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Almost Life
Not yet published
Expected 24 Mar 26Two young women meet in Paris in this decades-spanning tour de force about the enduring power of young love and the poignant heartbreak of missed chances—perfect for fans of One Day and Normal People.
Erica and Laure meet on the steps of the Sacré-Coeur in Paris, 1978. Erica is a student, relishing her first summer abroad before beginning university at home in England. Laure is studying for her PhD at the Sorbonne, drinking and smoking far too much, and sleeping with a married woman. The moment the two women meet, the spark is undeniable, but their encounter turns into far more than a summer of love. It is the beginning of a relationship that will define their lives and every decision they have yet to make…
Erica and Laure’s love story spans decades, marriage, children, secret trysts, and the agonizing changes—both personal and political—that might mean they can be together, after all. But when life brings them within touching distance again, will they be brave enough to seize a future together?
Beautifully capturing young love and all its complexities, Almost Life is a story of longing for the paths not taken, and the almost lives we live.
Erica and Laure meet on the steps of the Sacré-Coeur in Paris, 1978. Erica is a student, relishing her first summer abroad before beginning university at home in England. Laure is studying for her PhD at the Sorbonne, drinking and smoking far too much, and sleeping with a married woman. The moment the two women meet, the spark is undeniable, but their encounter turns into far more than a summer of love. It is the beginning of a relationship that will define their lives and every decision they have yet to make…
Erica and Laure’s love story spans decades, marriage, children, secret trysts, and the agonizing changes—both personal and political—that might mean they can be together, after all. But when life brings them within touching distance again, will they be brave enough to seize a future together?
Beautifully capturing young love and all its complexities, Almost Life is a story of longing for the paths not taken, and the almost lives we live.
384 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication March 12, 2026
16 people are currently reading
3762 people want to read
About the author
Kiran Millwood Hargrave
35 books2,583 followersKiran Millwood Hargrave is an award-winning writer whose work has been translated into over 30 languages and optioned for stage and screen. Almost Life, her third novel for adults, will be published by Picador (UK) and Summit (US) in March 2026.
Her debut adult novel The Mercies debuted at number one of the The Times bestseller list, was a top-ten Sunday Times bestseller, and was selected for the BBC Radio 2 Book Club and the Richard and Judy Summer Reads. It was a finalist for the prestigious Prix Femina in France, won a Betty Trask Award, and was called 'unquestionably the book of the 2018 London Book Fair' by The Bookseller. The Dance Tree was shortlisted for the HWA Gold Crown Award and picked for the BBC Two Between Two Covers Book Club, as well as Florence + the Machine's Between Two Books Book Club.
Between them, her children's books have won numerous awards including the Wainwright Prize, Children's Book of the Year at the British Book Awards, the Waterstones Children's Book Prize, the Historical Association Young Quills Award, and the Blackwell's Children's Book of the Year. They have been shortlisted for the Kirkus Prize, the Barnes and Noble Award, Jhalak Prize, the Little Rebels Prize, the Branford Boase Award, the Blue Peter Best Story Award, Costa Children's Book Prize, Foyles' Children's Book of the Year, and thrice-longlisted for the Carnegie Award.
Kiran lives in Oxford with her husband, the artist Tom de Freston, their daughter, cats, and usually a litter of foster kittens.
Her debut adult novel The Mercies debuted at number one of the The Times bestseller list, was a top-ten Sunday Times bestseller, and was selected for the BBC Radio 2 Book Club and the Richard and Judy Summer Reads. It was a finalist for the prestigious Prix Femina in France, won a Betty Trask Award, and was called 'unquestionably the book of the 2018 London Book Fair' by The Bookseller. The Dance Tree was shortlisted for the HWA Gold Crown Award and picked for the BBC Two Between Two Covers Book Club, as well as Florence + the Machine's Between Two Books Book Club.
Between them, her children's books have won numerous awards including the Wainwright Prize, Children's Book of the Year at the British Book Awards, the Waterstones Children's Book Prize, the Historical Association Young Quills Award, and the Blackwell's Children's Book of the Year. They have been shortlisted for the Kirkus Prize, the Barnes and Noble Award, Jhalak Prize, the Little Rebels Prize, the Branford Boase Award, the Blue Peter Best Story Award, Costa Children's Book Prize, Foyles' Children's Book of the Year, and thrice-longlisted for the Carnegie Award.
Kiran lives in Oxford with her husband, the artist Tom de Freston, their daughter, cats, and usually a litter of foster kittens.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
August 19, 2025
Unbelievable. It's 2am and my face is wet with tears having been unable to put this down until I finished it. I think it's safe to say that this book really spoke to me.
For me, Almost Life was a perfect blend of A Little Life, One Day, Past Lives, Saltwater: aching, passionate, beautiful, crafted, it follows the interwoven lives of two women who meet on the steps of Sacré-Cœur in Summer 1978. What could be, what is, how long something can last, what makes something work - these are the central questions of Almost Life and captivated me wholly. Sapphic romance doesn't do this book justice: I found the depiction of Laure and Erica's connection through the years to be so beautiful and nuanced, so real, that on multiple occasions I reread whole sections so I could relive the scene and experience the emotions afresh. Alongside this, the story had dynamism and social commentary and humour and sex and depth and pace and I just never wanted it to end but couldn't rest until it did (which, on reflection, sort of parallels the plot).
big, big yes for me.
For me, Almost Life was a perfect blend of A Little Life, One Day, Past Lives, Saltwater: aching, passionate, beautiful, crafted, it follows the interwoven lives of two women who meet on the steps of Sacré-Cœur in Summer 1978. What could be, what is, how long something can last, what makes something work - these are the central questions of Almost Life and captivated me wholly. Sapphic romance doesn't do this book justice: I found the depiction of Laure and Erica's connection through the years to be so beautiful and nuanced, so real, that on multiple occasions I reread whole sections so I could relive the scene and experience the emotions afresh. Alongside this, the story had dynamism and social commentary and humour and sex and depth and pace and I just never wanted it to end but couldn't rest until it did (which, on reflection, sort of parallels the plot).
big, big yes for me.
