& Then There Was You

There Was You #1

by Tay Mo'Nae

All Sevyn wanted was to finish law school and make her late grandmother proud. She was never the one to color outside lines or go against the rules. When Sevyn is suddenly faced with past due bills and eviction she becomes overwhelmed on how to stay above water. What she didn’t expect was to offer to help her with all her troubles, the only problem is it goes against all her morals. Nasir is content in his relationship with his long-term girlfriend. The two of them have an understanding an inviting another partner in the bedroom has never been an issue, until now. When Sevyn joins the couple for one night of pleasure, Nasir instantly becomes attracted to the innocence surrounding her. Soon he begins to question his current relationship and finds it hard to stay away from Sevyn. While Sevyn tries to fight the brewing desire she has for Nasir, he embraces it. What neither of them counted on was a fatal encounter that could take the both of them out before they even begin.

Genres: Audiobook, Romance, African American Romance, African American, Fiction, Contemporary, Urban

298 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 1, 2020

About the author

Tay Mo'Nae is a 27-year-old Urban Romance author who pens about Black Love. She create stories to help her readers escape reality and create a movie in their head. She loves writing about characters that at least one reader can relate too.

With 50 books under her belt, Tay Mo'Nae hopes to gain at least one new reader with every release and have them connect to her characters and story in some way. If she would have to explain her writing she would say she loves "penning complicated characters that find a path to love".

Reviews

[Annette Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chiiiiiiiiile, And Then There Was You was full of nothin' but mess and drama and I was all the way here for it. Because there was so much going on in this book, I'm giving a cliffs notes review. Sevyn is barely keeping her head above water in her final year of law school. To avoid eviction, she agrees to a threesome with Brittlyn and Nassir. After said threesome, Sevyn and Nassir catch feelings for each other and spend most of the book fighting their attraction for one another. Linnea broke Brycen's heart when they were teenagers and turned him into a stone cold azzhole who refuses to ever love a woman again. Seven years later, he and Linnea run into each other purely by happenstance and, the sparks that never left, begin to fly. After few arguments and some hot sex, they decide they're still in love with each other and want to get back together. The only problem with that is, Brycen is in a relationship with his live in girlfriend Kendra. That's it. That's the book in a nutshell. Of course there's a lot more in between. But, because there's a lot more in between, y'all are getting this condensed version. Otherwise, this review would be a 10 page thesis. Now, let me jump into And Then There Was You 2 to see if Brycen will forgive Linnea after her trashy azz daddy spilled all the secrets that weren't his to spill, see who got shot at the end of the book, see if Sevyn and Nassir will stay together, see if Kendra and Jermaine finally figure out Brycen and Sevyn are just not that into them, and if Brittlyn's crazy azz goes to jail.

[Butterbean · Rating 1 out of 5]

I bailed on this book right at the halfway mark. I can tell from the reviews that spoiled a lot of this book and it's sequel that I was just going to remain annoyed at these terrible characters.
So you have Sevyn who likes to think that she is a virtuous person, but keeps playin with, what she knows, is a very messy situation. After a night of selling herself to her neighbors, Nasir and Brittlyn, in a threesome to pay her rent, Nasir starts to have feelings for her because she's not the partygirl like Brittlyn. By the way, he has strung her along for four years not wanting the relationship to escalate to them just living together.
Then you have Nassir's business partner, Brycen, acting traumatized and indignant when he runs into his ex-girlfriend, Sevyn's friend Linnea. The man is almost 30 and didn't understand why she didn't stay with him after she felt pressure from her father (when she was 17 and he didn't have a pot to piss in🙄). So instead, Brycen continues to string along HIS girlfriend Kendra.
I decided to cut out of this book when Sevyn called out the double standard of Nasir finding it okay only when a threesome involves an extra woman. Nasir acted as though she told him the meaning of life with that nugget.
I just couldn't find myself caring about these characters or what happens in the next book. The men seem to be nothing but f@#kboys with absolutely no charm and who only care about their pride while the women are just docile f@#$toys for them.

[Rashawnda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am MF speechless!!!!!! What on earth!!? These couples and their love triangles had my anxiety HIGH!!! This is why you gotta be careful when “spicing up” your relationship. And that ending?!! Wow let me get into part 2 because this is some ish and it has hit the fan! This story was sooooo good! It sucked me in and was a page turner like no other. Tay Mo’nae does not miss.

