🚪 Book Review 🚪

Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for an arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Publication: June 3, 2025

Rating: Not for me

When I read the synopsis about magical realism and alternate timeline plus grief- I was sold! However, I really struggled with this writing style. I found there was too much descriptive language and it took me out of the story. For that reason, I ended up DNF-ing.

For fans of:
🚪 First person POV
🏡 Magical realism
🚪 Alternate reality
🏡 Healing from grief

✨ What to read next? ✨
🌟 Midnight Library by Matt Haig
🌟 Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah

I finished "The Other Side of Now" and while it captured my attention and imagination, I felt a bit let down at the end since I wanted the fairy tale ending and I got a version of the Nicolas Cage movie "The Family Man" another great story with an ending while not bad was not the fairy tale ending, I would have preferred. So I give it 4 Stars for a great story that while not a bad ending just not the one I would have preferred.

Thank you St Martin’s Press for the free book! #SMPPartner #SMPRomance #TheOtherSideOfNow #PaigeHarbison All opinions are my own.

“I now know the depth of my pain and, finally, I can begin swimming toward the surface. I never need to go that far again”

On the outside it appears that Meg has everything she could have ever wanted. She stars in a hit tv show and is dating Hollywood’s latest heartthrob but deep down she knows that it’s all fake and she longs for a change of scenery so shortly after her thirtieth birthday she decides to take a trip to Ireland, where she and her best friend Aimee had always dreamt of visiting. When she arrives at the small little village nothing is making sense. The townsfolk treat her like someone they know, her appearance has changed, her phone suddenly holds thousands of pictures of her life in this town that she doesn’t remember ever taking and Aimee, who she lost in a tragic accident years before is alive and well.

This is one of those books that I know will stay with me for years to come. The story that Paige Harbison has created is just magical with so many amazing layers and nuances. The small town Irish vibes and alternate timelines come together beautifully. I was hooked right from the very first page. At it’s heart The Other Side of Now is about learning to live in the moment instead of trying to hold on to every spark or panic about the time that is slipping away. You just have to be.

Meg burrowed her way into my heart and the idea that the people we’ve loved and lost are out there in the universe somewhere happy and living a different life is kinda perfect.

Read if you like:

Magical Realism
Alternative Timelines
Friendship
Small town Irish setting
Representations of grief

What a great book! I docked one star because I wish the language was a little cleaner, but I loved the story. An unhappy TV star named Meg, full of regrets and unresolved trauma experiences a time loop and a "what if" version of her life. It's something we all think about, wondering if the road not taken was the better path. Meg learns much about herself and others, forcing the reader to also get introspective. Happily, I came out the other side more than satisfied with my life choices. And, happily, the book had a terrific, unpredictable ending. Win, win! The audio is also excellent, performed by the author, who does a bang up Irish accent.

I really liked this! When I read the premise I was immediately interested as I lost my best friend 11 years ago. And the dedication had me tearing up on the first page, so I think I was right to feel pulled to it. This definitely leans more women’s fiction than romance, but I was very much invested in the relationship between Meg and Cillian. Their connection and chemistry was great and I only wish we got a little more of it.

That said, the focus was really on Meg coming to terms with decisions she’d made in the time since her friend, Aimee’s, passing as well as the circumstances of her death. Her time spent in the alternate reality allows her to process through feelings she’s long pushed down and make some decisions about how she wants to move forward. I related to the longing of a relationship lost and the sentiment that there is truly no replacing those deep connections, but that we can nurture new bonds. I loved the ending because it gave hope without tying up everything.

Parts of this reminded me of The Holiday (and after seeing the acknowledgements that was purposeful) and What’s in a Kiss by Lauren Kate. If you like magical realism, grief representation and personal journeys, check this out!

Rating - 4.5 stars rounded off to 5

Magical yet so realistic, hopeful and life-affirming!

Basically my kind of read!

Thanks NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the invite to read this ARC!

Synopsis-

The leading Hollywood TV show actress Lana Lord (original name Meg Bryan) has the most perfect life she could ever wish for. But she knows deep down that her glittery, glamorous life is shallow, fake like her name and just a facade created by her world. On impulse to getaway, she books a trip to a quaint little Irish Village of Avalon, a place she and her childhood best friend Aimee, always dreamt of moving to. But the ground beneath her seems to have shifted, time just warped, as she’s no longer Lana, but Meg in this new reality of hers and everyone strangely seems to know her. What’s more she isn’t a stranger to Avalon but a resident, who has been living a very real life here. What’s happening to Lana and how will she decipher everything the universe seems to be throwing at her?

