I really struggled with getting through this book, it was tough. Although there were redeeming moments later on, the beginning was just not it for me. I could not stand Alex or Danielle. Their actions throughout were just horrendous. Danielle was over the top, dramatic, and just a complete you know what. I was almost glad that Alex was divorcing her. Alex was not better at all either. I understand why he acted the way he did because of Danielle but he needed to take ownership of his actions as well. It was all very immature. This was just not my cup of tea and I really couldn't connect with the characters or accept the working on things because of how they were from the beginning.

Danielle and Alex, who have been together for twenty-two years, are getting a divorce. Instead of having the kids move between two homes, they decide to share an apartment while swapping days with their sons. In this new space, they reflect on their past, rediscovering themselves and even dating again. Despite their attempts to move on, they find themselves drawn back to each other.

I wasn't a fan of both mcc. Danielle and Alex had their flaws, and they both played a role in what happened to their relationship. I saw more of their negative aspects and not enough of why they truly loved each other. This story felt like it dragged on for a while, and then when it finally got to the heartbreaking part, it was over in just three short chapters. It would have been better if that heartbreaking moment were given more time to really sink in.

Even though I didn't enjoy this book, I found myself reading it quickly.

Renee Carlino knows how to create raw and real characters that hook you into the story right from the start. After reading Before We Were Strangers, I immediately knew I had to read “This Used To Be Us.”

What I loved:
- The meaning of the story. Everyone faces difficulty and indifferences in their relationship, but it’s important to hold on to the love that you share between you and your special someone.
- The characters. They felt so real, and it made me really sympathize for them and their situation. Not only does Renee manage to create such great main characters with tons of depth, she also knows how to write side characters that keep your interest. I found myself not only caring about the story between Dani and Alex but also wanting to know how this would affect the side characters within the book.
- The banter between Dani and Alex. It was apparent that a connection still remained between them. At times their indifferences toward one another left me frustrated, but I still held out hope that they would come to their senses.

I think if there would have been a past and present timeline rather than just quickly mentioning moments from their past that I would have rated it even higher. I really would have loved to have seen more of them falling in love when they were younger. However, Danielle and Alex’s love story pulled on my heartstrings nonetheless.

I couldn’t put this book down and finished it in a few sittings. Once I hit the 60% mark, I stayed up until midnight to see what was going to happen because my heart couldn’t take not knowing. I was sad to see this book come to an end, but Carlino wrapped it up so beautifully. It’s safe to say that I’m going to read anything Renee Carlino writes.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for the opportunity to read an arc of this book.

I love Renee Carlino so I instantly jumped at the chance to read this! For the majority of the book, it felt a bit slow but that was fitting with what was happening with the couple over time. Renee does such a great job making these characters believable. I could picture my husband and myself in the same situation - how would we handle these things, I'd like to think we would be like them. The book seems like it will end rather anticlimactically but that is so far from the truth - prepare to be shattered in the last 10%.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

All the stars for this book. Renee Carlino has cemented her place as one of, if not, my favorite author. Her writing is so beautiful. I read this book in one sitting. When I hit the 70% mark, I resolved to the fact that I would be up well into the night reading. Alex and Dani's story was heartbreaking, beautiful, and oh so real. I rooted for them, while event at times I was frustrated with both of them. I am not over this book and will be thinking about it for a very long time.

I have loved nearly every book by Renee Carlino, but this one, was not for me. I'm in the minority I see according to the reviews.

I'm always so excited for a new release from Renee, so when I saw this on Netgalley I jumped at it.

It started off ok for me, but then it kinda dragged out. It seemed like alot of the chapters were fillers about just general life things. Dani and Alex were not that memorable to me. They both kinda irritated me. Perhaps it was the topic of the story. Divorce, everyday mundane life and then dying. I felt the story dragged out and then when it should of been heart breaking it was done in 3 chapters that were very short.

I will forever be a fan of Rennes writing, the old saying is true....."You can't love them all"

Thanks to Randome House Publishing and Netgalley for the advanced copy.

Experience the intricate dynamics of love, marriage, and divorce in this emotionally charged narrative. After twenty-two years, Danielle and Alex are navigating the complexities of their breakup, opting for a unique approach to co-parenting.

The storytelling by Renee Carlino, in her first book for me, took me on an intense emotional journey. Dani's character resonated with me, showcasing a rare and unapologetic display of emotions. Alex also captured my heart. Despite unfortunate circumstances, the characters exhibit resilience, making this a tale of genuine people persevering. The ending lingers, leaving a profound impact. For a poignant reminder of love's essence and its manifestations, this book is a must-read.

A HUGE Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing, and Renee Carlino for this poignant narrative.

Dani and Alex loved each other but cannot stand each other anymore. They’re getting divorced and learned how to stay a family for their kids.
I loved how they finally saw the other one was right during their wedding but didn’t acknowledge it at the time.
They’re still in love and still learning.
Dani is amazing! Loved her record collection, such a sweet idea.
And of course because it’s Renée Carlino, I cried.

I don’t think this author could write a book I didn’t love—even when it breaks my heart. Every book has resonated with me and has made me ugly cry. I love all of her music references in the stories. She just writes beautifully and I will always auto-buy any book she writes.

