We Are Us

by Tara Leigh

I fell in love with a beautiful, broken boy.
His whispered words of love were the sweetest of lies.
He gave me his heart and destroyed mine.
I am his.

I fell in love with the beautiful man who broke me.
His boldly spoken vow was the cruelest of cages.
He gave me his name and destroyed my soul.
He is mine.

The boy I once loved is now a man.
The man I once loved is now gone.
We are us.

I have been called many things.
Victim. Survivor. Daughter. Sister. Wife.
Now I am called something else.
Murderer.

Believe it or not, this is our love story.

Genres: Romance, Second Chance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Friends To Lovers, Dark Romance, New Adult

432 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 27, 2020

About the author

Want to keep up with Tara Leigh and hear all the news & behind the scenes details about her books? Just click here: http://bit.ly/TaraLeighNwsltr. And are you a member of her exclusive readers group? http://bit.ly/TaraLeighReaders

Tara Leigh writes sexy contemporary romance about billionaires and rock stars that are alpha without being ***holes.

She attended Washington University in St. Louis and Columbia Business School in New York, and worked on Wall Street and Main Street before “retiring” to become a wife and mother. When the people in her head became just as real as the people in her life, she decided to put their stories on paper. Tara currently lives in Fairfield County, Connecticut with her husband, children and fur-baby, Pixie.

Do you love signed paperbacks? Want to know if Tara will be signing at an event? Do want to check out all the gorgeous teasers for Tara's books? Are you a writer looking for tips on writing and publishing? Check her website! https://www.taraleighbooks.com

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Reviews

[Carol [Goodreads Addict] · Rating 5 out of 5]

We Are Us by Tara Leigh is a stand alone second chance romance. I am writing this review immediately after reading the final words of this book. I’m not sure if it would be better to wait a bit to let myself settle, or to jump right in with my heart bursting with emotion. I’m going to forge ahead and hopefully I can get a coherent few sentences together. Because yes, my heart is bursting. Tara Leigh has woven together a story that is both beautiful and horrible. Both full of happiness and heart break.



Poppy Whitman and Gavin Cross were thirteen when they met out in the woods in the small town of Sackett, Connecticut. Both had lives they needed to escape from. And they found that escape in each other. A friendship was formed that led to more. That led to love.



This book follows the lives of Poppy and Gavin and many other characters that impacted their lives. These two filled a place in each other’s lives that made them whole. They shared a love that they thought would last them a lifetime. But life sometimes doesn’t go the way you planned.



This is one of those books where I just can’t say very much. I went in blind having no idea what to expect and I suggest you do the same. This is one of those books where you are holding your book with one hand and the other is pressed against your chest, trying to calm your heart down, or pressed against your stomach, trying to calm the storm raging inside. It is told in three parts, and is in the point of view of Poppy.



The book builds and the last twenty five percent, everything is coming to a peak and I couldn’t stop reading. I didn’t expect the added bit of suspense and danger. This is both beautiful and not. There are times you might think Poppy is weak, but trust me when I say that she is strong. The epilogue was amazing and beautiful and gave me the closure I needed.

I realize I probably haven’t said much here. This is different from all of my other reviews. Just trust me when I say that it’s a beautifully written, emotionally filled story that you don’t want to miss. I will be thinking about these characters for a very long time.

“I am his and he is mine and we are us.”
“I am hers and she is mine and we are us.”

For more about this book and so many more, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...

[lazybookconqueror · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went into We are Us expecting a sort of angsty, sorta sweet second-chance romantic suspense. And what I got was an intense rollercoaster ride that left me, in this order: curious, happy, so happy, confused, angry, very angry, sad, completely devastated, desolate, angry again, confused again, intrigued again, really emotional, and finally relieved that I survived this beautiful yet wicked tale.

More than just a book, We Are Us is an experience. I cannot praise Tara Leigh enough for her majestic writing in this book. Just like her main character Poppy, I was constantly debating what is right and fair, and how we react to certain events in our life.

