he Story of Us is an emotionally gripping second chance story not only of love but of life. This is my first Tara Sivec book and definitely won’t be the last. When I decided to give this book a go, I went in simply out of a praiseworthy recommendation from a favorite author of mine and I am so glad that I did. From the very second that I began reading Eli and Shelby’s story, I knew that it would be the sort that would bring me to tears and I found that I was not wrong. A journey of re-discovery and redemption for two unforgettable characters, this novel is going to own you the whole way through.

While there were times that I felt the story line echoed the same chorus, I do feel that the author may have wanted to reiterate certain points and the importance of them. It could have been that I was just too impatient to find out how the story would unfold, but it made me ache for more of a dialogue between the characters. With that, I have to say I loved that Ms. Sivec gave us a glimpse into the past through Eli’s letters to Shelby. I felt every single one of them and made me desperate for their reunion. First loves and second chance romances are my kryptonite and The Story of Us hit all the high notes. The connection that Eli and Shelby had was one to be envied and with the countless number of challenges that they both had to endure just to hold on to their relationship alone made it impossible to deny how much they loved each other. I mean, giving up their own happiness for the sake of protecting the other? If that’s not selfless love, I don’t know what is.

I was anchored to these characters. I felt their pain and their heartache and gloried in their happiest times. I thought that Eli was as genuine and as sweet as book boyfriends come. Having gone through what he had and losing so many years of his life as well as losing so many important people in his life… I don’t know how he managed to be a rock for Shelby during her times of weakness. But the best part of this story is that Shelby herself becomes nothing short of a savior for Eli as well. I loved that as broken as they were as individuals, they remained strong for one another. The Story of Us is a stark reminder of what an unselfish love looks like.

Though time and time again I found myself wiping away tears of sympathy, the ultimate prize for Eli and Shelby came as proof that if you hold on tight to those that mean the most to you, all the pain and hardships become nothing more than a reminder of life’s greatest gifts. The gift of unconditional love and happy endings.  The Story of Us touched me in ways I cannot explain into words but if my emotions could somehow be transferred on to this review, it would say it all. I would recommend this book to just about everyone who believes in the promise and the power of love.

The first book I read by Tara Sivec was Snacks and Seduction. I loved that story. Sometimes authors go from not too serious to serious and you're like will this work? YES, YES IT DOES!
The Story of Us is a heartbreaking story of a couple that were a secret because when you grow up wealthy you don't fall in love with the help. The story opens up with Eli being held prisoner in a foreign country. All his hope is tied up in getting home to Shelby. Shelby, whom he left brokenhearted, Shelby, who thinks he's gone forever. She's not the girl she was when he left. The girl he returns to is fake, under all that fake is a broken girl. All Eli wants to do is fix her bring back that strong, beautiful girl. Only someone else is pulling the strings and they'll both do anything to protect the other without knowing. 

This book will break your heart over and over. The letters, the lies, the love of this couple was so pure and perfect. It shows that no matter how long you stay away from your true love, it never truly dies. 

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

Let me start off by saying... Fuck Tara Sivec and her fucking feelings! If you follow my reviews, you know I am not an emotional reader. I RARELY cry. I RARELY feel all emotional reading books. Of coarse Tara just had to break me with this book!

I really think that the above should be enough said, but I think I should just talk a little more about something. Shouldn't I? Maybe I shouldn't...

I VOW that Eli and Shelby's story is going to rip you apart and sooth you over and over again. The real story of their shared past comes out little by little. And each time, your heart will break a little more for these characters. My emotions were all over this place throughout this story.

I feel like I should just write paragraph after paragraph about this story, but you know I won't. You know I will not give you anything other than the important things you need to know. (If you want more than that, I am sure you can find a million reviews telling you the whole story or a rewrite of the synopsis masked as a review elsewhere.) Really, in case you haven't caught on. THIS STORY WILL BREAK ALL OF YOUR EMOTIONS and you will love and loath every single second of it!

A tear jerking emotionally powerful second chance romance that will leave you a little breathless. 

"Only you. Always you." 

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 one.

TISSUES....my gawd you will need mass amounts of tissues! 

Such powerful, poignant words. A very moving read of survival and second chances. I think this one broke me a little. I left a piece of my heart with Shelby and Eli. 

Two people, so in love --facing adversity, dealing with life shattering trauma -- willing to do whatever it takes for each other. 

As they search for thier love, you will lose your heart in their heat, passion and utter devotion to one another. Add in some wicked twists and earth moving turns and you have a beautiful read of rising from the ashes.

“I love you … Only you. Always you.”

