The Story of Us by Tara Sivec shows you the power of love. It's emotional, makes you gasp and cry and you realize that there is nothing bigger than love in this world.

No reader should miss this amazing read.

I loved the characters and the storyline development of this book. It was absolutely one of my favorites so far and I can't wait to delve in to the next one that this author writes. The storyline was simple, enjoyable, and entertaining.

This Could be a Movie...

Even though I already know how it's going to end, I would still go and see it. As a fan of Tara Sivec's humorous writing, I'm ashamed to say this is the first "serious" book of hers I've read. The Story of Us is polar opposite to what I had come to expect from Tara Sivec and proves what a talent she is.

"I never thought before and after would collide."

Captured by the enemy for so many years, all Eli James had were dreams and memories. Not in a million years did he think he would make it out alive to see her again. And if he did make it, would she be waiting for him after all that time?

She was. In her own way, she was waiting for the love of her life to return to her. The only problem is, she's the only one that knows. Keeping her longing for Eli James a secret for five excruciating years. Doing everything that was asked of her to keep him as safe as she possibly could. They were helping each other all that time apart never realizing it.

He's back. She's scared and there are a whole lotta secrets going on around them. Eli has had five years to think about the situation he finds himself in and how he got there doesn't make any sense. Shelby was in shock and traumatized so quickly after he left, she simply did what she was told, as the situation got messier and messier around them. Neither Eli or Shelby was going to come out unscathed from it.

"Two broken pieces don't make a whole. They just make a bigger f-ing mess for someone to clean up."

"I'd rather be a complete mess with you than spend another day shattered all over the floor alone."

The book is well written, traveling from present to the past, including letters written to Shelby from Eli to fill in the blanks. If I had one complaint, it would be the letters. They didn't mesh well within the story, reading like the book and not necessarily handwritten letters. If they stood out more with a differnt font and not written so properly, they would have fit better for me. That said, Tara Sivec hits it out of the park with The Story of Us and I loved the curve ball thrown in, making me actually go back and reread to see how I could have missed it. Great job!

Reviewed for Renee Entress's Blog.

I love Tara Sivec. She is such a well-rounded author and shows she can truly write anything. While her humor and comedy make me smile and laugh out loud, it’s her stories from the heart that really speak to me emotionally and soulfully.

The Story of Us is a beautiful, 2nd chance love story that will pull at your heartstrings while making you root for a Happily Ever After.

Eli and Shelby are from completely different upbringings. How they meet is shown in the story and I won’t spoil it for you but I had a complete smile on my face because I knew that something special was going to happen between these two.

Eli suffers the unimaginable during his deployment and my heart was literally in my throat thinking of the men and women who fight for our country every day.

As the story unravels and Eli and Shelby are brought into each other’s lives again, I can’t help but hope and pray for healing. These two characters need it more than any characters I have ever read about.

So many lies and secrets are revealed and a couple of unexpected moments that made me say OMG out loud. The pain of lost time between these lovers broke my heart and had me shedding tears but it was the hope that they could find their paths to each other again that made me push ahead even when the sadness hurt my heart.

I love Tara Sivec’s words… I love the emotion and feeling and care that went into this well-crafted story and even more than this, I loved that joyful feeling in my heart that had me closing my kindle with a smile on my face knowing that these characters, though broken and constantly working to be better, were going to be ok. ❤️

Great, great read. Tara Sivec pulled at every one of my emotions from page one to the last. The Story of Us is the type of book you'll want to go back to and re-read over and over again.

I had issues getting into this book which is why it has taken me so long to review. I have tried on and off to read this book but the connection was lacking for me.

DNF

The Story of Us is such an emotional read about a man named Eli who has PTSD and doesn't want to let go. Shelby is the woman in this story that has suffered as well due to her mother's doing. These two have strength and most importantly trust and love for each other.

Tara Sivec is one of my top go to authors and this story doesn't disappoint. If I could give this story more than 5 stars I would!

