Book Review – You Were There Too by Colleen Oakley

You Were There Too

I just loved it. Eloquent writing, poignant yet relatable, but that had me on edge wondering WHAT was happening, the whole way through!! And what was going to happen?!! Oh yes, this one is so unique and explores all sorts of human issues (love and happiness, marital strife, depression, fertility problems, second guessing choices)… BUT one thing it explores that’s not-so-human. <— OH MY that one had me!!!!

Maryse: OOOOOH BLURB JOLT!!!! Especially that last line!! I one-clicked it SO HARD!!!

Kim: This is such a great book! I read it when it released and loved it ❤️

Megan: Great read!

Tiffany: It’s a good one, I enjoyed it

Maryse: I just started “You Were There Too” (loving the writing already) but GASP!!!!! The heroine thinks Keanu Reeves is mediocre??!!!!! *thud* 😑😒🤨

bev: That is just not ok.

Jan: Ha ha ha. That is just wrong.

Becky: I read this one last week. It’s so good!

D.G. Just finished “You Were There Too”. OMG…writing was great with ALL the feels in this one. Emotionally devastated.

Maryse: OMG D.G. I’m so thrilled you said that!! I keep hearing how awesome it is. Luckily I have a long weekend to dig into it properly. 🙂

Michele G: Are you still reading You Were There Too by Colleen Oakley? It’s so good!! I’ve been listening to the audio.

Harper: Is there cheating or a love triangle?

Maryse: I don’t know yet… eeeeeep!!!

Michele G: Harper, I would say *spoiler* *spoiler* – *spoiler* of a *spoiler*. It’s hard to explain without giving anything away. I finished it yesterday – buckle up Maryse, it’s an emotional ride!

Maryse: I’m in the last quarter!!! 😀 It’s SO GOOOOOD!

Michele G: Ohhhh get ready! It’s gonna get intense!

Maryse: YOU ARE SO RIGHT D.G. & Michele G!!! I just finished it too, and HOLY MOLY I didn’t see ANY OF THAT COMING!!!!!!!

I went on that blurb alone (total blurb jolt!!). Coupled with some adamant recommendations and I knew this was right up my alley. I wanted to feel the book as it happened, pure and at times… painful. I didn’t want any feeling of safety and prematurely “knowing stuff“, so I could experience it all, just like the heroine had to.

P.S. Michele’s comment up there wasn’t that spoilery, but not knowing ANYTHING – no training wheels – will have that much more impact, so I *spoilered* out some stuff.

I already love exploring a solid and loving couple that run across marital issues that they try to work through (and finding the truth behind the discord), but the strange monkey-wrench that was thrown their way really had me questioning how this would end.

So what’s it about?

Happily married Mia (an artist) and her husband Harrison (a surgeon) have just moved to a small town, and Mia is trying to get her happy mojo back. Thinking they needed to get away from city life, and “slow down” so as to better enjoy their lives together, sounded like a good idea at the time, but Mia’s not feeling it as much as she was hoping to.

Deep down, though, I know it’s not the space or the house that feels overwhelming, and suddenly I blurt out the one thing I’ve been terrified to admit—to myself, much less Harrison. “It doesn’t feel like this is where I’m supposed to be.”

“What do you mean?” she asks.

“I don’t know—I can’t explain it. But I keep thinking at any second we’re going to drive back to Philly. That our apartment is still waiting for us.

She’s haunted by a few issues, including her lack of inspiration, pregnancy worries, her artist dream job that just won’t come together, missing her old life, her overworked husband…

Though he said a smaller hospital would mean a slower pace, lately it’s seemed like the opposite is true.

and one thing that haunts her nightly. Her crazy-fun (sometimes crazy-scary) dreams, that star the same male stranger…

They’re not memories. They’re dreams. They’re just dreams. It’s not real.

And then one day, Mia is shopping for garden supplies, and there he is.

A man walks into the store. I freeze. A cold electric current runs from the base of my skull down my spine. My heart thuds once and then stops.

Maybe forever.

It’s him. And then, as if I’ve willed him to do it, he looks up, eyes locking with mine.

And when he sees her, he seems to recognize her too.

Oliver.

It’s as if learning his name has unlocked some treasure trove of stored dreams that I assumed had been lost forever, dissolved like sugar in water by the morning light.

They come rushing in like memories…

And that’s where I’m leaving it. The rest is for you to discover, and fret over, just like I did. And it was SO worth it. SO many hints, so many possibilities, and yet I never guessed it until it all came together.

I loved that most of the book is through her POV, with the occasional chapter being her husband’s. And even a couple of chapters devoted to the POV of a few side characters, that didn’t seem to be relevant enough at the time, but definitely added to my stress!! I mean… it had me wondering why we were in their heads at all… unless it was going to be something big?

Oh it all comes together and makes so much sense. Well, as much sense as something “out there” like this can make. 😉

In fact, I’m going to say… to give you an idea of the feel (the potential love triangle, or even greater meaning due to the connection BUT!!!! Not necessarily the same outcome, or the same *ahem* “thing” going on – so don’t let me put thoughts in your head) so here goes: If you loved Transcend by Jewel E. Ann, I think you’ll appreciate and LOVE this one too. At first for that “esoteric-connection” feel, but for all sorts of different reasons once it all comes together. 😀

I can’t believe I ever questioned it, even for a second.

It’s him.

It’s always been him.

4.5 STARS!!! I LOVED IT. I will say, this is not a “romance”. More of a love story/women’s fiction, but those are some of my favorite reads. And no matter what happened (or didn’t happen 😉 my lips are sealed) I was into it right to the very end! Trust me, my review gives NOTHING away, so don’t think “you think you know”. ‘Kay? 😉 Tee hee!!!