Name :- His Other Life
Author :- Anna E. Collins
Genre :- Psychological Thriller
His Other Life by Anna E. Collins is a haunting and emotional exploration of love, betrayal, and the painful search for truth. The story follows the journey of a woman, devastated by the sudden loss of her husband, Jonah, in a tragic car accident. Two years after his death, she revisits the hotel where they had been staying before the accident, hoping to find some closure. However, what she uncovers there changes everything she thought she knew about her marriage.
The novel is propelled by the discovery of a note hidden in Jonah’s jacket—two simple words: "Call Gemma." This revelation forces the protagonist to confront the possibility that Jonah had been hiding a secret life, including a possible affair. As she navigates the turmoil of grief, shock, and betrayal, the woman faces an agonizing dilemma: should she unearth the painful truth about her husband's hidden world, or leave the past buried to preserve the memories she had of him?
Collins weaves a compelling narrative full of emotional depth and psychological complexity. The protagonist's struggle between love and heartbreak, loyalty and truth, is both relatable and heartbreaking. The pacing of the novel keeps readers on edge, with each new piece of information revealing more about Jonah’s hidden life and drawing the protagonist deeper into a web of mystery and uncertainty.
Likes:
1 Emotional Depth: The novel does an excellent job of exploring the complex emotions surrounding loss, betrayal, and the desire for truth. The protagonist’s internal struggle is relatable and impactful.
2 Suspense and Mystery: The discovery of the note and the ensuing mystery about the husband's secrets kept me hooked. The suspense builds steadily, making it hard to put the book down.
3 Character Development: The protagonist's journey of self-discovery and her evolving feelings about her marriage and her husband are engaging and realistic.
Dislikes:
1 Predictability: While the book is suspenseful, the core mystery about the affair and the husband's secrets felt a bit predictable. Some readers may find the plot twists somewhat easy to guess.
2 Secondary Characters: Some secondary characters, like Gemma, felt underdeveloped. They serve the plot, but I would have liked to see them fleshed out more to add complexity to the narrative.
Overall, His Other Life is a solid read, with a mix of emotional and suspenseful storytelling, though it may not offer many surprises for those well-versed in domestic thrillers.
My Rating :- 4/5

Two years Isla’s husband Jonah. was killed in a tragic car accident. Isla doesn't have all the details of the crash and does her best to move on.

I loved all the characters in this book It is a book that you have to read in one go, it's intense, addictive and the story is just brilliant.

Secrets and lies hold the plot together and I absolutely loved it

What a brilliant dark and twisty read this is which kept me on the edge of my seat throughout

The characters were good and it made great storytelling with everything brought to a satisfactory ending

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC which I have no hesitation in recommending

Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for an early copy of His Other Life. I Loved the title and knew I wanted to read it by that. It took awhile to get into, I was wondering where Mav fit in, also Louise. There was a WOW twist towards the end and it wrapped up every question I wondered about nicely. It really wasn’t gripping but it was a good read, left me smiling. Definitely was a healing story.

Holy smokes ! Gasp ! I was not expecting this to be so twisted . The cover gives us wholesome vibes . This book is packed with deceit and lies and scandal and I loved it so dang much ! ALL the stars ! This book I binged in a day ! Had a hard time putting this book down .

More than two years have passed since the tragic car crash that claimed the life of Isla’s husband, Jonah. The details of that fateful day remain elusive to her, and her life has come to a grinding halt. Even her once-proud career as a university professor no longer holds significance. Isla is consumed by a desperate need to remember the day leading up to the accident and unravel the reasons behind Jonah’s peculiar behavior.

In her quest for answers, Isla crosses paths with Maverick, a spry veteran who agrees to assist her. Despite his age of 90, Maverick exudes a youthful vitality that captivates Isla. Together, they embark on a journey to help Isla not only regain her memory of the crash but also find the strength to move forward with her life. A glimmer of hope emerges as Isla begins to piece together fragments of her past, even though the path ahead is fraught with uncertainty.

As Isla delves deeper into her memories, flashback scenes reveal a life Jonah led in complete secrecy. This newfound knowledge fuels her determination to uncover the truth and find closure. Maverick’s presence and Louise’s availability provide her with unwavering support and assistance throughout her journey.

This touching and emotionally resonant story was an easy one-sitting read. The revelations that unfolded throughout the narrative evoked a range of feelings within me, leaving me with a profound sense of connection to Isla’s plight. This story compels me to seek out more from this talented author.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Knowing your other half has died in an accident is terrible and it's only natural you need time to grieve. 

That is not the only thing on your mind though. You cannot remember what happened except for a few facts that make you even feel worse. Replaying happy memories and feeling sorry for yourself is not going to help you. 

The only thing you need is to retrace your steps and find out what really went on that day. 

Will Isla get what she came for? 

This was a great and intriguing story. It had suspense, lots of revelations and lots of love in it. Those three things were sprinkled with a few heartbreaking scenes as well which made it a very emotional read too.

I was moved, shocked, smiling and wiping away a few tears during this read and I loved it. 5 stars

Thank you

This is a book about a woman named Isla who finds out her husband Jonah has been living a double life after he is killed. She wakes up in the hospital and is in for the shock of her life. This book kept me on an emotional roller coaster since I lost my husband in 2019. Be prepared to feel a range of emotions from sadness to anger. Hang in there for a great ending.

Isla lost her husband, Jonah, two years ago in a car accident. She can't remember anything and she can't seem to move on. She meets an older veteran, Maverick, when she delivers his meals. They start up a friendship. When Isla's mom tells her it's time to move on because she is moving to Arizona, she decides her mom is probably right. When she tracks down an old memory stick of photos, Isla sees some pictures that stump her. She takes off on a road trip to see if she can remember what happened the night of the accident. Isla discovers some things she didn't want to know; but then this ultimately makes her memory return. Isla finds out that more than one person in her life has lied and betrayed her.