Thank you HQN @netgalley for a copy of this emotional read. Don't let this cover fool you, have tissues ready. I read devoured this one in 2 days.

The love story between Annika and Daniel is an emotional ride. They both have experienced grief and have been alone. I enjoyed seeing how Annika and Daniel helped each other heal.

Annika faced so much with her family pressuring her to find a good Indian man and go to medical school. While Daniel, continues to grief the loss of his daughter. The story covers some intense topic like racism and school shootings that broke my heart.

Despite all the heavy topics, there are some fun moments with weddings and dancing.

I picked this book up expecting some angst and expecting things to get emotional. It was pretty much a given from reading the blurb. That said, I didn't expect to be going through my own grief when I started reading this. So, I had to set it aside until I was in a better frame of mind. It took me quite some time to get there, but I finally did pick it back up. First, I can't say that I'd call this a romance. There's a romance in it, and our romantic couple is front and center, but I'd consider it more women's fiction than romance. There is a serious lot of angst in this one, and I think the author dealt with some pretty big issues realistically. She didn't glance over the problems and make them all better just because this pair shares an attraction. However, I feel like there needed to be a better balance between the hard and the happy (for lack of a better way to put it without giving spoilers). It's probably me and the recent losses in my own life, but I found this book to be sad to the point of depressing at times. It is well written, and the characters are developed and likable. I just feel like this was a case of bad timing for me to read this book.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Harlequin Romance for the opportunity to read and review this book.
This book is not one you should take lightly. There are a lot of items that it covers such as loss of a child, school shootings and racial slurs. There are also a ton of medical discussions that have graphic detail so if that doesn't interest you, you can skim them. Anyway. As far the rest of the content, I appreciated the research and detail that the author presented as far as Indian cultural events and the native language. In addition, I loved all of the detail that went into the characters' careers especially the medical chopper side of things.I also thought that the journeys of both main characters was realistic and made the story better. Overall though, if you're looking for a deep contemporary romance that has something to learn from it, I highly recommend this one. 5 out of 5 stars

A very heart-warming and emotional story about two people affected by the loss of a loved one. I CRIED A LOT. The portrayal of grief and bereavement was realistic and I appreciated how we got to understand both main characters and their different coping mechanisms. I liked how the author touched on the subject of racial discrimination and violence. I loved the slow build of Annika and Daniel's relationship. This was my first book by Mona Shroff but it will not be my last!

Then There Was You is a beautiful love story about grief, love and growth. it is sweetly written and gives soft love-y vibes. i enjoyed watching the characters grow and learn, as well as fall in love with each other. however, i found the pacing to be a bit off, if not slow at most times. i don’t think i would’ve finished it sooner had it not be for the audiobook.
if you’re looking for soft, cute, adult love stories, this one’s for you.

I very much enjoyed this book! While i was a little surprised by the amount of traumatic things that happened in the book, David and Annika's romance was really lovely and exceptionally well written. I think I'd check other reviewers for content warnings before picking up another book by this author, just because I'm not always in the mental space for high angst/trauma in a romance, but I will certainly read more of her books when I'm ready for that🙌🏻

Look y'all.

Mona Shroff can tell a damn story.

But this book is not for the faint of heart, and there is a LOT that happens in these here pages. You want angst? I'll give you angst on FUCKING STEROIDS (See content notes at the end). Annika and Daniel are both dealing with intense grief. They act on it in their own ways—Daniel works and works and doesn't connect with his feelings, and Annika works on acting out her dreams and lives for herself instead of her family's desires. But when Daniel sees Annika on a call, he can't help but think of the time he first met her: when she had been grieving her own loss in his ER, so lost in her own grief and heartbreak that she doesn't remember him now. (Y'all know how much I don't like secrets as a storyline, but this one is done pretty well.) But when he starts coming to her second job, they slowly become friends, and then something more. It's not so much a slow burn as a developing relationship with every obstacle thrown at it you can possibly think of. And there are some delightful moments of cultural intimacy that we're brought into that I really enjoyed.

I essentially read this book in two sittings (I would have finished it sooner but got distracted by...all of Ted Lasso, whoops). The story is compelling and leaves you needing to know not only more about each character who is introduced but what their stories are. I will say that I was vaguely put off by the ending, both because of its abruptness and a thing that is a personal no-no for me, but otherwise, an excellent read, even with the long list of CNs I'm about to throw at you (that I will not hide under a spoiler tag FYI).

