Book reviews on www.snazzybooks.com

This is a book that really makes you think about life's 'what if' moments, and though it's not something I think about a lot, The Other Us did make me think that, if one thing changed in your life, things could be so different - but would they be any better?

The Other Us is an enjoyable, sweet and, at times, poignant read which follows some great characters. It centers around Maggie and shows her complex relationships with Dan, Jude, Becca and others as she navigates life, relationships, family and kids, careers... all whilst wondering what if? Maggie isn't really happy at the start of the novel, and always wonders how things would be if she had ended up with 'the one that got away', Jude. When she begins to experience an alternative reality in which she had got together with Jude, it shows her how happy she could have been - and also how some elements in her life also change as a result.

The themes in this novel aren't just about Maggie's marriage/ relationship but covers her friendship with Becca, her choice of career, whether she has children... it's a great novel for making you, along with Maggie, wonder whether she's really 'messed up' her current life or not. The story itself is fairly light-hearted and fun, though at the beginning I did find it quite upsetting, if I imagined being in the same situation myself. There are parts which are quite predictable but I think you often expect that with novels in this genre and it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story. The different timelines really drew me in - I love novels that do this (as long as it's done well, of course!), and it wasn't too confusing to follow.

I found Katie Scarfe to be a great narrator for this; her voice didn't get on my nerves (I sometimes find audiobook narrators' voices can grate!) and she presented the story really well. I'd definitely recommend The Other Us in both a readable or narrated format - it was enjoyable and really kept my attention throughout!