What an emotional book this was! I was on the verge of tears several times while reading it, it was so sad and you could just feel the love that Mina and her husband. The grief she had just oozed off the page and really sucked me into the story. I needed to know what was going to happen. It was an emotional roller coaster for sure. There were so many layers to this story, it was very nuanced, and I greatly appreciated and enjoyed it. This story was familiar in a comforting way, but I haven’t ever read one that was the exact same as this. It was a nice feeling and made it an easy, leisurely read. The ending was fantastic, it’s one I’ll be thinking about for a while. It really surprised me how much I loved it. I didn’t think that it would wrap up the way it did, but I was pleasantly surprised. The dual timeline was a nice touch and really helped me get invested in the story.

If you’re looking for a truly touching story that will take your emotions on a ride, then you need to check this one out.

Welp. I couldn’t put When We Had Forever down and I most definitely cried.

The story begins with Mina, who is struggling with her grief six months after her husband has passed away. The story is then told in alternating timelines, revisiting the past and introducing us to Michael.

I don’t want to give away too much, I think this story is best read by going in blind.

You can really feel the love the two had for each other, it felt all encompassing and yet…I can understand the struggles of a long relationship. I have been married for many, many years now, and I can tell you that we both work on it together. A marriage isn’t something that just happens; you have to constantly strive towards each other.

When We Had Forever really ran the full gamut of emotions: grief, love, fear, astonishment, surprise, shock.

What a wonderfully emotional read.

When We Had Forever
What a treat! The ultimate escape. “When We Had Forever” was the first book I read by Shaylin, and it didn’t disappoint. This story had so many familiar elements of stories I’ve been obsessed with in the past but also had a unique take that caught me by surprise. After reading, I immediately went to check her back list. I will read her next novel!

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade & Shaylin Ghandi for the chance to review this book in exchange for my honest review.

This story took me by complete surprise. I will be honest and say at about 60ish% into the story I was like "oh, there's no way I will like how this ends.. how can he say these things? How can he feel this way??" And THEN! I was like "OOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHH!"... in the best possible way.

This was a beautiful story. There is the love triangle trope but done in a unique way. Through the fmc’s journey of grief she learns to love again. This was a book with a beautiful ending and it’s one I’ll be thinking about for months and years to come. I highly recommend to all romance book lovers who want a bit more of a serious novel with a light to moderate level of spice

This was such an emotional rollercoaster! I was not expecting the ending at all so it definitely took me by surprise. It was a page turner as I kept wanting to learn more about Mina and her relationships. I really enjoyed this book and it was such a quick read for me!

Thank you, Netgalley, Shaylin Gandhi, and Harlequin Trade publishing for the advance copy of " When we had Forever". The cover is beautiful, and I felt like it definitely will attract readers. The book goes back and forth from before and after the loss of Mina's husband, Michael. This book was slower pace for me in the beginning, but once I got into it, I enjoyed the storytelling. Shaylin Gandhi definitely knows how to spark emotions; one min im sad, happy, and then frustrated. Thanks again for the opportunity.

This was an amazing read—I enjoyed it from start to finish! The ending and twist took me completely by surprise, yet once everything came together, it made perfect sense. It stirred up real emotions, especially during Grayson’s reflections on grief.

“Grief. It’s the most challenging emotion in the human experience, isn’t it? The hardest to deal with. You’re not alone in that.”

A well-written and truly original story!

“When did I stop being a wife?”—This is the question our FMC Mina asks herself as the novel jumps straight into the present day grief of a widow overcome with loss and longing. Yet as the story oscillates between flashbacks of Michael and Mina’s love story and the truths Mina uncovers about her husband post-death, Mina starts to wonder
if she ever really knew the man she married.

When We Had Forever is a dual timeline, second chance romance steeped in plot twists. I was so immersed in this story and the mysterious way Grayson plays a role in Mina’s recovery that there were times I could not put this down!! We always think of love as this fragile thing but this story conveys how something so beautiful and so precious can be strong enough to withstand the test of time, hardship, and loss.

***If there’s one line you take away from this review it’s that you NEED to read this.***


Tropes:
•Second Chance Romance
•Miscommunication
•”all this time” trope
•love after loss
•self-discovery through grief

Other Elements to Note:
•genre: Contemporary Romance
•Fast-paced
•Major Plot Twists
•good banter
•They play “strip Monopoly” hehe😙

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing -> Canary Street Press for gifting me a copy of this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I liked the pacing and style of writing, the chapters, titled before and after flowed nicely and I was able to jump back and forth easily. I found myself very frustrated with Mina. She stayed with and married a man who changed overnight and wasn’t the person she fell in love with. I get that she was “blinded” by love and wanted to stand by Michael but I just didn’t buy it. When the story unfolds and you learn more about what happened the pieces do start to fall in to place although frustratingly so. I know the grieving process is different for everyone but the initial interactions with Michael’s estranged brother are strange even though it’s the catalyst for the rest of the outrageous story. Overall a 3 star read for me, I did like the ending but the story was a stretch, especially the trip to Hawaii. There is no way Mina could be so clueless.

When We Had Forever by Shaylin Gandhi was a circuitous exploration of love, lust, remorse and longing. The story twists and turns when least expected and ventures into zones requiring suspension of disbelief to navigate to the end. Parts are beautifully written and tore at my soul while other parts left me saying “huh?!?!”.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC.

