This was a very enjoyable read. Using the troupe of what could have been...the author weaves a tale showing what might have happened if one chose a different path and how the self-pressure of "what-if" can take a toll on your life.

The Other Side of Now is a contemporary novel about an actress who finds herself in an alternate version of her life.

Meg Bryan left for Los Angeles to become an actress after the tragic death of her best friend Aimee during college. After nearly a decade of bartending and auditioning, she is now Lana Lord, the lead on a one-hour television drama, living with a famous Marvel actor. But when she takes an impulsive trip to Europe, she finds herself in a different version of her life—one where she went to university in Ireland and Aimee is still alive and living there too. As Meg explores both versions of her life, she finally starts to question who she truly is and what makes her happy.

This is a thoughtful novel about success, grief, and love. I appreciated that the author didn’t present one version of Meg’s life as clearly better than the other, but rather as alternate paths she could have taken. I enjoyed the romance and the friendships, and the story left me with a warm feeling after I finished it.

Who among us hasn’t considered what our lives might have been like if we’d chosen a different path for ourselves? I love a good “what if” story, so when I heard the premise of The Other Side of Now by Paige Harbison, I knew I wanted to read it. This novel takes readers on a magical journey with Meg Bryan, an actress who uses the stage name Lana Lord because she’s heard the reference to the When Harry Met Sally actress a few too many times. Frustrated by the fake Hollywood life she’s been living, Meg reflects upon the past and decides on a whim to leave behind a houseful of party guests (nevermind that she’s the guest of honor!) and head to the airport to visit Ireland where she had once dreamed of attending college.

Things go from strange to downright spooky when she arrives and no one recognizes her for the famous actress she is. Instead they call her by her given name and act like they’ve known her for years. Confusion leads to a lightbulb moment in which Meg recalls something she was told as a teenager when she and her best friend, Aimee, visited a fortune teller. In Meg’s “real life,” something happened and Aimee died, yet here in this tiny town of Avalon, Aimee is not only alive but no longer is talking to her high school best friend. Determined to make the most of this new life, Meg works to right the wrongs, appreciate the little things, and figure out what she really wants in life.The Other Side of Now had me laughing out loud at the loveable and quirky Kiera and Cillian as they tried to figure out what was going on with the Meg they remembered. Also, many sad moments had me on the verge of tears. While there is some romance, this novel is primarily a story of self-discovery and friendship.

The Other Side of Now is for fans of Freaky Friday, Groundhog Day, and Marvel’s Multiverse who will appreciate this unique and touching story. It was particularly enjoyable to listen to the audiobook narration (as I did for half of it), performed by the author. If you’re looking to go on an adventure and you’re willing to suspend belief for this “time loop” tale, The Other Side of Now is a quick read that may provide just the escape you need.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This book had me on an emotional roller coaster! Meg, now known as actress Lana Lord, is dissatisfied with her life. She makes the impulsive decision to travel to Ireland to the town where she had planned on moving to after high school. Her plans changed at that time and her life went in a different direction after her best friend Aimee suddenly passed away. Once arriving in Ireland Meg’s life takes a dramatic twist. At this point we encounter a dual timeline in the story. I was riveted to this book and wanted to know how this was all going to be reconciled in the end. The plot was intriguing and the writing was engaging and descriptive. I loved all the secondary characters and what they brought to the story. This book was so much more than what I initially anticipated and it was heartfelt, emotional and an engaging story! Be sure to add this to your TBR!!
This author has previously written YA novels and this is her adult debut novel. I am eagerly anticipating her next one!

When a TV star decides to take a break from her crazy life, she ends up traveling to another dimension parallel to her current existence. There she finds out what life would have been like if she’d taken a different path and also what means most to her. Author Paige Harbison takes the concept of Sliding Doors and gives it the basis of a friendship lost and found in the sweet book The Other Side of Now.

