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The Two of Us
Sometimes holding on to pain means letting go of love.
If there’s no place like home, that’s more than okay for Mara Makinen. In fact, she prefers it that way. Going back to the place where she made the worst mistake of her life? Not ideal.
So when a family emergency forces Mara to return home to her small lake town in Maine after seven years, she knows there’s only one way she’ll get through it unscathed: Avoid Ambrose King at all costs.
But that might prove difficult considering he lives right across the street.
If there’s no place like home, that’s more than okay for Mara Makinen. In fact, she prefers it that way. Going back to the place where she made the worst mistake of her life? Not ideal.
So when a family emergency forces Mara to return home to her small lake town in Maine after seven years, she knows there’s only one way she’ll get through it unscathed: Avoid Ambrose King at all costs.
But that might prove difficult considering he lives right across the street.
349 pages, Paperback
Published March 14, 2023
About the author
Taylor Torres
1 book299 followersTaylor Torres is a twenty something year old living in New York City with her incredible husband and vivacious daughter. When she’s not hiding behind a book, she’s daydreaming about sweeping romances and heartrending one-liners. That’s usually when the writing comes in. She loves seeking inspiration from the people around her and the stories they live to tell.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,193 reviews
December 12, 2023
「 ★ ★ ★ ★ 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀 」
⤷ ˗ˏˋ꒰ “no matter how much you love someone, you can’t save them from drowning. they have to love themselves enough to learn how to swim.“ ꒱
content warnings: death of a parent / of a loved one, grief, trauma and addiction.
the two of us took my heart, threw it on the floor and stomped on it. i have a hard time coming up with a review that would do this book justice.
the book itself is beautifully written but makes you go through all sorts of emotions which i cannot quite define, starting with love and hurt.
it is devided into dual timelines. one follows the childhood to teenage years of mara, ambrose and his sister cat - although mara and cat are in the centre of attention during the then-chapters.
the chapters in the now-time are focused on ambrose and mara. however i must admit i did enjoy these chapters more.
mara makinen & ambrose king
⤷ even as children one was rarely without the other. throughout the story you‘re always followed by the it‘s always been you vibes. the development between these two is heartfelt. i love them so much(especially ambrose my man)
mara & cat‘s friendship
⤷ i love the way the author describes best friends. i wish everyone could someday experience a friendship like the ones taylor torres writes about. a friendship filled with laughter, love and support. a friendship like mara and cat‘s.
ೃ⁀➷ i read this book with a grin on my face whereas the ending made me shed plenty of tears. it was heart-breaking and bittersweet.
♫₊˚.🎧 ✩｡ alexa play
𝗶 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂, 𝗶‘𝗺 𝘀𝗼𝗿𝗿𝘆
ᵍʳᵃᶜⁱᵉ ᵃᵇʳᵃᵐˢ
⇄ ◁◁ 𝚰𝚰 ▷▷ ↻
⁰⁰'²⁵ ━━●━━───── ⁰²'⁰⁸
╰┈➤ ❝ [quotes that touched my heart]
pulling the rest of the caramels from his pocket, ambrose drops them into my hand. “here, have them all.” he snorts. “i know they’re your favorite.” i look at him sideways. “you remembered that?” “i remember everything about you.”
i loved you then and i love you now. and if you’ll have me… i’ll love you until my last breath.” my tears fall freely now. “you’re the love of my life, mara, but you’re my best friend too. i like you as much as i love you. i could have a million lifetimes with you and it still wouldn’t be enough.
“the idea behind it is that even when something’s broken, we can always put it back together. and when we put it back together and embrace those cracks of imperfection, it’s even stronger and more beautiful than before.”
⤷ ˗ˏˋ꒰ “no matter how much you love someone, you can’t save them from drowning. they have to love themselves enough to learn how to swim.“ ꒱
content warnings: death of a parent / of a loved one, grief, trauma and addiction.
the two of us took my heart, threw it on the floor and stomped on it. i have a hard time coming up with a review that would do this book justice.
the book itself is beautifully written but makes you go through all sorts of emotions which i cannot quite define, starting with love and hurt.
it is devided into dual timelines. one follows the childhood to teenage years of mara, ambrose and his sister cat - although mara and cat are in the centre of attention during the then-chapters.
the chapters in the now-time are focused on ambrose and mara. however i must admit i did enjoy these chapters more.
“we stand there, watching the dark clouds
pass over the moon. naturally, our bodies start drifting closer. like we’re opposite poles on two magnets. like we don’t have a choice. like we’re inevitable.
mara makinen & ambrose king
⤷ even as children one was rarely without the other. throughout the story you‘re always followed by the it‘s always been you vibes. the development between these two is heartfelt. i love them so much
mara & cat‘s friendship
⤷ i love the way the author describes best friends. i wish everyone could someday experience a friendship like the ones taylor torres writes about. a friendship filled with laughter, love and support. a friendship like mara and cat‘s.
ೃ⁀➷ i read this book with a grin on my face whereas the ending made me shed plenty of tears. it was heart-breaking and bittersweet.
♫₊˚.🎧 ✩｡ alexa play
𝗶 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂, 𝗶‘𝗺 𝘀𝗼𝗿𝗿𝘆
ᵍʳᵃᶜⁱᵉ ᵃᵇʳᵃᵐˢ
⇄ ◁◁ 𝚰𝚰 ▷▷ ↻
⁰⁰'²⁵ ━━●━━───── ⁰²'⁰⁸
╰┈➤ ❝ [quotes that touched my heart]
pulling the rest of the caramels from his pocket, ambrose drops them into my hand. “here, have them all.” he snorts. “i know they’re your favorite.” i look at him sideways. “you remembered that?” “i remember everything about you.”
i loved you then and i love you now. and if you’ll have me… i’ll love you until my last breath.” my tears fall freely now. “you’re the love of my life, mara, but you’re my best friend too. i like you as much as i love you. i could have a million lifetimes with you and it still wouldn’t be enough.
