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To Be Someone All Over Again : New Adult Contemporary Romance
Can you really find hope where everything fell apart?
Asher doesn’t remember what normal feels like anymore. Drifting through the wreckage of a life he no longer recognises, he’s haunted by grief and by Tyler. A best friend. A brother. A presence that clings to him like a second heavy, unshakable.
Until he meets Summers.
Vibrant. Free-spirited. Endlessly curious. A painter who sees the world in wild colours. She challenges Asher to step outside his sorrow and remember who he used to be. Who he could be again.
In the quiet outskirts of London, where wildflowers grow through cracked concrete and the past refuses to stay buried, Asher is drawn to her in ways he can’t explain. But healing isn’t easy, and love doesn’t always follow the rules.
This is a story of loss and longing. Of finding beauty in the broken. Of the kind of love that changes you—whether you’re ready or not.
“The book was utterly heart-wrenching but so beautiful.” – Reader
“I have shed tears after tears and my heart is still broken.” – Reader
“My heart still hurts from reading it. It was an emotional journey.” – Reader
Perfect for fans of You’ve Reached Sam, One Day, and All The Bright Places, To Be Someone All Over Again is a deeply emotional New Adult romance that will stay with you long after the final page.
Asher doesn’t remember what normal feels like anymore. Drifting through the wreckage of a life he no longer recognises, he’s haunted by grief and by Tyler. A best friend. A brother. A presence that clings to him like a second heavy, unshakable.
Until he meets Summers.
Vibrant. Free-spirited. Endlessly curious. A painter who sees the world in wild colours. She challenges Asher to step outside his sorrow and remember who he used to be. Who he could be again.
In the quiet outskirts of London, where wildflowers grow through cracked concrete and the past refuses to stay buried, Asher is drawn to her in ways he can’t explain. But healing isn’t easy, and love doesn’t always follow the rules.
This is a story of loss and longing. Of finding beauty in the broken. Of the kind of love that changes you—whether you’re ready or not.
“The book was utterly heart-wrenching but so beautiful.” – Reader
“I have shed tears after tears and my heart is still broken.” – Reader
“My heart still hurts from reading it. It was an emotional journey.” – Reader
Perfect for fans of You’ve Reached Sam, One Day, and All The Bright Places, To Be Someone All Over Again is a deeply emotional New Adult romance that will stay with you long after the final page.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 27, 2025
5 people are currently reading
59 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
September 24, 2025
i was really hesitant to write this review just because the author kindly sent me this book but i have so many issues with it.
the writing didn’t flow together which made it difficult to get through the book, and the dialogue was really awkward. the characters kept randomly insulting each other and the way they spoke was very unnatural. i’m also really confused by the storyline as a whole- a major plot point was the mmc’s best friend who tragically passed away and his journey to overcome this grief, only for the reader to find out 85% in that he’s been alive this whole time? and the fmc is the one who’s been dead? i feel like a lot of different twists were just thrown into the book towards the end for shock factor.
i’m also not sure if this book can technically be classified as a romance considering there’s no happy ending.
i feel like this book had a lot of potential but could have been executed better with the help of a developmental editor.
thank you to the author for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.
the writing didn’t flow together which made it difficult to get through the book, and the dialogue was really awkward. the characters kept randomly insulting each other and the way they spoke was very unnatural. i’m also really confused by the storyline as a whole- a major plot point was the mmc’s best friend who tragically passed away and his journey to overcome this grief, only for the reader to find out 85% in that he’s been alive this whole time? and the fmc is the one who’s been dead? i feel like a lot of different twists were just thrown into the book towards the end for shock factor.
i’m also not sure if this book can technically be classified as a romance considering there’s no happy ending.
i feel like this book had a lot of potential but could have been executed better with the help of a developmental editor.
thank you to the author for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 27, 2025
ARC Review: To Be Someone All Over Again - Maryam A.H 🩷
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
I’d like to begin by expressing my gratitude to Maryam for giving me the chance to be an ARC reader for her debut novel To Be Someone All Over Again 🌟. It was such an honor to dive into her story early on, and I truly enjoyed every single page 💖.
This opportunity couldn’t have come at a better time, as the themes explored in the book resonate deeply with me on a personal level ❤️🩹. Maryam approached these sensitive topics with both empathy and care, which made the reading experience all the more meaningful.
My rating for this book is a very solid 4.5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨. I thought it was a brilliant debut, and Maryam has really outdone herself. The only reason I’m holding back from a full 5 stars is simply down to my own preference—I would have loved a little more descriptive prose to balance out the dialogue-heavy sections. That said, I know this is purely subjective, and for many readers this could easily be a flawless 5-star read.
From the very first chapter, I was hooked 📖. I connected with Asher straight away, and I also found Alessia to be an incredibly special character—her presence in the story really stayed with me and reminded me a lot of a friend of mine from a few years back💫. Between the two of them, and the twists and emotional turns along the way, this book had me both laughing 😂 and crying 😢. It was an emotional rollercoaster in the best possible way 🎢.
In short, I wholeheartedly recommend this book and I can’t wait to pick up a physical copy when it officially releases this September 📚.
To Maryam—congratulations on your debut! 🎉 I wish you all the success for your release day, and I’m already looking forward to seeing what you write next ✍️.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
I’d like to begin by expressing my gratitude to Maryam for giving me the chance to be an ARC reader for her debut novel To Be Someone All Over Again 🌟. It was such an honor to dive into her story early on, and I truly enjoyed every single page 💖.
This opportunity couldn’t have come at a better time, as the themes explored in the book resonate deeply with me on a personal level ❤️🩹. Maryam approached these sensitive topics with both empathy and care, which made the reading experience all the more meaningful.
My rating for this book is a very solid 4.5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨. I thought it was a brilliant debut, and Maryam has really outdone herself. The only reason I’m holding back from a full 5 stars is simply down to my own preference—I would have loved a little more descriptive prose to balance out the dialogue-heavy sections. That said, I know this is purely subjective, and for many readers this could easily be a flawless 5-star read.
From the very first chapter, I was hooked 📖. I connected with Asher straight away, and I also found Alessia to be an incredibly special character—her presence in the story really stayed with me and reminded me a lot of a friend of mine from a few years back💫. Between the two of them, and the twists and emotional turns along the way, this book had me both laughing 😂 and crying 😢. It was an emotional rollercoaster in the best possible way 🎢.
In short, I wholeheartedly recommend this book and I can’t wait to pick up a physical copy when it officially releases this September 📚.
To Maryam—congratulations on your debut! 🎉 I wish you all the success for your release day, and I’m already looking forward to seeing what you write next ✍️.
September 11, 2025
Thank you so much to Maryam for this ARC read, I loved it!
Oh my GOODNESS! Where do I even begin. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book like this but it is a book you just need to read.
Will it have your feelings all over the place.. yes. Will you cry.. most likely.
Will you love it YES!!
The twist and turns in this book are crazy, at the start I did feel like I was getting lost between different worlds but something kept pulling at me to read more and I’m glad I did, as looking back now the twist and turns.. and boy did they twist but they made the story.
I was hooked and even part read I was telling people they need to add this to the TBR.
The emotions is this book are very realistic and I feel like a lot is covered but it’s opened my eyes to what some people might actually go through in grief.
The ending of this book is perfect and in no way did I think it would end the way it did, but I am so happy that it did. A little bit of sadness but a happy ending ?!
For a debut novel Maryam has smashed it and I can’t wait to hear other people’s opinions when it’s released.
Oh my GOODNESS! Where do I even begin. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book like this but it is a book you just need to read.
Will it have your feelings all over the place.. yes. Will you cry.. most likely.
Will you love it YES!!
The twist and turns in this book are crazy, at the start I did feel like I was getting lost between different worlds but something kept pulling at me to read more and I’m glad I did, as looking back now the twist and turns.. and boy did they twist but they made the story.
I was hooked and even part read I was telling people they need to add this to the TBR.
The emotions is this book are very realistic and I feel like a lot is covered but it’s opened my eyes to what some people might actually go through in grief.
The ending of this book is perfect and in no way did I think it would end the way it did, but I am so happy that it did. A little bit of sadness but a happy ending ?!
For a debut novel Maryam has smashed it and I can’t wait to hear other people’s opinions when it’s released.
