Back To You

by Jasmine Ahmad

Mariana
I never planned on moving back to Lake City. Fresh out of high school, I left, chasing change and adventure. But after over a decade in Seattle, tragedy strikes, and the need for a fresh start sends me running home.

Taking over The Rolling Pin, our town’s beloved bakery, is supposed to be my way forward, a chance to rebuild. But when the renovations turn out to be more than I can handle, the last person I expect steps in to help.

Sebastian Garcia. The boy I once loved. The man whose heart I broke. The one person who has always seen me—even when I can barely face myself.

~

SebastianI’ve spent the last decade trying—and failing—to forget Mariana. The one that got away. When she left Lake City, she took my heart with her.

I built a life without her. Became a firefighter. Stepped up for my family. Worked hard to bury the pain she left behind. But when she walks back into town, grief wrapped around her like armor, I can’t turn away.

I tell myself I’m only helping. Fixing up the bakery. Being a friend. But the more time I spend with her, the harder it is to pretend the past doesn’t still haunt me. And the harder it is to ignore the nothing between us ever really ended.

Genres: Second Chance, Contemporary Romance

337 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 1, 2025

Reviews

[Annalise · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded to 4 stars⭐️ I was absolutely absorbed by this small town and all of these Latinx characters thriving in it👏 I loved the family dynamics, the girl group vibes, the firehouse atmosphere, all of it! I even loved the depths of emotion that were reached and talked about to different extents with different topics, like an abusive husband and a terminally ill parent. However, I feel like I couldn’t sympathize with Mari’s character once we hit the 70-something percent mark. I personally had an issue bc her biggest reason for pushing Seba away was her fear of going all in on love, but even after having conversations with Anna, her mom, and visiting her dads grave and actively recognizing and admitting she was doing all that, she still treated Seba like garbage😕 The third act break up to me was the end bc there was no way to come back from the absolute shambles she left Seba in. Even the reconciliation and “groveling” she did was bare minimum bc all she did was read the letter her late mother left her that actively just repeated what their first conversation about her running from love entailed, but now bc her mom passed it hits differently? Mari changed literally nothing about herself or behavior until she got Seba back and I think she should’ve done more before going to get him back. Like the therapy she is now going to? Should’ve started before hand AND Anna and/or Analyse should’ve recommended it to her as her FRIENDS while they watched her shut down with grief and the break up and idk knowing she was in an abusive relationship and still kind of in denial about her chronic illness now changing her life?? And don’t get me started on how Mari didn’t even need to apologize to Maya before going after Seba bc you’re telling me that little girl who loves her Tio so much saw him become a shell of who he was and didn’t feel some type of way about it? (If you couldn’t tell Seba and his family are my favorites so I take any and all slights against them personally😭) Will I be reading the next book? Absolutely😂 I hope it’s about Mateo and Analyse bc they were giving vibes heavily and I can’t wait to see my girl get the romantic love she deserves🙂‍↕️👏

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great debut romance!

This book is def a tear-jerker, such deep feels when it comes to the circumstances the FMC goes through.
As we meet Mariana she is headed back to her hometown to take care of her mother. As she had to quit her current job, she also gets to pursue a secret passion of baking and taking over a local bakery/cafe. She is slowly coming in to herself in this new era of healing from horrendous heartbreak. Mariana also has lupus and we get to see her also live through flair ups and such.

While Mariana is back in town she runs in to her first love, her first everything Sebastian. Seb is all grown up now, hes a big boy. (smirks) Seb is also a firefighter and thriving in life. He is also taken a'back to see Mariana again after all this time.

Turns out Seb is super caring and steps up to help Mariana get the cAfe ready for business. But it was in this enclose and forced proximity that ignites a lot of feelings in them both.

I like that we address the falling out between them and there is this careful trepidation back to each other. Mariana is extra guarded, rightfully so. And Seb knows her so well still, that he is so aware of both the things she communicates explicitly and the things she doesn't.

I think the delivery of this super important message about healing after trauma and loss is a great way of putting two people back together after so long. This is a great way of showing healing via the vehicle of romance.

I think Jasmine Ahmad has the skills for the romance genre. I am looking forward to seeing her craft grow even more, to be honest. I can tell she is a romance reader in her writing, I feel the respect for the genre.

