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.