Review -

Typically, I am someone who struggles with magical realism/time travel concepts in books. But the transition of Lana’s life into Meg’s happens so naturally, that I didn’t bat an eyelid or flinch at the sudden shift of direction the narrative was headed in. It also helped that I went in blind into the book.

As we get to know Meg in her Irish life, we realise there is so much backstory and events from her past to unpack. The storyline delves into her difficult experiences and struggles, the beautiful friendship she shared with Aimee - inseparable as they were as teens, Meg’s loss, grief and how she buried her trauma deep within to build herself a new life, using pretence as her weapon.

I loved the author’s use of the ‘sliding doors’ concept as she transforms Lana into Meg. I was completely rooting for Meg, while she tried to grapple with her new existence, her history unfolding, discovering one of the hardest truths of her own life which she wasn’t able to perceive as Lana, finding her true calling and most importantly learning to live, love and grow.

#TheOtherSideOfNow is a thought provoking read that brims with hope, creates a glimmer of joy albeit bittersweet, fills the reader with positivity, possibility, love and upliftment with its tenderly, delicately crafted ending.

Highly recommend if these themes with a hint of magic and fantasy are your cup of tea!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read The Other Side of Now. I had heard such glowing praise for this book that I requested it immediately, without even reading the blurb.

At first, I was a bit apprehensive when I realized the story leaned into magical realism, a genre I don’t typically gravitate toward. But I was quickly swept up into the story. This is a beautifully written story about grief, love, friendship, and discovering what truly matters in life.

I especially appreciated the "moral of the story" and found it thought-provoking. The partial setting in Ireland was an added bonus. I loved the small town charm and I wanted to move there immediately.

I absolutely loved the ending. It was so satisfying.

Paige Harbison takes her main character on a journey of discovery. Meg Bryan has made her dream come true .. she has made it big in Hollywood as actress Lana Lord. She has a big, beautiful home, a TV hit series, and a relationship with the latest heartthrob in Hollywood .. all she is missing is her best friend Aimee, who died in a tragic car accident. It is Lana thirtieth birthday and in need to invigorated her spirits books a Airbnb in Avalon Ireland .. a place both she and Aimee planned to move to. The cottage she book is exactly what she expect but what she did not expect was that everyone knew her .. as Meg Bryan. All are so nice to her with the exception of that hot bartender Cillian. But the shock comes when she see a reflection of herself .. no bleach hair, it’s her real nose and wait – lines on her face. Even more astonishing her best friend Aimee is alive, married with children and wants nothing do to with Meg.

Despite everything Meg has come to realize there is one thing this life altering time travel has afforded her – to reconnect and repair her friendship with Aimee.

The Other Side of Now was not quite what I was expecting .. simply it was an unexpected, delightful read. I thoroughly enjoying watching Meg engineer opportunities to reconnect with Aimee, find a new friend in Kiera and reconnect with Cillian. But more so it was her journey of self-discovery of what was important to her, what no longer matter, learning to deal with grief, loss and forgiving herself and deciding to do what makes you happy. 4..5 stars

Thank you, Paige Harbison, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel was released on June 3, 2025.

Teenage Meg and her friend Aimee visit a fortune teller who refuses to tell Aimee her future but tells Meg that her life will have two paths. Aimee tragically lost her life in an accident. Meg, now known as famous actress Lana Lord, decides to go to Ireland for her 30th birthday. When she arrives, she quickly realizes everyone knows her, but not as Lana Lord. As Meggie, a resident of the town with connections to everyone. But most importantly, Aimee is still alive.

The idea of a Sliding Doors type of story, where a parallel timeline can exist, is one of my favorite tropes. I love the way the author did this one. The characters and setting were so fun and memorable. Meg's journey back to herself was one that I'm glad I experienced. The author narrated the audiobook, and I think that made the experience even better because she lived and breathed the characters. This is a great read!

