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Alone with You
From the
USA TODAY
bestselling author of
From the Embers
comes a new jaw-dropping standalone romance.
Pain trapped me in this house. Can love set me free?
Death had been chasing me my entire life. I survived the horrors of war, but it was the aftermath that truly destroyed me.
People called me a recluse, but the only time I didn’t feel like I was suffocating was inside that house.
For my daughter, I kept some semblance of normalcy by implementing a rigid routine. Once a week, I forced myself to walk to the diner at the end of the block—a ritual I despised but relied on as my last anchor to the real world.
Until the day a “Closed” sign on the door shattered my fragile existence. Worse, the new owner was the most haunting ghost from my past.
It had been years since I’d laid eyes on Gwendolyn Pierce. She hated me—and rightly so. But when a film crew arrived in town to dig into my past, she became my only ally.
With my secrets threatened, I leaned on Gwen, forging a connection neither of us could deny. But with a past as dark as ours, I feared it would eclipse any hope for a future.
I always said that when Death finally came for me, I would be ready, eager, and alone.
Always alone.
But for Gwen, maybe I could face the world again as long as it meant I could be alone—with her.
Pain trapped me in this house. Can love set me free?
Death had been chasing me my entire life. I survived the horrors of war, but it was the aftermath that truly destroyed me.
People called me a recluse, but the only time I didn’t feel like I was suffocating was inside that house.
For my daughter, I kept some semblance of normalcy by implementing a rigid routine. Once a week, I forced myself to walk to the diner at the end of the block—a ritual I despised but relied on as my last anchor to the real world.
Until the day a “Closed” sign on the door shattered my fragile existence. Worse, the new owner was the most haunting ghost from my past.
It had been years since I’d laid eyes on Gwendolyn Pierce. She hated me—and rightly so. But when a film crew arrived in town to dig into my past, she became my only ally.
With my secrets threatened, I leaned on Gwen, forging a connection neither of us could deny. But with a past as dark as ours, I feared it would eclipse any hope for a future.
I always said that when Death finally came for me, I would be ready, eager, and alone.
Always alone.
But for Gwen, maybe I could face the world again as long as it meant I could be alone—with her.
Audible Audio
First published August 22, 2024
About the author
Aly Martinez
62 books8,207 followersOriginally from Savannah, Georgia, USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez now lives in South Carolina with her four young children.
Never one to take herself too seriously, she enjoys cheap wine, charcuterie boards, and her mildly neurotic golden retriever. It should be known, however, that she hates pizza and ice cream, almost as much as writing her bio in the third person.
She passes what little free time she has reading anything and everything she can get her hands on, preferably with a super-sized tumbler of wine by her side.
Never one to take herself too seriously, she enjoys cheap wine, charcuterie boards, and her mildly neurotic golden retriever. It should be known, however, that she hates pizza and ice cream, almost as much as writing her bio in the third person.
She passes what little free time she has reading anything and everything she can get her hands on, preferably with a super-sized tumbler of wine by her side.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 563 reviews
September 6, 2024
⋆✴︎˚｡⋆ "𝐼 𝒹𝑒𝓈𝑒𝓇𝓋𝑒 𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇𝓎 𝒷𝒾𝓉 𝑜𝒻 𝒽𝒶𝓉𝑒 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒶𝓃𝑔𝑒𝓇 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓇𝑒𝓈𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓂𝑒𝓃𝓉 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒻𝑒𝑒𝓁 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓂𝑒. 𝐵𝓊𝓉 𝓂𝒶𝓀𝑒 𝓃𝑜 𝓂𝒾𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓀𝑒, 𝐼 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝓃𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇, 𝓃𝑜𝓉 𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇, 𝓃𝑜𝓉 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝑜𝓃𝑒 𝒻𝓊𝒸𝓀𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓈𝑒𝒸𝑜𝓃𝒹 𝑜𝒻 𝓂𝓎 𝑒𝓃𝓉𝒾𝓇𝑒 𝑔𝑜𝒹-𝒻𝑜𝓇𝓈𝒶𝓀𝑒𝓃 𝓁𝒾𝒻𝑒, 𝓈𝓉𝑜𝓅𝓅𝑒𝒹 𝓁𝑜𝓋𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓎𝑜𝓊." ⋆✴︎˚｡⋆
˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ 5 𝓢𝓽𝓪𝓻𝓼 ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗
Wowwww. This book was so, so good! Aly Martinez served up all the feels. I'm not even sure I knew what was in store for me with this book, but I'm so happy I stumbled upon it while browsing Kindle Unlimited and picked it up.
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ I sobbed, kicked my feet, squealed in delight, gasped with shock in horrified realization. I smiled with tears in my eyes and felt grief wash over me - this story wrung all of the emotions out of me, and I cannot recommend it enough! My first Aly Martinez book and she completely blew me away!
ೃ⁀➷ 𝓠𝓾𝓲𝓬𝓴 𝓢𝓾𝓶𝓶𝓪𝓻𝔂 ༊*·˚ ˖*°࿐ •
Told in alternating points of view, we follow both our MMC, Truett and our FMC Gwen. Gwen is a single mother of an adorable and rambunctious boy named Nate. She's fairly recently divorced from Nate's father- what a piece of work that one is. And she's trying to put her life back together now that she's on her own.
Gwen has recently bought the local grille, which is a bit of a hot mess, but she's determined to turn it into a place where family and friends can gather for good food and great company.
Truett is a broken man, he's former military and has experienced so much trauma and grief in his life. He's basically a recluse, keeps to his house and works from home. He doesn't venture out much except for Wednesday night from 6p-7p in the evening where he sits at the same booth and essentially lets the pain and anguish swallow him up.
One Wednesday evening, True shows up to the grille and discovers it's been closed. Banging on the door and frantic to get inside, his eyes lock with familiar ones on the opposite side of the glass door. Gwen, whom he shares a past with...
ೃ⁀➷ 𝓜𝔂 𝓣𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼 ༊*·˚ ˖*°࿐ •
I have to say, I'm still living off the high I got from this book. I was so invested in every single word of it. Immediately I was pulled into the story and mesmerized by the sheer authenticity of the characters. They come across so absolutely real that I was able to just sink right into the story effortlessly like these were old friends of mine.
Let me talk about Truett. Ladies. This man, whew, this man. He is EVERYTHING. He's damaged and broken and a shell of his former self but damn his confessions will knock you right on your ass. The lengths he will go to for those he loves is chef's kiss. When he's wrong, he says he's wrong. He grovels, he protects, he worships. There is so much development in just this one character that I'm over here mourning the fact that he's not real. He's not perfect but damn is he amazing.
Gwen, our FMC. Besties, she's truly a unicorn... I typically have a difficult time with female characters and don't find them very likable but everything about this woman is amazing. She's strong, loyal, patient, kind. She's an amazing mother, she's determined, steadfast. She's funny. Bruh - she's perfect, I literally want to marry both her AND True.
Lucielle, who is one of the side characters. Her nickname is Cooter by the way lmao. I can't. She had me laughing out loud so many times.
This story is crushing, it felt like Aly reached into my chest with her bare hand and just ripped my heart right out. I wasn't expecting some of the events that played out and I was left with this empty feeling. Omg did it tear me up, but then even as you are there with tears in your eyes because the sadness lingers, but at the same time I had tears of joy. I was over here like a loon with my emotions all over the place. I'm still such a mess.
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ I cannot recommend this book enough - for those who prefer mature main characters and crave all the feels... you absolutely can't go wrong with this one.
╰⪼ Single Mom
╰⪼ Broken Recluse MMC
╰⪼ Two Timelines
╰⪼ Second Chance
╰⪼ Military Rep
╰⪼ Life after Loss
╰⪼ Romance/Suspense
˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ 5 𝓢𝓽𝓪𝓻𝓼 ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗
Wowwww. This book was so, so good! Aly Martinez served up all the feels. I'm not even sure I knew what was in store for me with this book, but I'm so happy I stumbled upon it while browsing Kindle Unlimited and picked it up.
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ I sobbed, kicked my feet, squealed in delight, gasped with shock in horrified realization. I smiled with tears in my eyes and felt grief wash over me - this story wrung all of the emotions out of me, and I cannot recommend it enough! My first Aly Martinez book and she completely blew me away!
ೃ⁀➷ 𝓠𝓾𝓲𝓬𝓴 𝓢𝓾𝓶𝓶𝓪𝓻𝔂 ༊*·˚ ˖*°࿐ •
Told in alternating points of view, we follow both our MMC, Truett and our FMC Gwen. Gwen is a single mother of an adorable and rambunctious boy named Nate. She's fairly recently divorced from Nate's father- what a piece of work that one is. And she's trying to put her life back together now that she's on her own.
