We Are Us is a gripping, angsty, second-chance romance that will have you glued to your ereader until the last page! Complete standalone, no cliffhanger.
I fell in love with a beautiful, broken boy.
His whispered words of love were the sweetest of lies.He gave me his heart and destroyed mine.I am his.I fell in love with the beautiful man who broke me.His boldly spoken vow was the cruelest of … mine.
I am his.
I fell in love with the beautiful man who broke me.
His boldly spoken vow was the cruelest of cages.
He gave me his name and destroyed my soul.
He is mine.
The boy I once loved is now a man.
The man I once loved is now gone.
We are us.
I have been called many things.
Victim. Survivor. Daughter. Sister. Wife.
Now I am called something else.
Murderer.
Believe it or not, this is our love story.
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*3.5 stars*
Warmth and devastation in equal measure…
Ahh, this story. I’m having a hard time describing what this read was like. Full of emotion? Brimming. Drama? Like only the best soaps could have. Heart? Oh so much…
The story, the plot, it was full of so many emotional sinkholes and duck paths I happily struggled to keep up. The main character’s relationship started years ago and as the timeline bounced around a bit, it was easy to see why the characters were so entangled. My poor heart was wrung out by the end even as I’d hoped for more of the hero and the romance to balance out the incredible angst and hits to the heart. Don’t get me wrong, this story was un-put-down-able. (Yes, that is a word in my dictionary created for books just like this one.) With an end that was brimming with life and hope and bittersweet, it also felt somehow unfinished. I wanted more… More of why their love could not only survive but thrive…
*Reviewed for Nerdy Dirty & Flirty
WOW!
I don’t know what I was expecting when I signed up to read an early copy of this book. All I knew about it was that it was going to be emotional. Tara Leigh is a completely new to me author and I think I picked an amazing book to be introduced to her writing. To me whenever I am finished and I just have to hug/hold my kindle after I wanted to throw it a few times, I know I have read an amazing story. I am impressed and I will absolutely be looking to read more from Ms. Leigh this is an ABSOLUTE must read!
Poppy is taken for a roller coaster of events as she tries to figure out what happened to the present while keeping her past where it needs to stay – in the past. Unfortunately Gavin, her childhood friend/teenage love will not remain quiet as Poppy finds herself in mysterious circumstances.
This book has you feeling everything – from young Poppy’s & Gavin’s promises to each other, sharing their thoughts & dreams to adult Poppy trying to live a life without Gavin. It’s full of twists, turns, secrets & unexpected surprises that makes this book a page-turner. Another amazing read from this author!
5 STARS
We Are Us is a soul touching book with characters and a story that will grab a hold of your heart and won’t let go! I enjoyed how the author had separated the book into three parts, three distinct and defining phases in Poppy’s life. This book took me on a EPIC, yet heart-wrenching journey!
I highly recommend reading this book! We Are Us by Tara Leigh will join the ranks of the BIBLIO-ARISTOCRACY!!!
5 Star Review of We Are Us by Tara Leigh
Where do I start? What an emotional roller coaster of a read this book was. Well written, I was drawn in to the story Tara Leigh wove from the first to the last chapter about a second chance at love.
This was a beautifully written story of young love, forgiveness, heartbreak and betrayal. Gavin and Poppy have know each other for years and their love and bond is strong, until circumstances tear them apart.
There were times that my heart broke for Poppy, especially when after many years Gavin unexpectedly re appears in her life. However, Poppy has made her choice and she is determined to live by them, despite the fact that the love they shared is still as strong as when they were younger.
This is a book filled with love, drama and angst and it brought out a great deal of emotions in me whilst I was reading.
One click this little gem when it releases.
Amount of sex 2.5 / 5
How explicit is the sex scenes 2.5 / 5
Story 5 / 5
Overall: 5 / 5
I’m trying to put into words how I feel about Tara Leigh’s newest novel We Are Us, and I’m finding it difficult. I can’t seem to describe how much this story has moved me. Some of my all-time favorite books have touched me for various reasons, but in this case, it was the characters — specifically Poppy.
There’s a quote I’ve remembered by Joanne Harris, which states, “Some books you read. Some books you enjoy. But some books just swallow you up, heart and soul.” And I guess that’s the best way I can describe it.
Poppy Whitman is a very strong female character, and I felt like I was a part of her story. Her path to ‘happily ever after’ was not an easy one, and it was emotional for me to read at times. I laughed, I cried, and I got angry.
We Are Us is well written, full of twists and turns, and I honestly couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. It’s one of my favorite stories so far in 2020, and in my opinion, a must-read!