“the idea behind it is that even when something’s broken, we can always put it back together. and when we put it back together and embrace those cracks of imperfection, it’s even stronger and more beautiful than before.”
July 4, 2023
I can barely see through my tears to write this review
March 4, 2023
i have no words rn
March 15, 2024
I have so many issues with this book.
- Mara: I don’t like her. Didn’t feel any connection with her. Her actions confused and annoyed me. It was pure torture reading everything from her pov. She was very selfish and made the whole thing about herself. I get how close they were and what grief and guilt do to people but i think seven years were long enough to think about what happened and to figure out that she’s not the only one who’s hurting and that what she did was a terrible thing to do!! Also she was very indecisive. She’d be like “i want him to kiss me so bad” and when he does she push him away and say “ we can’t do it”. She tells him she wants him and she finally made up her mind but the next things she does is getting up in the middle of night and leave. She tells him to move on and flirt with him the next day!! And she act like she’s the only one who’s hurting. He suffered too!! He felt guilt too!!
- the plot: it literally took so much time for the plot to start plotting. Literally everything happened the last 30 pages in the book and it wasn’t worth it
- mara& ambrose literally felt nothing for them in the past chapters because it was more about her and Cathy than it was about her and ambrose. And they spent most of it hating each other. So when was I supposed to root for them/him when he spent most of the time acting like a total dick!!! As for the present chapters it felt very very unrealistic for me. Them acting normal on their first meeting after seven years really throw me off because how can you guys do that like i spend a week or a couple of days giving the cold shoulder to my friends when they leave me on read let alone someone leaving me in my time of need and doesn’t talk to me for seven damn years!!
- forced drama i think the author wanted to add more drama to the book by adding 3 or 2 unnecessary accidents to the story. They didn’t make sense to me and they felt so forced and I didn’t care about them.
the tragedy call me insensitive, call me cruel but I didn’t cry i felt sad yes but there were no tears ( and I literally cry over anything). I was just so angry that she left and didn’t think of the others!
- Mara: I don’t like her. Didn’t feel any connection with her. Her actions confused and annoyed me. It was pure torture reading everything from her pov. She was very selfish and made the whole thing about herself. I get how close they were and what grief and guilt do to people but i think seven years were long enough to think about what happened and to figure out that she’s not the only one who’s hurting and that what she did was a terrible thing to do!! Also she was very indecisive. She’d be like “i want him to kiss me so bad” and when he does she push him away and say “ we can’t do it”. She tells him she wants him and she finally made up her mind but the next things she does is getting up in the middle of night and leave. She tells him to move on and flirt with him the next day!! And she act like she’s the only one who’s hurting. He suffered too!! He felt guilt too!!
- the plot: it literally took so much time for the plot to start plotting. Literally everything happened the last 30 pages in the book
- mara& ambrose literally felt nothing for them in the past chapters because it was more about her and Cathy than it was about her and ambrose. And they spent most of it hating each other. So when was I supposed to root for them/him when he spent most of the time acting like a total dick!!! As for the present chapters it felt very very unrealistic for me. Them acting normal on their first meeting after seven years really throw me off because how can you guys do that like i spend a week or a couple of days giving the cold shoulder to my friends when they leave me on read let alone someone leaving me in my time of need and doesn’t talk to me for seven damn years!!
- forced drama i think the author wanted to add more drama to the book by adding 3 or 2 unnecessary accidents to the story. They didn’t make sense to me and they felt so forced and I didn’t care about them.
the tragedy call me insensitive, call me cruel but I didn’t cry i felt sad yes but there were no tears ( and I literally cry over anything). I was just so angry that she left and didn’t think of the others!
May 19, 2024
I absolutely adore this. 🥹🥹🥹 beautiful writing, beautiful story, beautiful beautiful beautiful 💜
September 17, 2023
— 3.5 Stars ★
“Will you come somewhere with me?”
I fold his hand into mine. “Anywhere.”
Well this was a heartwarming second chance romance story. I enjoyed it even though I had quite some expectations from it because second chance trope is always one of my favourite tropes. But it was pretty amazing considering it was Taylor's debut novel. The story is heartbreaking and painful yet so heartwarming and beautiful because Ambrose and Mara were just 💘
Mara is back in her hometown to look after her sick father after seven years of leaving that town and leaving all the people and her life behind after some tragic incident. But now that she is back, will she finally give in to all the pain and grief she felt over the years. And what will happen when Ambrose is ready to be with her but she's not??
The story is divided in dual timeline, now and then. For me, Now timeline was more interesting because we saw more of Ambrose and Mara's relationship development and some angst too. The then timeline was mostly based on Mara and Cat's (Ambrose's sister) friendship. Ambrose felt like more like a side character in then timeline. I wanted more of childhood Ambrose and Mara and it felt everything about them was rushed in the past when it could be written in more detail because Mara and Ambrose always had this undeniable and palpable chemistry since they were kids. But it was still so adorable 💘
➺ Mara Maniken
She is an introvert, stubborn, selfless and kind. I really adore the childhood Mara so much but present Mara kinda pissed me off. I know how grief and pain can change a person but her constantly blaming herself for that incident was too much. But I'm glad she finally took the step she needed that led her to Ambrose and a happy life she always deserved.
➺ Ambrose King
The best character in this book 💘 His selflessness and the way he always tried to make Mara feel comfortable was just so sweet. Past Ambrose was a grumpy teenager but present Ambrose was sweet and gentleman. Always trying to help Mara and her dad with everything. I wanted to read his pov too to understand more about him and his feelings for Mara but he still he was just incredible.
