I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. I usually love Denise Hunter's books, but I could not connect to this story, partly because I've read something similar.

Seven months ago Lauren Wentworth graduated with her degree in hospitality. She had her eye on her dream job, but the boss wanted her to have more experience. She travelled to rural New Hampshire to become temporary manager of Pinehaven Lodge, a rustic family-owned resort. When she arrived, she had an extremely adversarial relationship with the owners' son, Jonah. The more they worked together, that wall came down and they fell in love. He asked her to marry him, and she agreed, giving up the job in Boston and staying in New Hampshire. While working in the barn venue, she falls from a ladder and hits her head. When she comes to, the last five months are gone, and she only remembers the adversarial part of her relationship with Jonah. He is heartbroken and will do whatever she needs to get her memory back and make her happy, including letting her go. She calls Boston to check in and finds out that she forfeited the job, but they agree to give her one more chance. After talking to everyone around her, she finally believes that she fell in love with Jonah, but those feelings are gone. As she finishes out her year at the family lodge, can Johan get her to fall in love with him again.

I really enjoyed this story, although I am not a big fan of the amnesia trope. Denise Hunter does a good job with this story and made me love both Lauren and Jonah. He stole my heart and I was so sad for him, thinking that he had lost Lauren. She was career driven and very good at her job, but I wanted her to either get her memory back or fall in love all over again. Jonah was so sweet and patient with Lauren, only wanting her to remember the happy times that they had. I liked that both of them had issues and past hurts that affected their behaviour before they fell in love, and that is what Lauren remembers. I loved the setting of the family lodge in the woods of New Hampshire. I also enjoyed seeing Lauren work with the family to build up their business. Jonah's family were wonderful to Lauren and had welcomed her to their family. I enjoy Denise Hunter's writing and this was another winner. Kim Churchill does a great job with the narration on the audiobook and I really enjoyed listening to this one.

Such a sweet story of a man who loves a woman who doesn't remember that love. When Lauren falls off a ladder she doesn't remember that she loves Jonah. She only remembers her disklike for him at the beginning of the summer season when she met him. This is their journey back to each other.

Denise Hunter's books are always a favorite of mine. I alternated between reading and listening to the audio version. The narrator, Kim Churchill, did a wonderful job!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Publication date: 10 October 2024

Not a new idea…wife forgets things and husband has a chance to right his wrongs and pretend like he is the best husband ever. But as soon as Lauren wakes up in the hospital her gut tells her there more to the story because the person convincing her is making her sound like a completely different person than she remembers herself as.
Whose version of her is the real one? Where can she go to find herself? Will her marriage survive this?? The. Audio book was wonderful, slight, quiet voice really played into the fears Lauren feels.

This was a super cute read. I received early access to this audio book via net galley and am so glad I did. The audio production did a fantastic job and it was easy to listen and follow. The storyline was super cute and not overly dramatic or cheesy. I found myself feeling connected to the characters and rooting for them. I would definitely recommend to others!!

the idea was there, but not the execution.
i don t know what happenned but i didn t enjoyed listen to this audiobook

dnf at 25%

A fun ~kinda~ second-chance romance that’s perfect for lovers of Hallmark movies and is looking for a sweet fall/winter read.
Lauren gets a temporary job at a rustic resort and absolutely despises the owners’ son, Jonah. He is also technically her boss for the summer.
Fast forward to the beginning of fall, Lauren wakes up in the hospital and doctors inform her that she suffered a head injury after falling off a ladder. She ALSO lost all her memories of the summer, and was shocked to find out she had been DATING her nemesis Jonah this whole time? Ugh as if!!!
Lauren refuses to resume her apparent relationship with Jonah because of this memory loss and goes back to hating him just like she did at the beginning of the summer. This leaves Jonah heartbroken, because he was planning on proposing to her before this accident happened. While the two of them continue working together, will Lauren’s memories come back? Will she fall back in love with Jonah?
This book was sweet and cheesy, and had an adorable dog in it which is always a bonus.
Thanks again to NetGalley and HarperCollins Christian Publishing for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

"Before We Were Us" is an enemies-to-lovers story with a twist of amnesia. It follows Jonah, an innkeeper, and his employee-turned-girlfriend, Lauren, who loses parts of her memory after a ladder accident.

Lauren started working at Pinehaven Lodges right after college to get some experience before chasing her dream job in Boston. What she didn’t see coming was falling for her boss!

Set in a charming inn with cozy vibes and lovable characters, I really liked Jonah’s character. He’s the patient, sweet boyfriend who seems too perfect sometimes. I especially loved the scenes involving his gifts to Lauren *sigh*.

The Landry family is really nice too, though I found myself wishing for a little tension. Graham, though, stole the show for me—his presence was just so warm and happy!

I appreciated the backstory about Lauren’s mom; it added some depth to the plot. I did wish for a bit more character development, though.

Overall, I enjoyed it! It made me smile and feel giddy while listening to the audiobook. This was actually my first audiobook experience, and it was great! I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for more from this author.

Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to listen to this in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. I loved this sweet romance. It starts with the 2 main characters together and then there's a. accident. The story is told in third person.