Gwen has recently bought the local grille, which is a bit of a hot mess, but she's determined to turn it into a place where family and friends can gather for good food and great company.
Truett is a broken man, he's former military and has experienced so much trauma and grief in his life. He's basically a recluse, keeps to his house and works from home. He doesn't venture out much except for Wednesday night from 6p-7p in the evening where he sits at the same booth and essentially lets the pain and anguish swallow him up.
One Wednesday evening, True shows up to the grille and discovers it's been closed. Banging on the door and frantic to get inside, his eyes lock with familiar ones on the opposite side of the glass door. Gwen, whom he shares a past with...
ೃ⁀➷ 𝓜𝔂 𝓣𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼 ༊*·˚ ˖*°࿐ •
I have to say, I'm still living off the high I got from this book. I was so invested in every single word of it. Immediately I was pulled into the story and mesmerized by the sheer authenticity of the characters. They come across so absolutely real that I was able to just sink right into the story effortlessly like these were old friends of mine.
Let me talk about Truett. Ladies. This man, whew, this man. He is EVERYTHING. He's damaged and broken and a shell of his former self but damn his confessions will knock you right on your ass. The lengths he will go to for those he loves is chef's kiss. When he's wrong, he says he's wrong. He grovels, he protects, he worships. There is so much development in just this one character that I'm over here mourning the fact that he's not real. He's not perfect but damn is he amazing.
Gwen, our FMC. Besties, she's truly a unicorn... I typically have a difficult time with female characters and don't find them very likable but everything about this woman is amazing. She's strong, loyal, patient, kind. She's an amazing mother, she's determined, steadfast. She's funny. Bruh - she's perfect, I literally want to marry both her AND True.
Lucielle, who is one of the side characters. Her nickname is Cooter by the way lmao. I can't. She had me laughing out loud so many times.
This story is crushing, it felt like Aly reached into my chest with her bare hand and just ripped my heart right out. I wasn't expecting some of the events that played out and I was left with this empty feeling. Omg did it tear me up, but then even as you are there with tears in your eyes because the sadness lingers, but at the same time I had tears of joy. I was over here like a loon with my emotions all over the place. I'm still such a mess.
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ I cannot recommend this book enough - for those who prefer mature main characters and crave all the feels... you absolutely can't go wrong with this one.
╰⪼ Single Mom
╰⪼ Broken Recluse MMC
╰⪼ Two Timelines
╰⪼ Second Chance
╰⪼ Military Rep
╰⪼ Life after Loss
╰⪼ Romance/Suspense
November 12, 2024
This book has made me unwell, but in the best of ways. A beautiful romance that will absolutely break your heart, but I promise it’ll piece you back together, too.
4.5 Stars!
I don’t think I’ve read a book that has produced such a range of emotions from me in a long time, but that’s exactly what I got here.
╰┈➤ Cute and endearing moments that had me smiling and giggling while clutching my kindle? Check.
╰┈➤ Heartbreaking and devastating moments that had me a complete sobbing mess? Check.
╰┈➤ Anxious moments that had me terrified that things wouldn’t work out okay? Check.
╰┈➤ Righteous moments that had me absolutely rooting for the characters? Check.
╰┈➤ Funny, laugh out loud moments with the side characters? Check.
╰┈➤ Oh, and steamy moments that did not feel cringe. Thank the goddess. Check.
╰┈➤ Just all the checks. I’m BLOWN away.
Look if I’m being honest, not a lot of men impress me lol, but Truett? Goddamn. I think he’s going to be my new standard because he is impressive. He’s loyal, protective, EMOTIONALLY INTELLIGENT(!!!), albeit a little broken, but damn does he have a good arc and growth.
I thought Gwen was an amazing character, too. She’s sweet, relatable, and so strong. I admired her and her determination, resilience, and love in the face of every obstacle thrown her way.
Honestly, amazing characters all around. Real and dynamic. What a dream. I applaud Aly Martinez because I am in awe.
Now, I don’t really want to give anything away about the plot because the way this story is woven is perfect. I went in pretty blind and I would recommend others to do the same. You won’t regret it. Tbh, this story is better than any thriller I’ve read recently. Take that how you will.
Overall, such a captivating and emotional ride. I would definitely, DEFINITELY recommend it. I swear it’s worth it.
4.5 Stars!
I don’t think I’ve read a book that has produced such a range of emotions from me in a long time, but that’s exactly what I got here.
╰┈➤ Cute and endearing moments that had me smiling and giggling while clutching my kindle? Check.
╰┈➤ Heartbreaking and devastating moments that had me a complete sobbing mess? Check.
╰┈➤ Anxious moments that had me terrified that things wouldn’t work out okay? Check.
╰┈➤ Righteous moments that had me absolutely rooting for the characters? Check.
╰┈➤ Funny, laugh out loud moments with the side characters? Check.
╰┈➤ Oh, and steamy moments that did not feel cringe. Thank the goddess. Check.
╰┈➤ Just all the checks. I’m BLOWN away.
Look if I’m being honest, not a lot of men impress me lol, but Truett? Goddamn. I think he’s going to be my new standard because he is impressive. He’s loyal, protective, EMOTIONALLY INTELLIGENT(!!!), albeit a little broken, but damn does he have a good arc and growth.
I thought Gwen was an amazing character, too. She’s sweet, relatable, and so strong. I admired her and her determination, resilience, and love in the face of every obstacle thrown her way.
Honestly, amazing characters all around. Real and dynamic. What a dream. I applaud Aly Martinez because I am in awe.
Now, I don’t really want to give anything away about the plot because the way this story is woven is perfect. I went in pretty blind and I would recommend others to do the same. You won’t regret it. Tbh, this story is better than any thriller I’ve read recently. Take that how you will.
Overall, such a captivating and emotional ride. I would definitely, DEFINITELY recommend it. I swear it’s worth it.
August 26, 2024
4.5 stars
My goodness, that was emotional. Aly Martinez always brings the feels and this book was no exception. This is one of those books where the first half didn't quite hook me, but that last half... I cried my way through it. It was visceral, poignant, and something I didn't see coming. Truett and Gwen's story was a heartbreakingly beautiful second chance romance I won't be forgetting any time soon.
My goodness, that was emotional. Aly Martinez always brings the feels and this book was no exception. This is one of those books where the first half didn't quite hook me, but that last half... I cried my way through it. It was visceral, poignant, and something I didn't see coming. Truett and Gwen's story was a heartbreakingly beautiful second chance romance I won't be forgetting any time soon.
December 14, 2024
4 ★
main thoughts:
this was a fun and entertaining, but also emotional read🤧 even though this book is just more full of vibes and second chances instead of very plot heavy I still had a good time for the most part. This has been a reoccuring thing lately, but I wanted more family dynamic and cute scenes after the ending😭 it was a solid conclusion, but I still am greedy for more omg. I don’t have much of anything negative to say besides the fact that there were some unnecessary dialogue in this book and mentions of tiktok that weren’t needed😅
characters:
Gwen: she was a nice character to read about and a awesome mother. She is one strong as hell human being she gets all the credit for that she really does. At first I was a bit annoyed with the fact that she was so annoyed at truett at first until I understood her pov and how complicated the situation was at the time.
Truett: I love him idc🫣 I was so proud of him a the end he deserves the whole world (same as gwen) and I’m glad we got to see him work on healing and changing for the better and get his love story that he deserved from the beginning.
romance:
overall I mainly enjoyed the romance I do wish we got to see more moments from their past and more things written regarding the time they spend together but they are still cute and definitely soulmates, I could have loved them more then I did but that doesn’t mean I hate their relationship either. Some scenes with them were really cute and emotional I just needed more.
quotes I loved: 🥓
”The Gwendolyn Pierce standing in front of me may not be the same Gwen I was once married to. She may eat steaks now, she may not be able to cut a fucking tile straight to save her life, and she may have an insulting amount of confidence in my handyman abilities. But the Gwen of the present is still singlehandedly the only person I would want to spend my Saturday with.“
“I deserve every bit of hate and anger and resentment you feel for me. But make no mistake, I have never, not ever, not for one fucking second of my entire god-forsaken life, stopped loving you.”
”I love you, True.”
