Book Review for Before We Were Us by CA Harms

Title: Before We Were Us

Author: CA Harms

Genre/Tropes: Age-Gap, Second Chance Romance, Older guy, Detective, Angst, OW Drama, Standalone

Published: May 14, 2024

She stepped up to my side in a dark club and ordered a whiskey.

My go-to drink.

I didn’t know her name, I knew nothing about her, but every part of me came alive.

For more than a year my life had been turned upside down. I’d hit a wall at every turn, but suddenly the weight had lifted.

And the minute she stepped away, I felt the loss.

Things are not always as they seem.

We all have regrets; parts of our lives we wish we could erase.

For me, I wish I could change the order in which those choices were made.

Had I only met her first.

Had it been her that said yes.

Brynn is everything I could ever want, the problem is, my past may keep us from ever having a future.

Because before we were us, I was a version of myself I’d like to forget.

But that version of me has not yet been laid completely to rest.

“Last night was incredible,” he confesses. “Knocked me on my ass, sweetheart, right on my ass.”

His powerful shoulders flex. “Don’t want you to think for a minute that what we shared doesn’t have me wanting to skip out on all the shit I have waiting for me at the station.”

“I’ve got a lot of things at work to get through this week too.” I don’t want him to think I need some kind of reassurance that he didn’t just show up at my place in the middle of the night to get laid.

He is watching me and I can’t quite gauge what he’s thinking. A tormented look is in his eyes, and he watches rescanning over my face, still holding me close.

“Babe, I don’t think you get what I’m saying.” Again he skims over my lips with his, sending chills across my back and down my arms. “I don’t want to leave.” He holds my stare. “I don’t know where the hell you came from, Brynn, but you’ve got me all tied up.”

Jensen and Brynnlee have made an amazing couple the attraction between this couple is awesome. This is a first-time author for us and we enjoyed our first read by them. This story contained emotion, friendships, humor, misunderstandings, witty banter, suspense, second chances, intrigue, and romance. The characters' chemistry sizzles, making it an entertaining story that draws you right into it. It has a couple with an age gap jealousy angst, and a plot full of steam. We really enjoyed the characters they were awesome and we loved the secondary characters as well they were great too! Both Jensen and the characters carry ghosts from their pasts and this couple's journey had its ups and downs as their past kept rearing its ugly head in the here and now. Overall this was quite an enjoyable read with a cast of wonderful characters that were easy to fall in love with. We love when a second chance presents itself and this couple was clearly meant to be we loved being immersed in this couple's story while they strived for their happily ever after we could not put this one down and read it in one sitting. What a fantastic read.

C.A. Harms is an avid romance and mystery reader. She's always had a love for books, getting lost in writing and storytelling even as a young girl. She enjoys happy endings and HEA love stories.

She lives in Illinois and enjoys spending time with her husband and two children. She holds an addiction for Starbucks White Chocolate Mocha’s and KitKat when she should really be focusing on water and maybe a fruit or two to make herself feel less guilty, but that feeling quickly passes...thankfully.

She is easy going, fun, and although she may seem like one of the quiet ones at first, you just wait until she gets to know you better...that quietness changes, fast.

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