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What Might Have Been
One split-second decision.
Two different love stories.
Lucy's life is at a crossroads. She's just walked out of her unrewarding job and has no idea about her next step: use her savings to pursue her dream of becoming a writer, or move to London to try and revive her career? It almost seems like fate that on that same night she meets Caleb, a stranger in a bar, and runs into Max, the one-time love of her life.
Should Lucy stay in the seaside town she grew up in, and in doing so, get to know Caleb better? Or should she go to London and reconnect with Max again after he broke her heart a decade ago? It's just one decision - but sometimes one decision can change the course of your whole life . . .
WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN is a sweeping and unforgettable novel for anyone who has ever believed in destiny and soulmates - or paused to wonder what your life might look like if you'd made a different choice.
Two different love stories.
Lucy's life is at a crossroads. She's just walked out of her unrewarding job and has no idea about her next step: use her savings to pursue her dream of becoming a writer, or move to London to try and revive her career? It almost seems like fate that on that same night she meets Caleb, a stranger in a bar, and runs into Max, the one-time love of her life.
Should Lucy stay in the seaside town she grew up in, and in doing so, get to know Caleb better? Or should she go to London and reconnect with Max again after he broke her heart a decade ago? It's just one decision - but sometimes one decision can change the course of your whole life . . .
WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN is a sweeping and unforgettable novel for anyone who has ever believed in destiny and soulmates - or paused to wonder what your life might look like if you'd made a different choice.
369 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 18, 2022
239 people are currently reading
11848 people want to read
About the author
Holly Miller
4 books239 followersHolly grew up in Bedfordshire, UK, and has been a bookworm for as long as she can remember. Her love of reading soon turned into a passion for writing, and from an early age she was filling notebooks and floppy disks (remember those?) with the stories she’d invented.
After studying creative writing at art school, Holly worked as a magazine editor, marketer and creative copywriter. Her love story The Sight Of You will be published in the UK and 23 other territories around the world in 2020, and has also been optioned for film by a Hollywood studio.
Holly lives in the Norfolk countryside with her husband and their rescue dog, a border collie. She is currently editing her second novel and has started work on a third.
After studying creative writing at art school, Holly worked as a magazine editor, marketer and creative copywriter. Her love story The Sight Of You will be published in the UK and 23 other territories around the world in 2020, and has also been optioned for film by a Hollywood studio.
Holly lives in the Norfolk countryside with her husband and their rescue dog, a border collie. She is currently editing her second novel and has started work on a third.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 664 reviews
January 20, 2022
I love Sliding Doors type stories--where we get the same tale from two different timelines based on a choice or circumstances. In this book, we have Lucy who has just quit her job. She has a choice to make: stay in her hometown and write the novel that she has been longing to write, or go to London, take a job with another agency and see if she might rekindle her relationship with Max, the "one who got away". In the "Stay" storyline, she has just met Caleb, a photographer who she finds interesting and attractive.
I liked this book for the most part, I just felt like it got really bogged down in the middle. Emotionally, it is really heart tugging and meaningful towards the end, but it takes a while to get there. I appreciated the exploration of how our pasts can shape our present, and although I thought it took Lucy too long to get help for her past trauma, when she does tell others about it and get some help it really helped to move the narrative forward.
One fun part for me was noticing and experiencing how many of the events, relationships, etc. seemed like "destiny" because they happened in both sides of the story. There are two main things that are different on each side and I appreciated how circumstances shaped how those two events weren't destined to happen.
Overall I do recommend this contemporary novel, especially if you are willing to stick with things through the slower parts to find the heart and growth on the other side.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
I liked this book for the most part, I just felt like it got really bogged down in the middle. Emotionally, it is really heart tugging and meaningful towards the end, but it takes a while to get there. I appreciated the exploration of how our pasts can shape our present, and although I thought it took Lucy too long to get help for her past trauma, when she does tell others about it and get some help it really helped to move the narrative forward.
One fun part for me was noticing and experiencing how many of the events, relationships, etc. seemed like "destiny" because they happened in both sides of the story. There are two main things that are different on each side and I appreciated how circumstances shaped how those two events weren't destined to happen.
Overall I do recommend this contemporary novel, especially if you are willing to stick with things through the slower parts to find the heart and growth on the other side.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
January 20, 2022
“I try not to think about what might have been/
‘cause that was then and we have taken diff’rent roads”
Songwriters: Porter C. Howell/ Brady Seals/ Dwayne Keith O’Brien.
Do you believe in destiny? Or is it within all of us to create our own path?
Lucy is about to find the answer to that most profound question.
Having recently quit her go no-where job, and perhaps looking for a bit of an inspirational sign,
Lucy peruses her phone reading her daily horoscope. She could never imagine…today she will meet her soulmate.
In the spirit of a sliding doors romance this is Lucy’s journey as told from two perspectives.
Simple: Go or stay.
Perhaps no matter what path you choose to take, your destiny is already laid out before you. And in the end, maybe it’s just a matter of how you get there.
I loved how the stories were weaved together, never knowing what path Lucy would ultimately take.
Wonderfully written, when done I couldn’t help but sit back and reflect on the decisions in my own life and the path I chose. My destiny.
The ending, well…I bawled my little eyes out. I didn’t see it coming. I didn’t see any of it coming and now I can’t stop crying.😢
Posted to: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam.
‘cause that was then and we have taken diff’rent roads”
Songwriters: Porter C. Howell/ Brady Seals/ Dwayne Keith O’Brien.
Do you believe in destiny? Or is it within all of us to create our own path?
Lucy is about to find the answer to that most profound question.
Having recently quit her go no-where job, and perhaps looking for a bit of an inspirational sign,
Lucy peruses her phone reading her daily horoscope. She could never imagine…today she will meet her soulmate.
In the spirit of a sliding doors romance this is Lucy’s journey as told from two perspectives.
Simple: Go or stay.
Perhaps no matter what path you choose to take, your destiny is already laid out before you. And in the end, maybe it’s just a matter of how you get there.
I loved how the stories were weaved together, never knowing what path Lucy would ultimately take.
Wonderfully written, when done I couldn’t help but sit back and reflect on the decisions in my own life and the path I chose. My destiny.
The ending, well…I bawled my little eyes out. I didn’t see it coming. I didn’t see any of it coming and now I can’t stop crying.😢
Posted to: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam.
March 18, 2023
As a devoted fan of What if formats inspired by Sliding Doors movie, a combination of Two lives of Lydia Bird meets This Time Next Year concept is always picks my interest!
But even though this concept is quite intriguing and smart, the most important factor to create a memorable novel connected with how the author executed the idea and how she gave life to her characters!
At this book: two things disappointed me : the entire execution which is way too much complicated with multi timelines and way too much confusing flashbacks and unfortunately Lucy is not so attachable character. I wished she grew a backbone. I couldn’t connect with her way of thinking, her actions or her choices. Actually each way she chooses seem like a big fail.
There are two time lines she can choose to live and two life changing choices: she can move to London to land on brand new job at Supernova which is a prestigious company that can open her doors to improve her skills. And she can also face with her ex lover Max who dumbed her for chasing his career dreams in the past. Maybe they have a chance to overcome their obstacles to take their second chance romance.
Her second choice is staying at her small hometown, working at a hobby shop during the daytime and pursuing her writing dreams at night time. By the way she has a chance to flirt with a charming photographer Caleb but I have to add: Caleb recently divorced and he still carries emotional baggage.
So this is about choosing between financially full filled life and chasing the love of her life : I think both of the choices don’t offer real happiness and in my opinion both of the men she is attracted are also bad choices: one man dumped her years ago so she doesn’t need to chase a man who broke her heart and chose his career over her. And the other one is emotionally exhausted after his breakup. Well, at least I didn’t care much because I didn’t like Lucy enough to worry about her problems.
