The Infinite Moment of Us by Lauren Myracle

The Infinite Moment of Us

By Lauren Myracle

Published by Amulet Books, August 2013

336 pages (hardcover)

Source: NetGalley

For as long as she can remember, Wren Gray’s goal has been to please her parents. But as high school graduation nears, so does an uncomfortable realization: Pleasing her parents once overlapped with pleasing herself, but now . . . not so much. Wren needs to honor her own desires, but how can she if she doesn’t even know what they are?
Charlie Parker, on the other hand, is painfully aware of his heart’s desire. A gentle boy with a troubled past, Charlie has loved Wren since the day he first saw her. But a girl like Wren would never fall for a guy like Charlie—at least not the sort of guy Charlie believes himself to be.
And yet certain things are written in the stars. And in the summer after high school, Wren and Charlie’s souls will collide. But souls are complicated, as are the bodies that house them . . .
Sexy, romantic, and oh-so-true to life, this is an unforgettable look at first love from one of young adult fiction’s greatest writers. (from netgalley.com)

First off, I love Lauren Myracle’s writing. It pulls the reader in and takes one on an exhilarating ride of emotions, thoughts, and words. The Infinite Moment of Us tackles some tough topic, but in a way that lets the reader understand each character and his/her actions.

I really liked the start of this book. It was romantic and flirty and passionate and loving. But then it got all angsty and the characters got a bit whiny. The needy “I can’t live without you” Wren & Charlie at the end of the book seemed a far cry from the mature and loving Wren & Charlie at the start of the book. I think my biggest problem was that after a few of months together, this new couple just couldn’t handle the thought of being apart for about a year (for college, travel, charity work) although they had each made those decisions on their own prior to meeting. Yes, it is great to be in love, but it is also great to experience things on your own and grow as a person. In today’s age of Facetime, Skype, texting, etc. it really isn’t that difficult to stay connected to family and friends so why couldn’t Wren & Charlie just stop obsessing about being apart and figure out how to make the relationship work while enjoying their own freedom?

I will note that in college I spent 5 months studying abroad (away from my boyfriend… now husband). A year later he proposed during finals week, graduated, and then I went on a 2 week research trip to Eastern Europe. Days after I returned my then-fiancé moved 8 hours away from me to attend graduate school and we remained apart until we got married. We also had quite a few friends who conducted successful long-distance relationships because both people in the relationship loved each other but also loved what they were learning/doing. Perhaps my own experiences and views are what made me annoyed at Wren & Charlie and they weren’t as whiny as I made them out to be. Regardless, this is a short & sweet read that will make you cheer for this young couple.