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Between Me and You
When their paths first cross, Ben Livingston is a fledgling screenwriter on the brink of success; Tatum Connelly is a struggling actress tending bar in a New York City dive. They fall in love, they marry, they become parents, and they think only of the future. But as the years go by, Tatum’s stardom rises while Ben’s fades. In a marriage that bears the fallout of ambition and fame, Ben and Tatum are at a crossroads. Now all they can do is think back…
A life of passion, joy, tragedy, and loss—once shared—becomes one as shifting and unpredictable as a memory. And as they explore the ways love can bend and break, they recount their individual versions of the story, Ben’s moving backward and Tatum’s moving forward, each wondering what they can do now to make it all right.
358 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 9, 2018
1256 people are currently reading
6583 people want to read
About the author
Allison Winn Scotch
13 books1,960 followersI'm the bestselling author of eight novels including, CLEO MCDOUGAL REGRETS NOTHING, IN TWENTY YEARS and TIME OF MY LIFE, currently in development at Sony. My latest book, THE REWIND, will be released in Nov 2022 by Berkley Books.
As an author, I know how brutal reviews can be, so I'll only post about books I've enjoyed. (Just in case you're wondering why all of my reviews are positive!)
As an author, I know how brutal reviews can be, so I'll only post about books I've enjoyed. (Just in case you're wondering why all of my reviews are positive!)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 450 reviews
September 14, 2018
*2.75 stars*
Between me and you, this started out on a promising note, but somewhere around the halfway mark, my feelings started to wane—big time.
Allison Winn Scotch delivers a dose of reality with Ben and Tatum’s relationship—no matter how intoxicating things starts off, nothing is ever perfect. There are some moments of brilliance sprinkled throughout the pages and plenty of passages I found myself eating up, but unfortunately the things I didn’t care for cast a much bigger shadow.
My major contention with this story is the way it’s told—notably the flip-flopping timeline—Tatum’s perspective is told in chronological order, while simultaneously, Ben’s perspective of their demise is told in reverse. The result can only be described as a scattered mess. Until you manage to gain somewhat of a foothold and wrap your mind around what the author is striving for, you'll be forced to find some semblance of balance by piecing things together yourself. Bottom line, prepare for some confusion.
Not only is the method of delivery messy, it’s extremely repetitive. Naturally, with two characters relaying their version of the same events, there’s bound to be some overlap, but this much? The sheer number of things that were crammed down my throat, over and over—Ben’s projects, Tatum’s mother’s motto, the loss of their parents, their not so cutesy after the fifth time, “I see you” moments—made me want to scratch my eyes out. I’m sorry, I don’t do well with regurgitated information that adds absolutely nothing but filler to the storyline and there’s a ton of it here. If you took all of that away, what would be left standing? Was the delivery a ploy to mask the mundane?
To further add to my growing list of complaints, let’s talk about Tatum and Ben for a minute. The author tackles a host of issues with these two—resentment, jealousy, lies, and infidelity—but she failed to deliver the deep, unwavering intensity a story like this demands from its lead characters. Sure, the words were there, but the underlying feelings were somehow absent. Smothered by internal monologue, maybe?
Despite Ben's declarations—ad nauseam—that he could see the real Tatum, I never felt like I did. What I saw was a spoiled actress playing a role, alongside her selfish husband. To further drive the nail in the coffin, the fact that Tatum excused away what Ben did so easily, not only downplayed the situation, which felt ignorant on some level, but also succeeded in contradicting the underlying message of the entire story—all relationships take work. Instead, we’re served up a cornball ending that highlights what exactly, playing pretend is actually the better way to go?
*Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Between me and you, this started out on a promising note, but somewhere around the halfway mark, my feelings started to wane—big time.
Allison Winn Scotch delivers a dose of reality with Ben and Tatum’s relationship—no matter how intoxicating things starts off, nothing is ever perfect. There are some moments of brilliance sprinkled throughout the pages and plenty of passages I found myself eating up, but unfortunately the things I didn’t care for cast a much bigger shadow.
My major contention with this story is the way it’s told—notably the flip-flopping timeline—Tatum’s perspective is told in chronological order, while simultaneously, Ben’s perspective of their demise is told in reverse. The result can only be described as a scattered mess. Until you manage to gain somewhat of a foothold and wrap your mind around what the author is striving for, you'll be forced to find some semblance of balance by piecing things together yourself. Bottom line, prepare for some confusion.
Not only is the method of delivery messy, it’s extremely repetitive. Naturally, with two characters relaying their version of the same events, there’s bound to be some overlap, but this much? The sheer number of things that were crammed down my throat, over and over—Ben’s projects, Tatum’s mother’s motto, the loss of their parents, their not so cutesy after the fifth time, “I see you” moments—made me want to scratch my eyes out. I’m sorry, I don’t do well with regurgitated information that adds absolutely nothing but filler to the storyline and there’s a ton of it here. If you took all of that away, what would be left standing? Was the delivery a ploy to mask the mundane?
To further add to my growing list of complaints, let’s talk about Tatum and Ben for a minute. The author tackles a host of issues with these two—resentment, jealousy, lies, and infidelity—but she failed to deliver the deep, unwavering intensity a story like this demands from its lead characters. Sure, the words were there, but the underlying feelings were somehow absent. Smothered by internal monologue, maybe?
Despite Ben's declarations—ad nauseam—that he could see the real Tatum, I never felt like I did. What I saw was a spoiled actress playing a role, alongside her selfish husband. To further drive the nail in the coffin, the fact that Tatum excused away what Ben did so easily, not only downplayed the situation, which felt ignorant on some level, but also succeeded in contradicting the underlying message of the entire story—all relationships take work. Instead, we’re served up a cornball ending that highlights what exactly, playing pretend is actually the better way to go?
*Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 16, 2018
This was my first read by Allison Winn Scotch and I was super excited to have a dose of a romance. Well.... I was pretty disappointed. :(
Between Me and You started out on a bang but it started to slowly lose it's sparkle and just lost me big time.
The biggest issue I had with this novel was how it's told (dual perspective). I usually LOVE dual perspective but wow was this a serious hot mess. This was ALL over the place and not in a good way. Tatum Connelly's perspective is told from chronological order and Ben's perspective is told from the opposite/reverse order. All I can say is be prepared for some MAJOR confusion when you tread these waters. Honestly, I'm not sure at all what the author was trying to do with the timeline but it did not work at all for me.
Not only did I have issues with the delivery, but also the repetitiveness. Either we heard about "I see you" moments or Ben's writing projects. I felt like the story was a bunch of fluff without the actual meat. I was rolling me eyes pretty much the entire story.
And, let's be honest. The author brings up some serious issues that Ben and Tatum have experienced. Infidelity, resentment, and trust. The characterization was lacking BIG time with Ben and Tatum. I was expecting to hurt when Ben/Tatum were hurt. I expected to be happy when Ben/Tatum were happy. Nope.... the feelings to her characters were absent. And... wow Tatum was a spoiled brat. Ben... was also a jerk and extremely self-centered. YIKES!!!