Voluntarily Reviewed an Advanced Copy
Want to take along with the characters and broken like them and put back together than this is the read for you. Actually it is the main character that will be the one that breaks you and makes you again as you follow closely along with Poppy. This goes deep and becomes really intense at times with the author being the puppet master with your heart being the puppet that the strings are pulled. Gavin is also another one you follow with them both as you start from young with it becoming a ride you hold on tight to at times. This one will not fade fast even when others are picked up to read. We are taken by them.
You meet Poppy, a new girl in town who is very lonely and needs company. Gavin is the boy from the other side of town. The two meet and become friends. There are three parts to this story that will leave you with plenty of emotion from one end of the spectrum to the other. A truly great read.
I received a copy of this book and am leaving a review.
We Are Us (standalone)
By Tara Leigh
OMG! Sooo amazing! Phenomenal!! Superb! I didn’t read the blurb or anything so when I opened the book I didn’t know what I was getting myself into! What a ride filled with soo much angst, very realistic situations, and heart wrenching. There are so many twists and turns and roller coaster emotions. Really sucked me in wanting more! Loved it so much! Loved the characters. Very well written!
“I am his and he is mine and we are us.”
“I am hers and she is mine and we are us.”
“We are us.”
“Before kids and after. Before our vows and after. You are my everything.”
Tara did such a wonderful job on this story!! I really highly recommend it. You won’t regret it!
We Are Us is a full length standalone second chance romance by Tara Leigh. I took the advice of others and went in completely blind and you should too. This is one of the most compelling books I have ever read. Never has a book put me through as much of an emotional wringer as this one did but it was so worth it! It stole my heart from the very beginning and I will never be the same! Have you ever read a book that broke your heart into millions of pieces yet somehow healed that heart all at the same time? THIS is THAT book for me! There are no words that could accurately describe my love for this book. I’m literally speechless! Thank you Tara Leigh for this heartbreakingly beautiful story!
5+ STARS!
5 OUTSTANDING STARS for We Are Us by Tara Leigh
ARC received from author in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are my own & have not been influenced in any way.
All I can say is WOW this is an incredible read- even more so because it was
not what I was expecting !!! It is at heart a love story but boy are there a # of plot twists to get the main characters to their HEA.
I would like to comment first on the beautiful cover. It’s so pretty with the roses – thorns , broken shards of glass it’s perfection for this book !!
Poppy & Gavin are childhood friends , high school sweethearts- destined to be together. They both come from very troubling childhoods that shape their characters into adulthood. Their dreams & perceptions are ultimately shattered – losing each other only to find themselves together again when Poppy is most broken.
I could not put this book down & read in pretty much one day ! I was totally captivated by the storyline & these two characters just needed to be together. Their love for each other never wavered but outside forces beyond their control just got in their way.
Betrayal – deceit- abusive relationship(s) – murder – lies keep Poppy from someone she has never forgotten- someone that meant everything to her even when circumstances drove her & Gavin apart. She feels she is weak time & time again but she is a strong survivor fighting for her HEA.
This book has such a powerful message – that has really stayed with me !
I applaud the author for this amazing story !
Highly recommend this author and this amazing book !
If I could give this all the stars… I would.
I mean seriously.
First. I knew next to nothing about this book before I started it.
Second. I love everything Tara writes. She writes characters so real.
Finally, most importantly, if you’re looking for a story that will Own you with phenomenal twists and turns to the awesome plot, deep, well thought out and real characters development, and some aspects that will send your down deep into your feelings, this story is for you…
This is not Tara’s typical read, in my opinion , some heavy topics are covered and there’s a serious villain…
I highly, highly recommend this phenomenal brave story!
Tara Leigh
The one thing I can say about this stunning and unique tale from Tara Leigh is that it is SO unexpected and mind blowingly brilliant! You are given a full rollercoaster of emotions and range of suspense, quirky moments as well as that steamy passion. Honestly, it has taken me weeks to actually come to grips with this story and how it all evolved! You think you got one thing, then something else happens and makes your jaw drop and wonder what just happened.
We get two halves of a story in this one. The start with Poppy and Gavin and that relationship that they build. Their connection. Absolutely everything that would make your heart melt. But the forces of nature changed the course for these two. Enter university years where a lot of stuff happens in Poppy’s life. Some beyond unexpected. Heartbreaking. But reading and watching her mature and grow was beyond brilliant. I have to stay the character growth that Leigh has throughout this book is stellar! By the time we hit the present, everything has been thrown upside down and you are completely thrown for a loop. Questions upon questions rise to your mind. I was devouring to find out what exactly happened.
Once I got to the end of this book, I had to just stare at the wall for a few. My mind was blown. My heart was racing. I was completely in awe of what Leigh delivered in this book. I honestly bow down to her with the concept she imagined with this but also how much heart she put into this book. That ending. That authors note. I bawled. Honestly, the connection I felt to Leigh at that moment and still do after reading this. We aren’t alone. We have a voice. And Leigh used hers in the most stunning and eloquent way that I am seriously just in complete admiration for her and what she put into this story. This will be one book that will stick with me for a very long time. If you read one book this year, I highly recommend picking this one because it NEEDS to be read. I am still honestly at a loss for words besides these insane ramblings.
