Almost Life: The stunning love story from the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Mercies
Mar 2026 · Pan Macmillan
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About this ebook
From Sunday Times bestselling author Kiran Millwood Hargrave, Almost Life is a gorgeous, immersive story of second, third and fourth chances, and a love you just can’t keep away from.
'The biggest weepy since One Day' - Stylist
'Immersive, sensual, beautiful and powerful' - Marian Keyes
'A beautifully written exploration of desire, freedom and the roads we do and don’t take’ - The Observer
A chance encounter on the steps of the Sacre Coeur.
A love story that will last a lifetime.
When Erica and Laure meet in Paris in 1978, their connection is instant. Erica is a student, relishing her first summer abroad before beginning university at home in England. Laure is studying at the Sorbonne, trying to find her own voice in a city full of art.
Knowing how this must end, Erica and Laure can't help but fall into a love that neither of them are ready for.
But their encounter turns into far more than a summer romance. It is the beginning of a relationship that will define their lives and every decision they have yet to make. Spanning cities, decades and heartbreaks, fate brings them within touching distance again and again.
But will they be brave enough to seize the life they truly want?
Readers adore Almost Life...
Exquisite and immersive *****
I loved every word *****
A perfect, can't-put-down book *****
Left my heart bruised in such a beautiful way *****
I don't think I'll ever get over it *****
This book has ruined me *****
'The biggest weepy since One Day' - Stylist
'Immersive, sensual, beautiful and powerful' - Marian Keyes
'A beautifully written exploration of desire, freedom and the roads we do and don’t take’ - The Observer
A chance encounter on the steps of the Sacre Coeur.
A love story that will last a lifetime.
When Erica and Laure meet in Paris in 1978, their connection is instant. Erica is a student, relishing her first summer abroad before beginning university at home in England. Laure is studying at the Sorbonne, trying to find her own voice in a city full of art.
Knowing how this must end, Erica and Laure can't help but fall into a love that neither of them are ready for.
But their encounter turns into far more than a summer romance. It is the beginning of a relationship that will define their lives and every decision they have yet to make. Spanning cities, decades and heartbreaks, fate brings them within touching distance again and again.
But will they be brave enough to seize the life they truly want?
Readers adore Almost Life...
Exquisite and immersive *****
I loved every word *****
A perfect, can't-put-down book *****
Left my heart bruised in such a beautiful way *****
I don't think I'll ever get over it *****
This book has ruined me *****
From Sunday Times bestselling author Kiran Millwood Hargrave, Almost Life is a gorgeous, immersive story of second, third and fourth chances, and a love you just can’t keep away from.
'The biggest weepy since One Day' - Stylist
'Immersive, sensual, beautiful and powerful' - Marian Keyes
'A beaut...
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Ratings and reviews
2 reviews
Sara Shkunova
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July 20, 2026
This book reminds me of Blue is the Warmest Color by Jul Maroh. It does have its similarities but is not as tragic but still painful. I have mixed feelings about this. I never saw the point of this story. This is essentially the whole life story of Laure and not Erica who wasn't really of any significance especially in the later years. Their relationship shouldn't have lasted for so long. They were together for only a total of two summers and it was impulsive, obsessive and toxic. This was a tale of an enduring first love that lasted decades but was never something worth striving for by both sides. They gave up on each other easily every time when it really mattered. It was depressing and frustrating to read especially with regards to Erica who was just selfish and despicable to me. In the end, all that remains were heartache and regrets, unfulfilled dreams and wasted longings. The ending was most certainly emotionally sad and heartbreaking for me, especially towards Laure. A book about missed opportunities, bad choices and neverending regrets, for a life that never was.
About the author
Kiran Millwood Hargrave (b. 1990) is an award-winning poet, playwright, and novelist. The Mercies was her first novel for adults, and was an instant Sunday Times bestseller. It won a Betty Trask Award, was longlisted for the Jhalak Prize and was named amongst the NYT 100 Most Notable Books of 2020. Her bestselling works for children include The Girl of Ink & Stars and they have won or been short- and long-listed for numerous awards including the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize, the British Book Awards Children’s Book of the Year, Costa Children’s Book Award, the Blue Peter Best Story Award and, twice, the CILIP Carnegie Medal. Kiran lives in Oxford with her husband, the artist Tom de Freston, and their rescue cats, Luna and Marly.
Kiran Millwood Hargrave (b. 1990) is an award-winning poet, playwright, and novelist. The Mercies was her first novel for adults, and was an instant Sunday Times bestseller. It won a Betty Trask Award, was longlisted for the Jhalak Prize and was named amongst the NYT 100 Most Notable Books of 202...
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