For fans of The Love of My Afterlife and The Seven Year Slip, Reese’s LitUp Fellow Natalie Messier’s debut following a woman who gets a chance to relive her college years—with the opportunity to win back the one that got away—is “full of surprises and sneakily perceptive” (Yulin Kuang, USA TODAY bestselling author of How to End a Love Story).
Joey Vasquez’s life is the definition of good on paper. At thirty-two, she’s a Los Angeles lawyer on the cusp of making partner, but while she’s a professional success, she’s a personal disaster. Her social life mostly consists of nights spent watching TV with her elderly cat. Life isn’t quite what she dreamed when she was younger, but really, whose life is?
But a dinner party with the best friend she’s secretly pined after for years and its aftermath changes everything.
When Joey is given a second chance at life, she finds herself in college again. Armed with memories from her first life, Joey is certain she’s come back to finally convince the one man she ever loved to love her back—so why does she find herself strangely drawn to the man she thought she hated?
This is one of the best debuts I've truly devoured! The themes of second chances, time travel, learning from past mistakes, discovering true love, finding your authentic self, and uncovering your life's purpose were all meticulously executed with remarkable precision. Each twist was masterfully crafted and perfectly timed, creating a reading experience that left me breathless with anticipation.
I found myself absolutely captivated by this original, unique, and deeply heartfelt story that compels every reader to confront a universal question: What would we do if we could travel back to that pivotal moment in our lives where everything went wrong and try making different choices to embrace entirely different consequences? Can we truly change our own destiny and save ourselves from endless cycles of misery and regret? Countless thought-provoking questions swirled through my mind as I turned each page, making this far more than just entertainment—it became a profound meditation on choice, consequence, and the paths not taken.
While the romance was beautifully developed, I found myself even more drawn to the protagonist's relentless pursuit of genuine happiness and self-discovery. This added an extra layer of depth that elevated the entire narrative beyond typical romance tropes. The plot centers around Joey (Josephina Vasquez), a 32-year-old corporate lawyer in Los Angeles who appears to be living the dream—she's on the verge of making partner and seems to have it all figured out. However, this polished exterior is nothing more than an elaborate facade masking her profound unhappiness and spiritual emptiness. When she reluctantly attends a house party thrown by her college best friend Ellie (and yes, despite the nickname, Ellie is a man who married his college sweetheart Cat—the woman who ended up with Joey's first love), she'd rather endure a waterboarding session than face the evening ahead.
The situation becomes exponentially worse when Joey discovers that her arch-nemesis Alex—who has recently transformed into an insufferably arrogant billionaire—will also be attending. As if that emotional assault weren't enough, she learns that Cat is expecting a baby, delivering a devastating double blow to her already fragile heart. Her inevitable confrontation with Alex deteriorates into a vicious exchange of insults, leaving Joey desperate to escape back to her apartment and her beloved adopted cat, Ruthie—her only reliable source of comfort.
Having consumed only two glasses of red wine, Joey believes she's perfectly capable of driving home safely. How much harm could it possibly cause? The answer comes swiftly and brutally when her car collides with a tree, seemingly ending her story in tragedy.
But death, as it turns out, is merely the beginning of Joey's extraordinary journey. She awakens in what can only be described as the world's most depressing waiting room, complete with hideous carpeting that seems designed to torture souls for eternity. There, she meets her assigned caseworker, who presents her with an unprecedented opportunity: a genuine second chance at life. She can return to any pivotal moment of her choosing and attempt to rewrite her story, pursuing happiness instead of the lonely existence she'd been trapped in—escaping her soul-crushing job, her dysfunctional family dynamics, and the painful estrangement from her sister.
Without hesitation, Joey chooses to return to that fateful college party where she first met Ellie, absolutely determined not to let him slip through her fingers this time. She's convinced she has the perfect plan to secure her happy ending.
