I was granted access to the audiobook arc of this novel and I have to say the narrator did such a good job! She really made each character have their own unique voice and that made it easy and comfortable to follow along with the story. The audiobook is definitely the way to go with this one!

As for the actual story, I really enjoyed it. Roni Loren is quickly becoming a new favourite author. The way she deals with such deep and emotional topics like physical disabilities, mental disabilities, sexual assault— to name a few, she does in such realistic ways but they’re also not always the focus with the characters. Those topics are there and are discussed but they aren’t just the main topics with these characters.

We get to see them be them in all aspects of life. From Andi nerding out over horror movies, to Hill feeling the rush of being a hero once more. They just felt like such real people to me and that made this story so much better. It also made their romance and chemistry so easy to fall for. There wasn’t a ton of drama with the two of them and I was glad to see it.

If you are looking for a romance book about a nerdy horror author/podcast creator who deals with anxiety, a retired firefighter who discovers a love for his neighbour as well as cooking as well as learning how to cope with life as an amputee— you need to read this! It’s so good. I can’t wait to see what else Roni writes.

4/5⭐️

TW: sexual assault, murder, stalking, online harassment, fire, burns, cheating(not within the main couple), assault.

So, this is hard because I really liked the 2 MCs and I loved the romance and their backstories were SO incredibly angsty. I loved their honestly, the way Hill was SO careful and cognizant of Andi’s issues and the care he took with regards to consent. It was all really well done. I also thought the disability and mental health reps were done really well.
BUT.
There is this one part where Andi, the FMC, is unable to afford therapy so she basically goes to her friend, who happens to be a therapist, and gets free therapy from her and I don’t know, it just really bothered me. Not the part that she gets therapy but getting it from a friend - idk, it just felt really weird and unprofessional. Like, I wish those lines hadn’t been blurred because otherwise, it was a really good book.

Content notes:
Andi has severe anxiety and PTDS related to something truly heinous that happened with her first relationship in high school.
Hill has anxiety and PTSD and depression related to a fire in which, he, a former fighter, was seriously injured and burned, which resulted in him losing part of his leg and therefore, also losing his career as a firefighter.

I loved Yes & I Love You so I was pretty excited to dive into this one. I had to start it as soon as I finished the first book. I think I liked this one even more as well.

Andi is a unique heroine with an interest in true crime and horror, but is also fighting some extreme anxiety from a past trauma. She is also quirky and fun. Everything about her anxiety felt so real to me and so well written.

Hill is also struggling with PTSD and depression. Again, Roni wrote him so well and so realistic.

This book hooked me in right away.. The thing that I loved so much was the amount of respect between the two of them. There was also a ton of chemistry with a good amount of build up. Plus, Hill is the ULTIMATE book boyfriend.

This book balances out perfectly with some funny, light hearted parts and some more serious and emotional moments. There was some moments that had my heart breaking and also some moments so intense that your heart is racing.

I highly recommend this series.

4.5 Stars rounded up to 5

Thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for the E-book in exchange for an honest review.

Fan-yourself-and-find-the-smelling-salts swoonworthy!

I love it when I find a new-to-me author whose writing style is completely fresh and unique. Roni Loren writes her characters with a delightfully witty, sometimes snarky voice and I am totally here for it. This is one author's catalog that I'm going to be spending a lot of time in.

Hill and Andi both have had to deal with trauma, and they are both coping and recovering in their own inimitable way. I really enjoyed the depth and detail we're given about what they went through and how those events affected them in ways that they never saw coming. As an examination of PTSD, from both emotional and physical trauma, this book is a must-read and is one of the best I've ever read.

I love the way they start off as friends, how pushy she can be, and how he goes out of his way to be a safe space for her. Their intimate scenes were among the hottest I've ever read while being honest and sensitive to the issues at hand. Every thing about this book was absolute perfection and I couldn't have loved it more.

I love how this story made the point about how thin the line is between romance and horror. I'd never looked at it that way before. And now I'm going to have to go watch that Jamie Lee Curtis movie.

The HEA was so beautiful, so sweet and tender, and exactly right for these two. This is a fantastic romance, with just a dash of suspense and intrigue, and I highly recommend it for all romance readers. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

I used to be a fan of true crime and like Andi I looked at it as a way to learn about human behaviour and the importance of listening to your intuition (The Gift of Fear also had a huge impact), but after having my own experience that could have belonged in that genre, I started to have concerns about exploitation and invasion of privacy into what for these families is the worst moment of their lives and not necessarily something for us to learn from or look at ways it could have been prevented.