I would highly recommend for future books gathering a rounded team of beta readers to catch any inconsistencies, ensuring language usage is respectable, and giving her the assurance that the good things in the book are good!

I am super happy to see a Puerto Rican author choose to write a Puerto Rican couple in her debut romance book. That is very rare to see and it takes a lot of courage and hope that readers will still pick up your book in the sea a white romance. Super proud to add another wonderful writer to my personal roster of Puerto Rican authors writing romance.

If you like a good cry, if you like former high school sweet hearts coming back together, if you love small town romance then this book is for you.

[Isabella Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

“𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐞, 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐚. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐭. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐝𝐬.”

This was super cute and emotionally charged debut novel for author Jasmine Ahmad…I love seeing and supporting other Latina authors and I was really excited to dive into this second chance romance.

Mariana is our FMC…she’s moving back home after leaving everyone behind 10 years ago to experience big city life. But her homecoming isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. She’s home dealing with the loss of her husband and the new diagnosis of Lupus.

Once she’s home she decides to invest in and open her own bakery. But the hits keep coming when her bakery doesn’t pass inspection. But no fear…there’s someone perfect to help her with all the repairs, Sebastian.

Sebastian is her ex and the local town firefighter. Mariana broke his heart when she up and left, and while he has learned to work through the pain, Mariana being back brings back old feelings and painful memories. But he puts it aside to help get her place back up to code.

What follows is an emotional rollercoaster. These two spend a lot of time together…working through old wounds and learning about each other all over again. Old feelings reignite and leaves them both feeling realising that they never stoped loving each other. For Sebastian it was always Mariana. He was so sweet and so caring towards her. Helping her through hard times she caring for her when she was sick.

Mariana though…ugh…I wanted to love her. But this is one of the few times where I just really disliked the FMC. I understand being guarded and pushing people away…especially when you’ve dealt with trauma in the past. You are fearful of letting people in. I’ve dealt with it myself. But…Mariana took it above and beyond to the point of being annoying and unreasonable. It felt at times she just wanted to create conflict. She wanted to push him away to see how hard he would fight back for her…and that is just SUPER TOXIC behaviour.

Sebastian was very forgiving. TOO forgiving in my opinion. I would have understood if he needed to walk away because Mariana was too much. But he loved her unconditionally and that’s what made this man top tier. Too good for Mariana. Just my opinion.

The side characters were phenomenal and I feel like they truly made the book come to life. If you enjoy emotionally soul crushing second chance romances with cultural fun, this is definitely the book for you.🩷

Thank you so much to Jasmine Ahmad and Ember Literary PR for the opportunity to ARC read this book.🩷

🔥Small Town Romance
🧁Second Chance Romance
🔥Firefighter MMC
🧁Bakery Owner FMC
🔥Emotional & Physical Abuse
🧁DV
🔥Chronic Illness Rep
🧁Latinx MC’s
🔥Mental Health Rep
🧁”It’s Always Been You”
🔥Grief/Loss
🧁Dual POV
🔥3rd Act Conflict
🧁HEA

[frombooktoaesthetic · Rating 5 out of 5]

✿ second chance romance
✿ Puerto Rican mmc & fmc
✿ it’s always been you
✿ chronic illness representation
✿ domestic abuse references
✿ loss & grief

*please make sure to read trigger warnings*

this book felt so comforting in the ways that I don’t think I can describe. it brought me back to growing up in a mexican house hold where food had such an impact to my upbringing & advice older family members have shared with me. this immediately made me want to call my mom and tell her how much I love her.

all I can say is that this book is going to pull at your heart strings in ways that will bring you pain but also make you smile in knowing there is strength in numbers and being willing to not face things alone. mariana feeling like she had to face battles alone felt so relatable and I had to stop so many times because it felt like I was personally being called out.

mariana comes back to her small town after finding out news that changes her life. she’s processing her previous marriage and what she endured when she bumps into sebastian. who’s sebastian? the one that got away. the love of her life who has never stopped thinking about her.

this was honestly such a beautiful written book and there’s a letter in here that I’m going to process and cherish for life.