4 stars

Tara Sivec brings the feels again with The Story of Us, an emotional second chance romance between a soldier and his first love – a young couple that were heartbreakingly torn apart only to be unexpectedly reunited years later, both damaged and scarred. A surprising, dramatic and heartfelt story that is beautifully romantic and left me feeling all fluffy with a big grin on my face.

    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. 


Elijah and Shelby met as teenagers. She was the privileged princess, he worked in her family’s stables, she crushed on him, he wasn’t interested. It wasn’t until Shelby returned from college that Eli finally noticed her, and over the course of one blissful summer, the two of them fell into a deep, intense, all-consuming love. They were torn apart when Eli was shipped off on deployment, and lies and betrayal set their lives in completely different paths.

Eli’s deployment ended in tragedy when he was taken prisoner, but everybody back at home was told he was dead. For five years he was held and tortured, and his dreams of Shelby were the only thing that got him through. Now that he’s free, he has one thing on his mind – going home and getting his girl back.

    I’ve waited long enough. Shelby is the main reason I’m still here, alive and kicking, and it’s time she knows that. It’s time for me to take back what was always meant to be mine. 


I loved Eli. His strength in enduring all that he has, and then his determination to reclaim his life and get his girl back was amazing, and I loved his alphaness in going after what he wanted. But the girl he finds is far from what he expected, and Shelby is now a shadow of the wild girl with big dreams that she used to be. The five years that she spent thinking that Eli was dead, and all that happened to her in that time has left her completely changed, and Eli is determined to bring her back.

    “You saved me, Shelby,” I whisper, pressing my forehead against hers. “For five years, you saved me, and you didn’t even know it. Now it’s my turn to save you.” 


OMG, this is such a beautiful love story. Heartbreaking, emotional, passionate and full of chemistry, I could feel everything between Eli and Shelby. Their love for each other is evident in every moment between them, but there is more to their separation than either of them knew and their reunion is not an easy one, and things get quite angsty with both of them holding onto secrets. I’ve gotta say, I was frustrated that it took them so long to truly talk to each other, but they do eventually open up and confront the demons of their past and work through the issues that are facing them in the present. And through it all there is a feeling of certainty that they belong together, that they need each other to be able to find peace, be happy and move forward, and I loved watching them fight to find that.

    “I can’t leave you alone and I can’t move on because you’re everything to me. You always have been and you always will be, and I know damn well you feel the same, even if you want to stand here, look me right in the fucking eyes, and lie to me.”
    …
    “I don’t give a shit if you’re with someone else, he’ll never love you the way I do. He’ll never fight for you the way I do and he’ll never fucking see you the way I do!” 


There is some drama as secrets are fully revealed and finally dealt with, and there were some great surprises in the way their story unfolded, which I really enjoyed. And as gorgeous as the love story is, this book is also a journey of two people finding themselves again after enduring heartache, trauma, loss and grief, and that part of the story blended beautifully with the romance.

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


This was a beautifully written story. I loved the characters, I loved the romance, and loved their story – including the glimpses we got into their past together and the way that was woven into the book. This was a surprising read with lots of feels, and I loved it.

4 stars.

This is my first 'serious' Tara Sivec novel and it was a solid 3. The plot had some surprising turns at the end but ultimately, for me, it felt a little less gut punching emotional and more like the characters were going through the motions...for lack of a better way of expressing it? Based on the synopsis I thought I'd be overwrought but instead I couldn't seem to always feel or connect with the emotions on the page.

This was such an emotional read, I couldn't help but feel my heart break while reading this one.  It also gave you hope these two could find their way back to each other.  There were so many lies and secrets that you just had to keep reading to see if they would come out and the truth be revealed.  I loved all the emotions I felt, even if some of it broke my heart.  I highly recommend this one if you love to be able to feel what the characters are feeling.

Release Date: June 13, 2017
Genre: Military Romance. Second Chance Romance. 

GAH! This book had my eyes FLOODING with tears. It is absolutely gorgeous, but also achingly heartbreaking. Normally, when I pick up a book by Tara Sivec (she is one of my top 5 favorite authors) I know I am going in to have a good laugh. But this one is so different. It's not the type that will cause you to roll around in hysterics but instead, the type to make you FEEL. A lot of swooning happens too but the FEELS are tremendous. YIKES! I know this one was going to be packed with emotion but I had no idea that I was going to be taken on an emotional roller-coaster that left me feeling like I do now. This is an absolute MUST READ. And is most definitely going to be on my top 10 favorite books of the year - I just know it! - 

With that, this is a beautiful albeit emotional romance novel that is filled with the kind of love that all us women dream to have. It takes some time to get there, and there are numerous road blocks standing in the couples way, but when they finally get what they needed from one another all along- it's pure fireworks! I don't want to get to much into the plot because this book NEEDS to be read with 0 spoilers, but it is going to get your blood boiling (especially in the military aspects) and your heart pounding. 

