This one is a huge surprise for me. I would never have selected this to read, until it landed on my radar months ago in a marketing email. I'm not exactly sure why I took it, as I'm not much of a fiction reader, nor do I gravitate to flights of fantasy and such. So imagine me shaking my head last night, unexpectedly winding up with my first Fiction 5 Star read of the year! As it stands today, I will definitely vote for this one in the 2025 Goodreads Awards.

The crux of the book is a story about two girls who were the closest of friends growing up- Meg and Aimee. As teenagers they talked endlessly about going to an arts college in Ireland that specialized in acting. However, circumstances prevented them from going and they went to college locally- and then Meg's world shattered when Aimee suddenly died. Now Meg is 30, a successful actress in a kind of smarmy but successful episodic show called "Brilliance", but there is a certain emptiness and shallowness to her life, despite the accolades and financial perks. She abandons her 30th birthday bash and hops on a plane to Ireland to visit Avalon, the college locale she dreamt about. Upon arrival, she slowly realizes she is 19 again, and everyone she encounters in this heartwarming cul-de-sac knows her- but she doesn't know them. More importantly, Aimee lives here and is ALIVE!!

The clincher of this story that burrowed into my heart was the reuniting of Meg and Aimee. Imagine having a soulmate friend from your youth who was torn from you suddenly, tragically when they had everything to live for? And then getting a second chance to share and discuss any misunderstandings from the past? I was enjoying the story alright, but as it careened towards the last 25% I was riveted and close to crying at multiple points. This was a brilliantly laid out story, so tenderly, masterfully choreographed. I am deeply touched and so glad I read this.

Thank you to the publisher St. Martin's Press who provided an advance reader copy via NetGalley.

Meg Brown is a celebrity and is the lead actress in the show “Brillance” however she is realizing that being a celebrity and famous is not bringing her the happiness that she always thought that it would. Meg decided on her thirtieth birthday that she is going to change her name to Lana Lord, change her appearance drastically, and goes to Ireland. Upon arriving in Ireland she realizes that she appears as an older version of her high school self. Can one week in Ireland assist Meg in self discovery?

I loved the premise of this book and thought that the author did a really great job creating the parallel universe that Meg was put into while in Ireland. I found that this book will be relatable and enjoyable to many women. I found myself reading way longer than I usually would at times due to wanting to know the outcome, and also loving the Ireland vibe of the novel. Highly recommend this one!

SO GOOD. I loved this book so much that I'll even forgive the author for throwing shade at Love is Blind (but seriously, how dare you). I'm always drawn in by books that focus on how one's decisions can affect the total outcome of their lives, so it's no surprise that I loved the premise of this book. It was so fun while also having sad and emotional aspects to it. Meg was such a great character and I appreciated how a big factor of the book was her identifying her own flaws and doing everything she could to improve on herself. The character growth was top notch thanks to this.

I loved the small town setting and the side characters were all so great. The relationships in this book were the real winner - the main characters had great biological families, but the book also had a found family aspect, which I loved. I loved Meg's relationship with Killian (swoon) and if I could jump into the pages and pull out Kiera to be my IRL best friend I would do it in a heartbeat. This book had me laughing out loud many times and I'd be lying if I said I didn't totally tear up at the end. The way everything wrapped up also made my heart so happy. Prioritize this book!!

I legit flew through this book in one sitting—it just sucked me right in. It’s one of those stories that hits you with all the feels: grief, healing, friendship, and those little “what if” moments that make you think about your own life. The main character was super relatable, like you totally get why she’s guarded and stuck in her own head after everything she’s been through. And the way the story plays with alternate paths without being over-the-top was honestly so well done. I laughed, I got choked up, and by the end, I didn’t want to leave these characters behind. If you’re into books that mess with your emotions but also make you feel kinda hopeful, this one’s definitely worth it.