[Celina · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️
The way this book captures the real messiness of timing, healing, and finding your way back, not just to someone else, but to yourself. Very easy to read and full of those lines that make you stop and reread because they hit just right.
The reconnection between the main characters is slow-burn perfection, filled with all the tension, hesitation, and tenderness you’d expect from a second-chance love story done right.
I didn’t expect this book to hit me as emotionally as it did. I had little to personally relate to with some of the main themes but oh man did it get me right in the feels! 🥹
Also love love love the representation of Latino culture and language! Spanglish for the win!

[Awilda Mercedes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back to You had me feeling everything 😭❤️
I laughed, I cried, and mentally yelled at Mariana more than once for being stubborn (girl, WHY?!).

After losing her husband and being diagnosed with lupus, Mari moves back home to be near her mom and friends. In trying to piece her life back together, she renovates a local bakery… only to realize it’s not up to code. Cue Sebastian—her childhood boyfriend and first love—who steps in to help with repairs… and maybe win her heart again too 💘

Mari is such a strong FMC, but when life keeps hitting hard, she starts to build walls to protect herself. Her grief and self-doubt hit me deep—I really related, especially after losing my mom. 🕊️

Sebastian? Patient. Steady. Basically waited for her without even realizing it. And he’s not letting his second chance go. I adored the way they fit together and healed side by side. 💕

If you’re into emotional second-chance romances with strong heroines, soft heroes, and all the feels—this one’s for you! 🙌

Things to know

Emotional & Physical Abuse - References to past domestic abuse (not depicted in real-time but discussed by the character). Grief & Loss - Death of a loved one, discussions of past loss. Chronic Illness - Representation of Lupus, including symptoms, struggles with self-care, and the impact on daily life. Mental Health: Anxiety and trauma responses, second chance romance, Latinx MCs, small town, “it’s always been you”

[Kay Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, I'm in love with everyone here. Every character is explored so thoughtfully and feels so dynamic—I will be reading every book set in this universe.

I ugly cried for so much of this story, and yet my heart still swells with happiness at the love surrounding Mariana and Sebastian. This small town cares about its neighbors deeply.

Back To You by Jasmine Ahmad is absolutely devastating in so many ways, touching complicated instances of loss and grief. Beyond that, the aspects of guilt associated with moving on and feeling relief after loss also hit so hard.

And don't get me wrong, while I disagree with how Mariana handled some of her decisions, I can completely see why she made those choices. Her motivations and anxieties are so clear and having her actively struggle makes so much sense for her arc.

The cultural elements of this also resonate with me so much, with the inclusion of Spanish for specific phrases and pet names feeling purposeful. I'm not sure if a translation would have captured the magic of the references quite as much.

So, Latinas, lovers of romance, and anyone who can stand some heartbreak, I think this one might be for you. Genuinely, this might be my favorite book this year.

Thanks to Ember Literary PR for the ARC!

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A light read, with short chapters that keep you engaged.

This story features very human characters with relatable difficulties in life.

A beautiful story that shows us true love, the kind that recognizes and fights for what it wants. But also the kind of love that gives space and knows how far to go.

Latinx representation. Puerto Rican phrases and dishes are also presented.

Please check trigger warnings.

Pre-release review. Thanks to the author and Ember Literary PR for the opportunity to read this book.

[Joanne- Bookish.zebra · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC Review 3.75 ⭐

I really loved the chronic illness representation its always amazing to see.
I need Analyses story. Hopefully that involves Matteo 🤞🥰
The Rolling Pin sounds like the coziest coffee shop ever.
While I struggled with the Spanish (god bless the translate button), I felt that made the book an accurate depiction.

Thank you to the Author and Ember PR for the ARC 💛

[Jori · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW
I just LOVED this story. And the characters being Puertorricans hits right at home. This is a gorgeous read and I cannot be more grateful for the opportunity that the author gave to read this book.

✨Second Chance
✨Small town
✨Domestic Violence Victim
✨Illness
✨Grief
✨Mental health
✨Firefighters

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️.5

[Monica (switching platforms) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

TW: Emotional & Physical Abuse - Grief & Loss - Chronic Illness - Mental Health


Back to You by Jasmine Ahmad is a heartfelt and deeply moving small-town, second-chance romance that doesn’t shy away from exploring weighty, poignant themes like grief, chronic illness, and emotional abuse. At its core, it’s a story about healing—raw, imperfect, and real.

