Though this book was originally published in 2019, it has only really hit the world of Social Media in the last couple of months with its eye-catching cover that makes us not only crush on the book but want to read it. I went into the book having a feeling that it was going to be an angsty New Adult Romance with potentially the same feel as After by Anna Todd. It wasn't as Angsty as I thought, but turned out to be more unrequited love and then requited love and then back to unrequited before finishing the end of Book #1. It was like come on Axel, man up and fight for her, don't show her that you are the quitter everyone thinks you are. The book starts with thirty-year-old Axel being asked a favour by his best friend since childhood Oliver - to look after his sister Leah while he is away for the year. Leah was with her parents when they died in a car accident and she survived but wishes she was dead. Her life lost all happiness and colour and she withdrew. Axel hates seeing her like this and pushes her out of her shell and we see glimpses of the old Leah back. Of course, this means that Leah's feelings of love for Axel come back and he fights until he gives up and they end up sleeping together. Of course, not everyone is happy with the decision and how can they be when she's only 19 and he's 30? Will Axel do the right thing and fight for her or will he "Let it Be" and in the words of Elsa - Let it Go? This book also features throughout the novels, quite a few songs of The Beatles including a childhood favourite of Yellow Submarine. The book ends on a semi-cliffhanger as Book #2 picks up three years later. If you are in the mood for some New Adult Romance, then check out "All That We Never Were" by Alice Kellen today.

This book. THIS BOOK. And the ending?? How do I wait til Jan 2024 for the continuation?!

Leah and Axel grew up together/her brother raised her after their parents died in a crash. Flash forward to Leah being of age and having always had her crush on Axel…those feelings are mutual. When they act on it, the intense urge of need radiates off the page and ultimately gave me butterflies. I get nostalgic when a book gives me butterflies as I used to get them with books when I was growing up. And to know that books can still provoke that feeling is my favorite thing.

5/5 stars. I have totally not sone this on purpose but third book in a row that details death that I have read. Leah is copping with the death of her parents in a car accident that she was also in. Her copping mechanism: staying closed off. When her elder brother, Oliver, accepts a job in Sydney she starts to stay with her brother’s best friend and family friend Axel Nguyen, who she also happens to have a crush on. Axel is determined to have Leah feel again but instead he realizes how he feels about her. I love the coastal, simple Byron Bay imagery and despite the 10 year age gap I think this relationship has potential in the next book as I agree right now is too early for it to work out. The ideas of the power of art and music and that chosen family is important are also shown and improve the novel. We all live in a yellow submarine.

All That We Never Were has so many things I like in a book: short chapters, dual perspective, real emotion, and forbidden love to name a few.

Leah and her parents are in a horrific car accident and only Leah survives. In her older brother, Oliver’s, attempt to provide for Leah, he transfers to Sydney for work and leaves Leah to finish high school while living with his best friend Axel. What Oliver doesn’t know is that Leah has been in love with Axel for years.

While I’ve thankfully never experienced grief in the magnitude that Leah faces, it is clear that Alice Kellen expertly describes the mourning process and the long battle of overcoming immense grief. Kellen writes descriptions that force you to slow down and really see the environment; the colors, textures, movements and contrast.

You’ll feel all the things reading this book. You’ll feel Leah’s grief, Axel’s determination and hope that Leah can return to the girl he once knew, Oliver’s difficult decisions in suddenly being responsible for his younger sister and you’ll even laugh at the ridiculousness of Axel’s dad.

I don’t typically mind an age gap story but the fact that Leah, although 19 and technically an adult, was still finishing high school kind of made me cringe.

Before I started reading I noticed that the book says it’s a “Let It Be Novel”. I didn’t really know what that meant but after reading it I should have taken that to mean it’s the first in a series and you won’t get closure from the ending of this book. I’m ready for book two now!

I kept picking up subtle Colleen Hoover vibes while I read this one so if you’re a CoHo fan, you should check this one out.

TW: death of parents, car accident

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC.

Thank you netgalley & Alice Kellen for this arc! The synopsis sounds good but unfortunately I couldn’t get into the writing.

