Do I Know You?

By: Emily Wibberley, Austin Siegemund-Broka

Narrated by: Dan Bittner, Brittany Pressley

Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

One of..

Amazon's Best Romances of January · Buzzfeed's Romance Books To Look Out For In 2023

When a couple starts to feel like they’re married to a stranger, a flirtatious game of pretend becomes the spark they need to reignite their relationship.

Eliza and Graham are anticipating an anything-but-sexy, weeklong getaway to celebrate their five-year anniversary. Nestled on the Northern California coastline, the resort prides itself on being a destination for those in love and those looking to find it. For Eliza and Graham, it might as well be a vacation with a roommate.

When a well-meaning guest mistakes Eliza and Graham for being single and introduces them at the hotel bar, they don’t correct him. Suddenly, they’re pretending to be perfect strangers and it’s unexpectedly…fun? Eliza and Graham find themselves flirting like it’s their first date, and waiting with butterflies in their stomach for the other to text back.

Everyone at the retreat can sense the electric chemistry between Eliza and Graham’s alter egos. But when their scintillating game of roleplaying ends, will they still feel the heat?

©2023 Emily Wibberley, Austin Siegemund-Broka (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“Many authors can write compellingly about falling in love…but it takes a deft hand (or two, in this case) to write compellingly about staying in love. Luckily, we have Wibbroka, who have crafted a novel about marriage that is honest to the bone, refreshing, and—like a long-term relationship—deliciously surprising.”—Jodi Picoult, New York Times bestselling author of Wish You Were Here

"Do I Know You? shows the pure magic of that pivotal moment when two people make the choice to fight for each other. This book is more than a story of a marriage in trouble. It's the story of a spark rekindled and the new flames deliver all the warmth you could want in a novel. Full of humor and heart, Do I Know You? had me in my feelings!"—Denise Williams, author of The Fastest Way to Fall

“Do I Know You? offers the fresh twist on a marriage in crisis that I didn't know I needed! Wibbroka does it again with a magnetically raw and intimate portrayal of where love begins, fades, and begins again. Flirty, sweeping, and hopeful, readers will clutch their chests and root for Eliza and Graham until the very last page.”—Amy Lea, author of Set on You

Male narrator ruins it

I can’t decide if it was the male character in general that I disliked or the male narrator’s whiny voice. The premise of the book is cute, but the male main character brought up the fact that he’s a lawyer in every single chapter and tried to relate what he does for a living with whatever he was going through in that moment. Wouldn’t recommend.

Did I like it?

✨2 stars✨
I was invested in this book for about the first 20 to 25 %. Then I realized this was a miscommunication trope that would have no tension or conflict if the two main characters would just sit down and have some tough talks. I’m not a huge fan of the miscommunication trope. I did like the concept of the activities the couple did together to attempt to help their relationship. I just feel it was not executed too well. Why did I not DNF (Did not finish) this book? Because it was my first Fable book club read with Larry Reads. I also kept giving this book a chance to get better. There were a few chapters that made me hopeful, but, sadly, it wasn’t meant to be for me and Do I Know You?

Fun, lighthearted read.

I enjoyed this book!

I thought it was a fun story, and loved that there were moments of playful fun and flirtatious banter, as well as moments of deeper connection, introspection and intimacy.

It was lighthearted and heartwarming, while also delving into relatable long term relationship struggles.

If you are looking for a playful story this book is great! Nothing heavy or depressing.

Relatable premise

The premise of the story is very relatable: we’ve been married long enough to fall into a routine that leaves us wondering if we still know each other. I was glad Graham got out of his own way before I wanted to reduce my rating.

Looking forward to more stories from the writing duo

Love, love, love it!

The narration was perfect on Do I Know You? I loved the story. The characters were smart and Engaging. What a sweet romance.

Met my sky-high expectations

After how much I loved Wibberley and Siegemund-Broka's The Roughest Draft, I highly anticipated Do I Know You? , but I was also somewhat concerned that it wouldn't match the magic... I had no need to worry. This book captured the deep abiding love as well as the nuances that lead to falling apart in a marriage. But we'll get to my thoughts in a bit.

Summary:
Eliza and Graham are being sent on a vacation to celebrate their 5-year anniversary. They're both dreading it because where there was once a passion for each other that kept them going, the mundanities of life have crept in, and now they talk about dinner prep, the weather, and their jobs. When a stranger mistakes them for singles at the bar, they pretend not to know each other.. And decide to keep the ruse going. They have a chance to feel the anticipation of falling in love in earnest, but how will that translate to their daily lives?