Mariana, the protagonist, is a wonderfully complex and vulnerable character. Her decision to return to her hometown marks a turning point in her life, and taking over the local bakery gives her a sense of stability amidst the chaos. Her journey felt deeply personal, and I found myself rooting for her as she faced both internal and external battles. Then there’s Sebastian, her high school sweetheart. And yes—he truly is a sweetheart, not just in the way he approaches Mariana with gentleness, but in how he consistently shows up for her, often noticing her pain before she does. His protective nature toward his family and his steadfast love for Mariana were a joy to read. Together, they’re a great match, and their story reflects how, even after all the pain life throws your way, it’s still possible to find your way back to love.

That said, the narrative style didn’t entirely resonate with me. The introspective moments and the emotional depth were impactful, but the overall pacing made it hard to stay engaged. The beginning, though slow, was emotionally rich. Yet as the story moved forward, Mariana and Sebastian’s relationship development began to feel rushed and uneven. I struggled to connect with their reconnection fully, and their push-and-pull dynamic started to feel repetitive. The climactic grand gesture, too, left me a little underwhelmed—especially considering how much inner work Mariana had done; their reunion felt almost too sudden.

On the other hand, side characters like Anna, Analise, and her daughter Maya were standout additions. They added charm and depth to the story and helped bring out different facets of the main characters.

Back to You made a lasting impression on me—imperfect in some ways, but undeniably heartfelt and brimming with potential. As a debut, it already shows so much promise. Jasmine Ahmad did an admirable job capturing emotional depth, and while the pacing didn’t fully resonate with me, the story still stayed with me long after I turned the last page. I’ll be curious to see where her writing takes her next.

Thanks to Ember Literary PR and the author for providing the eARC; all opinions are my own.

[Mars · Rating 3 out of 5]

Back to You by Jasmine Ahmad is a romance book but it is also beyond that. This is an emotional and heartbreaking story of the FMC Marianna and her journey to healing. It is the central aspect of the book and Sebastian, the MMC, for me, was a side character to Marianna's main. We get to know Marianna's struggles and vulnerabilities early on. The abuse she endured with her husband made me sad, upset and angry. I know women all over the world suffer from the same fate and that is even more infuriating. We see her deal with deaths and how grief and that abuse have taken a toll on her and lastly her Lupus diagnosis and having to live with that, Marianna was understandbly broken beyond words. She moves back to her hometown and found comfort in reopening a bakery that was once special to her. She realized the renovations needed to get it up and running to code is beyond her means. In comes ex-boyfriend and once the love of her life Sebastian to help her. Eventually they fall back together but poor Marianna is still suffering from years of abuse, fear, and constant self doubt. She has walls and walls put up and cannot fully trust others and herself. Our guy Sebastian is patient though and super understanding. He stayed with her through it all.

It is truly a beautiful story. My issue with the book is the pacing. Felt like it was a bit slow in the beginning which I liked. The author was fully fleshing out Marianna's emotions and how she is coping. But then bam, she's ready for Sebastian and then she wasnt. Then ready again, then she wasnt. I truly felt for Sebastian. The ending felt a bit rush and the grand gesture was confusing because what was that?

My favorite part about the book was the side characters. Love Anna and Analyse (hopefully they get books as well). I also love the Latinx representation and the culture and food! Overall, Back to You is a good small town, second chance read but get your hearts ready to be ripped in half but put back together at the end.

Thank you to Ember Literary for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

[lu_betweenthecovers · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW
It was a beautiful second chance romance and if you know me a little bit, you would know that's my favourite trope and it had all the things that I like the most: firefighter hero, a heavy past for one of the characters and a cinnamon roll hero that never stopped loving his heroine.
Mariana had to come back to her small town from where she ran away years before leaving behind everyone, especially a broken hearted Sebastian, because she wanted to experience the big city life. Now, she is back and she is forced to confront her past and all her fears that threaten to keep her stuck and alone.
Sebastian is the local firefighter that was surviving until Mariana came back home. He is hesitant at first because he has been burned before, but their connection is strong even after all these years.
Will Mariana be strong enough to let go of all the fears, worries and especially all the trauma she has been through and finally let herself choose what she really wants and desires? Or will she succumb to all the negative thoughts and let Sebastian go again?
I love the story and all the side characters have potential and It's a great group of friends. I loved Sebastian and his big heart that can forgive so easily(a little bit too easily for me 😂). Mariana was an interesting character and while reading I was feeling most of her fears about loving and about protecting yourself from hurt, but her behaviour was questionable on some occasions. So, sometimes I really felt what she was feeling but others I was a little bit mad at her.
I want to thank the author and Ember Ink for sending me the book in advance.
Back to you will come out on June 10th. If you love second chances, heavy topics, healing from trauma and a beautiful group of friends this book is definitely for you.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐️

Back To You by Jasmine Ahmad is a beautiful story of second chance romance, grief, and most importantly Latine representation! The waves of emotion I experienced while reading this beautiful story felt so special!