September 16, 2025
A powerful, stunning read about love that continues to bloom over the decades even as two people go their own separate ways. We see how they both try to move on and start their own separate lives and how they keep intersecting again every now and then. I loved both Erica and Lauren’s personalities so much in this book. The emotions were so palpable I felt them myself. I was constantly wondering where the next few years would take them, and if my guesses would be right. This is a beautifully written complex and relatable love story and I will certainly read it again and again.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 1, 2025
Adored this. A heartfelt story set in the 70s up until present day about two women, Erica and Laure, and the paths they could’ve chosen. The writing was immaculate and the characters felt so human - I loved them both in different ways.
Full of longing and heartache, I highly recommend ❤️🩹
Full of longing and heartache, I highly recommend ❤️🩹
October 22, 2025
What happens when the perfect summer romance turns into something richer and stranger and far more complicated? Erica is spending the summer in Paris before going to UEA to study for her degree. Laure is doing a PhD at the Sorbonne. One accidental meeting turns into a summer that changes both women in ways neither could predict. In the years that follow they deal or fail to deal with the fallout of that epic summer, occasionally meeting but always connected. Their futures are shaped by that first, heady love and we watch them both together and apart as they try to come to terms with what they mean to each other. I love a novel that spans lives and this does that excellently well. The peripheral characters are also drawn well and have meat on their bones which gives the whole book a sense of reality and lived history. I loved it.
November 20, 2025
2,5 stars tbh. I have so many notes. The whole book was giving the author studied abroad in Paris and needed the world to know.
Firstly, Laure fell into such french caricatures at first and then finally had character growth. Erica on the other hand was the opposite! She fell into the typical woman who loses herself in marriage and motherhood trope but not in a well done way. Secondly, the dialogue was infuriating! Poorly done. Why was it mainly in french at first and then, until the end, all in english? Also if you're going to write in french have the decency to check if it's correct... because it wasn't...
This read like a wattpad book especially in certain descriptions. I do enjoy reading a bad book once in a while though! Reminds me how good books are good!
Firstly, Laure fell into such french caricatures at first and then finally had character growth. Erica on the other hand was the opposite! She fell into the typical woman who loses herself in marriage and motherhood trope but not in a well done way. Secondly, the dialogue was infuriating! Poorly done. Why was it mainly in french at first and then, until the end, all in english? Also if you're going to write in french have the decency to check if it's correct... because it wasn't...
This read like a wattpad book especially in certain descriptions. I do enjoy reading a bad book once in a while though! Reminds me how good books are good!
November 19, 2025
Never in my life have I cried this much at a piece of media or writing or music than I did the last hour reading this book.
I know I feel things deeply but damn, like having to stop reading because I couldn’t breathe type of crying. Maybe it won’t hit with everyone, in fact, I think it definitely won’t - some people will find these main characters so unlikeable and their lives frustrating and pretentious and they won’t connect at all - but half of the moments in this book hit so close to home, both in an emotional way and actually physically close to homes I’ve lived in, in places I’ve known and loved and hated and grown in, and half of it touched on a history I feel so desperately devastated by that I can barely handle thinking about it. I’d like to write more of a proper review but I don’t know if I have the words (that’s a lie I just, unsurprisingly, probably have too many).
Kiran Millwood Hargrave you never cease to amaze me and make me feel like I’m drowning at the same time.
A wary thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.
I know I feel things deeply but damn, like having to stop reading because I couldn’t breathe type of crying. Maybe it won’t hit with everyone, in fact, I think it definitely won’t - some people will find these main characters so unlikeable and their lives frustrating and pretentious and they won’t connect at all - but half of the moments in this book hit so close to home, both in an emotional way and actually physically close to homes I’ve lived in, in places I’ve known and loved and hated and grown in, and half of it touched on a history I feel so desperately devastated by that I can barely handle thinking about it. I’d like to write more of a proper review but I don’t know if I have the words (that’s a lie I just, unsurprisingly, probably have too many).
Kiran Millwood Hargrave you never cease to amaze me and make me feel like I’m drowning at the same time.
A wary thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.
September 18, 2025
What a love, and what lifetimes! I didn’t cry when I finished this book, but I came close. In the day and change it took to read this, I felt like I had come to know Laure and Erica (and all of their friends and loved ones) like I know the people in my life.
Almost Life is exactly what it says on the tin. Laure, a French reprobate, and Erica, a British student on holiday, meet on the steps of the Sacre Coeur and spend the rest of their lives entwined, in love and friendship and loss. This isn’t a novel about a summer romance so much as it’s one about the lives you almost live, come close to, and then run from. Sometimes out of fear, justified or not, and sometimes because your loves can pull you in many different directions.
Sometimes I think that calling novels “tender” is getting a little too in vogue, but this one deserves it. The nuances and desires of these characters drive them, and they feel real. They remind me of people I know. Their hurt feels like mine, and so does their love. Kiran Millwood Hargrave fills the world of this book with incredible light. The prose is tight. The pacing is wonderful—even through time skips, necessary for the decades this book covers, I never got lost or wondered what happened.
This was the perfect thing to cap off my summer reading. As I read through the seasons of their lives, I felt an incredible longing to be with my friends and loved ones. And what better endorsement for a book than that?
Recommended for: bisexuals, anyone who remembers their first love, people who want to read a version of A Little Life that isn’t torture porn.
Thanks to S&S/Summit Books for this ARC!
Almost Life is exactly what it says on the tin. Laure, a French reprobate, and Erica, a British student on holiday, meet on the steps of the Sacre Coeur and spend the rest of their lives entwined, in love and friendship and loss. This isn’t a novel about a summer romance so much as it’s one about the lives you almost live, come close to, and then run from. Sometimes out of fear, justified or not, and sometimes because your loves can pull you in many different directions.
Sometimes I think that calling novels “tender” is getting a little too in vogue, but this one deserves it. The nuances and desires of these characters drive them, and they feel real. They remind me of people I know. Their hurt feels like mine, and so does their love. Kiran Millwood Hargrave fills the world of this book with incredible light. The prose is tight. The pacing is wonderful—even through time skips, necessary for the decades this book covers, I never got lost or wondered what happened.
