The Past That Made Us

by Kelly Marks

Some goodbyes don’t last forever—especially in a town like St. Bell.

Millie Carpenter has built her life around control. A work-obsessed loner, she’s long believed the only person she can count on is herself—a belief shaped by a painful childhood and years of estrangement. But when a cancer diagnosis shatters her carefully ordered world, she’s forced to accept help from the last person she ever her mother.

Returning to the seaside town of St. Bell, Maine, means confronting everything Millie thought she’d left behind—old grief, buried memories, and the man who once held her heart. The golden boy turned lobsterman who vanished when she needed him most.

As chemo drains her strength, Millie faces more than just the physical toll of illness. Long-suppressed wounds begin to resurface—and so do the people who might help her heal, if she can find the courage to let them.

Now, with the biggest fight of her life ahead, Millie must keep running from the past, or embrace the messy, beautiful possibility of second chances.

Genres: Fiction

298 pages, Paperback

First published September 2, 2025

About the author

Kelly Marks worked as a nurse for ten years before settling into the somehow more demanding job of raising her kids. Born in Canada, but primarily raised in Texas, she calls herself a “Texas-Canadian.” She dreams of one day living on the ocean where she pictures writing novels to the background sounds of crashing waves. For now, she lives with her wonderful family in Houston, TX. The Past That Made Us is her debut novel.
To learn more about Kelly or become great reader friends, check out www.kellymarksbooks.com.

Reviews

[Heather~ Nature.books.and.coffee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this one. An emotional read that really pulled at my heart. Millie who's been a workaholic to distract herself from her past, receives a cancer diagnosis. She heads back to her hometown and reconnects with her estranged mother who wants to take care of her while she goes through treatment. Her ex, Cal, who was her first love, is also there. So throughout this story we get to see Millie heal her relationship with her mom and face the issues from her past too. I loved seeing the growth in her as a person. I also loved her friendship that she made while going through chemotherapy. The way the author writes, it just makes you feel like you can relate to not only the situation, but the characters too! Some parts really brought tears to my eyes, but I also was able to feel hope for Millie in healing the parts of her life that affected her the most. Such a great read that I flew through.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and Suzy approved book tours for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

[Courtney Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, I loved this book! While the story does touch on some heavy topics, I found it to be written with such care and great detail. I was fully invested in the story and was really rooting for all of the characters, while also hoping for a happy ending. Overall just a very heartfelt story all around that is absolutely worth the read! Congratulations to this author on an amazing debut!

[Danielle B · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a little nervous when I started reading THE PAST THAT MADE US. I knew that it had a scary medical diagnosis and that is a bit of a trigger for me. However, I am glad to say that I ended up loving it! This author is seriously talented and she made the characters come to life. Be prepared for all of the emotions in this story! You will love it!

Many thanks to Kelly Marks for my gifted copy.

This review will be shared to my Instagram account (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the future.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Millie is a career climbing accountant who’s life stands still upon receiving a cancer diagnosis. As she grapples with her new reality we learn about the secrets that have shaped her, and we go with her as she learns how those secrets continue to shape her, as she decides what she wants in her life. Marks does an incredible job bringing Millie’s story to life. I often found myself holding my breath at the edge of my chair racing to find out what happens next, and yes there were definitely both sad and happy tears. Great read!

[Stacy Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read if you love:
-second chance romance
-finding yourself in difficult situations
-themes of healing and forgiveness
-themes of overcoming illness

Thoughts:
Thank you Kelly for the copy in exchange for an honest review! This book was such an emotional story as the main character receives a devastating diagnosis. This all causes the MC to have to reach out to her estranged Mom for help with overcoming the diagnosis, and in the mean time discovers a lot about herself. I really enjoyed reading this one, and would recommend if you are looking for a good book to tug on your heart strings and take you on a journey of forgiveness and redemption.

Fave Quote:
“And while I recognize the depths of heartache I need to work through- that one death-defying experience doesn’t magically morph you into a different person- I’m ready to not walk this world so alone."

[Emmy Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️ – A stunning debut that asks: Does our past define our future?
I discovered Kelly Marks through Booksta and I’m so glad I did—The Past That Made Us is an incredible debut.
This story embodies love, loss, strength, and resilience. From the very first page, I was hooked and emotionally invested.
Millie, facing a life-changing diagnosis, is forced to return to her hometown and confront everything she left behind—her family, her lost love, and the choices that shaped her. Her journey is raw, tender, and deeply human.
Marks writes with a quiet power, weaving emotional depth into every chapter. And on a lighter note—the seafood descriptions had me ready to book a coastal getaway. I could practically taste the salt air.
Highly recommended for fans of literary fiction that stays with you long after the final page.

[Rose Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book...the characters, the story, the writing! I'm impressed this is Kelly Marks first book, so well done! As a former Oncology nurse and cancer survivor, the details were spot on. This book had me from the beginning and kept me rooting for all the characters throughout. This definitely touched my heart and will stay with me for a long time.