I don't want to say too much about the plot, because I think this book is truly best enjoyed with little information. But, the main storyline is about Poppy and Gavin, two kids that built a very strong connection at age 13. We follow them around until they are 18 and planning to go to college together. A series of events bring them apart, and the long way back to what they had is an emotional and intense story that is impossible to put down.

I tend to add trigger warnings to my reviews when possible, but please beware of spoilers below. Seriously, like major spoilers.
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trigger warnings for sexual and emotional abuse, bullying, alcohol poisoning, bulimia, gaslighting, miscarriage, drug abuse, cheating

Thank you so much Social Butterfly PR and Tara Leigh for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am his and he is mine and we are us.

We Are Us is outstanding! Tara Leigh will pull you in and there is no hope of letting go! First, I would like to say that you should absolutely GO IN BLIND! You will only have one opportunity to do that. It is for that reason that I will keep my review as spoiler free as possible. I am trying to gather my thoughts about how I can relay the greatness in this book!

I fell in love with a beautiful, broken boy.
His whispered words of love were the sweetest of lies.
He gave me his heart and destroyed mine.
I am his.

I fell in love with the beautiful man who broke me.
His boldly spoken vow was the cruelest of cages.
He gave me his name and destroyed my soul.
He is mine.

The boy I once loved is now a man.
The man I once loved is now gone.
We are us.

We Are Us is a story about love and loss. There are complex and stunning choices. Truths and consequences. It will have you cheering one moment and crying the next. I literally got a stomach ache. And when is the last time you read a book and got a stomach ache? My emotions were all over the place. Happy, sad, shocked, relieved, scared and afraid just to name a few. Tara Leigh will take your heart, rip it out of your chest and then, only after making you work for it, will put it back together again. There are so many times when I wasn’t sure which way the story would turn. The characters are beautifully written and full of flaws. The suspense will keep you on edge. The ending is…unexpected. The epilogue – heaven!

Climb on board this amazing ride and hold on tight! I am so blown away by the words that are written. They are beautiful, heartfelt and real. I don’t know how I am going to pick up another book, for this one is still with me in my heart.

5 beautiful stars

#AuthorTaraLeigh #WeAreUs #Love #Suspense #YoungAdult #1Click

[❥ KAT ❥ Kitty Kats Crazy About Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

WE ARE US: Is a full length stand-alone second chance romance book by Tara Leigh. Broken up into three parts.

The first half was beautiful, I was hooked and couldn't get enough of these two.

Poppy is the new girl in town having recently moved to Sackett with her mother and younger sister, nd Gavin is a foster child living on the other side of town. As far as Poppy sees it the only good thing in her life is the big nature preserve that her house backs onto. She's lonely and finds it hard making friends until she meets Gavin. He becomes her everything, the boy who breaks down her walls, the boy who makes her want things she's only ever dreamed of..

Two broken souls fourteen year old Gavin and thirteen year old Poppy, who met by chance, both escaping their home lives and meeting in a nature preserve in Sackett, Connecticut, where they played cards and bonded over nature walks, a forgotten and abandoned cemetery and later a cave that became their secluded hideout.

She craves the freedom of leaving Sackett and living a big city, living in a skyscraper, fine wine and dining and sightseeing. He dreams of becoming an FBI agent so that he can solve tough cases and put away the worst criminals.

Plans to go to the same college together. BUT without any warning he doesn't come and meet her in there spot.

The second part Worthington University will be a hard hitting limit for many, this part made for hard reading. It's during her Freshman Year that things take a turn for the worst this is where she meets Tucker, her roommates best friend, and where she undergoes a bitter lesson of forgiveness, a mistake that never should've happened.

Gavin is a thing of her past, but never forgotten..

The third part wowzas this part here became one crazy ride!! I can't wrap my head around all the twists and turns that left me spinning, the curveballs that changed the whole story which I never saw coming! This is one author to keep an eye on!! This book was such a surprise, the author kept my attention throughout, I sped read this, inhaled it, devoured it wanting/needing to see how it would all be wrapped up. I didn't want it to end..I can't wait to see what she has install for us next.

