After Mina's husband died, his estranged twin brother reaches out to her. She quickly realizes that not everything is what she thought.

I really, really liked the interactions/chemistry while Mina fell in love with Michael. I also liked her interactions with Grayson. However, I couldn't suspend belief enough to full enjoy the book as a whole. <spoiler> I also felt it took way too long to get to the big reveal- which was so obvious from the get-go. </spoiler>

I would be interested in reading more by the author (this is the first of her books that I've read), as there were many aspects that I liked. I just didn't love the plot.

Carly Robins narrates. She isn't my favorite narrator, but it is a me thing. I've listened to many books narrated by her. Something about her cadence turns me off.

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

I really enjoyed this book. It surprised me actually how much. I did guess the big secret at about 50% but even knowing it was coming, it was such a good story. I really liked the characters and felt that they were complicated and thought provoking in a beautiful way. I listened to this on audio and it was very well done.

Rating: I loved it
Narrator: 5

Thank you Harper Audio & canary press for the alc

This may be my first romantic suspense (or first in a really long time) and I loved it. Going into it my expectations were high because everyone in the group chat was crushing it, so I knew it would be a “page turner” (I listened to it) and it was.

I pretty much listened to the whole book in one sitting while doing a home project and I was hooked, it was about midnight when I knew I needed to stay up and finish it. So good.

The narrator did a great job of keeping me hooked & engaged with the storyline. She nailed it.

I don’t want to mention anything about the actual book because I think it’s best to go in blind, but buckle up, it’s a good one!

4.5 stars

What a great story about love, grief and love self discovery. Mina had big plans for her life but she fell in love and her life took a complete turn of events.

After her husbands death, their is so much mystery
And that plot twist that I felt coming but wow did it keep you on your toes.

Thank you so much to net galley, The Hive and the publisher for gifting me this ALC, the audio was incredible

This book is a twisty, turny mystery romance from debut author Shaylin Gandhi.

FMC Mina’s husband has just died but she discovers some things about him in the process of dealing with her grief. Then, enter his identical twin brother.

I was hooked from the beginning and had to know how all the mysteries unfolded and it did not disappoint. I had an inkling of what some of the mystery might entail, but it really gripped me throughout the entire book.

There is a little spice to this romance 🌶️🌶️

Highly recommend this debut novel and looking forward to the author’s future books.

Disclaimer: thank you to NetGalley for the ARC copy of the audiobook. The narration was great!

4 Stars! ✨ Oh my gosh, When We Had Forever by Shaylin Gandhi totally took me by surprise! Big shoutout to Harlequin Audio & Netgalley for the ARC, and a HUGE thank you to Carly Robins for absolutely SLAYING the narration—her voice brought so much raw emotion, especially when it came to Mina’s grief. Every time a twist came, I was gasping like, “Wait, WHAT?!”

✨ Tropes ✨
✧ Second Chance Romance 💕
✧ Grief + Healing 🌧️
✧ Forbidden Love 💓
✧ Slow Burn 😍
✧ Family Secrets 🤫
✧ Love Triangle (well... kinda?) 😅
✧ Dark, Brooding Love Interest 💖
✧ Emotional Rollercoaster 🎢
✧ Healing After Loss 💔

This book is a TOTAL emotional rollercoaster! 🎢 Mina’s journey from being a widow to uncovering crazy secrets about her late husband, Michael, had me HOOKED. And then Grayson walks in—the estranged, tattooed, tortured brother, and whoa, the chemistry between him and Mina was OFF. THE. CHARTS. 🔥 Their love story is full of tension, heartache, and a whirlwind of emotions that kept me glued to the audiobook. The suspense? Real. 😳

The alternating timeline? Perfection. It let me feel every ounce of Mina’s pain while also cheering her on as she worked through her grief. And Grayson? UGH, I love a brooding mess—and he was everything I needed. But I do wish we’d had a bit more time to enjoy the juicy twists and shocking moments—they were seriously mind-blowing! 📖

Content Warnings:
- Grief
- Death of a loved one (off-page)
- Physical violence (off-page)
- Manipulation

All in all, this book is one intense, emotional, and gripping story. If you're into stories that tug at your heartstrings with plenty of twists, then When We Had Forever is definitely for you. 💖 Carly Robins did an amazing job with the narration, so if you haven’t checked it out yet, what are you waiting for? Go grab it NOW! 😍

Thank you to @harlequin_audio, @htp_hive, and @authorshaylingandhi for the #gifted audiobook.

