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20 December 2013

The Infinite Moment of Us

By Lauren Myracle
ISBN: 9781419707933
Publisher: Amulet Books

Publication Date: August 27th 2013
Number of Pages: 316

Source: Local Library

Goodreads Summary: 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...

My Rating:  

I recommend this book for more mature readers. The main character is 18 and I would classify this book under the emerging genre many are calling "New Adult."


Wren is an only child and it seems that she is just a by-product of her parents. Her desires, likes and dislikes, and goals seem to not be her own but her parents'. 
"She yearned to be her own person, not an extension of her mom and dad, and she longed to do something brave, something that mattered, something that helped others in an immediate and tangible way." - The Infinite Moment of Us, 8-9
After graduation, she has decided to defer going to the college her mom works at (the prestigious Emory University in Atlanta, her hometown). Instead, she has signed up to go to Guatemala through a program called Project Unity, where she would be helping teach English to children and performing community service. She doesn't want to wait 6-8 years to become a doctor before she can help people. She has this urge to do something now

The story alternates between the POV of Wren and that of Charlie, a smart but quiet guy who has loved Wren since her first saw her. He has a very complicated (and to me, a little weird) on/off relationship with a girl named Starrla, which will cause quite a few problems throughout the course of this book. Charlie has been bounced around almost his whole childhood from foster home to foster home before ending up with the wonderful couple - Chris and Pamela. I enjoyed reading about his foster brother - Dev. 

Charlie and Wren come together in a "meeting of souls." Enter an atypical summer romance. They not only hold hands and go on dates, but they also really talk and discuss deep subjects. It seems like this book focuses on their relationship but I also feel like Myracle really depicts how these two young people are learning about themselves and growing up through their relationship. 

Must say I really liked the characters of P.G. and Paige. They provided comic relief and were great at steering Charlie and Wren together.

I can say I really enjoyed the story and the development of our two characters. One problem I did find is the all-consuming obsession that Charlie & Wren have with each other. I know that first love certainly feels like this, but it usually grows into real love. I don't think that their relationship ever moved past that stage. The ending was open-ended and tied up a little too easy. 

Good realistic fiction that will probably appeal mostly to girls, though some guys might like how Charlie's thoughts are half of the book. 

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