In Back To You, we follow Mariana who returns back home to her small town, Lake City, after years of chasing her dreams and living in Seattle after discovering tragic news. Mariana is also grieving and processing her marriage to her husband who did everything to dim her light and was unfortunately abusive to her. Mariana’s husband did pass away, however, his hold still remains on her and she is still recovering every day to find herself again.

When Mariana returns back to Lake city, she immediately is embraced by her loved ones ready to support her while she is still recovering from her trauma as well as her chronic illness. One day, Mariana happens to run into her high school sweet heart Sebastian whose heart she broke after leaving to Seattle, and their love for each other begins to flourish like time has never passed!

I am so happy I stumbled upon Back To You because this book felt so special! The Latine representation of having a Puerto Rican FMC and MMC was everything and I could just feel the representation while reading each page!

I could feel Mariana and Sebastian’s love for each other. Mariana definitely experienced so much pain through her marriage and grief she is experiencing, and wants to be strong and her best version for Sebastian which we get to see over time. Also, let me just say Sebastian is such a green flag of a man who is patient, strongly loves Mariana, and helps guide her to see the beauty in life even when she continues to push him away.

The ending had me so emotional and I loved every single part of it! I need more people to read this beautiful story!

[Tammy-Rose Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review...

Back to you by @authorjasmineahmad , and thanks you @emberliterarypr for giving the opportunity to read this book which deals with so many important topics.

Please do read your trigger warning ⚠️ s

Fighting your own mind about self worth is hard enough but when someone whom is supposed to love and encourage and support you don't and only makes you feel like your worthless and unloved and purposely cuts you from your family and friends. It makes things so much worse and it solidifies and intensify when they die. You feel relieved but you can grief as you've been in survival mode for so many years.

Then moving back home to the place you never thought you go back to. As your mami is seriously ill, her times coming. You can only feel for Mari, that she has to in order to survive guard her heart. Not let anyone in just handle everything, even though your not handling everything at all. One Moment at it can all crumble. Your heart, the endless pain, grief. But also not letting your self open to love that is so wholesome, so true and soft and caring which is Sebastian. Knowing you already broken his heart before and he knows you he inside and out.

This book pulls at the heart strings, can make you laugh but can also break your heart and think how can people even contemplate handling loss and grief but also every day pain and still have it in them to give this life a chance and have that determination to get on with things and actually live and laugh.

4.5 ✨✨✨✨

It's a must read and releases 10th June 2025

[dominique · Rating 5 out of 5]

♾️⭐️

infinity stars!! I adored this book so so much! thank you to Ember Literary PR for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

In Back to You, we follow Mariana, who is back home after her husband has passed and learning tragedy has struck her mother. Mariana hasn’t been back home since she left after graduating high school and breaking up with her high school sweetheart, Sebastian. now, years later, Mariana is back home to take care of her mother and in desperate search of a fresh start.

this book does talk about very heavy topics, so please do check the trigger warnings! Mariana’s character was so well done. she really went through it in this book and came out the other end stronger and I loved watching her grow and find herself again amongst all the rumble. Sebastian’s character was so sweet! the way that he was with Mari and his loved ones, warmed my heart so much! I really appreciated seeing the ups and downs of their relationship as they went through so many things together. I also loved reading the chronic illness and Puerto Rican representation in this! Mariana does have Lupus and as somebody who is also Puerto Rican and was just diagnosed with Lupus, I really appreciated reading this as I was able to really related to Mari and her daily life.

this was such a real and raw book that depicted grief, love and joy so beautifully! I cried with these characters and felt so deeply for them. i cannot recommend this book enough!! I know it will always hold a special place in my heart!!

