“Hammer is an expert at both tugging heartstrings and keeping the reader utterly immersed in a world of hope and heartbreak. A great new voice in women’s fiction.”– Kristin Harmel, #1 international bestselling author of The Winemaker’s Wife
The heartbreaking, yet hopeful, story of a mother and daughter struggling to be a family without the one person who holds them together—a perfect summer … without the one person who holds them together—a perfect summer read for fans of Jojo Moyes and Marisa de los Santos.
Alexis Gold knows how to put the “work” in working mom. It’s the “mom” part that she’s been struggling with lately. Since opening her own advertising agency three years ago, Alexis has all but given up on finding a good work/life balance. Instead, she’s handed over the household reins to her supportive, loving partner, Tommy. While he’s quick to say they divide and conquer, Alexis knows that Tommy does most of the heavy lifting—especially when it comes to their teenage daughter, CeCe.
Their world changes in an instant when Tommy receives a terminal cancer diagnosis, and Alexis realizes everything she’s worked relentlessly for doesn’t matter without him. So Alexis does what Tommy has done for her almost every day since they were twelve-year-old kids in Destin, Florida—she puts him first. And when the only thing Tommy wants is to spend one last summer together at “their” beach, she puts her career on hold to make it happen…even if it means putting her family within striking distance of Tommy’s ex, an actress CeCe idolizes.
But Alexis and Tommy aren’t the only ones whose lives have been turned inside out. In addition to dealing with the normal ups and downs that come with being a teenager, CeCe is also forced to confront her feelings about Tommy’s illness—and what will happen when the one person who’s always been there for her is gone. When the magic of first love brings a bright spot to her summer, CeCe is determined not to let her mother ruin that for her, too.
As CeCe’s behavior becomes more rebellious, Alexis realizes the only thing harder for her than losing Tommy will be convincing CeCe to give her one more chance.
You and Me and Us is a beautifully written novel that examines the unexpected ways loss teaches us how to love.
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A powerful and hopeful debut about grief, love, and the ties that bind–even when we resist. Despite navigating my own grief when I picked up this book, I fell into the story from the first chapter.
The crisis threatening to rip the family apart is heartbreaking and raw, not sugar-coated and sentimental. But real life continues with first loves, best friend squabbles, and mother/daughter friction. The characters are multilayered and their reactions are so very real. Many stories gloss over the anger that comes hand-in-hand with grief. This story didn’t shy away from it. There were fights, and disagreements, tears and hugs, all the good stuff. And Tommy, wow, what a guy. The world would be a much better place if we could clone him!
YOU AND ME AND US = perfect book club reading. There is much to discuss.
An emotional, relationship-oriented novel, “You and Me and Us” follows Alexis, her partner Tommy, and their 14-year-old daughter CeCe from Atlanta to Destin, Florida, where they must come to terms with Tommy’s terminal cancer and the future the clashing mother and daughter face without his steadying influence. Using both Alexis and CeCe as narrators, author Alison Hammer digs deep into the internal struggles of a family that is both in love and in despair. Channeling emotions through words and making it all look effortless, Hammer knocks it out of the park with her debut.
A haunting story that explores the ways a devastating loss can shake a family to its core—and ultimately bring new strength—You & Me & Us is beautifully written and highly memorable. I confess I put off reading this book. Could I enjoy reading about a family being torn apart when so many other aspects of the world are in turmoil? Yes indeed. With believable characters that will touch your heart, Alison Hammer has crafted a book that is both heartfelt and uplifting. You’ll root for Tommy, Lexie, and Cece, and at the same time you’ll remind yourself to seize the joy in your own life. Don’t wait to read this one.
This is a beautiful, tragic yet hopeful story about a broken family, and about a mother-daughter relationship that needs to mend. You will need lots of tissue to finish it, but in the end, you will feel like the characters really come to understand what matters most in life. Excellent debut. An author to watch!
I won this through the Goodreads giveaways. I was not obligated to give a review but WOW what a heart-wrenching story of love, loss, and hope that you can sink your heart into. I could not put this book down once I started it, I read this in one day. I HIGHLY recommend this book. I cannot wait to read Alison’s next book, thank you very much for the giveaway.
You and Me and Us is a novel about love in the face of loss. The reader comes to care deeply for Alexis, an advertising executive, Tommy, her therapist husband, and CeCe, their teenaged daughter. Alexis and Tommy have a loving relationship marred by her inability to commit to a marriage, so they’ve lived together for years. Tommy who does on-line counseling and is a stay-at-home dad, has taken over the parenting of CeCe so Alexis can focus on her advertising company. Her relationship with CeCe is strained. This family’s world is turned upside down when Tommy is diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer. His only wish is to spend his last summer in the beach town where Alexis and Tommy grew up and where they have a mostly-used second home.
The emotional heartache and healing that occur over that summer is tremendous. Hammer does an excellent job of portraying the bittersweet and the ultra-sad journey this family takes. Alexis will lose the man she’s loved for years and CeCe her father—and best friend. The story is told in the points of view of all three, but leaning heavily toward Alexis and CeCe. This is an uplifting story overall, though the end seems a bit rushed as far as Alexis and CeCe’s grieving process goes. You’ll need a box of tissues to get through it.
