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The Next Together

(The Next Together #1)

Lauren James (Goodreads Author)

3.65 · Rating details · 4,833 ratings · 969 reviews

How many times can you lose the person you love?

Katherine and Matthew are destined to be born again and again, century after century. Each time, their presence changes history for the better, and each time, they fall hopelessly in love, only to be tragically separated.

Spanning the Crimean War, the Siege of Carlisle and the near-future of 2019 and 2039 they find themselve ...more

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Paperback, 356 pages

Published September 3rd 2015 by Walker (first published August 20th 2015)

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· 4,833 ratings · 969 reviews

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Start your review of The Next Together (The Next Together, #1)

Sep 23, 2014 Lauren James added it · (Review from the author)

Shelves: time-travel, epistolary, ukya, written-by-me, stem-female-characters

[June 2017]

This is out now in the USA!

"Perfect for holidays" - Marie Claire

"An author to watch" - Kirkus Reviews

"Fans of Alexandra Bracken’s Passenger and Heidi Heilig’s The Girl from Everywhere will enjoy this romance through time and history. This science fiction take on European history will excite any historical fiction reader." - School Library Journal

The Next Together is published by Walker Books in the UK and Australia and Sky Pony Press in the USA. You can read the first chapter here a ...more

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Oct 06, 2015 Faye, la Patata rated it really liked it

Shelves: romance, time-travel, amazing-character-development, young-adult, painful, historical, thriller, science-fiction, tragedy, amazing-romance

Wow... just wow.

When you hear the word "time-travel", the first thing that comes to mind (usually) is "science fiction". You think of the technology and machines that make this feat possible; you think of the physics involved, of subatomic atoms transferring from one place to another (or however that is supposed to be done); you think of action-packed plots, of conspiracy theories, that push our heroes and heroines to time travel in the first place.

But... romance? With time-travel? To be quite h ...more

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Jun 26, 2015 Maja (The Nocturnal Library) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: made-me-cry, all-the-right-choices, arc-2015, cover-lust, young-adult, never-mess-with-time-travel, delightfully-british, historical-fiction, own-a-dtb, just-another-book-crush

4.5 stars
September already promises to be a month of successful debuts. There have been several excellent first works already, but none as shiny, well written or as deeply romantic as The Next Together by Lauren James.

James tells the tale of one love affair in four different places and four different time scapes. Matthew and Katherine are, at once, a wealthy young lady and her servant, an ambitious journalist and his assistant, married young scientists uncovering a conspiracy and two college students intent on clearing the names of their relatives. In every time scape, Katherine and Matthew are different, but the love they feel for each other is immutable. We watch them time and time again as they discover each other and inevitably collide, desperate to be together despite so many obstacles.

The narrative itself is beautifully assembled as one story bleeds into another seamlessly. The pacing is pure perfection – James somehow achieved simultaneous crescendo in all four stories, thus ensuring our equal interest in them all. A single small mistake had the potential to ruin everything, to make us care more about one couple than all the rest, but all the threads were handled masterfully and the result is a thing of beauty.

If not for Katherine’s extraordinary sense of humor, the story would have been suffocating and grim at times. Instead, I found myself laughing out loud when the sense of foreboding threatened to overwhelm me, swooning when I should have been biting my nails in terror, and generally reacting unexpectedly to anything Lauren James had to offer. Even more spectacular than the book itself were my reactions to it, my emotions manipulated so skillfully by an author with so much to give. The Next Together demands your full attention and dedication and it simply refuses to settle for anything else.
As someone who reads a lot of romance, I shouldn’t have been blindsided by my reactions to this book, a novel that’s not primarily a romance. However, I found myself in utter disbelief and more than a little awestruck. This is one of the most deeply romantic books I’ve read in ages.

Overall, The Next Together broke my heart time and time again, but it was a sweet pain. I wouldn’t change a second of it.

...more

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Oct 19, 2015 April (Aprilius Maximus) rated it it was ok

Shelves: 2016

I am SO confused. Can someone who has read this please explain to me wtf happened at the end?? I just don't get it???????????

