Before We Were Us by Denise Hunter is a sweet book.

Lauren is a motivated young lady who knows exactly what she wants.
Her dream job as an event planner/coordinator at an premiere firm in Boston awaits her.
However, to get the experience she needs to start her new job, she must travel to a family owned lodge in New Hampshire and serve as manager for just shy of a year.
A difficult start with the lodge owner's son, Jonah, turns into an opportunity for self reflection in the hearts of both Lauren and Jonah.
As they spend time together working, they fall in love.

The story opens with Jonah's sister, Meg, delivering an engagement ring to Jonah, as he plans to propose to Lauren at a nice dinner that night. In the moments before Lauren sets off to get ready for their dinner out, she takes a fall and is rushed to the hospital.
When Lauren regains consciousness, the only memories of Jonah she is left with are the memories of their rocky start. She has no idea they were so in love; she feels only dislike and disdain for him.

The story goes on to reveal Jonah's heartbreak at losing the love of his life; all the while hoping that her memory will return.
We are privy to Lauren's emotions, good and bad, in dealing with her memory loss.
It is hard for her to wrap her brain around the things she is being told happened during the time lost to her memory, and what she does remember and feel.
Little nuggets of the past she encounters along the way begin to make her re-evalute her feelings and look at Jonah in a different light.
She begins to see things from his perspective.

We go back and forth in time, from the present turmoil to their actual love story and how it all played out the "first" time.
I will admit that a couple of times, I had to go back and focus on whether I was reading the past or the present, but I chalk this up to the fact that I was reading an ARC and the formatting wasn't completely edited.

Overall, this was a sweet story.
I enjoyed the writing style of Denise Hunter, who developed lovable characters in a beautiful setting.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a well written wholesome love story.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson publishing and Netgalley from whom I received a complimentary copy of this book.
Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Another great story by Denise Hunter. Each story I read by this author is inspiring. The characters are so well developed and the story keeps me turning the pages. Thanks for the advanced copy. I can’t wait for her next book.

I loved this read, it felt warm and fuzzy, but there is enough drama here that you keep turning pages for answers.
We have a young ambitious woman who as part of getting her dream job must take a temporary job in the boonies of New Hampshire. Little does Lauren know how life changing this job will be.
Then we have the owner of the resorts son, he is still taking college courses, and hope soon to take over the resort. He is still nursing a broken heart, and sure isn't looking to a new relationship.
These two don't realize the road they are about to embark on, but sparks fly and soon? Then, everything changes in a second, how can they put it back together, or do they want to?
Does everything work out the way you want it to? Keep reading!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Thomas Nelson, and was not required to give a positive review.

Very well written story of a man and a woman who were on the bring of an engagement when she falls and suffers memory loss of their entire relationship. Denise Hunters "Before We Were Us" is a beautiful story and engaging to the reader from beginning to end.

The book is set at a rustic resort in New Hampshire, not far from the Appalachian Trail which receives a mention in the book. There is picturesque scenery and a lake that Hunter brings to life. The setting is one I would love to visit myself.

There is great character growth for both Lauren and Jonah. The author speaks to their vulnerabilities and strengths with her writing creating two very believable main characters and some great supporting secondary characters. There is a bit of humor, frustration and joy in this book.

I like how the author flashed back to when Lauren and Jonah first met and fell in love, to the present day after the memory loss started. This is just a beautifully written story and fans of Hunter's other books will fall in love with this one as well.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson Fiction for an opportunity to read an ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

One of my favorite books of the year! A beautiful, sweet, heartbreaking yet heartwarming story that brought out all my emotions. It captivated me from the opening pages and was very difficult to put down.

Focusing on the story of Lauren and Jonah, this story is so masterfully written you feel every emotion as they navigate Lauren’s memory loss. I found myself laughing at parts, crying at others, while still yet feeling in awe and giddy at other parts. Lauren’s memory loss affects the entire Landry family as they have come to love her. They all are waiting to see if her memory returns and if life resumes as it was before her fall or if Lauren moves forward and returns to Boston at the end of her term.

