We'd Know by Then

by Kirsten Bohling

In a monochrome world, Brighton Evans is a splash of brilliant color.

She can see the world in its true, kaleidoscopic form—a privilege reserved for soulmates only after they’ve found their other halves.

Knowing your soulmate when they come along should be easy, but Brighton can’t remember a time when she hasn’t seen in color. The past has her convinced that life is safer this way; she doesn’t need a soulmate.

When Brighton meets a handsome, delightfully cheeky stranger, her carefully cultivated ‘happy enough’ crumbles as their meet-cute blossoms into true friendship. Cain Whitaker has soulmate written all over him.

With Cain by her side, Brighton sees the world as she never has before . . . until circumstance smothers her color and leaves her wondering: if timing is everything . . . is she too late?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Fantasy, Contemporary Romance, Fiction, Friends To Lovers, New Adult

350 pages, Paperback

First published April 5, 2022

About the author

Hi! I'm Kirsten. I write heartfelt, complicated love stories about heartfelt, complicated people. I'm an avid music listener and shameless geek. Sometimes I make okay-crochet. I have too many plants and a very cute corgi. I love baseball, books, and knocking things over with my lightsaber.

Reviews

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love books like The Fault In Our Stars, P.S I Love You, and Me Before You, you'll devour We'd Know By Then. This story draws you right in. It only takes a few pages to become invested in Brighton and Cain's journey.

In the world of We'd Know By Then, characters see everything in black and white until they meet their soulmate. Then, their world explodes with color. Finding a soulmate should be easy. The only problem is, Brighton doesn't remember a time when she HASN'T seen color.

The world-building in this book is executed so seamlessly, the magical elements feel real and natural instead of something added to our world. It's so immersive, you'll look up from the black and white pages and be surprised to find the real world doesn't match them. The way Bohling uses fantasy to explore serious, real-world topics is an amazing--sometimes sad--but always hopeful roller coaster of a journey you won't want to miss out on.

My experience reading this book as told by many gifs (possibly spoiler-y):

[B · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy, and I’m sorry but…jesus. What an awful fucking book this was. And not because it was supposedly depressing.

Brighton is EASILY one of the most frustratingly insufferable MCs I’ve ever had the displeasure of reading about. I’ve never wanted to smack someone so hard in my life. How does someone seriously sit down and write a character and a story like this and not end up banging their head against a brick wall? She was so annoying and frustrating and I can’t count the number of times I yelled at her to grow the fuck up or just listen to how stupid she was being.

And then she had the nerve to ask what she had done wrong and why did it have to be like that?! Sweetie, you did this. You did it all. You wasted all that time and energy and then still were shocked at the outcome?? Everything about this was so painfully obvious it bordered on dumb, and at the end, I couldn’t even feel bad for her because she brought it on herself. This wasn’t even about bad timing or missed opportunities or anything like normal timing is everything/wasting the time we’re given, it was literally just Brighton being a complete and total dumbass.

A good, burning tension is fine if it builds up to something, but not when it takes 3/4 of the book and you get two chapters worth, which was 0/10 satisfying after all that. There was literally zero point. If you want me to feel something you should’ve built up them being together a hell of a lot more.

I’m also not entirely sure what this was even supposed to be genre-wise, and I don’t think it knew either. Cool concept, extremely poor execution that lacked any kind of balance and then tried to veer off into the supernatural when it was already sci-fi? My brain hurts. Brighton is a miserable, childish asshole and did not deserve Cain in the slightest.

[Andi Dryden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was fortunate enough to receive a ARC of this story and am not sure where to even start what is likely to be a lengthy love letter to this work.

The author has such a magical way of story telling and approaches the themes of ‘timing is everything’ and ‘don’t waste the time you are given’ in a refreshing new way.

This novel is set in a world much like our own—almost as though you stepped in the world a modern day black and white film—that is until you meet your soulmate. That fated moment of meeting eyes with your soulmate for the first time triggers “the glimpse”—a beautiful shift to a world lit in all its technicolor glory.

