When We Collided

By: Emery Lord

Narrated by: Elizabeth Evans, Raviv Ullman

Length: 8 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

Earphones Award Winner (AudioFile Magazine)

Seventeen-year-old Jonah Daniels has lived in Verona Cove, California, his whole life, and only one thing has ever changed: His father used to be alive, and now he is not. With a mother lost in a deep bout of depression, Jonah and his five siblings struggle to keep up their home and the restaurant their dad left behind. But at the start of summer, a second change rolls in: Vivi Alexander, the new girl in town.

Vivi is in love with life. Charming and unfiltered, she refuses to be held down by the medicine she's told should make her feel better. After meeting Jonah, she slides into the Daniels household seamlessly, winning over each sibling with her imagination and gameness. But it's not long before Vivi's zest for life begins to falter. Soon her adventurousness becomes all-out danger seeking. Through each high and low, Vivi and Jonah's love is put to the test...but what happens when love simply isn't enough?

©2016 Emery Lord (P)2016 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Evans and Ullman's excellent narrations fully realize the intensity of the characters." ( AudioFile)

Wow. This story is a feast

I'm a grandmother and I loved every moment of this "young adult" novel. It dealt lovingly with real life issues and left me with tears and laughter

first audiobook I actually was able to finish

I have struggled to finish audiobooks in the past, preferring to read over listen. This one kept me hooked and I feel like even though it's labelled as young adult fiction, older people will enjoy the story and characters just as much as teens.

When We Collided by Emery Lord

Would you consider the audio edition of When We Collided to be better than the print version?

Never read the print edition but LOVED the audio version!!!

What was one of the most memorable moments of When We Collided?

Jonah Daniels is one of six children in a family struggling with the sudden death of a beloved father and a mother who can't get out of bed due to her deep grief. Into Verona Cove, Vivi bounds in and falls in love with Jonah and each of the Daniels children. As Vivi's love of life, excitement, and adventure patches up the Daniels family, Jonah finds hope, love and healing with Vivi. I could not stop listening to this audiobook (I kept finding reasons to walk, exercise or just sit and listen) that was gripping, heartbreaking and true. Vivi, narrated by Elizabeth Evans was funny, sensitive and kind while Jonah narrated by Raviv Ullman was shy, hopeless, and ultimately changed as a result of knowing and loving Vivi. What will the future hold for these two seventeen year old teens with seemingly insurmontable problems? A must read for those who love romance, struggling teens, and family problems. Can't wait to read Lord's, The Start of Me and You, bring on the romances with lots of drama!!!

Which scene was your favorite?

Vivi and Jonah's love story

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When Jonah was changed as a result of knowing and loving Vivi

AWESOME

amazing take on a struggle that doesn't get nearly enough literature. pulse narrator's did a very good job of bringing the characters to life. and the author wrote a wonderful, and balanced story between two characters

Pleasant Surprise

I wasn't expecting to enjoy this as much as I did! This book pulls you into its characters and boldly illuminates mental illness and loss in a heart-wrenching and relatable way. If you're a sucker for romance, this is just the book for you. I simply adore the ending. It is wholly satisfying.

it was a good read

it was narrated very well in the storyline was very beautiful but I still think it could have been happier. I'm not sure I would read any other of the author's books but this was a really good one.

Real and relatable

Not what I originally expected, but I think there were some great messages conveyed in this book. I listened before gifting to my teen daughter just to see what I was buying her and think she'll have a good read herself. Would recommend and plan to check out other titles by her as well.

Mania isn’t romantic

Grade: C-

One Word: Boring

Jordan Daniels is mourning the death of his father, trying to take care of his younger siblings and keep his family together while his mother languishes in bed with depression. He meets the enigmatic, loud, boisterous Vivi, not realizing she's off her bipolar meds. She lives a bohemian life with her artist single mom, and falls in love with the Daniels kids and Jordan.

For the Insta-love story to work in WHEN WE COLLIDED, readers have to see Vivi as someone who embraces life at full force, rather than a manic teenager, dancing in the edge of mental illness, disrespecting boundaries. I had difficulty seeing her as anything but a girl on a collusion course with the realities of stopping medication. Her hapless mother notices the warning signs, but believes when Vivi says she's taking her meds.

While I didn't like Vivi, Jordan was easy to love and root for his happiness. He's almost too good to be believable. Vivi felt quite authentic, very much like someone recently off meds with her behavior subtly escalating from spirited to full blown mania. Emery Lord does a magnification job capturing Vivi's descent into mania. Vivi was a complex character, but ultimately not likable due to self-centeredness under the guise of being selfless. Her worst moment wasn't The Big Event, but convincing Jordan to continue to hide the depth of his mother's despair. His mom needed help, but Vivi viewed the situation from her own noncompliance with her doctor. I understood Jordan being unsure what to do and listening to Vivi's narcissistic advice, which she spoke with passion and confidence.

THEMES: mental illness, bipolar disorder, grief, death, family, parents, siblings, romance

WHEN WE COLLIDED is a realistic portrayal of a bipolar teen off her meds, but ultimately not a memorable story.

Bleh!

A summer love story of two teenagers, each with tons of baggage. It was so cheesy and the female protagonist was sooo obnoxious! I cringed every time her part of the story came up.

Phenomenal Book!

I am 46 and usually read memoirs, so this was a risk for me. I literally loved it! It was perfectly done and nicely narrated and I am so glad I read it.