Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

This book was very sweet. I flew through it in about two sittings, and I really enjoyed the premise of this story.

The setting of this story is beautiful, and I felt fully enveloped in it with the way the scenery and the cabins were described. I’ve never been to that area of New Hampshire, but I have been similar places, and reading a whole novel based in a place like that made me really miss the times I was also in a cabin in the middle of nowhere.

I also adored Jonah and his family. They were nothing but sweet and kind throughout the story, even if Tammy did tend to meddle a little bit. Though, I do think she was entirely justified in doing so. Jonah felt really authentic to me, and I’m not sure I can articulate why. He just felt so real, and I felt so sad for him for having to deal with constant heartbreak over and over again. Lord knows Lauren didn’t make it easy on him.

As for Lauren, she irked me quite a bit. I didn’t dislike her, and I did understand her reasoning for how she was acting at times, but I just don’t understand why she wouldn’t want any of her memories back. If I lost 4 whole months of my life, especially *important* months, I’d want to get them back??? I’d want to know why I made the decisions I did, especially if they were good enough to turn down my supposed dream job??

And not only that, Jonah deserves a medal for putting up with her antics. That man was nothing but respectful and kind and caring and loving to her even AFTER she stepped on his heart over and over, and she still didnt recognize the effort he was putting forth. Yes, sometimes she would have feelings of remorse, but then she would ignore them and go back to being rude to him and keeping him at a distance for funsies. I can’t blame Jonah for being miserable, I would be too, watching someone I planned to marry hate me from a distance.

I also felt like Lauren’s decisions (?) were a little rash, at times. I had a hard time suspending my disbelief. I just can’t understand how she would spend months *deciding* to hate her person, only to find a ring he bought for her and suddenly she loves him again? It didn’t make a lot of sense to me. I know she was burying her emotions for a while, but she never gave them enough attention for her realization and declaration of love to make sense to me. And she was so stubborn about moving back to Boston even though she clearly didn’t want to go. I feel bad for everyone involved in her back and forth on those decisions.

Overall, this book was nice. I enjoyed the time I spent with it, but I did feel that maybe Lauren’s feelings/decisions could have been elaborated upon a bit more, just because they felt a little out of the blue.

3/5 stars

With it early into my holiday I'm gravitating towards light chick-lit, and this fit the bill. The believability pushed things from the start, when the male lead was planning on proposing the very night that the female lead fell from a ladder and lost the last four months of her memory - the time they knew each other. But I was happy to extend the believability as it's a sweet story of sacrificial love, and I appreciated the author having both leads be either adopted or in foster care.

Uplifting if non-demanding.

It was only supposed to be a summer job- a job before her real job in Boston-but now Lauren has to rethink her life. This is a sweet romance about two young people and their thoughts about the future, Lauren loses 4 months of her memory when she falls off a ladder at Joshua's parents' resort in New Hampshire. She doesn't remember that they become good friends and she doesn't know the depth of his feelings for her. This is all about how they work things out. While these two are, ahem, young, they are well drawn relatable characters, Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. No spoilers from me about the ending.

"Jonah Landry elected to stay busy on the day his entire future hung in the balance."
What a great way to grab your reader and swing them right into the story! Denise Hunter has spun a tale so engaging you will not want to put it down until you reach the last page, last paragraph, last sentence, last period!
Jonah is a strong willed yet sincere and somewhat insecure individual trying to find his place in his world and in his family. Oh he has a family and is loved dearly but he still is trying to find that spot for him.
Lauren is a go getter and what she wants is to get through the nine months as temporary manager of Pinehaven Resort and get her covered position at Glitter. That was her dream job, not some place in the wild, without all the city amenities she was used to.
Jonah and Lauren don't hit it off too great as coworkers and things get even more complicated after Lauren has an accident and suffers a traumatic head injury
Hunter really tugs at the heart with the emotional battle both Jonah and Lauren embrace. Is it harder to remember and let go of the one you love or harder to not remember and not fight for the one you used to love?
Poignant and emotional!

Enjoyed!

This new book by Denise Hunter is set in Pinehaven, New Hampshire and centers on Jonah and Lauren. I think this is a stand-alone.

I would classify this almost as a second chance romance due to the circumstances, although it starts out as grumpy. By the time August arrives, Lauren and Jonah are in love, he's ready to propose, but then an accident happens and Lauren loses all memory from April to August. This is where the second chance comes in for me. Their relationship goes back to grumpy, but will Lauren's memory ever return so she can remember their love? Give this one a read and find out! The setting is beautiful, Jonah is wonderful, Lauren is a bit snooty but has promise, and Jonah's parents are wonderful.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

This one was a 4.5 star read for me.

