The Other Side of Tomorrow

by Hayley Lawrence

What if you thought you had forever ... To live your life. To tell your story. But what if forever was taken from you? When your tomorrows are counted, all you have is this moment. And this story you wish was never yours to tell. When Abby traded her life in the city for a wholesome new life on the coast, it was meant to be a fresh start for her family. Behind them was the sickness and sadness of the past. But sickness doesnât always play by the rules. And as Abbyâs past threatens to swallow her future, she is forced to decide what is most important. What she will fight for. And she will fight. For however many days she has left.

Genres: Young Adult, Grief, Romance, Realistic Fiction, Death, Friendship

295 pages, Paperback

Published February 1, 2022

About the author

Hayley Lawrence worked as a lawyer in a commercial firm in Sydney before trading city life for the coast when she married a pilot. Hayley and her husband had many adventures while she worked for a small law firm on the Mid-North Coast of NSW. They now have five vivacious daughters who continue to bring immense joy and utter mayhem to their life.

Despite leaving legal work, Hayley could not leave behind the stories of the people she’d encountered. They are stories that provoke questions about the nature of humanity, and it’s these questions that haunt her novels.

Reviews

[Sherry Bice · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book broke me.
Multiple times I stopped and yelled at my husband for putting me through this emotional rollercoaster.
I'm VERY easily triggered by anything health related and this book centres around fifteen year old Abby and her terminal cancer diagnosis.
Abby starts in remission but soon has early symptoms of recurrence and is then given the horrible news after failed attempts at cure.
My heart aches for Abby and her parents and friends, who were her sole focus. I cried many tears and hugged my baby so tight after this one.
Beautiful reading, but so very emotional.

[Law · Rating 4 out of 5]

Representation: N/A
Trigger warnings: Death of a grandfather in the past and a child and friend from cancer, near-death experience, terminal illness
Score: Seven points out of ten.
Find this review on The StoryGraph.

I've read from Hayley Lawrence before when I read and enjoyed Skin Deep last year. This year I saw a library getting The Other Side of Tomorrow, immediately making me want to read it. When I picked it up, read and finished the book, it was enjoyable but heavy. It was also part of the Children's Book Council of Australia shortlist for a young adult novel in 2023--it should've won it all.

It starts with the first person I see, Abby Finch, living her typical life years in remission in the opening pages. Nothing looks off initially until 70 pages in Abby came down with an unexpected sickness and the doctors soon diagnosed her with cancer. They also detailed the cancer is incurable now since it spread undetected for a while. The middle of The Other Side of Tomorrow is the most miserable part since I forced myself to read it, all while hopes dwindled for Abby. I appreciate the author for writing characters that can always bounce back and try to see the best part of the situation, which is what happened here as Abby tries to live the longest life she can before succumbing to cancer. I thought she wouldn't make it, but she did toward the conclusion, finishing The Other Side of Tomorrow on a bittersweet note.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heart-wrenching read. Abby is 15 has been in remission for 13 years. Then her cancer comes back. A well written story of the pain and heartbreak as Abby goes through chemo, falls in love and loses another friend to cancer.

[hannah! (lowkey gone) · Rating 3 out of 5]

all i remember is that i sobbed.

[kaitlyns_library · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick read that’s filled with heartache. I did quite enjoy this. But wasn’t a fan of the relationship dynamic between Lexie and Abby. This one was recommended to me by a student of mine, and I’m glad they did!

[Nadia Honner · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know this is teen fiction, but I found it incredibly contrived and unbelievable.

[Anna Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely YA story to tug at your heartstrings.

[f n · Rating 3 out of 5]

[Reading every CBCA shortlist book, 6/6]

Well, that’s the end of this year’s CBCA books, and somehow this book is a nice fit. I’ll start off by saying that this book is good! It has the best writing of any of the CBCA books for sure. However, I just found it somewhat unenjoyable due to its depressing nature. So if you like books about death and cancer, you will very much enjoy this book.

