This is a very real adult romance - emotional and raw. It's about Dani and Alex, a couple who have been married for twenty-two years and are on the verge of a divorce. When they can't take it anymore and counseling is not helping, they decide to divorce, but apartment share while the other takes care of their two boys.

It shows the real side of marriage and divorce and the issues that come with it. How do they date others when they are each so involved in the other's life? This also shows, in both Alex and Dani's POV, their thoughts on their marriage and what went wrong.

It was looking like a five-star read until the ending. I just didn't get it. The family was all coming together to just tear them all apart. It felt rushed and not necessary to the kind of story this was, an added angst that didn't fit the story. I enjoyed it up until that point.

Thank you to Dial Press and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was my second read from Renee and I really enjoy her style. This book had me in my feels. Still trying to recover from the ending which kept it from being a perfect read for me. Still will continue to read more from her though!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the advanced copy!

Wow, what a heartbreaking book. Renee Carlino knows how to write such real and authentic characters and stories. The book opens with Dani and Alex separating/divorcing after a 20 years together. We see them navigating this new normal with their two boys. Both Dani and Alex trying to figure out how to live without each other. I am big fan of second chance books and I was so invested in their story and what would happen. The writing was so spectacular and beautiful. I got so attached to Dani and Alex and their story. I loved the aspect of music and how it played such an important part in the story and in Dani and Alex’s lives. Truly such a beautiful and heart wrenching story. I highly recommend even though it destroyed me emotionally.

Thanks again to NetGalley and Random House for the advanced copy!

This is not your typical romance novel. It is raw, vulnerable, and heartbreaking. Renée Carlino taps into every possible stage of a relationship and she left me sobbing.

Alex and Dani have been together for more than twenty years. They were once very much in love. They did all the things people in love do - they got married, had children, shared a home, built a life. Sadly, that love was not enough. Alex and Dani can barely coexist and their marriage is crumbling.

Through a series of reflections, mostly tied to music, we bear witness to the highs and lows of their relationship. We see how it blossomed and how it slowly, ever so slowly, disintegrated. But, can a love that powerful ever truly die? THIS USED TO BE US invites us on a realistic journey of love, marriage, and divorce. It’s powerful in its truthfulness. Grab the tissues. I wish someone would have warned me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.

(2.5⭐️) It has been a while since a book ending has made me as frustrated as this one did - like “throw my Kindle down on the bed after reading the last page” frustrated🙃

I’ve read and enjoyed other books by Renee Carlino, and was looking forward to this one, but from the beginning it just didn’t click for me. I knew this book was about a couple divorcing and (potentially) finding their way back to each other, but their level of nastiness towards one another at the beginning was a big turn off for me, and it felt kind of hard to come back from.

As the story progressed, I did enjoy seeing the growth the MCs made, and the realizations they came to while figuring things out individually. Things were messy and flawed and real, and I could appreciate that representation (even though they both kept making questionable decisions). This would’ve been a 3 or 3.5 star for me if the book had continued that way, but then the last 20 minutes of the book came. I cannot tell you how I felt reading those last few chapters except for resigned to the fact that the book was ruined for me by what was going on.

I can see why other people may have loved this book, but it was a no from me.

This book is GOLD.

It was a hard book to read, mostly because it was so incredibly sad. It is NOT a Romance, but it does tell a love story.

I found the characters - Alex and Dani - incredibly well developed. I loved the story development, and listen, I may be one of the few reviewers who understand and accept the ending - as absolutely heart breaking as it is. It was necessary for the story, for the "HEA" and for the characters.

I've read almost every Renee Carlino book - and while this wasn't my favourite simply because it's so sad, it was still incredibly well written. I would absolute recommend it only if you're in the right emotional state to read it. I think there should be a trigger warning at the beginning, and a reader beware that the writing is so good that YOU WILL FEEL these characters emotions.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House/Dial Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Anyone who has been married for more than 20 years likely will recognize at least some of the issues and sentiments that have sent Dani and Alex toward divorce. Oddly, once the decision has been made, they begin to find themselves circling one another again. There are two sides to every marriage and Carlino manages to make the reader see that. Is this a second chance romance? Not telling, Know that the ending is, shall we say, disconcerting. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

This book was wonderfully heartbreaking. It tells the story of Alex & Danielle's marriage. And their divorce.

