I always love Denise Hunter! This book was super! I cannot imagine what life would be like to lose a part of your memory. Lauren lost not only her memory, but a very significant part of her relationship with Jonah. He has amazing patience with her and lets her find her own way. First impressions aren't always what they seem. Luckily they get beyond it, not once but twice!

Another novel that I thoroughly enjoyed. I simply couldn't put it down.
I loved the quirky characters and they eventually became my friends. I really hated to say goodbye to them.
I highly recommend! 5 stars for an engaging novel
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.

I really enjoyed this sweet, but at times heartbreaking, romance! On the day Jonah was going to propose, Lauren falls and loses her memories of the last 4 months of falling in love with him! Jonah’s patience and unconditional love are really put to the test and she just puts more distance between them, even as they work together! The reader is on pins and needles as we read with intense emotions. Will she ever remember? Can he ever forget? Character development is great. I love this author's books! Thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC. My review is my own personal opinion.

Before We Were Us starts off with a romance between main characters Lauren and Jonah. We learn early on that their romance was a kind of enemies to lovers evolution, and just when Jonah is ready to propose, Lauren falls off a ladder, hits her head, and develops amnesia. She can’t remember anything about their falling in love—her brain has no memory of the summer months when they became a couple and she can only remember her initial attitude towards Jonah, putting him back in the time of their first meeting and firmly in the enemy camp.

The book then takes on a dual timeline, with flashback chapters that show how their romance developed the first time around. Jonah works hard to hide his anguish, and his patience and quiet support of Lauren as she grapples with her new normal eventually makes her fall in love with him again.

But Lauren, originally from Boston, is in New Hampshire on a temporary assignment in the hospitality business as she waits for her dream job to start at the beginning of the new year. Before her accident, she had decided to give up on her dream job in order to stay in New Hampshire with Jonah and his family. With no memory of this decision, she is determined to go back to that dream job and the life she wanted before meeting Jonah. Of course, she starts the job, is a smashing success at it, but is miserable and homesick and makes an impulsive decision to return to New Hampshire and her life with Jonah. Compounding Lauren’s complicated emotions are childhood abandonment issues, instability as a young girl in the foster care system, and a determination to be free and independent as an adult so as not to end up like the mother who left her. Upon Lauren’s return to Boston, her mother re-enters the picture and there is a chance for healing and forgiveness here, too.

This book was okay for me. The shining parts are Jonah and his family, who provide Lauren with the warmth and close-knit, secure environment she has been searching for all her life. Pinehaven, the New Hampshire lakeside ‘resort’ that Jonah’s family owns and operates sounds like an ideal place to vacation. We know the book takes place in New Hampshire because the author tells us so, but there is very little ‘New Hampshire’ about the setting. The book could take place at any lake in any mountainous area in the country. I was drawn to the book for the setting and was disappointed that the author missed the chance to really anchor the story in all that NH has to offer.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Before We Were Us was such a feel good book with mystery, romance intertwined into a pageturner that I couldn't put down and couldn't wait to get back to. This is my first book written by Denise Hunter but will be seeking her others books to read this summer. She is truly an author of heartwarming, small town love stories.

Before We Were Us Denise Hunter The story seems implausible because the memory loss was so selective. The paced of the story seemed rushed and disjointed making it difficult to follow. The characters lacked depth and it was hard to relate to them. Lauren comes across as unlikable . All in all an good read for Denise Hunter's fans.
Thank you to the author, Thomas Nelson Fiction, and Netgalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

Ok. To be tertotally honest, I chose this book on NetGalley
for the chance to review this book early. I knew nothing about the author or the book, except for a shorty blurb that promised a fast exciting adventure. Well...The book it a breezy, light Christian tale of a Woman in the hotel biz & her unexcting love interest. My biggest problem with this story is the oddest case of amnesia the woman suffers after a accident. It's a fifty/fifty dice roll on when & who she remembers. I had to bite my tounge most of the way, but I finKnock Knock.pdf.pngished the book. Although not for me this book would appeal to fansof cosy mysteries.

Before We Were Us has an idyllic setting and wonderful characters. It’s a heartwarming and emotional love story about the fear and frustrating of overcoming adversity and moving forward, and of not giving up.

Before We Were Us by Denise Hunter is a beautiful story of finding your way back to love. Lauren wakes up from a fall only to discover that several months of her life are missing from her memory. In those memories is her falling in love with Jonah, the man that she once couldn't stand. In Lauren's new reality she one again can't stand Jonah and can't comprehend what could've possibly changed in order for her to fall in love with him. Jonah has to use great amounts of patience to show Lauren why she fell in love with him the first time.
This is a lovely story that would make a great Hallmark film. The characters are written well and the flashback scenes are integrated well to give you some back story.

The premise of the story reminded me so much of the movie the Vow, that I inadvertently kept comparing it to that story. The storyline is sweet enough, against a lovely setting and I liked the character of Jonah and his family. For me, Lauren on the other hand was not an easy character to like or connect to. It was a good story for an afternoon in front of the fireplace.

