You know you’ve read a good book when you can’t stop thinking about the characters. The Way We Weren’t by Phoebe Fox is a wonderful story of two lost souls who stumble upon each other and an unlikely friendship is formed. As this duo begin to learn from each other about their losses, their vulnerability and their loves they begin to accept the situation they find themselves in and draw positives out of a negative situation.

Marcie Malone has loved and lost a few of her dreams along the way, this latest loss almost breaks her and she feels the need to escape the life she is currently living. Because of what was and what is might not be where she wants to be anymore.

Herman Flint has lived by the beachside most of his life. He’s had a tough journey with many hurdles to jump over but when he loses the most important thing in his life he becomes a recluse.

As Herman and Marcie stumble into each others lives the community of the beachside resort and the simplicity of this life brings a new perspective to both of them.

Phoebe Fox had me captivated with her storytelling and I found myself rooting for all the characters in this small coastal town. A town that felt like time had stood still and the outer world had forgotten them.

I adored the inclusion of the sea turtles and their plight of survival. It was wondrous, fascinating and very humbling to read about.

You will fall in love with Marcie and Herman and they will hold a little piece of your heart for a long time.

This story was heartwarming, sad, and hopeful. There are so many different emotions that engage the reader and will keep them engrossed in the story.

Marcie takes off driving after an incident that brings her to her knees. She doesn't know where she is going or where she will end up but she just knows she has to get away from her life to be able to breathe. She ends up in Florida, broken and lost, but perhaps that is exactly where she needed to be to heal and figure out what she wants from life.

Flint is a curmudgeon that lives on the beach who has his own set of issues. We learn more about him as the story develops and considering where his life was heading, maybe it is a good thing that Marcie ends up crashing his life. Actually, they are both good for each other as we discover throughout the book. Each brings out the best, and maybe the worst as well.

These two are unlikely housemates, but Flint takes pity on Marcie and realizes that she could have been taken advantage of in the beginning, and perhaps she needs to sort out her own demons before heading back to her real life. Marcie is a lost soul and this journey is the perfect time for her to reflect on what she wants or needs from life, her husband, and her marriage.

As the story progresses, we see both Flint and Marcie take stock of their life and realize that maybe there is more than what they have right now. I enjoyed watching them grow and become more comfortable in their own skin. There are moments of levity especially when it comes to the company holding Marcie's car hostage in the impound lot. I was amazed at how much I enjoyed the portions with the sea turtles and everything that they did to save the eggs so that they could experience life. I'm not sure a lot of people would go to that much work for turtle eggs.

This was a lovely story and I enjoyed every word. I felt like each character realized their own worth and took measures to ensure that life would only improve from that point. We should all be so lucky to have that sort of time to reflect.

We give this book 5 paws up.

After miscarrying the baby she didn’t know she wanted, Marcie can’t go back to the way things were. So on her way to work, she just continues to drive, and ends up waking up on the couch at an old mans beach house. Herman is tired of the idiots that get drunk and pass out on the beach, but when he sees Marcie something makes him bring her inside to recover. From there an unlikely friendship blossoms.

This book was exactly the sweet and tender story that I needed. My heart broke for both Marcie and Herman and the crap that life threw at them. Herman was such a crotchety old man, he had me laughing several times throughout the book. I also just loved the cast of characters Marcie found in her new life. If you are looking for a second chance story that will fill your heart, look no further!

THE WAY WE WEREN’T by Phoebe Fox is a touching story of love, choices, regrets and hope that drew me in from the very first page and held me captive until the end. Marcie and Will Malone have been married for over twenty years, ever since a positive pregnancy test changed their teenaged lives and dreams forever. Instead of a summer abroad studying art after graduation, Marcie chose to take a job in a hotel to support them both while Will went to college. Now in their forties, Marcie and Will have a comfortable life focused on each other and their work. When Marcie becomes pregnant again, but miscarries, she if forced to face difficult choices about her life and marriage. One day, instead of going to work, Marcie keeps on driving until she finds herself on the beach in the small Florida beach community of Palmetto Key. When she wakes up, she is in a stranger’s home. Herman Flint is a loner in his seventies and knows better than to invite trouble into his life and this woman collapsed on the beach outside his house is surely in some kind of trouble. Against his better judgement, he takes her in, intending for her to stay only a short while. So begins the story of a most unlikely friendship that may just save them both. As they reluctantly get to know one another, they help each other make sense of the pain and loss they have each experienced. While there is a lot of heartbreak and sadness, this is ultimately a story of kindness, inspiration and hope. I loved all the characters and their interactions. The beach town came to life for me with the wonderful descriptions. THE WAY WE WEREN’T is a heartfelt and emotional story that I won’t soon forget. I highly recommend it! Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read an early copy.