This was the perfect thing to cap off my summer reading. As I read through the seasons of their lives, I felt an incredible longing to be with my friends and loved ones. And what better endorsement for a book than that?
Recommended for: bisexuals, anyone who remembers their first love, people who want to read a version of A Little Life that isn’t torture porn.
Thanks to S&S/Summit Books for this ARC!
November 23, 2025
4.5* (Proof copy)
This was incredible! Reminded me of all the other bittersweet soul connection love stories in media that I so dearly love (Normal People, One Day, Past Lives, La La Land, etc.), which is one of my favourite story types overall. The writing style completely absorbed me and I had no idea what page I was on for the majority of the reading process. It was gorgeous!! The only thing I disliked was the very end, I think there were other options for that, but okay. Overall definitely one of the favs of the year!
This was incredible! Reminded me of all the other bittersweet soul connection love stories in media that I so dearly love (Normal People, One Day, Past Lives, La La Land, etc.), which is one of my favourite story types overall. The writing style completely absorbed me and I had no idea what page I was on for the majority of the reading process. It was gorgeous!! The only thing I disliked was the very end, I think there were other options for that, but okay. Overall definitely one of the favs of the year!
October 15, 2025
What a treat to read this before it’s out! It took me a while to get into and I really disliked Laure in the beginning but that’s the gift of longer books - it allows you to grow with the characters. By the end I shed a little tear - a beautiful queer tale
October 9, 2025
Ok this one fucked me up. I felt both Laure and Erica’s characters viscerally. This story spans 30 years and is both happy and sad; beautiful and messy. Some bits were a little too close to home for me. This is the kind of book that I will continue to think about daily.
Although I received an ARC from NetGalley, I loved it so much I will be purchasing this when it is released.
Although I received an ARC from NetGalley, I loved it so much I will be purchasing this when it is released.
October 24, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of this novel!
Oh my god, I genuinely could not put this book down. It really feels like you're experiencing life through the character's eyes and it all felt so vivid that I just HAD to know what happened next. Sad, wistful sapphic pining with plenty of angst. I mean how much more could you want from a book? Can't recommend enough!
Oh my god, I genuinely could not put this book down. It really feels like you're experiencing life through the character's eyes and it all felt so vivid that I just HAD to know what happened next. Sad, wistful sapphic pining with plenty of angst. I mean how much more could you want from a book? Can't recommend enough!
October 5, 2025
'Almost Life' filled my heart to overflowing - all four ventricles bursting with love, loss, hope, longing - all of the emotions. The story of Laure and Erica filled my heart completely, a story of love like no other love story I've read before.
'Almost Life' could win, should win, must win every accolade, indeed every literary prize going. Superb.
'Almost Life' could win, should win, must win every accolade, indeed every literary prize going. Superb.
September 24, 2025
This was a deeply poignant and intimate exploration of how love can take root so profoundly that even a fleeting encounter can blossom into a lifetime of desire, longing, and missed opportunities. Laure and Erica’s relationship is rendered with such aching beauty and precision that it almost feels intrusive to witness. As a reader, you’re granted the privilege of observing their love unfold, with all its raw, messy, and tender moments, yet you're powerless to steer them toward each other. You're left watching as time and societal expectations pull them apart, only to draw them together again and again. A powerful take on queerness, society, and the passage of time, this will be a book that stays with me for a long time.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!
November 26, 2025
First off, I’d like to express my gratitude to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book ahead of its publication. It is no overstatement to say that Kiran Millwood Hargrave is one of my most cherished authors and an endless inspiration. Before I was even granted the special opportunity to review this book, I had already pre-ordered “Almost Life (Signed & Dedicated Indie Exclusive Edition).” If you would like one too, you should check out Millwood’s Instagram account. She has a link to it in her bio. Pre-orders for this limited edition are open for a few months, closing on March 12th, 2026.
Now, let’s turn our attention to “Almost Life.” I had to let this book burrow and simmer in my soul for two weeks before putting words down and pouring my opinion into the world, so that I wouldn’t have to accept that it was over. Alas now, almost two weeks later, I must let it out and share my thoughts so that this sensational author can receive all the praise she deserves. I need you all to understand that the story’s profound complexity is impossible to capture in a summary, and my review will still not fully do it justice, but I will try my very best.
Blurb: Paris, late 70s a chance encounter brings two women together. One a tourist traveling alone abroad for the first time, and the other a French-born citizen. Passion, art, and heartbreak will define a love story set in one of the world’s most romantic cities. These elements will follow these star-crossed lovers throughout their entire lives, pulling and pushing them, and placing them both in front of many difficult choices.