“I love you too. Forever.”
extra:
I would recommend this book, it’s not going to be perfect for everyone but I still enjoyed, it’s a pretty decent read that will get you emotional and want to give the characters a million hugs and kisses.
pre review:
╰┈➤ finished on december fifteenth, 2024
okay this was entertaining, but definitely emotional rtc
☂️pre read:🫂
╰┈➤ started on december fourteenth, 2024
I’m going to be honest I had no idea what to read so I just decided that I’m going to try another book by this author😭 I've seen some good ratings so hopefully I'll enjoy!!
main thoughts:
this was a fun and entertaining, but also emotional read🤧 even though this book is just more full of vibes and second chances instead of very plot heavy I still had a good time for the most part. This has been a reoccuring thing lately, but I wanted more family dynamic and cute scenes after the ending😭 it was a solid conclusion, but I still am greedy for more omg. I don’t have much of anything negative to say besides the fact that there were some unnecessary dialogue in this book and mentions of tiktok that weren’t needed😅
characters:
Gwen: she was a nice character to read about and a awesome mother. She is one strong as hell human being she gets all the credit for that she really does. At first I was a bit annoyed with the fact that she was so annoyed at truett at first until I understood her pov and how complicated the situation was at the time.
Truett: I love him idc🫣 I was so proud of him a the end he deserves the whole world (same as gwen) and I’m glad we got to see him work on healing and changing for the better and get his love story that he deserved from the beginning.
romance:
overall I mainly enjoyed the romance I do wish we got to see more moments from their past and more things written regarding the time they spend together but they are still cute and definitely soulmates, I could have loved them more then I did but that doesn’t mean I hate their relationship either. Some scenes with them were really cute and emotional I just needed more.
quotes I loved: 🥓
”The Gwendolyn Pierce standing in front of me may not be the same Gwen I was once married to. She may eat steaks now, she may not be able to cut a fucking tile straight to save her life, and she may have an insulting amount of confidence in my handyman abilities. But the Gwen of the present is still singlehandedly the only person I would want to spend my Saturday with.“
“I deserve every bit of hate and anger and resentment you feel for me. But make no mistake, I have never, not ever, not for one fucking second of my entire god-forsaken life, stopped loving you.”
”I love you, True.”
“I love you too. Forever.”
extra:
I would recommend this book, it’s not going to be perfect for everyone but I still enjoyed, it’s a pretty decent read that will get you emotional and want to give the characters a million hugs and kisses.
pre review:
╰┈➤ finished on december fifteenth, 2024
okay this was entertaining, but definitely emotional rtc
☂️pre read:🫂
╰┈➤ started on december fourteenth, 2024
I’m going to be honest I had no idea what to read so I just decided that I’m going to try another book by this author😭 I've seen some good ratings so hopefully I'll enjoy!!
August 23, 2024
I've really missed this author's writing. She pulls you in with her characters and makes you completely invested in their journey whether you're going to be cheering for their happily ever after, or watching their downfall. Either way, you're there for it and you won't have it any other way.
For the past eighteen years, Truett West has been in his own personal hell. Still consumed with grief and self hatred, he purposely punishes himself mentally with a never ending cycle of a ritual that keeps him stuck in the past. His flaws and sacrifices is constantly at the forefront in his mind so when someone from his past completely changes his rhythm, Truett knows that his meticulous time, is about to be engulfed in chaos.
Gwen is finally starting over with a new life and business. Her main focus is to build something from the ground up that not only she can be proud of, but her son as well. Coming face to face with a blast from her past was not on her to do list but as fate would have it, her book was already written.
This was truly a heartbreaking story and I had this sense of knowing what I was initially getting myself into with this read, but I really didn't. Things that I conjured up in my mind was nothing compared to what really happened and if I'm being completely honest, it broke me more. The characters' pain was palpable on every page and I dreaded when I saw a chapter in the past because I knew, that it was going to hurt even more and it did.
This was not an easy read and some of the characters will frustrate you at times but through it all, this book will be an experience. Love, loss, grief, finding hope and joy in the simplest things, is what's going to keep your attention.If you're looking for a deeply emotional second chance romance, I highly recommend you read this one.
September 11, 2024
I really enjoyed Alone With You. A second chance romance that deals with death and mental health.
Gwen and Truett’s story was definitely emotional and intense. I liked their flashbacks but most of all the present time was my favorite because of the growth they both did and wanted for themselves and their future. The chemistry between them was so good.
Gwen was so strong and really liked how she voiced her fears and wants to Truett. He was so broken but how he slowly crawled out of his dark place was all thanks to Gwen. It was so well written.
Gwen’s besties and Cooter were a wonderful support but so was Truett’s brother.
A really good romance with a well deserved HEA.
Gwen and Truett’s story was definitely emotional and intense. I liked their flashbacks but most of all the present time was my favorite because of the growth they both did and wanted for themselves and their future. The chemistry between them was so good.
Gwen was so strong and really liked how she voiced her fears and wants to Truett. He was so broken but how he slowly crawled out of his dark place was all thanks to Gwen. It was so well written.
Gwen’s besties and Cooter were a wonderful support but so was Truett’s brother.
A really good romance with a well deserved HEA.
September 3, 2024
5 stars.
(Insert standing ovation here)
(Insert standing ovation here)
October 7, 2025
4.5 STARS ✨💜
August 16, 2024
Alone with You by Aly Martinez is without a doubt her most intense, and heartbreaking novel to date. Her writing is of course, top tier, translating allllll the feels directly to the reader from the page. You will FEEL things in this story that you may not be ready for. I teared up more than once reading this book. Gwen and Truett’s story might be one of the saddest romances I’ve ever read. Truett is broken unlike any other Hero I ever read. I truly mean that. This story has a lot of layers, and as each is revealed to the reader, more emotions are triggered. But in true romantic fashion, and in only a way Ms Martinez can deliver, there is a happy ending with a lot of genuine and realistic healing that will leave you feeling whole again. The ending was beautiful. This couple doesn’t wake up one day suddenly feeling *better.* the reader bears witness to their journey which is what makes this book a cut above a lot of other books in its category. Aly Martinez deserves a lot of praise for this one. Bravo!
There is a trigger here that exists on these pages that is the ONE trigger I do not normally read, so proceed with caution.
There is a trigger here that exists on these pages that is the ONE trigger I do not normally read, so proceed with caution.
![Profile Image for ♡Gabi♡ [grad school hiatus].](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1784857563i/137459201._UX200_CR0,0,200,200_.jpg)
December 30, 2025
this had me sobbing; I was not expecting that 😭
November 11, 2024
God, what a perfect book this was.
Truett and Gwen were married young, and ended up getting divorced after significant trauma drove them apart and changed Truett into a shell of his former self. Gwen remarried, and discovered that the man she married was a grade A asshole. Gwen divorced him, and is back in town 18 years after her divorce from Truett to restart her life by spending her life savings to turn a dilapidated local café into a restaurant she can be proud of. Unfortunately for Truett, his Wednesday routine is ursurped by Gwen purchasing the café, and the two of them reunite after 18 years apart.
I love second chance romances because they are so angsty and messy, and this story delivered on all of that. I think it's my favorite second chance romance to date! Truett and Gwen were both mature characters (in their early forties and acted like it!), and you could feel their chemistry right off the bat! This is my crack - a tortured ex-military hero with trauma and PTSD that you just wanted to hug, and a badass, compassionate heroine that understood boundaries and how to drag our hero out of hell. I loved this book. The relationship, the believable dialogue, the realistic timeline of healing, the heartbreaking trauma, the reason they got divorced in the first place and why their relationship will work now...all of it. This book is now in my romance hall of fame.
Stop what you're doing and READ THIS BOOK!
Check your triggers with this one. There are a few heavy ones here. 🥺
Truett and Gwen were married young, and ended up getting divorced after significant trauma drove them apart and changed Truett into a shell of his former self. Gwen remarried, and discovered that the man she married was a grade A asshole. Gwen divorced him, and is back in town 18 years after her divorce from Truett to restart her life by spending her life savings to turn a dilapidated local café into a restaurant she can be proud of. Unfortunately for Truett, his Wednesday routine is ursurped by Gwen purchasing the café, and the two of them reunite after 18 years apart.
I love second chance romances because they are so angsty and messy, and this story delivered on all of that. I think it's my favorite second chance romance to date! Truett and Gwen were both mature characters (in their early forties and acted like it!), and you could feel their chemistry right off the bat! This is my crack - a tortured ex-military hero with trauma and PTSD that you just wanted to hug, and a badass, compassionate heroine that understood boundaries and how to drag our hero out of hell. I loved this book. The relationship, the believable dialogue, the realistic timeline of healing, the heartbreaking trauma, the reason they got divorced in the first place and why their relationship will work now...all of it. This book is now in my romance hall of fame.
Stop what you're doing and READ THIS BOOK!
Check your triggers with this one. There are a few heavy ones here. 🥺
February 12, 2025
The first half of this book is magic. It builds tension and longing and all the necessary elements for a really heartfelt, angsty read.
And then there's the second half.
