I read this book in one day! It was absolutely amazing.

Mia is happily married to Harrison, but keeps having dreams about another man. She's been having these dreams for years, and one day, her paths cross with this mystery man in ultimately devastating ways.

Colleen Oakley is a very talented writer; this was such an easy read but extremely engrossing. I felt like I was inside Mia's head, stressing out right along with her. The characters were realistic and authentic, and Colleen has a knack for conveying anxiety and suspense in a way that surprised me. I wasn't expecting this book to be in any way suspenseful, but it was.

I don’t really get emotional over books, but this one made me feel so much. I would recommend it to anyone.

4.5 stars rounded up. In real life, I don’t believe in psychics or premonitions or give much weight to dreams, but the joy of a well-written novel is that I can suspend disbelief and see where the story takes me.

I wasn’t particularly interested in the storyline about Mia wanting a baby and her grief over having several miscarriages because I feel like I’ve read that many times before. What makes this story interesting is that Mia keeps having these dreams about a man she’s never met, until she does meet him in the small town that she and her husband Harrison have moved to. When she meets Oliver in real life, she learns that he has also been having dreams about her.

I liked that I couldn’t predict the end.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book, which RELEASES JANUARY 20, 2020.

At once heartbreaking and charming, fans of Oakley's Close Enough to Touch will not be disappointed in the rich story she dreams up! Many readers will relate to the turmoil that can come from infertility and be touched by the hope that a new child brings amidst today's violent world.

An enchanting story about life, love, commitment and the complications of marriage and relationships. Mia and Harrison are wanting to start a family but Mia has had several miscarriages. Mia is an artist and Harrison is a surgeon. They moved to a smaller town so Harrison would have less stress in a working environment. He lost a young patient during a routine appendectomy and felt himself to blame. They visited a fertility expert and discover that the fault lies with Harrison, a mismatch of genes. He finally confesses to Mia that he does not want to have children. It may be that he felt the loss of his young patient to an extreme degree and did not trust himself to be a good father but Mia is devastated. The relationship is further complicated because Mia has been dreaming about the same man for years, not her husband. Then, one day, she comes face to face with him, Oliver, and he has been dreaming of her. Together they do some research into dreams. Harrison is not sure he buys into the mutual dreaming, but tries to be supportive. I did love the story and the emotional ending tore me up. Highly recommend.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I love this title. As a fan of deja vu and time-travel novels, this one hit just the right mixture of the suspense of what is really happening. We've all had those moments and this story was beautifully written. I couldn't put it down and have recommended it to like-minded fans and friends!

I knew this was going to devastate me one way or another—I just didn’t know how exactly. And it did.

Artist Mia desperately wants a baby, while her surgeon husband, Harrison, isn’t so sure after a series of miscarriages. Meanwhile, Mia loves her husband but has been (literally) dreaming for years of a dark, handsome stranger. She doesn’t think much of it, though, until she meets him in real life. Oliver is warm, intelligent, and interesting. And he tells her he’s been dreaming about her, too. (I know!)

Oakley has created a world of highly real people, which made it so much worse when I just knew something terrible was going to happen. She’s a terrific writer, but I reserve the right to be mad about the ending.

This title did not hold or capture my attention. I thought the main character was very annoying. I would give this author another try in the future.

I am torn about this book. It was heartbreaking yet sweet. I'm still not sure how I feel about the issue of fate.

Mia and Harrison have the perfect life. A new home in the suburbs, and a baby on the way. Until Mia suddenly sees him in the local Giant. The man she has seen in her dreams for years is suddenly there in the flesh. Through some odd circumstances, Oliver and Mia get to know each other and Oliver reveals his own secret, he dreams of her too. So begins their quest to find out what this is all supposed to mean. But will heading down this road with Oliver derail Mia’a perfect life?

Dios Mio. This book. This was my 150th book for the year and it completed my goodreads challenge. I wanted an amazing read to finish my challenge and this one did not disappoint. I absolutely loved this book. I have always been fascinated by dreams so I was incredibly drawn to that aspect of the story, but I was also captivated by all of the characters. This is one I wish I could forget and read from the beginning for the first time again!

You Were There Too by Colleen Oakley was a wild ride that I couldn't wait to see how it ended. With an interesting story and likable characters I just couldn't but it down. Another great story by Colleen can't wait to read her next novel. What a great romance for fans who want to read a different kind of love story. If you enjoyed this one try Close Enough To Touch that book is also great,.

I couldn’t put this book down! The writing was absolutely phenomenal. I am still digesting the ending, which without too many spoilers, I found to be lackluster. We spent the entire book reading about all of these connections and feelings and passion and questions and then.... basically nothing. I appreciate a good “life doesn’t always end up perfectly” ending as much as the next reader, but in this case.... it didn’t feel like a statement, it just left me feeling unfulfilled.

The premise had me intrigued, excited to read
An artist moves to Hope Springs from Philly, PA with hubby

What if? ...

The prologue-- picked me up, grabbed me, hurry turn the page!!

Some dreams feel like reality
Some reality feels like dreams

I truly enjoyed this book
I read entire book in 1 sitting, I had to know conclusion

Now, I am yearning for a sequel

This was a romantic novel with a supernatural element. It also has a twist at the end. The characters were well developed and the plot was unusual. I would recommend that my public library purchase it.

