I love a marriage in crisis story and I was really interested in the premise here. A little role playing in order to reconnect sounded cute but I didn’t realize that it was going to be one long and drawn out acting gig between Eliza and Graham. I was in it for the first half but by the second I just kept thinking, why the hell wont these two just talk to each other already? Or better yet just go see a marriage counselor? Yes, they had issues but they seemed fairly easy to overcome and all could’ve been solved by an open and honest conversation because they still loved each other so I just found myself wondering why they couldn’t get it together. I did listen to much of this on audio and Brittany Pressley and Dan Bittner were both phenomenal. 3 star story and 5 star narration for sure. This one missed the mark for me but I loved their previous book so I’ll give them another shot for sure.

Thank you so much for an advanced copy of Do I Know You? by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka. I enjoyed it so much!

Star Rating: 4⭐️
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Pub Date: January 24, 2023

This is my second book by this writing duo, and it will not be my last! Generally speaking (not necessarily about this book), I love their writing style. It reads with such fluidity that you would never guess two people wrote the book together. I truly reads as one voice, and I love that about the writing style!

Specifically about this book, it is a second chance romance type story. I'm a sucker for a second chance romance, so I was all in for this story. Do I Know You? really took a new spin on the marriage in crisis trope, and it just worked in this book. The story gives you all the feels that you want and need to see the beginning of a love, its near ending, and then the blossom of a second chance love. This book ultimately left me feeling so hopeful about love, and I found the entire story uplifting (even though it does have many emotional peaks and valleys IMO). I even shed a few tears as I read, which is honestly pretty rare for me in a romance book.

There is a lot of miscommunication in the story (some of which I felt could have been solved by a marriage counselor, BUT that would have been too easy for these characters), but it didn't frustrate me too much. I felt like the miscommunications and problems were the conduit needed to bring the charge back to their marriage.

This book is just really good, fresh, and romantic. If you enjoy second chance love, you will love this story!

Do I Know You? is a great marriage in crisis book by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka. I truly enjoyed watching Eliza and Graham 'date' one another, open up, and get their spark back in their marriage.

It's Eliza and Graham's five year anniversary trip and marriage hasn't been blissful for them the last year. Nothing huge has happened, it's more of a lack of connection and communication. When the resort makes a mistake with their reservation, they run with it.

These two both have things they need to work on and they do. I enjoyed seeing them communicate with one another better and work to fix things, all while having fun doing it. I especially liked the secondary character, David. He was great. Overall I enjoyed this one a lot!

So I love second chance romances and especially books that really go into the nitty gritty of marriage.
Eliza & Graham go on a 5 year wedding annv. trip to this amazing hotel where they accidentally get mistaken for singles...and they play along.
So they role play pretending not to know another and date for the 'first' time and see if they can reignite the spark they once had.
Overall this wasn't it for me. They never really explained why their marriage was on the rocks and honestly their communication was horrible. I really loved their previous book, The Roughest Draft but for some reason this book sadly didn't work for me.

Judging books by their covers strikes again...but not in a bad way? This book was not at all what I expected from the cover, but I really enjoyed it. I went into it expecting a kind of road-trippy rom-com, but was pleasantly surprised by this role-playing, surprisingly emotional look at this couple's marriage. It was deeper and more real than a rom-com, and scratched an itch I didn't know I had.

This book had such a strong theme of hope despite the characters' strained marriage. The miscommunication trope irritated me at times, but it pulled through in the end.

I also love that it's written by a married author duo!

I loved this wonderful story about Eliza and Graham, a married couple that is about to celebrate their 5-year wedding anniversary and both feel like they just don't know each other anymore. Graham's parents gift them a stay at a resort, and once they arrive to discover two rooms had been booked, Eliza decides they should keep both. They end up playing a game as if they are only meeting for the first time.

I loved that the story alternates between both of their perspectives and how pretending they are only meeting for the first time and "dating" again, it makes their relationship stronger.

A fabulous read!
Thank you Berkely Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC!

Do I Know You? is a refreshing and honest portrait of a struggling marriage. I've read some of the young adult novels from Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka and enjoyed them, so I was excited to read one of their adult romance novels this time. Eliza and Graham are gifted a vacation by Graham's parents to celebrate their 5th wedding anniversary - but they have both been unwilling to admit that their marriage is in trouble. Being at a resort made for couples and dating workshops - and a mix-up leading to two rooms being booked - offers them an opportunity to start over and meet each other through fresh eyes. The "role playing" as alternate versions of themselves was played out a bit and kind of tiring at times as it was sometimes easier for them to avoid having honest conversations. It isn't always smooth sailing and they both struggle and come close to giving up at times. Do I Know You? was a fantastic second chance romance with a couple you truly want to root for. Also David was an excellent character - and his friendship with Graham was a great addition.
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the chance to read this novel.

