A fateful doorstep encounter🏡

4-4.5🌟 stars
This latest Laura Pearson novel seemed more based in reality than some she's written in the past few years, but the main theme is no less miraculous. Twins split as infants and never expected to know each other existed, yet a few random decisions on twin Debbie's part after her husband's death and Debbie and Ruth are brought face to face after over 60 years leading totally separate lives. The how's and why's of their separation get revealed and Debbie, Ruth and Ruth's younger sister Kate become enmeshed in each other's lives.

I liked the contrast in the trajectory of each of their childhoods and marriages. One starts out in a hard knock childhood but finds a happy marriage and the other starts in a stable home but finds discontent and disconnect in her married life.

Good writing and character development combined to make this a very good reading experience. Just not as emotionally gripping as Missing Pieces and I Wanted You To Know or unique and imaginative as the Many Futures of Maddy Hart and The Beforelife of Eliza Valentine.

Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

Review shared on 5/17/25 on Waterstones and Goodreads, and with Barnes & Noble and BAM. To be shared with kobo and Google Play upon publication.

Laura Pearson is so good at writing thought-provoking, emotional fiction. She is so skillful at creating characters the reader can connect with and empathize with. I really loved this book, as I have all of Laura Pearson’s books. They just get better and better. Thank you to NetGalley and to Boldwood Books for allowing me to provide my review in exchange for this amazing ARC edition of The Woman Who Met Herself. Laura Pearson is one of my very favorite authors.

Laura Pearson draws you in within the first few words with her unique effortless style. The lives of her protagonists are credible and worthy of the examination they receive. A simple everyday task at work starts in motion life-changing decisions for the two main characters as they unearth the connection between them.
Highly recommended.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book.

Laura Pearson has made magic🪄 once again in this story that reminds us sometimes when the unexpected knocks being brave enough to open the door can lead to fulfillment.

It is the surprise of a lifetime when Debbie knocks on Ruth's door. The women may have different styles, but there's no denying their faces are identical.

How is this possible?

Both women are in their early 60's and have only one surviving parent between them, Ruth's mother. Unfortunately, she suffers from dementia and is in a care facility. Debbie and Ruth are written as dynamic contrasting characters. Debbie is widowed, with no family, and her personality is outgoing. She is new to town hoping for a fresh start after her beloved husband's death. Her job is going door to door with an assortment of college students raising money for a mental health program. Debbie has a warmth that people are drawn to. Ruth has been married for decades, has a sister, twin adult sons, a granddaughter, and her personality is more reserved; she is a rule follower. She runs her own successful baking business out of her home. These women each look at the other's life and see what's missing in their own. However, things are not always what they seem from the outside looking in.

Will the past give up its secrets?

Laura Pearson's writing has a relaxing quality to it. I felt drawn into the story from the first page. These are characters developed in a realistic manner. The supporting characters added interesting threads to the story and further demonstrated the many hats Debbie and Ruth wore. Each character seemed like a person you might meet in real life. I loved the authenticity of family dynamics and dialogue. The premise might sound a bit T.V. movie, but rest assured this is a well-developed plot.

Entertaining and lovely I was sad to turn the final page and say goodbye.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for providing an Advance Reading Copy for review. All opinions are my own.

This was a great poolside read. Credible storyline and good character development which allowed the individual personalities to shine through. Two very different life parts with a surprising twist in outcomes and satisfaction for the two women.i enjoyed their developing friendship and the insights into those around them coming to terms with their impact on each other. There was a wealth of opportunity for other threads to be woven throughout but maybe that’s for another book? Four stars.

The story has an interesting premise & good characters, though the follow-through could have been better.

Ruth Waverley, in her early sixties, (she has made baking cakes her professional pursuit), lives with her husband Nigel. They have twin sons who are grown up - Max & Chris. Ruth has a younger sister - Kate, and their mom is in a care institution. Debbie Jones, 62, lives alone. Her husband Richie died of a heart attack. She has no children. She has started work at 'Hopeful Horizons' – a volunteer organization. Debbie goes door to door asking people if they need help with mental health. One day, Debbie rings the bell at Ruth's. Both are stunned as they look to be identical. But neither was told they had a twin, so what is this about?

The story gets off to a good start with intriguing prospects for continuation. I liked the characters of Ruth & Debbie; and the contrasts in their personality. The other characters do not really come alive. Nothing very consequential happens in the later parts of the book and I felt it drag.

