𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗦𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗪𝗼𝗼𝗱𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗸𝗲 𝗨𝗽 was an amazing read, so I was very excited to receive Laura's new book. The Beforelife of Eliza Valentine is such a unique and creative concept, and unlike anything I've read before.

We've all heard of lingering spirits "after death. " Laura Pearson has taken that concept and turned it completely around and explored people "before birth, " called 𝗔𝗹𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀. A woman's potential children

As soon as a female is born, these "almosts" are attached to her, watching her grow up and navigate her life through the ups and downs and messy relationships, hoping for the best. Hoping, because even though they exist, it doesn't mean they will be conceived. The only thing they know is the name of their father and the date of their potential conception.

The story is told from the POV of four potential siblings "Almosts" who already have a personality and sometimes act out with sibling rivalry and envy but also love each other and even sacrifice for one another.

You can't help getting attached to Eliza, Samuel, Lucy, and Thomas. You will root for them and feel all their emotions. 𝗣𝗮𝗶𝗻, 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲, 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲.

I am excited to read whatever Laura writes next. Be sure to read the author's note for more information on how this story was conceived.

A big thanks to Netgally and Boldwood Books for my copy. My review was voluntary.


My review on Instagram
http://wwwinstagram.com/sheilasenchantedbookshelf

I loved this book! There is hope, family, and love in each page.
The premise of having a personality before you are born and knowing that these "kidlets" are always around their future mothers waiting for their conception was neat.
It's an interesting concept and it truly made me want to know what would happen with these four "almosts" as they tried to figure out who would be their father and who would be a sibling. Would they know them, remember them and love them once they were born?
Would they all come into the world?
It makes you think, wish and wonder and it is a great story.
Thank you to @NetGalley and to @Bodwood Books for this ARC and allowing me to read and provide my own review.

This book really struck a chord with me, and I think it’s going to stick with me for a long time. The premise is so unique—this idea of “Almosts,” children who might be born depending on their mother’s choices, really pulled me in. I especially loved the relationships between the Almost siblings; it was both touching and complex, with all the love and rivalry you’d expect from real siblings, even though they haven't been born yet.

The story dives deep into what it means to love selflessly, especially from a child’s perspective, which made me think a lot about the sacrifices parents make. It’s easy to read, but don’t let that fool you—it’s thought-provoking and really makes you feel. I found myself getting emotional, especially towards the end, but the story wrapped up with a sense of hope that felt just right.

If you’ve ever dealt with the loss of a mother or child, or if you’ve faced fertility issues, this book will probably hit home even more. It’s the second book I’ve read by this author, and just like the first one, it didn’t disappoint. I’m really glad I had a chance to read it, and I’d recommend it to anyone who loves a story that’s both heartfelt and a little bit different.

The Beforelife of Eliza Valentine by Laura Pearson had me stretching my imagination and crying now and then, from imagining the story she painted so brilliantly.
I enjoyed it tremendously.

#TheBeforelifeOfElizaValentine
#LauraPearson
#NetGalley

What a unique and wonderful concept. The before life of your possible babies.
It totally put a new twist on relationships and how they can be influenced by outside forces.
I loved the rivalry and support of the 4 possibilities and how they interacted.
Such an easy read that will make it hard for you to put the book down.
I will be looking out for more books by Laura

Thank you to netgalley, the author and publisher for an early read of 'The Beforelife of Eliza Valentine'. What a unique concept. Samuel, Thomas, Lucy and Eliza are "almosts", Becca's children who haven't been born yet. It's beautifully written from Eliza's point of view. I enjoyed reading this unusual and heart warming story.

Another beautifully evocative tale of the 'Almosts' from Laura Pearson.

Becca Valentine is 17 and on the precipice of life after school but unknown to her four "Almosts" are circling watching her every move. These are Becca's potential children and their conception dates are coming up pretty quickly but why do they have different fathers in the wrong sequence?

An original coming of age story, of one young woman and her struggles.