September 30, 2025
જ⁀➴°⋆ 3★
࿐ྂ my thoughts & feelings!
thank you so much for the ARC in exchange for a honest review 🩷
wow i think this is the most emotional contemporary romance i've read this year so far??
the writing is simple so it was really easy to get into. I found some spelling mistakes but nothing that made it hard to understand what was trying to be said. There's a lot of dialogues that definitely helped on the pacing but it also made it feel like there's not a lot of depth to the story, i wish there was a balance. A better structure of the text would also be appreciated! Still, the author covers some really important topics that i find very interesting to read about and some of the quotes had me reflecting a lot
i really liked the characters in the beginning but as i kept reading they started to annoy me... they were really inconsistent and didn't really act their age. Some of the dialogues were really awkward and unnatural and even though i really enjoyed some of the banter it felt immature sometimes
⤷ i adored summers in the beginning but she started to infuriate me and i feel so so so bad for saying this but 😭 the way she was acting and the things she said made me roll my eyes soooo many times. I understand her now but UGH literally why was she torturing herself like that? she had a lot of potential to become my favorite character of the book but unfortunately that didn't happen. However, i really liked her personality and the way she sees life was so beautiful and inspiring!
⤷ asher... this guy has been through hell i wanted to hug him so bad😩 with him, the same thing happened: loved him in the beginning because he was so funny but his obliviousness to her feelings even after she literally said it made me FURIOUS. I found his dynamics with tyler very interesting tho!🤭 they never failed on making me laugh
for the majority of the book i couldn't really feel their chemistry (probably because i was annoyed at them) so i understand if people say the ending didn't hit. Things felt rushed and messy for a big part of the second half and that made me disconnect with everything. I really enjoyed the last 10% of the book tho! Even though i guessed the "biggest" plot twist it was still very emotional and the last two chapters HURT
this book was definitely an emotional ride. After i've read the synopsis i was already expecting something painful but i'm a big crier so knowing the pain was coming didn't help hahah😭 teenager me would definitely love this soooo much more but i still really enjoyed reading this book 🫶
⊹ ִֶָ𓏲࣪⧽ "I’ll choose her an infinite number of times and continue to do so if it means keeping her whole."
࿐ྂ my thoughts & feelings!
thank you so much for the ARC in exchange for a honest review 🩷
wow i think this is the most emotional contemporary romance i've read this year so far??
the writing is simple so it was really easy to get into. I found some spelling mistakes but nothing that made it hard to understand what was trying to be said. There's a lot of dialogues that definitely helped on the pacing but it also made it feel like there's not a lot of depth to the story, i wish there was a balance. A better structure of the text would also be appreciated! Still, the author covers some really important topics that i find very interesting to read about and some of the quotes had me reflecting a lot
i really liked the characters in the beginning but as i kept reading they started to annoy me... they were really inconsistent and didn't really act their age. Some of the dialogues were really awkward and unnatural and even though i really enjoyed some of the banter it felt immature sometimes
⤷ i adored summers in the beginning but she started to infuriate me and i feel so so so bad for saying this but 😭 the way she was acting and the things she said made me roll my eyes soooo many times. I understand her now but UGH literally why was she torturing herself like that? she had a lot of potential to become my favorite character of the book but unfortunately that didn't happen. However, i really liked her personality and the way she sees life was so beautiful and inspiring!
⤷ asher... this guy has been through hell i wanted to hug him so bad😩 with him, the same thing happened: loved him in the beginning because he was so funny but his obliviousness to her feelings even after she literally said it made me FURIOUS. I found his dynamics with tyler very interesting tho!🤭 they never failed on making me laugh
for the majority of the book i couldn't really feel their chemistry (probably because i was annoyed at them) so i understand if people say the ending didn't hit. Things felt rushed and messy for a big part of the second half and that made me disconnect with everything. I really enjoyed the last 10% of the book tho! Even though i guessed the "biggest" plot twist it was still very emotional and the last two chapters HURT
this book was definitely an emotional ride. After i've read the synopsis i was already expecting something painful but i'm a big crier so knowing the pain was coming didn't help hahah😭 teenager me would definitely love this soooo much more but i still really enjoyed reading this book 🫶
July 30, 2025
★★★★☆ 4/5 stars
🌷 Thank you to Netgalley and Maryam A.H. for the ARC.
This isn't my usual genre but I liked the cover and summary a lot and I was very happy to receive an ARC of this.
The story follows multiple POVs but mostly Asher's and Alessia's. Asher is a young troubled man who sees his dead best friend and the book starts with him trying to end his life. Interrupted by Alessia, she will try to save him at any costs, even her own spark.
The writing is really nice for a young author's first book; it's quite poetic but sometimes lacks depth. I wish we could have had more descriptions and maybe less dialogues; a bit more of "sitting together in an enjoyable silence" vibe.
I liked the multiple POVs and seeing what the different characters were thinking and how they were analyzing what was happening and the relationship between them. While the middle of the book got a little lengthy, I really liked the beginning and the end. I do wish we had more hints and plot twists throughout the whole book and not just the end but overall the story still made sense and it wasn't too hard to follow/keep up with the events.
The morale of the story is very found family-ish; I loved that very much. True love isn't "just" being a couple: it's also the friends and family supporting us and caring for us. This book does a great job highlighting the friendly, platonic love people have for each other.
I think I'm too much of a cynical to fully enjoy this nowadays but younger me would have been jumping up and down reading this. It could definitely be a hit with the teens/YA audience!
I wish the author a happy first book release and lots of support & love for this. A kind and sweet author says a lot about the type of books they publish and the authenticity and heart of their writing and it really shows in this book.
🌷 Thank you to Netgalley and Maryam A.H. for the ARC.
This isn't my usual genre but I liked the cover and summary a lot and I was very happy to receive an ARC of this.
The story follows multiple POVs but mostly Asher's and Alessia's. Asher is a young troubled man who sees his dead best friend and the book starts with him trying to end his life. Interrupted by Alessia, she will try to save him at any costs, even her own spark.
The writing is really nice for a young author's first book; it's quite poetic but sometimes lacks depth. I wish we could have had more descriptions and maybe less dialogues; a bit more of "sitting together in an enjoyable silence" vibe.
I liked the multiple POVs and seeing what the different characters were thinking and how they were analyzing what was happening and the relationship between them. While the middle of the book got a little lengthy, I really liked the beginning and the end. I do wish we had more hints and plot twists throughout the whole book and not just the end but overall the story still made sense and it wasn't too hard to follow/keep up with the events.
The morale of the story is very found family-ish; I loved that very much. True love isn't "just" being a couple: it's also the friends and family supporting us and caring for us. This book does a great job highlighting the friendly, platonic love people have for each other.
I think I'm too much of a cynical to fully enjoy this nowadays but younger me would have been jumping up and down reading this. It could definitely be a hit with the teens/YA audience!
I wish the author a happy first book release and lots of support & love for this. A kind and sweet author says a lot about the type of books they publish and the authenticity and heart of their writing and it really shows in this book.
July 26, 2025
Thank you for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book was difficult to get through. The writing is weak, and much of the dialogue felt vague or overly broad. The characters came across as awkward and overly edgy, and the emotional weight the story was aiming for just didn’t land. I couldn’t bring myself to care. I ended up skimming the second half because so much of the text felt like unnecessary filler.
This doesn’t feel like a case of “just not the book for me”—it feels like a first draft that still needs significant editing and reworking before it’s ready for readers.
This book was difficult to get through. The writing is weak, and much of the dialogue felt vague or overly broad. The characters came across as awkward and overly edgy, and the emotional weight the story was aiming for just didn’t land. I couldn’t bring myself to care. I ended up skimming the second half because so much of the text felt like unnecessary filler.
This doesn’t feel like a case of “just not the book for me”—it feels like a first draft that still needs significant editing and reworking before it’s ready for readers.
September 12, 2025
ARC Review, thank you Maryam for the copy!
Well where do I start with this book, slightly slow start for me getting into it and trying to figure out what was going on.
Page 89- "He's back?" Well that set me off!
So many twists and turns in this book that I just didn't see coming. This book has been audibly gasping while pulling on my heart strings in the best kind of way!!
4.5⭐️
I can’t wait for everyone to read this book!
Well where do I start with this book, slightly slow start for me getting into it and trying to figure out what was going on.
Page 89- "He's back?" Well that set me off!
So many twists and turns in this book that I just didn't see coming. This book has been audibly gasping while pulling on my heart strings in the best kind of way!!
4.5⭐️
I can’t wait for everyone to read this book!
