Author: Amanda Kade

Series: You Had Me

First Published: 27 January 2024

“It was like the universe was trying to tell me something—that sometimes what we think our worst days turn out to be the best. Or at least that ones that changes our lives for the better.”

I will start by saying that I wI will start by saying that I was given an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. Thank so much Amanda for sending a copy my way!

She needs a room to rent.

They have one.

Will a desperate decision heal their broken hearts?

Eden Reeves is on the brink of a mental breakdown. After she catches her to-be husband being unfaithful, and with her deceased father’s dream slipping away, the twenty-two-year-old is left not just without a fiancé but also without a roof over her head.

Enter Willis Becker, a brooding, inked-up stranger, and Emerson de Silva, a professional soccer player and Willis’s best friend. When she stumbles into Willis’s bar, they throw Eden a lifeline, inviting her into their world of tangled emotions and unspoken desires.

Choosing to live life on her own terms, Eden accepts the generous offer from the two gorgeous men, in the hopes to get her life back on track and move on from the heartbreak. But with a deadline looming over her head to keep her promises to her father, Eden makes a rash decision, fully aware it may just destroy her new life. Little does she know, though, both men are hiding secrets of their own, ones that could be exposed any moment.

As passion mingles with secrecy, can Eden save what is left of her broken world and convince Willis and Emerson that their love is irreplaceable? Or will the shadows of their combined secrets tear them apart forever?

There’s No Us Without You is a perfect example to demonstrate why I love the MMF trope. This book was solely focused on Emerson, Eden and Will trying to navigate their feelings and this new relationship while also trying to heal and process the trauma from their past. It was angsty and messy and I devoured it. Who doesn’t want to read about a plus-size girl finding the loves of her life in a sunshiney soccer player and a grumpy, tattooed, bartender?

Eden is having the worst possible day ever. She is on the verge of a breakdown, downing as many shots as she possibly can in some downtown Sydney bar. This was not how she imagined her wedding day to go, but it was the only way after catching her future husband banging her mother. Eden gives herself the night to wallow before figuring out some logistics, like where she will live and how she can get her late father’s restaurant back. She is thrown a life line in the form of a sunshiny, pro soccer player, Emerson, and his broody tattooed, best friend, Will. Eden decides it’s finally time to live her life the way she wants it, so she accepts their generous offer and hopes to get her life on track. With the deadline to buy the restaurant looming and attracting sparking between the new housemates, rash decisions are made and secrets loom large, which might leave Eden, Emerson and Will in heartbreak.

Eden goes through so much in her life—from the death of her dad, her manipulative mother and her cheating finance—and I adore how she’s able to grow from these events and become stronger for it. She’s spent her life being belittled about her weight and her ability to succeed. This has left Eden with a host of insecurities and self-esteem issues, which felt so authentic. I love love, loved the way Emerson and Will were able to help boost her confidence and learn to love her body. As a plus-size woman, I love to see this kind of rep as it battles that ridiculous societal notion that women are only valued members of society based on how attractive they are. Eden does make lots of mistakes, but how she owns up to her mistakes even though she knows she could lose everything is amazing.

Emerson gives off the biggest Golden Retriever energy. He is such a sweetheart. It broke my heart to see him hiding a serious knee injury because he didn’t want to let his team or family down. His whole focus is on winning the premiership. He will risk his own health to achieve it. The pressure he is under is immense. Emerson doesn’t feel like he can seek help, so he turns to hardcore painkillers to cope. The pain rep in here was great. Amanda Kade handed the depiction of Emerson’s drug habit and eventual rehab with a lot of care. It was harrowing to watch it unfold, and it felt realistic.

The action in the last third revolves around Will. Boy, does he go through it. I would’ve loved to have seen a little more character development from him, mostly in his ability to talk to Emerson and Eden about his feelings. But I can also respect that due to his horrible childhood, the need to be in control and take care of other people is ingrained into him. Will has the biggest heart, which he hides deep beneath his tattooed, gruff exterior.

The narrative focus is on these characters and the romance, which I adore. The romance is messy in the best kind of way. They fuck up, get scared and push the other people away because they are terrified of being venerable and getting hurt. Which feels so authentic. The angst and pain are one side of their dynamic, which hurts so good. Then we have the beautiful side where they support each other and help heal. The balance was perfect. The way this relationship dynamic was able to help improve Eden’s confidence, kick Emerson’s drug habit and the building pressure to be the best and help Will confront his father and finally start to heal from his traumatic past. The steam in here is excellent and does have a dash of BDSM because Will is a Dom. That masked men scene left me panting, if you know, you know.

I am always a sucker for a romance book set in Australia because I hardly ever see that. I am excited to give into the first book, You Had Me At Thirteen, as we met those characters, so I’m intrigued. If you love plus-size heroines, MMF romance, a bi-awakening and forced proximity with a dash of angst and a splash of spice, There’s No Us Without Us is a must read.