This one was a pure delight and I absolutely loved the romance in it between Jonah and Lauren. The only reason I didn't say five stars was because the ending felt a bit rushed. Overall, it was a great story and the amnesia storyline was handled well. It didn't feel too cheesy and was really enjoyable to watch Lauren find a different path to the life she had decided on right before her fall.

Thank you Thomas Nelson Fiction and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

this was such a unique love story. This book shows two people who at first don't like each other. but as time goes on their feelings slowly start to change for each other and they fall madly in love. Until the main character hits her head and can't remember any of the last 4 months (aka the time they spent falling in love with each other) what she does remember is when she didn't like him. so when she finds out they were in love, she's understandably confused. this was a lovely story. it showed how deep his feelings were for her and how deep their love was for each other.

I happily received a copy of this novel, and I so so wanted to finish this book in time, which I normally do, but I wasn't able to finish this for the time this book was given me :( (*internally crying*). Even though I can't write a full review yet because of that until I am able to finish it in another way, (I mean, I do really want to purchase it one day and read further, because I'm intrigued!!), I do am going to say that the pages which I was able to read (around 100 pages), the book felt very sweet, heart-warming, cosy and charming. I actually couldn't stop reading. It reminded me a bit of a Hallmark movie, but in a better and more deep emotional way, if that makes any sense. -`♡´-

Throughout this novel, we follow a couple: Lauren and Jonah. They work at Jonah's family resort of cabins in rural New Hampshire. Lauren has a dangerous fall from a ladder and ends up in the hospital forgetting the last several months in which she was starting to get feelings for Jonah and eventually dating him. The thing that she remembers of her time with him, is her arriving at the resort and not liking him at all when she fist meets him. And, frustratingly, she doesn't remember them falling in love. And so, the novel goes back and forth in time between the present and them falling in love over the summer.

The concept of the story intrigued me very much as well as the setting of the book. The characters felt real, layered, and human. In the beginning, I wasn't so sure yet if I would feel myself caring for them so much, especially because I felt like Lauren was quite harsh on Jonah. I felt quite sad for him. And even though I am not entirely feeling a connection with her yet, I do am starting to feel for their situation and I am rooting for them to rekindle their love for one another and that Lauren gets her memories back. (Jonah is such a sweetheart! He's so caring throughout it all!) The writing style is wonderfully pleasing and beautifully written and creates a very warm feeling. The author truly has a way with telling and showing a story. I also really liked the dual time line, that we get to see the time before and after Lauren's accident. I was immersed in the story. So, overall, I'm starting to really like this book and feeling myself beginning to care for the characters and wishing them the best, and I can't wait to read further. ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and author, for providing me with this arc in exchange for an honest review. ˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡
ps. once i own a copy of the book, and have finished reading, i will write an update and full review!!

This is a delightful escape into charming small-town New Hampshire, where city girl Lauren finds more than she bargained for during a summer job at a family-owned resort. As she waits for her dream job opportunity in Boston, she unexpectedly falls hard and fast for Noah, who is also the resort owner’s son. But when an accident leaves her with amnesia, Lauren's feelings for Noah are anything but romantic, so he has to find a way to win her heart all over again. This heartwarming, closed-door romance is an emotional story. To me, it's all about second chances and bravely facing the challenges in our past. I thought the amnesia subplot was skillfully written and I felt like I was experiencing the picturesque setting in real life. Before We Were Us is a must-read with a happy ending! Loved it!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the complimentary copy. All opinions shared here are my own.

This is a really good book. I enjoyed it so much! This book is a love story about Lauren and Jonah who meet at Jonah's family's rustic resort when Lauren comes to work for them for 9 months before she starts her dream job in Boston. When they first meet, they can't stand each other. Then, over time, they fall in love. Lauren is involved in an accident and her memories are lost to her. She doesn't remember falling in love with Jonah. She only remembers before they fell in love when they didn't like each other. Jonah is crushed. Unbeknownst to Lauren, the accident happened on the day Jonah was going to propose marriage. Lauren finishes her time at the resort then moves to Boston for her dream job. A lot of things happen after she leaves. Will Lauren's memory come back? Will Lauren and Jonah get back together? Read this book to find out. I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.

Jonah and Lauren's love faces a heartbreaking test when an accident erases Lauren's memories of their relationship, leaving her only with memories of when they disliked each other. The story explores the emotional complexities of love, loss, and rediscovery as Jonah supports Lauren, even if it means letting her go. Their journey, filled with pain and hope, showcases how love can endure despite the challenges of change and forgotten memories.

