If you haven’t laid hands on the book yet, here’s your clue to stop reading. This review has spoilers.

Have you heard about one of those books that have you hooked from the first sentence? Yes, this was the book for me. The initial plot wasn’t generic, but it was intriguing until it wasn’t. Don’t get me wrong, the book is great, once you follow the plot. But initially, uh-oh, no. When Andrea’s emotional turmoil and the tragedy that struck her family are talked about, I enjoyed it. It connected to me so well, I almost cried in the first chapter. Enters Cade, hot, handsome, useful, married. I mean, I’m totally against cheating but it would’ve made a great plot. But then it goes downhill and boom, present Cade the villain.

Okay, I might be a tad bit dramatic but that was the only reason I took off a star. The plot is beautiful as is, but I couldn’t connect to the rest of the story as much as I did with the first chapter. I adore Dustin and Andrea, and no, I do not wish Cade would be the hero or anything, but the emotional depth of the book was lost somewhere along the way. Undoubtedly, Dustin and Andrea make a great couple and they are #couplegoals. But the writing style did not make me feel as much as the first chapter did.

I love the book, really. Especially how adorable Jane and Kendal are, but I feel most pity for Leanne. She acted foolish, yes, and she had enablers all around, yes again, she was spoilt, omg yes, but she had her struggles too. She wanted Cade even if he’d hurt her because she didn’t want her children to live without their father. Yes, she hid her family matters from her siblings, but then it was her, who had to live with a good-for-nothing husband and struggle for her kids.

Andrea, however, I feel happy for her in almost all ways except the siblings' part. The epilogue or at least some chapter should’ve suggested that she’s as close to Karlsson siblings as Dustin is to them. I know they are family and would stick with her if need be, but a deeper bond with them (apparent to us, not that she couldn’t have had it without being written in direct words) would’ve probably gotten that star back. Anyhow, the book is amazing and I can’t wait for people to fall in love with it the way I did.

I found this novel very positive & heartwarming. Someone who is looking for a cozy and warm read after some kind of stressful situation (like me who has dealt with exams recently😅) should try this novel.

This novel mainly revolves around giving 2nd chance to the lost love. I’m actually fan of that kind of plot. All the characters were likeable. As you can see from synopsis this is a romance novel but along that you’ll also see many other dynamic family relationships and conflict among some close family members due to their different approach towards life.
Below is one of my favorite lines from the novel

” Emotions are like water. They can do a lot of damage if you’re not careful.
Emotions could heal and the best thing was to let those feelings flow”.

I liked how the problems associated with Alzheimer’s patient were discussed excellently in the novel. That’s why I also loved Andrea’s love for her father and tricks she used to make her father recall the past events.

The plot kept me engage but sometimes some parts were very slow.

But in the end it was a very beautiful novel. I completed it in just two days so it was a short read.

Living in the PNW, I was intrigued by the book and plot. I like the second chance love paired with some sleuthing. The romance was predictable, but I was hooked on other aspects of the book, like finding out whether Cade gets caught, if Leanne opens her eyes to the truth, and whether Andrea fixes her relationship with her mom. To me, the love story could have been secondary to the rest of the plot and I would enjoy the book the same.

I enjoyed Andrea and Dustin as main characters, and liked how the supporting characters were written. Leanne frustrated me, but I think it shows how well the author wrote her to be. I wish we could have seen more of her growth and more of the change between Andrea’s and her mom’s relationship.

The book wasn’t heavy on the romance and relationship scenes which wasn’t a problem with me, but something other romance readers may crave more of. I personally would shelve this as fiction rather than romance, but I still really enjoyed it and now plan to read her other books.

Hands down the best Jennifer Bardsley novel to date! I have read several works by this author and have enjoyed them but this book really spoke to my heart. Not only is the story wonderfully researched and crafted, it provides a glimpse into the challenges families face everyday when loved ones are afflicted with Alzheimer's. This may be a difficult read for folks who are experiencing it first hand, but it can also be a wonderful window for friends and family members to get a better understanding of the challenges of living with Alzheimer's. So many moments brought tears to my eyes and yet the humor and the romance brought wonderful balance to the story. Well done Ms. Bardsley, well done.

Jennifer Bardsley delivers a beautifully written story of love, family, and second chances.

You will experience all the feels as the hero and heroine navigate their way toward happily ever after. The characters were written with such authenticity that you will feel as if you know them personally. I enjoyed the love and devotion both main characters showed for their families. Bardsley skillfully handled the delicate subject of Alzheimer’s disease with grace and care, weaving it into the storyline flawlessly. These two characters truly went on a journey that led them back to each other.

The History of Us is a sweet heart warming story of lost love getting a second chance. When Andrea and Dustin are thrown together in troubled times, to realize old flames might still be embers. It keeps you engaged and has a quick pace most of the time, some parts are slower. Great character building and offers a dynamic cast to round out the plot line. It is a quick read that will tug the heart strings and make you hope everyone will find their chance at a happy ever after!

An absolutely stunning tale of first love. I love romance novels and this story of Andrea & Dustin and how their first live translates to present day and then getting to the bottom of a crime that has affected them both had me turning pages until the night. A full review will be coming on my blog next month. I could relate to so much in this novels especially some of Andreas struggles and I found it was a beautifuly written book.

From Sweet Bliss author Jennifer Bardsley comes a poignant romance about a small-town crime that throws together ex–high school sweethearts who have never quite gotten over their past.