The story begins with Gwen who is newly divorced from her narcissistic husband and doing the single mom thing. She moves back to her little home town and buys the local diner. She also bumps into her first ex-husband and that's where the fireworks begin.
Truett and Gwen clearly still love each other despite twenty years apart. But there's a reason they broke up and it something they still need to work through. True has some pretty major PTSD and rightfully so. I won't give away these elements of the novel should you chose to read it because those reveals are part of what make it such a good book initially.
The author does a really good job of depicting someone with life altering PTSD and mental health issues. It's why this novel began to feel like a five star read for me early on. It really built up the suspense and heartbreak, watching this man struggle to do even the most basic things. Like leave the house. It was sweet torture reading those pages and experiencing the trauma. But it was also really beautiful to see the support Truett got from his brother.
As Gwen and Truett reconnect, we discover what happened to end their marriage and it's some pretty heavy stuff. Trauma can often end even the strongest marriage so it's no surprise why this couple fell apart and reexamining those old hurts is difficult for the reader at times, so read the TWs.
Gwen's reemergence into True's life nudges him to take the advice his brother had been giving him to begin tackling his anxiety in order to reclaim his life. With Gwen as the incentive, True begins to challenge himself to leave the house more frequently and interact with people he normally wouldn't. Now, it was really lovely to watch this metamorphosis but I question how accurate it was. I mean, the man went from being an agoraphobic to remodeling Gwen's diner in pretty short order. My bestie was agoraphobic and it took years of rigorous counseling to address it and even more years to feel comfortable doing what we take for granted as being "normal" activities. But, then again, she didn't have Gwen and her diner to look forward to so there is that.
Once Truett and Gwen "reconnect" fully and he's comfortable being outside in the world again, the strength of the story wanes and that's where it begins to lose me.
When authors lack a good plot device to move the story along, they seem to default to creating drama with the ex. I smelled it right off the bat but I was hoping I was wrong and Gwen and True would be able to have a more dignified challenge to test their love. No can do apparently. And so this is where things fall apart. Gwen overshares some unpleasantness about her marriage with Truett, a man who literally is still recovering from trauma, and he loses his sh*t.
WOMP-WOMP-WOMP.
Truett takes off and threatens and assaults Gwen's ex-husband. Did the man deserve it? Absolutely. Was it even remotely appropriate to assault him knowing that might give him grounds to seek sole custody of his child with Gwen? Absolutely not. And, despite the appropriateness of True’s anger, he is the father of your beloved's son so, to me, that means all bets are off.
After said assault, True is, of course, arrested but he's immediately released because he's a local legend and "hero" because of what he did (remember, I did not reveal this plot point). That doesn't stop the ex-husband from doing precisely what I suspect he would do as he takes Gwen to court for sole custody. However, Truett parades in with a whole bunch of people who attest to his awesomeness and the town cheers and happily ever after.
F*CK THAT! This made me so mad I nearly threw the book. How dare you build up this awesome story with great characters and a set of real challenges to work through and then throw it all away on some lousy plot device that undermines everything those character have been working toward. Nothing pisses me off more than lazy writing and that was just lazy. You're telling me Aly Martinez couldn't come up with anything else? Nothing?
So, in the end, I was left feeling nothing but annoyance toward Truett for not caring enough about Gwen and her son to do the right thing and rise above. I felt hostility toward him for so cavalierly and selfishly satisfying his need for revenge. I felt fed up with him for going against his own values. And I felt numb and apathetic toward Gwen for being such a limp dishrag of a woman to be okay with all of the above because not once does she hold him accountable for what he did.
I am very rigid when it comes to how I believe people should behave when children are involved. If you intend to introduce child characters to your novel beware, I will give you no wiggle room where propriety and ethics are concerned so you'd better bring your A game. I have certain expectations. I expect that people not assault each other. I expect the child's needs to be paramount to their own. I expect that extra consideration be given during decision making. And I expect that adults be role models because that's what they are. Once you deviate, I'm done, unless this is a story about abuse in which case I’ve come into it expecting to be gutted. If you want to create a story where the characters act like idiots, beat each other into oblivion and light themselves on fire? Fine, I'm totally down with that, as long as there aren't any kids running around to witness it.
See, here's the issue. Gwen's ex-husband will now undoubtedly relay this story to his son and if you think this narcissistic @ssclown won't, then you must have been reading a different book. He absolutely, 100% will and now you've put that burden onto a child. And screw you for being that selfish because now that child will: feel like he's got to pick a side; feel guilty for choosing one parent over another; feel guilty for not aligning with one parent over another; feel guilty for not feeling/expressing the indignance one parent might feel; feel forced to be angry/indignant toward one parent in order to please the other parent; feel like it's their fault that this is all happening in the first place; feel like it it their job to fix and unfixable situation; and, finally, feel like an absolute failure and experience self loathing for NOT being able to fix the situation all because you just had to go and be a d*ckhead.
Sometimes I feel like maybe I'm being too harsh but never in cases like this. It's sad, really, because this book started off strong and had so much potential before it failed completely.
And then there's the second half.
The story begins with Gwen who is newly divorced from her narcissistic husband and doing the single mom thing. She moves back to her little home town and buys the local diner. She also bumps into her first ex-husband and that's where the fireworks begin.
Truett and Gwen clearly still love each other despite twenty years apart. But there's a reason they broke up and it something they still need to work through. True has some pretty major PTSD and rightfully so. I won't give away these elements of the novel should you chose to read it because those reveals are part of what make it such a good book initially.
The author does a really good job of depicting someone with life altering PTSD and mental health issues. It's why this novel began to feel like a five star read for me early on. It really built up the suspense and heartbreak, watching this man struggle to do even the most basic things. Like leave the house. It was sweet torture reading those pages and experiencing the trauma. But it was also really beautiful to see the support Truett got from his brother.
As Gwen and Truett reconnect, we discover what happened to end their marriage and it's some pretty heavy stuff. Trauma can often end even the strongest marriage so it's no surprise why this couple fell apart and reexamining those old hurts is difficult for the reader at times, so read the TWs.
Gwen's reemergence into True's life nudges him to take the advice his brother had been giving him to begin tackling his anxiety in order to reclaim his life. With Gwen as the incentive, True begins to challenge himself to leave the house more frequently and interact with people he normally wouldn't. Now, it was really lovely to watch this metamorphosis but I question how accurate it was. I mean, the man went from being an agoraphobic to remodeling Gwen's diner in pretty short order. My bestie was agoraphobic and it took years of rigorous counseling to address it and even more years to feel comfortable doing what we take for granted as being "normal" activities. But, then again, she didn't have Gwen and her diner to look forward to so there is that.
Once Truett and Gwen "reconnect" fully and he's comfortable being outside in the world again, the strength of the story wanes and that's where it begins to lose me.
When authors lack a good plot device to move the story along, they seem to default to creating drama with the ex. I smelled it right off the bat but I was hoping I was wrong and Gwen and True would be able to have a more dignified challenge to test their love. No can do apparently. And so this is where things fall apart. Gwen overshares some unpleasantness about her marriage with Truett, a man who literally is still recovering from trauma, and he loses his sh*t.
WOMP-WOMP-WOMP.
Truett takes off and threatens and assaults Gwen's ex-husband. Did the man deserve it? Absolutely. Was it even remotely appropriate to assault him knowing that might give him grounds to seek sole custody of his child with Gwen? Absolutely not. And, despite the appropriateness of True’s anger, he is the father of your beloved's son so, to me, that means all bets are off.
After said assault, True is, of course, arrested but he's immediately released because he's a local legend and "hero" because of what he did (remember, I did not reveal this plot point). That doesn't stop the ex-husband from doing precisely what I suspect he would do as he takes Gwen to court for sole custody. However, Truett parades in with a whole bunch of people who attest to his awesomeness and the town cheers and happily ever after.
F*CK THAT! This made me so mad I nearly threw the book. How dare you build up this awesome story with great characters and a set of real challenges to work through and then throw it all away on some lousy plot device that undermines everything those character have been working toward. Nothing pisses me off more than lazy writing and that was just lazy. You're telling me Aly Martinez couldn't come up with anything else? Nothing?
So, in the end, I was left feeling nothing but annoyance toward Truett for not caring enough about Gwen and her son to do the right thing and rise above. I felt hostility toward him for so cavalierly and selfishly satisfying his need for revenge. I felt fed up with him for going against his own values. And I felt numb and apathetic toward Gwen for being such a limp dishrag of a woman to be okay with all of the above because not once does she hold him accountable for what he did.