[CocoaKissedPages]

& Then There Was You

I really did not like the characters and I really don't feel like they make sense. Sevyn is supposed to be a graduating law student in her mid-twenties but a lot of the times I felt like I was reading about a 16-year-old girl in high school. She was unrealistically naive and definitely had a bit of "pick me" vibes. And the Nasir acting like Sevyn was so deep and smart for simply saying she doesn't like threesomes because she doesn't want to share her man or be shared. He sat there like she just told him the secret to world peace or something. He is a 28-year-old retired drug dealer and businessman...and this is what's blowing your mind? I also didn't like how Nasir was on Britlyn's case about her not knowing anything about his business and legal documents. She's not in law, you've never talked about your business to her before and now you're looking down on her because she couldn't come up with a solution to a business problem off the top of her head after you just randomly asked her out of nowhere. A problem, neither you nor your business partner caught mind you. Speaking of the business partner. Brysen has been stringing his girlfriend along over a hurt that happened in HIGHSCHOOL almost a decade ago. It's actually ridiculous. And I understand being upset at that age, but as grown man you're still mad at your ex who was a teenager and didn't know what to do? It seems like the author was trying to paint the girlfriends as villains and glorify the "naive" side chicks and the grown lying men with no communication skills. Everyone was immature af and they need serious therapy.

[Qiana · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's nothing I love more than a messy read. Sevyn is a struggling law student trying to get by, that is until she runs across Nasir and Brittlyn. Brittlyn invites Sevyn to have a threesome with her and Nasir, in exchange for a little financial relief. After that threesome everything changes drastically for all parties involved. This was a great read that held my attention from the beginning to the end. I heard so many great things about it and it did not disappoint. Definitely moving on the the next installment.

[Kameel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This One Is A Mess….

This is an old fashion good girl meets “bad” boy…Although, Nasir really wasn’t that bad per se, he was just into a little more than Sevyn….a chance encounter and a little bit of forced proximity….after the encounter Nasir is different smitten with Sevyn….They get closer and begin to hang out more….he dumps his party girl girlfriend and now he’s falling in love with Sevyn…..

[WellReadRuby · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was still really good Sevyn and Nasir definitely have an unorthodox beginning but I was here for it. Their journey of friends to lovers was sweet. The drama around them though was insane. Now Brycen and Lynia story low key annoyed me. Brycen was an entitled a**hole and Lynia was stuck under her fathers thumb. Lynia I still wanted her to be better and get from under her father and make her own decisions. Brycen needed therapy and he was extremely harsh to all the women in his life. Resolve will be solved in book 2 but rereading this reminds me how great Tay Mo'nae has gotten since this book came out!

[Tam Heart · Rating 3 out of 5]

The love triangles... this storyline had my mind jumping. I think that maybe if I read the book vs. listening to the audio, I would have enjoyed it more. I didn't like how they pronounced names differently, in particular, Linnea. I also hated how winey Linnea was & even sometimes Sevyn. Could have just been the narrator, though. Plus Linnea & Sevyn being so naive. I'm still going to read part 2 because what a cliffhanger.

[lexiskat · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5
This book was good messy. Brittlyn was a hot mess. How you invite another woman in your bed then clown when your man falls in love with her. But on the other hand how tf you think a women just gone let you end a 4 yr relationship like that and she knocks on the neighbors door and you there. Chile this is good messy, i haven't even process the best friends of the other two.

[Gabby · Rating 4 out of 5]

First book by Ms. Mo’nae and it wont be my last. I was introduced to this trope (overlooked girl gets noticed & loved) in a book group Im in and I must say I enjoyed this book. Im rooting for Nasir & Sevyn !!
This is a slow burn but I still enjoyed!!
This book does end on a cliffhanger but Ill be starting part two soon.

[BrownBookNerd · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ending 😳 I’m still trying to recover from that but anywho I enjoyed this read. Brycen is my least favorite character. I understand why he is mad but his attitude is soo nasty.

[Kyla · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

[Ebony Essence · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened via Audible.

