You Were There Too

I have only read two books by Colleen Oakley, but based on those two, she now has a place on my list of must-read authors. Her latest novel, You Were There Too, is that rare mix of realism and fairy tale. Rolled into an emotion-laden story, it has no melodrama and never crosses the line into saccharine sweetness. If anything, it is one of the most honest looks at the difficulties of marriage, and I respect Ms. Oakley so much for her lack of sugar-coating. Plus, Ms. Oakley made me shed tears while reading once again, something it takes a talented author to get me to do.

I picked up You Were There Too expecting an intriguing novel about the life you have versus the life you could have. What I ended up reading blew away my expectations. The show more story has mystery, multiple twists, and an ending I can respect and even applaud for the courage it shows. Her characters are delightful in their flaws, their complexity, and their realness. The small-town setting, with its direct contrast to the bustle of Philadelphia, provides an eerie mood to the story that enhances its otherworldliness. Well-written without being too dramatic, You Were There Too is a simple story simply told with great success. show less

YOU WERE THERE TOO was a wonderful, heartbreaking book. It was one that I couldn’t wait to get back to, while at the same time dreading that it will end. I knew going in, with that premise, how could it not be a tearjearker? And it was, for sure, though surprisingly in a different way than I expected. The characters are genuine and flawed, and I cared deeply about them. This is a gripping story about love and fate, dreams and their meanings, and about what is and what could have been. Unique and thought-provoking…tissues a must.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Mia and her husband have recently moved from stressful, fast-paced Philadelphia to settle into a cute country home in Hope Springs, where they can breathe fresh air and emotionally recover from two miscarriages before trying again to have a child. As they get to know their neighbors in the small town, Mia is shocked to meet the man whose face has consistently appeared in her dreams since she was in college. And what does it mean that, once she gets the chance to speak to him (at the risk of sounding like a lunatic), Oliver reveals that he has been dreaming about her too?

I brought this along on vacation, and both the mood and setting were a perfect fit. I'm truly surprised this hasn't received more buzz — I couldn't put it down. It was show more emotional, fascinating and more than a little bit heartbreaking. The author kept me guessing where it was going, and I appreciated the restraint shown. Recommended for your next getaway! show less

Mia and Dr. Harrison Graydon seem to have the perfect marriage. They've been married for a number of years and the only true tragedy they've had to deal with are several miscarriages. They've recently relocated from Philadelphia to a small, rural town and Harrison is working at a local hospital. Mia is still focused on her artwork, but has yet to find a job. They're both looking forward to having a child as Mia is currently pregnant. Then tragedy strikes again and Mia has another miscarriage. Mia is emotionally distraught over losing another baby and eagerly latches onto her OB/GYN's advice to see a specialist for an evaluation. It's at that point that Mia and Harrison encounter their first true marital hurdle. Harrison is at a point show more where he wants to give up on the notion of having kids and Mia wants to continue no matter what. While Mia is dealing with the emotional overload from the miscarriage and Harrison's apparent change of mind in terms of having a child, she also runs into her "dream man." Oliver is someone that Mia has dreamt about for a number of years and to finally see him in this small town makes her begin to question everything. When Harrison takes Mia over to dinner at Oliver's sister's house, things get even more strange because Oliver indicates that he has been dreaming about Mia for quite sometime as well. As Oliver and Mia explore the possible meaning of their linked dreams, Mia and Harrison begin to pull apart. Are Oliver and Mia meant to be together or is it supposed to be Harrison and Mia?

I've only read one other book by Colleen Oakley, but I enjoyed it so much that when I had the opportunity to read and review You Were There Too, I jumped at the chance. I'm so glad I did! This is not your typical romance story, nor is it a typical story of two married people growing apart. What it is about is growth in relationships, self-discovery, and change. I enjoyed all of the characters and especially the interactions between Mia and Harrison, Mia and Oliver, and Mia and her girlfriend Raya. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Mia's sister's name was Vivian. (Hey, I love finding my name in fiction as long as the character isn't a homicidal maniac!) Yes, there's a lot going on in this story, marital stress, work-related stress, the stress from having a miscarriage, the stress from not finding a job, the stress from not having your art appreciated or sold... basically a lot of normal adult stress. There's also a lot of joy, joy found from being with family, friends, and lovers/mates. There's also sadness, some from the miscarriage and some from a totally unexpected twist near the end of the story (and no, I won't tell you what it is, read it for yourself!). You Were There Too is a story about love, family, friendship, marriage, joy, heartbreak, and above all, possibilities. For those of you that have read anything by Ms. Oakley in the past, I probably don't have to tell you to add this book to your TBR list, but I will anyway. For those of you looking for realistic fiction that incorporates family dynamics, marital life, bits of romance, and more, then I urge you to add this to your TBR list. Something tells me that this is one of those books that I'll be rereading in the near future. I enjoyed reading You Were There Too and I only hope you'll enjoy reading it as much as I did.

