Then There Was You

By: S.L. Scott

Narrated by: Erin Mallon, Tor Thom

The time is now.

New emotional and hopeful standalone novel by New York Times bestselling author S.L. Scott.

I’d almost forgotten what it felt like to smile, to laugh, and to really live. Until I met him.

Heart-stoppingly handsome.
Totally forbidden.
Keats Matthews looked at me like I was something special.

He was escaping his past. I wanted to escape my present. Together, we fell hard and fast and knew we had found forever. Or so we thought …

Six years later, his shoulders are broader than I remembered, his charming smile thaws my frozen heart, and it’s so tempting to run my fingers through his hair like I did years ago. But it’s the tenderness and warmth in his brown eyes that remind me of the forever we almost shared.

It’s magic when we’re together again. Our chemistry has only magnified. Seeing him, confident and more irresistible than ever, has me falling for him all over again and hoping for a second chance.

But he still believes our timing was off before. He’s wrong. It was the secret I kept hidden that was our undoing. Time hasn’t healed old wounds, and not everything hidden has come to light. When it does, we’ll stand together or fall apart. Either way, we must find out.

Author's Note: This contemporary standalone packs in the romance, heart-swoons, and love that never dies, but does not contain cheating or love triangles. It's one love in this book. Two souls that are meant for each other who will have to overcome obstacles to be together.

©2026 S.L. Scott (P)2026 S.L. Scott

Loved it!

I absolutely loved this book. I enjoyed both voices. They really brought this book to life.

I always love Scott’s writing and this one was so fun.

Sosie and Keats

Good narration.

Sosie and Keats. She comes from wealth and is expected to conform with her father's ideas. Keats comes from poverty but has a gift for numbers and words. From the first moment they met, their souls lean toward each other.

Captivating dialog, riveting storyline. Uniquely written, in that even when they're separated with no knowledge of when they might meet again, there are no place holders for either of them.

This is a story of first and only love.

Sweet Scale: 4/5
Spicy Scale: 3/5

Emotional Ride

This is my first S.L. Scott book, and I'm immediately going to check out her other works because, wow. This book had me in a chokehold. Keats and Sosie met when he was working a catering gig at her home. They spent one whirlwind night together that caused them both to develop deep, gut-wrenching feelings for each other, but they didn't see each other again after that one night. The time their paths crossed four years later, it was still not meant to be. Each time their paths crossed, it was just not the right time. This book was so emotional, raw, and real. The connection between Keats and Sosie was undeniable. They wanted nothing but to be together, but life kept pulling them apart. I kept yelling to the universe to just give them a chance at happiness. I listened to this entire book in one day because I was so invested in their story.

Erin and Tor did such a beautiful job bringing this story to life. You could feel the love and heartache in their performances.

"You can fight fate, but you can't fight destiny."

ARC Review

Favorite Quotes: "You can fight fate, but you can't fight destiny."
"Holding her up is easy, but I was built for loving her."
“A beacon for me to rely on. Every time we saw each other, every time we talked gave me the sign I needed to hold on, even when fate tried to keep us apart.”

Then There Was You by S.L. Scott is an insta love romance for the haves and the have-nots...Though instantaneous love has always seemed so farfetched to me, millions of people have sworn by the pull to their other half. Ultimately, because I am a romantic at heart, I always fall for this trope. This was no exception...I received this book from Hambright PR and I'm leaving this review voluntarily.

Sosie and Keats have lived drastically different upbringings but they've both been severely neglected by their parents. I think this connection of kindred spirits, makes these two-throw caution to the wind on their first night together. What follows is a swift shift that rips them apart just as they've found one another. To keep Keats safe and ensure his future, Sosie finds the strength to let Keats go but her heart refuses to. For 6 years the pair have a few run ins layered with such intensity as try to move on from the one that got away. I did feel a genuine connection and deep longing between "The Poet" and his "Spark." It was beautiful that they always found their way back to one another, even when the universe insisted on tearing them apart. Together, the pair that was never shown an ounce of love in their world, learns the true meaning of loving and being loved. Against all odds they vow to hold on with everything that they've got because real love is worth it. This book was beautifully written and very poetic. It was sexy, flirty and filled with the hope of true love. It was endearing and I really enjoyed this one.💛