Book Review: Until We Meet Again

Until We Meet Again

By: Renee Collins

Published By: Sourcebooks Fire

Publication Date: November 3, 2015

Page Count: 336

Buy it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or IndieBound

Source: ARC Kindly Provided by Publisher via NetGalley

Audience: Young Adult - Fantasy

Cassandra is not having the best summer. She is stuck in a fancy beach house on the Massachusetts coast missing her simple life back in Ohio and her best friend who is spending the summer in Paris. Class feels adrift and finds herself plotting ways to liven up her summer. A bad decision lands Cass in hot water with her mother and stepfather which requires her to jump through hoops to earn herself out of grounding.

After a particular stuffy party full of her parents' rich summer friends, Cass heads off to the private beach for some time with her thoughts, and finds herself in an impossible situations. Cass meets a handsome stranger, Lawrence. The pair become friends and soon find that they are living in two different time periods. Cass is living in 2015 while Lawrence is from 1925. They have no idea why they are able to be together on the beach, but the magic does not extend beyond the dunes. A mutual affection begins to grow the more time Cass spends with Lawrence, but when she discovers his fate in an old newspaper, she vows to do everything in her power to change it.

I enjoyed the novel once the quest to change Lawrence's destiny began, but prior to that moment things were a bit slow for my taste. It was never fully explained how the time issue worked which I found irksome; I wanted to fully understand this anomaly. Furthermore, in the beginning, I couldn't stand Cass. I found that she was whiny and self-centered. Sure, teenagers are moody and often surly, but she took it to a whole new level. As the novel progresses, Cass grew more likable, but she never got to a point where I loved her. I found that I preferred the segments of the story that revolved around Lawrence.

There are some twisty turns that provided some shock and awe. These moments were what made this novel special. I couldn't help comparing some of the other components to previous time travel romances I had read. I felt like there was some instal-love as well which is typically one of those tropes that makes me roll my eyes. The romance never truly clicked for me.

All in all, I enjoyed this one, but my frustrations kept me from loving it. It's worth a read if you're looking for a romance with a time twist or you're interested in the 1920's.

One Last Gripe: I've established my complaints, but I always was frustrated when Lawrence and Cass' actions lead to one character disappearing. It bothered me that nobody seemed more upset about that and it was just okay that it couldn't be rectified.

Favorite Thing About This Book: I loved getting a glimpse into the glitz and shadows of the 1920's.

First Sentence: The beach is empty.

Favorite Character: Lawrence

Least Favorite Character: Cass

Summary:

They exist in two different centuries, but their love defies time

Cassandra craves drama and adventure, so the last thing she wants is to spend her summer marooned with her mother and stepfather in a snooty Massachusetts shore town. But when a dreamy stranger shows up on their private beach claiming it's his own—and that the year is 1925—she is swept into a mystery a hundred years in the making.

As she searches for answers in the present, Cassandra discovers a truth that puts their growing love—and Lawrence's life—into jeopardy. Desperate to save him, Cassandra must find a way to change history…or risk losing Lawrence forever.