September 18, 2025
to be someone all over again- maryam a.h💔
to be honest, i don’t even know where to start with this…
my heart hurts, i haven’t stopped crying and my heart is beating so fast😭
(to the point my kid is fully judging me rn🫠😂)
i have NEVER read anything like this, i have cried at books in the past but THIS?! this is next level.
maryam’s writing is so complex and cryptic and i was so confused. just as our poor boy asher was. MY GOD. this book😭 the last 20-25% is where everything starts to make sense and my heart? it dropped. completely f*cking dropped.
the realisation.
when everything come full circle, quite literally, i just???🤯
i don’t even think i have the words to express how incredibly well done this book is written, how well ptsd & grief is represented constantly throughout. the friendships that are so full of love trying to pull asher out the other side are beautiful but my heart? broken💔.
loving someone so much it completely consumes you to the point you cannot see anything else? you are completely blindsighted by it all? wow, wow, wow.
this book is going to stick with me for the longest time, if not forever. this is next level and a debut novel?! girl, this is gonna be a best seller😭💔
this is everything.
•★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (∞)
•releases: september 27th, 2025💫
•available on ku: ☑️
please please please check your triggers, this is by no means an easy read but it so refreshing to see these topics executed so perfectly.
thank you @mayramah for allowing me to have an arc copy, you have broken me. but in the best way. this was really something!😭💗
to be honest, i don’t even know where to start with this…
my heart hurts, i haven’t stopped crying and my heart is beating so fast😭
(to the point my kid is fully judging me rn🫠😂)
i have NEVER read anything like this, i have cried at books in the past but THIS?! this is next level.
maryam’s writing is so complex and cryptic and i was so confused. just as our poor boy asher was. MY GOD. this book😭 the last 20-25% is where everything starts to make sense and my heart? it dropped. completely f*cking dropped.
the realisation.
when everything come full circle, quite literally, i just???🤯
i don’t even think i have the words to express how incredibly well done this book is written, how well ptsd & grief is represented constantly throughout. the friendships that are so full of love trying to pull asher out the other side are beautiful but my heart? broken💔.
loving someone so much it completely consumes you to the point you cannot see anything else? you are completely blindsighted by it all? wow, wow, wow.
this book is going to stick with me for the longest time, if not forever. this is next level and a debut novel?! girl, this is gonna be a best seller😭💔
this is everything.
•★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (∞)
•releases: september 27th, 2025💫
•available on ku: ☑️
please please please check your triggers, this is by no means an easy read but it so refreshing to see these topics executed so perfectly.
thank you @mayramah for allowing me to have an arc copy, you have broken me. but in the best way. this was really something!😭💗
June 11, 2025
I had the absolute honor of beta reading this gem, and let me just say: what an experience. As her debut novel, Maryam has completely blown me away—this story had me laughing out loud, smiling like a fool, frowning in frustration, and crying more than once. By the end, I was an emotional wreck in the best possible way.
The twists? Oh, they twisted. Just when I thought I had things figured out, Maryam pulled the rug out from under me—again and again. The tension was real, the stakes felt high, and I found myself constantly on edge (and loving every second of it). Every emotion was amplified by how beautifully it was written—each word chosen with such care that the feelings almost leapt off the page.
This isn’t just a book, it’s an emotional journey, and Maryam masterfully guides readers through every peak and valley. For a debut, it’s remarkably polished and powerful. If you're planning to read it, and you absolutely should, make sure you have tissues and your favorite comfort snacks on standby. This is a must-add to your TBR. Trust me, you don’t want to miss this one.
Congratulations Maryam! Can’t wait to read more from you 💕
The twists? Oh, they twisted. Just when I thought I had things figured out, Maryam pulled the rug out from under me—again and again. The tension was real, the stakes felt high, and I found myself constantly on edge (and loving every second of it). Every emotion was amplified by how beautifully it was written—each word chosen with such care that the feelings almost leapt off the page.
This isn’t just a book, it’s an emotional journey, and Maryam masterfully guides readers through every peak and valley. For a debut, it’s remarkably polished and powerful. If you're planning to read it, and you absolutely should, make sure you have tissues and your favorite comfort snacks on standby. This is a must-add to your TBR. Trust me, you don’t want to miss this one.
Congratulations Maryam! Can’t wait to read more from you 💕
Read
October 1, 2025I am writing as a Deaf reader to share some feedback regarding the use of the term “mute” in To Be Someone All Over Again by Maryam A.H. As someone directly affected by how Deaf and non speaking individuals are represented, I found the term offensive and outdated.
Referring to a person as “a mute” reduces them to a perceived limitation and ignores the diversity and richness of communication methods within the Deaf and non speaking communities. It also perpetuates harmful stereotypes that are rooted in ableism.
More respectful and inclusive alternatives would include:
• “non-speaking person”
• “person who does not use spoken language”
• “person who uses alternative communication methods”
Language matters, especially in published works that reach broad audiences. I hope you will consider reviewing this usage in future editions or in sensitivity review processes moving forward.
Thank you for your time and for taking this feedback into consideration.
Referring to a person as “a mute” reduces them to a perceived limitation and ignores the diversity and richness of communication methods within the Deaf and non speaking communities. It also perpetuates harmful stereotypes that are rooted in ableism.
More respectful and inclusive alternatives would include:
• “non-speaking person”
• “person who does not use spoken language”
• “person who uses alternative communication methods”
Language matters, especially in published works that reach broad audiences. I hope you will consider reviewing this usage in future editions or in sensitivity review processes moving forward.
Thank you for your time and for taking this feedback into consideration.
September 26, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Thank you so much Maryam for sending me an ARC of your debut novel!
To Be Someone All Over Again is a heartfelt, emotional debut that explores grief, healing and the journey of finding yourself again after deep loss. The story is told from multiple POVs, but mostly follows Asher and Summers.
The start and the end of the book were definitely my favorite parts. Especially the plottwists towards the end really had me hooked and brought the story together in a powerful way. I do have to say that the middle section felt a bit slower at times and there were a few plot holes. Reading from all the different POVs was a bit confusing and I had to reread some of the chapters.
With that being said I loved that the relationship between Asher and Summers was real and honest, with vulnerability and genuine moments. They are so different, but both beautiful characters.
Be mindful that the book discusses some heavy and potentially triggering topics. It's not a light read, but if you’re looking for a character-driven story that explores emotional depth, this one is worth picking up!
Thank you so much Maryam for sending me an ARC of your debut novel!
To Be Someone All Over Again is a heartfelt, emotional debut that explores grief, healing and the journey of finding yourself again after deep loss. The story is told from multiple POVs, but mostly follows Asher and Summers.
The start and the end of the book were definitely my favorite parts. Especially the plottwists towards the end really had me hooked and brought the story together in a powerful way. I do have to say that the middle section felt a bit slower at times and there were a few plot holes. Reading from all the different POVs was a bit confusing and I had to reread some of the chapters.
With that being said I loved that the relationship between Asher and Summers was real and honest, with vulnerability and genuine moments. They are so different, but both beautiful characters.
Be mindful that the book discusses some heavy and potentially triggering topics. It's not a light read, but if you’re looking for a character-driven story that explores emotional depth, this one is worth picking up!
September 5, 2025
Wow! I have absolutely no words to describe the way this book has made me feel. I'm completely blown away.
The characters in this book are the easiest to love and I adore them equally.
I am so so grateful that I have had the opportunity to be an ARC reader for this beautiful book.
No amount of doubt ran through my mind when rating this a solid 5 stars.
Thank you so much Maryam, for allowing me to read this and for writing it!
The characters in this book are the easiest to love and I adore them equally.
I am so so grateful that I have had the opportunity to be an ARC reader for this beautiful book.
No amount of doubt ran through my mind when rating this a solid 5 stars.
Thank you so much Maryam, for allowing me to read this and for writing it!
August 4, 2025
At first it was a little hard for me to get into the book as I wasn’t sure if it was the right time for me to read something loaded with grief, sorrow and trauma but I can assure you, reading this book was a good choice!
It is definitely a heavy read but gosh, the unfolding of events and emotions was something!! As the threads were coming loose I felt like someone on a treasure hunt to get to the end asap and get the reward, to understand it all. And the big picture….?! Well done Maryam! You have created something raw, heartfelt and beautiful.
Thank you for the opportunity to read your precious 1st book early!
The title, the cover - it will all make sense 💛🤍
*the book touches upon grief & ptsd heavily.
It is definitely a heavy read but gosh, the unfolding of events and emotions was something!! As the threads were coming loose I felt like someone on a treasure hunt to get to the end asap and get the reward, to understand it all. And the big picture….?! Well done Maryam! You have created something raw, heartfelt and beautiful.
Thank you for the opportunity to read your precious 1st book early!
The title, the cover - it will all make sense 💛🤍
*the book touches upon grief & ptsd heavily.
September 21, 2025
Thank you to Maryam A. H for the early copy!
I just couldn’t get into this one! If you read it check your trigger warnings it covers some dark subject but I just couldn’t get behind the writing. And the characters conversations were hard to follow!
