Do I Know You?

by Emily Wibberley, Austin Siegemund-Broka

Eliza and Graham are anticipating an anything-but-sexy, weeklong getaway to celebrate their five-year anniversary. Nestled on the Northern California coastline, the resort prides itself on being a destination for those in love and those looking to find it. For Eliza and Graham, it might as well be a vacation with a roommate.

When a well-meaning guest mistakes Eliza and Graham for being single and introduces them at the hotel bar, they don't correct him. Suddenly, they're pretending to be perfect strangers and it's unexpectedly... fun? Eliza and Graham find themselves flirting like it's their first date, and waiting with butterflies in their stomach for the other to text back.

Everyone at the retreat can sense the electric chemistry between Eliza and Graham's alter egos. But when their scintillating game of roleplaying ends, will they still feel the heat?

When a couple starts to feel like they're married to a stranger, a flirtatious game of pretend becomes the spark they need to reignite their relationship.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Audiobook, Fiction, Adult, Contemporary Romance, Second Chance

321 pages, Paperback

First published January 24, 2023

About the author

Emily Wibberley attended Princeton University where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. She now lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Austin Siegemund-Broka, with whom she is author of The Roughest Draft, as well as several love stories for teens.

Visit her and Austin's website at www.emilyandaustinwrite.com.

Reviews

[MarilynW · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do I Know You?
by Emily Wibberley; Austin Siegemund-Broka

My first book by this talented husband/wife writing team is "Do I Know You"? The story opens with Eliza and Graham enduring an emotionally painful hours long journey with...horrors of horrors...each other! Graham's parents gifted them a luxurious stay at a coastal resort, to celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary. Their once love filled relationship has devolved into what seems to be a living situation of friends who barely tolerate each other. If this marriage is going anywhere, it seems it's a downhill trip all the way.

For all his good looks and success in other areas of his life, lawyer Graham's self esteem seems at it's lowest when he compares himself to his beautiful wife. Eliza, an audiobook narrator and voice over actor, gets so much more from her job than from her almost dead marriage to Graham. It seems that any effort Eliza puts into conversation with Graham bores or angers him. What in the world will they figure out to do at a luxurious resort on their fifth wedding anniversary? It seems a miserable week for the two of them is in their near future.

A stranger introducing Graham and Eliza to each other, because he thinks they are single, sparks an idea. Why not pretend to NOT know each other, to be people they are not, to meet each other for the first time, to let go of all the bad chemistry the last years have infused into their marriage. They will be free to reinvent themselves and this brand new coming together. Why not role play some fun into a marriage that is on its last legs? Why not find a way to enjoy this week that otherwise will be a miserable slog of marital non-bliss.

And so it goes. Graham and Eliza really do love each other but they somehow lost their way to each other. If ever a couple could benefit from marriage counseling it would be these two but no, that'd be too practical and too easy (or actually, too hard). They both have trouble communicating with each other and one of them has trouble communicating overall. It is fun watching how they beat themselves up in their own headspace but actually seem so attractive to their spouse when seen from a distance. There are some really nice side characters in this story, wanting the best for the couple, if only the couple can pull themselves together as a couple.

Pub January 24th 2023

Thank you to Elisha at Berkley and NetGalley for this ARC.

[jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

its been awhile since ive read a romance book about a couple working on their marriage. its not a common trope, but i think it has the most potential to explore deep and intimate topics. and i think this one gets the job done.

while the role-playing as strangers meeting for the first time lends an atmosphere of lighthearted fun, i also think its deeper implications are handled really well. eliza and graham are a couple that i enjoyed and was rooting for from the beginning.

my only critique would be the ending is quite rushed/under developed. i dont think eliza and graham would have resolved and gotten over their issues as easily as its portrayed.

but still a cute and unique story that definitely fits in well to the genre.

↠ 4 stars

[Jayme · Rating 5 out of 5]

HE SAID. SHE SAID.

This is a second chance romance-but not the kind you are thinking. It isn’t about once again finding “the one who got away”. It’s about getting a second chance with your own husband-one who you almost let get away-because you have grown so far apart in your marriage that you feel more like strangers than lovers.