[Rochelle Weinstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tara and I met at RWA years ago. Since then, I have devoured all her books. She has a knack for writing compelling stories with raw emotion and a sexy edge. This latest has a personal piece to it, and it's obvious she dug deep inside to capture all these heavy emotions. Readers will fall in love with Poppy as she embarks on a journey of self-discovery. Thank you to the author for sharing an early copy. A beautiful book.

[Lana ❇✾DG Romance❇✾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

RTC

beta read

Find me on:

[PP's Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Beta Read**

I was incredibly lucky to beta read We Are Us by Tara Leigh. And I am speechless, breathless and a mess of chaotic emotions after finishing it. She is going to take your heart through shredder. This is totally different from what you are used to from Tara Leigh. Yes this story still has the intensity of emotions and captivating writing. But this was so much more.

I am deliberately leaving out details about storyline as you should go blind. Just know you won't be able to put down this epic story spread across time, space and people. Poppy's journey is one of the most difficult, heartbreaking and angst filled one. It has suspense. It has romance. It has lessons of life. Tara Leigh did not hold back at all while exploring and integrating the ugly, horror filled, devastating and painful reality in what I will stamp as one of the most important stories I have ever read. My heart is broken. My heart is heavy with emotions. I went through the full spectrum of emotions. Sweet. Swoony. Tragic. Angry. Incapacitating heartache. Triumph of love. And I have scars in my heart to prove it. This won't be an easy story. This story will test your limits and patience and you will want to throw your kindle.

Romance is not about two persons only. Learning to love oneself and accept own deficits is the greatest love story ever. And that is exactly what We Are Us is. A path through heaven of feelings and hell of angst. Unputdownable. Unforgettable. Unimaginable. Unparalleled. Best work by Tara Leigh. Best of 2020 so far.

[Jade Violet · Rating 4 out of 5]

We Are Us is a book that I finished sometime ago but have left in limbo because I just wasn't sure how to remark on it without giving away story and I also wasn't sure how to rate it. Then to make things harder, I read the author's notes and found that what our Heroine, Poppy, went through had come straight from the author's life. She too had been faced with Poppy's situation and much like Poppy she had chosen, up to a point, to take the same stance on it.

It was ironic in a way to read Tara Leigh's retelling and thoughts because before I knew that there was any part of this book based on the writer's life, I was already ready to defend Poppy for her choices. I can see how some might think she was weak or should've taken definitive action and so I felt protective of her. There are some areas in life where you can see so many shades of grey even if it falls under black and white. Especially if you are not in an emotionally sound place to be able to deal with the label certain words can bring or your mind cannot handle the ramifications of what that means. I realise I'm being vague here, but this is a story where one doesn't give the plot away. It's best to go in blind and experience it for yourself and make your own conclusions.

What I will say about it is the beginning is both beautiful and sad and magical in it's own way. After a compelling prologue that starts in the present day leaving us wandering what the hell has happened during the course of the book, we go back to the beginning, where we have a young girl with a far from perfect home life, Poppy, who wanders through the wildlife sanctuary behind her house. And a young man, Gavin, who stumbles across her one day, escaping his own horrid home life and a secret, fragile, innocent world the two create over their school years in the woods. It's in those woods they find respite, friendship and fall in love. I honestly think this was my favourite part of the book although there's a lot that happens throughout. But there's just something profoundly beautiful about the secret world they create and the bond that is indelibly sewn.

The book is divided into three parts. And it's the next part which will either work for people or not. Due to circumstance, we have the entire middle of the book with Poppy and Gavin not only not together, but somebody else coming into Poppy's life. Gavin is sometimes on the peripheral but mainly we follow Poppy's journey. And what a journey that is. A journey highly influenced, if not almost entirely, by the defining incident in college that I was so ready to defend Poppy's choices for. That one incident takes her down a very different road. So if you have a problem with the H and h spending a good part of the book away from each other or another man coming into the picture, you probably won't like this book. For me, given the reason her path is altered, mixed with some gaslighting and the way she was raised, I was able to take the ride. That doesn't mean that I enjoyed it seeing as I saw the 'true nature' of things and how badly I wanted to kick someone's ass (actually several peoples...) But this isn't supposed to be your typical romance. This deals with a heavier subject and how lost you can get when you're feeling fragile and outside influences come into play.

