The Next Together

Description

How many times can you lose the person you love? High-concept romance from debut writer Lauren James. A powerful and epic debut novel about fate and the timelessness of first love. Katherine and Matthew are destined to be born again and again. Each time their presence changes history for the better, and each time, they fall hopelessly in love, only to be tragically separated. How many times can you lose the person you love? For Matthew and Katherine it is again and again, over and over, century after century. But why do they keep coming back? How many times must they die to save the world? What else must they achieve before they can be left to live and love in peace? Maybe the next together will be different...

Lauren James was born in 1992, and graduated from the University of Nottingham, UK, in 2014, where she studied chemistry and physics. Her first novel, The Next Together, a YA reincarnation romance, has been translated into five languages worldwide. It was also longlisted for the Branford Boase Award, a prize given to recognize an outstanding novel by a first-time writer. Lauren is also an Arts Council grant recipient. She lives in the West Midlands. You can find her on Twitter at @Lauren_E_James or her website laurenejames.co.uk.

This book was beautifully and masterfully written and I cannot wait for the sequel. [...] This book is the kind that you want to use as a pillow so that some of its brilliance flows into you. * The Guardian Online * Funny, romantic and compulsively readable. -- The Bookseller * The Bookseller * Perfect for holidays * marie claire * An ambitious, promising premise... James is one to watch * Kirkus Reviews * Utterly gripping. * Smallish * I didn't want this book to end, I paced myself so as not to read it too quickly and waste the magic, but to be honest I could have read it in one sitting (though my mind may have exploded!) [...] The ending of the book was perfect; a subtle twist that was a surprise and a delight to realise. I look forward to more books from this talented young writer! -- More Than Just a Hobbit * More Than Just a Hobbit * In short: this book is like gold dust. Deeply romantic, refreshingly real and startlingly original, this is a stellar debut. It engaging, ambitious and surprising; it's Jaclyn Moriarty meets Diana Gabaldon with a scientific twist, and once you're hooked, you won't want to put it down. It's gut-wrenching, heart-warming, near-perfect and best of all, very, very funny. -- Daisy Chain Book Reviews * Daisy Chain Book Reviews * This has to be one of the most original books I've ever read. Its part time slip novel, part time travel, part science fiction, part historical, part futuristic and wholly entertaining. * The Book Magpie blog * At once a sweeping love story and a high-concept page-turner, this ambitious, accomplished debut resonates long after the story has ended [...] Innovatively told through prose, letters, emails, articles and social media posts, this expansive debut is rich in both historical detail and thought-provoking hypotheses. The multi-narrative structure and compelling, question-driven plot will appeal to readers with a wide range of tastes and interests, from historical fiction and romance, to speculative fiction and time slip mysteries. Moreover, Katherine and Matthew's extraordinary love and heart-breaking predicament speaks to the romantic in us all. -- Joanne Owen * Love Reading 4 Kids * I absolutely loved reading this story. [...] This was such a versatile story and I think it would be suitable for anyone despite their usual reading preferences. The characters felt so real and they were very easy to relate to. Katherine had this witty sense of humour that I absolutely loved, and Matthew was adorable and nerdy, you will not be able to help yourself falling in love with the pair of them! The Next Together is definitely one of my favourite books I've read so far this year! My rating is a well-deserved 5/5 stars. -- Reader Review * Love Reading 4 Kids * Overall, maybe the most stunning debut of 2015 so far... Lauren James is definitely an author to watch out for; her writing is astounding and the plot she has crafted is a rich blend of Sci-Fi, history and romance that is an absolute joy to read. It's a gripping, emotional roller-coaster that I highly recommend. -- Reader Review * Love Reading 4 Kids * Read this as soon as you get your hands on it. You won't regret it. The Next Together gave me chills every time something big happened, and got my heart racing at each action scene. I cannot wait to see what we're going to get in the sequel, but I sure hope it'll be as fantastic as this one. * City of Books * I really love this book. This is going to be one of my fave reads of this year, that's how much I love this book. I found Lauren's writing engrossing, as I did the story [...] Lauren made each timeline very unique and I never felt confused or had to go back to the start so I knew what timeline I was reading [...] I could gush about this book for quite a while [...] but The Next Together is a solid debut and an addictive read! I await the sequel on baited breath... * The Pewter Wolf * Innovatively told through prose, letters, emails, articles and social media posts, this expansive debut is rich in both historical detail and thought-provoking hypotheses. The multi-narrative structure and compelling, question-driven plot [...] will appeal to readers with a wide range of tastes and interests, from historical fiction and romance, to speculative fiction and time slip mysteries. Moreover, Katherine and Matthew's extraordinary love and heart-breaking predicament speaks to the romantic in us all. -- Joanne Owen * Love Reading 4 Kids * The Next Together is one of those dangerous novels, so be warned; you will sit down and lose yourself in this incredibly absorbing quick read. It's also another YA release that will have fans across the age groups, so don't be surprised if you see it mixing in with the 'grown-ups'. -- Kate Ward * If These Books Could Talk * The Next Together is a remarkable book. It ranges across time and place with such casual credibility and fluency, weaves together its plots and with such ease and is told with such panache, that it little matters that it is totally improbable [...] The book is wonderfully inventive and great fun. * The Cumberland News * Funny, unique, filled with passion and danger, and utterly addictive, The Next Together is one of this year's best young adult romances. James knows her audience and writes with the assurance and well-honed imagination of a seasoned novelist. No self-respecting teen would want to miss it! * Lancashire Evening Post * I didn't want this book to end, but I desperately wanted answers to why the couple kept reappearing throughout history in, as Katherine states, 'this horrific, beautiful dance through time'. The ending of the book was perfect, as the answers were given and it featured a subtle twist that was a surprise and a delight to realise. I look forward to more books from this talented young author! * The School Librarian * The reader is swept through the multiple plot lines by Lauren James's energetic and interrogatory narrative devices that cannot fail to keep the reader turning the page. The authorial interweaving of different text-types including notes, letters, narration, news reports, blogs and social media posts, to name but some of the techniques used, sits well with the zappy, contemporary feel of the text. * Armadillo Magazine *