➙ Mara and Ambrose's relationship
I adored them so much together. Their sweet moments, their banter, the way Mara was always so shy when Ambrose teased her when they were kids, their little word games, their promises, their love. Everything about them was comfort and nothing less.
I loved the angst between them when they met again and the way Ambrose tried to break the walls Mara created around her to protect herself from any kind of pain. She wasn’t ready to face their tragic past and blamed herself but Ambrose helped her understand that it was not her fault. He stayed by her side when she finally let herself move on from it. It was so beautiful to see them help each other grow.
➙ Cat and Mara's sweet friendship
I loved how the author described it with all the cute and funny moments. It was perfect. Cat was like ride or die kind of friend who was totally opposite of Mara. But together they were a chaotic duo.
➙ Mara and her father's relationship
I loved this father-daughter duo. It was achingly sweet and pure and definitely one of the best thing about this book. The way her dad always cared for her and provided her with everything. It was comforting and beautiful.
The ending was bittersweet and the last chapters were a bit painful to read. I'm glad Mara had therapy because that was the first step she needed to take to start something new with Ambrose. I'm so happy they both found their happiness after all the pain and grief they both endured and built something that they can call their own.
"There’s nothing like it, being in the arms of the one you’re meant for. It’s like a gentle caress from the universe. A pause in the fabric of time and space as two people who are and will always be, throw their hands up and stop fighting the inevitable. Because that’s what Ambrose and I are. We’re inevitable. We have the kind of love people write about."
“Will you come somewhere with me?”
I fold his hand into mine. “Anywhere.”
Well this was a heartwarming second chance romance story. I enjoyed it even though I had quite some expectations from it because second chance trope is always one of my favourite tropes. But it was pretty amazing considering it was Taylor's debut novel. The story is heartbreaking and painful yet so heartwarming and beautiful because Ambrose and Mara were just 💘
Mara is back in her hometown to look after her sick father after seven years of leaving that town and leaving all the people and her life behind after some tragic incident. But now that she is back, will she finally give in to all the pain and grief she felt over the years. And what will happen when Ambrose is ready to be with her but she's not??
The story is divided in dual timeline, now and then. For me, Now timeline was more interesting because we saw more of Ambrose and Mara's relationship development and some angst too. The then timeline was mostly based on Mara and Cat's (Ambrose's sister) friendship. Ambrose felt like more like a side character in then timeline. I wanted more of childhood Ambrose and Mara and it felt everything about them was rushed in the past when it could be written in more detail because Mara and Ambrose always had this undeniable and palpable chemistry since they were kids. But it was still so adorable 💘
“Wait,” he says, reaching for my hand. When he lingers, my face begins to warm. Then he leans in and brushes his soft lips against my cheek, just long enough for me to inhale a breath. “That’s how I wanted to do it.”
He smirks. “That’s four words. You do know how this game works, right?” I pinch his arm and he cackles, swatting me away.
“Mara,” I say.
“Pretty.”
We both go still. He looks at me in a way I don’t think I’ve ever seen him look at me before.
➺ Mara Maniken
She is an introvert, stubborn, selfless and kind. I really adore the childhood Mara so much but present Mara kinda pissed me off. I know how grief and pain can change a person but her constantly blaming herself for that incident was too much. But I'm glad she finally took the step she needed that led her to Ambrose and a happy life she always deserved.
➺ Ambrose King
The best character in this book 💘 His selflessness and the way he always tried to make Mara feel comfortable was just so sweet. Past Ambrose was a grumpy teenager but present Ambrose was sweet and gentleman. Always trying to help Mara and her dad with everything. I wanted to read his pov too to understand more about him and his feelings for Mara but he still he was just incredible.
➙ Mara and Ambrose's relationship
I adored them so much together. Their sweet moments, their banter, the way Mara was always so shy when Ambrose teased her when they were kids, their little word games, their promises, their love. Everything about them was comfort and nothing less.
Ambrose slips out of the booth and holds out his hand. “Dance with me.”
“I…” He moves forward and weaves his fingers through mine.
“Dance with me, Mara,” he says gruffly.
“Here, have them all.” He snorts. “I know they’re your favorite.” I look at him sideways.
“You remembered that?”
“I remember everything about you.”
I loved the angst between them when they met again and the way Ambrose tried to break the walls Mara created around her to protect herself from any kind of pain. She wasn’t ready to face their tragic past and blamed herself but Ambrose helped her understand that it was not her fault. He stayed by her side when she finally let herself move on from it. It was so beautiful to see them help each other grow.
“You are not and never will be a plaything to me.”
“Then what am I?”
“Everything. You’re everything to me.”
“Because I love you, Mara.” My eyes fly to his and his smile is sad and hopeful all at once. “Don’t look so surprised.”
“Still?”
“Always.” He pushes the hair from my face. “I’ve loved you since the day you knocked on my front door with that godforsaken cat in your arms.”
➙ Cat and Mara's sweet friendship
I loved how the author described it with all the cute and funny moments. It was perfect. Cat was like ride or die kind of friend who was totally opposite of Mara. But together they were a chaotic duo.
“Promise me, Mar. Promise we’ll always be sisters like Sally and Gilly.”
“I promise.”
“Where I go, you go, right?”
“Where you go, I go, Cat."
➙ Mara and her father's relationship
I loved this father-daughter duo. It was achingly sweet and pure and definitely one of the best thing about this book. The way her dad always cared for her and provided her with everything. It was comforting and beautiful.
"The man might not know everything there is to know about raising a young girl on his own—he ties my hair up with rubber bands from the post office and feeds me pancakes for dinner—but he’s trying. He’s here. And I love him all the more for it."
The ending was bittersweet and the last chapters were a bit painful to read. I'm glad Mara had therapy because that was the first step she needed to take to start something new with Ambrose. I'm so happy they both found their happiness after all the pain and grief they both endured and built something that they can call their own.
