All That We Never Were
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4.0 • 7 Ratings
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- $16.99
Publisher Description
She’s drowning in silence. He refuses to let her sink.
When grief leaves nineteen-year-old Leah Jones barely functioning, the last thing she expects is for her brother’s best friend to become her lifeline. But Axel Nguyen isn't just offering a place to stay—he's offering her a way to survive.
From international bestselling author Alice Kellen comes a deeply moving, slow-burn New Adult romance about loss, healing, and the love that changes everything. If you're looking for a romance that will wreck you and rebuild you, with characters who feel as real as your own heartbreaks, this is the one.
Leah once had a future she believed in. Now, her world has collapsed. With her brother moving away and no one left to lean on, Axel steps in as the one person she never imagined would truly see her pain. Ten years older and used to building walls around his heart, Axel takes her in—not out of duty, but because watching her fade is more than he can bear.
Living under the same roof tests their limits. The comfort they find in each other grows complicated. Lines blur. Hearts stir. And the one promise Axel made—to protect Leah—starts to mean something he never saw coming.
Perfect for fans of Colleen Hoover, B. Celeste, and Anna Todd, this emotionally layered romance explores the quiet ache of grief, the resilience of the human spirit, and the slow, breathtaking journey toward love as two souls learn to breathe again—together.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Kellen sets out to break hearts with her high-angst new adult debut. After 19-year-old high school senior Leah Jones's parents die in a car accident with her in the car, Leah feels like she's just existing, never again to feel pleasure. Then her older brother and new guardian, Oliver, takes a high-salary job that requires travel three weeks out of every month. He asks his best friend Axel Nguyen, 29, to take Leah in while he's out of town. There's just one problem: Leah has been secretly crushing on Axel for years. As Axel coaxes Leah out of her grief—something that takes considerable effort—Leah's love reignites and Axel develops feelings of his own. It's a taboo relationship that won't work for all readers—and it certainly doesn't work for Oliver; when he learns of the affair, he tears the lovers apart. Kellen skillfully pulls readers along on this emotional roller-coaster ride, however, with West's crisp translation making for easy reading. The cliffhanger ending frustrates, but those who like their romances fraught and soapy will find plenty to enjoy here.
Customer Reviews
Kept me hooked
I enjoyed reading it. I like books that talk about what being human is while at the same time what it is like experiencing love.