[Kate Laycoax · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, wow! What a debut. Jasmine Ahmad really came out swinging with this one. I was sucked in from page one and honestly didn’t expect it to hit as hard as it did. This book is HEAVY at times. Mariana has been through so much, and the grief, trauma, and healing woven through her story felt incredibly raw. Definitely check the trigger warnings (domestic violence, loss, grief), but wow, does the payoff land.

I loved the representation too! Both the Puerto Rican FMC and MMC, plus the chronic illness rep, were handled with such care. It felt real, lived in, and never like a checkbox.

Mariana’s growth ended up being one of my favorite parts of the whole book. Watching her take her life back, make decisions for herself, and let herself be a little selfish for once? Loved that for her. And her romance with Seb… ugh. Sweet, tender, a little messy, full of angst, and the exact second chance energy I want in a story like this.

My only critique was that Mariana definitely treated Seb pretty poorly at times. I get it, she’s drowning in grief, fear, and the ghosts of her past but I still found myself wanting to protect Seb because he absolutely did not deserve to be the emotional punching bag. But honestly, even with that, their journey back to each other still felt really satisfying.

Overall, this was such a strong debut and I’m officially obsessed with Jasmine Ahmad’s writing. I’m already counting down the days for book two because I need Analyse’s story ASAP!

[Hannah Savage ♥️ · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

This book was much more emotional than I expected, Mariana and Sebastian’s story really pulled at my heartstrings.

Mariana has been through so much and I honestly felt for her. Between dealing with grief, healing from a difficult past and learning to live with her lupus diagnosis, she has so much to work through. I loved seeing her slowly find herself again and learn that she deserves happiness and love, even when opening her heart feels scary.

And Sebastian! Honestly, he was such a sweetheart. The way he continued to care for Mariana and showed up for her when she needed him made me love him so much. He was patient, caring and clearly never stopped loving her, even after all those years apart. I loved seeing them reconnect and find their way back to each other.

I also really enjoyed the small town setting, the bakery and the close knit friendships and family relationships. The Puerto Rican representation was such a lovely part of the story too and I appreciated how much culture and family were woven into the characters’ lives.

This was an emotional story about grief, healing, second chances and learning to let yourself be loved again. Mariana and Sebastian’s journey wasn’t always easy but I was rooting for them to get their happy ending.

🤍second chance romance
🤍first love / rekindled love
🤍small town
🤍bakery setting
🤍chronic illness rep (lupus)

-kindle read
-⭐️4.25 | 🌶️2

[Desiree Solorzano · Rating 4 out of 5]

*********************ARC REVIEW***********************

This story was not your typical second chance romance, it was so much more than that. It’s about the hardships of life, the recovery, and acceptance. Let me tell you, this book was a rollercoaster of emotions. Mariana’s emotional state was a whirlwind, but not in a bad way. She was struggling with losing her abusive husband, being diagnosed with lupus, and moving home to more pain. She was so strong for being able to deal with her life practically falling apart, but that grief made her deny love out of fear. Mariana was allowing her grief and self-doubt to dictate her life to the point of being unhappy, closing herself off from love. I loved how patient Sebastian was with Mariana. He never pushed her, but made sure she knew that he would always be there for her no matter what. They were soulmates destined to find each other again, but only if they could endure the hard parts. Mariana must fight through her grief and fears of being hurt by love in order to truly be happy. She must accept that being loved isn’t something to fear but something to cherish.
I loved every second of Mariana and Sebastian’s story, they became each others safe space, each others HOME. What an incredible read, I couldn’t put it down for one second and I hope others find it just as amazing.

[Camila Nakashima · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me start off by saying this book is just soo emotional! It tells the story of Mariana and Sebastian, and their journey back to each other after Mari comes back to Lake City, the town where they grew up in for her mom. Mariana’s story is so painful, with history of abuse, grief, lack of trust and her recent diagnosis of Lupus. Jasmine does such a great job of portraying Mariana’s pain and how that affects her ability to open up to love again. I just wanted to give Mari a big hug!!!