When We Had Forever was interesting. If I had to describe this story, I would relate it to a train wreck. Was the writing amazing? No. Was the plotline intriguing? Yes. I found the whole twin plotline fascinating to read. I was shocked by everyone's decisions, particularly Mina's. I found a lot of her actions baffling. Never would I move in with someone after knowing them for several hours. Her decisions throughout the book were astonishing. I had a difficult time wrapping my head around her and Grayson's relationship. It was hard for me to believe that Grayson loved Mina for that long after not even spending three months with her. I had a hard time believing that premise of the story. It was very obvious to me what was happening with the brothers. Having known the big plot point, I didn't feel invested in the before chapters. I wanted less before chapters. I was surprised with how quick Mina was to move on with Grayson. The whole two brother's thing grossed me out. I felt like Grayson could have been developed better. I also found the side characters lacking. Mina did not treat them well. Besides Mina's character, I also had a tough time with the writing. The author used a lot of hyperbole in her writing. It came across as trying too hard. Some of the lyrical passages felt unnatural and overly dramatic. Thank you to NetGalley and Canary Street Press for the ARC.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily!!
When We Had Forever is a book about rediscovery and how to navigate love after loss. We follow Mina, who just lost her husband Michael and is struggling to navigate her new life without him. In this dual timeline novel, we see how Mina & Michael fell in love before, and then we get introduced to Michael's mysterious brother, and things start getting intense. Mina starts questioning her past and coming to terms with her present. I don't want to say too much without giving it away, but there are so many unexpected twists, and I definitely couldn't see them coming. This book is thrilling, exhilarating, mysterious, and romantic. Thank you, Shaylin Ghandi and NetGalley, for the ARC!

Omg I will need a physical copy of this book!! I had so many emotions while reading, I had to wipe tears from my eyes and I couldn’t get enough!!

We meet Mina who is dealing with the grief of losing her husband Michael. She is learning to navigates her new reality as a widow and future that won’t have him in it anymore. The story alternates between her present and her past with her husband. It shows how they fell in love and how things began changed over the years in their marriage, and how she begins to realize how she lost herself with putting his needs before her own. When she receives and email from her estranged brother-in-law who also happens to be her husbands twin, this is when things get intense and she starts questioning the past she thought she knew. When Mina discovers her husband has been hiding a huge secret from her, her world begins to crumble beneath her. Have the last 14 years been a lie? This book took me by complete surprise and I loved it!!

This is my favorite kind of romance! When We Had Forever is a unique romance that also has some mystery and twists to it. It explores deep issues such as betrayal, grief, loss, and rediscovery. I went through a whole slew of emotions. The story is very engaging and held my interest the entire time. It was a beautiful story of love and self discovery. I really enjoy when a romance novel can evoke deep emotions and thought provoking ideas, and this fits the bill perfectly! This book was so good that I read it in one sitting. Grab some tissues and don't miss this one!

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | Canary Street Press for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a fun, feel good book with all the right amount of ups and downs and surprises.

The plot is well thought out and carefully crafted. Little mysteries are casually introduced like puzzle pieces that you can’t fit together until you have the full image, even if you’ve got theories. You’re driven to keep reading and figure it out or confirm down to the last detail.

The dual timeline maintains really nice pacing with alternating tension and mood, and the prose is rhythmic and varied—so beautifully written.

Yes, there is a fall hard and fast love story described near the beginning, but 1) sometimes that’s just how it is when two people meet and 2) there is so much more to it! So much! Don’t let that steer you away from this love story if it’s not your thing.

I cared about the characters. I felt the pain of the loss of a husband. I was invested in the romance, enjoyed the spicy comments and scenes, and I laughed out loud throughout. Time well spent :)

THIS BOOK!!! The perfect mix of romance and mystery, When We Had Forever tells the story of one woman's journey through grief, loss, and finding love in the most unexpected of ways. After her husband's death, Mina is struggling with not only the loss she has experienced but the distance in her marriage even before her husband's death. Her brother-in-law arrives on the scene and with his arrival come secrets and revelations that could very well change everything.

Told in dual POV's, Mina and Michael and Grayson's stories are equally compelling and even suspenseful. Normally with a book that is told in various POV's, I am drawn more to one or the other. This was not the case in this book. Gandhi does an exceptional job at balancing both storylines to keep the reader drawn in the entire time.

4 stars only because there were some things at the end that didn't feel 100% believable!

The way this book pulled at all my emotions. It is such a beautiful story of love, loss, grief, rediscovery. The writing of this story just pulls you in and I was so captivated in this love story. Told in dual timelines of past and present. You need both to really fully grasp the story and to relive the love story of Mina meeting and falling in love with her husband. That love is so powerful and all encompassing. I really felt all the love and emotion in that relationship- but as she starts unraveling clues you start to feel and see things differently. I do recommend diving into this one blind to not have any of the mysteries and possible twists spoiled.

This was such an emotional ride.
The ups and downs-the swoon and frustration! I feel like my heart is still recovering from the twists this story took! The raw emotion coupled with the sweet and funny moments made this a five star read for me. I’ve struggled with contemporary stories keeping my interest but this was a page turner! You will love Mina, and root for her while she finds her spark again. And Grayson? Oh Grayson. You’ll see. I absolutely recommend!

This book got me. There were things I was like how are they going to do this? And the twist I was like whaaaaaa. They got me. I loved the flash backs, they made me swoon. The way the author tied everything together was so good. At first you’re like ummm WHAT. But then it all comes together and your mind explodes a bit. It was different than other books I have read. Seriously it was just really really good and weeks later I’m STILL thinking about it! Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC!