I'm Gonna Get You Back

by Eva Des Lauriers

OUT FOR REVENGE. IN IT FOR LOVE.

Small-town scandals, explosive secrets and friendship fallouts threaten to tear Clara and Reid apart - all over again . . .

Reid Rousseau was always a winner. Now, he's a former state champion runner with an injury no one can know about and a college scholarship on the line. When he's invited as the guest of honor for Legacy Weekend, a competitive tradition that welcomes high school alumni back to his small mountain town, Reid would rather run away than face his crumbling future-and the girl who broke his heart.

Clara Suarez's legacy can't be failure. A year out of high school and aimless, she has one last shot at getting into her dream film school shooting a Legacy Weekend video interviewing her former classmates-including her ex, Reid-about their explosive senior year and the scandal that capped it off. But any time people return to the mountain, drama follows... especially when an anonymous social media account starts airing everyone's dirty laundry.

Reid isn't the only one hiding something, and Clara isn't the only one with regrets. Their spark is still strong enough to set off a wildfire, but their secrets might just tear them apart for good.

A second-chance love story from Eva des Lauriers, perfect for fans of Lynn Painter, Tillie Cole, and Jenny Han.

Genres: Romance, Young Adult, Young Adult Romance

352 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication May 19, 2026

About the author

Eva Des Lauriers is a California girl who became a diehard romantic when she married her best friend, the boy she sat next to in eleventh grade Calculus. She holds both an MSW and BA in Psychology. As a clinical social worker, she had the privilege of working with the vibrant and complicated teens for whom she now writes. When she isn’t writing, you can find her wandering through the redwoods, staring at the sea, or pretending she’s in a music video. She lives with her husband, their two children, and her collection of kissing books in Northern California.
Visit her at evadeslauriers.com.

Reviews

[Marieke (mariekes_mesmerizing_books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adore a dual narrative. I love a parallel timeline. I’m a sucker for two flawed, pained characters, and Eva Des Lauriers has outdone herself.

When you’re in high school, your whole life is still in front of you. But you’re also expected to make choices. Some of us have no clue what to choose. Others have the future mapped out in their minds. Clara and Reid belong to that last category. They’re terrified of making the wrong choices, afraid that failure will keep them from the dreams they’ve held onto for so long. They don’t want to make mistakes, even though all of us inevitably do. That’s how we learn. We fall, and we stand up again: stronger, more confident, carrying our baggage with us. And sometimes we don’t. Sometimes we’re not okay. And we got to tell other people. Got to get help. But that voice in our head keeps telling us we can do it on our own.

Sure, I guessed the whodunnit pretty early on. But I didn’t mind. Because even though I’m Gonna Get You Back reads like a simple YA romance on the surface, it’s really a character-driven story about resilience. About asking for help. About fighting back. About choosing your own path. And I think we need stories like this in the world right now.

Also, Clara is such a steady force, and Reid is such a cinnamon roll.

Thank you, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and NetGalley, for this beautiful ARC!

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[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorites.

[eva · Rating 5 out of 5]

PRZYSIĘGAM, ŻE TA KSIĄŻKA DOSTAJE NOMINACJĘ DO MOICH ULUBIONYCH ROMANSÓW WSZECHCZASÓW!!!!
ta książka jest niesamowita 🥹🥹

“Clara . . . This is something.”
[…]“I know it is,”
“But it isn’t everything.”

- jest ból i łzy,
- jest friends to lovers i second chance (ofc w cudownym wykonaniu)
- kindaa zagadka do rozwiązania!!
- małomiasteczkowy klimat (+góry!!!)

strasznie czekam na jej premierę (ponad pół roku czekania XD), ale nie jestem w stanie przestać o niej myśleć <3

„The hairs on my neck rose, and my response tumbled over a ner-
vous laugh. “That is such a cheesy line.”
He frowned. “It wasn’t a line. You look beautiful.”

[Abena · Rating 3 out of 5]

*** Thanks NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a review.***

I was debating between giving this two or three stars, but I ultimately landed on three because even though I’m not the intended audience, I can see this story connecting with a lot of readers. It’s very much a young adult second-chance romance, and I think people in a younger demographic would probably relate to it more than I did. I felt like it dragged a bit toward the end of the book and found myself thinking, “okay, can we get to it already?”, but overall it’s an easy read.

