(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,
Insta @ #BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine

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

This was my first book by Shaylin Gandhi and I really enjoyed it. Full of twists, an excellent case of mistaken identity and told through flashbacks to the past, we get to see how Nina meets Michael and their whirlwind romance until he dies suddenly leaving her a widow. In the present Nina is dealing with her grief until out of the blue she gets a call from her brother-in-law. Great on audio and perfect for fans of authors like Colleen Hoover or Laura Dave. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

Audiobook Review: When We Had Forever by Shaylin Gandhi, Narrated by Carly Robins
Let me start by saying this audiobook took a turn I did not see coming! Shaylin Gandhi’s debut is an emotional roller coaster, filled with heartbreak, secrets, and second chances, all told through Mina Drake’s raw and honest first-person POV. It was the kind of story that lingers in your mind long after it ends, and while I gave it 4 out of 5 stars, there’s one aspect I would tweak: I wish I had the physical book to flip back to earlier twists as they were revealed.

The Narration

Carly Robins brought this story to life in a way that made the characters feel authentic and distinct. Her performance was spot on, especially in how she shifted her inflection during dialogue. Those subtle changes made it easy to tell who was speaking without overdoing it, and it added depth to the storytelling. Mina’s grief, confusion, and eventual awakening were palpable, thanks to Robins’ skillful delivery. The pacing was steady and perfectly matched the tone of the book, keeping me engaged throughout.
However, while I loved the narration, this is one of those audiobooks where the twists and emotional moments almost beg for a physical copy to revisit key details. That said, Robins’ performance was strong enough to make me feel like I was right there with Mina, experiencing everything in real time.

The Story

The dedication alone set the tone for this novel: To every woman who’s ever been deceived, the good ones are out there. I promise. Gandhi’s writing is heartfelt and gripping, tackling themes of grief, betrayal, and rediscovery with an intensity that pulled me in. Mina’s journey from mourning her husband Michael to uncovering shocking truths about their marriage—and finding an unexpected connection with Michael’s estranged brother, Grayson—was layered and full of surprises.

The story seamlessly balanced the slow burn of forbidden romance with the unraveling of secrets, making for a deeply emotional read. The relationship between Mina and Grayson was complex, fraught with tension, but also incredibly tender. And while some moments leaned into the dramatic, it felt earned given the stakes and the characters’ backstories.

The Flow

The audiobook’s flow was smooth and easy to follow, with clear transitions between chapters and sections. Robins’ narration helped clarify shifts in tone and emotion, which kept me grounded even as the story took unexpected twists. I never felt lost, but I could see where having visual markers in a print book might enhance the experience for readers who love dissecting details.

Recommendation

If you’re a fan of Colleen Hoover or Mia Sheridan, When We Had Forever is a must-read. The story is perfect for lovers of slow-burn romance, enemies-to-lovers dynamics, and complex emotional journeys. While the audiobook is fantastic—largely due to Carly Robins’ engaging performance—I would recommend pairing it with the physical or eBook version if you’re someone who likes to go back and piece together clues as the plot unfolds. Either way, this is a debut you don’t want to miss.

What a heartbreaking and gut-wrenching title. It's a peek behind the curtains where no one wants to look. A beautifully written story and I deeply enjoyed it.