"There’s nothing like it, being in the arms of the one you’re meant for. It’s like a gentle caress from the universe. A pause in the fabric of time and space as two people who are and will always be, throw their hands up and stop fighting the inevitable. Because that’s what Ambrose and I are. We’re inevitable. We have the kind of love people write about."
April 4, 2023
4★ ੈ✩‧₊˚
❝ we’re like two sides of the same coin. Different… but the same ❞
ੈ✩‧₊˚
Genres: romance, new adult
Plot: 4★
Writing: 4★
Plot twists: 3★
Characters: 4★
Romance: 4★
Friendships: 4★
Chapter length: 4★
Epilogue: yes
Cliffhanger: no
❝ No matter how much you love someone, you can’t save them from drowning. They have to love themselves enough to learn how to swim ❞
I’m really sorry but I don’t have the emotional strength to write a coherent review after ugly crying during the last 30 pages but I just want to say that if you enjoyed “love and other words” this book is for you. Second chance, small town, dual timeline, childhood best friends, “it’s always been you” type of thing. Don’t let the cover fool you tho, this was painful and heartbreaking as hell. Lowkey ripped my heart out and as if that wasn’t enough, threw it to the ground and stepped on it. I might never recover (I’m nothing if not dramatic)
Genres: romance, new adult
Plot: 4★
Writing: 4★
Plot twists: 3★
Characters: 4★
Romance: 4★
Friendships: 4★
Chapter length: 4★
Epilogue: yes
Cliffhanger: no
❝ No matter how much you love someone, you can’t save them from drowning. They have to love themselves enough to learn how to swim ❞
I’m really sorry but I don’t have the emotional strength to write a coherent review after ugly crying during the last 30 pages but I just want to say that if you enjoyed “love and other words” this book is for you. Second chance, small town, dual timeline, childhood best friends, “it’s always been you” type of thing. Don’t let the cover fool you tho, this was painful and heartbreaking as hell. Lowkey ripped my heart out and as if that wasn’t enough, threw it to the ground and stepped on it. I might never recover (I’m nothing if not dramatic)
July 28, 2023
The writing in this book was magical. I could read anything from Taylor from this say forward because I’m obsessed with her words
August 21, 2023
..「 ★★★★½ ꒱꒱
⁀➷ spice: 1/5
•---------------------------•
this story is divided in dual timeline, now and then. personally i found the present to be more interesting, i liked how we get to see more of ambrose and mara and how their relationship develops over time. the past was mostly based on mara’s friendship with cat (ambrose’s sister) and while i loved seeing that relationship develop, i wish we would have gotten more of ambrose and mara. i wanted to see their childhood in more detail especially when they had such undeniable chemistry even when they were kids.
╰┈➤ mara makinen
she’s introverted, stubborn, selfless, and kind. i really loved child mara, i thought she was so sweet and i really adored her love and passion towards movies and books. adult mara on the other hand was a bit frustrating. i understand that she was going through a lot of feelings and emotions but her constantly blaming herself for something she couldn’t control and constantly getting in her own way when it came to her relationship with ambrose could be too much at times. thankfully she took the time and space she needed to recover and lived the beautiful, happy life she deserved.
╰┈➤ ambrose king
my love. i absolutely adored both child and adult ambrose, even when he started to drift away. i loved the way he treated mara and how he was always there, ready to pounce on anyone who so much as looked at her the wrong way. i do wish we could’ve gotten his pov, especially during the seven years mara was gone. i would have loved to see how he grew from everything that had happened and how his relationship with mara’s dad developed.
i absolutely loved this book, the ending was so bittersweet and the last chapters had me bawling. i'm so glad mara and ambrose finally found the happiness they deserve.
fav quotes:
⁀➷ spice: 1/5
•---------------------------•
“will you come somewhere with me?” i fold his hand into mine. “anywhere.”
this story is divided in dual timeline, now and then. personally i found the present to be more interesting, i liked how we get to see more of ambrose and mara and how their relationship develops over time. the past was mostly based on mara’s friendship with cat (ambrose’s sister) and while i loved seeing that relationship develop, i wish we would have gotten more of ambrose and mara. i wanted to see their childhood in more detail especially when they had such undeniable chemistry even when they were kids.
“he smirks. “that’s four words. you do know how this game works, right?” i pinch his arm and he cackles, swatting me away. “mara,” i say. “pretty.” we both go still. he looks at me in a way i don’t think i’ve ever seen him look at me before. something blooms inside of me and i want to water it every day and let it grow because it’s one of the most beautiful things i’ve ever felt.”
╰┈➤ mara makinen
she’s introverted, stubborn, selfless, and kind. i really loved child mara, i thought she was so sweet and i really adored her love and passion towards movies and books. adult mara on the other hand was a bit frustrating. i understand that she was going through a lot of feelings and emotions but her constantly blaming herself for something she couldn’t control and constantly getting in her own way when it came to her relationship with ambrose could be too much at times. thankfully she took the time and space she needed to recover and lived the beautiful, happy life she deserved.
╰┈➤ ambrose king
my love. i absolutely adored both child and adult ambrose, even when he started to drift away. i loved the way he treated mara and how he was always there, ready to pounce on anyone who so much as looked at her the wrong way. i do wish we could’ve gotten his pov, especially during the seven years mara was gone. i would have loved to see how he grew from everything that had happened and how his relationship with mara’s dad developed.
i absolutely loved this book, the ending was so bittersweet and the last chapters had me bawling. i'm so glad mara and ambrose finally found the happiness they deserve.
fav quotes:
“being touched by someone can feel meaningless until you’re touched by the right person.”
“he smiles and what a smile it is. it makes every good thing louder, and every bad thing obsolete.”
”naturally, our bodies start drifting closer. like we’re opposite poles on two magnets. like we don’t have a choice. like we’re inevitable.”
