The Many Futures Of Maddy Hart by Laura Pearson

 

Teenager Maddy Hart has her whole life ahead of her, a life full of wonders and possibilities. Her first experience of sex isn't quite what she expected as it gives her a glimpse of her life ten years in the future - and she doesn't like what she sees. This happens each time she has sex and as a result Maddy quickly swears off relationships altogether, until she meets Oliver.

Laura Pearson's last two books have had novel plots and The Many Futures Of Maddy Hart is the same. As a teenager, Maddy discovers that when she has a sexual encounter she gets a glimpse of her life ten years into the future. She doesn't like the life on display each time and after a while decides to avoid relationships completely. Instead, she's going to concentrate on her career as an actress.

Becoming a successful actress isn't easy and Maddy ends up taking some strange jobs. Through one of these jobs she meets Oliver, another aspiring actor. The description of the actual job is hilarious, you can feel Maddy's astonishment and then indignation at having to demean herself.

There is a spark between Maddy and Oliver but Maddy doesn't think their paths will ever cross again. Fate has other ideas. And that is the crux of the story, what if our fate is already mapped out for us? A little bit like "sliding doors", Maddy can glimpse her future if she stays with her current partner. This peek into her future allows her to change course if she doesn't like what she sees.

When Maddy finally begins a relationship with Oliver the flashes of their future look perfect. Eventually, Maddy begins to question what she sees, realising that she's been making assumptions about the intervening ten years and this has a major impact on her relationship with Oliver.

I loved all the conundrums Maddy's "curse" (or is it a blessing?) raised. How sure can Maddy be that the visions of the future are real and will actually happen? There's also a big question about what it means if Maddy sees nothing at all? Will Maddy keep getting glimpses of the future for the rest of her life? What should she do if she learns information that could impact a friend's future? All these questions, and more, are ones that the reader ponders alongside Maddy.

Maddy has to make some difficult decisions that effect not only her and Oliver but also her wider family. As I read I felt my heart breaking because Maddy couldn't explain her actions to the people around her. 

The Many Futures Of Maddy Hart by Laura Pearson will be published on 4th February 2025 in paperback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for a review copy.

Author Details

Laura Pearson is the author of seven novels. The Last List of Mabel Beaumont was a Kindle number one bestseller in the UK and a top ten bestseller in the US. Laura lives in Leicestershire, England, with her husband, their two children, and a cat who likes to lie on her keyboard while she tries to write.