i’ve been a fan of Denise for years and while this is not my favorite of her books, I do recommend it if you enjoy second chance, forced proximity, or no spice romances!! Jonah’s love for Lauren was so sweet and he did everything right towards her in a impossible situation. i loved the ending and was so happy about the resolution of a very important relationship.

i listened to the audiobook and the narrator was great, i was just confused frequently when it switched from past to present because the flashbacks were to just a few months prior in the same setting, but besides that it was a good book!!

thank you so much to the author and publisher for the e-arc & audiobook arc!!!

I loved the setting of this story. I don't usually consider the seasons much when I read, but it played an important part in this story, and I enjoyed it!

I don't think I have ever cried so much for a male character. The emotional pain he was experiencing was heartbreaking for me, too.

I love when a romance novel can incorporate more than one trope, and this one did. I love these characters and recommend this book!

I received this eARC from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I was really silly and didn’t realise this was a christian romance before I requested it and once I realised it was too late! So I’ve set that aside because I can’t rate it down based on my own mistake and minus the christianity references it was a very good read. I honestly never thought I would enjoy the memory loss trope and I’ve never been a fan of the dual timeline either but I loved it in this book. I also thought the narrator was fantastic and completely brought the story to life.

Thank you to HarperCollins for the audio ARC ❤️

Beautiful book! I loved it! I had all the feels listening to this novel. The narrator did an amazing job! This book was so sweet and sad, the characters fit so well together.

This was a great audio to listen to. The narrators did a fabulous job with this book!

And this story was cute and heartfelt. I really liked both of the characters in this story. Their hate turned love relationship was easy to become enamored by. I really enjoyed the backstory after Lauren’s fall and how the reader was able to see how their relationship came to be in the beginning.

If you’re looking for a quick easy read where the writing is great, I would highly recommend Before We Were Us!

***Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins Christian Publishing for an ARC copy for an Honest review***

3.75 ⭐️ rounded up.

Very cute and sweet read- this is definitely for a reader who wants a sweet romance, but one that isn’t too surprising of what happens.

I loved the setting so much, even if some other aspect didn’t capture my love as much.

What a beautiful story. What a charming setting. What a special love!!

Lauren is a city girl. She’s from Boston. Her dream job is in Boston. But, before she can get it, she’s asked (by the woman who runs ‘Glitter’, the place she REALLY wants to work at) to go to New Hampshire for a few months to act as manager for a cabin resort. The owner is a friend of hers, and needs a hand for a while while her husband recovers… Initially she’s very excited to be able to get her ideas out there in the world in an upscale resort! But when she arrives, she realizes it’s nothing but cabins…and not upscale at all. 😕

Jonah is the owners son. He’s finishing out his degree, and then plans on taking over the resort. While he’s in school, he still plans to be around to help out… and help newcomer Lauren with whatever she needs.

BUT, as soon as they meet, it’s off to a FROSTY 🥶 start… and Lauren has no idea why…

This is told in dual POV’s from Lauren and Jonah. It also showcases the present, and the past… before the accident.

But once the accident occurred, Lauren had a concussion, and lost several months of her memories…including those with Jonah and his family…

Beautifully told! Heartbreaking and heart-mending all at once…

Loved these characters and all the actions they put into reality as time went on. And loved how Jonah was so supportive throughout!

🛑🛑 Stopping here! 🛑🛑

Thanks so much to #NetGalley, #HarperCollinsChristianPublishing and #ThomasNelsonFiction for an ARC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review!
*** IT IS DUE TO BE RELEASED IN A FEW DAYS ON 9/10/24! ***

4 1/2 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 for me, rounded up to 5!

#BeforeWeWereUs by #DeniseHunter and narrated beautifully by #KimChurchill.

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"She can't remember their summer together, he can't forget it."

A feel good love story!

What would you do if you had a whirlwind summer romance with someone, but you couldn't remember it. After a sudden and traumatic fall, Lauren was left with short term memory loss. Jonah, her boyfriend, stayed by her side day by day hoping she would remember him and the love they shared for one another. Both of them had so much support from their friends and family, but will they be able to overcome her inability to remember her love for him?

This is such a sweet and cozy love story. The patience Jonah has while waiting for the woman he loves to remember how much she loves him just broke me. Lauren had no idea just how much he adores her, (also what his plans were for their future). The ability to rediscover your love for someone without even trying is such a beautiful thing. Lauren overcame all of her concerns and followed her heart back to where she knew she belonged, home.

Before We Were Us is a heartfelt story of love, loss, and rediscovery. After his girlfriend falls and suffers memory loss, Jonah must remind her of their love for one another and rekindle the romance they once shared. This is a sweet and cozy almost enemies-to-lovers story which focuses on the enduring nature of true love, even in the face of significant challenges.

The narrative alternated between the present and flashbacks to the summer when Jonah and Lauren’s love blossomed. While parts of the plot are somewhat predictable, the heartfelt and cute moments (including her rescue dog, Graham) make up for it. Hunter beautifully balances contemporary romance with just the right touch of drama. It’s a sweet and satisfying read, perfect for those who enjoy stories of lasting love.