If your a fan of the author but, like me, have only read her hilarious books, I highly recommend (can I demand?) that you read this one! It's so different from her Chocolate Lovers and Chocoholics series (and of course, her other ones that are my top favorites EVER), but so worth the read!

The emotions that this story pulls out of you is crazy. I didn't see the twist coming until it was to late. This is a must read of 2017. Full review will post later.

The Story of Us begins with a horrific scene-two Marines held hostage and nearly beaten to death at the hands of terrorists.

Eli has been held captive for five years (along with his best friend, Rylan) and their loved ones back home believe they are dead. The only thing that has helped Eli hang on is thoughts of Shelby.

Her laughter, her smile, the smell of her skin.

And the lie he told her before being deployed.

I never should have left you. I’ll never stop loving you, even if you hate me for walking away.

Shelby has lied to protect the only man she’s ever loved. Even though Eli broke her heart, she is prepared to sacrifice her life to defend the memory of the boy she loved.

The Story of Us is filled with secrets and lies and when Eli returns home from the dead--everything comes crashing down around a prominent, wealthy, Southern family.

While I ended up loving the conclusion of this heartbreaking love story, I did have a difficult time connecting with the hero and heroine. The reader doesn’t get to see the beginning of Shelby and Eli’s relationship until later…and then, it only comes in bits and pieces. And it also comes from Eli, through written letters that Shelby never received. I think the way their past was told had an effect on my lack of caring for these characters. It wasn’t until about 2/3 of the way into the book that I felt a deeper connection, but by then I had started shamelessly skimming just to see what was going to happen. Maybe if the story had been written in a more linear fashion, I would have connected sooner? I dunno.

That being said, Tara Sivec does a superb job creating a twisty, didn’t-see-THAT-coming, plot that had me sucking in a breath (dayum!) and even had me crying at one point. So, I am not left feeling totally deflated.

The Story of Us is told in dual POV and has some epic moments and surprises in store for the reader---they just happened a little too late for me to justify a higher rating.

The Story of Us. 
After reading this book I required a couple days to digest and reflect on the book. 
My overall impression was saying "wow". Which is why I needed the time to be able to put it into words. 
Tara has written this absolutely beautiful, heartfelt story. Ladies make sure you have a hankie! This book will make you cry, smile, laugh and jump for joy. You will be that crazy person yelling at a book demanding justice for these beautiful characters. 
Every written word of this book is critical to the story and I absolutely love how the title ties into the book! Like swoon! 
Tara has written and absolute masterpiece in this story about Eli and Shelby. As a reader you cannot ask for more from the author, she nailed it!

Tara Sivec is usually known for making people laugh so hard they cry. In The Story of Us she brings the tears again, but this time with an absolutely heartbreaking, emotional read. This book packs a punch from the beginning to the end. The prologue was probably the best prologue I’ve ever read. It absolutely set the tone for the entire book and then some. 

I loved both Eli and Shelby. They are both well developed, interesting characters with backstories that are heartbreaking and a little bit crazy. I loved them together, both before Eli left and after. We got to see glimpses of who they were and what they had in flashbacks which I really appreciated. There is so much though that we don’t know about that is happening behind the scenes. Eli isn’t the same man that left and Shelby is definitely not the same woman he left behind.

I did find some things a little bit confusing at times, but that was probably just me getting distracted. There are some pretty great reveals in this book that are mind-blowing and then some that were a bit easier to figure out. I absolutely loved this book though and I highly recommend it. Get ready to be punched square in the feels if you decide to pick up this book. But believe me when I say it’s well worth it.

Arc provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review

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 theist 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.

Member of ARC Review Team

I'm devastated. 
I'm at peace. 
I hate Tara Sivec.
I love Tara Sivec.

She never lets me down with her work, but this one...this one makes you stand up and do a slow clap. The Story of Us makes you realize that she is an amazing author and how far she has come on her journey. This is one of the top books I have read this year and without a doubt with make it into my Top Reads of 2017. I can't think of another author who can make me cry from laughing so hard in one book and then turn around and make me cry by crushing my heart in another. 

The Story of Us is devastatingly beautiful. So sit down, strap in, and get your tissues ready as Eli and Shelby's story takes you on an emotional rollercoaster. The twists, turns, and surprises will take your breathe away and leave you wanting more. 

My rating scale:
5☆ - I loved this book and it brought out true emotion in me (laughter, anger, a good cry, etc)
4☆ - I loved this book. 
3☆ - I liked this book. 
2☆ - I didn't really care for this book. 
1☆ - I did not like this book at all and probably did not finish it.

