I really enjoyed this second chance romance with forced proximity! I do wish I had read the first book in the series, as at times things were a bit confusing. I found it a bit difficult to connect to these characters, but was still rather invested in their story and development.

+forced proximity
+second chances
+slow burn

-difficult as a standalone

🍇 Happy pub day to @kisscrafter! ‘Right Where We Left Us,’ the follow up to ‘Bend Toward The Sun’ is out today! And thanks to her publisher and @netgalley for a sneak peek!

🍇 It was so fun to be back with the Brady family at Cloud Tide Winery! These novels are so incredibly atmospheric, and I get immersed in the setting just as much as the romance.

🍇 Ok, so this time around we are focused on the TENSION between Duncan and Temperance and when I say tension, I MEAN tension. What to expect:
- second chance
- slow burn
- LOTS of back and forth
- found family
- parental pressure

🍇 I liked this book because there’s a ton of will they won’t they, but I also didn’t want to scream ‘JUST FIGURE IT OUT ALREADY!’ either. The author did a great job of letting it play out naturally, realistically and not over-the-top. I also love that there are some clear paths for future books that are so fun, and I’m looking forward to reading more.

🍇 This could be read as standalone but I recommend checking out Bend Toward The Sun first to really fall in love with this family!

[ 3.5 stars ] "Right Where We Left Us" was a fun, flirty, and heartfelt second chance romance that takes place sometime after "Bend Toward the Sun," the author's debut novel.

Temperance and Duncan have a special kind of love for each other that is fathomless but much has kept them apart over the last 14 years yet irresistibly within each other's orbits because of that electrifying love. They face similar obstacles when it comes to living up to familial expectations, having something to prove, finding a true purpose in life that makes them happy, and being brave enough to go after something (and someone) they love with all their heart.

When you know, you know. However, finding their way back to each other is fraught with meddling family members, tension and tantalizing heat, keeping the pages turning.

Duncan is your typical fun-loving, life-of-the-party type of character. He has so many layers lying beneath the charming armor he wears. He's the best uncle, brother, and son a person could have, a skilled architect, diligent, and hardworking.

Temperance is a pediatrician who has always tried to be a good daughter while still doing something she can be proud of despite the complicated relationship she and her sister have with her old money parents. She has a good heart and I like that she puts patients before profit.

The close big family ties the Brady's have are so wholesome. I love how welcoming they are to everyone and how they effortlessly filled the void that Temperance's parent's emotional neglect caused, giving her a loving place to call home.

Temperance, Rowan, and Frankie are friendship goals. They balance each other out so well and fit in perfectly with the Brady bunch.

My favorite part of the story was Rowan who is one of the main characters in "Bend Toward the Sun." I loved her then and I still love her now. Every scene she was in was entertaining and/or had me in stitches.

I was also so glad to see Harry, the other main character from "Bend Toward the Sun," so deliriously happy and in love after feeling so deeply lost and discouraged in the previous book.

I kind of think the book was longer than it needed to be. The majority of the novel felt like one long (overdue) conversation between the MCs that would get conveniently interrupted, outwardly deflected by the MCs as they continued to pretend that they don't feel the love that's as big as theirs isn't still there anymore, or an argument would cut the conversation short. Despite their forced proximity, it was a two-steps forward but five-steps back type of situation toward an HEA.

Overall, "Right Where We Left Us" was a nice summer romance read.

Thanks again to St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for the e-ARC to read in exchange for an honest review!

Duncan Brady and Temperance Madigan have a romantic history they’ve tried to keep secret from their families for the last 14 years, but with Temperance’s best friend’s wedding quickly approaching, she’s spending more time than ever at the Brady compound making it difficult to keep their distance. They agree to try to be friends to keep peace surrounding the wedding, but it’s evident they there’s too much fire between them for that to work. Maybe this will be the summer they finally get it out of their systems once and for all.

I loved this book! If you like angsty, slow- burn romances with a MMC that is down bad, look no further. I thought I loved Harry Brady, but I think Duncan is my favorite. He’s just the most thoughtful, caring and funny guy. His flirty innuendos had me grinning like a fool. Plus he has a tattoo sleeve! My heart hurt for him feeling like he wasn’t good enough for Temperance or even his own family.

Temperance too was caught between the expectations of her family and what she wanted for her own life. After her sister Maren’s parental estrangement, Temperance felt she had to be enough for the both of them at the expense of her own dreams. There’s definite miscommunication and misunderstanding between the two MCs, but that just added to the angst and build-up, which I’m all for. Their love is both tender and fiery making for heartfelt and sensual moments that had me swooning.

This has a bunch of my favorite tropes and micro-tropes including: second chance, best friend’s brother, caretaking and one other one that I won’t say, but if you pay attention to my page, you know.

