I received a free ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.
Have you ever met someone or made a choice and wondered what would have happened if you had done something differently, even if it was something as small as choosing a different seat somewhere or going to a different place for vacation?
Beyond Parallel plays out two different lives of Bella and Clark, one where they met and one where they did not. It shows how one small choice can drastically change your future whether it seems significant at the time or not and makes you wonder, are some things really meant to be? If something is supposed to happen, like a specific meeting, will it eventually happen?
I really enjoyed the thought provoking aspect this book gave me. In theory, it's a great concept and potentially great literature. However, I did have an issue with it. It was extremely helpful that the author labeled each chapter "with" or "without", and minus a little confusion at first, the parallel part to the story wasn't what I had issues with. The characters of Bella and Clark were not my favorite. Both could be so back and forth in their thoughts. In one paragraph, they didn't want something. In the next, boom, they want it now. It just gave them the impression of being unreliable in what they say and their actions. If it had only been one of them or only happened a few times, it wouldn't have been such a big deal, but it happened very frequently, especially toward the end.
Clark and Bella's swings were really the only major issue I had, though. The plot was solid, unfolded beautifully, and I think the author did an impressive job in mastering a challenging process of keeping the two lives on track. Overall, 3/5 stars.