Back to You

by Priscilla Glenn

When Lauren Monroe first laid eyes on Michael Delaney back in high school, she had every reason to stay away from him; within minutes of their first encounter, his volatile actions confirmed his notorious reputation. But Lauren saw something in him that caused her to question his bad-boy persona, and against her better judgment, she took a chance. She had no way of knowing that the unlikely friendship they formed would become so important to her.

Or that it would end so painfully.

Eight years later, when Lauren begins her new job at Learn and Grow Day Care, Michael is the last person she expects to see. Refusing to revisit the hurt and confusion of their past, Lauren vows to keep her distance from him. But staying away from Michael proves to be more difficult than she thought, despite her lingering grief and her instincts for self-preservation.

As Lauren and Michael recall the friendship that changed them forever and the events that tore them apart, will they finally be able to heal? Or will the ghosts of Michael’s past prove to be too much to overcome?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, New Adult, Second Chance, Friends To Lovers, Second Chance Romance

328 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 20, 2012

About the author

Priscilla Glenn lives in New York with her husband and three children. She has been teaching English Language Arts for the past twelve years while moonlighting as a writer, mom, coach, student, and professional laundry-doer.
If you catch her when she's feeling sophisticated, she'll tell you her favorite things are great books and good wine. In the moments in between, she'll admit her love for anything Ben and Jerry's, UFC fights, and Robert Pattinson.
Glenn is the author of the contemporary romance novels Back to You, Emancipating Andie, and Coming Home. You can contact her at priscilla.glenn3@gmail.com

Reviews

[Aestas Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my God. Oh my God. OH. MY. GOD.

Guys, you all HAVE to read this book!

“Right back to him. Always to him.”

Its a beautiful, believable second-chance friends-to-lovers story that was both heart breaking and heart warming, with an uplifting, satisfying ending that left me clutching my heart, with happy tears in my eyes and a smile on my face :)

I loved it.

I started this book late last night after a long day at work and it kept me glued to my kindle until I finished it at 3:30AM. I couldn’t put it down!! My heart was just SO wrapped up in the story and so connected to the characters!

This is the unlikely-friends-to-lovers story about Michael Delaney, an angry badass badboy with a tragic past, and Lauren Monroe, the straight-lace good girl who saw through his facade and into his heart.

“His face, like everything she knew about him, was purely contradictory… He was too lovely to be menacing, but too intense to be innocent.”

Eight years ago, when they were still in high school, was when Lauren first saw Michael. Everyone treated him as though he was dangerous, with a constant stream of angry, violent outbursts, a string a suspensions, and an all-round rebellious attitude, people were afraid of him. But something about his demeanor called to Lauren. She was inexplicably drawn to him, seeing something in him that no one else did. They became best friends throughout the rest of school until something happened that tore them apart leaving her heart bruised without answers.

Now, eight years later, Lauren has just started a new job teaching a kindergarten class and the last person she expects to see is Michael. The rush of emotions and memories that flood back when she sees him shows that there is still something deep between them, but Michael needs to win back her trust, and Lauren needs answers as to what tore them apart. And together they find that no amount of separation can change the depth of their feelings for each other.

“It suddenly felt like there was a magnet in her chest, like some unforeseen force was pulling her toward him.”

The smoothly flowing writing style beautifully depicts the depth of the story. The author perfectly captured the emotions of her characters and projects them onto you. You feel them as though they were yours.

The story is told in a mixture of past and present day story lines. Starting out with the present and intermingling it with bits of where Lauren and Michael’s story began 8 years ago. There are alternating POVs with an initial focus on Lauren’s but with just enough of Michael’s to keep us strongly connected to him on a more personal level.

This book spoke to my heart. You know the kind of story where, if it says, “Michael grinned” , it makes your heart feel full? Yeah, its that kind of book

I literally would just read scene after scene with my hand over my heart either smiling or near tears. Parts were sweet, parts gave me shivers, parts broke my heart and parts put it back together so beautifully that I forgot everything but the happiness.

I loved that it was a much deeper friends-to-lovers story than the usual… they were friends but with something so much deeper than that – a connection that that kept drawing them together in every way.

“I always knew I would fall in love with you,” he said softly, “But you were never supposed to love me back.”

Lauren was a wonderful heroine. She was a straight up, no-stupidity, honest, kind, intelligent and deeply understanding character who made me totally sympathetic to everything she went though.

And Michael, I fell in love with right from the start of the story. Like Lauren, I felt drawn to him. The mystery, his pain, the kind heart that was hidden behind the layers of hurt just melted me <3

I love these second-chance stories where the characters get a chance to make things right again by finding a way to build new, positive memories over the painful ones and find a way to heal and build a beautiful life together.

“…I never stopped loving you. Not for one second.”

I was so emotional for the last 20% of the book. You know that constantly-near-tears, brimming-with-emotion feeling? I had that! So much heart-break, heart warming, and healing, with an achingly beautiful love scene and a wonderful epilogue.

I love stories that have some heart ache in them as well as happiness because sometimes, its through the pain that you can come to appreciate more fully the beauty that life and love have to offer. Not that it is necessarily needed to appreciate it, but those who have gone through it know how lucky they are to have that love. Michael and Lauren knew it. It was absolutely beautiful!

Its got a bit of both a YA story (their past) and an adult story (their present). There is steam, but its more emotionally descriptive than blatantly graphic.

Fans of Al Jackson’s books will definitely love this.

**little note because I know some of you will be wondering about this: there is no cheating in this book. There is a whiff of a love triangle at one point, but it doesn’t go anywhere or get developed into a source of angst so your hearts can rest easy.

I am utterly floored that this is a debut novel. I won’t be surprised if this book makes it onto best-seller lists. It was released recently but I just know that once people catch on and start reading it, its going to be huge!

Everyone should add it to their to-read lists :)

Thank you to the author for offering to send me a copy to review!

CASTING for Michael and Lauren (see above as well):





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[Tough Critic Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where in the hell did this book come from and where can I get some more...

This is one of those reviews where I don't even know where to start. Reviewing, with words, a book that has rendered you speechless can be quite challenging. It was so well written it hurt. Priscilla Glenn has debuted and she has debuted hard!

This book is pure genius. You get to fall in love with Michael and Lauren twice! You will fall in love with Michael and Lauren. You experience a hurricane of emotions during a passionate storm of the past and present. It's a YA-fiction and adult contemporary love child! It's like the author took a list of all of my favorite things and put them into one book! It was developed in a way that drew me in, grabbed my heart, and didn't let go. Even after the book ended...it didn't let go.

This book contains one of the best love scenes I've ever read...EVER! Not because of "this" being touched or "that" being clamped. Not because of the "Oh Gods" or multiples. I'm not even saying it was the "hottest" scene I've ever read, but it left me breathless. I couldn't breathe over the passion and intimacy of that one moment. A moment that I wanted to make love to and carry with me forever. It was innocent. It was real. It was something I experienced right along with them.

I honestly don't know what it was about this book, but it captured me from the start. It was everything I needed in a book and more. It was heart wrenching, heart breaking, heart healing, and even funny...

"See, Red? When life hands you lemons, you know what you gotta do now."
"Yes, Mr. Cliche, I know what I have to do. I make lemonade."
"No," he said. "You scream, 'Fuck you, lemons!"'