The ending?..... also was horrible. Cheesy and unbelievable. The story held promise but unfortunately it did not live up to my expectations.
Overall 2.5 stars for this one. But, I have heard some amazing things about this author's previous novels... so I would check out this author in the future.
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the advanced arc in exchange for an honest review.
Publication date: 1/9/18.
Review posted: 1/15/18.
Between Me and You started out on a bang but it started to slowly lose it's sparkle and just lost me big time.
The biggest issue I had with this novel was how it's told (dual perspective). I usually LOVE dual perspective but wow was this a serious hot mess. This was ALL over the place and not in a good way. Tatum Connelly's perspective is told from chronological order and Ben's perspective is told from the opposite/reverse order. All I can say is be prepared for some MAJOR confusion when you tread these waters. Honestly, I'm not sure at all what the author was trying to do with the timeline but it did not work at all for me.
Not only did I have issues with the delivery, but also the repetitiveness. Either we heard about "I see you" moments or Ben's writing projects. I felt like the story was a bunch of fluff without the actual meat. I was rolling me eyes pretty much the entire story.
And, let's be honest. The author brings up some serious issues that Ben and Tatum have experienced. Infidelity, resentment, and trust. The characterization was lacking BIG time with Ben and Tatum. I was expecting to hurt when Ben/Tatum were hurt. I expected to be happy when Ben/Tatum were happy. Nope.... the feelings to her characters were absent. And... wow Tatum was a spoiled brat. Ben... was also a jerk and extremely self-centered. YIKES!!!
The ending?..... also was horrible. Cheesy and unbelievable. The story held promise but unfortunately it did not live up to my expectations.
Overall 2.5 stars for this one. But, I have heard some amazing things about this author's previous novels... so I would check out this author in the future.
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the advanced arc in exchange for an honest review.
Publication date: 1/9/18.
Review posted: 1/15/18.
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August 17, 2018Between Me and You by Allison Winn Scotch is a 2018 Lake Union Publication.
I won this book from Goodreads way back in December 2017. It was a little hard to follow and I found myself struggling with it, so I put it aside. I’ve tried to read it several times since then, but the writing style is confusing. I have seen this formula in other books, and it has been an interesting approach, but it really takes a very seasoned author to pull that off, I think.
For now, I’m going to mark this one as DNF, but may revisit it again in the future.
I won this book from Goodreads way back in December 2017. It was a little hard to follow and I found myself struggling with it, so I put it aside. I’ve tried to read it several times since then, but the writing style is confusing. I have seen this formula in other books, and it has been an interesting approach, but it really takes a very seasoned author to pull that off, I think.
For now, I’m going to mark this one as DNF, but may revisit it again in the future.
August 12, 2017
I was fortunate enough to get an early reader copy of this from the author. I just finished it and this is clearly Allison's best book to date. It's an ambitious premise--tell the same story from two perspectives, the story of a marriage--but start one timeline today and work backwards, and the other at the beginning and go forwards. This could so easily have ended up with too many retellings of the same events, and no surprises, but that's not what happens. Instead, what happens is a love story, a LIFE story, that has its ups and downs and surprises and twists and YES, left me teary eyed at the end. Love stories, romantic comedies on the page or on the screen, often leave you feeling manipulated, but again this book doesn't go there. Rather, it follows the lives and changes of two people over twenty years, the way life is: messy and simple, complicated and fun, sad and amazing. One more thing: there is a chapter in the book that takes place on 9/11 where my heart was in my throat even though I knew what would happen, even though I knew there couldn't be a happy ending to that day. That is the best writing, which this book is. My verdict: put this book on your to-read list immediately and start counting down the days to its release. Bravo, Allison.
October 7, 2020
Can I say that I am disappointed, but also mildly satisfied? I appreciate Allison Winn Scotch writing of real life, a real relationship and the hardships that can be faced. This was the draw for me and while Between Me and You started off promising, it lost momentum and became shaky; bringing about a few snags.
Written from the dual perspectives of Ben Livingston, a privileged writer from New York, and Tatum Connelly, an actor from a small town in Ohio, the flip-flopping story line of the demise of their relationship made this novel a bit confusing the follow. Tatum’s view is told in chronological order, whereas Bens is told in reverse, and when added together was the recipe for a very messy plot. While trying to figure out where each chapter picked up and what has occurred in between, I found myself feeling as if I was missing something.
Ben and Tatum have this saying they repeat to one another, ‘I see you,’ but I did not feel like the reader was offered enough to understand the core of these character. I wanted to dig in deeper, go into the dark places of their minds, but felt the story never got there. All in all I had a difficult time connecting. Perhaps due to their lifestyle, perhaps the manner in which they approached their difficulties… I’m uncertain, but these characters in all honestly seemed like total snobs.
While there were many profound moments, there too were many repetitive moments. The exasperation of words, saying and the characters stories being retold began to make the story feel as if it was being dragged out. Although this did not pull me in like a page-turning thriller would, I did press on as the story itself did manage to hold my interest. I am not one to typically pick up romantic chick-lit novels, but it was an intriguing story that would have ranked higher for me if I was not continuously reminded of what I had previously read over and over again.
I was also bummed out by the ending. While it may have sparked an Aww moment, in truth, much like the lives of these two characters, it was very Hollywood-esque. Such happenings seem hardly probable. Overall it had the feel of a cornball ending to a story that held promise but did not completely deliver.
Many thanks to Allison Winn Scotch, Kathleen Carter Zrelak, and Lake Union Publishing for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Written from the dual perspectives of Ben Livingston, a privileged writer from New York, and Tatum Connelly, an actor from a small town in Ohio, the flip-flopping story line of the demise of their relationship made this novel a bit confusing the follow. Tatum’s view is told in chronological order, whereas Bens is told in reverse, and when added together was the recipe for a very messy plot. While trying to figure out where each chapter picked up and what has occurred in between, I found myself feeling as if I was missing something.
Ben and Tatum have this saying they repeat to one another, ‘I see you,’ but I did not feel like the reader was offered enough to understand the core of these character. I wanted to dig in deeper, go into the dark places of their minds, but felt the story never got there. All in all I had a difficult time connecting. Perhaps due to their lifestyle, perhaps the manner in which they approached their difficulties… I’m uncertain, but these characters in all honestly seemed like total snobs.
While there were many profound moments, there too were many repetitive moments. The exasperation of words, saying and the characters stories being retold began to make the story feel as if it was being dragged out. Although this did not pull me in like a page-turning thriller would, I did press on as the story itself did manage to hold my interest. I am not one to typically pick up romantic chick-lit novels, but it was an intriguing story that would have ranked higher for me if I was not continuously reminded of what I had previously read over and over again.
I was also bummed out by the ending. While it may have sparked an Aww moment, in truth, much like the lives of these two characters, it was very Hollywood-esque. Such happenings seem hardly probable. Overall it had the feel of a cornball ending to a story that held promise but did not completely deliver.
Many thanks to Allison Winn Scotch, Kathleen Carter Zrelak, and Lake Union Publishing for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 10, 2018
Between Me and You
is a fiction novel that tells about the story of the married couple, Ben and Tatum. It narrates the imperfect relationship they have: from the struggles, jealousy, secrets, jealousy and infidelity.