Overall: this is a novel with interesting concept that badly executed with fair character development. I appreciate the author’s effort to construct a complex format efficiently. So I’m giving solid three stars: which means neither I loved nor I hated this novel but it could be much better.
I’m still interested to read next works of the author.
Special thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam , G. P. Putnam’s Sons for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
But even though this concept is quite intriguing and smart, the most important factor to create a memorable novel connected with how the author executed the idea and how she gave life to her characters!
At this book: two things disappointed me : the entire execution which is way too much complicated with multi timelines and way too much confusing flashbacks and unfortunately Lucy is not so attachable character. I wished she grew a backbone. I couldn’t connect with her way of thinking, her actions or her choices. Actually each way she chooses seem like a big fail.
There are two time lines she can choose to live and two life changing choices: she can move to London to land on brand new job at Supernova which is a prestigious company that can open her doors to improve her skills. And she can also face with her ex lover Max who dumbed her for chasing his career dreams in the past. Maybe they have a chance to overcome their obstacles to take their second chance romance.
Her second choice is staying at her small hometown, working at a hobby shop during the daytime and pursuing her writing dreams at night time. By the way she has a chance to flirt with a charming photographer Caleb but I have to add: Caleb recently divorced and he still carries emotional baggage.
So this is about choosing between financially full filled life and chasing the love of her life : I think both of the choices don’t offer real happiness and in my opinion both of the men she is attracted are also bad choices: one man dumped her years ago so she doesn’t need to chase a man who broke her heart and chose his career over her. And the other one is emotionally exhausted after his breakup. Well, at least I didn’t care much because I didn’t like Lucy enough to worry about her problems.
Overall: this is a novel with interesting concept that badly executed with fair character development. I appreciate the author’s effort to construct a complex format efficiently. So I’m giving solid three stars: which means neither I loved nor I hated this novel but it could be much better.
I’m still interested to read next works of the author.
Special thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam , G. P. Putnam’s Sons for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
January 20, 2022
What Might Have Been by Holly Miller is a contemporary romance novel. The story in the novel is one that is told by showing two different paths from one choice alternating between those different views.
Lucy is at a crossroad in her life after just quitting her job. Lucy has a choice between either staying in her home town and following her dream of becoming a writer or moving to London with her best friend and taking another high pressure job in an agency.
Just as Lucy is about to make her decision setting her path for her future she walks into a pub where she meets Caleb. At the same time that Lucy is chatting with Caleb she sees her ex, Max, out on the street and stops to say hi to him. Caleb and Max will both be a part of Lucy’s future with the path she chooses determining how that future will play out.
Some may think a book like What Might Have Been by Holly Miller may be repetitive or confusing but reading this one I found it to be easy to follow and both directions Lucy’s life took were very different and entertaining. The story is thought provoking in the fact we all make choices daily and of course big choices in life could point one in a different way so it was intriguing to read just how different life could be for the main character. After finishing this one I will keep an eye out for more from this author in the future.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
January 25, 2022
After eight years Lucy Lambert quits her job at Figaro, she works as a copywriter and has always wanted to be a planner. For years her boss Georgia has promised her a promotion, she employees an external planner and overlooks Lucy.
Lucy lives in her hometown and that night she goes to the local bar Smugglers, to enjoy a mocktail and think about what she’s going to do? Lucy meets recently separated photographer Caleb and then sees her ex-boyfriend Max outside. Should she stay and talk to Caleb, he seems like a really nice guy and he lives locally or speak to Max who broke her heart ten years ago and lives in London?
What Might Have Been has two story-lines and looks at two completely different scenarios for Lucy. She can stay in Shoreley, look for another job, finish the book she started writing years ago and ring Caleb. Or Lucy can leave, move to London, share a house with her best friend Jools, start working at Supernova and try to rekindle her romance with Max.
At first I struggled with the sliding doors concept of the book, it’s very different to what I usually read and I ended up enjoying and being emotionally invested in the two stories. We all question the choices we’ve made, were they the right ones, any mistakes we’ve made and of course life doesn’t always go as planned.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton in exchange for an honest review, Holly Miller has written a story about the two alternative directions Lucy can take, at times it’s uplifting and hopeful, other’s it’s sad and tragic, but most of all it's memorable and unforgettable. I look forward to what Ms. Miller comes up with next and four stars from me.
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Lucy lives in her hometown and that night she goes to the local bar Smugglers, to enjoy a mocktail and think about what she’s going to do? Lucy meets recently separated photographer Caleb and then sees her ex-boyfriend Max outside. Should she stay and talk to Caleb, he seems like a really nice guy and he lives locally or speak to Max who broke her heart ten years ago and lives in London?
What Might Have Been has two story-lines and looks at two completely different scenarios for Lucy. She can stay in Shoreley, look for another job, finish the book she started writing years ago and ring Caleb. Or Lucy can leave, move to London, share a house with her best friend Jools, start working at Supernova and try to rekindle her romance with Max.
At first I struggled with the sliding doors concept of the book, it’s very different to what I usually read and I ended up enjoying and being emotionally invested in the two stories. We all question the choices we’ve made, were they the right ones, any mistakes we’ve made and of course life doesn’t always go as planned.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton in exchange for an honest review, Holly Miller has written a story about the two alternative directions Lucy can take, at times it’s uplifting and hopeful, other’s it’s sad and tragic, but most of all it's memorable and unforgettable. I look forward to what Ms. Miller comes up with next and four stars from me.
https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/KarrenReadsH...
September 8, 2022
What Might Have Been is an enticing "Sliding-Doors" type contemporary romance. I imagine we all wonder about how our lives might have taken a different course, based on either a seemingly random occurrence or a particular choice we made (or didn't make) at a crucial point.
While the 1998 film starring Gwyneth Paltrow and John Hannah turned on a split-second occurrence beyond the protagonist's control (whether or not she made it through the doors of a departing underground train), Holly Miller's narrative is definitely rooted in the power of conscious choice between available options.
After dramatically quitting her job as an organiser at a provincial advertising agency, Lucy heads into the local bar, orders herself a Virgin Mary and opens the horoscope app on her phone.
Over ensuing days, Lucy faces a conundrum. Should she stay in small-town Shoreley, where she lives a contented life with her sister's family, dedicate herself to writing the novel she'd always felt she had in her, and pursue the possibility of romance with newly-single photographer Caleb? Or should she take up a job offer as a copywriter - her dream job - at a top London agency, with the tantalising possibility of re-igniting her relationship with Max, who she's always felt was her "one that got away"?
From Chapter 4, the narrative is divided into two halves on a chapter-by-chapter basis, "Stay" - in which Lucy pursues her writing dreams in coastal Shoreley and falls in love with the gentle and intuitive Caleb, and "Go" - in which she embraces long but stimulating work days, and a passionate renaissance of her relationship with Max in London. The reader gets the sense that some events and interractions are somehow pre-ordained, as they transpire in both versions, albeit in different circumstances. Lucy also bears the weight of a traumatic incident from her past, the nature of which is slowly revealed over the course of the story. What happened to her has had a profound impact on the choices she's made over the intervening time, and as she begins to reconcile the way her attitudes and responses have been coloured, she gradually sees a way to move forward with her life (or lives!).
Readers obviously bring their own preconceptions and lived experience to reading, and it's perhaps inevitable that one or other of Lucy's paths will appeal or resonate to a greater extent, especially as significant complications mount up in both sides of the story. However, I felt on the whole that Holly Miller executes the balancing act quite successfully, and we develop a genuine emotional identification with the main character in both narrative threads. The reader is led to reflect on choices made over the course of her or his own life - What if I'd done X differently? What if I'd pursued or maintained a relationship with A, rather than B? What are the life-changing - whether intended or unexpected - consequences of the choices we make each day? On reflection, am I content with the choices I've made (or have been made for me) over my life?