CNs: grief; discussion of past miscarriage; discussion of past school shooting; past death of a child; multiple acts of violence by white men; on-page bleeding; on-page stitches; xenophobic/race-related hate crime; hospital stay and discussion of surgery (not protagonist); hospital waiting room; fade to black sex; pregnancy (not protagonist); on-page childbirth (not protagonist); baby (not protagonist); (checked) toxic family behavior; traditional family values; multiple weddings; large crowds; minor deception; repercussions of gun violence (separate from the school shooting); reference to "suicide by police"; minor character mention of loss of spouse; Surprise Indian Character; drinking; reference to excessive drinking; amiable divorcee relationship; therapy; mention of gun control activism; let me know if I missed anything.

Based on some recent conversation, this counts as a romance because some elements were wrapped up tidily. But there's still work to do, and Mona toes that line pretty well. There is an element of a person making you better that properly turns into this person makes me want to make myself better, but I did raise a few eyebrows during some of the middle.

I don't know how to end this review. Read the book if you want, but read with hella care.

Such a cute romance book. I never wanted it to end and it satisfied me completely. I needed a good feel good book and this one was it

I read Shroff's first book because I loved the cover. I enjoyed it and was excited to see a second book. This book blew me away with it's depth.

I absolutely fell in love with both Annika and Daniel. Neither were perfect, but I really enjoyed getting to know them.

As a teacher I obviously related to Annika's love for her students and her dedication to her job. And I love reading Own Voices characters because they are some of the best written characters. Her struggles with racism were open and honest and she way she handled it was impressive and strong.

Daniel was a very raw character. I fell in love with him and it was hard to read as he dealt with his internal flaws, but oh so worth it. Shroff did an excellent job with him.

The romance in this book was great! It got fairly steamy but stayed closed door. I appreciate stories that focus more on the story than the bedroom while still delivering exceptional romance and swoon worthy moments.

I enjoyed continuing to learn more about Indian culture in this book. I love that Shroff included wedding culture. It was fascinating to learn more about the ceremony and celebration.

If you enjoy Own Voices I highly recommend her books.

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley. This is my honest review.

When I think of romance, I think of books just like this one, that gives all the feels and satisfies every romance junkies' heart. This is a perfect books to snuggle up with on any day.

I have a soft spot for romances that revolve around grief and love's power to overcome even the worst wounds. Shroff doesn't hold back in showing the self-destructive ways people grapple with grief. In this way, the romance arc doesn't start with falling in love, but with growing and giving yourself a chance to release the pain.

I found this story incredibly touching. As a person who has had to deal with sudden, traumatic grief, the depiction is as real as it gets. This is especially true with the SPOILER ALERT storyline about a school shooting, which struck me particularly hard as an educator myself. The story does not trifle with this topic or any of the more serious topics it presents. It demonstrates enormous respect, not only for its characters, but for all aspects of the grieving process, including the parts we cannot do by ourselves. Therapy and professional mental health services are depicted in a refreshingly positive way.

Love cannot in itself be the the cure for catastrophic loss, but is the result of proper healing.

Annika and Daniel's story was sweet and authentic, and Shroff manages to convey the weight of such topics as racism, grief and maladjustment without miring the story in its own heaviness. This alone is a feat. But I also loved the way their Annika and Daniel's Indian culture is served up as fact, and the source of love and support that Annika and Daniel receive. There is so much love in this story, it's impossible not to get lost in it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a review copy.

This review is so late but WOW. I’ve re read this book at least five times but for some reason have forgotten to leave a review! This was an absolutely beautiful read and I was hooked from the first page! I love romance novels and this reminded me why. Read this now!

I think you will fall in love with these characters. The featured couple is Annika and Daniel. Annika is a kindergarten teacher and moonlights at a bar. Daniel is an ER nurse practitioner and flight medic. Both work a lot to compensate for other issues going on in their lives. It’s clear that Annika and Daniel have some serious chemistry going on and you can’t help but root for them to get together. Annika’s family is trying to match her with Sajan, who is a doctor. Daniel is still coping with a divorce. There is a lot going on, but it’s all very realistic and maybe not so far removed from what the average person deals with.

I thought this book was going to be a light-hearted romantic romp, but it turned out to explore issues of racism, miscarriage, school shootings, grief and there was some violence. It was most definitely a tear-jerker, several times over. I wasn’t expecting that, but I couldn’t put the book down. It was engaging and I really wanted these two to get to that happy ending. I love the connections that grew from the secondary characters. They were quite well developed. The dialogue flowed smoothly and the setting was well described. I recommend this book for when you are in that emotional mood and don’t mind shedding a few tears.

I will admit that overall, it was kinda a cute love story, but I just wasn’t the biggest fan of the book. Often times I found myself frustrated while reading & many times just sad in general. While reading romance books, I personally prefer lighter books & this one was not. Overall, not a bad book, just not really for me.

I tore through Then There Was You! I picked this book up and all of a sudden, had read half of it. Aaaand finished the rest in short order.