Tay was not playing when she wrote this drama filled book. Had me engaged in all this mess just shaking my head at each character. This story pulled me right on in. The pacing and povs were good to keep the story moving. Now the ending had me like “damn”. As far as the twist one i didn’t see coming but the other i called.

If we’re being honest no one was lovable or innocent. Not even Seven’s ass. Yes i loved her focus and wanting more to her life but girl you knew what you were doing. You’re not as pure as you think. Brit should have known better but some people like to stay stagnant and want others to do the same. The guys were trash. Needed to go sit alone for real to figure things out. There’s nothing wrong with people coming in your life that makes you think more and want more for yourself. However, Nassir handled it all wrong. The only people i felt bad for was his sister and Brycen’s girl.

Now let me got listen to part 2.

[Kema B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Messy, messy messy! This was a great read. I finished it in less than two hours it was so good. I wasn’t too sure about Nasir and Sevyn for most of the book but they definitely grew on me then bam. Linnea and Bryce whew idk if they ever gonna get back right after this but her daddy needs to get hit by a truck or something LOL. Can’t wait until I can read part 2!

[Sheronda H · Rating 4 out of 5]

The way this book irked my nerves at the end. And of course I have to continue with part two to find out what happened.

[ReadnliftwithShar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sheesh 🔥😳

So very good! Sevyn is in her last year of law school when she’s faced with more bills than she has money to cover. Sevyn is goal oriented; she’s focused on her future and her drive to succeed was everything. An unexpected proposition is offered to help with her financial woes and she agrees. I feel like Brittlyn took advantage of what Sevyn was going through but the joke was on her, lol. Nasir was so dreamy and I loved his character. He was instantly attracted to Sevyn; their chemistry was off the charts. Sevyn had such a positive impact on Nasir; she made him want to be better. Talk about growth!! 🙌🏾my heart aches for Brycen because he loves Linnea but IMO he should have let her tell him what she had done. 😭ugh this was so good!! And we haven’t even got to the meat of Deasia and Jason’s story! Good work as always!!! ❤️

[Daycrayy · Rating 4 out of 5]

hmmm

Idk how to feel about this book lol. The characters make me feel conflicted. Like I kinda feel bad for Brittlyn.. aside from what she did at the end… she didn’t deserve how she was treated. Sevyn was just way to aloof and naive for me. Like you’re supposed to be in school to become a Lawyer and ain’t sh*t observant about shorty..everything goes over her head. Lol. She was sneaky as hell after Britt helped her. And Bryson needs to let it go chile lol like my girl was 17. He needs to grow up with the way he’s choosing to lash out. La deserves better lol ok dassit… oh and ANOTHER THING … ion like Nasir ass either lol. I like his sister tho and her boxer… ok dassit ☺️

[Jada Wade · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read

My my my Brittlynn was definitely the definition of she refuse to let you go. She wouldn’t take no for an answer when Nasir didn’t want to be with her any longer. I’m not mad at all that Nasir didn’t want to be with Brittlynn anymore. I thought Sevyn was a better choice for him.

I hope that Linnea and Brycen are able to rekindle their relationship. It sucks that Brycen had to find out the truth from Linnea father, but Brycen told her he didn’t care about the past when Linnea tried to tell him herself. 🤷🏽‍♀️

I can’t wait to read part 2!!!

[Laci O'leary · Rating 2 out of 5]

For as much "adult content" that was in this book, I expected more adult / mature behavior from the characters but it was just not there. I would have rated this book a 1 star, but the surprise ending got me to give an extra. No hate towards this book, the author or those who liked it. It was just not for me in terms of spice to adult maturity ratio.

[martha fountain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another New To Me Author and I am glad

Great character development, engaging storyline, and whew...cliffhangers...necessary components to a good read. The author delivered on this one as I rush to start reading part II, the finale. More to come!

[DeWanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tay Alexandria Samantha Monae......................... you have me waiting on this next book like whooooaaa! I enjoyed this story because it's not typical at all!

[CiCi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mess from start to finish.
Going straight into book 2, because wtf what’s that ending? Everybody has seemingly lost their damn minds😳
3.75

[Karina (shedreamsinwords) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a mess, but I ate it up!