In this story we meet out Main Character, Brighton, who has had the glimpse for as long as she can remember. But, how will she find her soulmate when her—and maybe their—world are already aglow in its vibrant hues?

The premise of ‘We’d Know By Then’ is intriguing and while the magical themes are something out of a fairytale, you can’t help but feel like you belong.

Kirsten has a poetic way with her writing, painting the scenes to immerse you in this world. You will have high, lows and some twists you never saw coming—until you read it a second time (yes, I said a second time..and third...maybe fourth) and you see all these tiny “blink or you’ll miss it” clues.

While you always have a *feeling* about our primary love interest, the moment everything clicks is magical and worth the build. I wish I could reread and experience this story again with new eyes, because the deep emotions I felt are still at the forefront of my mind. There are bittersweet moments, but I promise, all will be healed with hope.

This is a novel I cannot wait for the world to see and experience. A job well done and a huge congratulations to this debut author.

[Dina S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was an ARC reader for this wonderful book. I fell completely and totally in love with each and every character. This world is amazing and the entire time I found myself wishing it was our reality. It is immersive and heartbreaking and beautiful. I haven't gotten emotional over a book in quite a long time, but I truly did find myself hurting for the characters, loving them, and crying with them. Every character was so well thought out, even side characters felt like real people not just extras to move the story along. This is a book I will be buying and reading over and over again. 10/10 recommend.

[Beka Westrup · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was honored to read an Arc of WKBT. When I say it was un-put-down-able, I mean I LITERALLY stayed awake an ENTIRE NIGHT reading it through to the end. The romance is so sweet and gives you all the heart-warming feelings that you expect to get from a romance, with an ending that is so poignant that you are guaranteed to bawl your eyes out. I wish I could re-experience all the feelings I had while reading this the first time. Bee and Cain own a piece of my heart forever.

[Khara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC from Lake Country Press in exchange for an honest review.
Trigger warning for death and grief. This isn't your typical love story HEA.
I went into this story knowing only that it was previously a fic, that is now being published as an original novel.
This is more than a love story, it's a story about hope and loss and grief. It's about not accepting "good enough" just because it feels safe and comfortable. It's about taking risks and following your heart and being brave.
Brighton has seen colors in a world of grey since she was young. Something that normally happens when you meet your soulmate. Her current boyfriend Gideon is a total dick, but he's "good enough" and it's a safe relationship. That is until she meets Cain. He's every good thing that Gideon isn't. The only problem is Brighton is scared to take a chance, so she puts him in the friend zone.
Yes, there were times I was frustrated with Brighton for making excuses and acting more than just "best friends" with Cain. Yes, there were also times when Cain is written to good to be true/dream guy we all want. Don't let that discourage you!
I was halfway though thinking, okay I know what's going to happen and then POW! the story changes and got me right in the feels.
This isn't your typical HEA, but believe me you won't be disappointed. I did not see that ending coming.
Add this novel to your TBR's, it comes out in April and is definitely worth the read.

[Rance Denton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not a romance-reader, which means I went into WE'D KNOW BY THEN with very little understanding of the genre. Luckily enough, Bohling does a freakin' bang-up job of mixing romance with Some Other Things, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself while reading this book!

The best way I can describe this book is as a little bit The Giver and a little bit The Good Place: it takes place in a world bound by specific rules, and Brighton and Cain--the main LI's (IS THAT WHAT THEY'RE CALLED? Like I said, not a seasoned romance-reader)--are bound together by some particular circumstances.

What ensues is a love-story that lands itself firmly in the heart. Bohling's geeky allusions, her hilarious and clever dialogue, and her uncanny ability to turn a phrase at the exact perfect moment to wrench your emotions left and right helps highlight the strongest parts of this debut.

Give Brighton and Cain the chance to break your heart into pieces...and hopefully put it back together again.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars rounded up. I was very excited about this story as soulmates with a color element is one of my favorite fanfic tropes and I hadn’t found it in a book before. However, this story, unfortunately, had a lot of problems. The writing could have used a lot of work overall but the characters suffered the most. One of the biggest issues, for me, was that the lead male suffered from “extremely fictional to the point of unrealistic man” trope. There were parts that really had me captivated, but then there would be lines or sections that knocked me right out of the flow of the story. I found the first half plus of this book to be really easy to read, and even enjoyable at points, but by the end it really felt like a slog. I hope to see improvement from this author over time as they do have potential in their storytelling.

