TJ and Duncan have never gotten it right. After one radiant, secret summer together when they were eighteen, they’ve been on-again off-again ever since. Now, despite red-hot chemistry and TJ’s closeness with Duncan’s family, they’re virtually strangers, only capable of adversarial banter, awkward small talk―and the occasional messy hookup.

When a wedding at the Brady’s vineyard lands TJ there for the summer, their mutual avoidance strategies prove impossible. The last thing TJ wants is to be under those angsty, heated glances Duncan thinks he hides. And for Duncan, having fiery TJ constantly close is the ultimate distraction that he absolutely can’t afford. When forced proximity begins to chip away at their armor, buried tensions resurface, old wounds urge confrontation, and once-in-a-lifetime love demands one last chance to finally get it right.

A true and classic second chance romance, or third or fourth...

TJ and Duncan are so great together. This was so easy to read and the forced proximity makes this book very enjoyable.

Thanks to NetGalley and Griffin for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book fractured my heart bit by bit before leaving it in a broken pile and then slowly and satisfyingly putting it back together.

The angst in RWWLU is intense. Throughout the first 30% of the book, my heart kept doing that thing, you know what I'm talking about, right? Where it just like aches? The pang? The bit of breaking bc you are reading about these two sad people who just keep passing by one another and their hearts are sad and so now your heart is sad and you just know that if you were to get like an ECG (or whatever the medical thing is) you would see that your heart is cracking.

I know one of the pet peeves as romance readers is the why. Why can't they be together? Well, in this case, there are valid-ish reasons and of course, fear. And fear is a valid reason! Being vulnerable is hard. Trust is difficult. And it's not always trusting the other person. Sometimes it is trusting yourself.

Devon gives us Duncan's logic as to why they cannot be together and what happens when they are. And then as the book progresses, and they realize they've missed out on years, YEARS (!!!) together, you want to cry for these young kids that fell into "devastating, soul-walloping first love" and didn't know how to deal with it. Piled on is a set of parents who mean well and their son who is trying to do right by them and another set of parents who are the worst and the daughter still trying to please them. (Can anyone relate?) I suppose even adults struggle sometimes too with dealing with overwhelming feelings, right?

This book is NOT "culinary foam," an"unsettling and unsatisfying" experience. No. This book is a big, hearty, serving of your favorite meal that might take a lot of energy and time to prepare but is totally worth it in the end.

I want to say so much more, but this book just hit so hard that I still can't find the words to convince you to pick it up. But I hope you trust me and do so anyway. It's truly stunning. I can't wait to see what happens next.

Right Where We Left Us is a really cute second chance romance. I enjoyed the characters (both the main characters and the side characters). I thought they had some good chemistry and fit well together. I didn't originally realize that this was the second in a series, though I didn't have any problems picking up with this one. I think I will go back and read the first one, just to get a little more background and to get a little more of the other characters. I don't think that it was necessary to enjoy this one though. The only thing that kept me from rating this higher was that I wasn't really convinced by the reasons that Temperance and Duncan had fallen out. They did have reasons, but it just never really felt like it was solidified into something more than a couple of real conversations and a real commitment to their relationship would not have fixed. I do look forward to reading more in the series. Frankie and Mal definitely had me intrigued, and I'm hoping this series continues with them, as I did enjoy Jen Devon's writing style quite a bit.

Unfortunately, this one was part of a series I didn't read the first part of so a lot of the background was lost on me. There was some good character development and good chemistry between the MCs, though.

The fireflies were out in full glory tonight, filling the dark sky with pinpricks of beauty. She sat there and watched as they floated seamlessly from one place to another, illuminating their way. She watched their light, basked in their subtle glow, relishing in the hope they provided that even in the dark light can be found.

Right Where We Left Us is a dual POV romance following Temperance and Duncan. A family wedding that forces these two together and makes them come to terms with their “relationship” and whether they can move on from the past.

I loved returning to the Brady wine fields and diving right back into the Brady family dynamics. Getting more details about Temperance’s background was nice and I loved watching her and Duncan rekindle what they had. The tension was great and I loved the second chance they worked toward. Looking forward to more books in this series after really enjoying the first two!

If you love found family and second chance romances… definitely check out this book.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

I adored Jen Devon's first book "Bend Toward the Sun" and this second book is another absolute hit! I highly recommend reading the previous book first to get the full picture and backstories of the characters. There is a lot of history flowing through this series between all the characters. This time we are focusing on Temperance (Rowan's friend) and Duncan (Harry's brother) as they try to fend off their feelings while helping out with preparations for Rowan and Duncan's upcoming wedding. I felt almost nostalgic coming back to the Brady vineyard and all the family and friendship dynamics...totally epic.

This is a story of young (hidden) love, heartbreak and second chances. The character growth of our couple made all the bad decisions, self-loathing, and simply second guessing about feelings and situations all worthwhile.

While Duncan was raised in a loving home, he always felt beneath his family of high achievers. Temperance was raised to be a high achiever, but not given the love. These two so deserved a happily ever after! I'm so glad both their eyes and hearts were finally open.ed..

