A couple on the brink of divorce after 35 years of marriage gets a second chance to rediscover their love now that a pandemic lockdown has forced them to spend more time together.
Julie and Michael Marshall have stayed together through thick and thin, through better and worse -- and, for the last few years, it has mostly been worse. As their thirty-fifth wedding anniversary approaches, Julie realizes she doesn't want to pretend anymore.
Divorce papers at the ready, she's just about to have The Talk with Michael when everything changes. Lockdown begins and Julie and Michael face the greatest terror they can uninterrupted time with each other. But, when stripped of all distraction and forced to meet eyes across the dinner table, could it be that Julie and Michael might find a way back to where they first began?
Jo Wilde considers herself a proud Midlander (despite being told by a university friend that ‘the Midlands’ doesn’t exist) and loves living in her Derbyshire village with her two children, two stepchildren, two hamsters, two dogs and – thankfully – one husband. To be fair, with the children now largely grown up, they only live with her intermittently when their own money and their supply of booze runs out. Upon retirement, Jo and her husband plan to take off in a mobile home (or, in her mind, a mobile writing office) to see the world.
In the meantime, Jo’s very happy with imaginary worlds and has now published a range of fiction, including historical novels as Joanna Courtney and contemporary fiction as Anna Stuart.
Julie and Michael have been married for over 30 years, their kids have grown up and life has been busy. Julie has a successful flower shop that she's been running with her sister. Michael has had a few promotions and has been travelling a lot for work. Julie's mom passed away a few years ago and since that time things have felt different with her husband Michael. She's felt a distance from him and begins to feel that forever isn't something meant to be for her and husband. Julie has actually gone and met with a lawyer and is toying with the idea of getting divorced since they aren't spending much time together. This book takes place at the start of the pandemic where Julie and Michael are forced to stay together during the lockdown at home.
This is the second book that I have read that takes place during the pandemic. I liked the way it was handled as it wasn't too dark or difficult to read. I enjoyed reading about a middle-aged couple who have been together a long time. The book covers a few different timelines in their relationship which I really enjoyed. I enjoyed seeing the different life events being covered in their relationship over the years.
I would recommend this if you are looking for a light read that will leave you feeling good and doesn't require too much focus or time. This is a cozy romance book that would be a wonderful beach read or a book to take with you on a trip. It's a 4 star book for me.
This was a nice story about two people finding their way back to each other.
I liked the way this story was told, alternating between the present and moments in the couples’ lives in the past. I liked that this story focused on a couple that is older and have grown children.
It was a bit strange to read a book that is mostly set during that first pandemic lock down. That time feels so far away and also like it was yesterday. I liked that the story didn’t focus too much on the pandemic though because it would have taken away from the overall story.
I liked seeing the couple reconnect during their time isolating with each other. And I liked seeing them finally address issues that had been building.
Michael and Julie have been married for 35 years and Julie has decided she wants a divorce. She picks up her divorce papers and is ready to give them to her husband when they are forced into lockdown due to the pandemic. Julie owns a flower shop and is distraught that she will be unable to work during the lockdown. The book alternates between present day and the past, giving the reader a look at where their relationship began to derail. I felt the book jumped too much between their current situation and their past. Many of their issues were relatable particularly as it pertained to being "empty nesters." While the book takes place during the pandemic, it was not focused on all of the negative aspects of the pandemic for which I was grateful. (therefore not depressing) This was a quick and easy read.
I’ve read a couple of books set during Covid, specifically during the early days of lockdown and this one has by far been the most lighthearted one. Just wanted to give a heads up on that since I know many of y’all aren’t ok reading books set then but despite the time period it really wasn’t all that focused on the virus.
This follows Julie and Michael, a married couple who have been together almost 35 years, and while those years have mostly been happy they’re struggling now. I loved reading about a couple who are a little older and that have been together a really long time and the chapters switch between present day and different important moments in their relationship from over the years. One chapter may be from April 2020 and then the next is December 2010. This tactic really kept me engaged since I wasn’t ever sure what the next chapter would be about. This was a truly deep examination of one couples entire marriage, the ups and downs, the happy and the sad and it felt pretty genuine and authentic. Overall I found this to be a unique romance and I was definitely invested in their marriage and was totally rooting for them to make it
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an arc of this book! So it was cute don’t get me wrong but I definitely couldn’t relate as they are much older, I did still like it because some of my favorite books are when they are married and they start drifting and then come back to each other. TW/ CW: death of a family member, the pandemic, with talks of infidelity and divorce
(free review copy) I absolutely loved this second chance romance ❤️ There aren’t nearly enough romances with 50+ characters and married romance is a favorite of mine. A unique winner!