I'd recommend What Might Have Been to readers who enjoy contemporary dramas built around the lived experience of women. While there are significant romance storylines on both sides of the narrative, this is much more than a straight romance read. Holly Miller explores many important contemporary themes in the context of what her protagonist faces, including family relationships and the power of family mythology, self-actualisation, conscious risk-taking, infidelity and deception within relationships, the weight of emotional baggage and the long shadow cast by trauma. It's a relatively undemanding, yet entertaining and thought-provoking read.
While the 1998 film starring Gwyneth Paltrow and John Hannah turned on a split-second occurrence beyond the protagonist's control (whether or not she made it through the doors of a departing underground train), Holly Miller's narrative is definitely rooted in the power of conscious choice between available options.
After dramatically quitting her job as an organiser at a provincial advertising agency, Lucy heads into the local bar, orders herself a Virgin Mary and opens the horoscope app on her phone.
"Today will see you head off on a new career path. If you're single, this could also be the day you bump into your soulmate."And, sure enough, destiny slams into the unsuspecting Lucy almost immediately. As she starts chatting with an attractive stranger at the bar, she spots a familiar face on the street outside - her boyfriend from university days, Max.
Over ensuing days, Lucy faces a conundrum. Should she stay in small-town Shoreley, where she lives a contented life with her sister's family, dedicate herself to writing the novel she'd always felt she had in her, and pursue the possibility of romance with newly-single photographer Caleb? Or should she take up a job offer as a copywriter - her dream job - at a top London agency, with the tantalising possibility of re-igniting her relationship with Max, who she's always felt was her "one that got away"?
From Chapter 4, the narrative is divided into two halves on a chapter-by-chapter basis, "Stay" - in which Lucy pursues her writing dreams in coastal Shoreley and falls in love with the gentle and intuitive Caleb, and "Go" - in which she embraces long but stimulating work days, and a passionate renaissance of her relationship with Max in London. The reader gets the sense that some events and interractions are somehow pre-ordained, as they transpire in both versions, albeit in different circumstances. Lucy also bears the weight of a traumatic incident from her past, the nature of which is slowly revealed over the course of the story. What happened to her has had a profound impact on the choices she's made over the intervening time, and as she begins to reconcile the way her attitudes and responses have been coloured, she gradually sees a way to move forward with her life (or lives!).
Readers obviously bring their own preconceptions and lived experience to reading, and it's perhaps inevitable that one or other of Lucy's paths will appeal or resonate to a greater extent, especially as significant complications mount up in both sides of the story. However, I felt on the whole that Holly Miller executes the balancing act quite successfully, and we develop a genuine emotional identification with the main character in both narrative threads. The reader is led to reflect on choices made over the course of her or his own life - What if I'd done X differently? What if I'd pursued or maintained a relationship with A, rather than B? What are the life-changing - whether intended or unexpected - consequences of the choices we make each day? On reflection, am I content with the choices I've made (or have been made for me) over my life?
I'd recommend What Might Have Been to readers who enjoy contemporary dramas built around the lived experience of women. While there are significant romance storylines on both sides of the narrative, this is much more than a straight romance read. Holly Miller explores many important contemporary themes in the context of what her protagonist faces, including family relationships and the power of family mythology, self-actualisation, conscious risk-taking, infidelity and deception within relationships, the weight of emotional baggage and the long shadow cast by trauma. It's a relatively undemanding, yet entertaining and thought-provoking read.
January 16, 2022
4.5/5 stars
What Might Have Been is women's fiction. It is my second book by this author.
The main character is Lucy (1st person POV). She is at a crossroads in her life. Should she stay in the seaside town that she lives in and write a novel? Or should she move to London to pursue her career?
This book has "stay" and "go" concurrent timelines, which I absolutely adored.
This book features two different jobs and two different men. It is about destiny, fate and chance. This book was emotional and meaningful. The last part of the book was breathtaking. I love books that make me feel. And this book did!
Thanks to edelweiss and Putnam Books for allowing me to read this book.
What Might Have Been is women's fiction. It is my second book by this author.
The main character is Lucy (1st person POV). She is at a crossroads in her life. Should she stay in the seaside town that she lives in and write a novel? Or should she move to London to pursue her career?
This book has "stay" and "go" concurrent timelines, which I absolutely adored.
This book features two different jobs and two different men. It is about destiny, fate and chance. This book was emotional and meaningful. The last part of the book was breathtaking. I love books that make me feel. And this book did!
Thanks to edelweiss and Putnam Books for allowing me to read this book.
January 16, 2022
The premise of this book had me instantly intrigued. I love “What if” type of stories, when you can see two paths unfold in two parallel timelines based on a decision made or a certain outcome at a crucial point in time.
The beginning of the story took me a bit to get into, but a few chapters in—as soon as the story reached that pivotal moment—I was fully invested and had a hard time putting the book down. I liked how it then diverged into “Stay” and “Go” and every chapter examined the same passage of time in both timelines. At first, both seemed to have their upsides for Lucy and (since you can never have it all) fulfill some of her dreams. Max and Caleb appeared to make her equally happy (well, except for some initial difficulties with Max) and I was beginning to wonder what the ultimate conclusion would be. But the further the story moved along the more it felt like one man/one version of events was supposed to be the preferred choice for Lucy. Everything just seemed to go a little smoother and feel a little more “right” there. It was almost like one timeline was how it was supposed to go and the other just a big (and emotionally much more taxing) detour to where Lucy would end up inevitably. But I liked how Lucy’s lives unfolded and how she grew in both with her experiences. And I have to admit, certain parts got me really emotional and I may have even almost cried at one point.
However, I wasn’t a big fan of the twists (or how they were handled) that were presented early on in both timelines to complicate things in Lucy’s relationships. The revelation about Max felt a bit out of character and I kinda saw it coming, but was hoping to be wrong. And I didn’t like how Lucy reacted to Caleb being honest with her, and how she treated him at times—it felt blown out of proportion. But I’m glad these things got resolved rather quickly and the story moved on from there.
I expected the “Go” ending to go a bit further than it did, but I guess the direction is clear and you know where it’s ultimately headed. What Might Have Been really took me on an emotional rollercoaster and even made me wanna rewatch Sliding Doors, haha. I’m very much looking forward to reading Holly Miller’s other works.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
The beginning of the story took me a bit to get into, but a few chapters in—as soon as the story reached that pivotal moment—I was fully invested and had a hard time putting the book down. I liked how it then diverged into “Stay” and “Go” and every chapter examined the same passage of time in both timelines. At first, both seemed to have their upsides for Lucy and (since you can never have it all) fulfill some of her dreams. Max and Caleb appeared to make her equally happy (well, except for some initial difficulties with Max) and I was beginning to wonder what the ultimate conclusion would be. But the further the story moved along the more it felt like one man/one version of events was supposed to be the preferred choice for Lucy. Everything just seemed to go a little smoother and feel a little more “right” there. It was almost like one timeline was how it was supposed to go and the other just a big (and emotionally much more taxing) detour to where Lucy would end up inevitably. But I liked how Lucy’s lives unfolded and how she grew in both with her experiences. And I have to admit, certain parts got me really emotional and I may have even almost cried at one point.
However, I wasn’t a big fan of the twists (or how they were handled) that were presented early on in both timelines to complicate things in Lucy’s relationships. The revelation about Max felt a bit out of character and I kinda saw it coming, but was hoping to be wrong. And I didn’t like how Lucy reacted to Caleb being honest with her, and how she treated him at times—it felt blown out of proportion. But I’m glad these things got resolved rather quickly and the story moved on from there.