“here, have them all.” he snorts. “i know they’re your favorite.” i look at him sideways. “you remembered that?” “i remember everything about you.”
“i think that’s why ambrose likes you so much. you just got it.” i throw my head back, laughing at that. “oh yeah? and what’s ‘it’?” “i dunno.” he shrugs. “the thing that he needs.”
May 10, 2023
3,5/5⭐️
This was such a sweet, heartwarming yet also heartbreaking story. I honestly did not expect it to be that sad at the end. It was truly an emotional rollercoaster and I recommend this to anyone who loves these type of books!
The romance in this book was truly to die for! It was sweet but also heart-aching at the same time. There is miscommunication present in the past time line of the book so if you don’t like that trope then maybe this book isn’t for you because I do gotta say that the miscommunication on Ambrose’s end was very annoying and unnecessary in my opinion. I know he was only a teenager at that time and that it is quite hard to communicate your feelings well at that age but it was still very frustrating at times.
However, besides that Mara and Ambrose were freaking adorable! Childhood friends to strangers to lovers, second chance, small town and kinda grumpy x sunshine! It’s such a sweet combination and I really loved the dual time lines and seeing how their relationship developed over their youth and then seeing them try to work things out again in their adulthood after not seeing each other for so many years!
The friendship between Mara and Cat was also so sweet! It has a sad turn to it though that I really didn’t expect and it made me so freaking emotional at the end because I really expected anything but that to happen! But their friendship was still so beautifully involved into the story and I really enjoyed reading about it!
I do gotta say though that I couldn’t really connect with any of the characters. The book was pretty short so that might be the reason why.. I also believe that I won’t be thinking much about this story and its characters once I’m done writing this review, which is why I only see myself giving this book 3,5 stars. It would’ve been 4 but the miscommunication trope was just too annoying for me to ignore.
Overall, I still really enjoyed this book! It is still such a sweet and emotional read and I do still recommend this to people who love all the said tropes that I’ve mentioned!
This was such a sweet, heartwarming yet also heartbreaking story. I honestly did not expect it to be that sad at the end. It was truly an emotional rollercoaster and I recommend this to anyone who loves these type of books!
The romance in this book was truly to die for! It was sweet but also heart-aching at the same time. There is miscommunication present in the past time line of the book so if you don’t like that trope then maybe this book isn’t for you because I do gotta say that the miscommunication on Ambrose’s end was very annoying and unnecessary in my opinion. I know he was only a teenager at that time and that it is quite hard to communicate your feelings well at that age but it was still very frustrating at times.
However, besides that Mara and Ambrose were freaking adorable! Childhood friends to strangers to lovers, second chance, small town and kinda grumpy x sunshine! It’s such a sweet combination and I really loved the dual time lines and seeing how their relationship developed over their youth and then seeing them try to work things out again in their adulthood after not seeing each other for so many years!
The friendship between Mara and Cat was also so sweet! It has a sad turn to it though that I really didn’t expect and it made me so freaking emotional at the end because I really expected anything but that to happen! But their friendship was still so beautifully involved into the story and I really enjoyed reading about it!
I do gotta say though that I couldn’t really connect with any of the characters. The book was pretty short so that might be the reason why.. I also believe that I won’t be thinking much about this story and its characters once I’m done writing this review, which is why I only see myself giving this book 3,5 stars. It would’ve been 4 but the miscommunication trope was just too annoying for me to ignore.
Overall, I still really enjoyed this book! It is still such a sweet and emotional read and I do still recommend this to people who love all the said tropes that I’ve mentioned!
June 4, 2023
4.5 ⭐️ 1🌶
You know the kind of reads you pick up because you want pain and heartache? This is that kind of book!! Second chance romance can evoke emotions within me like no freaking other!!! The way the tension & angst had my heart dropping and my chest tightening, SEDATE ME!!
OMG MARA AND AMBROSE!!!!! The vulnerability and rawness between the two and just their pain. Ambrose was so flipping sweet and you can just feel the love dripping from this beautiful man!!! +There were so many moments where I got hard Allie and Noah vibes from the notebook, which I mean come on, obsessed!!!
The only area it fell a little short for me was I just felt like there was something missing? But I’m having a hard time placing my finger on what it was completely. Overall such an amazing DEBUT NOVEL!
The story was enthralling and I never wanted to put it down for a minute!
If you want something similar to every summer after + love and other words, this is the book for you!!
Check TW!
You know the kind of reads you pick up because you want pain and heartache? This is that kind of book!! Second chance romance can evoke emotions within me like no freaking other!!! The way the tension & angst had my heart dropping and my chest tightening, SEDATE ME!!
OMG MARA AND AMBROSE!!!!! The vulnerability and rawness between the two and just their pain. Ambrose was so flipping sweet and you can just feel the love dripping from this beautiful man!!! +There were so many moments where I got hard Allie and Noah vibes from the notebook, which I mean come on, obsessed!!!
The only area it fell a little short for me was I just felt like there was something missing? But I’m having a hard time placing my finger on what it was completely. Overall such an amazing DEBUT NOVEL!
The story was enthralling and I never wanted to put it down for a minute!
If you want something similar to every summer after + love and other words, this is the book for you!!
Check TW!
June 21, 2024
THIS FUCKING BOOK 😭😭😭
♾️/🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 stars!
This is now my FAVORITE book I have ever read.
This book was so so SO beautiful, heart wrenching, & it made me feel every emotion possible. This story touched my SOUL. I’m still crying writing this review 😭 I can’t believe this was in my TBR for so long. If you loved “With Love & Other Words” you’ll love this one maybe a little more.
♾️/🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 stars!
This is now my FAVORITE book I have ever read.
This book was so so SO beautiful, heart wrenching, & it made me feel every emotion possible. This story touched my SOUL. I’m still crying writing this review 😭 I can’t believe this was in my TBR for so long. If you loved “With Love & Other Words” you’ll love this one maybe a little more.