Review | to be published on my account, Amazon, and goodreads 1 week before the publication date (first week of Jan)

💕You Were There Too by Colleen Oakley | for release on January 7, 2020

Mia is seemingly living a perfect life with her husband Harrison, trying to start a family in their new home. However, she is plagued by reoccurring dreams about a man she has never met. And one day, she meets him in real life. The strange part? He has dreamed of her too. This book explores Mia’s internal conflict with the idea of fate and destiny. Is she living the life she is supposed to be living? Or is she meant to be with Oliver? Its a universal struggle we all face. Are we on the right path? Can we choose what we really want? Or is our destiny already chosen for us?

This book is the definition of an emotional roller coaster. It is my first book by Oakley, so I had no idea what to expect. If you loved The Light We Lost by Jill Santipolo, you will love this one. But I will warn you, don’t read if you’re looking for something super light hearted and rom-com-esque.

The writing was beautiful, flowing, and offered a mix of philosophical, scientific and a bit of mystical. I felt like I was on the journey with Mia through the pain of her miscarriages, the confusion between her dreams and encounters with Oliver, and the emotional dynamic with her husband. There aren’t a lot of romance books that explore the ups and downs of marriage in such a raw and poignant way, reminding the reader that it isn’t all magic and unicorns. Some days are hard, and there are bumps along the way.

This love triangle isn’t your average dynamic. It’s delicately handled and does not play out like you’d expect. Usually these stories set you up to root for one person, but I was torn between Oliver and Harrison. Even though you would assume the premise sets Oliver up to be the favourite, Mia’s past with Harrison is sprinkled in so richly that it truly gives you the feels for their history and love for each other. This just further illustrates the complexity Oakley brought to each character. They each have flaws and honestly felt very real.

The only thing I felt was lacking is a bit more of a connection with Oliver (which I guess was intentional on Mia’s part). I understood that they had a strong attraction and connection with each other, but it didn’t pull me in as much as I would have liked. I didn’t feel they truly knew each other enough by the end.

The conclusion was completely unexpected and absolutely gut wrenching. Believe me when I say I cried a lot of ugly tears. It’s a beautiful ending, full of hope and promise despite everything.

This book is an absolute must read. ❤️

I received a copy of this book from netgalley in return for my honest review. This book was so good. The Author had such a beautiful way with their words. It kept my attention and made me want more and more! Thank you so much!

Wow. I literally just finished this book and I am so emotional right now. I loved this book. I did not want to put it down. Just when I would think that the story was going in one direction, it would veer another way. It was well-written and I felt that all the characters were real and relatable, especially Mia. I highly recommend this book and cannot wait for it to be published. I will be sure to get a copy for my library and I will recommend it to friends and patrons. Thank you to NetGalley for the free ARC of this book.

This was an interesting book written by one of my favorite authors. The storyline is different than your typical novels about married life and kept me eagerly reading to see what life had in store for them. The highs and lows of the main characters are deeply felt by the author’s writing style. The ending was unexpected but it tied together a lot of loose ties but not necessarily the way you wanted it to end. The author does a great job making you feel for the characters and leaves you contemplating the ending. #youweretheretoo #netgalley

Oh my goodness!!! I stayed up way too late last night to finish it and then fell asleep bawling. I loved the mystery, the characters, how my heart got so involved. I will definitely recommend to patrons and hope to highlight it next year in our library. .

I stayed up half the night and into the morning to finish this book. It was incredible. I loved the themes in this story. I loved the concept of dreams and fate. Are Mia and Oliver destined to be together? What role do they play in each other's lives? Can you be with the love of your life and love another? The story was an absolute page-turner. I would love to see what happens after the end of the story. It was engaging, romantic, and heartbreaking. I will definitely be reading the author's backlist after this. I will be posting a full review to my #bookstagram a week before publishing. My page is instagram.com/messybunsandpaperbacks. Thank you so much to Colleen for giving me the opportunity to read You Were There Too. It's definitely the best book I've read all year! I can't wait to buy this book in January!

Pennsylvania – Present Day

Mia is an artist married to Harrison, a surgeon. They have just moved from Philadelphia to the small town of Hope Springs, PA, and Mia is trying to get one of the art galleries in town to show her work. But her modern paintings don’t seem to inspire any of the gallery owners. Harrison is supportive, however he has a busy practice at the local hospital, and Mia is feeling unsettled and unproductive. On top of that, she just had her second miscarriage.

Settling into her new house, Mia decides to resurrect the failing garden where the tomato plants are dying. She goes to the local garden store, gets help from one of the employees who sends her to the grocery store for Epsom salts, and, as she’s heading out the door, there he is! The “he” is the very man she has seen in her dreams for years. He appears in various scenarios, but it’s always the same guy. Stunned, Mia shakes it off and leaves.

When Mia has another miscarriage, she notices a change in Harrison. He has not spoken to her much about an eight year old boy who died during a routine surgery Harrison performed. But now it becomes apparent that the most recent miscarriage has triggered something in Harrison’s mind. As they sit in the OB/GYN office to discuss the future, though, there is that guy again, the man in her dreams. Ironically, he is with a woman whose life Harrison saved. His name is Oliver, he is a freelance writer, and he seems to know Mia too.

YOU WERE THERE TOO is a really intriguing and very different story. Mia and Oliver soon set out to discover how and why they know each other. Mia is skeptical about what a psychic tells her, but her dreams seem to be telling her something. As Harrison withdraws emotionally, Mia is even more determined to find answers, even if the final result is not what she wants.
A shocking conclusion left me drained, which told me just how beautifully written this tale is. Start the year off with YOU WERE THERE TOO, you won’t regret it.