open book publishing co, llc

A lover who disappears. A best friend who takes his place. A girl who desperately loves them both.

It’s 1982 in California’s Bay Area, where Jacqui Hall yearns to belong. Stuck living at home so her oppressive parents will pay for college, the nineteen-year-old aspiring writer wishes for someone to make her feel special. And her dreams seem to come true when she hits it off with a pair of hot mechanics that work next door.

Falling hard for the haunted Mick, Jacqui finally finds acceptance in his passionate arms. But when he vanishes without a word and his rakish best friend Remy steps into his shoes, she’s torn between two very different kinds of affection.

When Mick returns and Remy doesn’t want to let go, will Jacqui be forced to choose, or can she truly have it all?

Recalling the days of West Coast car culture and low-tech times, When There Was Us is an intimate story of found family and sexual awakening. Packed with emotion, irresistible characters, and heartfelt honesty, this absorbing tale is authentically real.