I can hardly wait to see another Brady brother and perhaps the remaining female friend get their story. Some serious breadcrumbs scattered!

5 stars

Right Where We Left Us is about Temperance and Duncan whose ties to one another keep becoming tighter. Temperance's sister is married to Duncan's brother and now Temperance's best friend is marrying a different one of Dunacn's brothers. What their siblings (and bestie) don't know is that as teenagers, Temperance and Duncan fell pretty madly in love, but something (unknown) happened and they've not been the same sense, despite falling back into bed together on a semi-regular basis over the years. If I'm honest, I'm still not entirely sure what exactly happened that tore the two of them apart and I feel like that's another indicator that I did not devote my full attention to this book the way that I should have.

However, even without devoting my full attention to this book, I can tell you that it's phenomenal. Seriously. There's caretaking (!!!) in this book, there's a man who is so down bad for his girl, there are animal scenes. The writing is equally gorgeous as it was in Bend Like the Sun. The Brady family is delightful. The Madigan family (Temperance's) needs some work and that gets addressed too! The full cast of characters in both Bend Like the Sun and in Right Where We Left Us is really one of the best parts. I really love when a full cast feels fully realized, like they're real people, and Devon is so good at delivering on that front.

If I have any criticism, it would just be that the pacing allowed me to get side-tracked from reading this, but, well, I really don't think that was this book's fault. I can't wait to re-read it and I think next time I do, I'll be reading the physical copy, which is super exciting!

GoodReads does not have this link in (yet) but this book is actually a sequel to Jen Devon’s first book Bend Toward The Sun. Same characters, continued story. I would certainly recommend you read that one first. I was happy to pick up life in this world again, as I really enjoyed Bend Toward The Sun and thought it was prime for more books to follow. I still feel that way about Right Where We Left Us. It’s a sweet story and has beautiful prose and descriptive language. The characters are all wonderful and well drawn. I rated it a little lower because I felt like the story just jumped all over. There were flashbacks and pieces of the story just came in from a lot of places. I didn’t feel like we got the full picture of Temperance’s illness - it was more inferred - and exactly what happened in the aftermath was a bit cloudy. If we’re going to focus on a second chance romance, I wanted a little more clarity about the “first chance”. I believe that there will be another book here and I will definitely read it. 3.5 stars

This was a beautifully written second chance romance that gave me more of the old school beach read vibes while still being pretty steamy! Like remember those style of romances that were probably our gateway into the more spicy stuff- usually had pastel covers with women in sundresses and everyone was happy and cheery and slightly cheesy but in a good way? All very quaint and small town? You could usually find them at the airport, in your aunt’s bookshelf, or left behind at a beach rental lol. This book was like that, sweet in the way your favorite 90s teenage comfort tv drama was. But with top notch romance and explicit scenes in the best way! I was dying to pack up and go spend a weekend in wine country (doesn’t matter which one).

What I ultimately didn’t love about this book was the conflict between the two main characters- I just didn’t get it and wasn’t convinced by it. Totally got what drove them apart in the first place, but the various issues that kept them apart really fell short for me. It was frustrating because it seemed there could be a simple if they just talked. There wasn’t one big really compelling reason, and the little small ones just felt noisy and not worth the angst they were causing.

This is the second book in the series- the first is Bend Toward the Sun. I did not read that (yet), and while I was able to catch up and figure out everything in this book, I do think that the context of the characters and the setting would have helped me appreciate this book more. I am excited for what I’m guessing will be the third book in this series (Frankie and Mal) and will definitely give it a try!

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the ARC and opportunity to review!

I loved this romance, it had so much tension between the two main characters, just the right amount of spice, and a family of friends and siblings that I absolutely fell in love with, too. Although Right Where We Left Us is a follow up to Bend Toward the Sun, it is a wonderful standalone romance if you do like I did and read it first. This sophomore novel features the wedding of Rowan and Harry from the first book, which is a spoiler when done out of order, but in most romances it is not 'who' is going to fall in love that provides the most entertainment anyway. I can't wait to read the first one, and am hopeful that Ms. Devon continues the series.

Temperance and Duncan are a fantastic romantic pairing, which everyone in their families recognizes though the two of them seem to be ignoring the sparks. Second chance romances are my favorite trope, and Jen Devon has written a wonderful one. It is perfect for readers who enjoy Katherine Center's books, like me.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the digital ARC of Right Where We Left Us by Jen Devon. The opinions in this review are my own.

forced proximity and second chances… need I say more?!

The Mc’s thought they had it all figured out, until it crumbled… because they thought love was enough…. Little did they know fate had other plans for them.

Many years later they orbit around each other in their small community with several connections in common using sarcasm and dark humor to keep distance between themselves when they are forced to be in close contact.

They’ll have to agree to disagree or make a pact if they want to get through this in one piece through an event they both must go to.

This novel is equal parts deep and thoughtful and steamy and romantic.

Thank you to NetGallery and St. Martin’s Press for the pre release copy.