[sarah]

Always here to support a fellow reylo

[Sam C · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC from Lake Country Press in exchange for a review; however, all opinions are my own.

THE SETTING

Modern-day Chicago, in a world where everything is literally gray and you only see color when you meet your soulmate with an identical soul mark as yours. Intriguing? Yes, it sure is.

It's not overtly fantasy or magical. There's no fairy dust or Ministries of Magic. It's just modern day, except people see color only if they're met their soulmates. That's it.

For a while, as she awaited her mark to appear, Brighton wondered if The Glimpse was the end to the gifts she'd be given; mark-less with the sight, but doomed to be without her other half.

THE CHARACTERS

The main character, Brighton Evans, is a walking rainbow, having grown up with The Glimpse her whole life, which allows her to see colors in an otherwise gray world. She is a perfectly balanced character--she is not too preppy, she gets understandably upset when she should be, and she has fears and apprehensions that a normal person would. She's relatable.

Alexandria "Andi" Whitaker is Brighton's childhood BFF and roommate, and a supportive bestie who has no qualms talking shit about Brighton's not-boyfriend to his face. I love her. We all need friends like her, and we need to listen to friends like her.

Cain Whitaker is Andi's cousin who grew up on the other side of the pond, but has moved to Chicago for work. Like Brighton, he also sees color but is mysteriously single (!!!) He's by far, the most understanding man I've ever read about. If he's jealous, he doesn't show it. And he's always a good friend to Brighton no matter what.

Gideon Baumgartner (and his phone) is Brighton's not-boyfriend, because this douche doesn't believe in marriage, commitment, or the icky terms boyfriend/girlfriend. I hate him, and he always pops up when no one asks for him to be there. But she is "happy enough" with him, so he's in this book. And because he's handsome, well-dressed, and has a good job, with an apartment on Lake Shore Drive, Brighton feels apprehensive to just dismiss him.

THE STORY

How do I start... Brighton and Cain have a meet-cute at the airport bar, and from then on it's a series of Fancy meeting you here's where our two protagonists dance around their obvious attraction for one another, but consistently fall back on their "we're just friends" excuse. It's maddening, but the sexual tension is a delicious slowburn, so count to ten as I did and be patient.

Brighton has this annoying thing where she is settling for a subpar man, who doesn't abuse her but doesn't give her the attention and love that she deserves. But she's been with him for years, so it's hard to step away and see the rest of the world, to look for her actual soulmate. But has she really settled?

With age and a bit of wisdom beneath her belt, Brighton decided there was love outside The Glimpse. There had to be. Otherwise, what kind of sad, pathetic existence would she have? Remain rudderless until that wow moment?

So--while she dressed from head to toe in a brilliant, eye-catching rainbow--Brighton kept her options open.

But the dashing Cain treating her better than her not-boyfriend, this is the shake-up that Brighton needs. Because homegirl has been doormat-ing for Gideon long enough.

MY THOUGHTS

I read this book in 5 hours straight because it's so easy to read, the story is compelling, and you just have to know what happens between Brighton and Cain. Will they, won't they? Will Andi roll up her sleeves and challenge Gideon to a duel? Will Brighton get the courage to move on from Gideon? Does Cain have a soul mark, and what is it? All these questions nagging at me to just finish the book in one sitting, so I did.

I'm not gonna lie, there were many times when I would roll my eyes or deeply sigh or lightly growl at Brighton for putting up with some things she shouldn't, but that's what makes her such an interesting character. She doesn't know everything, and she is scared of making the wrong move. She can be a bit cruel and selfish towards Andi, but that's what besties without filters are--they're honest about their feelings, and they understand each other, which makes Andi such a saint for putting up with a couple of the not nice behaviors from Brighton.