I just couldn’t get into this one! If you read it check your trigger warnings it covers some dark subject but I just couldn’t get behind the writing. And the characters conversations were hard to follow!
September 19, 2025
This book got me from the epilogue. As soon as I started reading I couldn’t put this down- I’m so glad I was on holiday and had all the time in the world to read this.
This book has such beautiful characters and I enjoyed learning more about them as the book went on. The storyline is so captivating and devastating at the same time. This book deals with some challenging and hard hitting topics, but does it so delicately and beautifully.
I can hand on heart say this book is a 5 star read. Everyone must get this on their TBR asap. A beautiful read.
This book has such beautiful characters and I enjoyed learning more about them as the book went on. The storyline is so captivating and devastating at the same time. This book deals with some challenging and hard hitting topics, but does it so delicately and beautifully.
I can hand on heart say this book is a 5 star read. Everyone must get this on their TBR asap. A beautiful read.
August 16, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley & Maryam A.H. for the ARC!!!
Wow, this book really got to me! It's super tender and emotional – like, you feel everything. It's about Asher and Alessia, and their story is both broken and hopeful.
There are some dark and sad parts, but also so much kindness. I just wanted everything to be okay for them. The book really shows how important support and love are for healing.
I'm really glad I read it. It made me think about how we connect with each other, and it made me want to hug all my friends and make sure they're doing okay!
Wow, this book really got to me! It's super tender and emotional – like, you feel everything. It's about Asher and Alessia, and their story is both broken and hopeful.
There are some dark and sad parts, but also so much kindness. I just wanted everything to be okay for them. The book really shows how important support and love are for healing.
I'm really glad I read it. It made me think about how we connect with each other, and it made me want to hug all my friends and make sure they're doing okay!
September 27, 2025
I had the amazing pleasure of being an ARC reader for this book, which comes out on the 27th of September.
The story kept a strong grip on me throughout, pulling at my heartstrings several times!
Maryam has beautifully blended a story of grief , mental health struggles and humour that had me snorting at times and tearing up at others.
Would strongly recommend to anyone to read this book.
The story kept a strong grip on me throughout, pulling at my heartstrings several times!
Maryam has beautifully blended a story of grief , mental health struggles and humour that had me snorting at times and tearing up at others.
Would strongly recommend to anyone to read this book.
September 7, 2025
4.5 ⭐️ I really thought I had figured it out before the middle of the book but I got so played, I never read an ARC before and I was completely blown away by the end, the twist got me so good. I cannot wait for you all to read so I can talk about it more.
Seeing the development of the characters and the story just makes me feel like I want to know more about them I just hope that this is not the end.
Seeing the development of the characters and the story just makes me feel like I want to know more about them I just hope that this is not the end.
Did not finish
August 19, 2025"I feel like my life is one big series of unfortunate events, and everyone’s laughing at me. It would make me feel better to find the director of my life and throw them off a cliff, too."
Firstly, I do not leave star ratings for DNF's, but in the interest of this being an ARC I will provide my thoughts and will leave a star rating on NetGalley itself.
I went into this book with high hopes, as the premise sounded emotional, heartfelt, and right up my alley. Unfortunately, I ended up DNF’ing at around the 30% mark because I struggled to connect with the characters and felt the story just wasn't the right fit for me. While I could sense the emotion the author was aiming for, the impact just didn’t land for me in the way I had hoped, and I found myself putting it down and not really feeling motivated to pick it up again. I noted quite a few issues with the writing that really pulled me out of the story, such as repetitive words and phrases, and I found the way some of it was worded quite confusing. Definitely check your trigger warnings if you're going to pick this book up too, as we dive straight into the suicidal ideation of the MMC and it is really heavy going.
The writing style had promise. On one hand, there are moments of poetic phrasing and raw emotion that clearly show the author’s talent and potential. But on the other hand, the prose often felt choppy, with dialogue that sometimes read as unnatural and not genuine. The way the two main character's are so hot and cold within the first 30% just didn't work for me. It felt like we went around in circles numerous times as the MMC tried to push the FMC away, but then kept being drawn back to her, which can definitely work and I have enjoyed this premise in other books, but sadly it felt exhausting for me in this one. The narrative structure also became confusing at times, particularly with POV shifts that didn’t always feel unique and time jumps that left me a bit confused. The MMC mentioned he'd been seeing the FMC around a lot before we had actually seen him seeing her around a lot on page, and because of the time jump from the beginning to the third or fourth chapter, it just felt choppy and more like we were being told rather than shown. I can see how some readers would find this immersive and layered, but for me, it pulled me out of the story instead of drawing me in.
When it comes to the characters, I admired the themes the author was exploring, the grief, trauma, healing, and the importance of connection with others. These are powerful ideas, and the story is clearly built on a heartfelt foundation. However, the characters themselves felt a little underdeveloped at this stage of the book, I am sure they will be further developed if I had read further but I just wasn't connecting to them and honestly felt a bit exhausted by their personalities, unfortunately. I had trouble distinguishing their voices and didn’t feel invested in their budding relationship, which made it difficult to care about their journey. That said, I did notice glimmers of depth and potential in their arcs. So maybe I could give this another go one day and it will be better suited to me, but for now, this book is not working for me.
Overall, this book just wasn’t the right fit for me, but I can absolutely see why others have been moved by it. It’s a story with a lot of heart and some striking emotional moments, even if the execution didn’t fully work in my experience, and that's only having read a small portion of it. Readers who enjoy raw, emotional journeys with themes of grief, found family, and healing may very well find themselves swept away where I couldn’t. While I had to step away early, I still admire the ambition behind this debut and hope to see where the author goes from here. A big thank you to the author and NetGalley for prividing me this ARC, I am very sorry I couldn't provide a more positive review at this time.
Firstly, I do not leave star ratings for DNF's, but in the interest of this being an ARC I will provide my thoughts and will leave a star rating on NetGalley itself.
I went into this book with high hopes, as the premise sounded emotional, heartfelt, and right up my alley. Unfortunately, I ended up DNF’ing at around the 30% mark because I struggled to connect with the characters and felt the story just wasn't the right fit for me. While I could sense the emotion the author was aiming for, the impact just didn’t land for me in the way I had hoped, and I found myself putting it down and not really feeling motivated to pick it up again. I noted quite a few issues with the writing that really pulled me out of the story, such as repetitive words and phrases, and I found the way some of it was worded quite confusing. Definitely check your trigger warnings if you're going to pick this book up too, as we dive straight into the suicidal ideation of the MMC and it is really heavy going.
The writing style had promise. On one hand, there are moments of poetic phrasing and raw emotion that clearly show the author’s talent and potential. But on the other hand, the prose often felt choppy, with dialogue that sometimes read as unnatural and not genuine. The way the two main character's are so hot and cold within the first 30% just didn't work for me. It felt like we went around in circles numerous times as the MMC tried to push the FMC away, but then kept being drawn back to her, which can definitely work and I have enjoyed this premise in other books, but sadly it felt exhausting for me in this one. The narrative structure also became confusing at times, particularly with POV shifts that didn’t always feel unique and time jumps that left me a bit confused. The MMC mentioned he'd been seeing the FMC around a lot before we had actually seen him seeing her around a lot on page, and because of the time jump from the beginning to the third or fourth chapter, it just felt choppy and more like we were being told rather than shown. I can see how some readers would find this immersive and layered, but for me, it pulled me out of the story instead of drawing me in.
When it comes to the characters, I admired the themes the author was exploring, the grief, trauma, healing, and the importance of connection with others. These are powerful ideas, and the story is clearly built on a heartfelt foundation. However, the characters themselves felt a little underdeveloped at this stage of the book, I am sure they will be further developed if I had read further but I just wasn't connecting to them and honestly felt a bit exhausted by their personalities, unfortunately. I had trouble distinguishing their voices and didn’t feel invested in their budding relationship, which made it difficult to care about their journey. That said, I did notice glimmers of depth and potential in their arcs. So maybe I could give this another go one day and it will be better suited to me, but for now, this book is not working for me.
Overall, this book just wasn’t the right fit for me, but I can absolutely see why others have been moved by it. It’s a story with a lot of heart and some striking emotional moments, even if the execution didn’t fully work in my experience, and that's only having read a small portion of it. Readers who enjoy raw, emotional journeys with themes of grief, found family, and healing may very well find themselves swept away where I couldn’t. While I had to step away early, I still admire the ambition behind this debut and hope to see where the author goes from here. A big thank you to the author and NetGalley for prividing me this ARC, I am very sorry I couldn't provide a more positive review at this time.