This romance stars Annika, a kindergarten teacher (and server), and Daniel, an ER nurse practitioner (and flight medic). They're drawn to each other, but Annika's family encourages her to be with Sajan (a doctor) after the man she previously chose turned out to be... not the best. Daniel has loads of good qualities, but is mired in grief (having lost his child in a school shooting). Because of that, this one felt less "will they or won't they" and more, "how will they?"

Along the way to figuring that out, there were a lot of great scenes, from a wedding to a dinner party to interactions with family (many infused with aspects of Indian culture). I also appreciated that the author wrote of pain in a way that felt true to life without feeling emotionally manipulative of the reader.

I really enjoyed reading about this pair, and will definitely check out whatever Shroff writes next.


Content warnings: racism, miscarriage, recollection of school shooting (in which character's daughter and six others died), descriptions of grief, fight resulting in serious injury

More angsty and less explicit than what I usually read, but an engaging page-turner nonetheless. Daniel is suffering trauma over the loss of his daughter--I especially like that it wasn't the "love of a good woman" that got him over it but (not to be spoilery) the real work of therapy and support. Annika's struggles with her family felt genuine. I liked the heartfelt ending and the character growth from the secondary characters.

All told, a thoughtful, satisfying read.

[CW: miscarriage, school shooting, death of child, mourning loss of child, racism]

The best storytellers know how to keep the tension in the story threads taut as they weave the strands together, by turns compelling, by turns beckoning. Mona Shroff is one such storyteller and Then There Was You is a fascinating story.

In addition to being a teacher, Annika moonlights at a bar. In addition to being an ER nurse practitioner, Daniel moonlights as a helicopter medic. Daniel had cared for Annika in the ER after her jerk fiancé had abandoned her there. But when they meet in person five months after her miscarriage, he doesn’t share that with Annika. Shroff tantalizingly draws out the revelation of this tidbit to the reader. Annika and Daniel meet at the bar she works at when his medic team is called there on an emergency case. And having seen her, he simply cannot stay away. For the first time in years, he is interested in someone else. Annika also finds herself fascinated by Daniel, a slow unfreezing of her heart.

Full Review: https://frolic.media/book-of-the-week-then-there-was-you-by-mona-shroff/

Trigger warning!!!!

This book was heartbreaking. I may have shed a tear or two for the characters.

Watching Daniel and Annika grow and fall in love was wonderful. There are a lot of heavy topics in this book, so read at your own risk.

This was a new-to-me author and I am so glad I got the chance to read it. It was not a light read and the characters were dealing with tragedies such as school shootings, child loss, grief, and racial discrimination. The blurb does not include this but if you are wanting something cheerful to read this would not be the book. The characters have heartbreaking concerns that give the book an emotional twist.
Annika Mehta had recently gone through a miscarriage and a bad breakup with her ex-fiancé. Her family did not approve of her career choice of being a teacher. They wanted her to pursue medical school and marriage to a man of their choice. She was trying to balance her wants and needs with her parent’s expectations. She was not looking for a relationship and neither was Daniel.
Daniel Bliant worked as a helicopter medic and in the local ER. He was working in the ER the night Annika came in and could not stop thinking of her. When he is called out to an emergency at a bar and discovers she works there, he cannot resist going back to see her. He knows that with all his issues he should stay away from her, but the connection between them was intense. He is still grieving over the death of his daughter five years ago in a school shooting. He knows there is no hope of a future with Annika because she wants children, and he does not.
I really enjoyed the book even though it was very emotional. The grief that both Annika and Daniel were going through was difficult and the loss of a child is not something that can be overcome. They both had concerns and fears they had to overcome in order to love again. I was disappointed the author did not give us an epilogue. The biggest deterrent to their future together was children and I would have enjoyed seeing them not only overcome their fears but living and loving despite their fears.

Wow! This book and the lovely writing truly blew me away!

TW: Grief, depression, loss of a child, miscarriage, school shooting, racism

I know you look at that list of triggers, and aren't sure why I would love this book so much. We have 2 very broken people. Daniel has never gotten over the loss of his daughter. He lost her 5 years ago, and still struggles anytime he thinks about her. His marriage couldn't make it past the loss. His ex has remarried, and all he has done is bury himself in work, focus on that so to function.

Annika started her first day teaching with the father of one of her students immediately assuming she doesn't know anything because of the color of her skin. While at her second job, there is an emergency outside the restaurant where she works. When she sees Daniel, it doesn't register that he is the man from her hospital room on the day she miscarried her baby, and the man she thought she was in love with broke her heart.

These two broken people find their way to each other, and WOW is it a beautiful, epic, and sweeping love story. Though this book was hard to read at points, (see trigger list) it was thought provoking, hopeful, and full of love. I cannot wait to find more books by this author!