Eliza and Graham have been gifted a romantic getaway from his well meaning parents, to celebrate their 5th year wedding anniversary. The resort, on the California coastline is designed for those in love, and those looking to find it.

But, do they fit in either category?

How much fun will it be to travel 7 hours by car to the resort in silence? Or to share a candlelight dinner or stargazing with a person you have nothing to say to?

His parents had no idea just how bad things had become between their son, and his wife.

Upon checking in at the resort, they encounter a mix-up. Two rooms have been booked instead on one, and Eliza suggests that they keep both. They head to their separate suites and agree to meet for dinner. But, when she arrives, she finds Graham sitting beside a new friend, David, at the bar. Not realizing that the two know each other, David makes the introductions…and Eliza doesn’t correct him.

Graham is confused, but he plays along, and soon their role playing reignites the excitement and the nerves they remembered from when they were dating the FIRST time.

Their story alternates between the first person POVs of both Eliza and Graham as SHE and HE, try to find their way back to one another, before their week long respite comes to an end, and to say I was rooting for them all the way-would be an understatement!!

This is the second collaboration between real life husband and wife, Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka, and it may be even BETTER than their 5 ⭐️ debut, “The Roughest Draft”!

They write REAL romance, not the idealized version, so if you have ever wondered how a relationship you were once so excited about, has fallen apart so spectacularly, this WILL resonate with you. There is playful banter and sizzling spice, but there is also the pain of miscommunication and hurt.

The writing is thoughtful, RAW and real.

But, it’s also light, entertaining and fun!

I read mostly SUSPENSE, so I have only a few auto-request romance authors, on my list:

Beth O’Leary, Emily Henry, Abby Jimenez, Katherine Center, Josie Silver and now Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka.

That is some pretty fine company, and I can’t wait to read what they come up with next!

Available Now (just in time for Valentine’s Day!) ❤️

Thank You to Elisha and Berkley for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. It was my absolute pleasure to offer a candid review!

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 5 out of 5]

This brilliant writing duo and real couple created something so genuine, realistic, passionate, entertaining, intense, thought provoking! This book is perfect introduction to the anatomy of marriage! What if you turn into two strangers in own your marriage? A quick getaway and role playing can save everything you’ve built for years?

What if you lost your intimate connection and what if you couldn’t form a small talk or regular conversation? What if you feel like you and spouse are from different planets? What if unresolved issues, bottled up resentments, building emotional barriers make you get completely estranged with your other half?
That are the predicaments of this couple struggles with!

Graham and Eliza found their love at young age: they were only twenty three, met by cyber dating. Graham was a law student as Eliza is aspiring artist- giving lives to characters at audibooks. Their young ages and the way of meeting each other, fast decision of their marriage made their inner circle doubted about their whirlwind relationship at first.

After 5 years of marriage they felt like they lost their SPARK! There’s something to be done rekindle their old feelings. Eliza feels like trapped, lonely, hiding in her shell as Graham fights with insecurities about not being good enough for her wife.

When Graham’s mother made a reservation at a dreamy place located on Northern California coastline which will take more than 7 hours to drive, they think this is great getaway to celebrate their five year wedding anniversary.

But long silence in the drive make them more insecure about the rest of the vacation.

Both of them have inner screams, conflicts which they don’t share with each other.

When they find there are two reservations under their name for two other rooms, Eliza thinks this is great way to put some space between them to rethink a way to save their marriage as Graham resents for her even more.

They plan to meet at the bar but when Eliza reluctantly goes to meet her husband for a probably flat and boring dinner, she sees him talking with another man called David.

Graham already blurted out, he stayed at honeymoon vacation alone and David thought Graham separated from his wife or she’s long gone. When Eliza waits for being introduced, Graham acts like she’s a stranger he’s never seen before. This misunderstanding turns into a role play to rekindle things and a way to explore new things about themselves.

The passion between them eventually rekindles. But how long they can play this game? Will they be as passionate as they were in the holiday when they’ll go back to their old lives?

They’re having fun, taking risks, acting more adventurous but can they keep doing this forever to save the spark of their relationship?
Can you keep flirting with your spouse forever?

Overall: this emotional, sweet turmoil gives us realistic perspective of marriage! Both of the characters are flawed, eccentric, insecure but definitely so much lovable!