Sometimes it can be hard to distinguish between doing what we can to protect ourselves and victim-blaming (taking all of the precautions, double-checking locks, avoiding risky situations), but this was addressed in the book and gave me some things to think about. It was mentioned that even if you do all these things you can still be victimized in what should have been a safe place (domestic abuse is far more common than random attacks), and that Andi's goal was to empower people to listen to their intuition, to not let anyone gaslight you into thinking you are overreacting.

It was also mentioned that women are the biggest demographic when it comes to true crime, "looking their biggest fears straight in the face and coming up with mental plans for how they could keep themselves safe." I think it's important that as a society we don't just emphasize avoiding victimization over addressing the factors involved in the perpetuation of violence, but it's also not an either/or, and being more confident in your intuition and having some knowledge on how to protect yourself is still powerful to have.

In the beginning of the book, Eliza (a counsellor) is giving Andi an unofficial therapy session since Andi can't afford to go to therapy regularly at the moment, and I read it as her inadvertently suggesting that Andi should have sex with this neighbour she's just met, knowing that she has triggers relating to sex and intimacy with men. I didn't think that sounded like such a good idea just based on what we knew about Andi and that she didn't seem to be comfortable with casual sex, but thankfully the way her and Hill's relationship developed seemed more in line with what Andi needed.

Later we see more of Eliza's personality and it comes across differently when she's just acting as a friend, so I think what made me pause there is that she was (kind of) acting as a counsellor. She also made a few amatonormative comments, yet later it became more clear that they seemed to be coming from insecurities about her own life.

As for the romance, it was really very important to see the depiction of someone who doesn't just believe in consent in theory, but who is 100% willing to go at their partner's pace with no expectation that one form of intimacy might turn into sex or that once they start it means she will always be up for it. Along with that, that she should always feel safe and right in asserting her boundaries. She was clear with him what her triggers were, and never made her feel wrong for needing those boundaries; their relationship involved a continual reassessment of them and checking in, and I loved seeing this depiction of consent, where it's not always a yes/no binary.

Overall it was a unique romance, a love letter to the horror genre, and while it's important to note that it's not a light romance, it was still enjoyable to read and witness the resilience of "final girls" and the possibility of a HEA/HFN. I was happy to see more of WorkAround (I really love this idea) and Andi gave some good recommendations (though I wish there was another movie night or two!), so now I'm off to try some horror movies!

I am a new fangirl for Roni Loren! I read Yes & I Love You right before reading What If You & Me. Wow, both of these books are now in my top romance reads of 2021! I appreciate the main characters giving a face to Hill living with a bionic leg and both Andi and Hill having PTSD from different life traumas. We need more books with main characters with physical disabilities and neurodiversity. I will be raving and recommending these books to everyone now.

Thank you, Sourcebooks Casablanca, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley, for my gifted copies for my honest review.

What If You & Me by Roni Loren
Book Publication Date: July 6, 2021 - Sourcebooks Casablanca
Audiobook Publication Date: July 13, 2021 - Dreamscape Media
Narrated by: Desiree Ketchum
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Description…
“The world can be a scary place. At least, that's what Andi Lockley's anxiety wants her to believe. It doesn't help that she narrowly escaped a dangerous man years ago, or that every relationship since has been colored with that lingering fear. But things are better now—she's channeling everything into her career as a horror novelist and true crime podcaster, and her next book may be the breakthrough she needs.

If only her grumpy new neighbor would stop stomping around at all hours of the night.
Former firefighter Hill Dawson can't sleep. After losing part of his leg in a rescue gone wrong, he's now stuck in limbo. He needs to figure out what he's supposed to do with his life, and he can't let himself get distracted by the pretty redhead next door. But when someone breaks into Andi's place, Hill can't stop himself from rushing in to play the hero. Soon, a tentative bond forms between the unlikely pair. But what starts out as a neighborly exchange quickly turns into the chance for so much more...if Andi can learn to put aside her fear and trust in herself—and love—again.”
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Thank you to @netgalley @sourcebookscasa @Dreamscape_Media for the ALC in return for my honest review.
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My thoughts…
Enjoyable. I was excited to be approved for this one because I read the first book “Yes & I Love You” and really liked Andi’s character. I liked this even better than the first. I appreciated how Loren brought Andi’s character to life and there was depth to Andi’s history. The story was sensitively written that included the themes of anxiety, PTSD depression, doxxing and loss limb. It included appropriate humour with a side of thriller. This was unique where both MC are dealing with trauma, one in the past and the other in the present. And let’s not forget the steam. There was enough to fog up your sunglasses 😎.