This book is a must-read that will completely captivate you!

It follows Mina as she grapples with the heartbreaking loss of her husband. The story shifts between the present, where she struggles with her grief, and poignant memories from their 14 years of love, culminating in his death. When an email from her husband’s brother begins the rollercoaster of shocking secrets. The plot thickens, taking unexpected twists that will keep you guessing.

Prepare for an emotional journey—this book delves into the complexities of love, loss, grief, and betrayal. The dual timeline enriches the story and enhances the tension, leaving you on the edge of your seat. I formed theories about the outcome, only to be surprised!

The narrator shines in her role, skillfully bringing each character to life, which keeps you engaged and yearning for the next surprise.

If you appreciate secrets, intrigue, self-discovery, and forgiveness, you won’t want to miss this book.

This book starts off slow so be prepared. I almost shelved it before it picked up. But once it did, I couldn’t put it down! The twist completely caught me off guard, which was a pleasant surprise.

That said, the book felt overly wordy at times. It seemed like a lot of words were used to make simple points, and I found myself wondering if the author was aiming to hit a word count. Overall, it’s a story that rewards patience, but the pacing and verbosity might not work for everyone


Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC for my honest opinion

This book is unlike any I’ve read in a long time. It kept me on the edge of my seat. I kept turning to my husband and verbalizing all my speculation. Along with the mystery of their past, you find yourself falling in love with her love story, angry, and hopeful. There was a whole spectrum of emotions. This is my first book by Shaylin Gandhi and it won’t be my last.

4.5 ⭐️ Carly Robbins nailed this one. Her voice was perfect for this emotional and mysterious romance. I would recommend going in blind, as the twists and turns really make the experience. If you're a fan of emotional romances, angst, healing, and second-chance romances, this is for you.

This was an arc I received. This is a dual time line story. We discovered Mina mourning for her husband Michael who has passed away. As the pass and future collide we discover truths that rock Mina to her core. Her brothers identical twin reaches out to her but he is the last person she wants comfort from or is he? Are second chances worth it. What do you do when you discover everything you believed to be a lie. This was a love story with a twist and had a satisfying ending. At times in the middle it did linger a bit but the ending was satisfying.

4.5 stars

This book hooked me right from the start! It’s a compelling story about grief, love, and starting new. I couldn’t wait to see how everything unfolded, even though I knew it was going to hurt. Yes, you have to suspend disbelief a time or two along the way, but overall I liked how all the threads came together. I figured out the big twists pretty early on (thank you Sarah for chatting theories with me!), but that didn’t diminish my enjoyment of the story.

The audiobook was narrated wonderfully by Carly Robins. She did such a great job conveying all the vulnerability, pain, and emotion of these characters.

Audiobook Review
Overall 5 stars
Performance 5 stars
Story 4.5 stars

I’m really impressed this was a debut novel. The before and after chapter format worked really well to slowly reveal the story and I loved how it all came full circle in the end. I’m looking forward to see what Shaylin Gandhi writes next!

CW: death of loved ones (past), death of spouse (past), grief, alcoholism and rehab, fighting, brief incarceration, fear of flying

*I voluntarily read and listened to a review copy of this book*

(4.5 stars, rounded up)
When We Had Forever kept me absolutely hooked. I plowed through it in two days, mostly via the audiobook version, so I kept finding excuses to put my earbuds in so I could keep listening! This is a romance, for sure, but it has a lot of twists, so I might call it romantic suspense, but that doesn’t seem quite right either. Maybe a new subgenre? Romantic mystery?