I believe this is Laura's sixth book - the others being The Last List of Mabel Beaumont, The Day Shelley Woodhouse Woke Up, Nobody's Wife, I Wanted You to Know Missing Pieces. This is the third I have read along with the first two in that list, but I also have the other three on my shelf. I am never disappointed with her books and know I am in for an absolute treat.

What I love about her books is they're so unique. She creates worlds and stories that I read nowhere else and I think that's such an achievement, because if we're honest, most ideas have already been done, just with each author giving it their own spin, but I read things I only get from Laura's work.

What is interesting is how Laura has managed to combine what are effectively fantasy characters and a sci-fi premise, with very real, relatable, everyday feelings and goings-on.

This one took me a little longer to get into than her others. Not because it was bad (I'm not sure Laura has the word "bad" in her vocabulary), but because the other's I've read are rooted in reality, recognisable and familiar things that could happen to you or I. Whereas this one asks you to suspend belief a bit to believe what's going on, and so I wasn't expecting that, but it is really jolly good.

It's about love - new, old, and lost - relationships, parenting, self-identity, loss, second chances, lost opportunities, friendships, family - related and those found. It's so powerful. It's so moving without being heart-breaking; it's funny without being comedic; it's beautiful without being corny. It's the correct amount of everything.

Laura's books...how do I put this...they read like she's written them with so much love and kindness, like she truly cares for these characters and their lives as if they were her own children. She has a huge heart and she leaves a small slice of it in every book she writes, and it shows.

I am very much an advocate for reading the author notes at the end of the book and this is no exception. Laura has been open and honest as ot how this book came about and what it meant to her, and that made it more beautiful.

It's not an upsetting book, although there are some difficult upsetting bits, but I actually found the beauty (especially the last few lines - which I won't spoil) the most moving thing about it.

Once again, Laura has created a stunning book and I will continue to collect and read them for as long as she writes them. As dramatic as it may sound, her books make for a better world in my opinion.

A literal sucker-punch to the heart!

This was my first ever book by Laura Pearson. The main thing that drew me to this book was the interesting premise. The beforelife, where potential children that may one day be conceived (called ‘Almosts’) exist. They spend their time watching their future mother navigate her way through life from her difficult childhood to the messiness of romantic relationships. The only thing these ‘Almosts’ know for sure, is who their father is and their potential conception date.

This book had a fascinating concept that was executed perfectly. You can’t help but get attached to Samuel, Thomas, Lucy and Eliza and root for them, even though you are unsure of their fate. To say this book sent me on a rollercoaster of emotions is an understatement. I felt joy, loss, hope, rage, sadness and love.

I was intrigued the whole way through, especially with the ‘twist’ in the middle. I honestly didn’t know how everything was going to wrap up, but wow, that ending was just perfect, chefs kiss.

I can’t wait to read more from the mind of this brilliant author!

Big Thank-you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review

I’ve read and thoroughly enjoyed previous works from Laura Pearson, so I was excited to get the chance to read this one.
The cover is beautiful, stunning!
The concept of this book really caught my attention though and intrigued me. Certainly one of the most unique storylines I’ve come across in a long while.
The author has given us another wonderful, flowing, well thought out and executed story. Characters that are complex and flawed.
When all of that is combined, we’re given an engrossing, immersive and subtly emotive read.
I’ll finish this as I started and that is with beautiful, stunning!
Highly recommend.

I love this authors, other books, but I found that I couldn’t really get into this one. I found it really difficult to connect to the “almosts”—beings who haven’t been born yet. It would’ve been easier to connect with them and with the whole story if the opening chapters were from the point of view of Becca instead of the “Almosts.”

I did find it totally unique and creative and for that I give the author lots of credit!

Wow what a book I have read all of Laura books and I think this one is my favourite
I loved the concept of this book and loved all the characters and wish Laura all the best with this book and I would highly recommend it to read

Many thanks to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my review

This book is a strong contender for my favorite book of 2024.