And Cain. The author really outdid herself with the sweetest, most lovable guy. You know how in some stories, when one of the main couple is dating someone else and the other is visibly upset or a teeny bit hostile--Cain is not like this at all. In fact, he goes out of his way to treat Brighton better without outright telling her "See? This is what a boyfriend should do!"

Although I do love when Cain puts Gideon in his place.

Cain held up his broad palm with an icy stare, stopping Gideon in his tracks with a tilt of his head, reaching out to help free Brighton from her not-boyfriend's.

"Oh, thanks mate, but actually, I was asking Brighton." His blue eyes shifted from Gideon to hers. Cain gave her a confident nod telling her to continue as the professor waited on bated breath for her answer.

There are so many emotions I could associate with this book, but here are two gifs that perfectly represent how I was in bed, in the dark, under the covers:



It's a rollercoaster of emotion within these 300+ pages, with an ending that's sure to have you reeling and nursing a book hangover for days.

[SD · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wish I could give this book NEGATIVE stars, it was that bad. Cannot believe a "reylo" (and i say that was quotation marks, to indicate sarcasm) could have betrayed me like this!! Cannot believe people CRIED over this book.

Honestly, by the time the flirty paramedic showed up, I was pretty convinced this was based on the infamous reylo fanfic that didn't tag "major character death" or "endgame damerey" (poe/rey), bc let me tell you, this book RADIATES that energy. (I never read that fanfic tho, just heard disgust about it from being in the reylo fandom at the time. Wish I had not read THIS book, either!)

Where to start! Let me review my livetweet (I started one bc i had to vent about how bad this book was going):

-if this was originally a reylo fanfic:
1) the female character got a HUGE makeover for this book
2) it was Actually self-insert kylo-ben fic Disguised as reylo fanfic (for more views/kudos, ofc)
OR
3) the author REALLY did not understand Rey.
Brighton was SO far off from Rey (despite Cain Clearly having Ben vibes) that i cringed every time I heard about her wardrobe, her indecisiveness, or her settling (amongst many other traits that Def don't belong to Rey).

-60 pages in (then 100 pages in) i noted how she continued to date her deadbeat not-bf and be "just friends" with MMC (despite emotionally cheating for literally almost the rest of the book).

-Asshole not-bf finally proposes and FMC finally accepts, just for him to find HIS soulmate and cheat on FMC with said lady. /insert skull emoji here/

-142 pages in and they're (FMC and MMC) STILL not together.

-Brighton is all ready to tell Cain she loves him when she sees romantic texts on his phone from another woman and she decides they should stay friends still instead??? what kinda nonsense

-There's only one bed but they're morons. Wow is this book Really playing hardball with the miscommunication trope, in The Worst way.

-This author needs to give adjectives a break, "effervescent liquid," pls stop (an example among MANY).

-They don't bang until literally 200!!! pages!! in!!!

-And then like 2 chapters later HE DIES (which author had foreshadowed ALL book, bc somehow this is a ROMANCE story bc she wanted that Romance $$ without actually writing a ROMANCE???)

-2nd LI keeps calling her "kid" i about lost it then.

-She marries the 2nd LI and is back to "happy enough" (i swear i wish i could Remove that phrase from author's vocabulary)

-also would like to 4ever banish "collectible smile" to the trash bin.

-there IS NO HEA???? how the hell is this billed as a "Romance" novel??? being together in the afterlife (or another life) DOES NOT COUNT.

-the epilogue was CLEARLY a nod to star wars and yet i felt nothing.

what a waste of time!! i can't believe trusting a "reylo" failed me. :(

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book explores the age old dilemma of being open to finding love and vulnerable to heart ache vs. shutting ones self off from the world. Brighton Evans lives in a world where life is black and white with shades of grey until you meet your soulmate. Brighton has seen in color her whole life, with no sign of her soulmate in sight. At the start of the book, she's in a situation-ship that she deems "good enough" and "comfortable"... and then she meets Cain Whitaker. Over the years, her evolving relationship with Cain has her questioning her decision to remain in a safe, comfortable existence.

