Lauren & Jonah had planned to spend the rest of their lives together. That is until one day when a freak accident took Lauren’s memory of the last 6 months. Jonah can’t forget the love they shared, does Lauren even want to remember? Jonah is persistent and reminds Lauren of their story. But is it enough?
A beautiful story of love, loss and rebuilding relationships. Told between alternating timelines of before memory loss and after. All the characters play an integral part in the story. They love and support the couple through all the ups and downs.
I could see all the natural beauty due to the details added by the author. Envisioning the barn that became the center of the story.
Really enjoyed this book and would recommend.

I listened to the audiobook version of Before We Were Us thanks to NetGalley. I love the different take on this romance novel. Lauren has a bad accident and loses her memory, forgetting her love for Jonah. Now he does everything he can to get her to remember even tho Lauren is hesitant. This is a very sweet and heartwarming story.

Before We Were Us by Denise Hunter

What a beautiful story! I could not put it down! Lauren Wentworth takes a job at a restricted resort to gain experience needed for her dream job. One day she takes a spill from a ladder and wakes up in the hospital with no memory of the entire summer. Her nemesis, Jonah, is there acting like a love sick boyfriend and she is at a loss as to how that happened or if it is real. Meanwhile, Jonah is patient, kind and heartbroken. He gives her space. The two continue working together and her memories remain hidden.
As her time to leave approaches, can he stand to let her go and can she bear to leave? His family and the whole package of “home” calls to her, It is something she longs for. Can she measure what she has with Jonah against the dream job of a lifetime in Boston? Will her past guide her or will her heart?
The audiobook narration was very well done by Kim Churchill. She brought the story to life and gave the characters their own voices. I think I loved the audiobook more because of her voice. Great job!
I would like to thank Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for the privilege to review and ARC of this audio publication.

This was a phenomenal love story with so many layers. The char@caters are expertly crafted and the story draws you in from start to finish.
I give it 5/5 ⭐️s.

Before We Were Us, by Denise Hunter, is a well plotted story relating the repercussions to one’s life after experiencing a traumatic brain injury. Lauren Wentworth is working as manager of the family owned lakeside Pinehaven Resort in Pinehaven, New Hampshire. Having had dreams of working for the elite corporate event planning company in Boston, Glitter, when Lauren is offered a paid internship by the company owner working at the resort to get management experience after owner Tom Landry suffers a heart attack.

Lauren quickly takes the opportunity given her expecting a fancy resort. When Lauren arrives at the resort, however, she finds more of a family fishing camp. She tries to make the most of it with Glitter in her sights at the end of the year. While Tom and Tammy are lovely, and their daughter Meg is delightful, their son Jonah is an enigma that rather brings out the hate at first sight reaction until it doesn’t.

On the day Jonah plans to propose at a fancy dinner, they first go to the old barn on the property that they are renovating as an event space. Taking in the view below the old loft affords, Lauren and Jonah are already making future plans. That is until a misstep on the loft ladder finds Lauren crumpled on the barn floor unresponsive. With a quick 911 call it still seems like forever before emergency services arrives and transports Lauren, accompanied by Jonah, to the hospital. However, when Lauren finally awakes it is determined that she has lost the last several months of memory and remembers nothing of her relationship with Jonah and is still in the time before they were together. From there, the story evolves to tell what happens as Lauren returns to the resort as well as how she plans to leave at the beginning of the year.

This is another well written and heartfelt story by Denise Hunter. With wonderful characters, a lovely, well described setting, and a focus on the seriousness of head injuries, this is one more must read from this author. I very much enjoyed this book and I do recommend it!

Cute story of re-falling in love after a memory loss issue. It explores the idea of if you love something let it go. There are times where I felt like Jonah was too nice and sweet. When faced with the hardship there should be more frustration and deeper emotional rollercoaster on his end. It felt like it could have gone deeper to make the story feel a bit more real. It reminded me of a sad Hallmark or Lifetime movie because of this.