I am very rigid when it comes to how I believe people should behave when children are involved. If you intend to introduce child characters to your novel beware, I will give you no wiggle room where propriety and ethics are concerned so you'd better bring your A game. I have certain expectations. I expect that people not assault each other. I expect the child's needs to be paramount to their own. I expect that extra consideration be given during decision making. And I expect that adults be role models because that's what they are. Once you deviate, I'm done, unless this is a story about abuse in which case I’ve come into it expecting to be gutted. If you want to create a story where the characters act like idiots, beat each other into oblivion and light themselves on fire? Fine, I'm totally down with that, as long as there aren't any kids running around to witness it.
See, here's the issue. Gwen's ex-husband will now undoubtedly relay this story to his son and if you think this narcissistic @ssclown won't, then you must have been reading a different book. He absolutely, 100% will and now you've put that burden onto a child. And screw you for being that selfish because now that child will: feel like he's got to pick a side; feel guilty for choosing one parent over another; feel guilty for not aligning with one parent over another; feel guilty for not feeling/expressing the indignance one parent might feel; feel forced to be angry/indignant toward one parent in order to please the other parent; feel like it's their fault that this is all happening in the first place; feel like it it their job to fix and unfixable situation; and, finally, feel like an absolute failure and experience self loathing for NOT being able to fix the situation all because you just had to go and be a d*ckhead.
Sometimes I feel like maybe I'm being too harsh but never in cases like this. It's sad, really, because this book started off strong and had so much potential before it failed completely.
August 17, 2024
Breathtaking
Brilliant
Emotional
Tense
All the feels
I went into this book completely blind I literally signed up for this arc because of the author and seeing that she was releasing a new book after I was devastated by the only book I read by her from the embers I knew I wanted to read more and this was my chance to dive into another intense romance with a difficult story. This book like from the embers literally had me crying in bed and I didn’t want to stop reading .This is a very powerful story with a lot of trauma and ptsd and loss and grief and healing both individually and together. Second chance isn’t my favorite trope but this was a worthy win. I fell for the complexity of this and the vulnerability and the healing that had to happen before the love could .i think the author made moves with such grace and thoughtful writing and just super mindful of each scene and why everything happened the way it did. This was incredible and difficult and makes you realize even Heroes have trauma and even heroes are just normal people. I grieved with these characters and I was so surprised at the twists. This is a book that needs to be written and read and I think aly did it properly and perfectly.please check your triggers and mental health before reading. Thank you to the author agency and the author for the early copy.
Brilliant
Emotional
Tense
All the feels
I went into this book completely blind I literally signed up for this arc because of the author and seeing that she was releasing a new book after I was devastated by the only book I read by her from the embers I knew I wanted to read more and this was my chance to dive into another intense romance with a difficult story. This book like from the embers literally had me crying in bed and I didn’t want to stop reading .This is a very powerful story with a lot of trauma and ptsd and loss and grief and healing both individually and together. Second chance isn’t my favorite trope but this was a worthy win. I fell for the complexity of this and the vulnerability and the healing that had to happen before the love could .i think the author made moves with such grace and thoughtful writing and just super mindful of each scene and why everything happened the way it did. This was incredible and difficult and makes you realize even Heroes have trauma and even heroes are just normal people. I grieved with these characters and I was so surprised at the twists. This is a book that needs to be written and read and I think aly did it properly and perfectly.please check your triggers and mental health before reading. Thank you to the author agency and the author for the early copy.
Read
February 26, 2025Audio: 2.5 stars for Patrick Zeller and 4.5 stars for Kit Swann, she should have narrated it all.
Book: DNF @ Chapter 10
The same conversation happening over and over. And I was hoping for more especially since I loved “Spiral Down”!
Book: DNF @ Chapter 10
The same conversation happening over and over. And I was hoping for more especially since I loved “Spiral Down”!
August 21, 2024
I was absolutely not prepared for the emotional rollercoaster this one took me on. I went in to it completely blind, only knowing that it was Aly Martinez so I knew it was going to be good. Truett and Gwen’s story was so heartbreaking, it’s been a long time since I’ve read a book that made me cry that much. This was a 10/10 for me, I didn’t see the twist coming at all. Make sure you check the trigger warnings on this one!
August 22, 2024
Have you ever read a book that just awes you so much you can’t wait to put pen to paper and tell the whole world all about it but also, not?
*raises hand* Me, I have. I just did. Like … I mean … Honestly, I don’t know what to say.
Okay, so, if you’re new to Aly Martinez, I wish you the utmost luck in not falling apart during and after reading this story or quite frankly, any other she has ever penned. Second, stop reading this right now and don’t look at any other reviews. Just jump right in and hold on tight. You’ll thank me later. If you’re not new to Aly, read on …
The level of respect I have for a woman I have never met is outrageous but also, I hate her, and I say that with love! Aly, if you’re reading this … #sorrynotsorry #whyareyoulikethis The level of crazy that must be all up in Aly’s head makes me awestruck. Who comes up with stories like this one? No, not stories, more like who comes up with the layers that make up a story like this one, and who also takes those layers and constantly twists and turns them, so the reader is in a constant state of ”wait…”? Aly Martinez, that’s who, and she is brilliant!
[insert me LMAO right this minute because now I have to figure out what to say about all these words in Alone With You and I am quite literally cackling as I type this]
I'm not going to talk about this story in any way except to tell you that whatever you think you're reading, think again. This woman is talented. She spins a tale like nobody’s business and she really spun the tale of Truett West! Like salad spinner spinning. Feel me? I was deer caught up in a car’s headlights and I did not want to look away! I am so in love with this story that I’m actually a little anxious about it. There are a lot of circumstances to unpack and be surprised by, but I loved it more for its realism. I loved it most because Aly respectfully incorporated "struggles" that everyday people deal with on an everyday basis. I loved it best because it’s a story of healing and redemption, living and loving, surviving and accepting. It’s a story of hope. *shrug* that simple.
*sigh* I guess I did have a few things to say after all LOL Do with them what you will :)
Okay, so, if you’re new to Aly Martinez, I wish you the utmost luck in not falling apart during and after reading this story or quite frankly, any other she has ever penned. Second, stop reading this right now and don’t look at any other reviews. Just jump right in and hold on tight. You’ll thank me later. If you’re not new to Aly, read on …
The level of respect I have for a woman I have never met is outrageous but also, I hate her, and I say that with love! Aly, if you’re reading this … #sorrynotsorry #whyareyoulikethis The level of crazy that must be all up in Aly’s head makes me awestruck. Who comes up with stories like this one? No, not stories, more like who comes up with the layers that make up a story like this one, and who also takes those layers and constantly twists and turns them, so the reader is in a constant state of ”wait…”? Aly Martinez, that’s who, and she is brilliant!
[insert me LMAO right this minute because now I have to figure out what to say about all these words in Alone With You and I am quite literally cackling as I type this]
I'm not going to talk about this story in any way except to tell you that whatever you think you're reading, think again. This woman is talented. She spins a tale like nobody’s business and she really spun the tale of Truett West! Like salad spinner spinning. Feel me? I was deer caught up in a car’s headlights and I did not want to look away! I am so in love with this story that I’m actually a little anxious about it. There are a lot of circumstances to unpack and be surprised by, but I loved it more for its realism. I loved it most because Aly respectfully incorporated "struggles" that everyday people deal with on an everyday basis. I loved it best because it’s a story of healing and redemption, living and loving, surviving and accepting. It’s a story of hope. *shrug* that simple.
*sigh* I guess I did have a few things to say after all LOL Do with them what you will :)
August 31, 2024
2.5
This would have been awesome if it wasn’t for the 18 year separation. A lifetime wasted because of stubbornness and miscommunication. I just couldn’t get over that.
And don’t get me wrong, I loved these characters and I am so happy they found their way back to each other. But I cannot get over the way Truett had abandoned her. She was suffering just as much as he was and he just threw away the love of his life for 18 years. He sat back and watched her marry someone else. He never once tried to contact her in all that time. I would have totally understood him needing a few years to get his head right—but 18??? If I was her, I don’t know if I could have forgiven that no matter how much I still loved that person.
This would have been awesome if it wasn’t for the 18 year separation. A lifetime wasted because of stubbornness and miscommunication. I just couldn’t get over that.
And don’t get me wrong, I loved these characters and I am so happy they found their way back to each other. But I cannot get over the way Truett had abandoned her. She was suffering just as much as he was and he just threw away the love of his life for 18 years. He sat back and watched her marry someone else. He never once tried to contact her in all that time. I would have totally understood him needing a few years to get his head right—but 18??? If I was her, I don’t know if I could have forgiven that no matter how much I still loved that person.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 22, 2024
• 𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝗺
• 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗠𝗠𝗖
• 𝗧𝘄𝗼 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀
• 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲
• 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗽
• 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗼 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘀
• 𝗥𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿
• 𝗘𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹
"𝓒𝓸𝓶𝓮 𝓫𝓪𝓬𝓴 𝓽𝓸 𝓶𝓮."
