What if You and Me by Roni Loren is the second novel in the Say Everything series. The novel follows Andi-an anxiety-filled horror novelist and true crime podcaster and Hill her grumpy former firefighter neighbor that is dealing with his life after a limb loss. The two neighbors grow closer as a hidden danger seems to loom in the distance. As Andi and Hill become friends, they realize that together they might just have a chance at healing and finding love after their respective traumas. What if You and Me by Roni Loren is a captivating novel that will keep readers turning pages way beyond their bedtimes. What if You and Me by Ron Loren should be on every romance readers radar.

*Additional notes: Make sure to check out the whole Say Everything series by Roni Loren.

Roni Loren has crafted yet another emotionally resonant and beautifully written romance in "What If You & Me." This second installment in the Say Everything series offers a heartwarming story that addresses mental health issues, explores trauma, and celebrates the transformative power of love and communication.

Andi Lockley, a horror novelist and true crime podcaster, is as bright and bubbly as they come. However, beneath her sunny exterior, she carries the heavy weight of anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to a traumatic experience during her teenage years. Her struggles with fear and an inability to trust men have made dating a near-impossible challenge for her.

Hill Dawson, a gruff yet kind-hearted retired firefighter and Andi's new neighbor, becomes an unexpected source of connection and support in her life. When their paths cross in the apartment complex, their initial meeting sets the stage for an awkwardly endearing "meet cute."

As Andi and Hill embark on a tentative friendship, they discover they share a history of trauma and pain, and their journeys toward healing begin to intertwine. What sets this romance apart is the sincere emphasis on communication and compassion. Both characters are learning to navigate their pasts, find strength in one another, and open their hearts to the possibility of love and happiness.

Andi, with her resilience and honesty, provides a breath of fresh air in the narrative. Her struggles are relatable and sensitively portrayed, adding depth to her character. Hill, the grumpy yet compassionate hero, demonstrates remarkable patience, understanding, and care, and readers will find themselves rooting for this couple from the very beginning.

Roni Loren's writing is both heartwarming and steamy, as the chemistry between Andi and Hill sizzles on the pages. The banter, sexual tension, and intimate moments are expertly crafted, showcasing Loren's skill in writing romance with genuine emotional depth.

The novel is commendable for addressing sensitive topics such as mental health, trauma, and personal boundaries with care and nuance. It avoids oversimplifying the characters' struggles, instead allowing them to confront their issues at their own pace and with authenticity.

While "What If You & Me" unfolds as a heartwarming romance, it also maintains a level of complexity, addressing the past traumas and challenges that both Andi and Hill face. The story goes beyond superficial portrayals of romance, delving into the multifaceted nature of healing and self-discovery.

The third-act breakup, while initially frustrating, serves as a crucial point in the narrative. It demonstrates that the characters are not magically cured but rather face realistic challenges that must be overcome. Andi and Hill's relationship is built on trust and respect, making their journey feel genuine and their bond unbreakable.

Overall, "What If You & Me" is a testament to Roni Loren's ability to craft compelling romances that embrace complex characters and authentic emotional journeys. If you're seeking a heartfelt love story that tackles mental health issues with sensitivity and emphasizes open communication as a foundation for love, this book is a must-read. Loren's exceptional storytelling is sure to captivate your heart and leave you eagerly anticipating the next book in the series.

Loved it! I really enjoy this series. As a horror fan I think this one is my favorite so far. It was hot AND scary, rare find. I read it so quickly - just over the course of a few hours - that I was almost upset to see the word “epilogue”. Glad to know there’s another. Good taste in movies as well! I liked the “syllabus” Andi put together for Hill.

Hill sounded like such a dream but I did get a bit annoyed when he kept referring to himself as so old (31 lol) and Andi as so young. Thirty-one is ALSO very young, hard to see when you’re that age but when you’ve past it you realize how young 31 actually is. Such a pet peeve of mine! As someone who never wants to be on camera I’d probably have left Andi at the constant insistence of recording and publishing ANYTHING but I guess the story would have progressed differently if she didn’t.

Check content warnings before reading, lots of talk of trauma.

This book was provided for free by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks!

If you’re looking for a romance where the characters actually communicate, What If You & Me is for you. I especially loved the way the author gave Andi and Hill space to be vulnerable with each other.

There were some fantastic steamy scenes, a lot of wonderful representation, and it was a great length!

