This is extremely unlike anything I've ever read. I don't usually read books told in text/message form so this was a first for me, but I found the premise so unique and intriguing I couldn't resist. This was a fun read, and it reminded me of This Is How You Lose The Time War (with the way it's written via messaging in a sci fi world between two people).

WOW WOW WOW. Time travellers wife for 2022! I absolutely adored this book about two people who are not only separated by space (literally and figuratively) but time. Such a quirky idea with loveable characters who you can't help rooting for, for their happy ending. Adored this book from a new author for me.

Fun, engaging modern romance with an alternate-universe twist. I loved the concept of two people fated to be together, even with the obstacle of differing time lines to conquer. The snarky humor, coupled with moments of real human emotion, made for compelling characters that I could really connect with. The relationship between the two protagonists takes several twisting turns, and ultimately I thought it was going to end in a less-than-satisfying way, but I was pleasantly surprised by the epilogue.

Imagine that you found your soulmate, but that they were in a parallel universe and you could only communicte via email due to a "glitch" in whatever it is that keeps one universe separate from another.

Well, if you're Bee (from our universe) and Nick (whose universe has much better ecology, among other things), you eventually decide that each should seek out the other's doppelganger in their own universe. And then you spend a lot of time soul-searching about whether that's the right thing to do, whether either should tell anyone the whole truth, and a whole lot of other things.

Bee and Nick alternate chapters, with some of their email exhanges at the end of each chapter. The writing is very British, and this American reader had trouble sometimes knowing whether Nick (in the parallel universe) was using slang that we don't have here, or just slang that I didn't know (they also have slightly different grammar rules in the parallel universe?).

This was something of a roller coaster read, dragging in the middle as Nick and Bee go back and forth a lot while they try to figure out a way to be together, then speeding up and almost seeming like a thriller, then slowing back down, before finally reaching a very feel-good conclusion. Despite these inconsistencies, both Nick and Bee come across as fully-realized characters, and the conclusion feels neither unearned nor overly convenient, but rather hopeful, verging on heart-warming.

FTC Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for this review.

Fun, charming, and surprising romance about two people who fall in love but live in different timelines

This is not a love story that anyone would be able to predict…

Bee and Nick e-meet when he accidentally sends a rude, angry email to her inbox. Bee finds it amusing, and emails him back to let him know she is not the intended recipient of his wrath. They continue to email each other after that, both finding the other’s banter refreshing and engaging. After a while, they decide to meet up…

…All I’m going to say is that things don’t go according to plan. That’s all you’ll get out of me, but the blurb of the U.S. edition is spoiler-ish if you’re so inclined.

Honest thoughts: I almost DNF’d this one. The twist frustrated me at first, and I couldn’t wrap my head around it…making the next few chapters unenjoyable. Then, I told myself to get a grip. There was no way I could DNF it because I just HAD to know what was going to happen.

I’m so glad I soldered on. This is an original story with wonderfully human characters…messy but lovable. There are moments that are sweet, some that are funny, others that are touching, and some that are pretty dark.

While I never quite understood the “how” of the plot twist, I ended up really getting into it. The story is complex and makes you think. The ending was absolutely perfect, and yet I wanted a few more chapters.

I definitely recommend this book if you want to read something a bit different and possibly impossible to forget.

Thank you to Elisha at Berkley for a widget of the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Expected Publication Date: 3/22/22.

Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com

I found this to be a fun romp. I didn't really know what to expect going in, but I really really enjoyed it. I got sucked into the story quite quickly and found myself racing toward the end. I think some of our faculty will like this fun read, so I've gone ahead and preordered it.

I previewed a lot of different genres of book throughout my time with Netgalley and this story is one of the greats. I got sucked in and could not stop reading. It ended differently then what I expected but it was a good ride throughout. What would you do if you discovered that your e-mail pen pal that you accidentally sent a scaling message to ended up living in a mirror-universe? Would you stop the communication or would you keep going? Would you try and find your pen pel in your universe and try and hook up with him here? There were a few parts that I didn't agree with but I loved the theme and idea overall. I was rooting for all the characters and the twists and turns of their lives. If there was a movie I would go see it. :)

I loved this book! I'm a big fan of stories that explore the possibility of alternate realities, and this one did so in a fun and intriguing way. The banter between the main characters was terrific, and I was engaged in each of their separate stories right from the beginning. I will definitely be recommending The Impossible Us to others, and I'm eager to read some of the author's other offerings.

The Impossible Us is a new twist on the multiverse concept in which a “glitch” opens the door for two people, Bee and Nick, from different realities to meet. The pair advances from tentative and relatively anonymous friendship to true connection. When they decide to meet face-to-face chaos sets in, and the two spend the rest of book trying to find a way where they can be together.
The relationship between the two main characters and with the rest of the people in their worlds, includes the complexities found in real life, creating a genuine voice throughout the story. It runs the gamut from droll to serious, from unapologetically sentiment to humorous snark. The author does a magnificent job of helping readers keep track of people, timelines, and the various realities in play. The references to our modern reality add a fun kick with which the reader can group the context the story in a particular place in time.
The book has a very slow start – I’d forgotten that there were multiverses involved by the time I reached that point in the story – and continues to have some challenges with pacing. While the details do help paint a vivid picture of both external worlds and the inner lives of the main characters, the writing could withstand some tightening up with losing its message or feel.
In the end, I very much enjoyed this read for its mashups of genres and methods of storytelling. I recommend it to people who are willing to work through some excess material in order to enjoy strong characters living believable lives, with strong doses of romance and the possibility of worlds/timelines beyond our own with which we might connect if the stars align woven throughout.

As a fan of time travel, I enjoyed this book...even if it wasn't exactly about time travel. It has all the things I do like in a book, good characters, quirky people with hearts of gold, good vs evil, and a triumphant ending!

I had read the preview of this book and so was not expecting a "normal" rom-com, but I was not expecting this story. The first thing the reader must do with this book is to suspend disbelief, although it starts out seeming realistic, it really is not. The other thing is for those OCD readers out there to not try to make everything make sense--just go with the story. I read it in one day because I wanted to know how it ended==and I was not disappointed. The ending can be interpreted different ways, but I chose to accept the happy ending, which made the whole book worthwhile. The author devised a novel way of telling this story and it was very successful, I think.

I love the conversational tone of this novel! It's an easy read, and although I don't typically enjoy romances, I did enjoy this one.