Unique and completely unexpected! The Impossible Us by Sarah Lotz sent me on an emotional trip. Two individuals with great chemistry are separated by seemingly an insurmountable hurdle: alternate dimensions. Continue reading to get my full take on this upcoming novel.
Summary
Bee thinks she has everything: a successful business repurposing wedding dresses, and friends who love and support her. She’s given up on finding love, but that’s fine. There’s always Tinder. Nick thinks he has nothing: his writing career has stalled after early promise and his marriage is on the rocks, but that’s fine. There’s always gin. So when one of Nick’s emails, a viciously funny screed intended for a non-paying client, accidentally pings into Bee’s inbox, they decide to keep the conversation going. After all, they never have to meet.
But the more they get to know each other, the more Bee and Nick realize they want to. They both notice strange pop culture or political references that crop up in their correspondence, but nothing odd enough to stop Bee and Nick for falling hard for each other. But when their efforts to meet in real life fail spectacularly, Bee and Nick discover that they’re actually living in near-identical but parallel worlds. With a universe between them, Bee and Nick will discover how far they’ll go to beat impossible odds.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from Netgalley. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
The Impossible Us was written really well. Even though I knew from the plot synopsis that it was going to be about people living in alternate realities, I was still crushed when they set up their real-world meeting and it ended in failure. The way that Lotz creates the characters is masterful. Bee, Nick, and all the others are so human with all the flaws that it entails. I often found myself wondering would I have reacted in similar ways?
The inclusion of an alternate reality did at times make The Impossible Us frustrating. Throughout the story, I didn’t know how this was going to resolve or end! I’m sure other readers, like me, were trying to figure out possible ways to solve the conflict of their predicament. Lotz did a great job of guiding the reader with their eyes blindfolded up until the end. Few books have me thinking of them at 5 am making me wake up to finish.
I will admit, I was not expecting to enjoy this as much as I did. I thought it would be a cutesy rom-com, but it was a lot more complicated than that. Lotz has created such real characters in an unrealistic (I’m assuming) situation that you cannot help but root for. If you get the chance, be sure to check out The Impossible Us once it comes out!
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