4.5 stars.

Two strangers searching for meaning become participants for The Life Experiment, a study that claims it can predict when people will die. Layla, a corporate lawyer, is stuck in an endless cycle of late nights, impossible deadlines and the London rat race. Angus is struggling with the death of his brother and a failed investment. He is frozen in a cycle of long hours and lazy days, watching time pass him by. Unaware of each other’s participation in the experiment, Layla and Angus meet by chance in a café the same day they get their shocking results.

If you’ve read Jess Kitching’s previous books, you’d have noticed that this one took on a different genre. And I loved it!

Jess didn’t waste any time at all with the confronting question for Layla right from the beginning: what would give your life meaning? Layla’s hustle and sacrifice would immediately feel relatable to many people, including myself. I read this book at the time when I felt I didn’t have enough time for everything important in my life, so I nodded a lot at Layla’s internal monologues and self evaluations.

Oddly enough, Angus being at the opposite spectrum of having too much time at his disposal would also be relatable to many people! The fact that both main characters were three dimensional and well written made the story even more impactful for me. I actually read the entire book in a day - I was that invested.

I would highly recommend checking out the Author’s Note to understand Jess’ original inspiration to write this story, because it’d elevate it even more! Not only that, the book dedication already made my heart skip a beat as I saw our bookstagram friend and legend, Lily Raiti, mentioned.

My heart was sore from the reading experience for days, it really gave me a good book hangover. I’d highly recommend you to pick this up if you want a romance story with a deeper undertone.

The Life Experiment follows Layla and Angus after they are told when they are going to die and is told from dual POVs. Both characters are thoughtfully constructed and felt like real people with complicated lives.

Although their remaining times are vastly different there are many similarities in how they react from reevaluating their lives to reconnecting with family.

Their chance meeting gave further insight into both characters and how they were dealing with the news about The Life Experiment and the other secrets they choose to keep to themselves.

This beautifully written novel is both thought-provoking and life-affirming. Even when dealing with heavier topics such as grief and loss there is a balance where the reader sees both Layla and Angus work on their hopes and dreams for the future.

A lot of the emotion in this book feels very raw and after reading the heartfelt acknowledgments at the end of the book I understood why and my heart broke for Jess.

This book will remain with me for a long time as I continue to think about the many questions and issues raised.

WHAT AN ABSOLUTE MASTERPIECE! The plot is gripping from start to finish, weaving suspense, emotion, and romance into a story that stays with you long after the last page. It’s such a terrifying, powerful question… would you take part in a life experiment that could predict the day you die?? one that lingered in my mind long after I turned the final page.

I’ve thought about it deeply. My answer is yes. I would want to know, even if it changes everything.

This is easily one of my favourite reads of 2025. Setting aside any bias, I was completely hooked by Jess Kitching’s storytelling. Layla and Angus are beautifully crafted, their journeys authentic and deeply moving. Their chemistry is electric, but it’s their individual growth that truly shines, exploring themes of fate, choice, and what it means to live fully.

The pacing is spot on, balancing heart-wrenching moments with bursts of hope and humour. The writing is clear yet evocative, pulling you into the world effortlessly. I can’t recommend this book enough… if you want a thrilling yet heartfelt read, The Life Experiment should be top of your list.

Jess Kitching's The Life Experiment is a beautifully crafted exploration of love, mortality, and what it means to live with purpose rather than on autopilot. It makes you pause mid-chapter to question how you spend your time, who you spend it with, and the choices you make when you assume you have forever.

I connected deeply with one of the main characters, Layla. Like her, I spent years in a high-pressure legal career, edging closer to burnout. Over the past year, I’ve stepped away from stress and prestige to make space for joy (hello writing), rest, and connection. Reading her story felt like looking into a mirror, with the added ‘what if’ of a ticking clock.

Tender without tipping into over sentimentality, Kitching captures love that grows in the quiet, everyday moments, while exploring deeper themes of grief, purpose and the ways fear can hold us back. The Life Experiment is heart warming and thought-provoking, and it might just make you rethink how you live.

