Do you like reading about time travel or parallel universe ala sliding doors? I typically avoid them because they give me anxiety — I always worry that they won’t come back to the present time or the real world! But once in a while, I do pick them up and then feel grateful that I did because of the lessons I learned from them. Just like The Other Side of Now by Paige Harbison — It’s my first book from the author and I must say that it definitely won’t be the last! I liked her writing style and her words resonated deep into my being! By the end of the book, I was a sobbing mess! The friendship between Meg and Aimee is pure gold! It’s realistic and relatable. I loved that it’s the main theme of the book, although I also enjoyed reading about hot Irish guy (Cillian)! Meg is someone you would root for without a question, and her character development was such a delight to follow throughout the book. The story is part coming-of-age, part magical realism with a healthy dose of conquering your fears. The Other Side of Now is your perfect Spring/Summer read!

The Other Side of Now by Paige Harbison is a fun, light, hilarious read with just the right amount of romance.
I absolutely devoured this book and enjoyed every single page. The premise was so unique.
This was a very lighthearted and entertaining novel with a sweet storyline.

THE OTHER SIDE OF NOW is the adult fiction debut from Paige Harbison. It is a warm and heartfelt story of friendship, love, loss and second chances that will stay on mind long past the last page. The multi-layered story has a unique blend of magical realism, time travel and nostalgia with an intriguing sliding door vibe. Meg Bryan, known as Lana Lord in Hollywood, appears to have it all – a lead role on a popular TV series, a relationship with a dashing Hollywood heartthrob, and assistants orchestrating her every move. But while celebrating her thirtieth birthday, Meg knows she needs to get away. She quickly books a trip and sneaks away to a small village in Ireland, where she and her best friend, Aimee, dreamed of moving before Aimee was killed in a tragic accident. Strangely, when she arrives in Ireland, the villagers seem to know her, not as a famous actress, but as a long-time friend. And Aimee is alive there! As Meg tries to come to grips with this apparent alternate life, will she find what really brings her happiness and joy? I really enjoyed this emotional and heartwarming story and highly recommend it. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review an early copy.

Thank you to Netgalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Meggie is a famous actress (now going by a stage name of Lana Lord) living in LA who takes a trip to Ireland where she once wanted to go to college but didn't, because her best friend didn't get in. Once she arrives, everyone already seems to know who she is. She soon realizes that this life is an alternate reality of if she made different choices.

I always loved the choose your own adventure books as a kid and am super indecisive in general so I really enjoyed this one. There was magical realism, flashbacks, friendship, a tiny bit of spice, adorable dogs and a lot of thinking about the "what ifs" in life. It also made me want to go back to Ireland ASAP because the descriptions of the village made it seem idyllic and wonder if it really exists. I also liked the added bonus of the Playlist at the end.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the chance to read an early copy of this book!

If there’s one thing I love in a book, it’s a Sliding Doors-esque storyline and reflections on fate and the impact of one decision. In The Other Side of Now, Lana is a pretty successful actress in Hollywood, but her show might get canceled and the producers are telling her to lose another ten pounds. She spontaneously books a trip to Avalon, Ireland, the place where she always wanted to go to college. But when she gets there, she finds herself in an alternate version of her life, one where she did attend college in Ireland…and her childhood best friend, Aimee is still alive.

This book is super fast-paced, and once I got into it, I flew through it. It’s a great, read-in-one-day kind of summer read. Even though the material is mostly lighthearted, it does deal with some heavier topics like grief and guilt in more nuanced ways than I was expected.

My main qualm with this book was that sometimes the pop culture references or dialogue felt a little forced or stilted at times, particularly when coming from the main character. But overall, a solid, fast-paced summer read!

The Other Side of Now
Paige Harbison
Pub: 6/3/25
4-4.5☆

This was my first read by Harbison and I am definitely looking forward to more.

If you’re in the mood for a heartwarming, slow burn romance that is charming, funny, and sprinkled with magical realism… Look no further. The Other Side of Now surprised me in the best way possible. I am nervous to pick up a magical realism reads but I completely adored this one. Meg and Killian’s story had me engaged, feeling all of the feels, and not wanting to put it down. It’s a slower build to begin, but so worth it. Absolutely would recommend.

What I loved;
✨ Slow Burn Romance
✨ Second Chances
✨ Sliding Doors Vibes
✨ Found Family
✨ Dogs
✨ Small Town

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the gifted copy.

