Lola Isn't Home Right Now: A Novel

by Lexa Hillyer

In the tradition of Rebecca Serle and Emma Straub, an almost-forty mom on the brink of a midlife crisis wishes she’d chosen a different life and wakes up after a magical cab ride to discover her wish has come true.

It's the week before Lola Cooper's fortieth birthday, and she's missing her best friend Rachel more than ever. Rachel died years ago, and Lola doesn't know who she is anymore. She's so busy juggling the demands of three kids, a sweet but oblivious husband, and a teetering, half-finished house renovation that she doesn't have time for herself. When she attends a dinner party with friends who all seem to have found success in ways she hasn't, she finds herself asking the universe the age-old What if? What if she'd never become a wife and mother? What if she'd followed the Other Path?

When Lola wakes up the next morning with a confused hangover after a blurry cab ride home, she discovers that her question has been answered and she has been inexplicably delivered into a Glimpse of another life, which is full of career success, a beautiful home, and total freedom—no husband or kids in sight. Most miraculous of all? In this world, Rachel is still alive.

For fans of Rebecca Serle's In Five Years and Emma Straub's This Time Tomorrow, Lola Isn't Home Right Now explores the crossroads between fate and choice, and how, only by letting go of what isn't, can we finally embrace what is.

Genres: Contemporary

Kindle Edition

Expected publication March 30, 2027

About the author

Lexa is the author of Lola isn’t Home Right Now, published by Gallery Books, as well as four critically-acclaimed young adult novels, all published by HarperCollins: Proof of Forever, Spindle Fire, Winter Glass, and Frozen Beauty. She has also published several novels under pseudonym, as well as a multiple-award-winning poetry collection, Acquainted with the Cold. Lexa began her career as a fiction editor at HarperCollins and Penguin Books, and now works as a narrative consultant, book coach, celebrity ghostwriter, and producer. She is based in Brooklyn, NY.

Reviews

[Angelie · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

Do you ever wonder what life would have been like had you not made that one life-altering mistake? And was the mistake you made the actual mistake?

This sliding door and magical realism combo takes place a week before Lola turns 40. She is unhappy with her life, misses her best friend of her 20s, and feels somewhat purposeless, while also obligated to keep everything afloat. She is granted a Glimpse of this other possible life, one where her best friend is alive. In this Glimpse, she has an opportunity to not make the same mistake.

As someone who recently hit a big birthday number, I found aspects of this narrative particularly relatable. This is my first book by Lexa Hillyer’s and I will definitely read more. In Lola Isn’t Home Right Now, she writes relatable characters who are well-crafted and complex. The plot was solid, with a few phone blips that hopefully will get edited by the publishing date. The pacing was quick and the results were satisfying.




📢 Publication Date: 3/30/27
🎉 My Star Rating: 4.25/5🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
📖 Genre: Contemporary Fiction |Magical Realism / Fantasy


Thanks to Lexa Hillyer, NetGalley, and Gallery Books for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review! All opinions and statements are my own.

[Kerry Glynn · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Gallery Books and Lexa Hillyer for the eARC of this book.

I really enjoyed this book - it was my first Lexa Hillyer book and I liked her writing style and how she could make you feel the emotions from the character POV, especially in chapter 1 as we met Lola and the current state of her life. I could empathize with so much of what Lola was feeling as a wife, mother and as the “keeper of everything”. The mental load is heavy and I smiled to myself as Ethan was telling her that he wasn’t a babysitter and she could lean on him as she went out to enjoy her night. My husband does that regularly ☺️

This was a beautiful story that intersects grief, love and “what ifs” in how things may have been different based on different circumstances. It had a bit of “A wonderful life” as Lola realizes how lucky she truly is and fights to get back to the life she loves. The last page of the book when Ethan tells her he’s where is was always meant to be was a perfect way to end this story. Would definitely recommend!

[Hannah]

This was fun!

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't believe I almost tried to do this life without you.