Wow! I'm going to be talking about this book for a long time! I don't even know how to put this review into words. Like all Aly Martinez books this one will live in my head and heart rent-free for a very long time!
This book hit the ground running. And I devoured every second. Aly Martinez's writing has been my favorite for many years. Her ability to unfold a story is unreal! Every time I pick up one of her books I'm only reminded why she's one of my favorite authors! This book was full of all the feels. My heart broke so many times reading this book. But I knew Aly would mend it back together before the book was over.
“𝓞𝓱, 𝓖𝓸𝓭. 𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓼𝓪𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓶?”
OH MY GOSH, MY HEART!!! 😭
The moment they started communicating and the story unraveled. My heart shattered. This book wasn't a fluffy read. These two characters went through unimaginable pain, but watching them find their way and heal together was beautiful!
"𝓖𝓸𝓭, 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓶𝓪𝓷. 𝓝𝓸𝓫𝓸𝓭𝔂 𝓱𝓪𝓭 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻 𝓫𝓮𝓮𝓷 𝓪𝓫𝓵𝓮 𝓽𝓸 𝓵𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽 𝓶𝓮 𝓸𝓷 𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮 𝓱𝓲𝓶."
𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗜 𝗮𝗯𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱:
• Watching Truett's character develop from such a broken man.
"𝑴𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓, 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝑰 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒘𝒂𝒍𝒌𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒚 𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒆."
• How Gwen kept Kaitlyn's memory alive. And showed Truett how he could do it without living in a memorial of all of her things. It was so beautifully done. The grace and growth Gwen showed was insane to me!
"𝒀𝒆𝒂𝒉. 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔. 𝑨 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚. 𝑨 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒉𝒆𝒓."
• Truett putting Jeff in his place
"𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒍𝒍 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒈𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒐𝒌𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒐𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒂 𝒘𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒂𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒊𝒅 𝒏𝒐."
• Nate's relationship with Truett
"𝑯𝒆’𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒊𝒍𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒎 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒖𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆."
• SAINT COOTER!!! This lady was HILARIOUS! And I never knew what was going to come out of her mouth. But she was exactly who Gwen needed in her life.
“𝑾𝒐𝒘, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒐𝒕 𝒈𝒂𝒓𝒈𝒐𝒚𝒍𝒆 𝒎𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒔𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒘𝒆𝒅 𝒖𝒑. 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝑴𝒓. 𝑻𝒂𝒍𝒍, 𝑸𝒖𝒊𝒆𝒕, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑻𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒐𝒐𝒆𝒅, 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒅 𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒍𝒗𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝒂 𝒃𝒂𝒅 𝒅𝒂𝒚, 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑴𝒓. 𝑺𝒉𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒚 𝑳𝒐𝒂𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒔, 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒂 𝒏𝒆𝒈𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒆𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒅𝒂𝒚.”
• The booth!!! 😭
“𝑫𝒂𝒎𝒎𝒊𝒕, 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒂𝒎 𝑰 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒂 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒅 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒂 𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒉 𝒂𝒈𝒐?”
I seriously can't say enough good things about this book! It was beautiful. Emotional. And by far one of the best books I've read in a long time.
• 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗠𝗠𝗖
• 𝗧𝘄𝗼 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀
• 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲
• 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗽
• 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗼 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘀
• 𝗥𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿
• 𝗘𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹
"𝓒𝓸𝓶𝓮 𝓫𝓪𝓬𝓴 𝓽𝓸 𝓶𝓮."
Wow! I'm going to be talking about this book for a long time! I don't even know how to put this review into words. Like all Aly Martinez books this one will live in my head and heart rent-free for a very long time!
This book hit the ground running. And I devoured every second. Aly Martinez's writing has been my favorite for many years. Her ability to unfold a story is unreal! Every time I pick up one of her books I'm only reminded why she's one of my favorite authors! This book was full of all the feels. My heart broke so many times reading this book. But I knew Aly would mend it back together before the book was over.
“𝓞𝓱, 𝓖𝓸𝓭. 𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓼𝓪𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓶?”
OH MY GOSH, MY HEART!!! 😭
The moment they started communicating and the story unraveled. My heart shattered. This book wasn't a fluffy read. These two characters went through unimaginable pain, but watching them find their way and heal together was beautiful!
"𝓖𝓸𝓭, 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓶𝓪𝓷. 𝓝𝓸𝓫𝓸𝓭𝔂 𝓱𝓪𝓭 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻 𝓫𝓮𝓮𝓷 𝓪𝓫𝓵𝓮 𝓽𝓸 𝓵𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽 𝓶𝓮 𝓸𝓷 𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮 𝓱𝓲𝓶."
𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗜 𝗮𝗯𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱:
• Watching Truett's character develop from such a broken man.
"𝑴𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓, 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝑰 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒘𝒂𝒍𝒌𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒚 𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒆."
• How Gwen kept Kaitlyn's memory alive. And showed Truett how he could do it without living in a memorial of all of her things. It was so beautifully done. The grace and growth Gwen showed was insane to me!
"𝒀𝒆𝒂𝒉. 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔. 𝑨 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚. 𝑨 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒉𝒆𝒓."
• Truett putting Jeff in his place
"𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒍𝒍 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒈𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒐𝒌𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒐𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒂 𝒘𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒂𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒊𝒅 𝒏𝒐."
• Nate's relationship with Truett
"𝑯𝒆’𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒊𝒍𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒎 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒖𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆."
• SAINT COOTER!!! This lady was HILARIOUS! And I never knew what was going to come out of her mouth. But she was exactly who Gwen needed in her life.
“𝑾𝒐𝒘, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒐𝒕 𝒈𝒂𝒓𝒈𝒐𝒚𝒍𝒆 𝒎𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒔𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒘𝒆𝒅 𝒖𝒑. 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝑴𝒓. 𝑻𝒂𝒍𝒍, 𝑸𝒖𝒊𝒆𝒕, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑻𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒐𝒐𝒆𝒅, 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒅 𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒍𝒗𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝒂 𝒃𝒂𝒅 𝒅𝒂𝒚, 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑴𝒓. 𝑺𝒉𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒚 𝑳𝒐𝒂𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒔, 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒂 𝒏𝒆𝒈𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒆𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒅𝒂𝒚.”
• The booth!!! 😭
“𝑫𝒂𝒎𝒎𝒊𝒕, 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒂𝒎 𝑰 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒂 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒅 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒂 𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒉 𝒂𝒈𝒐?”
I seriously can't say enough good things about this book! It was beautiful. Emotional. And by far one of the best books I've read in a long time.
September 30, 2024
TROPES: single mom, tortured hero, two timelines, second chances, military rep, emotional, angst, mature characters, suspense
Alone with You was very much a second chance romance with a unique storyline. It was powerful, emotional and truly heartbreaking.
Truett was a shattered soul. My heart hurt for him throughout the book. I felt every emotion he was going through. The cycle of guilt…the shame…the pain he wouldn't let himself escape… 💔 Gwen was such a light. Such a strong woman. Their pull was undeniable, making their journey all more beautiful. There was also hurt and pain but love too, so much love!
The heartbreak and tragedy in this book is immense. Please check the TW as there are many. It's not all sadness though, there is some comedy relief and spice that was placed well. This is one of those books that can’t be missed! Read this!
Alone with You was very much a second chance romance with a unique storyline. It was powerful, emotional and truly heartbreaking.
Truett was a shattered soul. My heart hurt for him throughout the book. I felt every emotion he was going through. The cycle of guilt…the shame…the pain he wouldn't let himself escape… 💔 Gwen was such a light. Such a strong woman. Their pull was undeniable, making their journey all more beautiful. There was also hurt and pain but love too, so much love!
The heartbreak and tragedy in this book is immense. Please check the TW as there are many. It's not all sadness though, there is some comedy relief and spice that was placed well. This is one of those books that can’t be missed! Read this!
October 4, 2024
Title: Alone with You
Author: Aly Martinez
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Type: Standalone
POV: First Person - Dual
Rating:
Truett West left the battlefield, but the war raged on within him. Gwen Pierce’s unexpected reappearance in his life could either help him or destroy him.
Truett had been struggling alone for so long, he barely remembered what it felt to be normal. No one deserved to suffer the way he did. Gwen, though burdened by her own heartbreaks, remained steadfast in her compassion, never once wavering in her understanding.
I didn’t expect this book to evoke such a whirlwind of emotions. Things felt tame until they smacked me in the face. But I am thankful for the bruises because that’s the mark of an enjoyable book for me.
Alone with You is an exploration of guilt and self-preservation. It would appeal to readers who enjoy emotional, second-chance romance.