Lauren and Jonah have had an unexpected romance when she moved to rural New Hampshire to get job experience working at Jonah’s family’s resort. Starting out as hostile co-workers, the two slowly let each other in and fall in love. But things take an even more unexpected turn when Lauren gets in a freak accident causing her to loose her memory of the last few months and she completely forgets that she is in love with Jonah. She only remembers the hostility she felt toward him when she first arrived. The story gives current day and flashbacks to the past as you get a detailed look at their relationship. This story is filled with heartwarming moments, a good amount of emotional depth, lovable characters, and a rich setting that will leave you wanting to research a trip to New Hampshire.

I’ve been a fan of Denise Hunter for quite a few years now, but I think this may take the cake as my favorite book by her. If you are looking for a clean, fall romance with a rich setting and engaging story, then I would give this book a try! I know this book will be a huge hit at our library this fall as many of our patrons have fallen in love with her books over the last year.

The story was very engaging and I really appreciated her adding in a few more faith elements than her last few books- would love to see more of this! I also loved the different timelines and emotional depth to this story. I found myself getting really connected and invested into the story to where I didn’t want to put the book down (this is not a normal occurrence for me).

Content Notes: themes of abandonment/foster care/adoption, moderate panic attacks/anxiety representation, clean/kisses only

This is a heartwarming and romantic tale that will captivate readers who adore stories of second chances, self-discovery, and the transformative power of love, making it a perfect fit for fans of uplifting and emotional romance novels.

Aw, this was sweet! I liked that it was set in New Hampshire in the autumn. It made it feel very cosy.

Before We Were Us tells the story of a couple who is very much a case of enemies to lovers. An unexpected accident causes the woman to lose her memory shortly before the man is planning to purpose. Even worse, her only memories end at the enemy stage. Will her happy memories return? Will he win her back? Read it to find out!

Huge thank you to NetGalley, Thomas Nelson, and Zondervan Fiction Audio for the opportunity to enjoy this audiobook!

WOW! I was hooked from the beginning with this one! And although it was fairly predictable throughout, it was still very angsty and tugged at my heartstrings. I absolutely fell for the MMC and there's a valuable lesson in learning to truly love someone. This story is told in third-person POV from primarily alternating dual perspectives and I listened to the audio version which was had great narration. The story is clean (no swearing, kissing only without the "spice" but all the emotion). The ending caught me by surprise which, as an avid reader, pushed this book to a 5 star read/listen! I'm really looking forward to reading more by this author! *I received an advanced complimentary copy from the author/publishing company in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Just as Jonah was about to propose to Lauren, a horrible accident happened to Lauren that caused her to lose all memories from the past couple of months. These memories included her entire relationship with Jonah. I loved this story. The characters felt real and Jonah’s determination to both help Lauren remember and to give her the space she needed was great. I loved the alternating chapters of Jonah and Lauren’s points of view. The side characters and the small-town setting were wonderful. I think everyone has an internal debate if you are making the right decision, whatever choice / decision you have. Lauren was very relatable because of this. It is fantastic when books take you on a memorable journey, this one is worth the ride.

A Hallmark Movie in book form.

Sweet and touching. A great beach read. Nice relaxing story. Great setting.

I liked how the main male character was so patient. All the characters seemed real to life with real reactions and feelings.

Thanks to netgalley and Harper Collins Christian Publishing for the arc.

Oh I loved this story! Such a unique story line for amnesia. It held my attention all the way through the book. Such a good book and was glad to have read it. Hunter is one of my favorite authors and she does not disappoint in this latest release

The audiobook narrator was easy to listen for hours.

Before We Were Us by Denise Hunter

A sweet romance that was perfect for a cozy fall read! If you are looking for a Hallmark movie in book form, this is a great book for you to dive into.