I expected the “Go” ending to go a bit further than it did, but I guess the direction is clear and you know where it’s ultimately headed. What Might Have Been really took me on an emotional rollercoaster and even made me wanna rewatch Sliding Doors, haha. I’m very much looking forward to reading Holly Miller’s other works.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
January 20, 2022
I really enjoyed this tale of “What if/Sliding Doors”
Lucy has just quit a job where she had been promised a particular role for years and was never given it. She’s at the pub to celebrate her courage and meets Caleb. They hit it off and he writes his details on a coaster. As they are talking, she spots, through the window, her ex from 10 years ago-the one that got away.
Lucy dashes outside and speaks with Max, who can’t quite believe the serendipity, that at the time he was visiting this English town from London-incidentally visiting as he was reminiscing of his time together with Lucy, they actually bump into each other. He is about to travel for a work getaway, but assures her that there is no one in the picture and it’s a group holiday but would love to reach out when he gets back.
We learn that Max walked away from Lucy during college, breaking things off with no explanation. She’s always wanted to know why. She was so devastated that she’d dropped out of college and travelled and we know that something bad happened to her on her trip.
From this point on in the book, it splits between the life of Lucy if she contacts Caleb and stays in the town, or if she goes to work at a big agency in London and contacts Max.
The story is well written, although I found myself skimming some of the stay and Caleb chapters as I I found them a little slow, and I love the idea of second chance romances and wanted to know why Max walked away. The stay and go chapters are told right through to the end of the story, including in the epilogue. Each is wrapped up individually.
I was invested in this story and found it hard to put down.
Lucy has just quit a job where she had been promised a particular role for years and was never given it. She’s at the pub to celebrate her courage and meets Caleb. They hit it off and he writes his details on a coaster. As they are talking, she spots, through the window, her ex from 10 years ago-the one that got away.
Lucy dashes outside and speaks with Max, who can’t quite believe the serendipity, that at the time he was visiting this English town from London-incidentally visiting as he was reminiscing of his time together with Lucy, they actually bump into each other. He is about to travel for a work getaway, but assures her that there is no one in the picture and it’s a group holiday but would love to reach out when he gets back.
We learn that Max walked away from Lucy during college, breaking things off with no explanation. She’s always wanted to know why. She was so devastated that she’d dropped out of college and travelled and we know that something bad happened to her on her trip.
From this point on in the book, it splits between the life of Lucy if she contacts Caleb and stays in the town, or if she goes to work at a big agency in London and contacts Max.
The story is well written, although I found myself skimming some of the stay and Caleb chapters as I I found them a little slow, and I love the idea of second chance romances and wanted to know why Max walked away. The stay and go chapters are told right through to the end of the story, including in the epilogue. Each is wrapped up individually.
I was invested in this story and found it hard to put down.
February 5, 2022
No matter how many times the Sliding Doors theme has been done, I'm a sucker for it. So when I was approved for Miller's alternate timeline novel, it rose to the very top of my to-read list.
The first word that comes to mind is bittersweet - each timeline had wins and losses, happiness and terrible grief. It makes you wonder if timing really is everything, and what determines how much time we have.
Lucy spontaneously quits her job at an ad agency where she is constantly overlooked, and makes 2 connections that night - stranger Caleb, and old boyfriend Max. What's next for our heroine isn't necessarily written in the stars. In one timeline, Lucy stays in town, gets together with Caleb and writes a novel; she has some ups and downs, but does she have regrets? In an alternate timeline, she leaves her shore town for London to join THE ad agency, get back together with Max and face aching betrayal and sadness - but perhaps, receives the best gift of all.
In the end, it's obvious whom Lucy is supposed to be with forever - but at what cost?
The novel ran a tiny bit long and interest dipped a bit in the middle but overall the book is a worthwhile look at how our decisions, big and small, change us for good.
Thank you Netgalley for the preview!
The first word that comes to mind is bittersweet - each timeline had wins and losses, happiness and terrible grief. It makes you wonder if timing really is everything, and what determines how much time we have.
Lucy spontaneously quits her job at an ad agency where she is constantly overlooked, and makes 2 connections that night - stranger Caleb, and old boyfriend Max. What's next for our heroine isn't necessarily written in the stars. In one timeline, Lucy stays in town, gets together with Caleb and writes a novel; she has some ups and downs, but does she have regrets? In an alternate timeline, she leaves her shore town for London to join THE ad agency, get back together with Max and face aching betrayal and sadness - but perhaps, receives the best gift of all.
In the end, it's obvious whom Lucy is supposed to be with forever - but at what cost?
The novel ran a tiny bit long and interest dipped a bit in the middle but overall the book is a worthwhile look at how our decisions, big and small, change us for good.
Thank you Netgalley for the preview!
February 26, 2022
Max is trash, and I like Caleb. The "stay" timeline is so much healthier and better for Lucy, and I got so annoyed at the "go" timeline. A good quarter of this books is the character saying "I am so happy I made this choice" and "Max/Caleb is the only man I could ever see myself with" depending on the timeline. It gets annoying, like we get its a dual timeline story you don't have to have her mention how happy and sure she made the right choice every single page.
Epilogue
Epilogue
October 15, 2022
Niepowtarzalna, rozczulająca, tak bardzo życiowa... Jestem absolutnie zachwycona efektowną kompozycją zdarzeń! Co by było, gdyby to historia podzielona na dwa niesamowite i bezsprzecznie absorbujące scenariusze fabularne – przedstawione naprzemiennie, dostrzegalnie naznaczone marzeniami oraz głosem spragnionego serca, jednocześnie wyraźnie nasączone głębią naturalnych wątpliwości, mocno burzliwe i przejmujące, intencjonalnie wywołujące łzy wzruszenia. Holly Miller namiętnie porusza się po zaułkach kobiecej wrażliwości, świadomie pozostawiając w niej refleksyjną myśl o roli zmiany w życiu człowieka. Książka piękna i zaskakująco wartościowa!
November 12, 2021
I read this for a group buddy read after we all loved reading ‘The Sight Of You’ together, by the same author.
This one certainly lived up to those high expectations.
It was so wonderfully woven with two timelines which crossed over so cleverly.
It was highly emotional, especially towards the end but it left me thinking about life and how the choices we make have such a profound impact.
A beautiful story (or technically two stories), with an ending which, upon reflection, I actually really loved.
This one certainly lived up to those high expectations.
It was so wonderfully woven with two timelines which crossed over so cleverly.
It was highly emotional, especially towards the end but it left me thinking about life and how the choices we make have such a profound impact.
A beautiful story (or technically two stories), with an ending which, upon reflection, I actually really loved.
November 16, 2021
I’d like to thank NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for approving me for an ARC of this brilliant book. I recently read Holly’s debut The Sight Of You and was desperate to get my mitts on this one. Luckily so were a few of my book club friends so we ended up doing a buddy read. After enjoying Holly’s previous book so much we had high expectations.
I love Holly Miller’s ability to take the question we ask ourselves most and explore in in such a beautiful way. Lets be honest there are plenty of moments when we’ve all wondered what could of been had we done things differently and that is very much the case for our main character Lucy.
I loved Lucy and personally think Holly made an excellent name choice for the lead character 😉 . Aside from loving the name I felt I connected with Lucy a lot. She had such a lovely personality and the way she idolised her parent’s marriage was very reminiscent of how I felt about my grandparents marriage.
The ‘sliding doors’ layout of the story was brilliant and I loved how each part left me wanting to know what happened next. There were aspects of each story that I liked and I really struggled to decide which one I preferred. If I had to choose I would say I preferred the story when she left, purely for the emotional value. I was also torn between Max and Caleb, both really lovely people, even if Max was questionable at times. Once again if I had to choose then I would say Caleb won my heart that little bit more.