Just The Two Of Us ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Genre: Romance Format: Kindle eBook Date Published: 4/12/22 Author: Jo Wilde Publisher: Grand Central Publishing Pages: 320 Goodreads Rating: 3.68
TW ⚠️: Pandemic/COVID, death of a family member, with hints of infidelity and divorce
Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing a digital advanced readers copy of the book for me to read for my honest opinion.
Synopsis: Julie and Michael Marshall have stayed together through thick and thin, through better and worse -- and, for the last few years, it has mostly been worse. As their thirty-fifth wedding anniversary approaches, Julie realizes something: she doesn't want to pretend anymore. Divorce papers at the ready. Lockdown begins and Julie and Michael face the greatest terror they can imagine: uninterrupted time with each other. But, when stripped of all distraction and forced to meet eyes across the dinner table, could it be that Julie and Michael might find a way back to where they first began?
My Thoughts: I can kind of relate to the storyline. I have been married for almost 30 years (officially 27) and we’ve have been through thick and thin, however, our love for each other is stronger than when we said “I do” in 1995. Enough about me. I love how the author worked the pandemic (COVID) into the storyline of the book but did not dwell on it, and it was just the reason that made them reevaluate their lives. I loved the alternating timelines in the POV between Julie and Michael, it really provided a good backstory of what they have been through. The characters were well developed, had depth, endurance, and love. The author’s writing was complex, creative, intriguing, and kept me engaged throughout the entire book. I loved this book and would highly recommend. What I took from the story is that love is enduring.
Just the Two of Us follows Julie and Michael Marshall, who, after 35 years of marriage, are on the brink of a divorce at the beginning of the (Covid-19) pandemic lockdown.
After their children left the house and Mike's back was acting up on him, they began sleeping in separate rooms and have done so for the past several years, which has caused them to even eat their meals at separate times. It's a no wonder Julie has decided enough is enough, but picked the worst possible time for the potential divorce because they are going to be stuck in the house alone with each other for who knows how long! Will they be able to rediscover why they fell in love in the first place or will the distance between them continue to grow?
My biggest pet peeve of this book was that it was constantly jumping back and forth between the present and past events in their relationship. Even though the chapter heading told you when and where this was happening (for the most part), it was the times when these flashback were happening as like "in the moment memory" or whatever that I didn't enjoy.
I also didn't like the fact that it felt like the "plot twist" of the story was at like the 85% mark and then solved so easily. I mean, I can guarantee if that were me and my husband going through that exact scenario.. things would not be resolved so easily. That being said, besides that one event I just mentioned, nothing really happened in this book. It felt to me like it was more the contemporary genre than the romance genre and maybe because of this reason I wasn't really thrilled by it. 2.5/5 stars, rounded up to 3.
This novel was originally released in July 2020 by Piatkus and this version will be released in April 2022 by Forever. A huge thanks to NetGalley and the Publishers for a free copy of this book for my honest review.
3.5 stars. This book reminded me so much of the movie "The story of us" with Michelle Pfeifer and Bruce Willis, but set in a pandemic. This book was written right in the middle of the pandemic and you can definitely tell. It's about a marriage in trouble. She has filed for divorce and is about to serve him with papers when the pandemic hits and they have to quarantine together. Their 35th wedding anniversary is coming up and their adult children are all doing their own things for the quarantine, so its nothing but him and her for the long haul. She owns a flower shop and her sister is her main employee. He is a somewhat powerful business man. He's got a big heart and she can be a little shut off. This book is just them trying to figure out how to come back together. We are shown flashbacks from big events in their lives (mainly how the relationship fell apart) and between that and the strong quarantine vibes, this book felt a little bleak at times. I could've used more of their connection in present day or more positive flashbacks, but I still enjoyed this book for what it was.
Ja nun. Ein ganz schönes Buch mit schöner Message und heimeligen Setting. Die Expsition war schön und ich mochte es, wie man Anfangs sehr auf Julies Seite war, bis man dann bei Michael war und die Kommunikationsprobleme eines langjährigen Ehepaars gut nachvollziehen konnte. Auch der Moment, in dem der Knoten geplatzt ist, war authentisch. Leider war die ganze Geschichte insgesamt sehr lang gezogen, oberflächlich und einfach über weite Strecken langweilig. Die Familie der beiden und weitere Charaktere waren mir ziemlich egal, weil auch einfach nicht tiefgehend beleuchtet. Die Rückblenden haben mich also auch nur genervt. Dafür war das Ende wirklich schön, rührend und einfach rund. Also guter Anfang und schönes Ende. Es hätte ein gutes Buch sein können, wenn der Mittelteil hätte mithalten können.
