Book Review: You Were There Too by Colleen Oakley

You Were There Too
By: Colleen Oakley 
Published: January 7, 2020
Publisher: Berkley
Source: Audible Purchase

Mia Graydon's life looks picket-fence perfect; she has the house, her loving husband, and dreams of starting a family. But she has other dreams too — unexplained, recurring ones starring the same man. Still, she doesn’t think much of them, until a relocation to small-town Pennsylvania brings her face to face with the stranger she has been dreaming about for years. And this man harbors a jaw-dropping secret of his own—he's been dreaming of her too. 

Determined to understand, Mia and this not-so-stranger search for answers. But when diving into their pasts begins to unravel her life in the present, Mia emerges with a single question—what if? 

Acclaimed author Colleen Oakley delivers a heart-wrenching and unforgettable love story about a woman who must choose between the man she loves and the man fate has chosen for her in a novel that reminds us that the best life is one led by the heart.

 

My Thoughts:

Mia and Harrison have a good marriage. They love each other, but like any couple they have their ups and downs. Mia wants a baby more than anything, but has known great pain after suffering two miscarriages. These two move from the big city to a small town where Harrison is a doctor, and Mia is trying be successful with her paintings.  Mia has had vivid and reoccurring dreams of a man she doesn't know. Imagine her shock, when she sees this man in real life.  His name is Oliver, and fate keeps bringing him into her life.  Mia can't believe it when Oliver confesses that he's been dreaming of her too.  What could be the reason for their mutual dreaming of one another?

You Were There Too was a novel with a unique and intriguing premise.  It started out a little slow, but took off once Oliver entered the picture.  I enjoyed the mystery behind the dreams, and trying to guess their purpose.  I loved the way the author kept me on my toes, and gave me a thoroughly unpredictable ending.  Things did not turn out the way I thought they would.  The ending broke my heart and had me in tears, but also offered an open-ended ray of hope.  I have never read a story like this, and really enjoy when an author can deliver something that I've never seen done before. I found it refreshing, creative, and original.

This story tugged on my emotions, and was done in an authentic, and very realistic manner.  This was my book club's pick for June, and I am so glad that I discovered and read this book through them.  If you are fascinated by dreams, and are looking for an original and unique storyline, that is unpredictable, I recommend you check out, You Were There Too; but fair warning, have tissues nearby!

Purchase At:

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Google Play | IndieBound

About the Author:

Colleen Oakley’s novels have been named best books by People Magazine, Us Weekly, Library Journal, and Real Simple, and both were long-listed for the Pat Conroy Southern Book Prize. Formerly the editor-in-chief of Women’s Health & Fitness and senior editor of Marie Claire, her articles and essays have been featured in The New York Times, Ladies’ Home Journal, Women’s Health, Redbook, Parade, Marie Claire and Martha Stewart Weddings. She lives in Atlanta with her husband, four kids and the world's biggest lapdog, Bailey. Her fourth novel THE INVISIBLE HUSBAND OF FRICK ISLAND will be published by Berkley/Penguin in summer 2021.

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