Thank you SMP for my copy. This was such an original story and I loved it! It was so compelling, tender, emotional, funny and sweet. I loved experiencing Meg's emotions and character growth throughout this story.

Thank you (SO SO SO) much to NetGalley and to St. Martin's Press for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I feel like I'm late to the party here which is sad, because what do you mean I could have read this amazing book months ago!?!? This book is SO good that I was less than 100 pages in when I decided it must be on my shelf and ran out to get it. It's that good.

The magical realism, the characters, everything is perfect and I just wish that I could scream from the rooftops to please read this book.

"The Other Side of Now" was an excellent read! At times, it had me laughing, and other times, crying.

It's the story of childhood best friends, Meg and Aimee. They're inseparable and plan to go to the same college together when they graduate. But then they encounter an odd fortune teller who tells Meg that she has two life lines, which sets the whole rest of the story in motion.

At a cross roads in her life, Meg decides she needs a break to rest, recuperate and decide what she wants to do next. So she books an cottage in Ireland to escape to. But somehow, on the way there, she crosses into a different life. She's still herself. But everyone, and I mean everyone, thinks she's been living there for years. She has a best friend there and a boyfriend, and it's all really weird.

She soon realizes that all the things she's missing in her "real life" are there in Ireland. But it seems that the Meg that had been there all along had never been happy there either. So she's left to piece together what it takes to truly be happy.

While there was little that was realistic about the story, it was engaging and kept me reading. And the ending... The whole thing was worth it, just for the ending!

Thank you to Paige Harbison, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

This book is everywhere on social media, people like it. Happenstance I follow the author on Instagram and didn't put the two together until I saw the authors photo. As a first attempt at adult fiction it's my opinion that it's a hit. Nice writing style, liked the characters and became invested in their outcome. I was worried there wouldn't be an HEA but it's there, came at the last minute.

It's hard to feel sorry for a celebrity, their lives look attractive; social media posts may be completely curated but lots of us fall for it. Lana/Meg is not so much unhappy as numb, bored, jaded, and wondering if there's more to life and that makes her feel guilty since she does have it so good. A massive panic attack has her landing in a small Irish village where everyone knows her as Meg. A Sliding Doors event has happened and Meg is living a normal life; Lana the actress never happened. There are other things that you have to find out for yourself. I developed a crush on her on/off boyfriend Cillian, he sounded perfect, looked perfect, expressed his feelings and owned a pub. Ticks all the boxes for me. I liked the life she was having in Avalon. Alas, all good things must come to an end and the trick will be how Meg will handle her old life knowing there is actually more out there.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#TheOtherSideofNow PaigeHarbison #St.Martin'sPress #romance #contemporaryromance #bookreview #NetGalley #alternatereality #multiuniverse

First and foremost, the happiest of pub days to both #hestodiefor and #theothersideofnow !!

The Other Side of Now by @pharbeaux was fantastic!! I loved the cozy setting, the focus being equally on friendship, self reflection and romance. I loved the hilarious people of the village and honestly it didn’t end how I expected and I loved it! Highly recommend!!

He’s to Die For by Erin Dunn was less fun for me. I may be the outlier on this one but it fell flat as I didn’t feel a bit connection to the characters. It was said to be for fans of the Charm Offensive which I LOVED so it might when just set it up too high in my expectations. It’s a not for me but maybe others will love it!

Thank you @macmillan.audio for the audio of both books. Cillian and his accent with live on in my mind rent free!

Thank you @stmartinspress for my physical copy of The Other Side of Now! I loved curling up on the couch with it!

✨ The Vibes ✨
Contemporary fiction that places the focus on friendship with just a dash of romance

📖 Read if…
✨ You’re a fan of Ashley Poston’s style of magical realism
✨ You prefer TJR’s romance novels over her historical fiction titles
✨ You want to take a trip to Ireland

When I picked up The Other Side of Now, I was expecting a rom com that was equal parts Freaky Friday and Sliding Doors. Instead, what I got was a truly moving story about friendship and second chances (with an amazing Ireland setting).

The book opens with actress Meg Bryan going by her stage name Lana Lord and living a somewhat unsatisfactory life in Hollywood, starring in a hit TV show and dating a mediocre guy. When she hits a wall, she heads to Ireland, only to find herself in an alternate reality where her ex runs a pub and her best friend is still alive.

I truly loved this book! It was funny and full of pop culture references, but didn’t let either of those things get in the way of great writing and storytelling. Paige Harbison perfectly balances conflict with moments of joy, as well as friendship and romance. It never felt like there was too much of one thing, and I thought the way Meg dealt with both romantic and friendship problems felt very authentic and true to life.

If there was one thing that held me back from crowning this a full five-star read, it’s that some of the magical elements felt like they needed a bit more fleshing out. It might just be a me thing, but I needed to understand more about the rules of this alternate universe and how it intersected with Meg’s “real” life. The ending helped provide some clarity on this, but also raised some additional questions, and at that point, I decided to stop thinking so much about it, and enjoy the ride because this was a really fun and sweet book.

The Other Side of Now is out now. Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the book version of Look Both Ways (with Lili Reinhart) but with a bigger emphasis on friendship and it moved me to tears multiple times. My feelings leaving this book are: I love my life, I love my friends, and I highly recommend.

This book is an emotional journey. I loved the changing up between the two worlds. It's like sliding glass doors.

Meg's friend Amy died in a car crash when they were on their way home one night. Meg left Florida and never went back. She tried to push it to the back of her mind. Meg tried not to think about it, but things have a way of catching up to you.

Meg is currently an actress and decides to take a break and travel to Ireland. When she arrives there she enters her other life. Where Amy is still alive. Is this Meg's chance to reconnect ?

