What a gem of a novel. If you adored Karen Thompson Walker- especially 'The Age of Miracles', then you are going to absolutely devour this.

'If, Then' is a novel of hypotheses. What if I had done something different? What if I had made another choice? This piece of literary fiction is wrapped up in a slightly fantastical bow, taking the ordinary and adding a strange, new twist to it. Set against the back drop of a volcano threatening to explode, this novel follows four people each stuck in the middle of their own personal problems. A marriage is falling apart, a woman is having feelings for another woman, a professor is unfulfilled, a woman is pregnant while her husband is abroad, another is grieving her dead mother. These personalities, intimately intertwined, give you a slice of life with a fantastical twist and it's incredibly engaging.

I highly recommend the audiobook of this, as the narrator is incredibly good at distinguishing the characters. There are elements of suspense and action, especially towards the end of the book, but you don't mind that things are a little slow to begin with. The prose is descriptive and utterly beautiful, and you just get sucked into their lives and their stories within a few pages of the book starting.

This book will not be for everyone, I can acknowledge that. But I at least recommend you give it a try. 'If, Then' is an incredibly accomplished debut with moments of great intrigue and great intimacy, perfectly paced and wonderfully emotional. Definitely for readers who love suburban literary fiction, but have always wondered what would happen if magic descended on the town. Amazing!