This book was enjoyable and well-written. I liked the characters of Eliza and Graham and definitely side character, David.
For me, the only thing keeping this from being a really great read was that I felt like much of it was unrealistic. Eliza's secondary plot with her family was kind of jarring when it suddenly came into play. It also seemed a little forced. (I mean, you miss your sister's engagement party, she's understandably angry and you never bother to explain what happened? Not even once everyone's cooled off?)
Graham's whole self-confidence issue was perplexing as well. Especially as it seemed like something that suddenly developed over time.
What I did really enjoy was a story of a married couple going through a rough patch in their relationship that didn't involve even a hint of infidelity. It was refreshing to read about a couple who respected each other and was firm in their commitment to work things out.

I’ve never read a book with this premise and I really liked it. I liked how funny it was and it was very lighthearted. There wasn’t any drama that seemed forced, which i really appreciated

Married couple Eliza and Graham are celebrating their 5th wedding anniversary at a romantic resort in lush Northern California. With their relationship recently stalled and tepid, they decide to stay in separate rooms. They’ve lost their connection -neither knowing how to get through the rocky patch. When a mistaken encounter leads to them being confused as singles, they agree to act like strangers for the remainder of their trip and see if they can revive their passion and save their marriage. Prominent themes of friendship and self-discovery round out this realistic take on love, and the roles people play within long-term relationships. Written by a real-life married writing team, this contemporary romance will appeal to fans of the marriage in trouble trope and readers who enjoyed Love Her or Lose Her by Tessa Bailey and The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams.

**Review will be published on my site and socials Jan. 24th, 2023**

ABSOLUTELY LOVED.

You know what got me off on the perfect foot with this book? That Graham and Eliza weren't two bitter, mean characters where you didn't even want to cheer them on to fix their marriage. These two LOVE each other and WANT deeply to make things work and that made me love them immediately and want the best for them.

I thought it was a fun idea to kind of "role play" to get out of their own way. It led to some good banter and to some moments that truths could be revealed. For a book set at only a resort I thought there were ample opportunities for activities that didn't feel forced and allowed major character development.

Side note to David? CAN HE HAVE HIS OWN BOOK PLEASE? I loved him so much and how good of a friend he was! He was the perfect side character touch that brought some lightness and helped Graham by being someone he could talk too.

Eliza took the most time to really break down some barriers. What I loved though is that Graham talked and approached things with such love. There was no condemning and call outs. He voiced his thoughts and Eliza started to truly reflect on how she handles conflict and tough situations. Same went for Graham's growth. Once Eliza was aware of what was happening for him, she went out of her way to make obvious remarks to build his confidence. I LOVE THAT SO MUCH.

There's a beautiful focus on the fact marriages aren't perfect, but two people who want badly enough to try and work together and stay open to communicating can make it *perfect*. I loved many of the dialogue surrounding communication and asking questions and finding new ways to keep loving the person that changes over time with you.

This is there best adult book yet.

Overall audience notes:
- Contemporary Romance
- Language: a little
- Romance: two brief open; low explicit
- Trigger/Content Warnings: strained familial relations

This was a very cute second chance romance. I enjoyed the story and felt like the characters had great chemistry. I felt like the ending might have missed the mark a little bit and was a little rushed, but I would still read more from this author.

When you think role-playing as strangers, you likely think sexy for a night in a loved up couple. You don't necessarily think week-long facade between a couple in a rocky marriage. But when Graham's parents gift him and his wife, Eliza, a week-long retreat at a beautiful resort, the couple has to so something to survive the time together. When they accidentally leave the impression the don't know each other to a stranger Graham befriends, the two decide to continue the ruse and see if they can rekindle the spark they once had.

Emily and Austin are a dynamic writing duo and their second adult romcom is no exception to their streak of fabulous novels, which are mostly in the young adult category. Like their first adult novel, they start with an intriguing premise uniquely suited for the husband-and-wife writing team. With an intense emotional journey and promise of a happy ending, this cheeky yet series story takes you on a wild ride. I can't wait to read even more from this pair!