Roni Loren's books really hit the mark for me. The romances are outstanding and shippy and full of chemistry, but they also take mental health so seriously and focus on open communication. What If You & Me had me feeling all of the feelings right from the start.

Andi's a bright, bubbly person, and she's genuinely sweet and nice. But she's also obsessed with true crime and horror, and she has serious anxiety and PTSD from an experience as a teen. No one would assume that about her from a casual meeting. She has not been able to date successfully ever, because of what she's been through and the degree of fear she has towards men.

Obviously I was into the romance the moment she complained about her "grumpy werewolf" neighbor. They meet when she tries to drown out his stomping by turning her horror movie way, way up, and he knocks on the door to make sure she isn't being murdered, which is a delightfully awkward meetcute.

They begin a tentative friendship, and they're able to be more open with one another, thanks to therapy and to shared trauma. What makes them work is communication and compassion. I love that they're both working through things together and separately. It's just such a healthy romance. Honestly, they're so good at communicating that even the [third act breakup (hide spoiler)] didn't make me mad, because I knew that was the truth in that moment and they're work it out later.

I love this book and this series so incredibly much, and I can't wait for the next one.

I loved everything that I’ve read so far by the author and this one is no exception to the norm.
The romance story is hilarious and beautiful and made my heart swoon and smile and feel all the emotions out of me for them both. Ups and downs with lots of chemistry and beautiful ending, this is definitely another must read novel from a favourite author.

I have not read the previous book in this series of books. I do not know how much they connect or if you strictly have to read the first one to read later ones, but i felt like it was not fair of me to read and review this one, without having read the previous ones. Thus, I won't be giving this a review.

Roni Loren can write a damn good romance. After Yes & I Love You I knew I wanted to read more by her but after this one she confirmed that I will absolutely read anything she writes, auto-buy author for sure.

Things I loved:
-Andi is a fantastic main character, she has a fun job, she has things in her past she is still working through, she’s funny and you can’t help but cheer for her
-Hill - every single thing about Hill - book boyfriend perfection, did I mention he’s an ex fire fighter?
-their meet cute was so original and really set them up for fun future meet ups
-focus on PTSD/mental health, living with a disability
-grumpy/sunshine trope and they are NEIGHBOURS
-snipped of Jasper & Hollyn
-holy spicy chemistry

Things that weren’t my favourite:
-the only thing I would say is while I absolutely loved it at the time, it hasn’t stuck with me like I thought it would - but that could be due to just reading SO many fantastic romances this year.

An emotional forced proximity romance with a horror writer and crime podcaster living next door to a former firefighter, both trying to overcome past trauma and move on with their lives.

Do you want to know what happens left? You really need to pick up the book. This story will engage you until the very end.

Loved the story!
Recommended.

I absolutely loved Yes & I Love You but I think I love this one more. A grumpy 'werewolf' retired firefighter and a female horror enthusiast/author/podcaster/ suffering with overcoming a past trauma that has led to her leading a life somewhat fearing male company. The characters and their issues were handled really well and the subject matters around both Andi and Hill were done with sensitivity and care. I loved the relationship between these two. Hill was so patient and treated Andi really well yet he was never patronising to her fears and worries. In turn she was also very respectful to what he was going through too. They made such a great pair. Full of chemistry, passion, friendship and compassion. An absolutely absorbing story that I could not put down. So excited for more from this series.

Roni can do no wrong in my book. I really loved this book, the take on true crime, the heat, the relationship. Roni is an autobuy author,

"Love meant someone had your back. Love meant you didn't have to hide what you were struggling with. Love taught you that sometimes it was okay to not be okay."

Roni Loren does it again 👏🏻I loved Yes & I Love You, but I somehow loved What If You & Me more. It follows retired firefighter Hill and his new neighbour, true crime podcaster/horror novelist Andi. Both have past trauma they realise they might be able to overcome, together.

I was hooked from the beginning with this pair. Andi's sunshine vibes, resilience and honesty was a breath of fresh air. It's hard not to love her: "I can pretty much turn anything into something sinister. It's like my personal Instagram filter." But then you have Hill, who is a complete cinnamon roll underneath that grumpy exterior. "The man was damn sexy on any day, but this? This was fan-herself-and-find-the-smelling-salts swoon-worthy."

The way he listened to, respected and cared for Andi 100% stole my heart. I honestly don't know if I'll get over him and his compassion towards her. What a hero😍. Together, their chemistry was on another level. It was definitely amplified by the banter, sexual tension and steamy scenes. Loren knows how to write spice!