September 15, 2025
🌻 ‘Anything can be a perfect moment. I don’t wait for a time
when I think things will look their best. There’s not something
that needs to happen for it to be that perfect. If you see something worthwhile in it, then that’s the moment to capture.’ 🌻
I would rate this book 4.5 ⭐️
To Be Someone All Over Again is a beautiful story of life, loss, love and all of the emotions in between. It is a story of finding your place and identity in life, even when your path feels unclear. I haven’t read many contemporary romance books yet, (normally I mostly read fantasy/romantasy books), but I really enjoyed this one! I think because there was so much more depth and emotion to the story than other romance books I’ve read! 💛
🌻 ‘If it’s any consolation, I feel warm when I’m with you. It’s the kind of warmth you never want to escape.’ 🌻
Can you really find hope when all feels lost?
Asher doesn’t know what normal life feels like anymore. He is drifting through life without a path, consumed by guilt and the grief of loosing his best friend Tyler. He cannot seem to move on without him, he sees him everywhere. Getting his old life back feels impossible. Until he meets Summers.
Vibrant. Free-spirited. Endlessly curious. A painter who sees the world in wild colours. She makes it her mission to show Asher that life can be worth living again, that he can carve a new path for himself and find happiness, even with all that is lost.
Even though Asher does everything he can to push her away, to stop her from getting close to him, he can’t help to be drawn to her brightness, her curiosity and warmth. He wants nothing more than to be that way himself. But healing isn't easy, and love doesn't always follow the rules.
This is a story of loss and longing. Of finding beauty in the broken. Of the kind of love that changes you- whether you're ready or not. 💛
🌻 ‘“Okay, I’m going to go. I’ll be back later and try not to burn the apartment down when I’m gone, will you?” my dad says as he rushes out the door, not waiting for me to respond.
I guess burning the place down is off my agenda for today. I
don’t have anything planned anymore.’🌻
Alessia Summers is a character you can’t help but love. She is warm-hearted, empathetic and creative, a light to everyone around her, especially to Asher. I enjoyed that even though Asher tries to push her away, says anything he can to try to force her to give up on him, it only makes her more determined to stick around and show him that life is worth living. I really like that she is an artist, wears vibrant colours and is comfortable in showing the world who she truly is- I love that Asher admires these things about her and slowly starts to embody these traits himself.
Asher’s story was sad reading about, but it was also refreshing reading about a character with realistic struggles. He perfectly shows how healing from grief isn’t a linear process, that even when you start to heal, find happiness and your path in life again you will have times where the grief takes back over. I haven’t read any other books that have shown this so accurately, so it is very refreshing to read about. I really enjoyed Asher and Alessia’s relationship- you feel like you are just rooting for their happiness. I loved the ways Asher described Summers- it is easy to see he has so much love for her. Also, without spoilers, I also loved the unexpected twist at the end- it add a lot of depth to the story!! 💛
🌻 ‘I can’t believe I’m sitting in the middle of nowhere with a paintbrush and a woman who looks like she belongs in a painting’ 🌻
Do check the triggers of this book, it is very heavy!
✨ Triggers: suicide ideation, mental health, ptsd, heavy focus on grief ✨
Thank you very much to the author for providing me with an ARC of this book for my honest review! I really enjoyed it! Congratulations to Maryam on her debut book! 💛
when I think things will look their best. There’s not something
that needs to happen for it to be that perfect. If you see something worthwhile in it, then that’s the moment to capture.’ 🌻
I would rate this book 4.5 ⭐️
To Be Someone All Over Again is a beautiful story of life, loss, love and all of the emotions in between. It is a story of finding your place and identity in life, even when your path feels unclear. I haven’t read many contemporary romance books yet, (normally I mostly read fantasy/romantasy books), but I really enjoyed this one! I think because there was so much more depth and emotion to the story than other romance books I’ve read! 💛
🌻 ‘If it’s any consolation, I feel warm when I’m with you. It’s the kind of warmth you never want to escape.’ 🌻
Can you really find hope when all feels lost?
Asher doesn’t know what normal life feels like anymore. He is drifting through life without a path, consumed by guilt and the grief of loosing his best friend Tyler. He cannot seem to move on without him, he sees him everywhere. Getting his old life back feels impossible. Until he meets Summers.
Vibrant. Free-spirited. Endlessly curious. A painter who sees the world in wild colours. She makes it her mission to show Asher that life can be worth living again, that he can carve a new path for himself and find happiness, even with all that is lost.
Even though Asher does everything he can to push her away, to stop her from getting close to him, he can’t help to be drawn to her brightness, her curiosity and warmth. He wants nothing more than to be that way himself. But healing isn't easy, and love doesn't always follow the rules.
This is a story of loss and longing. Of finding beauty in the broken. Of the kind of love that changes you- whether you're ready or not. 💛
🌻 ‘“Okay, I’m going to go. I’ll be back later and try not to burn the apartment down when I’m gone, will you?” my dad says as he rushes out the door, not waiting for me to respond.
I guess burning the place down is off my agenda for today. I
don’t have anything planned anymore.’🌻
Alessia Summers is a character you can’t help but love. She is warm-hearted, empathetic and creative, a light to everyone around her, especially to Asher. I enjoyed that even though Asher tries to push her away, says anything he can to try to force her to give up on him, it only makes her more determined to stick around and show him that life is worth living. I really like that she is an artist, wears vibrant colours and is comfortable in showing the world who she truly is- I love that Asher admires these things about her and slowly starts to embody these traits himself.
Asher’s story was sad reading about, but it was also refreshing reading about a character with realistic struggles. He perfectly shows how healing from grief isn’t a linear process, that even when you start to heal, find happiness and your path in life again you will have times where the grief takes back over. I haven’t read any other books that have shown this so accurately, so it is very refreshing to read about. I really enjoyed Asher and Alessia’s relationship- you feel like you are just rooting for their happiness. I loved the ways Asher described Summers- it is easy to see he has so much love for her. Also, without spoilers, I also loved the unexpected twist at the end- it add a lot of depth to the story!! 💛
🌻 ‘I can’t believe I’m sitting in the middle of nowhere with a paintbrush and a woman who looks like she belongs in a painting’ 🌻
Do check the triggers of this book, it is very heavy!
✨ Triggers: suicide ideation, mental health, ptsd, heavy focus on grief ✨
Thank you very much to the author for providing me with an ARC of this book for my honest review! I really enjoyed it! Congratulations to Maryam on her debut book! 💛
September 2, 2025
First of all I’d like to thank Maryam for allowing me to be her ARC reader! Here is my review:
Well gosh, this was definitely a story (I say as I’m sat in my hotel bed sobbing my eyes out). Let’s start with the beginning because I feel as though that will be the only way I can be coherent… The playlist at the beginning, AMAZING, I genuinely enjoy making a playlist and listening to it while I read- at the beginning some song choices I didn’t understand but when I went deeper into the story, it all made sense! Well chosen….
Now the book, I absolutely adored the beginning of the book. There was so much highlighting going on- the first page was definitely grabbing me and pulling me in to read more and more. The pleading towards Tyler was making me more curious about the storyline I’m going to be following, AND THEN the scene with the old man made me even more curious- how would this go on and where would we land? Would he ever meet her??
As I said, the beginning great. However, I felt as though the middle did drag on, it was a long read and I did feel demotivated to continue at points. I feel as though there was a lack of depth which made it difficult to follow the story. And if I’m being picky (but also this is my personal want), I feel that the characters ages matter so much and though summers age was revealed later on, I wish this was told much earlier because it adds so so much! I do also think that some bits came out of the blue and either didn’t need to be mentioned or secured more in the story, as it just added more confused as to why it was being said. Though, I am absolutely for the POVs of different characters, it’s something I adore about this book!
Anyway that’s enough of me being a party pooper! The ending!! Holy crap! At about 80% of the book my nose was right next to my kindle screen, I didn’t want to put it down. Everything came together at once, the butterfly-star reference, the sibling part (you’ll have to read it to get what I mean) JUST EVERYTHING.
AND DONT EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THE RING, THIS IS THE PART THAT GOT ME SOBBING. Him asking her, holding her when she was near dying and when she wrote that letter when he visited her grave. god dam. it just all made sense.
Overall, I would rate this book 3.5 stars! Amazing for a first book, and an absolute joy to read regardless of the tear stains on my pillow. I will definitely be reading more by Maryam! I can’t wait to see your journey bloom!