The Other Side of Now is a genre bending, road not taken, with a strong sliding doors vibe to it story. On the surface, Meg Bryan (known professionally as Lana Lord), has everything going for her - she is an actress on a hit show, her boyfriend is a a Hollywood hunk, and she lives in a beautiful home. But after her 30th birthday party, she decides to hop on a plane and head to Ireland to the village that she and her best friend Aimee; who died tragically years earlier, dreamt of going to college in. When she arrives, everyone acts as if they know her. Meg is a different person there. Not the bleached blond glammed up actress but the Meg who runs a shop and has not altered her looks, with an on-again-off-again relationship with the pub owner down the road. Plus, her friend Aimee is alive!!!
This was a wonderful read and had me smiling and feeling all the feelings. This book was like a breath of fresh air. Who hasn't looked back on their life and thought "what if". This book had a little bit of everything, friendship, loss, romance, relationships, forgiving, and following your dreams.
Wonderfully written, well thought out, and gripping!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for my review e-arc.

SHORT SYNOPSIS:
Meg Bryan (nope, not Meg Ryan) seems to have it all—she’s the star of a hit TV show, dating Hollywood’s golden boy, and living the dream. But when it all starts to feel wrong, she impulsively books a trip to a small town in Ireland—where she and her best friend Aimee should have gone to college… before Aimee died and Meg chose fame instead.
Only when she arrives, everyone in town already knows her—and acts like she’s lived there for years.

MY THOUGHTS:
What a delightful surprise this book turned out to be! I’m a total sucker for magical realism and sliding doors storylines—and THE OTHER SIDE OF NOW delivered that concept with so much charm, depth, and heart.

I adored watching Meg rediscover what really matters—real friendships, true love, and a chance to reconnect with the life (and best friend) she lost. The Irish setting? Pure cozy magic. And don’t even get me started on Killian—the literal definition of an Irish book boyfriend. Their romance was *chef’s kiss*.

Meg’s character arc was so satisfying to watch unfold, and the final chapters hit me right in the feels. I flew through the last 50 pages, heart in my throat. This is one of those stories that makes you want to hug the book when you’re done.

WHAT YOU’LL FIND:
✨ Sliding doors / alternate timelines
🇮🇪 Cozy Irish countryside vibes
💔 Grief, healing, and forgiveness
💞 A swoony, heartfelt romance
👯‍♀️ Found family + friendship
🌟 Second chances in the most magical way

An incredible premise with somewhat middling execution. I wanted to love this, and went into the magical realism concept with an open mind, ready to see how this unique second chance at life would affect main character Meg. Most of the story is centered on Meg's attempts to repair her broken friendship with Aimee tangled up with the grief she feels from losing her within the other reality, which leads to several memorable scenes where she works through some very complicated feelings. There is also a romantic subplot between Meg and Cillian that has potential but feels very underbaked in comparison, relying too much on the connection that existed between them rather than the new one that they are forming. One of the biggest problems here is that the pacing is rather slow and it often felt like nothing was happening, so there were times when I wasn't particularly excited about picking up the book to see what happened next, yet I stuck with it to the end to see it wrap up rather nicely. A bit of a mixed bag, though there are aspects that really shine.

If a book is set in Ireland I know I'm going to read it! This story was so much more than I was expecting. I can't wait to tell others about it and get them to read it as well. This had me laughing and wishing her all the happiness. I true gem of a book!

The Other Side of Now is Paige Harbison's adult debut, and the first of her books I've read.

Content warnings include explicit sex (but no cringey or disrespectful language that I can remember), alcohol use, extreme dieting and body alterations to fit Hollywood standards of beauty, and death.

While the driving force of the story is Meg's discontent and restlessness in her story-opening timeline, the book isn't entirely heavy. Fun ingredients include mentions of The Phantom Tollbooth—my favorite children's book of all time, Hallmark movies, The Killers song Mr. Brightside, and the movie The Holiday. There are loyal and lovely dogs in both universes. As is often the case, I found humor to be the best part of the book—with Irish timeline friend Kiera as the star of the show, in my opinion.