However, once she's transported back into her eighteen-year-old body, reality proves far more complex than her carefully laid plans. Every different choice she makes creates unexpected ripple effects, and most surprisingly, she finds herself inexplicably drawn to Alex—who, in this timeline, is completely different from the arrogant man she grew to despise. The magnetic attraction she feels toward him threatens to derail everything she thought she wanted, forcing her to confront the possibility that her assumptions about love, happiness, and destiny might have been completely wrong.
With only one precious chance remaining, Joey must navigate these unexpected feelings while ensuring she doesn't doom herself to repeat the same patterns of misery that defined her previous life. The stakes couldn't be higher, and the choices couldn't be more challenging.
Overall: This book absolutely enchanted me from beginning to end. It's a brilliantly crafted fantasy romance bursting with innovative concepts that make you yearn for your own opportunity to travel back in time and reshape the pivotal moments that defined your life. The author demonstrates exceptional skill in weaving together complex themes of regret, redemption, and self-discovery while maintaining perfect pacing and emotional resonance throughout.
This debut absolutely deserves five shining stars and has established this author as someone whose future works I'll eagerly anticipate. The creativity, heart, and wisdom embedded in these pages make it a standout addition to the fantasy romance genre.
My heartfelt gratitude goes to NetGalley and Gallery Books for providing me with a digital review copy of this marvelous fantasy romance in exchange for my honest and enthusiastic thoughts. This opportunity allowed me to discover what I'm confident will become one of my favorite reads of the year.
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This is the second book about a ‘fix-it’ different timeline kinda story that I've read recently and I loved both of them so I guess this is something I enjoy?!! In every version of you we have a system that when someone dies and they were not happy with their lives they get one chance to do it again. Our protagonist chooses to do that and goes back to her first year of college. It's a mess but in the best way. I love how the characters are not perfect, a lot of them made very questionable choices actually but that's a reason why I loved them. It's not difficult to believe these are real people, and what they do in the situation is also pretty much what I'd do. I read the book in one sitting, so you can imagine the pace is great and I couldn't put it down. Also, I loved everything about the cat iykyk I can't believe this is a debut, I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for the author.
Maybe a hot take, but this book hooked me harder than Fourth Wing and ACOTAR. I TORE through this book. I think this is such a fan story of love and second chances and will be recommending it to everyone I know. I think this is a book anyone would be able to visualize well and enjoy to the fullest. I loved the characters, the concept, the story, everything about it. Cannot wait to read this book again when it officially comes out!
Joey is a workaholic corporate lawyer without much of a life. She goes on dates periodically but doesn’t let anyone in because she is secretly in love with Ellie (Elijah) the one who got away. She suddenly dies but gets a second chance at life and she goes back to college in 2012 to have a second chance at love. But instead she finds herself drawn to Alex, a billionaire capitalist that Ellie is friends with, a man she hates. Back in her 18 year old body with a 32 year old soul, she changes so much of what she wishes she could have done differently the first time.
If I could go back in time to my college days I’d have to do things the same so I could have my kids. But I definitely would find a way to see Whitney Houston, Prince and Michael Jackson live.
This is well paced and written. The back and forth between her 2026 mind and what she knows in 2012 is a running bit that doesn’t get old. If you enjoy time travel or second chance magical realism romance this is a book you should be reading. There are a lot of characters, many of whom play the same role and the metaphysical aspect of this doesn’t get too deep. I enjoyed the first 25% of the book the most. There were some surprises and twists near the end that were different than most time travel stories.
Thanks to NetGalley and gallery books for the ARC. Book to be published 4/28/26.
This cleansed my soul. Breathed air into my oxygen-deprived lungs. Fueled by cells with ATP. Healed my childhood trauma. Recalibrated my moral compass. Shuffled and then reconnected the synapses in my brain. Reminded me of my purpose in life. Baptized me in seratonin.
✰ 5 stars, firing my therapist because this healed me
thank you to gallery books for the ebooks arc in exchange for an honest review
This is for the romance lovers who enjoy a good “second chance” story with a twist. In Natalie Messier’s 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘝𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘠𝘰𝘶, Josephina “Joey” Vasquez is a corporate lawyer on the partner track, a home owner, and a cat parent. On paper, she is a success, but truthfully her life isn’t fulfilling and she has regrets. She regrets how much she works. She regrets her lack of a social life. She regrets never telling her longtime best friend her romantic feelings for him, and now he’s happily married to somebody else with a kid on the way. And then—she’s given a second chance. A do-over. Joey goes back in time and is a college freshman again. She can fix everything.