As with Holly’s debut this one also packs an emotional punch so be sure to get the tissues ready! By the end I was sobbing and was utterly distraught. I did cry some happy tears too though. Holly Miller has a way of drawing you in, connecting you with her beloved characters and pulling the rug out from underneath you with her powerful revelations. She is the master of heart break and I am truly excited to read anything else she writes in the future.
I love Holly Miller’s ability to take the question we ask ourselves most and explore in in such a beautiful way. Lets be honest there are plenty of moments when we’ve all wondered what could of been had we done things differently and that is very much the case for our main character Lucy.
I loved Lucy and personally think Holly made an excellent name choice for the lead character 😉 . Aside from loving the name I felt I connected with Lucy a lot. She had such a lovely personality and the way she idolised her parent’s marriage was very reminiscent of how I felt about my grandparents marriage.
The ‘sliding doors’ layout of the story was brilliant and I loved how each part left me wanting to know what happened next. There were aspects of each story that I liked and I really struggled to decide which one I preferred. If I had to choose I would say I preferred the story when she left, purely for the emotional value. I was also torn between Max and Caleb, both really lovely people, even if Max was questionable at times. Once again if I had to choose then I would say Caleb won my heart that little bit more.
As with Holly’s debut this one also packs an emotional punch so be sure to get the tissues ready! By the end I was sobbing and was utterly distraught. I did cry some happy tears too though. Holly Miller has a way of drawing you in, connecting you with her beloved characters and pulling the rug out from underneath you with her powerful revelations. She is the master of heart break and I am truly excited to read anything else she writes in the future.
February 18, 2023
Ready for a change, Lucy Lambert unexpectedly quits her job. As she is sitting at the local bar, she meets recently separated photographer Caleb but then through the window sees her ex-boyfriend Max outside. She then comes to a crossroad in her life, she can stay in her hometown, look for a part time job and finally write that book she started years ago, and maybe give Caleb a call. Or Lucy can move to London, share a house with her best friend Jools, start working at Supernova, her dream job, and try to rekindle her romance with Max that came to an abrupt end back in college.
I absolutely loved that the chapters alternated between what would have happened if Lucy had stayed or had gone. I was invested in both stories but I was rooting for one of the stories a little more than the other. I was very curious as to how the author was going to wrap everything up at the end. Would she leave the reader hanging? Would it all just end? I think how she ends it works really well. What I really liked is that everyone questions the choices they've made at one time or another. Is it the right choice? What would have happened if you chose another path? Life rarely goes as planned but in the end you always end up exactly where you are meant to be. It is important to remember that multiple paths can lead to the same place.
I absolutely loved that the chapters alternated between what would have happened if Lucy had stayed or had gone. I was invested in both stories but I was rooting for one of the stories a little more than the other. I was very curious as to how the author was going to wrap everything up at the end. Would she leave the reader hanging? Would it all just end? I think how she ends it works really well. What I really liked is that everyone questions the choices they've made at one time or another. Is it the right choice? What would have happened if you chose another path? Life rarely goes as planned but in the end you always end up exactly where you are meant to be. It is important to remember that multiple paths can lead to the same place.
October 17, 2022
Co by było, gdyby 10 lat temu się nie rozstali...
Co by było, gdyby Lucy poznała prawdę od razu...
Co by było, gdyby Caleb nadal był z żoną...
Co by było, gdyby...
Na pewno to znacie - ten moment w życiu, gdy człowiek stoi na rozdrożu i tylko od niego zależy którą drogą pójdzie. Właśnie w takim miejscu znalazła się Lucy. Rozdarta między dwoma mężczyznami, pomiędzy dwiema ścieżkami kariery... która decyzja będzie tą właściwą?
Holly Miller zaserwowała nam niebanalną, oryginalną pod względem konstrukcji powieść. Pokazuje nam dwie alternatywne rzeczywistości, które pokazują nam, jak mogłoby potoczyć się życie głównej bohaterki. Którą ścieżkę wybierze Lucy?
Powieść nietuzinkowa, zaskakująca swoją oryginalnością. Niezwykle wzruszająca fabuła poruszy serca najbardziej zatwardziałych czytelników. Rozterki życiowe głośnej bohaterki niezwykle mnie zaangażowały, aż do samego końca nie mogłam przestać myśleć co by było, gdyby...
Z iście aptekarską precyzją odmierzała emocje, aby w kulminacyjnym momencie zrzucić na nas bombę! Jestem jej ogromnie wdzięczna za tę powieść - pomimo całego bólu, jaki nam przedstawia w książce, wiem, że nie zmieniłabym nic w swoim życiu. Potrzebowałam takiego tytułu w tym momencie. W urzekający sposób otwiera oczy na sprawy, o których się nie myśli na co dzień.
To cudowna powieść na pograniczu rzeczywistości i marzeń!
Obfitująca w plot twisty fabuła, sekrety rodzinne, poszukiwanie własnej drogi i miłość - Holly Miller doskonale się spisała na każdej płaszczyźnie.
Autorka nasyciła każdą stronę emocjami - kompilacja tego wszystkiego sprawiła, że powstała cudowna powieść, jesienne must read.
Na fundamencie miłości trojki ludzi stworzyła tytuł, którym na długo zostanie w mojej pamięci.
Co by było, gdyby Lucy poznała prawdę od razu...
Co by było, gdyby Caleb nadal był z żoną...
Co by było, gdyby...
Na pewno to znacie - ten moment w życiu, gdy człowiek stoi na rozdrożu i tylko od niego zależy którą drogą pójdzie. Właśnie w takim miejscu znalazła się Lucy. Rozdarta między dwoma mężczyznami, pomiędzy dwiema ścieżkami kariery... która decyzja będzie tą właściwą?
Holly Miller zaserwowała nam niebanalną, oryginalną pod względem konstrukcji powieść. Pokazuje nam dwie alternatywne rzeczywistości, które pokazują nam, jak mogłoby potoczyć się życie głównej bohaterki. Którą ścieżkę wybierze Lucy?
Powieść nietuzinkowa, zaskakująca swoją oryginalnością. Niezwykle wzruszająca fabuła poruszy serca najbardziej zatwardziałych czytelników. Rozterki życiowe głośnej bohaterki niezwykle mnie zaangażowały, aż do samego końca nie mogłam przestać myśleć co by było, gdyby...
Z iście aptekarską precyzją odmierzała emocje, aby w kulminacyjnym momencie zrzucić na nas bombę! Jestem jej ogromnie wdzięczna za tę powieść - pomimo całego bólu, jaki nam przedstawia w książce, wiem, że nie zmieniłabym nic w swoim życiu. Potrzebowałam takiego tytułu w tym momencie. W urzekający sposób otwiera oczy na sprawy, o których się nie myśli na co dzień.
To cudowna powieść na pograniczu rzeczywistości i marzeń!
Obfitująca w plot twisty fabuła, sekrety rodzinne, poszukiwanie własnej drogi i miłość - Holly Miller doskonale się spisała na każdej płaszczyźnie.
Autorka nasyciła każdą stronę emocjami - kompilacja tego wszystkiego sprawiła, że powstała cudowna powieść, jesienne must read.
Na fundamencie miłości trojki ludzi stworzyła tytuł, którym na długo zostanie w mojej pamięci.
February 13, 2022
Wow. This book was BRILLIANT! This was entirely my cup of tea. What Might Have Been gives the reader two stories in a sliding doors type of novel. Lucy finds herself in a café chatting to a handsome stranger named Caleb at a bar when she sees her ex Max through the window. Lucy read her horoscope and she knows she’s going to meet her soulmate that day. Is it Max or Caleb though?
After the brief encounter with both men there’s one timeline where she stays in Shoreley, finds a different job locally and sees Caleb again. In the other she goes to London and hopes to get the job she really wants at a big advertising agency. She also meets Max again, the guy she thought was her soul mate in the past already.