Thank you to both Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group!

When we first meet Marcie she's just a bit of a mess, in a love-able and sad kind of way. She finds herself miles away from her home, job, and family. This is where a story of friendship comes along and she meets Flint, a rough around the edges 70 year old man.

I initially wasn't very interested in this book, mainly because I had a hard time relating to Marcie, totally my flaw not the book's. Now I'm really glad I read this story. I enjoyed it throughly and definitely recommend this to anyone who is looking for a story about starting life from scratch in search of fulfillment.

Right off the bat, two things about The Way We Weren't made me want to read this book. First of all was the author Phoebe Fox. I'm a huge fan of hers and have loved all of her stories. She is definitely one of my must-read authors. The second thing was this cover! Isn't is beautiful? I fell in love with it the minute I saw it and it enticed me to find out more about the story. Isn't that an amazing blue?!

Well, let me tell you, the story itself blew me away. I loved everything about it! What an intriguing, compelling storyline and interesting, unforgettable characters. Such entertaining people and interactions and a story that didn't go the way that I thought it would.

Marcie hops in her car one day and just keeps driving, escaping her life and wanting to figure out some things about who she is and what she wants. Discovered on the beach in pretty bad shape by the old codger Flint, she tries to make a new life for herself, even as she knows its only temporary. She has to go back to her responsibilities at some point, right?

I absolutely loved the relationship between Marcie and the salty old guy, Flint. It still brings smiles to my face when I think about their interactions throughout the book and the way they treated each other. Such fun! And I loved the way that Marcie found her way in the community and earned the acceptance of the 'old timers'.

Like I said, I loved everything about this book and would give it more than five stars on a five star scale. How about 5++? I'm not typically a re-reader of books but this is definitely one that I will need to pull down off the shelf at some point and enjoy again. Well done Phoebe! I highly recommend The Way We Weren't!!

An unlikely friendship, the beach, some sea turtle hatchlings, and a whole lot of feels.

You trying to kill yourself, or are you just stupid?

Now there is a line. Most people start conversations a little differently but hey, one must give Herman/Flint props for getting straight to the point. He also goes out on a limb and lets a woman he doesn't know who is in need, stay at his home. Now who is the stupid one? Well, as it turns out not Flint!

Marcie Malone decides one day that she needs to leave her life behind and drive from Georgia to Florida, goes to the beach and wakes up in Flint's home. After you leave your world behind, why not stay with a grumpy stranger???? Bad decision or smart thinking?!? Now she is staying with Flint, and she just must make sure to stay out of his way...

You just know when a younger woman meets a grumpy older man that it is going to be good! This is! This is so good. It was a pleasure to read and sigh as you watch these two totally different people find out that they might have more in common than they initially thought. I enjoyed reading as they found a way to not only become friends but heal as well.

As I mentioned, this book has all the feels and readers will feel many emotions while reading this. The two main characters were an instant hit with me. But, if I am being honest, Flint stole the show for me.

Charming, evoking emotion and hopeful all at the same time!

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

"The Way We Weren't" by Phoebe Fox is a beautiful story!

On her way to work one morning, forty-three-year-old Marcie Malone goes past her exit and drives from Atlanta, GA to Palmetto Key, FL.

Devastated by a crushing loss, Marcie can't focus or function. She's driving away from her husband, her job, leaving her comfortable life behind without a plan and nowhere to go.

During his early morning walk, seventy-70-year-old Herman Flint spots Marcie in a heap on the beach. He doesn't need or want the hassle of what's happening with this woman. He'd rather be alone with his books, his coffee and his view. Why did she have to land in front of his beachfront anyway?

By the time the sun goes down, Flint sees the heap is still there. He checks for a pulse, then carries Marcie inside. When she wakes in the morning, she slowly begins to piece together the previous day. As Flint listens to Marcie's story, he doesn't understand why but he agrees to let her stay under his roof temporarily.

This is the moment when this improbable relationship between these two broken people begins...

Such a beautiful story with heart and soul that I fell in love with right away. It continues to draw me in, hold my heart and carry me with it through this character driven story. You feel like you're standing beside them and listening to their stories as you read.

The relationship that is constructed between Flint and Marcie is at the center of this story. Both are broken and unknowingly navigate towards each other. They are so different and yet experience similar uncertainties. These are depictions of real life situations revolving around forgiveness, accepting change, letting go and rebuilding a life.

I'm routing for Marcie, but I have to admit, Flint is my favorite here! The old & crotchety sour-puss! We should all be so lucky to have someone like Herman Flint in our lives.

I highly recommend this book to everyone who reads! It will make you laugh, cry and inspire you! And who doesn't love a book with sea turtles on the cover? All the stars!