This is was an enjoyable read. There are the usual cringe-y moments that accompany time travel stories, and some characters are not as well developed as others (for example, I don’t think it’s ever made clear why her best friend was worthy of a decade-long crush). But overall, 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘝𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘠𝘰𝘶 is light, entertaining, and transporting. Great for a vacation book or a cozy night in.
4.25 stars. Thank you to Gallery Books for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Every Version of You is a perfect companion to A24’s Eternity. It’s contemplative, romantic, and takes you on a time-warping journey that continually pulls two characters back to each other through their inescapable connection.
By the midpoint of chapter one, I knew I was going to love this book and Natalie absolutely delivers. I was hooked in the best possible way, and the story offers so many moments that beg for a reaction.
The book’s exploration of “what ifs,” especially as they intersect with reincarnation, is handled brilliantly. The commentary is thoughtful, the execution is fabulous, and the overall experience is one I won’t forget.
This is an outstanding debut, and I truly can’t wait for everyone to discover it in 2026. I’ve followed the LitUp author selections from Reese’s Book Club closely, and they’ve never let me down and this latest pick is no exception. With so many eyes sure to be on Natalie, the anticipation is high, but she absolutely delivers. This book doesn’t miss. It’s heartfelt, compelling, and full of the promise that marks an author to watch.
I worked quite hard to get my hands on getting a digital arc and I'm so happy that I got to read this book early. My thanks to Edelweiss and Gallery Books!
This author’s debut novel was a big hit! I absolutely loved it, from beginning to end. This is all about a second chance at life, blending with magical realism. It was an extremely addictive read, and it kept me wondering what would happen next. This is a time-travel romance that is filled with lovable characters. This book made me feel emotional, reflective, hopeful, and lighthearted. It also made me smile and laugh.
It is a medium to fast paced read with strong character development. The characters changed and grew in the story, and were very diverse. The characters' flaws seem to be the main focus of the story. I found the storyline to be very original and imaginative. This book does bring the heat and spice! It is an easy to read, fun book! I give this amazing book a 5 out of 5 stars rating! Great work!!
Thank you to NetGalley, author Natalie Messier, and Gallery Books for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Every Version of You is a unique blend of second chance romance, time travel, and self discovery that kept me thinking long after I finished. While the premise immediately hooked me, what really stood out was how thoughtfully the story explores the ripple effects of our choices and the different directions life can take because of seemingly small decisions.
It’s impossible not to imagine what you might change if given the opportunity for a do over, and Joey’s journey makes that question especially compelling. As she revisits pivotal moments in her life, the story explores whether we actually know what’s best for ourselves—or whether the things we truly need are often right in front of us.
The romance unfolds in unexpected ways, and I enjoyed how the story challenged assumptions about destiny, timing, and who we’re ultimately meant to be with. There were several surprises along the way that kept me invested, and I can easily see this being a fantastic book club pick because of the conversations it sparks.
The characters are messy, flawed, and sometimes frustrating, but that’s also what makes them feel relatable. They don’t always make the best choices, yet their struggles and mistakes feel authentic. Joey’s growth throughout the story was one of my favorite aspects of the book.
Perfect for Readers Who Love
* Time travel romances * Second chance love stories * The Seven Year Slip * The Love of My Afterlife * Character driven stories about fate and destiny * Books that spark discussion and “what if?” conversations * Messy, relatable characters
The thing about time travel romcoms is that they allow so much redemption…. So when the character just doesn’t redeem themselves it kinda ruins it for me. Alas, this main character never crossed into the “making better choices and improving their life” category for me.