This has such an intriguing storyline. When charity worker Debbie Jones knocks on the door of Ruth Waverley they both get the shocks of their lives. It is like looking in the mirror. What follows is a story about self discovery, the uncovering of secrets and new beginnings alongside a look at family dynamics and human nature. I thought that the interactions between each of the characters very well thought out and sensitively written. I found this very easy to follow and liked all the characters, who were all very individual. This is an emotional and heartbreaking read but also heartwarming. Thanks to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for the ARC

I'd heard so much about this book and it didn't disappoint at all.
Ruth and Debbie are 2 women who are going about their daily lives. Ruth's life is full of family and baking, while Debbie is staring again in a new place and is finding friends as she goes. A chance encounter one day changes their lives forever. Secrets they didn't know were hiding in their pasta are unravelled and lives change dramatically from what they were. This is a story of hope and love with a message to just be yourself and do what's right for you.

The Woman Who Met Herself by Laura Pearson is a most charming contemporary novel that I thoroughly enjoyed.
This is a novel about families and life. Families can be complicated affairs. We meet a mother who has given her whole life to raising her twin boys but now they are in their thirties she is struggling to discover her own identity.
A chance doorstep encounter opens up a whole new life but also a can of worms as there are more questions than answers.
The other lead character is childless but struggling with the sudden loss of her husband. Now she needs to discover who she is as a newly single mother.
We see that some lives just attract others to them. Brief meetings can soon turn into new friendships.
The theme of motherhood is a major one. We see that motherhood is very different in the 1960’s. A young mother struggling with her mental health gets little support. “Back then [1960’s], mental illness was a shameful secret.” She makes a monumental decision that will still be impacting lives in present day. A secret in 1962 is finally unlocked in present day, to the shock of all concerned.
A slow decline into dementia is a hard journey for all concerned. “It’s a slow loss, dementia… It’s losing someone over and over. It’s an ocean of grief.” Grief is a daily companion. The losses are keenly felt by all.
All the characters were well drawn, likable and believable. The story is told through the eyes of both leading ladies, and there is an occasional voice from the past.
The Woman Who Met Herself was a powerful and heartfelt read that I thoroughly enjoyed.
I received a free copy via Rachel’s Random Resources for a blog tour. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

Alright, so this was actually my first time reading a book by this author, and honestly? What a great introduction. I wasn’t sure what to expect going in, but it turned out to be such a rewarding experience.

You know how some books take a while to pull you in? This one didn’t. The flow was just so smooth—I found myself flying through it from beginning to end without ever feeling bored or like I needed a break. It kept my attention the whole time, and that says a lot, especially when life is busy and distractions are everywhere.

But what really surprised me, in the best way, was how connected I felt to the characters. Like, deeply connected. And I’ve noticed that a lot of people who’ve read this book say the same thing—it’s almost like there's a piece of each of us in these characters. Somehow, they feel familiar. Real. They go through things that make you pause and reflect, and it made me realize how universal some emotions and experiences are.

And when I finished it? I just sat there. Staring at the ceiling. Processing everything. You know that feeling when a book gets under your skin in the best way? That was this book for me. It lingered. I kept thinking about certain moments, certain lines, the choices the characters made.

For a first read from this author, it totally made an impression on me. Now I’m definitely curious to read more of their work. If you’re looking for something that flows well, keeps you engaged, and makes you feel emotionally tied to the characters, this one’s a great pick.

I was expecting more magical realism when I started THE WOMAN WHO MET HERSELF, but to say more would spoil this book. The premise is so good: what would you say if you met a stranger who didn’t just look similar to you - but was identical?

I enjoyed the characters, and how they’re so different from one another, yet also alike. This is a story that makes you wonder how your life would have been if you took a different path, or if your circumstances were different. I liked that the two main characters, Ruth and Debbie, are older and able to reflect on their lives, yet still have so much ahead.

What didn’t totally work for me were the many side stories, which I was never able to get invested in, and I feel the book could have been much shorter and still had the same impact.

Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the early digital ARC of THE WOMAN WHO MET HERSELF in exchange for my honest feedback.

Wow what a story. I loved it . Two complete strangers meet when one knocks on the door of the other while collecting for charity and wow what a story you get. I could not put it down. You have a stale marriage , dementia, a lovely sister , mature romance and an amazing ending. Hard to review without spoiling . Read it. Laura Pearson is an ace writer.