After 5 years of marriage, Eliza and Graham couldn’t be any more like a couple of friends and roommates. Their romance has died. But the attraction hasn’t? Until they are sent on a week-long vacation gifted by Graham’s parents to celebrate their anniversary. When a stranger introduces them to each other, Graham and Eliza take it upon themselves to go along like they’ve only just met. Could this role play unlock doors to each other and save their failing marriage?

All in all, good! I personally loved that this story took on a marriage in crisis angle and tackled it differently with the role play aspect. It was really sweet to see the main character reconnect even though they took on these “roles.” In the end, they were still attracted to each other and very much loved each other to want to stay together. They each had some strained family dynamics that kind of made its way into the story, and in some sense felt out of place to me. Regardless, the premise worked and the dual POVs made it enjoyable.

Lovely second chance Romance. The characters were fun and relatable, the dialogue was very natural and it had great spicy scenes.

Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka are quickly become one of my favorite writing duos. I loved The Roughest Draft last year and was excited to read their latest book, Do I Know You?

Graham and Eliza's are a married couple who are desperately in love and going on a getaway trip celebrating their fifth wedding anniversary. They are also going through a rough patch in their marriage and have been co-existing in an oddly polite manner that has left them feeling like strangers.

After a series of misunderstandings that result in Graham an Eliza staying in separate hotel rooms and people believing they are strangers, they decide to pretend not to know each other during their trip in hopes of finding each other again.

Graham and Eliza both struggle with insecurities that they hide from one another, and it has led to a lot of hurt feelings and an ocean of distance between them. We get to see them learn each other again - Do I Know You is Dual POV, so we get to see both of their perspectives - while pretending to be other people, which is fun and exciting but doesn't address the root cause of their struggles.

Their love was NEVER in question, it just took them a bit to let go of the illusion of a "perfect marriage" and understand that relying on one another can grow and strengths their relationship, not burden it.

Graham and Eliza's journey of love and re-discovery was the perfect marriage-in-crisis, second chance, character driven romance.

I had no idea that the author duo is a husband and wife. How fun! This is my first by them and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Can I just say how refreshingly mature this story felt. The conflict between the two and the distance one can feel after a few years of marriage is very relatable. Also, the fact that they both truly loved and liked one another. They both WANTED to find their way back to one another and I loved that for them. I couldn’t help but root for them, even if they could be frustrating at times. Can’t we all though.

Loved the vulnerability and honesty.

I received a gifted galley of DO I KNOW YOU? by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka for an honest review. Thank you to PRH Audio, Berkley Publishing Group, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review!

DO I KNOW YOU? follows Eliza and Graham, a couple feeling very unsettled in their marriage. Having been gifted a weeklong vacation for their five year anniversary they go through an awkward car ride to reach their destination. Upon arrival it turns out there was a mixup in the reservation and suddenly having two rooms instead of one actually sounds like a good idea.

When one of their fellow guests misunderstands and assumes Graham and Eliza are both single and just meeting for the first time, they decide to roll with it. Now, it is all about initial firtations, how soon is too soon to text, and wondering how to schedule a first date. This week of being strangers seems to be just what they needed, but both have to wonder what it will mean when they have to go back to being themselves.

This was a fun twist on a romance read and I really enjoyed it! I think it makes a lot of good points about places where a marriage can stumble and assumptions and lack of communication that contribute to that. Taking on the roles of new, slightly different people uncovers a lot of truths that each didn’t realize about themselves and each other. There were times where I was frustrated with both characters, but I think that was somewhat the point! I loved their new friend Daniel and that he had more of a role to play beyond just furthering the plot by mistaking them for singles.

This was a fun and different read and one I would recommend! That it is written by a married couple also adds some authenticity to the discussions of marriage and relationship struggles.

Thank you to PRHAudio for my complimentary audio book and Berkley for my eArc. All thoughts are my own.

Do I Know You is a book like no other I have read, it was quite a treat to read outside my usual genre.

The MC's (Graham and Eliza) are celebrating their 5th wedding anniversary. Things have been a little stale in their relationship, and they are treated to a romantic week at a hotel by well meaning parents, When it turns out they have 2 rooms, Eliza proposes they stay in separate rooms. While taken aback, Graham agrees.
When they meet for dinner, another guest mistakenly assumes they are single, so the charade begins.

What follows is a touching and romantic journey of rediscovering all the heat and romance of new love. While not quite sure of how their journey will end after the week is up, Graham and Eliza are determined to make the most of their second chance.
I was very happy with the ending.

This duo has become an "auto-read" for me, at least their adult romance. I loved The Roughest Draft, and I might have enjoyed this one even more. I found the struggles of Eliza and Graham compelling and believable. Second chance romance is one of my favorite tropes and this book is a fun twist on it since Eliza and Graham are married yet still in desperate need of a second chance. The plot unfolded perfectly. I was pulling for them the entire time! I already can't wait for their next book!