I discovered this book while browsing through NetGalley and immediately grabbed my attention when it said “For fans of The Seven Year Slip & The Love of my Afterlife”. It was exactly that and it did not disappoint one bit 💜
It made my laugh, cry, giggle and fall in love. I seriously cannot wait to have the physical copy when it comes out next year, and I’m forever grateful I had the opportunity to read this beforehand. I’m a sucker for time-traveling and magical realism romances!!
Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review
Natalie Messier's debut has a premise with real potential. A woman dies at thirty-two, gets sent back to eighteen, and has a second chance to course-correct fourteen years of pining after her best friend. The setup practically does the heavy lifting on its own.
Joey is a corporate lawyer whose entire inner life revolves around Elijah, a man who has been perpetually out of reach. The problem is that neither Joey nor her obsession with him are particularly compelling. She's not unlikeable exactly, just thin, and the story doesn't do much to fill her out before sending her back in time. When the premise finally kicks in, I was already a little detached.
The mechanics of the time travel are handled well enough. Messier keeps things moving, and the tension between what Joey knows and what she's walking back into has some genuine appeal early on. The first quarter of the book was where I was most engaged, before the cracks started to show.
What I couldn't shake was the mental age dynamic. Joey is a thirty-two year old mind in an eighteen year old body, and at various points her behavior toward people who are actually eighteen reads as manipulative at best and predatory at worst. The book doesn't seem especially interested in sitting with that discomfort, which made certain scenes difficult to get through and pulled me out of the story more than once.
Alex was actually a bright spot, and the more time the story spent with him the more I wished it had committed to that earlier. Elijah, by contrast, never justified fourteen years of Joey's devotion. He's largely defined by what Joey projects onto him rather than anything the story actually shows us. Cat was another character I found myself wanting more of, particularly in Joey's second life, where her presence felt underused given the weight she could have carried.
Messier's writing is capable and the pacing mostly works. I just needed the story to reckon more honestly with its own complications.
I adore this book!! I didn’t want to put it down. The story and characters were a delight. Great banter, a little spice, a little nostalgic. This was exactly what I was hoping this book would be.
This book will be released 4/21/2026. Thank you, NetGalley, for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
If you were offered a second chance at life after you die, would you take it?
Joey “Josephina” Vasquez has had her life planned out since she was a child. At 32 she is a successful corporate lawyer who seemingly has it all together, but on the inside she’s a bit of a mess with one heck of a secret: she’s been pining for her best friend for over a decade. When Joey dies and is given a chance to go back in time for a re-do she knows that if she can make Ellie fall in love with her it will fix everything. Joey wakes up as her 32 year old self in her 18 year old body, but “fixing” her life may not go the way she plans.
This was such an interesting take on the time travel/time loop romance. Who hasn’t wondered how different their life would be if they changed one (seemingly) small thing? Every Version of You shows just how much every small moment can make the biggest difference in a persons life. Joey’s “simple” fix actually ends up making things a whole lot more complicated, and it’s not just her life that blows up because of it. Joey’s decisions are pretty messy, but I really loved the character growth we see from her over the course of the novel. When she starts her life over she has put so much of her future happiness on Ellie, but when she starts to realize he is not the key to her happiness is when she really starts to shine. Joey actually starts making the changes she should have in her first life and shows she didn’t waste this second chance. Also, there is a cat named Ruthie and she made me cry.
This was such an impressive debut! I really look forward to reading from this author again. If you like The Mash Up by Laura Marie Meyers and books by Ashley Poston and Kirsty Greenwood you will LOVE Every Version of You.
Thank you to Gallery and NetGalley for a review copy. I have already ordered a copy for my shelves 🩷
I don’t know if I can put into words how much I adored this book! I have never read anything like this before, Every Version Of You was so refreshing and addictive. I was hooked from the very first chapter.
This was a second chance romance like nothing I’ve read before. Our FMC Joey is given the chance to go back to any point in her life and do it all over again. So what better way to *hopefully* get the guy she’s been in love with since forever, to finally fall for her!! That is until she runs back into the guy she thought she hated.
I don’t want to give too much away, but let me just say SO MUCH YEARNING SO MUCH PINING.