Unfortunately, I had to DNF this book at about 20%. I am typically a fan of age-gap romances, but in this case, it felt like the MMC was taking advantage of a vulnerable 18-year-old. The MMC is a 30-year-old who is now supposed to look after his best friend's sister, a high school senior. Her parents passed away in a car crash recently, and she is in a terrible place mentally. This plot did not sit well with me, so I did have to stop reading.

Thank you Netgalley and Alice Kellen for providing me this book in return of an honest review.

The story revolves around Leah, a young woman grappling with her parents' tragic demise. Her older brother, Oliver, leaves for work, entrusting Leah to their lifelong friend, Axel, in Byron Bay. As Axel steps in to support Leah, he stumbles upon her long-standing affection for him. Over time, their feelings deepen, but when Oliver discovers their secret, he insists Axel let Leah go for her college experience. The book beautifully explores themes of resilience, love, and healing. What enhances this experience further is the outstanding audiobook narration by Bridie Lawrence and Dorje Swallow. They did a commendable job bringing the characters to life, adding depth and authenticity to the story. Their performances enhanced the characters' emotional journey, making it even more compelling. Alice Kellen's writing shines, and her handling of grief, depression, and anxiety is commendable. The emotional depth and character development make it a must-read, leaving readers eagerly awaiting the sequel.

really good book and kept me on my on my toes of what would happen. really enjoyed the characters and their journey and would read this author again.

The only family Leah has left is her older brother Oliver. Oliver gets a promotion in a different city and leaves her in the care of his Bestfriend Axel. They've all known each other since childhood. Leah has been in love with Axel all her life, but Axel has no idea....until 1 day. The book is left off on somewhat of a cliffhanger.

The book wasn't bad, I just felt like some chapters could have been cut out. I can't wait to read book 2 in January to see all that occurs in their lives.

Well I guess I'm not a fan of an 11 year age gap love story. How mature of Axel to "let" Leah go and experience college. BOY BYEEEEEEEEEEE

In this book, the heroine is the sole survivor of the car accident that killed her parents. To support the both of them, her older brother has to work in Sydney and leave her with the hero, his best friend. Living together, the relationship between the hero and the heroine changed towards the romantic side. However, the romantic relationship is revealed to the heroine's brother, and decisions were made that will affect their future in unexpected ways.

This is the first book in the LET IT BE duology. The book features romantic tropes includes brother's-best-friend, age-gap, and forbidden love. The version that I read is a translated version of the original story and has a nice book cover. It was an enjoyable read, but there was a definite need of more details in my opinion since there were situations that were not explored as much in this book. Overall, it was a nice start to the LET IT BE series.

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** Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions and thoughts in the review are my own. **

Thank you Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca for a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review. I thought this book was cute. The middle part of the book lagged and dragged, but the beginning and ending hooked my attention. The author has beautiful writing. She did a good job explaining grief and how that can affect each person differently. There were a lot of quotes that stuck out to me and felt inspirational. I am excited to read the second book in the duology.

I had mixed feelings about this book. I liked the style of writing. I found it easy to read and it moved relatively quickly. The characters felt realistic and complex. The book seemed a bit rushed at the end and then sets up for a second part in a future book. I'm typically okay with continuing stories. What I think I struggled with is connecting with and understanding the characters. I couldn't decide if Axel was a good man helping Leah through her grief or if he was a selfish one for the way he pushed. I wavered back and forth and generally didn't feel like the relationship was healthy. The topics were complex and deep, so it's not a light read. I received an advance copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

When Oliver and Leah lose their parents in a car accident, not only are their lives forever changed, but the lives of their best friends as well. Oliver's best friend, Axel, is more like a brother, and thier parents were the best of friends as well. With their deaths, both families are shattered in ways that are explored throughout this book. Nobody feels the loss harder than Leah, who was in the car with them during the accident. Now she is a shell of who she once was, shying away from her past friendships, missing enough school that she doesn't graduate, and basically just existing with her brother as her guardian now.

When Oliver is needed in Sydney for his job, he knows he has to take the opportunity to help provide a better life for Leah, but he also knows he can't take her with him, so he asks Axel to take her. Axel has know Leah since she was born, and can't let her exist the way she has been, and works to bring her back, but when their relationship turns into love, he knows that he has betrayed his best friend in the worst way possible.