The writing evokes great emotion—often wrenching or desirous. By the end of the story, Meg gains perspective and maturity. We can assume a happily-ever-after, though it's not explicitly stated. 3.66⭐

How many lives do we lead? Do we have multiple, simultaneous lives of the path not taken? The Other Side of Now explores this concept with successful actress Lana Lord, star of a hit tv series, who impulsively takes a trip to Ireland and seems to side slip into another version of her life.

The story is a lot of fun, even as Lana/Meg works through trauma from eleven years prior. The characters are real and sometimes laugh out loud funny. I found it to be a quick read and thoroughly entertaining as well as thought provoking and meaningful with a satisfying conclusion. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

The Other Side of Now by Paige Harbison is a contemporary women’s fiction about finding oneself in the midst of grief. Meg Bryan appears to have everything she’s ever wanted in life: her dream job, fame, and beauty. But it’s all fake. Her life doesn’t bring her any joy. After wrapping her show up for the season and being told to lose a nonexistent ten pounds, Meg books a trip to a small town in Ireland, a place her and her best friend Aimee always wanted to go before a tragic accident changed Meg’s life. But once Meg gets there, the life she knew is a dream. In Avalon, Meg isn’t famous, she’s just broke up with a gorgeous barkeep, and, most important, Aimee is alive. Meg doesn’t know what the universe is doing, but she’ll do anything to have one more day with Aimee.

I adored this book. I could not sit it down. The book starts off with a Meg who is disenchanted with her life. She’s on the verge of a breakdown, just celebrated her birthday, and believes her boyfriend is cheating on her with his costar. The last one doesn’t really bother her too much. But everything else does. She isn’t happy. Meg believes it’s just stress and that some time away would do her good. Hence, the spontaneous trip to Ireland.

Meg’s life is flipped upside down. It’s like the universe is giving her a glimpse of what could have been if she’d chosen to go to school in Avalon instead of staying in Florida when Aimee didn’t get in to the college. It kind of reminds of me George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life. That one choice changes everything about who Meg is in her present. Now with no clue as to what is going on and who this Meg is, she’s got to pretend to be okay. Her phone offers a lot of clues from photos to her contact list. The fact that Aimee is alive and well in Avalon though is what Meg focuses on. What would her life be like if she’d never lost Aimee? Now she gets a chance to find that out.

The Other Side of Now is a beautifully written story about grief, friendships, and the everyday choices we make that shape our lives. For Meg, she’s not really been living, never admitting that Aimee is really and truly gone, and this experience forces her to evaluate everything she thought she knew. There are some wonderful side characters that Meg meets along the way, including an ex-boyfriend and a new bestie. I love the small town setting and how the author immerses you in Meg’s reality. If you are a fan of contemporary fiction with a touch of romance and magical realism, you are in for a treat. I highly recommend this one.

Wow. This was solid. I was a little wary at first of how this could go, and I really enjoyed it. I thought it was well executed and that the author did a good job of the alternate reality concept. This was good, and I'm really happy I picked it up. It didn't end the way I thought it would, but that goes to show that the author knows more than me about what was best ;)

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

This book was such an unexpected surprise and I loved every second of it! From the magical realism to the friendships, the laugh out loud moments, and the ones that put a lump in my throat. I think Keira is my new favorite side character. I loved her so so much. The romance was such a sweet touch- Cillian was just wonderful. I truly don’t have enough words for how much I loved this book. I hope everyone adds this to their TBR when it comes out next week.

4.5/5

4.5/5

I absolutely devoured this one, I’ve always been drawn to stories that explore the concept of alternate lives or “sliding doors” moments, and this one delivered in such a compelling and heartfelt way. The author takes the age old question—what if?—and spins it into a beautiful, emotional journey that really makes you pause and reflect.

I especially loved the main character, Meg, she felt so real and relatable. And I have to say, the version of Meg who lives in Ireland completely stole my heart. That storyline was so atmospheric and emotionally rich, it added an extra layer of depth that I didn’t expect but thoroughly enjoyed and her grief and vulnerability was raw and touching.

The premise felt fresh yet familiar in the best way, and I found myself completely immersed in the characters’ lives. It was equal parts emotional, thought provoking, and hopeful. A truly delightful read that lingers with you after you finish the last page and enough to make me add the author as an auto buy.