Around the Year in 52 Books Challenge Notes:
- 32. A historical fiction book ...more

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Sep 24, 2014 Alice Oseman rated it it was amazing

What I loved so much about The Next Together was that it's a book of everything. You like history? It's got history. You like science? It's got science. You like romance? It's got romance. Mystery? Regency era? War? Corrupt governments? The future? This book is as if you crushed several different stories into one.

Holding all of these things together are two protagonists that I loved from the start - Kate, who is passionate and motivated, and Matt, who is shy and collected. I cared a lot about t ...more

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Mar 14, 2015 Stacey (prettybooks) rated it liked it

Shelves: read-in-my-twenties, young-adult-fiction

The Next Together has been praised by many of my bookish blogger friends and Lauren James is one of my Twitter buddies, so I was eager to finally read her début novel. The Time Traveler's Wife is one of my all-time favourite books. The Next Together similarly delves into the complicated, multiple lives of an unforgettable couple – although Lauren James prefers to call it reincarnation romance rather than time-travelling! – but with a dash of conspiratorial science, compelling history and inevita The Next Together has been praised by many of my bookish blogger friends and Lauren James is one of my Twitter buddies, so I was eager to finally read her début novel. The Time Traveler's Wife is one of my all-time favourite books. The Next Together similarly delves into the complicated, multiple lives of an unforgettable couple – although Lauren James prefers to call it reincarnation romance rather than time-travelling! – but with a dash of conspiratorial science, compelling history and inevitable coming-of-age themes, too.

Katherine and Matthew are meant to be together. Each of their reincarnations – from the past, in the Crimean War (1854) and Siege of Carlisle (1745), to the future, as a hard-working couple in their early twenties (2019) and university chemistry students (2039) – means they always find each other and unknowingly work together to make the world a better place. Tragically, they're separated from each other every time. But maybe the next together will be the one?

I fell in love with Kate and Matt as soon as I met them. Passionate, energetic, intelligent and full of humour, they're an absolute delight to read about. They're a couple you really want to be together, even if you're not sure exactly why. They're the sort of protagonists you find yourself thinking about even once you've put down the book (because you have to, not because you want to). I looked forward to my morning commute, not knowing which year I'd be transported to. I've read very few novels that span multiple genres in such a way. Lauren James cleverly entwines each lifetime, expertly making every landscape quite different while the characters stay the same.

As a fan of young adult contemporary, 2019 and 2039 were my favourite landscapes, but each held its own. I loved the way the story is not just told traditionally, but through newspaper articles, emails, instant messenger conversations and little notes that Matt and Kate leave each other on the fridge. If I were travelling on the tube with them, they'd be sickening, quite frankly, but on paper they're a dream.

Created out of Lauren James' love of history and science, The Next Together is utterly charming and I can't wait to see what she does next in the sequel, The Last Beginning .

Thank you to the publisher for providing this book for review!

I also reviewed this book over on Pretty Books. ...more

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Jun 23, 2015 Aisyah ♡ marked it as must-read-awesome-reviews

This book sounds amazing, and that cover!!

...more

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Jul 10, 2018 Emer (A Little Haze) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommended to Emer (A Little Haze) by: Gabby

Shelves: read2018, reviewed, all-the-pretty-covers, young-adult, adult-fiction, scifi-dystopian, abn-readalongs, books-owned-all-formats, 4stars

I have no clue how to review this book! It's a mash-up of so many different genres that shouldn't work... But yet it really really REALLY works!!!! This book grabs you from page one and sucks you right into this elaborate web of time lines and two characters, Katherine and Matthew, and how these characters keep meeting and falling in love throughout history... It's a bit of a head f*^k but SUCH A GOOD HEAD F*^K!!!!! This book is part historical fiction (featuring stories regarding the Jacobites, ...more

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Dec 02, 2016 charlotte, (½ of readsrainbow) rated it did not like it

Shelves: historical-fiction, time-travel, ya-or-mg-lit, dystopia-sci-fi, 1-star, uk-and-ireland

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Sep 13, 2017 Julie Zantopoulos rated it it was ok

Shelves: read-in-2017, own-it

Don't come at me with your pitchforks this is just not my kind of story. I love Matthew and Katherine and their personalities and love story. I adore Katherine so much and how Matthew encourages her-their sense of humor is awesome.