This is an emotional, beautifully written debut novel by Alison Hammer that will make you laugh and make you cry. The characters are so real – flaws and all – and even though parts of the book are very emotional and sad, the overwhelming feeling is one of love.
Alexis and Tommy have been together for over 15 years and have a teenage daughter CeCe. They have many of the same problems as everyone – Mom works too much, Dad works from home and daughter and dad get along but she and her mother constantly disagree. Life is good for all of them…until Tommy finds out that he has terminal lung cancer and only has several months to live. He decides not to fight it and to enjoy what little time he has left with his family. Alexis is afraid that when Tommy dies, she and CeCe will not be able to make a family of two – that Tommy was really the glue that held them together. Can Alexis and CeCe learn to trust and respect each other again after Tommy dies and they return home?
You and Me and Us is a beautifully written book about life and death, family and friends. The pain and the love the family goes through is emotional and heartwarming but is also very real and not sugar coated. This is the story of survival for this family and how they get through it with love and their friendships. These are characters that i won’t soon forget.
WARNING – Don’t be too far away from a box of tissue when you read this – you’re going to need them!
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
Alison Hammer’s debut is perfect in every way. The writing is flawless and engaging, the characters are flawed and real, the story will rip your heart to shreds and duct tape it back together. I adored this book from word one to the very last word, and that’s rare.
I really enjoyed this book. The relationship between the Lexi and CeCe was real and heart felt.
You’ll be crying but by the end of the book you kind of can’t help but smile, too, as Alexis and Tommy and their daughter navigate the unexpected horror of Tommy’s cancer diagnosis. This is a story about loss, but more importantly it’s about the enduring power of love.
What a beautifully written story about a subject none of us is anxious to experience – end of life. But, inevitable it is and to be able to choreograph your own ending, as hard as it is for you and everyone around you, is a gift!
That is what this story is about. The shock, denial, sadness, anger, guilt, grief – it’s all there. But on the terms of the one departing, Tommy. There are lighthearted moments, memories to be relived, traditions to be returned to, favorite places to visit, and love and more love to give and be given.There are also regrets, road blocks and back steps – in other words – even in death – life gets in the way.
This is a book you don’t want to finish because you know the ending, but it’s a hard one to put down. Bring a tissue or two. Well done, Allison Hammer!
First of all, bring out the box of tissues because you will need a bunch by the time you’ve absorbed the last word and closed the book.
I did experience some irritations, but they had nothing to do with the writing style. For one of them, Alexis drove me nuts! She was so wrapped up in her job that she couldn’t eke out enough moments in her work-focused life to be active in her daughter’s life. And irritation number two was Cece’s snarky attitude. Granted, she is a teenager and that’s who they tend to be. But it was still irritating to see how little respect she had for her mother.
All of that was balanced out by Tommy. His love for, and patience with, Alexis and Cece were beyond amazing. I fell in love with him and his commitment, emotional strength, and down to earth personality. Is there really a man like him out there? If so, I want to meet him!
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Paperbacks for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. This book is one you will not be able to put down once you’ve read the first word. The story is a beautiful portrait of love, anger, loss, relationships, growth, insecurity, and healing. Put this on your to-be-read list so you can enjoy the myriad of emotions you will experience as you flip through the pages as fast as you can.
This story—Tommy’s, Alexis’s and CeCe’s—is one of the most beautiful tributes to love that I’ve ever read. Three people have their world turned upside down in the most painful way possible, and yet somehow they find the most extraordinary ways to love each other, and to show their love. Nothing is sugar-coated; their pain is palpable, their anger is intense, their grief broke my heart, but their love was the most powerful force of all.
Favorite Quotes:
Puppies. Rainbows. Kittens. Unicorns. Ice cream. I cycle through the list of things that should make me smile, just thinking about them. If I can fill my head with enough happy thoughts, maybe the sad ones will go away.
“Here’s to cheating, lying, stealing and drinking,” Tommy says, catching us all off guard. “Tommy.” I look over at Abigail and then back to him. “It’s okay,” he says, before continuing, “‘If you’re going to cheat, cheat death.’” He turns slightly in his chair to face Jill. “‘If you’re going to lie, lie for a friend.’” He turns back toward me, his eyes locking onto mine. “If you’re going to steal, steal a heart.” His gaze drifts over to Abigail, who meets his stare. “If you’re going to drink, drink with me.”
Like a living page of the “stars are just like us” magazine spread, Monica Whistler is standing in front of me, a prescription bag in her hand. If there is any justice in the world, I hope it’s for herpes.
I remember reading something once— if you have a boy, you only have to worry about one penis. If you have a girl, you have to worry about all the penises.
The house feels like a museum, each room an exhibit, a memory of us.