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book and let me tell you...the ending is one that I will be thinking about until the end of my days. The author's skill with prose is second to none and it also didn't hurt that I was picturing Henry Cavill as Cain the entire time. WKBT also has a dubious distinction of one of only five or six pieces of media that have made me sob uncontrollably. Highly recommend this book!

CW: grief, death, and loss

[Katie Warren · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this debut novel by Kirsten Bohling, we see a lifetime worth of love and loss, but we also see what it means to be brave in the face of the unknown.

In a world full of soulmates and soul marks, Brighton Evans asks a question not many people think to ask; is finding your soulmate really worth the potential heartbreak? After losing her mom, seeing what it did to her dad, and after one betrayal too many, Brighton isn’t so sure.

We’d Know By Then delves deep into the meaning of hope. Hope; a lesson found in many books, but not quite like in this one. To hold on to hope when everything seems bleak, to believe in hope when believing in anything seems too much. Hope keeps us going and paints light on the future. Pay attention.

After spending a solid hour and a half sobbing non stop, I can say this book has left me stunned in the best of ways. Reading this book opened my eyes to a world of possibilities. A world of what if’s. And the reality of embracing the moment you are given.

[Lydia · Rating 4 out of 5]

"...Brighton couldn’t keep herself from thinking of all the other lines she wanted to cross with Cain. No, write with him. Bold. Cursive—ones that twisted and turned. Brighton wanted to color so far outside the lines with Cain and explore all the blank pages of their story."

The soulmate trope is one of my favourite tags in fic, and I am always complaining that there isn't enough in published fiction, enter We'd Know By Then.

Set in a world where everyone sees in black and white until they meet their soulmate, Brighton has had "The Glimpse" for as long as she can remember, but doesn't know when exactly it happened or it was that set her off. She, like most, dreamed about the day she finally found her soulmate and lived the perfect life she had always heard about. However, after losing her mother and watching her father go through losing his soulmate, and his ability to see the world in colour, Brighton begins to question whether the soulmate thing is worth the inevitable pain, or maybe being "happy enough" will keep her satisfied for the rest of her life.

I went into this expecting some heart warming romance with some fluffy lines that might make me giddy, and ended up being completely ripped apart. I will avoid spoilers but would warn that this book is likely to cause some visceral emotions, I recognize not everyone is a crier, but I genuinely can't remember the last time I ugly-cried this long and hard to a book. Keep that in mind when deciding when and where to read it.

This book made me grapple a lot with the idea of is "happy enough" enough? Is settling worth it if it means you're avoiding the pain? Would you trade a life of contentment and "happy enough" for a few days of pure bliss? lmfao can't wait to talk about this book with my therapist

Kirsten Bohling wasn't playing around when she said "I write heartfelt, complicated love stories..." in her GR biography.

My only real gripe (and why it wasn't quite a 5-star for me) is the set-up/progression in the first half of the story. The author uses a lot of time jumps, and big ones, which I have a personal aversion to. Because of this I felt like I missed out on a lot of the earlier development between Brighton and Cain; it is a soulmates book so I don't want to say the relationship felt rushed in the beginning, because that's what I signed up for, but would've liked more of those early beginnings ... or just had the first half happen over a smaller temporal scale. I would say the climax probably works better because of the extended time, but I think I would've reacted the same way even if it was over a smaller period.

A by-product of this is that I felt I never got a great grasp of Cain's character, aside from the fact that he's pretty fucking great; he's blatantly in love with Brighton but is willing to relinquish his own happiness just to be able to spend time with her. I would have loved to know a little bit more about who Cain was outside of Brighton (and his obsession with LoTR, totally valid btw). I recognize this is also just a flaw of single POV story-telling.

Despite the ugly crying, I will be re-reading this as soon as my physical copy comes in. So many things I want to tab. This will definitely be one of my books I turn to when I'm in the need for a good cry (hence the new shelf I made, specifically because of this book).

The ending also has me intrigued, I'm hoping we get to see this continued and this world delved into a bit more...

All around excellent debut for Bohling and I am looking forward to what she publishes next!