I still have a bone to pick with the CBCA panel though, y’all really don’t know who are reading the older reader books. This is the closest one yet! But there needs to be a Masterclass on how younger people speak. The children spoke and messaged each other like facebook moms it’s so funny, and this is a common theme among all of the CBCA books.

Ok, my review. This book had quite a few positives. As I said before, it is written beautifully and it’s very easy to connect to and understand each character. Her descriptions are great. So, the writing is great and there’s nothing I would change about that! For the first 33 pages or so DAMN she had me fooled. Like, i was convinced this would’ve been one of those “settling in a new town” books but all of a sudden we’re thrust into her reality of cancer. So that was definitely off putting. The relationships and friendships were nice.

Now, why I didn’t like it. It is SO morbid, and I guess that can be the reality for people that are suffering with cancer and I commend the author for writing this story which I’m sure people will enjoy more than me. For me, it was just too much sadness, and everyday she was sad, and then she was lonely, and then it got worse and worse and… ugh I was almost annoyed. Someone else said it but it almost felt unrealistic, which I agree with. Every chapter there was a rant about how sad everything is and how she’s dying and stuff, which I didn’t enjoy reading. This book is also pinned by religious undertones, so a lot of death. Yeah idk not my thing.

So was it good? Yes. Did I enjoy it? Personally, no.

Was disappointed by the quality of CBCA books this year, I’ll rank this second.

And i wrote this at 1am please don’t expect the best writing ever!

[Jennie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An emotional roller coaster as 15 year old Hayley shares her journey with neuroblasoma, developing after years of regression. Starting with Hayley and her family's arrival in a small coastal town, with her dad searching for a slower paced and more natural life and the initial feelers as Hayley forms her first friendships in the town. This follows with a rapid contrast to her life, after the cancer diagnosis and the successive treatments are exhausting - for Hayley, her Mum and Dad, her friends (especially Lexie and Jesse) and for the reader.

Predominantly told in the first person, there are occasional shifts to the third person as Hayley writes her story and other perspectives are included. A real strength in Lawrences' writing is the way she fleshes out the people in Hayley's life, gradually fleshing them out as their histories unfold.

This book is not for the faint-hearted and is quite harrowing to read - with tissue box to hand - because of this focus on illness and the toll this takes in different relationships. Hayley's changing attitudes to treatment, relationships and the future are quite believable, but are not necessarily typical of youngsters in similar situations. As I read, I wondered if teenagers would acknowledge that this is just one girl's response and not necessarily typical. Although I found it quite compelling to read, I also wondered how teenagers would respond, especially if having a very ill or recently passed close family member. It might well be the opposite of cathartic.

Shortlisted for the 2023 CBCA Older Readers award.

[Bella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been crying for the last 25 minutes. This is an amazing book with romance in it but also a heavy story on dealing with cancer and it was an amazing read.

[mads · Rating 5 out of 5]

- I am not a cryer but I balled to this book multiple times
- Abby’s whole story broke my heart and opened my eyes so much.
- Jesse is an angel. He seemed like the most beautiful soul and he was just a perfect love interest from the start.
- Quite a short book but it was so deep and meaning a sad beautiful, tragic story.
- Such strong love in the family, I loved the relationship with her dad
- It was like a perfect small beach town romance meeting with such deep undertones of sadness
- It was an Australian book which was also a nice touch for me.

[Tanya Muregerera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing, emotional and overall well written book. Hayley Lawrence outdid herself with this one.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
This took me a moment to get into but on the whole, I did enjoy it. There were pros and cons, which I will list below, as per the usual:

THINGS I LIKED:
- The way that the whole idea of Abby being terminal was handled, with both grace and brutality.
- I have been absolutely loving how many stories set in Australia I've been finding lately and this was no exception. The praise for the natural beauty of the NSW coast was something I could really relate to.
- Jesse was...I liked him. At times he seemed too wise, but altogether, he was lovely. You know, sometimes there is something beautifully refreshing about a love interest who right off the bat is clearly the love interest, no questions asked.
- Lexie spoke like a teenager, but not in a way that will date the book, so major kudos for that.