However, it is a true romance in the sense that it does eventually bring Gavin and Poppy back together again. Their love was that of a one true love. But to get there is a long and winding road and full of some things that made my blood boil!

Ultimately, We Are Us was both beautiful, innocent, jaded, tragic, powerful, lost then found, and ultimately redemptive. In the end, no matter what, the love that started this book was too strong to ever be extinguished. And I relished in that.

She is his as he is hers and they truly are us!

4*** confusing, winding stars!

(One taken off for a plot point that just didn't work for me.)

[Sonya ♕Chatterbooks book blog♕ · Rating 4 out of 5]

We Are Us is a powerful emotional telling of hard journeys, painful lessons, unconditional love and life shattering secrets. This story depicted the true grit of heartbreak, falling in love innocently and having the life that you’ve always envisioned, take an unexpected turn.

Poppy didn’t have the best childhood from the beginning. At a young age she’s learned how to cope with certain things and being raised with her younger sister by her single mom, she knows that having a better more stable life is the life long goal. After moving to a new town, Poppy meets the boy who is not only going to fill her world with color, but is going to change the course of her life.

I have to admit that this book did surprise me in some ways. I was not expecting to feel a certain way about a character and I liked how the author showed us two different sides of them. I loved that this was broken down into three parts and every step of the way, you really felt as if you were in those moments. You felt their pain, you shared their anger and you wanted to forgive in order to start the healing process.

This was not an easy read at times and I was frustrated by some things don’t get me wrong, but the way this author told this story and how the characters were portrayed, I didn’t really mind. They were messy, over the top at times, selfish, loving, protective, and if you asked them for the world, they would give it to you. Some of the stories that stick with you is the one that had meaning and this one did.

[Carla · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is very well written, at the beginning the story is great.
But it was missing something along the way. I thought the love between the characters was superficial and weak.
Unfortunately!

[Sara ✨ Next Book Review Blog ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tara Leigh kicks off We Are Us right off with a cannon. She sucks you in, just like that. The way her story flows and the descriptions develop in your mind is just unreal. I live in New England and see the beauty that surrounds me daily. Don't fret, if you've never walked through the woods and mountainous terrain on the east coast of the US, Mrs. Leigh is about to visually transport you. I cannot even comprehend her ability the paint the scene, any scene, with her words in your mind. She's a word sleuth and it's definitely one of my favorite things about her writing.

We meet Poppy and Gavin pretty early in the story. I adore the two wounded kids that seem to find a kindred spirit in each other. It's like there was this invisible force pulling them together. It knew they needed each other to help them through the trouble that was their lives. These aren't just everyday normal prepubescent issues. These are the real deal, my parents suck issues. I can't help but want to just wrap them up and love them like parents and family should. This is where I end my ramblings of the storyline. If you've read the synopsis then you know it's pretty vague, I'll leave it that way.

This is also where my heart plummets and Tara Leigh rocks my mental foundation to the core! GOOD LORD! First, I'm going to say that nothing I write in this 5 star review will be enough to convey the lyrical way Tara Leigh writes. She proceeded to take a battering ram to my heart over the next 75% of the book. It felt as if there was revelation after revelation. Every time my heart would reach normal rates per minute, Mrs. Leigh would flip me on my axis again. Sadly, this is a story that so many women, young or old, will relate too. Tara took something that I struggled with personally and made me reevaluate it. Luckily I'm at peace with my particular situation but it still brought it to the forefront of my mind and made me circle it a bit differently. I find that I could go on and on about We Are Us and never tire on my thoughts or feelings. We Are Us is remarkable. A story both haunting and unavoidably real. Prepare your heart and your mind. You will be feeling and thinking on this story long after you finish. Oh, and do not forget the tissues. If you make it through without some hot and angry tears or some achingly broken ones than you are way stronger than I!