May 17, 2023
DNF at 60% - I can’t continue on. The writing is just so choppy, random, and inconsistent (not to mention the amount of grammatical errors, but I’m assuming this was independently published). The characters say one thing, and then do the exact opposite. Entire dialogue and scenes come out of absolutely nowhere, and I genuinely know nothing about any of the characters. They feel like shells of people.
I also feel like the author was trying to do too much with Mara’s inner-conflicts. Like she had anxiety about being in big groups of people, and she hated herself, and she thought she was ugly, and she had abandonment issues because of her mom, etc etc. I fully believe that people are complex enough to have this much going on, HOWEVER, the author didn’t flesh out any of this. These issues would be brought up maybe once or twice very briefly, and then would never be thought of again. It was incredibly random and off-putting, especially since the last few books I’ve read, the authors did a fantastic job of fleshing out the MC’s inner turmoil. To get one line about how the MC hates herself, with literally no build up or reference to it after was just confusing. I think it would have been better to really hone in on one or two of these struggles, because it just came across as messy.
This is a pale comparison to Love and Other Words, and it just didn’t really work for me. Which is a bummer, because second chance romance with dual timelines is my favorite.
I also feel like the author was trying to do too much with Mara’s inner-conflicts. Like she had anxiety about being in big groups of people, and she hated herself, and she thought she was ugly, and she had abandonment issues because of her mom, etc etc. I fully believe that people are complex enough to have this much going on, HOWEVER, the author didn’t flesh out any of this. These issues would be brought up maybe once or twice very briefly, and then would never be thought of again. It was incredibly random and off-putting, especially since the last few books I’ve read, the authors did a fantastic job of fleshing out the MC’s inner turmoil. To get one line about how the MC hates herself, with literally no build up or reference to it after was just confusing. I think it would have been better to really hone in on one or two of these struggles, because it just came across as messy.
This is a pale comparison to Love and Other Words, and it just didn’t really work for me. Which is a bummer, because second chance romance with dual timelines is my favorite.
June 5, 2023
4/5 ⭐️
- This story made my heart swoon!! Friends to lovers is my favorite trope and this story really showed their friendship along with so many beautiful memories that they have together over the years. There’s so much depth that they have together and it’s the definition of true love. Second chance romances just hit!!
- I loved the dual timelines because it’s so easy to really connect with the characters. The ending made my heart so sad, but so warm at the same time. I literally gasped at the ending.
- This book will make you feel so much. It will shatter your heart and put it back together. The way this author portrays love is beautiful and I’ll read anything that she writes!!
- This story made my heart swoon!! Friends to lovers is my favorite trope and this story really showed their friendship along with so many beautiful memories that they have together over the years. There’s so much depth that they have together and it’s the definition of true love. Second chance romances just hit!!
- I loved the dual timelines because it’s so easy to really connect with the characters. The ending made my heart so sad, but so warm at the same time. I literally gasped at the ending.
- This book will make you feel so much. It will shatter your heart and put it back together. The way this author portrays love is beautiful and I’ll read anything that she writes!!
May 5, 2023
5/5 ⭐️
Oh my goodness. I am shocked. This book went above and beyond my expectations. Prepare yourself if you plan to read this. I went into it blind and it is a very very painful book. I loved it but man did it hurt. Check triggers because there’s a lot of painful topics that I didn’t expect. It made me cry a lot but it was beautiful at the same time. The struggles the characters go through is something that would break anyone. To see them fight their battles and come out on the other end and find their happiness is so touching. I love how this is second chance, childhood friends to lovers and just so much more. Every past and present moment was so interesting. I was captivated from start to finish.
I have to say I never expected things to turn out the way they did. I gasped out loud when the truth was finally revealed. My heart was pounding so hard. I thought I knew what was coming but woah did I get the biggest shock. You know a book is good when it brings out all these kinds of feelings. Truly loved this one and HIGHLY recommend!
Oh my goodness. I am shocked. This book went above and beyond my expectations. Prepare yourself if you plan to read this. I went into it blind and it is a very very painful book. I loved it but man did it hurt. Check triggers because there’s a lot of painful topics that I didn’t expect. It made me cry a lot but it was beautiful at the same time. The struggles the characters go through is something that would break anyone. To see them fight their battles and come out on the other end and find their happiness is so touching. I love how this is second chance, childhood friends to lovers and just so much more. Every past and present moment was so interesting. I was captivated from start to finish.
I have to say I never expected things to turn out the way they did. I gasped out loud when the truth was finally revealed. My heart was pounding so hard. I thought I knew what was coming but woah did I get the biggest shock. You know a book is good when it brings out all these kinds of feelings. Truly loved this one and HIGHLY recommend!
July 19, 2023
The Two of Us by was a journey of laughter, heartbreak, love, and friendship. And it’s safe to say that I absolutely devoured this debut romance novel on my buddy read with my girlie.
—second chance
—emotional af
—best friend’s brother
—debut novel
TTOU is a story that broke my heart, put it back together, and still has me in my feels days later❤️🩹 The love I have for this book is endless, the love I have for these Ambrose & Mara is undeniable, and the love I have for the love in this story is unmatched. A story that brought me to my knees, I was in tears for 30 minutes after the last page. I loved it.
*if you need an emotional second chance contemporary romance, this is it. You need it now.*
—second chance
—emotional af
—best friend’s brother
—debut novel
TTOU is a story that broke my heart, put it back together, and still has me in my feels days later❤️🩹 The love I have for this book is endless, the love I have for these Ambrose & Mara is undeniable, and the love I have for the love in this story is unmatched. A story that brought me to my knees, I was in tears for 30 minutes after the last page. I loved it.
*if you need an emotional second chance contemporary romance, this is it. You need it now.*
December 5, 2023
I'm emotionally wrecked.