Andrea Wint’s life in the small town of Port Inez, Washington, is a simple one. She works, enjoys the gorgeous view from her bay window, and visits her dad at the memory-care facility. Her father is in the late stages of Alzheimer’s, but Andrea brings in one coin from his valuable collection every day—little bits of precious metals that seem to bring him back to himself, even if just for a few moments.

So when Andrea’s house is burgled and the coins disappear, she’s bereft.

To track down the culprit, she turns to Dustin Karlsson, who just happens to be her former high school sweetheart. Years ago, they broke each other’s hearts, and some wounds are slow to heal. But Dustin feels indebted to the ailing Tom Wint and wants to help.

What’s more, Dustin has a personal stake in finding the perpetrator. In fact, he suspects the thief could be his own brother-in-law, a gambler and a drunk who skipped town, leaving Dustin’s sister and two young nieces behind.

As Dustin and Andrea travel the Pacific Northwest in an effort to recover the missing coins, old feelings rekindle. Maybe their happily ever after can still be minted.

The History of Us is a sweet second chance romance. I really enjoyed the premise and tropes (such as forced proximity/allies, "its always been you"), but I didn't love the author's writing style. Even though this book was technically paced well, it felt way longer than it was and took a bit of an effort to finish. Still, that's just a personal preference and I am sure other readers will love this, it simply wasn't my favourite.

I really enjoyed reading this. I thought that there were pacing issues at first. but soon enough I wasn't too bothered about it anymore as I read more. I love reading abut second chance romances in books, and glad to say that this one did not disappoint. I also liked reading about the characters' backstories. Overall this was a very fun read!

I felt this book has so much potential. I love the multiple plots that were happening and the second chance at love. The backstories of both main characters are so good. But I felt the writing is in consistent. The development of the relationship between Dustin and Andrea felt too fast. Would have loved more drama and yearning there. The conversations sometimes feel forced and not flowing. There were funny moments that I wished were more natural. The development of the plot didnt flow for me. The development of the relationship between Andrea and her mom felt so sudden and came out of the blue. Another thing I noticed is that when any of the characters remembers a conversation it’s written in quotation marks. Maybe if it was in italics it wouldn’t be as confusing sometimes I thought the conversations were happening at the time. This story has the bones of an amazing romance. It’s the writing and development that brought it down to a two star for me. I also felt that the vocabulary and the conversations were sometimes not as modern as the time and place the story was set in. The text msgs were confusing at times. Maybe if they were all indented paragraphs it will be more along the modern style.

The History of Us is the first book I've read by this author. I was intrigued by the description, as I'm a sucker for a good second chance story. I found that I really liked the two main characters, Andrea and Dustin.

Andrea is a graphic designer who spends every afternoon with her ailing father at a long term care facility for patients with Alzheimer's. This part of the story was superbly well-written, in my opinion, and definitely would hit home for anyone who's ever had to visit a loved one in this type of care facility. Andrea is the keeper of her dad's super valuable coin collection, and every day she brings one with her to share with her dad.

Dustin Karlsson works with his sister, Heidi, to renovate and flip houses in their tiny Washington town of Port Inez. They previously employed their brother in law Cade, but had to fire him due to some theft issues. Enter the main conflict of the story, when Andrea's coin collection is stolen and Dustin is pretty sure who did it, throwing Andrea and Dustin together for the first time in 18+ years.

When I read a second chance romance, I want more flashbacks and more angst about the past. I didn't get that here, which was a bummer. The author did a nice job creating angst elsewhere, though, in the siblings' relationship with Cade's naïve wife and with Andrea's relationship with her own mother, who appears to have abandoned her husband with Alzheimer's and completely moved on with life.

Clean reads are usually not my cup of tea, but there was enough other action in this book to make up for that. Overall, it was a well-written story, but not one that I'll be thinking about for weeks to come (which is my thermometer for a great book).

It's a cute and heartening read. In my opinion, it's average but others might enjoy it more. It's a small town romance, giving love a second chance.

The story stars at a face pace but slows down midway. It picks up pace again towards the end but loses it touch. The chemistry between the main characters- Dustin and Andrea is pretty good. The supporting characters do well but I didn't like Leanne, she was really annoying to me but at the same time the reader sympathies with her.

The author has a way with making people feel what the characters are going through which I admired. I really liked the author's note at the end.

ARC provided by Netgalley for an honest review.

(Review posted on Goodreads as well)

This is one of those books that genuinely make you believe in love again, It's a second chance romance that so heartwarming and so well written it feels real.
The characters Dustin and Andrea are so amazing and have incredible chemistry and are real.
It's one of my favorite reads of this year and I just know that I'll read it over and over again , such a comforting novel.
I 100% recommend it to absolutely anyone.

I'm a huge fan of second chance romances and this one did not disappoint. This was heartwarming and a very comforting read. Jennifer Bardsley did a great job with this novel and I really felt the characters were real and easy to root for, as was their love. The cover conveys those really warm and comforting vibes that you would expect from a book like this as well. It was a quick read and while it's not my favorite of romances, I'm very glad I gave it a shot.

The History of Us by Jennifer Bardsley
Totally took me by surprise.
An amazing story and one I absolutely devoured.
Dustin and Andrea Holy Hell... their chemistry is something fierce and amazing.
I was invested in their relationship because it was just real and heartfelt.
Beautifully told with some amazing characters! This book has it all.
Jennifer did phenomenal with this story.

Montlake,
Thank you for this eARC!

Love, love, love, love, love this book! What a comfortable read - just like cosying up with your friends. All of the characters are likeable (except for Cade obvs!) and believable. A nice easy book for days when you need a little help to see the positive things in life - if that makes sense? 5 stars out of 5 from me. Thank you #JenniferBardsley for a beautiful book!