These days, it's rare where a book causes me to stop everything else and finish the entire thing in one day. This book did that.
I enjoyed the author's writing voice. I look forward to her future books!
I also really enjoyed the premise of the book. The author did a great job weaving not only the past and the present together but also the addition of the two storylines (trying to avoid a spoiler).
Overall, it was a captivating read.

I received this book in exchange for my review. My thoughts are my own.

Wow. Between You and Us is such a beautiful, emotional read. If you are looking for a fluffy romance, or a humorous read, this is not for you and that's ok. It is for readers who want depth to the story. Emotion coming off the page. Parts that will have you gasping, sighing, crying, and just so connected to Leona as a wife and a mother. Goodness it will probably give you the chills.

The way that Broekhuis brought Leona's story to life is stunning. She handles topics like fertility issues and all that involves with such poise and grace. There is anger in the characters, and understandably so - Broekhuis doesn't glorify their behavior, simply shows their humanity. There is so much more, but honestly, you're better off reading it from the book and not my opinion. Marriage, fertility, motherhood, and the ultimate decision - it's a lot and I don't recommend trying to read it in one sitting. Read it slowly. Take breaks when you need to. It'll still be there when you're ready to pick it up again!

I highly recommend this beautifully written novel to those who are ready to read about tough topics, and emotional roller coasters. I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Between You and Us is an intriguing story that follows the main character, Leona, after she finds herself with familiar people, but a very different set of circumstances. During a long over due dinner date with her husband, Leona finds herself with the man that she loves, but everything feels very different, as she navigates a different life than the one she had been living. Once I started this book, I was eager to finish, to see where the author was taking me. I found many aspects of this book very thought provoking, and I do think it would make an interesting book for a book club discussion. Leona ultimately must decide which version of her life to remain in, in scenarios that would be a very difficult choice in my opinion. Thank you to NetGalley and WaterBrook&Multnomah for the advanced copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

Ich weiß ehrlich gesagt nicht, wie ich dieses Buch bewerten soll, da ich es aufgrund relativ kurzer Ausleihdauer (ohne Verlängerung) nicht lesen konnte.

This genre-bending work of fiction asks, “What if every time a life-changing event occurs or a decision is made, a new universe is created with another version of yourself that reflects the outcome of that decision?” In Between You and Us, David and Leona have come through some hardships in their marriage. Still, they seem to be moving toward reconciliation and peace with their tenth-anniversary celebration.

But something wasn’t right the evening they met at a pricey restaurant, and where in the world had David come up with the expensive suit—and the bright yellow Camaro?

Soon, nothing felt certain, and Broekhuis’s storytelling had me turning pages well past my usual lights-out as she unraveled Leona’s mysterious and bewildering disorientation.

Without lessening the story’s impact or departing from the narrative flow, she addresses the weighty topics of anxiety, depression, and grief. Elements of quantum mechanics are equally at home with snatches of impromptu poetry.

A quirky cast of characters adds depth and realism to the story as Leona seeks answers and finds wisdom in unexpected places: “The trick is to call the bad bad, and to sift out and celebrate the good.” That sifting process clarifies Leona’s thinking as she finds the courage to make an impossible choice.

Many thanks to Waterbrook for providing a copy of this book to facilitate my review, which is, of course, offered freely and with honesty.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book. This was wonderful! I am so glad I had the chance to read such a memorable story. The ultimate choice!! I still can't say what I would have in the same situation. The writing was excellent and the characters were very well drawn. This story will give you all the feels!

