In one moment, two lives will be changed forever … and forever … and forever.
The one thing that’s certain is that they met on a Cambridge street by chance and felt a connection that would last a lifetime. But as for what happened next … They fell wildly in love or went their separate ways. They kissed or they thought better of it. They married soon after or were together for a few weeks before splitting up. They grew distracted and disappointed with their daily lives together or found solace together only after hard years spent apart.
With The Versions of Us, Laura Barnett has created a world as magical and affecting as those that captivated readers in One Day and Life after Life. It is a tale of possibilities and consequences that rings across the shifting decades, from the fifties, sixties, seventies, and on to the present, showing how even the smallest choices can define the course of our lives.
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“Imagines the delicious prospect of romantic do-overs, cleverly negotiating the tricky and often dizzying terrain of three versions of first love…A masterly romantic study of love’s choices and consequences.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“I simply adored this wonderful novel.”
— Jessie Burton, New York Times bestselling author“Versions is smart enough to know that the fantasy of infinite possibility is thrilling—but not nearly as much as the reality of true human connection.”
— Entertainment Weekly“Well written, stunningly crafted, and constantly surprising… An utterly convincing love story.”
— Times (London)“Barnett renders an irresistible concept in sweet, cool prose.”
— Observer (London)“Its very scope is a joy, the technical achievement seamlessly done, and the ending—all the endings—suitably affecting.”
— Guardian (London)“This book is evocative and atmospheric.”
— Irish Independent“Barnett never tries to make a grandiose statement about fate. Instead, in each story line, we simply see that the greatest parts of life lie in the journey and the connections we make along the way.”
— Shelf Awareness“Barnett masterfully pulls the reader through these alternating tales. Each option is compelling and believable.”
— BookPage“Reading this ambitious first novel is like putting together the pieces of a complex puzzle. The challenge pays off—only when the puzzle is complete can readers see the whole panoramic picture.”
— Library Journal“An intriguing exploration of the many roads not taken.”
— BooklistBe the first to write a review about this audiobook!
Laura Barnett is an author and journalist. She writes regularly for the Guardian, the Observer, and the Daily Telegraph. Her first novel, The Versions of Us will be published in English, German, Spanish, Italian, French, Portuguese, Czech, and Mandarin. Barnett has also written a nonfiction book and a book of award-winning short stories. She lives in southeast London with her husband and cat.
Clare Corbett, an Earphones Award–winning narrator, studied at the Welsh College of Music and Drama. After winning the Carlton Hobbs audition, she was chosen to be on BBC Radio. After leaving BBC she went on to narrate several children’s books, including Over the Moon, I Rule Dogsbottom School, and Boy Beware. She has transitioned into reading young adult novels, including many installments in the Doctor Who series.
Daniel Weyman is an actor and an AudioFile Earphones Award–winning narrator. He has appeared on stage in Sam West’s Sheffield Crucible production of As You Like It and the Chichester Festival Theatre’s production of David Edgar’s The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby. His portrayal of the title character earned him a nomination for Best Performance in a Play at the 2006 TMA Awards. His television appearances include Colditz and the BAFTA-winning BBC drama Dunkirk. In 2010 he played Tom Jackson in his first lead movie role in the film Just Inès.