This Used to Be Us is an emotional, beautifully told story about love, timing, and second chances. I really liked it—raw, heartfelt, and powerful.

Unfortunately I was unable to download this book before the archive date, so I'm not able to leave a review. I look forward to reading and reviewing books by this author in the future.

Typically, second chance marriage troupe is my FAVORITE, but I could get into this one. The characters were not likeable, and the wife got under my skin so bad. She played the victim, and her issues with her husband were things that he did or issies he had before they were married. I just couldn't deal with her and ended up DNFing before the 30% mark. Thank you NetGalley and publishers for the opportunity to read and review this advanced copy.

Second chance romance that hurt. Renee Carlino knows how to wrench the feelings. All of them were experienced reading this story.

“There are two sides to every great love story -and every break up”

This used to be us is about Dani & Alex. They have been married for 22 years. They went from being crazy in love to not being able to stand each other anymore. As they go through the divorce they start to reflect on their past. Dani’s career starts to take off again and Alex is dealing with the challenges of a new relationship. As life begins to move on they keep getting drawn back to each other. Time and distance has given them a new perspective. When a family crisis hits will it keep them apart or bring them back together?

Renee Carlino has done it once again. She really knows how to write emotions and to keep it realistic. This book was so relatable in so many different ways. This book will capture your heart and have you thinking about it days after you finished. I loved both Dani and Alex’s characters I feel both were relatable. This is not a fairytale love story.This is a very realistic portrayal of love and how life can get in the way. I loved this book and couldn’t put it down.

This book comes out on 7/9/24.

Thank you Random House Publishing group & Netgalley for the ARC.

I absolutely loved this book! Renee Carlino never fails to deliver a beautifully written romance that tugs at your heartstrings. The characters are relatable, the emotions feel so raw, and the story keeps you hooked from start to finish. If you’re a fan of heartfelt, well-crafted love stories, this one is a must-read!

If you can't find something to relate to in this book, you have no heart! This Used to Be Us brings out ALL the feels! This would be great for a book club, or relationship therapy! Loved this book.

My thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was a bit repetitive for Carlino. I felt like her latest works have been unnecessarily melodramatic.

Renee Carlino always makes me cry. I thought I was going to survive this one without tears, and I did not. She's able to write about the complexity of relationships like none other.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

Are you actually joking me??????? I sobbed for the last 20 minutes of this book. Full tears streaming down my face. This was heartbreaking. I didn't love them fighting constantly and then they fell back in love and then THAT?! The saddest part is it happens all the time. The world is cruel. The book fantastic but I will never recover.

4.5⭐️ renee carlino, you have done it again

thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC! <3

i honestly didn't know what to expect before i started this book. second chance romances aren’t usually my thing. but renee carlino has this way of taking a trope you might not love and transforming it into something so emotionally resonant that it feels entirely new. this book? absolutely NO exception.

this is both a raw and honest exploration of love, loss, and everything in between. dani and alex’s twenty two year marriage is crumbling, and renee carlino walks us through every crack. from the mundane irritations to the heartbreakingly deep wounds, their story unfolds with such authenticity that you feel like you’re living it alongside them. the way she captures the quiet tragedy of two people drifting apart? it’s devastating in the best way possible.

one thing i absolutely loved about this book was its music. renee carlino threads the vinyl record motif so seamlessly into the narrative. her ability to tie songs to emotions, to memories, to moments, is unparalleled. it think it's one of those details that elevates her work from great to unforgettable (she did the same in before we were strangers and i ADORED it).

that said, i found myself longing for more glimpses of dani and alex’s early love story. the few flashbacks we got were beautiful, but i couldn’t help but wish for a deeper dive into who they were before everything started unraveling. it felt like a missed opportunity to fully understand how their love evolved (and ultimately, unraveled).

still, this book was a triumph. it’s not just a story about a marriage—it’s a reflection on what it means to hold on, let go, and rediscover yourself along the way. and the ending?(heart broken by the way) it’s the kind of ending that lingers with you, making you think about your own relationships and your own choices.

this used to be us is a book i’ll re-read for its honesty, and its reminder that love is rarely simple, but always worth fighting for. I’ll be picking up a physical copy the moment it hits shelves.

thank you again to NetGalley, Random House, and of course, Renee Carlino for this incredible book 💗

Heartbreaking story about a couple who was in love and is now in the middle of a terrible divorce where they can’t remember why they loved each other in the first place.

