I ended up starting Right Where We Left Us by Jen Devon a few weeks past the publication date because I overlooked it, but I was still really interested in the story so I picked it up and I was hooked!! Duncan Brady is just the epitome of a hard working, loyal, strong, decent man. I adored him! His family and the dynamic between all of them was so fun and made me want to be a part of the Brady family too. Temperance is a lucky lady! The angst and slow burn was driving me crazy, in the best way possible! The perfect combination of my favorite tropes: best friends brother, slight enemies to lovers, second chance love, and secret relationship. 🔥

I did find a few parts slightly confusing, but it all resolved by the end. I think I may be to blame for the confusion since I was reading it so fast!


Thank you Jen Devon, Netgalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the ARC!

What happens when you can't get over the love of your life? You keep doing everything you can to prove you are worthy of love. That is the love story of Temperance and Duncan. It is loving story that started as kids that grew up together but completely different backgrounds. I loved these two, the banter how much they know each other so well. How they make each other a better version of themselves and know matter far they go they are drawn to each other.

Temperance (TJ) has always been close to the Brady family, then there is on again off again relationship Duncan so when a wedding throws them back together, it seems like they are strangers. And for Duncan, having TJ this close is distraction he can't afford. But no other choice, buried tensions resurface and force them to confront each other the love they have and maybe get it right this time.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of this story for my honest review.

2.5 stars rounded up.

The highlights: the writing was well done. The angst and slow burn (very slow burn) were next level. You could cut the tension between Duncan and Temperance with a knife. I was so interested in their back story, their conflict, and where they were going. Jen Devon was a master at building suspense just to drop you into the next hour, day, week, etc. (She did occasionally circle back.)

That said, this book was very slow moving. I often felt like I was running in place, waiting to be cut loose on the meat of it. I also felt like I was missing something. Why was Temperance staying with the Bradys? What was the origin story? Why was all her stuff in moving boxes? How/why was she off work for so long? Etc. Some of these lingering questions were addressed, some weren't. There were also a very large number of characters and a significant amount of time spent "world-building" for a romance book. Eventually, I decided I just wasn't going to keep it all straight and powered through.

Overall, not quite the book for me. I highly recommend you pick it up if you are looking for an angsty, second chance, slow burn romance. (With lots of family ties.)

DNF @ 48%

Like I've seen being said by other readers, I did not know there was a book before this. I think going into this, I would have enjoyed the book better if I knew what was going on. There is an obvious gap that needs to be filled if you haven't read the previous book.

Not to let that deter you, but for some odd reason, I didn’t understand why the characters couldn't be together. It was frustrating as a reader trying to understand the logistics, and I don't believe they were sound.

I'm not sure I also like the author's writing style. It was set in 3rd person, which isn't my thing, but continued through. The writing just felt too lyrical and felt like a poem at times, if that makes any sense!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC.

I really enjoyed this read!

Jen Devon creates yearning and angst like no other, and I just felt like I was right in the world with Duncan and Temperance, and I found their story to be intense and just plain romantic. Second Chance at its best. I cannot wait to read the continued works of Jen Devon

Right Where We Left Us is the sequel to Bend Toward The Sun. This romance book has different narrators, however the characters from the first book are all in this book. I highly recommend reading this in order (and I really don't understand why this isn't listed as a series on Goodreads).

These books focus so much on family. That is definitely one of the best parts of this series. It was really nice to see all of these characters from the first book again.

This book is divided into four parts with alternating male and female POVs. This is Temperance and Duncan's story. Duncan is part of the Brady family. His brother Harry was the male main character in Bend Toward The Sun. Temperance's best friend is Rowan the heroine of that book. And Temperance's sister is married to one of the Brady brothers.

I was actually very surprised that this book picks up right where the first book left off. However from a different couple's POVs.

We met Temperance and Duncan in the last book. They fell in love as teenagers. But they broke up. She is a doctor. He is a general contractor for his family's winery. I like them so much. However I really did not understand why they couldn't be together. Overall I really did enjoy this book. And I am definitely looking forward to the next book.

Temperance and Duncan first fell in love when they were 18. Fast forward fourteen years and the two still can't seem to get their act together. Both want the other but something is always standing in the way.

This book really had it all - Sweetness, witty banter, and spice! I really adored everything about it. It is my first book by Jen Devon and I'm excited to go back and read her previous book now about Rowan.

at the recommendation of jessica joyce, i requested this book and so far she’s been spot on with all her recs. i thoroughly enjoyed this beautiful second chance romance (i seem to have been on a binge) and this was absolutely delivering. the chemistry was palpable, the characters were so humane and raw, and topped with a luscious love story, it was no wonder i adored it!!!

Highly enjoyed reading this. Admittedly requested it bc of the title but I do love a second chance romance and this delivered.

Before I begin this review, I want to address the author personally if there's any chance she'd ever see this. Jen, I think you are an incredible author and I will read every single thing you write from now until the end of time. I have lots of lovely things to say about this book and some maybe not so lovely but it doesn't change any of my above statement.

I fell so hard and so fast for Jen Devon's first book that I would like to consider myself an hononary Brady. It's my rainy sunday book. It's my go-to comfort reading book. It's my "get me out of this book hangover book" and will be for a long time. When I heard that there was a book two in this world I was so ecstatic to read it and then when I found out it was a second chance romance, I wanted to actually weep with joy. The set up for both Duncan and Temperance in book one was so well executed (Malcolm and Frankie as well!) that I thought this book would be a no-brainer.

