The Other Me

Author: Sarah Zachrich Jeng

Publisher: Berkley Books

Release Date: August 10, 2021

A unique approach to a familiar concept.  An enjoyable read.

Kelly is attending the opening of her best friend’s art exhibit in Chicago.  As a fellow artist, she is a little jealous, but wouldn’t miss supporting her friend.  When she starts to feel a little sick, she heads to the bathroom where she opens the door and walks into an Italian restaurant far from her beloved Chicago.  What just happened?  Her whole family is there!  Even her screw-up brother, who has a kid?  What?  And someone is calling her name and touches her shoulder as she realizes that this is someone that she knew from high school and what’s more, he’s her husband!

As Kelly tries to navigate this new life and figure out what happened, she can’t shake memories of her life in Chicago.  Will the people there remember her?  Or is this a full alternate reality?  Can she get back?  Does she want to?

I absolutely love this kind of speculative fiction.  When I get a mind-twisting story that makes me stretch to figure out what is going on, it just makes me day even better.  While I’ve read this type of concept before in other books, I like how the author played out Kelly’s experiences.  As a reader, it makes you think about what life would be like if you had made different choices at crucial crossroads in your own life.  Needless to say, this story will have you wondering the whole way through until you hit the unforeseen twist of what really caused the crossover. 

There is quite a bit of language (understandably so with the experiences) and some minor sex scenes that aren’t terribly graphic but could make some readers uncomfortable.  I recommend this to mature readers who enjoy this genre.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher.  The views and opinions expressed within are my own.