The Life Experiment by Jess Kitching. The concept of this book was so unique I just had to give it a go! If you could find out how long you had left to live, would you find out? That’s the life experiment. We get to follow Layla and Angus through the experiment, and see how it impacts how they live and their decisions for the time they have left. This was a very quick read, I enjoyed both of the main characters and how their paths crossed. There are some pretty heavy subjects in the book, so reader beware that it’s a bit sad in places.
It’s a great book and I definitely recommend you give it a go!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Thankyou to NetGalley, Jess Kitching and publishers for letting me read an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

𝘞𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘫𝘰𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘥𝘪𝘦? 𝘞𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥?

When I tell you this book will both tear you open 💔 and stitch you back up again 🩷, I am not exaggerating!

There is such a beautiful authenticity to Jess’s writing, I felt a wave of emotion wash over me in a way that was both quietly joyful and deeply existential, reminding me that the light shines brighter for having walked through the shadows. The tone is warm and compassionate, often laced with gentle humour and tender banter, yet unafraid to confront moments of raw emotion.

Layla’s and Angus’s individual pursuits for self-discovery and purpose are beautifully balanced by their blossoming romance. What makes their story feel so real is that nothing feels rushed or heightened for drama. Their story tenderly explores life’s fragility and the human longing to be truly seen. Themes of grief, healing, purpose, and joy are woven through every chapter, delivered with a heartfelt honesty that feels both vulnerable and uplifting.

It is rare for a book to make me cry, but if it can, it's an automatic 5 stars from me! 🙌🏼. I resonated with Layla's story on so many levels and absolutely sobbed my way through the final five chapters. This one will sit with me for a while.

The Life Experiment shakes you out of autopilot. It finds you in those still, private moments and challenges you to feel deeper, love harder, and examine whether the path you’re on is truly the one you want to walk. It’s not just a love story, it’s a bittersweet, beautiful reminder to live with your whole heart and to do it on purpose.

Thank you to the team at @simonschusterau and @netgalley for my original eARC of The Life Experiment. Of course, I also grabbed a physical copy which Jess so kindly signed when I finally met her IRL this week! 🥰

3.5 stars (rounded up to 4 stars).

The Life Experiment by Jess Kitching is a heartwarming novel that imagines what happens when two strangers enter a study that claims it can tell you the exact date of your death. A little sci-fi concept, a lot of real-life feeling.

Layla and Angus, both at personal crossroads, meet the day they receive their results—unaware they’re part of the same experiment—and what unfolds is a gentle love story rooted in friendship first. It’s a book that explores grief, purpose, joy, and the meaning we make out of the time we’re given.

There’s something deeply sincere in this novel’s messaging—how we care for ourselves and others, what we take for granted, and how we might live more intentionally if we truly understood our time was finite. It also sparked great conversations with friends about if we'd want to know when we died and what we'd do differently. A lovely, perspective-shifting exercise.

That said, this was a slower read for me. It took me a lot longer to get through and not because I disliked my time with it, but because I wasn’t always pulled back with urgency. It’s a slow-paced novel that invites sitting with, rather than rushing through.

I liked Layla and Angus together, and thought both felt like fully realised characters, though I didn’t always connect with Angus. His privileged, wealthy ennui was a little hard to sympathise with at times, and he read younger than his 35 years. Still, their story had a soft charm.

Overall, this is a life-affirming, sweet book that asks you to consider what matters most in life, and how you might love—and live—if your days were numbered.

Thanks to netgalley and Simon & Schuster Australia for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

What a beautiful story about life and love!

We meet Layla, a hard working lawyer in her late twenties and Angus, who comes from a wealthy family, in his early thirties, who has no inspiration or motivation.

Both of their lives change when they take part in the life experiment and find out how long they have to live.

I really enjoyed this book! It gave me all the feels, I loved the main characters, how they interacted with eachother and how they changed their lives to have more purpose and be happier.

I also loved both of their fathers, they were supportive and so lovely. These relationships were super sweet.

This book has a bit of everything, family drama, work drama, contemporary romance, figuring yourself out and it’s very thought provoking.

There were so many great quotes throughout the book and many reminders that life is precious, do what counts, make the most of each day, be grateful, make a difference, you are valued, you are worthy. I loved this so much about the book.

I’ll be recommending this book to everyone and it will be my go to book gift too!

