Member Reviews

Enjoyable read, interesting plot line with characters you care about. Ready for this one to become a Hallmark rom-com.

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I really enjoyed this book! I’m reading it during a heat wave and really wish I could live at the Pinehaven Resort! After Lauren’s accident and memory loss the author provides flashbacks to the timeframe that Lauren can’t remember. At first I wondered why she wrote them as flashbacks, but that’s when the interesting twists are revealed. Denise Hunter is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors and I am looking forward to her next book!

I received an advanced readers copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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Not one of my favorite Denise Hunter novels, unfortunately. The storyline was intriguing but it was too Hallmark-ey for me.

Thank you, NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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What if you just had the most fulfilling, romantic summer of your life, but you can’t remember any of it? Goodness, I LOVE a good memory loss romance and Denise Hunter does it spectacularly! This story has everything the romance-lover could want…charming romance, conflict, interesting characters, a lush setting and an enthralling plot. This enemies to lovers to memory loss romance is one you won’t want to miss!!!

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Such a sweet read!!!!
Lauren and Jonah’s story is so sweet. I couldn’t put this story down. The dual time line makes the story. You are able to see the before and after of Lauren’s accident.
You want her to get her memory back so bad the whole time.
The epilogue is the perfect end to the book.

This is a great summer read. Definitely recommend.

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On the opening pages of Before We Were Us, by Denise Hunter, Jonah Landry is ready to propose to Lauren Wentworth. However, before he can get the words out, he must hear the sound of this woman’s body hitting the floor in the place that could have held their future wedding!

Jonah is not sure which way to turn when he discovers that Lauren has forgotten everything about the past four months. Lauren takes time to try to recall her past!

It’s fun to watch Jonah and Lauren slowly find their way back to each other. You only wonder where they will land!

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Denise Hunter has written yet another excellent novel with an unusual, yet believable plot. Her characters are well-developed with enough flaws to be human, but likable personalities. Kudos to Hunter for an ending that is happy, but not sappy!!

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A really heartfelt romantic story about a woman who suffers a fall and looses 4 months of memories that she can’t get back. The 4 months she looses is a large chunk of what has happened so abruptly to her. She isn’t sure she wants the memories to come back. If you want an easy summer romance read this is the perfect book for you.

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This book has an original storyline with a setting that I could identify with. The characters were well written & relatable. It was a fun read that I couldn't put down!!

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What an amazing book! I connected with the characters immediately. The story was perfect! This was a book that I didn’t want to end. Will absolutely recommend this book to others! And, I look forward to reading more from this author.

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4.5 stars. This was a nice heartwarming summer read. First time reading this author for me and I really enjoyed this story. I love the setting because New Hampshire is honestly one of my favorite places to visit. Jonah is such a likable character and very easy to warm up to. My heart really went out to him. It took me some time to get there with Lauren but I did eventually get there. Of course I loved Graham, because well, dogs, and I love how he finds Lauren. Jonah’s parents are sweeties as is his sister Meg. While reading, I couldn’t help but wonder how I would feel in Lauren’s place if I had amnesia. I was honestly surprised by her reaction to that at first which is why it took me time to warm up to her. It’s really great when an author can get you to think and feel like that. Happy things turned out the way they did. Very enjoyable read. I would definitely read more from Denise Hunter.
"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

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I really loved this story about Lauren Wentworth goes to work at a resort for experience in New Hampshire on Loon Lake. She is there to help the family resort increase revenue. Once there, she feels like part of the Landry family and falls in love with Jonah. They are fixing up the old barn to be a venue for weddings and other events. See falls coming down off the ladder. She hits her head and loses her memory . She knows she is suppose to have a job at Glitter, a very elite event planner business. She calls and cancels . when she finds out she did that, she asks to be considered again for the job. She gets it but when she goes back to Boston to her friends and new job, she discovers that is not what she wants. A GREAT READ.

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As always, I’m left wanting more—and that’s a good thing! I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the Landry family. I want to spend more time with Jonah and Lauren. To make sure Tom’s health stays good.

To hopefully see Meg happy one day with her HEA. There’s so much more I want to know about these imaginary people. They make my heart smile.

I received an advance copy from the publisher. All opinions are mine and have not been solicited.

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Lauren wakes up in the hospital after falling off a ladder. she knows who she is but can't remember the last four months. Love Denise Hunter .books/

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Denise Hunter likes writing about the east coast small towns and while this is a departure from the North Carolina area of the Appalachian Trail, it is just as engaging as her novels taking place in those areas. The crux of the plot of this book is when Lauren gets amnesia the day Jonah was going to propose to her. She falls off a ladder in the barn that she is converting to a wedding venue and hits her head, giving herself a concussion and amnesia. She only loses four months, but it's the four months of her relationship with Jonah. She remembers the early stages of "I don't like you," but has forgotten the stages where he grew on her to the point that she fell in love with him.

The way Denise handled the amnesia is a breath of fresh air compared to how other authors I've read have handled it. I appreciated how she didn't try to "fix" everything but allowed it to flow organically, as real life would.

I really appreciate the way that Denise brought about the love story between Lauren and Jonah. His love never waned and he worked to rekindle the emotions within Lauren.

This is a five star book, with two thumbs up, and a magical barn wedding venue.

Thomas Nelson Fiction provided the copy I read for this review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

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Can you fall in love twice with the same person? That’s the question you’ll be asking yourself when you read Before We Were Us. I love finding a book where the characters feel so relatable. My heart broke for Jonah when Lauren couldn’t remember their love. Even though I hoped she would get her memory back, I couldn’t have predicted how this story would end. But it was good!
Sweet romance, a country setting and lovable characters put this book on my list of favorites for 2024. It’ll give you all the feels!
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

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first book i've read from denise hunter and won't be the last!!! i thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish!!!

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Denise Hunter always write big stories with big emotions. This one is felt a little different as it’s a present day dual timeline. It starts off so warm and fuzzy and I was instantly in love with Lauren and Jonah. Then a tragic accident and I felt myself reeling with the characters. It was so hard to watch the story play out (in a good way). Trying to imagine myself in Jonah’s shoes, the love of my life there before me every day with no memory of us. My heart was shattered. There is redemption though, as we catch glimpses of early days through flashbacks. Tenderness, sweetness, and playfulness balance out all the hard emotions. Watching Lauren dredge through her memory loss, trying to pick up where she thought she left off, and processing through new emotions, was sorrowful. Seeing two hearts so full of love, yet feeling so alone and forgotten definitely took my emotions for a ride. But true to Hunter’s fashion, big love and romance perfectly outweigh any sadness. The sparks and deep love between these two characters is breathtaking. And I loved every minute of it.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.

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My thoughts: Before We Were Us is Ms. Hunter's latest release and as per usual, we have a winner. Laurel has her plans for the future mapped out in advance and nothing is going to stop her. Not even a handsome man in the middle of nowhere. Jonah knows what he wants to, but he feels it all slipping away.... This is a great romance and would make a great Hallmark movie. If you love romance grab your copy while its on preorder.... Highly recommended. I was given a copy free and all opinions are my own.

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In true Denise Hunter fashion, this story has a way of wrapping you up like a cozy blanket. It is not overly preachy but the faith elements are a nice, calm addition to this story. I enjoyed the juxtaposition of the two stories, it was like reading two love stories go at once.

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