I absolutely rooted for Graham and Eliza!
Giving my well deserved five marriage vows stars!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

[Terrie Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Do I Know You?" by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka is Married Romance Fiction at its best!

Eliza and Graham are heading to the Northern California coast to celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary at a resort that caters to those looking for love or those already in love.

Sadly, this couple is experiencing a lull in their relationship. It's a mutual awkwardness and feelings of not being enough for their spouse. They feel like strangers and wonder when the romance left their marriage. Neither is sure how a vacation at a resort that focuses on love is going to work for them and traveling by car for seven hours to get there with nothing to say to each other is painful!

At the resort, when an opportunity crops up for Eliza and Graham to spend their week getting reacquainted in a most interesting, fun, and romantic way, it begins to spark the fire and steam back into their relationship. Will the heat wave they've created with one another continue once the vacation fun ends or will there be a cooling trend expected in the forecast?

What a fun premise! I was rooting for these two married main characters from beginning to end and I love the creative measures used in the attempt to get their relationship back on track. As someone who has been married for many years, I happen to believe that "Married Romance" is highly under rated! This story proves it!

I stayed up into the wee hours finishing this book because I couldn't put it down and, mostly, so I could 'ugly cry' without my husband watching. Disclosure: A fair amount of tissues were devoted to the reading of this book!

Kudos to the husband and wife writing team for this well-written story that's creative and original, tender and romantic, with a touch of heartbreak (for the tissues), and a fair amount of "open-door" sizzle. If you enjoy a great romance, but a Rom-Com isn't your thing (like me!) this could definitely be one for you. I highly recommend! 4.5 stars!

Thank you to Elisha and Berkley for a widget of this ARC through NetGalley. It has been my pleasure to give my honest and voluntary review.

[Melissa (Semi Hiatus Until After the Holidays) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Took me way too long to get through. Decent read, but not very memorable.

Eliza and Graham are heading to a resort to celebrate their five-year wedding anniversary. They have been "off" as of late, disconnected from each other and their relationship. They love each other, but can't seem to take their relationship to the next level, it remains on the surface. When the arrive, there is a bit of a mix up and they have two rooms. Eliza proposes that she stays in one, Graham stays in the other, and they take some time to figure out what they want in their relationship. When they meet up at bar, an acquaintance is mistaken and introduces the two of them as if they are strangers. They decide to go with the role play, and then decide to follow through for the rest of the trip--can these two reignite the spark they once shared?

What I liked about this book:

I love that this is a story about a married couple. There's no cheating, no hints of either of them wanting to throw in the towel on their relationship even when they don't know how to fix it. It was refreshing to see them try to find their way back to each other.

I also really liked the supporting characters and how they added to the humor and lightened up some of the heavier moments.

The ultimate resolution at the end was touching and endearing. It was very realistic throughout, and that made the book authentic and believable. Alternating chapters between Eliza's and Graham's points of view gave a clearer picture of what was going on.

What I didn't really like:

I felt like the entire thing just really dragged. It took a long time for everything to be laid out, and once it was I thought it took too long to get to each point of moving a step forward. The dual points of view worked well for some of the book, but when it came to examining what was wrong, that's where it seemed to drag because it was the same thing twice many times.

I didn't really care for Eliza throughout most of the book. I felt like Graham was being vulnerable and Eliza would shut him down. That's not to say he was perfect, but I got exasperated with her much more often than I did with him. I thought that maybe they needed some counseling to teach them how to communicate better rather than play role playing games.

This is definitely a book worth reading if you like stories about married couples that refreshingly aren't about infidelity. I'm here for that even if it drags at times.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

[Melissa ~ Bantering Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

After five years of marriage, Eliza and Graham are in a rut. The closeness they felt in their early years together, the spark – it’s all gone.

So when a simple mistake by a stranger leads the couple to play a game of pretend while on a weeklong getaway, they go with it. Soon, Eliza and Graham find themselves flirting like strangers and going on a second first date. It’s fun, sexy, and exciting.

Until it isn’t. It’s like any good thing, I suppose – sometimes you get too much of it.

Do I Know You? is my first romance by the husband and wife writing team of Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka, and I couldn’t have enjoyed it more. To find a novel about a failing marriage that’s written in such a lighthearted way is unexpected. Usually, I only come across broken married couples in heavy, oh-so-serious literary fiction.