THING I HAD MIXED FEELINGS ON:
- I always have mixed feelings on poetic, lyrical prose. For one-shots and short stories--GORGEOUS *chef's kiss*. For novels--my feelings are more mixed. Sometimes it comes across beautifully, and other times I feel like it inhibits the narrative, and takes away from the reading experience, as it begins to feel more like an extended creative writing piece than a piece that attempts to communicate the story. In this one, I think that it's effective (as it often is in stories with super heavy subject matter, like death), especially since Lawrence communicated the important plot points with clarity. My problem comes in that the lyrical language, and Jesse and Lexie's love for the sea occasionally takes the book into a bit of a pantheistic direction. In short, I thought the language was very beautiful, but I do find it to be an inhibitor to clarity.

THINGS I DIDN'T APPRECIATE:
- The disdain for organised religion and the pantheistic worldviews mentioned above, which is a personal thing, due to my religious views, but it didn't quite sit right.
- The character of Saxon barely contributed
- The issues with Abby's parents came out of nowhere and promptly disappeared into the same nowhere
- Willa didn't get long enough on page to have the emotional drive that the narrative needed her to.
- As someone with mild emetophobia the medical treatment wasn't very fun to read about for me.

In short, this is a touching story, but it didn't hit all the right boxes for me, for what are completely subjective reasons.

TW: emetophobia
CW: childhood cancer, invasive medical treatment, death of a child, death of an elderly relative, mentions of drowning, occult-like fortune telling

[Riya Nagulendran · Rating 5 out of 5]

⚠️READ NOW⚠️
This book was amazing. This girl has been in remission for 13 years and it wasn’t until she was 15 that she got neuroblastoma and was sentenced to probable death. She had just witnessed her grandfathers death and had deep emotions about that. This book broke me as she was navigating the paths of her illness and new home. With her being an only child, her parents were going to be childless. It was a very heavy weight. Then, she meets this boy, Jesse. WE LOVE JESSE BTW. Anyway, he is so supportive and is willing to complete number 1 on her bucket list iykyk. She refuses because she thought it was pity but Jesse just worded it the wrong way. Deep down we both know that he LOVES her. It gets to the part where she is close to death and it all gets very truly sad. Part of me was hoping that there would be some plot twist because shes the main character of the book and she CANNOT die. The only good thing about before her death is her kissing Jesse and Jesse taking her into the water, which he swore to do in the first few pages of the book. She starts writing a book called 16 Laps of the Sun: A Teens Guide to Dying. It’s really sad because thats what she does for the last few weeks she is alive. She asks her dad to write the prologue and beloved Jesse to write the epilogue. The hope in me that this will all be a plot twist crashes down and shrivels to pieces as i see the chapter heading of the epilogue he wrote. I cried as i read it, he is so sweet. He mentions the amount of time it has been since she has passed and i want to drop the book and leave BUT I CANT BECAUSE IT IS SUCH A GOOD BOOK. I know she was only 16 when she died but at least she got to have good experiences before she past. GO ABBY!!!

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3.5

Cry count: 12 ±

I was crying by the second page, and then I stay up until midnight sobbing so brace yourselves. (And keep a box of tissues and a slab of chocolate nearby)

The writing is not lyrical or eloquent but it enforcens how young Addy really is. How young she is to be thinking about death. How wrong it is, that that should be anywhere near the forefront of her mind.

There are a few relationships in this book, but the one that hit me the hardest was the one with her dad. That was the one that made me cry the most.

I've knocked off 1.5 stars from the rating because of the less than average descriptive writing, the overuse of slang and slightly underdeveloped side characters.

If you can get past that, I think it is a very worthwhile read.