Both relationships were interesting to follow and there are some struggles to overcome in each of them. Caleb’s ex makes Lucy feel insecure and Max has never told her the entire truth why he broke things off with her and when he does it won’t make her feel very happy for a while.
Even though it maybe wasn’t the intention to create a personal preference for one man over the other, I did like Caleb most at the start. Maybe it was because he came with a clean slate and hadn’t broken her heart already, maybe because he was the most adventurous, or maybe because with him she didn’t go for the big money and professional acclaim but found her love for writing for herself again. In the end though I knew Max loved her very much too and I felt such turmoil that I wondered if it would be possible to have two happy endings and that you can meet two soul mates in your life. Which person would make her happiest? Or would they both be able to make her happy in different ways so that it didn’t really matter? I couldn’t stop turning those pages…
Lucy believes in signs and soulmates and she read that she was going to meet her soulmate that day when she was sitting at the bar alone. I don’t want to spoil anything but it’s true, she does meet her soul mate that day. My heart was sad and happy at the same time! I was very happy with the way both plotlines in this story ended and it’s certainly a novel I’d love to reread one day.
If you enjoyed Holly Miller’s previous novel, you’ll certainly enjoy What Might Have Been too. I love stories with moral dilemma’s, forbidden love etc. and she was able to create this divine and almost impossible choice in this novel that gives heartbreak and joy in equal measures.
After the brief encounter with both men there’s one timeline where she stays in Shoreley, finds a different job locally and sees Caleb again. In the other she goes to London and hopes to get the job she really wants at a big advertising agency. She also meets Max again, the guy she thought was her soul mate in the past already.
Both relationships were interesting to follow and there are some struggles to overcome in each of them. Caleb’s ex makes Lucy feel insecure and Max has never told her the entire truth why he broke things off with her and when he does it won’t make her feel very happy for a while.
Even though it maybe wasn’t the intention to create a personal preference for one man over the other, I did like Caleb most at the start. Maybe it was because he came with a clean slate and hadn’t broken her heart already, maybe because he was the most adventurous, or maybe because with him she didn’t go for the big money and professional acclaim but found her love for writing for herself again. In the end though I knew Max loved her very much too and I felt such turmoil that I wondered if it would be possible to have two happy endings and that you can meet two soul mates in your life. Which person would make her happiest? Or would they both be able to make her happy in different ways so that it didn’t really matter? I couldn’t stop turning those pages…
Lucy believes in signs and soulmates and she read that she was going to meet her soulmate that day when she was sitting at the bar alone. I don’t want to spoil anything but it’s true, she does meet her soul mate that day. My heart was sad and happy at the same time! I was very happy with the way both plotlines in this story ended and it’s certainly a novel I’d love to reread one day.
If you enjoyed Holly Miller’s previous novel, you’ll certainly enjoy What Might Have Been too. I love stories with moral dilemma’s, forbidden love etc. and she was able to create this divine and almost impossible choice in this novel that gives heartbreak and joy in equal measures.
October 8, 2021
It’s no secret that Holly’s debut novel, The Sight Of You, is a huge huge favourite and one I take the opportunity to suggest to others whenever I can. I gave a sigh of relief when I read the first few chapters as Holly’s seemingly effortless but very brilliant style of writing and scene setting came from the pages with ease. It was like coming home. I also really like the book cover – and it captures perfectly the ‘Sliding Doors’ aspects of the novel. Two very different lives play out as a result of Holly’s choics between two men in her life. Very much what it says on the cover…‘What Might Have Been’ is explored with Holly’s brilliant writing style through alternate chapters focusing on Lucy’s lives.
However, (and this is a ‘But’…really – it’s such a hard one to write!) the characters and the storyline itself didn’t feel as perfected as Holly’s debut and I definitely wasn’t drawn to these characters either. Nevertheless you’ll never like absolutely everyone in fiction and that’s the point of literature. But the build up of each and the character profiles never really sat right with me. The Sight of You is still my absolute favourite, and I don’t see anything topping that in the future from Holly or anyone else. It’s something very special. But I will always pick up Holly’s books, just to check. Just in case… And I’m so glad that I read this because it was warm, comforting and entertaining throughout.
Throughout the scenarios that unravel in the book and the ‘What If’s’ and ‘If Only’s’ – I was constantly considering which life was better. Which would I choose, if I had a choice? I really like how this book challenged my thinking even long after I had finished it, and pushed me to consider which the perfect life was – and whether there actually is one. There are elements of both scenarios that are so important and life-changing as well as life-affirming.
However, (and this is a ‘But’…really – it’s such a hard one to write!) the characters and the storyline itself didn’t feel as perfected as Holly’s debut and I definitely wasn’t drawn to these characters either. Nevertheless you’ll never like absolutely everyone in fiction and that’s the point of literature. But the build up of each and the character profiles never really sat right with me. The Sight of You is still my absolute favourite, and I don’t see anything topping that in the future from Holly or anyone else. It’s something very special. But I will always pick up Holly’s books, just to check. Just in case… And I’m so glad that I read this because it was warm, comforting and entertaining throughout.
Throughout the scenarios that unravel in the book and the ‘What If’s’ and ‘If Only’s’ – I was constantly considering which life was better. Which would I choose, if I had a choice? I really like how this book challenged my thinking even long after I had finished it, and pushed me to consider which the perfect life was – and whether there actually is one. There are elements of both scenarios that are so important and life-changing as well as life-affirming.
August 30, 2022
{..... Epah não.... Acho que foi a primeira vez que dei 2⭐ a um livro, mas teve se ser.}
Li mais de metade do livro na diagonal. Pensei em desistir, mas precisava de saber o fim do livro. It was not worth it.
Até foi engraçoso ir vendo as duas diferentes vidas que a Lucy teve/poderia ter tido(?), dependendo da sua escolha de ir para Londres ou ficar na cidade onde viveu a vida toda. O lado mau é que os cap são gigantes porque mostram os dois lados da vida dela.
O outro lado mau é.....tudo o resto sinceramente....menos o caleb❤️:
Apesar de saber que o livro é um romance, estava à espera que o livro se focasse na Lucy e na sua carreira de escritora (tipo na evolução da sua carreira dependendo do sítio onde ela vive), mas no entanto só se foca nos namorados dela. Se ela vai para Londres, namora com o Max, se ela fica na sua cidadezinha, namora com o Caleb. E é do tipo a tua vida podia ser mais do que "com que vou vou namorar hoje?" ne?
And don't get me started on the Soulmate shit.... 8 em cada 10 palavras eram "meant to be" e "soulmates". 🤢🤢🤢 It's a no from me.
E ela é tão insegura! Mas da forma chata! Para já, desistiu da faculdade por causa do namorado ter terminado com ela - - - No comment.
Depois, descobriu que o Caleb e a ex namorada tinham tentado engravidar durante bué tempo, então ficou logo "Bla bla bla, agora só consigo pensar que eles poderiam estar juntos e com um filho. Secalhar eu e o Caleb não somos meant to be after all" - - - no comment pt2
E mais não sei quantas coisas que me fizeram ter vontade de cortar os pulsos.
Resumindo: I just can't
Li mais de metade do livro na diagonal. Pensei em desistir, mas precisava de saber o fim do livro. It was not worth it.
Até foi engraçoso ir vendo as duas diferentes vidas que a Lucy teve/poderia ter tido(?), dependendo da sua escolha de ir para Londres ou ficar na cidade onde viveu a vida toda. O lado mau é que os cap são gigantes porque mostram os dois lados da vida dela.
