I Loved You in Another Life by David Arnold // A Book Review

It was a June afternoon when I first saw the book cover. I’d just requested The Otherworld by Abbie Emmons on NetGalley, and I was looking to see if anything else jumped out at me. As I was scrolling, I found myself pausing to look at a blue, pink, wintery book cover with a couple on it.

Instinctively, I clicked to read the blurb.

I ended up requesting an ARC from Viking Books for Young Readers, and to my actual shock, they accepted it.

I received a digital copy of the book, and thus began my journey with Shosh and Evan.

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The Review

Some books are strange and weird and hard to define.

Some books leave you feeling emotional, as though you’ve just gone on this incredible journey with these characters.

The best, most life-changing books manage to do both, and I think this one does.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It’s not something I would usually read (I mean, it totally is, but it also isn’t), but it was a really fun and intriguing ride. There are so many memorable and beautiful quotes on every page, and I may just have to buy a copy solely so I can annotate it and hold it.

This is a good book for readers who enjoy the “I would love you in every universe” trope, soulmates, honest depictions of grief and addiction, unbreakable sibling relationships, and immersive worldbuilding.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Content Warnings

Alcohol, alcoholism, cancer, car accident (referenced, but not shown), cursing, grief, panic attacks/disorders, sexual content (passionate kissing), and vomit. There are also some LGBT side characters and F/F kissing.

What I Loved

The vignettes. I didn’t think I’d love these as much as I did, but they were incredible. I know that some people disliked these parts, but I think they added that necessary layer to the story and helped make everything feel bigger than just one life.

The way grief is depicted. Nothing makes me angry like badly portrayed grief. Arnold was very honest in his portrayal of grief, though. It was raw, vulnerable, and actually really healing to read. I was nervous that Shosh’s addiction would overshadow her grief, but it didn’t–it was handled beautifully and very sensitively.

Evan and Will’s relationship. Brother banter and brother love will always reign superior. These two were honestly kind of the backbone of this novel for me. Will is so important to Evan, and I love that we got so many interactions between them.

What I Didn’t Love

The pacing. As much as I want to ignore this part, I can’t. There’s merit to everyone’s concerns about how long it takes Evan and Shosh to get together, as well as the lack of on-page time we get to spend with them once they are together. This is probably because of the vignettes and the fact that the story spans such a long time (it jumps seasons a lot), but it did make it harder to actually feel emotional when the climactic moments happened.

The LGBT themes. I wasn’t surprised by them because this is 2023 and inclusivity is important, but I would’ve liked to know ahead of time, so this is just a little note for those who want to know before diving in that there are LGBT side characters and intimacy.

The strong cursing and swearing. I don’t mind swearing, but I think some of it felt a little unnecessary. Like, the author was trying to prove how young adult these young adults are by having them swear and take the Lord’s name in vein so frequently.

Favorite Quotes

“Silence and sadness are not the same things. And I wish more people understood that, is all.”

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“You only think goodbye is painful if you’ve had a chance to say it.”

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“The truth is, fragile things rarely fare well in the world; more often, they farewell to it.”

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My Rating

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About the Book

New York Times bestseller David Arnold returns with a poignant love story about two teens whose souls come together time and again through the ages—for fans of Nina LaCour and Matt Haig.

Evan Taft has plans. Take a gap year in Alaska, make sure his little brother and single mother are taken care of, and continue therapy to process his father’s departure. But after his mom’s unexpected diagnosis, as Evan’s plans begin to fade, he hears something: a song no one else can hear, the voice of a mysterious singer . . .

Shosh Bell has dreams. A high school theater legend, she’s headed to performing arts college in LA, a star on the rise. But when a drunk driver takes her sister’s life, that star fades to black. All that remains is a void—and a soft voice singing in her ear . . .

Over it all, transcending time and space, a celestial bird brings strangers together: from an escaped murderer in 19th century Paris, to a Norwegian kosmonaut in low-earth orbit, something is happening that began long ago, and will long outlast Evan and Shosh. With lyrical prose and original songs (written and recorded by the author), I LOVED YOU IN ANOTHER LIFE explores the history of love, and how some souls are meant for each other—yesterday, today, forever.

About the Author

Let’s Talk!

Have you read I Loved You in Another Life? Is it on your TBR? What’s your favorite “I’d love you in every universe” book? What’s the last strange book you’ve read? Let’s talk all things strange but lovely in the comments below!