"Flawless. Beautiful. Wanted."

Oh my God I am in love with Tara Sivec and The Story of Us. Just in the first chapter Tara Sivec pulls you in with pain, heartache and nothing but shattered memories pulling you all over the place. My heart broke for Eli and what he has gone through. Readers, this is not your typical romance but filled with so much it’s hard to explain without telling the book. Tara Sivec did a beautiful job in showing us two people who in a unique way found each other and fought all the way to get the happiness that was stolen. Yes there are two people in love but also a villain. Now this evil person, wow is all I have to say. Tara Sivec doesn’t hold anything back and THE STORY OF US is one that will grab your heart like it did mine. There is a twist to the book which I have to say did not see it coming and Tara Sivec just moved me in that part with her writing and imagination. This is an author you do not want to pass and grab this book for those looking for a unique love and soul wrenching book this will be it for you. Loved it.

“I received an eBook copy from the publisher for the purpose of an honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own.”

This book was incredible. She knows just how to tug at your heart strings.

Another beautifully written and emotional story by Tara Sivec. She is a true story teller from many different sides. Sometimes she is over the top funny, while in other books, like The story of Us, it is more of an emotional tale of second chance love and heartache. I had tears in my eyes the whole book and loved every second of it. A wonderful story!

Why do I always have the hardest time writing a review of a great book? Maybe because there's so much to say when you read a book that grips your heart and leaves you feeling so many different emotions. Where do you even begin to tell other people how awesome this book was to read? My less than eloquent writing skills will never ever be able to describe the awesomeness that is this book.
The Story Of Us takes you from terrified and sad to hope full and excited and that's not even half way through the book. Just when you think you know what's about to happen, BOOM! Total shocker and didn't see that coming. Then your back on the emotional roller coaster again with more feelings.

This book is a whole new level of romance from Tara Sivec.
A military themed contemporary romance with such a poignant love story.
A wonderful summer vacation read that you won't want to put down. So call the cabana boy over to refill your drink and read this book!

I wanted to love this story so much. I love this author and I loved the premise of the story.

But I loved the idea of the story more than the actual story. However, I did love the twist and it had me emotional reeling from it.

Eli & Shelby were forbidden lover where she's the rich daughter and he's the stable boy.

Something comes between the two of them. Then Eli goes to war and Shelby moves on. Eli is presumed dead to only be a POW and thinking of Shelby is the only thing keeping him alive.

Upon his return five years later, Shelby has changed and she has many many secrets. Even though there were some twists and turns it was also a bit predictable.

And what happened to Landry? There were some details missing for me. Was that part unfinished or is to be continued?

But I am looking forward to Written on the stars which is I assume a spin off from this one?

Tara has written one of the best second chance romances ever! This story is so heartfelt, and emotional. The things we do to protect the ones we love are sometimes the things that destroy us. I'm used to reading some of the funniest stories from Tara, but she just showed a completely new side to her skills as a writer. I don't want to say too much but when you finish this book you will know why this book deserves 5 stars!

After several attempt to read The Story of Us, I decided that this book just isn't for me. I struggled to connect with the characters and I wasn't engaged in the storyline. DNF at 29%.

The Story of Us is really the tale of two books for me, there is the story of Eli and Shelby a love story about second chances and how to deal with war and loss - loss of both time and the person who you left behind. This is the story I loved.  Then there is the story that is supposed to have been the why the things happen to Eli and Shelby - the mystery and that is the part that I had a hard time with.

Eli has been declared dead - when the truth is he and his best friend Rylan have been held captive for over 5 years.  The only thing that has been keeping him alive is Shelby the girl he left behind - the one he vowed to never talk to again but certainly never forgot.  Now he is free and has returned home to find Shelby who has been held in her own captivity over these last 5 years.

Shelby's entire life changed the night Eli left her and in order to keep his memory safe she has had to given up her dreams.  Then Eli turns out to be alive and its getting harder to stay away from him and then to find out that everyone has been keeping secrets from her has made her question everything.