Lauren Wentworth is a driven career woman with a past of growing up in foster homes. Lauren takes a job at a resort to further her career in event planning. When she falls in love with Jonah Landry, the son of the family who owns the resort, her life is turned upside down and she chooses love over her career. But then, Lauren falls off a ladder and everything changes.

This beautiful novel set in the forests of New Hampshire, brings to life a beautiful romance and choosing what is important in life. It also delves into reconciling battles with past traumas and forgiveness, so this novel is not just a sweet romance, but the main character grapples with how to forgive someone who wronged you as a child.

Kim Churchill, the audio narrator, was perfect for each part and did a great job.

Thank you, Net Galley and Zondervan Fiction Audio, for the advanced reader copy. This is a book that will be easy to recommend to my friends and followers that love a pure, beautiful romance. #NetGalley #BeforeWeWereUs

Denise Hunter is a go-to author for me when I'm looking for a book that will tug on my heart. Before We Were Us is just such a book, and it tugged hard!

Lauren Wentworth put herself through college and earned a hospitality degree. She took that degree to the Landry family's Pinehaven Lodge in rural New Hampshire for the summer before starting her job in big-city Boston. The job meant to prove herself to her dream job became so much more when she fell in love with Jonah Landry, his family, and the possibilities she sees in the job she is doing. When she falls from a ladder suffering a head injury, she loses four months of her memory. In those four months she and Jonah went from adversaries to friends to in love, and she pulled her name from contention at Glitter, her dream job. All she remembers when she wakes up in the ER is that Jonah doesn't like her much, and she got the job at Glitter. As the "end" of her job at Pinehaven approaches, will she ever recover the memories of the love she and Jonah shared?

Jonah Landry didn't see much to like in Lauren when she first arrived at Pinehaven. She was a know-it-all, snooty, and on-her-way-up to a glamorous job in Boston when she came to them, but she had no idea what Pinehaven needed to survive. As they work side-by-side, he begins to see glimpses of a different Lauren, one who isn't quite as self-assured, and what he sees, he likes. She's willing to tackle any job they give her and she admits her mistakes when she makes them. When they're stranded together in a storm, they begin to see each other differently. Lauren's fall happens just as Jonah is gearing up to propose to her and suddenly, she thinks she only has a month to go before she heads to the city. Can he convince her that their love is real, and she voluntarily gave up the city to stay with him?

I listened to this one on my NetGalley Shelf app, and, while I enjoyed the story (which I read along with, partly to see how closely the narration matched what I was reading) it felt like the narration "flattened" out some of the emotion I was reading in the actual text. Generally, I love listening to books because I can usually do something else while I'm "reading." I still loved the book, but I felt the narration knocked it down a star for me. As always, though, I can highly recommend the book itself. I felt like that had all the emotion I expect from a Denise Hunter book.

Life is good. After struggling through so much of life, you've finally found the place you belong, and the one who is meant to stand by your side. Then, in the blink of an eye, all the memories of discovering these things are wiped from your mind. Before We Were Us is the story of Lauren Wentworth, who fell from a ladder and lost an entire, formative, summer.

As a new college graduate, Lauren took a job as the manager of a tourist lodge in New Hampshire as a condition to winner her dream job in Boston: being a bona fide party planner at one of the most prestigious firms in New England. It's her chance to prove her capabilities to her future employer and she won't let anything get in the way of the future she's dreamed of for so long. Except one day she wakes up in the hospital and finds that four months have passed since her last memory, and suddenly the owner's son she couldn't stand is saying that somehow they've been in a loving relationship all summer long. The two realities are impossible to reconcile in her head, and she's unsure if she wants to regain her lost memories.

Jonah, her almost fiancée, is devastated. Just on the cusp of their happily ever after, the woman he loves is suddenly all but repulsed by him. He steps back, gives her the space she desperately needs, and waits for her. All he can hope for is that she'll remember their time together, but when nothing changes even weeks after her injury, he isn't sure what their future might hold.