TW/CW: Language, drinking, drug use, eating disorder, fat shaming, death of friend, grieving, graphic sex scenes, mourning, depression, anxiety

*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:
With a leading role on a hit TV show and a relationship with Hollywood's latest heartthrob, Meg Bryan appears to have everything she ever wanted. But underneath the layers of makeup and hairspray, her happiness is as fake as her stage name, Lana Lord. Following a small breakdown at her thirtieth birthday party, she books an impromptu trip where she knows the grass is greener: Ireland. Specifically, the quaint little village where she and her best friend Aimee always dreamt of moving—a dream that fell apart when an accident claimed Aimee’s life a decade ago.

When Meg arrives, the people in town are so nice, treating her not as a stranger, but a friend. Except for the (extremely hot) bartender giving her the cold shoulder. Meg writes it all off as jetlag until she looks in the mirror. Her hair is no longer bleached within an inch of its life, her skin has a few natural fine lines, and her nose looks like… well, her old nose. Her real nose.

Her phone reveals hundreds of pictures of her life in this little town: with an adorable dog she doesn’t know; with the bartender who might be her (ex?) boyfriend; and at a retail job unrelated to acting. Eventually, she comes to accept that she somehow made a quantum slide into an alternate version of her life. But the most shocking realization of all? In this life, her best friend Aimee is alive and well…but wants nothing to do with Meg.

Despite her bewilderment, Meg is clear-eyed about one thing: this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to reconnect with her friend and repair what she broke. She finagles an opportunity to act in the play Aimee is writing and directing and as the project unfolds, Meg realizes that events as she remembers them may not be the only truth, and that an impossible choice looms before her.
Release Date: June 3rd, 2025
Genre: Magical Realism
Pages: 320
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

What I Liked:
1. Love writing style
2. Funny parts
3. Kara - can she be my friend?
4. Ending was beautiful
5. So many great quotes to live by

What I Didn't Like:
1. More man focused than friend focused at times
2. Women aren't allowed to eat on books

Overall Thoughts:
{{Disclaimer: I write my review as I read}}

I hate when books over state that women don't eat. What's the point? This coming after Meg is told she needs to lose more weight after already dropping weight. Things like this in books are what tell women that eating is bad. You never read in books about men not eating and people pointing it out as much as it is pushed in books about women's pov's. Oh, but luckily we have a man that knows her better so she is given permission to eat. *rolls eyes*

Oh my goodness there were parts of this book that made me laugh so hard.
“In my life, my real life, I weigh like twenty pounds less and I’ve had some work done. Not a lot. But enough that I can say with one hundred percent certainty that this is not the face I had when I woke up yesterday.
”She laughs. “In my real life, I too am about twenty pounds thinner.”She then shakes her fists at the heavens. “God, won’t you wake me up from this nightmare?”


So Meg finally gets another chance to see Aimee (at the party) and she walks off with the bartender. I thought Meg would went to visit more with Aimee since she missed her so much but I guess one coffee hang out and 10 minutes talking at a party is all she needs for her friends death in another world. Meg has no idea how long this will last that she is here and able to see Aimee, but instead she is choosing to hang out with this man. Sigh.

God, of course Killian is perfect. From head to head *wink wink*

Loved this!
“You’re not on the outside of your life looking in. Everyone isn’t off having some perfect moment and you’re left out of it. You’re alive right now. Whether your real life is back in California, or it’s here, or if it’s on Pluto, it doesn’t matter. You’re here right now. I wish you didn’t feel like things were such high stakes. You can be happy, you know. Look, let’s say you’re right, that girl there is on the outside, yeah? Everyone’s inside enjoying the film, and she’s in the hall.”He shrugs against me. “She could walk in. And maybe the happiness is closer than she thinks.”

That's how I feel at times.

Look I was 100% team Aimee until Aimee starts being so mean to Meg for no reason. We then find out she's mad because in the other world that she does not believe that Meg is from she is dead. Um okay. She then confessed that she actually got into the art school and lied to Meg. So Meg did not go to her dream college because Aimee wanted to stay with her boyfriend. Aimee was worried she would make fun of her for not going and rather deal with that small thing she totally uprooted Megs life. So, I'm over here confused how Aimee has the gall to even be mad at Meg.

Great now I am crying at work.

The scene where Meg has to admit outloud that Aimee is dead tore my heart apart. Seriously... My god. I was crying so hard.

Awe poor Meg maybe it was good that she admitted that Aimee was dead because it got her out there living. I mean was Meg even living before or just existing. Now she is having a life and it seems like the universe is rewarding her by giving her Killian and Kara back into her life.

