Blend Extra: A Debut Novel That Takes Place in Our Very Own Milwaukee!

Meet Milwaukee-based author, Kendra Broekhuis. Her debut novel, Between You and Us is set in Milwaukee! In fact, Kendra cleverly uses the backdrop of the city to explore themes like class and loneliness, while also painting it as a magical place to fall in love.
The story follows a woman named Leona, when she steps into an alternate world where her daughter is miraculously still alive, but her husband is suddenly distant. Inspired by Kendra’s personal grief from losing her baby at 33 weeks pregnant, her complex debut is an inspirational tale of what ifs? for fans of layered stories, rich characters, and family dramas.
Kendra’s masterful use of magical realism works alongside her thoughtful inclusion of humor to intricately explore the heavy issue of the loss of a child. Readers of literary fiction will be uplifted by Leona’s journey through time and her lessons learned — the main one being that life’s most traumatic moments make us who we are. Moreover, women who have experienced unimaginable losses will be comforted by Leona’s laments and realizations.