I’m begging you, take a chance on this book, you won’t regret it. This is easily top 3 books I’ve read this year, and it’s a story that will stick with me for a long time. Ever since I finished it, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it.
Got to read an early copy and I was hooked. Fell in love with the characters, their connections, and their personal stakes. The moment that finally brings the main couple together had me 😭😭😭
Every Version of You is the latest entry into one of my favourite sub-genres: the bureaucratic afterlife. There’s something so wildly silly yet slightly insidious about the idea of the recently deceased being assigned to caseworkers or having their lives reviewed and analyzed by otherworldly beings, processing the events of each life and deeming it worthy of salvation or second chances or possibly even damnation. The setup here is a relatively familiar spin on this type of afterlife story, those who die with significant regrets and dissatisfaction with the life they lived are given a second chance to try again through selecting a re-entry point of their choosing (though early childhood is discouraged for obvious reasons). They then get one chance for a do-over, while retaining all of their memories from their first go round.
Josefina aka Joey a single, workaholic corporate lawyer in her early 30s has recently died in a car accident on the way home from a dinner party at her best friend Ellie’s place. Ellie and his wife are expecting their first child, meanwhile Joey has been in love with Ellie since they met in college at a party during freshman year and never had the guts to tell him. When Joey is given the chance to go back and give life another try, her gut instinct is to return to that same freshman party where they first met and this time, she’s going to make Ellie fall in love with her. What could possibly go wrong?
The story that follows is largely set in Joey’s 18 year-old redux, and all the slightly awkward internal dialogue that comes with being a 32 year old woman who reverse 13 Going on 30ed her way into her teenage body. Admittedly, some of the internal dialogue that follows is kind of insane. There’s a whole paragraph justifying why it’s okay for Joey to sleep with a fellow freshman even though she’s simultaneously both 32 and 18 years old. Cold hard proof that sometimes it’s okay to not over-explain all the intricacies of a wacky premise. The romance itself is sweet albeit a bit predictable, with a final twist that’s telegraphed perhaps a bit too emphatically. The author mentions in the Acknowledgments that she worked with both the Chicago Fire and Severance writers rooms, and somehow that’s a pretty good indicator of tonally what to expect. The story walks the line between a cliche and at times overdramatic afterlife dramedy, and a slightly darker, more serious yet zany take on literal second chances. While this largely worked for me, I did find the mechanisms of the afterlife to be a bit undercooked, and the romance hinges on this notion of years worth of pining that didn’t feel altogether earned based on the relationship dynamics that we actually see unfold on the page. I’m feeling like a bit of a broken record these days - but if you’re going to hinge your epic romance on an encounter between two people that happened years ago that neither one ever moved on from, you better make me believe in that enduring romantic chemistry!
Despite some issues with the foundations of the love story, I still had a fun time. Was this an earth shattering debut? Not especially, but it’s a worthwhile addition to your summer reading - perfect to throw in your beach bag and enjoy with a margarita poolside!
Many thanks to Simon & Schuster Canada for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to @nataliemessier and @gallerybooks for a gifted copy of this incredible debut!
When I say I want a second chance romance, this is what I’m talking about!
From the very first page, this story pulled me in. I was drawn to Joey’s character, especially thinking back to my 30s when I was hyper focused on career, a homebody, and a perpetual singleton.
Messier’s debut is one full of yearning, but also learning. Not only does Joey get to have her second chance to live her life differently and with no regrets, she also has the chance to become the person she wants to be and not just what others think she should be.
I really liked how this one pushes us to consider our own choices, while also rejecting the notions of what “should be” and embracing what “could be.” This story shows us that sometimes fate throws us off course and it’s up to us to make the most of what comes next. I won’t spoil it, but the last 20% of this book really put me in my feels.
Here’s what I loved: 💞 Alex Aquino…what a man! 💞 Ruthie…because I love a sassy animal sidekick 💞 The themes of friendship, identity, and true love 💞 The blend of humor amidst the heavier themes of grief and death 💞 Messier’s addictive storytelling 💞 The love letter to Mexican culture
If you love second chance romance, you most definitely will want to read this one!