When struggling law student Sevyn is barely making ends meet, neighbor Brittlyn offers to pay Sevyn to join her & her boyfriend Nasir for some bedroom activities. After that night, Nasir can’t get Sevyn off his mind and the two start to hang out.. alone. Sevyn knows not to cross that line but the two are inextricably drawn together and form a friendship that can’t help but turn into more.

This is a multi POV story that follows FMC Sevyn, MMC Nasir, Linnea (Sevyn’s best friend), and Brycen (Nasir’s friend & business partner). It was messy, chaotic, and such a spicyyyy good time! I don’t agree with a lot of the men’s actions, yet I couldn’t help but root for these characters and their romantic connections. The intricacy of some relationships between certain characters gets unraveled as the story goes on but just know that this tangled web mixed with the plot that I got invested in seeing play out had me finding reasons to listen while doing anything & everything around the house!

That cliff hanger was crazy work so be prepared to jump into the next one immediately! The diabolical ending + final pages reminded me of a Tate James book 👀

The only thing I can kind of compare the drama & mess of this to is Magnolia Parks however, this has A LOT of spice & cheating. So if you don’t mind the two, go ahead and pick this up because you’ll get hooked from the start 🤭

[Alicia J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me tuned in. This book follows a couple who have been dating for 4 years and they have an open relationship. They partake in threesomes and it seems to work for them. Until a neighbor is struggling financially and the woman approaches the neighbor with an offer she can’t refuse. This book goes into the issues that can arise when you invite a third into your relationship and it discusses a second-chance romance. The ending of this book makes me want to read the next book. This is crazyyyy. I enjoyed the fast paced writing and how relatable every character is. Seven was getting on my nerves for how naive she was being, it overall I enjoyed the book. First time reading from this author, but I’m curious to read her other work.

[Tisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is the Tay Monae that I enjoy

This was the perfect mix of drama. All the bread crumbs of what was going to happen were obvious, but didn’t take away from me enjoying the story.

What was surprising, is that the story centers around essentially 3 couples (I see Deasia having more presence in book 2). Which the author did a great job of keeping my interest in all 3.

Initially, I felt bad for Kendra, but after a while- I realized she’s allowing this foolishness. I hope she doesn’t play herself more like Brittlyn. Because that ending… whew! Home girl has lost her mind.

Can’t wait to finish this, although it’s so good I don’t want to finish too soon.

[Jaye Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sevyn and Nasir were a perfect match prior to even meeting. I listened to this book through Audible and thoroughly enjoyed it minus the narrators saying Linnea name different every time. I hated Nasir’s ex girlfriend from the very beginning. Linnea pissed me off too ! She too old to be that scary ! Brycen was acting like a pubescent child at times and I wanted to smack him a few times too. I knew Linnea had an abortion immediately based off of her behavior. Why Brycen was mad like he didn’t remember her trying to come clean and him saying he didn’t want to hear it blew tf out of me. Sevyn definitely did not deserve to be shot because miss mamas couldn’t let go… I bet this changes her.

[reading mom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now this is how you write a mother loving book!

This book kept me on my toes. From the 3some to the drama. Baby Brittlyn is a scorned character for sure.

It’s giving if loving you was wrong 😭😭😭.. I know we hate to see a man giving that love we should have had!

Anywayssss. Nasir you trifling for how you moved because you knew how innocent poor Sevyn was but you know what??? Idk if it’s ok. But idc! This was soooo good!

And that ending had my mouth on the FLO!!!

[Racquel Nycole · Rating 5 out of 5]

.

I can’t believe I waited so long to read this series. I love the storyline and how all the relationships built up to where it is now. What Nasir and Sevyn are experiencing is super new and I love how their feelings didn’t happen overnight. I’m hoping for a great outcome for everyone. Except Brittlynn lol

[Kenna McNair · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sevyn just wanted to live a normal life & finish law school. How she got tangled up with couple Nasir & Brittlin to help from getting evicted was a wild one! Then we have Brycen & Linnea & their love triangle. Whew this was a hot & spicy one. Very good read!

[Arlinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5.

cute storyline but kinda predictable.. i hope nasir & brycen can control their ex's because my girls dont deserve the uncertainty! hopefully the 2nd book is better.