4.5 stars

You are about to propose to your partner. You have everything planned out. You have the perfect ring and the location. You even let your sister pick an outfit for you. All of a sudden, your partner falls and loses consciousness. At the hospital, you learn that your parents lost their memory. This is what happens to Jonah and Lauren.

This was a new to me author. I definitely will be reading/listening to more of her books. I loved listening to the audiobook. I enjoyed the different timelines before Lauren lost her memory and after. The characters were beautifully developed, and I was invested in their stories as individuals and as a couple. I don't want to give any spoilers but what Jonah did at the was so sweet and gave me The Notebook vibes.

Audio Version via Netgalley
I really enjoyed this audiobook. The narration was spot on with 5 stars. This was an emotional enemies to lovers with amnesia thrown in. I was so anxious to find out if she gets her memory back. I loved the way this was written with some twists and dual time lines. The epilogue is the cherry on top!!
I look forward to more by Denise Hunter.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this advanced audio copy of Before We Were Us, in exchange for an honest review.

Characters so well written you feel sorry for them! This felt more developed than your typical amnesia trope you might have read previously. I took to Jonah immediately, such a sweet character, the kind you'd want to know. The dueling timeline was easy to follow and had me invested in this story. Really good narrator as well. I listened to this every spare moment and was always looking forward to see how this ended. I was not disappointed.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction as well as netgalley for this ARC! Much appreciated!

3.75 stars (rounded up). The story of Lauren and Jonah was so sweet and a really unique concept for contemporary romance that I have not read before. With Lauren losing all of her memory of the summer, the dual timeline goes from the time of her lost memories to the present day throughout the duration of the book. I really enjoyed the dual timelines as well as the dual POV to give the reader the whole picture of what each character was experiencing/feeling.

I listened to this book on audiobook and was hooked from the very beginning due to the high intensity of Lauren's accident happening right away. The narrator was very easy to listen to and I enjoyed consuming it audibly.

I was certain I was going to rate this book around 4.5 stars until I reached the last third of the book. Unfortunately, I felt like pace was off and it left the readers with some plot holes in order to reach the "happily ever after". Overall, this was a very enjoyable listen that was perfect for end of summer due to the timing that the book takes place!

If you ever watched or read The Vow, you will surely want to read this book. I was so hooked by this story. I listened to the audiobook version and was just taken in from the beginning and my heart was so invested in the romance. I think the narrator did a great job with both POVs and I did not want to stope listening, it easily drew me in.
Jonah was so patient and man, my heart went out to him after Lauren's accident and loss of memories. I liked that while this was reminiscent of The Vow, it still felt original and had it's own twist on the amnesia trope. Lauren fought against remembering Jonah which broke my heart, but I liked that she had to re fall in love with him all over again and the way she softened to him once more. I also enjoyed the flashbacks to before and then the current time. The ending made me smile and I am really happy I listened to this book. I recommend this story and audiobook.
I received an advance listening copy of this novel from Netgalley, Thomas Nelson, and Zondervan audio. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

📚 Before We Were Us by Denise Hunter
🎧 Format: Audiobook
🎙️ Narrated by: Kim Churchill
📕 Genre: Women's Fiction, Romance
📖 Read: August 2024
✨ Rating: ⭐️

‧₊˚✧ 𝑻𝑹𝑶𝑷𝑬𝑺 ✧˚₊‧
ꕥ Enemies to Lovers
ꕥ Small Town
ꕥ Amnesia

Fair warning, this is going to be harsh, so buckle up.

This book made me physically angry. I really should have just stopped. I hated Lauren. She was an absolute b*tch! She was mean, rude and downright SELFISH!!!! When she implied that Jonah manipulated her into giving up her “dream job”, I was done!!! C U Next Tuesday sweet heart!!! 🤬🤬🤬 Poor Jonah deserved so much better.

I also could have done without the flash back chapters. They were pointless and at times confusing. I found myself skipping through these chapters just to get to the end.

I feel like we were robbed of any kind of relationship between Jonah and Lauren. I waited the entire book for her to realize how amazing Jonah was and when she finally did pull her head out of her ass, all we got was a quick epilogue of how they were doing. The ending was a happy one, but I was not satisfied in the least.

As far as the audio goes, I’m sure Kim Churchill was a lovely narrator, but I sped this sucker up to chipmunk speed just to get through it.

I’m sorry to say that this one definitely was not for me and I would not recommend this at all!

𝘊𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘴: 𝘩𝘵𝘵𝘱𝘴://𝘸𝘸𝘸.𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮.𝘤𝘰𝘮/𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘥.𝘢𝘯𝘥.𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨/

Thank you NetGalley, HarperCollins Christian Publishing and Denise Hunter for this audiobook. This is my voluntary, honest review.

What an interesting approach to a romance! I’ve never read anything like it and, wow, just upped the angst factor so much and had my emotions tied up in knots so that I was completely invested in the outcome. I mean, I knew there had to be a happily ever after, but what was that going to look like?! Rabid reading (well, listening in my case) ensued in order to find out!