The story was narrated through Ben and Tatum's perspective; the flashbacks dated from their first meeting in the bar where Tatum used to work up to how their lives were entangled in secrets and deceit during their marriage. They both know that they still love each other, but there are instances that they felt one has already fallen out of love.
This novel sort of reminds everyone that there's no such as perfect marriage, but it's up to those who are in the relationship how to work it out. There will be problems that married couples encounter during the course of their marriage; trying to forgive and forget is one of the important factors to consider and remember. And this is what Ben and Tatum did to be able to save their relationship.
The story was narrated through Ben and Tatum's perspective; the flashbacks dated from their first meeting in the bar where Tatum used to work up to how their lives were entangled in secrets and deceit during their marriage. They both know that they still love each other, but there are instances that they felt one has already fallen out of love.
This novel sort of reminds everyone that there's no such as perfect marriage, but it's up to those who are in the relationship how to work it out. There will be problems that married couples encounter during the course of their marriage; trying to forgive and forget is one of the important factors to consider and remember. And this is what Ben and Tatum did to be able to save their relationship.
March 30, 2018
Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for a free electronic ARC of this novel, received in exchange for an honest review.
“Between Me and You” by Allison Winn Scotch is a love story, if I had to sum it up. It centres on Ben and Tatum, a power couple in Hollywood (he- a screenwriter, she- an actress) who seemingly have it all. This novel chronicles their lives from the time they meet until present day, detailing their daily challenges on the rise to the top.
This novel is told in bits and pieces and it jumps around a lot- only the very last segment is told in chronological order. A reader goes from present day, to when Tatum and Ben meet, to two years after that. It is clearly marked in the novel but this format was a bit difficult to read and follow. I would’ve liked this story better if it was told in order, I think, although I understand the reasoning.
I enjoyed this novel more than I thought I would. I am not normally a fan of women’s fiction and romance novels, but this story was delightfully told and focused on the normal relationship struggles faced by everyone- even, apparently, the Hollywood elite.
A charmingly told novel, this story has two procrastinators, and no “bad guy”, which is unique in its own right. Honesty and vulnerability are themes that run rampant throughout.
Well-told and beautifully written with charming characters, “Between Me and You” runs the reader through the emotional gamut. Tatum and Ben are a couple worth cheering for.
“Between Me and You” by Allison Winn Scotch is a love story, if I had to sum it up. It centres on Ben and Tatum, a power couple in Hollywood (he- a screenwriter, she- an actress) who seemingly have it all. This novel chronicles their lives from the time they meet until present day, detailing their daily challenges on the rise to the top.
This novel is told in bits and pieces and it jumps around a lot- only the very last segment is told in chronological order. A reader goes from present day, to when Tatum and Ben meet, to two years after that. It is clearly marked in the novel but this format was a bit difficult to read and follow. I would’ve liked this story better if it was told in order, I think, although I understand the reasoning.
I enjoyed this novel more than I thought I would. I am not normally a fan of women’s fiction and romance novels, but this story was delightfully told and focused on the normal relationship struggles faced by everyone- even, apparently, the Hollywood elite.
A charmingly told novel, this story has two procrastinators, and no “bad guy”, which is unique in its own right. Honesty and vulnerability are themes that run rampant throughout.
Well-told and beautifully written with charming characters, “Between Me and You” runs the reader through the emotional gamut. Tatum and Ben are a couple worth cheering for.
January 6, 2018
The structure of this is ambitious and at first glance you may think it sounds confusing but I didn’t find it to be too hard to follow. It alternates with one chapter told from Ben beginning in 2016 and working it’s way backwards to 1999 when him and Tatum first meet then her chapters are told in chronological order. There are no big surprises since you know from the very start that where they are today is nowhere near that young, happy go lucky couple from their early days, but there was something bittersweet about reading one chapter full of resentment and bickering and then the next one is a sweet little anecdote from the past. It was unique and put a fresh spin on a love story and I admire the risk the author took, I can imagine it wasn’t easy to write.
I’ve read a couple of Scotch’s books now and I what I really like about her style is that she can show relationships that appear real, they’re flawed, imperfect and wholly relatable. Getting to see a marriage from both sides was interesting, sometimes their individual perception of an event was so completely different from each other it was crazy but I think that’s an honest observation and true for any relationship. I liked the way the format played into the plot in the end, it was a little AHA moment that I appreciated. If you’re looking for a relationship drama/love story with a clever spin give this a try.
I’ve read a couple of Scotch’s books now and I what I really like about her style is that she can show relationships that appear real, they’re flawed, imperfect and wholly relatable. Getting to see a marriage from both sides was interesting, sometimes their individual perception of an event was so completely different from each other it was crazy but I think that’s an honest observation and true for any relationship. I liked the way the format played into the plot in the end, it was a little AHA moment that I appreciated. If you’re looking for a relationship drama/love story with a clever spin give this a try.
August 21, 2017
As we kick off the early launch of my new book (be on the lookout for Goodreads galley giveaways), out January 9th, I wanted to share a bit about both it and the process of writing it. It was the hardest, most ambitious thing I've ever done, and there were plenty of times when it would have been easier to abandon it. But I was intent on exploring the idea of rewinding the history of our relationships - how time and life skew the innocence and joy of those early heady days - and what we can do, if anything, to get that happiness back.
Thus Ben, one of my protagonists, tells the story of his marriage backward, while Tatum, his wife, tells it forward. They get wrapped up in all the small moments that life brings them, as well as the larger ones too - she is an actress, he's a writer - and as fame, disappointment, heartbreak, love, betrayal, parenting, death and triumph come their way, how do they stay on the course they initially charted when they first met? Can they? Should they?
This is unquestionably my favorite thing I've ever written, and I can't wait to share it with all of you. I hope you enjoy it as much as I am proud of it. Happy reading!
Thus Ben, one of my protagonists, tells the story of his marriage backward, while Tatum, his wife, tells it forward. They get wrapped up in all the small moments that life brings them, as well as the larger ones too - she is an actress, he's a writer - and as fame, disappointment, heartbreak, love, betrayal, parenting, death and triumph come their way, how do they stay on the course they initially charted when they first met? Can they? Should they?
This is unquestionably my favorite thing I've ever written, and I can't wait to share it with all of you. I hope you enjoy it as much as I am proud of it. Happy reading!
December 23, 2017
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
3 stars
I have long been a fan of Winn Scotch which is why I was very excited to read Between Me and You. However, this one just didn’t “do” it for me the way her other books have.
I was pretty into the story until about the 45-50% mark and then it became repetitive and I found myself losing interest. The story is told in alternative POV and Ben is narrating the story backwards while Tatum is narrating forwards. I really liked this method of telling the story, but once the timelines intersected, I didn’t really care that much about the alternating point of view. It was like reading the same story again.
Then, the last 10-15% picked up a bit as the story progressed to present day and a solution. As others have mentioned, there is no big aha moment, but Women’s Fiction usually doesn’t have that big climatic moment, which is fine. That is not why I read books in this genre.
