beach with Olivia.
Very big warning here, loss of a child and the grieving process Kate experiences in timeline two. It is very important to read the author’s foreword before beginning the novel as she explains her thought process behind the writing. The audio production is beyond fabulous, but be prepared to choke up when Brittany Pressley portrays the raw grief and despair Kate feels.

Both timelines had their difficult moments. For one I wanted more of a connection with Olivia in timeline one, but the prepubescent anger was just too much for me. Timeline two seems to progress a bit too quickly through the grief stage and Kate begins a self-realization journey that feels a bit premature. In both her love interests remain similar and the ending has a feel-good tie in both timelines.

Having never experienced a loss of a child, I enjoyed this book and ultimately both timelines. I can also absolutely understand that this content is not for everyone and readers should proceed knowing this.

For Kate, the unthinkable happens when she is on holiday with her daughter, Olivia. In a blink of an eye, Olivia disappears in the ocean. Thankfully, Olivia resurfaces. But what if she didn’t?

This novel is told in alternating timelines: one based on Olivia resurfacing and one where she drowns. Both timelines show different sides of motherhood, one where we take our daily life for granted and one where we hold onto moments that we can never get back. As a mother, the timeline where her daughter drowns had me in tears. But I could absolutely relate to the mother-child friction in the other timeline. Definitely a heart wrenching yet insightful read on what it means to be a mother. I listened to this on audio and the narration definitely evoked those emotions.

Thank you to @netgalley and @librofm @harpermusebooks for an advance listening copy of this audiobook.

I love a book that makes you think long after you have finished it. This did that for me in all the best possible ways. The narrator did an incredible job making the emotions come to life. It is a very emotional book. There is a lot of grief and guilt in the book making it a heavy read but it gave a lot to think about.

Can your whole life change in an instant? Single Kate and her daughter Liv are on a two week beach vacation when Liv goes missing under the waves. In one timeline, Liv pops up and continues playing. In the second timeline, she stays under for too long and passes away.

The book fleshes out both plots equally. I found it absolutely heartbreaking in the one where Liv is gone. There is such devastation for Kate, it definitely made me tear up. But in the plot where she survives, it’s heartbreaking in other way. Kate recently went through a divorce and is working on shared custody with Michael, Olivia’s father. He travels a lot for his job and he’s based in Mexico City. He wants Liv to get to know his family and culture so he asks if Liv can spend the summer with him.

I really enjoyed this unique story telling, but please have tissues ready!

I thought the narrator was wonderful in this book. Her reading when Liv passes truly moved me to tears. I also love that they kept the two plots separate with each chapter.

I did not finish this audiobook. I stopped at about 70 percent. For me, I found the male and child voices the narrator did to be annoying and distracted from the story. I also felt like Liv’s character spoke and acted more like a teenager than a 9 year old girl. For me the premise seemed so creative and interesting but the writing just didn’t deliver. The author told me about the mothers grief but it lacked the vivid descriptions and details that would allow me to really connect with the mother and the story. I know it’s an unpopular opinion because many people enjoyed this book. Maybe it was just a case of the wrong book at the wrong time for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Muse for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.
What if your whole life changed in a split second?
The Other Year really tugged at my heart. My emotions were all over the place while reading. The writing was absolutely beautiful. The parallel timeline was what really got me. It was done perfectly. As a mom reading this, I was just amazed at how realistic Kate's character was. The details were amazing. Such an incredible story and I will be thinking about this book for a while. Rea Frey -- I loved this story!
Brittany Pressley narrating was perfect!

This book is immensely emotional. It is about the death of a child. It’s told from two different realities. The first one takes you through the extreme grief of losing a child and the second one imagines what life would be like if that hadn’t happened.

Because this has never happened to me or anyone that I know, this was an eye-opening glimpse at the the surface of that grief, that I can never truly understand. I felt deeply for the mom and how sad it was that she felt like it was her fault!

The timeline where her child lives on, is a look at how differently we can view life when it’s taken for granted. The message I have taken from this book is to love and care for my loved ones as they are, with all their imperfections, and not to worry about the trivial things in life.

Another part of story is the romance issues the mom goes through during both timelines. She has a great need for love and physical comfort but doesn’t want to make any rash decisions.

I am glad I read this book and I am grateful for the ARC I received from Harper Muse Audiobooks via NetGalley.

This was a good book....2 timelines which I really have come to enjoy in books. Narration was great. Trigger warning for child death. Shed a few tears. Would recommend as long as readers check triggers.