Thanks to Berkley for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 10/10

The Roughest Draft was one of my top reads of 2021 so I was very much looking forward to their follow up novel. It fell short for me. I enjoyed the read but it didn't pack as much of a punch for me.

'Do I Know You?' the latest from power writing romcom couple, Emily Wibberly and Austin Siegmund-Broka hits all the marks with all the feels and honesty.

When Eliza and Graham find their marriage in a rut while on their 5 year wedding anniversary trip, Eliza suggests the impossible. They should act as if they don't know one another and become strangers. Before you get ahead of yourself, there's no flirting with disaster or extramarital affairs *phew* but what does ensue are romantic vibes, anxiety over the will they won't they dance and all those emotions we get when we just start dating someone new. They start from day one in their courtship all over again in hopes it'll pay off in bringing the romance back.

Eliza succeeds as a lead, Graham the perfect foil to her. While Eliza is zany (she's a voice actress after all), Graham is the more uptight lawyer who struggles to let loose. Enter Grahams' vacation Best Bro Friend, who's on a love retreat of his own at the hotel, where a love convention of sorts is taking place. Their relationship sings and its refreshing to see male camaraderie in such a heartfelt way, I haven't seen since the Bromance Book Club.

Do I Know You? suceeds as a romance with low stakes, and honest relationship advice. Thank you Emily Wibberly, Austin Siegemund-Broka, Berkley and NetGalley for the early read. :)

4.5
Listen up. This book COMPLETELY took me by surprise! Romantic books about married couples is one of my favorite genres (as long as there is no infidelity) and this one knocked it out of the park.

I discovered the authors Emily Wibberly & Austin Siegemund-Broka when I listen to the audiobook of their first (adult) novel, The Roughest Draft, which I loved! I had high hopes for Do I Know You, and they did not disappoint! First of all, if there is a resort like Treeline Resort in real life??? Because the hubs & I really need to go. Second, do the authors also dabble in couples counseling? Because reading their book felt like reading a case study on putting the passion back into a stagnant marriage... and that was the easy part. They dug so much deeper than mere flirting/lust. The authors also set Eliza & Graham up for success in the the everyday aspect of marriage. Families and insecurities and boredom.
I loved more than just the setting & the plot and their interactions though. I loved Eliza & Graham. They were so fully fleshed and real they practically jumped off the page. (Oh, and David. Not sure I've ever adored a secondary character as much as David, the kindergarten teacher in love with being in love- he really needs his own book!!!)
Just as important, and tying all of the individually fantastic elements together, is the prose. Their sentences unspool over the page like magic. But there's no tangling, no knots. Just glorious streams of words that I never wanted to end. Their description are EVERYTHING!! And not just when they're describing the view or their activities (advanced boxing, anyone?). The authors have a way of describing subtext during dialogue that makes me feel, as a reader, that I am fully inside the skin of their fictional character. Whether it's physically feeling what they are feeling or their skill at communicating what isn't being said—their writing is masterful.
Do I Know You will probably be marketed as a RomCom, and some of it is. But what really sets this novel apart is that it's so much more than just funny. Sure, there is plenty of banter and laugh-out-loud moments. But the heart of the book is an incredibly sweet, tender love story featuring two smart, relatable characters that was rooting for from the very first page,
Thank you, authors! And thank you, Berkley!! I am so grateful to have read this ARC. I couldn't put it down.
ps- to the cover designer- wow! you are insanely talented. Do I Know You definitely stands out in a really crowded sea of books & perfectly captures the best elements of Elize & Graham's story.

Okay this one FASCINATED me because after being married for six years, it's relatable. It's not where my marriage is at BUT I can easily see how a couple could slip into this scenario

Picture this:
You (wife) feel like your husband isn't interested in you. You aren't sure where he's at.
Husband feels insecure and unsure. Is he in the career he wants to be in? Does he measure up to his wife?
So the two of you feel like roommates, and his mom bought you a beautiful getaway as a present for you anniversary.

But then...a stranger mistakes you two for strangers and you decide to go along with it. And it begins to help...until it doesn't.

I really did get enjoy this one!