So where to start? I shall start with the emotional impact. This book was one of those books I both powered through and stalled on. Now don’t read this the wrong way. I did not struggle to get through the book, not at all! Quite the opposite! I was walking around my home with my phone in hand, reading and “trying” to complete daily tasks because I physically could not put it down. Yet, at times, I had to pace myself a little, because the emotional impact of the story felt so consuming I could burn, but also, I really (reallyyyyyyyy) did not want it to. But what was so consuming about this novel? Everything. Hargrave made this love story so real I could brush it with my fingers, I could smell it, taste it, I could hold it in my heart. The characters, all of them (even the minor ones), were incredibly real in my mind, and four days after finishing this book they still are. I can’t express just how emotionally drained I am from missing them. I smiled, raged, and cried real tears, all throughout the narrative, and I would choose to experience it all again. I think “Almost Life” is the kind of book that has the power to make anyone cry, regardless, but if you are reading it from a place that resonates with you in more than one way, then this narrative may become even more excruciating and gorgeous. In any case, you just won’t be able to stop the big ugly tears from coming, so be prepared! Hargrave takes the themes of queerness, and especially of bisexuality, and coats them in art, literature, beauty, history, and a heart-wrenching love story that absorbs and renders the reader unable to pull away, silencing the outside world. The characters are exceptionally well-developed, and if you’re familiar with this author, you’ll recognize her skill in crafting complex characters. As I mentioned above, she does a wonderful job of bringing every character in the story to life in a way that truly matters to the reader. And about characters! Let us discuss the two main characters, Laure Boutin and Erica Parker. Laure and Erica are a perfect storm, both so different and yet so connected. Laure is a 24-year-old French socialist and proud lesbian studying Art Theory at Sorbonne University in Paris. She is self-assured, deeply smart, sarcastic and unapologetic, with a hard past that she keeps at bay. Erica is an 18-year-old from England embarking on her first solo summer trip overseas before attending EUA, where she plans to pursue a master’s degree in creative writing. Insecure, passionate, clumsy, and naïve, Erica is coming to terms with her bisexuality, which is still a relatively uncommon subject in the 70s. “Almost Life” explores the lives of these two women who encounter each other in Paris during the late 70s, a time of significant change in a city that was brimming with freedom yet still evolving. We delve into their young love, their identities, as well as the background stories of some of the incredible supporting characters that surround them. We will watch them all grow together, changing, making hard choices, making wrong choices (choices that at times we will disagree with, yet choices that make this story the more compelling). I was completely invested in Laure and Erica’s struggles, feeling their desires and suffering, and there were many moments I wanted to give them both a good shake (particularly Erica, although I felt that way more about Laure as things progressed!). Erica was often at times a difficult character to come to grips with for many reasons, partially because she could be unpredictable sometimes, and partially because there were pieces of her, I recognized in myself and I just wanted her to take specific turns; instead, she kept taking different ones. But is this not what this narrative sets out to be? A what if…and an “Almost Life”? As always, Kiran Hargrave Millwood did not disappoint me. Yet another beautifully poignant narrative that I was fortunate to read ahead of its release. I can’t wait to receive my special physical copy!
Now, let’s turn our attention to “Almost Life.” I had to let this book burrow and simmer in my soul for two weeks before putting words down and pouring my opinion into the world, so that I wouldn’t have to accept that it was over. Alas now, almost two weeks later, I must let it out and share my thoughts so that this sensational author can receive all the praise she deserves. I need you all to understand that the story’s profound complexity is impossible to capture in a summary, and my review will still not fully do it justice, but I will try my very best.
Blurb: Paris, late 70s a chance encounter brings two women together. One a tourist traveling alone abroad for the first time, and the other a French-born citizen. Passion, art, and heartbreak will define a love story set in one of the world’s most romantic cities. These elements will follow these star-crossed lovers throughout their entire lives, pulling and pushing them, and placing them both in front of many difficult choices.
So where to start? I shall start with the emotional impact. This book was one of those books I both powered through and stalled on. Now don’t read this the wrong way. I did not struggle to get through the book, not at all! Quite the opposite! I was walking around my home with my phone in hand, reading and “trying” to complete daily tasks because I physically could not put it down. Yet, at times, I had to pace myself a little, because the emotional impact of the story felt so consuming I could burn, but also, I really (reallyyyyyyyy) did not want it to. But what was so consuming about this novel? Everything. Hargrave made this love story so real I could brush it with my fingers, I could smell it, taste it, I could hold it in my heart. The characters, all of them (even the minor ones), were incredibly real in my mind, and four days after finishing this book they still are. I can’t express just how emotionally drained I am from missing them. I smiled, raged, and cried real tears, all throughout the narrative, and I would choose to experience it all again. I think “Almost Life” is the kind of book that has the power to make anyone cry, regardless, but if you are reading it from a place that resonates with you in more than one way, then this narrative may become even more excruciating and gorgeous. In any case, you just won’t be able to stop the big ugly tears from coming, so be prepared! Hargrave takes the themes of queerness, and especially of bisexuality, and coats them in art, literature, beauty, history, and a heart-wrenching love story that absorbs and renders the reader unable to pull away, silencing the outside world. The characters are exceptionally well-developed, and if you’re familiar with this author, you’ll recognize her skill in crafting complex characters. As I mentioned above, she does a wonderful job of bringing every character in the story to life in a way that truly matters to the reader. And about characters! Let us discuss the two main characters, Laure Boutin and Erica Parker. Laure and Erica are a perfect storm, both so different and yet so connected. Laure is a 24-year-old French socialist and proud lesbian studying Art Theory at Sorbonne University in Paris. She is self-assured, deeply smart, sarcastic and unapologetic, with a hard past that she keeps at bay. Erica is an 18-year-old from England embarking on her first solo summer trip overseas before attending EUA, where she plans to pursue a master’s degree in creative writing. Insecure, passionate, clumsy, and naïve, Erica is coming to terms with her bisexuality, which is still a relatively uncommon subject in the 70s. “Almost Life” explores the lives of these two women who encounter each other in Paris during the late 70s, a time of significant change in a city that was brimming with freedom yet still evolving. We delve into their young love, their identities, as well as the background stories of some of the incredible supporting characters that surround them. We will watch them all grow together, changing, making hard choices, making wrong choices (choices that at times we will disagree with, yet choices that make this story the more compelling). I was completely invested in Laure and Erica’s struggles, feeling their desires and suffering, and there were many moments I wanted to give them both a good shake (particularly Erica, although I felt that way more about Laure as things progressed!). Erica was often at times a difficult character to come to grips with for many reasons, partially because she could be unpredictable sometimes, and partially because there were pieces of her, I recognized in myself and I just wanted her to take specific turns; instead, she kept taking different ones. But is this not what this narrative sets out to be? A what if…and an “Almost Life”? As always, Kiran Hargrave Millwood did not disappoint me. Yet another beautifully poignant narrative that I was fortunate to read ahead of its release. I can’t wait to receive my special physical copy!
June 18, 2025
Loved, read this queer one day in a day! Not many books out there that depict a nuanced portrait of bisexuality too but this does it beautifully.
November 12, 2025
Almost Life follows Laure and Erica from their first meeting in Paris up through the final years of their relationship.
Their relationship, in romantic terms at least, seems to be a strong case of “can’t live with them, can’t live without them”. I really struggled with the first part of the book, when Erica is visiting Paris before starting university, and Laure is an art student in Paris.
After surviving that part of the book, I’m convinced I didn’t like it because Hargrave is probably a good writer. Both young women are oblivious and self-centered, and Laure in particular came across as a snob.