On the surface, actress Meg Bryan has a fantastic life. She’s the main villain on one of TV’s campiest primetime soaps. She’s married to one of the hottest movie stars who’s going to be in the next Marvel movie. Her mansion in LA is the envy of all the wannabes and assistants who get invited to the exclusive parties Meg throws.

Yet Meg is lonely. She’s got a starring role on TV, but the borderline anorexic diet she has to consume to stay in shape leaves her hungry. Her heartthrob husband is clearly more than “friends” with the young assistant who keeps showing up everywhere, no matter how much he tries to convince Meg otherwise. And Meg doesn’t even use her own name on TV. To the world she’s Lana Lord; to herself, she’s sad and wants something more.

At her 30th birthday party, Meg sneaks to a quiet part of the house and thinks about her best friend, Aimee. At one time, Meg and Aimee were inseparable. They’d planned to go to college together, to a fancy drama school in Ireland, and become big stars. Yet when the time came, Aimee got waitlisted from the Irish drama school, and Meg stayed home in Florida for her. Then Aimee died, and Meg ran to Hollywood as fast as she could to try to remake her life.

Now she’s 30, and she misses her best friend more than ever. On impulse, Meg books a ticket to Ireland along with an AirBnB. Her TV show is on a shooting hiatus, and a week away won’t hurt anyone. Before she can blink, Meg is on a flight to Europe.

When she lands in the village that’s home to the drama school, Meg gets a major shock. Everyone there seems to know her already. Not in the way that people think they know celebrities; no, these people act like they’ve laughed with her over a good meal and watched her implode over life challenges. The hot pubkeeper acts cagey, almost as if they’re in a tough spot in their relationship. The real shocker, though, comes from learning that Aimee is alive and well. Then comes an even bigger one: Aimee hates Meg and doesn’t want anything to do with her.

As Meg tries to figure out what on earth is happening, she scrambles to try to make things right with Aimee and to navigate this other life. She also begins to question whether fame is what she really wants from her career.

Author Paige Harbison takes readers from sunny Tinsel Town to the muted Irish landscape while making both seem desirable and relatable. Meg’s self-deprecation will win readers over; although her life as a celebrity is out of reach for most, her self-doubt and questioning aren’t. Harbison also gives Meg and Aimee’s friendship a sweetness that is often missing in friendships in contemporary fiction.

At times, however, the narrative focuses too much on Aimee. Her death had a major impact on Meg’s life, but becoming a major movie star proves she’s clearly been able to cope with her death at some level. All of that balance goes right out the window, however, the minute Meg realizes Aimee is alive in this version of Ireland. Too many paragraphs are devoted to Meg’s ponderings about Aimee; a little editing would have gone a long way toward making the relationship just as impactful with less words.

For the most part, however, Meg’s eagerness to leave her celebrity life behind is a fresh take. The romance, too, will leave readers with that warm and fuzzy feeling. Harbison doesn’t dwell too long on the logistics of how the parallel life works, but when she does the characters’ reactions feel authentic. Those wanting a lovely read on friendship and second chances will want to check this one out.

The Other Side of Now by Paige Harbison utilizes one of my very favorite tropes: the alternate reality of a life that could have been. While the main character at first seems extremely superficial, I appreciated so much the journey of personal growth she went through in her story. I absolutely loved all of the characters in Ireland as well as the town and setting itself. Perfect for fans of the movie The Holiday, as well as the lighthearted holiday novel Just Like Magic by Sarah Hogle, This Spells Love by Kate Robb, and The Other Life by Ellen Meister.

Many thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the chance to read and review this e-galley.

I think I like magical realism more than I thought. The Other Side of Now was such a delight to read. The book starts off introducing us to Meg, also known as Lola, a woman who was told as a young adult that her life could go two different directions. She has always wondered how her life would be different if she had made different choices. But she doesn’t have to wait any longer because after taking off for an impromptu vacation she finds out. I loved all of the characters we were introduced to in Meg’s alternate reality. I love that she was able to see what her life would have been and seen how the people in her life also ended up living different stories. The ending was really sweet and made the story all the better. I had a big smile on my face as I finished reading it. I recommend this one if you like magical realism! Looking forward to see what Paige comes out with next. Overall, I give this one 4.5 stars. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for this NetGalley eARC. All opinions are my own.