So, the very first chapter reads like the happily ever after epilogue of a traditional romance. Jonah and Lauren are crazy in love and soooooo sweet together, I was already swooning. Then…bam! (and I mean that quite literally) Lauren falls from a ladder, conks her head, and loses several months worth of her memories. Like the falling in love with Jonah months!

She wakes up in the hospital thinking it’s April when it’s actually Labor Day weekend. And back in April, Jonah was the enemy. I mean she really didn’t like Jonah and with good reason because he was quite the brooding grump. And, oh my heart hurt, because, of course Jonah is still madly in love with Lauren, only she can’t stand him! So, an enemy-to-more/second chance romance! I think Denise Hunter invented a new trope!

And this is a bit of a dual timeline novel too, because Hunter takes us back to the falling-in-love-the-first-time moments through Jonah’s memories. All, while he is trying to win Lauren’s heart for a second time! Oh. My. Stars! This was soooooo good. Beautifully written, incredibly crafted. And that ending! Unexpected!

Kim Churchill did a fantastic job narrating Lauren and Jonah’s story. She captured their personalities and emotions perfectly. I really enjoyed my listening time and would definitely recommend the audio edition of ‘Before We Were Us.’

P.S. If you are as love triangle phobic as I am, have no fear, that tease in the synopsis really doesn’t have any bite. You can read easy on that angst score…though there are plenty of other tumultuous dilemmas you can stew over.

My thanks to Thomas Nelson, Zondervan Fiction Audio and Net Galley for providing me with an audio edition of this book.

Before We Were Us AUDIO by Denise Hunter is a moving enemies to friends to lovers story, twice. Lauren Wentworth had been “blackmailed” with the promise of her dream job if she would go and manage this remote New Hampshire resort for the next nine months. She was not enthralled but really wanted that job so she agreed. The first thing that happened was she got splashed by muddy water. Some intro. But as she settled in she came to love the place and Jonah, the son of the owners. On the very day he was going to propose, she fell off a ladder and hit her head. While the tests showed no injury, when she woke up she had no memory of the past four months, including falling in love with Jonah. The next few months proved to be challenging for everyone.

This was a nice twist on a contemporary romance. At its core is the old adage: if you love something, set it free… They said her memory could return in a day, a week, a month, or never… She had forgotten she loved him but he could never forget he loved her. He did his best to be a good friend, even when he showed up at her cabin to help pack her car, his heart breaking. This was a lovely story, full of feels, not spicy, but heartfelt. I love reading romance and especially love one with a new twist. This was it. Thanks Lauren Wentworth for a lovely book!

Kin Churchill was the reader and kept a steady pace even when hearts were breaking. She voiced all the characters and kept the book moving. She did a great job!

I was invited to listen to Before We Were Us by Harper Collins Christian Publishing. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #HarperCollinsChristianPublishing #DeniseHunter #KimChurchill #BeforeWeWereUs

Jonah is going to propose tonight. He has only known Lauren for a few months, but he loves her and knows it is right. But before their date, Lauren falls off of a ladder. When she regains consciousness in the hospital, she thinks it is April. Except it is September. She doesn't remember their relationship at all. And she doesn't seem to want to regain her memory. Jonah is heartbroken because he remembers everything and knows they are perfect for each other.

I really enjoyed this one. It is heartbreaking at times, but you really get to understand both Jonah and Lauren. I was frustrated with Lauren's obstinance at times, but her background explains why she would be cautious.

This is tagged and marketed as Christian Fiction. That tag always makes me nervous. Thankfully, it is limited to mention of praying. A few mentions of church. It is not force feeding religion to you- which is the type of Christian Fiction I do not enjoy.

Kim Churchill narrates the audiobook. The narration is well done.

I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to listen to this audiobook.

I enjoyed the story of Lauren and Jonah. First, I couldn't imagine my loved one not remembering who I am, but Jonah kept pushing forward and was willing to accept whatever his and Lauren's fate may be.

The book was to the point, easy to follow and impossible to stop listening too.

Lauren gets her first post college job at a small town resort, however she has her sights set on being offered her dream job by the end of summer. When she has a serious fall that leads to months of amnesia, she can’t remember what changed in the past few months that would lead her to give up on the dream job. Jonah, the resort owner’s son, claims to be her boyfriend- but she doesn’t remember that either. And after their rough start when Lauren first arrived at the resort, she finds it hard to believe. Jonah is determined to help Lauren remember all that changed, their relationship depends on it.

This is a hallmark scenario and setting. A charming small town resort with their hometown boy falling in love with the girl there to help his family’s business. I thought there was going to be something more sinister in the storyline, whether it be Jonah mis- guiding the remembrance, the mom’s role in their relationship, or the crush on the local doctor. But all the side-story lines ended up more innocent than I expected. Instead it’s just a testament of love for your significant other regardless of a challenging health condition.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Christian Publishing for an advanced reader copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
Releases on Sept 10, 2024.