Though lighthearted it may be, the book is still thick with emotion. My heart hurt for both Eliza and Graham, two people who feel so apart from one another, unsure of how they’ve gotten to where they are. It’s quite sad, really.

Definitely give Do I Know You? a try if you’re in the mood for a love story that’s a bit more mature but doesn’t skimp on the fun. A very enthusiastic thumbs up from me.


My sincerest appreciation to Emily Wibberley, Austin Siegemund-Broka, Berkley, and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions included herein are my own.

[preoccupiedbybooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

An unflinching, angsty and raw look at a failing marriage, and the lengths a couple will go to in order to fix their relationship

When a couple get the chance to connect again at a romantic resort, will they manage to rekindle their marriage?

I liked this. I just didn't love it.

It started pretty strongly, and I found it honest and realistic, as Eliza and Graham realised they had become strangers despite being married. They had grown apart, letting insecurities and family issues drive a wedge between them both. Both characters were flawed, and I rooted for them to work it out. Their relationship became flirty, sexy and light, as they avoided their real relationship problems.

However, the second half dragged, and I found myself bored with the role playing antics of vacation planner Eliza and investment banker Graham. I sort of wanted them to ditch the games and be real with each other earlier. There was also way too much inner conflict for me, as the characters both thought things then acted in the opposite way, paving the way for much miscommunication. I even became frustrated with the dual pov, as often there was an overlap and therefore repetition, as we experienced the same scene through both character's eyes.

I kept thinking, why don't you get some couples counselling?! They had a fair amount of issues!

Look, the reviews of this are mostly positive, so take my review with a pinch of salt, I did just read this straight after Happy Place! I also didn't rate this married author duo's first book The Roughest Draft so maybe they're just not a good fit for me🤷🏻‍♀️And 3 stars isn't a bad review or just means I've read better romances lately.

But if you're looking for a married couple working on their issues romance, set in a luxurious hotel, give this one a go! Published 2nd February 2023!

🌴🌴🌴

Many thanks to Pan Macmillan and NetGalley UK for the ARC, in exchange for an honest review!

[Darla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Several years ago I heard a sermon on marriage. The pastor said, "How do you know you are married to the right person?" (This, of course, does not apply in relationships where there is abuse or illegal activity.) The punch line: "You're married to them." A simple, but profound conclusion that came to mind as I read this book by a husband/wife author duo. Graham and Eliza are "celebrating" five years together -- in separate rooms. They fall into a role-playing strategy as while spending a week at a resort. The goal is to find their way back to a happy relationship. Marriage is hard work -- my husband and I have been together almost thirty more years than the characters in this book. Our children are the same age as the main characters. I still found I could relate to their struggles, although I was a bit surprised at their initial reactions to Graham's parents. In the end, I want to praise this book for upholding the value of keeping your marriage vows. The "for better or worse" bit is easy to say when you are on the wedding day high, not so easy when your spouse gets a new interest you don't understand or an unexpected cancer diagnosis. I would also note that this is a bit above my spice level and the plot seemed to get a bit circular for a bit.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

[menna · Rating 2 out of 5]

at one point while i am reading this book, i realized i had like 15 chapters left and all i felt was dread so saying reading this felt like a chore is an understatment.

[jaime ⭐️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

just delightful

[Rachel L · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

Married for five years, Eliza and Graham are on their way to resort to celebrate their anniversary. But they’ve been having problems and when another guest introduces them as strangers, they play along and pretend they are different people meeting for the first time. But playing different parts won’t solve their problems, and once they leave what will become of their marriage?

I checked out this book from the library simply because it had two of my favorite narrators on the audiobook. I enjoyed the book for the most part, but it falls under the simply “liked it” and probably won’t remember it for the long haul. I thought we didn’t get enough of Eliza and Graham pre-trip, we were just immediately thrown into this scenario without enough context as to what was wrong with their relationship in the first place. I also went into this book blind, had I known beforehand it was about role play I probably wouldn’t have chosen to pick it up.

[Dee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars - This story felt original, but I didn’t particularly enjoy it. I really had to force myself to pick back up just to finish it and get on to my next read. That said, I really did appreciate the idea of using a married couple with baggage for a “romance” - and why shouldn’t you have a romance with your spouse, right?