First of all, what an intriguing concept for a book- something so novel and delightfully fresh! The children that one might have, the potential children, living a Beforelife that we know nothing about. Utterly captivating and immediately captured my imagination.

Sometimes book storylines have a great potential and then fall flat. This book kept me up at night, reading when I would roll over in the middle of night and find myself thinking about it, and picking it up whenever I could resume reading. I read it in a short period of time, which has not been happening for me this year because my concentration has been wonky.

I truly enjoyed this book and would love to do this with my book club. Highly recommend!

Thank you to the Publisher and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A great book . It is the first book I had the pleasure to read from the Laura Pearson and it had left me amazed . It made me laugh and cry , gave me lot to think about life and about our choices .
Eliza, Samuel, Lucy and Thomas are the Almost , the children every woman will have in her life depending which man they have . Becca is having two potential men Antony and Ryan . Antony is the father of Thomas and Lucy & Ryan is Samuel and Eliza's . Each one have one chance to change Fate . Which man will she choose and will all her children will be born ?
I received this book from netgalley , the author and the publicer as an ARC . Thank you . All thoughts and opinions are my own .

I was recently introduced to this author and read a couple of her books and have been pleasantly surprised. Once again, I have thoroughly enjoyed this storyline too. It’s a completely different concept to anything i have read before. It kind of reminded me a bit of “Sliding Doors” and time travel and also a kind of romance all rolled into one. I devoured it within 24 hours as it was one of those where you just needed to know how it was going to end. I appreciated this heartwarming story very much and can’t wait to read more!!

Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for allowing me an advanced copy to read in exchange for my open and honest review. As always, my reviews will also be posted on Amazon, Goodreads and Waterstones and interaction on Facebook and instagram where possible.

This a really original and heartwarming story of the many possibilities of children a woman can have, we hear from their future offspring who can only be born if everything falls into place. Becca's future children have learned how to influence fate and make Becca take the path they choose, to an extent. When she's torn between the two men in her life, Anthony and Ryan, it's down to the future siblings to help out. Such a clever story and well written, another great book by Laura Pearson.

I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. Having read books by Laura Pearson before I was looking forward to this one and I wasn't disappointed, it was very different but the characters were great and it was an unusual story. I would definitely recommend this book.

I love Laura Pearson's books, she writes the most beautiful stories. The Beforelife of Eliza Valentine, is so original and unique, and whilst the concept is different from what Laura has written before, the wonderful characters and style of writing is pure Laura which is brilliant.
Those in the beforelife come into being when their mother is born. They remain there until their conception date (which they know on the date they come into being). They follow their mother throughout her life until their conception date. But they can change fate, so they may not be conceived, or the pregnancy may not go full term so they may not get to live. This means that it is not certain whether all of the four siblings who we meet at the start of the book will get to live alongside their mother, Becca.
Whilst we may not have heard of the beforelife in this way, Laura made it so real, that I quickly accepted the concept. Eliza is a brilliant main character and together with Becca I loved the strong female leads.
Another brilliant book by Laura, that I highly recommend.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a kindle copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a absolutely delightful book! And such an original idea. I've not come across Laura Pearson before but I shall certainly make a point of reading more of her books if they're as good as 'The Beforelife of Eliza Valentine'. I read it in one sitting, easily losing myself in the Almosts' race to be conceived.....or not. Not a concept I believe in, but if we're happy to accept the existence of an afterlife then why not a beforelife? A great way to pass a few hours be it on the beach or in front of a nice fire. A definite 5* recommendation from me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

What a beautiful story. I thought this was a bit different to Laura's previous novels and wondered if I was going to like it but it was amazing and I absolutely loved it. Bacca's relationships with Anthony and Ryan is difficult as they are both complete opposites and the decisions she makes will lead to heartbreak for Eliza and her existence if she chooses one over the other. Beautifully written and very emotional that will have you reaching for tissues and the story is interesting with friendships, love and family relationships that will keep you wanting to read more a really page Turner A 5⭐read