Jen’s writing is so poetic and beautiful. The way she describes scenery, experiences and feelings makes you feel as though you’re there with the characters. I’m in awe of her writing and look forward Malcolm and Frankie’s story!

I was lucky enough to win an ARC of this book. After reading Bend Toward the Sun, I made it my mission to get my hands on a physical ARC of RWWLU and I’m so thankful I did. Now I have a signed copy to cherish forever.

There is just something about Jen Devon's writing that is so beautiful and really solidifies her to me as a must read author. Bend Towards the Sun was an easy five stars for me and I am so grateful to get to spend even more time with the Brady family. This time we get to see what is behind all the tension between Duncan and Temperance and woowwwww is there a lot of pent-up angst and tension here. Every time they even look at each other, it is with a smolder that carries years and years of baggage.

Gradually as the book goes on, you learn a little more about why they can't be together and how they gravitated towards each other in the first place. To be honest, I'm not sure the external conflict is really such that the book really earns all that pent up tension and angst, but I still very much enjoyed this book and the connection the two have. Duncan is pretty withholding and you get the feeling if the two of them sat down and really talked it out then maybe a lot of their problems would resolve. That being said, I really liked Duncan's story of self worth and making decisions for himself as well as Temperance's relationship with her parents and how she is trying to finally do something for her own self.

I think if you love Carley Fortune's books you will really enjoy Devon's books. Similarly, if you are missing all the Bergman fun of Chloe Liese's books then this is a must read. The Bradys are one of those big welcoming families that makes even the reader feel like part of the family.

I must know what happens with Mal and Frankie so we better be getting another installment!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martins for the opportunity to read an earc in exchange for an honest review.

My goodness I love Devon’s writing! Jen Devon's writing is gorgeous.
Right Where We Left Us by Jen Devon is a phenomenal contemporary romance story that took me on one amazing journey.
I love how her characters are so fleshed out and lively. These characters are extremely realistic.
I loved the emotional depth, the stunning writing, the characters absolutely stole my heart.
This book was everything and more I needed! I loved every single word.

Thank You NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

I'm between a 3 and a 4 on this!

I really enjoyed Devon's writing, it was descriptive and I felt like I was truly there, immersed in the story of Duncan and Temperance.

There were SO many secondary characters that I sometimes felt that there was more emphasis put onto adding extra details to their place in the story than keeping the primary focus on Duncan and Temperance, and because of that the plot and timeline seemed to jump around a bit making it a little hard to follow.

I also think it was a bit long, but I was invested so I always found myself making time to read just a little bit more.

Overall this was a cute second chance romance. I wish they had figured out their 💩 earlier, but their communication toward the end and recognizing their missed time was evolved from the way they were acting toward each other. Would read more Brady family romance!

I'll start by saying that I absolutely loved Jen Devon's first book Bend Towards the Sun and I was so very excited to read Right Where We Left Us. Unfortunately, this second book just didn't feel quite the same. I think Devon writes beautifully - I really enjoy her scene setting, the atmosphere, the general loose outline for this big extended intertwined family and friends. The main problem for me is there are a LOT of characters to keep track of, with plenty of overlap in types of characteristics, how long they've known the family, etc etc. Even though I read the first book, it was some time ago, so I can't even say reading the books in order would ensure that you're not confused by all the characters. I enjoyed the mutual pining between Temperance and Duncan for the most part, but so much of their on-and-off relationship was left sort of unexplained, hidden and just confusing overall. Sometimes more isn't more - there were so many layers of their "difficulties" to connect, I feel like just focusing on one may have made for a stronger story. However I did overall enjoy reading it, and would recommend it to those that love series based on large sibling groups finding romance. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to provide my honest review.

Unfortunately, this book and author are just not for me. There are lovely reviews out there for Right Where We Left Us as well as Bend Towards the Sun, so it very well could be for you.

I will warn that the fact that this book is not marketed as a sequel is insane to me. I personally feel like if you don’t read Bend Toward the Sun first you’ll be missing out on a lot of context, so try that one out first.

For me—these books were so boring, it was actually painful. I could barely get through a chapter before falling asleep whether it be before bed or mid day which is extremely abnormal for me. So many details and descriptions with no help towards driving the story.

Thank you to Net Galley & St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this one! While this can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend reading Bend Toward The Sun for the full experience. Right Where We Left Us brings us Temperance and Duncan in a second chance romance set in a small town summer. Again, Jen tortures us in the best way possible while we scream at Temperance to just let go already and let Duncan love her the way she deserves. Jen gives us the most perfect lines in exquisite writing and it just pulls at your heart strings. While I felt that not a lot actually happened in the book, it was more of being along for the ride while we try to make sense of their feelings for each other. This was an emotional read but also hilarious at times. I just love anything Jen puts together.

Duncan and Temperance have known each other for half their lives. They fell in love as teenagers, and their breakup had a significant impact on their adulthood. But with their lives so intertwined because of married siblings and engaged friends, they pretend they don't have history to keep the peace.