What worked for me is the love story between Eli and Shelby - it was raw, passionate and full of longing and ultimately love that was so beautifully written.  Told in dual POV's we get to see the full arc of these characters and when they find the truth about each other and what they both went through I was sucked into that part of the story.  Also, I have to commend Ms. Sivec and the way she handled the PTSD aspect of the story - it was raw and had me tearing up in more than one place in the story.   Where I had a hard time with is the mystery of what really happened to Eli and Shelby and why it happened.  That part of the story was hard for me to believe and almost seemed out of place.  I did enjoy the secondary characters - they moved the story forward.

All in all, I recommend this book for the love story for sure.

This book starts off with Eli and the hell he is in, it's something you would never wish upon any of those brave men and woman that go and fight for the freedoms we have. Immediately my heart is in my chest knowing the horrors he goes through to survive.

This story takes you through his journey home and the challenges he faces after his time away. The one constant that kept him going is Shelby and together we watch them trying to piece back together their shattered lives.

So many twists and turns in this book that will pull at all the emotions you have. Anger, heartbreak, disbelief are just some that come to mind. One twist that will completely gut you and make your heart cry out.

If your looking for a book that will pull at your heart strings then I definitely recommend this on

Five Solid Gold Stars from me! I don't give five very often, but this book had that something extra that can't be defined. Some stories I read and enjoy but move on to the next without much thought, I will be thinking about this one for years to come. It will gave me the warm fuzzies, made me laugh, it pissed me off, it got me worked up, shocked me and broke my heart and a lot more. It's a second chance romance with a HEA told from both POV.

Shelby and Eli tell their love story in memories and flashbacks that are beautiful and hot and tragic. How do a girl of privilege and a working class boy fall in love and make a life together? Not easily, because outside forces and people with their own agendas can always manipulate life and cause damage beyond what should be endured. As it so often does, true love endures the unthinkable and brings them back together to mend their heads and hearts.

It's a unique story because there aren't many people like Eli. How does a person stay in his right mind in captivity for five years? He does whatever he can. I've had sympathy for the struggles of people with PTSD but I could never imagine it, until now. There are parts that are hard to read, but nothing that I would call a trigger. I'm thankful to have found this book, it's an excellent read!

ara Sivec can write the hell out of every genre she attempts. Though her comedy series are some of my favorite all-time books, two of her emotional dramas are up there too. If you’ve read the amazing Fisher’s Light, you know what Tara can do with a military second chance romance. If you like Fisher’s Light, You will enjoy The Story of Us.

Shelby was brought up rich on a southern plantation complete with stables and stable boys. After the death of her father she also grew up unwanted and unloved. Her only loves were dancing, and a secret crush on the stable boy, Eli, since she was 12. When Shelby returned from college, the crush became something more until her evil witch of a mom found a way to separate them. For good.

Five years, two weeks, four days, and nine hours …

Shelby thought he died in the war, but he spent 5 years being tortured as a POW, and the only thing that got him through were thoughts of her and the memory of her scent and her touch.

“I wonder if she still thinks of me as much as I do her. I wonder if she knows she’s the only reason I’m still breathing, still fighting, and still holding on.”

Shelby has given up all of her dreams, all that she is, in those 5 years. After a tragic accident, and under constant threats from her mother, Shelby is not the girl Eli remembered.

“You came back here for the girl who could dance. The girl who fought to make her dreams come true, and I’m not that person anymore. I don’t even know who she is.”

The Story of Us is more than a second chance romance, there are some surprising twists and turns that I never saw coming. Parts of it were also told in a very unique way, through the letters he sent (and she never received), as well as in dual POV.