Overall, Before We Were Us has a fantastic premise. Despite the sometimes odd pacing and rushed scenes, Hunter delivers a couple you care for deeply. This was heartfelt and sweet with many unexpected twists.

Love conquers all! Including amnesia that makes the person who hated you then fell in love with you hate you again.

WOW. This book was so creative. Such a fun idea and a really great book. The writing was sweet, the romance was great. I loved the flashbacks that showed their love story the first time around even as they were on this second journey together. The female MC was so hard to like at times because it was CLEAR that this guy was trying to be there for you and she had zero intention of giving him a chance. But as the backstory unfolded, it was understandable why she was a little guarded. I still think she should have tried harder. But I loved how Denise Hunter drew us into their emotions and showed their faith coming in handy in the hard moments of life. Great book that kept you guessing until a VERY SATISFYING conclusion.

Jonah had plans and within minutes those plans are changed. Lauren suffers a traumatic brain injury and loses the past four months.
This was a heartbreaking story. I felt so sad for Jonah and a bit upset with Lauren. It’s a good story that will have you reaching for some tissues as it goes on. You won’t be able to put it down!

Before We Were Us is an Interesting title and a wonderful book by Denise Hunter . Her books are also ones that I want to read!

The blurb: She can't remember. He can't forget.

Lauren had the world at her feet. Newly graduated, Working at her dream job in the city and looking to her future position as a project manager after a summer as a temporary manager at a rustic cabin resort. She will be headed back to her new position with a wealth of experience, a new fur baby (Graham) and affirmation that her people skills have been appreciated by the owners and guests at the resort. With only a few weeks to go completing this assignment, a bad fall from a ladder stops everything.

Lauren has lost her memory of the last months at the resort. She doesn't remember falling in love with Jonah. In the hospital, she remembers she had a crush on the handsome intern, Carson, but nothing else. Carson encourages her to let the memory come back on its own. Jonah struggles, with this loss. She doesn't remember falling in love with the owners of the resort and yes, their son Jonah. And Jonah knows it all but how does he help the woman he loves? And does he really know all the story?

How she processes and moves forward, remembering the romance, the story draws you in. And even if you expect that happy ending, how does it unfold?

For an ARC of this book by Denise Hunger and a copy from Netgalley, this is my honest review.

Before We Were Us by Denise Hunter is a lovely book that takes an unusual take on love. Ms Hunter is a favorite author of mine and I’ve read quite a lot of her novels. She consistently writes sweet romance with happily ever after endings. This novel has all the things people look for in a good Hallmark movie. I actually think it would make a great movie. However, the characters were hard to connect with and this made the novel not one of my favorites. Solid read overall. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

I’m alway excited to hear when Denise Hunter has a new book coming out. Before There Was Us is one I was looking forward to reading. There were parts after Lauren lost her memory and four months of her life that I thought she doesn’t deserve Jonah. He was so understanding and kind and she was downright rude to him. I understand her upbringing played a part in her trust issues but I wanted to like her more because of what she’d been through but at times she just seemed mean. She did redeem herself and I’m glad it ended the way it did.

Thank you to NetGalley for this arc and getting to read this story early.

Readers who like second chance stories will enjoy this sweet story. Lauren only needs to have completed this successful job at a quaint little campground before landing her dream job. But things go awry when she instantly dislikes the owners’ son. Lauren reminds Jonah of his ex-girlfriend so their “friendship’ is off to a rocky start but soon they fall in love. When Lauren suffers an injury things dramatically change. How will they mend their relationship? Or is it too late? Sweet, enjoyable story.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own." Thank you Thomas Nelson Fiction, NetGalley and Denise Hunter!

Oh my gosh I did not see the first twist coming! Do you believe in fate? True Love? You will definitely love this story! I was hooked right away with Jonah and the resort. Lauren was perfect even though it was just a summer thing. Then in the blink of an eye the summer was gone. This is such a well written story with lots of twists, turns, ups and downs. Well done! I highly recommend this book.

This was a cute story with a beautiful setting. I am a sucker for close knit family run businesses so this really delivered.

I loved the dual time aspect of this book of before and after her fall. It was interesting to see the parallels.

Amnesia would be incredibly hard to deal with but there were times I felt that Lauren could have done better and her reluctance to try annoyed me.

I was thankful that eventually she came around and opened herself up.

I loved the glimpses into their childhoods. I liked that they had commonalities that helped them relate to each other.

Overall very cute.

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley. This is my honest review.