When I read the synopsis for this one, I was instantly intrigued. A marriage in crisis so the couple decides to act like strangers to get the spark back/reconnect - SOLD! The book started off strong and I thought the authors did a great job discussing how couples grow and change over the years and how important clear and open communication is in a marriage. I appreciated that this was a marriage in crisis novel that didn't have any infidelity or other man/woman drama involved. Graham and Eliza only have eyes for each other and both are committed to their marriage and making it work. I loved the nods to areas around California (especially southern California), and the set up was unique. Unfortunately, things lost momentum about midway and I found the second half pretty boring. I never fully liked Eliza and her behavior annoyed me as the story progressed. The plotline with her family was also confusing (why didn't they just have a conversation?) and I'm not sure that, as well as the issues with her marriage, were ever fully addressed/resolved. I liked Graham overall, but his lack of confidence made him come across as a doormat for most of the book. The narration by Dan Bittner and Brittany Pressley was wonderful though and they both conveyed a lot of emotion and humor into their performances. I'm sad this one didn't quite work for me, but this could definitely be a case of it's me, not you.

Audiobook Review
Overall 3 stars
Performance 5 stars
Story 2.5 stars

CW: sister estrangement and family tensions

*I voluntarily read and listened to an advance review copy of this book*

4.5 stars. I haven't read much of the "marriage in trouble" trope and have never been very interested in it, but I enjoyed (but didn't love) the authors' previous adult romance, so I thought I'd try this one - and found I pretty much loved this version of two people finding their way back together. The premise was fun and created some different dynamics and banter, as well as a unique way for us to learn about the characters and their relationship from a new angle. The shifts in their characters from real life to pretending were entertaining and illuminating.

Eliza and Graham felt like a real couple, nothing overdramatic but instead everyday and relatable. I was relieved by how much they loved each other and wanted to make things work, rather than needing to completely fall in love again or having bigger issues in the story. It felt like a mature, realistic exploration of two people trying to figure it out, with plenty of fun and cute moments and a romantic setting. There were some wonderful romantic moments that combined first dates with existing chemistry and so much history.

My only reservations were that Eliza's personal conflicts with her sister and parents were a bit more explained, while Graham's parents appeared and with them, a whole new layer to Eliza and Graham's relationship that we had only a tiny hint of before. Their family issues and the way they affected the two could have been fleshed out a bit more over the course of the book. I really enjoyed David, their new vacation friend, and his arc, and just wish his love interest had a final moment with Eliza or a bit more balance in the story.

Eliza and Graham have been gifted a romantic getaway for their five year anniversary. Unfortunately for them, their relationship is struggling. They still love each other, but are missing the spark, the desire to reach for each other. When they get to the resort and there are accidentally two rooms however, Eliza has an idea. Pretend they don’t know each other. Meet each other again, flirt, and rekindle their love. Will this plan bring the two back together?

Ok I freaking loved this idea for a novel. Old married couple pretending to be single to try and find their way back to each other? It was such a fun idea and Eliza and Graham played it so well. I also loved however, that we got their individual thoughts as they each played a character. Daniel was a five star sidekick/new friend, I just adored his quirky personality, even if he did fall in love at the drop of a hat! This was such a fun read and I totally recommend picking up a copy when it comes out this week!

I enjoyed this book which is about a couple who go on a trip but feel as though they are married to a stranger so they play a game of pretend in order to find that spark. I have read the authors previous book, The Roughest Draft, which I really enjoyed so I was glad to have picked this one up. I don't know how the authors do it but let's say they both write such fantastic stories together. I do have to say that I wasn't hooked from the beginning but that happened to The Roughest Draft and after giving it a minute, the story fell into place. I enjoyed the unique plot and pacing of this book. I enjoyed how it wasn't just a romance story but a theme of fixing the marriage and communicating with their partner. This book is written in dual perspectives so get both of their POVs of their lives.

The main characters in this book are Eliza and Graham. Eliza is a narrator for books and Graham is a lawyer. I enjoyed both of their characters and how they started from the beginning to how they ended up. Both had a great character development together and I enjoyed their story. There are some side characters but they aren't very involved with the story which I think was perfect for this book. The romance was light and cute as it was more about developing the couple's marriage so don't expect spiciness. The trope is second chance romance and trouble in paradise.

The ending was well done with readers getting an epilogue. I really enjoyed this book and thought it was very well written. There aren't many books out there that talks about developing a marriage so I thought it was inspiring in a way. I did have an issue getting into the story but other than that this book was so good. I do recommend this book especially as it's written from a couple themselves and there's nothing like this.

Normally I am not a fan of marriage in trouble, but if I was going to trust anyone to nail it, it would be Emily and Austin and they totally did. I fell in love with both of these characters and I loved watching them rediscover their love for each other. I thought the whole pretending to be strangers set up was so fun and unique and it led to some really beautiful moments between the couple. Overall, such a gorgeous read!

I really enjoyed this one! Sexy, sweet, and a really different way to write a second chance! They've done it again!