Before It Was Us

by Marie Fox

At thirty, Paisley Hamilton has the life she's been told to want—a teaching career she loves, a solid marriage, a brand-new mortgage in a quiet Midwestern town. But somewhere between lesson planning and Sunday meal-prepping, she's started to wonder if right is the same as happy. Because the truth is, while her marriage with Ethan is safe and familiar, lately safe has been feeling a hell of a lot like stuck.

Briggs Davenport, her brooding assistant principal with a marriage focused more on routine than connection, is just as restless. On paper, he has it a house on the lake, a respected position, a picture-perfect wife. But in reality, he can't remember the last time he felt truly fulfilled.

So when a chance run-in at a dive bar and a heated moment at a school dance turn into deep conversations and lingering glances, Paisley and Briggs find themselves teetering on the edge of something that could shatter the lives they've worked so hard to build—or finally give them what they've both been longing for.

Told in alternating points of view, Before It Was Us is an emotionally raw story about questioning the life you're supposed to want and finding the courage to choose yourself, even if that means breaking some rules in the process.

465 pages, Paperback

Published February 1, 2026

About the author

AKA Princess Marie "Mary" Henriette Adélaïde of Liechtenstein

Reviews

[Breanna Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book brought up a lot of emotions for me while reading, and I love that in a book! A lot of the feelings Paisley had are how I felt in my last relationship and it made me feel like the reason I left was okay even though there wasn’t really a “reason” per se. I left because I chose me and I thinks that’s what Paisley did, even if her situation got much more complicated than mine! In the end, I was happy for the characters in this book and that they moved on and found where they were supposed to be. I felt a lot of raw emotions while reading this book. Sadness, loneliness, happiness, & love. And just the way the characters were written made them feel like actual humans, people you were friends with even when they were characters on a page.

[Alyssa Pearl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It was easy to read but still meaningful, capturing emotions and situations that felt true to real life and made me pause and reflect.

[Mariereads4 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was amazing. The characters were so real and relatable which made the book 1000 times better.

[Alma · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.5 stars

ARC REVIEW

This book completely surprised me. Going into it, I was hesitant because infidelity is a topic I usually avoid. But somehow, Before It Was Us made me sit with that discomfort and actually understand it instead of immediately rejecting it.

Paisley and Briggs are both married, and on the surface their lives look fine—stable, predictable, safe. But beneath that is the quiet dissatisfaction so many people experience when life becomes routine. The book explores that emotional limbo so honestly, without making it feel malicious or cruel.

This story isn’t about intentionally hurting your spouse—it’s about asking yourself hard questions. Are you staying because it’s easy? Because it’s familiar? Because leaving feels scarier than being unhappy? Sometimes happiness requires bravery, and sometimes it means walking away from something you once thought would last forever.

What really elevated this for me was how real it felt. Messy, complicated, uncomfortable—but also hopeful. It doesn’t romanticize betrayal, but it does acknowledge that love and fulfillment aren’t always simple or linear.

While there were a few moments that felt slightly drawn out, the emotional payoff made it worth it. This book lingered with me long after I finished, and that’s always the mark of a powerful read. Marie Fox has absolutely earned a new fan. 💜📖

[Loreina Klevenski · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this as an ARC and forgot to leave my review when it released. Thank you to the author for the advanced copy.

Before It Was Us surprised me in the best way. A five star cheating trope is not something I expected to say, but this story truly made me feel and reflect in ways I did not see coming.

Paisley and Briggs are both living lives that look perfect from the outside but feel quietly unfulfilling beneath the surface. Their connection builds through conversations, shared restlessness, and the kind of emotional intimacy that blurs lines before either of them fully realizes it. This is not a flashy or dramatic romance. It is deeply introspective, emotional, and very human.

I do not condone cheating and it is not something I like in real life (or in books usually), but this story captured the complicated reality of being in a marriage that no longer fits. It explores the uncomfortable space between loyalty and longing with honesty and care. The story felt authentic and relatable.

The alternating points of view added so much depth and allowed me to understand both characters as they wrestled with their choices, their desires, and the weight of what could be lost.

If you have ever questioned the life you thought you were supposed to want, this book will hit you right in the heart and leave you wondering what if.

[Lima · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW

Oh my gosh. This book took me on a roller coaster. Infidelity is something I really dislike reading about. It is something I wouldn’t want in real life, and there are not many books out there that can swing it in a way where I look at it and go, okay, I’m not mad at it. This book literally has me doing that.

Paisley and Briggs are both married and their individual marriages is at best blah. I think we all know that being married or being with someone for so long there are a lot of moments of just riding the waves and we’re kind of just coasting through life. Things aren’t exciting anymore, and we’re just working to provide and have stability. We all crave that excitement though, but don’t speak out on it because it’s just what marriage is, at least that’s what we’ve been told.

This isn’t about two people wanting to hurt their spouse. It’s about are you settling because it’s easy? The what ifs in life are on your mind consistently. Sometimes to be happy, you have to do hard things. Like leaving a marriage.

I, personally, am so glad that I went from an unhappy relationship and took a chance on the soulmate kind of love like Paisley and Briggs. It’s worth it, no matter how hard the situation is. Marie, you’ve just gained a really big fan.

[Luvleepati · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️

💜 small town
🖤 office romance
💜forbidden romance

Let me start by saying that although infidelity makes me cringe, this book was very well written and filled with emotions. Paisley and Briggs work together at the same school, but they are married to other people. Now in reading the book you can tell they are unhappy in their prospective marriages. I liked how they charters were debating with themselves because there was no real reason for the marriages to end but the simple fact that the couples grew apart and still loved each other but no longer “In Love” with each other. As much as I didn’t want to like this book due to the fact they were married to other people, this book was spectacular and I can’t wait to read what Marie writes next.

Thank you to Marie Fox for an ARC of this book! These are my honest thoughts.

[Abygail Rhodes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was chosen as an ARC reader for this book and I am so thankful that I was because this book started 2026 with a bang (an emotional, thought provoking bang, but a bang!).
I fell in love with the character development of Paisley and Briggs because they truly did not want to hurt the people they loved and didn’t know how to put themselves first. Their relationship was so cute, and having gone through this exact situation in my marriage at some point it really hit home.
This book speaks about the societal expectations of staying in a marriage because there’s nothing really wrong, but theres just something… missing.
This debut blew me away and I look forward to reading more from this author.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, I thought this book was raw, honest, and terrifying, wrapped up all in this story of Paisley and Briggs. How they came together, fought the chemistry, and in the end, what happened. It's such a bittersweet story, seeing them come together, their partners, the way they felt and the internal monologue that occured when they realized that they were with people they loved, but truly not in love with them. It definitely was a hard read at some points, but I was so happy at the end for the characters.

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I saw a Tik Tok about this book and found it interesting. Before It Was Us is about 2 marriages that are in a tough spot. When you meet someone that understands how each other feels, it changes you. Such a good book!

[Brionna Kegley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a great story! I felt that the author wrote about the events of the book respectfully. The FMC and MMC were very likeable characters, and it was easy to root for their happiness. It was a bit of a longer read, but definitely worth it!

[Alicia Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me in my emotions!! It hit home in a way that seemed like it was about my life with just different details. It was a quick read as well, could have finished it in one day for sure. I truly loved this book.

[Casidy Landry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worth every second

This book is captivating, heartfelt, real, and relatable. Anyone who has been in an impossible situation can relate to this story. It’s beautifully written. Funny, dramatic, and soulful. You will not be disappointed !

[Sara Schnabel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book sucked me in fast. I flew through it and was pleasantly surprised with the banter and humor.

Thank you to the author for an ARC of this book!