Thank you to Elisha at Berkley for a widget of this ARC through NetGalley. It has been my pleasure to give my honest and voluntary review. The expected publication date is 11/9/21.

This isn't my normal genre so this was a bit different for me, but it was still good. I was reminded while reading this why this isn't my norm though because I prefer using reading for escapism and I didn't feel I was escaping much when reading this probably because it touched and discussed some things in life that I've experienced that are hard and I prefer not to think about too much.
In this story, Marcie finds herself trying to navigate and figure out how to cope with an unexpected and hard loss. As she's trying to deal with things and get back into normal life, one day she ends up driving from her home in Georgia to a town in Florida instead of driving to work. She is found by an old ornery man, Flint, on the beach passed out and he isn't quite sure who she is or what is going on with her, but since he's lived alone for a long time, he doesn't want anything to do with her or knowing anything. Flint ends up, reluctantly, agreeing to let Marcie stay with him for a short time to get back on her feet and go back home as long as she stays out of his way. Of course, for a while, they are like passing ships in the night and have little to do with each other. They don't even really see each other until one day when an incident brings them to where they have to talk, interact and become more like roommates. This becomes a bit more heartwarming as it goes on with the friendship that comes between Flint and Marcie as they deal with the hard things in their lives and in the end I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. I didn't like how Marcie dealt with things or rather didn't deal and ran away though, but I can see why it may have been what she needed though I wouldn't recommend that.
This is a thought-provoking at times heartwarming read that I would recommend if you're a fan of this author or these types of stories. I would put a content warning that it may be triggering for some who've had difficulties in marriage, with divorce, separation, and/or miscarriage.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Have you ever wanted to just walk away from your current situation in life? Just run away? In The Way We Weren't, that is exactly what Marcie does and finds herself waking up in a strange place. This story is full of heartbreak, love, and learning to move forward. The relationship that grows between Marcie and Flint is so endearing and also fun with the banter that goes on between the two. This story is beautifully written; you will feel like you are right there in town with the characters.

I was captivated by the friendship between Marcie and Flint. Their conversations made me care about them and where they were going to end up. I was utterly satisfied by the ending and loved this book.

The Way We Weren't by Phoebe Fox

The Way We Weren't is such a sweet story. I can hear seventy year old Herman Flint snorting as I say that. There is nothing sweet about Flint, he not only doesn't care if you like him, he seems determined to make sure no one wants anything to do with him. People are not worth the time and trouble of acknowledging them. So Flint knew he was making a mistake when he rescued a woman who'd spend the day collapsed in from of his house.

The woman is forty three year old Marcie Malone, a married career woman who, after a huge loss, realizes her marriage wasn't what she thought it was. If only she could go back to any number of points in time, if only certain things hadn't happened to her to make her realize how much she may not want to be where she is in life. She knows now that her life was just a "giving in" and ignoring those things that meant so much to her.

Flint is running from his past and his mistakes, running while standing in place, in his home town where he's been except for his three years in the service. He's mired in his hurt, anger, and bitterness, and heaven help anyone who tries to disturb his reclusive life. He only cares about his books and the turtles now.

Marcie impulsively drove away from her life, her heartbreak and her despondence overriding her normal, sensible, safe thinking. And now she is stuck with Flint, or rather, Flint is stuck with her, while she gathers resources to make her next move. Both Marcie and Flint are dealing with things they have tried to ignore for way too long. Both of them need to change in order to save themselves and each other.

Marcie awakens in Flint all that he's closed off and tried to forget. And life with Flint, and those Marcie gets to know in this place that becomes more like a home than a place where she got stuck, awakens in Marcie the parts of her she set aside because she was afraid not to choose the safe path. This is such a hopeful, gentle story, where the risk of not taking the safest path may be the best way to live.

Thank you to Elisha at Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for this ARC.

4.5 stars
This is a beautifully well written book that will enter your soul and make you think about your life and your choices.

It's the story of Marcie, a woman in her 40s who after a devastating loss, unexpectedly drives away from her life in Georgia (job, husband, etc.) and ends up in a coastal Florida town. Exhausted and bereft, she falls asleep on the beach, which is where 7oish year old curmudgeon Flint finds her and takes her into his home. Flint has his own issues, but gradually the two begin to form a sort of alliance, yet they are both unwilling and unable to share their deepest heartaches and losses with each other. Marcie decides to stay for a bit, and reassesses her life and choices, which in turn causes Flint to take a difficult look back on his as well.

I have to say that I really liked Flint throughout this book. He isn't an easy many, but his character seemed so real and genuine. Marcie, on the other hand, I found to be annoying and irritating. By the end, I could definitely see her side a bit, but I thought that she wasn't giving Will a fair shake at any time. I really get that she needed to figure out who she was, but some of her choices were just so beyond my ability to grasp and accept that it made me lose respect for her and her journey.