Like it, love it, read it, hate it. I really don't care because I felt like this book was written just for me. It pulled me right into the pulse of the story and became mine! I honestly wish I was White Oprah and could gift you all a copy, but I can't so...READ ON!

[moments-in-reading Reem · Rating 2 out of 5]

God,I hate it when you read a book,and you're so sure you're gonna give it a five stars,and then BAAAAM the ending takes those five stars straight to hell.
I loved the book,I really did.The beginning was amazing,the middle was amazing,the ending? SUCKS!!
I can't believe the stupid reason Micheal left Lauren for.I really can't.
Worse? I can't believe she forgave him just like that *finger snap* after the hell he put her through,even worse I can't believe she actually asked HIMMM for forgiveness.
Excuse me, but I don't get it, the guy never fought for her,not before and certainly not now.And she magically forgets the past eight years and jumps into his wide open arms?!?! Give me a break.
I hate weak heroine ,and I hate guys who don't fight for their supposedly girl.And that's exactly why I didn't give this book 5 stars.
*shake head* It was worth the five stars at first,what's with the writing style,and the story itself.But that damn ending..!!!

[KristenReviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review posted at: Swept Away By Romance

3 to 31/2 stars

Back To You is a sweet, well written, slightly angsty, and engaging romance about second chances. The story is told in present day and flashback segments, giving the reader a thoroughly comprehensive and engaging look into Michael and Lauren's current and past relationship. This couple develops a close friendship during their high school years, but it ends badly and they go their separate ways. Fast forward eight years and they are unexpectedly reunited again. This plot isn't particularly original but the execution felt refreshing.

What I enjoyed the most about this book was the flashback segments of the story. I felt the relationship between Michael and Lauren during their high school years had an authentic feel that resonated with me. Although I was somewhat ambivalent about the hero, I found this couple's interactions endearing and captivating.

My problem with the book–other than falling head-over-heels in love with the secondary love interest, Adam–was that Michael, the hero, never fully convinced me that his feelings for the heroine ran deeper than friendship. Although I smiled at the feel-good ending, this couple's romance never fully clicked for me.

As for the heroine, while I found her endearing as a teenager, I had a hard time relating to her as an adult. At times her behavior aggravated me. If I'm being honest with myself, however, that probably had more to do with the fact that I was rooting for Lauren and Adam and not Lauren and Michael (the hero). In addition, Lauren's treatment of Adam before she ended their relationship was less than admirable and made it clear to me that she wasn't good enough for him. Okay...I'm sure it's a little obvious I'm still a bit miffed that Adam didn't get his HEA. Lol.

Overall, I liked this book and have no doubt readers who love charming second-chance-at-romance plotlines will enjoy this story.


Arc provided by author

[Smitten's Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love those stories where the unlikely pair become friends and then inevitably fall in love and Back To You was no exception. This was a really beautiful story.

And she couldn't help but smile at the irony of the fact that the baddest boy in school could somehow always make her feel like the world was good.

I loved the flashbacks. Soooo adorable! Think Dirty Dancing, plate smashing, spontaneous make-outs and a pizza dates.

“The crust is the best part,” he explained around his mouthful of food. “If they made an all-crust pizza, I’d be a pig in shit.”
Lauren took a delicate bite of her own slice. “I’m pretty sure they do. It’s called bread.”

But despite the light hearted majority of this book, it all contends with some very dark issues. Some of the flashbacks to Michael's childhood were truly heartbreaking. I found myself sniffling back the tears on a couple of occasions.

Lauren was a likeable heroine. I loved her relationship with Erin, Michael's three year old daughter, too. She was loving, understanding, kind hearted but strong too. Her thought processes made sense and I liked that she wasn't hell bent on making Michael's life a misery because of the pain he'd put her through.

And then there's Michael... who doesn't love a high school badass turned doting Daddy?!



Completely adorable. The story of how he came to have full custody of Erin is precious. And, with his determination to have Lauren back in his life, it's impossible not to fall in love with him.

“I always knew I would fall in love with you, but you were never supposed to love me back."
"What did you just say?"
"I loved you. So much. My God, more than anything."

Squeeeee! Super duper cute! And the epilogue is just... *does happy dance* gorgeous. A definite must read!



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[Alienor ✘ French Frowner ✘ · Rating 2 out of 5]

This review had disappeared this morning. WTF?! Fortunately I had it on my computer. Sigh.

For all my adorable friends who asked me how was my first day after vacations : It was exhausting. Sigh. Now, the fact that I didn't sleep at all yesterday might explain this. Sigh repetita.

Results : I'm exhausted, disappointed, and felt hollow in the end, because I was expecting so much more from this book! Therefore excuse me if I keep it short, but I'm going to write an old-school I like/I didn't like/I hated review. Because I'm such a lazy lady today.



[Blablabla the plot]

▒ What I liked ▒

▨ Erin. Indeed when it's well-done I usually love when children get involved in a story and as it was the case here it was no exception : her stubbornness made me laugh, and as a former teacher of Kindergarten, I found her voice believable and refreshing.

▨ The flashbacks during Michael's childhood. Don't get fooled, these passages made me RAGE because how can we abandon a child that way? Oh, God. To see him so lonely and lost broke my heart. Literally. I'm going to write it : I HATE HIS PARENTS. WHAT FUCKING ASSHOLES. BOTH OF THEM. Okay, now that it's in the out, I must admit that these flashbacks were the only moments of the book where I felt something, so I count them in my likes.

▒ What I didn't like that much ▒

▨ Lauren and Michael relationship. Why? Because she's basically a special snowflake who is pure and better than every single one of the other girls and I didn't buy their romance one second in present days. I felt NO. CHEMISTRY. At all. Nope. Frankly, I didn't hate them as a couple but I just didn't care much. Moreover, I never felt their relationship growing - I mean, the guys don't talk for 8 YEARS and to me the only talk they have about the past isn't enough, by far, to explain the resolution.

▨ The boredom. You know the kind of books where you keep turning the pages clicking on your reader and that you finish without even realizing it? Well, that wasn't that. Fuck no. That was the exact opposite.

▒ What I hated ▒

▨ Michael's character, in the teenage times. Now, I just hate violent behavior, hey, that's me. WAIT - Hmm OF COURSE I HATE VIOLENT BEHAVIOR. I don't find it sexy, nope nope nope, and even if his violence never aimed at Lauren, I don't find it okay. To be fair, the kid had serious shit going on and I didn't feel like the author was saying that it was okay. But I really, really have a hard time with Lauren's reactions absence of reaction.

▨ Slut-shaming . Oh. My. God. I thought I'd throw my Kindle at some point, because Lauren just can't SHUT THE HELL UP and keeps referring to the girls Michael dated - or slept with, for that matter - as sluts, whores, and even "worthless girls". OH, FUCK YOU, LAUREN. JUST FUCK YOU.

Voilà! It was my lazy review. Sorry about that.



PS : I feel so unfair towards my cats right now. I know, you're not ALWAYS lazy. Let's say, most of the time, okay?

For more of my reviews, please visit:

[AJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG, LOVE, LOVE LOVE!!! THIS BOOK IS ABSOLUTE PERFECTION!