Thank you to the Author, Publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity of reading, reviewing and giving my honest opinion of an ARC.

Charming and heartwarming. I fell in love with everything about this book. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this charming and heartwarming book.
The book is centered on the love story of Lauren and Jonah. Jonah's family run a resort of cabins in New Hampshire. As Lauren is taking over the barn has a life altering fall and forgets the last several months. She remembers the resort but has very few memories of her time with Jonah, including falling in love with him or their future engagement.

The book was very similar to good old fashioned feel good Hallmark movie, including the happy ending. The resort in NH sounds wonderful and I would love to attend a wedding at the Laurens wedding venue. Overall it was a very easy feel good read, some sad parts but overall you left smiling. I do feel they could have done more with additional characters, it was nice to see her grow her relationship with her mother.

Denise Hunter is one of my favorite authors and I’m always excited when she writes a new book! That being said, I’m sad to admit that I didn’t love Before We Were Us. Something about Jonah and Lauren’s love story was off, keeping me from being invested in the storyline.
They had been enemies then were about to get engaged hours before Lauren was in an accident. All she can remember is how she and Jonah were when she first met him. He works hard to get her to fall in love with him all over again.
I appreciated this sweet, Christian happily-ever-after novel even if it wasn’t my favorite Denise Hunter book.

Lauren and Jonah have fallen in love, and Jonah is planning on taking Lauren out to dinner when there is an accident, and Lauren loses her memory. The last thing she remembers is Jonah as her surly rival/boss, and her working towards her dream job in Boston starting in January. Jonah is heartbroken, but they are on such different pages - will Lauren’s memory come back before it is too late?

What I liked is that Lauren and Jonah’s interactions didn’t take the path that I expected (I don’t want to ruin the story), it was also interesting to look back on Lauren and Jonah’s love story, and a bit interesting that we (as the reader) knew more about it than she did!

An unexpected, delightful love story.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley; all opinions are my own.

This is a great read!
Love is much more than a feeling. It is a commitment and sometimes means we need to let go.
A freak accident, lost memory, and a love so true are intertwined in this romantic read.
The characters are well developed.
Your heart might ache while you read, but this story is well worth your time.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. My opinions are my own.

Let me first say that I have read every book Denise Hunter has ever written, and I will continue to do so. Forever. She is my go-to for a great romance that tugs the heart strings or sob quietly into my kleenex (because we don't have handkerchiefs anymore). Denise Hunter has written many novels, but I believe this one might be her best yet! What a wonderful story! An excellent romance by one of the top Christian contemporary authors, but I think anyone regardless of religion would enjoy the deep romance and well-plotted love story. Wonderful, captivating writing gives this novel the depth and ability to pull in any reader. Vivid, descriptive story-telling, with interesting characters that have depth to them, and are skillfully rendered. At the end of the book, they seemed more like friends than book characters to me. I highly recommend this author and all of her other books I have read have been nothing less than fantastic. She is definitely an auto-buy author for me, and I can't wait to own this novel in print. And yes, I had tears in my eyes several times - but good tears :)

This was slow to start but then the plot drew you in. Since Lauren’s accident, Jonah had to be patient and find ways to convince Lauren they were once in a relationship. Overall good book

Before We Were US by Denise Hunter is a heartwarming romance that I could not put down. Lauren Wentworth and Jonah Landry were in love and the future looked bright to them until Lauren had an accident and she did not remember falling in love with him. When they first met they got off to a rocky start because Jonah had been hurt by a previous relationship and Lauren reminded him of her. They quickly because friends and then fell in love. The story alternates between the time before the accident and the present day. She wakes up after the accident and all she remembers is what it was like before she fell in love with him. Jonah is patient, kind and willing to give her space. He keeps hoping that she will remember the love they shared. This book kept me engaged. Will she remember or will she fall in love with him again? I loved it that he was willing to let her go. I loved that his family was very supportive of him. I love all the characters that Denise Hunter creates.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

3.25 stars

City girl Lauren Wentworth is the temporary manager of Pinehaven Lodges, a rustic family-owned resort. She clashes with Jonah, son of the owners, and dreams of her next steps. After falling from a ladder, she can't remember the last four months, including the fact that she was in love with Jonah.

I liked this book but I didn't love it. The writing was good and the story was somewhat interesting, but I didn't really like Lauren. I think she was too harsh on Jonah and I couldn't really feel connected to her. I felt for her because of her past, but I would've liked to see the situation with her mom introduced earlier in the story. It came a bit too late, in my opinion. I did like Jonah and his family and would have liked to see more fun interactions of them with Lauren instead of drama and sadness.

Jonah and Lauren's relationship just didn't grab me, but overall this is a solid romance with some emotional depth. I would recommend it to those who like clean romance without a ton of religious references.

There's just something about Denise Hunter's writing that always touches my heart. Her characters are so relatable. Lauren and especially Jonah's heartfelt struggles evoke such strong emotions in the reader. Jonah had such a deep love for her. The story is well paced and heart warming. And I really liked the ending.
Thank you to Net Galley for allowing me to read this boo. The opinions are entirely my own.