Quite an enchanting and heart rendering story that I thoroughly enjoyed! Tara Leigh captivated me from the get-go with this beautifully written and well developed story. Gavin and Poppy’s situation and circunstancies drew them to each other. They found their comfort and safety within their own space in the woods. I couldn’t put my kindle down as I read about their lives taking trajectories that we’re quite unexpected. Gripping, heartfelt, and unforgettable!
“A heart can ache. A heart can break. A heart can harden.”
Where do I start and where do I end?
I can’t even form a coherent thought after reading We Are Us.
I’m literally speechless.
This story takes you to so many different ups and downs, so many roads that you have to stop and feel and try to put your broken heart away from your brain and stop crying at the same time. You just can’t take it all in one go.
It’s the most amazing story, it’s angsty, will have your heart punched and broken to pieces, it’s deceiving, there are secrets and twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat the whole time waiting for the shoe to drop, and when it does you don’t even see it coming, it hits you right in the face with no turning back moment.
Poppy and Gavin are meant to be together and their story is the perfect way to show that life it’s not always what it seems or what it looks like behind closed doors but there’s always hope for your dreams to come true.
“I am hers and she is mine and—” “—We are us.”
Personally I felt like there was a change in the way that the story is written somewhere around the 40% mark maybe. I’m not sure how to describe it. I felt like the flow changed a bit when the story swapped from being about Gavin and Poppy and to Tucker and Poppy. Something about the dynamics maybe, I’m not sure. And how Poppy changes so quickly. I know that is easy to do when you are in a controlling relationship. I felt that happened a little to quickly. But all in all I really liked this story.
At one point my heart just broke. So I recommend having tissues at hand, you might need it.
This book is everything and more! I truly love this book. So much heartbreak and love. I was able to relate so much to Poppy. I love Gavin! He’s a wonderful character. I’m still not sure what I think of Tucker. This is a story that will stick with me for days and months to come. I HIGHLY, HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK!!!
I am his and he is mine and we are us. I loved that Gavin and Poppy find each other as kids. They both need the other. Their love grew from that time in the preserve.
I liked Tucker, and while I didn’t like what happened with him to begin with, I found him sincere after. The more they are together though, I don’t like how controlling he is. She becomes a door mat, and he wipes his feet on her a lot. I want to scream at her, but she does see it. She knows, and I hate that she doesn’t take a stand for herself. She reaches a breaking point, and I found myself tearing up because her pain is so great. Her pain radiated off the pages. This book broke my heart. (Part of my pain is that I had a friend in high school that suffered through a situation nearly identical to this. That scene was very much what it felt like It’s been 30 yrs since it happened.)
The twist… oh oh oh twist. I don’t know what to say… I want to scream. I want to slap someone. I didn’t see that one coming. I was stunned.
I loved that Poppy and Gavin finally get what they always wanted. I loved that they went home. This book was heavy. Filled with life experiences that truly change people. It was a wonderful story so well written. I can’t wait to see what everyone else thinks.
I had to wait a few days before writing my review for this incredible story from Tara. Whew it just blows you away with it’s intensity. It is beyond words. It’s a love story that lasts a lifetime, a loss so heartbreaking that you have to wonder how Poppy has the strength to go on. It’s a wrong decision that leads to more life changing experiences than one person should be asked to bear.
Yes you will be hooked from the first page, you will swoon, be angry, cry, be confused, be heartbroken then be totally confused again until all is revealed in a totally unexpected ending. Yes, just as you think you have solved the mystery Tara throws us a curve ball and you might wonder if you should trust anyone ever again.
The plot of this story is complex, I am amazed that Tara got so much story into one book! but once you start it you cannot put it down. Thank goodness true love wins through in the end, and that’s the only thing I can reveal, enjoy! Tara gets better and better in her writing, but this is truly a masterpiece.
We Are Us is an emotionally gripping, heart stopping romance that will touch your heart and soul. There are no words in the English vocabulary to describe all of the feelings that this beautifully written, remarkable book has elicited. It is raw and gritty and at times, it felt like my heart was being shattered before this author painstakingly glued it all back together. I was pulled into its tight, unrelenting clutches right from the prologue and found myself so immersed into the story that I could not put it down.
We Are Us is not an easy read. You will ugly cry. You will throw your kindle. You will have your heart broken, but you will also experience healing, hope, and joy. Am I being intentionally vague here? Yes, because I believe it is best to go into this book blind. Just be prepared to have the tissues ready as you embark on an unforgettable journey full of love, heartbreak, fear, hope, suspense, and some good twists and turns