Every now and then a little indie book pops up that is a total surprise and just completely takes your breath away. This is that book. An absolutely beautifully written love story that made me laugh, cry, and squee over and over. I was gripped from the first page and couldn’t put it down.

It tells the story of Lauren and Michael, who are unexpectedly reunited after not seeing each other for eight years. When they first see each other in the book, there is an obvious intensity between them, and from that point the book splits into dual POVs and starts to jump around in time as the story of their past is interwoven with the story of their present.

Good girl Lauren befriended Michael in high school. It’s a relationship that nobody else understands as pretty much everybody else in school is afraid of the volatile bad boy, but Lauren sees past that to the real Michael, and as they get to know each other, they discover that they have something very special together. Very quickly they become the best of friends, and the unfolding of their story is absolutely sensational as they are there for each other absolutely and completely. There are some really emotionally intense moments as the story delves further back into Michael’s horrific past, and we see how the traumatic events that he went through as a child impacted on his life. But I also laughed a lot and had a grin on my face pretty much the entire time I was reading about them in high school. A romance begins to emerge as Lauren falls in love with Michael but, despite how he feels, he thinks that she’s too good for him and is not prepared to risk what they have together to do anything further. It all builds up to a mysterious ‘incident’ where Michael does something that tears Lauren’s world apart and they lose contact.

Watching them reconnect as adults with all of the murky history between them is intense as the two of them battle with their feelings over everything that happened when they were younger, as well as understanding how those events shaped who they became as adults, and what that means for them now.

The pacing is perfect as Lauren and Michael reconnect and an incredibly intimate, honest and passionate love story unfolds. You feel the strong emotional connection between them from the very beginning, but there is so much that they both have to work through in figuring out what they are feeling. It’s a slow build, but watching Lauren and Michael find their way back to each other is so worth the wait because when it happens… O.M.G!! I was in floods of tears. Yes… floods!

“You were never supposed to love me. I wasn’t prepared for it …
I always knew I would fall in love with you … but you were never supposed to love me back.”

…and then this…

“I never stopped loving you. Not for one second.”

WAAAAAAAAIL!!! All of this, for me, played out to a song that is mentioned in the book, which I had playing on repeat during the last part of the book and it just turned me into a gibbering mess! And just when I calmed myself down, there is a beautiful epilogue which set me off again.

I absolutely adored these characters! They are both so real! Michael is a flawed guy, with a traumatic background who had a rough time growing up but has made a good life for himself. He has an absolutely adorable 3 year old daughter, and when he sees Lauren again he wants so badly to make amends for the past and have her back in his life. And Lauren is a wonderful heroine! She’s so genuine. Strong, smart, funny and confident, she goes through a lot in this book, but she’s always honest with herself and what she’s feeling and I completely understood her thought processes and actions. Love her!

Shout out to Adam, I loved his addition to the cast. He’s absolutely gorgeous and pretty much perfect boyfriend material. The love triangle element is definitely there, with the chemistry definitely there between Lauren and Adam, but it’s more about what these two guys represent in her life – perfect vs flawed, and part of Lauren's struggle is to work through who she should want and who actually has her heart.

I cannot gush enough about this book and how much I loved it. It’s a superbly written, intensely emotional read with humour, drama, and some gorgeously swoony moments (both romantic swoon, and platonic swoon - God I wish I had a friend like Michael when I was a teenager!!!). It astounds me that this is the author’s first novel! I will definitely be keeping an eye out for more of Priscilla Glenn’s work.

EVERYBODY, EVERYWHERE – READ THIS BOOK AND READ IT NOW!!!!!

6 sensationally shining stars!

[Katie Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my, how much did I love this book? A whole lot!!






Here's somethings that I felt during my read...

THE EMOTIONS FROM PAST AND PRESENT....



Pricilla, you tried to kill me!!





And then the end....




Srsly though, I loved following Michael and Lauren's relationship from the past to the present. Erin was adorable!! Her scenes with Michael and then both Michael and Lauren were heart melting!! Such a well written book with engaging characters and real emotions!!

[Dilek VT]

They meet 8 years after their separation and he has a child from another woman.
Nope, not my cuppa! Pass!

[Richa · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I wish upon that star
Someday I'll be where you are
And I know that day is coming soon
Yeah, I'm coming back to you.

Meet Lauren. A kindergarten teacher who's left her previous job to get a master's in Child psychology (which is very interesting btw ;) )...but because she's unable to stay away from her children she joins Learn & Grow Day Care, where she can work with children as well as find enough time for her own studies....



But on her very first day she meets him, Michael Delaney when he comes to drop off his 3 year old daughter, Erin (who's super cute btw!).....



And that's when we're taken....nearly twelve years back...

Back to the time when she'd seen a sad, sad boy (where others could only see crazy) and her heart had ached a little for him...



Back to the time when she'd become his Red and he'd become her Michael and the whole school had been scandalised that Little Miss Perfect had become best friends with the Bad Boy of the school.....



Back to the time when he'd told her....

“If you really want something, you shouldn’t stop until you get it, no matter what you have to do." and made her sad day happy....



Back to the time when he said....

“See, Red? When life hands you lemons, you know what you gotta do now.”

“Wow,” Lauren said. “Yes, Mr. Cliché, I know what I have to do. I make lemonade.”

“No,” he said. “You scream, ‘Fuck you, lemons!’” ;)



Back to the time when he gave her an ivy necklace which symbolised strong, lasting relationships that are guaranteed to stand the test of time.



Back to the time when she made him a triple tier chocolate cake for his birthday and he'd been touched....



Back to the time when he'd kissed her sitting on a fallen tree.....and then casually walked away...



Back to the time when she'd fallen in love with her best friend....

“I love you, Michael Delaney,” she breathed...

[image error]


Back to the time when he broke her heart.....



And now 8 years later he has come back....



Mighta let you down, mighta messed you round
But you never changed your point of view
That's why, I'm coming back to you.

But she's careful this time....polite but cautious inside.....



But how can she resist Erin?? Her innocent questions? When she sees what a great Dad he is??

“Are you somebody’s mommy?” she asked after she had swallowed. (she was eating pizza)

“No, I’m not,” Lauren answered.

“How come?”

“Erin,” Michael said firmly.

“No, it’s okay,” said Lauren before she turned back to Erin. “Because I haven’t met someone who would be a good daddy yet. When I find someone who I think will be a good daddy, then I’ll be ready to be a mommy.”

“My daddy’s a good daddy,” she said, and Michael choked on the sip of soda he’d just taken, covering his mouth to mask the coughing.

:DD



How can she resist his efforts to become her friend again when so many memories assault her....??





Darlin' we had a lot to learn
But our heart's returned
And nothing's in our way
Back to you
I'm goin' back to you
No I didn't know what love was
But darlin' now I do
And I know it might sound crazy
But I've changed my point of view
Guess I always knew I'd find my way
Back to you

Will she let him inside this time??.....

Right back to him. Always to him.

It's sweet and short and even though there were some things I didn't like about it, I would say if you're in a mood for a best-friends-fall-in-love-he-breaks-her-heart-and-years-later-they-meet-again kind of story then go for it!! :))



Like a star guides a ship across the ocean
That's how your love, can take me home
Back to you.