Overall, if you want to be swept off your feet by two loveable characters with complicated pasts, you must read What If You & Me. It's perfect! Just please check TWs before reading.

What if You & Me is the second book in the Say Everything series. Roni Loren is a terrific author who’s characters are so real, so human. She addresses subjects that most authors don’t touch. Andi Lockley’s anxiety is unrelenting.. is has scared and anxious about most things. She has a few things going for her.. she is a horror novelist and a budding pod caster and is one book away from making it big.. She just needs to write.. she needs this next story to be everything. But a new neighbor seems to be focused on not letting her write. He seems to walk around the apartment above hers, hers.. it is totally distracting and something had to change. Hill Dawson, her new neighbor is a former fire fighter. He is now retired due to an injury.. the amputation of part of his leg, he is lost. He doesn’t know how to proceed, how to start a new life. What can he do? He was meant to be a fireman.. The two neighbors have very little contact, until one night someone breaks into her home. Hill comes to her rescue and can’t help keeping an eye on her. A friendship forms and both have to put their past behind them and move on. Can the two make peace with the past? Can they find love? Can they help each other move forward together? Hopefully they can both find live again.. I really enjoyed this one, it was a 4 star read for me. It was heartwarming.. I want to thank Netgalley & Roni Loren for my copy for an honest review. It was my pleasure to read and review this book. I hope you enjoy it too.. looking forward to book #3

It's the second book in the series and I can say I enjoyed it somewhat more than book 1. Like the first book this one also deals with characters who have mental health issues, the hero has PTSD and depression following an incident where he lost his leg.; the heroine deals with childhood SA trauma that causes her to have trust issues and makes intimacy a challenge for her.
I liked them as a couple, the grumpy / sunshine is my favourite romance trope. I found both Andi and Hill very likeable and relatable. They are dealing with their own issues to the best of their abilities when they meet by chance. They start a tentative friendship over horror movies, gradually cooking is added to the mix and the friendship becomes friends-with-benefits situation.

The intimacy is slow, tentative, it's new and scary for both of them and I liked how talked about their fears and hang-ups, took breaks when needed. At the same time some of the sex scenes felt superfluous, putting focus on the physical side and leaving the emotional connection between the MCs behind. I like how their traumas don't disappear overnight. Hill is directionless, dealing with physical and mental stuff (wished we got to see him on page getting professional help, rather than just being told medical appointment and therapy take up much of his time). His relationship with Andi is tremendous help for him but does not magically cure him.

Andi is getting free counseling/advice from a therapist friend and this was not very good choice in my opinion. There is a blurring of professional/personal boundaries here that didn't feel ok for me.

I hated the third-act break-up that was basically over nothing. And on top of that Andi doesn't get a proper apology from Hill. Her insistence that she knew what he felt despite him saying otherwise really bothered me. I can see he needed that push but also I am not a fan anyone telling the other person how they feel. It's too close to gaslighting for me. He needed to come to that conclusion on his own, not having someone spell it out for him.

There is a cheating ex plotline which I was not a fan of initially but I really like how the author handled it in the end with nuance and things, as most often in real life, are not just black and white.

Like the previous book, this one is very busy plotwise, lots of things going one and some were better developed than others. I did like both Andi and Hill and felt very confident in their romance. Now, I forward to book 3 which is coming out later this year. .

CW: assault, trauma, PTSD, depression, MC with amputated leg, paranoia

this book is adorable in every way possible. honestly, the best part of this is the visibility and representation. both of the MCs have gone through horrible things and currently find themselves in an emotional rut. i love that they help each other to grow and cope with those traumas, but also don't become dependent on each other. their strength is their own, just bolstered by each others support. and so many heavy topics are discussed throughout, but RL has done it in a such a tender and honest way. this lovely story about trust and finding safety in others will be sure to make your heart skip a beat.

I’ve been impatiently waiting for this series to come out, as I do with any Roni Loren book. When we met Andi in the first book I knew she was going to be such an interesting character to know more about. I couldn’t wait to get to her backstory. WHAT IF YOU & ME delivered!

This is a neighbors to lovers story and as with the previous book, Ms. Loren tackles mental health and disability. Andi has anxiety and with good reason due to what’s happened in her past. Her sexy neighbor Hill is a former firefighter who lost part of this leg in a rescue and is now trying to figure out what to do with his life.