Book review: 4.5/5 ⭐️
Genre: magical realism
Themes: trauma, alternate reality, healing, grief
📖 Read if you like: The Midnight Library, Wrong Place Wrong Time

This one is for fans who enjoy the parallel universes theory. It is a modern interpretation of a trauma healing journey that involved an alternate reality, of a path not chosen and the future it could have held. It was an inventive way to take a feel good approach to a life altering loss. It managed to have funny moments, while also being heartfelt and endearing with its small town charm and loveable characters.

Meg Bryan appears to have made all her dreams come true. The star of a popular TV show, a movie star boyfriend and a grand house to accompany her grand life. Yet behind the glitz and glamour is a life of pretence and unhappiness. A ridiculous diet to loose even more weight, nips and tucks to her always improve-able face and a new name round out this fake persona. When her thirtieth birthday approaches, a wave of melancholy rises when bad news follows bad news. Spurned into making a change, she books a last minute trip to Ireland.

In a small village where she dreamed of living with her childhood best friend Aimee, Meg discovers something altogether unexpected. A quaint little cottage perfectly decorated to her tastes, a village full of friendly faces and a very odd interaction with an extremely hot bartender. Spoiler, that’s her ex. As the madness sets in and Meg realizes not only does she look different here, but she seems to have lived a completely different life unrelated to acting. What’s more is that Aimee is still alive, and while she may not want anything to do with her, she has plenty of other meaningful relationships in her life. While she attempts to manage in this new existence, Meg can’t miss the opportunity to repair what has been broken with Aimee now that she has the chance.

Meg was rightly lost in this sphere and pokes fun at both the superficiality of fame and her generation adding a light sheen to this narrative. I like that she didn’t just accept her new circumstance and that most people thought she was crazy or lying. It attempted the realism element to this fantastical shift very well. The story and message were nostalgic and cozy with the greatest best friend and the dreamiest partner. It was a sweet path to depemption and moving forward when grief has suffocated your life. The revelation was cathartic way with a feel good finale.

This was an unexpected read for me and it was a magical balm for the soul! Thank you to St. Martin’S Press and Netgalley for an eARC.

I love a story with a playlist to start with. It’s interesting to listen along to the music seeing how it echos the mood or moments of the story, which I would classify as introspective, a little melancholy, and quietly hopeful.

This is a reflective, novel about friendship, grief, and the pivotal moments when you realize you’re not actually living the life you want. Meg, an actress, isn’t really happy with the way her life is going. On a whim, she books a trip to Ireland to escape. But instead she finds a tangle of old friendships, buried emotions, and choices she thought she’d already made.

There are some predictable tropes, but overall it’s a compelling read that invites us to reflect on our own life choices and the enduring impact of love and loss and the choices we would make if given a second chance. 3.75 Stars

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.



QOTD: What is your most anticipated read for June?

When Meg and Aimee are teens a fortune teller tells Meg that she has two separate life lines and then looks at Aimee’s palm and is so upset by it that she doesn’t even tell her fortune. Years later Meg is on a hit show, has a gorgeous, famous (but cheating) boyfriend and has achieved her dreams. Except Aimee is dead and she feels entirely unfulfilled. She books a trip to Ireland where the university she wanted to attend is located (but she stayed in Florida because Aimee didn’t get in). When she arrives she is no longer her present self - her plastic surgery is reverted, she is no longer painfully thin, her Wikipedia page doesn't exist and everyone in the town knows her well, including Kiera (apparently her best friend since she and Aimee are estranged) and her on and off again love Cillian. Is this her reality where Aimee is alive and she is in love, or is it all a dream and her reality will come crashing back at any moment?

Some books just hit you at the right moment, this one is one of them. I love the sliding doors concept (always have) - Meg is living the life that she would have had if she had gone away to school. I loved all of the characters in the quirky Irish town (Cillian was just swoony) - they were all fun and funny. The ancillary characters plus Meg’s journey to understand her life choices and her discomfort in her life made this a great read. The audio was a 🧽🧽🧽🧽🧽 (5 sponges - would do chores to keep listening) however, I preferred to be completely immersed in the story so I read as much as I could. This is just a truly enjoyable read that I was sad for it to end.