Happy Reading!

This review originally posted on 1/5/2020 at https://www.thebookdivasreads.com/2020/01/2020-book-5-you-were-there-too-by.html. show less

This book has a unique premise from the get-go: a happily-married woman has been having dreams of another man for years. No harm, no foul. They are only dreams. The twists begin when she runs into him in real life. Oh, and secondary twist? He's been having dreams of her, too. The out-of-the-ordinary play upon an alternate lives yet "everything happens for a reason" theme, as if you could almost see where the characters might have ended up if they had made different choices, was very appealing. Each character is battling their own internal struggles. And while not being too heavily focused on any one of the minor players, their problems are linked and fleshed out for the best possible understanding of each person. And for good reason, show more when the ending in revealed. It was gasp-inducing and tear-jerking with a twist ending that I (gratefully) did not see coming. This may have been my first Colleen Oakley novel but it certainly won't be my last. In fact, I wanted to re-read it the second I closed the cover.

Five heart-wrenching stars and a huge thank you to BookBrowse, Colleen Oakley, and Berkley Publishing for supplying me with this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

https://www.bookbrowse.com/reader_reviews/details/index.cfm/ref/rr44789 show less

4.5 stars.

You Were There Too by Colleen Oakley is a captivating novel that is thought-provoking and humorous with a bit of a mystical vibe.

Mia Graydon and her surgeon husband Harrison have recently relocated from Philly to the small town of Hope Springs. While Harrison has settled into his new practice, Mia is struggling to launch her career and put down new roots. After another miscarriage, Mia is stunned by Harrison's reaction after a visit to a fertility doctor. With her once strong marriage faltering, Mia meets Oliver, the man who has starred in recurring dreams she has had for years. Even more surprising is Oliver's confession that he, too, dreams of her. As her marriage becomes even more troubled, Mia and Oliver try to understand show more their dreams and whether or not there is a tangible connection behind their mutual dream life.

Mia never thought she would marry after her turbulent childhood but falling in love with Harrison changed her mind. She also had no interest in becoming a mother but she one day realized she was ready to add to their family. But their road to parenthood is rocky and with this most recent loss, Mia is not ready to give up on becoming a mother.

At an impasse with Harrison about parenthood, Mia instead focuses on trying to understand why she and Oliver dream about each other. Their quest for understanding takes a tiny supernatural turn as they delve into psychic connections and the meaning of dreams. Mia and Oliver also connect on a personal level as they discuss their dreams, text back and forth about their discoveries and embark on a journey to find answers to their questions. As Mia and Harrison's relationship grows more strained, she cannot help but wonder if there is a deeper meaning to dreaming about Oliver and their meeting in real life.

You Were There Too is an incredibly riveting novel that is emotional and touching. The characters are well-drawn and vibrantly developed with relatable strengths and foibles. The storyline is clever and engrossing with realistic issues to overcome. The dream story arc is creative and intriguing with Mia and Oliver trying to uncover the meaning for their ethereal connection. Colleen Oakley brings this enchanting novel to a shocking and poignant conclusion. I absolutely loved and highly recommend this deeply affecting novel. show less

I saw this quote the other day and it seemed to fit so well with the theme of You Were There Too by Colleen Oakley.

"We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us." -Joseph Campbell

In her new book, Oakley tells the story of Mia a young artist married to a surgeon. All is good except Mia very much wants a baby and has had three miscarriages. But the compelling issue driving the plot is her recurrent dreams of another man. Almost on a whim she and her husband move to a small town and Mia meets this man, only to learn that he has been dreaming about her too.

Told mostly from Mia’s point of view there are multiple other perspectives scattered throughout. Serious issues are dealt show more with such as infertility, domestic violence, and a doctor’s loss of a patient. And so much about marriage, dreams (always fascinating), fate and coincidences, with some mystery and suspense added as well.

I really liked Oakley’s previous book Close Enough to Touch and the quirky characters she portrayed. Although this book had more realistic characters, the plot itself was more quirky. And it kept me reading because I could not guess how this story would play out. All my guesses were wrong. And if you like tidy and happy endings you may be disappointed. But sometimes in books and in life there is a twist you do not see coming. show less