She was actually the character I ended up liking better throughout the rest of the story, taking the breakup with Erica at the end of the summer badly and ending up in a controlling and toxic relationship. Despite her inability to ever truly get over Erica, it forces Laure to reevaluate her relationship with alcohol and her father, and allows her to view her friends with a unique clear sightedness.
Erica meanwhile, goes to university and then on to her MFA for creative writing, where she meets and ends up marrying Ant, a wealthy man who is never used to things not going his way. Struggling with his success and a lack of her own, Erica ends up back in Paris, reconnecting with a more grounded Laure than she knew before.
Naturally this isn’t the last time they meet, the book revolving around the intersections of their lives. The characters gain depth as they age, even if they struggle to move on from their first feelings of true love. One thing that stood out to me was observing Ant from Laure’s perspective. She can see the struggles that Erica is battling with, but she also sees how even though Ant loves Erica, he forces her into a box where her life revolves around his wants, leaving her constantly feeling less than herself.
This book won’t be for everyone. And while a queer relationship is at the heart of the story, the evolution of those two women over time is the meat of the book, and the best takeaway from it.
A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Their relationship, in romantic terms at least, seems to be a strong case of “can’t live with them, can’t live without them”. I really struggled with the first part of the book, when Erica is visiting Paris before starting university, and Laure is an art student in Paris.
After surviving that part of the book, I’m convinced I didn’t like it because Hargrave is probably a good writer. Both young women are oblivious and self-centered, and Laure in particular came across as a snob.
She was actually the character I ended up liking better throughout the rest of the story, taking the breakup with Erica at the end of the summer badly and ending up in a controlling and toxic relationship. Despite her inability to ever truly get over Erica, it forces Laure to reevaluate her relationship with alcohol and her father, and allows her to view her friends with a unique clear sightedness.
Erica meanwhile, goes to university and then on to her MFA for creative writing, where she meets and ends up marrying Ant, a wealthy man who is never used to things not going his way. Struggling with his success and a lack of her own, Erica ends up back in Paris, reconnecting with a more grounded Laure than she knew before.
Naturally this isn’t the last time they meet, the book revolving around the intersections of their lives. The characters gain depth as they age, even if they struggle to move on from their first feelings of true love. One thing that stood out to me was observing Ant from Laure’s perspective. She can see the struggles that Erica is battling with, but she also sees how even though Ant loves Erica, he forces her into a box where her life revolves around his wants, leaving her constantly feeling less than herself.
This book won’t be for everyone. And while a queer relationship is at the heart of the story, the evolution of those two women over time is the meat of the book, and the best takeaway from it.
A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
December 4, 2025
I will read anything by Kiran MH so was delighted to have been approved for an advanced copy of her latest novel for adults.
Almost Life has been billed as a sapphic One Day, where a chance encounter on the steps of the Sacre Coeur sparks a passionate summer romance, leading to an almost-but-not-quite relationship which spans decades.
You may or may not be pleased to hear that this is not One Day. The story is grittier, messier, and the characters are far more deeply flawed. Laure is aloof, edgy, knowledgeable and passionate. Had I been twenty years younger, I probably would have fallen for her too. However, with age comes wisdom and a heck of a lot of experience, and the cracks in Laure reveal a vulnerable and disordered individual. Laure’s lover, Erica, is younger, innocent, and full of the teenage curiosity and entitlement born of middle-class privilege.
The novel relays the choices made by both women and demonstrates the impact they have, not just on each other, but their wider circle of friends. Letters written in the heat of the moment wound, and those which have taken longer to write cut even more deeply. We are carried along in a whirlwind of emotion with little room to breathe, and the likeable cast of supporting characters add to the frenzy.
I finished the novel some time ago but have found it very hard to review. In some ways, Almost Life is an easy read, yet having worked in the field of addiction I recognise only too well the chaos and squalor that comes with an addict, as well as the vulnerability. Seeing one character attempt to move on, grow and mature, whilst the other blindly and selfishly takes advantage of them is unsettling and infuriating. It may be an accurate reflection of life, I suppose, where people are ruled by their hearts and ignore the consequences of their wants and desires, but seeing the impact on other people can make for hard reading.
I found the novel left me feeling rather cold and empty, although it has stayed in my mind for some time. I know that, already, many people utterly adore this novel and have fallen in love with the characters, but alas it didn’t have such an effect on me.
Almost Life has been billed as a sapphic One Day, where a chance encounter on the steps of the Sacre Coeur sparks a passionate summer romance, leading to an almost-but-not-quite relationship which spans decades.
You may or may not be pleased to hear that this is not One Day. The story is grittier, messier, and the characters are far more deeply flawed. Laure is aloof, edgy, knowledgeable and passionate. Had I been twenty years younger, I probably would have fallen for her too. However, with age comes wisdom and a heck of a lot of experience, and the cracks in Laure reveal a vulnerable and disordered individual. Laure’s lover, Erica, is younger, innocent, and full of the teenage curiosity and entitlement born of middle-class privilege.
The novel relays the choices made by both women and demonstrates the impact they have, not just on each other, but their wider circle of friends. Letters written in the heat of the moment wound, and those which have taken longer to write cut even more deeply. We are carried along in a whirlwind of emotion with little room to breathe, and the likeable cast of supporting characters add to the frenzy.
I finished the novel some time ago but have found it very hard to review. In some ways, Almost Life is an easy read, yet having worked in the field of addiction I recognise only too well the chaos and squalor that comes with an addict, as well as the vulnerability. Seeing one character attempt to move on, grow and mature, whilst the other blindly and selfishly takes advantage of them is unsettling and infuriating. It may be an accurate reflection of life, I suppose, where people are ruled by their hearts and ignore the consequences of their wants and desires, but seeing the impact on other people can make for hard reading.
I found the novel left me feeling rather cold and empty, although it has stayed in my mind for some time. I know that, already, many people utterly adore this novel and have fallen in love with the characters, but alas it didn’t have such an effect on me.