Overall, this book was not great, but not a total dud either. I found myself skim reading through much of the overlap. But I finished it, so that is saying something. I would say that this is not one of the better books that I have read by Winn Scotch, but I am a fan, so I will certainly be looking forward to the next book.
3 stars
I have long been a fan of Winn Scotch which is why I was very excited to read Between Me and You. However, this one just didn’t “do” it for me the way her other books have.
I was pretty into the story until about the 45-50% mark and then it became repetitive and I found myself losing interest. The story is told in alternative POV and Ben is narrating the story backwards while Tatum is narrating forwards. I really liked this method of telling the story, but once the timelines intersected, I didn’t really care that much about the alternating point of view. It was like reading the same story again.
Then, the last 10-15% picked up a bit as the story progressed to present day and a solution. As others have mentioned, there is no big aha moment, but Women’s Fiction usually doesn’t have that big climatic moment, which is fine. That is not why I read books in this genre.
Overall, this book was not great, but not a total dud either. I found myself skim reading through much of the overlap. But I finished it, so that is saying something. I would say that this is not one of the better books that I have read by Winn Scotch, but I am a fan, so I will certainly be looking forward to the next book.
April 29, 2018
Favorite Quotes:
I want you to be anything you dream of. But mostly I want you to be happy. Those things aren’t always the same, you know.
I can’t measure my love for Ben against Mom’s love for Dad because it’s not like you can quantify these things. It’s not like I can pour them into a cup and see which one measures more.
It’s raining in Los Angeles, and no one knows what to do about it. People are scattering around, hovering in Whole Foods, tweeting with panicked abandon: It’s raining! It might be the apocalypse!
He tells me he’ll be on his best behavior, but I’d cleaned up enough of Leo’s messes over the years… to know that while Leo might promise the moon, he’ll often never even glance up at the sky.
“He needs to grow up, Ben.” I could picture my dad shaking his head like he couldn’t imagine how Leo had gotten this far in life without being drafted into clown school.
My Review:
I struggled, valiantly I must add, oh, how I struggled, as this book was a full-on angst-fest and that is so not my jam. But I also couldn’t stop reading. Hmm, Allison Winn Scotch seems to have a handle on this writing thing… The storylines wove in and out of various timelines, and not in chronological order, with emotions and motivations capriciously seesawing from cautious jubilation to bleak and heart-squeezing despair, with clever licks of humor and amusing observations periodically tossed in. Ms. Scotch’s deftly paced, observantly insightful, and emotive writing pulled me in quickly and held my attention, despite my exasperation with the prickly and temperamental characters.
The characters weren’t inherently bad people but they were fatally flawed and vastly insecure as well as alluring, complicated, moody, selfish, stubborn, and damn it, they fascinated me to no end. They weren’t always likable or admirable, in fact, there were times I despised them and wanted to throw my Kindle down in disgust of their self-centered, pettish, and pedantic behaviors. And the more successful they became, the more out of sync, self-involved, dour, and loathsome they appeared. Both had made critical errors in judgment in dealing with each other, so much so that I wasn’t sure a reunification was the best thing for either one. The actress’s penchant for playacting had gone so far afield she had become inauthentic, even with herself. Yet despite their odious and repellent behaviors, I couldn’t stop reading… I was more than satisfied with the conclusion and proud of myself for my dogged perseverance yet I had the irrational impulse to hurriedly close my Kindle before they could start in on each other and ruin it again. Silly me.
I want you to be anything you dream of. But mostly I want you to be happy. Those things aren’t always the same, you know.
I can’t measure my love for Ben against Mom’s love for Dad because it’s not like you can quantify these things. It’s not like I can pour them into a cup and see which one measures more.
It’s raining in Los Angeles, and no one knows what to do about it. People are scattering around, hovering in Whole Foods, tweeting with panicked abandon: It’s raining! It might be the apocalypse!
He tells me he’ll be on his best behavior, but I’d cleaned up enough of Leo’s messes over the years… to know that while Leo might promise the moon, he’ll often never even glance up at the sky.
“He needs to grow up, Ben.” I could picture my dad shaking his head like he couldn’t imagine how Leo had gotten this far in life without being drafted into clown school.
My Review:
I struggled, valiantly I must add, oh, how I struggled, as this book was a full-on angst-fest and that is so not my jam. But I also couldn’t stop reading. Hmm, Allison Winn Scotch seems to have a handle on this writing thing… The storylines wove in and out of various timelines, and not in chronological order, with emotions and motivations capriciously seesawing from cautious jubilation to bleak and heart-squeezing despair, with clever licks of humor and amusing observations periodically tossed in. Ms. Scotch’s deftly paced, observantly insightful, and emotive writing pulled me in quickly and held my attention, despite my exasperation with the prickly and temperamental characters.
The characters weren’t inherently bad people but they were fatally flawed and vastly insecure as well as alluring, complicated, moody, selfish, stubborn, and damn it, they fascinated me to no end. They weren’t always likable or admirable, in fact, there were times I despised them and wanted to throw my Kindle down in disgust of their self-centered, pettish, and pedantic behaviors. And the more successful they became, the more out of sync, self-involved, dour, and loathsome they appeared. Both had made critical errors in judgment in dealing with each other, so much so that I wasn’t sure a reunification was the best thing for either one. The actress’s penchant for playacting had gone so far afield she had become inauthentic, even with herself. Yet despite their odious and repellent behaviors, I couldn’t stop reading… I was more than satisfied with the conclusion and proud of myself for my dogged perseverance yet I had the irrational impulse to hurriedly close my Kindle before they could start in on each other and ruin it again. Silly me.
December 23, 2017
When Ben Livingston and Tatum Connelly meet, they are both dreaming of success in Hollywood--Ben as a scriptwriter and Tatum as an actress. It's Ben who hits it big first, becoming Hollywood's It Guy and a Sundance favorite. But over time, his star slowly fades while Tatum rises to a stardom neither could have ever fully imagined. Along the way, the two wed, have a son, and experience a variety of ups and downs in their marriage. This includes several losses in their personal lives and slowly drifting apart. They once were incredibly close and deeply in love; can their love sustain everything that life throws at them?
This was a really interesting book, starting with the format. The story is told from both Tatum and Ben's perspectives. No big deal, you think, right? Except Tatum's portions start at the beginning of their journey and go in chronological order, while Ben tells his part of the story backward, starting with how they've fallen apart and going back in time. It's an odd device and definitely takes some getting used to. It was hard to keep some of the dates and timelines straight; it was one of the times where I wished I had a hardcopy of the book so I could flip back and forth more easily.
It also seemed to make the story more repetitive--when you have two people telling the same stories, you're bound to get some repetition. But what was really strange was that it sometimes felt like each chapter was a mini story that needed to reintroduce everything all over again. I don't know why the author felt this was necessary, because it's an oddly compelling book on its own even when neither main character is really that likeable. But we heard over and over about Tatum and Ben's daddy issues, career issues, that he never wrote anything for her. And oh yeah, did we mention that Tatum's an actress and doesn't eat, etc.?