Well gosh, this was definitely a story (I say as I’m sat in my hotel bed sobbing my eyes out). Let’s start with the beginning because I feel as though that will be the only way I can be coherent… The playlist at the beginning, AMAZING, I genuinely enjoy making a playlist and listening to it while I read- at the beginning some song choices I didn’t understand but when I went deeper into the story, it all made sense! Well chosen….
Now the book, I absolutely adored the beginning of the book. There was so much highlighting going on- the first page was definitely grabbing me and pulling me in to read more and more. The pleading towards Tyler was making me more curious about the storyline I’m going to be following, AND THEN the scene with the old man made me even more curious- how would this go on and where would we land? Would he ever meet her??
As I said, the beginning great. However, I felt as though the middle did drag on, it was a long read and I did feel demotivated to continue at points. I feel as though there was a lack of depth which made it difficult to follow the story. And if I’m being picky (but also this is my personal want), I feel that the characters ages matter so much and though summers age was revealed later on, I wish this was told much earlier because it adds so so much! I do also think that some bits came out of the blue and either didn’t need to be mentioned or secured more in the story, as it just added more confused as to why it was being said. Though, I am absolutely for the POVs of different characters, it’s something I adore about this book!
Anyway that’s enough of me being a party pooper! The ending!! Holy crap! At about 80% of the book my nose was right next to my kindle screen, I didn’t want to put it down. Everything came together at once, the butterfly-star reference, the sibling part (you’ll have to read it to get what I mean) JUST EVERYTHING.
AND DONT EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THE RING, THIS IS THE PART THAT GOT ME SOBBING. Him asking her, holding her when she was near dying and when she wrote that letter when he visited her grave. god dam. it just all made sense.
Overall, I would rate this book 3.5 stars! Amazing for a first book, and an absolute joy to read regardless of the tear stains on my pillow. I will definitely be reading more by Maryam! I can’t wait to see your journey bloom!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 2, 2025
TO BE SOMEONE ALL OVER AGAIN
By: @maryamahauthor
Thank you so much to Maryam for sending me an E copy of her new book. Thank you for allowing me to be part of your journey 💛.
A little about the book:
Asher is drifting through life. Wreaked with grief and feeling completely lost. Haunted by Tyler. A best friend. A brother. Asher doesn’t know how he can possibly carry on … Until he meets Summers. Vibrant, free, and somewhat annoying, she helps Asher see the good in life and see beyond his sorrow. Asher can’t help but feel drawn to Summers. He feels he is healing. But it is not an easy road to walk, and love doesn’t always go to plan.
•••••••••
My Thoughts:
This book was a deeply emotional, raw, and powerful read. Exploring themes of grief, mental health, suicidal thoughts, love, friendship, and family. The story is messy and vulnerable, but at the same time it had a quiet beauty about it.
I think I am correct in saying this is more of a character driven story, focusing on their transformation and development as the story unfolds.
This tale comes from the POV’s of Asher and Summers, although we do have some chapters from Cyra, and Nate peppered through the book. Each character bringing their own unique voice to the story.
The direction the story took could be described as having a twist but I felt this narrative shift moved me, more so than shocked me. It carried a lot of emotional weight and I loved this.
A beautifully written story, both heart breaking and heart-warming. It carried deep emotions but with honesty and sensitivity. While there were a few times where the flow felt a little uneven, the heart of the story still shone through clearly for me.
This story pulled at the old heart strings but at the same time made me feel warm and hopeful. A story centring on grief but at its core showcasing family and friendships and how vital these connections are for healing.
A powerful debut. I think Maryam is an indie author to watch out for ♥️
Release date: 27th September 2025
By: @maryamahauthor
Thank you so much to Maryam for sending me an E copy of her new book. Thank you for allowing me to be part of your journey 💛.
A little about the book:
Asher is drifting through life. Wreaked with grief and feeling completely lost. Haunted by Tyler. A best friend. A brother. Asher doesn’t know how he can possibly carry on … Until he meets Summers. Vibrant, free, and somewhat annoying, she helps Asher see the good in life and see beyond his sorrow. Asher can’t help but feel drawn to Summers. He feels he is healing. But it is not an easy road to walk, and love doesn’t always go to plan.
•••••••••
My Thoughts:
This book was a deeply emotional, raw, and powerful read. Exploring themes of grief, mental health, suicidal thoughts, love, friendship, and family. The story is messy and vulnerable, but at the same time it had a quiet beauty about it.
I think I am correct in saying this is more of a character driven story, focusing on their transformation and development as the story unfolds.
This tale comes from the POV’s of Asher and Summers, although we do have some chapters from Cyra, and Nate peppered through the book. Each character bringing their own unique voice to the story.
The direction the story took could be described as having a twist but I felt this narrative shift moved me, more so than shocked me. It carried a lot of emotional weight and I loved this.
A beautifully written story, both heart breaking and heart-warming. It carried deep emotions but with honesty and sensitivity. While there were a few times where the flow felt a little uneven, the heart of the story still shone through clearly for me.
This story pulled at the old heart strings but at the same time made me feel warm and hopeful. A story centring on grief but at its core showcasing family and friendships and how vital these connections are for healing.
A powerful debut. I think Maryam is an indie author to watch out for ♥️
Release date: 27th September 2025
September 18, 2025
I had the absolute honour on getting this book as an arc reader and for that I am very thankful.
Honestly, this is not a typical book that I would go for and I didn't know what to expect while going in. The writing style was really easy to follow, especially because I have been in sort of a reading slump. I have been reaching out for books and then not even getting past the first few pages. But with this book I found myself not wanting to stop reading it. The story line, the plot and the characters felt so real that at times I forgot I was reading. I felt like my mind was playing tricks on me and when I thought I had guessed the plot, the book proved me wrong. I could feel the raw emotions that the characters went through and at times I found myself staring at my wall. The pain was described perfectly in my opinion. It was not filtered and it felt as if the characters thoughts were my own. The roller coaster of emotions I went through while reading this book is not even funny. Even so, I really loved this book. I am not saying this because of the fact that I got to read this book before it even came out, but because it truly was a wonderful read.
I have to admit that there were some minor grammar mistakes, but honestly it did not bother me at all and I could see past that. I was reading for the story and it truly was life changing in a way. It opened up my eyes to actually see the world in a different way and that everything can change for the better. It doesn't mean it's not hard and that is part of the process. The words sometimes morphed into a movie that was playing inside of my head. I could truly imagine everything and all of the questions I has were answered.
Now that I have read this book, I am thinking of reading it again. I know for a fact that I will because it is a book where you can learn a lot from even if you least expect to. I cannot wait to see what the future holds for the author and to read more of her works.
Honestly, this is not a typical book that I would go for and I didn't know what to expect while going in. The writing style was really easy to follow, especially because I have been in sort of a reading slump. I have been reaching out for books and then not even getting past the first few pages. But with this book I found myself not wanting to stop reading it. The story line, the plot and the characters felt so real that at times I forgot I was reading. I felt like my mind was playing tricks on me and when I thought I had guessed the plot, the book proved me wrong. I could feel the raw emotions that the characters went through and at times I found myself staring at my wall. The pain was described perfectly in my opinion. It was not filtered and it felt as if the characters thoughts were my own. The roller coaster of emotions I went through while reading this book is not even funny. Even so, I really loved this book. I am not saying this because of the fact that I got to read this book before it even came out, but because it truly was a wonderful read.
I have to admit that there were some minor grammar mistakes, but honestly it did not bother me at all and I could see past that. I was reading for the story and it truly was life changing in a way. It opened up my eyes to actually see the world in a different way and that everything can change for the better. It doesn't mean it's not hard and that is part of the process. The words sometimes morphed into a movie that was playing inside of my head. I could truly imagine everything and all of the questions I has were answered.
Now that I have read this book, I am thinking of reading it again. I know for a fact that I will because it is a book where you can learn a lot from even if you least expect to. I cannot wait to see what the future holds for the author and to read more of her works.
October 1, 2025
1.5 ⭐️
Thank you to Maryam for asking me to be an ARC reader in exchange for a honest review.
I have been sitting in my thoughts about it because I’ve felt so conflicted about what to say about this book, but I have to be honest.
I did find it partially hard to get into the story and to fully connect with the characters. I thought that Asher was very rude the way he acted towards Summers which made it hard for me to feel their chemistry. I think over all, I wasn’t connected to the characters and because of that it didn’t emotionally land for me.
I felt like the dialogue was long at times and not much was progressing through the story. I felt like their conversations were filled with unnecessary dialogue that made it hard to follow and understand the conversation. I was also confused at how old Asher and Summers were because of the way they acted.