Sebastian... where do I even start!!! Firefighter... do I need to say more? Haha! I DO! Because the thing about Sebastian is that he is literally love and kindness in a person. He is a family man, he helps his sister with her daughter, Maya, is there for all his friends and is completely IN LOVE with Mari!! He, too, has his own wounds and is scared of getting hurt again by their relationship. This book involves so many different dynamics, both familial, and romantic and involves key elements of the Latin culture! Extra points for the absolutely heart-melting nicknames!!! Sebastian’s gentle language when talking to Mari was just everything!

The tension between them is palpable, the fears and curiosity of getting to know each other all over again... just amazing! Can’t wait to read Not For Keeps!

[Jocelyn Delarosa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Rating: ⭐️ 4.5/5
Spice Rating: 🌶️ 3/5

As a Puerto Rican and Dominican woman raising two proud Latin girls, I love seeing my culture represented in books, and even more so in the romance genre, where we don’t see it enough. Jasmine Ahmad did an incredible job with this debut novel, and I was so excited to dive in. The mentions of Latin food and familiar phrases made this story hit even harder for me. If you grew up in a Puerto Rican household, you’ll feel this one. And if you didn’t, this book beautifully captures what that experience is like.

If you’re looking for a romance that will make you cry, please pick this one up. Back To You delivers all the feels. The FMC, Mari, is so strong, and I was deeply invested in her journey. Every time life knocked her down, my heart broke a little more. And Sebastian, the MMC, ugh, talk about persistence and patience. He was an absolute angel and so swoon-worthy. This is a second-chance romance where Sebastian knows Mari is worth waiting for, and the way he loves her will destroy you (in the best way).

If you want a romance full of hardships, acceptance, and all the emotions in between, don’t miss this book.

[Kelsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This. Book. Right. Here. 😭💔📚

You guys… I don’t even know where to start because I SOBBED. Not teared up. Not got a little misty. Full-on, tissues-on-standby sobbing. I genuinely thought I was emotionally untouchable for a second, but this book cracked me wide open.

And let me just scream real quick—PUERTO RICAN FMC AND MMC?! YES, finally! Seeing my culture represented like that made it hit even harder. The love, the language, the feeling of it all? So real. So beautiful.

Let’s talk about Mariana and Sebastián. Their love? EVERYTHING. I love him. I love them. Sebastián is officially my new book boo, no competition. And Mariana? I’ve never connected with a character like that. The way she shuts down and pushes people away—that’s me. I felt so seen, it was almost scary.

Even with the tears, there were moments that had me chuckling too. It was the perfect emotional rollercoaster—soft, sad, funny, and healing all at once. This book slid right into my favorites like it knew it belonged there. I’m not over it, and honestly? I don’t want to be. 💔✨

[lowkeyreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back To You by Jasmine Ahmad is a heartfelt and engaging romance that really drew me in. The story beautifully explores themes of love, forgiveness, and second chances, making it emotionally resonant and satisfying. Jasmine Ahmad’s writing style is warm and inviting, which made it easy for me to connect with the characters and their journey.

The chemistry between the leads is genuine and well-developed, with a nice balance of tension and tenderness that kept me invested throughout. I appreciated how the story handled the complexities of their past and the challenges they face in rebuilding trust.

While the plot follows some familiar romance beats, Ahmad’s fresh voice and strong character development made the story feel unique and compelling. The pacing was smooth overall, though I wished a few scenes had a bit more depth to fully explore certain emotions.

Overall, Back To You is a satisfying and heartfelt read that I’d recommend to fans of contemporary romance looking for a story about healing and rediscovery. I’m looking forward to reading more from Jasmine Ahmad!

[Klarissa Morales · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, I am so here for this book! When I received the arc, I picked it up and then could not put it down when I did have the free time to read throughout the day 😜

Loved the relationship development between Mariana & Sebastian! I definitely needed this read because it really seemed to pull me out of the slump that I was in. Also can we get a little commotion for the bakery life that Mariana lived. As well as Sebastian being a firefighter & a loving uncle augh so here for that!

I really loved that you did not stray away from the chronic pain life that Mariana was going through. As well as processing grief & getting away from a domestic violence relationship but still having to deal with that grief of his death!

Thank you Jasmine! I appreciate you for giving me the opportunity to read this book! When I was 40 percent into it I instantly had to recommend it to my friends when we were on a FaceTime call. (They always come to me for books recs lol)

[Abby G.]