Likes:

So many twists and turns I didn’t expect.
I loved Eli.
The way a lot of the story is told through the letters.
Heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time.
There was no denying that these two were meant to be.
I loved “The Story of Us” within the book.
Amazing epilogue.
Dislikes:

The end felt a little rushed. I wanted more revenge.
I didn’t connect quite as deeply to the characters as I have in her other books.
The Down & Dirty:

Tara Sivec has brought us another emotional powerhouse featuring a soldier with PTSD, but that’s where the similarities end. The Story of Us has a number of interesting and unexpected turns, but it’s so clear that these two are meant to be—you just have no doubt they will find a way to make it work despite the curveballs life keeps throwing at them. While I didn’t quite get the epic feels as I did in Fisher’s Light, The Story of Us came pretty close. Once again, Ms. Sivec delivers us a unique read filled with emotion, drama, love, sexy times and lots of mysterious twists and turns.
*Additional note: The preview for the next slightly related book already had me crying and I am totally in love with it.
Rating: 4.5 stars, 4 Heat

It’s been a while since Tara Sivec wreaked havoc on my emotions with Fisher’s Light. Now she’s completely destroyed me with The Story of Us. And no, these stories are not connected by anything other then the fact that they both equally broke me. I mean, God. GOD! This story. This incredibly poignant and powerful story of love and second chances. This gripping, emotional, utterly heart wrenching story. My heart will never be the same. I was a complete and utter mess at the end. I love a good second chance romance, but when that also comes wrapped in a story that’s as powerful as it is emotional, I’m putty. Total putty.
How much can a man take before he breaks? When do the dreams stop giving him comfort and he has to accept that he’ll never see her again, touch her again or hear her say “I love you” again?
Eli has lived through hell for the past five years. The only thing that kept him going through the daily beating and torture as a POW are thoughts of his one true love. When he’s rescued and returns home where everyone mourned him and thought him long dead, the only thing on his agenda is to make things right with the woman that he walked away from due to circumstances out of his control.
I’m broken and scarred and half the man I used to be, but if she’ll let me explain, I hope to God she can put me back together again.
But the girl that he fell head over heels in love with before he left for his overseas tour, is not the woman he comes back to. Shelby is now completely under her mother’s thumb of political ambitions and image. She’s buried her dreams of dancing and moving away from this town to live in New York. She’s engaged to a man who has political ambitions that may be grander than her mother and someone she feels no passion towards. She’s a pawn in a game she wants nothing to do with, mourning a man that she believes dead, walking around a shell of the woman that she used to be.
Eli may be scarred as much inside as he is outside, but nothing will stop him from bringing back the sunny, beautiful girl that whose dancing stole his heart almost as much as her smile.
I hug him tighter, one last touch of his warm body against mine, one last second of feeling his heart beating with mine. I take it all in and shove it into the compartment in my brain reserved just for him, where I can take it out whenever I want and remember this moment. This one moment where I could pretend, for just a few seconds, that this could be my life. Wrapped up in this man who went through hell and found his way back to me.
There is a lot of things that happen in the story outside of this couple. THere’s so much going on that happened to set the gears in motion for a lot that happened to them. As they try to navigate to the truth, they also find peace again in each other’s arms.
He makes me feel whole, he closes up wounds while at the same time ripping them wide open…and I never want it to stop.
I loved the letters that Eli wrote to Shelby and the way she experiences reading them. I love the way he fought for her and my heart absolutely broke for everything he’s been through.
I would do anything for Eli, anything he asks, and that includes breaking myself wide open and letting him see all of my scars, inside and out.
Nothing is as it appears and soon the puzzle pieces begin to click together. But can Eli and Shelby survive the truth when it finally reveals itself?
This was such an emotional and gripping story. The only reason that held it back from being a full 5 stars for me was the amount of almost soap opera like intrigue and drama at the end. It was one thing after another and while it all does come a full circle, I felt like it didn’t have to get that crazy to be just as powerful. That certainly didn’t diminish my enjoyment much, because I truly did love it. Tara Sivec is such a versatile author; she can write romcoms that make you cry laughing and then turn around and write something that will punch you right in the feels. If you’re looking for a powerful second chance romance with plenty of feeling and steam, you seriously can’t go wrong with this one.