I initially liked how the reader was left in the dark about the plot twist and it had me shouting at my kindle because I wanted to desperately know what I was missing. Although, that got very irritating quickly because in the end, the reader doesn’t find out until the very end. I found this impacted my ability to fully connect with Asher and to develop any sort of empathy for him, simply because I didn’t know what he was going through.
I think the plot twist was so clever and something I wouldn’t have seen coming. I just think that I couldn’t fully love the ending because I didn’t love the characters.
I felt a bit unsatisfied at the ending because I went into this thinking it was a romance because the author had portrayed it that way. I was expecting a happily ever after. I just don’t think it could be labelled a romance when the characters didn’t even kiss, at least not in the present timeline, so it felt like there was no romance at all.
Being straight - this put me in a slump
Thank you to Maryam for asking me to be an ARC reader in exchange for a honest review.
I have been sitting in my thoughts about it because I’ve felt so conflicted about what to say about this book, but I have to be honest.
I did find it partially hard to get into the story and to fully connect with the characters. I thought that Asher was very rude the way he acted towards Summers which made it hard for me to feel their chemistry. I think over all, I wasn’t connected to the characters and because of that it didn’t emotionally land for me.
I felt like the dialogue was long at times and not much was progressing through the story. I felt like their conversations were filled with unnecessary dialogue that made it hard to follow and understand the conversation. I was also confused at how old Asher and Summers were because of the way they acted.
I initially liked how the reader was left in the dark about the plot twist and it had me shouting at my kindle because I wanted to desperately know what I was missing. Although, that got very irritating quickly because in the end, the reader doesn’t find out until the very end. I found this impacted my ability to fully connect with Asher and to develop any sort of empathy for him, simply because I didn’t know what he was going through.
I think the plot twist was so clever and something I wouldn’t have seen coming. I just think that I couldn’t fully love the ending because I didn’t love the characters.
I felt a bit unsatisfied at the ending because I went into this thinking it was a romance because the author had portrayed it that way. I was expecting a happily ever after. I just don’t think it could be labelled a romance when the characters didn’t even kiss, at least not in the present timeline, so it felt like there was no romance at all.
Being straight - this put me in a slump
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 25, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
I received this ARC through Hidden Gems Books. Thank you for the opportunity.
This debut is a deeply emotional New Adult contemporary romance that deals with heavy themes: grief, trauma, PTSD, and suicidal ideation. The story follows Asher, who is weighed down by the loss of his best friend and the shadows of his past, and Alessia (Summers), a free-spirited painter who challenges him to step out of his sorrow. What unfolds is not just a love story, but a journey of healing, forgiveness, and found family.
One of the most compelling dynamics is how Asher often seems lost in his own oblivion, carrying gaps in memory and a disconnection from reality. Summers, meanwhile, is reluctant to confront him with the full truth, an unspoken tension that adds to the "weirdness" of their bond.
The writing style leans poetic and heartfelt, and you can really feel the author’s sincerity in every chapter. At times, the dialogue can feel a little uneven and confusing, and there were moments where I wanted more descriptive depth instead of conversation where Asher. The pacing also drags a bit in the middle, though the ending lands well and ties the emotional threads together.
What stood out most to me was the found family aspect. Beyond romance, the book highlights the importance of friendship and platonic weird love; the people who hold us together when we can’t do it alone. That part was beautiful and really resonated.
This won’t be for everyone: the themes are heavy, and the style might feel unpolished in places but I think there's something powerful here.
A raw, promising debut that isn’t afraid to sit in the hard emotions. I look forward to seeing what Maryam A.H. writes next.
I received this ARC through Hidden Gems Books. Thank you for the opportunity.
This debut is a deeply emotional New Adult contemporary romance that deals with heavy themes: grief, trauma, PTSD, and suicidal ideation. The story follows Asher, who is weighed down by the loss of his best friend and the shadows of his past, and Alessia (Summers), a free-spirited painter who challenges him to step out of his sorrow. What unfolds is not just a love story, but a journey of healing, forgiveness, and found family.
One of the most compelling dynamics is how Asher often seems lost in his own oblivion, carrying gaps in memory and a disconnection from reality. Summers, meanwhile, is reluctant to confront him with the full truth, an unspoken tension that adds to the "weirdness" of their bond.
The writing style leans poetic and heartfelt, and you can really feel the author’s sincerity in every chapter. At times, the dialogue can feel a little uneven and confusing, and there were moments where I wanted more descriptive depth instead of conversation where Asher. The pacing also drags a bit in the middle, though the ending lands well and ties the emotional threads together.
What stood out most to me was the found family aspect. Beyond romance, the book highlights the importance of friendship and platonic weird love; the people who hold us together when we can’t do it alone. That part was beautiful and really resonated.
This won’t be for everyone: the themes are heavy, and the style might feel unpolished in places but I think there's something powerful here.
A raw, promising debut that isn’t afraid to sit in the hard emotions. I look forward to seeing what Maryam A.H. writes next.
September 20, 2025
[rated a 3.5 ⭐️ on fable]
to be someone all over again is a new adult contemporary romance about asher, a young man who has been deeply broken by a tragic loss and trauma —haunted by the ghost of his best friend, tyler.
asher’s life begins to shift when he meets summers, a painter who sees the world in color and slowly pulls him back into the light ✨
—
first and foremost, i want to thank miss maryam for personally reaching out to me and giving me an ARC for her debut novel ‘to be someone all over again’. im utterly grateful to have been able to read & give an honest review this beautiful story!
secondly, every single twist and turn made my head explode, but that reveal of what actually happened really blew my mind 🤯🤯🤯 i was baffled and quite literally had my jaw on the floor during the last few chapters.
now, while the emotional depth really shines in this book, there were moments when i found it hard to follow along with the dialogues and conversations. it felt like sometimes the characters’ voices werent distinctly seperated. perhaps more descriptions and less dialogue would have really made the emotional impact of this novel hit harder. though it was difficult at times to follow along with the story, i thoroughly enjoyed this gutwrenching & powerful story.
another thing that i loved about the ending was how it showed the strength in friendships, and not just romantic relationships. this book does an amazing job of highlighting that factor, especially showing how important it is to have that support system when someone is going through immense grief and loss.
(also asher scott went through so much and deserves to be happy 3 i demand a happy epilogue for my boy right now!! 😭)
i hope everyone gives this book a chance when it releases on september 27 ‼️
to be someone all over again is a new adult contemporary romance about asher, a young man who has been deeply broken by a tragic loss and trauma —haunted by the ghost of his best friend, tyler.
asher’s life begins to shift when he meets summers, a painter who sees the world in color and slowly pulls him back into the light ✨
—
first and foremost, i want to thank miss maryam for personally reaching out to me and giving me an ARC for her debut novel ‘to be someone all over again’. im utterly grateful to have been able to read & give an honest review this beautiful story!
secondly, every single twist and turn made my head explode, but that reveal of what actually happened really blew my mind 🤯🤯🤯 i was baffled and quite literally had my jaw on the floor during the last few chapters.
now, while the emotional depth really shines in this book, there were moments when i found it hard to follow along with the dialogues and conversations. it felt like sometimes the characters’ voices werent distinctly seperated. perhaps more descriptions and less dialogue would have really made the emotional impact of this novel hit harder. though it was difficult at times to follow along with the story, i thoroughly enjoyed this gutwrenching & powerful story.
another thing that i loved about the ending was how it showed the strength in friendships, and not just romantic relationships. this book does an amazing job of highlighting that factor, especially showing how important it is to have that support system when someone is going through immense grief and loss.
(also asher scott went through so much and deserves to be happy 3 i demand a happy epilogue for my boy right now!! 😭)
i hope everyone gives this book a chance when it releases on september 27 ‼️
September 21, 2025
Just wanted to start thanking you Maryam for this ARC of your debut novel
This book explores the topics of grief, mental health and suicide. This is an emotional read and had me welling up towards the end when the twists started to unravel
There was some beautiful writing in there that I really adored, about discovering who you are again and how you move forward in life despite when things are dark and hard
I enjoyed Asher and Summers relationship, how the vibrance and brightness of Summers was bringing Asher out of a dark place. The love between them is evident which makes this story so much more heartbreaking
Throughout this book left me curious, continuing on to the next chapter trying to find the answers. I did not see the twists coming and my gosh that had my jaw dropping
I loved getting the different POVs. The friendships within this story is beautiful, they all care deeply for Asher and were supportive of his healing which although were different routes this all came from a place of love and care, not wanting to see him hurting. I also enjoyed the relationship between Asher and Tyler, who is a constant for Asher trying to guide him and rationalise.