At the core, this isn't really a happy book, despite it being romantic at times. Both Tatum and Ben have a lot of petty issues, but also really serious issues relating to their parents. This is fine, except we hear about it (a lot) due to the repetitive way the story is told. There's a lot of mourning and grieving and there's a dark side that deals with addiction, too. The focus on that fact that Ben has never written a script for Tatum--while this does have a point in the end--this gets to be a little much, too. The problem with all the focus on these things is that I felt like I never really learn a lot about Tatum and Ben in this format. I was always yearning for more. Is the story of two people growing apart interesting? Am I invested in them? (I was.)
It's sad, because despite everything I have said, I found this book weirdly compelling. Maybe it's because Tatum is a famous actress and there's a Hollywood setting, even if it's not really fleshed out. I wanted to know more about Tatum and Ben. I wanted them to work out. I wanted to read the book, even with the odd format and rehashing of things. It's a little hard to describe. It's like watching a romantic comedy where you desperately want the two leads to get together, despite all the odds.
So, I'm still glad I read this one. It was engaging and different. I do wish I knew more about Ben and Tatum and their motivations and what led them together (and apart).
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you) in return for an unbiased review. It is available everywhere as of 01/09/2018.
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This was a really interesting book, starting with the format. The story is told from both Tatum and Ben's perspectives. No big deal, you think, right? Except Tatum's portions start at the beginning of their journey and go in chronological order, while Ben tells his part of the story backward, starting with how they've fallen apart and going back in time. It's an odd device and definitely takes some getting used to. It was hard to keep some of the dates and timelines straight; it was one of the times where I wished I had a hardcopy of the book so I could flip back and forth more easily.
It also seemed to make the story more repetitive--when you have two people telling the same stories, you're bound to get some repetition. But what was really strange was that it sometimes felt like each chapter was a mini story that needed to reintroduce everything all over again. I don't know why the author felt this was necessary, because it's an oddly compelling book on its own even when neither main character is really that likeable. But we heard over and over about Tatum and Ben's daddy issues, career issues, that he never wrote anything for her. And oh yeah, did we mention that Tatum's an actress and doesn't eat, etc.?
At the core, this isn't really a happy book, despite it being romantic at times. Both Tatum and Ben have a lot of petty issues, but also really serious issues relating to their parents. This is fine, except we hear about it (a lot) due to the repetitive way the story is told. There's a lot of mourning and grieving and there's a dark side that deals with addiction, too. The focus on that fact that Ben has never written a script for Tatum--while this does have a point in the end--this gets to be a little much, too. The problem with all the focus on these things is that I felt like I never really learn a lot about Tatum and Ben in this format. I was always yearning for more. Is the story of two people growing apart interesting? Am I invested in them? (I was.)
It's sad, because despite everything I have said, I found this book weirdly compelling. Maybe it's because Tatum is a famous actress and there's a Hollywood setting, even if it's not really fleshed out. I wanted to know more about Tatum and Ben. I wanted them to work out. I wanted to read the book, even with the odd format and rehashing of things. It's a little hard to describe. It's like watching a romantic comedy where you desperately want the two leads to get together, despite all the odds.
So, I'm still glad I read this one. It was engaging and different. I do wish I knew more about Ben and Tatum and their motivations and what led them together (and apart).
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you) in return for an unbiased review. It is available everywhere as of 01/09/2018.
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April 16, 2018
"If you can dream it, you can be it."
I was intrigued enough by the synopsis for me to "wish for it".
Between Me and You is told from a dual POV and with past and present passages. It tells the story of Ben and Tatum. How they fell in love and how they lost each other.
Tatum Connelly is an aspiring actress who is a bartender at a New York bar when she meets Ben Livingston for the first time. He's a scriptwriter who seems to be going places. After all, he has the right connections. A bet is involved and at the end of the night, Ben leaves without Tatum's number. In part, because he has a girlfriend, Amanda. When he breaks it off with Amanda, Tatum invites him to spend New Year's Eve on Time Square. Ben agrees and the rest is history.....NOT.
Fast forward a couple of decades and Ben and Tatum are now separated and a divorce is imminent. From here the author takes us to the past to let us know what happened to their love from Ben's perspective while we get Tatum's POV in chronological order.
I had high expectations for Between Me and You. Unfortunately, I can't say that I loved it. I was disappointed by the characters, the all-over-the-place chapters, and the cookie-cutter ending. I still can't understand Ben's behavior and the reasons he uses for justifying his cheating. Worse, he was unfair to Amanda in a big way too. On the other hand, Tatum was an interesting character. She was able to forgive her father and deal with her grief in a healthier way. I just thought she forgave Ben too easily.
I do want to mention that the chapter which dealt with 9/11 was very well written. It brought back my own feelings during this awful tragedy.
Cliffhanger: No
2.5/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Lake Union Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
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September 1, 2018
2.5 stars
Told from alternating perspectives Between Me and You focuses on the dissolution of a marriage. Ben speaks from hindsight, his chapters analyze what went wrong in the marriage and are told in reverse order. Tatum tells the story of how they found each other, fell in love and how they see each other in ways no one else can. Both perspectives allow you to see how much we carry into our marriages -- how strained familial relationships can cast shadows; how disappointments in our professional lives can lead to resentment; how past losses can lead to distrust.
The premise behind this book is a good one, but the execution was poor. Instead of the two narratives building up to a crescendo it was somewhat confusing. By the time that I reached some clarity, I found it hard to become invested even though there was some depth to be found here. We all know that love doesn't come easy and that it takes work to build and keep a marriage. Even though some readers I think that Winn Scotch took the easy way out. I do, however, admire her effort in trying to capture the essence of an honest relationship from the whimsy of infatuation to the time-tested love that endures our frailties and our transgressions.
Told from alternating perspectives Between Me and You focuses on the dissolution of a marriage. Ben speaks from hindsight, his chapters analyze what went wrong in the marriage and are told in reverse order. Tatum tells the story of how they found each other, fell in love and how they see each other in ways no one else can. Both perspectives allow you to see how much we carry into our marriages -- how strained familial relationships can cast shadows; how disappointments in our professional lives can lead to resentment; how past losses can lead to distrust.
The premise behind this book is a good one, but the execution was poor. Instead of the two narratives building up to a crescendo it was somewhat confusing. By the time that I reached some clarity, I found it hard to become invested even though there was some depth to be found here. We all know that love doesn't come easy and that it takes work to build and keep a marriage. Even though some readers I think that Winn Scotch took the easy way out. I do, however, admire her effort in trying to capture the essence of an honest relationship from the whimsy of infatuation to the time-tested love that endures our frailties and our transgressions.
January 17, 2018
I wanted to love this book, I loved the concept, but somewhere midway I started to wonder whether the main characters even belonged together. I wasn't sure whether to cheer them on towards reconciliation or not, and I sort of lost my way after that, unfortunately.
January 13, 2018
Review to follow.
November 20, 2017
When I first heard about the premise of Between Me and You, I immediately thought of The Last Five Years , which is one of my favorite musicals. It’s about a couple who tell their story in two different time frames….one is in chronological order and one is going backwards in time (kind of like in Memento).
