Early Book Review: Then There Was You by Mona Shroff

Then There Was You by Mona Shroff is currently scheduled forrelease on January 26 2021.  When helicopter medic Daniel Bliant answers an emergency call at Phil’s Bar, he can’t believe who the bartender is: the beautiful woman he saw in his ER months before and hasn’t been able to stop thinking about. He should forget her. After all, he knows he’s damaged goods. But Annika is intelligent, fun and totally stunning—the breath of life he desperately needs after the incident that left him shattered. Annika Mehta is doing just fine. She loves her job as a kindergarten teacher, even if the pay is low and she has a side gig working at Phil’s. At least the bar owners are more like family. Sure, she’s reeling from a bad breakup and the terrible event that caused it, but she’s fine. Really. What she doesn’t need is Daniel. He’s wrong for her in every single way—so why is their chemistry off the charts?

Then There Was You is a book that hits a lot of hard topics: racism, loss of a child, family dynamics, and all the grief and emotions that can go with them. However, there is also so much hope and healing mixed in that the story balances nicely and readers are not left reeling from the hurts, but rather looking towards the character's future. Annika and Daniel have their own grief and losses to deal with, and family dynamics that can hurt as much as they help.  Annika is doing what she loves, and is trying to move forward with her life and dealing with the things that she faces day by day. Daniel has faced huge losses, and is struggling to live his life, hiding from the things that remind him of what he has lost. A not so chance meeting, secrets, and the shadows of the past bring them together and try to tear them apart. I loved the realistic way the family's are portrayed, and how real and raw the grief of the characters is handle. The matter of fact way Annika deals with the racism was so sad and scarily real to me- because I know these people are out there and more often closer than I would like to believe. I feel like these characters are very much alive and real, and these struggles can be found just as easily in city or town. The struggles, the pain, and the hope for the future really hit me hard, and stuck with me. 

Then There Was You is a romance with some heavy moments and topics, but hope and moving forward as well. It is not a light, fluffy read but it is a book that will capture your attention and stick with you long after you finish it.