This Used To Be Us by Renee Carlino
Publisher: Dial Press
Publication Date: July 16, 2024
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Book Review
In the aftermath of their twenty-two-year marriage, Danielle and Alex navigate divorce by sharing an apartment while co-parenting their teenage sons. As they reenter the dating world and pursue new paths, unexpected circumstances draw them back together, challenging them to confront their history and redefine their future in a heartrending conclusion.
I’ve long been a fan of Renee Carlino and her books always leave me a sobbing mess. Naturally, This Used to be Us was no exception. Though tedious and frustrating at times, I loved the relationship between Danielle and Alex. I enjoyed watching them navigate their chaotic divorce and ultimately figure out what’s next.
If you are a fan of second chance, divorce romances, this book is for you. But consider yourself warned, it’s a tearjerker.
Thank you to Dial Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
Synopsis from Goodreads
There are two sides to every love story—and every breakup. Get ready for an emotional roller coaster of family, marriage, and divorce that will have you both laughing and crying, from the bestselling author of Before We Were Strangers.
After twenty-two years together, Danielle and Alex are getting a divorce. Once fiercely in love, they can barely stand the sound of each other’s voice. Instead of shuffling the kids between two broken homes, Alex and Danielle decide to share a nesting apartment while swapping days with their two teenage boys at the family home.
In the apartment, Dani and Alex, on their own, begin to reflect on the last two decades—why they fell in love, and why the marriage fell, spectacularly, apart. With the newfound space and time, they are given a chance to find their autonomous selves again. They both get back in the dating pool, Dani finds major success at work as a showrunner on her own TV project, while Alex faces the challenges of a new relationship.
Still, they find they just can’t stay away from each other, and somehow, the distance allows them to remember (for the first time in years) what they used to love about one another. When a family crisis draws them back into each other’s orbit, Danielle and Alex are, once again, put to the test, which leads to a dramatic conclusion that will have readers weeping.
About the Author
Renée Carlino is a screenwriter and the bestselling author of Before We Were Strangers, Swear On THIS Life, Wish You Were Here, Sweet Thing, Nowhere But Here, Sweet Little Thing, Lucian Divine, After the Rain, The Last Post, Shopping For Love, Blind Kiss, and – coming July 9th – THIS USED TO BE US.
Her books have been featured in national publications, including Cosmopolitan Magazine, InStyle Magazine, USA TODAY, Huffington Post, Latina magazine, Publisher’s Weekly, Redbook, Sunset Magazine, Coastal Living and the Union Tribune.
Her adaptation with Julia Stiles for “Wish You Were Here” is currently in production and scheduled to shoot in New Jersey in January 2024.
Renée grew up in California and lives in the San Diego area with her husband, two sons and their sweet pup John Snow Cash.
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Erin Evelyn Reads 