I had to wonder how this concept could be pulled off in a book. Allison Winn Scotch did it flawlessly, so I was surprised to find out that until I recently mentioned the musical, she knew nothing about it! The similarities are just a coincidence. In both the book and the musical, the woman is an actress and the man is a writer (scripts in the book, books in the musical). However, in the musical, the man’s story is told chronologically, while in the book, the woman’s story starts at the beginning of the relationship. The musical only spans five years and the book spans seventeen years.
Since it was told in snippets of time (similar to One Day), readers had to piece together what was going to happen, based on which character was narrating, as one went forward in time and one went backward. By the last few chapters, I was trying to guess what would happen next and hoping for a good outcome. I enjoyed hearing both sides of the story and the characters felt genuine with their flaws laid out for us to see. When you get to certain points in the story, each character is sympathetic, even if you think they were being awful originally.
While the time span sometimes felt too long so that I would forget what happened to Ben in a certain year while Tatum was telling her side of it (or vice versa), I really enjoyed this novel. It ranks up with Time of My Life as my favorite of Allison's novels. I just may have been singing “A Part of That” or “Moving Too Fast” in my head while reading it....
My movie casting ideas:
Tatum: Amanda Righetti
Ben: Ben Feldman
Leo: Max Minghella
Amanda: Kristen Connolly
Daisy: Hilarie Burton
I had to wonder how this concept could be pulled off in a book. Allison Winn Scotch did it flawlessly, so I was surprised to find out that until I recently mentioned the musical, she knew nothing about it! The similarities are just a coincidence. In both the book and the musical, the woman is an actress and the man is a writer (scripts in the book, books in the musical). However, in the musical, the man’s story is told chronologically, while in the book, the woman’s story starts at the beginning of the relationship. The musical only spans five years and the book spans seventeen years.
Since it was told in snippets of time (similar to One Day), readers had to piece together what was going to happen, based on which character was narrating, as one went forward in time and one went backward. By the last few chapters, I was trying to guess what would happen next and hoping for a good outcome. I enjoyed hearing both sides of the story and the characters felt genuine with their flaws laid out for us to see. When you get to certain points in the story, each character is sympathetic, even if you think they were being awful originally.
While the time span sometimes felt too long so that I would forget what happened to Ben in a certain year while Tatum was telling her side of it (or vice versa), I really enjoyed this novel. It ranks up with Time of My Life as my favorite of Allison's novels. I just may have been singing “A Part of That” or “Moving Too Fast” in my head while reading it....
My movie casting ideas:
Tatum: Amanda Righetti
Ben: Ben Feldman
Leo: Max Minghella
Amanda: Kristen Connolly
Daisy: Hilarie Burton
February 26, 2024
Not promising when you are hoping for the heroine to kick the hero to the curb!
January 7, 2018
Between Me and You is about the relationship between scriptwriter Ben Livingston and aspiring actress Tatum Connelly. When they meet in New York City in 1999, they are both struggling to make it in the entertainment industry. Their connection is immediate, but due to other circumstances, their love story isn’t instant. Over time, however, the two build a relationship and fall in love, get married, have a son, and then begin to resent one another as their relationship falls apart.
I really enjoyed this book. I can appreciate it for it’s honesty and the relationship it portrayed. In the entertainment industry, it is every man for himself. Marriages fail all the time. (Why do celebrities even bother getting married?) True friends seem like they would be hard to find, because everyone is a competitor in an ugly, unfair game. (Except for Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox. In my mind, they will be best friends forever.) Ambition can be blinding. Mediocrity in unacceptable.
Ben and Tatum are not very likable characters at times. They act petty, rigid, and cold towards one another. But then they have moments where their love shines through, and you are reminded how much they do really care about each other. If you are looking for a warm and fuzzy romance, this might not be for you. However, if you are looking for a piece of fiction that feels real, I would check this book out, because real is what this is.
Overall, I would it 🌟🌟🌟🌟 4/5 stars.
**Thank you to Kathleen Carter and Lake Union Publishing for sending me an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. It was a pleasure.**
I really enjoyed this book. I can appreciate it for it’s honesty and the relationship it portrayed. In the entertainment industry, it is every man for himself. Marriages fail all the time. (Why do celebrities even bother getting married?) True friends seem like they would be hard to find, because everyone is a competitor in an ugly, unfair game. (Except for Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox. In my mind, they will be best friends forever.) Ambition can be blinding. Mediocrity in unacceptable.
Ben and Tatum are not very likable characters at times. They act petty, rigid, and cold towards one another. But then they have moments where their love shines through, and you are reminded how much they do really care about each other. If you are looking for a warm and fuzzy romance, this might not be for you. However, if you are looking for a piece of fiction that feels real, I would check this book out, because real is what this is.
Overall, I would it 🌟🌟🌟🌟 4/5 stars.
**Thank you to Kathleen Carter and Lake Union Publishing for sending me an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. It was a pleasure.**
January 12, 2018
***ARC generously provided by Lake Union Publishing in exchange for an honest review.**
Imagine the biggest regret of your life. What if you could dissect what lead up to it and study the future consequences of it and correct it. This is what Between Me and You accomplishes.
It is written in dual point of view. Ben shows us the past, while Tatum his wife shows us the future. I will admit before I understood this formula I was a bit frustrated in keeping up with what was going on. I am not a big fan of timelines and points of views shifting to the past when the story has picked up traction and has gotten my attention. It's a big risk for an author if both points of view are not equally captivating. Yes Ben and Tatum's story were equally interesting. Every time I thought I would choose a side, I read another chapter.
Ben and Tatum meet, marry, have a child, and find themselves in their dream careers. Yet life's disappointments and unexpected speed bumps occur, we watch their flawed decisions and want them to stay in love.. I loved their character development. The multiple POV's captured that very well. My only complaint was the excessive amount of inner monologue as opposed to actual conversation. The characters were charming, funny, I wanted to see them interact instead of constant lines of inner monologue narration which filled the plot. A character's thoughts are not nearly as interesting as when they are said out loud to someone else!
A realistic romance that spans some twenty years proving the timelessness and loyalty of true love. 3.5 stars.
Imagine the biggest regret of your life. What if you could dissect what lead up to it and study the future consequences of it and correct it. This is what Between Me and You accomplishes.
It is written in dual point of view. Ben shows us the past, while Tatum his wife shows us the future. I will admit before I understood this formula I was a bit frustrated in keeping up with what was going on. I am not a big fan of timelines and points of views shifting to the past when the story has picked up traction and has gotten my attention. It's a big risk for an author if both points of view are not equally captivating. Yes Ben and Tatum's story were equally interesting. Every time I thought I would choose a side, I read another chapter.
Ben and Tatum meet, marry, have a child, and find themselves in their dream careers. Yet life's disappointments and unexpected speed bumps occur, we watch their flawed decisions and want them to stay in love.. I loved their character development. The multiple POV's captured that very well. My only complaint was the excessive amount of inner monologue as opposed to actual conversation. The characters were charming, funny, I wanted to see them interact instead of constant lines of inner monologue narration which filled the plot. A character's thoughts are not nearly as interesting as when they are said out loud to someone else!
