while I wasn't sure at first if THE WAY I USED TO BE needed a sequel, I was really glad I read this and I loved how it attached onto the first book, not only providing the reader with a bit more closure but also addressing some super important and heavy topics throughout. the book follows eden and josh who we meet in the first book and we get to see their second chance romance play out as they reconnect once again. and while this book is technically a young adult romance, I would argue that this book is so much more, focusing a lot on the contemporary fiction side and dealing with deeper topics such as mental health and the lasting repercussions of traumatic events. it was simply so eye-opening and raw and made me think about things from a new perspective, especially regarding the dynamic of certain relationships and how people can change over time, as affected by various events. overall, I really did enjoy this and was happy to see these characters again, finding their way to happiness, especially after the heartache the first book caused me.

I wasn't sure I could withstand more of this story line, but I desperately needed Eden and josh to have their happy ending. On one hand, I'm really happy with how the romance turned out but I was also really disappointed with the lack of healing/ growth after so much trauma Eden went through in the first book.

Couldn't have been written any better, this is the second part of the story. Make sure you read The Way I Used To Be first. This book continues about a couple months after the first book ends. Eden was sexually assaulted in her own room by her brothers best friend. This follows the aftermath of how the trauma has affected every single part of her life. Book one goes in depth regarding everything that happens that night, the next morning and next several months. Book two is her last year in high school and going into University. It goes more in depth and is very explicit as to how trauma affects your life. I don't want to give too much but it's a well written story and also real life. Worth the read.

I'm so glad a second book came out. This book addresses the after effects of the rape that Eden suffered in the first book. I thought there was even deeper character development for both Eden and Josh. I was happy to see that Josh and Eden got a second chance and how well they worked together. Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC.

The Way I Am Now was one of my top 3 reads of 2023. I can't adequately put into words how much I loved this book/duet.

This is the second book. A follow up to The Way I Use to Be. Picking up some months after the ending of that one. If you haven't read that book read it first it is very powerful, and moved me in many ways. And this follow up continues to do the same.

But in this our fmc gets a chance that love when she's in a better place with the one who got away. This book is duel POV which is so amazing to get both of these characters perspective. They're both written with depth, and progresses the story move on. Plus it's a delight to read their love story. A love story while still dealing with events and heavy topic of the last book. This follow up is perfect and everything I wanted it to be. I can't recommend this duet enough.

This book was just “meh” for me. I felt like I was reading it because I had to finish it instead of reading it because I wanted to finish it. I can’t quite put my finger on what it was.

3.5

I did quite understand the hype surrounding the first book though I definitely did enjoy it and wanted a Josh and Eden story just as badly as the next person and THIS DELIVERED! Gut wrenching and heartbreaking this explored the other side of SA. The healing, grief, how it affects those around you, as well as facing the enemy and how difficult it all is. Amber Smith did such a great job with this particular part of the journey. My heart goes out to all of the survivors of SA. You are not alone. You are seen, you are heard, you are beautiful and you are so much more!

I really wanted to love this one but it's been too long since I've read The Way I Used to Be and I think I need to reread in order to give a fair review.

this book broke me and also put me back together at the same time 🫠🥹😅 I really felt deeply for the characters and after the first one, I think this was the perfect way to continue the story!

this was so good, so happy that eden and josh got their happy ending (they deserved so much).

Eden’s journey was a rollercoaster but at the end i’m so glad she found her way again (and justice)

This book follows up on a previous book. One must really read the first book to understand this book. That being said, the author does an excellent job of covering each main character's thoughts and actions. She shows realistic ways in which issues are dealt and how people react in given situations.

I wanted to love this book but it fell a little short of love. I appreciated the end to a love story i've been waiting to happen since The Way I Used to Be but I didn't get all the answers I had questions to! I would definitely recommend the book to anyone who has read the first book as it does bring you on a journey of healing and love. For me it wasn't as grabbing as the first book and didn't give me as much closure as I had hoped for.

This much-anticipation sequel does not disappoint. The first novel left readers wondering where Eden would head next, and this next chapter answered all questions and left readers satisfied with how her story evolves. Well worth the wait.

I remember reading The Way I Used to Be and being rocked to my core. It was one of those books that I never put down – reading in one sitting.

The Way I Am Now finds Eden and Josh ready to give their relationship a chance. Both are learning how to love each other while healing from hurts of the past. Eden can’t escape what happened when she was 14, and as the hearing comes closer, she struggles with her pain. Josh tries to help, but he is struggling with his own repressed feeling from his father’s addiction and recovery. The alternating point-of-view works with this novel in showcasing the characters’ journeys through the story.

It’s been several years since I read Eden’s story, and it took me a few chapters to get into The Way I Am Now. Readers who discover the two novels back-to-back will have a different experience. The further into the novel I got, the faster it read. Smith captures emotion and helps readers see what is possible for her characters, knowing that both Eden and Josh are flawed. The dandelion serves as an appropriate symbol of hope for both characters and I like how it becomes a controlling image in the novel. I can’t wait to put copies of this in my classroom library!

Thank you NetGalley, Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, Margaret K. McElderry Books, and Amber Smith for providing me with a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Oh wow, what a great read! I remember reading this first book in this series and loving it, so I was highly anticipating this novel and I was not disappointed. I will definitely recommend this my patrons!

So glad I received this arc. This author is just amazing. This book is such a cute read with purpose. I highly recommend reading this if you’re looking for something different. but lovely four 4 1/2 stars

I was surprised this jumps right back in at the exact same time. It was a beautiful story but I still felt like I needed more. It was a hea by the hair of its chiny chin chin. The only real character development was in the last 30 mins of the book. Josh is still trying to do hard to do good and gosh he breaks my heart.

I really enjoyed The Way I Used To Be, so I was looking forward to reading this sequel. Unfortunately, I was let down. Perhaps not every book requires a sequel. This novel just didn't appear to have as much heart as the previous. Overall this was just okay.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for the E-ARC

All thoughts and opinions are honest and my own.

I actually enjoyed this one much more than the first book. It's rare that I can say that about a sequel, but the character growth was phenomenal. Everything was wrapped up in a way that didn't feel forced or to perfect. I could not have asked for a better ending.

I read and reviewed The Way I Used to Be when it came out in 2016

Balancing everything (reader expectations, Eden's psychological and life journey, her relationship with Josh, and her quest for justice) was a tough job in this book.

I did like that this was a dual POV book and the reader gets to know Josh much better. I think it improved the book to make him not just a perfect book boyfriend, but a full person in his own right with his own difficult family dynamics and his own struggles. However, I did think including his POV meant less space and time for showing Eden's journey, both psychologically and through the justice system

Trauma changes you. After a traumatic event, you can still be a happy person and have a wonderful and fulfilling life. But I also think you can't get your old self back, and the titles of the two books reinforce that.

Over the course of these books, we see three Edens: the happy and carefree fourteen year-old prior to her assault, the Eden who tries to hide and push down her shame and guilt over what happened, and a third Eden who chooses to share and face what happened to her and try to heal and move forward.

I can see that opinions of this book are varied, but I also feel that it's hard to "review" this kind of a story. Eden's story was not a neat and tidy narrative. But these books are important and can both touch and inspire many.