Extremely well-written, but there is a kind of monotone to the narration, and there is a lot of telling rather than showing. The story was bleak at times, with very little hope. I think Debbie's story was a little more hopeful towards the end, rather than Ruth's. Compared to Laura's previous books, something was lacking from this one. An interesting premise though. With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I've read a few books by this author and have loved them all. In this book we get to meet Debbie and Ruth. Ruth is in her sixties, and looks after her family and her mother who has dementia. Debbie, who has recently lost her husband, has moved away for a new start and has a job supporting a charity by going door to door. They both get a surprise when Debbie knocks on Ruth's door and they find themselves looking at mirror images of themselves.

This was an interesting and enjoyable read. Both Debbie and Ruth are completely different characters and have obviously lead very different lives. Neither of them knew they were twins, so when they meet it was obvious that there was always going to be a lot of questions and secrets that needed to be revealed. I liked both their characters and as they each had their own issues going on within their individual lives, it was heart-warming to see them open up to each other.

It is quite a sad storyline at times throughout the book as things which have been hidden for years are revealed. However there are also lots of warm-hearted moments revolving around family and friendships which balance everything out. The characters are well written and you can really connect with them all. For me though, Debbie's storyline was the one which tugged at the heart-strings more, and I loved how it caused them both to look at their own past with a hint of jealousy and regret.

The book flowed well and held my attention throughout. The author has written it well and is sensitive about some of the issues that were brought up. This was an uplifting read which will warm your heart and leave you thinking about it long after you have finished. Would recommend.

I'm always delighted to hear about a new novel from Laura Pearson, and The Woman Who Met Herself. At the beginning, I wasn't sure where it was going, but it exceeded my expectations in so many ways and I really loved reading this story.

The Woman Who Met Herself works so well because Laura Pearson has created such wonderful characters and I connected with most of them almost straight away. Ruth and Debbie have very different personalities, but I could also see the similarities between them and it is credit to the author that these nuances shine through. The supporting characters - the family and neighbours of Ruth and Debbie - are also multidimensional, and I loved the dynamics between them all. There are some chapters in between the main narrative which are letters between two unidentified characters written in the past. This gave me some insight into what had happened in Ruth and Debbie's past, but also provided a lot of intrigue which kept me engaged in the story.

Laura Pearson is a wonderful writer, and she writes very sensitively about issues of identity, mental health, grief and relationships. The emotional aspects of this story come through the pages in swathes, and I loved the journey that the characters went on together, which I found so poignant.

This author is quickly becoming one of my “must read” writers and I can't wait to see what she does next!

Laura Pearson tells the best stories- and “The Woman Who Met Herself” is no different!
This story follows twins Debbie and Ruth, who only learn of each other by chance in their early 60s. It’s a story about family (both found and biological), relationships, friendships, forgiveness, and love. It’s a beautiful, feel-good story that leaves you feeling grateful for the people who matter in your life.
Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the digital arc!

Debbie, a door to door charity worker, is stunned when she knocks on a door just to have it opened by a mirror image of herself! I was so intrigued and excited to find out where this story would go. As well as Debbie and her newly discovered identical twin, Ruth, there were several side plots relating to both of their very different lives.

This was a sweet story that explores familial relationships, acceptance and friendship. It didn't have the magic or emotion of Laura's previous books, it was written more like an account of what happened, rather than drawing the reader in deeply, but it was an enjoyable read.

3 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley,Laura Pearson and Boldwood for an ARC in return for an honest review.

I really enjoyed reading this, it has a simple plot but the beauty of the read lies in its simplicity. I also found this to be a joyful, life-affirming read. Ruth and Debbie are two great characters, I liked the similarities of the characters as well as the differences. Getting to know them as they got to know each other allows the reader to really understand them. I also enjoyed seeing how they both develop and change as the book goes on.
I thoroughly enjoyed this read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an advance copy.

A heartbreaking and lovely story, Laura has her niche and does it perfectly every time. This is a story that touches on so much of society, but never in a way that feels trite. The pace is great, the prose is touching, and the characters are beautifully crafted

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for allowing me to read an ARC of The Woman Who Met Herself by Laura Pearson, in exchange for my honest review.

Laura Pearson is an amazing storyteller!

This was a beautifully written story of motherhood, family, friends, and finding where you fit in your life.

Wonderfully executed blend of some not-so-easy topics with realistic and relatable characters.

Laura Pearson has become one of my "must-read" authors and I look forward to more of her delicious surprises!