A realistic romance that spans some twenty years proving the timelessness and loyalty of true love. 3.5 stars.
November 24, 2017
What a fantastic book! I just finished it and loved every minute of reading it. The book begins in New York when Ben, a screenwriter trying to get his big break, meets Tatum, a struggling actress working in a bar. They fall in love and marry and move to LA where their lives begin to take different paths. Tatum becomes a well known actress and Ben is no longer a golden boy in Hollywood. As they struggle in different areas, the distance between them grows. Can their love and their family survive their current life and is there any way to bring them back together again?
This book is unique because it's told in alternating chapters by Ben and Tatum AND told in different time periods. Ben's chapter may be about present day and then Tatum's chapter is about when they first met. It's a bit confusing at first but once you get into the rhythm of the story, it's a fantastic way of giving the reader both sides of what's going on in their lives and their marriage. It's also a good way to get to know both characters good points and their flaws.
This was another fantastic book by Allison Winn Scotch. Thanks to the Great Thoughts Ninja Review Team for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
This book is unique because it's told in alternating chapters by Ben and Tatum AND told in different time periods. Ben's chapter may be about present day and then Tatum's chapter is about when they first met. It's a bit confusing at first but once you get into the rhythm of the story, it's a fantastic way of giving the reader both sides of what's going on in their lives and their marriage. It's also a good way to get to know both characters good points and their flaws.
This was another fantastic book by Allison Winn Scotch. Thanks to the Great Thoughts Ninja Review Team for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
February 12, 2018
Between Me and You is an intimate look at love, marriage, and all the intricacies that bring people together and also tear them apart. When they meet, Tatum is an aspiring actress, Ben is a fledgling screenwriter. As the trajectories of their careers go off in different directions, they lose sight of not only who they are, but how they see each other. Their story is complex and honest, my heart ached for each of them as they struggled with their insecurities and their evolving feelings for each other. I loved that this book was told from both of their points of view, so I could see what they see and feel what they feel. Highly recommend!
January 24, 2018
The problem with this book wasn't the format, it was that I didn't like either of the characters when they were young and when they were old. Also, I didn't relate to their problems- oh my husband is too famous, oh no, now my wife is too famous. Also, for the record, I think cheating on your spouse is way worst than keeping a family member's secret for them. Anyway, these two characters were shallow and were basically incapable of growing, except for at the very end when all the sudden they were mature. Had promise, but it was like a cheap replica of The Last 5 Years, which at least had Anna Kendrick and her amazing voice.
March 7, 2018
2.5 stars. The first chapter seemed sooo promising..did the “right” woman show up at the beach?
Ben tells his version of their marriage from present to past, and his wife Tatum tells her version, from start to finish. A great premise but it fell flat in the middle... and, despite wanting to like this one, I grew bored.
Perhaps if each alternating story picked up where it left off, it would’ve been more engaging, but instead it was just two unhappy people reflecting on a relationship gone wrong.
Ben tells his version of their marriage from present to past, and his wife Tatum tells her version, from start to finish. A great premise but it fell flat in the middle... and, despite wanting to like this one, I grew bored.
Perhaps if each alternating story picked up where it left off, it would’ve been more engaging, but instead it was just two unhappy people reflecting on a relationship gone wrong.
Read
September 12, 2017Not for me.
I don't like cheating, he feels left out when her career takes off so it makes it okay for him to sleep with his ex on and off??? No. Just no.
How would you ever trust him again?
I hate the mentality of I love her but I can't have her so I'll have sex with someone else, even my ex.
ARC.
I don't like cheating, he feels left out when her career takes off so it makes it okay for him to sleep with his ex on and off??? No. Just no.
How would you ever trust him again?
I hate the mentality of I love her but I can't have her so I'll have sex with someone else, even my ex.
ARC.
gave-up-on
January 7, 2018Thank you to Lake Union Publishing for providing me a copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I tried so hard to like this book and then I continued reading just to be able to finish it, but I couldn’t. I found the bouncing timelines to be extremely confusing, and I’ve read books that have executed the same concept seamlessly.
DNF @ 50%
I tried so hard to like this book and then I continued reading just to be able to finish it, but I couldn’t. I found the bouncing timelines to be extremely confusing, and I’ve read books that have executed the same concept seamlessly.
DNF @ 50%
December 14, 2017
Between Me and You is one those types of reads that makes you sit and think. Marriage isn’t always sunshine and rainbows, and this show us just that. Tatum and Ben fell in love, they marry and have this amazing life. But over time, the marriage seems to be one where two people just go through the motions everyday and they drift apart. Tatum was so vibrant and her love for Ben was never something I questioned. When her career took off, she got so caught up in it and everything else got pushed aside. Ben, was struggling with his career but not just that, he was struggling with Tatum’s success too. But his love for her was ever present too. These two had some major miscommunication issues, and those always lead to bigger problems.
The story is told is told both Tatum and Ben’s POV’s, from the past and the present. It does jump around a little a the beginning, and I didn’t get lost, and I believe this was done so that we get the whole picture of what happened. Basically, one POV was in reverse, and the other in order and it worked well. Toward the end, it does start to go in order, so no worries. This is the first time I’ve encountered a set up like this, but I think it really laid out their lives and marriage all out for us. Their ups and downs and struggles were ones that some couple can relate to, maybe not the whole being famous thing but you know what I mean, the drifting apart. It wasn’t hard to relate to them both, and get swept up in their story. And before I knew it, I was so emotionally involved with them, I just couldn’t stop reading, I had to know what happened with them. Would they find their back to each other? Would everything they’ve been through keep them apart? It was such an emotional roller coaster but so amazing too.
I want to tell you so many more things about this, and I could probably go and on, but I don’t want to give away anymore, it is one that you have to read and feel. Between Me and You takes us through an intimate look at love and marriage, and the betrayals and heartbreak that sometimes comes with it. It is one read that will stick with me for sure.
The story is told is told both Tatum and Ben’s POV’s, from the past and the present. It does jump around a little a the beginning, and I didn’t get lost, and I believe this was done so that we get the whole picture of what happened. Basically, one POV was in reverse, and the other in order and it worked well. Toward the end, it does start to go in order, so no worries. This is the first time I’ve encountered a set up like this, but I think it really laid out their lives and marriage all out for us. Their ups and downs and struggles were ones that some couple can relate to, maybe not the whole being famous thing but you know what I mean, the drifting apart. It wasn’t hard to relate to them both, and get swept up in their story. And before I knew it, I was so emotionally involved with them, I just couldn’t stop reading, I had to know what happened with them. Would they find their back to each other? Would everything they’ve been through keep them apart? It was such an emotional roller coaster but so amazing too.
I want to tell you so many more things about this, and I could probably go and on, but I don’t want to give away anymore, it is one that you have to read and feel. Between Me and You takes us through an intimate look at love and marriage, and the betrayals and heartbreak that sometimes comes with it. It is one read that will stick with me for sure.