I received an ARC of this book with the hope that I would leave an Unbiased Opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that... my opinions.

Check out my Blog: Next Book Review
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[TheSassyNerdBlog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy crap... My emotions...

Alright, before I begin.. I went into this blind, and I think everyone MUST go into this blind too. I wasn't sure what to expect going into this at all. The blurb and that beautiful cover grabbed my attention and the fact that it's a Tara Leigh book sold me on it and I am so glad it did because as much as I love the cover and blurb, what is inside it truly incredible, emotional, and intense. This was a romance, correct. It had suspense and mystery and passion, but it held so much more. I cannot even begin to try and word this in a way that will do it justice.

Gavin and Poppy's story was one that I can truly say I will continue to come back to and re-read, it was like no other.
The author starts their story with Part 1. This is the beginning, where it all began and how these two became about and became friends, it was sweet, beautiful and had my heart fluttering.
Part 2. Well, that was a game-changer. It showed me the ups and downs, and it's where the author hits us with all the feels, all the emotion, angst and more... It was a rollercoaster of emotions, it was truly heartbreaking.
part 3. Shows more of what's happening in the present time and the emotion in the story is still very much in it.

This book took me on a wild ride that I did not expect. It blows my mind just how amazingly mastered this entire book is. Part by part. It was perfect, it was written with perfection and I was completely consumed by each word. I couldn't get enough. My heart, however, was a mess and had my emotions going from one extreme to the next. I absolutely loved it!

I will say this again... GO IN BLIND!


6 Stars!!!!

[Chelé-----4 The Love of Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND GO INTO THIS ONE BLIND!!


MY FIRST 6 STAR & AND A TOP READ OF 2020!!


I don't know how anyone can read this book and not come out of it tranformed.  I am mixed with so many emotions. As much as this is a romance, even a suspenseful romance at times, it's really SO much more than that! I would really URGE all young women AND men to read this!


We Are Us is broken down into three parts and each one will burrow into your soul deeper and deeper. It is a story of young and beautiful love, of abuse of power and corruption, of betrayal and lies! But the biggest thing I took from it is the evolution of a strong woman who fought all of her demons and won. I can honestly say I've never read a perspective quite like this and it both challenged and humbled me.


Heart stopping, painstakingly raw, emotionally stunning, HONEST and REAL,  powerful and  absorbing. You WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PUT IT DOWN. Tara Leigh's best work to date.


** this is no where near the kind of review this book deserves but I did my best.

[Dilek VT]

Dear writer,

What are you saying? What kind of a blurb is that, confusing the hell out of me?



I fell in love with a beautiful, broken boy.
His whispered words of love were the sweetest of lies.
He gave me his heart and destroyed mine.
I am his.

I fell in love with the beautiful man who broke me.
His boldly spoken vow was the cruelest of cages.
He gave me his name and destroyed my soul.
He is mine.

The boy I once loved is now a man.
The man I once loved is now gone.
We are us.

I have been called many things.
Victim. Survivor. Daughter. Sister. Wife.
Now I am called something else.
Murderer.

Believe it or not, this is our love story.

Well, you have intrigued me, for sure, by the way :)

[Elsa Gomes (BookishAurora) · Rating 5 out of 5]

➳ Rate: 5/ 5 stars

There are some books in this world that give you more than an emotional reaction, they give you a physical one. I'm stitting here writing this review after I just finished reading and I can't stop thinking about it, there are tears in my eyes and goosebumps on my arms... I just had to sit down and write my review because I need to let all these emotions and feelings out. That in itself is very rare for me. I usually give a few hours if not a few days to sit down and write my review.