A unique premise with emotional resonance. The blending of past and present worked well, though some of the timeline jumps were disorienting. Still, the story’s themes of forgiveness and self-reinvention hit home. Quietly compelling.

This is the story of Meg Bryan, aka Lana Lord, who travels to Ireland after a breakdown of sorts. When she arrives in Ireland, she finds that things are not quite what she expected. This alternative reality book was a really fun and sweet read and I do recommend that you give this one a try. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advance copy.

I absolutely love this book! As a believer of de ja vous, always wondering when it happens if I have really experienced the event before, I felt completely immersed in Meg's life in Avalon. Also, I love Ireland! It's one of my favorite places.
The characters were relatable and realistic, well- not that I know any TV stars.
Ok, the premise:
Lana Lord (famous name) is a TV star originally from Florida. She ran away to LA after her best friend Aimee was killed in a car accident that Lana (Meg) blames herself for.
After a decade in LA, Lana decides to go to Ireland and visit Avalon, where she and Aimee had dreamed of going to Avalon Arts College. While there, Lana- now Meg- is a resident, not a visitor. In this parallel life, Meg did go to Avalon for school and Aimee later joined her. She has a life, a live (Cillian), best friend (Kiera), and a job she enjoys- but Aimee and her are no longer besties. Aimee is married to Theo (whom Meg never liked) and has 2 kids.
During her time there, Meg makes some realizations about her life in both of these timelines. In essence, finding closure with Aimee and happiness in her life.
It's a fantastic story!

Well shit, I really loved this book. Time travel, alternate realities, sliding doors. This was absolutely a love story as well, but mostly a story about friendship and relationships. I really loved this book and devoured it in 24 hours.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I...don't really know how to give this book/audiobook the feedback it deserves. I'm afraid I won't do it justice, but I'll try.

The most shocking thing about this book is that I didn't see it coming. I saw it on NetGalley, read the synposis, thought it sounded fun and requested it. Little did I know the book, the story, the characters, and the EPILOGUE would become my entire personality. This book is a sneaky bit of mastery! It is filled with friendships you wish you had, romance that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up (beautifully written), and perfectly placed humor. I cackled, cried, and gasped my way through this book.

Fantastic job, Paige! I look forward to all of your other books!

An interesting take on how your life would have looked like have you taken the other path.
Meg Bryan is a famous actress -Lana Lord is her stage name-on a hit tv show. After her 30th birthday party,she decides to get on a plane to Ireland. Her plan is to visit the small village that she and her bestie Aimee (who tragically died in a car accident) had planned to move to to study theater after high school. They never made it to Ireland, or did they? When Meg arrives there, everyone in the village acts as if they know her, as Meg not Lana. She has no idea what is going on. Of course there is a love interest, lots of family interactions and the lovely warm feel of a small Irish village. I really enjoyed this book!
Thanks to St.Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this digital arc. These opinions are my own.

I received this e-book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and the author/publisher for the copy!

As a famous actress on a popular TV show, Meg Bryan appears to have everything. But she is not as happy as it seems. On her 30th birthday on a whim, she decides to book a trip to Ireland. Specifically to a village where her and her childhood best friend wanted to move to once they were old enough. When Meg arrives, everything seems normal, until she falls asleep in a cab and ends up at a pub where people seem to know her, but not as the famous person she is, just as Meg. She also finds out that she looks completely different, like what she would look like if she hadn't had a whole bunch of work done. Also in this world is her best friend, Aimee, who had died in a car accident 10 years prior. Meg ends up taking it for what it is and decides this is an opportunity for her to reconnect with her best friend, who in this life, wants nothing to do with her.

