What Might Have Been: the stunning novel from the bestselling author of The Sight of You

Three and a half stars. Sliding Doors-esque dual POV romance. Lucy is a planner for a local advertising agency when what she really wants to be is a writer. When she finds out the firm is hiring a new writer rather than giving her the promotion she has been promised she throws her toys out of the pram and resigns. Sitting in the local pub that night, nursing a Virgin Mary she meets a local photographer called Caleb, they are getting along well when she sees her ex-boyfriend Max walking along the street. She and Max have been broken up for ten years but she always thought he was the one, so she rushes out into the street to chat to him and Caleb slips his phone number into her jacket pocket. What follows are the lives Lucy might have lived if she chooses Max or Caleb, a glamorous life as an advertising copywriter (I think) with Max in London or writing the novel she always dreamed of writing at home with Caleb. Both versions face similar issues, secrets from the past and family drama. So there is symmetry but also divergence. I think in these sorts of stories the reader always has a favourite, Holly Martin does a good job of trying to make both male leads likeable characters which helps a lot. I enjoyed reading this, the impact of choices made, paths followed. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.