Just the Two of Us by Jo Wilde
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Web ID: 16836403Older couple
I like reading stories with older couples and we need more of them. This wasn’t my favorite older couple, but I will keep reading anything I can with silver haired characters. 3 stars
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Happily immersed myself in this love story!
4.5 stars rounded up! A quiet, simple love story that is oddly rejuvenating and comforting for a pandemic novel. When I was invited to read this sweet second chance romance, I already had a list of advanced copies I needed to get to for the month, but I couldn’t say no to the intriguing premise. I haven’t been successful with pandemic or apocalyptic books the past few years, but the idea of a book where something good comes from the pandemic?? And a romance?! It sounded refreshing, and I wanted to give it a try. I’m so very happy that I did. I read Just the Two of Us quickly, not wanting to set it down. Happily immersed in the simplicity of the hyper-focused story. The pandemic is just a backdrop, an inciter to Michael and Julie’s story. We meet this couple as the world is shutting down, as their town is entering lockdown. After almost thirty-five years of marriage and three children, Michael and Julie have grown apart as they became empty nesters, even sleeping in separate rooms for the past two years. Unbeknownst to Michael, Julie has picked up divorce papers. When suddenly they discover they’ll be stuck at home alone together for the foreseeable future, Julie can’t bring herself to give the papers to Michael just yet. As the story progresses through that strangest spring of 2020, we discover what has gone wrong between this couple. Through dual point of views and flashbacks, we meet these characters and their family. We learn how they’ve changed and how they still love each other very much. But both parties have said and done hurtful things—those things that may seem small on the surface but lead to big feelings. And as someone who is approaching their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary, I could empathize with those little things that chip away at couples, like they do in the novel. Those things we leave unsaid because we think they’re silly or won’t matter. When we feel like someone we’ve been with for so long should just know what we’re thinking and feeling without being told. But that isn’t always the case. People are complicated and we never truly know what the other person is going through without clear communication. This novel also reminded me of how in the early days of the pandemic, life became so much more simpler again. Peaceful in a strange way. As long as we were healthy, had food and toilet paper, we had the time again to focus on each other, on creating, on nature. And it made me nostalgic for the time. Not that I want to repeat it, but it’s nice to look back and know something good came from such a dark time. I would love for this gentle story to get the attention it deserves. It’s hopeful and sweet, an inspiring tale about the enduring power of love—in everyday life, as well as when the world around us is in chaos. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to Books Forward for providing me with an advance copy.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Love in Lockdown
Julie and Michael Marshall have been married for almost 35 years. The story begins as she picks up divorce papers and goes home to tell her husband their marriage is over. But the original lock down begins for the Covid pandemic. Their three grown children are all away so it is the two of them left to spend time together. The story jumps to previous time periods and then returns to the present day to explore how they grew apart. I think what stood out to me was the ordinariness of it all. It felt realistic that they each had their own work to do and relationships with the kids but they forgot about them as a couple. I found this easy to read and relatable. I think the cover makes it look like it will be a lighter read than it is actually. I enjoyed the story.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
They found their way back together
Julie and Michael ar at an impasse in their marriage. They aren't happy together, but they don't know exactly why. Julie knows she doesn't want to live like this anymore and visits a divorce lawyer the same day that lockdown starts. Since she and Michael will be stuck together, she decides to wait on giving him the papers. In the beginning you can see the breakdown of the marriage, the lack of communication between the couple. They are trying to find their footing with each other again after their kids left home. The book bounces back and forth between the past and the present, giving us the good and the bad of their marriage. I love reading marriage reconciliation books because I love how a couple learns to communicate and comes back together. Communication with the ones you love should be the easiest thing to do, but is often the hardest. I enjoyed Julie and Michael's book tremendously. I have read a few "lockdown" books and this one was done in such a way that it didn't fell overwhelming.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Heartwarming story of second chances
This is a heartwarming story of Julie and Michael, who have been married for thirty-four years. Due to multiple changes in their family life, and many miscommunications, Julie decides she wants a divorce. But just her luck, the day she returns home with the papers, the world is forever changed by the COVID outbreak, and she is forced into lockdown with Michael. We are privy to their story through flashbacks, and it is sweet and heartbreaking to see where things went wrong. Given their forced proximity due to the pandemic lockdown, things could go either way. This story is close to my heart as my husband and I are going through many of the same changes at our house. We've been married for almost as many years, and our children are grown and will be leaving the nest soon (please pray this part actually happens). During the lockdown I was at home with the grown children while my husband was able to leave and go to work. Needless to say, I was unhappy about him being able to leave, while he was unhappy about having to go to work. It was just like when the boys were babies!! There were really no winners during lockdown. While we are not headed towards divorce, I can see how the actions/non actions on both Julie and Michael's part can lead to discontentment within a marriage. Thank you to Books Forward and Read Forever Pub for an eArc of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com