Priscilla Glenn

Book Nook — Young Adult book reviews

Oh my freaking god! Where do I begin. This book blew me away. I know it was going to be intense and romantic and sweet and heartbreaking.. but it was all that completely amplified! I read Back to You in one straight sitting—less than a full day. It was so good that I couldn't stand to be parted from it!

This book alternates between three different time periods: Lauren and Michael's reunion after eight years of no communication, their friendship and show more romance developing in high school, and the tragedies in Michael's young life. But since it's constantly switching back and forth, we don't get all the answers until the very end when everything ties together. This was brilliantly done and masterfully crafted! Priscilla had me glued to this book, whipping through the pages as I desperately wanted to find out what happened in their relationship.

The romance in this story was unforgettable. It's sweet, it's passionate, it's hesitant, it's built on a solid friendship, and it knows no bounds. But it's also about mistakes, regret, and second chances. I suppose in some ways it is about soul mates, but it's done in a way that MAKES SENSE. It's none of that "I look at you and immediately love you" crap. Their connection was built off of years of solid friendship, support, and love. That's what made it incredibly beautiful, breathtaking, and heart-stopping. The intense emotion and love in this book brought me to tears for the entire last quarter of the book—but it was a mixture of sad and happy tears. I was so moved by their relationship that I was literally sobbing with happiness for them!

Back to You will take you on an insane journey. I feel like I've lived with these characters. I've grown up with them, I've watched them change and develop, I've seen who they've become. It makes me wish with all my might that this couple exists in the real world, because their relationship would just be so BEAUTIFUL. To see people overcome what they've suffered through and learn from their mistakes.. it's something special.

Even though this book is sad in its own way, I feel like it's also intensely happy, and that's why I love it. There was less emotional wreckage and the end in particular is just pure bliss. The epilogue is honestly one of the most satisfying I have ever read. I was devastated when the book ended, pleasantly surprised when I saw there was an epilogue, and when I finally finished, I was left with the best feeling in the world. I cannot recommend this book enough! If you love a great romance with intense emotions, heart warming moments, and an ending that will make you scream to the heavens with happiness..this book is for you.

And if I can take only one thing away from Back to You: true love is out there, guys, and it's amazing. show less

(This review was originally posted at My Library in the Making.)

I had high expectations when I started reading this book—thanks to a well-written positive review I'd read—and I was nervous because expectations almost always led to disappointments. Thankfully, Back to You didn't just meet those—it exceeded them.

For me, what made this book a solid hit were the two main characters, Lauren and Michael. At first glance, they were total opposites—the smart, kind, and beautiful girl, and show more the scary, temperamental guy who everyone avoided. Two very different people but both of whom I very much loved and wholeheartedly cared for.

I liked Lauren because although she got excellent grades and did gymnastics, she still managed to party and be a normal teenager. But I loved her for her genuine kindness; she saw the good in everyone—not just in Michael—and didn't care about what everyone else said.

Then we have Michael, the moody loner who preferred to keep people at a distance. He tried to scare her away by showing his true self, but Lauren proved she was there to stay. As the story unraveled and I learned the reasons behind his actions, the more my heart broke. God. I just wanted to hug him... for a whole day.

Their story was written in alternating chapters of the present and past, and I loved how after intriguing the readers in the present, we are taken straight to the event in the past that caused it. It was also in this way that we are acquainted with their romance, which always left me craving for more.

Having read this in less than a day—and without sleep, too—believe me when I say that Back to You was a real page-turner. Halfway through, I started feeling nervous for the ending, but Glenn couldn't have concluded this gripping story of understanding and forgiveness better.

MY FAVORITE PART was the epilogue, hihi. show less

I fell head over heels for this book. Priscilla Glenn has written an effortless read allowing me to simply be a fly on the wall watching the events unfold for the two tragic, yet beautiful, friendship and romance between Lauren and Michael.

Glenn chose to tell their story from a back and forth perspective of adults meeting again for the first time in nine years back to high school when they first met. As these two have quite a history together, it was an absolute pleasure being invested in show more the characters as adults, while learning more about what shaped them into who they are today with scenes from the past. This may sound tricky or hard to follow if you’ve read this type of style in other books, but I had no problem following along once I realized the time frame and how the book was structured. Make sure to pay attention to the chapter headings as they let you know what year the events you are about to read take place. The transitions felt smooth and after the first couple of chapter changes, I had it down.

Lauren and Michael are written as well developed characters. Their friendship while unlikely to some made perfect sense to me. The opposites attract is in full force here. The two could not have a more different background or ways to handle situations when they were young, but they worked together. If you are a fan of a strong friendship building into a strong relationship, this book is for you. Although I felt horrible for the two as they wind their way through young adulthood making the wrong choices in love and paying for it as adults, the tension that I love about romance books is there. It’s not overly angsty but just the right amount that I felt that tug in my heart every time the characters did. I cried people. This book broke my heart and then would turn around and make me smile. I fell in love with both of these characters myself.:) Michael, oh Michael! I just wanted to wrap him up in a hug and I adored Lauren for seeing him for what others passed over.

I read this book within a few hours staying up until 3 am to finish. My reading blinders came on and I would not put this book down until I knew how it would end. Contemporary romance fans that want to lose themselves in a well written story should add this to the reading list. I will definitely be recommending this to friends. show less

It has been a while since I’ve read a book that I thoroughly enjoyed this much, but Back to You has found itself on my “Favorites” bookshelf. From the first chapter, I was drawn into the story. Without giving too much away – because I really want you to read this book to see for yourself – Back to You follows the story of two best friends with radically different upbringings, who fall out of touch only to stumble back into each other’s lives eight years later.

The heart of the show more story deals with anger and a loss of trust – though the reader is unsure why – on Lauren’s part. Though she’s grown up to be an independent, successful woman with a passion for working with children, her former friendship with Michael has far-reaching consequences in her life and on her ability to love.

As is often done with stories dealing with characters’ pasts, Glenn used the mixed-timeline method of storytelling. I can’t count the number of times that I have gotten lost in a story only to turn a page, find the story jumping several years into the past or future, and totally lose the feel of – and interest in – the overall story.

However, Glenn successfully balanced the time jumps, traversing the present and the past, from both Lauren’s and Michael’s points-of-view, with ease. This is no easy feat, and can often come off as disjointed and misplaced inserts that take you out of the story and quickly make you lose interest. Instead, what the reader gets is an emotionally-filled journey that takes you from the lives of children and teens to their adult counter-parts and their very realistic, divergent paths.

Of course, all of this to say that I genuinely enjoyed Back to You, and will definitely be following Priscilla Glenn, already anticipating her next work. It is an easy read, and you will likely struggle to put the book down. With its modern, believable story and great character development, I will be surprised if this book doesn’t hit the bestseller list.

**Original review posted on honestreviewscorner.com.** show less