November 9, 2025
Almost Life is a novel about the lives two women did and could've led, as their love story never quite goes the right way. Erica is eighteen and in Paris for the summer before starting university, where she meets Laure by the Sacré-Cœur, a doctoral student at the Sorbonne. They are drawn to one another and fall in love, but the summer cannot last forever, and each choice they make changes their lives in different ways.
Told both from Erica and Laure's perspectives, this novel spans through their lives, using time jumps to show the impact of what happens in each section. Some moments were particularly powerful, like the depiction of a character with AIDS and his friends' support, and Laure's reflections on not having children, and the book delves deep into the idea of lives not lived, though at times this imagining feels a bit overdone, wallowing in miscommunications. I really liked some of the characterisation, for example Laure and Michel's friendship, and how the book explores the messiness of human connection. However, it did feel like any love that Erica or Laure felt other than for each other was stated by them a lot, but not really shown in any depth, even though these relationships were meant to be very important to the plot and their own relationship with each other.
This is a sad, queer 'what if?' type novel that hinges a lot around miscommunications and missed chances, exploring how sometimes romantic relationships never seem to get the right opportunity. Occasionally the conceit of everything being 'almost' was a bit wearing for me, but generally it is an emotional novel that feels like a successor to the gay novels mentioned in the book itself.
Told both from Erica and Laure's perspectives, this novel spans through their lives, using time jumps to show the impact of what happens in each section. Some moments were particularly powerful, like the depiction of a character with AIDS and his friends' support, and Laure's reflections on not having children, and the book delves deep into the idea of lives not lived, though at times this imagining feels a bit overdone, wallowing in miscommunications. I really liked some of the characterisation, for example Laure and Michel's friendship, and how the book explores the messiness of human connection. However, it did feel like any love that Erica or Laure felt other than for each other was stated by them a lot, but not really shown in any depth, even though these relationships were meant to be very important to the plot and their own relationship with each other.
This is a sad, queer 'what if?' type novel that hinges a lot around miscommunications and missed chances, exploring how sometimes romantic relationships never seem to get the right opportunity. Occasionally the conceit of everything being 'almost' was a bit wearing for me, but generally it is an emotional novel that feels like a successor to the gay novels mentioned in the book itself.
October 16, 2025
*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance reader copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.*
Almost life follows Erica and Laure as they meet on the steps of the Sacré-Cœur in 1978. Laure is a French woman who is studying for her doctorate and she is a lesbian who is sleeping with a married woman. Erica is eighteen and waiting to start university in England so she goes on a trip to Paris. There is an instant connection when Erica and Laure meet and they have a summer fling. Their story is far from simple though and their love story is far from a linear path.
This book was a very random pick for me and I’m so glad I took a chance on this. I think this might be one of my favourite books of the year and possibly of all time. It’s filled with sapphic longing and the love story does not have an easy path. It’s a complex story and as a reader you’re not sure who to root for. The writing is brilliant and the story is just so beautiful. I loved this so much and got emotional several times whilst reading this. I will be recommending this and I think this needs to be on everyone’s lists for 2026. I just love this book so much and this story and these characters will stay with me for a long time.
Favourite quote (subject to change upon publication) - “In her mind, she walked towards Laure on the right-hand steps of the Sacré-Cœur, exactly as she had. She smiled into the face of a person she would come to love. She opened her mouth, and in her best bad French said, Bonjour.”
Almost life follows Erica and Laure as they meet on the steps of the Sacré-Cœur in 1978. Laure is a French woman who is studying for her doctorate and she is a lesbian who is sleeping with a married woman. Erica is eighteen and waiting to start university in England so she goes on a trip to Paris. There is an instant connection when Erica and Laure meet and they have a summer fling. Their story is far from simple though and their love story is far from a linear path.
This book was a very random pick for me and I’m so glad I took a chance on this. I think this might be one of my favourite books of the year and possibly of all time. It’s filled with sapphic longing and the love story does not have an easy path. It’s a complex story and as a reader you’re not sure who to root for. The writing is brilliant and the story is just so beautiful. I loved this so much and got emotional several times whilst reading this. I will be recommending this and I think this needs to be on everyone’s lists for 2026. I just love this book so much and this story and these characters will stay with me for a long time.
Favourite quote (subject to change upon publication) - “In her mind, she walked towards Laure on the right-hand steps of the Sacré-Cœur, exactly as she had. She smiled into the face of a person she would come to love. She opened her mouth, and in her best bad French said, Bonjour.”
October 17, 2025
This book was brilliant and I felt rather devastated by the end. In the first chapter, I felt a little unsure as to whether I would enjoy following Erica and Laure but by the end of chapter 2, I was fully in love with both of them. All of the side characters were equally engaging and I feel like I could have read a whole book from many of them from their perspective about their life with Erica and Laure featuring on the side. Hargrave really nailed character work in this book as everyone felt realistically flawed, yet intriguing and often lovable.
The comparison made in this book’s publishing to ‘One Day’ by David Nicholls is apt in that you follow Erica and Laure from their first meeting over many years as they slip in and out of one another’s lives, and I loved seeing how the characters evolved over this long period of time. I also love to read books were the characters don’t necessarily achieve everything they once hoped for when they were younger, and how they cope with that inevitability.
The atmosphere evoked in the locations in this book was also great, particularly all the places in Paris, however briefly they were visited (and (very slight spoilers) ).
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC!
The comparison made in this book’s publishing to ‘One Day’ by David Nicholls is apt in that you follow Erica and Laure from their first meeting over many years as they slip in and out of one another’s lives, and I loved seeing how the characters evolved over this long period of time. I also love to read books were the characters don’t necessarily achieve everything they once hoped for when they were younger, and how they cope with that inevitability.
The atmosphere evoked in the locations in this book was also great, particularly all the places in Paris, however briefly they were visited (and (very slight spoilers) ).
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC!
November 1, 2025
Almost Life is a story about how life diverges and clinging to the idea of this different life you could have. The two leads have a romantic entanglement that endures through the years and through partners. They're left to wonder what could it have been like? What life could we have had?