Thank you so much @simonschusterau @netgalley for this early copy.

When I heard the delightful Jess Kitching had a new book I knew I needed it pronto. I love her domestic thrillers and could not wait.....hang on a minute The Life Experiment you say?!?! What is going on here?!?! Doesn't sound like a thriller, but it's Jess, so I am going to give it a red hot go.

OMG how grateful am I to have the opportunity to read this amazing book. Jess has proven she is the Queen of any genre and knocked it out of the park with this stunning piece of work. The Life Experiment dictates your death date, the question is would you want to know? This book is handled carefully and gives you food for thought on more than one occasion. So many factors are taken into account and of course there is a lovely love story running simultaneously within the pages.

The Life Experiment will have you re-evaluating your life and making sure you make the most of every minute. Block out a weekend and enjoy this gem, it will bring out all the feels and them some. All the stars, I absolutely loved it!

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for this early reading copy.

If I could bottle the feeling this book left me with, I would.

The Life Experiment is thought-provoking, heartachingly real, and quietly hopeful — a story that doesn’t just entertain but gently asks: what are you really doing with your one, wild, precious life?

Layla and Angus feel like people you know — or maybe even parts of yourself. Layla’s burnout and perfectionism hit a little close to home, and Angus’s grief made my heart ache in that quiet, lingering way. I saw so much of myself in their journeys, their questions, their fears… and I honestly felt like I got my own little kick up the butt just by walking through the experiment with them.

I actually started reading this as an eBook — but as soon as my paperback copy arrived, I restarted it just so I could annotate every line that made me stop and breathe a little deeper (and there were a lot of them).

The premise is brilliant: a study that can tell you the date of your death — and what happens when two strangers sign up and collide into each other on the very same day they get their results. What follows is an exploration of identity, mortality, and unexpected connection that feels both soul-stirring and beautifully grounded.

Jess’s writing is honest, sharp, and full of heart. There’s grief, yes — but also growth. Love that takes its time. Banter that crackles. Characters that make you feel like you’ve lived a whole life alongside them. And in the end? I felt lighter. Braver. A little more awake.

I had the joy of meeting Jess at a mutual friend’s wedding last year, and reading this just made me even prouder to cheer her on. Her words are special — and this book is one I’ll be carrying with me for a long time.

💬 Thoughtful & emotionally rich
⏳ A clever twist on mortality
🧡 Mid-30s self-discovery
📚 Realistic characters you grow with
❤️ A love story that sneaks up on you
🌿 A gentle invitation to live more intentionally

Thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Australia, and Jess for the ARC. All opinions are mine — and honestly? This was exactly the book I needed.

For fans of Matt Haig, Ashley Poston, Beth O'Leary and David Nicholls.

Jess Kitching is best known for her twisty, edge-of-your-seat thrillers, but for her latest novel The Life Experiment, she steps into the world of contemporary romance - and absolutely nails it!

The Life Experiment is a beautiful, life- affirming novel that tugs on the heartstrings. It is raw and heartbreaking at times, but also full of so much hope and joy. At its core, it's a story about love and connection, it's about life and what it means to be human. Life is messy, and this book doesn’t shy away from showing the full spectrum of that.

Jess Kitching has a way with words and her writing captivates you from the very first page. If you love stories with strong character development, this one's for you. Angus and Layla take the reader on a journey of love, loss, grief and healing. Each character is thoughtfully crafted and brings a unique layer to the story.

Jess has poured her heart and soul into this book - it radiates from every page. This isn't a story you finish and move on from, it stays with you. The characters, the messages, the love and joy, the heartbreaks will all continue to linger, long after the final page.

Emotional and thought-provoking, The Life Experiment will have you reflecting on what it means to truely live. It's rare to find a story that imprints on you, one changes the way that you think. But for me, this one did exactly that.

Angus and Layla's story will always have a special place on my bookshelf and in my heart.

Congratulations Jess Kitching, this book is phenominal. I can't wait to see what you write next

It’s a special thing when one of your most anticipated reads of the year, becomes one of the best, too!

What’s it about, you might be wondering? Well, as the title suggests… an experiment, in which carefully selected participants (if they so consent) are given the chance to find out when and how they will die.