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

Do I Know You? is a great marriage in crisis book by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka. I truly enjoyed watching Eliza and Graham 'date' one another, open up, and get their spark back in their marriage.

It's Eliza and Graham's five year anniversary trip and marriage hasn't been blissful for them the last year. Nothing huge has happened, it's more of a lack of connection and communication. When the resort makes a mistake with their reservation, they run with it.

These two both have things they need to work on and they do. I enjoyed seeing them communicate with one another better and work to fix things, all while having fun doing it. I especially liked the secondary character, David. He was great. Overall I enjoyed this one a lot!

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the words of the greatest poet of the 21st century, Taylor Swift, I have this thing where I keep reading books with tropes I’m not really into just because authors that I love wrote them. And then I end up enjoying myself! Isn’t there a joke about how every romance reader has, like, five exceptions to a trope they hate? Because it’s weirdly true.

I really think Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka are one of the best partnerships in romance. They write so beautifully and cohesively and are able to spin magical sentences that would literally never cross my mind. Not to make this whole review about Taylor Swift, but you know when she says “And did the twin flame bruise paint you blue? Just between us, did the love affair maim you too?”, and you’re just like, wow, I would literally have just said, “So, you good now, or…?” 😂 Anyway. That’s how I feel when I read Emily and Austin’s books. They write phrases that could be really simple but end up full of beautiful metaphores.

This book in particular is the story of Graham and Eliza, a married couple going away to a gorgeous hotel for a few days to celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary as a gift from his parents.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like it’s going to be a very pleasant vacation. Graham and Eliza are in a very awkward, distant phase in their marriage and don’t really know how to talk to each other anymore or even how they got there in the first place. They’re both completely entrenched in their insecurities and are keeping a bunch of stuff bottled up.

On the first night of the trip, they end up being “introduced” at the hotel bar by Graham’s newfound friend, David, who thinks they don’t know each other (because they were acting so distant and awkward). They end up rolling with it and embarking on a game where they pretend to be strangers who are connecting for the first time during this trip, just to see if that could be a way for them to relearn the things about each other that they might have taken for granted and learn the new things about each other that they might have missed. This includes creating different identities, not breaking character at all (except in emergencies) and sleeping in separate rooms.

At first, I thought this would be kind of silly, but it was actually so interesting to see the different ways they managed to communicate stuff about themselves that they hadn’t been able to before through the characters they made up. For example, when they made up new hometowns, it created a whole thing where they became so interested to know why the other person chose that specific city and what it means to them, and created the question of why they wouldn’t instantly know about that connection.

With that said, Graham and Eliza were a little frustrating in the sense that they refused to actually sit down and put their feelings out there, expecting the other person to just read their mind instead. But I guess this might be a commentary on long term relationships and how that is a real thing that can happen? Either way, it kind of made me want to throw my Kindle to the wall, lol.

As frustrating as I found this book, it was undeniably beautiful and fun to read. The way the authors managed to create tension and excitement and butterflies and a will-they-won’t-they feeling for readers when the main couple had been married for five years was really great.

I really love these authors. Again, I don’t love the marriage-in-trouble trope, but I guess I just… have many recommendations for it now. ✨

[sil ♡ the book voyagers · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful book! °˖✧˚ʚ♡ɞ˚✧˖° Emily and Austin knocked it out of the park in this marriage in crisis romance novel. I was emotional all throughout the book, cried, smiled, screamed, swooned. I did it ALL. AND I AM GLAD I READ THIS BOOK!

You know what I loved? That their love was never in doubt. You knew from start to finish that that was not the problem. The problem wasn't that they didn't love each other anymore. The problem was that they felt like strangers after they kept too much from each other, things that they dont tell one another, you know? It created a black hole between them and they couldn't escape it. So, when they arrived to this fancy, cute resort, and someone confuses them as strangers, they decide to act upon it. They decide to play this game of being strangers! And with that... Eliza and Graham might find their way back to each other.