I was fortunate enough to get an ARC. Thank you to the publisher, Atmosphere Press, & NetGalley for the opportunity to read this beautiful book

[Cristina Wolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kelly Marks is the next bestselling women’s fiction author. You heard it here first. Her words are mesmerizing, her stories are real, raw, heartbreaking, and fulfilling. This book will make you cry and then wrap you up in a hug. That is Kelly’s superpower! A must read and an author to watch!

[Cristina Lupo · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re not reading Kelly Marks, I don’t know what you’re doing with your life. This girl is so talented, it’s ridiculous. A must read for fans of Jodi Picoult and Jojo Moyes.

[Alyssa Knappenberger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such an amazing book! This book follows Millie as she receives a diagnosis of stage 3 ovarian cancer. Her mom, who she is estranged from, comes to take her home to take care of her while she is going through chemotherapy. There is Cal, her ex, and first love.

I loved that we got to see Millie grow and heal as a person through her relationships. We see her relationship with her mom be fixed, as well as her relationship with Cal. My favorite relationship to see, though, was the interactions between Millie and Gail, a friend she made in chemotherapy.

This book was full of so many emotions and moments that will make you cry, but in the end, this book depicts a healing journey for Millie.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC and the opportunity to read this amazing book.

[Mary McClure · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible debut novel from Kelly Marks! This was a page-turner that I couldn’t put down!

[Kasey Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know when you're reading a book and you're like I want to watch that show again but it's the book you're reading? The book that you can't wait to get back to ASAP! The Past That Made Us is one of those. I could literally feel, smell, hear every detail of this book. I was right there with Millie, like a friend, walking through her life each moment. The reality of so many moments on paper that I could relate to in life. The human interactions are so raw and true, my favorite part. I can't wait to see what lies ahead for this author.
Keep the pen moving, we will be here!

[Melissa (Nissa_the.bookworm) · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔
💕 enjoy second chance romance
😭 love books that make you cry
🥺 have ever been affected by a cancer diagnosis
😓 find it difficult to ask for help

• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓

Millie Carpenter has built her life around control. A work-obsessed loner, she's long believed the only person she can count on is herself-a belief shaped by a painful childhood and years of estrangement. But when a cancer diagnosis shatters her carefully ordered world, she's forced to accept help from the last person she ever expected: her mother.

Returning to the seaside town of St. Bell, Maine, means confronting everything Millie thought she'd left behind-old grief, buried memories, and the man who once held her heart. The golden boy turned lobsterman who vanished when she needed him most.

As chemo drains her strength, Millie faces more than just the physical toll of illness. Long-suppressed wounds begin to resurface-and so do the people who might help her heal, if she can find the courage to let them.

Now, with the biggest fight of her life ahead, Millie must choose: keep running from the past, or embrace the messy, beautiful possibility of second chances.

• 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒

This one gave me all the feels. Millie has been avoiding two specific people for a lot of her life, but when a cancer diagnosis comes out of left field, she finds herself back in their orbits. I absolutely loved seeing her reconnect with both her and her ex-bf. Cal was such a lovable character in every possible way. This book really makes you think about how there is always 3 sides to a story. Your side, their side and the truth. I was constantly rooting for Millie throughout this book!

[Susan Ballard (subakkabookstuff) · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘣 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘦𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘫𝘦𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘥𝘦𝘣𝘶𝘵!

My heart broke for Millie from the start. Diagnosed with cancer at only thirty, she has literally no one, save her work assistant, to visit her at the hospital. Millie, a symbol of resilience, is headstrong and has learned to cope with being alone due to her traumatic past. But as a fellow cancer patient and an angel of a woman tells her, “This is not a fun road to walk alone.”

As her battle against cancer takes a toll on her, Millie reluctantly accepts help from her estranged mother, moving back to her hometown that holds so many painful memories and secrets.

The story is an emotional rollercoaster, filled with heartache, and the author kept throwing twists at me. Just when I wasn’t sure my heart could take any more, there was beauty among the wreckage - a second chance at family, a second chance at love.

While the story delves into some difficult topics, the author handles them with compassion and empathy. This is a poignant tale of forgiveness, healing, and redemption, all beautifully woven into the narrative.

Thank you to @suzyapprovedbooktours and @kelly.l.marks for the #gifted book.

[Debbie Rozier · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely devoured this women’s fiction full of drama that has the main character, Millie, moving back home after a cancer diagnosis.

Millie has been doing life solo full of bitterness after leaving home as a teenager. Millie is now an executive in Boston, but after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer she relents and moves back home with her mom. She has many bad memories that are connected to that place and those people. It is hard to let go of the grudges she is holding from these events.

This book does second chance right with both romance and family.

This book ripped my heart out and put it right back full of hope. It has loss, anger, regret that morph over the course of the read to forgiveness, love, and hopefulness.

My favorite character in this book is Gail who is a chemo buddy of Millie’s. She is a light and an inspiration to all who come into contact with her.