There were several things I genuinely liked. The haikus in the beginning of each chapter from Reid’s perspective were a nice touch and gave his voice something special. I also truly believed in the connection between the two main characters. Since there wasn’t a huge time gap between when their relationship/connection ended and when they reconnected, it felt realistic that their feelings hadn’t faded.

The mystery element around who sabotaged Clara’s opportunity for a scholarship kept me interested for a good portion of the story, even if the reveal wasn’t particularly shocking.

I think the book did a great job capturing how challenging that time of your life (shortly after high school) can be and the pressures of growing up in a small town. And, I appreciated that the characters were fully developed and had personalities outside of their feelings for one another.

Overall, this wasn’t a bad book — just not completely for me. But I do think a lot of readers, especially those who enjoy YA romances with a bit of mystery, will find it engaging.

[CoolReadHaven · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is a cute romance story between the main characters Clara and Reid. This book is dual POV. They live in this small town that boast about their legacy program which is a program to help fund college for 5 lucky seniors but there are strict rules to staying in the program. There are secrets, mystery, and betrayals. I thought the story was well paced and kept me interested. The ending was not predictable. The only thing I wasn’t a fan of was the constant going back and forth in time (this is just a personal preference) overall the writing style was easy to read and understand. There were some things like when they used words like helluva that I just don’t personally like to read. The characters felt real and I enjoyed getting to see how they changed throughout the story. I also really liked the haikus at the start of Reid’s chapters. Overall, I would give this book a 3.5 stars, I enjoyed it but it didn’t stand out to me. If you like suspense, betrayal among friends, and small town romance then this would be a good book for you.

[Kaelyn Hassey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Reid and Clara, they had great chemistry and felt genuine, with a dynamic that kept me hooked from start to finish. The plot was entertaining and well-paced, and I loved the mix of humor and heart. My only small wish is that the story had them actually date back in high school and then reconnect a few years later, rather than just a few months. Still, it was a charming and enjoyable second-chance romance that I’d absolutely recommend! ty Net Galley for the ARC read!!

[Amber Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book took me on such an emotional journey! While it took a while to get invested in it, once I got there I was IN. This is a beautiful representation of young love and how sweet it can be. But also how heartbreaking it is. I love how many different demographics are seamlessly represented in this book. Will absolutely be reading more from this author!

[Elia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'M GONNA GET YOU BACK by Eva Des Lauriers is a standalone contemporary Young Adult Romance with a strong cast of characters, and a pining, yearning, second chance romance told in two POVs and two timelines. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and devoured this book in two days. I laughed, I cried, I gasped at one point. It was an emotional, creative, well-written novel that I highly recommend. Before I gush on, here's the setup.

In the small mountain town in California, Woodhurt High School offers scholarships to its four best students every year. These Legacies must meet the highest standards in their specific area of talent, in academics, and in their behavior. Every year, the town and alumni Legacies gather for the announcement of who will be the next four Legacies. To those who win, it's sometimes the difference between going to your dream school, or not going at all.

We meet Reid Rousseau in the past timeline on a ledge overlooking a panoramic mountain view with Clara. It's clear right from the first line that he's really into her. They seem to have the kind of relationship many people only dream about. Reid's a star cross-country runner and has the potential to go really far with it.

Clara Suarez has had a rough year. We meet her in the current day timeline, several days before the next Legacy announcement. Last year, a scandal rocked the assembly, and Clara lost her Legacy scholarship and couldn't afford to attend her dream film school. But that's not what's on her mind when we first meet Clara. She misses Reid.

When Reid, the guest of honor, returns to Woodhurt in the current timeline, there are two mysterious that he, Clara, and the recent Legacies must figure out before more reputations are ruined and damaging secrets are revealed by an anonymous social media account that seems to know everyone's dirty laundry. Who ruined Clara's chances at being a Legacy? Who is the anonymous poster?