4.25

Thank you to St Martins Press and NetGalley for the ARC to review

The Other Side of Now is utterly charming and truly delightful. A story that pulls at the heartstrings one minute and offers up comical respite the next. Paige Harbison knocked this emotion-filled book right out of the park and dare I say, it's quite the impressive adult debut! The use of a parallel existence for the tired, bored and emotionless Meg Bryan, aka Lana Lord, to allow her to finally embrace her grief at being separated from her bestie Aimee is brilliant. I, too, thought she might be losing her mind, thinking that perhaps in the end, we'd find out that this entire new life that Meg was living for a busy yet blissful week in Ireland, was nothing more than a figment of her imagination as she rocked back and forth in a straight jacket! But instead, Harbison uses this alternate present as a gift for Meg, showing that it's ok to feel everything when it comes to Aimee and to never go back to living a listless life ever again.

Once I started this book, I had a hard time putting it down. The author's words flowed effortlessly and I couldn't wait to see how Meg's new world would surprise her next. The very idea of deja vu was a key component of this story with Meg experiencing this feeling all too often as she tried to put the pieces of this wild puzzle together. Knowing there might be an end date to this fantastical new life she was now living, I loved that she gave this new Meg a chance and realized just how much a normal life away from being the actress Lana Lord might not be a bad thing. Meg's struggles with what she always wanted and what she ultimately achieved in her professional life were hard to fathom since 'that life' never really made her any happier.

Harbison takes a good long look at teenage dreams and puts a spin on it that had me wondering a bit about my own desires way back when. I do think Meg was quite lucky even in her despair over Aimee to see what a true and honest life could look like and this second chance at happiness was exactly what she needed to get unstuck.

Like the author mentions in her acknowledgments I, too, thought new bestie Kiera and former boyfriend Cillian added the right touch whenever they were present. They also give her the push in the right direction for Meg to see the error of her ways, whether it was her former existence as Lana Lord or this new temporary one as someone finally ready to face her sad memories.

With an epilogue that truly equates the meaning of kismet, The Other Side of Now grabbed my heart and soul in the very best way. I cried a few tears as well getting to see Meg blossom into the person she was always meant to be, applauding her courage in ridding her conscience of all the guilt she has felt for the past 12 years.

It's simply a lovely story and one that I will not soon forget. Beyond happy to have picked up this book, I happily give The Other Side of Now a huge 5+ stars!

This is a trope I wish we could see more in romance, the sliding door or idea of a parallel universe. And we get surprised and immersed right along with our heroine, Meg Bryan, as she takes a break from Hollywood stardom to decompress and sets off for a week of adventure in Avalon, Ireland.

Except when she gets there, people act like they know Meg, and it's not because they recognize her Hollywood alter ego, Lana Lord. They know Meg. The real Meg. Which could explain the cold shoulder from hot bartender Cillian Madden. And the varying degrees of frostiness and friendliness from the townsfolk.

Talk about an identity crisis. While this one is wordy at times, the heart and soul of the story ring loud and clear. There's a lot to sort out for Meg – self-discovery, finding the place she belongs, and setting on the path she was always meant to take. And the emotion? It slayed me, especially the play scene with Meg and her best friend Aimee near the end. Add in an eclectic playlist, and there's something for everyone. An excellent book club choice with so much to think about and discuss, this is sure to please.

*Thanks and gratitude to NG & Marissa Sangiacomo at St. Martin’s Press for bringing this one to my attention and providing an early copy.

I really enjoyed this for the sliding doors/road not taken concept, and for the characters. It was equal parts heartbreaking and hopeful with a bittersweet ending.

Meg Bryan, who hilariously had to change her name to make it as an actress, wakes up one day living an entirely different life. She doesn’t know how or why it’s happened or how long it will last, and it’s forcing her to face what she likes and doesn’t like about her life.

I really enjoyed the audiobook. It kept my attention and had me rooting for the MC. I highly recommend this book for someone who likes magical realism with this concept!

A famous actress needs a break from Hollywood and runs off to Ireland - where she planned to go to college but didn’t when her best friend didn’t get into the same school. Once there, she falls into a life she would have had if she had made a different choice.

This book is on lots of “summer must read” lists and is getting rave reviews. Unfortunately, it wasn’t for me. I should know that sliding door/magical realism wouldn’t work for me but I was tempted by the hype. The author’s previous work is YA and this book leaned that way in style despite the characters being adults which is another strike against it from me.

