Name: The Impossible Us
ISBN: 9780593436776

Sarah Lotz

In this funny and poignant novel, two strangers learn that their soul mate might be both as close as breath and as distant as a star, from British Fantasy Award recipient Sarah Lotz. 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.

The Impossible Us

Liz B

One of the few romance plots I've read recently that felt genuinely new and fresh. I think it was a little too long, but I had a hard time putting it down.

Kourtney

While I love my rom-com and women's fiction stories, I tend to shy away from the sci-fi genre. But every now and then, I do try and expand my reading horizons, so when I heard of a story that is women's fiction and sci-fi genre together, I HAD to give it a try. Out now is The Impossible Us by Sarah Lotz.

This book was an amazing read. From start to finish, I was so drawn to both Nick and Bee and their emerging relationship that I found myself rooting for their impossible love to find a way. If characters of a story can make me feel emotions so strong that I am either screaming at my book or furiously turning pages to find out what happens next, then the book is a winner in my eyes.

This story is told from the alternating viewpoints of Nick and Bee. At the end of most of the chapters is the email correspondence between the two of them, or sometimes another conversation or document that helps propel the story forward. I loved how it all flowed together. Sarah Lotz was incredible at balancing the narrative of all 3 styles of writing where it was not confusing.

I found myself rooting for both Nick and Bee where I became emotionally invested. As the romance part was predictable, what made this story fun were the twists and turns I never saw coming (and that was from the sci-fi angle!) I don't want to spoil anything, but I will say that what sealed this as a 4-star review for me was the very last line in the book. Don't skip ahead! Just start reading it now!

Heather Harrington

This had such a unique premise. I loved the idea of two strangers falling in love and then finding out they were in two different worlds. It made the story feel so bittersweet. I liked Nick and Becca and thought they had such an ease about them. They had fun and easy banter, and I loved reading their email exchanges. I didn't fully buy into their chemistry, but it was alright. I did enjoy the plot overall, but there were a lot of moments that frustrated me because I didn't like the way Nick and Bee acted. Particularly when it came to them trying to seduce each other's doppelgängers. I get their reasoning behind it, but I felt it was manipulative and mean. I also found this slightly too long and the plot started to feel repetitive. Other than that, I liked the ending and would recommend it if you enjoy sci-fi/multiverse stories.