What I loved most about this book:
- The main characters, Reid and Clara, were so compelling, their romance so perfectly imperfect, their character arcs so satisfying. The challenges they face resonate and help shape this twisty, mystery-adjacent romance.
- What a brilliant, well-developed set of side characters. I especially loved Mitchell and Kenji.
- Best friends can make all the difference, and I really enjoyed how authentic the relationships in this story felt.
- The mystery of who could be making those cruel anonymous posts about the previous Legacies made this already pacey read even more propulsive. It was like GOSSIP GIRL but make it small town and for revenge
- Can we talk about how awesome the twists were in this story? To avoid spoilers, I won't. Just trust me. They were so darn good!
- On top of the main romantic arc in this story are some other arcs that were so, so well-written, and reflected the contemporary high school experience. One example is the drive and push to always be improving as an athlete Reid believes in, or Clara's insecurity about her art.
- The tattoo. That's all I'll say.
- A theme that really landed with me is the pressure that so many high school seniors face to perform to the highest, most exacting standards. It can sometimes creative an extremely toxic environment that not everyone is willing to see or acknowledge.

What didn't work:
- I can't think of a single thing I'd change. This book was phenomenal. Bravo!

I'M GONNA GET YOU BACK is a romantic, pacey, mystery-adjacent, second chance romance that shows that love may not conquer all, but it's still worth it. I highly recommend it. Run, don't walk, to pre-order this fantastic novel!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Henry Holt and Co. for providing me with an eARC of this book for my honest feedback.

[Read_with_Beans]

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for providing an eARC for Eva Des Lauriers’ novel, I'm Gonna Get You Back.

I wanted to love this book much more than I did. The writing in this book was ‘clunky’, and I found there to be many plot holes, or things we read about for a couple of dozen pages before we found out what the author meant. As this is a YA romance, I expected the book to be a fun, light, easy read, and the confusion caused by the author’s writing style or lack thereof led to quite an unenjoyable reading experience. For example, there is discuss about legacy weekend, the legacy scholarship, the legacies, but we were almost 10% into the book before we found out that legacy is not used in the manner or definition that many know in the education realm as someone that has parents that went to the same school, rather it is a group of five students that are selected, under criteria (never described in detail) from the graduating senior high school class. There were other circumstances where readers would read numerous chapters about an event before fully understanding all the circumstances or why the event was important, if it was even important. None of the characters were developed or written in a way that caused me to care about them or the direction of their story arc.

There were mentions of underage drinking (in high school) and how the use of alcohol led the children to “let loose” and lower their inhibitions with the opposite sex. (It should be noted for any parents that may purchase this book for thier young adult reader) Between this, the plot holes, the writing, and my lack of interest in the characters led me to be completely turned off by this book. I often read young adult romance and find it highly enjoyable; however, I cannot in good faith recommend this book.

[Atlanta Colling · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book got under my skin in a way I wasn’t entirely prepared for.

I’m Gonna Get You Back is a story about revenge, yes—but more than that, it’s about what happens when hurt turns inward, when love curdles into resentment, and when teenagers are left to navigate emotional landmines without the tools to defuse them. Eva Des Lauriers captures that space with impressive clarity and restraint.

The protagonist is not always likeable, but she is understandable, which I value far more. Her choices are impulsive, emotionally driven, and sometimes frustrating—but they feel real. The book doesn’t frame revenge as empowering or glamorous; instead, it shows how it can become a coping mechanism when communication fails and vulnerability feels too risky.

The writing is clean and expressive, especially in moments of emotional stillness. There are scenes where very little happens externally, yet the internal stakes are enormous. I also appreciated how relationships—romantic and platonic—are treated with equal weight. The friendships, in particular, felt painfully authentic in their misunderstandings and quiet betrayals.

My only real hesitation lies in the pacing. The novel occasionally circles the same emotional beats more than necessary, and I found myself wishing certain turning points arrived just a bit sooner. Additionally, while the ending is emotionally satisfying, it felt slightly too neat compared to the messiness that preceded it.

Even so, this is a strong, thoughtful read that handles teenage anger and vulnerability with care. It trusts the reader to sit with discomfort and doesn’t rush its characters toward easy resolutions.

A solid 4 stars—raw, reflective, and emotionally resonant.

[☆Laura☆]

Clara regresa a su pueblo para enfrentar un fin de semana que preferiría olvidar. El regreso de los exalumnos desata viejos recuerdos, grabaciones que nunca debió revisar y una tensión que revive lo que tuvo con Reid, el chico que marcó su último año de preparatoria. Mientras los rumores vuelven a circular y un perfil anónimo amenaza con revelar secretos del pasado, Clara intenta mantener la calma, aunque su vida emocional esté al borde del colapso. Reid llega con su propio caos y una verdad que ha evitado reconocer. Cuando sus caminos se cruzan otra vez, ambos deberán enfrentar aquello que rompieron, así como las decisiones que los alejaron.