This book is truly amazing, I can’t stop thinking about them
Je suis tombée par hasard sur ce roman sur NetGalley il y a un bon mois. Je pensais même ne jamais être acceptée, mais la réponse positive est finalement arrivée il y a quelques jours. C’est la mention du chat de Joey dans le résumé, ainsi que l’idée d’un voyage dans les années 2010, qui m’ont donné envie de découvrir cette histoire. Pourtant, je ne m’attendais absolument pas à avoir un tel coup de cœur pour le premier roman de Natalie Messier !
Joey a 32 ans en 2026 lorsqu’elle meurt soudainement. On lui offre alors la possibilité de remonter le temps pour reprendre sa vie et changer de trajectoire. Elle se retrouve donc en 2012, à l’âge de 18 ans. Pour elle, ce retour en arrière est l’occasion de tenter de faire tomber son meilleur ami, Ellie, amoureux d’elle. Mais cela implique aussi de recréer les amitiés qu’elle s’était forgées lors de son premier passage à l’université et d’éviter certaines personnes qu’elle n’apprécie pas vraiment, comme Alex. Une chose est sûre : rien ne se déroule jamais comme prévu, et changer le cours des choses peut s’avérer plus complexe qu’il n’y paraît.
Tout n’était pas parfait, MAIS je n’aurais pas pu passer à côté de ce coup de cœur tant cette histoire m’a touchée. Ce n’est pas une simple romance mais plutôt une « women’s fiction », dans la lignée d’auteures comme Emily Henry ou TJR. Le développement personnel et les réflexions de Joey sont au premier plan et constituent la véritable ligne directrice du roman. Every Version of You met en lumière les regrets qui peuvent nous accompagner en vieillissant et rappelle qu’il n’existe pas un seul chemin vers la réussite. La romance passe donc souvent au second plan, et je crois que c’est précisément ce que j’ai adoré dans ce récit.
Parlons justement de la romance : on est sur un mélange de second chance + enemies to lovers + un très léger triangle amoureux (je déteste ce trope, mais ici c’était parfait, je vous le promets). J’ai été agréablement surprise par la subtilité et la tension que l’autrice a su insuffler. Tout est tendre, doux, et la relation sonne particulièrement authentique. Il y a une scène explicite et deux autres plus soft.
En bref, je suis complètement conquise. Les personnages m’ont profondément marquée et resteront longtemps dans ma mémoire. Je vous recommande vraiment ce roman si vous cherchez une histoire qui, au-delà de la romance, vous poussera à réfléchir à votre vie, vos envies et votre évolution.
Pourquoi lire ce roman ? 🐾 Pour son concept original qui vous captivera du début à la fin 🐾 Si vous aimez Emily Henry ou Taylor Jenkins Reid 🐾 Parce que c’est le premier roman de Natalie Messier et qu’elle devient déjà l’une de mes autrices préférées 🐾 Si vous aimez les chats (vous verserez probablement une petite larme)
Il sort le 23 avril 2026, l’attente est encore longue, mais retenez cette date, car il en vaut tellement la peine 🫶🏼
Merci à NetGalley et Random House UK pour ce sp numérique ✨
This book was everything I could have asked for. The story itself feels warm and heartfelt. The characters chemistry had me kicking my feet and giggling! I love a second chance romance, but this take on it was so magical and pure. When I tell you I couldn’t put this book down, I was so wrapped up in Joey’s second chance! I loved seeing her try to navigate her second life, it really makes you think about what you would do differently if you could go back!
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the eARC!
I got an advanced preview via my book club. This is such a fun, heartfelt read. I loved the idea of getting a second shot at college (and life!) and the story totally delivered. Joey is so relatable, and I was hooked watching her figure things out the second time around. Smart, nostalgic, and just the right amount of romantic.
read the arc for this and it is so so good! second chance at life? what would you do differently? Would you help others? a lot of interesting concepts and such a good story