I absolutely loved this book. It had angst and so many layers to all of the relationships of the two families. The book definitely meanders its way around the characters, and the reactions each has had to the events that have happened, and the way they each grieve in their own ways. Be warned that the book isn't some wham bam romance, it really takes its time in weaving together the love story, and it is almost like a mystery in the way that it takes its time unraveling each character and the way their lives have been affected and their reactions to the tragedy.

I thought the writing was gorgeous, and the use of Beatles songs and art throughout the book to interweave the characters' lives was really well thought out and a wonderful vehicle to bridge the their emotions and interactions. This book is part of a duet that is only completed in the Spanish language so far, and I'm already desperate to find out how the story ends.

Thank you to Casablanca Sourcebooks for providing me an ARC of this book.

This was such a good book! My only complaint was that I didn't realize when I started it that it would be a little bit of a cliffhanger or even that it was being continued into another book. So, that was a definite surprise and I'm now I'm anxious for the next book so I can see what happens to these characters that I grew attached to.

Leah and Oliver lost both of their parents in a car wreck. Leah was in the car when it happened and has been traumatized ever since. Oliver's best friend, Axel and his family have been the only stable force in their lives ever since. When Oliver needs to take a job in another city for a while to build up more money to be able to send Leah to college, he asks his friend, Axel for a huge favor - - to watch over his sister in his absence and let her live with him. Naturally, Axel agrees but quickly finds himself trying to help Leah move forward and address her grief instead of remaining stagnant. The bond they form is undeniable and intense and it gradually evolves from one of solid friendship to something more....something that feels forbidden.

I absolutely became so invested in these characters and their story. This was truly an emotional and gripping read and I'm ready for more.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: I was lucky enough to receive early copies of both the ebook and audiobook. This made it possibly for me to bounce back and forth between the two of them so that I was always able to keep "reading" this book. The narration worked for me and helped to keep me engaged in the book. 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for early copies of both the ebook and audiobook. I voluntarily chose to read/listen to and review them both and the opinions contained within are my own.

I absolutely loved everything about this one!!

I’m super into stories about grief and love persevering after death, especially because that’s big in my life right now. and I love stories that reflect upon life lessons!!

I think having the story about losing parents was a good introduction to each of the characters, especially oliver and leah. it really shaped them in ways I couldn’t even begin to describe - and I adored every second of their honesty and vulnerability!

the love story, on the other hand, was a secondary plot to me and not my favorite, but I am looking forward to seeing how it all shakes out in the sequel!

thank you to netgalley and sourcebooks for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: napa valley cabernet sauvignon

This was a decent romance. I think fans of Penelope Douglass might really appreciate the taboo age gap between the FMC and her brother's best friend. The novel focuses on Leah and Oliver who tragically lose their parents in an accident. When Oliver needs to be away for work, he sends his little sister to live with his best friend Axel. Leah is truly struggling with her grief and the PTSD surrounding it and as a result, Axel works to try and return her to the land of the living. I found the character development to be OK, but nothing memorable. I honestly found the entire relationship to be a little unbelievable, but I think that was mainly due to Leah's Naivety. overall, it was an OK story. I think this book probably is really good for someone, just didn't resonate totally with me.

This book was not for me. Neither of the characters really held my attention and felt like it went really slow.

Something about the age difference really bothered me. Don't get me wrong, 10 years isn't a horrible difference...when you're like 35 and 45. But 19 and 29? I don't know, there is still a lot of growth that occurs from that age and I found myself cringing and not really enjoying it. Also, Axel was a jerk the entire time. I kept waiting for something to spark and happen, and it just...didn't. Fell flat for me.

I just kept waiting and waiting and waiting for something to happen in this book, and nothing really did. Axel was honestly just mean - he thought he knew best and wouldn’t accept Leah doing anything other than what he said. He forced her into situations she didn’t want to do or be in - yes she ended up healing, but she would have gotten there without being pushed into it. And also 29/19 yr old age gap… which is fine?? Except she’s still in high school so that irked me.