The Other Side of Now is a Sliding Doors-style romantic comedy that strikes all the right notes. I have seen it listed as magical realism which doesn't quite feel right to me, despite the alternate reality plot. Dissatisfied with her life as an LA actress, Lana Lord--who's real name is Meg Bryan--impulsively flees to the small town in Ireland where she'd hoped to attend college years ago. Upon arrival Meg finds herself alive in a timeline full of different decisions than the ones she thought she'd made. The charming small-town setting is populated with loveable characters who force Meg to face truths about herself and what really happened between her and her childhood friend Aimee. I loved the way the puzzle pieces of both timelines fell into place and found the ending both cathartic and satisfying. :Light on spice--with the exception of one scene--the intimacy described is more emotional than physical. Harbison has written a quality redemption story.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc and alc.

I thought this was a fun and unique novel. I loved how the author was the narrator of this book. I thought Meg was a very well developed main character. The only reason I am giving this book four stars instead of five is that it took me a minute to get into the story. I would've also possibly enjoyed seeing a different ending for the story, but that is just me.

3.5/5 - I recently heard a booktuber say that they never read an epilogue. Do not do that with this book. (But also why? It’s still part of the story??) This book had more depth than I expected. You really grapple with Meg’s big grief and the setup of the story makes you ponder how an experience like that can change a person.

As far as the plot goes, I thought the author actually did a very good job with the wrap up. Things made as much sense as they could without really explaining the magic. I thought characters had really realistic reactions and it felt authentic. I wish that we had gotten some scenes of the other Meg in LA, but I recognize this isn’t her story.

My only really criticism is that the story felt a little name droppy in a way. There were references to Barry Keoghan and The White Lotus for example. I’m just not sure how timeless those references are going to end up being. Obviously both are having a moment right now, but I could see them dating the book in a few years. Also, the spice scene was completely unnecessary and can be skipped without any effect on plot or how you feel about characters (so really, why include it in the first place?) Once again, it felt like it was included because the author felt like this is the kind of book that should have that and it’s really not.

But overall, this book surprised me in a good way and I thought the ending was especially thoughtful. I thought I knew how the story was going to go and I’m happy to report that I was wrong. The book was still able to surprise me in some ways and that was a real treat.

Note: I received a free ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

From the very start, I was iffy about Meg. But when an impromptu trip to Ireland sends her into an alternate version of her life (one where she’s not a superficial celebrity and her best friend is still alive), I was really hopeful things would turn around. I LOVE a story that blends magical realism and grief. And you can’t go wrong with an Ireland setting. But halfway through, I felt like nothing was happening. The pacing was just incredibly slow.

The messy, on-and-off romance seemed promising, but it was frustrating that Meg’s connection with Cillian relied almost entirely on her alternate self’s already-established feelings. It felt like the story took the easy way out when it came to building their chemistry. He was essentially a stranger to her, yet she just “felt” like she was supposed to love him? I needed more from them.

I did appreciate the grief storyline, with Meg being forced to confront her loss by seeing her friend alive again. What a fun use of magical realism. Meg’s unhappiness in both versions of her life was a heartfelt comparison, and I liked the message of creating the life you truly want. The ending was bittersweet and surprisingly satisfying, but the journey there was not for me.

What a delight this was. I typically have a hard time getting into time travel/ alternate universe stories but this one was so charming. I love it. The Other Side of Now is full of heart and wonderful characters. You’ll fall in love with this story and want to pack up and move to Ireland immediately.

Time travel is not one of my favorite tropes as they are obviously unrealistic and a little cringy at times. But this one was pretty good! It’s quirky and sad and enlightening. This book was more than romance, it was a book about finding what makes you happy and friendship.
It made me think of my bestie who is 3 hours away and how I never want to take our 20+ year friendship for granted as you never know when you will see them for the last time.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
I’m giving it 3.5 stars because I was a little bored at first and because I usually like a good pop culture reference but there was way too many for me.