That said I REALLY should have known this would not be a story for me. I loathe time travel/alternate reality stories. I thought this was a rebirth story but it was WAY more sci-fi than I anticipated and I hated that part. The characters made it redeemable but I just ...more

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Sep 24, 2015 Charnell (Reviews from a Bookworm) rated it liked it

Shelves: 2016

I was really enjoying this but the end seemed a bit messy and has left me super confused.

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Jan 15, 2017 rachel ☾ rated it it was ok

Shelves: 2-star, favourite-author, science-fiction

I wish I could start this review by saying that The Next Beginning lived up to the hype but sadly, it just did not. Time travel is one of my favourite sub-genres but the focus on romance in this particular book was off-putting.

My biggest problem with this book, and likely the reason why it did not work for me as a whole, was the fact that I just did not connect to the characters. In fact, I found them to be rather flat. Katherine was meant to be this incredibly sassy and feisty woman (especiall I wish I could start this review by saying that The Next Beginning lived up to the hype but sadly, it just did not. Time travel is one of my favourite sub-genres but the focus on romance in this particular book was off-putting.

My biggest problem with this book, and likely the reason why it did not work for me as a whole, was the fact that I just did not connect to the characters. In fact, I found them to be rather flat. Katherine was meant to be this incredibly sassy and feisty woman (especially in the 2019 timeline) but I just could not see that. Her sense of humour was oddly juvenile, and her interactions with Matthew, especially the fridge notes and dialogue, were more often than not actually quite awkward. I could not wrap my head around the fact that she was meant to be a professional, married woman when she talked the way she did and giggled like a schoolgirl way too often. Her voice was too reminiscent of a teenager - and a young one at that - so I found it very hard to connect to her or take her seriously.

Matthew was the better of the pair. I enjoyed his sensibility for the most part, and that he was a little more mature and good-natured. I liked that he was a solid presence in this story, and I felt that his character was more consistent throughout the timelines without being too rigid. I did not ship him with Katherine though, and I think this is also what let me down about this story.

For a romance, I found it very hard to care about Matthew and Katherine’s relationship/s. I understood that the point of this story was that their love was strong enough to transcend time, but the only timeline that I was even remotely attached to was the 1854/Crimean War timeline. It strongly disliked the fact that we were meant to ship these characters based solely on their past relationships. From the very first page, we knew that they were each other's “true loves” and ‘meant to be together’ so there was no real angst or tension. I was not anxiously waiting for them to realise their love for each other because I knew that they would. I found that this was most problematic in the 2039 timeline because it was used to excuse instalove. I know the entire point of this story is that Katherine and Matthew’s love is pure and strong and all that nauseating lovey-dovey babble, but that does not take away from the fact that Katherine and Matthew’s 2039 romance developed too fast for my tastes. They barely knew each other at this point but were somehow ‘in love’. Just because they loved each other once, does not - in my opinion - mean that they should or do love each other every time. I have massive problems with the fact that the Matthews/Katherines were treated as interchangeable. They are different people with different pasts, circumstances, and feelings. They should not be all lumped together.

I also felt that the switch in timelines could be a bit jarring. I found the mixed media element a little bit confusing since it did not say which timeline the document/snippet belong to until afterward. Sometimes, I actually had to go back and reread the section because it was from a different timeline than I thought when I read it the first time. There were also times where I just really wanted to stay in a particular timeline and not skip between the four, so that did get very frustrating.

Other thoughts (minor spoilers):

• The teen pregnancy was a bit gross for me. It made me feel uncomfortable.
• The ending was anticlimactic, and I didn’t understand why Matthew and Katherine would not risk going back for Clove?
• The historical fiction sections felt a little bit lackluster because the romance took the focus. I did not think that the Carlisle timeline history was explained particularly well. I really wish it had developed these parts more!
• My favourite part of the story was the swapped timeline bit. It was well-written and exciting. It drew on the time travel stuff that I had been hoping for. I loved the radiation sickness bit as well. As tragic as it is, I thought it was realistic.