This was such a good story and really brought out all the feels! I really enjoyed this one and would definitely suggest reading it! This kind of reminded me of The Midnight Library. I will not lie, I was crying at the end because it was just so good.

I loved this one soooo much. Reminiscent of "Maybe in Another Life" by Taylor Jenkins Reid, I adored this sliding doors novel. Charming, cozy and hopeful, I thought this one was excellent. Highly recommend if you're looking for something emotional but feel-good.

Thank you to SMP and @netgalley for a copy of this ARC

3.75 out of 5 stars

I did enjoy this sliding doors story. I think the romance is secondary to this story. The main story is our MC Meg, learning to move forward after tragedy and learning to love (and find) herself after changing who she is for so long. I wasn't the biggest fan of Meg in the beginning but she did grow on me. I really enjoyed Cillian and his character. He seemed to truly care for Meg.

🔮For my friends who love “Sliding Doors” stories with heart and humor.

THE OTHER SIDE OF NOW by Paige Harbison (Narrated by the author)

🎧 Thanks, @stmartinspress, for the e-book review copy via #NetGalley and @Macmillan.audio, for the audiobook review copy. #macaudio2025 (Available 3 Jun 25) 10 Hours, 22 Minutes

Meg, a famous actress with a more famous boyfriend and a fabulous (if food-limited) life in Hollywood, books an impromptu vacation to the Irish town where she planned to go to college for theater. To her surprise, everyone there knows her by her real name (and real nose), including a hilarious coworker friend, a handsome pub owner…oh, and her childhood bestie who died when they were both 19 years old.

If you’re okay with magical realism, this was an immersive, fun, funny, yet thought-provoking read featuring one of the best explanations/executions of an alternate reality plot I’ve seen. I didn’t know how it would end, but I was invested in Meg’s emotional journey and the resolution of her story. (Have no worry about the ending. The author stuck the landing.)

As added catnip, her friend Kiera is hilarious (with a spectacular Irish accent in the audiobook) and is one of my catnip character types, a #3SBFF: Strong-willed, Supportive, and Smart-Mouthed (I was going to just say smart, but realized I need her to be lippy) BFF.

The author narrated the audiobook (!), which is a #FiveSpongeAudiobook (a book so engaging you’re willing to clean to keep listening) 🧽🧽🧽🧽🧽 However, I should warn you. While I laughed hard and often, I’m not exaggerating when I tell you I sat down in my kitchen and sobbed at one point. Sobbed. But the author pulled me through it, dusted me off, and delivered a satisfying ending.

I was so excited about this book, and what I read was great. However, it’s hitting a little too close to some of the stuff going on in my life, so I had to “NRN” it (not right now)…. It’s lie DNF, but with the plan to come back later

“The truth is, we live.”
That line hit me straight in the heart. This book was unexpected in the best way. I picked it on a whim through NetGalley and ended up finishing it with tears in my eyes and a full heart.

It gave me The Midnight Library vibes with that Rebecca Serle x Taylor Jenkins Reid emotional punch. But it still felt unique, grounded, and quietly powerful.

🎧 The audiobook? Chef’s kiss. 💋 The narration made Meg feel like a close friend telling me her most vulnerable story. I LOVED IT 🙌

⸻

💭 This book reminded me of life’s messy, magical little moments — and how we don’t always realize we’re living the “good stuff” until it’s gone. It rearranged something in me.

I’ll be thinking about this one for a long time.

I have never really liked a time travel/magical realism/ sliding doors type book, but this book had me swooning. What a great surprise to connect with this story on so many levels. I loved the characters. Meg, her best friend Aimee, her love interest, Cillian and her Irish friend, Kiera all made this story real and poignant. This book was so original and funny but pulled at my heart strings at the same time. This was a five star read for me and I am so glad I gave it a chance!
Thank you to the author, the publisher and to NetGalley for the ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review!