O outro lado mau é.....tudo o resto sinceramente....menos o caleb❤️:
Apesar de saber que o livro é um romance, estava à espera que o livro se focasse na Lucy e na sua carreira de escritora (tipo na evolução da sua carreira dependendo do sítio onde ela vive), mas no entanto só se foca nos namorados dela. Se ela vai para Londres, namora com o Max, se ela fica na sua cidadezinha, namora com o Caleb. E é do tipo a tua vida podia ser mais do que "com que vou vou namorar hoje?" ne?
And don't get me started on the Soulmate shit.... 8 em cada 10 palavras eram "meant to be" e "soulmates". 🤢🤢🤢 It's a no from me.
E ela é tão insegura! Mas da forma chata! Para já, desistiu da faculdade por causa do namorado ter terminado com ela - - - No comment.
Depois, descobriu que o Caleb e a ex namorada tinham tentado engravidar durante bué tempo, então ficou logo "Bla bla bla, agora só consigo pensar que eles poderiam estar juntos e com um filho. Secalhar eu e o Caleb não somos meant to be after all" - - - no comment pt2
E mais não sei quantas coisas que me fizeram ter vontade de cortar os pulsos.
Resumindo: I just can't
May 23, 2022
This book that uses the sliding doors trope to explore the idea of fate. I would consider this a romance. I thought it was fine. I was skeptical at first about what it was tying to say about soul mates and love but it came around in the end. There were a couple of surprising moments throughout, but generally this went exactly where I thought it was going to go. Not bad, and not great.
October 30, 2022
Ich habe die deutsche Ausgabe: Zwei Leben Mit Dir gelesen. Leider gibt es die auf GR nicht Oo das Buch war einfach schön. Ein toller Roman mit viel Wärme aber auch überraschenden Wendungen und ich habe es sehr gerne gelesen :)
August 26, 2022
Sign me up for anything Holly wants to write. This book had some themes and circumstances I've read before but put together in a perfectly unique way. I've not read a book quite like this and I need more of Holly's writing. The only book it really puts me in mind of is The Two Lives of Lydia Bird, but, even still, they're so different.
In this sliding doors romance, the reader experiences three years of Lucy's life following what becomes a critical life decision. Should she stay or should she go? In both, Lucy experiences hardship, loss, joy, and love.
Holly explores and expounds on the "what if" with fated love and destiny intermingled with the free agency of choice. Both stories sucked me in, broke my heart, and pieced it back together. It's not the typical love triangle, but I definitely had a favorite love interest and life playout throughout the whole of the book. I love that Holly's ending gave me the lovely bow tie at the end that I was hoping for.
Thank you to Putnam and Netgalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.
In this sliding doors romance, the reader experiences three years of Lucy's life following what becomes a critical life decision. Should she stay or should she go? In both, Lucy experiences hardship, loss, joy, and love.
Holly explores and expounds on the "what if" with fated love and destiny intermingled with the free agency of choice. Both stories sucked me in, broke my heart, and pieced it back together. It's not the typical love triangle, but I definitely had a favorite love interest and life playout throughout the whole of the book. I love that Holly's ending gave me the lovely bow tie at the end that I was hoping for.
Thank you to Putnam and Netgalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.
May 14, 2025
I’m in shambles. Love the comparison of “choosing to be” vs “meant to be.” I think I fully believe in both those ideas of love.
October 12, 2022
„𝓒𝓸 𝓫𝔂 𝓫𝔂ł𝓸 𝓰𝓭𝔂𝓫𝔂” 𝓗𝓸𝓵𝓵𝔂 𝓜𝓲𝓵𝓵𝓮𝓻
Moja ocena 4,5/5⭐️
Premiera książki "Co by było gdyby” już dzisiaj więc najwyższy czas przedstawić wam tę cudowną powieść! 💙
Wyobraźcie sobie historie, w której główna bohaterka ma możliwość wyboru swojego losu/przeznaczenia. W pewnym momencie musi wybrać, którą drogę wybiera, a czytelnik może śledzić jej dalsze losy, niezależnie od wyboru. Jakby historia toczy się dwutorowo, gdzie Lucy podejmuje decyzje, że zostaje i ma możliwość zrealizować swoje marzenie o napisaniu powieści i zostania pisarką, spotyka tam interesującego Caleba. Albo decyduje, że jedzie i tam przeprowadza się do Londynu i podejmuje się kariery copywriterki, spotyka Maxa, obiecującego prawnika, który kiedyś był jej miłością. To kwestia jednej decyzji - ale właśnie ona może całkowicie zmienić bieg czyjegoś życia…
Mieliście kiedyś tak, że po przeczytaniu pierwszej strony książki wiedzieliście, że będzie ona całkowicie wyjątkowa. Mnie się to właśnie przytrafiło przy powieści „Co by było gdyby”. Przyznam szczerze, że mnie kupiła ta fabuła. Autorka wpadła na naprawdę genialny pomysł, który już od pierwszych stron strasznie intryguje czytelnika. Kto z nas nie lubi sobie czasem pogdbybać? No chyba nie znajdę takiej osoby, która by odpowiedziała przecząco. Każdego dnia mamy do podjęcia miliony decyzji. A tutaj główna bohaterka ma możliwość doświadczenia dwóch opcji jej przeznaczenia i zdecydowania, która odpowiada jej najbardziej. Jednak nie jest tak kolorowo, jak mogłoby się wydawać. Po drodze na jaw wychodzą pewne sekrety, tajemnice rodzinne. Nie brakuje tutaj zaskakujących plot twistów, czym mnie autorka poważnie zszokowała.
Każda strona przesycona jest niezwykłymi emocjami, które wylewają się wprost do naszego serca, sprawiając, że czujemy się emocjonalnie związani z bohaterami i całą tą historią. Życie pisze różne scenariusze, a tą książką autorka uświadamia nas, jak takie zmiany kształtują naszą osobowość. Autorka uświadamia nas jak ciężko czasami dokonać wyboru, pomiędzy marzeniami, a rozsądkiem oraz o tym jak ciężko jest podjąć słuszną decyzję, żeby osiągnąć zamierzony cel. „Co by było gdyby” to niesamowita powieść, wbijająca w fotel.
Jeśli jesteście gotowi na nieszablonową powieść, pełną życiowych zakrętów i emocjonujących wydarzeń to jestem pewna, że musicie po nią sięgnąć tej jesieni! 🍁 Czytajcie koniecznie!
Moja ocena 4,5/5⭐️
Premiera książki "Co by było gdyby” już dzisiaj więc najwyższy czas przedstawić wam tę cudowną powieść! 💙
Wyobraźcie sobie historie, w której główna bohaterka ma możliwość wyboru swojego losu/przeznaczenia. W pewnym momencie musi wybrać, którą drogę wybiera, a czytelnik może śledzić jej dalsze losy, niezależnie od wyboru. Jakby historia toczy się dwutorowo, gdzie Lucy podejmuje decyzje, że zostaje i ma możliwość zrealizować swoje marzenie o napisaniu powieści i zostania pisarką, spotyka tam interesującego Caleba. Albo decyduje, że jedzie i tam przeprowadza się do Londynu i podejmuje się kariery copywriterki, spotyka Maxa, obiecującego prawnika, który kiedyś był jej miłością. To kwestia jednej decyzji - ale właśnie ona może całkowicie zmienić bieg czyjegoś życia…
Mieliście kiedyś tak, że po przeczytaniu pierwszej strony książki wiedzieliście, że będzie ona całkowicie wyjątkowa. Mnie się to właśnie przytrafiło przy powieści „Co by było gdyby”. Przyznam szczerze, że mnie kupiła ta fabuła. Autorka wpadła na naprawdę genialny pomysł, który już od pierwszych stron strasznie intryguje czytelnika. Kto z nas nie lubi sobie czasem pogdbybać? No chyba nie znajdę takiej osoby, która by odpowiedziała przecząco. Każdego dnia mamy do podjęcia miliony decyzji. A tutaj główna bohaterka ma możliwość doświadczenia dwóch opcji jej przeznaczenia i zdecydowania, która odpowiada jej najbardziej. Jednak nie jest tak kolorowo, jak mogłoby się wydawać. Po drodze na jaw wychodzą pewne sekrety, tajemnice rodzinne. Nie brakuje tutaj zaskakujących plot twistów, czym mnie autorka poważnie zszokowała.