Reading from both perspectives really makes a mark, because you not only read how they're feeling, but I swear you can feel it too. Alex is hurting. Dani is hurting. And you, the reader will be hurting for them too. The author did a fantastic job telling this story.

It was a raw, beautiful, and loving story of a marriage that fell apart. I'd definitely recommend it!!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was a rollercoaster full of emotions. I’m still not sure if I loved it or not (the emotions I felt, not the book, the book I loved). A lot has literally happened in this book and I’m still processing everything. It was too much and not enough at the same time. I sympathize with both Alex and Dani. At first you sort of can pick sides but eventually you’re just like… how could I??? They both had their reasons. I didn’t want to finish the book because of what transpired near the end. How could you end a book like that??? It was so cruel. But at least, despite everything, it was still a happy ending? Yes, a question mark. I’m still processing it lol.

Where to even begin with this one. I picked it up one evening and I didn’t put it down until I was done. It was worth staying up until 2am because I was well and truly wrecked by the end. Swipe for a live look at me circa 2am last Thursday morning.

First and foremost, if you’re looking for a happy book - this is not it. But it did give such a good representation of young love, parenting and adjusting to life after divorce. Every single character was flawed in some way and you get to see the best and worst sides of a marriage that slowly unraveled over the years. Slowly, we see Dani and Alex tried to forgive and move forward in their lives.

IT. HURT. ME. Physical and emotional pain was inflicted - how carlino can make you feel SO many emotions in the span of 350 pages is a gift. This is my first of her books and it will absolutely not be my last.

Read this if you like:
🌺AFTER I DO by Taylor Jenkins Reid
🌺realistic relationships
🌺strong FMC’s
🌺complex family dynamics
🌺flawed characters

The emotional queen is back in this marriage in trouble drama!

Danielle and Alex had a very successful marriage. Now, they've drifted apart and started the divorce process. But as they start their journey of co-parenting, they start to realize that the person they once loved is still there.

This one needs the tissues! Here's what I liked:

The angst of it all. Carlino writes stories that always pull out the angst, I felt for Danielle and I felt for Alex. I wanted then together but could also clearly see why they weren't. Watching them move on gutted me though. But seeing them have a life outside of their marriage was also beautiful.

The kids. I loved their kids. I thought they were so level headed and honestly amazing kids. They added a little something to the story, grounding it.

The only thing that I wasn't a super fan of was the ending. But, I can see why she went in the direction she did. It was just very, very sad, so be prepared.

Thank you to the author and publisher for the gifted copy!

I was fully expecting to thoroughly enjoy this book but it turned out to be a complete and utter disappointment. It is so poorly written that the great story simmering below the surface never manages to make its way out.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dial Press for the advanced reader copy.

The main characters of this book were too unlikeable for me to finish reading the story. I don't mind unlikeable characters if they are sympathetic and/or compelling in some other way, but neither of these characters were interesting enough to warrant being so unlikeable.

Holy Moly be prepared to have your heartstrings pulled with This Used to Be Us. This story follows Danielle and Alex who after 20+ years together decide to part ways. Its the trials and tribulations of finding a new normal, living separately, finding romantic and business success and yet still having to be together while not actually together anymore. Still, they find that they just can’t stay away from each other, and somehow, the distance allows them to remember (for the first time in years) what each used to love about the other. When a family crisis draws them back into each other’s orbit, Dani and Alex are once again put to the test, which leads to a dramatic conclusion that will have readers weeping.

I've loved Renee Carlino's books for years and this felt unlike anything she's ever written. Not only do we see their first love story in bits and pieces throughout the story, but we see their second chance at a family amidst their breakup. It's not a fairytale, it's not a formulaic romance book, this is real-life romance. Heads up the ending will make you cry! Was it necessary? I don't think so, but it definitely hit the nail on the head about not wasting the little time you have being unhappy or putting energy into things that aren't worth it.