Second chance romance is one of my favorite tropes, and this story had all the best bits - the tension, the angst, the love and pining, and the pain (!!!). While there were moments where I felt some details were missing, requiring a bit of mental gymnastics to fully understand our characters’ past and present, their motivations were ultimately believable and heartbreaking to learn about.

It was so lovely to be back with the Bradys. We get to see quite a bit of the other Brady siblings teasing and meddling, which was such fun. It’s possibly too early to tell which Brady is my fav, but Duncan is a yummy, tattooed, dependable man, so!!!!

While this can be read as a standalone, I truly recommend reading Bend Toward the Sun first. Seeing Harry and Rowan completely in love and Rowan being fully embraced by the Brady family and their work was so, so satisfying.

This is a gorgeous story and I had a great time reading. I hope we get to see more of the Bradys soon!!

Immediately following out of Bend Toward the Sun, one of my very top reads of 2023 (and listens - my absolute favourite narrators ever!! Erin and Chris), Right Where We Left Us just might top my 2024 reads as well! I can’t believe Jen Devon hasn’t graced us with her spectacular writing before now, so we could have more books to rave about!! This gal is just incredibly talented and everybody out there needs to bask in her beautiful words and storytelling greatness.

We return to the Brady family vineyard, for the wedding of book 1’s couple (From Bend Toward the Sun, Rowan and Harry). Temperance and Duncan are decorating together and struggling to get along. They’ve always had a strained relationship… since a secret fling in high school they have kept hidden from everyone, through a few accidents since, but mostly just not being able to stand being in each other’s presence. Their friends and family are extremely close so it’s a lot of time in each other’s presence (and quite a few of those slip ups over the years).

With Temperance’s bestie now marrying Duncan’s brother, and her having to spend the summer at the vineyard in his company the whole time, she has no choice but to tolerate him, and he her…. And this is Devon’s writing at its absolute finest! The banter leading to explosive chemistry is just perfection, and that chemistry is off the charts! The steam couldn’t be better.

I received an advance copy from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press (St. Martin's Griffin), and this is my honest feedback.

Right Where We Left Us is an angsty second chance at love story. Temperance Jean Madigan and Duncan Brady had a summer romance when they were both 18 years old and thought their love would last but it wasn’t meant to be. They’ve spent the last 14 years in a stand-offish relationship with combative banter and messy hook-ups. Forced to be together for a family event that they are both partaking in, they try a way to be civil and maybe friends. Both have complicated past, and trying to navigate a new beginning isn’t easy for either one of them.

It was a long and winding road back to love for the main characters but it took time for them to get out of their own way. Both had their reasons for being apart; Duncan made a deal with the devil to stay away from Temperance and was finding a way to make amends for it. Temperance had mommy/daddy issues and it wasn’t easy to stand up to them with her principles when they dangle a career opportunity in front of her. It isn’t easy to watch them torture themselves but they just had to finally figure it out to find their way back to each other. Their path wasn’t easy but knowing where each of them stood, a second chance at first love is all the sweeter.

DNF at 30%.

Unfortunately this book was marketed as a stand alone but without reading the first book in the series (which I have not) you will be totally lost with so many characters already established.

I don't think the author did a good enough job reintroducing characters in order for this to be effective as a stand alone.

By 30% I was still trying to sort everyone out, and not finding the connection between the main characters at all.

It's a shame because the dialogue and banter were really fun! It just wasn't enough to keep me reading.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.

Right Where We Left Us
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Jen Devon

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: Temperance Jean Madigan and Duncan Brady 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.

My Thoughts: This was a sweet, fun read. Temperance Jean “TJ” and Duncan had a passion filled summer together at 18 years old, in secret. They have been in an on and off relationship since then. Even with that, they are strangers, only able to have adversarial banter, small talk that is stiff and awkward, and still having the occasional hook up. TJ is visiting her hometown for the summer. A wedding (the characters from first book) brings them back together, even as much as they try to avoid each other. Duncan cannot afford having a TJ distraction and TJ can feel Duncan staring a mile away. Old wounds inch to the surface, deep tensions submerge to a boiling point, and two soulmates have only one opportunity to strike gold. This follows the tropes of forced proximity and second chance romance.

This story is a follow up book to Bend Towards the Sun. The Brady family owns the vineyard and TJ is Rowan’s best friend. There are a lot of characters with backstories, and with so much time since the prior novel, it was hard to keep up. The current novel is not advertised as a follow up novel, which could impact readers, thinking this is a standalone. Our two MCs in this story, TJ and Duncan, are both tortured characters. TJ is really misunderstood by her family and hides secrets that she believes she has too. Duncan is also misunderstood by his family and often is unappreciated, and his character soaks in this aspect. Their relationship has too many years of miscommunication, maybe too many to even fully recover. The characters were created with depth, well fleshed out, witty banter, chemistry, and were creatively executed. The author’s writing style was complex, thought-provoking, engaging, and steamy. The family dynamics that was created, especially for the Brady family were well executed and makes you want to be part of that family.