Now, while part of the population might be thinking, why on earth would anyone be interested in that?, at least two people are - and that’s where our main characters come in: Layla, a lawyer in her late twenties, and Angus, a trust fund baby in his early thirties.

The pair have no idea what the study actually involves until it’s almost underway, but they’re both stuck in lives that no longer satisfy them, and they sign up longing for something more. The day that their end dates are handed over, Layla and Angus’ paths cross completely coincidentally - and just as they hoped, everything about life as they know it starts changing.

I won’t say another word, other than a few to urge you to add it to your TBR, because this is one of those books that you just HAVE to read!

It touches your heart, imprints on your soul, and - at the risk of sounding really cheesy - gives you an entirely new outlook on and appreciation for life.

Infinite stars and a never-ending recommendation - I already want to read it again!

Heartfelt thanks to Jess Kitching and the team at Simon & Schuster Australia for providing me with an arc via Netgalley.

I loved Jess’ previous books and knew this was a genre change but it still has her unique writing style that leaps from the pages. This is a beautifully told story of two people who meet after receiving news they wanted, and didn’t want. It’s heartwarming, thought provoking, tear jerking and smile inducing all at once!

Thank you Simon & Schuster and Jess Kitching for this read.

Jess has truly shown what a brilliant author she is, as she has gone from producing addictive thrillers to this moving read.

I was utterly hooked reading about our two protagonists and the way their lives were both similar and yet very different. This book explores both through multiple POVs and really gets deep into each life. Jess's vivid descriptions brought them to life and I felt that I was feeling all their grief, pain, anger, happiness and love.

The idea of an experiment that allows you to find out when your time may be up had me questioning how I would act if I had the chance to find out. This theme through the book asks readers to take a look into their life.

Tangled between this experiment, we see a deep growing connection that had me smiling multiple times. In addition there are some twists along the way which keeps it interesting and unique.

Overall this book was a brilliant read. It was light and funny, yet emotional and had me thinking about my own life. Can't wait to see what Jess produces next!

Out 29th July!

Yes people, I read a romance novel 🩷 Don’t faint! I don’t read romance but I do read Jess Kitching books because she is incredibly talented and such a beautiful woman. Congratulations on The Life Experiment, it is wonderful and I am so happy for you!!

Emotional, thought provoking, inspiring and so much more. Would you want to know the date that you would die? enter The Life Experiment. Layla and Angus are both incredibly unhappy with the path that their lives are taking and sign up. The day they find out their results is the day they meet in a cafe and can’t stop thinking about each other. But this information has changed the way they both think and see things.

What would you do? Would you keep living the way that you are or make massive changes? Would you hide away or would you embrace life? it is beautiful story and Jess has just smashed it once again. Read the author notes, her story of how this book came to be is so heartbreaking but lovely.

Just beautiful Jess, you made this crime reader with a dark heart cry so much. Hug your loved ones, you just don’t know what tomorrow brings.

Thanks you so much to Simon and Schuster for my advanced copy to read. Jess you deserve all the success with this amazing book. Thank you Dan Pilkington for believing in this story and bring it to the world. Out on July 29th

Would you take part in an experiment that told you when you would die? I’m firmly on the fence. Layla and Angus are both lost and do sign up. The Life Experiment follows the impact that this knowledge has on the way they move forward in their lives.

There was so much heart and emotion in this story. A cast of characters that each have their own flaws but you care about deeply. The ending was not what I thought it would be but was absolutely perfect. The Life Experiment is going to be one of my top reads of the year.

Perfect for fans of The Measure. Pick up a copy and a box of tissues!

The Life Experiment by Jess Kitching is a low steam but highly feel good love story.

Two people are unexpectedly brought together when they enter an experiment where they are tested and monitored and then given a prediction of when they will die.

Layla is a corporate lawyer who has come from a poorer background. She has immersed herself in her work to the detriment of her family and relationships and wonders is she can ever find happiness. Angus on the other hand is from a wealthy yet distant family. He doesn't have a job and is aimlessly wandering through his life while still mourning the death of his brother in childhood.