For why I didn’t rate it any higher than 3 stars was because I felt there could have been some further editing in some parts of the book where I felt pacing was a bit off and was at times confused who was talking. At times the characters acted a bit younger than they were however going through grief and tragedy I know can impact on emotional responses.
I cannot wait to read more of Maryams work and see her further develop as an author who I feel is going to write some amazing art
Again thank you so much Maryam for the opportunity to read your story
This book explores the topics of grief, mental health and suicide. This is an emotional read and had me welling up towards the end when the twists started to unravel
There was some beautiful writing in there that I really adored, about discovering who you are again and how you move forward in life despite when things are dark and hard
I enjoyed Asher and Summers relationship, how the vibrance and brightness of Summers was bringing Asher out of a dark place. The love between them is evident which makes this story so much more heartbreaking
Throughout this book left me curious, continuing on to the next chapter trying to find the answers. I did not see the twists coming and my gosh that had my jaw dropping
I loved getting the different POVs. The friendships within this story is beautiful, they all care deeply for Asher and were supportive of his healing which although were different routes this all came from a place of love and care, not wanting to see him hurting. I also enjoyed the relationship between Asher and Tyler, who is a constant for Asher trying to guide him and rationalise.
For why I didn’t rate it any higher than 3 stars was because I felt there could have been some further editing in some parts of the book where I felt pacing was a bit off and was at times confused who was talking. At times the characters acted a bit younger than they were however going through grief and tragedy I know can impact on emotional responses.
I cannot wait to read more of Maryams work and see her further develop as an author who I feel is going to write some amazing art
Again thank you so much Maryam for the opportunity to read your story
August 14, 2025
First of all, I want to thank the author for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC and give my honest opinion on the book.
I have to be honest, I was really struggling to keep reading the book all the way until the 90% mark because I thought the plot twists were actually pretty good ideas, but everything was poorly executed in my opinion.
It was hard to get into because of the choppy sentences and unnatural conversations with characters that even in the end lacked a lot of depth for me. It read like a book that was only imitating the true story and gave the shortest possible synopsis. What I really missed was a better structured closeness of the main characters. It gives us all the facts but in a way that feels very unfinished. Therefore, I couldn’t bring myself to care about any of the characters and in the end, what happened to them as well. The writing did not capture the true depth of their actions and trauma and made them very one-dimensional. A lot of the conversations were repetitive, unnatural and did not feel logical to any emotions but were just there for the plot.
The plot itself has a lot of potential, but as I said, it is poorly executed, and his final revelations seem very strange and resigned just because. So in the end everything fell flat for me and it felt as if I didn't really get to know anyone, he side characters had SO much potential to do more or to be seen more, the relationships between them could be exlained better. Everything about their parents was not described well enough and could easily leave you confused.
In my opinion the book needs to be heavily edited and restructured.
I have to be honest, I was really struggling to keep reading the book all the way until the 90% mark because I thought the plot twists were actually pretty good ideas, but everything was poorly executed in my opinion.
It was hard to get into because of the choppy sentences and unnatural conversations with characters that even in the end lacked a lot of depth for me. It read like a book that was only imitating the true story and gave the shortest possible synopsis. What I really missed was a better structured closeness of the main characters. It gives us all the facts but in a way that feels very unfinished. Therefore, I couldn’t bring myself to care about any of the characters and in the end, what happened to them as well. The writing did not capture the true depth of their actions and trauma and made them very one-dimensional. A lot of the conversations were repetitive, unnatural and did not feel logical to any emotions but were just there for the plot.
The plot itself has a lot of potential, but as I said, it is poorly executed, and his final revelations seem very strange and resigned just because. So in the end everything fell flat for me and it felt as if I didn't really get to know anyone, he side characters had SO much potential to do more or to be seen more, the relationships between them could be exlained better. Everything about their parents was not described well enough and could easily leave you confused.
In my opinion the book needs to be heavily edited and restructured.
September 10, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Well where do I begin… this book was definitely an emotional roller coaster that I did not expect🥹
There are passages that are truly touching, especially when it shows Asher's pain and Summers' liveliness, creating moments of emotional contrast that were very moving.🥺 Alsooo the writing in this book was really poetic and it makes you think about life and all the ups and downs that come with it.
However, despite this potential, the book did not completely win me over. I felt like it started off alright but then as we moved forward it started confusing me as the POV’s were kinda difficult to separate at times. I also felt that because of this confusion regarding the POV’s I couldn’t completely connect with the characters the way it was intended to, unfortunately, and I couldn’t feel the emotional impact a lot of the times because of it. Sometimes I even found them annoying (I’m so sorry🥺) like tell me whyyyy couldn’t they just have told him the truth right away?? instead it took almost half of the book to get to where they could have gone in the middle of the book.😭 Besides that I think the book talks about really important topics and it portrays them with such tenderness that it’s beautiful to read!
Despite everything, the book definitely had things that I loved especially the beautiful love story and the plot twists that I NEVER saw coming🤭
I still believe the story overall was really interesting it just needs a few adjustments to bring the full emotional impact it intended! I think the author did a great job for a first novel and they should definitely keep going, I wish her the best🫶🏼
Thank you to Maryam for the arc I felt honored to be able to read it!🤍
Well where do I begin… this book was definitely an emotional roller coaster that I did not expect🥹
There are passages that are truly touching, especially when it shows Asher's pain and Summers' liveliness, creating moments of emotional contrast that were very moving.🥺 Alsooo the writing in this book was really poetic and it makes you think about life and all the ups and downs that come with it.
However, despite this potential, the book did not completely win me over. I felt like it started off alright but then as we moved forward it started confusing me as the POV’s were kinda difficult to separate at times. I also felt that because of this confusion regarding the POV’s I couldn’t completely connect with the characters the way it was intended to, unfortunately, and I couldn’t feel the emotional impact a lot of the times because of it. Sometimes I even found them annoying (I’m so sorry🥺) like tell me whyyyy couldn’t they just have told him the truth right away?? instead it took almost half of the book to get to where they could have gone in the middle of the book.😭 Besides that I think the book talks about really important topics and it portrays them with such tenderness that it’s beautiful to read!
Despite everything, the book definitely had things that I loved especially the beautiful love story and the plot twists that I NEVER saw coming🤭
I still believe the story overall was really interesting it just needs a few adjustments to bring the full emotional impact it intended! I think the author did a great job for a first novel and they should definitely keep going, I wish her the best🫶🏼
Thank you to Maryam for the arc I felt honored to be able to read it!🤍
September 4, 2025
The most beautiful heartbreaking story I have read so far this year. I couldn’t stop crying.
We are following Asher who after a traumatic event drifts apart. He doesn’t seem to have faith in life. After a suicide attempt he meets Summers, from there the story will unfold itself into the most heartbreaking change. It is a roller coaster of emotions for both the characters and the reader. Each time I thought I had figured it out a plot twist came leaving without a word (plus some tears).
We see the story through multiple POV, with each character bringing their own unique voice to the story.
I think this book won’t be for everyone, as it definitely explores heavy themes yet powerful. The story is loaded with trauma, mental health problem, grief, sorrow, suicidal thoughts. But it is also about love, friendship and found family.
It is a really good job for a first book, a powerful story. I think we all should watch out for the next Maryam A.H. Also can we talk about the cover? It’s gorgeous. I would have picked it in a store just for this cover!
Thank you Netgalley and the author Maryam A.H for this ARC copy. I saw on Instagram that she was looking for ARC readers. I already had a few to read but I asked for it anyway. Thank god I did.
I was in a bit of a reading slump, nothing I tried was good, I didn’t want to open a book for a few days until this one arrived.
My heart is still aching !
We are following Asher who after a traumatic event drifts apart. He doesn’t seem to have faith in life. After a suicide attempt he meets Summers, from there the story will unfold itself into the most heartbreaking change. It is a roller coaster of emotions for both the characters and the reader. Each time I thought I had figured it out a plot twist came leaving without a word (plus some tears).
We see the story through multiple POV, with each character bringing their own unique voice to the story.
I think this book won’t be for everyone, as it definitely explores heavy themes yet powerful. The story is loaded with trauma, mental health problem, grief, sorrow, suicidal thoughts. But it is also about love, friendship and found family.
It is a really good job for a first book, a powerful story. I think we all should watch out for the next Maryam A.H. Also can we talk about the cover? It’s gorgeous. I would have picked it in a store just for this cover!
Thank you Netgalley and the author Maryam A.H for this ARC copy. I saw on Instagram that she was looking for ARC readers. I already had a few to read but I asked for it anyway. Thank god I did.
I was in a bit of a reading slump, nothing I tried was good, I didn’t want to open a book for a few days until this one arrived.
My heart is still aching !
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