Here's my complaint. When you're writing a second chance romance, you have to have some sort of dual timeline thing happening so you see the events of the present against the events of the past to find out about The THING™️ that breaks them apart. This book didn't have that. We get like moments of the past as they are retold in the present tense but the timeline is murky and weird. I've read this book twice now and I still don't fully understand why Duncan and TJ ended things when they were young.

At the end of book 1, it's pretty clear that Duncan was under the impression that TJ was in love with his brother Harry and that was the thing preventing them from being together now. I almost feel like the author decided against that plotline for the second book but then still had to reconcile the two REASONS and it didn't fit.

That being said, we all go through sophomore slumps and I bet book 3 will be incredible.

Here are the lovely things to say:

The writing - Still so beautiful. I highlighted so many sentences and phrases that gave me all the feels and that I thought were just gorgeous prose. I totally and completely understood TJ's deep love for Duncan and how much he loved her back. Visually, this book slapped (although maybe a little less than the first?)

Humor - Jen Devon is funny! Her characters routinely made me chuckle and the way the family members talk to each other felt so real and true.

Character development - I'm pretty sure that Devon knows the start charts for each of her characters and could explain how they would react in any random scenario posed to her. They are so clear and believable, making you feel like you know all of them in real life.

Apologies for this review being all over the place but many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 stars rounded up!

Right Where We Left Us by Jen Devon gave me all the summer romance feels I’ve been hoping to capture but haven’t quite been able to find so far this year. Her follow-up to Bend Toward the Sun, Right Where We left Us exudes the longing of star-crossed lovers, chemistry that leaps off the page, and a cast of characters worth rooting for—all the things I like best in my love stories.

Just as I’ve seen many other readers say, I’m not sure why these two books aren’t promoted as a series. They most definitely are, practically picking up where the last one ended, just focused on a new couple within the Brady family universe. You could probably get away with reading this one without reading the previous book, but you might find yourself a little lost among all the characters. (And missing out terribly!) The Brady family is a big one. And even though I read the previous book, I still had to stop and jot down the family tree to refresh my memory. Once I did, I had everyone straight for the rest of the book.

In Right Where We Left Us, we get Duncan’s and Temperance’s story. Duncan is the youngest Brady brother, while Temperance is the younger sister of Maren, who married Duncan’s older brother Patrick. (See, I warned you it can get confusing!) A second-chance romance, Duncan and Temperance had a “secret” romance the summer they were eighteen, one that was so powerful they still haven’t gotten over it fourteen years later, often finding themselves unable to stay away from each other when thrown together for family gatherings. The reason these two can’t just be together is slowly revealed and I was relieved that it was a worthy reason.

Sometimes when I read romances where our leads have pined for each other for years and years, it seems unbelievable. But I believed Duncan and Temperance. For one thing, they’ve continued to be in each other’s orbit, having to see one another often, and secondly, it was believable because they were so young when they first fell in love; it took time for them to understand their strong emotions.

Duncan and Temperance are somewhat similar in that they are both kind and sociable, but also hard on themselves. Duncan is eager to prove his worth in the Brady family, but also desires something of his own. And while Duncan comes from the most loving of families (sometimes too loving), Temperance has a very strained relationship with her parents who have crippling expectations for her, especially since they’ve been estranged from her sister Maren who chose marriage over a career. Because of all this familial tension, I expected our couple’s story would take a certain, more predictable direction, but was pleasantly surprised when it didn’t.

I could read books in this setting forever! The Brady family had just acquired a Pennsylvania vineyard and farm in the previous book, working to restore it. They’re continuing the work in this one, and it’s the perfect summer setting with fireflies, late night swimming, thunderstorms, and a wedding to prepare for. And I adore Devon’s writing style. She’s exceptional at painting a scene, breathing life into her characters, and making me believe in their connections.

Thankfully there are plenty of Brady siblings, and friends, to continue the series. Right Where We Left Us clearly sets up the next book, and I’m very anxious to get brooding brother, single dad Mal’s story next!

If you read and enjoyed Bend Toward the Sun, you should equally enjoy Right Where We Left Us. And if you haven’t read either, but you love a heartfelt summer romance with a magical setting, make some time to visit with the Brady family!

This book sounded like it would be good but I simply couldn’t fully invest in it. For me it was a slow read & was drawn out. The characters were average & I don’t feel they connected the best.

loved this romance and her mom wants her to date this guy she has these amazing friends who are all dealing with different relationship issues . loved that she found her way in the job and found love

I am so sad that this book expired before I got the chance to finish reading this but I am definitely going to put it on my To-Be-Read list! Thank you NetGallery for this opportunity to read an ARC and I hope in the future to check out this author!

Read if you like: Second-chance romance
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Overall, I ended up really enjoying this book in the end. I love second chance romances, and I did enjoy Temperance and Duncan's chemistry. My only thing with this one is that it took me a bit to get into. There were a lot of characters to keep up with at the beginning and I struggled to remember who was related to who. But once I figured this out, I felt like I could really focus on Temperance and Duncan's story and how they had to fight to be together again. Each had different hurdles for why they felt like they couldn't be together, and I appreciated the author taking the time for them to work these things out!
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Overall I really liked it!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a wonderful book!

I didn't realize that this book was part of a series, and I felt lost without having read the first book. I was missing the background on the characters. I wish that it had been clearer that this was part of a series. I think that the characters were interesting, and I was rooting for them to be together.

I continuously give a second chance to my least favorite trope second chance romance and I need to stop. The constant back and forth and laundry list of why these two just couldn't be together was frustrating and I didn't care if the couple wound up together in the end. I think there was just too much drama and they were better off apart.

Thank you to St Martins Griffin and NetGalley for the arc.

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.