My Review:
This poignantly written and well-crafted book hit all the feels and even managed to astound me with the realization that this was the author’s debut. Alison Hammer has found her niche as she writes with a deft hand. Her words were cleverly arranged and pack an emotive punch that managed to squeeze my cold heart, stung my eyes, and wedged hot rocks in my throat several times. She also put a smirk on my face and had me grinding my teeth and stamping my little foot in irritation with the obnoxious behaviors and selfishness of the mother and daughter characters until their “aha moments” slapped them briskly in their matching faces. And they were in dire need of such stunning alterations, and being stubborn, they required repeated applications to chisel away at their thoughtless rigidity and blossom into softer and more pleasantly humanized amalgamations of themselves.
Although I initially had my doubts of their redeemability, I came to admire and even adore Ms. Hammer’s skill and agility with her characters’ development, which was beyond insightful and was richly perceptive and profoundly observant, with sensitive handling and thoughtful touches tucked in that added additional depth to the reading experience. This talented wordsmith is definitely one to watch and has been added to my list.
This debut by Alison Hammer is stunning. A powerful, poignant, deeply emotional story of family, loss, letting go and coming together, YOU AND ME AND US is an exceptional read, especially at a time when we’re all adjusting to a new normal. From the incredibly well-drawn characters to the perfectly paced plot, it’s a book that will make you appreciate everything you have and hold on tightly to everyone you love. It’s both heartbreaking and hopeful, and ultimately, it’s a tale of survival and the resiliency of the human spirit. I highly recommend it. I received an advanced reader copy.
This is, no holds barred, the best book I’ve read in years.
If you’re struggling with grief right now (even just grieving for the regular life we’ve all lost), I predict you’ll love through this story of losing the one you love, but finding joy and hope in the family and life you still have.
Tommy and Alexis and Cece’s story will undoubtably make you cry, but it will likely also give you pause, like me, to ask yourself if you are seizing and making the most of the time you have together with your loved ones, no matter what the circumstances?
Alison Hammer’s writing is easy to read, and so beautiful and melodic, that you don’t want to turn the pages too fast, in order to savor the experience and enjoy living inside each character’s head.
This book will take you to Destin, Florida and remembered beach days, and sunsets, and on an emotional ride, with an uplifting ending, you won’t soon forget. I couldn’t recommend more.
Luminous.
You And Me And Us is a beautiful, gripping novel about love in the face of loss. An extraordinarily confident and sensitive debut by Hammer.
It is hard to believe that You and Me and Us is Alison Hammer’s debut novel. She skillfully weaves a myriad of emotions into one beautiful package as she draws her readers into this emotional story. We experience a full gamut of feelings including love, loss, anger, forgiveness, sadness, despair, and understanding.
Alexis Gold loves her family but devotes most of her time to work. Her partner, Tommy Whistler, works from home. CeCe, their fourteen-year-old daughter loves acting and has dreams of becoming a star. Life is not perfect, but Alexis and Tommy are happy and look forward to a lifetime together. This vision is shattered the day that Tommy tells her that he has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and that he wants to leave Atlanta to spend his remaining months at their summer home in Destin, Florida.
We learn early on about Tommy’s illness and know that this is not going to be a happy ever after ending. But we also get to know and feel how the special people in his life respond to him and to each other. This reader was concerned about how the friction between CeCe and her mother would play out at the end. Characters are well developed and the relationships between them are a big part of the overall picture.
I was fortunate enough to receive an advance reader’s edition from the publisher via LibraryThing. A positive review was not required, but I can and will sing my praises for this book. Any opinion expressed here is my own.
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway from William Morrow, and once I started it, I couldn’t put it down. Alexis is a career-driven mother to her 14-year-old daughter Cece. Thankfully, her long-term partner Tommy is an excellent father to CeCe when she can’t be there. The amount of work is keeping her away from major events in CeCe’s life, and it’s creating a chasm between the two. So when they learn that Tommy has terminal cancer, it throws everything up in the air because he is the glue that holds the family together. In a time of great fear, they must learn to put aside their differences and be there for Tommy. So they head down to Destin, Florida, where Tommy wants to live his final days.
Told in alternating viewpoints from Alexis and CeCe, we get a more complete picture of what is going on. There’s a lot more going on in this book than just Tommy’s cancer. While Alexis is a strong woman, her jealous of Tommy’s ex-wife, Monica, is extreme, and it makes her rather unlikeable.
They’ve kept the fact that Tommy used to be married to her a secret from their daughter. When CeCe gets the chance to meet her and work with her, Alexis isn’t having it. Her contempt for someone that’s been out of the picture for so long is too much. It’s clouding her judgment. She overreacts to the things CeCe does, and I understand it’s a very stressful time, but it made me dislike her.
Because of the distance with her mother, CeCe is close to her father. But she’s acting out a bit because she feels like she’s surrounded by secrets. She feels she can’t connect with her mother because she always says the wrong thing and doesn’t care about what she really wants. (through the skewed vision of a teenager, of course.)
When Alexis finally slowed down, when she started listening to what Tommy wanted, and what CeCe wanted and needed, it was when she grew much more tolerable to me. I knew this would be a hard read, but when that communication opened up, that’s when it became such an emotional read for me. The amount of love between Tommy and Alexis poured off the page. The heartbreak, the friendships, the family ties all made this an emotional and touching read.
An impressive debut. Perfect for fans of Karma Brown and Sarah Jio. Have the tissues close by!