What If You and Me is a heartbreaking, heartwarming, spicy, and uplifting. Roni Loren has been a 5/5 for me on both books in the Say everything series. I loved it so much and it leaves me wanting more. I cannot wait for the next one.

Hill and Andi become neighbors and situations that occur force them into confronting their fears, traumas and insecurities. One of the reasons I loved this book is it shows the complexity of anxiety. Roni Loren does an amazing job at detailing how treatment for anxiety is not a quick fix and also shows both Hill and Andi handling their issues separately.

What If You and Me has some of my favorite tropes, grumpy/sunshine and forced proximity. But the development of Andi and Hill both in their relationship and as individuals is really what made the story a 5. What If You and Me is a friends with benefits, grumpy and sunshine romance novel that transforms into a much deeper and meaningful book.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinions.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for an advanced copy of What If You & Me.

I loved Yes & I Love you earlier this year so I was excited to get Roni Loren's sequel = What If You & Me!

I really liked Andi as the friend in Yes & I Love You so was excited to get her book! Andi is a true crime podcaster and author who meets her grumpy new neighbor Hill. Hill is a retired fire fighter, who is working on his recovery from an accident during a fire call where he lost his leg and was badly burned. They both have different traumas they are working on when they meet accidentally one night and form a friendship...

Once again Roni Loren has written wonderful characters with real struggles and problems. Her writing is vivid and draws you into the story. Plus there are some great steamy scenes too.

I enjoyed reading this and recommend both books in the Say Anything Series.

Synopsis -

Andi is an upcoming horror novelist & a true crime podcaster. She is an extrovert, super fun & energetic, but at the same time battling with anxiety as a result of a scarred past. Highly paranoid (an occupational hazard), she is unable to have a love life. Her grumpy neighbor Hill, is an ex-firefighter who lost his leg during a rescue. Hill suffers from depression, PTSD & has no idea about his future. When their paths cross, will they be able to find what they are looking for?

Review -

I just love the depth & realistic nature of the characters, Loren brings in. She takes the relationship dynamics to whole new levels in this one – great understanding, perfect chemistry & charm, getting the reader quickly hooked with them.

Andi’s eccentric, quirky & bubbly nature perfectly complemented the quiet, calm & stoic of Hill’s persona. They just completed each other in every way. Initially though, things were pretty slow burn between them, but as the story moved on, the patience totally pays off! And yes, needless to mention Loren’s trump card - the super-hot steam!!

The author blends all the important ingredients of a successful relationship – honesty, openness & trust, helping Andi & Hill, release the ghosts of the past, gently nudging them towards the future. I enjoyed how they instilled confidence in each other & were willing to fight to overcome their fears & mental hurdles.

The ending was just dreamlike dripping with its saccharine sweetness & made me joyously satisfied.

The book delicately touches upon - PTSD, depression & anxiety balancing well with the fun factor & humor.

Loren is definitely my new favorite romance author & adore the imperfectly perfect characters she creates. Keep them coming!

Thanks NetGalley & SourceBooks Casablanca for the digitial ARC!

After a traumatic relationship in high school, Andi channels her anxiety into a successful career as a thriller novelist and true crime podcaster. One night when someone breaks into her place, her grumpy neighbor Hill comes to the rescue. There is an immediate attraction between the two but neither is in a place to start a relationship. Andi is dealing with her anxiety, and an accident that caused Hill to lose his leg and a broken engagement have him dealing with his own trauma. Can they learn to trust each other enough to allow something to happen?