All the characters were flawed, which I typically like, but there weren't many redeeming qualities. I found going back to 10 years had me cringing at Leona's self righteousness/

Mixed feelings with this one. On the one hand, I thought this was a fascinating plot line with so many opportunities to have a deep and thought provoking story. And for the most part, it was. The execution of Leona's story was spot on. I cannot imagine the grief she suffered, or the confusion and conflict she dealt with once she realized the situation she found herself in, and the finally the choices she had to make. But while I had the utmost sympathy for her, I struggled to relate or really even like her. And no matter how much I like a book otherwise, it's difficult for me to rate a book more than simply mediocre if I don't like the main character. My other big issue was the explanation for Leona's situation, and how blase everyone was about it. There were several other options for the cause of her alternate life; quantum physics just didn't hit the mark for me.

So while I generally enjoyed the book, I thought certain aspects could have been done better.

A tale of two Leona's...Leona is an introvert that is conflicted yet witty. She understands her strengths and limitations and helps those around her to see things through her frame of reference. She has loved and lost and learns to love again through an alternate reality that gives Between You and Us a unique twist. Leona is like a cuddly porcupine that likes to keep people at arm's length. Yet, she makes room for her best friend from college, Eden, husband, David, and daughter Vera. To those closest to her, she is endearing. However, she still cannot grasp that, and she often struggles to engage with others.

With a dry wit that is lightly reminiscent of Janet Evanovich, Between You and Us starts off with a lot of promise. Having read the author's initial nonfiction book, blog, and newsletters, this book was highly anticipated. Initially, I couldn't put it down trying to catch those glimpses of humor. The reference to Regis Philbin is classy, and of course, how can one resist the dignified phrase hubba hubba? Also, the description of a panic attack was quite helpful. But, the twist takes over before the characters are fully developed and leads the reader down the path of loss and despair that ultimately overshadows the attempts to lighten the mood. Much of this had to do with the heaviness of the topic which overtook the author's natural sense of humor. At this point, the spell was broken, and the book became work to complete. Even the attempts to bring religion into the dialogue was trite and often meaningless. It would have been better to keep it out of the milieu. And, Eden was a character that was so pivotal yet became almost an afterthought. I want more from this author that taps into the wit and deep convictions that have led her to live a life that is unconventional and riveting.

In a Nutshell: A good story about the choices confronting the main character when she steps into another version of her life. Raises some good points about decisions and regrets, but the protagonist and some writing choices left me a tad dissatisfied. Still, a nice option for readers of family-oriented drama with a partial sliding-door theme.

Plot Preview:
Leona has been battling grief since her little daughter Vera died a year ago. In a bid to repair their marriage and also to celebrate their tenth wedding anniversary, her husband David arranges for a romantic dinner at an upscale restaurant, even though they can barely afford it.
When Leona enters the restaurant, she takes some time to realise that she is the same but her life is different. This wealthy David opposite her isn’t the husband she has known all these years. The luxury car David drives and the lavish home they go to after the dinner apparently belong to them. But the biggest surprise is that little Vera is alive in this alternate life.
Now Leona faces the tough choice of ‘you’ vs ‘us’: life with her loving David or life with an aloof David but also with her dear Vera.
The story comes to us in Leona’s third person perspective over two timelines, with the past timeline updating us about Leona and David’s relationship, and the present one depicting her struggles in the alternate realm.

Bookish Yays:
😍 David: the only realistic main character. I like his depiction in both timelines, even when his flaws are highlighted. Leona’s friend Edna would have been in this section had she had a greater role.
😍 I always like books that make me wonder what I would do if I were in the character’s place. Leona’s situation offers a lot of such opportunities, as does David’s.
😍 The frustration of wanting to conceive and the grief over the death of a child both are written in a way so raw and touching! The author’s bio on Goodreads reveals why this depiction feels so heartfelt. Much strength to her!
😍 This isn’t a debut book but it is a debut fictional work. The author’s non-fiction roots show up at times when the content focusses on facts, but I'm not complaining as these aren't obtrusive to the flow. The stats add to the impact of certain key events.
😍 One of the characters suffers from panic attacks, and as someone who has been through the same, I found its portrayal very realistic. Even the strategies of handling the attack are authentic.
😍 There is a slight Christian undertone to some of the decisions and actions, especially in the second half. (I admit, this took me by surprise as I didn’t know that WaterBrook & Multnomah is a Christian publisher. Mea culpa!) I like how the religious aspect never overpowered the main theme and stayed subtle. Good for us believers as well as manageable for those who don’t.