January 9, 2018
I’m such a sucker for a great love story and this one definitely fits that bill. Tatum and Ben were divine when they were, and heartbreaking when they weren’t and I enjoyed the ride as they tried to figure out where they were going next.
There were moments when I loved them and moments when I didn’t, but isn’t that just how life goes. I loved the back and forth as we discover what went wrong and why and I also loved their discovery of that as well. It felt very true to life and I felt as if I lived their story along with them. There were a lot of tears and throwing things and wanting to smack them a time or two. But there was also a lot of joy and goodness as well.
I recommend this book to lovers of romance and family drama. This was a good one.
There were moments when I loved them and moments when I didn’t, but isn’t that just how life goes. I loved the back and forth as we discover what went wrong and why and I also loved their discovery of that as well. It felt very true to life and I felt as if I lived their story along with them. There were a lot of tears and throwing things and wanting to smack them a time or two. But there was also a lot of joy and goodness as well.
I recommend this book to lovers of romance and family drama. This was a good one.
March 20, 2018
Inside look at a failed marriage (Tatum and Ben). Where did things go wrong? Could they have done anything differently to change the outcome? Join Tatum and Ben as they fight to "see" each other again and save their marriage ...
Wow. Wow. Wow. Between Me and You has alllll the feels. This story supplied an in depth look at a failing marriage and the natural ebb and flow of long time love. Wife Tatum's perspective of the marriage is told from the day they met to the present, while husband Ben's version is told the opposite way, starting at the present and moving backwards to the day they met. The story ends with both versions picking up in the present. I cannot even imagine how difficult it was to write the story in this unique way; kudos to Allison Winn Scotch for pulling it off with aplomb!
This book focused on the following themes: love, marriage, parenthood, family, regret, addition, ambition, love, forgiveness, and grief at the loss of a parent (this one really hit home with me since I lost my own mom just last month). It made me laugh. And it made me cry. This was a breathtaking, beautiful story with alllll the feels ... and my first 5-star read of 2018! This was my first time reading a book by this author, and I look forward to many more.
Tatum attended Ohio University, my own alma mater, so that was a fun surprise. OU, OU, OU ;)
The title was inspired by the song Between Me and You by Brandon Flowers.
Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for a free advance copy of this book! All opinions are my own.
Locations: New York City, NY and Los Angeles, CA
"Being valued, being needed, being seen is an easy thing to underestimate. Like air. Like you don't realize that it's necessary to sustain you until it's suddenly gone." - Ben
"Life is fucking hard, and life is fucking brutal--and maybe the most we can ask for is someone to get through it with us." - Ben
"We learned that grief could be like glue, sticking us together, like veterans of war who understood only each other." - Tatum
"Please don't see me for what I really am. And if you do, please love me anyway." - Tatum
"Will he love me forever? Love me like he does now, when he thinks he sees everything about me, but maybe he hasn't?" - Tatum
"... that deep, resonant love that isn't exactly passion anymore but it is so much a part of you that you don't know where it ends and begins, where to turn it off, even if you wanted to." - Ben
"... he [Ben's dad] would say that loving someone wholly is success too. Frankly, it's probably the one that matters most." - Ben's mom
"I wrote about how you build a life together and how you let that life together crumble into dust. I called it Between Me and You, because that was all that used to matter once, what was between us. And because maybe it should be Between You and Me, but we hadn't quite added up to perfect, so being a little off made me smile every time I read the title page." - Ben
"... sometimes the only way to free yourself is to learn what you thought you couldn't know. To knock everything down and start over." - Tatum
"... the only way, the only way, to find each other again is to stand there, bare, with the ashes of our wreckage at our feet, and acknowledge that we see each other's nakedness." - Ben
"I think of my mom, of how she told me I could be anything I dreamed of. I always thought she meant with my life; it only occurs to me that she also meant my heart, that there has to be room for forgiveness and second chances, along with everything else." - Tatum
"You wrote it backward," I say. "So you could see where we got it right." - Tatum "I wrote it backward," he says. "So I could see everything clearly again." - Ben
Wow. Wow. Wow. Between Me and You has alllll the feels. This story supplied an in depth look at a failing marriage and the natural ebb and flow of long time love. Wife Tatum's perspective of the marriage is told from the day they met to the present, while husband Ben's version is told the opposite way, starting at the present and moving backwards to the day they met. The story ends with both versions picking up in the present. I cannot even imagine how difficult it was to write the story in this unique way; kudos to Allison Winn Scotch for pulling it off with aplomb!
This book focused on the following themes: love, marriage, parenthood, family, regret, addition, ambition, love, forgiveness, and grief at the loss of a parent (this one really hit home with me since I lost my own mom just last month). It made me laugh. And it made me cry. This was a breathtaking, beautiful story with alllll the feels ... and my first 5-star read of 2018! This was my first time reading a book by this author, and I look forward to many more.
Tatum attended Ohio University, my own alma mater, so that was a fun surprise. OU, OU, OU ;)
The title was inspired by the song Between Me and You by Brandon Flowers.
Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for a free advance copy of this book! All opinions are my own.
Locations: New York City, NY and Los Angeles, CA
"Being valued, being needed, being seen is an easy thing to underestimate. Like air. Like you don't realize that it's necessary to sustain you until it's suddenly gone." - Ben
"Life is fucking hard, and life is fucking brutal--and maybe the most we can ask for is someone to get through it with us." - Ben
"We learned that grief could be like glue, sticking us together, like veterans of war who understood only each other." - Tatum
"Please don't see me for what I really am. And if you do, please love me anyway." - Tatum
"Will he love me forever? Love me like he does now, when he thinks he sees everything about me, but maybe he hasn't?" - Tatum
"... that deep, resonant love that isn't exactly passion anymore but it is so much a part of you that you don't know where it ends and begins, where to turn it off, even if you wanted to." - Ben
"... he [Ben's dad] would say that loving someone wholly is success too. Frankly, it's probably the one that matters most." - Ben's mom
"I wrote about how you build a life together and how you let that life together crumble into dust. I called it Between Me and You, because that was all that used to matter once, what was between us. And because maybe it should be Between You and Me, but we hadn't quite added up to perfect, so being a little off made me smile every time I read the title page." - Ben
"... sometimes the only way to free yourself is to learn what you thought you couldn't know. To knock everything down and start over." - Tatum
"... the only way, the only way, to find each other again is to stand there, bare, with the ashes of our wreckage at our feet, and acknowledge that we see each other's nakedness." - Ben
"I think of my mom, of how she told me I could be anything I dreamed of. I always thought she meant with my life; it only occurs to me that she also meant my heart, that there has to be room for forgiveness and second chances, along with everything else." - Tatum
"You wrote it backward," I say. "So you could see where we got it right." - Tatum "I wrote it backward," he says. "So I could see everything clearly again." - Ben
June 2, 2018
Not my typical read, but I liked it. It took a while to get into, but if you've ever been through a break up of a long term relationship, you will relate. A reminder of the inner lives we each have and how much of it goes unsaid, unexpressed, and unknown. And how we can't fault our partners for it... Very much enjoyed the readers of this audiobook.
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