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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was a sugar sweet romance, very Hallmark movieesque, so it didn’t surprise me to see in the “About the Author” that 4 of her books had been made into Hallmark movies. The idea of lost memories is always intriguing and makes you want to read on to find out what happens, which I did. However, I didn’t feel the need to do so at breakneck speed, which made this book just a comfort read for me. This book is considered a Christian Romance, but beyond the occasional mention of praying I didn’t see much of a difference between this & other fluffy romances. I recommend this for lovers of the Hallmark channel.
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for the ARC.
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for the ARC.
All of the little flashbacks of them falling in love were really cute. I just wish the book was longer because I don't know that I believe she fell back in love with him. They needed more time together in the present.
I am a Denise Hunter fan and have probably read the majority of her books. If you're looking for a feel-good, often poignant and wholesome story, she's a good one to turn to.
I enjoyed this story (as I was sure I would), but maybe not as much as I had thought to? And to be honest I'm not sure why that is. Maybe it was the premise which felt a little too "out there" in terms of reality. Or maybe it was the heroine, Lauren. For some reason I didn't relate well or even overly sympathize much with her situation as I felt she did not handle it well or those around her (who were also dealing with it) with as much compassion and patience as I had hoped.
I did love Jonah as he was the epitome of a vulnerable but selfless man who was dealing with a difficult situation with love and empathy.
So, while I did enjoy the book, I don't feel that it was one of Hunter's best.
My thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for providing the free early arc of Before We Were Us for review. The opinions are strictly my own.
I enjoyed this story (as I was sure I would), but maybe not as much as I had thought to? And to be honest I'm not sure why that is. Maybe it was the premise which felt a little too "out there" in terms of reality. Or maybe it was the heroine, Lauren. For some reason I didn't relate well or even overly sympathize much with her situation as I felt she did not handle it well or those around her (who were also dealing with it) with as much compassion and patience as I had hoped.
I did love Jonah as he was the epitome of a vulnerable but selfless man who was dealing with a difficult situation with love and empathy.
So, while I did enjoy the book, I don't feel that it was one of Hunter's best.
My thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for providing the free early arc of Before We Were Us for review. The opinions are strictly my own.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I had the oportunity to listen to the audio version of this book through NetGalley. The narrator did a lovely job bringing these characters to life. The story was cute and the setting was idyllic. It felt a bit long for what little happened but was still enjoyable. I only rated this book a 3 because of the predictability combined with how frustrating I found the FMC. While I understood her reasoning for her decisions, her refusal to process her trauma left me wanting.
I received an Ebook ARC of this story from NetGalley, this is my honest and objective review. The fmc is city-girl Lauren, who is the manager at Jonah's family's resort in New Hampshire, where she's worked and lived for the past six months. The story starts with Jonah planning to ask Lauren to marry him, but before he can Lauren falls and hits her head, causing amnesia. Unfortunately for Jonah's plans, Lauren's most easily recalled memories of Jonah are antagonistic and pre-date their romantic relationship. Can Jonah win her back and persuade her to take another chance on him and on their life in New Hampshire, or will Lauren go back to Boston and her much fancier dream job like she'd originally planned?
This wasn't the book for me, I gave it 2.5 stars rounded up to 3 stars. It's an interesting premise but the execution didn't grab me. The story starts abruptly on the day of the accident, and I would have liked it if we'd seen a little more of their history first so I could have been better invested in their relationship. There was no real reason initially to like either of them, either separately or together, and that feeling followed me through the story. Maybe the author wanted to woo the readers alongside Jonah's renewed wooing of Lauren, and there is use of flashbacks to fill in the background, but overall it didn't quite work for me. Also, if I'd been in Lauren's position and suddenly found myself with a serious boyfriend of several months, with no recollection of any of it, I'd at least be wondering if we'd had sex but it doesn't seem to occur to Lauren even though she finds him attractive. That seemed unrealistic in general, but given the low steam level of the rest of the book it's consistent. The plot and writing style of this book is reminiscent of a Hallmark movie, pleasant but formulaic. This is a new-to-me author, and it was a solid enough book that I finished it but it just wasn't the book for me. I think readers who are willing to suspend disbelief and are fans of low-steam women's fiction with dependable happily-ever-afters will enjoy this book the most.
This wasn't the book for me, I gave it 2.5 stars rounded up to 3 stars. It's an interesting premise but the execution didn't grab me. The story starts abruptly on the day of the accident, and I would have liked it if we'd seen a little more of their history first so I could have been better invested in their relationship. There was no real reason initially to like either of them, either separately or together, and that feeling followed me through the story. Maybe the author wanted to woo the readers alongside Jonah's renewed wooing of Lauren, and there is use of flashbacks to fill in the background, but overall it didn't quite work for me. Also, if I'd been in Lauren's position and suddenly found myself with a serious boyfriend of several months, with no recollection of any of it, I'd at least be wondering if we'd had sex but it doesn't seem to occur to Lauren even though she finds him attractive. That seemed unrealistic in general, but given the low steam level of the rest of the book it's consistent. The plot and writing style of this book is reminiscent of a Hallmark movie, pleasant but formulaic. This is a new-to-me author, and it was a solid enough book that I finished it but it just wasn't the book for me. I think readers who are willing to suspend disbelief and are fans of low-steam women's fiction with dependable happily-ever-afters will enjoy this book the most.
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was such a great book! The storyline was so much fun. Being from New England originally myself, I loved the setting being in NH.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.