The characters in this novel were very well-developed. They felt real and personable. Both of the main characters were brilliant and I enjoyed reading about their connection and how it developed. Some of the supporting cast members shine as well. At first, the novel felt a little difficult to sink into: many references to Paris that mean little to me. But once I got invested, I was hooked. The story was emotional and definitely philiosophical. I'm also at a stage in my life where I have to think about finally making big choices and soon, I too may wonder what my other life could have looked like. The themes were deep and I enjoyed reading about how the characters handled it and the other problems in their lives. Serious topics were also depicted well in the novel as well, such as alcoholism, abuse, and more. A truly amazing read.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The characters in this novel were very well-developed. They felt real and personable. Both of the main characters were brilliant and I enjoyed reading about their connection and how it developed. Some of the supporting cast members shine as well. At first, the novel felt a little difficult to sink into: many references to Paris that mean little to me. But once I got invested, I was hooked. The story was emotional and definitely philiosophical. I'm also at a stage in my life where I have to think about finally making big choices and soon, I too may wonder what my other life could have looked like. The themes were deep and I enjoyed reading about how the characters handled it and the other problems in their lives. Serious topics were also depicted well in the novel as well, such as alcoholism, abuse, and more. A truly amazing read.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 28, 2025
This was a wonderful read and I sped through it in a couple of days. The French characters of Laure and Michel, in particular, were well-drawn and deeply affecting. I wasn’t so convinced by Erica and Ant, maybe because they had less of a back story (we find out very little about Erica’s family or early life before the book starts, whereas we meet Laure’s father).
I liked the depiction of the 1977-onwards (I was born in the 70’s and remember much of the periods described) and the descriptions of Paris, Rouen and Norfolk were beautiful. The plot was well timed and we didn’t really know whether or not the women would get their timing right up until the end. I think the author’s choice of ending worked well and enjoyed the slight sliding doors moment near the end as well.
I think this was as good as the Mercies and the best from Kiran Millwood Hargrave since that book (or maybe just more my kind of read). I am sorry I’ve read it now already and don’t have it to look forward to, but will definitely re-read it when it comes out. I was gifted early access via Netgalley, for which I’m grateful.
I liked the depiction of the 1977-onwards (I was born in the 70’s and remember much of the periods described) and the descriptions of Paris, Rouen and Norfolk were beautiful. The plot was well timed and we didn’t really know whether or not the women would get their timing right up until the end. I think the author’s choice of ending worked well and enjoyed the slight sliding doors moment near the end as well.
I think this was as good as the Mercies and the best from Kiran Millwood Hargrave since that book (or maybe just more my kind of read). I am sorry I’ve read it now already and don’t have it to look forward to, but will definitely re-read it when it comes out. I was gifted early access via Netgalley, for which I’m grateful.
October 8, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.
The story starts in 1978 where Erica and Laure meet in Paris and fall in love. This story then spans across decades, and we experience their love, heartache and lives across this time.
This synopsis feels very bare to what this story actually is. I think I feel choked up right now. I don’t entirely know what to write. The ending pulled at my heart strings and there are tears in my eyes. A lot of this book didn’t sit comfortably, with the characters making chaotic and passionate decisions. The characters of Erica and Laure are very fleshed out, with them being so multi-faceted. There are so many layers, and elements of the characters I liked and strongly disliked. There are also the surrounding characters like Ant, Michel (who has my heart), Barbara and others and we really see glimpses into their worlds too. Hargrave knows how to write people. She knows how to write imperfect people and how to tug at your heart.
I think I need to sit for a bit and fully digest this book. It will definitely remain in my heart for a while.
The story starts in 1978 where Erica and Laure meet in Paris and fall in love. This story then spans across decades, and we experience their love, heartache and lives across this time.
This synopsis feels very bare to what this story actually is. I think I feel choked up right now. I don’t entirely know what to write. The ending pulled at my heart strings and there are tears in my eyes. A lot of this book didn’t sit comfortably, with the characters making chaotic and passionate decisions. The characters of Erica and Laure are very fleshed out, with them being so multi-faceted. There are so many layers, and elements of the characters I liked and strongly disliked. There are also the surrounding characters like Ant, Michel (who has my heart), Barbara and others and we really see glimpses into their worlds too. Hargrave knows how to write people. She knows how to write imperfect people and how to tug at your heart.
I think I need to sit for a bit and fully digest this book. It will definitely remain in my heart for a while.
October 25, 2025
Actual rating: 4.5/5⭐
Almost Life is a deeply moving story about the relationship between two women throughout time, and what it entails for a woman to love another woman, not only in society but for the self. Hargrave’s prose is beautiful, reminiscent of the classics, and allows you to fully immerse yourself into the lives of Laure and Erica as they grow up separately and together. I had to take my time reading this novel. At times it felt so heavy I had to go outside and walk until my head would clear. Perhaps it is because of how strongly I resonated with it, but I sometimes found it hard to distinguish between reality and fiction. I hated the characters as much as I loved them, Erica in particular, but that's what made the novel feel so much more raw and intimate. This wasn’t like the idealized romance we read in today’s time. This was a real relationship between two real human beings, it was life itself. Almost Life has left a lasting impression on me, and I look forward to purchasing the official release once it’s out.
Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the arc in exchange of an honest review!
Almost Life is a deeply moving story about the relationship between two women throughout time, and what it entails for a woman to love another woman, not only in society but for the self. Hargrave’s prose is beautiful, reminiscent of the classics, and allows you to fully immerse yourself into the lives of Laure and Erica as they grow up separately and together. I had to take my time reading this novel. At times it felt so heavy I had to go outside and walk until my head would clear. Perhaps it is because of how strongly I resonated with it, but I sometimes found it hard to distinguish between reality and fiction. I hated the characters as much as I loved them, Erica in particular, but that's what made the novel feel so much more raw and intimate. This wasn’t like the idealized romance we read in today’s time. This was a real relationship between two real human beings, it was life itself. Almost Life has left a lasting impression on me, and I look forward to purchasing the official release once it’s out.
Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the arc in exchange of an honest review!
November 18, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the eARC.
