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scvallese1's review
5.0
It's been a while since I've read a book by Melissa Collins, and now I'm wondering why. Who We Were was a success for me!
Ryan and Quinn met when Quinn stood up for him in middle school. Since then, Ryan has avoided him, but they're partnered up on a senior project. But their families are quite different. Where Quinn has much support at home, Ryan gets none from his parents or his twin brother. The two explore their feelings for each other, but after getting devastating news from his parents, Ryan runs away. Twelve years later, he returns, only to realize that his feelings for Quinn are still there, but there are still many obstacles to overcome.
I loved these two characters! I felt as if they were real, and I felt their emotions. Melissa Collins did a wonderful job of creating a story where you care about the characters, and somehow she managed to have the side characters find redemption by the end.
I highly recommend Who We Were!
Ryan and Quinn met when Quinn stood up for him in middle school. Since then, Ryan has avoided him, but they're partnered up on a senior project. But their families are quite different. Where Quinn has much support at home, Ryan gets none from his parents or his twin brother. The two explore their feelings for each other, but after getting devastating news from his parents, Ryan runs away. Twelve years later, he returns, only to realize that his feelings for Quinn are still there, but there are still many obstacles to overcome.
I loved these two characters! I felt as if they were real, and I felt their emotions. Melissa Collins did a wonderful job of creating a story where you care about the characters, and somehow she managed to have the side characters find redemption by the end.
I highly recommend Who We Were!
kara_hildebrand's review
5.0
Who We Were is Melissa Collins' newest standalone m/m romance. I’m a huge fan of Melissa's and her writing always takes me to a place where my emotions are high, my heart rate picks up and I chuckle and smile a lot. Who We Were is a second chance romance with a lot of heart, sadness, sexiness and angst. Ryan and Quinn know each other as kids. Then they meet again as teenagers and finally become friends. Quinn isn't hiding the fact that he's gay. He's not quite out, but he's not in the closet either. Ryan isn't sure where he is. But after spending time with Quinn he realizes he wants him. But Ryan's family is a disaster and there is no way he can come out. He isn't happy and his home life is really horrible. Quinn can't stop caring about Ryan and wanting to be with him. Ryan has a tendency to just up and vanish and after a night a passion he does it again. And he's gone for twelve years! He's made something of himself, but he's still not happy. Quinn missed him a lot but he's still mad. But not too mad to not touch him. He knows Ryan likes to run and if he runs again he's not letting him get far. Quinn and Ryan have a very complicated relationship. There's affection, lust, friendship and even love. But Ryan can't let go of his past. He doesn’t think he's good enough for Quinn no matter what Quinn says. I'm not gonna lie, I was mad at Ryan too! But in the end he owned up to everything. He redeemed himself and they both fought for what they wanted. It just took time, patience and love. Forgiveness helped too. Overall, I enjoyed the emotional rollercoaster. I thought Quinn was fabulous and insightful, sexy and talented. Ryan was broken, but wanted to be better. That's all you can really ask for!
I knew I'd never be satisfied with it came to Quinn. I'd always be hungry for this man.
"I don't have to claim what's always been mine."
I knew I'd never be satisfied with it came to Quinn. I'd always be hungry for this man.
"I don't have to claim what's always been mine."
paddlefoot55's review against another edition
5.0
ARC received for an honest review
It has been a while since I have read a Melissa Collins story, and I didn't realise how much I had missed her writing.
Who We Were quickly became my favourite Melissa Collins story to date.
Ryan and Quinn's story is not all hearts and flowers. I laughed. I cried. I threw my kindle across the room (well, technically it was from one end of the couch to the other). There were so many feels, from the first page to the last.
From early high school to the present, I adored our lovelies. I won't lie, at times I didn't like Ryan and his running away issues, and I wanted to hate him for it, but I just couldn't.
My heart hurt for both our lovelies for most of the book. I just couldn't with some of the characters close to them. If you looked up "ar%ehole family" in the dictionary, you would find a picture of Ryan's mum, dad and particularly his brother Patrick. I just couldn't with them.
I loved being taken on the journey as our lovelies found their way back to each other. I think I spent the last 15% of the book reading through tears.
Gah, there is so much I want to say about this book, however I don't want to spoil anything for anyone. Diving into this one a little blind is a good thing.
I couldn't put Who We Were down, and I didn't want it to end. I need more.
I can't wait to see what Ms Collins brings us next.
It has been a while since I have read a Melissa Collins story, and I didn't realise how much I had missed her writing.
Who We Were quickly became my favourite Melissa Collins story to date.
Ryan and Quinn's story is not all hearts and flowers. I laughed. I cried. I threw my kindle across the room (well, technically it was from one end of the couch to the other). There were so many feels, from the first page to the last.
From early high school to the present, I adored our lovelies. I won't lie, at times I didn't like Ryan and his running away issues, and I wanted to hate him for it, but I just couldn't.
My heart hurt for both our lovelies for most of the book. I just couldn't with some of the characters close to them. If you looked up "ar%ehole family" in the dictionary, you would find a picture of Ryan's mum, dad and particularly his brother Patrick. I just couldn't with them.