This was a balanced read with some really tender moments with hard topics balanced with some funny movements. It was beautifully written. I would recommend picking up.

Rating - 4.5 Stars

Temperance and Duncan's lives have been intertwined for more than half their existence. Though their love had never waned, they continued to dance around each other following their breakup over a decade ago. Could the timing be right to resuscitate their big love and pick up right where they left off?

Bend Towards the Sun was such a phenomenal experience for me that I did not hesitate to add this book to the TBR. In fact, I pretty much just looked at the cover, saw Jen Devon wrote it, and called the book one of my most anticipated reads for 2024. Little did I know that this was actually a companion to Bend Towards the Sun. I mean, I was so excited I did a happy dance.

It was such a thrill to be back at the vineyard with the Brady family and their adjacent people. I got to see the progress they made, spend quality time with the family, and most importantly, attend a wedding. I always cry at weddings, so needless to say, there were tears, but there was also a beautiful second chance romance contained within these pages.

Duncan and Temperance had fallen hard for each other in their teens. Devon took us back to those pivotal summers where we got to see them meet, fall in love, and break each others hearts. They may not have been a couple, but due to their siblings being married, they were still in each others orbits. It made me so happy that they were able to rekindle their love. Both had grown so much, and now, I just wanted them to grow together.

The one thing I adore about Devon's books is the family focus. The Bradys were a very special bunch and the love flows freely between them. They were also a bunch of meddlers in this book who were doing everything they could to get Temperance and Duncan together, and I was one hundred percent in support of their meddling.

It was exciting to catch up with old friends while getting to know some of them on a deeper level. I suspect there will be a return to the vineyard given the way Mal and Frankie were incorporated into the story. Obviously, I am excited at the prospect and cannot wait to spend more time with the Bradys.

Jen is one of the most underrated romance writers out there. Her writing is so gorgeous it hits you right in the heart. I mean, there is extreme sexual tension between our main characters in the first chapter. This book is one of the best second chance romances I have ever read.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's press as well as Jen Devon for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

I fell in love with the Brady clan in Jen's debut novel and couldn't wait to read Duncan's story (please read Bend Towards the Sun first so you can meet the amazing cast of characters)! Her writing is so heartfelt and brilliant and I absolutely love how there is STEM representation.

This is actually one of the first second chance stories that I have enjoyed as it's not a trope I typically gravitate towards. The story is the perfect mix of both romantic shenanigans as well as plot. The banter is top notch and the heat between Duncan and TJ could be felt searing off the pages. Overall this was a beautiful contemporary romance and I cannot wait to see what the Brady family and friends get up to next!

Tropes:
*Forced Proximity
*Second Chance
*Slow Burn
*Romangst

Fave quote:
"I will never be over you. You are not optional. You are necessary."

Temperance Madigan has never been able to fully close off her heart to Duncan Brady ever since their summer fling when they were eighteen. But now that her best friend Rowan is getting married to Duncan’s brother Harry, Temperance and Duncan can’t escape each other no matter how hard they try. As they prepare Cloud Nine vineyard for the wedding and start spending time together Temperance and Duncan try to keep their feelings from running away with them once again. But past memories and undeniable chemistry can’t keep Duncan and Temperance apart. When the choice between careers and happiness converge Temperance and Duncan must decide if everything they have is worth a second chance.

Jen Devon once again writes a stellar, beautifully raw romance in the most transportive and picturesque rural Pennsylvania setting. The characters are fighting for their own self worth and discovery which is a journey we all take as adults and can connect with. And I think we would all like a support system like the Brady family and friends like Rowan and Frankie. Their love and community is enviable. What an all around fantastic read!

TJ Madigan and Duncan Brady have been into each other for years but the timing has never been quite right. The more they try to stay away from one another, the closer they find themselves.

Right Where We Left Us is the follow-up to Jenn Devon’s first contemporary romance, Bend Toward the Sun. They can both be read as stand-alones. This book has just the right amount of steamy moments along with plenty of sweet and swoony scenes.

The rollercoaster of emotion I felt while reading this book is going to be hard to match. Jen Devon’s prose reads like a love song. The romance she has crafted between the two MCs is better than any romance movie. TJ and Duncan have such a glorious chemistry between them in spite of their angst and initial denials. The longing is palpable.

Bend Toward the Sun is one of my favorite 2022 releases and I couldn’t be more pleased with how perfect Right Where We Left Us turned out to be. I hope we will be getting to see more of the Bradys in future books and I look forward to seeing what the author has next for her readers.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.