Overall?

I am really disappointed by how little I enjoyed this book. Normally, time travel stories are the only sci-fi I am willingly pick up but The Next Together was too romance-driven for my tastes. I disliked Katherine a lot, and struggled with Matthew’s underdevelopment at times. I did like the different timelines but I wished they had been elaborated on more. I don’t think I would recommend this book for time travel fans (try Timeriders instead), but this may appeal to sci-fi romance fans. ...more

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Jan 17, 2020 Ashley rated it really liked it

Shelves: romance, library-book, ya, mystery, books-i-enjoyed, sci-fi, unique, unique-layout, history, 2020

This was such a unique read and I really enjoyed it. I loved the format of the story. I'm always a sucker for mixed media books. They are always so fun for me to read. I think the mixed media worked really well for this.
So this story is about two people who meet over and over at different points in time. They fall in love, and it always seems to end in tragedy. In The Next Together, we are following four different timelines of Katherine and Matthew: 2019, 1745, 2039, and 1854. I found each timel ...more

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May 01, 2016 Shaikha Alahmad rated it really liked it

4.5/5

Oh my, what a WONDERFUL journey!
Time traveling books aren't usually my cup of tea but this one is extraordinary!
One beautiful and unique novel that made history ten times more interesting and fun to read.
Although the ending was kind of unsettling and there are a few unanswered questions, but I figured I'll have to wait until the next part of this new series!
I can't deny the love I have for this book now! I think I'm emotionally attached to Katherine and Matthew. ❤️ ...more

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Sep 26, 2015 Kate rated it it was ok

This wasn't a book for me. The concept sounded amazing but I felt that it wasn't executed particularly well. I had issues with the pacing and didn't gel with any of the characters. Overall it was a decent read, but I hoped for a lot more! ...more

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Feb 01, 2018 Maggie ☘ rated it liked it

Shelves: dystopia-sci-fi, contemporary-na

Initial reaction: WHATTHEHELLJUSTHAPPENED ????????????? SO CONFUSED.....

ANYWAY. Moving on: This was quite the star crossed love story with bits and pieces of both science fiction, time travel, historical fiction and contemporary. The story is told from three POVs, three different romances between Katherine and Matthew - and all of them worked together perfectly. I also really liked the idea of the story, even though the execution, after finishing this book, left me very, very confused and with m ...more

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Aug 06, 2016 Elle (ellexamines) rated it liked it

Shelves: x-coverporn, z-2016read, sff-high-fantasy, 3-star

This was cute, but I was expecting & hoping for more dimension to the story.

Following reincarnated couple Katherine and Matthew's role in the world throughout time, this romantic scifi novel delves into several different timelines. In 1745 Carlisle, Katherine is a society lady and Matthew works as a carriage driver. During the 1854 Crimean War, Matthew works as a newspaper assistant and Katherine is dressed as a boy. In 2019, the two are married and working as chemists. And in 2039, two chemist ...more

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Oct 13, 2015 Sara ➽ Ink Is My Sword rated it really liked it

CONFUSED.
Didn't understand the explanation whatsoever.
Why do you love to lie to yourself, Sara? You are just not gonna love all books. 🙄 ...more

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Dec 17, 2017 SyaSya Syed Nasir rated it liked it

Shelves: english-books

I have done reading, but to be honest, I rate it 2.5 stars simply because as much as I like the writing, I don't understand WHAT IS HAPPENING! I'm going nuts here! 😑 The full review will be in my blog tomorrow evening. ...more

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Apr 11, 2015 Tanja rated it really liked it

Shelves: books-i-own

Actual rating: 4.5/5 stars.

I hurried up and bought this on its release date, but found out when I received it that it was a book proof I’d gotten - no biggie, I actually like the cover like this (it doesn't have the title on it). I won’t be quoting anything in this review, so everything I’m mentioning will be the same had I had the "actual" book.