It is heart-wrenching and soul touching.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Abby has moved to a new town, but old problems have come with them. She’s not the most likeable of characters, but she’s in a constant state of confusion and turmoil throughout the book, and it was nice to see a somewhat realistic (I assume?) response to her cancer diagnosis. No optimistic living on hope survivor story here. She’s bitter and annoyed and questioning everything. There’s a fair amount of religion included in here too, which made sense in the circumstances but did sometimes feel like it was coming out of nowhere.
I found the middle to be way sadder than the end, which surprised me. Because there were notes! And those are always the triggers that rip me apart, but not so much this time. Don’t worry though, the middle is plenty sad and if you don’t want to be like me and cry on public transport, maybe read this one at home.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hayley Lawrence is fast becoming a favourite author of mind. In this novel, the reader follows the pain and heartbreak of Abby, a 15-year-old girl whose cancer has returned after thirteen years in remission.

The Other Side of Tomorrow tore me apart. My heart wept for Abby and her parents. The love they had for each other was strong and I was especially moved by the relationship Abby and her dad shared. He was a wonderful father.

As expected, I cried throughout much of this novel, especially the epilogue. Harrowing, compelling and raw, The Other Side of Tomorrow is not for the faint-hearted. An emotional read.

[Allie · Rating 4 out of 5]

So sad. Right from the start it is confronting. Death. Death of a teenager. The journey towards accepting death as a teenager and the relationships it impacts along the way. Abby is a character that you connect with straight away and her relationship with her dad and boy Jesse. You know that it is going to end with sadness and not have a happy ending. But somehow it’s ok and if there wasn’t death at the end the book it wouldn’t have served it’s purpose. Really allows the reader to think about their own mortality

[Ciarna Okeeffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book was amazing. At the beginning i was bored and i was like i don't like this but once i got into it i couldn't help but keep reading. It was like five feet apart but younger if that makes sense. The first book i've cried over in a while. i was so shocked and i couldn't believe it. Willa was a beautiful soul and i wish there was more with her. the writing was a bit bad but i could get through it

[Sophia · Rating 5 out of 5]

i read this book at home and got it from scholastic from my school im 13 and didnt think much about cancer until i read this book there were a lot of ups and downs but i enjoyed reading it i has such a good story to it and great character i normally get confused half way through books but this one was imprinted into my head and i love it i will be reading this over again and i hope this encourages you to read it to.

[Belle Hartley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so good. The journey this book takes you through made me so attached to each and every character which made it hurt even more when certain characters were lost. I cried so much, but I also laughed whilst reading this book. It is an emotional roller coaster but one that I highly recommend.

[Kiara Rowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a good book but it’s really sad with how it’s written because as a reader you actually feel what the character is feeling in the book as the main character Abby is 15 it’s a such a well written book but it’s so sad cause you can see and feel all her heart break that she goes through in this book

[Sienna · Rating 4 out of 5]

the book itself was quite good and i loved the fast paced nature of it however it broke me. it wasn’t written sadly and although i was sad that she died and that her life was cut short that wasn’t what broke me. what broke me was the thought that her parents would outlive her. i just kept thinking that no parent should have to bury their own child.:(

[Mallory · Rating 5 out of 5]

I honestly don't think I've cried this much over a book in a long time. I originally read it at the library, but had to buy it for myself because I enjoyed it so much. I know it says it's for kids, but I'm 16 and am in love with this book. I recommend this to anyone who wants a good book to cry to.

[Laura Flick · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was never able to finish this book. I did the thing where you turn to the back of the book to see what happens. And I cried and gave up on reading it. The parts I did read were incredible and deeply moved me but it’s not my favourite book written by Hayley.

[Natalie Channing · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was an amazing book. I highly recommend it. It really grabs your attention and makes you want to keep reading to find out what happens to the poor girl as well as her journey with her friends. This book is so good.

[Sophia Carratt · Rating 5 out of 5]

So sad, but also a book that makes you grateful for all the days you have left. Made me cry. Made me happy. Amazing. My 14 yr old sister and my favourite book. Maybe make a book from Willa’s perspective?

[harmony · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This book was so cute and had some really touching moments. However I think I would’ve connected with it much more had I been younger when reading it as it’s very ya. I still enjoyed it nonetheless

[Cherilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing teen read about battling cancer, while experiencing new things in life.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is amazing. It broke my soul when I read it. It is a master piece. I felt really close to all of the characters. 100% recommend.