June 24, 2022
I am speechless! Out of all the books I have ever read, this is only the third one that has made me cry. Literal tears streaming down my face. So that right there should tell you something!
I am just in complete and utter shock that this is a debut novel! Two of Us is so special and beautiful and truly an amazing story!
Once I started reading, I did not put this down until I was done. The emotion this book pulls out of you is not something I was prepared for. I cried. A lot. Laughed. Felt heartbroken and angry. I had all the feels.
This story felt so real and all the characters are amazing! This isn’t just a story of love between a boy and girl. It’s a story of family and friendship, finding yourself and overcoming loss. It’s so much more than I could have even imagined.
I am just in complete and utter shock that this is a debut novel! Two of Us is so special and beautiful and truly an amazing story!
Once I started reading, I did not put this down until I was done. The emotion this book pulls out of you is not something I was prepared for. I cried. A lot. Laughed. Felt heartbroken and angry. I had all the feels.
This story felt so real and all the characters are amazing! This isn’t just a story of love between a boy and girl. It’s a story of family and friendship, finding yourself and overcoming loss. It’s so much more than I could have even imagined.
December 15, 2023
3.75 stars rounded up to 4 ✨
I wanted to read a book that would make me ugly cry, and this one delivered
I wanted to read a book that would make me ugly cry, and this one delivered
September 2, 2023
4.75⭐️ I am uncontrollably sobbing and have no words other than this book was so beautiful but also so heartbreaking.
“Promise me that no matter what, it’ll always be the two of us.”
“The two of us. I promise.” 🤧
“Promise me that no matter what, it’ll always be the two of us.”
“The two of us. I promise.” 🤧
May 22, 2024
4.5 stars!
this one made me so unwell at the end! the tears were streaming. i loved the dual timeline in this one so much and this story was so beautiful. it had a bit of a slower start but i think it just gave us some time to get to know the characters and see where they were at/ start the build up of the past story line.
second chance and best friends brother are two of my fave tropes and i think this book was written so well! it was super easy to follow the dual timeline while listening to the audiobook!
this one made me so unwell at the end! the tears were streaming. i loved the dual timeline in this one so much and this story was so beautiful. it had a bit of a slower start but i think it just gave us some time to get to know the characters and see where they were at/ start the build up of the past story line.
second chance and best friends brother are two of my fave tropes and i think this book was written so well! it was super easy to follow the dual timeline while listening to the audiobook!
March 21, 2023
the two of us by taylor
my review ::: the two of us by taylor
5/5⭐️!!!
happy release day taylor!!! you can now purchase the two of us on amazon🫶🏻
i’m going to start off by saying this book has become one of my all time favourites. i was so excited when @taylor gifted me an ARC copy of her debut novel and let’s just say this beautiful story did not disappoint.
a love story that experienced unfathomable heartbreak. Mara grew up in a small town in Maine called Speck Lake where everyone knew everyone. as a little girl, Mara quickly became inseparable with her neighbours, Cat and Ambrose (brother and sister). You would always find these three together. Ambrose being the older brother, naturally started to drift apart as he became more invested in his own group of friends - but that didn’t falter the bond between Mara and Cat. these two were determined to live out their days hand-in-hand no matter what was thrown their way.
this story is based around the past and present where you are journeying with Mara as she tries to navigate returning to Speck Lake after leaving her entire world behind. She is forced to confront her passed even if it is the one that she has been desperately trying to forget.
this is another feel good novel that will shatter your heart but put the pieces back together. i am so proud and truly blown away at @taylor ‘s writing style and character development. you truly get so invested in each character and how the storyline will pan out. you can tell that taylor put her entire heart and soul into this novel. i can’t recommend this novel enough!
if you love these tropes - this is the book for you:
- small town romance
- reunited romance
- friends - lovers
my review ::: the two of us by taylor
5/5⭐️!!!
happy release day taylor!!! you can now purchase the two of us on amazon🫶🏻
i’m going to start off by saying this book has become one of my all time favourites. i was so excited when @taylor gifted me an ARC copy of her debut novel and let’s just say this beautiful story did not disappoint.
a love story that experienced unfathomable heartbreak. Mara grew up in a small town in Maine called Speck Lake where everyone knew everyone. as a little girl, Mara quickly became inseparable with her neighbours, Cat and Ambrose (brother and sister). You would always find these three together. Ambrose being the older brother, naturally started to drift apart as he became more invested in his own group of friends - but that didn’t falter the bond between Mara and Cat. these two were determined to live out their days hand-in-hand no matter what was thrown their way.
this story is based around the past and present where you are journeying with Mara as she tries to navigate returning to Speck Lake after leaving her entire world behind. She is forced to confront her passed even if it is the one that she has been desperately trying to forget.
this is another feel good novel that will shatter your heart but put the pieces back together. i am so proud and truly blown away at @taylor ‘s writing style and character development. you truly get so invested in each character and how the storyline will pan out. you can tell that taylor put her entire heart and soul into this novel. i can’t recommend this novel enough!
if you love these tropes - this is the book for you:
- small town romance
- reunited romance
- friends - lovers
February 7, 2024
this broke my heart and put it back together. what a beautiful story of grief, friendship, family, and soulmates. a million stars
reread in 2024 and still so damn good i could cry
reread in 2024 and still so damn good i could cry
June 22, 2022
omg i have no words honestly, the first word that pops into my head when it comes to describing this book, beautiful.
this was SO insanely beautiful.
The writing, the story, the characters, the EVERYTHING.
Childhood friends, to strangers, to lovers is my new favorite trope. It’s definitely going to be my go-to.
There was this never ending warmth just trotting through my body, and i didn’t want it to go away.
It was so so so so comforting, it just felt like home. No matter if the warmth was because of happiness, or sadness, anger, or frustration i didn’t want it to go away because it just felt safe.