Bookish Mixed Bags:
😐 Leona was tough for me to like. At times, she seemed narrow-minded and adamant about her wishes. I wish Leona had grown on me as the story progressed. That said, I did empathise with her feelings for her child – that was her most endearing feature.
😐 The two timelines are utilised to bring us up to par with the couple’s past and present. While I found Leona’s quandary in the current timeline interesting, the rest of it was somewhat repetitive and OTT. The past timeline was much more compelling in its emotions and events, which made returning to the contemporary timeline a chore.
😐 While the plot offers a good story thanks to Leona’s unusual situation, the proceedings are mostly standard. Not much novelty here. Even the final decision is easy to guess.
😐 The sliding-door aspect is interesting, yes. I love how Leona’s problem was not just how to get back but also to decide if she wanted to return to a life without her daughter, making the “you and us” in the title so potent. But the resolution of it was too smooth and too convenient to be believable. (Even taking into account the believability level of a multiverse timeslip.) It is a good fit for the genre and I do feel happy for the characters, but I wish the settlement of the problem had been more powerful and memorable. Also, unlike most sliding door stories, we get to see only one dimension actively.


Bookish Nays:
😕 The “All rich people are jerks” trope is much overused in this story. I wish some of the secondary characters, especially Leona’s mother-in-law, had been portrayed in more realistic shades.
😕 Some key moments and discussions happen off the page and we hear of them only retrospectively. For instance, when Leona decides to tell a character about belonging to another world, we don't see the continuity of that scene for several pages, and even after that, all we get is a brief reference to it, without much of the shock or disbelief or scepticism of the person who heard the outlandish revelation. Even when one such conversation with another character happens on page, the reaction of the listener is too cool and easily accepting. (I would have freaked out either in excitement or in panic had someone told me that they were from another dimension!) I wish the crucial scenes had been written in detail and more convincingly.
😕 There are several scenes involving armpit hair and sweat and poop, all of which felt crass than funny. They weren’t needed in such a genre at all, and brought down the appeal of a serious, emotional work.

All in all, this is a good read, but it wasn’t a memorable one for me. It was creative in some ways, and even offered a couple of surprises, but for the most way, the proceedings are easy to guess and a majority of the characters are unidimensional.

Recommended to general fiction readers looking for an emotional book about the choices and what-ifs of life. This book would also be a great option for book clubs, and it even comes with a set of amazing discussion questions.

3.25 stars.

My thanks to WaterBrook & Multnomah and NetGalley for the DRC of “Between You and Us”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

This was an interesting premise for a book, that started out really well but fizzled out as it drew to its conclusion. It's an interesting 'what if' type of novel that gives its main character Leona a chance to see what her life could have been like had she made a different decision ten years previous.
After a disjointed dinner date with her husband David, Leona finds herself in the wrong home, with a different, distant, version of her husband and, most notably, her deceased daughter is still alive. The book charts Leona's journey through this alternate world as well as going back in her history to give us an understanding of what brought her to the life that she had before this switch.
There's a lot to unpack around the issues of poverty and dysfunctional families, and how to bridge the divides in these areas. A lot of these family dramas unravel slowly and are quite well executed, although the final reveal around Leona's sister was a bit too convenient.
The characters are what make this novel, primarily Leona and David, whose relationship we see from a variety of angles.
I did have a few qualms - at one point, we are told that Leona's friend turns her away when she asks for help but a few chapters later, we hear about a conversation that happened off-page on that specific day. That seemed ill thought out to me - this was the first instance in which she informs someone of her unusual predicament, and it happens off page - we are told about it rather than witnessing it in real time. I had to flick back to see if I had missed something...
In addition, everyone who learns of the situation is remarkably calm and understanding considering what Leona is claiming to have done. So much of the novel bristles in realism that this just didn't ring true at all.
All in all, this is a strong debut novel with likeable characters and an intriguing premise - I guessed Leona's decision pretty much right off the bat but I think the journey of how she gets to her choice is more the point of the novel anyway.