Back to You by Jasmine Ahmad is a small-town, second-chance romance that brings all the feelings. Mariana returns to her hometown after a major loss and ends up running her family’s bakery only to cross paths with her ex, Sebastian, the one she left behind years ago. He’s a firefighter now, still heartbroken, and very much still in love (even if he won’t admit it).

There’s grief, healing, and a whole lot of emotional weight packed into this story. What really stood out to me was the 𝙇𝙪𝙥𝙪𝙨 𝙧𝙚𝙥. It's something I rarely see in romance novels and when I do, I just have to get my hands on 'em. Jasmine did such a thoughtful job capturing the physical and emotional side of it, and as someone with Lupus, that meant everything. Add in the fact that it's centered around a Puerto Rican couple written by a Puerto Rican author and it felt personal.

This one’s definitely heavy on the heartache, so keep tissues nearby. 🥺💔

[Michelle Antunez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story really pulled at the heart strings for me. I thought it was a great debut for Jasmine Ahmad and I really can't wait to see how she continues to grow as ah author. There's a lot of chronic illness representation and I know the author is writing from her own voices perspective, the writing for is always different when it's coming from that perspective.

Its a second chance romance, but I like that they really dealt with the issues of the entire time she had been gone. There was a more slow and careful turn back to each other because they had to both deal with their issues and their traumas.

What I will say is that this author does know how to write a heartbreaking, angst tearkjerker of a book. I'm excited to see the rest of the series. This is a small town romance, high-school sweethearts, second chance romance, it's always been you, Latinx romance, fire fighter MMC I highly suggest you pick it up.

[Tiffani Rutledge · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢 𝘤𝘶𝘵𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘭𝘺 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘵.

𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘢 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘰 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘰𝘶𝘴. 𝘚𝘩𝘦'𝘴 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘥𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘢 𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘩𝘶𝘴𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦.

𝘚𝘦𝘣 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘥. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩 𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧𝘧 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘶𝘴𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘥. 𝘚𝘦𝘣 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢 𝘣𝘪𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵. 𝘏𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵.

𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦, 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦, 𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘧, 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘴, 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱, 𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧-𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦. 𝘚𝘦𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘚𝘦𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘚𝘦𝘣 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘱 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘴.

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘌𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘓𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦-𝘈𝘙𝘊, 𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘦𝘯𝘫𝘰𝘺𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘵!

[Pà · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was such a journey. The characters, especially Mari, had me feeling all kinds of emotions. She’s been through so much, and watching her try to put the pieces of her life back together was such a real journey. Then there’s Sebastian, who never stopped loving her. Honestly, I loved him from the start. He’s patient, understanding, and didn’t give up on Mari, even though she was pushing him away. Their second chance felt so earned, and I was rooting for them the whole time.
What I also really liked was the small town vibe and how the story brought in the Latinx culture.
This is a really emotional romance with some heavy topics. Definitely 5 stars from me. Thank you so much to the author and Ember Literary PR for giving me the opportunity to read the book in advance, I received this for free and I'm leaving an honest review.

[Kellticpages · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jasmine writes a lot of emotions into her book and the characters go through a range of challenging situations throughout the book. Angst, romance, trauma and more to work through.
The MFC is a young woman who has recently lost her abusive husband and finds out her mum is terminally ill. She returns to her home town to spend time with her mum and finds her ex boyfriend is a local firefighter and is still holding a torch for her. She navigates through the emotions and trauma from her past relationship as well as looking at a future without her mum all while reopening a beloved bakery, starting to date as well her own illness struggles. Like I said a lot to look at.

Spice level would be a 2.5 and the book has a good range of side characters that you get invested into and their own stories.

[pluto_bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating 4.5/5

Back to You is a beautifully written, emotionally resonant story about healing, rediscovery, and the quiet strength it takes to start over. Jasmine Ahmad delivers a heartfelt debut that blends grief, cultural richness, and personal growth with tenderness and grace.

Mariana’s voice is so real raw, reflective, and honest in a way that makes you feel like she’s telling you her story over a late night cafecito. The writing is lyrical yet grounded, with themes of identity, family, and resilience woven seamlessly throughout. And while the book doesn't shy away from heavier topics, it handles them with care and intention.

There’s a soft thread of romance, a strong pulse of community, and a quiet but fierce heartbeat of self love. If you’re into slow burns, strong female leads, and stories that make you feel deeply and think—this one’s for you.