The writing style varied from the different storylines, and my favourite were from the older ones, but that’s just a matter of preference - Lauren Jame Actual rating: 4.5/5 stars.

I hurried up and bought this on its release date, but found out when I received it that it was a book proof I’d gotten - no biggie, I actually like the cover like this (it doesn't have the title on it). I won’t be quoting anything in this review, so everything I’m mentioning will be the same had I had the "actual" book.

The writing style varied from the different storylines, and my favourite were from the older ones, but that’s just a matter of preference - Lauren James did a spectacular job in every storyline.

The characters were Katherine, Kate, Katy and Matthew x3 (and an extra set from 2019 but we only read them through notes and e-mails) which all meant that the characters were similar (duh), but because of their different settings and environments, their personality traits were like different shades of the same colour. It was easy to tell them apart even though they were technically the same two people.

The plot was like nothing I’ve ever read before. The book was a bit slow at first and I had my doubts about whether my expectations would be lived up to, but after the 150-page mark, the book went beyond anything I’d ever imagined. At some point, it all became a bit too clever for me, and I was endlessly confused. But maybe I don’t need to understand everything to have enjoyed the book. I was blown away by its twists and turns, and it left my heart broken and my mind blown.

Overall it was such an interesting read and it had everything. Romance, sci-fi, history/war, wit (not so fond of that though, since it just wasn’t my sense of humor) and suspense/mystery. I can’t wait to re-read this in the future where I’ll probably discover new things and understand it better now that I know what’ll happen in the end.

I recommend this book to anyone, no matter what you’re favourite genre is, because this novel has it all. It also has really cool screenshots of google searches, articles, e-mails, handwritten notes and so on. If you feel like lately you’ve read really similar books, and you're in search of something original and clever, pick up this book. You won’t regret it.
...more

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Sep 20, 2015 vicky. rated it it was amazing

“I’ll have you know I am an expert at trench digging,” she said. “It’s an important skill for a young lady. I would struggle to find a husband without it.”
He grinned. “I should hope so. I would be wary of a wife who was unable to dig a perfect tunnel.”
“My point exactly, Matthew, thank you. If even you require such a talent, imagine the demands of a man who actually has standards.”

these two <3

Originally I thought this was a four stars book but it was so clever, twisty and hilarious that I’m g ...more

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Apr 11, 2016 Bee rated it really liked it

Shelves: ukya, completed-series

Finished this just in time for the signing! There was so much to love about The Next Together - it's the perfect blend of sic-fi and historical fantasy. It's reincarnation romance as you've never read before! My favourite time line was the one set in the 19th Century, because I can't resist a good girl disguised as boy plot. I LITERALLY CANNOT WAIT to find out what happens in the companion sequel. I'll be recommending this book a lot more in the future. ...more

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Sep 23, 2014 Catherine Doyle rated it it was amazing

I was lucky enough to read an early version of The Next Together, and finished it in one sitting. I fell in love with the characters, the story and the settings, which made me completely forget about the concept of time, and my dinner!

The Next Together is a fast-paced race against fate, and tells the story of two lovers, who are caught up in something utterly thrilling that will threaten to change the world forever. Matt and Kate are destined to fall in love again and again, in different eras, w ...more

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Jul 29, 2017 Olivia (Stories For Coffee) rated it really liked it

I loved this novel more than I expected to, probably because it dealt so much with science and pieces of history mixed together. The scientific elements that drove the plot forward were so well thought out and the historical settings that Kate and Matthew were in that were all filled with action and mystery. The way James crafts the story so all four time periods interconnect was so well laid out in a way that was easy to read along with. I loved Kate and Matthew’s banter and how their love deve ...more

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Oct 21, 2015 Holly Bourne rated it really liked it

Very creative and unique book, and more than anything, just...cute! I raced through it.

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Jan 03, 2016 Ashleigh (a frolic through fiction) rated it liked it

Originally posted on A Frolic Through Fiction: https://afrolicthroughfiction.wordpre...