For more reviews/interviews/book talk/promo visit:
For graphics, trailers & author services visit Warhawke Design Studio.
Author: Aly Martinez
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Type: Standalone
POV: First Person - Dual
Rating:
Truett West left the battlefield, but the war raged on within him. Gwen Pierce’s unexpected reappearance in his life could either help him or destroy him.
Truett had been struggling alone for so long, he barely remembered what it felt to be normal. No one deserved to suffer the way he did. Gwen, though burdened by her own heartbreaks, remained steadfast in her compassion, never once wavering in her understanding.
“I deserve every bit of hate and anger and resentment you feel for me. But make no mistake, I have never, not ever, not for one fucking second of my entire god-forsaken life, stopped loving you.”
I didn’t expect this book to evoke such a whirlwind of emotions. Things felt tame until they smacked me in the face. But I am thankful for the bruises because that’s the mark of an enjoyable book for me.
Alone with You is an exploration of guilt and self-preservation. It would appeal to readers who enjoy emotional, second-chance romance.
For more reviews/interviews/book talk/promo visit:
For graphics, trailers & author services visit Warhawke Design Studio.
August 23, 2024
Ok I give this book like a 2.5
I was really excited to read it. I love most of Aly’s books.
But this one just wasn’t doing it for me
Firstly he was a military man and I ain’t a fan of them. But I appreciate that this book didn’t really try to shove military us propaganda at us.
Truett the man was so full of emotional baggage and trauma omgggg. Sometimes I’d get mad at him because he has all the help available but he won’t take it. He kept acting like he failed the whole world. And with his trauma that is so understandable. But it was also frustrating. But I’m happy in the end he got there.
I liked Gwen and I loved how she stood up for herself and left him. Even tho he didn’t give her much of a choice. I hated how he hurt her
But tbh none of the main charecters made me fall in love with them. The first 50% was a bore.
Also I totally knew the plot twist it at least some of it.
My fave scenes were when T meant Nate. It was so cute.
Also for a book I didn’t like it sure did make me sobbbbb. Every time I thought the years were over they’d hit me again.
Apparently this book is connected to written with regret which I loved and gave 5stars crazy.
Anyways but for me but I can see how it would work for others
I was really excited to read it. I love most of Aly’s books.
But this one just wasn’t doing it for me
Firstly he was a military man and I ain’t a fan of them. But I appreciate that this book didn’t really try to shove military us propaganda at us.
Truett the man was so full of emotional baggage and trauma omgggg. Sometimes I’d get mad at him because he has all the help available but he won’t take it. He kept acting like he failed the whole world. And with his trauma that is so understandable. But it was also frustrating. But I’m happy in the end he got there.
I liked Gwen and I loved how she stood up for herself and left him. Even tho he didn’t give her much of a choice. I hated how he hurt her
But tbh none of the main charecters made me fall in love with them. The first 50% was a bore.
Also I totally knew the plot twist it at least some of it.
My fave scenes were when T meant Nate. It was so cute.
Also for a book I didn’t like it sure did make me sobbbbb. Every time I thought the years were over they’d hit me again.
Apparently this book is connected to written with regret which I loved and gave 5stars crazy.
Anyways but for me but I can see how it would work for others
August 22, 2024
I am shooketh!!!!
Story: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Tropes: second chance
Angst: 😱😱😱😱😱
Smexy: 🔥🔥1\2
I don't even know where to start with this book! I haven't read Aly before and I was ill-prepared for where she took me on multiple levels. As a mom. As a war veteran. This book grabbed me right in the feels and didn't let go. The character development was phenomenal and the storytelling first rate. There have only been a couple of times in my lifetime of reading where a twist got me so good that I just sat there with my mouth working like a fish for five minutes. And this book did that! What a fracking emotional rollercoaster ride! Tons of triggers, people. I cried at least three times. But read it. Truly ❤. Definitely going in my best of 2024 pile.
Story: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Tropes: second chance
Angst: 😱😱😱😱😱
Smexy: 🔥🔥1\2
I don't even know where to start with this book! I haven't read Aly before and I was ill-prepared for where she took me on multiple levels. As a mom. As a war veteran. This book grabbed me right in the feels and didn't let go. The character development was phenomenal and the storytelling first rate. There have only been a couple of times in my lifetime of reading where a twist got me so good that I just sat there with my mouth working like a fish for five minutes. And this book did that! What a fracking emotional rollercoaster ride! Tons of triggers, people. I cried at least three times. But read it. Truly ❤. Definitely going in my best of 2024 pile.
March 26, 2025
I tend to have a hard time with books that have service members or veterans as the MC. It comes with the territory being an Army wife. You judge books with military themes more critically, and because of that, they tend to fall short. This book was so heartbreaking, but did not miss. His trauma. His guilt. His path to healing. Loved everything about this book.
August 16, 2024
ANOTHER AMAZING BOOK. AHHHHH!!!!
• ARC REVIEW •
Okay wow, I don’t even know where to start. I loved every second of this emotional book. Aly does an amazing job at writing gut-wrenching stories that make her readers feel every emotion. I wasn’t expecting a lot of things to happen with the storyline and the twists really got me. I knew it would be an emotional book, but wasn’t expecting anything like this. The story of Gwen and Truett is filled with so much sadness and heartbreak. Both of them are forever tied together in their shared tragedy. While one is stuck in the past, the other must learn to forgive in order to help them both heal. Their story was so realistic, I felt like I was living it with them. I loved everything about it book and am so glad they let go of the past and got their second chance. Grief is hard and everyone handles it differently. My emotions were all over the place learning about Truett and the guilt he felt and how he blamed himself for everything that happened. And I love how supportive Gwen was once she realized what was happening and the weight that Truett was carrying on his shoulders.
• ARC REVIEW •
Okay wow, I don’t even know where to start. I loved every second of this emotional book. Aly does an amazing job at writing gut-wrenching stories that make her readers feel every emotion. I wasn’t expecting a lot of things to happen with the storyline and the twists really got me. I knew it would be an emotional book, but wasn’t expecting anything like this. The story of Gwen and Truett is filled with so much sadness and heartbreak. Both of them are forever tied together in their shared tragedy. While one is stuck in the past, the other must learn to forgive in order to help them both heal. Their story was so realistic, I felt like I was living it with them. I loved everything about it book and am so glad they let go of the past and got their second chance. Grief is hard and everyone handles it differently. My emotions were all over the place learning about Truett and the guilt he felt and how he blamed himself for everything that happened. And I love how supportive Gwen was once she realized what was happening and the weight that Truett was carrying on his shoulders.
August 17, 2024
I am absolutely floored by this book in the best way. There were so many twists I never saw coming. This book had me in tears many times. The absolute tragedies these characters went through was soul crushing 😭 My god the life Truett was living…Gwen and her refusing to give up on him. This was absolute perfection. Infinity stars!!!
August 19, 2024
5 “Come back to me” stars!
Aly Martinez knows how to pull on my heartstrings, and wow, she had me feeling so much with this book! A devastatingly emotional yet beautiful story of strength and healing, intertwined with an incredible second-chance-romance that owned my heart. It’s a difficult read at times, with some challenging subject matter that had me in tears, but it’s a beautifully written story, and I loved it so much.
Gwen is a recently divorced single mother who has just escaped an emotionally abusive marriage with a narcissistic man. She is proudly reclaiming her life, with a fantastic little boy and a solid group of friends supporting her, and has just bought a run down diner with dreams of turning it into a trendy café.
Truett is a man trapped by his demons. A Veteran who has suffered staggering loss and who, years later, is still drowning in his grief and trauma, he exists within a self-structured world, venturing out for only one torturous hour per week. His destination for his outing is the local diner, and he’s distraught when he learns that its closed. And his world is turned upside down when the new owner turns out to be Gwen, the love of his life and the woman he’s never been able to get over.
Gwen and Truett share a complex and heartwrenching history. It’s revealed slowly throughout the book in a way that sucks you in, slowly uncovering pieces, and every new reveal grabbed hold of my heart even more. The story is well crafted for maximum impact, and holy damn, did it hit me in the feels!
The depth of emotion between these two is insane! I could feel everything. And even though I didn’t understand it all initially, the way it all unfolds had me aching for both of them. And as they started to revisit their past, and we saw the intensity of their connection, I was in tears for them!
Martinez has included a trigger warning with this book, and take note, because there is some really difficult subject matter in the story. She writes it well, with respect and so much emotion, but there are parts that are a hard read. And had me shedding even more tears.