These kind of books are super rare for me. I've become that sort of reader that although is an emotional one, is almost never surprised, can easily figure out the plots and isn't that easily affected by a book. Yes, I cry and get emotional but it doesn't really affect affect me. And this book, this book did just that. This is one of those rare books that had a physical reaction in me. I read this book sick to stomache, heart in my throat because it touched me in some kind of way I can’t comprehend. And after reading Tara's note, it hit me even deeper.

I was sick for Poppy, for what happened to her and everything that came after... everything she let happen. I have never been in her shoes, I don’t know what I would have done in her place but it bothered me so much that she gave up on herself, on her life. She just chose to let things happen... she chose to forgive and in doing so she gave up her self, her freedom, her dreams, her life. I was not okay with any of that. Everything about her and Tucker made me sick. I couldn’t understand, I don’t. He took over her life, controlled everything and she just let him.

Poppy seemed weak but it’s understandable after that night, after being abandoned by the love of her life and then going through what she did... it completely broke her. So I hate what she let happen, I don’t agree with it, I don’t understand it but truth is I can’t even really imagine her true state of mind, what she felt. She was numb, she pretended everything was okay and that she had forgiven and was able to move on. The fact is, I didn’t forgive or forget and reading about her building a life with Tucker and losing a piece of herself every single day well that was really hard to stomach. I had to pause my reading so many times and just breathe and take a break but at the same time I wanted to just keep on reading and reach the end of this book and that happily ever after I craved with every bone in my body for Poppy and Gavin.
I had no idea what was still ahead for Poppy. No clue. Even though now that I think back to it... there were so many clues since the beginning of the book that had me figuring out everything towards the end. But everything that happened astonished me. That Poppy that I felt had been weak showed how much strength she had in her. Even though I figured some things out in the end, there were still so many things that surprised me and I had not been expecting at all. Jeez just thinking about everything Poppy was put through for the majority of her life... I can't even. She is a survivor in more ways than one. She's brave, strong, forgiving and even after being broken so many times, she had so much love to give.

Gavin, goodness. he didn't have it easy either and when he was faced with saving someone from his past, he ended up losing his present and future. He was always such a great guy and he loved Poppy so much. No matter what had happened, no matter how many years had passed he never once stopped loving her, checking on her and waiting for the moment where he could finally save her.

Oh man, I am not okay you guys. I think this book broke me a little. It's definitely a book I won't soon or ever forget. I don't even know how to rate this book, I had such a strong reaction to it... there were some things I hated that happened but I don't know if that should affect my rating because just the fact that I'm having this reaction to this book means something. It was a very powerful, thought provoking book that deals with so many real issues and just because I don't agree with some things doesn't mean this book wasn't phenomenal and had an heartbreakingly beautiful love story.

We Are Us is a deeply touching and emotional second chance romance that is different from your usual. It's sort of a bit of a love triangle too but again so very different than anything out there. It has a touch of suspense and a whole lot of shocking events. It's a real and raw story that will without out a doubt touch you in some way. These characters are characters you won't soon forget and all the turmoil, heartbreak and tragedy they go through only makes the ending sweeter. I can't say I didn't want more of Poppy and Gavin in the end because I did, I wanted so much more from them but that epilogue made my heart warm and finally getting something from Gavin's POV made it all the more special.

Damn, I feel a book hangover coming and again that's something very very rare for me. Gosh I'm getting emotional again... Tara, I just want to say thank you for sharing this book (and a piece of yourself) with us.

➳ARC kindly provided by author, in exchange for an honest review.

➳ Order at: Amazon UK ⁕ Amazon US

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[Sentranced Jem · Rating 4 out of 5]

We are us by Tara Leigh is imperfect. When I said imperfect, I don't mean it in a bad way. No, I mean that it's real. As a reader, I couldn't connect with Poppy..I found myself scoffing and giving 'side-comments' with her decisions but come to think of if, there is room for the possibility that one could/would have made similar decisions too if we were in her place.


Tara hasn't disappointed me once and she delivers yet again with We Are Us.

Update: I have read this thrice already since its release date.