It is a very moving story that had twists that I did not expect. This will be one of those books that I will reread for years to come!

I was given a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are completely my own.

This is such a sweet, feel good story that will touch your heart. Jonah and Lauren agreed their romance would be just a fling, no emotions, light and casual. After all, she was moving to Boston in December for her dream job. But life doesn't always go as planned. When Lauren has an accident and is faced with amnesia, she is lost and confused. She doesn't remember being in love with Jonah, but he can't seem to forget.
Beautifully written, characters with great personalities, and a plot that made me laugh, tear up, and root for a happy ending. Loved the story, and highly recommend.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was a charming PG rated romance. The setting of a cabin resort property was a nice change from the norm, and all the characters were well written. My heart hurt at points for Jonah, and I enjoyed Lauren's story arc a lot.

Before We Were Us is a wonderful, slightly unusual second chance romance from best selling author Denise Hunter. I expected to love this one, as it was one of my most anticipated releases for this year, but I wasn't expecting for it to become one of my all time favorites from this author. A sweet and compelling story that was both swoon worthy and heart wrenching, I predict that this story is going to touch each and every heart that reads it.

Readers follow the POV's of both Lauren and Jonah, who on their way to finding happily ever after. Unfortunately, disaster strikes and Lauren's badly injured in a fall that causes amnesia and for her to forget her entire relationship with Jonah. While Jonah's determined to fight for the woman who has claimed his heart, he can't stop wondering if he can rightfully do so when doing so seems to go against what Lauren wants for herself and her future.

Set amidst the atmospheric and cozy Pinehaven resort, Before We Were Us is truly Denise Hunter at her best, and I had a hard time wanting to put this one down. It had all the cozy vibes I look for in Autumn themed reads, and the characters soon came to feel like old friends. This would be the absolute perfect clean romance to curl up with in front of the fireplace and a cup of your favorite hot drink once the temperatures start to cool down.

It doesn't shy away from touching on some hard topics, like the feelings of abandonment that Lauren has grown up with after being placed in the foster system. While Lauren's character can be kind of hard to take throughout some of the story, I definitely sympathized with what she was going through, and I thought this was represented authentically. I loved Jonah as a main character, and how he went out of his way to show a self sacrificial love towards Lauren, even when it seemed like it might never be reciprocated.

All in all, I adored this one and would list it as one of my favorites now by this author. I'd highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys clean, contemporary romances. My only complaint was that I wish there had been a stronger faith element, as I thought that would have made a great story that much better.

Final Rating: 5/5.

Thanks so much to Thomas Nelson for allowing me to advance read and review this title!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the publisher (Thomas Nelson) via NetGalley. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own, and this is my honest review.

I always want to start my reviews by thanking the author and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book early. I really liked this book and would highly recommend it!

This book is a captivating and emotional journey of love, loss, and self-discovery. Lauren's story is both heartbreaking and inspiring, as she navigates her way through memory loss and re-evaluates her life choices.

The author masterfully explores the complexities of Lauren's character, making it easy to become invested in her journey. Jonah's unwavering dedication and patience are admirable, and their chemistry is undeniable.

The writing is descriptive and immersive, transporting readers to the beautiful setting of New Hampshire. The supporting cast adds depth to the narrative, and the plot is engaging and well-paced.

Overall, this book is a must-read for anyone who enjoys romantic and emotional stories of self-discovery. With its poignant message and memorable characters, this tale will leave readers smiling and inspired.

I really enjoy Denise Hunter's books. This one was good, but not her usual captivating stories. This was a cozy, quick read - enjoyable, but not as deep as I would have liked.

The characters are sweet and good to each other. They each wanted what was best for the other person. It was fun to see them fall in love with each other twice. Dr. Carson seemed like an unnecessary character. I thought he would have been a larger part of the story.