Julie and Michael married for 35 years are on the cusp of divorce. They married young had three kids and made do, but now as empty nesters they’ve lost their way. With tears of joy, Julie is about to serve the divorce papers to Michael just as the pandemic began! Locked down together, they begin to reevaluate their marriage through their past and present as each chapters counts the days. The characters are like able and the story is very much relatable! Second chance tropes are sweet. Thank you Books Forward for a gifted arc.
Thank you @hachetteaudio @readforeverpub for a copy of Just the Two of Us. I enjoyed the premise of this story of an older couple (gasp! Because they are my age...LOL) and about the first few weeks of the lockdown.
This book was very real about a couple that has started living as mates rather than a married couple and the story flashes back to what led to that point. The story is told in Michael and Julie's POV and the narration was perfect for their stage in life.
I know people are wary of reading fictional versions of the pandemic experience, but I think at its best art helps us process the difficult things we’re still going through. Think of it this way: a thirty-five year marriage in trouble meets close, forced proximity and no end in sight. That’s a recipe for murder or reconciliation. Either way, it’s a good story.
So I enjoyed this hopeful novel about a long term marriage gone cold that’s reborn under lockdown. It’s cleverly structured, contrasting scenes from the present with episodes from the past— both of the marriage in decline and some of the high points. Wilde is also smart about the stuff outside of the couple: family pressure and work, parents, etc. In all just a lovely and gentle story about life and love and forgiveness.
Just the Two of Us also made me wonder what the real story was with regard to long term relationships and the pandemic. Did divorces rise? Here's one thing I found https://msmagazine.com/2021/10/12/cov...
A quiet, simple love story that is oddly rejuvenating and comforting for a pandemic novel. When I was invited to read this sweet second chance romance, I already had a list of advanced copies I needed to get to for the month, but I couldn’t say no to the intriguing premise. I haven’t been successful with pandemic or apocalyptic books the past few years, but the idea of a book where something good comes from the pandemic?? And a romance?! It sounded refreshing, and I wanted to give it a try.
I’m so very happy that I did. I read Just the Two of Us quickly, not wanting to set it down. Happily immersed in the simplicity of the hyper-focused story. The pandemic is just a backdrop, an inciter to Michael and Julie’s story.
We meet this couple as the world is shutting down, as their town is entering lockdown. After almost thirty-five years of marriage and three children, Michael and Julie have grown apart as they became empty nesters, even sleeping in separate rooms for the past two years. Unbeknownst to Michael, Julie has picked up divorce papers. When suddenly they discover they’ll be stuck at home alone together for the foreseeable future, Julie can’t bring herself to give the papers to Michael just yet.
As the story progresses through that strangest spring of 2020, we discover what has gone wrong between this couple. Through dual point of views and flashbacks, we meet these characters and their family. We learn how they’ve changed and how they still love each other very much. But both parties have said and done hurtful things—those things that may seem small on the surface but lead to big feelings.
And as someone who is approaching their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary, I could empathize with those little things that chip away at couples, like they do in the novel. Those things we leave unsaid because we think they’re silly or won’t matter. When we feel like someone we’ve been with for so long should just know what we’re thinking and feeling without being told. But that isn’t always the case. People are complicated and we never truly know what the other person is going through without clear communication.
This novel also reminded me of how in the early days of the pandemic, life became so much more simpler again. Peaceful in a strange way. As long as we were healthy, had food and toilet paper, we had the time again to focus on each other, on creating, on nature. And it made me nostalgic for the time. Not that I want to repeat it, but it’s nice to look back and know something good came from such a dark time.
I would love for this gentle story to get the attention it deserves. It’s hopeful and sweet, an inspiring tale about the enduring power of love—in everyday life, as well as when the world around us is in chaos.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to Books Forward for providing me with an advance copy.
As a woman who has been married 29 years this year and I can say for certain I know exactly what it feels like to go into lockdown as empty-nesters. And I have the absolute luxury of saying my husband and I came out of this stronger and more in love than ever. Having said that, I know for others that was simply not the case. Though none of the issues that Julie and Michael faced prior to going into the lockdown happened to me, I can say I understand a lot of their issues. As I’m sure many of us do. At any rate, this was a good reminder of the lockdown and how we made it through to the other side of things.