My thanks to Waterbrook, via NetGalley for the ARC of this novel.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/46LfcPFR9pLNagxt2QpeFZ?si=EVWRAiEeRxGO9dXnTsws-w

Here is our review of this title and our interview with the author.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to receive this book for an honest review.

What a good book. It is totally not what I expected.

It had me wondering "What if?"

The one drawback I found was I had a hard time dealing with the two timelines.

But overall, I found a new author.

Honestly, this book didn't really do it for me. It definitely wasn't bad in any way, but it took me such a long time to get through it. I'm not entirely sure if it was me or the book, but the writing style didn't really spoke to me. the concept of the book was very good though! And the cover is absolutely stunning!!

Leona is meeting her husband David for a well deserved meal at a fancy restaurant. Once there she realizes that David is not the David she recognizes. Somehow she ends up in a different timeline. Instead of struggling and David being her world they now have gone the path that his wealthy parents wanted. But the thing is...in this timeline her daughter Vera is still alive.

This book broke me down. I cried so hard. See I've been very private on here but I lost a child a couple of years ago. This author has also and you can really tell. She describes exactly how it is...and sometimes words just don't describe it either. Its a pain I felt from her reading this book. During the description of what people say after a death I was gutted and realized I was not alone in feeling what I did with the well meaning but awful choice of words that people have. I'd rather just embrace my rage and anger instead of the whole thoughts and prayers thing.

Then Leona is faced with a choice. Does she go back to a life she knows and a husband who completely supports her but without her child? Or does she stay where she is miserable and get to see her little girl grow up?

Thank you Kendra Broekhuis. I'm sorry we are members of this club.

Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review.

In this contemporary fiction novel, Leona accidentally steps into an alternate version of her life and marriage to David when she meets him at a fancy restaurant to celebrate their anniversary. They’ve been through a lot together, and they need this night as a chance to move forward together. But instead of the David she’s grown to appreciate and trust, she’s met with a cold and distant man who is more concerned about his work than anything between them.
But, as the night and the days ahead reveal, there is also a good side to this alternate reality (that I will not spoil for you here). What unfolds in the rest of the novel is an emotional journey of how each separate reality came to be through flashbacks and present day thoughts. In the end, Leona must figure out how to get back—and decide if she even wants to.

I loved this story! It reminded me a lot of The Good Part in thinking through marriage and grief, and The Midnight Library in that it addresses possible alternate realities. I really appreciated the portrayal of the work a marriage takes and how storms can either be weathered together or push a couple apart.

Content warnings apply; this is more somber in tone due to some subject matters.

Thank you to Netgalley, Kendra Broekhuis, and WaterBrook for the advanced review copy. All opinions are my own.

This is an outstanding debut novel. I've never read a book like this before and I really enjoyed it. It's a story that will make you stop and think about which one you would choose if it happened to you. It is full of emotions and will keep you turning the pages to see what happens next.
I look forward to reading more books by this author.
I received a complimentary copy from WaterBrook & Multnomah via NetGalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Kendra Broekhuis crafts a poignant narrative that delves into the complexities of grief, love, and the unrelenting grip of fate. At the heart of the story is Leona Warlon, a woman grappling with the unbearable loss of her daughter and the subsequent fractures in her marriage.

The novel takes a daring turn when Leona finds herself thrust into an alternate reality—one where her daughter is alive, but her marriage is strained and unfamiliar. As she navigates this surreal landscape, readers are drawn into a riveting exploration of the roads not taken and the profound consequences of choice.

