Lucy lives on the twenty-fourth floor. Owen lives in the basement. It's fitting, then, that they meet in the middle -- stuck between two floors of a New York City apartment building, on an elevator rendered useless by a citywide blackout. After they're rescued, Lucy and Owen spend the night wandering the darkened streets and marveling at the rare appearance of stars above Manhattan. But once the power is back, so is reality. Lucy soon moves abroad with her parents, while Owen heads out west with his father.
The brief time they spend together leaves a mark. And as their lives take them to Edinburgh and to San Francisco, to Prague and to Portland, Lucy and Owen stay in touch through postcards, occasional e-mails, and phone calls. But can they -- despite the odds -- find a way to reunite?
Smartly observed and wonderfully romantic, Jennifer E. Smith's new novel shows that the center of the world isn't necessarily a place. Sometimes, it can be a person.
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“A dual narration deftly contraststhe two characters featured in this novel, which starts out in New York City…Theirdiffering classes and backgrounds are obvious in their snappy, sometimessnarky, dialogue. Corey Bradbury adopts a cynical tone for Owen, who has cometo the city after his mother’s death and is alienated from his new life. Atfirst, Leslie Bellair presents Lucy as playful and upbeat, but soon she layersthis external cheer with a wistful tone that reveals Lucy’s feelings ofabandonment by her continually traveling parents. The narrators show the duo’sshared loneliness as well as the connection that grows between them.”
— AudioFile
“The greatest space between two people is measured in emotions, not miles. The Geography of You and Me is a true, tender long-distance love story guaranteed to strike a resonant chord in hopeful romantics everywhere.”
— Megan McCafferty, New York Times bestselling author of Perfect Fifths“A heart-shaking exploration of a fragile long-distance relationship…Deftly romantic and anchored in an age when the Internet has made long distance a much more familiar concept for teenagers, this is a fantastic story.”
— Vanity Fair“[Smith] delivers her best book yet, a straightforward, old-fashioned swoon fest that, in another time, would be a film starring Audrey Hepburn…It’s a classic dish served up with style, heart, and a long-distance yearning immediately recognizable to anyone who has had to love from afar. And Smith makes it all look as effortless as the charmed rapport between Lucy and Owen.”
— Booklist (starred review)“Fans of Smith’s previous works, namely The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, and other love stories like John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars and David Levithan’s Every Day will like this novel, which is a similar combination of head and heart. The book is perfectly wholesome, without any harsh language or sexual content, so it will be a welcome addition to any library.”
— VOYA (starred review)“Owen and Lucy meet when they get stuck in a New York City elevator during a widespread power outage…There are plenty of romantic sigh-worthy moments, too, but it’s Owen and Lucy’s individual journeys that really hit home.”
— Publishers Weekly“This contemporary YA novel focuses on themes of family, life after loss, and long-distance relationships. Readers will enjoy experiencing different cities and countries through the protagonists' eyes.”
— Library Journal“As Owen wanders across the western United States and Lucy moves throughout Europe, what will happen to their blossoming romance? Jennifer E. Smith presents a moving romantic tale of love ignited, disrupted and—dare we hope—rekindled. Readers will enjoy this heartfelt story of love lost and found.”
— Children’s Literature“Smith fashions long-distance travel into a metaphor for the leaps of faith that love demands…The alternating narration builds tension as the two both live their separate lives and recollect their fragile bond, giving readers access to the closely observed emotions of each, something neither has. If the emotional authenticity points up less-believable plot points (if only applying to college were so easy!), it also eclipses those lapses. Truth about love always gets our attention, and this book will catch readers’.”
— Kirkus Reviews“Smith captures the romantic sparks that fly in unusual situations and the way love can build even when circumstances keep people apart. If you like your romances with a bit of European adventure, some New York glamour, and a lot of honest heart, this one’s for you.”
— E. Lockhart, author of The Boyfriend List“Jennifer E. Smith represents the absolute best in YA writing, and readers will carry this poignant love story in their hearts long after the last sentence is read.”
— Susane Colasanti, bestselling author of When It Happens“The Geography of You and Me is a magic, magic book. It will take you to a place where we all want to live, where true love overcomes any distance.”
— Huntley Fitzpatrick, author of My Life Next Door and What I Thought Was True“If it was just a travel story or just a love story, The Geography of You and Me would still be perfect, but it’s both and more. I loved this book!”
— Lauren Morrill, author of Meant to Be and Being Sloane JacobsSmith captures the romantic sparks that fly in unusual situations and the way love can build even when circumstances keep people apart. If you like your romances with a bit of European adventure, some New York glamour, and a lot of honest heart, this one's for you.
— E. Lockhart, author of The Boyfriend List and The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-BanksThe greatest space between two people is measured in emotions, not miles. The Geography of You and Me is a true, tender long-distance love story guaranteed to strike a resonant chord in hopeful romantics everywhere.
— Megan McCafferty, bestselling author of the Jessica Darling series and BumpedJennifer E. Smith represents the absolute best in YA writing, and readers will carry this poignant love story in their hearts long after the last sentence is read.
— Susane Colasanti, bestselling author of When It HappensThe Geography of You and Me is a magic, magic book. It will take you to a place where we all want to live, where true love overcomes any distance.
— Huntley Fitzpatrick, author of My Life Next Door and What I Thought Was TrueIf it was just a travel story or just a love story, The Geography of You and Me would still be perfect, but it's both and more. I loved this book!
— Lauren Morrill, author of Meant to Be and Being Sloane JacobsBe the first to write a review about this audiobook!
Jennifer E. Smith is the author of several young-adult novels, and her work has been translated into thirty-three languages. She earned a master’s degree in creative writing from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland.
Leslie Bellair is a voice-over artist, stage and film actor, trained singer, and certified speech-language pathologist. Her voice can be heard on the iPhone application “Diss Crazy!,” the online game “Back to the Cubeture 2,” various audio books published for Audible, Inc., Carina Press, and Oxford Press, as well as the short animated Christmas movie An Elf’s Story. Her professional musical theater work in the Atlanta area has greatly contributed to the characterizations and versatility she brings to the voice-over mic.