RATED 3.5/5 STARS!

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

I WANT ANSWERS!

UGH.

This book has left me in a weird balancing act between enjoyment and awe for all the stories told within this one book, but also pure frustration because I STILL want answers.

~~As you can probably tell, right now the balancing is leaning more towards the latter.~~

But we’ll come back to that later.

Right.

So. This book. This is defin ...more

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Sep 12, 2015 Kelly (Diva Booknerd) rated it liked it

Shelves: walker-books

http://www.divabooknerd.com/2015/10/t...
The Next Together was a clever contemporary blending time travel and science fiction to create what is ultimately a romance across the ages. Told through a series of perspectives, it ultimately follows the story of Katherine and Matthew, two entities destined to navigate towards one another no matter what era they share. It's the year 2039 and Matthew has just strolled into Kate's science class at the University of Nottingham and instantly find themselves http://www.divabooknerd.com/2015/10/t...
The Next Together was a clever contemporary blending time travel and science fiction to create what is ultimately a romance across the ages. Told through a series of perspectives, it ultimately follows the story of Katherine and Matthew, two entities destined to navigate towards one another no matter what era they share. It's the year 2039 and Matthew has just strolled into Kate's science class at the University of Nottingham and instantly find themselves attracted to one another. Kate feels a sense of déjà vu and searches online to see where she may have seen Matthew before. But Kate finds more than she bargained for when not only Matthew's but her own namesake reveals a slain couple who are accused of terrorism by the very scientific laboratory in which they both worked. We only see snippets of their relationship through journal entries and notes between the married couple, Katherine is fun loving and jovial and the straight laced Matthew loved her deeply.

That's where I found myself starting to feel overwhelmed. It wasn't the flashbacks of a past era, but how Matthew, Katherine and their doppelgänger selves were connected. Those around them seemed to be aware of the phenomena but Kate and Matthew only experienced dreamlike flashbacks to eras neither could make sense of. I never really felt a sense of who Kate or Matthew was in any timeline and as much as I loved both 1746 and 1854 versions of themselves, it only complicated the storyline further. From what I gathered, each Katherine and Matthew live within the same era with one or both to die only to be reborn or appear in the next lifetime together. Aspects of the storyline seem to suggest that Kate and Matthew's multiple lives are one in the same, but as one dies another can take his or her place. In one scene when 2039 Kate is confronting her grandmother about her namesake, I was also under the understanding that 2019 Katherine was a close relative simply by how the circumstances were briefly explained. Confused? Me too.

I loved the whirlwind romance of 1745 in a time of war and invasion. A forbidden and tentative romance between the society elite in Kathrine and her stagecoach driver in Matthew. It was the the only relationship between the two that appealed to me and allowed me to invest in both characters. The Kate and Matt of 2039 felt as though they had very little connection and were sexually swept away with the thrill and unease of their investigation into clearing their namesakes of 2019. I just couldn't invest in their plight, not because of the whimsy and far fetched nature of their scenario, but neither were developed enough to care about sadly.

I have no doubt that I'll be within the small majority who wasn't enamored with the romance between Kate and Matthew that spans lifetimes, but sadly I couldn't connect with either character. The back and forth between characters and eras felt disjointed and I couldn't see the connection between the various namesakes beyond sharing the same name and perhaps Katherine's sense of humour. I enjoyed it for the unique premise but the ending felt messy and far more complicated than necessary. This is definitely a case of it's not you, it's me, where The Next Together is concerned and I expect this will become a favorite of readers of every genre. Just not myself unfortunately. ...more

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Feb 16, 2016 Nicola rated it really liked it

Time travel is one of those genres that I don't really steer towards. I don't know what it is, there's just something about it that doesn't really appeal to me. I'm not big on historical fiction either... On paper, I wasn't destined to like this book but I kept hearing about it and eventually picked it up. I am so glad that I did as it was such a wonderful and charming read.