This book reminded me of ones by Emily Henry, Sarah Hogle, and Stefanie London. It has that magic that those other books have too. And they do second chance romances so GOOOOD. They all do!!! I'm obsessed with the angst, the yearning, the trying-to-go-back-to-each-other. My heart hurts but when that happy ending comes, I know that it's going to be wholesome, amazing, and beautiful.

🦢💌 I love this scene where this guy Graham became friends with in the book asks him if he has ever been in love and Graham doesn't want to lie (because he's pretending to be someone else and not know his wife), so he says "only once. my wife" meaning Eliza AND I SERIOUSLY *MY HEART* THIS LEFT ME BROKEN.

[jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

still not sure what exactly their problem was but glad they solved it

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I love second chance romances and especially books that really go into the nitty gritty of marriage.
Eliza & Graham go on a 5 year wedding annv. trip to this amazing hotel where they accidentally get mistaken for singles...and they play along.
So they role play pretending not to know another and date for the 'first' time and see if they can reignite the spark they once had.
Overall this wasn't it for me. They never really explained why their marriage was on the rocks and honestly their communication was horrible. I really loved their previous book, The Roughest Draft but for some reason this book sadly didn't work for me.

[Sheyla ✎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a different type of romance. It's about a married couple trying to rekindle their love for each other.

Eliza and Graham are about to celebrate their 5th anniversary. Graham's mother has gifted them a week at a resort in northern California. However, if their ride over there is any indication, their marriage is doomed.

Graham is an attorney and Eliza is a voice-over actor. They are successful in their professional life but not in their personal. It seems that the couple doesn't know how to talk to each other any longer.

Due to a new acquaintance, an unexpected circumstance arises. David mistakes them as single and introduces Graham to Eliza. The couple takes this chance and begins the role-play of being strangers. For the next few days, they treat their relationship as new, including staying in separate rooms and only seeing each other by chance.

This definitely was not Two For the Road but the writing was witty. I did get invested in Eliza and Graham. I was rooting for them to be able to find each other again.

I enjoyed both narrators, Dan Bittner and Brittany Pressley. They grab the characters and made them their own.

Cliffhanger: No

3.5/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Berkley Publishing Group via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.


MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

[Keya · Rating 2 out of 5]

Finally! Finally this is over.
My final thoughts after finishing this book

Cover: 100/10
Title suitability: 10/10
Genre: Romance (open door but not much detailed)
Writing style: 6/10
Character development: 7/10
Plot Concept: 10/10
Plot execution: 2/10 (beyond disappointed)

PLOT
The plot follows Graham, an insecure guy who thinks he's never good enough for his wife and Eliza, a voice actress, bold and confident but doesn't share her feelings often. They are a not so happy couple, the roots of their marriage slowly poisoned by common evil- miscommunication. But with their 5th Anniversary coming up, Graham's parents come up with an idea. They arrange a vacation for their son and daughter in law in a luxurious five star hotel. But upon reaching the hotel, the couple faces a quite surprising turn of events when due to some computer error, instead one, two rooms have been booked. Eliza takes the cue and convinces Graham to live in separate rooms (the reason? idk ask her). So starts the pretend game. They pretend not to know each other. Meet for the first time. Go for dates.

PLOT HOLES
Let's face the fact, ELIZA IS ANNOYING. very. annoying. She straight off asks Graham in their pretend game THREE TIMES if he is taking her on a date. Maybe let that man speak up for himself?
I just felt no connection to the characters throughout the book. No butterflies. No blushing. No heartache. Nothing. I just kept on reading like a robot. The problems portrayed in the book like the one regarding Michelle were pretty stupid with the solution clear from miles away. Idk I just didn't feel what books are supposed to make you feel. Also, that Lindsey, I so wanna punch that bitch till all her teeth fall off.

WRITING
It was good, okay? The book started off pretty well. I was amazed, oh my god, such beautiful descriptions, great plot, but as I dived in further, it kind of started growing up on me (does that make sense?) Things soon started to feel like they're being overdone. I skipped a whole chapter cause it was all about night and sky and milky way galaxy and what not- the author just dragged on for the sake of 350 pages.

OVERVIEW
Just didn't work for me. Wouldn't recommend.