I had high expectations after reading The Roughest Draft. HIGH. Because TRD became one of my favourite romance novels and I fell in love with these authors, their writing, their voices and partnership. I had high expectations for their next adult novel, and I just knew it was going to be fantastic.
And it was.
It was just as amazing. Not better, not a little less, it was the same level of perfection. 🙌🏻 They're both perfect in their own way. Do I Know You reflects its own themes, presents new characters with different deep issues. Plus a new attachment to a loveable side character!

I am OBSESSED with the fact that this is about a married couple reconnecting. It's the first time I read something like this, and it is absolutely beautiful to read about two people falling for each other again. Especially when you read from both perspectives and what they think is wrong in the relationship.

I've been pushing TRD onto people since it came out and I will do the same with this gem. These authors are golden. Their books should be all over the internet. On everyone's bookshelves. On everyone's minds. When you think about romance, you should think about them.

I'm already dreaming about the moment I'll get to read an arc of their next adult romance, about MUSIC? Gosh, making readers' dreams come true. You guys are fantastic. 💛✨

📚✨Book Review✨📚

Do I Know You?
Author: Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka

Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.💫

Note: I received a copy of this book to review via NetGalley, but all opinions are my own.

What I Liked:
💍 I love the idea of role playing alternate versions of yourself. It’s a pretty common technique in therapy for a reason. It lets you feel free to express yourself within the parameters the partners set.

💍David is so adorable and I’d really love to hear what happens with him. He seems like such a sweet and open soul and deserves a happy ending!

What I Didn’t Like:
💍I didn’t like how Eliza’s mother and father kept pushing about her sisters wedding without pushing for the two to have a discussion. They should know their children better and be focusing on reconciliation, not the wedding.

Final Thoughts:
💍 I really connected with the book as someone who has been married for almost 7 years. Communication is truly a cornerstone of a marriage and it can sometimes be EXTREMELY difficult. This book was a good reminder that communicating with your partner is vital for success.

I liked this book. But damn, it had potential for SO MUCH MORE!! It lacked the fun of role playing, even though a struggling marriage is not light material, I do think it could have been less…sad? In reality they weren’t struggling THAT badly and the role playing could have added more spice than was in this book. The setting was great, I loved the side character, David. And I absolutely LOVED the premise of a romance novel with an already married couple.

4.5 stars. Oh, I just loved everything about this book! So fun and sweet and it really warmed my heart

Love this story about a couple who have been married 5 years - while they love each other, they’ve been phoning in their relationship. Can their anniversary trip reinvigorate their relationship?

Love the pacing and storytelling!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Highly recommend!!!

Do I Know You is warm, catchy romance that I thoroughly enjoyed, thoroughly enjoyed this book on every level. Eliza and Graham are so likeable and I just had to know what was going to happen1

Fun book about rediscovering love. Some unbelievable plot areas, but overall this book is sweet, enjoyable and perfect for a beach read.

This book initially had my interest by the creative premise. Diving into the book, I was hooked! I couldn’t pull away from the story or characters. Since finishing I have referred back to it in my mind constantly. The writing, especially the dialogue made me grin, blush, swoon, and tear up. The conversation of marriage is one people go extreme on when showing it in the romance space. This fresh storyline allows readers to connect with both characters. We have all felt unseen at some point or afraid to show our true selves. The fresh take on an familiar topic was an amazing way to show couples writing their own next chapter.

Overall, I loved this book. I can’t wait to buy a hard copy for my shelf!

Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka have constructed another great rom-com. Do I Know You? follows husband and wife, Graham and Eliza, at a luxurious hotel for their fifth wedding anniversary. One major problem, the spark in their marriage has seemed to have fizzled out. They still love each other, sure, but something isn’t right. To help them reacquaint, they create personas and spend their time spontaneously running into each other. Can their new personalities help revitalize their marriage or dive them deeper into their insecurities?

I loved this book. I loved the premise. I loved (heart-achingly) the character struggles. I enjoy the way the authors break up the chapters between characters. Instead of seeing the same situation from the other persons eyes, you pick up at the same moment with the other person.

This would be a good audiobook, if the right voices were cast.

Thank you Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this ARC. Could be a possible read for books club - there are discussion questions in the back.