The ending is exactly what you expect.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for giving me a copy of Denise Hunter’s book Before We Were Us in exchange for an honest review. This book was charming and had me hooked from the beginning. It is told from different time frames during a 4 month span switching between past and present. The present being what happens after Lauren’s fall from a ladder and subsequent memory loss and the before is the story of Lauren and Jonah falling in love.

Throughout the story you learn of both of their insecurities and their reasons for them, you learn of Lauren’s need of belonging, and Jonah’s feelings of helplessness. You see how sometimes you have to let what you love free and hope it will maybe come back to you.

This story kind of reminded me of a depressing Hallmark movie, although I loved every page.

I haven’t come by a book by Denise Hunter previously and will now be on the look out. I enjoyed not just the story and characters but how they were developed. I couldn’t wait to turn the page but also didn’t want it to end.

So tricking fun! a bit of a change in pace for books that I typically read, ive never read one of Hunter's books before and this was a delight to begin with. I will definitely be looking for more of her titles in the future, and a perfect read during the summertime!

Rarely can a book equally capture both sides with authenticity and that is by far the most endearing quality of this book, its dual nature of character development. Chef's kiss. Would highly recommend to anyone looking for a new stand alone.

Sweet and sappy love story for those who love Hallmark movies. It was very predictable. I was hoping for more substance and a stronger female character. Just not my cup of tea.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own." Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received an Ebook ARC of this story from NetGalley, this is my honest and objective review. The fmc is city-girl Lauren, who is the manager at Jonah's family's resort in New Hampshire, where she's worked and lived for the past six months. The story starts with Jonah planning to ask Lauren to marry him, but before he can Lauren falls and hits her head, causing amnesia. Unfortunately for Jonah's plans, Lauren's most easily recalled memories of Jonah are antagonistic and pre-date their romantic relationship. Can Jonah win her back and persuade her to take another chance on him and on their life in New Hampshire, or will Lauren go back to Boston and her much fancier dream job like she'd originally planned?

I was not the right audience for this book. It's an interesting premise but the execution didn't grab me. The story starts abruptly on the day of the accident, and I would have liked it if we'd seen a little more of their history first so I could have been better invested in their relationship. There was no real reason initially to like either of them, either separately or together, and that feeling followed me through the story. Maybe the author wanted to woo the readers alongside Jonah's renewed wooing of Lauren, and there is use of flashbacks to fill in the background, but overall it didn't quite work for me. Also, if I'd been in Lauren's position and suddenly found myself with a serious boyfriend of several months, with no recollection of any of it, I'd at least be wondering if we'd had sex but it doesn't seem to occur to Lauren even though she finds him attractive. That seemed unrealistic in general, but given the low steam level of the rest of the book it's consistent. The plot and writing style of this book is reminiscent of a Hallmark movie, pleasant but formulaic. This is a new-to-me author, and it was a solid enough book that I finished it but it just wasn't the book for me. I think readers who are willing to suspend disbelief and are fans of low-steam women's fiction with dependable happily-ever-afters will enjoy this book the most.

Before We Were Us is another good book written by Denise Hunter, one of my favorite authors. Her books are always a must read.

One of the main characters in this book is Lauren. She is an extremely hard work who has a chance to have the job that she has always dreamed of in event planning. But, there is one requirement, she needs experience. Lauren finds an internship in a family-owned resort in New Hampshire and that is where she meets Jonah, the future owner and her boss. Jonah and Lauren’s personalities clash immediately. They do not like each other. Their opinions change throughout the summer and they fall in love. Then, their was a horrible accident. As Lauren was climbing down a ladder, she fell and hit her head. She lost her memory of all that had happened in the last four months.
The last she remembered, she didn’t like Jonah and no way did she love him. But, Jonah remembers every second of the love they shared. Can he win her heart again or will Lauren take that dream job in another city?