Frey pulls off an interesting and unique plot line involving a situation in which a child is lost while swimming and there are two different outcomes explored. She does a good job of going back and forth and the premise is captivating. I felt that it got a little bogged down with multiple romances and going back and forth and back and forth repeatedly. This became a little tiresome. The narrator does a very good job with the story and the audiobook has a nice flow to it. An overall enjoyable read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Other Year by Rea Frey

(Thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours, @reafreyauthor, and @harpermusebooks for the #gifted audiobook).

When I read the synopsis of The Other Year several months ago, I knew immediately that I had to read it. An alternating timeline story involving motherhood?? Say less! As a mom, I knew it would be a gut-punch, but it sounded like the emotional reads I typically love. And this one definitely delivered.

I was hooked from the first chapter, and the narration made it even more engaging. You could hear the grief in the narrator’s voice as she read the timeline where Olivia died (not a spoiler).

My heart was with Kate as she navigated both plot lines and dealt with grief, love, purpose, and finding happiness in the midst of tragedy.

I highly recommend this book!!

4.5⭐️

<i> Can the entire course of a life be traced back to a single moment? On a coveted 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. What would I do if she didn’t come up? Kate wonders. How would I live without her? In another set of circumstances that hold a different fate, Kate doesn’t have to wonder. Because in that “other” world, in the pulse-pounding seconds after Olivia goes under, she doesn’t come back up. Told in parallel timelines, Kate begins to live two lives—one in which Olivia resurfaces and one in which she doesn’t. </i>

At first I found the shift back and forth between the two timelines jarring- moving abruptly between deep-seated grief and the ups and downs of normal everyday life. I suspected this was intentional, but I worried that I wouldn’t be able to make it through a whole book of that dramatic contrast. Reading a bit further, though, it started to make sense, and wow did the story pull me in. This was an incredibly moving story, and the innovative format leads the reader to a lot of reflection on possibilities, choices, fate, and appreciating the fleeting nature of things. Highly recommend.

Brittany Pressley did a lovely job narrating the audiobook.

Thank you Rea Frey, Harper Muse, and NetGalley for providing this ALC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

Major trigger warning: death of a child
The Other Year by Rea Frey, an audiobook narrated by Brittany Pressley is an extremely emotional story, or let's say two stories about Kate, the hard-working single mum of Olivia. Kate always does what's best for everyone by putting her own needs on the side. Finally, she is ready to put her work on the side and take a 2-week holiday for her birthday. Kate and Olivia enjoy their time by the ocean when Kate receives a text message... What can happen if you take away your attention from your swimming child for a half minute? When Kate can't see Olivia she instantly suspects the worst hoping for the best... When she finally spots Olivia's happy face she exhales and just for a split second thought "What if"...
This is where the book gets interesting as we are allowed to follow 2 timelines, one where everything follows the normal life pattern with ups and downs and the other where the worst nightmare comes true...
This book contains all the possible emotions, grief, happiness, trust, betrayal, the conflict between what the best, how to value self, and most importantly this book makes you think of what is truly important.
Brittany Pressley delivered this story so emotionally, so real that I could feel every single part of this book!

Thank you, NetGalley and Harper Muse for this book!
#TheOtherYear #NetGalley #HarperMuse

I’m used to reading books written by Rea Frey with suspense at the core. Rea steps out of that genre to tell a beautiful story of loss, grief, and love.

This book has two timelines and goes through the course of a year. Timeline One begins as Kate Baker and her nine year old daughter, Olivia, are on a beach vacation. Timeline Two begins with the same beach vacation but when Kate looks down at her phone to check a text from her ex-husband, Olivia is swept away and drowns.

I know as a parent reading about what we most fear, to loose a child, could feel like a trigger. But this book weaves that tragedy into the story with grace and respect so that even though I was devastated at Olivia’s loss in timeline two I was able to understand the bigger picture. Kate’s life in both timelines are at the core of the story and those journeys make for a really engaging novel.

I listened to this book and the narrator does a great job of portraying the feelings in each of the two timelines. The beginning of the audio also has a note from the author that is very heartfelt and really made this book feel even more meaningful.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse Audio for the free audio book in exchange for my honest review. This is narrated by Brittany Pressley who does a fantastic job.

In reading the premise for this story, I was intrigued by a story that provides 2 different story lines at the same time, one being a child dies from and a child survives the same event. I have to say that this was very well done!

The author alternated between the 2 timelines by alternating chapters, and it worked by having the same set of characters though their roles shifted to fit the narrative. I was very interested to see if the outcome would be the same.

This is very well done! The character development was well done and accomplished through both parts which was a nice add. I consumed this very fast paced novel. I felt for Kate through her decisions and growth. I loved the ending!

Highly recommend!!