As you sink into this other world you will be hooked instantly. I loved to meet all the characters. Everyone was so fun and the story is homey. I enjoyed the ending very much.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc

I finished this book about 2 weeks ago, and I am still thinking about it. I loved this. Meg is famous, but doubting whether this life is for her, so she books a trip to Ireland and things are not at all what she thought they would be. This was a journey of hope, of healing, love, laughter, and tears. I loved the characters, the setting, and the dash of magical realism. Absolutely one of the best books I've read this year!

DNF at 10%.

Stylistically, this novel was challenging. While I understand the desire for a cinematic effect with present tense, its forced and pervasive use feels unnatural. The written word is distinct from cinema and deserves respect as its own storytelling medium. And again, from the outset, the present tense hindered my engagement. The golf commentary created an automatic distance from the narrative, which contradicts the book’s focus on friendship, grief, and love. The characters felt clichéd, and while they and the story weren’t entirely predictable, they lacked depth and intention.

This is the kind of book that gets under your skin and makes you ask, “What if I’d made different choices? What if things had gone another way?” If you’ve ever found yourself wondering how one small decision could have changed everything, this one’s for you.

The novel explores grief, loss, and the haunting question of whether we can ever truly let go of the past. Harbison’s writing is full of emotional depth, without ever feeling too heavy. The characters feel like people you might know, and their journeys feel all too real, as they grapple with their own "what ifs" and the weight of missed opportunities. This is a powerful story about self-discovery, healing, and how we find our way through the messiness of it all.

Huge thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

I flew through this book! This was an engaging, compulsively readable story with the perfect amount of magical realism. While I sometimes found the message a little heavy-handed, this was ultimately a heartfelt and hopeful reminder about what truly matters in life and holding the people we love close!

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced digital copy!*

I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about this book at the start...I was worried I wouldn't be able to vibe with the whole alternate version of life storyline, but it really worked for me once I dug into the story. The author did such a good job with this...the writing was beautiful, emotional and funny at times. Towards the end, during the play, the writing was so well done, that I felt all the emotions. I was surprised at the ending and give the author so much credit to commiting to an ending that was not easy but so right for the story. I loved the ending and how the characters and stories came full circle. This story made me realize that I need to text my friends more and that is always a good thing. I rated this a 4 star book on my Goodreads and other socials and will.highly recommend.

Loved this take on alternate timelines and the what ifs that come up with choosing another path. It was interesting who Meg became in the "pretend" life. she seemed like such a drag but having the perspective of having lived the complicated "real life" really changed things.

Oh this was wonderful. I did not know what to expect but I truly loved this story and the depth of the characters. I loved the suspense and the uncertainty about what was going to happen, the story had a good balance of predictability and unpredicatbility. There was a lot of growth seen among the characters and I truly enjoyed reading this so much that I finished it in a day.

This novel presents an interesting concept of entering into an alternative universe where a tragic event had not happened. This is a tricky concept but I think Harbison did a good job of pulling it off. I like how Meg was able to grow from the experience. I wondered how the ending could possibly work and I was surprised that it came out well.

This is a good adult debut so I will be looking for her future works.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent review.

This book was absolutely perfect. Top read for 2025. No notes.

The plot, the characters, the development, the pacing... it hit all my boxes for a great read. This was a fun twist to the "alternate life" plot where you are truly left wondering if there are two Megs/Lanas out there in the world. As everything comes together, the twist actually kind of makes sense. When it comes to characters, Kiera and Cillian stole the show. I would love to have each one of these in my life! But the real focus--Meg and Aimee's friendship--is so well done. I loved the process of grief and healing and the "what could have beens" that Harbison explored. All felt thoroughly considered and none seemed half-baked.

The only question I have: why did I wait so long to read this one?? I will absolutely pick up another of Paige Harbison's books!

Thank you @netgalley & St Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an early copy of this book.

Read if you enjoy:
🎬 famous FMC
🎬 alternate reality
🎬 set in the UK
🎬 cute pup

Slipping into a tiny nervous breakdown & taking a trip to the UK, Meg Bryan (AKA Lana Lord in the movie biz) wakes up in an alternate reality where the college town she had hoped to attend years ago seems to intimately know her, as a very different person. Someone from her past unexpectedly makes a life altering appearance. This story is a beautiful depiction of what could’ve been & how the sometimes-maybes change our lives for better, for worse. Life lessons are learned and relationships are embraced & repaired.

Highly recommend if you love alternate reality stories. Easy read, easy to love characters, I want to lay on the couch all day and snuggle the dog 😜

The Other Side of Now was a powerful story about healing and finding yourself. With friendship and love sprinkled in the pages, this magical realism book had me in its clutches. I loved feeling just as lost as Meg and walking in her shoes. It was jaw dropping watching how one different choice could affect so many of those around you. I adored that the story was easy to devour and I loved how much it made me laugh. I also sobbed my eyes out too. And while I understood that ending, I closed the book feeling a little unsatisfied. I needed a look into the future please or I wish I would have known in advance from other reviews what to expect. I still enjoyed the story though, so I am looking forward to whatever Paige Harbison writes next!

PS Cillian was my favorite!

What if you got the chance to see how your life would have turned out if something pivotal had just gone differently? Paige is a successful soap opera star who is tired of living the LA lie (too much plastic surgery, not enough friends) and decides to randomly run away for a week in Ireland. She opens the door to the cottage she’s staying at, and suddenly she’s living the life in Ireland that would have been hers had her best friend not died when they were in college. As she tries to figure out Other Paige’s life, she starts to want to stay there, where things feel easier and more normal (even though no one believes her story and they all think she’s kind of crazy). I love a “what if” story and this was a great one, and the epilogue just made it perfect.