I adored Yes & I Love You, so I cousin’t wait to read Andi’s story, and I’m happy to say it did not disappoint at all. I adore the characters Roni Loren creates and how they are so real and handle their relationships so well. The portrayal of trauma, anxiety, physical disability and PTSD in this story was incredible, and I adored how respectful how the characters were respectful of each other’s trauma and thier boundaries. These characters also had everything you could want in a romance: great chemistry and banter, some steamy scenes, and consent. Truly, I could rave about this book all day, it was amazing, so go read it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

If you like the grumpy/sunshine books, then this one is 100% for you!

I don’t think I have adequate words to describe how much I loved this book. It was unexpected in the best of ways.

Andi is a bucket of sunshine, very much an extrovert, but has some crippling anxiety that doesn’t let her live life fully. You feel so much for her and what happened to her is horrific, but it only makes her growth in that much more spectacular.

Hill is hermit grump and recovering from so much more than losing his leg. He is such a beautiful soul. I couldn’t get enough of him.

Both Andi and Hill have very different past situations, but both are struggling and not really knowing how to move past what has happened. The chemistry between them is insane. It is a slow burn that leaves you blazing. I loved them so much together.

All the side characters were amazing and I really hope we get more from this series!! This is a complete standalone though, I just seriously love the all the characters! I totally recommend!!

Thank you netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Gahhh! I just love this series. I really enjoyed Yes and I Love You so when I had the opportunity to read the ARC of the next in the series I jumped right on it. It was just as good but also different!

If you love rom coms and thrillers this is a nice blend. It pays homage to the genre of thriller novels and horror flicks. There are so many movie references from that genre you would appreciate.

Andi Lockley is a horror novelist and hosts a true crime podcast. She crosses paths with her grumpy werewolf neighbor, Hill Dawson. He is a former firefighter suffering from PTSD and depression. They are both recovering from some pretty traumatic life events. But she has a rule due to her past, don’t trust anyone. And both are true cynics when it comes to “romance.” Can they form a friendship and learn to trust again?

I started this book with the intention of just reading a few pages for now because I had a couple other books in progress. Well…2 days later I was finished. I stayed up into the wee-hours finishing this book! It was cute, charming, swoon worthy, and had a bit of suspense.

Like the first book in the series there is a lot of steam and open door scenes. But I will say, if that is not your cup of tea you can easily skip over those parts and still really enjoy the book. The spicy scenes don’t start until well into the second half of the book.

TITLE: What If You & Me

AUTHOR: Roni Loren

PUBLISHER: Sourcebooks Casablanca



REVIEW:

This was such a sweet and healing love story I need to read the first book in this series! Andi Lockley was such a cool character and beyond strong after everything she’s gone through. She writes horror novels AND has a true crime podcast? That’s a cool storyline all on it’s own. Neighbors Hill Dawson and Andi Lockley both have a hard time sleeping, each with their own trauma and heartache that they’ve experienced. Hill was a former firefighter who lost part of his leg and fiancée after one horrible accident on the job. Andi has trauma from a previous relationship that she had as a teen and hasn’t been able to look at relationships the same since. Both dealing with PTSD in their own way, they bond over a break in at Andi’s house. I love the friendship that happens throughout the book. While Andi showed Hill horror movies, Hill showed Andi his love for cooking. There are definitely some steamy scenes so if you like that, you’re in for a treat! Both perspectives are told in alternating chapters which made the story so much more enjoyable.



Thank you so much to NetGalley, Roni Loren, and Sourcebooks Casablanca for allowing me to read and review and ARC of What If You & Me!





^Review above will be posted to my Instagram on publication day.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.

What If You & Me is the second in the Say Everything series by Roni Loren. It can be read as a stand-alone, but I really recommend reading book one, as it also packs a similar emotional punch.

Roni Loren has a knack for writing such well-rounded characters with real issues with care. Andi is a survivor of sexual assault, and she hides her vulnerability and fear beneath a bubbly, quirky personality. And it doesn’t hurt that she’s a true-crime podcaster and horror writer, so she has some fun interests.

Hill is another wounded soul, although both physically as well as emotionally, as he lost part of his leg, and he’s grappling with figuring out his life and worries how others perceive him due to his disability. He’s gruff at times, but he also has a real softness underneath. The two complement each other because they both have experienced trauma and help each other to heal in such a beautiful way.

I loved this book as much as the first one and its exploration of mental health and healing from trauma. If you love emotionally complex contemporary romance, you’ll enjoy this one.