This audiobook is narrated by the very talented Brittney Pressley. She brings this story to life and has such distinction between each character. It is a perfect pairing.
The Other Year is unique in that 2 stories are written alongside one another. 1. After 2. As of it didn’t happen. It’s relatable in that we have all had something happen and think what would my life be like of that never happened. What would my life be like if I never made that choice. This incredible story about grief let’s us experience the what ifs. It’s truly an unforgettable story. Gut wrenching at times, this story deals with grief.
5 stars all the way. Well written. 2storylines yet easy to follow.

Copied from Goodreads: 2.5⭐️ Rea Frey’s novel “The Other Year” reads like a novelized Hallmark Channel adaptation of “Sliding Doors.” This isn’t necessarily bad provided you know you’re in for an overly sentimental journey through two versions of one woman’s 40th year.

I think I would have preferred a fully fleshed out novel of the alternate timeline. Kate’s emotional journey could have been more appropriately explored given more time.

This may be the result of the narrator but the dialogue, particularly when Spanish, Olivia, or Michael are involved, seemed forced, artificial, and incredibly annoying. Perhaps that’s the point?

Many thanks to Harper Muse via NetGalley for this audiobook shared in exchange for an honest review.

In this story a mother experiences two different timelines, one where her daughter drowns, the other where she survives. The first storyline has the daughter survive, and the relief the mother feels is immense, even though she goes on to experience all the typical mother/daughter clashes. In the second storyline, the one that seemed more likely, the girl drowns and the pain, guilt, shock and sorrow the mother experiences is visceral. A moving and thought provoking read

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫
𝐁𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐚 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐲
𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫: 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐞
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝟖.𝟏𝟓.𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑 𝒪𝓊𝓉 𝒩𝑜𝓌!


In the blink of an eye, the course of our lives can change.
In 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫 Rea Frey presents alternating timelines, that explore the what-ifs.

Kate Baker and her young daughter Olivia (Liv) are vacationing at the beach. As Liv splashes in the waves, Kate looks down at a text from her ex-husband. In that second Liv goes under the waves. After a terrifying moment, Liv resurfaces. But Kate wonders what life would be like if Liv had been pulled under.

The story progresses with alternating scenarios - one where Liv is alive and life goes on as usual, and one where Liv is pulled under and does not survive.

It goes without saying that this is an emotional story. I was ready for the timeline where Kate lost Liv to be filled with heartbreak, grief, and devastation, which it is. But I didn’t expect the timeline where Liv resurfaces and lives to be so emotional and sad as well. The author did a great job of showing how parents can suffer heartbreak in many different ways.

Loss, grief, parenting, and love are all explored in this thought-provoking narrative. It may make you hug your loved ones a little tighter.


Thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours @harpermusebooks and @reafreyauthor for a spot on tour and a gifted book and audiobook.

The Other Year was so emotional, so gut wrenching - yet made me think about the whole mother/chld relationship. Rea Frey is an excellent writer and the chapters of this book alternate between what happens in a divorced mother's life if her chld drowns or if she bounces back into her mother's view as she sits on the shore. The chapters that follow a storyline where the child dies are just too too too hard. Frey makes it so real. But the chapters where her daughter is living make it paletable. She describes the ups and downs, the happy and sad. The ending is ambiguous as it needs to be. I would like to read this again with my bookclub so that we can discuss.

I’ve been reading (and loving) Rea Frey’s books for years now, so when I saw her latest, The Other Year on netgalley, I requested it immediately! Oh boy…Frey pulls on your heartstrings right off the bat, friends! You’ll suck in your breath, and put your hand over your heart by the end of the prologue. Tragedy strikes when a single mother and her daughter take a beach vacation. In an instant, the young girl is gleefully playing in the water. When the mother diverts her eyes for one second to check an incoming text message, she’s no longer in her line of vision when she looks up. Remember the late-nineties movie, starring Gwyneth Paltrow called Sliding Doors? The one where two scenarios take place? In one, she gets on the train, but in the other, she doesn’t? The format of this novel is just like that. In one timeline, the daughter resurfaces from the water. In the other, she sadly doesn’t. (So heartbreaking.) And don’t worry—the two timelines are super easy to keep track of—even via audio! So, it’s obvious that the one timeline is very, very sad to read, and possibly triggering for some. I must say that Frey absolutely nailed the delivery of this unique format, and handled the subjects of loss, grief, and healing with much care and tenderness.

READ THIS IF YOU ENJOY:

- Reflections on motherhood
- Mother/daughter relationships
- Parenting tweens
- Stories on loss, grief, and healing
- Unique formats
- Parallel timelines
- Character-driven novels
- Emotional reads

With that said, this book is definitely a tough read, and you’ll want to have tissues handy. It will move you, and maybe even destroy you a little bit. If emotional reads don’t scare you off, then I highly recommend this thought-provoking novel. The Other Year is available now, and it gets 4/5 stars from me!