If you’re a fan of that whole- If you love them let them go concept- you’ll love this one. It’s actually really adorable how much it kills him and how much he loves her but she just can’t remember any of it. Well, it’s sad, of course, but also adorable. It takes someone being truly and deeply in love to be able to put aside their emotions and do what is best for the person they love regardless of what if it crushes your heart. It does have a happy ending though, thankfully.

Thank you NetGally for my copy of the book. My review is my own.

While this is my first book from the author, it will not be my last. The story immediately draws you and splits into a duel timeline. One timeline is after the accident and amnesia, the other is what happens in that summer time frame that went missing from her memories. It is beautifully woven together story of falling in love not once, but twice. And that in the end it is relationship and family that matters the most. Can't wait to pickup another book from the author!

Loved this book. Great setting. Great characters. The story was easy to read and the narrator was great.

Before We Were Us was a sweet Hallmark-esque read. Very closed-door romance with frequent mentions of church and praying. The novel follows couple Jonah and Lauren. Lauren falls from a ladder and wakes up, having forgotten the last several months of her life… their entire romantic relationship. The author writes in dual timelines as we follow the main characters in the past (pre-accident) and in the present (post-accident). I listened to the novel and often found it difficult to determine which timeline we were in.
Small qualm with the blurb… it mentions a huge crush on the small-town doctor, Carson and him becoming “available” after she wakes from the accident. This book is hardly a love triangle. There is almost zero tension between Lauren and Carson. It is all about Lauren and Jonah. That part of the blurb feels misleading.
Special thanks to HarperCollins Christian Publishing for the Audio ARC via NetGalley.

It's an awesome story of how things can change over a few months and then again in an instant! Just when you think you know what you want, love interrupts! Best laid plans don't always mean anything, and dreams can change. It is hard not to feel for Jonah and his amazing underdog story. Lauren's story leaves you rooting for her and, at the same time, yell at her. The dual timelines make for a great story!

**"Before We Were Us" by Denise Hunter** is a heartwarming and poignant romance novel that explores themes of love, memory, and second chances. The story follows Lauren Wentworth, a city girl who moves to rural New Hampshire to manage a family-owned resort. There, she surprisingly falls in love with Jonah Landry, the owner's son. However, a fall from a ladder leaves Lauren with amnesia, and she can't remember the last seven months of her life, including her relationship with Jonah.

Hunter skillfully navigates the emotional journey of Lauren and Jonah as they try to rebuild their relationship from scratch. I loved how the novel is filled with tender moments, dramatic twists, and a deep exploration of what it means to truly know and love someone. The characters are well-developed and relatable, making their struggles and triumphs resonate with me.

The narration of Kim Churchill truly added to my enjoyment of this book. Thank you to Harper Collins and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen ad review this book.

"Before We Were Us" is a beautiful reminder that love can endure even the most challenging circumstances. If you enjoy heartfelt romance novels with a touch of drama, this book is a perfect choice for you.

Not traditionally a romance enthusiast,this book had me reconsidering my stance on romance books.
I had so much fun reading this!
Lauren and Jonah are the main characters and as they go through the different trials in this book,they truly show how love can and should be.
This book is endearing and has fun and surprising twists. The plot is lovely with charming characters and a beautifully crafted setting.
I highly recommend reading this, I know I enjoyed it immensely.

If you’re looking for a wholesome love story to make you feel all the feels, this is the one! Beautiful fall setting, perfect for this time of year. Jonah 💔 It’s been a minute since I’ve felt this physically sad for a fictional character. This was really well written and I enjoyed it a lot. Read if you like the movie The Vow!

ARC and ALC Review :

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


On the night Jonah is about to propose, his girlfriend Lauren takes an unexpected fall. Upon arriving at the hospital he learns that the injury she sustained is not physical, but mental. She is diagnosed with a concussion/ traumatic brain injury that resulted in memory loss. She has no recollection of the last four months or her relationship with Jonah. Will Lauren ever regain her memories, or will her love for Jonah disappear for good?

Denise Hunter’s Before We Were Us is a five star read perfect for fall!!! This contemporary novel is set at the rustic resort, Pinehaven Lodge. With the cozy New Hampshire backdrop readers are transported to small town living, with a delightful cast of side characters.

While I am not one who usually enjoys the amnesia trope, Hunter won me over. Utilizing flashbacks, she perfectly paints the picture of Lauren and Jonah’s relationship before the accident and after. It was wonderful to see the parallels between the first and second time they fell in love.

This book also features:
-found family
-opposites attract (city girl/ small town boy)
-enemies to more
- sprinkles of Christianity/ faith

I highly recommend reading or listening to this book. I had the pleasure of enjoying both formats and see the advantage of both. Kim Churchill does a fantastic job narrating the book and making the story come to life.

Special thanks to Thomas Nelson Fiction, Harper Collins Christian Publishing, Netgalley, and Denise Hunter for allowing me to read/ listen to this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was a great love story with characters that you can’t help but fall for. It was tastefully written and gave just enough details to keep me in the book and not bored like a lot or Romance books can get.

"He told me that the world is full of readers, some just haven't found the right book yet." This is a book for book lovers!

The story follows Emma, a widow whom is struggling to provide for her daughter. As a war is starting in England, children are being sent out of the cities into the country. Emma must decide to keep her daughter with her or to send her to safety.. The Booklover's Library gives Emma a job as a librarian and this creates a space for her to help others and make new friends as she navigates her journey.