A sweet Sliding Doors-style novel of paths not taken, this book shares a series of day-in-the-life might've-beens for Lena. Different partners mean wholly different lives for Lena, from a yacht chef in the Aegean to a stepmom in small-town Ireland. This was a breezy, though not unsubstantial, read, and I could see it being great for book club discussions!

Wow this was soooo good! Lena was such a charming character and reading all the different lifes she could've lived was so entertaining. I could not get enough of this book! This writing was great, the characters were amazing and the story line was engaging and so addicting. Bravo! Highly recommend!

This book was a surprisingly fun read! I absolutely thought I’d enjoy it, but I did not anticipate it being so difficult to put down! I got sucked into this story and I finished this book in 2 days ( had I had more free time I absolute would’ve finished it faster).

I loved the character growth in this story of the FMC as she is forced to reflect on her current life as she’s sucked into a loop of all of the “what if” paths she could’ve taken. I also loved that the focus was on her own self discovery and not necessarily on her building relationships with all of her “insignificant others.” The ending left off on such a hopeful note as she reexamines her life.

I am honestly not sure why I am rating this 4 stars and not 5, but something (minor) was lacking I just can’t pinpoint what. But I would absolutely recommend picking this book up!

3.5 stars rounded up.
i thought this book was adorable.
lena thinks she’s about to become a fiancee and instead ends up single before dinner even starts. she goes home to her aunt rosie’s where she feels the most safe and tucks herself into bed in the guesthouse. for the next two weeks, she wakes up in a different place, next to a different man, living a different life. she experiences life with all of her “insignificant others” - men she’s had a history with, whether short or long - and learns many lessons along the way.
similar concept to sliding doors. what would life look like if you made just one different decision?!

thank you to william morrow for providing this book for review consideration via netgalley. all opinions are my own.

⏳🤍Insignificant Others 🤍⏳
By: Sarah Jio
Format: Digital Arc
Thank you : @netgalley @harpercollins
🤍Out 4/1/2025 🤍
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

⌛️Insignificant Others is a novel that explores the relatable and resonant “what ifs” of life, especially love. The story follows a young woman stuck in a “time loop” of one-day relationships with romantic partners from her past, allowing her a second chance to say “yes” to the one who got away

Marrying the wish-fulfilling romance of Emily in Paris with the high-concept premise of Groundhog Day, Insignificant Others is a lively, surprising, and enchanting novel that explores the relatable and resonant “what ifs” of life, but most especially, love.

QUOTABLES:
🤍“Remember, the heart is a muscle you must flex”

💭Time Travel is my favorite “micro trope” and Jio did a big one with this one! It was such a fun ride watching the FMC realize that all her decisions throughout her life have added up to become her life. It’s a story full of life lessons like: “stop and smell the roses”, “focus on what really matters”, and “don’t get too caught up in things that you live life on autopilot”. This is going to be such a cute read for Spring, you wont want to miss this one!

⚠️TWs: miscarriage, absentee mother

What a fun sweet read! After a breakup, Lena falls asleep and each day she wakes up in a different location with a different spouse. Some of these men are wonderful and others, well, not so much, but Lena learns more about herself through the process. The author avoids the plot being moved forward by chaos, as Lena easily slips into each life and makes do as she unravels the mystery and tries to get home. The interactions with the new spouses is PG, so very light on the 'mushy' stuff. I loved seeing Lena explore and learn about herself and grow and find happiness. I feel the need to compare it to The Husbands, as it was recently popular and there is some overlap in the premise. The Husbands is about a woman who stays in her apartment and she gets a new husband only when one goes to the attic, so some relationships are long, some short, a fair amount of sex involved, and she doesn't know most of the men before they come down from the attic. In Insignificant Others, Lena moves to the new spouse in a new space and only for a day. She also knows all of the men, as she met them in the past and for whatever reason never followed through on a relationship - so this is her second chance to see how life would have turned out if she had pursued that option. I really enjoy reading these types of books where people get to try out different versions of themselves. I particularly liked this one since the characters were lovely people and the author kept the story to interpersonal stuff and not bedroom antics.

A beautifully written book about what are choices can mean, and looking at life as the gift it is. I finishes this in 24 hours and wish I could go back and read it again.

First off, if you have never read a Sarah Jio book you have been seriously missing out! Her books are written so beautifully and always leave you with profound advice to put towards your own life.
In Insignificant Others, Lena thought she knew what her future looked like, but after breaking up with her boyfriend who she thought was the one, she now feels lost and returns to her childhood home. She ends falling asleep and is put into a “time loop” and visiting every guy she had a relationship with in the past to see what their future would have looked like. Each “adventure” shows her how valuable each day is in her life and what a true connection means & what she really wants for her future.
This book was very enjoyable & I truly would recommend it to anyone. I also love the message Sarah left me with, “We’re writing our stories every minute of every day, and all of it counts.”
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I love Sarah Jio books- they often have a touch of magical realism. I love this little sliding doors-esque novel. I've seen a few other reviewers comment that the end seemed a little rushed, and I do agree- the person that she ends up with at the end didn't necessarily stick out to me more than some of the others as THE ONE she was supposed to be with throughout this whole ordeal.

This was an easy, quick, very enjoyable little read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

First of all thank you to NetGalley, William Marrow and Sarah Jio.

I loved this book! I liked that the main character was older and more established. With each place she ends up and with each person the story feels so real and personal. I wasn’t expecting how emotional it would be. I thought it would be sort of superficial with each man but it touched on some deep topics and feelings.
I liked Lena’s growth as she moves through the story. I wish the ending was a bit more detailed but it does leave things open for your imagination and where she goes from there.
I also enjoyed the side characters and what they brought to each story.

Definitely recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Publishers for an early copy of the book!

I love Sarah Jio books, especially her earlier ones. I enjoyed this one too. I could not wait to find out what “Insignificant other” she ended up with…. But I wanted it to end a different way! She didn’t end up with the one I wanted…. But I commit that I will keep this spoiler free. I really did enjoy my time with this book but felt it could have been fleshed out a bit more. Very hasty ending tied up with a bow!

I do think this is a fun book to add to your TBR!

I devoured this book in just a day. It was such an easy read and a lot of the lessons Lena learned really resonated with me! I did feel like the ending was a little rushed and out of the blue, as far as her being all in with Spencer so fast goes. And some of the slang was a little cheesy, but overall this book was a really fun read.

Lena is stuck in some kind of QuantamLeap/Time Loop situation that finds her waking up each day married to a man from her past. If you are looking for a romance in the traditional sense, be warned - this book isn’t about one romance, but several. There is no singular MMC, but a dozen different men, each relationship teaching Lena something about the nature of love.

I found this book to be well-paced with an interesting premise. I wish a little bit more time had been spent on what happened when Lena got back to her real life.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and William Morrow for the advanced reader copy of this book, provided in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Lena finds herself single and heartbroken looking for answers. She flees to her aunt's home for some time away to try and gather herself. When she wakes one morning, she finds herself with a man and things look oddly familiar. Every morning when Lena wakes she finds herself with some one from her past, living a totally different life. Each man brings a different life Lena never knew she could have. The perfect story of "what-if".
I love everything Sarah Jio writes! She brings life to characters you'll feel like you know like an old friend. Her writing flows and keeps you reading chapter after chapter. Insignificant Others is all of that and more. It makes you question how things could be different, good and bad, if you had made different decisions. But ultimately, we all end up exactly where we are supposed to be.
I will always recommend Sarah Jio and will always be on the lookout for her new work. Special thanks to NetGalley, Sarah Jio, and William Morrow Books for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion. 5 stars for me!
#InsignificantOthers #NetGalley

I always love Sarah Jio's writing and the depth of her books. Even though she's in the women's fiction-related genre, her books and characters have so much nuance and interest. So I was thrilled to read her newest book, Insignificant Others. I love the concept - one woman's exploration of all the various lives she could have lived and men she could have loved in a different life. I loved the themes of love (of yourself and others), of second chances, of how your decisions shape your life. Lena was a fantastic character with resilience, peace, and relationships to endure despite the oddness of her situation.

I did rate this book 3 out of 5 stars for a couple reasons. One, this book was cheesy. No getting around that, I"m afraid. Lena kept learning lessons and changing and growing, but the cheese factor was real. Especially with the ending. Two, the book dragged a bit. Eleven potential lives? That's a lot. Some were explored with more detail and others were a touch surfacy. I also found it hard to believe that one woman could change that much for a man. Or that these (very insignificant) men from her past could become her husband? Far fetched. Three, the magical realism in this book was a little odd. I mean, her aunt tried to explain it once but never could....and then it was just a guess how she could get out of the loop? I wanted that explained more, personally.

Nevertheless, I'm glad I read this book. It was fun and engaging. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this eARC. All opinions are my own.

Have you ever wondered what life would be like if you made different decisions? Devastated after what she thought would be a proposal turns out to be Coldplay tickets, Lena retreats to the comfort of her Aunt’s Bainbridge Island guest cottage. When she wakes the next morning she is in Paris, married to a former flame. For the next week, she wakes up in a different life, married to someone else. This was such a unique premise! Really enjoyed this one! Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for this great ARC by one of my favorite authors. Did not disappoint!!

While I enjoyed this book it reminded me too much of the midnight library. I didn’t really connect with the character, I never got a feeling of what her personality was like or really much about her.

I’ve waited forever for a new Sarah Jio book, and she did not disappoint! Insignificant Others is a heartfelt tale of love, the “what-ifs” and friendship. Lena is a lovable, relatable heroine. Her journey of introspection and self-realization was entertaining and heartwarming. This book is a perfect feel good read.

Many thanks to NetGalley, William Morrow and Sarah Jio for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I received a complimentary copy of this book "Insignificant Others" and all opinions expressed are my own. I love a good time looping book. I loved following Lena on her journey. What if I decided differently? What would be my life now? Of course, I have thought about that and my decisions. Overall good book that I enjoyed reading. Quick Read.

This was so good! Really well written, and for a story that could have been cheesy it was actually perfect.

Lena is at the top of her game at work and thinks she is about to get a marriage proposal. When she doesn't, she goes home to her aunt's house, falls asleep in the guest house, and wakes up in France married to a Frenchman -- someone she met once at a wedding and didn't pursue. Every day she wakes up in a relationship with someone she dated or met at some point.

What I loved about this book is how varied her relationships and lives were, even though I am not sure one person would change so drastically career-wise based on one relationship over another. Some of the guys were awful, some were great. Some of her lives were sweet, some (ahem, Florida) were quite wild. The author did great research about all of Lena's locales and jobs, because they were so clearly explained and unique. I also liked following the ups and downs of her friendship with her best friend and how her lives changed that dynamic.

The ending was predictable but not in an annoying way since the ride was so fun to get there. I will be seeking out more from this author!

Thank you William Morrow Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.