The Life She Could Have Lived by Laura Pearson

 

Anna has a decision to make. Her husband of one year, Edward, has announced he would like them to start a family. The choice Anna makes will impact the rest of her life.

Author Laura Pearson has written some extremely inventive novels, such as The Beforelife of Eliza Valentine/The Life and Loves Of Becca Valentine (you can read my review here) and The Many Futures Of Maddy Hart (my review is here). The theme of her new novel, The Life She Could Have Lived, isn't quite as original but is still a very enjoyable read and one that will be familiar with many women.

This time around, the author has played with the "sliding doors" idea. Each chapter takes place on 5th June, a year apart. The date is significant as it's Anna and Edward's wedding anniversary. They've been together for five years, married for one. It is on their first anniversary that Edward announces that he'd like them to try for a baby. A baby isn't something Anna has given much thought to. The couple are financially well off thanks to Edward's job and, after stalling a few times, Anna has finally settled into a job she enjoys and wants to progress in. Anna had assumed things would simply continue as they are.

The novel then splits into two different timelines, one in which Anna says yes to her husband, and the other in which she says no. Each year, on her wedding anniversary, we get a glimpse into Anna's life and see how the choice she made has impacted her. 

I loved the way in which the author focused on how Anna's life progressed based on her decision. In most instances, it is the mother's life that changes drastically when the decision is made to start a family; careers can stall, social circles narrow, and the sense of identity can be lost, you simply become someone's mother. In contrast, we see the complete opposite when Anna decides to remain childless.

Laura Pearson skillfully navigates the options without hinting that one choice is better than another. As someone who doesn't have a maternal bone in her body, I felt aspects of the story really resonated with me, particularly the constant assumption that having children is something you will eventually get around to and even having to explain your decision. 

My heart did go out to the version of Anna who chose to have children. Trying to balance being a working mother and raising a family seemed to be an impossible task. Anna felt as if she was constantly failing at everything she did, and self-care was always at the bottom of her to-do list. 

Over the space of eighteen years, we follow both Anna's and her constant wondering "what if" she had made a different decision, through highs and lows, mistakes, love and loss. The conclusion doesn't offer a solution, a confirmation that one alternative is better than the other. We simply see Anna content with the life she has forged for herself.

The Life She Could Have Lived by Laura Pearson will be published on 12th September 2025 in hardback, paperback and ebook format. My thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for a review copy.

Author Details

Laura Pearson is the author of the #1 bestseller The Last List of Mabel Beaumont. She founded The Bookload on Facebook and has had several pieces published in the Guardian and the Telegraph.