From New York Times bestselling author Samantha Young comes a story of friendship, identity, and acceptance that will break your heart—and make it whole again. Order your copy of THE IMPOSSIBLE VASTNESS OF US today!
About THE IMPOSSIBLE VASTNESS OF US:
“I know how to watch my back. I’m the only one that ever has.”
India Maxwell hasn’t just moved across the country—she’s plummeted to the bottom rung of the social ladder. It’s taken years to cover the mess of her home life with a veneer of popularity. Now she’s living in one of Boston’s wealthiest neighborhoods with her mom’s fiancé and his daughter, Eloise. Thanks to her soon-to-be stepsister’s clique of friends, including Eloise’s gorgeous, arrogant boyfriend Finn, India feels like the one thing she hoped never to be seen as again: trash.
But India’s not alone in struggling to control the secrets of her past. Eloise and Finn, the school’s golden couple, aren’t all they seem to be. In fact, everyone’s life is infinitely more complex than it first appears. And as India grows closer to Finn and befriends Eloise, threatening the facades that hold them together, what’s left are truths that are brutal, beautiful, and big enough to change them forever…
4 Stars
Review by Trinette Dungee
Review by Trinette Dungee
Teen storylines aren’t really my favorite but I’m finding that lately, I’m hitting the jackpot with them!
India Maxwell and Eloise Fairweather are thrown together by their parents and are soon to be step-sisters. Each girl has a preconceived notion about the other and is somewhat determined not to like each other. The girls soon realize they have more in common than they could ever have imagined.
India doesn’t have the best relationship with her mother. At a young age she and her father were abandoned by her mother. Never getting over being abandoned India’s father took out his frustrations and hurt on her and it wasn’t until he almost kills her that India’s mom, Hayley, comes back into her life. So when Hayley announces that she’s moving them to Boston to marry her very wealthy fiancé India less than thrilled. She’s never met this man and she’s spent a lot of time and energy being as popular as she can because being at the top of the food chain gives her the security she needs to feel safe. Safe that no one will ever learn about her horrible past.
Eloise is at the top of the food chain in her rich and exclusive high school and her boyfriend being from one of the most prominent families in Boston only helps her stay there. But not only does Eloise have secrets but so does her boyfriend Finn and with India’s arrival in her life, for the first time she’s worried that her secrets may come to life.
I tried to think of a few “teen” movies or TV shows that could be some comparisons to this book but the only thing I could come up with was “Gossip Girl” possibly “Heathers” but even these two don’t do this book justice. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked this book. I loved the storyline but I was very afraid that it was going to be written with a bunch of cattiness. Don’t get me wrong, there was cattiness but it was beautifully woven into the story. Every character in this book was complex but not in an overwhelming way. The three main characters; India, Eloise, and Finn all have secrets. At one point you might thing a whole love triangle is going to happen but it never does, at least not in the traditional way.
I think what I like most about this book was how once the secrets of these three are revealed the way they rally together to protect each other. I don’t want to say too much because it would be way too easy to give you a bunch of spoilers and I’d like for you to experience your own “ah-ha” or “WTF” moments. But what I will say is the storyline, the characters, the plot twists are all very good and this was very beautifully written. I love a book when you get glimpse of all of the characters. Even Eloise’s friends were very well placed and described in this book as well as Hayley and Theo (Eloise’s dad). I could see this turning into a series for a few of the other characters but it would work without a series as well because there were no pressing unanswered questions about anyone else. Maybe a little curiosity but nothing that left me feeling “incomplete” at the end. This wasn’t a long read at all and definitely one to add to your summer beach reading list!
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EXCERPT
“You’re a great photographer, Finn.”
He leaned against the counter by the sink, seeming surprised by the compliment. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
Silence stretched as we could do nothing but stare at each other, and my skin started to feel tight and hot, as if I was seconds from bursting out of it.
“Uh.” I stepped back, suddenly needing more space between us. “So we should probably arrange a time to meet up for the presentation. That’s if you’re not planning to stand me up.”
He frowned. “What are you talking about?”
“You said to meet you after school today even though you work at the Chronicle.”
“I don’t always come to the meetings. I only decided to come work here because you said we couldn’t meet,” he explained, and if I wasn’t mistaken he sounded a little annoyed.
“Oh.” I refused to feel guilty for thinking badly of him. Refused. “Okay. Well, we need to meet up some time soon.”
“Yeah.” He agreed, looking at his feet now.
“I’d suggest Theo’s but it might be distracting for you with Eloise there.”
Finn looked up at me. “Theo’s?”
Confused by the question I raised an eyebrow.
“You said ‘Theo’s.’ You didn’t say ‘my place.’”
“Because it isn’t.” It was my turn to cross my arms over my chest.
Sensing I wasn’t going to elaborate on my feelings about the house I was living in and the people I was living with, Finn eventually nodded. “Okay. My place, then. Tomorrow.”
Glad we’d finally organized a time but not so glad it meant spending more alone time with Finn, I just nodded and stepped back toward the door. “Okay. I’ll meet you out front after school.”