What sets this novel apart is its exploration of the human psyche and the relentless tug-of-war between longing for what could have been and embracing the reality of what is. Through Leona's internal struggle, the author deftly examines themes of regret, resilience, and the enduring power of love.

The prose is rich with emotion, capturing the rawness of grief and the bittersweet nature of second chances. Each page compels the reader to reflect on their own lives, prompting introspection and empathy.

Ultimately, "The Choice We Never Wanted" is a captivating tale that lingers in the mind long after the final page is turned. It's a reminder that life is a tapestry of choices, and even in the face of impossible decisions, there is beauty to be found in the journey.

This is a book about your past and your present. This book tugged at my emotions. Cross between fantasy and womens fiction.

Between You and Us by Kendra Broekhuis is an absolute masterpiece. This story is unlike any novel I have ever read. This is a story I will NEVER forget. It’s heartbreaking, yet hopeful. Everything about this story is good: the plot is HIGHLY engaging and unputdownable, the characters are so real and relatable, and the themes are timely and thought-provoking. Warning to all, this book deals with incredibly painful stuff — real-life stuff like poverty, family estrangement, self-centered parents, infertility, loss of a child, infidelity, anger, and more. The characters in this book suffer…hard. But it’s such an honest look at life. So, yeah, there is suffering, but there is also forgiveness and love and joy and hope and friendship and community.

Leona stole my heart from page one. I felt a total sense of sisterhood with her character. I related to her on many levels, but it is Leona’s bottled-up anger that I resonated with the most. Leona is the type of person who follows all the rules. She does all the right things. But Life beats her up. She works really hard to be a good wife and friend and daughter and sister, but it doesn’t matter. Life is relentless. One of Leona’s many battles in this story is with infertility. Leona and her husband have tried everything within their miniscule budget to get pregnant. Nothing works, and Leona is at her wits end. One day, in the midst of her fertility struggles, Leona’s sister surprises her with a visit. During this visit, Leona realizes that her totally unmarried, unattached sister is pregnant. Leona loses it. Not because her sister is pregnant, but because of the injustice of it all. It’s not her finest moment, but Leona absolutely melts down. She screams. She throws things. She sobs. Why?! Why is it so easy for some women to get pregnant, and so hard for others? Why do the people who follow all the rules and right steps often end up broken and empty-handed, while those who break rules and go down “bad” paths, more times than not, get everything they want? I relate to all of Leona’s struggles in these areas. I relate to her meltdown and her anger and her screaming and her questions. You see, every woman I know from my grandma, to my mother and aunt, to my sister, and to all of my girlfriends had easy pregnancies and easy births and so many beautiful babies. But my body — it just fails at the one thing women are supposed to do. I’ve been where Leona was. I’ve been so angry and hurt by the injustice of it all. When one of my friends or my sister told me they were pregnant yet again I was happy for them for sure, but I was also devastated and so deeply hurt. Why couldn’t my body work the way it was supposed to? I’m sure there are many women out there like Leona, like me, who will feel this topic deeply. What I love and appreciate the most is that Broekhuis respectfully deals with these topics of infertility and anger so well, so honestly, that I felt seen. When you read Leona’s story, you’re also reading my story and countless other women’s stories who have dealt with infertility or other pregnancy issues. It’s utterly amazing. I don’t think I’ve ever felt like this after reading a book before.

This book has deeply touched my heart and spirit. Between You and Us is, without a doubt, a must-read story for 2024. I know I’ve said a lot in this review, but I have BARELY covered the surface as there is SO much to talk about with this book. This is a book that must be experienced. Personally, I’m leaving this story so grateful for my husband and daughter and friends and puppies. I’m so thankful to God for the beautiful, messy, sometimes-painful, blessed life He has given me. I implore everyone on the planet to read this amazing story. This is a story not to be missed!

I received a review copy of this novel in eBook form from the publisher, Water Brook Press, via NetGalley. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.