Matt and Grace meet while in college. Matt is a photography student and Grace is a music major, a gifted cellist. Grace comes from almost nothing and struggles to pay her tuition, much less afford food. She fast learned how to make very little go very far. Matt is attracted by her inner strength, her positive attitude and they become fast friends. Matt's father is very wealthy so he doesn't much struggle for the things that Gracie does. He wants to help her...her pride be damned. There’s something seriously wrong with the relationship of these two. They don’t communicate. They’re melodramatic and immature. Sometimes it feels like they’re in a one sided relationship with the way they make decisions without including the other. Everyone is living in his own head and doesn’t even bother to include the other person? To talk to them? They just frustrated me to death!! You can’t re-create the first time you promise to love someone or the first time you feel loved by another. You cannot relive the sensation of fear, admiration, self-­consciousness, passion, and desire all mixed into one because it never happens twice. You chase it like the first high for the rest of your life. It doesn’t mean you can’t love another or move on; it just means that the one spontaneous moment, the split second that you took the leap, when your heart was racing and your mind was muddled with What ifs?—that moment—will never happen the same way again. It will never feel as intense as the first time. At least, that’s the way I remember it. That’s why my mother always said we memorialize our past. Everything seems better in a memory.” Madsen, Axel (1978). John Huston: A Biography. Doubleday. pp.96ff. ISBN 9781504008587 . Retrieved January 21, 2016.

Authors, if you are a member of the Goodreads Author Program, you can edit information about your own books. Find out how in this guide. I thought you were the one who left me. I didn't know how to reach you. I didn't even accept the job at National Geographic until I found out you were gone."Just awesome. What a cool, completely engrossing, thoroughly heartwarming contemporary new adult love story. The Author Resource Round Table on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/topic/group_folder/116489?group_id=26989 I loved it, and some scenes were very emotional for me, but I guess my expectations were little bit too high. From the very beginning, Sloane's father does everything to make his daughter want to leave. He's also so horrible to many characters in the book. The snake in the Garden of Eden had more value than this guy. The parts in the novel that focus on the mystery are definitely a slow burn which pretty much escalates in the last number of chapters. But since Sloane doesn't have a lot of friends, her one outlet is the handsome high school boyfriend she left behind. Like many romance novels, Sloane was a hard act to follow beca Have you seen this news? 😍😍😍 I can't wait to watch Matt and Grace on the screen. Congratulations Renee Carlino. ❤

This book is sweet, emotional, sad, heartbreaking, at times overwhelming, but most importantly it is an uplifting love story! ...I not only highly recommend this book, but can't wait to dive into other books by Renee. -- Three Girls & A Book Obsession Steinhart, Daniel. (2019). Runaway Hollywood: Internationalizing Postwar Production and Location Shooting. University of California Press. p. 152-3. ISBN 978-0-52-029864-4. When Sloane McBride was five years old, her mother suddenly disappeared, never to be seen or heard from again. Sloane has a few vivid memories of the night her mother left, and for many years she has suspected her father of foul play. Now, after ending a successful run as a popular supermodel, Sloane has returned to her hometown, hoping to finally discover what really happened to her mother all those years ago. In the morning, her mother was gone. The official story was that she left. Her loving, devoted mother! That hadn't sat any better at the time than it did when Sloane moved out at eighteen, anxious to leave her small Texas hometown in search of anywhere else. But not even a fresh start working as a model in New York could keep the nightmares at bay. Or her fears that the domineering father she grew up with wasn't just difficult--he was deadly. Although I finished this book on the weekend, I needed to give myself some time to reflect before I reviewed it. Before We Were Strangers attracted me for it's gorgeous cover-sure! But more importantly, I like the whole storyline of a prodigal daughter(or son) returning and trying to bring the dark family secrets out into the open. Sloane McBride, this novel's protagonist squares off with her father, now her hometown's mayor, and her older brother over the disappearance of her beloved mother when she was only 5. Brenda Novak does a brilliant job at making Daddy McBride a total douchebag and I really despised him.

Table of Contents

If you’re looking for a fantastic first love story, a second chance romance story, a friends to lovers story, or a beautifully emotional story- Before We Were Strangers is the book for you. Renee Carlino’s writing and character development is wonderful. The end left me with a happy heart and a smile on my face.

The Pulitzer you got for it, genius, not the picture.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “That was a good year for you.”A dazzling and heartbreaking story of missed connections and the possibility of a second chance at love. Epic, emotional, and stunningly beautiful... It's easily my favorite book this year and one of my all-time favorites. -- Nestled in a Book What’s phenomenal, the pizza or the staff?” Since my divorce a few years ago, Scott—boss, friend, and eternal bachelor—had high hopes that I’d become his permanent wingman. It was impossible to talk him out of anything, especially when it involved women and food. Tell me that I’m not the only one who thinks that these two are so freakin toxic. Like really toxic. Her books have been featured in national publications, including Cosmopolitan Magazine, InStyle Magazine, USA TODAY, Huffington Post, Latina magazine, Publisher's Weekly, Redbook, Sunset Magazine, Coastal Living and the Union Tribune. This lady knows how to write pure romance and infinite love. She writes about seemingly real people with realistic plots. No fluff, no bull! Before We Were Strangers was sheer perfection! It is a timeless and epic love story... This book has it all. DO NOT MISS THIS ONE! Fabulous job Renee. You are one of the great ones! Keep going... -- Blushing Babes are Up All Night

Overall I loved this story, I highly recommend it to all romance readers and even those who are just starting to dip their feet in the genre. My only complaint was that I wished it was a bit longer and that I didn’t cry. But I am not as sad because of the later, the book made me grin like a fool. Also sorry I got a bit too personal. I loved Matt and Grace so much!They are one of these couples that you wish they have their happy ending!!There is something special in their relationship, there is love,passion and intensity.I fell in love with Matt immediately!I loved him so much especially the moments he was crying because this made him real!You don't read often about men crying in books.Grace is sweet,funny and kind.I can see why Matt fell in love with her!There are moments where she talked about her family and I feel sorry for her!Close to the end around 80% , we have a twist which I didn't see it coming! I read this pretty much in one sitting. This book was equal parts beautiful and heartbreaking... This will be on my top books of the year. It was just so damn beautiful. -- A Book Whore's ObsessionRecommendation. If you like second-chance romances, realistic stories that are carried out during the span of different years and wonderful writing then you will enjoy this book. I will make a confession and say that the book reminded me of my own heartbreak, and maybe it sounds silly, but I do appreciate it for it. Just a little side-note too, I thought the cover and title of this book were gorgeous but after reading it realize just how amazing they really are.