It’s difficult to be very specific about the plot without spoilers. I can say that the book opens with Mina reflecting on what she was doing when her marriage ended (her husband Michael died in a car crash). The book then bounces back and forth in time, with chapters labeled Before or After.

Mina is still reeling from Michael’s sudden death, some months afterwards. She starts going through things in his office and comes across something startling. She retreats to a family cabin in the woods (this is somewhere in Washington State), because she realized that being in nature calmed her after a friend died, when she was younger. And then her husband’s estranged brother contacts her out of the blue.

Over the course of the book, we learn that Mina always wanted to travel but her overprotective parents kept her in place, due to a family tragedy, and later Michael didn’t want to travel either. She wanted to be a travel writer but wound up writing scientific medical articles instead. I really felt for her!

This story is such an emotional one. I’ve been recommending it to everyone!

The audiobook was wonderfully narrated by Carly Robins, who I’m going to add to my list of favorite narrators.

Thank you to Canary Street Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a review copy of this book and to Harlequin Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to a review copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely LOVED this book!!!

Hard as it is to believe, when we opened up with Mina grieving the loss of her husband (Michael) and their marriage!
But it’s true…absolute GOLD right here!

The story has alternating timelines of NOW and BEFORE…and the more you read, the more intertwined you become with all the characters!

In the before, we learn how the two met, and the whirlwind of a time they had after JUST MEETING. Crazy but fun antics, that then create a backdrop for the rest of the book!

We learn about her family and the tragedies that lie therein… and her friends…and her dream job, and so on…

We also learn about Michael, his job, and the precision of things that make up his life…

And…about his brother Grayson…who he blames for a lot of bad stuff in his life, and who he never wants to see, or speak with, again…

I’m going to 🛑 STOP 🛑 right here! This book has so many “feels” in it, that at times it can light 💡 you up!! And at other times it drags you down in the deepest rung of despair 😩…

If you’re up for love and romance… ✔️
Heartache and despair… ✔️
Best friends coming through for you… ✔️
Feeling like you’re going to lose your mind… ✔️
And, last but not least…family drama… ✔️
Well then, you’ve come to the right place…

5+ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫💫💫💫💫✨✨✨✨✨ for me!!

#WhenWeHadForever by #ShaylinGandhi and narrated beautifully by #CarlyRobins.

**** Slight trigger warning for alcoholism. ****

Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #HarlequinAudio for an ARC of the audiobook which was just released on 12/10/24.

Feel free to like, follow and friend me on: Goodreads,
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Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!! 📚⭐️

3.5/5. Out now.

The Vibes:

—women's fiction meets romantic suspense... ish?

—"my husband has secrets"-core

—twin shenanigans

Heat Index: 5/10

The Basics:

Six months after the death of her husband, Michael, Mina sets off to find herself and ends up contacting his identical twin, bad boy photographer Grayson—a man she never knew. As they get to know each other, however, she comes to realize that Michael was keeping far more from her—and Grayson—than she ever could have predicted.

The Review:

Would I call this a romance?

It's debatable. I read some reviews comparing it to Colleen Hoover, and while I get that, this is definitely better than any CoHo book I've read. However, I also wouldn't really call most of Colleen's books romances, and this sort of falls into a similar space. There's a love story, a woman finding herself, it hits some romance tropes and vibes, but it's also very... women's fiction-y.

With a pinch of romantic suspense. Like, I truly don't know if I'd actually call this romantic suspense, if I'm being real.

Here's the thing—I figured out the twist to this novel pretty quickly. That doesn't mean it was a bad twist, or that it will be obvious to everyone. But with my reading (and viewing) history, it was kind of hard to not see it coming.

