Audrey and Fraser tumble into a romance for the ages. After an unlikely start, they fall deeply in love and dream of the life they’ll build together—until one tragic moment upends everything. Facing the unimaginable and wrestling with guilt, they’re left haunted by “what ifs,” each asking where they would be if fate had spun a different story.
My review of this one may be a bit of an outlier compared to others, as I did find some structural issues. Not with the concept, which is actually very compelling, but with how the relationships are developed and the flow. You have to suspend disbelief with how quickly and unevenly the emotional/romantic connections form, and this may lead to it being difficult to be emotionally invested in the characters.
The book follows Audrey and Fraser, beginning with a fast, intense romance that quickly becomes deeply consuming. It then shifts into a dual “sliding doors” structure, splitting into two parallel timelines. In one timeline, Audrey dies, leaving Fraser to raise his daughter while grieving her loss; in the other, Fraser dies, leaving Audrey to rebuild her life while coping with his absence. The parallel worlds follow each of them as they navigate parenting, grief, and moving forward.
The story is told in dual POV from both Audrey and Fraser, which gives insight into both sides of their relationship and their own personal struggles. Their distinct POVs become more pronounced once the narrative splits into parallel timelines, and they have to suddenly navigate painfully altered lives. It doesn’t hit as hard as it could have since their fast, all-consuming romance felt somewhat difficult to buy into. Audrey was previously connected to Fraser’s brother and seems to be hung up on him in the early chapters (years after their estrangement), yet she still becomes romantically involved with Fraser almost abruptly, with little on-page development to show how it happens. Suddenly they’re married and are described as soulmates, building a life together. Then their timelines split, and because the foundation of their relationship was rushed, the weight of their losses is not entirely believable. The writing itself also feels a bit choppy at times, with chapter transitions that don’t always flow smoothly or move the story forward—until later in the book. This fragmented storytelling may have been intentional by the author to make it unique, but some readers may find it difficult to remain fully engaged.
The longer chapters may slow the momentum if you’re not fully absorbed in the story. That said, the second half is better, as Audrey and Fraser start having new experiences and take risks, and their grief moves to the background, and Fraser‘s daughter has a more prominent role. The ending leaves you with a reflective, bittersweet, yet hopeful feeling rather than any real satisfying closure. The short author’s note afterwards is definitely worth a read, as it explains how her own personal tragedy inspired the story!
Overall, the book has a fascinating concept and will likely resonate with readers who enjoy grief-centred storytelling and unconventional “sliding doors” narratives. You may end up really loving it and feel more invested in its characters than I did!
Narrator Performance
The audiobook narrators, Dominic Gruenewald and Elizabeth Nabben, deliver performances that are clear and easy to follow, making the dual POV and shifting timelines easy to keep track of. At times, they don’t feel like the strongest fit for Audrey and Fraser‘s to fully sell their romance, but they still manage to make both characters’ struggles sound real and compelling. There could have been more distinct voices for secondary characters, including the love interests that are introduced later on and Fraser‘s daughter, but the pacing and pauses are effective enough to keep everyone recognizable. This may be a case where pairing the physical copy with the audiobook gives you a better reading experience—and perhaps helps you connect more with the romantic relationships.
Narrator Performance
The audiobook narrators, Dominic Gruenewald and Elizabeth Nabben, deliver performances that are clear and easy to follow, making the dual POV and shifting timelines easy to keep track of. At times, they don’t feel like the strongest fit for Audrey and Fraser‘s to fully sell their romance, but they still manage to make both characters’ struggles sound real and compelling. There could have been more distinct voices for secondary characters, including the love interests that are introduced later on and Fraser‘s daughter, but the pacing and pauses are effective enough to keep everyone recognizable. This may be a case where pairing the physical copy with the audiobook gives you a better reading experience—and perhaps helps you connect more with the romantic relationships.
The audiobook narrators, Dominic Gruenewald and Elizabeth Nabben, deliver performances that are clear and easy to follow, making the dual POV and shifting timelines easy to keep track of. At times, they don’t feel like the strongest fit for Audrey and Fraser‘s to fully sell their romance, but they still manage to make both characters’ struggles sound real and compelling. There could have been more distinct voices for secondary characters, including the love interests that are introduced later on and Fraser‘s daughter, but the pacing and pauses are effective enough to keep everyone recognizable. This may be a case where pairing the physical copy with the audiobook gives you a better reading experience—and perhaps helps you connect more with the romantic relationships.
