I read this book in the days before giving birth to my daughter (which is why I never published a review!) and hugely enjoyed it. It was a fascinating premise with a captivating cover and title. The concept was handled brilliantly and the writing was enjoyable. I think it deserves a reread now a few years later!

I have let this linger on my digital to read shelf for far too long - apologies to the author, publisher and netgalley for not reading and reviewing this sooner. I thought this sounded like a brilliant concept, but I just found it too confusing and could not get into the story at all. This one isn’t for me and I had to DNF it. I would not recommend it.

This was a great read - really captivating. I loved the 'Sliding Doors' style story of the two completely different lives that had been lived. It was a little confusing how it jumped backwards and forwards and between characters - (I would have preferred it to jump between the characters but go in order of time) but it was a really interesting read and I really enjoyed it.

There was much to enjoy here, but I found I couldn't connect with it. I'd read more from this author in the future though.

Unfortunately, I have not been able to read and review this book.

After losing and replacing my broken Kindle and getting a new phone I was unable to download the title again for review as it was no longer available on Netgalley.

I’m really sorry about this and hope that it won’t affect you allowing me to read and review your titles in the future.

Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity.
Natalie.

This was such an interesting concept - which sadly didnt reach its potential.

Overall the story was fine.... however I think the whole premise would have worked better if the two versions of Lou actually went through the same experiences.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

One life told in two ways - we meet Louis and Louise. We hear about their childhoods and meet their same friends. At age 18 there is a seminal event which then dictates the way their lives pan out. We learn the background to these events as both deal with their mum’s cancer diagnosis and death.

We see the influence their gender has on their life chances and expectations and how they defy both.

Very interesting, beautifully written, emotionally charged at times - a book I will be recommending.

An outstanding read, a real exercise in style, narration, psychology. Exquisite to read and really fascinating. Life has its ways, and a chromosome might change a few things, but the overall story remains the same. I was really moved by this novel. Highly recommended.

I enjoyed this, but the characters were not as engaging as I hoped they would be. An interesting idea, though.

I adore Julie Cohen's writing and Louis and Louise was another brilliant read from her. Would recommend! Thanks to the publishers for the opportunity.

If you've ever wondered how different your life would be if you'd been socialised as another gender, then this book provides a clever insight. The author, Julie Cohen, takes an interesting approach, looking at the ways we are innately who we are no matter what gender we are assigned at birth and what ways society treats us differently and allows us (explicitly or implicitly) certain opportunities. This book doesn't say anything particularly groundbreaking and takes a pretty binary look at gender but it's still an interesting and enjoyable read.

A wonderful book -- I loved the commentary on parenthood. This novel has an intriguing premise that really delivers: it would be easy to fall into cliche but Julie Cohen pulls easily past all of that and creates a book that has a commentary on gender without being over-explanatory.

This is such an incredible book and I loved every single minute that I spent reading it. In the book a baby is born to a couple but in one chapter the baby is a boy – Louis, and in the other chapter the baby is a girl – Louise. We then see each of their lives alternating through the novel and it’s fascinating to see how similar their lives would have been a times, and how vastly different at other times. There is one chapter part-way through the novel where the male and female versions of this person merge and it is so incredibly moving. I loved the exploration of what it is to be female or male, the different things that are expected and the different way men and women see and feel things. I also adored the idea of fate that runs through the novel, the way that some things are perhaps pre-ordained for us no matter our gender or sexuality. I adored this book, and even though it’s now weeks since I read it I still find myself thinking about. I think this will be one of my books of the year so I highly recommend it!

Julie Cohen is an amazing writer and never disappoints. This is a thought-provoking book, that doesn't shy away from exploring difficult issues. Highly recommended.

On the premise alone, I didn’t expect to enjoy this as much as I did - I was utterly immersed in the writing and storylines, separately and together.

Fascinating, funny and deeply moving. I don't know why I didn't read this book immediately but glad I have now. Highly recommend.

1978 Louise is born to Peggy and Irving in Casablanca, Maine. In a parallel/alternate universe instead it is Louis that arrives. In both lives one night shapes their futures and thirteen years later they are arriving home. How much can that extra e on their name or y chromosome affect their stories? Cohen takes on this really interesting premise and in the main succeeds. Sometimes it felt that it was the same story been told twice, I suppose I was expecting some more dramatic turns. But instead it's a warm if sometimes a bit slow tale, that touches on gender expectations, sexuality and even fate. I expected to like this but not for the reasons I ended up loving it.

A really interesting premise for a story - how life can and does a take a different path for the protagonist depending on whether they are born a boy or a girl.

The writer certainly knows how to weave a story. The book kept me interested until the end and I wanted to find out what happened to both Louis and Louise equally.

I certainly look forward to reading other books written by the author.

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing me with an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest and impartial review.

A book for the modern age! A thought-provoking and a heartwrenching book about being your true self and not being defined by your gender. I learned so much from this book!

One of those small town America, family secrets slowly unravelling, back-and-forth between past and present kind of novels but with the extra twist that we have two versions of the main character: Louise and Louis.

I really enjoyed this book. The beginning is especially powerful in its description of the wait for the birth of a child and being at the dawn of a new chapter in one's life.