__

La historia no fue para mí. Sentí que el libro recae demasiado en drama adolescente. No entendí por qué se construye tanta tensión para que Reid le confiese a Clara que se besó con Delaney, su mejor amiga, cuando la confrontación termina sin un conflicto real. Clara se molesta molesta, pero perdona a Reid y también a la amiga en menos de un día. A veces odio crecer porque me es imposible no ser tan critica.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

[Amanda Toney-Velázquez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Eva Des Lauriers has truly outdone herself with I'm Gonna Get You Back, a captivating and layered YA romance that beautifully blends a passionate second-chance love story with a compelling small-town mystery. This book delivers a heartfelt, emotional, and perfectly paced read that cements Des Lauriers as a strong voice in contemporary Young Adult fiction.

The core of the novel lies in the incredible chemistry and palpable tension between former sweethearts Clara Suarez and Reid Rousseau. The dual timeline structure, weaving between their explosive senior year and their tense reunion for "Legacy Weekend," is masterfully handled, creating a genuine sense of longing and dramatic payoff. Clara and Reid are complex, beautifully flawed characters whose struggles with identity, pressure, and shattered dreams—Clara's film ambitions sabotaged and Reid's secret injury—feel incredibly authentic.

Their journey is one of deep pining, emotional honesty, and a slow burn that is absolutely worth the wait.
Beyond the romance, the "Legacy Weekend" setting and the introduction of the anonymous "dirty laundry" account give the story an addictive, suspenseful edge. It’s like a nuanced small-town mystery where high-stakes academic and athletic pressures clash with intense personal secrets and betrayals among friends.

Des Lauriers’ prose is sharp, and unique touches—like the thoughtful haikus from Reid's perspective—add unexpected depth to his character. The plot twists surrounding the scholarship scandal are genuinely engaging and elevate the story beyond a typical romance.

I highly recommend I'm Gonna Get You Back to fans of angsty, emotional second-chance stories, small-town secrets, and YA contemporary with a satisfying dose of mystery. It’s a compelling look at finding your footing after high school and the difficult choices we make under pressure. Run, don't walk, to pick up this fantastic novel!


Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced reader copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review.

[Alyssa Knappenberger · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a good, entertaining read! This book is dual POV and follows Reid and Clara in both the past and present during their senior year of high school, and then several months after high school ends.

I like how they author chose to write this book and tell their story. Instead of telling us outright what happened during the previous school year that led to the current events in the book (Clara losing her Legacy scholorship), we find out through the past chapters and through interactions between characters in the present.

One of my favorite parts of this book though were the Gossip Girl-like posts that were being made online, telling secrets about the Legacy students. I loved trying to find out who was making those posts alongside the characters on the page.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

[Jiya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this novel!
I'm Gonna Get You Back was such a fun journey, and I am excited to read more from Eva Des Lauriers. To begin, the premise was exciting, with a unique scholarship offered in a small town that led to lots of competition and sabotage. The competition was portrayed really well, and the reader really felt invested in the main characters. The main characters were driven, and their actions felt realistic for the situation they are put in. I especially enjoyed Clara and Reid connecting over cross-country, even though they run at completely different levels. The side characters are also loveable, and the relationships truly move the plot forward. This was a very fun read, and I would definitely recommend it to rom-com, YA, and mystery lovers!

[Elly Valdes · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was just average to me. I requested an advanced copy back in October (?) and just got around to reading it, so you can see where it was on my list of priorities. Nothing really stuck out to me, I thought the characters were typical of a YA and dealt with YA problems, and the whole “Legacy Lore” was super topical. I liked seeing the poems (haiku representation!) and the invisible string between Reid and Clara throughout the story.

What I most enjoyed about this is that it got the “transitional period between high school and college” right and how confusing it can be, especially for those whose path/idea of who they are and what they want to do might have changed. I think the author did a great job showing different avenues and how one is not better or worse than the other, it truly just leads to different destinations.