Side note: this is one of those rare times where I wish I ran a book club so we could have a discussion about this book... I have a burning question that I need everyones opinions on. Kirsten, if you ever need someone to write the "Book Club Discussion Guide" for this book, feel free to hit me up.

p.s. us reylos keep winning.

---
April 11, 2022 - immediately after finishing
I spent the last 15% of this book ugly crying in the comfort of my home. I WAS NOT ANTICIPATING THIS. full thoughts to come but god damn that hit good and I need Amazon CA to get their shit together and send me my god damn preordered paperback

[Sheila Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before writing this review, I sat at my desk deep in thought, wondering if I would be able to do this author and her paradigm-shattering debut, We’d Know By Then, justice. It is a flowing tale of love, hope, determination, and ultimate triumph conveyed through great wit and flawless detail. A quote floated to the surface of my mind that I’d stumbled upon while scrolling through Pinterest ages ago, written by the username, Ananasbooks, that truly captures the essence of this passionate and poignant story.

It reads, “My favorite thing about reading a good book is when I actually forget that I’m reading it. When I devour words without really being aware of it. When I’m so lost in the world I’m reading about that I forget I’m not actually there. I hear the voices instead of reading them, I feel the emotions instead of imagining them, I know the characters so well that I forget that they’re only words on paper. I love and hate, I cry and laugh at paper and ink. This is the weirdest and the most beautiful thing I have ever experienced.”

From the first page, Brighton’s colorful story steals the reader away into a unique, unprecedented world of black and white. Where soulmates are real, and their matching soul marks are genuinely once in a lifetime. Brighton’s voice and brilliant, stubborn mind are written with such carefully crafted nuance that it feels almost as though the reader is meeting an old friend from a lifetime ago. I devoured this book, losing all sense of time and place as I laughed, cried, shouted, and cheered on our heroine. The essence of Brighton’s inner struggle is one that I feel many people worldwide can relate to, and I aligned with her immediately. Heartbreak is an emotion we all instinctively want to avoid, and Brighton has painstakingly gone to great lengths to protect herself from it.

Through the book’s various twists and turns, Brighton’s character growth is organic and unhurried. The tension leading up to her breakthrough moment will have you on the edge of your seat, fanning yourself and wondering if it’s possible to combust internally. Reader, do not despair. That pivotal moment when she finally overcomes her fears and allows herself to fall in love and accept the love that’s been patiently waiting for her is worth every second of suspense the author has built towards, perhaps even at the expense of your sanity.

Brighton and Cain’s love story is one for the literary history books, ranking up there with The Notebook, Pride and Prejudice, Outlander, and The Time Traveler’s Wife. When I finished the last page, I cried for a solid hour at least, trying to wrap my head around everything I’d just read. Kirsten Bohling’s debut book is a masterpiece, and I am hungry for more.

[Maddie Pelaez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really had no set expectations when going into this but it beat the expectations i didn’t even know i had for it it’s so amazing and there i wanna say but i don’t want to spoil anything all i can say is when it gets released just wait for the videos I’m so excited to have had the opportunity to read it early and it did not disappoint love love loved it

[Andi Bazaroff (bazaroffreads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was provided with an ARC from Lake Country Press, in exchange for a review. Book content warnings contain spoilers. I have placed them at the end of this review.

There are so many words to describe this book and yet never enough. This is my most reread book of 2021, and likely to be of 2022 as well.

We'd Know By Then takes place in a Modern day Chicago, yet still with some magical realism. In this world, you are destined to only see in full technicolor after you have locked eyes with your soulmate. For those who have not met their soulmate yet, their lives are something of an old black and white film. Most people want to find their perfect match, will go their entire lives searching. Brighton Evans... not so much. She has seen in color her whole life, and doesn't know if she's either captured her Glimpse in the past, or maybe it's just a fluke. Either way she doesn't really have any interest in finding out.

Brighton is happy enough. She has a hot not-boyfriend and who cares if he isn't her match. After watching her father lose her mother, she has seen enough of the pain in caused to never go through that herself. She was fully content to live out her days with Gideon, until one delayed flight and a cocktail bar send her spiraling into Cain Whitaker.