Almost Life begins with Erica and Laure’s brief but intense summer in Paris and follows the way their bond shifts, fractures, and resurfaces over the years. This is one of those books where the character work does all the heavy lifting—and it’s incredible. I’m the kind of reader who usually picks a character to “side with” early on and stays loyal to them, but Hargrave didn’t let me do that here. I kept switching between Erica and Laure, depending on whose fears, flaws, and choices hit closer to home in that moment. It’s rare for a book to make me genuinely rethink my allegiance, and this one pulled it off over and over.
What really landed for me is how honestly the novel handles the long, messy process of figuring yourself out. Hargrave shows how desire, pressure, regret, and hope can all exist at the same time, and how easy it is to make choices that don’t line up with the life you actually want. It’s a nuanced portrait of two people trying—and often failing—to grow into themselves.
A sharp, intimate look at selfhood and the relationships and choices that shape it. I was hooked the entire time. A standout read for me.
Almost Life begins with Erica and Laure’s brief but intense summer in Paris and follows the way their bond shifts, fractures, and resurfaces over the years. This is one of those books where the character work does all the heavy lifting—and it’s incredible. I’m the kind of reader who usually picks a character to “side with” early on and stays loyal to them, but Hargrave didn’t let me do that here. I kept switching between Erica and Laure, depending on whose fears, flaws, and choices hit closer to home in that moment. It’s rare for a book to make me genuinely rethink my allegiance, and this one pulled it off over and over.
What really landed for me is how honestly the novel handles the long, messy process of figuring yourself out. Hargrave shows how desire, pressure, regret, and hope can all exist at the same time, and how easy it is to make choices that don’t line up with the life you actually want. It’s a nuanced portrait of two people trying—and often failing—to grow into themselves.
A sharp, intimate look at selfhood and the relationships and choices that shape it. I was hooked the entire time. A standout read for me.
September 26, 2025
Kiran Millwood Hargrave has cornered the market on tragic lesbians. Almost Life is an almost love story, following two women over the course of their lives as they come together and fall apart over and over and over again.
As always, Kiran's characters are complex and fully realized — Erica and Laure are not easily digested. Erica was a character I struggled with immensely. She is selfish and cowardly, for reasons I sometimes understood and sometimes couldn't tolerate. The portrayal of her bisexuality is nuanced, and not always flattering, but felt true to the way that many women think.
I am glad to have read this, as Millwood Hargrave's writing is always a treat, but I don't believe it can be compared to either The Mercies or The Dance Tree -- both of which I could rave about for hours.
Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC!
As always, Kiran's characters are complex and fully realized — Erica and Laure are not easily digested. Erica was a character I struggled with immensely. She is selfish and cowardly, for reasons I sometimes understood and sometimes couldn't tolerate. The portrayal of her bisexuality is nuanced, and not always flattering, but felt true to the way that many women think.
I am glad to have read this, as Millwood Hargrave's writing is always a treat, but I don't believe it can be compared to either The Mercies or The Dance Tree -- both of which I could rave about for hours.
Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC!
October 22, 2025
As always, I love a great novel about lesbians (and bisexual women) and the two main characters in this book are easy to love while still being deeply flawed humans.
In 1978 Erica is a British student, spending her summer abroad before returning to England for university, and Laure is a Parisian native studying for her PhD at the Sorbonne. When the two meet on the steps of the Sacré-Coeur in Paris, they quickly fall in love. When summer ends and Erica must return to England, the two part ways, but the love they have for each other is harder to shake. The women find themselves drawn together throughout their lives despite marriage, children, careers, and the countries that keep them apart.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this novel.
In 1978 Erica is a British student, spending her summer abroad before returning to England for university, and Laure is a Parisian native studying for her PhD at the Sorbonne. When the two meet on the steps of the Sacré-Coeur in Paris, they quickly fall in love. When summer ends and Erica must return to England, the two part ways, but the love they have for each other is harder to shake. The women find themselves drawn together throughout their lives despite marriage, children, careers, and the countries that keep them apart.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this novel.
October 10, 2025
*With thanks to Netgalley for the ARC*
I loved this book, which tells the tale of the relationship between gawky teenage Erica and sophisticated twenty-something Parisian, Laure, who meet one day in 1978 on the steps of the Sacre-Couer and whose lives afterward - through the events of the 80s, 90s and onward - are inextricably linked.
The characters are so well drawn. I found myself thinking of them often in the days after I finished the book, so immersed was I in their lives. Even the peripheral characters, such as Laure’s friend Michel, leap from the page.
I can’t wait to read more by this author.
I loved this book, which tells the tale of the relationship between gawky teenage Erica and sophisticated twenty-something Parisian, Laure, who meet one day in 1978 on the steps of the Sacre-Couer and whose lives afterward - through the events of the 80s, 90s and onward - are inextricably linked.
The characters are so well drawn. I found myself thinking of them often in the days after I finished the book, so immersed was I in their lives. Even the peripheral characters, such as Laure’s friend Michel, leap from the page.
I can’t wait to read more by this author.
November 12, 2025
“Almost Life” is a story of missed opportunities, what might have been, and trying to find contentment in the life one has chosen. Both Erica and Laure will have good lives — with their fair share of sorrows and struggles as well — but both will be burdened by the chances they didn’t or couldn’t take with each other.
The story has an interesting and eclectic cast of characters, and a lot of creativity as to how the lives of Erica, Laure, and others unfold.
I was somewhat surprised by the dual endings, and I have a definite preference for one ending. However, the dual endings fit in well with the overall theme of the book.
The story has an interesting and eclectic cast of characters, and a lot of creativity as to how the lives of Erica, Laure, and others unfold.
I was somewhat surprised by the dual endings, and I have a definite preference for one ending. However, the dual endings fit in well with the overall theme of the book.
December 3, 2025
Almost Life follows Laure and Erica from their Parisian summer romance in the late 70's through the various intersections of their lives over the next 4 decades. Slow start (and French dialogue) took a little bit for me to get into but now I've been thinking about this for days after I finished. I often felt frustrated with the character's decisions and the ending but it was realistic and powerful and gave me feelings like Past Lives! Loved the writing, how vivid the setting felt, and the character development and growth. Shoutout to Gay's the Word and L'Orangerie and Monet-loving lesbians!!
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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