WHAT IF YOU AND ME - RONI LOREN
PUBLISHED BY SOURCEBOOK CASABLANCA
T/W - sexual assault, depression, PTSD, trust issues, cheating.
PLOT -
Andi Lockley is a horror book author and true crime podcaster. Because of her past she is extra cautious of her living conditions.
She runs to her neighbour, former firefighter Hill Dawson (who is suffering from PTSD) when she feels someone's presence in her house .
Soon they form a bond and help each other overcome their issues and start trusting each other.
But can Andi and Hill fall in love after all that they have been through?
MY THOUGHTS-
I got sucked into the story right from chapter 1 and couldn't put it down.
The way Roni has described the characters is remarkable esp how they are HONEST throughout with each other and there is no sort of misunderstanding which is quite refreshing!
Ohh the steam and sexual tension between them is 🔥🔥🔥
I love Ronis books as it deals with such common issues faced by people in regular life and how her characters overcome/deal with them causing them to lead a normal life!! ( A great motivation for people)
This is the 2nd book in the series but can be read as a standalone with a brief reference to characters from book 1 (Yes and I love you).
Though i would highly recommend reading both these books!! U won't be disappointed!!
Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebook Casablanca for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed this book for what it was - a heartfelt rom com with a side of true crime and horror. But I really appreciated Loren's dip into anxiety, depression, PTSD, and how those can affect relationships with others. Was it perfect? No, but you definitely got the sense that Loren spent time researching her characters to ensure that they felt authentic. I can appreciate her commitment to that.

Personally, I felt like the story overall was a bit contrived. I didn't like some of the plot points and they felt a bit hamfisted for the story she was trying to tell. Additionally, they felt a bit too neatly wrapped up at the end and it didn't quite get the feeling the author seemed to be getting across. But other than that, the book was qn enjoyable read.

Like the previous installment, I really liked this one, and then some. Andi and Hill were so soft together, and their grumpy/sunshine dynamic and relationship development were well done! The plot was also very interesting, especially because of Andi's job and passion for the horror genre, and how that helped her deal with her past traumas. Hill also had his own struggles, and I loved that we were able to follow his growth throughout the story. The secondary characters were a great addition to Andi and Hill's story, and I hope we get more books in this series!

TW: abuse, assault, PTSD, homicide, fire

Andi certainly is one-of-a-kind. This quirky, outgoing, horror novelist/podcaster does a pretty good job and hiding her traumatic past. Behind closed doors, the residual trauma manifests in extreme fear, anxiety, and distrust of others.

Enter Hill. Neighbour and landlord hottie who has been a hero a time of two. He couldn't stop himself from running next door when hearing screams (from a horror movie) and comes face to face with colourful Andi. To say it was mutual attraction would be an understatement but not unlike Andi, Hill has some demons and trauma of his own.

As these two get to know each other, they begin to take steps to move past their respective post-traumatic stress and find solace and safety...in each other. Though they promised to strictly be friends, beginning to fully trust and connect with another the way these two do starts to blur the lines between friendship and love.

**

My first reaction as I started to read this book was that I wasn't expecting it to be so dark. With Andi's job and experiences, there was a lot of mention of assault and the sense of constantly being unsafe. I will admit that at times it was unsettling, though not untrue. At the same time, I feel this gave the book a sense of authenticity that hey, the world isn't always sunshine and rainbows and here is a heroine who has faced more dark days than sunny ones.

As we begin to get to know Hill and hear about his accident, I realize how romance novels are so often able-body centric.. Hill has a prosthesis as well as a few supports around his home as he rehabs his leg post-accident. I appreciated that he was portrayed as strong, sexy, and heroic, though he didn't feel those adjectives applied to him.

Oh, and the chemistry between them... 😅

Note: read as a standalone but definitely going to check out the first in this world of books

I loved Yes & I Love You and I absolutely loved this sequel as well! I switched back & forth from ebook and audiobook and both were excellent! I really enjoyed Andi as the lead of this book. Her love interest was definitely swoon worthy! I enjoyed the relationship build up and the storyline was fun but also very intense. I highly recommend checking out this 2 book series! You can read this one as a stand-alone but will miss some references to the previous book’s other characters. The first book is probably my favourite so I do recommend checking that one out first!

Thank you to the publishers and @netgalley for providing a free advanced copy of this ebook and audiobook in exchange for an honest review.