I loved being taken on the journey as our lovelies found their way back to each other. I think I spent the last 15% of the book reading through tears.
Gah, there is so much I want to say about this book, however I don't want to spoil anything for anyone. Diving into this one a little blind is a good thing.
I couldn't put Who We Were down, and I didn't want it to end. I need more.
I can't wait to see what Ms Collins brings us next.
onceupon_a_bookdream's review
5.0
[I received a digital ARC for an honest review]
It's no surprise to anyone that I absolutely loved Melissa Collins' newest M/M romance Who We Were.
They say opposites attract and that how I would describe Quinn and Ryan. Ryan is a quiet loner who lives in his brothers shadow. His resentment and anger seems to be on a constant slow rise, while being in a family that shows him no love and affection. Quinn on the other hand is over all happy with his life. He has a role model for a father who encourages him to do what he loves, a loving mother, and a best friend in his sister.
As teenagers, they are assigned as shop partners and forced to face their feelings for each other. Neither boy has come out publicly, and they are experiencing everything new together. Quinn thinks things are finally going to be okay now that they can lean on each other, but Ryan has way more going on that forces him to run and keep on running. After twelve years Quinn is done letting Ryan run from him and what they could be. Little does Quinn know, it's not a question of whether Ryan loves him but a question of whether Ryan can love himself.
Melissa Collins has created an emotional and beautiful love story. A love that won't give up and never fades. A story about accepting who you are and the things you can't change. A story about forgiveness and personal growth. A story about taking care of yourself and loving yourself before being able to fully love another. Who We Were was perfect and I am already anticipating Melissa Collins next book.
"Quinn was ever the hopeful romantic, always looking at any situation from the best possible angle, but all I could see was all the ways this would-be relationship could crash and burn."
" His presence, his body, his scent, his touch… they were all too much to take. In a state of sensory overload, I almost lost the tether on my control that I thought I had."
5/5🌟
cadiva's review
3.0
I don't know what it is about me and this author but, once again, everything is on paper for a book that I should absolutely adore but I end up feeling vaguely disappointed with.
I'm sure it's a me thing as there is a lot of really good things about this romance. It's a second chance one, it's a steamy read, it has well developed characters and world building.
But, at the end of my read, I was left a bit flat. I spent half the time wanting to punch one of the MCs and the other half telling number two MC to get a backbone.
The big reveal I had guessed the main element of as soon as it was alluded to and I honestly don't think it played out in a way which justified all of Ryan's dickish behaviour towards Quinn at all.
I just couldn't buy into why Quinn would have waited 12 years pining for someone who had treated him like he didn't matter.
Oh yeah, and Patrick was an utter arse and everything to do with his relationship with Ryan read like an overly dramatic soap opera.
I suspect most of this criticism is just me though so give it a go if you want a romance which spans two eras.
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
I'm sure it's a me thing as there is a lot of really good things about this romance. It's a second chance one, it's a steamy read, it has well developed characters and world building.
But, at the end of my read, I was left a bit flat. I spent half the time wanting to punch one of the MCs and the other half telling number two MC to get a backbone.
The big reveal I had guessed the main element of as soon as it was alluded to and I honestly don't think it played out in a way which justified all of Ryan's dickish behaviour towards Quinn at all.
I just couldn't buy into why Quinn would have waited 12 years pining for someone who had treated him like he didn't matter.
Oh yeah, and Patrick was an utter arse and everything to do with his relationship with Ryan read like an overly dramatic soap opera.
I suspect most of this criticism is just me though so give it a go if you want a romance which spans two eras.
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
cadiva's review against another edition
3.0
I don't know what it is about me and this author but, once again, everything is on paper for a book that I should absolutely adore but I end up feeling vaguely disappointed with.
I'm sure it's a me thing as there is a lot of really good things about this romance. It's a second chance one, it's a steamy read, it has well developed characters and world building.
But, at the end of my read, I was left a bit flat. I spent half the time wanting to punch one of the MCs and the other half telling number two MC to get a backbone.
The big reveal I had guessed the main element of as soon as it was alluded to and I honestly don't think it played out in a way which justified all of Ryan's dickish behaviour towards Quinn at all.
I just couldn't buy into why Quinn would have waited 12 years pining for someone who had treated him like he didn't matter.
Oh yeah, and Patrick was an utter arse and everything to do with his relationship with Ryan read like an overly dramatic soap opera.
I suspect most of this criticism is just me though so give it a go if you want a romance which spans two eras.
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
I'm sure it's a me thing as there is a lot of really good things about this romance. It's a second chance one, it's a steamy read, it has well developed characters and world building.
But, at the end of my read, I was left a bit flat. I spent half the time wanting to punch one of the MCs and the other half telling number two MC to get a backbone.
The big reveal I had guessed the main element of as soon as it was alluded to and I honestly don't think it played out in a way which justified all of Ryan's dickish behaviour towards Quinn at all.
I just couldn't buy into why Quinn would have waited 12 years pining for someone who had treated him like he didn't matter.
Oh yeah, and Patrick was an utter arse and everything to do with his relationship with Ryan read like an overly dramatic soap opera.
I suspect most of this criticism is just me though so give it a go if you want a romance which spans two eras.
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
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