And if I wish upon that star
Someday I'll be where you are
And I know that day is coming soon
Yeah, I'm coming back to you.

I'm coming back to you.

That day is coming soon
I'm coming back to you....



[image error]

Enjoy! :))
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lyrics taken from the songs below:
1) Bryan Adams - Back To You
2) Bobby Caldwell - Back To You

[Kristin (KC) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Back to You is a sweet and endearing read about love lost and second chances. It eloquently portrays the bonds of true love and what one is willing to endure all in the name of love. 

The book begins in present time where we meet Lauren, a  childcare worker who has been hurt in the past by her high school best friend and first love—Michael Delaney. This story is told in third person, as it weaves in and out of the past, slowly revealing Michael's betrayal. I enjoyed the slight aspect of suspense created in the process. 

Lauren was quite possibly the most kindhearted, generous heroine I've ever had the pleasure of reading about. There were times where she came across as overly meek and I found myself mentally persuading her to stand up for herself...but her unconditional love and unique ability to understand all was both humbling and inspiring. 

Michael Delaney, aka 'Del', with his mysterious countenance and intriguing, wounded persona captures Lauren's interest at first sight back in high school. He has endured a traumatic past that has left him detached and guarded--but Lauren attempts to break down those barriers as they form a shaky but an ultimately unbreakable bond. 

Priscilla Glenn's writing was flawless and took me on a truly heartwarming journey. There was another love interest incorporated, but this story did not snowball into a love triangle. If you're looking for an amazing and touching tale about broken hearts redeemed—this is your book! 

[Abhilasha]

✦ 𝙋𝙧𝙚-𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 ✦
It's half past three in the morning, and I've just discovered yet another second-chance romance with a groveling hero.
Sleep? Well....

[Elizabeth (Liz) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review posted at: Swept Away By Romance


4 1/2 Stars! Priscilla Glenn's Back To You is a wonderfully romantic story from a fantastic debut author!!

Lauren Monroe and Michael Delaney met in high school. She was an incoming freshman, and he was a sophomore. She got good grades, participated in gymnastics and did what was expected of her. He could have cared less about studying, participated in nothing but having a good time and was often suspended from school for one violation or another. She was a good girl. He was a bad boy. There should have been no foundation from which a friendship could grow, and, yet, that's exactly what happened. Somehow, during those following three years, Lauren Monroe and Michael Delaney became best friends. Best friends who, eventually, began to straddle the line into something more. Best friends who wound up separated from each other for years due to personal demons.

It's now eight years later, and there have been inevitable changes in both of their lives. When they meet again, it's a shock, and their shared past begins to slowly replay, over time, in both of their heads. Have they changed enough to be able to finally make a future together, or have they changed too much?



For me, Back To You is the best of both worlds. The story opens in present day, and is told through a series of flashbacks to Lauren's and Michael's high school years alternating with their lives intersecting again in the present.

Over time, I have become more and more enamored with YA/New Adult romance. I've been reading so many of those, in fact, that it has become almost exclusively so in the last month or two. So, when I first learned Back To You is categorized as adult contemporary romance, I realized I was going to have to leave my current comfort zone of YA/New Adult. I wasn't sure I was ready to do that. Thankfully, because of the way this story is written, there is nearly an entire YA book within its pages. One of my very favorite things about Back To You is the fact that I was able to relive Lauren and Michael's high school relationship with them. Their history is integral to the story, to any possible future they may have, and it is told so well by Priscilla Glenn. I see a complete YA/New Adult romance in your future, Ms. Glenn (or, maybe that's just my fervent wish)!

What I almost didn't expect to happen, was to rediscover my love for adult contemporary romance through the reading of this book. But, that's *precisely* what happened. The characters' interactions in the present day became just as compelling as reading about their young-adult relationship. It was interesting to see how they had changed and grown....and how they hadn't. It was fascinating to have all of their history right there, to be allowed to experience their past, and to watch them interact again in the present as adults. That adult relationship, reconnection, was made so much richer and fuller for the way the story as a whole was written. This richness, this fullness, is what is all too often lacking from contemporary romances today.

Back To You is a well-written story of young love and second chances. It's sweet, romantic, real, and has just enough angst to make you truly feel and root for the characters and their future. As an added bonus, there is a touching and simply wonderful epilogue, for which I thank the author very much.

Priscilla Glenn, you have a new fan, and I am so looking forward to more from you!!



*A copy was kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review*

[• Lisa • · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't think I have words to describe how AMAZING this book is. I'm absolutely floored by this book it had emotion pouring out of it by the bucket load, I know that I am going to sound overboard but I just can't help it, I loved every chapter, Micheal and Lauren have got to be my most favourite characters, if you have not read this book READ IT. Two love stories in one compelling, heart wrenching book that you will not be able to put down and one that will stay will you long after the final page. *sigh*

I Started this book before around a month ago and found it difficult to get into but after seeing such great reviews decided to give it ago again, sometimes it isn't the book but yourself that stops you from enjoying a book. This was all on me and how wrong was I. The second time around i started it and barely put it down untill i finished it I was so addicted to this book I LOVED it.

The author cleverly introduces us to the main characters by switching between present day and the past by ordering the chapters by months & years, I loved this way of bringing the reader right into the story it made me feel I was living the story (I sound dramatic I know) this book had me well and truly hooked.

Straight away I knew I would like micheal delaney 'del' who can resist a tortured hero? The author weaves information to the reader in an addictive manner, willing the reader to find out more.
Laurens character is built up more slowly from the start not quite your A typical shy student, she shows strength from the get go.

The connection between del and Lauren is toe curling my heart was lost in their romance from the beginning.

"she was one of the most genuine people he'd ever met, and he knew at that moment that I'd he did nothing else in his life, he wanted to be friends with Lauren Monroe."

"she couldn't help but smile at the irony of the fact that the baddest boy in school could somehow always make her feel like the world was good."

This book is so heart wrenching I cried laughed and felt the whole way through. The book left me so full of emotion, I just want to read it all again. I can't express what a special and endearing story this is. The author has done an amazing job of making a story so alive, it feels like an honour to have read such a heart warming epic romance. If I could give this book ten stars I would. From start to finish I adored this book.

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

”That thing that made her heart come alive in her chest and her body thrum with emotion and her soul felt like it was home. Right back to him, always to him.”

This is a really beautiful story about true once in a lifetime love, friendship and second chances.

”Well, sometimes if something is really important to you, it gets stuck in your body. So even if your mind things that it’s gone, it’s still there, kind of hiding inside of you, just waiting for you to remember. It never goes away.”

When sweet good girl Lauren Monroe met the high school’s bad boy Michael Delaney ‘Del’ the unlikely duo become best friends all through high school. Michael has a crappy home life and many issues with the loss of his brother. Lauren is one of the only people he truly lets in. She gets to see a whole different side of Michael then the rest of the school. After Michael graduates high school and is getting ready to move to New York, their relationship gets complicated...

”For as long as I’ve know you, you’ve given me a part of you that you haven’t given anyone else. And now I’m finally getting to do the same.”

