Book Review - The Geography of You and Me

The Geography of You and Me
Author: Jennifer E. Smith
Standalone
Genres: Contemporary, Travel | Young Adult
Release Date: 15th April 2014
Publishers: Poppy
No. Pages: 337
Source: Review Copy - Poppy
Rating:
Buy From: Amazon | Book Depository | Barnes and Noble | Waterstones

Lucy and Owen meet somewhere between the tenth and eleventh floors of a New York City apartment building, on an elevator rendered useless by a citywide blackout. After they're rescued, they spend a single night together, wandering the darkened streets and marveling at the rare appearance of stars above Manhattan. But once the power is restored, so is reality. Lucy soon moves to Edinburgh with her parents, while Owen heads out west with his father.

Lucy and Owen's relationship plays out across the globe as they stay in touch through postcards, occasional e-mails, and -- finally -- a reunion in the city where they first met.

A carefully charted map of a long-distance relationship, Jennifer E. Smith's new novel shows that the center of the world isn't necessarily a place. It can be a person, too.

First of let me start by saying I’m pretty much obsessed with Jennifer E. Smith’s writing style, even though I have to read 3 others by her, I have not read one that has disappointed so far. From Hadley & Oliver in TheStatistical Probability of Love at First Sight to Graham & Ellie in This IsWhat Happy Looks Like, I’m hooked from start to finish. I’m a massive massive fan of Sarah Dessen and Jennifer E. Smith reminds me so much of her, and what else can I really say but I love her? Her books are gushy, they are romantic and just lovely haha.

I was in what I would only describe as a reading funk for about two weeks (starting around the time I requested this on netgally) I couldn't decide what I wanted to read and was flitting from one thing to the next never finishing more than a few chapters (really need to remember to go back to them at some point this year haha) and then on Monday I was lucky enough to get an email telling me I was accepted to read it. I think I near on wet my pants with excitement.

The Geography of You and Me is another book of young love and luck, this time around we see two completely different characters in the form of Lucy and Owen, who by chance get stuck inside their apartment buildings elevator in the middle of a blackout. Both loners, neither one wants to strike up conversations, but sooner or later they get around to and see the other isn't as bad as they once thought. Lucy’s parents are travelers, always away without the kids, her brothers are off at college and for the first time she is left alone while he parents are living it up in Paris. Owen is alone but not by choice, his dad has become somewhat of a recluse since the death of Owen’s mum and is also out of town the night of the black out, leaving Lucy and Owen with only each other.

They spend the night getting to know each other and connecting on the roof of the building, only to have to face the facts in the weeks coming, maybe it was just the one night and nothing more. But even though Lucy has moved to Edinburgh for her dads job and Owen is moving from town to town while his dad is in search of one, somehow they don’t seem to give up. Communicating through post cards and emails, they try to keep whatever they had that one night on the roof alive. But with distance, and new relationships for both of them, doing something so simple as talking doesn't seem so easy anymore. One things for sure, they can never shake one another.

I loved loved loved this book (like really!) I don’t want to give too much away, because sometimes with theses types of books it’s easy to say too much and just detail everything that happened, because it was just that sweet and nice that you want to spazz about it. (or is that just me?)

While writing this review I was listening to Ed Sheeran – Kiss Me, I like to listen to music while typing out my review or writing in general because it helps me concentrate. Anyway the point of telling you is that when I think of epic love and mushy love that song comes to mind, its thanks to The Vampire Diaries show and a certain episode with Damon and Elena with the song playing in the background(<3) but just look at the lyrics if you've never heard it before

'And your heart's against my chest, your lips pressed to my neck

I'm falling for your eyes, but they don't know me yet

And with a feeling I'll forget, I'm in love now'

Anyway that's all for me.. if you haven't read anything by Jennifer I suggest you get your hands on some of her books because you'll never read a sweeter story (apart from The Fault In Our Stars of course ;)...)