[Rochelle ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

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[Vanessa (nessreads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I sat here for I don’t know how long looking at my keyboard willing my fingers to type. Every time they touched the keys I thought this is the moment where the words would finally pour out. I’m feeling too much. My emotions are at a high level—they’re on overdrive. Every emotion you could possibly feel, I guarantee you will feel while reading this story. My heart has yet to calm down, still beating wildly with thoughts of this book. I honestly don’t know how I survived this whirlwind of a ride, but in the end I’m so relieved I did.

We Are Us is an experience. It left me speechless. I don’t know how many times it left me trying to catch my breath. Tara Leigh has written a gut-wrenching, raw and emotional story that left me reeling. It’s a journey that’s best to be devoured little by little, but once you start you are hooked and without a choice but to finish—needing to reach the end at whatever cost.

To experience this story in its entirety—it’s best to go in blind. That’s why I won’t be going into too much detail. The main storyline is about Poppy and Gavin. They’ve built a strong connection at the age of 13. We follow them until they are 18 and planning to go to college together. There are a series of events that tear them apart, which leads to their emotional journey of coming back to what they had that made this story intense and unputdownable.

We Are Us is a deeply touching and emotional second chance romance. It obliterated my heart right from the start. I felt every emotion Poppy felt and in the end I was able to release the breath I held since the beginning. I felt like a new person after reading this heartbreakingly beautiful story. My heart won’t ever be the same and every time I think about these characters the tears will come, but I’m content that I had the privilege of reading this exceptional, heartfelt and phenomenal book.

MUST READ

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book*

[Anne OK · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Gorgeous cover! And in the beginning this book was everything I love in romantic suspense -- until it wasn't. Told in three parts, the first was an outstanding introduction to two kids, Poppy and Gavin, whose living conditions were not picture-perfect, far from it. The second part finds Poppy at college -- and Gavin missing from the picture -- where she meets Tucker through a horrendous experience. This is where the plot and enjoyment started to fall apart (at least for me). And part three begins after college graduation and Poppy and Tucker are living luxuriously in New York City, until they're not.

That's about all the hints I'm going to give. You'll want to experience the ups and downs, the mysteries evolving without any spoilers.

My biggest problem with this story is that I absolutely loved Poppy and Gavin, and when Gavin takes a hike and stays missing throughout most of the remaining pages of the book, I felt so much disappointment. The story lacked its hero and I wanted more of his character involved. And Poppy, though God knows she had her reasons, just completely turned into another person. I didn't like the whiney, weak and whimpering shell of a woman that she becomes. She lost her determination and drive, she became a simpering and weak female who let a man control her, and at times I just had no patience with her or her behavior.

The suspense was written with enough clues dropped from start to finish for anyone paying attention to grab and foresee what was coming. It was a good solid plot, but maybe a little too easily solved.

And finally, there were some dangling ends left flying in the wind. I would have liked a little more explanation and closure to those issues. On the positive side, there is a rather lengthy Epilogue that is sweet and beautiful for which I was most thankful.

[it.sgottabethebooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Word of advice...go in blind. It is honestly the best way to read it, to really get the full feel of the story. Tara Leigh has penned such an emotional and heartbreakingly beautiful read. This book is broken down to 3 parts. The moments in Part 1 between Gavin and Poppy is the sweetest. Watching their friendship evolve through the years will warm your heart. Part 2 of the book really hits you hard. All the ups and downs, navigating life and what it throws at the hero and heroine will have your emotions on a crazy rollercoaster ride. Part 3 is set in present time. It’s hard to find the words to explain how I truly felt after reading this book. This is a second chance romance and so much more. I highly recommend this and try to avoid reading any spoilers. This is best read without knowing. Just feel it as you read it. We are us is truly an epic read!

[Chay Charita Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite an enchanting and heart rendering story that I thoroughly enjoyed! Tara Leigh captivated me from the get-go with this beautifully written and well developed story. Gavin and Poppy’s situation and circunstancies drew them to each other. They found their comfort and safety within their own space in the woods. I couldn’t put my kindle down as I read about their lives taking trajectories that we’re quite unexpected. Gripping, heartfelt, and unforgettable!