The book is very heavy handed trying hard for laughs and an emotional punch but I never connected with any of the characters in order to care either way. I always like the premise of exploring what would happen if different choices were made, I just didn’t like how it was executed here.

Who wouldn’t want a chance to see “what if”? What would your life be like if you’d taken a left instead of a right? Or gone to a different college?
Meg Bryan gets that chance when she walks out on her birthday party in favor of a spontaneous trip to Ireland, Except, when she arrives, everything’s a little different. People who shouldn’t know her are greeting her by name. And her reflection in the mirror is not the one she saw in L.A.

As she settles into her alternate reality, experiencing all the “what ifs”, Meg has to decide if this is the life for her, or if she’ll go back to her “real” life in L.A. I definitely found myself rooting for her to find the perfect combination of worlds.

A Sliding Doors type story about a young woman who has been running from the death of her childhood best friend for a decade. This book caught me off guard; I was expecting something on the lighter side, but its emotional depth got me in my feels and the story took some interesting directions. Meg is a television actress who appears to have it all - a hit show, a famous actor boyfriend, fame and fortune. When she has a small breakdown at her thirtieth birthday party, Meg decides to take a spontaneous vacation to the small village in Ireland that represents the path not taken - the drama school admission that she turned down to follow her best friend, Aimee, to a rather miserable university experience in Florida. When Meg arrives, she's completely confused to find herself in a different reality, one where she has a different (wonderful!) best friend, a hot on-again-off-again bartender boyfriend, and her dead best friend Aimee miraculously still alive - but the former friends are now completely estranged. As Meg navigates this alternate life path, she finally starts dealing with her long-bottled-up feelings and figuring herself out. The question is, will she be able to pick the life she wants? Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a digital review copy.

Meg is a successful actress living in LA, but she's not fully happy with her life. After her 30th birthday party, she makes a spontaneous decision to buy a plane ticket to Avalon, Ireland. As a high schooler, Meg and her best friend Aimee dreamed of going to college in Avalon, a dream that ended abruptly when Aimee died in a tragic accident. When she arrives in Avalon, Meg quickly discovers that she is living in an alternate reality where she had gone to Avalon, and Aimee survived.

There were so many great things about this book. The setting was amazing, and the characters were so fun. I especially enjoyed Keira's character and thought she was the perfect addition to balance out Meg and Aimee's situation. Meg had a lot of character growth throughout the book and I think the author did a really good job with her.

I would have loved to see a little more of Meg and Cillian, but this story was definitely more focused on the friendship aspect than the romance.

It's a bit of a tear jerker, so be prepared for that, but it also has a lot of fun parts in there.

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

I love stories that show how deeply connected we can be to our friends and the lasting impact those relationships have on our soul. I know most of us wonder, “what if” I made this decision instead how that would’ve changed my path. Throughout this novel we get to watch Meg live out her biggest “what if” moment then snap back into reality.

90% through the book I was outraged with what happened, but I don’t think I could’ve loved the ending anymore than I do.

10/10

Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan Audio & St. Martin’s Press for the advance read & listen!

I loved this book! The sliding doors concept with the magical realism was right up my alley, but what I didn't necessarily expect was the depth and emotional punch this one had. I will be thinking about this book for a long time - highly recommend!

The Other Side of Now by Paige Harbison is outstanding! The characters are beautiful, the story is heartwarming and moving, and the writing is fabulous!
I laughed and I cried while reading. I highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys stories about friendship, grief, and a touch of magical realism!

Thank you St. Martins Press and NetGalley for a copy of this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Sometimes a book takes you so completely by surprise that you have to sit with your emotions for a while. This is that book. The premise asks the eternal question — What would life be like if we made different choices along the way? Paige Harbison explores the concept without bogging the reader down with overly complicated explanations and allows the focus to remain on the emotional impact. There’s more WHAT than HOW and that’s just how I like it.

I don’t want to cheat other readers out of the journey I experienced while reading this book. You can read the synopsis for a brief plot summary. Instead, I wish to focus the spotlight on a few of the major themes. 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗢𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥 𝗦𝗜𝗗𝗘 𝗢𝗙 𝗡𝗢𝗪 looks at grief, forgiveness, self-discovery, and friendship. There’s an emphasis on relationships; with friends, with family, with lovers, with self. Allow yourself the privilege of suspending your disbelief and immerse yourself in this utterly lovely story. You won’t regret it.

This book will make you think and make you feel.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.