Could Have Been Us by Corinne Michaels is live!

An emotional and heartwrenching read with the most amazingly swoony second-chance/brother’s-best-friend romance. This book had me feeling all the feels, and I freaking loved it!

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Blurb

New York Times Bestselling author Corinne Michaels returns to the Willow Creek Valley Series in this stunning small town, brother’s best friend romance.

Fifteen years ago, I fell for Jack O’Donnell.

I was just a girl, but I knew my brother’s best friend was the only man I’d ever love.

On my eighteenth birthday, when I asked him to kiss me, I never imagined it would change my life so completely.

I gave Jack everything that night.

In order to move on, we had to go our separate ways and pretend like nothing happened… as though it wasn’t the greatest moment of my life.

But even that wasn’t as heartbreaking as the secret we were forced to keep.

I’ve tried not to think about how much I still love him. How I long to be back in his strong arms or the way his hazel eyes make my heart race.

Until he kisses me again. And this time there’s no turning back. This time I know what it means.

We belong together and there’s no use denying it any longer.

But our feelings aren’t the only thing that won’t stay buried, our past resurfaces and threatens to destroy our second chance at happiness.

When our love is tested once again, will we be strong enough to stand together?

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Review

5 heartwrenching, amazingly swoony stars

Damn, Corinne Michaels has taken my heart and squished it over and over again throughout this book. How many books have you in tears during the very first chapter? How many writers can make you feel that much in only a few pages? God, the feels! But what an amazing story! An emotional and heartwrenching read with the most amazingly swoony second-chance/brother’s-best-friend romance. This book had me feeling all the feels, and I freaking loved it!

Jack and Stella were introduced in the first book of this series, Return to Us. Stella is one of five siblings that will have their stories told in this series, Jack is the best friend of Stella’s older brother (and hero of book #1), Grayson. It was clear in the last book that there was something between them, we got to see a hint of their awkward chemistry and a truly exciting secret kiss that had me super excited for their story. The events of the first part of this book overlap the last book, so beware spoilers and read the books in order for full effect.

They’ve known each other since they were children yet, unbeknownst to their friends and family, Jack and Stella share a past that changed their world in ways they never anticipated, and has impacted their whole lives. In love with each other for 15 years, but never feeling able to be together in the way they want, their desperation and wanting for each other just drips off the page.

“Do you want me?”
“Like the fucking air I breathe.”

I could feel their pain and longing, which quickly comes to a head, bringing a most-welcome resolution to their conflict and beginning a sweet, sexy, playful and deeply emotional love story between two people who are absolutely meant to be.

“I have loved you for so long that I don’t remember a time when I didn’t.”

The romance is beautifully swoony, and had me in romance-reader heaven! But their story is so much more than that. I won’t give details because I don’t want to spoil anything, you just need to dive in and experience this, and prepare for the emotion, because OMG, I felt everything. Jack and Stella go through so much in this book, but it was perfect for their story. It wasn’t stupid drama or unnecessary angst, it was an important journey for them, and even though it hurt, and had me reading with tears streaming down my face, it’s the story that I wanted for them, and it’s beautifully written – with so much heart and realism, I could feel it all right along with them.

“I’m going to give you a future,” I vow.
“With you.”
“For as long as you want me.”
“Forever.”

At the same time, the storyline established in the first book of the series continues, as Stella and her brothers come together to take charge of their futures, and I loved seeing the siblings all together. They have a fantastic dynamic, full of banter and laughs, and watching the protective big brothers tease her and Jack over finally finding their way to each other was so much fun. And then watching them come together and take Jack and Stella’s backs through the rest of the story, was just gorgeous.

Two books in, and I am loving this series! The next book is set up nicely, and I’m so excited to read more about the eldest Parkerson brother, Josh.

Such a beautiful story, I loved it!

5 stars.

An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Willow Creek Valley

	
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Meet Corinne

New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller Corinne Michaels is the author of nine romance novels. She’s an emotional, witty, sarcastic, and fun loving mom of two beautiful children. Corinne is happily married to the man of her dreams and is a former Navy wife.

After spending months away from her husband while he was deployed, reading and writing was her escape from the loneliness. She enjoys putting her characters through intense heartbreak and finding a way to heal them through their struggles. Her stories are chock full of emotion, humor, and unrelenting love.

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Release & ARC Review: Could Have Been Us (Willow Creek Valley, #2) by Corinne Michaels