When You Were Mine by Erika Kelly

Book Review #SmallTownRomance #CelebrityRomance #SecondChanceRomance #ChristmasRomance #ChildhoodSweethearts #HolidayRomance @greyspromo

This is my first novel from Erika Kelly and it was definitely a different romance reading experience for me when it comes to the conflicting emotions I felt throughout. Kelly’s writing is clear and well paced, her characters are complicated, and this second chance romance has a bit of melancholy to it that I had to grapple with. When You Were Mine is a second chance romance between two mature people who have lived an entire life apart, they were high school sweethearts, they were married young and situations lead them on very different paths and this separation was a decision made one sided without true understanding and thought behind the consequences. I think this novel will definitely affect reader very differently depending on their age, mind set and emotions.

Entering into this romance Kelly presents the readers with this very loving and romantic couple but that is quickly broken by an immature decision, lack of understanding and clear communication. Then we jump 30 YEARS in which these two have lived entirely separate lives. From this moment on I felt like my heart mourned for the time they lost, it mourned what their life could have been if only they had truly talked to each other, and because of this I found myself frustrated wi the both the hero and heroine. When they finally come face to face again they both are engaged to other people and finally moving on. Then we must go through a push and pull between the hero trying to convince the heroine to talk to him and give them the chance to get to know each other again, with the heartache and betrayal the heroine is unsure she can get past. My inner emotions were definitely put through turmoil as I conflicted between sadness, frustration and hope.

When You Were Mine is definitely a romance that will speak to some and frustrate others. I am glad to have taken the chance on this novel and experiencing it and it definitely leaves me curious about how I will react to other Erika Kelly novels.

Thank you to Grey’s Promotions for an eARC, all thoughts and opinions are my own.