Read if you like emotional, family dramas, and second-chance romances. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review. This book releases 7/9

Thanks to NetGalley, Renne Carlino, and Random House for early access to this story in exchange for an honest review. I throughly enjoyed this book. It was so real, so raw, so emotional, and so engaging. From the start this book was hard to put down and I felt so connected to the characters and story. The writing was also excellent and the flow/pacing was good up until the end. I felt as if the ending was a bit abrupt and could’ve been elongated a bit. This is a very authentic look into marriage and divorce and the familial struggles throughout those situations. If you enjoy emotional family stories and stories on marriage I would highly recommend.

4.25/5 Stars

Fantastic and an emotional roller coaster. A story about second chances, reevaluating your love, family, and maybe rediscovering oneself. This story will linger with you.
Many thanks to Random House and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

It’s been a while since I read a Renee Carlino and this one shredded me. A good read.

Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

"You don't have to keep up, you just have to stay in the right place. A place where I can always find you. That's what home is."

This Used to Be Us is a romantic drama about the slow death of a marriage where two people had loved each other so much, and for so long. Alexander and Danielle have been together for 22 years when we meet them, and now they navigate the smoothest route through divorce for the sakes of their two sons, Noah and Ethan. Their journey is a rollercoaster that brings them back together for a multitude of reasons, but sometimes, life can be cruel.

Dani and Alex's story destroyed me—I don't think I was ready for this kind of story because, while their journey turns out happy, I was left feeling robbed of the happy ending (I prefer Swear On This Life for that reason). I loved Dani and Alex and found the demise of their marriage raw and relatable.

Dani and Alex's depictions are well crafted—Dani is a literal force of nature and I found myself laughing at the situations she put herself in. There was something really irresistible about the way she approached life and I could empathize with her grievances.

Alex's growth was really satisfying to see, some of his decisions and ways of handling things were sometimes questionable and frustrating, but he truly cared even when he wasn't equipped to manage those situations. With Dani, I FELT her losses, and Carlino did a great job at showing us how quirks that made her fall in love with Alex tranformed into resentment and bitterness.

I loved the structure of the book as album musings to reveal how their relationship changed... I just can't get over that ending!

This is to say I have wandered off of my planned TBR trail. I am going steady with Finlay Donovan who is my main book this week.
I got on my Kindle app at work and started this book and I couldn’t stop reading…very relatable characters for those of us who have experienced divorce, shared custody and the dating scene.

Dani is a MC to love as the Emmy award winning screenwriter. I could see this being adapted as a streaming drama- it is very good. I will read her other books after reading this one. Another captivating family drama for the beach. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙐𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙏𝙤 𝘽𝙚 𝙐𝙨
by Renee Carlino
385 pages
out July 9, 2024

Thank you for the ARC Renee Carlino, @netgalley & @thedialpress

After twenty-two years together, Danielle and Alex are getting a divorce. Once fiercely in love, they can barely stand the sound of each other’s voice. Instead of shuttling the kids between two broken homes, Alex and Dani decide to share a nesting apartment while swapping days with their two teenage boys at the family home.

In the apartment, Dani and Alex, on their own, begin to reflect on the last two decades—why they fell in love and why the marriage fell, spectacularly, apart. With the newfound space and time, they are given a chance to rediscover their autonomous selves again. They both get back in the dating pool. Dani finds major success at work as a showrunner on her own TV project, while Alex faces the challenges of a new relationship.

Still, they find that they just can’t stay away from each other, and somehow, the distance allows them to remember (for the first time in years) what each used to love about the other. When a family crisis draws them back into each other’s orbit, Dani and Alex are once again put to the test, which leads to a dramatic conclusion that will have readers weeping.
#currentlyreading #arc #newbooks #bookstagram #bookreviews

Written with words of reverence, humor, anguish and tenderness this book brought forth every emotion possible and I loved it! This is the love story of Dani and Alex, who after twenty-two years of marriage decide to get a divorce. Told in alternating voices, we learn each of their stories, their innermost thoughts, what drew them together and what tore them apart. Beautifully written, I laughed, I cried and I deeply cared about these characters and their children. With the close of the last page, I was sad to say goodbye to these characters that had become friends and to whom I had an affection for. Kudos Ms. Carlino for delivering a story that delivered an emotional and heartfelt look into not only the hearts of the characters but had me look into my own as well.

Thank you NetGalley, Dial Press Trade Paperback and Renee Carlino for giving me the pleasure to read an advance copy in exchange for my honest opinion.