5 "You saved me" stars!

Wow, wow, wow. Sometimes my cold heart will feel, what are those things called again? Oh yeah, emotions. They don't come around too often but when they do, they hit me hard and make me like a book that much more. I absolutely loved Shelby and Eli. Those two had me feeling all kinds of these so called feelings. A roller coaster of emotions if you will. I finished this book late last night and I'm still thinking about them a day later. The last half of the book about killed me. I wanted to wrap both Eli and Shelby up into my arms and give them a great big group hug!

I say Tara hit it outta the park with this one. What a fantastic second chance romance, I highly recommend it.

My favorite quote-“You saved me, Shelby,”
“For five years, you saved me, and you didn’t even know it. Now it’s my turn to save you.” *girly sigh*

After reading the synopsis for Tara Sivec's "The Story of Us," I was really looking forward to reading what looked to be a heart breaker of a read, the prologue and first couple of chapters only reinforcing my initial thoughts. Right from the get go, the angst levels were through the roof and I immediately felt a connection with the two main characters Shelby and Ely, their plight really striking a chord, bringing me close to tears. I mean who doesn't love characters that are broken and who are in desperate need of some tender loving care and a whole heap of glue to help put them back together, right? 

Set in the deep South, "The Story of Us" was about two people who made sacrifices in the name of love. It was about two people who bore the brunt of betrayal, double crossings, selfish wants, family loyalties and of course greed. The aftermath of which would change each of their lives forever, leaving them so scarred by everything they had gone through, that going back to how they used to be wasn't even a possibility. War changes you and Shelby and Ely had fought the ultimate war. 

Sounds great, right? So it could just be me but somewhere along the way, the story lost something  and my connection to the main characters was severed which absolutely gutted me. Every now and again something would happen that made me feel like I would get those initial feelings back but then I'd lose it again leaving me with that deflated feeling all over again.

There were a number of things that didn't work for me. The first was the letters. For me, they were revealed too late. I wish they had been woven throughout the whole story. Also, the letters didn't have that "letter" feel. The way they were written was way too detailed, far too much emotion written down and too much dialogue within them. They felt more like the writing in the main body of the book that heart felt letters (IMO). 

Secondly, towards the end of the story there were so many curve balls thrown in, my head was left spinning. The one involving Ely directly was  fab and I definitely didn't see it coming. The others were (unfortunately) kind of hit and miss. 

This is probably a case of it being me and not everyone else but I really wanted to love this one and instead, just liked it. "The Story of Us" gets 3 stars

Tara Sivec is an amazing author with a very well rounded repertoire of novels. I just knew this one was going to pull at the heartstrings a little but this may very well be her best yet. It is RAW, GRITTY, TRAGIC, EMOTIONAL, SWEET, and BEAUTIFUL! For me this was one of those stories which I had to put down. I just could not keep reading. I needed to take breathers. I needed to digest. I needed to let the pain settle. The pain just seemed to jump off the pages but so did the love and emotion, the caring, and the passion.

This novel centers around Eli and Shelby, the war hero and the southern belle. It is a second chance romance which you definitely want to read. It will stick with you long after you put it down. It may be an ugly cry book for you. It was for me. 

"I can't take back the choices I made. I can't erase the things I did no matter how much I wish I could, but you need to know I never let go...It was always you, only you." <--Best summation of this novel but doesn't even compare to the emotions brought forth.

The Story of Us is amazing. I have read every Tara Sivec novel to date. This is my new favorite.

Every once in awhile, you read a novel that is so heart achingly beautiful that the characters and the story line stay with you for a long time. THIS was one of those novels. I can't think of a book I've read recently that evoked such emotion in me as this one did. I knew from the moment I read the dedication in the very beginning that it was going to be one heck of a story- and it really was. I fell in love with Eli and his story broke my heart. Then he put it back together and made me swoon, then my heart broke for him all over again. Not only did Sivec deliver a story that is in my opinion, her best one yet, but her portrayal of a wounded hero returning from war was poignant, respectful and most importantly, REAL. This story will break your heart, make you swoon, make you angry, mend your heart, break it again, mend it again and leave you feeling so happy you may want to do a little dance. Sivec's rom coms are funny and sexy, her romantic suspense novels are heart pounding and swoony, but this book is a whole new style of Tara Sivec writing and I absolutely loved it.

It has been awhile since I have picked up a book from Tara Sivec, but I have always enjoyed her books. She is very versatile and able to write very different genres.

The Story of Us was a beautifully written 2nd chance story that is filled with emotion and love.