However, for all that I was pretty sure I knew what was coming, I did find this compulsively readable (or listenable—the narration from Carly Robins was quite good). I wanted to know how it all unraveled. Why the thing I was pretty sure would happen.... would happen.

Was I satisfied with the answer?

I think the leadup was better. In fact, I think I was really more interested in the person I wasn't supposed to be interested in. Which kept me entertained, but... Once all was said and done, it felt a bit basic.

I do think people who enjoy a "my husband's secret" type book and perhaps have a lower threshold for twists would enjoy this more than I did. Because to be clear—I was in it for a good bit of the way. It just didn't really go where it needed to go, fully. A couple punches were pulled.

The Sex:

You get a few scenes on the page, none of which are especially descriptive. Again, very women's fiction-y.

While this didn't really satisfy me once all was said and done, I was locked in for a good bit—which is something, especially when I'm in a bit of a reading slump. Not a total bust by any means.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for providing me with a copy of this audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

DNF

Part of it was the narrator, most of it was what I'm assuming was an alternating timeline that either I conveniently blacked out every time we switched or it wasn't clearly noted was happening and I was just lost and I didn't care

I absolutely adore this book!
Thank you to NetGalley and The Hive for this ARC.
First off, I will say that I read the synopsis and the works it was compared to and figured it would be a good fit for me. It absolutely was!
The story was so good. I loved Greyson so much.
I’m not sure it’s really enemies to lovers but it’s got a great twist.
There were so many times that I really smiled. Not to give too much away, but when the MMC turns on his charm, it’s swoon worthy.

This story follows a woman whose husband died and she is wrestling with the thoughts of his brother. The thoughts aren’t good, because her husband and the brother weren’t on the best terms. She struggles with her grief all while reminiscing about her marriage and the good/bad parts of it.

The story goes back and forth between the past and present with ease. I never felt confused as to what part of time we were in.

Rounding out the year with this book was a real treat. I will say it’s one of my best books of 2024!

A romantic suspense story that follows a new widow who realizes she didn’t know her husband as well as she thought she did. This story has so many layers, and I love how Gandhi started slow with the action and gradually built up the events and tension, leaving me hooked during the last 30%. The romance was one I couldn’t stop rooting for and the mystery had me on my toes. Full of twists and turns, I had a ton of fun trying to guess what would happen next. The audiobook was narrated by one of my favorites, Carly Robins, who did a tremendous job keeping me engaged and making me feel all the emotions!

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲:
▪️Romantic suspense
▪️Forbidden love
▪️Second chances
▪️Before/after timelines
▪️Twists

4.5 ⭐️

Thanks to Harlequin Audio for the gifted copy of this book!

What a wild ride! I don’t read a lot of romantic suspense but books like these that I can’t put down make me think I should read more 😂 WHEN WE HAD FOREVER is emotional, twisty, and addictive — a forbidden love story that will leave you reeling. I don’t want to say too much because think it’s fun to go into this one blind, but I loved how the story unfolded using the before / after timelines. That made for a great, fast reading pace and a book where I just wanted to know what happened and needed to keep listening. I loved the audio narrated by Carly Robins! If you’re ready to swoon and gasp while being emotional and on the edge of yours seat, pick this one up!

Ohmygosh. This book. I could NOT put it down.

Short Synopsis:
This book has some fun twists so not a synopsis this time. But the book starts with Mina, who’s finding herself again after her husband dies.

My Thoughts:
I ADORED this book. And read most of it in one day. 🤷🏼‍♀️😂 It was such a whirlwind of emotions.

The way I was questioning my sanity in this. At the start of the book, I LOVED Michael and wanted to protect him at all costs. But the before and after timelines had be feeling hopeless on how things went so off the rails.

It was such a beautiful, messy romance with breadcrumbs that beautifully pieced together. Highly recommend.

What You’ll Find:
🚘Instalove
💕Second chance
❤️‍🔥Angst. So much angst.
🌀Twists
✍️Beautiful writing
2️⃣Dual timelines