[mica · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5⭐️

este libro se solucionaría en tres capítulos si los personajes supieran como COMUNICARSE CON SU PAREJA DE HACE SIETE AÑOS...

son cute porque se nota que se aman y quieren sacar adelante su matrimonio pero son re dramáticos y pelotudos dios mio HABLEN, COMUNÍQUENSE, USEN EL CEREBRO QUE DIOS LES DIO

tienen terapia de pareja allá?? les puedo recomendar una de acá de tolosa

[Larissa Cambusano]

dnf 🫡

i truly was really into this but then i paused and now i cant go back. i also wasn’t that invested in the couple or the conflict. the plot seemed really fun before i started but then it just fell flat.

it felt like nothing else could possibly happen that would make me be interested again.

[Esther · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do I know you? Review
First a resume. H (Graham) and h (Eliza) are the main characters. Even tho in “all your perfects” the hero’s name is Graham and it’s about a marriage on the perils type of book they are the only similarities between both books. Luckily this one isn’t like that scum bag of a “Hero”. This one is obsessed with his wife and would never do anything to hurt her (iykyk) He is sweet, kind, loving and loyal. Once I already throw my shade to that stupid scum bag that I hate so much let’s get back to this book.

Graham and Eliza have been married for 5 years. Together for 7. When the book starts we can see that their marriage is not at the best moment. I don't want to spoil their problems but I just have to say to my safety reader out there: no ow/om drama!!! No others after meeting!!!!! There is no cheating whatsoever!!!!!
Anyway, they pretend to be strangers in the hotel they are celebrating their 5 years anniversary so they can reconnect. This is the type of marriage in the peril kinda book that I love. I adore it with all my heart. If you liked “You deserve each other” you might like this one. Its lighter that the other book that I read from this couple, “The roughest draft”, that I just liked (maybe a 3 stars read)
I would love to know more about David. David is the friend that they make at this 5 stars hotel they are staying. He would make a great Hero in a book.

Safety: 100% safe

[Lucy · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 52%. I was drawn to this book based on the premise and setting. I've now made it halfway, and it's been a struggle to even get to that point. The story has dragged on for too long and it gets more ridiculous as it continues. I've made it to a point in the book where I've decided I really don't care how this week of pretending turns out for Eliza and Graham.

[cossette · Rating 3 out of 5]

screaming crying throwing up kicking my feet etc

[Lauren (thebookscript) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been WAITING for a marriage romance and I couldn't get my hands on this one fast enough! As someone who's been married almost ten years this year...I definitely believe that romance doesn't stop once you say I do.

I definitely recommend the dual narration for this one, they do a fabulous job and i'm so glad I did it this way. Thank you @prhaudio for my ALC.

When a couple starts to feel like they have completely disconnected, they are given an opportunity to spend a week away at a beautiful resort set on the northern California coast. Spending a week with each other almost become anxious filled dread as the couple no longer feel like they truly know each other anymore.

What comes out of this book is a fun, spontaneous game where they pretend they don't know each other..which gives them an opportunity to "date" their way back into love again.

You guys I WAS WORRIED....nothing good comes out of too much pretend. Fantasy life is never going to live up to reality so I was anxious about how this would all come together and well...I was so pleasantly pleased to say it all comes together quite well. Never once does this couple consider divorce. They truly do love each other they just have become extremely lost and complacent along the way.

This is a story about staying vulnerable with your spouse and never assuming you know what they are thinking. This is a story about trying new things and dating your partner for life. BUT, it is also about how to find joy in the mundane...to love your person for their flaws but also making sure they feel seen. I was a little flustered with Eliza because she is incredibly conflict avoidant and refused to talk about things but this was HER story not mine...and it comes full circle nicely. I LOVED Graham. He really was fun and flirty but really had this sweet vulnerable side that stole the show!

Overall this is a book I enjoyed the more time I spent thinking it about after I was done. I'm still thinking about it. Marriage in crisis is an extremely underdone trope and i'm here for it.

4.5 stars rounded up!

*some light strong language and 1.5 open door scenes. Some sexual humor and innuendo between the married couple.

[Meags · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

The story follows Eliza and Graham, a couple celebrating their fifth wedding anniversary with a romantic getaway, a gift from Graham’s well-meaning parents. The resort, beautiful and scenic, along the Northern California coast, is all things romance and relaxation should be—but Eliza and Graham aren’t feeling like the happy loved up couple their friends and family think they are.

