Lillie is dreaming of her death, over and over. But the important news in the small town of Green Grove, Nebraska, is that there’s a new boy in town. Whilst Lillie has a niggling sense of recognition, Tom ignores her, instead hanging out with Melissa and her popular crowd. He seems bored by life in their sleepy town. Yet his arrival changes everything.

When the World Was Flat (and we were in love) takes a YA cliché (instalove) and turns it into something special. As the story starts, it could be any contemporary story set in a high school. The small town is a buzz with the news of a new boy and on first sight, Lillie is drawn to him. Imagine if there was a scientific reason for this being so common?

The books starts with a quote from Einstein and there are a few references to him that will give you a clue. It’s an incredibly romantic story without being full of romance. If that makes sense at all.

I think the trick is not to overthink the theory too much. There were a couple of things that just didn’t make sense to me, but much further on, something is revealed which explains it. There’s still something that bothers me, wouldn’t there be more than one set of evacuees? Or is it just the chances of them being in the same place at the same time are just so slim… See, don’t think too much about it, you’ll be fine. Although it will be a great discussion for book groups.

The final lines are so simple yet so powerful. It’s a book I’d like to read again if I had time. There were parts I wasn’t convinced with but in hindsight I might be more accepting of. It is still an excellent book, you just need a bit of patience.

When the World Was Flat (and we were in love) is published by Strange Chemistry and will be available in paperback and ebook formats on 5th September 2013. There will also be a hardback US edition. Thanks go to the publisher for providing a copy for review via NetGalley.

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Also reviewed @ Uncorked Thoughts

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book free of charge for review purposes only. Receipt of a book does not guarantee a review or endorsement. My reviews are my honest opinion and are not biased for the purpose of personal gain.