Final Thoughts:
From the moment I started this to the moment I finished it I was invested and loving the book. It deals with some heavy subjects and really punches you in the gut with facing your fears of losing someone.

I wanted so much for Meg to have a happy world where Aimee lived with a husband and kids. Where Meg got to see her alive and loved not dead in hers.

I'm telling you that scene where they were on stage and "acting" out the part of Aimee being dead made me ugly cry at work. The author did a fantastic job at dealing with grief and the way we can just keep moving on pretending it never happened. If we pretend doesn't that mean it's not real? That is the problem Meg had when she won't admit Aimee is dead. She took off and never even stayed for the funeral.

I only had one issue. The relationship with Killian muddled the message for me on this book about friendship. Not every book needs a romance. I wanted the book to be about a lost friendship and not about a found love. The message at the end when Meg finds Killian made it almost feel like you can replace the grief and death of that person with the love of another one and I don't think that's always right or healthy. Couldn't Meg just work through some stuff and that he the ending? Why the romance?

All and all though this was a gut punching story that I freaking loved. It was beautiful. The quotes in it about having to move on were so good. You can't let death hold you back but moving on doesn't mean forgetting someone either.

IG | Blog

Thanks to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin's Press for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

Before Lana Lord became a rising star in the Hollywood, she’s just a regular woman named Meg Bryan who lost her best friend Aimee more than a decade ago. Wanting a little break from her current life, she booked a trip to Avalon, Ireland, a place where she dreamt of moving. But when she arrived there, something strange happened. It seemed like “Meg” has always been living there, and “Lana” doesn’t exist.

Despite her confusion, she immediately settled in, following her “Meg” routines and leaving her “Lana” life (literally) behind with the help of her best friend, Kiera. Turned out, she loved that life. Everything was perfect, and most importantly, Aimee wasn’t dead. She started to get too comfortable and dreaded the possibility that she’d be forced to return to her “Lana” life.

I enjoyed this so much. It’s cozy, reflective, a little bit emotional, and also hopeful. I loved the characters but especially Kiera. She’s such a diva lol. Props to Meg for handling everything so well because if it were me, I’d actually go insane after all that.

This was an incredibly moving and fun read. I fell into the story and was immediately taken with it. At no point was I bored or uninterested. I loved the “time travel” aspect and character arcs. It was believable and out of this world. I also LOVED the ending. I imagine it would have been very tempting and easy to give readers a very obvious ending but sometimes doing the harder thing means we end up in a better place. Just like this book. Also, I cried.

This book was so unexpected. It was an honest reflection of grief, avoidance, and what could happen if one life choice was made differently. I was unsure about this one but after the second chapter I was completely hooked.

This story is a great look at friendships, romance, and exploring the "what ifs" of life.

This book is an absolutely beautiful story and I think everyone should check it out!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was both familiar and entirely new. Its hands were in so many genres - part romance, part sci-fi, part magical realism, part emotional trauma and recovery. And overarching above them all is the theme of female friendship, and the different stages your friendships can morph into as you go through life together. It is not a beach read, but I do highly recommend this book for all!

Best friends Meg and Aimee go to a fortune teller. She tells Meg she has two lifelines. She sees something in Aimee’s that upsets her. The girls go on their way, not really thinking anything about it, until years later when their paths take a collision course.

If you enjoy the premise of an alternate universe or magical realism, then this book is for you. The jump from one universe to another happens quickly, which threw me off at first. Once I was all in, it took off. Meg wasn’t my favorite in the beginning, but her character development was full circle and I came to understand and appreciate her journey. The supporting cast added so much to this story. At times I was moved to tears, and found the ending totally satisfying. Well written, this story will give you a lot to think about. New author for me, I look forward to reading her again.

Thanks to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for this ARC. This is my honest opinion.

A funny, warm-hearted book about friendship, loss, and second chances, as an unhappy Hollywood star finds herself in an alternate reality where she made different choices for her. There are sad, serious undertones related to grief and suppressed emotions, but this is lightened by silly, sweet moments of connection and joy. Definitely recommended as a summer read!

4.25/5 stars

I enjoyed this story about Meg, a movie star who becomes a bit disillusioned with her life and impulsively takes time off to fly to Ireland where she and her childhood best friend had planned to attend college before tragedy struck and her life went in a whole new direction.