After one night together, Michael moves to NY and doesn’t really speak or contact Lauren again... fast forward 8 years... Lauren gets a new job teaching at a daycare while going back to school to get her masters. None other than Michael shows up on her first day with his daughter Erin(who I absolutely adore!) At first, Lauren doesn’t know how to act around Michael. She tries to be professional with him, but its hard and the lines of friendship/professionalism blur. How do you act around your former best friend, and first/only real love?

Lauren... I loved her. What strong and sweet mc. She was really wonderful. I loved how she just got Michael. She was able to move past all the hurt and forgive.
”It was about redemption. Everyone deserved the chance to be redeemed.”
Michael, Michael, Michael... How could you not fall in love with this guy? Everything he did, he did because he truly though it was the best thing for those he loved. Seeing him with his daughter just made my love for him even stronger. He was wonderful!

“I always knew I would fall in love with you,” he said softly, “but you were never supposed to love me back.”

This book made my heart melt at times, and broke my heart at times. By the end, I had the hugest smile on my face! I want more of Lauren and Michael! Read read read!!!

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful debut from Priscilla Glenn! To say I liked this book would be an understatement! I LOVED this book! I could not put it down. I don’t stay up until 2am reading because I like the look of luggage under my eyes!

This is a beautifully told friends to lover’s story with a twist. The story is told with dual perspectives and alternating time lines and I love the way this story was written. The writing is gorgeous; it is flawless and seamless in its transition from past to present to give you the story of this unrequited, unsung and undeniable love.

"Well, sometimes if something is really important to you, it gets stuck in your body. So even if your mind thinks that it’s gone, it’s still there, kind of hiding inside of you, just waiting for you to remember. It never goes away."

Lauren Monroe is starting a new job teaching at a day care facility while goes back to school. On her first day as she is welcoming a new student she is shocked by who she sees standing with the little girl. Someone from her past she never thought she would see again.

Michael Delany is suddenly thrown into her Lauren’s life; it has been eight years without contact from him. Lauren is hurt, she is angry and she is confused. Her friend, her best friend who disappeared from her life was suddenly back. At this moment I knew this book would be different. I felt Lauren’s reaction to Michael. I wasn’t told how to feel, the words flew off the page and resonated within my emotions. I was hooked and ready to jump aboard the Michael and Lauren train. I needed to know what happened in their past, and I needed to know what would happen to them now.

Lauren met Michael in high school; these two on the surface seem so different but there is something that draws Lauren to Michael. After an outburst in class she begins to wonder who this “bad boy” is that everyone is so afraid of. She decides to ignore the rumors and gets to see the real person behind the label.

Michael has a past that had led him to be a boy who loses control. His reputation follows him around school but the day that Lauren takes a chance on him is the day that will change him forever.

"It was about redemption. Everyone deserved a chance to be redeemed."

The complicated relationship between Lauren and Michael is beautiful. These young friends lean on each other for support, comfort and encouragement. They are there when no one else can be or wants to be. The understanding they have goes beyond the definition of friendship to what one could call a soul mate. The line of friendship begins to blur when emotions are confronted, confused and contrite.

"She couldn’t help but smile at the irony that the baddest boy in school could somehow always make her feel like the world was good. And when he winked at her, she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that from that moment on, she would do anything for him."

Through the telling of their story you are engrained in their lives. You are there with each and every monumental moment that will lead them to where they are now. Michael’s past is heartbreaking. I cannot believe the guilt he holds onto and has burdened himself with from such a young age. It has made Michael into the boy we first meet and ultimately the man he turns out to be.

Lauren is a strong woman who has tried to move passed the hurt. She has tried to move on without closure of what happened between her and Michael eight years ago. It isn’t the easiest thing to do when you still ask yourself why and the one who holds the answers is right in front of you daily. I waited and held my breath to see who would make the first move.

"He’d spent eight years missing her, but this time it was different. He couldn’t help but ask himself the question; if he could go back and do it all differently, would he?"

Oh that first move and all that happened in between! Sigh. I loved Jenn, she was such a good friend to Lauren from the beginning. Adam, oh sweet and handsome Adam! He was necessary to Lauren’s growth and I will never get the image of him in that apron during the cooking class out my head.

I cannot say enough how much I fell in love with this story. There is no overt sexuality beating you over the head yet you feel the tension between Lauren and Michael. There is no filler, no fluff there is just amazing words that fit together perfectly to grip you by the heart and not let you go. I cannot stop thinking about Dirty Dancing, silver leaves, dinner plates, foam pits and what to really do when life gives you lemons!

Back to you is a wonderful story about the strength of love; strength to give your love, to hold onto love and hold out for that love. It is a story about hope, survival, forgiveness and redemption.

"That thing that made her heart come alive in her chest and her body thrum with emotion and her soul felt like it was home. Right back to him, always to him."

Review copy provided by the Author. Thank You!

[Fatima · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can also find this review at Texxie's blog !!!! She was kind enough to have me as her guest reviewer !! * Happy dance *

“Well, sometimes if something is really important to you, it gets stuck in your body,” he said, poking her ribs and making her laugh. “So even if your mind thinks that it’s gone, it’s still in there, kind of hiding inside of you, just waiting for you to remember. It never goes away.”

Michael Michael Michael ....



Boy , you made me cry ..

* sigh *

I'm a huge sucker for 'second chance' romances and the question I asked myself after reading this book was , ' Why the hell didn't I read this sooner ??!!! ' .. Sooo absolutely good . See the thing here is that , the same concept or the same story can be told many times but what makes it stand out is the way the author chooses to tell the story . In short , the story telling ability of the author can give the same old story of 'girl-meeting-boy-then-boy-leaving-girl-only-to-come-back-after-a-period-of-time' a new breath of life . And that's exactly what Priscilla Glenn does with Back to you .



Lauren Monroe teaches and takes care of kids at Learn and Grow Day Care . She is a very kind , very lovable kind of a person . Optimistic and assuring , she always manages to see and bring out the best in people . But one fine day , she comes face to face with a face from her past . A face that mirrors and harbors a lot of emotions and feeling within her . The face of Michael Delaney . Michael Delaney is a changed man . A man who always used to let his fist do the talking somehow managed to keep his demons under control because of a friendship he shared with a very special girl .. A girl who saw the human in him and not the monster . But then one day he broke her heart . How , why , when , where .... ? Those are questions you need to tackle on your own ... I'm just gonna leave this bit here with this :



The story is beautifully woven ...

I cried



I laughed



I smiled



I swooned



The journey that was Michael and Lauren's relationship was just breath taking ! I loved Priscilla Glenn story telling ... I loved how the story moved back and forth from the present to the past . Everything felt the same yet felt different . The first time Lauren met Michael in the past , her feelings were those of intrigue and curiousity . But when she meets him again in the present , her feelings are that of being surprised , a little anger , a little disappointment and a whole lot of confusion ... What I really enjoyed about it as a whole was that , it kind of seemed that history was repeating itself , by bringing these two face to face again , but this time it only took a different route with different obstacles to cross . They had each other then , they have each other now . Will the same mistakes be repeated , or will they finally be together .. Read the book and find out !!!



One of my fav characters other than Michael and Lauren was Erin , Michael's daughter ! Sometimes kids I tell ya , they act way more mature than adults do ! And she definitely was the mature one here ! I loved Michael and Erin's relationship . I loved how he wanted to be the world for Erin . A.M.A.Z.I.N.G !!!