~Tanja
*Thank you to Forever Publishing for gifting me this title.
Just the Two of Us by Jo Wilde Narrated by Harriet Fraser and Alex Hyde-White Standalone. 3.5 Stars affiliate links
When I first picked up Just The Two of Us by Jo Wilde, it seemed right up my alley. I was divorced after 29 years right before the pandemic, and lockdown sort of brought us back together in a sense. I know I am one of the rare people that like books that take place during the pandemic, because it was such a big part of our lives, why ignore it?
What I didn’t realize, is that it was a British book, so right off the bat, I had some trouble relating, both from the narration and the setting. I was going to DNF very early on, but I was on the road without a backup audiobook, so I stuck with it. And I must say, I’m glad I did.
Julie and Michael are empty nesters with three grown children. They’ve been married for 35 years, but when the kids moved out and Michael hurt his back, they began sleeping in different rooms and just drifted apart. Julie has seen a lawyer and is filing for divorce right as the world is going into lockdown.
When Julie realizes she will be stuck alone at home with her husband, with no kids and no work to distract them, she hides away the divorce papers…for now. The pandemic wasn’t a huge focus of the story, their marriage was. But it really brought back those initial feelings of fear we all had at the beginning, and personally, I enjoyed it. It was real and relatable, and I had forgotten a lot of those feelings.
Julie and Michael’s history is told through flashbacks that unfortunately confused the heck out of me. The time periods jumped around, and sometimes a chapter would be in the past, sometimes just a short memory. Perhaps it could have been clearer in print, but thumbing through the book, the past and present aren’t visually different either. So it would take me a few minutes to figure out where I was, especially when restarting the book after a pause.
Likes:
•I love reading about older couples. •I liked the way the pandemic was handled. It was not the main focus of the book at all, but it brought back a lot of the feelings I forgot. •It was kind of a quiet, simple story that actually brought back some of the good at the beginning of COVID when we were all in the same boat—scared, and hunkering down with family. •Relatable problems of a couple married for 30+ years. •Dual POV helped me see both sides and how they both contributed to the demise of the marriage.
Dislikes:
•There was no pattern to the flashbacks and it was hard to keep track of if you were in the past or the present. •The cover makes it seem like a light rom-com and it was neither.
The Narration: I had a little problem with the accents sometimes and I found his voice grated on me, but they worked for the ages of the characters. I think the audiobook may have made it harder to follow, so I would probably steer you to the print/ebook version.
The Down & Dirty: Just the Two Of Us by Jo Wilde was very relatable for me. I’d be interested to know how the pandemic treated some long-term marriages. My parents fell even more in love. My ex-husband and I started spending every weekend together. But I know others who broke up. I loved the way the author used the pandemic as a forced proximity trope to bring this long-married couple back together. I just wish the flashbacks were a little more orderly. They jumped to different random times and it definitely confused this listener several times.
Rating: 3.5 Stars, 3.5 Narration Purchase Just The Two Of Us by Jo Wilde
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2.5 stars rounded up. This short and sweet book takes place just 2 years in the past at the start of the pandemic. Yes, it’s a lockdown novel about an older couple whose relationship has completely broken down and are now forced to isolate together in their home. I did enjoy reading Just The Two Of Us, but honestly, I found myself checking out about 60% of the way through. I enjoyed that it was dual perspective and jumped back and forth from past to present so we could see both their perspectives and see how the relationship broke down over time, but what ultimately caused the breakdown of their marriage was a miscommunication trope that didn’t feel realistic for a happy loving couple that had been together for so many years. I actually did enjoy reading a book set in a time that was so unique and that we all experienced and it brought back so many memories and feelings that I had forgotten. I did enjoy the book and I really liked the writing, but unfortunately the story ended up falling a bit flat in the end.
I’m super impressed by the publishing turn around time of this book. It’s about a couple during the coronavirus lockdown. What impressed me was the quality of the writing and storyline, it never once felt like the author had shoved coronavirus into the story just to market on something topical. The story is a great examination of relationships that have communication troubles and I was completely immersed in the story from the start!
