Before We Were Us

BEFORE WE WERE US by DENISE HUNTER is a beautifully written love story that takes place in the wilds of New Hampshire at the lovely Pinehaven resort.
Tammy and Tom Landry, who own the resort, employ Lauren Wentworth to help their son Jonah run the place while they slow down due to Tom’s health. Jonah is finishing his degree before taking over the resort from his parents and Lauren is filling in the time and gaining experience before she stsrts her dream job in Boston in January.
They fall in love, after a bad start in their relationship, and all is going well until Lauren falls off a ladder onto her head and suffers from amnesia…….
I like the way the author shows how Lauren’s abandonment by her mother affects her emotions and how Jonah understands her and is desperate for her memory of their summer romance to return……..
Before We Were Us has all you need in a romance novel. There is depth of feeling, unrequited love, anger and hurt and also unconditonal love.
I highly recommend the novel as a great read.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Thomas Nelson. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

After putting herself through college, Lauren’s dream job as a corporate meeting manager at one of the most prestigious companies in Boston is within her reach. She first has to gain some experience at a rural family-owned resort where one can rent a cabin in the woods of New Hampshire. The Pinehaven Resort had been in the Landry family for several generations.
The owner’s son, Jonah and Lauren have become close over the months they have been working together. She is surprised she is actually enjoying herself, especially the company of Jonah. While describing her idea of converting an old barn into a wedding destination, Lauren falls off a ladder and is rushed to the hospital. Although Lauren recovers from her injuries, she has lost all memory of the last four months, including the growing relationship with Jonah. As she gets back into her work, she decides she doesn’t want to remember, and now is only interested in finishing her time there and moving back to Boston.
Jonah, however, is heartbroken about the state of their relationship, which is pretty much non-existent. He makes every effort to rekindle the friendship and love they had before she lost her memory. Slowly things improved, however, the move back to Boston gets closer every day.
As I read this charming, engaging story, the characters, the cabins, and even Graham the dog, came alive in my imagination. Not only did the story draw me in, the descriptions are vivid, characters are lovable and relatable. Although my heart hurt along with Jonah’s, I had great sympathy for the situation Lauren found herself in. I nearly read it straight through; just couldn’t put it down.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All comments and opinions are my own.

This isn't my usual read but I was intrigued and it didn't disappoint. Seeing the accident have a toll on Lauren and Jonah was very hard but it showed how we can go through challenges that can make or break us. Beautiful read overall.

Denise Hunter has done it again, This was delightful. The plot was well-paced and captivating from start to finish. The characters were well-developed; complex, and intriguing. I highly recommend this beautiful telling of the power of love. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.

This is a wonderful love story. Lauren and Jonah meet and have a not great relationship until they do. After an accident, Lauren does not remember that she is in love with Jonah. She is shocked that she gave up her "dream job" to stay in NH and takes it out on Jonah. Bless his patience and love. This is a heartfelt love story and I highly recommend it. I was given an advanced reader copy and this is my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed this emotional amnesia story from Denise Hunter. The characters are great, the setting makes me want to go to New Hampshire, and the plot twists add a lot. There are fun, humorous incidents interspersed with the discouraging times. And then there’s the dog!

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own." #BeforeWeWereUs #NetGalley

This was such a heartwarming read. I fell in love with the characters, the setting, all of it. The writing was superb!! I can't believe I've never read anything from this author previously. She has such a beautiful way of weaving a story, and I love reading about places l've been to (New Hampshire, White Mountains etc), it makes me feel more immersed in the setting. If you are looking for a sweet, non spicy romance this one is definitely for you!
Thanks to NetGalley & Thomas Nelson Fiction.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Denise Hunter is one of three authors that try to read every book they write. Denise’s latest book,“Before we were us”, is another of her’s that I will read again and again. Through the years I have read several books from other authors where someone loses their memory, but this is entirely different from any I have read.

One of the main character, Lauren, has a chance to have a dream job in event planning. The requirement is that she works first at a family-owned resort to get experience. Here she meets Jonah, the future owner and her boss. She is not impressed with him. Her opinion changes through the summer and eventually grows into love. It all changed in a moment. As she was climbing down a ladder, she fell and hit her head. She lost her memory of the last four months.
The last she remembered she didn’t like Jonah and surely not love him. This is a story of second chances. Can he win her heart again or will she take that dream job in another city?

Loved the book and highly recommend it. "I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

I have very high expectations & standards when it comes to a romance/love story. Denise Hunter is a new author to me & she exceeded my expectations with Before We Were Us. This book is beautifully written, well developed characters, and has the ability to evoke very intense emotions while reading it. Hunter will break your heart, numerous times throughout this book, but manages to piece it back together just as many times. If you want a book to make you ugly cry, in a good way, this is the one for you~

Thank you NetGalley & Thomas Nelson Fiction for an ARC copy of this book.