“Do you need a ride home tonight?”
I looked back at him, surprised by the offer, but not surprised to find him staring at his feet rather than at me. “Eloise’s director has upped her rehearsals so she’s still here, too. Gil’s picking us both up in an hour.” I would’ve thought he’d be fully aware of Eloise’s schedule.
“Right.” He straightened and turned his back on me.
There was something about it that was vulnerable. Something about him that was vulnerable. I was probably insane to even think that about him—this beautiful, rich boy—but he was getting to me.
Nobody got to me.
Crap.
“But thanks,” I found myself saying quietly.
He glanced over his shoulder. “You’re welcome,” he replied just as quietly.
Crap, crap.
My fingers slipped around the door handle as I tried to get out of there at superspeed.
Samantha Young’s THE IMPOSSIBLE VASTNESS OF US – Review & Excerpt Tour
June 19th
BookWorm221 – Review & Excerpt
Clare's Mad About Books – Review & Excerpt
Joyful Shimmy – Review & Excerpt
Little Red's Reviews – Review & Excerpt
Naturally Nerdy Books – Review & Excerpt
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Book Boyfriends – Review & Excerpt
June 20th
Beware Of The Reader – Review & Excerpt
Books For The Living – Review
Kindle and Me – Review & Excerpt
Melissa's Book Obsession – Review
Read more sleep less – Review
To Be Reviewed Books – Review & Excerpt
June 21st
A Fortress of Books – Excerpt
Becky on Books – Excerpt
Enjoying life a day at a time – Review
Mustreadbooksordie – Review & Excerpt
MrsLeif's Two Fangs AboutItBook Reviews – Review & Excerpt
SJ's Book Blog – Excerpt
June 22nd
Actin' Up with Books – Review
Books,Dreams,Life – Excerpt
Fiction Fare – Review & Excerpt
Movies, Shows, & Books – Excerpt
Take Me Away To A Great Read – Review & Excerpt
What Is That Book About – Excerpt
June 23rd
A Literary Perusal – Review & Excerpt
Adventures in Writing – Excerpt
BJ's Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
Ficwishes – Review
Kimberly's Hot Reads – Review & Excerpt
Read, Write, Design – Review & Excerpt
June 24th
Ali's Reviews and More – Review & Excerpt
Crazii Bitches Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
Lacey's Love Of Literature – Review & Excerpt
Nose Stuck in a Book – Review & Excerpt
Reading Between the Wines Book Club – Excerpt
Tales of the Ravenous Reader – Review & Excerpt
June 25th
All Romance Reviews – Review & Excerpt
Book Lovers Hangout – Review & Excerpt
PBC – Excerpt
Ramblings From This Chick – Excerpt
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June 26th
Angie and Jessica's Dreamy Reads – Review & Excerpt
Book Reader Chronicles – Review & Excerpt
Calling All Bookaholics – Review & Excerpt
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Reads & Reviews – Review
The Readdicts – Review & Excerpt
June 27th
4 the Love of Reading – Review & Excerpt
ADDICTED TO BOOKS – Review & Excerpt
Lisa Loves Literature – Review
Miss Riki – Review & Excerpt
Peace Love Books – Review
The Inked In Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
June 28th
Bookalicious Babes Blog – Review & Excerpt
Greyland Reviews – Excerpt
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My Girlfriends Couch – Review & Excerpt
Read Love Blog – Review & Excerpt
The Life of a BooknerdAddict – Review & Excerpt
June 29th
Author Groupies – Review
Blushing babes are up all – Review & Excerpt
Book Enticer – Review & Excerpt
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June 30th
I Read Indie – Excerpt
Shh Moms Reading – Review & Excerpt
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Witchy Richey's Booktastic Reviews – Review & Excerpt
July 1st
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About Samantha Young:
Samantha Young is the New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of adult contemporary romances, including the On Dublin Street series and Hero, as well as the New Adult duology Into the Deep and Out of the Shallows. Every Little Thing, the second book in her new Hart’s Boardwalk series, will be published by Berkley in March 2017. Before turning to contemporary fiction, she wrote several young adult paranormal and fantasy series, including the amazon bestselling Tale of Lunarmorte trilogy. Samantha’s debut YA contemporary novel The Impossible Vastness of Us will be published by Harlequin TEEN in ebook& hardback June 2017
Samantha has been nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award 2012 for Best Author and Best Romance for On Dublin Street, Best Romance 2014 for Before Jamaica Lane, and Best Romance 2015 for Hero. On Dublin Street, a #1 bestseller in Germany, was the Bronze Award Winner in the LeserPreis German Readers Choice Awards for Best Romance 2013, Before Jamaica Lane the Gold Medal Winner for the LeserPreis German Readers Choice Awards for Best Romance 2014 and Echoes of Scotland Street the Bronze Medal Winner for the LeserPreis German Readers Choice Awards for Best Romance 2015.
Samantha is currently published in 30 countries and is a #1 international bestselling author.