Julie and Michael ar at an impasse in their marriage. They aren't happy together, but they don't know exactly why. Julie knows she doesn't want to live like this anymore and visits a divorce lawyer the same day that lockdown starts. Since she and Michael will be stuck together, she decides to wait on giving him the papers. In the beginning you can see the breakdown of the marriage, the lack of communication between the couple. They are trying to find their footing with each other again after their kids left home. The book bounces back and forth between the past and the present, giving us the good and the bad of their marriage. I love reading marriage reconciliation books because I love how a couple learns to communicate and comes back together. Communication with the ones you love should be the easiest thing to do, but is often the hardest. I enjoyed Julie and Michael's book tremendously. I have read a few "lockdown" books and this one was done in such a way that it didn't fell overwhelming. Thank you to Jo Wilde, Grand Central and Netgalley for an early copy.
4⭐️ // Most people know marriage isn’t always easy, and this short story starts with a marriage on the brink of failure. While reading, you will see just how important communication between spouses is, especially for this empty nest couple.
I liked the pace of the book, and seeing the perspectives of both main characters kept me intrigued. Also, I enjoyed how the story would take the reader back in time to see how the relationship first blossomed and where things went wrong. However, I did find the timeline a little confusing at some points. Otherwise, I’m very happy with the direction the author took.
Read this book if … 🏃♀️You’re looking for a quick read 💐 You want to open a floral business 🏍 You enjoy riding on a motorcycle 💗 You believe in second chances 🦠 You think some positive aspects came from self-quarantining during the peak of COVID
TW: divorce, infidelity, parental death
Thank you, NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing), for providing me an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I enjoyed this story of an empty nest couple married 35 years on the brink of divorce. Julie is preparing to serve Michael divorce papers when the lockdown is announced. After contacting their children, they discover it will only be the two of them in the house. The story is told in alternating timelines giving us a look at their life together from the time they met, their marriage, the raising of their family and the slow breakdown of their marriage. I thought it was well written with relatable characters. I had no problem with it being set during the pandemic since it wasn't the focus of the story.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me a free ebook to review.
I spent the entire book solidly on Michael’s team waiting for a big reveal where he did something wrong and he never did. This was a miscommunication trope to the nth degree where years went by without having a proper conversation.
The pandemic background of the story was interesting because it provided the forced proximity they needed but wasn’t detailed to be heavy enough to bring the story down.
Pub date is April 12, 2022.
Thank you to Books Forward for a copy in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.
I really loved how well developed the main characters were, and their relationship was unique, especially in uncertain times. I can relate to their issues because the same thing almost happened to me and my significant other. Being isolated in the house can either make or break a relationship.
A story about a couple finding their way back into each other's arms makes your heart leap for joy at the HEA! I honestly enjoyed this.
A cute, sweet romance book that took place in the pandemic about two people finding their way back to each other. I loved so many aspects of this, including the pandemic, which, despite playing a crucial role in their relationship being healed, is not too dark. I also enjoyed how we saw into both their present day relationship and their life in the past. It was sweet and a light read, though it was slightly jarring as the timeline continues to jump between past and present. Aside from that, it was a wonderful book that I would recommend for those looking for a light, sweet read. Nothing too otherworldly or hard to digest, but very cute and fun!
Julie and Michael Marshall have been married for almost 35 years. The story begins as she picks up divorce papers and goes home to tell her husband their marriage is over. But the original lock down begins for the Covid pandemic. Their three grown children are all away so it is the two of them left to spend time together. The story jumps to previous time periods and then returns to the present day to explore how they grew apart. I think what stood out to me was the ordinariness of it all. It felt realistic that they each had their own work to do and relationships with the kids but they forgot about them as a couple. I found this easy to read and relatable. I think the cover makes it look like it will be a lighter read than it is actually. I enjoyed the story. Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
A book about a marriage that was set to implode as a couple went into lockdown during the pandemic…and it ended well? Yep. It wasn’t an easy road. But author Jo Wilde showed us what newfound time together and remembering what’s important can do to alter relationships for the better.
I love that Jo Wilde brought out the more positive aspects of the pandemic. And that’s not to make light of the heartbreak, loss, and negative parts of Covid we’ve all dealt with over the past two years. But it was nice to see how Julie and Michael went from her procuring divorce papers to, by the end of the novel, on their way to possibly even being a better version of the couple they had started out as. Like I mentioned, it wasn’t easy for either of them... Read More
So nice to read about "older" people. And people with real life problems! Julie and Michael have grown apart after 3 kids and many miscommunications...then they are in forced proximity when the pandemic and shutdown happen. Kind of weird reading about the pandemic! Will the shut down tear them apart or bring them together? I'll let you read to find out! Thank you Read Forever Publishing for the book to read and review.