Andi and Hill have chemistry and some great banter that will keep you engaged. This book was funny and flirty while also having a lot of character development and depth. This is one of my favorite things about Roni Loren’s books and she delivers every time. Yes, this is a romance, but in this short amount of pages you get to fall completely in love with these characters and understand everything that makes them tick, everything that makes them hurt. And you just want to see them happy. Even grumpy Hill.

Getting to know both of them through the friendship that develops between them was just perfect. For two people that have gone through so much, I think this was the only way to give them the time needed to connect and allow someone else into their world. And in the end, the fact they were both able to deal with their issues individually as well as coming together as a couple really makes me feel they will be in it for the long haul.

Pick this up when you’re ready for a slow burn romance that gives you angst in the way that only Roni Loren can do. And get ready to fall in love with your next book boyfriend.

I absolutely loved the first book in this series and so I was very excited to receive an early copy of What If You and Me. I love the way that Roni Loren creates a story that feels so relatable and real.

Andi loves all things horror. Not only is she a published horror writer, but she also runs a true crime podcast. Despite her love of all things scary, Andi actually deals with a lot of fear and anxiety from past trauma. Hill is an ex firefighter who lost his leg in an accident on the job. These two become neighbors and through a hilarious incident one night, sort of friends. Attraction is present immediately but are either of them ready to open up to someone new?

Admittedly, I am not a fan of thrillers so I was so pleasantly surprised that I really enjoyed that aspect of the storyline. These two have been through a lot but they have open and honest dialogue. I really enjoyed the cooking aspect of the story too. Would definitely recommend

(4.5)I absolutely adored this book, so much so that I purchased a physical copy of it as soon as it was published. I think that as someone that reads so much, it takes really special characters to really steal my heart and these ones for sure did. I thought that they were characters that were very multilayered and complex which added to the story as a whole. They just felt real to me. In my mind it felt like the characters were real characters, with real emotions, that I felt a real connection towards. I also want to commend the author for writing characters that seemed to have a healthy set of boundaries. I loved how while they both went through trauma, they weren't dependent on the other to "fix them". I just adored these characters individually and also together. I truly think it is a perfect example of how love can add to your life and be a bonus rather than something that drains you. I will say that Hill Dawson is a MAN. Every time he asked for consent, or made sure she was okay my heart grew a few sizes. I will say the conflict in the book I found to be a little frustrating just because I felt it dragged a bit and I wanted them to work it out, but all in all this book is a treasure and I am so glad past me had an inclination that future me would want a physical copy... because I was right and I never want to part with this book.

This has been one of my most anticipated reads of this year ever since I read Yes & I Love You (the first book in the series) several months ago.

I felt like this book was much heavier on the subject matter than the first book in the series. Even with the heavy subject matter Andi and Hill are so sweet with each other and I really enjoyed their interactions.

The book is Grumpy/Sunshine and told in Dual POV. Both MC’s have tough pasts and are dealing with PTSD. Andi has anxiety and Hill has depression.

The trigger warnings are not listed in this book, however I tried to make a list as I was reading so I apologize if I missed one or more. And please be aware that some of them may also be spoilers.

Trigger warnings:
Limb Loss, Burns, Past Sexual Assault, Cheating Ex, Physical Assault (on page, the assault is not from the hero), Anxiety, Depression, PTSD.

The next book in the series will be about Eliza, Andi’s friend. I’m still holding out hope that Cal from the first book will get his own story as well.

Thank you to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Audiobook Review:
Overall – 5
Performance – 5
Story – 5

I loved this book!

While I enjoyed the first book in this series, I loved this one.

Andi had something pretty traumatic happen to her when she was young and it’s kept her from forming any romantic relationships. Hill is a former firefighter who was injured on the job. He still has trouble sleeping because of the incident. He also feels like no woman will want him because of his disability.

I devoured this audiobook. Once again, Desiree Ketchum does a great job with her performance of the audiobook. Her voice is pleasant and easy to listen to. She has pretty distinctive voices for each of the characters.

This story is a bit more intense than the first book due to what happened to both MCs in the past. There’s also a bit of a mystery with what is going on in Andi’s life. I really felt the connection between Andi and Hill. Hill is so supportive of Andi and so patient with her. The sexy time between them is beautiful and intense at times.

You can definitely read this book as a standalone. Characters from book one do appear but you don’t really need to know their story to enjoy this one.

A review copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley but this did not influence my opinion or rating of the book.