Każda strona przesycona jest niezwykłymi emocjami, które wylewają się wprost do naszego serca, sprawiając, że czujemy się emocjonalnie związani z bohaterami i całą tą historią. Życie pisze różne scenariusze, a tą książką autorka uświadamia nas, jak takie zmiany kształtują naszą osobowość. Autorka uświadamia nas jak ciężko czasami dokonać wyboru, pomiędzy marzeniami, a rozsądkiem oraz o tym jak ciężko jest podjąć słuszną decyzję, żeby osiągnąć zamierzony cel. „Co by było gdyby” to niesamowita powieść, wbijająca w fotel.
Jeśli jesteście gotowi na nieszablonową powieść, pełną życiowych zakrętów i emocjonujących wydarzeń to jestem pewna, że musicie po nią sięgnąć tej jesieni! 🍁 Czytajcie koniecznie!
November 1, 2021
Lucy is having a bad day. After her quitting her job, she goes the the local bar to drown her sorrows. While talking to the man next to her, she sees her ex boyfriend Max walk by outside. This one choice can change her life forever. Should she run outside to Max? Or spend time getting to know Caleb, the new man at the bar? Told in alternating storylines either staying with Caleb or going with Max, this is an absolutely beautiful story that examines the choices we make and repercussions of those choices.
Growing up with parents who have been together forever and seem to be living a fairytale romance, Lucy is looking for her own Happily Ever After. But maybe life isn't so simple. This book examines just how easy it is for one choice to alter our future, and how maybe one person isn't exactly the only "one". While not making the love story any less special or meaningful, it beautifully shows maybe life isn't mapped out exactly, and maybe sometimes you just have to close your eyes and jump and hope for the best. This book brought me to tears and made me fall in love with both Max and Caleb for different reasons. I couldn't have loved this book more!
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5
Thank you to NetGalley, Holly Miller, and Penguin Group Putnam for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Growing up with parents who have been together forever and seem to be living a fairytale romance, Lucy is looking for her own Happily Ever After. But maybe life isn't so simple. This book examines just how easy it is for one choice to alter our future, and how maybe one person isn't exactly the only "one". While not making the love story any less special or meaningful, it beautifully shows maybe life isn't mapped out exactly, and maybe sometimes you just have to close your eyes and jump and hope for the best. This book brought me to tears and made me fall in love with both Max and Caleb for different reasons. I couldn't have loved this book more!
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5
Thank you to NetGalley, Holly Miller, and Penguin Group Putnam for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
September 28, 2021
This is a tricky review to write because although a lot of parts of the book really did engage me, sadly there were equally the same amount of parts that did not.
This book is very much the Sliding Doors of the book world and I felt the book started really well, although I didn’t really get any proper attachment to any of the characters, except maybe Caleb.
To be absolutely honest, for me personally, I felt the story just dragged on a bit too much and there seemed to be so much going on in the two separate stories that were running alongside each other, and then intertwining between the two, that at times, it felt a little repetitive.
There are some lovely touching moments in this book that did make me warm to the story, and one in particular actually brought a tear to my eye.
Sadly though, this book just didn’t wholly work for what I like in a book so I give it 3 stars.
This book is very much the Sliding Doors of the book world and I felt the book started really well, although I didn’t really get any proper attachment to any of the characters, except maybe Caleb.
To be absolutely honest, for me personally, I felt the story just dragged on a bit too much and there seemed to be so much going on in the two separate stories that were running alongside each other, and then intertwining between the two, that at times, it felt a little repetitive.
There are some lovely touching moments in this book that did make me warm to the story, and one in particular actually brought a tear to my eye.
Sadly though, this book just didn’t wholly work for what I like in a book so I give it 3 stars.
January 8, 2022
Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Group for the ARC of this!
3.5 stars, rounding up. I am a huge sucker for a sliding doors vibe - I loved Maybe in Another Life, Fractured, After the End, The Book of Two Ways, and The Two Lives of Lydia Bird, so I was immediately interested in this one! This was a little slow to start for me, though I see how that was setting things up. I really liked seeing things that played out similarly and things that were hugely changed by one decision or the other. This is a cute one, and I recommend it for anyone else who is a romance lover and is obsessed with parallel lives branched off from one choice!
3.5 stars, rounding up. I am a huge sucker for a sliding doors vibe - I loved Maybe in Another Life, Fractured, After the End, The Book of Two Ways, and The Two Lives of Lydia Bird, so I was immediately interested in this one! This was a little slow to start for me, though I see how that was setting things up. I really liked seeing things that played out similarly and things that were hugely changed by one decision or the other. This is a cute one, and I recommend it for anyone else who is a romance lover and is obsessed with parallel lives branched off from one choice!
April 5, 2022
Unpopular opinion. Didn’t love this book 🥴. I went in with my expectations extremely high after The Sight of You (absolutely loved that book), so of course I thought yep it’s gonna be so good like that, unfortunately it really wasn’t for me.
It was a cleverly written story I’ll admit, dual timelines and the what if’s but after I got so far, I really struggled to keep my focus on it, I found it sometimes difficult to follow. It just fell a bit flat. The main character, Lucy, I found her quite unlikeable and couldn’t connect with her.
Gutted I didn’t enjoy but we can’t love them all can we!
It was a cleverly written story I’ll admit, dual timelines and the what if’s but after I got so far, I really struggled to keep my focus on it, I found it sometimes difficult to follow. It just fell a bit flat. The main character, Lucy, I found her quite unlikeable and couldn’t connect with her.
Gutted I didn’t enjoy but we can’t love them all can we!
November 7, 2022
"W chwilach niepewności zawsze sięgałam po książkę, podobnie jak wtedy, kiedy potrzebowałam ucieczki, chciałam się w czymś zatracić choć na chwilę – gdy tatę zwolnili z pracy, gdy na naszej ulicy doszło do serii włamań, gdy nasza ukochana babcia po długiej walce zmarła na raka żołądka. A te książki, w których szukałam pocieszenia, to były prawie bez wyjątku historie miłosne."
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" – Wiesz, dlatego nigdy tak naprawdę nie przekonała mnie ta idea dwóch połówek, Luce. Uważam, że miłość to wybór, nie uczucie. Sądzę, że to coś, nad czym trzeba naprawdę ciężko pracować."
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To była naprawdę piękna, mądra i wzruszajaca opowieść o przenaczeniu. O tym, że niezależnie jakie decyzje podejmiemy i gdzie rzuci nas los, to wcześnie czy później trafimy w miejsce, które było nam pisane.
Historia Lucy opowiedziana jest prosto i bez wielkich słów, skłania do refleksji i zapada w serce.
Niezwykła książka.
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" – Wiesz, dlatego nigdy tak naprawdę nie przekonała mnie ta idea dwóch połówek, Luce. Uważam, że miłość to wybór, nie uczucie. Sądzę, że to coś, nad czym trzeba naprawdę ciężko pracować."
▪︎▪︎
To była naprawdę piękna, mądra i wzruszajaca opowieść o przenaczeniu. O tym, że niezależnie jakie decyzje podejmiemy i gdzie rzuci nas los, to wcześnie czy później trafimy w miejsce, które było nam pisane.
Historia Lucy opowiedziana jest prosto i bez wielkich słów, skłania do refleksji i zapada w serce.
Niezwykła książka.
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