[Kim Wilch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t believe this is a debut—because wow, it had me from page one. Even with its heavy themes, the author handles every moment with such care that you can’t help but lean in and root for Millie the whole way. She’s learned to survive loneliness, but when life hits hardest and no one shows up for her, she’s forced to face the last person she expected to—her estranged mother—and a hometown packed with old hurt.

This book is an emotional, twisty rollercoaster, the kind I haven’t binged since Spark’s Message in a Bottle. Hold on to your heart as you follow Millie’s journey; the payoff is so worth it. A moving story of forgiveness, healing, and second chances—an absolutely worthwhile read.

[Lisa Albright · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an especially emotional read for me since my mother was recently diagnosed with cancer and I recognized so many aspects of living and dealing with the disease. It's unfair, heartbreaking, and yet it can bring people together, salvage relationships, and foster new friendships. Kelly captured this blend perfectly with her debut novel and while the tears flowed I'm grateful for the opportunity to read it. It's well-written and will touch every part of your heart.

I received a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one DIDN'T SUCK.

####

Do not go into this book thinking you’re getting a light and fluffy romance.
There is love and an HEA, but there’s so much more.
Health and secrets and family and caregiving and trauma and second chances and healing and forgiveness and and and.
This book had it all AND A BAG OF CHIPS.
All loose ends were tied up in a bow and that was a GIFT.
Incredibly, this was a debut work and I cannot wait to see what’s next.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stories don’t have to be 100% happy for me to enjoy them, but they have to be HOPEFUL and this book left me feeling that thing with wings.

But seriously? How is it possible for a 300 page book to contain so many emotions?

Anger? Fear? Loneliness? Heartbreak? Longing? Love? Amusement?

This book had it all, and not in a manipulative “Christmas Shoes” way.

These emotions are EARNED and the story is beautiful.

I particularly loved the Mother/Daughter arc, as they repaired decades of harm and regret.

The “Goodbye, Asshole” duet made me giggle. That’s the energy I want everyone to bring to the table.

My only complaint is this author’s COMPLETE AND UTTER LACK OF A BACK CATALOGUE,

WTF, Kelly?! EXPLAIN YOURSELF.

[Danae Wheat · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a perfect book to finish on the first day of the year. Admittedly, I was nervous to start it knowing there were some heavy topics, but what a cleanse! It was effortless to relate to the character's journey with such accurate descriptions and storytelling. You will cry, no question! Totally worth the tears, couldn't put it down. Congrats Kelly, so proud of your debut and can't wait to read more!

[Kimberly Tierney · Rating 2 out of 5]

This felt like reading a Hallmark movie. The big-city girl gets ill and has to move home, only to find her high school boyfriend is still there and single. No, it is not all sunshine and rainbows. She is battling cancer and the memories of an abusive childhood, but everything, especially the way it ends, feels like something my mother-in-law would love to watch on Hallmark. While there was conflict, there really wasn't, which made it a tolerable read but not something I want to revisit.

[Mer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tender love story about a woman returning home amidst battling cancer. Leaving her demanding job, healing becomes Millie's focus. But as she grapples with what could have been and what the future holds, she's at a crossroads. Beautifully written and with palpable tension, I stayed up way too late reading to find out what happens!

[Amanda Howes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me hooked from the beginning. The way she wrote the characters made me feel like I was living the story with them. Such an exciting debut book that I can only hope for more in the future! You definitely need to add this to your list to read!

[Jimmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Past That Made Us is the kind of book you stay up all night reading. Kelly Marks delivers an unforgettable story filled with raw emotion, tangled relationships, and choices that linger long after the last page. If you’re looking for your next can’t-put-down read, this is it.

[Carol Mageean · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this an easy book to read - unfortunately it was an average read and some days I only read a chapter as it didn’t really hold my interest to be honest, It was quite slow and It wasn’t what I expected but would like to thank Net Galley for the opportunity.

[Booksandcoffeemx · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story took me on an emotional journey I wasn’t ready for, but I loved every page of it. Having lost family to cancer, parts of it felt especially close to my heart. It’s a beautiful reminder that love, forgiveness, and second chances can heal us in unexpected ways.

[Christy Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a debut! It grabbed me immediately and was a page turner until the very end. Millie was battling so much between her diagnosis, her career, and her painful past. I always appreciate a good second chance story and couldn’t have loved this one more.

[Carla Quinn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! A second chance romance with all the emotions!!

She’s running from an abusive father in her past but while running she has closed herself off from life outside of work.

A cancer diagnosis shifts EVERYTHING and she is forced to receive help from her mother and ex. They are very people she has been trying to escape for all of these years. But as she accepts help, she finds that her side of the past is not the only side. She opens up to an entire new chance at life and love.

So good! And Cal…oh Cal (the MMC). You have my heart!

[Sara Holub · Rating 5 out of 5]

An emotional and beautifully written story of grief, trauma, strength, healing and forgiveness. I absolutely loved this book and can’t recommend it enough!

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful debut novel by this author. Heartwarming story of learning to overcome past heartbreak and opening up oneself to reach for the future she desires.