These things are definitely signs of a great book though, because it really made me think and wonder which decisions and choices I would have made had I been in both Marcie's and Flint's shoes. And sea turtles make absolutely every book better, so props to the author for their inclusion, every time turtles were mentioned I smiled.

I was fully engaged throughout the reading of this book and think it would make an excellent book for book clubs to discuss because there's so much depth here that will resonate in different ways with different readers.

This is the story of love, loss, redemption, and one of my favorite themes--found family. Definitely pick this one up.

If you’ve ever had the thought, even for a fleeting moment, what if I just kept driving, left it all behind - then you will love this book. One of my favorite things about really, really, great storytelling is that it takes these little moments, these passing thoughts that so many of us have and dives deep into them. Marcie felt like a friend telling me about this different kind of growing up we do in our 40s. About hitting rock bottom to find a new true north. Flint was the best sort of grumpy, stubborn, 70 year old with his own lessons to learn. The Way We Weren’t follows both of their messy and non-linear journeys with grief, though a lens of hope without oversimpifying. At it’s core this is a story about the importance of human connection, the gift of listening and power of being heard-- which feels especially poignant in this moment in time.

Marcie Malone leaves her job in Georgia, her marriage and everything she holds dear and ends up passed out on a beach in Florida. Herman Flint finds her outside his condo and helps her in her weakest moment and gives her a place to stay and time to reevaluate what is important in her life.

I love a book with multigenerational characters, a run down beach town and characters that take a long look at the life that they have created for themselves so far. Is it enough? Could it be better? Did you choose the right person to spend your life with?

The Way We Weren't is a beautifully self reflective novel full of good people trying to do the right thing in this thing we all call life. I would like to thank net galley and the publishers for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

One morning on her way to work in Atlanta, Marcie decides she has to get away. She leaves everything -- her husband, her job, and her comfortable life. Flint finds her on the beach in Florida. He provides her with a safe place and the opportunity to figure out what she wants out of life.

Wow! A touching story of loss, regret, forgiveness, and self-discovery unfolds in The Way We Weren't. Flint, Marcie, and the quirky people around them are all realistic characters; their problems are quite relatable. The unlikely friendship between Flint and Marcie warmed my heart. This book was a delight to read!

The Way We Weren't is an excellent reminder to live life to the fullest by dwelling in the possibilities instead of fearing the unknowns.


Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for an advance copy of this book.

Loved it! Such a heartwarming and touching story. Loss and heartbreak bring together an unlikely friendship of two people most unlikely to have met, but help each other heal. Marcie Malone is struggling with her marriage, work and life in general. Her character is believable and relatable. Herman Flint is dealing with his own loss and I love his grumpy character. There were parts that made me laugh, and parts that made me cry. I want to have lunch at Tequila Mockingbird with Darla and "the boys". Cast of characters are lovable and well written. This book is perfect for those who love a good character story, a touch of suspense/mystery and just plain great story telling.

What an amazing story. The relationship between Marcie and Flint was unusual and so engaging. I smiled and cried and got angry in all the right places as they did their dance of getting to know each other, trust each other, and help each other. The helping part took great acts of courage from both sides.

Everything rang so true in the story, from those main characters, to the supporting cast, and the ways the lives came together, then apart, and then together at the most crucial time when everyone needed help as a hurricane approached.

I can't say a lot more without giving away major plot points, but I highly recommend this book for the honest treatment of a variety of relationships, as well as wonderful descriptions that set scenes that made me close my eyes and imagine the water lapping at the shore and sand on my feet.

I just finished this book and, wow, it was SO good. The Way We Weren't was about two characters, nearing middle-aged Marcie and more elderly Flint, who met in a twist of fate and changed each other's lives in a way neither imagined possible. Both of their stories were equally gripping but it was grumpy Flint who stole my heart with his mushy center. These unlikely housemates forced the other to face their own demons and it played out so beautifully. The secondary characters were wonderful. There was one aspect of the book I feared veering in a different direction and was relieved when it didn't. I highly recommend this novel to anyone who wants to feel their heart actually plump while reading. It was beautiful.

This book is one of the finest I’ve read this year.

The author has brought these characters to life and as I spent more time with them, I just fell in love with them. This story was amazing and incredible, and excellent, and I don’t even know what to write about it. It was so beautiful.

It made me smile and cry; you really come to care about these characters, who are so fleshed out and real in a way not often seen. I am so very glad that I read this and recommend it to everyone who still holds onto hope and gratitude.



Thanks to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for an eARC of this title. Opinions shared are influenced by nothing other than my reading experience.