[LianaReads blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

“A heart can ache. A heart can break. A heart can harden.”

Where do I start and where do I end?
I can’t even form a coherent thought after reading We Are Us.
I’m literally speechless.
This story takes you to so many different ups and downs, so many roads that you have to stop and feel and try to put your broken heart away from your brain and stop crying at the same time. You just can’t take it all in one go.
It’s the most amazing story, it’s angsty, will have your heart punched and broken to pieces, it’s deceiving, there are secrets and twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat the whole time waiting for the shoe to drop, and when it does you don’t even see it coming, it hits you right in the face with no turning back moment.
Poppy and Gavin are meant to be together and their story is the perfect way to show that life it’s not always what it seems or what it looks like behind closed doors but there’s always hope for your dreams to come true.

“I am hers and she is mine and—” “—We are us.”

[Bookish Affair · Rating 4 out of 5]

You struggle a little in the start but by the end you love it.

We Are Us - is a story that will blow your mind and turn you mad while reading it as you won't know what will happen next.
There was suspense in everysingle chapter.
I won't say much just few things that
GO IN BLINDLY!!
Don't ask QUESTIONS!
JUST READ THIS BOOK!!
Because you don't want yourself to spoil the whole mood that this book sets.

This was my first book by Tara Leigh and she did such a fantastic job with her writing and everything that I'm blown away. I can't wait to binge read her books!!!!

[Tracy (The Pages In-Between) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was all over the place with this book! Haha! And I didn't expect that plot twist. I'm still not sure if I liked it or not. When I started reading it, I thought it would be more like a domestic romance, not a domestic thriller-ish type of book. Very interesting.

[swedishruler B]

Sibling double dipping. Raises the little girl from her sister and husband affair.

This is a hard one to read it’s not all sweet. Deals with rape, miscarriages etc

[Karla✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

ENGLISH🌟
Wow final, wow story that EVERYTHING, I really liked the way in which the author touches several strong themes in this story, and how the protagonist manages to take them one by one, because I swear to you that I did not expect such an unexpected ending Although there were several things that made me doubt that character, I never believed that what happened would happen. Just as each character had a special touch that leaving the plot seemed to me a very interesting story.

ESPAÑOL🌟
Que final, que historia que TODO, me gustó mucho la forma en la que la autora toca varios temas fuertes en esta historia, y el cómo la protagonista logra llevarlos uno a uno, , por que les juro que no me esperaba ese final tan inesperado, aunque si se presentaron varias cosas que me hicieron dudar de ese personaje nunca creí que pasara lo que pasó. Así como cada personaje tuvo un toque especial que dejarle a la trama me pareció una historia muy interesante.

[Pavlina Read more sleep less blog]

REVIEW TO COME CLOSER TO THE RELEASE!

I need to think about it!

 

  

[Siobhan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a huge Tara Leigh fan and am always desperate to dive into her latest release. With We Are Us we have another book I devoured in a single sitting. I will be honest and say this is not my favourite book from the author, but it’s still a fabulous read.

Although We Are Us is labelled a romance, I’ll be honest and say that was my least favourite part of the story. I never fell in love with the relationship between our main characters, and I think this is because of how little our leading male was in the book. He was in the background more than he was dropping swoony worthy lines, and this resulted in the romance element never being as powerful as other relationships the author has wrote.

As a story of real life, of the way life can take unexpected turns and how people can overcome horrors, this is a fabulous read. It was real and raw, and I was hooked with every detail that emerged. Sure, I worked out the twist that came at the end quite early in the book, but it did not take away from the story. There was so much emotion packed into this one, and I felt it all as I watched our female lead grow and change throughout.

If you want a real and raw read, if you want a book that will make you stop and think, We Are Us is a book you will want to devour.

[Siobhan Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

We Are Us is an emotional, angsty, thought-provoking, heart-wrenching romance that gave me ALL THE FEELS. Prepare to ugly cry and swoon like crazy over Gavin Cross.