The truth is, Eliza and Graham are struggling to connect. Their love is strong and unbreakable, but work and all the other pressures of life have built a wall between them, and they both feel like they’ve lost the best parts of themselves and their relationship along the way.

When they arrive at the resort, a double booking has occurred, leaving Eliza and Graham with two rooms instead of the one they expected. Eliza, an audio narrator and ever the consummate actress, has a light-bulb moment, suggesting they take the two rooms and spend the week-long vacation pretending to be strangers, with the hopes of shaking off the rut they’re in and hopefully reigniting their spark by getting back to basics.

Graham, a bit more serious and strait-laced, is unsure and maybe a little hurt by the idea of sharing different rooms on their anniversary trip, but out of other options and desperate to make his wife happy, he agrees, trying his best to open his heart and mind to new things and, hopefully, regain some of that confidence he feels he’s lost along the way.

The dual perspective really helped things along here. It was clear from the get-go that these two were very much in love and in awe with each other still, but they had lost—or maybe they never had—their ability to be vulnerable and open with each other in all things, which caused a bit of an emotional rift between them. Playing strangers, as it were, definitely helped them be versions of themselves they wished to be/thought they’d lost, and it also helped them learn to communicate in healthier, more efficient ways, which I always find very appealing in romance stories like this.

I liked Graham and felt for his insecurities and his sense of not being good enough for the more vibrant and livelier Eliza. He was a lovely hero and I loved how he adored his wife, willing to go to any lengths to make his marriage strong again. I honestly didn’t think Graham had all that much to learn here, beyond needing a bit of a self-confidence boost—he was already pretty wonderful to me.

Eliza, on the other hand, was quite the surprise. At the onset of the story, I thought it would be Graham that needed to do a lot of introspection and self-growth to truly renew their marriage spark, and he did to a degree, but it was Eliza, who’s habit of avoidance of the hard conversations—not only in her marriage but with her family dramas too—that resulted in a bit of a reckoning and lead to major growth as a character. She bordered on frustrating for me at times, but eventually I respected the way she handled her role in her fractured relationships and changed for the better.

Full disclosure: I’m not fond of second-chance romances in general, especially not established couple/marriage-on-the-rocks type romances, like this one. I mostly just prefer to see romantic relationships grow from the beginning of a couples acquaintance, but lately second-change themes and established couple romances seem to be unavoidable as a romance reader, so I always try and keep an open mind and try new stories just in case. All of that is to say, I’m sure if I was into these tropes I would have loved this a lot more than I did, but in the end, I still felt the expected disconnect that usually comes for me when trying to be okay with reading about a couple who already has a whole history I haven’t been there to witness.

I will say I was fascinated by the fact the authors are a young married couple themselves, so I spent a great deal of time wondering how much of their storytelling and characters was autobiographical in some way. They definitely know how to write, with the story and characters feeling crisp and well-rounded from the very beginning, which went a long way in holding my attention.

Although these themes may not have been my cup of tea, I still had a nice, easy time reading this one, and I will most certainly be keeping an eye out for what these author’s come up with next in the world of romance.


Side note: the secondary character of David stole the entire show! I would willingly and eagerly read a whole book about this gentle-giant, hopeless romantic teacher, because he was an absolute delight on every page.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this audiobook! The and heroine have been married for years and have hit a rough patch where they just don't know how to communicate. His mom buys them a getaway trip, but things happen where they end up pretending not to know each other in the hotel bar. They get to know each other again, but also have to finally open up about how they're feeling and what's going wrong in their relationship. I listened to the book in on sitting while on a road trip and was really invested in their relationship! I thought the side characters were also fun and I just really enjoyed the whole setting and vibe of the story. Definitely a marriage in trouble romance you should check out!

[Sabi · Rating 2 out of 5]

It seems to me the characters first need to work on themselves and then rekindle their romance.


I'm not the biggest fan of second-chance romance but there have been exceptions. Sadly, this one was not. The chapters were short but the book seemed too long.

[Sylvie {Semi-Hiatus} · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 out of 5 stars.


I already came to the conclusion that this duo's YA books aren't for me, but I really enjoyed their debut adult novel, so I have high hopes for this one as well.