He's literally nothing short of a prince charming, and they find they both have more in common than they ever expected. A love for baseball, a mutual acquittance, and even that little pesky thing of having the Glimpse without ever having met their soulmate.

There's something about him that she can't quite put her finger on, but with Brighton unwilling to take a chance, and also unwilling to let him go, Cain finds his own little pocket in Brighton's life and he's there to stay--much to her not-boyfriend's dismay.

This story is a roller coaster of monumental proportions. I found these characters to become my best friends. I felt their happiness, pain, sorrow, and resolution. So many times I wanted to jump through the page and give them a hug. But this book shows you that fate is unavoidable and to treasure all the time you are given, and to not let fear rule your life. This is a book I will recommend endlessly to all my friends. I've already purchased several copies I plan to plant in Little Libraries around my city with hopes others will fall in love with my friends too.

Don't live in fear, take the leap, dive in. Happy reading xoxo


CONTENT WARNINGS CONTAIN SPOILERS
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Explicit sexual content
Brief mentions of pregnancy (Minor Character)
Death and Grief
Detailed Car Accidents

[Shante · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I received this arc from Lake Country Press in exchange for an honest review*

5 stars!

I'm someone who tries to stay away from emotional books that'll tug at my heartstrings. So when this arc was offered to me and it was pitched as that type of book, I was skeptical to say the least. But I told myself that I would give it a chance so I started the first chapter and DID NOT stop reading until I finished the entire book. YUP! I read this in one day. IN ONE SITTING. It was just that good.

To me, this book is Anna and the French Kiss with adults taken up a notch with a splash of The Giver and a tiny hint of The Notebook. So good. So emotional. And sooo gosh darn cute!

Our main character Brighton lives in a world where you don't see the world in color, instead you see it in black and white. That is until you lock eyes with your soulmate, thus experiencing, The Glimpse. Then you are able to see the world in all it's colorful glory. Brighton's problem is that she's been seeing the world in color for as long as she could remember, after experiencing The Glimpse at some point in her childhood.

"Fancy meeting you here" ❤

This book has one of the cutest meet cutes EVER! The witty banter and charm that just oozes off these characters, Ahh! I immediately connected with them and grew to love them so much. I laughed, I swooned, I got angry, my heart shattered, and it was pieced right back together. To simply put it, this was a rollercoaster ride! One I'm so glad that I didn't let my fear stop me from riding.

Beautifully written and packed with real life problems and real emotions, 'We'd Know By Then' uses magical realism to tell a heartwarming, friends-to-lovers story that will stick with you for days after you've read it.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I took a few days to think about this story after I finished reading the ARC I was provided. I was immediately in love with Cain, Brighton, and the world they inhabit. Mostly the same as our own, but with the addition of soulmate marks and a little twist where you can only see color once you've made eye contact with your soulmate.

The characters were easy to love and I was rooting for them from the first pages, even when it became clear that the biggest thing in the way of their happiness was Brighton herself and her own fears and insecurities. She made made very frustrating decisions but I believed in them through it all.

Ultimately, I loved the story and I would happily read it again but it broke my heart in the most painful way possible before offering me a bandaid.

The rest of this is somewhat spoilerish but I think it's important to include. I was warned before I accepted the arc that there would not be a traditional happily ever after and for those looking to this book hoping for a genre romance style ending, I extend the same warning. It's beautiful, thoughtful, and tender but the angst level is extremely high. I cried through most of the ending and I would describe it as bitter sweet. Definitely read it but do so when you're in the right headspace for that.

[Rachel Talavera · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was CRAZY GOOD! Did NOT see that ending.... but I am a figure outer 😂 and I DIDNOT SEE IT!

Loved this book definitely going on lots of anticipated 2022 and best of 22 lists!

[Cathleen · Rating 1 out of 5]

I hate books that take 80% of the book for them to get together, just for them to separate in the next chapter. BUT ONE OF THEM DYING???? OUT OF POCKET!! I literally did not care about anything that happened after Cain died. why. just why. brighton is also genuinely so annoying to me. how do you go through your adult life like this, and attached to a man who does not want you… I’m sorry but please go to therapy if you can relate to this girl. also, colour-girl? awful nickname. I cringed every time he used it. I didn’t know this was a fic before reading but it definitely shows.