Layla and Angus both apply to OPM Discoveries to be a part of The Life Experiment not realising they will eventually be told when they will likely die. When they receive the news they are both thrown for different reasons. They then meet by chance at a coffee shop. There is an immediate attraction between them but the need to keep the experiment secret and their reactions to when they might die just might complicate everything.

Told in alternating chapters from both POV's and with their answers to the regular questionnaires from OPM Discoveries slotted in as well we see into their anxiety and fears about their budding relationship alongside their concerns about when they think they will die.

What I enjoyed was watching Layla and Angus fall in love slowly without being in a relationship. Layla sets the boundaries initially and they are friends only meeting for fun dates and messaging each other constantly. It was sweet with no steam and I really dug that.

What didn't gel so much was when Layla and Angus first met which didn't feel authentic for me and this definitely impacted my reading initially. I was also intrigued but sceptical about the so called Life Experiment and some of my early thoughts came to pass.

But I did enjoy how the ending came together with a different character coming in to voice the final chapter which gave an unusual perspective to the whole storyline.

Thank you @netgalley and @simonschusterau for my #gifted copy.

Trapped in a life that is feeling meaningless, Layla and Angus are both separately drawn into an avert for The Life Experiment, a study that can predict when a person is going to die.

Layla is a corporate lawyer, stuck in an endless cycle of late nights, impossible deadlines and separation from her family. Angus is the opposite, never having had to work a day in his life, he is struggling with where his life is going following a failed investment.

Unaware that they are both participants in the study, Layla and Angus meet by chance the same day their results are revealed to them. Their attraction is instant, but can they open themselves up to more when time might be brief?

I knew I was going to love this book before I’d even picked it up but it still exceeded all expectations!

The characters are beautifully written and I loved their development throughout the story, especially the way that they each take in the results of the study. They are both such profoundly different characters and there are many moments of vulnerability as well as resilience and there’s a great balance of each.

The whole book is filled with insightful moments and really make us as readers question what we would do in either Layla or Angus’ situations.

This was a really fast paced read I just couldn’t put it down! Definitely one of my top 10 books for the year

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Australia, NetGalley and the author for my copy of this book in exchange for a review

Book Review: The Life Experiment by Jess Kitching
 
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice: 🫑

I was prompted to read The Life Experiment by @jesskitchingwrites when @bound.and.bloom showed me the rather exciting and intriguing quote on the cover of her ARC.

“Would you join an experiment that predicts when you will die?”

It was an unflinching commentary on mortality and the human condition. This book welcomes grief like a close friend, bundles you up in layers of tender moments, and urges you to savour every bit of existence. To be an authentic you and live your life to the fullest.

Spice: lots of yearning in a lovely way, no spice.

I loved every moment of this book. The dialogue was natural. The character well crafted. The pace comfortable. I love a dual POV and I loved being along side Layla and Angus as they figured out who they were and navigated their relationship alongside the knowledge that life is fleeting.

Overall, I cannot believe more people are not taking about this book and I’m now telling all my bookish babes to check it out. That includes you. I highly recommend picking up a copy when it’s out on July 29th

Huge thanks to @netgalley and @simonschusterau for the read.

Jess Kitching! What have you done?!

You've smashed it out of the park!! It's a home run for you! That is what you've done! 😍

The Life Experiment is not the normal thriller genre we would see from Jess, but I can tell you, this girl is a queen when it comes to writing (well, she's a queen in general 💖 ) but seriously being able to switch from the twist and turns of thriller writing to the warmth and joy of contemporary romance and to do it so well deserves all the praise!

I absolutely loved the premise for this one! I love that it made not just the characters but also myself think about finding themselves and meaning in their lives and making the most of right now. I love that the characters are polar opposites but complimented each other perfectly. I just loved this story and the way it makes you think and feel 💕

Imagine entering an experiment that claims it can predict when you will die. The catch.. you can not tell anyone you are part of the experiment.

Angus and Layla, complete strangers, make the decision to participate. On the day their results are revealed to them, an impromptu meet in a cafe becomes the start of something between them... but will knowing the fate of their future hold them back from finding love ❤️

This is a love story with so much more!! It will have you thinking about it long after you turn the final page. P.s. If you are anything like me, keep tissues on hand... you will need them!

Congratulations @jesskitchingwrites! I am in awe of this beautiful story! 🫶