Likable Characters
The Next Together follows Matthew and Katherine as they meet, fall in love and become tragically separate Time travel is one of those genres that I don't really steer towards. I don't know what it is, there's just something about it that doesn't really appeal to me. I'm not big on historical fiction either... On paper, I wasn't destined to like this book but I kept hearing about it and eventually picked it up. I am so glad that I did as it was such a wonderful and charming read.

Likable Characters
The Next Together follows Matthew and Katherine as they meet, fall in love and become tragically separated all over again in different centuries. I found them both to be so likable and despite the fact we see them in different time periods, they are still so much the same great people that we can't help but fall in love with in each time. I loved witnessing everything from their forbidden love during the Crimean War to their married life in 2019. Their romance is different every time, due to the customs of the time they are living in, but you really get a sense that these are two people who completely belong together.

Different periods of time that seamlessly flow
One of the things I was worried about, and I guess one of the reasons I'm not normally drawn to time travel, is that things would be confusing due to all the different time periods. This wasn't the case at all though and despite the fact time jumps around, each one has its own distinct voice and there's no confusion. It was really seamless and I also liked that time generally flows at the same pace in each period.

Great writing and style
I thought the writing was great and the inclusion of newspaper articles, notes between husband and wife, diary entries and documents was a really nice touch. It added to the element of travelling through time and the unravelling of a mystery. The only small downside I have is the ending which is a little bit ambiguous and feels slightly rushed.

Overall, this is a fantastic blend of romance, contemporary, historical and science fiction. If you're normally unsure about time travel, like me, then I would definitely give this one a go as it might surprise you. ...more

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Nov 05, 2015 catherine ♡ rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, romance, historical

I wasn't one for historical novels when I read this but I remember the additional fantasy aspect really made me more invested in the story than I otherwise would've been. Ultimately, it felt a little too repetitive with the characters just meeting in every life — there was no feeling like the story was going anywhere.

UNTIL THE VERY END. That's why I ended up bumping my rating up a star. ...more

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Sep 24, 2014 Sara rated it it was amazing

I'll be honest, I was already sold on the words "reincarnation romance". Why read a story where they fall in love once when you can watch them do it over and over again?

What makes The Next Together so great is you get all of the classic elements of a love story (no skimping on the "falling in love" bit here!) and you get to experience them again and again, with characters you've grown to love, in different centuries and with different conflicts. In different hands, the multiple settings could ha ...more

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Any Idea? (Spoilers) this Q contains spoilers. If u haven't read the book don't read it.	3	25	Nov 11, 2020 04:51AM
What's the Name o...: SOLVED. YYA, boy and girl meet in different time periods. They meet in current times, during a war, during the English invasion of Scotland, and they work together as scientists for the government, read in 2018 or 2019. [s]	3	28	Sep 15, 2020 10:01AM
YA Shot 2016: "The Next Together" by Lauren James Read-Along - 1st June to 30th June 2016	6	9	Jun 30, 2016 10:54AM
Crazy for Young A...: The Next Together by Lauren James → Start Date: April 14 2016	14	19	Apr 22, 2016 12:28PM
YA Book Gang!!: November 2015 - The Next Together by Lauren James	3	29	Oct 21, 2015 12:30AM

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About Lauren James

Lauren James

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Lauren James is the twice Carnegie-nominated British author of many Young Adult novels, including The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker, The Loneliest Girl in the Universe and The Quiet at the End of the World. She is also a Creative Writing lecturer, freelance editor and screenwriter. Her books have sold over a hundred tho ...more

Other books in the series

The Next Together (2 books)

Books by Lauren James

The Last Beginning (The Next Together, #2)

The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker

The Starlight Watchmaker (The Watchmaker and the Duke, #1)

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Kerine Wint is a software engineering graduate with more love for books than for computers. As an avid reader, writer, and fan of all things...

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Quotes from The Next Together

“I love you. In every life, I love you. I love you so much.” — 7 likes

“Not exactly hard, is it?”

“That’s what she said,” Kate interjected.

Matt shook his head. “And this is where I chose to lay my affections,” he muttered, like it was just the latest in a series of bad life choices he’d made.” — 6 likes

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