[Hasret · Rating 2 out of 5]

if i knew there was a major character death, i’d NEVER read it.

[Samaa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Uhhhh wtf was that

[Tino · Rating 5 out of 5]

10/10 recommend if you’re looking for crippling emotional damage disguised as super cute fluff

[Jennifer Lopez · Rating 1 out of 5]

Though the twist is supposed to heartbreaking, it really didn’t feel that way because of how frustrating and unlikeable Brighton is. Seriously, she spent five years with a man who refused to call her his girlfriend? And Cain just waited around? Almost DNF’ed and honestly, kind of wish I had.

[Erin Morris · Rating 2 out of 5]

Brighton is the biggest dumbass I’ve ever read…imagine living by the quote “happy enough” with a guy who’s just coasting by with you until he meets his soulmate when there’s a clear man who wants to be with you regardless of being soulmates or not….stupid stupid stupid, she didn’t deserve Cain

[Glenda Carrillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded to 5

Welcome to a world where there is no color. At least not until you’ve had “The Glimpse” which means you’ve found your soulmate.

Brighton is the exception, she has been able to see in color for as long as she can remember. Does that mean she’s met her soulmate and just doesn’t know it?

Cain can also see the world in color. Upon a chance encounter with a beautiful woman at a airport bar, he can’t stop thinking about her. And then, what are the chances that that woman he met, is best friends with his cousin?!

The feelings between the two is crazy electric and borders on angst. So much angst. When things finally play out, is it too late for Cain and Brighton to live happily ever after?

🖍 Slow Burn
🖍 Magical Realism
🖍 Love Story
🖍 Timing is everything

What I liked:
🖍The slow burn. Oh the slow burn because when they finally come to their senses, it’s electrifying
🖍 The unique story. Towards the end I picked up on The Fallen series vibe.
🖍 Cain. Enough said.
🖍the emotions it drew from me at midnight
🖍 The epilogue and sneak peak into book 2

The only reason this wasn’t a 5 star is because towards the end I felt like it was too rushed. Too much info all at once. I feel like there was no need for a particular situation to happen. I feel like it was something not needed but that’s more on personal preference.

Overall I can see why the publisher thought this would be a book I would enjoy. Because I love being emotionally destroyed. And destroyed I was.

[Mairyn Schoshinski · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am always intrigued by books with soulmates and the idea of multiple lifetimes which is exactly what this book is. I didn’t expect much and thought it would be a fluffy lil read but oh many this book had me crying. The writing could’ve been shit, but I did not notice I was too enamored by the story. I think the people who rated this one star are too thick to understand this book.

[Darian · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am but a simple girl, I see what was once a fanfic that was reworked and published and I hit add to cart. And this time around I was not prepared for the whirlwind of emotions that came with it, wow.

I enjoyed the overarching themes, of are soulmates everything when it comes to love, and is settling for “happy enough” truly enough? (This is a question I will be discussing with my therapist later btw.) The concept of seeing the world in monochrome and then in color once you’ve met your soulmate also really intrigued me.

I really enjoyed this story, and there’s definitely quality and potential within the writing but the storytelling needs a bit more work. Some of the characters, Cain in particular, weren’t developed enough. Knowing this was originally a fanfiction and who the characters were based on helped me fill in the blanks myself, but without that knowledge, Cain is sorta a blank slate with “perfect man” written on it. Additionally, the large time jumps in the first half or so of the book take away from better forming the characters and developing their relationships.

Despite these issues, and the fact I was able to predict the ending somewhat early on, I still really enjoyed this one and cried while reading. This was a really solid debut and I’m definitely willing to look into more of Bohling’s work in the future!

[Bárbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I couldn’t get past the overuse of “collectible smile” and “contagious smile”.
I had very high expectations for this book—love the idea of soulmates and seeing the world in grey until you find yours—and unfortunately I was disappointed.