A review by enchantingreads_rosyreviews
Before Us: A Contemporary Romance Trilogy by Shae Green

emotional funny mysterious tense slow-paced

4.0

"'...he’ll be the perfect gentleman and make you feel like a queen for the night. Frankie and I’ve dubbed it the Moretti Experience. And it’s not a ruse; if he decides to give you his attention, you get his full attention. The problem is, no one can hold onto it for long. You basically have to sign on a dotted line acknowledging it’s a temporary lease.'
Alex cringes. 'That doesn’t make him sound that great. I mean, it’s not like I’m looking to fall in love with the guy, but sheesh. He sounds like the ultimate fuckboy. Just in cursive.'"

It’s not common that a contemporary romance story is told in a 3rd person multi-POV, but this trilogy is & it completely fits the characters. While it took me a while longer to get attached to the characters, because I’m not as familiar with this narrative/observer storytelling style, I did fall in love with these unique characters & this mysterious story. There are so many layers to this story; it’s so much more than a romance, because there’s a hacking angle, a subtle mafia angle, a heist angle, a dysfunctional family/family secrets angle, & an emotional angle all wrapped around a romance between two unlikely characters. They’re quirky, funny, lived through some trauma & are opposites in so many ways, but somehow, they complete one another. It makes for such an entertaining read for part one!

"'The thing is, men are ruled by emotions just as much as they believe women are. One specific emotion—and that’s pride. Think about it. Men will go to war over territory. Over women. Over policies and ideals. All to show who’s more superior. Who’s more right. They’ll decimate each other in the process, and the cycle repeats itself every generation. Doesn’t that sound exhausting?'”

This is such an unexpected read for me because of its multi-layered story. Just when I thought I understood or could predict where the story was going, another layer or twist would be added. I was definitely intrigued by the mystery/suspense angle to the story & loved the quirky sense of humor from our FMC. This one ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, but I'm already part way through book 2 & am eager to see how the twist plays out.

And, I'd like to give a shoutout to Shae's dedication: "For all of us who have been told we're both too much and not enough." *chef's kiss* 
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