I absolutely loved Alex and Dani’s story. Their love story was just beautiful—the good and the bad. Their banter was my favorite part. This story was raw and felt very real. It was witty, charming, happy, sad, funny—just pure perfection. The worst part about reading a book you love is that it ends. I am just not ready to let go of their story. All the characters were as if they were your own friends and family. I just adored this book.

I give this one all the stars! So freaking good. Renee Carlino’s writing is just an experience everyone needs.

Thank you to Netgalley and RH for this ARC.

Renee Carlino is my favorite romance author, so I was salivating at the prospect of reading this book. What I love about Renee Carlino that was true for this book, is that she writes adult romances. I don't mean 22, I mean 30's and 40's. Next, she specializes in second-chance romance, and they're always so emotional.

This story is about a couple that divorces after 22 years together and 2 children. It was raw and emotional and everything about this story felt true. The whole time I wanted Dani and Alex back together, but even more, I wanted to understand their 'why'.

I was gripped and invested instantaneously and my heart broke and healed along with the characters. The ending was gut wrenching, as you can expect from RC.

Ugh, another BEAUTIFUL and relatable romance from one of my favorite authors of the genre. Loved that this story was more about older adults and navigating a marriage vs. the young love stories in her previous books. Pulls at your heart strings and makes you fall in love with the characters!

Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to preview this title. I am a HUGE fan of Renee Carlino and when I saw this title I clicked on it regardless of the synopsis. That was my mistake. This one hit a little close to home for me personally and was hard to read. At some point in the future I may try picking it up again, but right now I just can't finish it. In the future I will read synopses regardless of who the author is. Lesson Learned. I wish Renee nothing but tons of success with this book and all her endeavors!!!

Another great book by Renee .it will make you laugh,cry and sometimes mad but it’s about how a couple grew apart by then remember the things that brought them together and the way she writes it you are rooting for them. If you read her books you will love this one

I was given this book by NetGalley for an honest review-
You won’t want to miss this book- it was thought provoking, heart breaking, humorous, and full of love!
22 years of marriage- how can something so beautiful change? How can things we loved about each other now bother us?
Dani and Alex have been married 22 years with two sons. They are not happy and decide divorce is their option. As they begin dating they find no one compares to what they had. Can they put it back together? When a crisis happens - what will happen?

This is a book that was hard to put my feelings for into words at first. I’m a big fan of Renee Carlino, this had the familiar and comforting tone that made her an auto buy author for me almost instantly.
I just want to say, as a Danielle that almost exclusively goes by Dani and who has issues with thanksgiving, parts of this, even before The Twist™️* (more in this later), were a little jarring to me 😅
Also, marriage in trouble isn’t a genre I usually gravitate to as someone who’s been married <4 years with no kids yet, but I think that part of this story specifically was handled with care in every detail. I hated seeing these two apart and some of the things they did were hard to read, but it was all so real feeling. Alex and Dani are two people who belong together, which made them compelling and I caught myself thinking about them between reading often.
The Twist™️, I went through a lot of emotions and continued to go through more emotions hours after I finished it. It’s not the ending I was expecting, hoping for or even want, if I’m being totally honest. The overall takeaways are powerful and beautiful, so I understand why the story went the way it did, but I felt kind of blindsided by it.
That being said, I’m going to think about this story for a long time, and I can see myself reading this at a different time in my life and rating it 5 stars.

Ooff! Renne Carlino really knows how to pack in the emotional punches with her newest novel, This Used to Be Us. Danielle and Alex are separating after many years of a tumultuous marriage. Told in alternating viewpoints and various timelines, readers are given a front row seat to their initially passionate love that grew stale and turned to resentment over daily household chores and the monotony of raising two teenage boys. For any woman in a long term relationship, particularly one that involves raising kids, will resonate with various pieces of this story. It was cringe-worthy and romantic, all wrapped into one. I was often sad, watching them fall apart and then find pieces to put back together. Perhaps Carlino’s greatest message of all was that to be a good partner, we first must be the best version of ourselves!

A sincere thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. What an emotional story... I'm unsure of how I feel about the ending.

This was such a great emotional and relatable read! I loved having an older protagonist and felt the relationship and romance was written so real. It was sadder at times then I expected but I loved it. I will have to check out more by Renee Carlino in the future! Will be purchasing to add to our library.

Renee Carlino is one heck of a writer. Her past books that I have read are all amazing. Her latest book was no exception. Dani and Alex were both flawed, yet easy to relate to at times.’ I loved how Dani was with her young sons. As the book went on, I found myself becoming increasingly attached to Alex and especially Dani. The ending was definitely not at all what I was prepared for. It was very emotional and written well. I don’t want to say much more, because of spoilers- but I finished this 24 hours ago and Dani, Alex, and their sons are still on my mind.

Side note: This would have been a 5 star book for me but I really hated one scene in the book where the character of Brenda was rude to a young boy in the book and basically ignored him when he was only trying to be party of the “family”
It didn’t appropriate for a grandparent to be rude to a young boy for no good reason, Part of me feels bad for complaining about the scene, but it rubbed me the wrong way. Aside from that one scene this book was excellent.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the arc.