But in the midst of the drama and the trauma, there is the most beautiful love story, and it’s intertwined with Truett facing up to his issues in a way he hasn’t been able to do before, and finally starting to move on. It’s gorgeous, all of it, and watching these two cling to each other as they deal with their past and their shared trauma and find a way to deal with it, while acknowledging and accepting their feelings for each other, had me all up in my feels. And the love story is beautiful – it’s emotionally intense yet playful and sexy, and I just loved these two together. And watching Truett find the strength to open up again and finally fight for his happy ending, with his girl by his side, is uplifting and beautifully satisfying.
Oh Truett, you beautiful, broken man. I ached for him, for all that he had been through, and for the coping mechanisms that he needed just to get by. He’s the kind of guy you just want to wrap your arms around. His journey to heal is heartwrenching but so beautiful, and every glimpse of the fun and playful ‘old’ Truett that emerged as he started to heal was such a treat. And Gwen is an amazing heroine. She’s been through hell, but she’s pulled herself through it and is working hard to create a good life for herself. And though she has every right to be mad at Truett, she is nothing but supportive and protective over him, and works hard to help him deal with his demons and reclaim his life.
Despite the heavy subject matter, it’s not all darkness and drama. Bringing moments of lightness, Gwen’s friends are a freaking riot. They have their girl’s back through everything that goes on, and their frank and honest discussions are so much fun. Gwen’s son is also a bright light, and there are moments of sweetness between Gwen and Truett that had me swooning and sighing with happiness.
This is a beautifully written story with a happy and wholly satisfying ending. I loved it so much.
5 stars and all the feels for this one.
An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the author for an honest review.
Aly Martinez knows how to pull on my heartstrings, and wow, she had me feeling so much with this book! A devastatingly emotional yet beautiful story of strength and healing, intertwined with an incredible second-chance-romance that owned my heart. It’s a difficult read at times, with some challenging subject matter that had me in tears, but it’s a beautifully written story, and I loved it so much.
Gwen is a recently divorced single mother who has just escaped an emotionally abusive marriage with a narcissistic man. She is proudly reclaiming her life, with a fantastic little boy and a solid group of friends supporting her, and has just bought a run down diner with dreams of turning it into a trendy café.
Truett is a man trapped by his demons. A Veteran who has suffered staggering loss and who, years later, is still drowning in his grief and trauma, he exists within a self-structured world, venturing out for only one torturous hour per week. His destination for his outing is the local diner, and he’s distraught when he learns that its closed. And his world is turned upside down when the new owner turns out to be Gwen, the love of his life and the woman he’s never been able to get over.
While I’d ruined us, she had always owned me. I hadn’t forgotten her. I hadn’t forgotten us.
Gwen and Truett share a complex and heartwrenching history. It’s revealed slowly throughout the book in a way that sucks you in, slowly uncovering pieces, and every new reveal grabbed hold of my heart even more. The story is well crafted for maximum impact, and holy damn, did it hit me in the feels!
The depth of emotion between these two is insane! I could feel everything. And even though I didn’t understand it all initially, the way it all unfolds had me aching for both of them. And as they started to revisit their past, and we saw the intensity of their connection, I was in tears for them!
“I deserve every bit of hate and anger and resentment you feel for me. But make no mistake, I have never, not ever, not for one fucking second of my entire god-forsaken life, stopped loving you.”
Martinez has included a trigger warning with this book, and take note, because there is some really difficult subject matter in the story. She writes it well, with respect and so much emotion, but there are parts that are a hard read. And had me shedding even more tears.
But in the midst of the drama and the trauma, there is the most beautiful love story, and it’s intertwined with Truett facing up to his issues in a way he hasn’t been able to do before, and finally starting to move on. It’s gorgeous, all of it, and watching these two cling to each other as they deal with their past and their shared trauma and find a way to deal with it, while acknowledging and accepting their feelings for each other, had me all up in my feels. And the love story is beautiful – it’s emotionally intense yet playful and sexy, and I just loved these two together. And watching Truett find the strength to open up again and finally fight for his happy ending, with his girl by his side, is uplifting and beautifully satisfying.
“Would you rather stand still in what could have been? … Or move forward with what we could still have?”
Oh Truett, you beautiful, broken man. I ached for him, for all that he had been through, and for the coping mechanisms that he needed just to get by. He’s the kind of guy you just want to wrap your arms around. His journey to heal is heartwrenching but so beautiful, and every glimpse of the fun and playful ‘old’ Truett that emerged as he started to heal was such a treat. And Gwen is an amazing heroine. She’s been through hell, but she’s pulled herself through it and is working hard to create a good life for herself. And though she has every right to be mad at Truett, she is nothing but supportive and protective over him, and works hard to help him deal with his demons and reclaim his life.
Despite the heavy subject matter, it’s not all darkness and drama. Bringing moments of lightness, Gwen’s friends are a freaking riot. They have their girl’s back through everything that goes on, and their frank and honest discussions are so much fun. Gwen’s son is also a bright light, and there are moments of sweetness between Gwen and Truett that had me swooning and sighing with happiness.
This is a beautifully written story with a happy and wholly satisfying ending. I loved it so much.
5 stars and all the feels for this one.
An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the author for an honest review.
August 20, 2024
Truett and Gwen's story was so heartbreaking, this book took me on an emotional ride and I absolutely loved it. Aly Martinez is amazing writing emotional books and did not disappoint with this one.
Tropes:
✔️Enemies To Lovers
✔️Second Chance
✔️Romantic Thriller
✔️Spicy
✔️Twists and Turns
✔️Emotional
Tropes:
✔️Enemies To Lovers
✔️Second Chance
✔️Romantic Thriller
✔️Spicy
✔️Twists and Turns
✔️Emotional
December 29, 2024
4.5 stars
This book was really good. The story was different and you connected with all the characters. I felt so much for all of them and truly loved this story overall.
This book was really good. The story was different and you connected with all the characters. I felt so much for all of them and truly loved this story overall.
September 3, 2024
2.5 Stars
Aly Martinez has been a favorite author of mine for going on ten years now. I’ve read just about all her books (the rest are on my TBR list!), and her Wrecked and Ruined series is one of my all-time favorites that I’ve read countless times. I love all the drama-llama she brings, all the heartbreak and emotion, all the fantastic dialog, and best of all - the out of left field plot twists she drops without so much as the littlest hint.
So there was a good deal of anticipation for this new book. It’s been over two years since Ms. Martinez’s last book and I’ve missed her. I downloaded Alone With You on publication day and dove in.
Then it took me 13 days to read. And two of those days were when I was on a two and a half hour plane ride with no other distractions.
I found the story incredibly slow in getting started. And those plot twists that usually are tossed out like a grenade? The ones that usually have my eyes bugging and my jaw dropping? I found myself having to rereading to see what I just read, they were so uncerimoniously delivered. A couple of them didn’t even need to be tossed out like grenades, they coulda just been part of the narrative. Instead of what I'm assuming was the desired effect, I felt like Ms. Martinez was trying too hard.
On the flip side, I loved Gwen and Truett. The second-chance trope is my absolute favorite, and this one hit the sweet spots: two deeply hurting people who never got over their first love, a breakup that was understandable, a reunion that happened without over-the-top drama or obstacles.
But for whatever reason, overall this story failed to land the way I was hoping it would. It happens sometimes when I have such high expectations for an eagerly awaited book.
Aly Martinez has been a favorite author of mine for going on ten years now. I’ve read just about all her books (the rest are on my TBR list!), and her Wrecked and Ruined series is one of my all-time favorites that I’ve read countless times. I love all the drama-llama she brings, all the heartbreak and emotion, all the fantastic dialog, and best of all - the out of left field plot twists she drops without so much as the littlest hint.
So there was a good deal of anticipation for this new book. It’s been over two years since Ms. Martinez’s last book and I’ve missed her. I downloaded Alone With You on publication day and dove in.
Then it took me 13 days to read. And two of those days were when I was on a two and a half hour plane ride with no other distractions.
I found the story incredibly slow in getting started. And those plot twists that usually are tossed out like a grenade? The ones that usually have my eyes bugging and my jaw dropping? I found myself having to rereading to see what I just read, they were so uncerimoniously delivered. A couple of them didn’t even need to be tossed out like grenades, they coulda just been part of the narrative. Instead of what I'm assuming was the desired effect, I felt like Ms. Martinez was trying too hard.
On the flip side, I loved Gwen and Truett. The second-chance trope is my absolute favorite, and this one hit the sweet spots: two deeply hurting people who never got over their first love, a breakup that was understandable, a reunion that happened without over-the-top drama or obstacles.
But for whatever reason, overall this story failed to land the way I was hoping it would. It happens sometimes when I have such high expectations for an eagerly awaited book.
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