[Gemma Grainger · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book delivers a beautifully engaging second-chance romance that blends emotional depth with small-town intrigue. Clara and Reid are compelling, believable characters whose chemistry and unresolved history carry the narrative with real heart. The dual timeline structure adds momentum, weaving past and present in a way that kept me invested throughout. The mix of heartfelt moments, secrets and the slow rediscovery of trust makes this more than just a typical YA romance. It’s a touching and immersive read that balances tension with warmth and ultimately leaves you rooting for both characters to find their way back to each other.
A huge thank you to #netgalleyuk for the ARC.

[Dolores · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book delights on all levels. The intrigue, the characters, the story build, and the resolution were written to perfection. (Could I be the target reader?) I laughed out loud at times and teared up at other times both in equal measure. YA romance is not my typical genre but I *loved* this book. I read it so fast the first time that I read it again to savor it - and despite knowing what happens I was still staggered by the deft and deliberate building scene by scene. A wonderful sophomore novel!

[Eva Des Lauriers · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love angst, pining, yearning; themes of identity after high school, of legacy and exceptionalism, trying to figure out who and how you're supposed to be when life doesn't go to plan (and others are out to get you); depiction of mental health issues; and a story that in the midst of writing had me write a note to myself that said "maybe too much kissing?" THEN THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU!

Hope you love it <3

[Melissa Cantarow · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely geared toward a YA audience as the plot centers around the experience of recent high school grads. I loved Clara and Reid, and while the push/pull of their relationship was frustrating, they were so sweet and tender with each other. The plot dragged a bit by the end but overall I really enjoyed it and found myself thinking about it during the day.

Thank you NetGalley for baby’s first ARC!

[Ronica · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a cute read! I loved the small town meets Gossip Girl vibes. The story kept me engaged and I enjoyed reading about Reid and Clara’s stories from then and now. I do wish there was a little more time between the then and now, instead of just a few months. However, the story was still super engaging and a cute second chance romance. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

[TatumReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a dual timeline, dual POV, second-chance romance. It was a fun, suspenseful read! Definitely more plot driven. I was reading to find out who was behind the anonymous gossip account Legacy Lore more than anything else.

The main character Clara wants to be a film maker but something devastating happened at last year’s high school assembly that prevented her from getting a scholarship to her dream film school. Her (sort’ve ex) Reid is coming back from college, along with a lot of other people in the friend group, bringing drama along with them.

What I really liked about this book:
- Clara’s passion for film making and how it tied into the plot of the book. That felt natural to the story and her character.
- Reid’s drive for running. As a competitor and runner myself a lot of what was going on with his running storyline felt very real.
- The dual timeline. This gave suspense to what had happened at the assembly and made me want to keep reading until I got all the juicy details.
- The anonymous gossip account was an interesting addition that added to the paranoia of who the characters could trust or not and added another layer of mystery to the story that made me want to find out who it was.

What didn’t work for me:
- There were so many characters that some of the storylines didn’t hit as hard as they could have if we knew the side characters better. The lore that was dropped wasn’t that dramatic when it was about these characters the reader barely knows. Josh, Mitchell, and Reid’s dad were the only other characters that felt like they were fleshed out enough for me to know them but pretty much anyone else mentioned I would forget what their back story was supposed to be.
- The description of the book compared this to Gossip Girl, but I feel like just because it has an anonymous gossip account doesn’t mean it has much else in common. Gossip Girl was so scandalous because the gossip that was dropped was actually intense (like people doing hard drugs, being outed, cheating scandals, etc) This book was a lot more tame and unoriginal with their gossip. The gossip dropped was also usually pretty vague, which was supposed to make things ominous but ended up being a little too boring. I get that this is a YA novel, but even something more unique like one of the guy runners only wears hot pink undies as a lucky charm during races would have been more interesting while still being tame.

Others have mentioned that the timing of the scandal being only a few months earlier bothered them, but I didn’t feel like it hurt the story. In high school years a few months can feel like an eternity, especially for someone like Clara who was the only one left behind in her friend group when the rest went away to college.

Overall this is a great book for anyone who likes to read young adult romances with a small town, woodsy, competitive sports, and gossipy vibe!

Thank you to Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group | Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) for the ARC! All opinions are my own. #NetGalley