What a concept! I think a premise like this naturally tugs at our human heartstrings. Memory is fallible, and so deeply, deeply personal. You can't convey to another person exactly how something felt, or how it affected you. Even journals probably couldn't evoke the same feelings if you don't have the memory to accompany it. You can try. Lord knows, we all try. That's what literature is. Poetry, and music too...all art in its various shapes forms strives to capture and convey human emotion.

This is a very strong story with many moments of sweetness and heartbreak and necessary, if reluctant, soul searching. There are strong examples of family with themes of overcoming hardships and long-held grievances. Jonah was exemplary in his role as supportive, loving partner. Finding out that Thomas Nelson is a Christian publisher is not surprising. Though I wouldn't say this book is blatantly religious, but it does serve as a good example of what I imagine a healthy religious practitioner should look like. It's not a story about characters making conflict-ridden choices, but rather navigating difficult circumstances with all the nuance it entails.

Any reader, especially of romance, might enjoy this story. I know I did. I was lucky enough to be chosen as an advanced listener by netgalley and the publisher. The narrator, Kim Churchill, did a wonderful job.

First off, thank you NetGalley for allowing me the pleasure of listening to this beautifully told story on audio.
I’ve never read a Denise Hunter novel, and this was the best introduction to her story telling. I’ll admit that it was definitely giving The Vow vibes, but I’m so thankful she made this scenario all its own.
Lauren and Jonah are the epitome of meant to be. But a nearly tragic fall causes her to lose the memory of the last 4 months of her life, the exact time it took for her and Jonah to fall madly in love, and now she can’t remember. And he can’t forget. But what sets this story apart is his faith and his patience. And the fact that very specific memories start to come back, but not the ones he or she expect will bring them back to the start. On the contrary, his great love for her and allowing her the space and time, allows her to fall back in love with him all over again.
Denise really keeps you on your toes because you don’t want it to be another of the same story, which it’s absolutely not. Such a fantastic read. As a hopeless romantic, I genuinely hurt when Jonah hurt and celebrated with Lauren when that tug of needing “home” again started to take root.

Before We Were Us by Denise Hunter

A woodsy, romantic and scenic locale with peaceful serenity to calm your senses.

Lauren falls in love with a guy who has given her a hard time for months, she finally see’s the true man he really is. Just when they plan to take their relationship further, there’s a terrible accident and Lauren cannot remember anything that has happened in the last several months, including what she loves about this man. All she remembers about him is how much she dislikes him. Will her memory return ? Will he have the patience to deal with the love of his life not remembering what they had together ?

This is a sweet story about love and loss. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Thank you to Net Galley for an Advanced Copy of this Audio Book.

Such a beautiful story. When an accident happens and Lauren ends up with amnesia, she has to learn how to love Jonah again. Jonah the ever patient man who is takes with winning her heart a second time or set her free to what she thinks she wants. I laughed and cried and just enjoyed this story.

This book was so cute! I love the setting of the resort, and I fell in love with all the characters. It was a little heart breaking in some parts when she could not remember but this book made me feel things and I enjoyed every second of it. Jonah is such a great and patient guy, and he is the perfect book boyfriend. This book is about love and second chances. I would recommend this for any romance reader, and I look forward to more from this author!

Thank you, Net Galley, the author, and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a sweet little story.
Lauren use to the big city life goes to a remote little town to get experience before she can get her dream job. She arrives in town and is instantly introduced to a man in a blue truck Jonah. When Karen arrives at her summer job she meets the man who is gonna help her around the resort is Jonah. Lauren and Jonah eventually fall for each other and are planned to be married. However one afternoon Lauren falls fell off a ladder and loses her memory for the last 4 months. She wakes up and doesn’t remember anything that has happened over the last couple months and she only remember how horrible her finance use to be and not that she is to be married. Is there hope on them getting back to the place they once were.

It was a good book how ever not a fan of religious love stores and didn’t realize this was but it was still good

Thank her gallery for your advance copy of this audiobook!