Ambrose?!?!?! absolutely immediately yes. Sign me up. 10,000,000 times, amen.
Cheddar the cat?!?!? star of the show, point blank period.
this was SO insanely beautiful.
The writing, the story, the characters, the EVERYTHING.
Childhood friends, to strangers, to lovers is my new favorite trope. It’s definitely going to be my go-to.
There was this never ending warmth just trotting through my body, and i didn’t want it to go away.
It was so so so so comforting, it just felt like home. No matter if the warmth was because of happiness, or sadness, anger, or frustration i didn’t want it to go away because it just felt safe.
Ambrose?!?!?! absolutely immediately yes. Sign me up. 10,000,000 times, amen.
Cheddar the cat?!?!? star of the show, point blank period.
March 4, 2023
This BOOK. 5/5 beautiful stars!!!! The writing? Amazing. The STORY? Incredible. Im absolutely obsessed with childhood friends to strangers to lovers and this book it a prime example on why I love that trope so much. I was HOOKED from the first chapter and I latched onto every word. I love the growth and healing that comes with the characters and I also felt like I grew up along side of them. This story also surprised me and made me sob like a baby. It definitely hurt, but the ending slowly healed me.
I am now attached in every way to this book and I will recommend this to EVERYONE because it was just that good.
Read if you like Childhood friends, a possessive MMC, a hand flex Pride & Prejudice scene (it’s amazing), AMAZING side characters, past/present chapters. 🫶🏻
I am now attached in every way to this book and I will recommend this to EVERYONE because it was just that good.
Read if you like Childhood friends, a possessive MMC, a hand flex Pride & Prejudice scene (it’s amazing), AMAZING side characters, past/present chapters. 🫶🏻
October 22, 2022
I have no idea why reviews told me this was a cute romance because it really isn’t. It feel like very little of the book is about them together, and most of them together isn’t even very cute. It’s actually a really sad book so if you’re looking for a fluffy cute romance maybe don’t read this lmao Goodreads lied to me. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad book, but I think it would still be 3 stars if I went into it knowing what it was. It just didn’t grab me much.
March 5, 2023
The writing was so perfect to me! I love this book with my entire heart!
It just confirms once more that I'm obsessed with small town romance!
I've read it in one sitting, and loved every page of it!
It makes me cry so bad, in a way I wasn't prepared for but omg how amazing it was!
Mara is one of my favorite character ever ! She's so strong and she really deserves to be happy after all she's been through
It just confirms once more that I'm obsessed with small town romance!
I've read it in one sitting, and loved every page of it!
It makes me cry so bad, in a way I wasn't prepared for but omg how amazing it was!
Mara is one of my favorite character ever ! She's so strong and she really deserves to be happy after all she's been through
January 22, 2024
“I could have a million lifetimes with you and it still wouldn’t be enough.” 4/5 stars.
A little cheesy at times, but completely enamouring. This book is childhood best friends, to strangers, to lovers, AND it’s best friend’s brother. What more could we want? It’s dual timelines: now and their teenage years. Mara meets Cat, her soon to be best friend, and meets Cat’s older brother, Ambrose; the boy who makes her heart skip a beat for years to come. The 3 of them become an unbreakable trio the moment they meet.
One thing I admired most about this book was its attention not only to Mara’s and Ambrose’s relationship, but also Mara’s and Cat’s friendship. Cat is such a wholesome and beautiful soul; her energy shines off the pages. The only thing Cat ever wants in her life is to make sure herself, Ambrose, and Mara remain each other’s soulmates forever.
I loved the dual timeline; we get to learn about the looming tragedy that tore the trio apart in the past, while also experiencing the deep seeded love that keeps them forever tied to one another in the present. Ambrose is so protective over Mara from the moment he met her, even when he was 13 and got made fun of, or when he was 17 and had a girlfriend, and even now in the present when he hasn’t spoken to Mara in 7 long years. Mara returns to her small hometown where she must face her dark past, and the boy she has loved since she was 10 years old.
Like I said, there were a few cheesy moments, but not enough to be cringey. I still cried. My only complaint was the ending felt rushed and I wished we got to see things pan out slower, considering most of the book is a slow burn. Overall great book to start the year.
A little cheesy at times, but completely enamouring. This book is childhood best friends, to strangers, to lovers, AND it’s best friend’s brother. What more could we want? It’s dual timelines: now and their teenage years. Mara meets Cat, her soon to be best friend, and meets Cat’s older brother, Ambrose; the boy who makes her heart skip a beat for years to come. The 3 of them become an unbreakable trio the moment they meet.
One thing I admired most about this book was its attention not only to Mara’s and Ambrose’s relationship, but also Mara’s and Cat’s friendship. Cat is such a wholesome and beautiful soul; her energy shines off the pages. The only thing Cat ever wants in her life is to make sure herself, Ambrose, and Mara remain each other’s soulmates forever.
I loved the dual timeline; we get to learn about the looming tragedy that tore the trio apart in the past, while also experiencing the deep seeded love that keeps them forever tied to one another in the present. Ambrose is so protective over Mara from the moment he met her, even when he was 13 and got made fun of, or when he was 17 and had a girlfriend, and even now in the present when he hasn’t spoken to Mara in 7 long years. Mara returns to her small hometown where she must face her dark past, and the boy she has loved since she was 10 years old.
Like I said, there were a few cheesy moments, but not enough to be cringey. I still cried. My only complaint was the ending felt rushed and I wished we got to see things pan out slower, considering most of the book is a slow burn. Overall great book to start the year.
Read
May 20, 2023dnf’d
why was she soo millennial-ly and quirky
why was she soo millennial-ly and quirky
Read
February 22, 2024my sleep schedule was disrupted, there were tears and heartbreak. which can only mean one thing: 5 stars.
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