You and Me and Us

Based on its blurb, I went into You and Me and Us expecting a four hanky, ugly cry kind of read because it deals with complex relationships and heartbreaking loss. Sometimes you just want a good tearjerker, right? This debut follows a family through their adjustments, emotions, and grief as they deal with a terminal cancer diagnosis and struggle to accept that the future they were expecting no longer exists.  

Admittedly, I'm a hard tear duct to crack but I found myself tearing up in a couple of spots. And yet I didn't find this book to be as emotional as I had expected for its subject matter. There was no ugly cry to be had but there are touching moments and I connected to the characters in varying degrees. I adored Tommy but I didn't like his wife Alexis or their teenager daughter Cece who share narrating duties.

My dislike of these women unfortunately overshadowed much of the book for me and stems from their constant snark, selfishness, and my feeling that their emotions were over-the-top and even unwarranted for specific situations. Cece throws a lot of attitude and disdain at her mom and Alexis' fixation and excessive hatred towards one person pervaded her so much that she felt more like a caricature than an authentic character I could sympathize with. It was in the quiet moments with Tommy, her fantastic, supportive partner, that Alexis seemed more believable and likable.

I applaud the author for not shying away from weighty subjects in her debut novel. By portraying different reactions to grief and inevitable loss, Hammer gives readers a chance for a good cry and provides great jumping off points for discussion. This book has good bones and short chapters to keep the story moving as it introduces topics of death, loss and moving on within an already fractured family. 

My Rating: 3 stars

Author: Alison Hammer

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Type and Source: eBook from public library

Publisher: William Morrow Books

First Published: April 7, 2020

Opening Lines: It's dark outside by the time I finally look up from 
my computer - so much for being home early.

Book Description from GoodReads: The heartbreaking, yet hopeful, story of a mother and daughter struggling to be a family without the one person who holds them together—a perfect summer read for fans of JoJo Moyes and Marisa de los Santos.

Alexis Gold knows how to put the “work” in working mom. It’s the “mom” part that she’s been struggling with lately. Since opening her own advertising agency three years ago, Alexis has all but given up on finding a good work/life balance. Instead, she’s handed over the household reins to her supportive, loving partner, Tommy. While he’s quick to say they divide and conquer, Alexis knows that Tommy does most of the heavy lifting—especially when it comes to their teenage daughter, CeCe. 

Their world changes in an instant when Tommy receives a terminal cancer diagnosis, and Alexis realizes everything she’s worked relentlessly for doesn’t matter without him. So Alexis does what Tommy has done for her almost every day since they were twelve-year-old kids in Destin, Florida—she puts him first. And when the only thing Tommy wants is to spend one last summer together at “their” beach, she puts her career on hold to make it happen…even if it means putting her family within striking distance of Tommy’s ex, an actress CeCe idolizes.

But Alexis and Tommy aren’t the only ones whose lives have been turned inside out. In addition to dealing with the normal ups and downs that come with being a teenager, CeCe is also forced to confront her feelings about Tommy’s illness—and what will happen when the one person who’s always been there for her is gone. When the magic of first love brings a bright spot to her summer, CeCe is determined not to let her mother ruin that for her, too.

As CeCe’s behavior becomes more rebellious, Alexis realizes the only thing harder for her than losing Tommy will be convincing CeCe to give her one more chance.  

You and Me and Us is a beautifully written novel that examines the unexpected ways loss teaches us how to love.