One Old, One New - The Renee Carlino Edition

One Old, One New features two books – one old, one new, which are connected in some way. Today I am featuring two books by Renee Carlino.

---

Wish You Were Here by Renee Carlino
Published by Atria Books on August 15, 2017
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Fiction

Goodreads

Charlotte has spent her twenties adrift, floating from interest to interest, job to job, and guy to guy, searching for a spark but never quite finding it. All she knows is that she won’t discover it working as a waitress at a pies-and-fries joint in Los Angeles or living with her fun but aimless best friend in a tiny apartment in the Arts District.

Then Charlotte collides with Adam, a gorgeous and soulful painter who seems just as lost as she feels. Their instant connection turns into a midnight drink… and a whirlwind night of champagne, Chinese food, and the kind of conversation that only happens in romantic comedies. But the next morning, Adam gives Charlotte the cold shoulder, leaving her confused and hurt—and wondering if the few odd moments between them the night before were red flags in disguise.

Months later, Charlotte hasn’t been able to shake Adam, so she decides to find out what happened the morning after their magical night together. This fateful decision rewrites their wild love story, but what Charlotte doesn’t know yet is that the ending has already been written.

If I was being honest, I didn't expect this book to earn a high rating when I first started reading. I had "feelings" about Charlotte. But it all changed for me about halfway through the book. Carlino went straight for my heart, pulling no punches, as I was reduced to a puddle. I spent about 30% of the book sobbing. I was crying because it was sad, but it was also so beautiful.

Then there was the dreaded triangle. I don't hate love triangles, but usually the author writes the two love interests in such a way that it's easy for me to pick one over the other. This was the worst! I actually really liked them both, and I think that contributed to my heartache as well.

The romantic element was strong in this book, but it was more about Charlotte and her journey. She had spent so many years exploring and abandoning possible careers. She dated emotionally unavailable men to protect her heart. She never really came into herself until that night. Meeting Adam was life changing for her, in so many ways, but being with him, loving him, helped her gain clarity and focus.

I was overjoyed with where Carlino went with this story. There was love and joy and laughter, and that epilogue! There I was, sobbing again, but it wasn't because I was sad, it was because it was so lovely and perfect and it made me truly happy.

I should have never doubted Carlino, and as expected, this was a wonderful and emotional story that really touched me and tugged at my heartstrings.

---

This Used to Be Us by Renee Carlino
Published by Dial Press on July 9, 2024
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Fiction

Goodreads

There are two sides to every love story—and every breakup. Get ready for an emotional roller coaster of family, marriage, and divorce that will have you both laughing and crying, from the bestselling author of Before We Were Strangers.

After twenty-two years together, Danielle and Alex are getting a divorce. Once fiercely in love, they can barely stand the sound of each other’s voice. Instead of shuttling the kids between two broken homes, Alex and Dani decide to share a nesting apartment while swapping days with their two teenage boys at the family home.

In the apartment, Dani and Alex, on their own, begin to reflect on the last two decades—why they fell in love and why the marriage fell, spectacularly, apart. With the newfound space and time, they are given a chance to rediscover their autonomous selves again. They both get back in the dating pool. Dani finds major success at work as a showrunner on her own TV project, while Alex faces the challenges of a new relationship.

Still, they find that they just can’t stay away from each other, and somehow, the distance allows them to remember (for the first time in years) what each used to love about the other. When a family crisis draws them back into each other’s orbit, Dani and Alex are once again put to the test, which leads to a dramatic conclusion that will have listeners weeping.

This book starts at the end. The end of a twenty-two year relationship with a couple embarking on divorce. They had hit rock-bottom and were broken, but it's during their time apart that they were able heal.

I would say this story had it all - the good, the bad, and the ugly. Both Dani and Alex reflected on their time together. I was treated to some beautiful and touching moments from their love story, as well as some meaningful memories. They shared a long history together, but there were things they missed and were now recognizing with the distance between them.

I found their journey interesting but difficult. It was hard to watch the demise of something beautiful. My best advice is - buckle up. This was an emotional roller coaster. In my mind, I had the story end at about 90%. The last 10% of the book had me sobbing and snotting. It was not pretty, folks. The reason was that the events were simultaneously heartwarming and heartbreaking. I got the big message and there was some beauty in the pain, but after reading two Carlino books in a row, I need a rom-com.

Overall, this was a touching story of love and what things really bring meaning to our lives. There was happiness and tears, anger and forgiveness, but above all, there was love.

Have you read any books by Carlino?
Let us know in the comments!