If you love a story that makes you cry sweet , happy and sad tears at the same time , then Back to you is just for you !!!!!

[Leanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Books like this, which read so beautifully and flawlessly, remind me on every single page why I fell in love with reading.

I absolutely did not want this book to end. I kept trying to prolong the experience, to savor every single word on every single page, but I suppose you can only delay the inevitable for so long.

This book pulled me in immediately, with exceptionally written scenes and lovable characters. I can honestly say I fell madly in love with every single character in this book. One of the things which struck me was how much I loved both Adam and Michael. And one of the amazing things about this book was the way in which the author doesn’t make you like one of the prospective suitors less in order to fall in love with the hero. I love that “the other guy” wasn’t given some flaw or made to act in such a way to sway the reader in the other direction. I was able to fall in love with them both, yet at the same time be completely in sync with the progression and outcome of the story.

Michael’s backstory absolutely broke my heart. The flashbacks to his past causing a tightening in my chest and an overwhelming desire to climb into those pages, pick up that little boy and envelop him in a tight embrace.

“But what if you forget you love me, like daddy did?” Michael said through his tears, and Aaron shook his head. “Never, I’ll never forget”.

But seeing the man Michael had become- no longer a broken adolescent with a hair-trigger temper- and witnessing his interactions with his daughter, was a truly beautiful thing. Lauren was loving, loyal and caring, her nature, much like Michael’s, evident in her interactions with Erin, and I adored her as a heroine.

The scenes felt so extraordinarily real that the simplest gesture could have my heart rate increasing and my nerves tingling. My emotions were so entangled in the story that a kiss made my heart swell, had my pulse racing and left me with goose bumps on my skin and butterflies in my stomach. The scenes were not about the mechanics behind them but the feeling and emotion captured in every movement, in every gesture.

To put it simply, this book was a pleasure to read. I fell in love with the writing, with the story and with the characters and was saddened to read that final page, knowing the experience had come to an end.

[Lucia · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are in mood for strongly emotioanl story, go for this one. This is definitely one of the most emotional stories I have ever read - it made me smile, it made me cry and I even had goose bumps couple of times. Back To You is beautifully written book and I highly recommend it!!!

This story has its cute moments, sad moments, moments full of love and moments full of heartbreak. Basically, it has everything that really good contemporary novel should have. Moreover, I love stories where we get chapters from present as well as from past. There is not many of them out there and it makes them pretty special, and Back To You is VERY special.

Lauren
Lauren was incredibly sweet person. She was caring, forgiving and lovely. I could see it as well as all characters in this book could too.

"I think she's really a princess, but she just forgets to wear her crown."

Michael
Everyone perceived Michael Devlon as dangerous person, but Lauren was drawn to him from very beginning, mainly beause she saw something different and worthy behind his facade. Michael maybe had difficult childhood and it made him angry but never a bad person. My heart broke for him so many times during this book. It was so sad to read about young boy going through hard emotional times when nothing was his fault...

"He was too lovely to be menacing but too intense to be innocent."

I liked the fact that Michael liked Lauren not only because she treated him differently than other poeple. There was real affection and love between them, not something superficial. Moreover, proces of falling in love between Lauren and Michael was absolutely believable. These days, there are plenty of novels where characters fall in love immediately without enough explanation why or how. Fortunatelly, it was not the case with this book. So go and read it, you won't regret it!

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

OKOKOK.. I know I am definitly in the MINORITY here... but this book just did'nt hit me in all the right places.. It was a good story.. but I honestly just did not feel the connection that everyone else has with Lauren and Michael... I mean come on..they were "friends" for a couple of years-- he's the bad boy and she's the good girl.. it just seemed to me like they should/could have hooked up long before they admitted their feelings. I also did not really care for the back and forth going on between present time and the past.. it just got too confusing and jumbled up for me. I honestly felt a better connection between Lauren and the secondary character Adam. Now Adam was hot. I think I would have really liked a story between Adam and Lauren. There were several times in the past when I felt like there were oppurtunities to really let the sparks fly with Michael and Lauren, like at a field party.. and they almost did , but then nothing happend "further" and Lauren had a chance to play her card at a great moment.. but didnt. This book just frustrated me and I was ready for it to be over. Sweet ending, you get your HEA.. but it fell a little flat for me. I know so many people have really loved this book and I am a sucker for sappy angsty romances but this one just didnt hit all my spots.

[Shelly Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Massive love for this book!

It was like she fused a YA book and an Adult one. The transitions from past to present were fluid and not confusing at all, but she still made it seem like you were reading two completely different books. It was pretty amazing how she did that.

Loved both Del and Lauren. They were normal, and though mistakes were made, they were just human mistakes. It wasn't because they were stupid or being jerks, sometimes crappy things just happen and we work with what we're given.

There were parts that literally broke my heart in the book, but the flip flopping back to the present helped make it where it wasn't so hard to handle for me.

5 Stars! Recommend!!! For Adults

[Southern Sky · Rating 1 out of 5]

What's romantic about a guy that abandons you and immediately gets with someone else and has a kid with them? Why all the 5 stars for that? This guy made me sick to my stomach cause he hurt her so badly and she just rolled over and forgave him and wants to raise someone else's kid....ugh.

[Hbiba · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came across this book by accident and I'm so glad that I did. This was such a wonderful story. I never imagined how much I would love these characters. Their story touched my heart and soul! I felt like my emotions was all over the place.

[Natasha is a Book Junkie · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I always knew I would fall in love with you, … but you were never supposed to love me back.”

This is the story of Lauren and Michael, two people who couldn’t have been more opposite when they first met back in high school, but drawn to each other from the moment they laid eyes on one another.

While Lauren grew up in a loving and supportive close-knit family, Michael was the product of a broken home spoiled by the worst kind of human indifference, and ultimately destroyed by the cruellest of tragedies. He was raised to believe that his family’s demise had been his fault, shaping him into a young man angry at the world around him, convinced to be undeserving of love and kindness, and deeply affected by the burden of his own misplaced guilt.

“It’s your fault your father is gone … and now you took your brother too.”

When Lauren enters his life, she moves in like a warm tide, enveloping his pain-ridden heart with selfless affection and genuine acceptance. Her friendship changes him, moves him in ways he’s never known before, showing him what true unconditional love feels like. For Lauren, Michael is not just the ‘bad boy’ that the entire school fears. She’s heard all the stories surrounding him, even witnessed the consequences of his traumatic past, but she never gives up on him. His vulnerability draws her to him, brings out the innate carer in her, making their friendship a source of strength for both.

“… she couldn’t help but smile at the irony of the fact that the baddest boy in school could somehow always make her feel like the world was good.”

Soon their feelings for each other are blurring the boundaries of their friendship. They are hungry for a ‘more’ between them, but scared to ruin what they already have and cherish. Once that line is crossed, their young hearts are changed forever, the intensity of those emotions scaring Michael into leaving Lauren behind, heartbroken and humiliated.

“That openness, that innocence, the unfailing and unconditional acceptance she had always shown him, despite what he was, was gone. She was the only one who had ever given him that, and he’s destroyed it. Consciously.”