Such a good read! I loved the tension, the family, the setting-- all so wonderful. TJ and Duncan were both complex yet lovable. This was my first read from this author, and I Will definitely be reading more by her!

This was the swoony follow-up I was hoping for! I loved Bend Toward the Sun and waited patiently for nearly two years for the next installment. It was worth the wait.

Temperance and Duncan have been circling around each other for years. As teens they were the best of friends and then madly in love, but life happened and they have been more like enemies for the past 14 years. Their friend and family group continue to intertwine so they are always in each other's realms. When things reach a boiling point, they must come to terms with what went wrong and try to make forever last this time.

This story was as beautiful and angsty as Bend Toward the Sun. I adored this family/friend group and their meddling/supportive nature. I loved Duncan and his journey to feeling worthy of Temperance. I loved Temperance and how she had to work through difficulties with her parents and her future. This was just a perfect romance novel. NOT a rom-com, although there is humor in it. This is a true romance novel with the angst, growth, and passion that accompanies that genre. I can't wait to see what Jen Devon writes next!


Thank you to NetGalley and Griffin Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I loved Jen Devon's debut so I was so excited to see Right Where We Left Us! I loved this book. The central characters have a complex history that comes with a lot of emotional depth, and Devon writes that so beautifully. I do think that this book has a bit of trouble standing on its own, in that it references many characters who were established in Devon's debut and they can be hard to keep track of. That aside, I love Devon's poetic writing style and her vivid characters.

Thank you to the Publisher and Net Galley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
I'm not going to lie to you. What 100% caught my eye was the Taylor Swift reference. In addition the dual point of view and second chance romance was such a delight to read. I can't wait to go back and read the first book in the series so all the points connect but I did truy enjoy reading this book and cannot wait to read more :)

"Right Where We Left Us" started off with a big character dump and I never got away from the feeling that I was reading a book from the middle of a series. As far as I can tell, this isn't part of a series, but I never was able to keep the characters straight and felt like I was missing background information.

This is a cozy summer romance with lots of angst and family involvement. Duncan is all self-doubt and secrets, Temperance is afraid of failure and won't even attempt to commit. There are some nice scenes, but the failure to communicate and overall frustration just didn't win me over. This contemporary could have easily been written ten or twenty years ago, aside from the little pop-culture bits. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it certainly isn't bringing anything new to the table and all of these ideas have been pretty played out.

The other thing I didn't connect with was all the little tacky one-liners from every friend and family member. So many random insertions of the power of love or being brave, etc, and they were completely unnatural as part of a conversation.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

These books are so deeply emotional. Full of mistakes made as youths and desperate pining. Temperance & Declan fell hard in their teens but tangled family knots put them in a solicitation they weren’t prepared for.
The knots have just become more tangled through the years and neither is sure how to u ravel their part. Lots of self esteem and money complications.
It took a bit to get through this book but it’s because there are so many lines that required me to take several moments to absorb and process.
Beautifully written and achingly difficult, in the way only young love can be.

Jen Devon's debut was one of my top reads that year, so I had really high expectations for Right Where We Left Us. I know sophomore novels are hard... but this one didn't measure up. It wasn't that I didn't enjoy Devon's writing (I did) or that I didn't like the main characters (I did). I just felt like she did such a great job with the Brady family in BTTS that RWWLU felt redundant. I didn't feel the need to know Temperance and Duncan's story; I was bored 90% of the time. I am looking forward to what else she writes outside of this world, but this book was not for me.

3.5⭐️

A bit late reviewing Right Where We Left Us, but definitely a cute second-chance read!

I wish Goodreads, or anywhere indicated that this is a second book in a series. It is marketed as a standalone, which I did read as one, but it would have benefited me to know this was already a work in progress. The reader is introduced to too many characters way too quickly, and this was more confusing than engaging. It took me a long time to feel connected to any of the characters for this reason!

Once I became more acquainted with the Brady family, it became more enjoyable to read. I like Temperance and Duncan together, and I did like the few flashbacks we got of them when they were younger. The characters had some depth to them!

Sweet and romantic summer read, with a definite slow burn. I would definitely recommend trying to read “Bend Toward the Sun” before starting this one though!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I might be in the minority on this one, but I don’t think this book was for me. I think one of the issues was that I didn’t realize that Right Where We Left Us was the second book of interconnected standalones and I didn’t read the first book. Personally, I don’t think Right Where We Left Us works as a standalone. Right off the bat in the story, you are thrown right into this extended family and family proposal without having much backstory, and it was very difficult to keep everyone straight. Even by the end of the book I’m like….who is this person again?

Specific to Right Where We Left Us, it’s a second chance romance story that follows a dual POV. It might be because I didn’t read the first book, but I just couldn’t connect to the main characters and outside of maybe a little angst, I didn’t feel a lot of emotional chemistry between the FMC and MMC. Usually I love the second chance romance trope but in this case, it just didn’t make a lot of sense to me why they couldn’t be together in the first place.

If you read and enjoyed the first book, this book might still work for you if you felt connected to the characters in the first book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.