The Other Side of Now: A Novel

(Hardback)

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Description

With a leading role on a hit TV show and a relationship with Hollywood's latest heartthrob, Meg Bryan appears to have everything she ever wanted. But underneath the layers of makeup and hairspray, her happiness is as fake as her stage name, Lana Lord. Following a breakdown at her birthday party, she books an impromptu trip to Ireland. Specifically, the village where she and her best friend Aimee always dreamt of moving-a dream that fell apart when an accident claimed Aimee's life a decade ago. When Meg arrives, the people in town treat her not as a stranger, but a friend (except for the hot bartender). Meg writes it all off as jetlag until she looks in the mirror. Her hair is no longer bleached, her skin has a few natural fine lines, and her nose looks like. well, her old nose. Her real nose. Eventually, she comes to accept that she somehow made a quantum slide into an alternate version of her life. But the most shocking realization of all In this life, her best friend Aimee is alive-but wants nothing to do with Meg. Despite her bewilderment, Meg is clear-eyed about one thing: this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to reconnect with her friend and repair what she broke. She finagles an opportunity to act in the play Aimee is writing and directing and as the project unfolds, Meg realizes that events as she remembers them may not be the only truth, and that an impossible choice looms before her.

Reviews

"A sweet and moving fairy tale about the road not taken, the ways our choices affect everyone around us, and the importance of closure. Smooth dialogue and loveable characters abound in this novel that is fun, engaging, and perfect for fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid's Maybe in Another Life (2015)." -Booklist

"Wildly entertaining and heartbreaking, Harbison's writing feels like being swept away for a joy-filled, life-affirming trip with your closest friend. This book is big-hearted and funny, filled with sharp observations and a stellar supporting cast that ground the (flawlessly executed) high concept and give the book so much soul I challenge you not to cry at least three times. A captivating story of friendship, grief and the roads not taken. Leaving the enchanting world of Avalon behind already feels like a loss." -Ella Berman, author of Before We Were Innocent: Reese's Book Club

"A full sprint down the path not taken that will make you feel alive and remind you that it's never too late for second chances. When you finish, you will want to call your best friend." -Steven Rowley, New York Times bestselling author of The Guncle

"The Other Side of Now is a sometimes heartbreaking, always heartwarming fantasy about what happens when you get not just the life of your dreams but the lives of your dreams. Paige Harbison's very knowing, very cool novel is moving, clever, funny, compelling, and warm as an Irish sweater." -Laurie Frankel, bestselling author of Family Family

"An engaging, winsome debut. An unexpected and bittersweet book about the choices we make and the paths we take, Paige Harbison writes with the perfect balance of sweetness and sarcasm. Readers will love the touch of magic and romance woven throughout, while still rooting for my favorite kind of heroine." -Elissa Sussman, bestselling author of Funny You Should Ask

"Bursting with wit and feeling, The Other Side of Now made me consider the other lives I might have led, then left me grateful that I'm in the one where I got to read this bighearted charmer of a novel. Paige Harbison's characters will win your heart, break it, then put it back together again." -Laura Hankin, author of One Star Romance

Author Bio

PAIGE HARBISON is the author of three YA novels, the first of which was published in 2011 when she was just nineteen years old. More recently, she's worked on several celebrity projects as ghostwriter. The Other Side of Now is her adult debut. A woman of many talents, she's also a beautiful artist (check out the pet portraits on her website) and has a very funny, clever social media presence (a few of her TikToks have gone viral). She lives in L.A. with her boyfriend and their dog Tarot.