When they meet again eight years later, they are not the same people they once were. The years that they have lived apart have been unkind to their hearts, each other’s absence deeply marking their souls and affecting all subsequent relationships their attempted to build. Lauren’s pain and feelings of abandonment have made her scared of loving another man again. Michael’s mistakes in life have only exacerbated his guilt for leaving Lauren behind, the only bright light in his life now being a daughter that he loves with all his being. He gives her the one thing that he always craved to receive from his family – unconditional love – becoming that way the kind of parent his own mother and father had never been to him.

The journey that Lauren and Michael travel when their lives cross paths again is one of redemption and second chances. They are tested by their own fears and insecurities, but their bond is one that withstands time, their friendship is one that withstands betrayal, their love is one that withstands heartbreak.

“Everyone deserved the chance to be redeemed, and Michael had gone his whole life never having it. He never got to redeem himself with his father. He never got to redeem himself with his brother. And if he was trying to redeem himself now for what he’d done to her, then she was going to let him, even if it left her vulnerable.”

When two hearts are made for each other and they spend a small eternity longing for one another, the question becomes how many more years they are willing to waste and how much more pain they are prepared to bear. A poignantly and expertly written story of two healing hearts, the tale of Michael and Lauren is one that I suspect you will carry in your own heart for a very long time after you finish reading it. With no excessive sentimental narrative or dialogues, and yet deeply moving range of emotions present throughout the story, nothing about this book is predictable, nothing is cliché and everything is ‘just right’.

“I think she’s really a princess, but she just forgets to wear a crown.”

~ N ♥

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[Amy (caligurlreads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

HO-LEE WOW!

Ever want to find a book that just makes you feel all of those raw emotions? You know the ones. This is that book. This is the book that will make you one minute and the next.

But there have been a lot of books that I've read recently that have left me feeling like that. This one was different. This one not only had your typical Male/Female roles, but there was a child involved and I think that is what got me the most. Erin was so precious. I fell head over heels for her character. She had me from the first time she said "Daddy." Every moment afterward was just another reason more to love her.

Looking back at the lives of Michael and Lauren, you got to see how they came to be where they are. Some of those moments were not so pleasant. I wanted to do this...
!

But life takes a different course and then there is little Erin in the picture and she brightens things up. :) Did I mention that I just love her!? You will too. I know it. One of my favorite moments was her birthday and the whole

And you get to the end and then I was just a blubbering mess. Like I said, the emotions were all over the place with this one. But the story itself, was beautifully written. Michael and Lauren will find a way into your heart. You just have to give them the chance. Do yourself a favor. Pick up the book. You won't regret it. I promise.

[A_Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why is it always so hard to write about books you love so much? I am sure I can do no justice to this wonderful story about two unlikely soul mates, torn apart by the sheer intensity of their affection for each other.

Michael Delaney is the resident bad boy, notorious for throwing school desks, fighting in the school yard, smoking, drinking, and his many school suspensions.

Lauren is a straight A student, especially in the advanced sciences. She is focused and driven and accomplished. And Lauren is "goodness" personified. She is a good daughter, a good friend, a good gymnast, and she has a good heart.

A simple act of kindness leads this unlikeky pair to become the very best of friends all through high school. Neither one cares about what people think or say about their surprising bond, and instead they support, trust, protect and challenge each other.

But a week after graduation "something" happens and it tears them apart. And suddenly, it's all over. Lauren never sees or hears from Michael again.

Ten years later, Lauren is working on her Masters degree in child psychology and is working at a preschool. She is confident, successful, and completely devoted to the children she works with. She has started to leave the past behind and is finally ready to embrace her future.
And then suddenly, Michael turns up to drop off his his little girl, Erin, at the very same preschool, and suddenly their two very separate worlds (and hearts) collide...

I love-LOVED, this story.

I love the flashbacks to Lauren and Michael's highschool days. I absolutely adored their first meet-up at the diner, and the easy friendship that developed.
I loved Erin... and I especially loved her words of wisdom.
I loved that Michael's efforts to take Lauren to the most classy place in town ended up being a trip to Chucky Cheese.
I loved reading about the difference between suppression and repression, and I thought the way psychology was weaved into the storyline was very interesting.
And I loved that each chapter had me desperate to read the next. I was thoroughly addicted.

I can't believe I had this on my "to read" pile for sooo long. I think it must have been the cover. It was almost like a cover from the old "Sweet Dreams" romances I read in high school... does anyone remember them? No? And therein lies my point, I guess. The cover seemed a little outdated... cue the sunset and the gentle tilt of heads leaning in towards eachother. All that's missing is a Carpenter's soundtrack...

I'm also not entirely sure that Adam was essential to the plot. He irked me for some reason. And I just wanted him to "move along."

But the story totally blew me away!

I recommend it to ANYONE who loves a second chance romance. Beautifully written, perfectly paced, and guaranteed to melt your heart.

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is why I read. This is it. I just melt into a puddle on the floor for a good second chance romance story. I'm still on the floor. OH. MY. STARS! I didn't want it to end. I want to rewind and read it again.

[Danielle Overly Backlogged · Rating 5 out of 5]

What the hell did I just read? I mean, seriously, WTF? This book had balls. That's the only way I can think to describe it. It had the balls to mess up my night and turn me into a lip-trembling fool. It had the balls the whack me upside the head with the voice of a shattered five year old little boy who just wanted his daddy to love him. It had the balls to bitch slap me with a mother so hateful and vicious as to blame an eight year old boy for the death of his older brother. And it had the balls to kick my ass with a love story that rocked my world. Lastly, it had the balls to make me feel like this at the end:



Damn this book had balls.

Now, here's my personal note to Priscilla Glenn: Damn girl. Please don't stop writing. Please tell me there's more of this gooey goodness in you. Please tell me that right now you're typing away furiously. Please don't break my heart and fade away. Please?

On a side note, I've been kind of riding a wave of disappointment lately with some of the indie novels I've read. It's clear that not everyone is destined to be a great author. Some people merely have a story to tell, and that's okay, I get it. But here's the thing. If you want to write, if you have a passion for it and are looking to send your stuff out into the world, read books like this. Understand that this is how you do the damn thing. That's enough preaching for the day.

Now, onto the book.

The story is told present day and utilizes flashback chapters to flesh out the past and present relationship between our protags, Michael and Lauren. There is a gap of eight years in this story, from the point our characters last see each other to the moment the reunite. A lot has happened in that eight years, we get some bullet points, but the important stuff is the before and after. When we meet them it's just as they're about to reconnect. It's clear there's been damage, but it's also clear these are two people who miss each other but they don't simply fall back into step, there's a lot of hurt to work through and this is no simple journey. This process is peppered with flashbacks that allow the reader to experience the evolution of their relationship, from its genesis to its ending. The present and past work in tandem throughout the story so as you're witnessing their current struggle in one breath, in the next you get to understand the elements at play in their past. It's beautifully done and Priscilla Glenn knows precisely how to progress the story and how to shift gears, making every transition seem effortless and seamless.

I was almost instantly in love with these characters. Lauren was immediately likeable and sweet and sensitive. Her love for Michael transitioned during the course of this book and through flashbacks we got to see how her love for him grew. Lauren's acceptance of Michael was unwavering. She never judged and she truly loved him, in a number of incarnations, fiercely and without pause. Her heart was so big, so available to him, that it was impossible not to adore her. Conversely, her heartbreak was devastating to witness and though I understand why Michael did the things he did, it was no less shattering to watch Lauren go through it all.