My thoughts:
Loved reading this book. I celebrated my 5-year anniversary last year, and I can relate to losing some spark but still loving your partner. Eliza also had issues with her family, and Graham felt like he was inadequate for Eliza. The authors handled the intermingling feelings quite believably.

It wasn't all heavy! We also got to follow Eliza and Graham on a bunch of fun dates and feel the "will they won't they" of it all.

I listened to the book, and I recommend the audiobook. The male narrator was the same as "The Roughest Draft," and the woman was also better than average.

Ok, so some parts of this book I can't relate to. They end up paying for a second room at a 5-star resort so they can be truly separate. Graham's parents gifted them this vacation. I don't know how much disposable income they really have, but this seems over-the-top for a young lawyer and an audiobook voice actor. To be fair, this book had enough emotional weight without throwing in money problems.

Ehhh

I often felt frustrated when the narration would change to the male lead. That POV had so much self doubt it was annoying. Had the characters sat down to talk… there wouldn’t be a need for a book.I still don’t quite understand what went wrong other than having doubts about themselves, there wasn’t a true conflict.

Thought-provoking

Like The Roughest Draft, which I liked a bit better, this is not a very happy book. But I enjoyed it nonetheless because the authors bravely tackle a challenge topic (marriage problems) in a thoughtful way. The female narrator was great; the male narrator was fine.

Loved it

Sometimes you start reading a book and get a great feeling about it almost immediately - there's something that pulls you in and lets you know that it's going to be a good one. That's how I felt about this. It was clear from the first few pages that the dynamic was WORKING for me, with a complex, layered storyline and a unique feel. I loved that we got both perspectives, because it showcased how entirely disconnected this married couple is - they have been unintentionally hurting each other in the worst ways, and inflicting damage to their relationship one piece at a time. That added a complexity that I loved, and it was so interesting to pinpoint the little snippets of hurt, the wrong moves and the right ones. It's a quieter romance that's probably best enjoyed by readers who have been in a long-term relationship. You can feel the LOVE between these two, and I SO appreciated how dedicated they were to making it work.

The story follows Eliza and Graham, a couple that married while they were in their early twenties. They love each other dearly, but both acknowledge (at least to themselves) that something has been off about their relationship. So when Eliza's mother-in-law gifts them a getaway for their fifth anniversary, she's almost dreading the experience. Spending a week alone with her husband - in an extremely romantic setting, no less - does not sound like Eliza's idea of a good time at the moment. When the hotel accidentally books them two rooms, well... it doesn't sound like a terrible idea to Eliza. And when Graham and Eliza find themselves pretending to be strangers in the hotel bar, it sparks a whole other idea. They'll try to find their way back together by learning about each other all over again.

When I initially heard the concept, I was very excited to read this. I love a good marriage in trouble romance, and I also love books that surprise me. I have never read a romance with a storyline quite like this one, and that kept me on my toes throughout the whole thing. Seeing the subtle shifts in their relationship, analyzing each interaction - it made the experience that much more immersive. And I LOVED that Graham and Eliza were both steadfast in their love for each other; there was no doubting that the desire to make things work was there, with no OW/OM drama. That made it easier to empathize with both of them, and cranked up the angst in certain moments. They're both likable characters, though Graham was particularly adorable. Hearing about his insecurities was so endearing, and watching him slowly find his confidence was really great. There's such a mix of angst, banter, playfulness, and heartache - that made it such a dynamic read. If I have one complaint, it's that I wouldn't have minded if everything was turned up another notch. But I had a great time reading this, and it easily held my interest the whole way through.

Audio note: The audio was excellent! It's dual narration, and both narrators did a fantastic job. I wasn't familiar with either of them going in (Dan Bittner and Brittany Pressley), but their voices were both easy to listen to and expressive enough to make it feel like a true performance. Their voices also worked perfectly for the characters, and made the experience even more engaging. It's a slow burn with a low heat level, so this also made for a great workday listen. The runtime was also ideal for that, clocking in at under 10 hours. I definitely recommend the audio for the full experience.

The story drags

Didn’t do it for me. I thought they went on and on about the same thing and that was boring.

I give it 3 stars because the narration was fairly good and the story had potential.