Thank you, Thomas Nelson Publishing and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.

you are a romance reader, this book is everything you’d ever want in a love story; thorough character development, unlikely attraction between characters, conflict, emotional roller coaster, captivating setting, and a sprinkle of humor. The conflict in Before we Were Us is rather frustrating, but that is what made the ending so satisfyingly beautiful. Then there is the setting; I wanted to look up the New Hampshire location and take my family for a week.
Lauren, grew up in the foster care system, got herself on her feet and somehow managed to put herself through college. Lauren’s dream job as a corporate event planner for one of the most prestigious companies in Boston is within her reach. Her glowing resume lacks one thing, experience. To gain this resume bullet, she takes on an internship at a rural family-owned resort where one can rent a cabin in the woods of New Hampshire. The Pinehaven Resort had been in the Landry family for several generations.
The owner’s son, Jonah and newcomer Lauren didn’t hit it off in the beginning but have become close over the months they have been working together. Being a city girl, she is surprised to actually be enjoying herself, especially the company of Jonah. While describing her idea of converting an old barn into a wedding/event venue, Lauren falls off a ladder and is rushed to the hospital. Lauren recovers from her visible injuries, but she has lost all memory of the last four months, including the growing relationship with Jonah. Her mind is back to the early days when she and Jonah were at odds. Sadly, the day she fell was the very day Jonah planned a romantic evening where he’d present her with a beautiful diamond ring and propose marriage. That plan is certainly no longer viable so the ring is locked away in a safe for hopefully better times. Doctors predict her memory to return in a few weeks, but the hard fact is that she may never regain those missing four months. Hard working Lauren dives back into her tasks at hand ,and decides she doesn’t matter if she remembers the lost four months and now is only interested in finishing her time there and moving back to Boston, where a prestigious position as an event planner with a well established firm called Glitter awaits. 
Jonah, who of course remembers every part of their love journey, is heartbroken about the state of their relationship, which is pretty much non-existent, if not hostile. He makes every effort to rekindle the friendship and love they had before she lost her memory. Lauren is not receptive. Slowly things do improve, however, the move back to Boston gets closer every day.
.

This is a charming, engaging and a bit frustrating story. I was right there with the characters, the cabins, and rescue dog, Graham. I could almost feel, smell and hear the sounds of the forest, as the writer used words to make the story come alive in my imagination.
Your heart will hurt along with Jonah’s, but one must also have sympathy for the situation Lauren found herself in.

My only complaint is the build up to the end couldn’t happen fast enough, but it was definitely worth the wait.

Before We Were Us, is a beautifully written tradgic love story that takes place in the picturesque Pinehaven resort.
Lauren is hired by the Landry family to help their son Jonah run the resort while they ease into retirent. Jonah is finishing a business degree before he takes over the resort. Lauren gets the job to get some real world experience before she stsrts her dream job as an event planner Boston the following year.
The pair start off very prickly, with a chance encounter seeing Lauren doused in muddy puddle! These enemies gradually melt each others walls and they fall in love.
Lauren begins planning a life with Jonah, until she falls from a ladder and suffers from amnesia, she has no memory of her relationship with Jonah.
We read their past and developing stories in a dual timeline which I really enjoyed.
I have never read a Denise Hunter novel before, she writes with such wonderful prose with such vivid emotion. For a romance (with no spice) you can feel the depth of emotion between characters, without the need for any open door scenes.
Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas Nelson Fiction and Denise Hunter for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

As soon as I read the synopsis I was intrigued. I kept thinking about Before We Were Us even before I started it.
I had high expectations and they were all met. As soon as I read the first page I couldn’t put Lauren’s and Jonah’s story down. I needed to know how it ended. It’s a heartbreaking story yet beautiful and full of hope. I throughly enjoyed Denise Hunter’s writing story as it’s effortlessly fascinating.