Michael. I felt for him immediately. Yes, he was the bad boy, but not in the way many authors like to paint their bad boys these days. He was never arrogant or aggressive, he never belittled Lauren or made her question their friendship. He was broken, yes, and he displayed some reckless and dangerous behavior, but never toward Lauren. With her he was open and caring, thoughtful and generous. It was clearly he adored her, even if he wasn't able to verbalize it. And when I read the flashback chapters of him as a small child, MY. HEART. BROKE. Everything he did, all the messed up shit he said or acted out, made complete sense. I cried, I literally cried for that five year old little boy who couldn't understand why his daddy didn't love him. I cried again when his brother Aaron tried to explain what happened. And, yes, I cried even more when his mother showed him such vitriol and venom after the death of his older brother. It was so real, so heartstoppingly painful I gasped my way through these chapters, wanting to scoop him up and tell him someone loved him.

But that's where Lauren came in, that was her role. She stood up for him like only someone who truly loves you can. She understood him in a quiet and unassuming way. She never tried to fix him, never demanded answers, she merely loved him and showed him that it was okay to be loved.

Oh, and Michael's daughter, Erin, is to die for. What a sweet, perceptive, charming little angel she was. Her scenes alone are enough to make me wimper. Ah! She was beautifully and perfectly written and just what this story needed to soften some of those harder edges. Her light, her take on things, her ability to love so effortlessly... amazing.

Complaints? Um, I don't know. Maybe. But how about this - I don't give a damn. I'm all out of damns and the damn factory is closed. That's right, I can't think of a complaint or a criticism and I'm not searching my brain to find one. Strong enough endorsement? I hope so. If you're struggling to believe me, read the book and then we'll talk.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I never stopped loving you. Not for one second.”

It's almost been nine years since Lauren has seen Michael. After deciding to go back to school to get her Masters in child psychology, she decides to work at Learn and Grow daycare to tie her over until she graduates. She wasn't prepared to run into her once best friend, the boy she never got over, Michael, as he was dropping off his little girl at the same daycare. Both shocked to see one another again, they are barely able to say hello. But being that his daughter goes to the same daycare she works at, this short meet and greet will not be the end of them seeing one another again. And what they thought was left in the past, is far from over.

She was one of the most genuine people he’d ever met, and he knew at that moment that if he did nothing else in his life, he wanted to be friends with Lauren Monroe.

Michael was the bad boy in high school everyone was afraid of and the girls flocked to for a good time. The rumors of his life have dictated how his classmates have viewed him: Fatherless, dead brother, alcoholic mother. All his life he has paid for his families mistakes. Since his brother's death, he's been lost with no direction in his life. He’s angry at the world - a broken soul. No one knows who Michael is, and he likes it that way until he meets Lauren. The straight A student, goal oriented, good girl. This girl, who Michael thinks is way too good for him, accepts him, and sees beyond his flaws. Michael is stunned that someone like Lauren could care about him, not be afraid of him, or judge him the way the other students in high school do. She becomes his rock. His savior. And he would do anything to keep her from being hurt by anyone. But Michael is young, confused, broken, and he makes a bad decision that tears these two apart. He was the one person who could hurt her most, and he did.

Now that Michael is older, he's changed. He's learned to move on from his demons. He's a single father, raising a sweet, adorable daughter. He has paid over and over for his mistakes. Now he wants to make amends with the one mistake he completely and utterly regrets - hurting Lauren. Lauren is the one girl, now woman, who has always given Michael her heart and soul, and never taken from him. Can he atone for what he did? He must find a way to earn her trust again. To show her that he has changed and he's not going anywhere. Make her understand his intentions were good.

Lauren is a wonderful heroine. As a teenager, she never cared what people thought of her friendship with Michael. She knew the Michael that he never showed anyone: kind, caring, fun-loving. He’s a boy who needed a little bit of TLC. The way she never judged Michael and just accepted him for who he was, completely took my breath away. Lauren is one of those characters that I would've liked to be best friends with in high school. She's a genuine person with a huge heart.

Lauren is still the same smart, considerate woman after all these years. But in other ways, she has changed. When she sees Michael again, all those feelings she's repressed for years, comes rushing back to her. Knowing Michael could hurt her again, she does her best to remain distant from him. But Michael has always been that one person that ignites the fire inside her where she feels empty. Not only does she struggle with her feelings for Michael, but she falls in love with his amazing little girl, Erin. My heart melted during the parts with Erin.

"I think she's really a princess, but she just forgets to wear her crown."

My favorite parts of this book are the flashbacks with Michael and Lauren. These two are completely different, opposites, but the kind of friendship they form is rare and genuine. He would've done anything for her. And she would've done the same. When things were bad with Michael, Lauren is the one person who knew how to reach out to him, talk him down when he would be angry. They each needed one another in their own way. When it came to each other, they were self-less, giving. What these two shared together is simply beautiful.

Back to You is a touching coming of age story where two very different people form an unlikely strong friendship. I really enjoyed following along Lauren and Michael's journey as they find each other first as teenagers, and then again as adults. You not only get to fall in love with Michael once, but twice! The emotions this book churned inside me caused me to cry my ever-loving eyes out! I strongly recommend this romantic, extremely well written story.

Rating: B+ (4 stars)
Heat: Warm

-- A Romantic Book Affairs Review

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[Cristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say about this book that will do it justice? I absolutely fell head over heels for this story and I didn’t want it to end. I tried to read each page as slowly as I could but it didn’t work. I devoured this book like a piece of Cadbury chocolate!! This is romance at its finest!!! This is a story about second chances and forgiveness. Back to You is told so beautifully that it made me believe(again)in the power of true love. It has instilled hope in the eyes of this jaded gal.

I was wrapped-up in the story of Lauren and Michael from page one and nothing about their romance made me cringe or even skim a page or two. I read every blessed word and their angst quickly became mine. Michael is a broken man who hasn’t had a fair shake at life which makes him a little dark and edgy. He does things that make you want to slap him one moment and then hug him the next. Priscilla Glenn takes a very broken individual who has made mistakes and gives him so many redeeming qualities that you can’t help but fall in love with him. You love him for that man that he was despite some of his actions but you love him more for the man he becomes. And Lauren was so perfect but not the kind of perfect that makes you roll your eyes but instead makes you want to be her. She’s patient, kind and forgiving. Even though she was all those things, she was not afraid to speak her mind and that’s the best combination for a heroine to have.

The story flows at the perfect pace and the flash-back sequences are woven with present day so gracefully that it’s not distracting one bit. There are moments that are so heart-breaking that I found myself holding my hand to my chest because that’s what this book will do, it will make you hold your chest so your heart doesn’t shatter. Yes, it’s that kind of story.

The writing is flawless, the characters are filled with depth and you combine that with angst and love…all perfect ingredients for a beautiful book. This story spoke to me in a way that touched my heart.

“And she couldn't help but smile at the irony of the fact that the baddest boy in school could somehow always make her feel like the world was good.”

My final two cents: beautiful. :)