This is an alternate reality story. One of those "What ifs" stories that presents both a current life and the road less taken. It was done well, both realities were entertaining and lent an authenticity and empathy towards Meg's crisis and decisions. I also became easily engaged with the supporting cast...friends, boyfriends, and community members.

I'm looking forward to reading more from Harbison.

My sincere thanks to the author, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing the free early arc of The Other Side of Now for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

Grab your highlighter (physical or digital) as The Other Side of Now is filled with memorable lines, book references, and an emotional playlist that runs the gamut from 2000s music to the Beatles. This is a book for both BookTok book lovers and traditional book lovers as it uses a familiar wormhole trope, which is both funny and thought-provoking.

My To Be Read list and now my To Be Listened To list grew by leaps and bounds by reading this book. It was a thoughtful touch at the end to include a list of music mentioned in the book. The pop culture references are a bonus and a great part of the story. The main character, an unhappy actress, who became Lana Lord, as she suppresses the real life Meg Bryan (yes, she knows it sounds like Meg Ryan, hence the need for the stage name Lana Lord) to make it in Hollywood. The author cleverly introduces music and artistic references to gently lead Lana back to Meg.

Lana has not only botoxed her forehead - she's botoxed the free spirit of Meg and is just going through the motions and weeding through the trappings of a TV star's life. She eats nothing, has a fake nose, a fake boyfriend set up by a PR firm, and she even has a fake birthday party, where she is miserable.

The birthday party is the lightning rod to inspire her to take a spur-of-the-moment vacation to a small town in Ireland, Avalon, a dream of her high school days. Avalon is the home of a college with a legendary acting program. Meg had been admitted, but she chooses not to go there and instead stays in her home of Florida to go to a state school with her best friend and surrogate sister, Aimee. We don't know why this decision is made, and how it impacts Meg's life. Details of Lana/Meg's life unfold little by little, and this process keeps the reader thoroughly riveted in the story. You've got to keep on reading to find out what will happen.

This "vacation" doesn't become a vacation, though. What happens to Lana/Meg in Avalon keeps you vigorously page-turning to the end. The writing is authentic to someone being lost and wanting to change their path in life, but it also shows that even in a "bad" life, you have good things that you've experienced that help you through to a better path. The characters in both the Lana/Meg world are funny, relatable, and I wish I could have more time with all of them. A sequel to this book could work. I thoroughly enjoyed the writing as there was a beginning hook, a well-thought-out middle, and a substantial, unexpected ending. The trope has been done a lot, but the ending and the story are modern and fresh. I am grateful to have received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and the publisher, St. Martin's Press.

I was excited for this book because I thought the premise seemed pretty cool. I liked the story at first but as I kept reading I found myself less and less interested. I wasn’t a fan of the bestie info dump. I also wasn’t all that big a fan of the romance. I guess this book just wasn’t for me. 2.5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc

Meg Bryan (stage name Lana Lord) is a big name actress on a successful TV show and dating one of Hollywood's biggest actors. She has achieved her childhood dreams. On the night of her 30th birthday party Meg can't help but feel something is missing. She decides to book a trip to Ireland, a place she and her childhood best friend, Aimee, said they would always visit but never did. When Meg gets to Ireland she finds herself in a sort of alternate reality. She appears as her 30 year old self without the Botox, cosmetic procedures, and Hollywood weight loss. Meg in this reality has a completely different life and relationships. The real kicker is that Aimee, who died a decade ago, is actually still alive and living in the town. Meg has the chance to reconnect with Aimee and discovers what life could have looked like had she made different decisions as a teenager.

The best emotion I can use to describe this book is heartwarming. The town of Avalon is cozy, full of characters you would expect to find in a small town community. Meg falls right into the friendship she has with Kiera, her best friend in that reality. Cillian, Meg's ex/boyfriend, is the likable love interest you would expect. I do wish we had gotten more of Cillian. Yes, this book was had some romance between Meg and Cillian, but the story was more about the love and relationship between best friends and romanticizing your own life. Meg has the opportunity to learn what really makes her happy and fulfilled. Can she make changes so she ends up living a life she truly wants? I did love the ending of the story. I could have read another 50 pages in the epilogue. I would definitely read more from Paige Harbison.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.