4.5 STARS
This was my first book from this author, so I didn't know what to expect. I thoroughly enjoyed it, it is heartbreaking, relatable and a beautifully written story. Renee did a great job with developing the characters, I loved Dani! There is a little bit of everything here, love, loss, humor, completely unexpected twist in the end. I did not expect to cry, but the last 10-15% of this book had my tears flowing. This would have been a 5-star book, but I felt the ending was cut a bit too short, there could have been a little more to this story before it ended. I can't wait to read more from this author.

Thank you, Net Galley, and Random House Publishing Group - Random House for allowing me to discover this wonderful book, I don't think I would have read this if it weren't for the ARC that I received. Thank you, Renee Carlino, for your beautiful talent.

This story is full of heartbreak and love. It makes you smile, cry and feel a whole range of emotions. It’s one of the best women’s fiction I’ve read in a while. A solid 4 out of 5 read.

The only thing I wasn’t a fan of was Alex at times. He wasn’t my favorite character. And the ending wasn’t my favorite either, but I also didn’t see it coming.

I am unwell after reading this book. It was hard to 'read' giving detailed descriptions of how a couple grows apart. I was sad, mad, frustrated, laughed, and ultimately cried. Growing apart to grow together.

This is the first book I have read by this author! This book was beautifully written, romantic, and heartbreaking all in one. I laughed and cried. Literal gut punch and all in my feels. True definition of emotional roller coaster with ups and downs and in-betweens. Noone goes into a marriage and thinks about divorce happening. Sometimes the love escapes each other, and they are left with nothing else but to leave and try new things. The incredible growth amongst the characters drew me in. The flashbacks from when everything was amazing, and everyone was happy. Books that give a glimpse into real-life relationships and situationships really make me stop and gather my thoughts. Really reminds you to stop and smell the flowers. The grass aint always greener on the other side. Sometimes it just takes a little bit of love, care and watering to make things grow again. Absolutely never take life for granted. Just a pure stunning read.

I really enjoyed this. This is a great romantic read that was REAL. Like I felt as if the relationship between Dani & Alex is something that could actually happen in the real world. Carlino does a great job at ripping your heart out and then putting it back together piece by piece.

This book hit so close to home as I just went through a divorce after 27 years. Although not an initial fan of the two main characters, I quickly saw myself in parts of them and really connected with them as they found their new normal.

4.5 stars

I chose to listen to this on audio so as not to mess up the pages of my signed paperback with tear stains which I know always happens when I read Renee's work.

I loved so many aspects of this story. It was real. Showing the ups and downs of Marriage, raising a family, divorce , finding yourself again, finding love again and unfortunately the fact that time is only borrowed.

Renee weaves another tale that will pull on your heart strings, make you laugh and leave you wishing that everyone got an HEA.

If you have read any previous works from this author I am sure you have an idea of what to expect. I was waiting for the twist but honestly didn't expect it.

Wonderful narration brought the story to life. I actually found myself pausing while listening because I was so invested in Alex and Dani's story.

This was one of my most anticipated reads for 2024, and it was such a delight!
 
A couple on the brink of divorce has to decide if they’ll let go of their love forever or fight for the life they’ve created with one another.
 
Dani is such a lovable character, as is Alex, and I just adore the way he has always been so in love with her. While this story was really emotional and heartbreaking at times, it also warmed my heart in the best ways.
 
If you enjoyed “After I Do” by Taylor Jenkins Reid, I guarantee you’ll like this!
 
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy!