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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
I really, really liked this book and the few issues I had with it are probably specific for me.
The first thing was the main character. Hannah is by no means unlikeable, she just bored me towards the beginning. Also, her love for thrillers etc is mentioned as very important to start but then basically vanishes. I understand why, the whole thing is about her growing to love romance, but your tastes don't change that fast.
Other than that, this book was a very cute, relaxing read and I would recommend it to everyone who likes lesbian romances and books in books.
The first thing was the main character. Hannah is by no means unlikeable, she just bored me towards the beginning. Also, her love for thrillers etc is mentioned as very important to start but then basically vanishes. I understand why, the whole thing is about her growing to love romance, but your tastes don't change that fast.
Spoiler
The second, far stronger thing that irked me a little was their relationship's arc. Everything's amazing until we reach the accident/hospital stay. Then, at first, I was angry at Hannah for not reaching out. It upset me that both of them were left alone with their trauma. Hannah has some help from her family and employees but Parker? She's alone. For some reason I felt the entire thing from her pov rather than Hannah's. Then, when I started to understand her saying she didn't want another relationship and got on board with it, the last drama starts. Don't get me wrong, I totally think everyone would have acted the way they did, I just don't agree with them deciding they needed the other one as much (and as fast) as they did. I need a while of you talking it out, for more than just a few hours.Other than that, this book was a very cute, relaxing read and I would recommend it to everyone who likes lesbian romances and books in books.
I'm sad because I didn't enjoy this book as much as I wanted to. I think it just wasn't for me. This is going to be spoilery but I would have preferred if at the end Hannah and Parker didn't end up back together. This was a strong impression at the end but during the whole book I was waiting to ship them and that just didn't happen. When I read a romance story and don't end up shipping the main couple, I'm probably not gonna like the book very much. There were instant attraction from both of them but except for that not really much??? I liked them better when they were friends.
If we wanted to sympathise and forget Parker at the end like Hannah did, we needed to have more of her backstory and not just a few glimpses at one point.
I did like the fact that Hannah owns a bookstore and seeing her take care of it. Books about books are always something that'll interested me.
If we wanted to sympathise and forget Parker at the end like Hannah did, we needed to have more of her backstory and not just a few glimpses at one point.
I did like the fact that Hannah owns a bookstore and seeing her take care of it. Books about books are always something that'll interested me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the digital ARC! All my opinions are my own.
"Back to September" stars Hannah Shephard, who likes her life just how it is. She's got her apartment, her cats, and her bookshop, A Likely Story, just around the corner from her home. She would rather stay in for the evening than go out, and she doesn't see anything wrong with that. She's busy focusing on her store, which is in financial trouble, and requests the world-famous romance novelist Parker Bristow to stop by A Likely Story on her book tour. When Parker accepts, Hannah feels like she might be able to save her little shop, but when they meet, sparks that Hannah wasn't expecting begin to fly. But their worlds are too different, and Hannah knows a real relationship isn't possible. Or is it?
This story was so cute! The chemistry between Hannah and Parker was instant and exciting, and felt meant-to-be early on in the book. Their relationship goes through the ups and downs like any other, but each twist and turn brought on so many emotions. They get jealous, they make up, they reach their highest highs and lowest lows. I loved their journey together, and their relationship, despite Parker's novelty lifestyle and career, felt very realistic.
Hannah was such a fun main character. I liked her instantly, along with the rest of the characters in her life, so much so that I wish we had seen a little more of Luna and Kurt, Hannah's employees. Her sister, Bo, wins the award for Best Sister Ever. Hannah typically tries to look on the bright side, she's driven and ambitious when it comes to A Likely Story, and she's an incredible boss. She's a little dorky at times, and I really enjoyed her character.
The plot was character-based, and I really enjoyed the story. The plot twist in this story was surprising, but not random or unrealistic. Little bits of conversations between Hannah and other characters throughout the novel leading up to the twist made it both believable and incredibly scary, and the impact it has on Hannah and Parker's relationship was a pretty realistic outcome as well. The story flowed well, and had a good pace, and there were several points in the story where I seriously wondered if Hannah and Parker were going to make it back to each other. The setting of the story, Providence, was also something I really liked about "Back to September." I found it to be really peaceful and calming amidst the drama of the story.
Parker was a very fun love interest to read about from Hannah's perspective, but sometimes I felt as if I didn't quite know enough about her, since she's away from Hannah for a good portion of the book. There were times where I felt like the things Parker said or did to Hannah were kind of fantasy-like, and didn't always seem entirely realistic, but to make her an ideal love interest, or for convenience for the plot. Her flaws and imperfections are revealed later into the book, and sometimes scenes with her felt like something was missing from her as a character. I really enjoyed her personality, and watching her and Hannah fall for each other was exciting and page-turning, but sometimes I felt as if she was missing a little bit of realness to her.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It had a plot full of twists and turns, a lovable main character, and a romance that, for the most part, was as realistic as it was idealistic. I loved "Back to September," and I'm looking forward to trying Melissa Brayden's other novels.
Read my review on my book blog here: https://emmalovesreading.wordpress.com/2019/11/11/review-back-to-september-by-melissa-brayden/
"Back to September" stars Hannah Shephard, who likes her life just how it is. She's got her apartment, her cats, and her bookshop, A Likely Story, just around the corner from her home. She would rather stay in for the evening than go out, and she doesn't see anything wrong with that. She's busy focusing on her store, which is in financial trouble, and requests the world-famous romance novelist Parker Bristow to stop by A Likely Story on her book tour. When Parker accepts, Hannah feels like she might be able to save her little shop, but when they meet, sparks that Hannah wasn't expecting begin to fly. But their worlds are too different, and Hannah knows a real relationship isn't possible. Or is it?
This story was so cute! The chemistry between Hannah and Parker was instant and exciting, and felt meant-to-be early on in the book. Their relationship goes through the ups and downs like any other, but each twist and turn brought on so many emotions. They get jealous, they make up, they reach their highest highs and lowest lows. I loved their journey together, and their relationship, despite Parker's novelty lifestyle and career, felt very realistic.
Hannah was such a fun main character. I liked her instantly, along with the rest of the characters in her life, so much so that I wish we had seen a little more of Luna and Kurt, Hannah's employees. Her sister, Bo, wins the award for Best Sister Ever. Hannah typically tries to look on the bright side, she's driven and ambitious when it comes to A Likely Story, and she's an incredible boss. She's a little dorky at times, and I really enjoyed her character.
The plot was character-based, and I really enjoyed the story. The plot twist in this story was surprising, but not random or unrealistic. Little bits of conversations between Hannah and other characters throughout the novel leading up to the twist made it both believable and incredibly scary, and the impact it has on Hannah and Parker's relationship was a pretty realistic outcome as well. The story flowed well, and had a good pace, and there were several points in the story where I seriously wondered if Hannah and Parker were going to make it back to each other. The setting of the story, Providence, was also something I really liked about "Back to September." I found it to be really peaceful and calming amidst the drama of the story.
Parker was a very fun love interest to read about from Hannah's perspective, but sometimes I felt as if I didn't quite know enough about her, since she's away from Hannah for a good portion of the book. There were times where I felt like the things Parker said or did to Hannah were kind of fantasy-like, and didn't always seem entirely realistic, but to make her an ideal love interest, or for convenience for the plot. Her flaws and imperfections are revealed later into the book, and sometimes scenes with her felt like something was missing from her as a character. I really enjoyed her personality, and watching her and Hannah fall for each other was exciting and page-turning, but sometimes I felt as if she was missing a little bit of realness to her.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It had a plot full of twists and turns, a lovable main character, and a romance that, for the most part, was as realistic as it was idealistic. I loved "Back to September," and I'm looking forward to trying Melissa Brayden's other novels.
Read my review on my book blog here: https://emmalovesreading.wordpress.com/2019/11/11/review-back-to-september-by-melissa-brayden/
A sweet story that kept me hooked till the end. I liked the cast of characters, the setting and the engrossing plot.
I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Ok... I’m going to be the outlier here, because a quick glance at the reviews shows me that people loved this.... and I did not. In fact, it was almost a DNF, and I never thought I’d say that about a Brayden book.
This was my final ARC from last month, I usually leave Brayden’s books til last since she can be counted on for a sweet, lovely romance. This was, well, not quite that. I can’t say why I didn’t like this book without majorly spoiling it, so a general review appears below and then the more detailed stuff appears under the tag.
So, first things first, MC Hannah owns a bookstore, has an eclectic band of part time workers, a loving step-sister and is sweet as pie. MC Parker is a romance novelist who stops in to do a book signing. The two hit it off right away, and hook up not long after. This was the first surprise, because what I like about Brayden books is we usually get the nice build up to the romance, and this seemed very quick. What happens after this made me dislike Parker and pretty much everything that happened from that point on made me dislike her more. Brayden attempts to make her a more sympathetic character by giving her a cliched bad childhood but... nope. I pretty much just thought she was an ass the whole way through.
I read some of the other reviews and saw they loved the romance, and while there is chemistry between the leads (complete with cute banter) and they definitely clicked, Parker’s treatment of Hannah (in multiple crappy ways) was just... unforgivable. I also thought the ‘drama’ that lead to them reconciling was ridiculous, no one as ‘plugged in’ as Parker wouldn’t realise that doing that wouldn’t upset people who cared about her.
Hannah was delightful, except for her terrible habit of forgiving Parker for truly shitty things. I wish she had stuck to her guns and not let Parker back in. I did not want them to end up together and this is the first time I finished a Brayden novel where I didn’t care about the HEA.
I wasn’t blown away by the reconciliation, but was willing to hang in there, I figured there’d be some Brayden magic to wash this stuff away, but no... instead we get treated to Parker just leaving Hannah in the hospital after a terrible trauma (and no, what she later revealed did not make that in any way better). I seriously could not believe Hannah would even want to get back with her and it made me think less of her, which annoyed me, because I loved Hannah and she deserved better. Nothing that happened at the end of the book redeemed Parker to me.
Ok... I’m going to be the outlier here, because a quick glance at the reviews shows me that people loved this.... and I did not. In fact, it was almost a DNF, and I never thought I’d say that about a Brayden book.
This was my final ARC from last month, I usually leave Brayden’s books til last since she can be counted on for a sweet, lovely romance. This was, well, not quite that. I can’t say why I didn’t like this book without majorly spoiling it, so a general review appears below and then the more detailed stuff appears under the tag.
So, first things first, MC Hannah owns a bookstore, has an eclectic band of part time workers, a loving step-sister and is sweet as pie. MC Parker is a romance novelist who stops in to do a book signing. The two hit it off right away, and hook up not long after. This was the first surprise, because what I like about Brayden books is we usually get the nice build up to the romance, and this seemed very quick. What happens after this made me dislike Parker and pretty much everything that happened from that point on made me dislike her more. Brayden attempts to make her a more sympathetic character by giving her a cliched bad childhood but... nope. I pretty much just thought she was an ass the whole way through.
I read some of the other reviews and saw they loved the romance, and while there is chemistry between the leads (complete with cute banter) and they definitely clicked, Parker’s treatment of Hannah (in multiple crappy ways) was just... unforgivable. I also thought the ‘drama’ that lead to them reconciling was ridiculous, no one as ‘plugged in’ as Parker wouldn’t realise that doing that wouldn’t upset people who cared about her.
Hannah was delightful, except for her terrible habit of forgiving Parker for truly shitty things. I wish she had stuck to her guns and not let Parker back in. I did not want them to end up together and this is the first time I finished a Brayden novel where I didn’t care about the HEA.
Spoiler
Can’t say as I thought Parker hooking up with Hannah, then dropping her cold, getting another girlfriend and then ringing Hannah months later and saying, ‘oh.. I’d like to be your friend’ was all that romantic. Hannah should have hung up. One of my least favourite tropes is watching two MCs date other people before getting together, it was worse here because they’d already BEEN together, and neither girlfriend was interesting but Parker’s was vapid and obnoxious (and really made her look shallow and stupid by extension). Parker then inviting Hannah on a double couples trip and proceeding to have sex with her girlfriend in the room next to Hannah’s, knowing she’d likely hear that, was just... seriously, I don’t have words for how gross that was. I almost put the book down then.I wasn’t blown away by the reconciliation, but was willing to hang in there, I figured there’d be some Brayden magic to wash this stuff away, but no... instead we get treated to Parker just leaving Hannah in the hospital after a terrible trauma (and no, what she later revealed did not make that in any way better). I seriously could not believe Hannah would even want to get back with her and it made me think less of her, which annoyed me, because I loved Hannah and she deserved better. Nothing that happened at the end of the book redeemed Parker to me.
Brayden is a fantastic romance writer. While I enjoy all of her books, some I love more than others and this is one of the best. I loved Hannah and the entire time I was rooting for her to win. While I read several of them, books with a famous character are typically not one of my favorites. This one was different though. It was better. Parker, I didn't love in the beginning but as the book went she grew on me. By the end, I thought she was perfect for Hannah. I think this is one of Brayden's better books. Brayden never disappoints but this one I will be putting with my Brayden reread pile.
I think this story would be a dream come true for most readers...own their own book store, have a famous author come into the store, and fall in love...overall it was a fun, cozy read that had some amazing characters. A bit of drama but the drama just made the story even better. I think I’m seriously going to make this my read in the month of September book, just for fun...if you’re a Brayden fan you’ve probably already read this or plan to. If you haven’t read any books by Melissa Brayden I encourage you to give this one a go...ya never know it might just be your next favorite!
I have so many feelings about this book. I think it's best described by one of my favorite Harry Potter quotes: "You're gonna suffer but you'll be happy about it". All of the things this book made me feel were going from utter happiness to pain and back again. I love the way Parker and Hannah handled their entire relationship and everything involved. I loved that it wasn't easy going right from the start. It was a nice and balanced back and forth with an amazing happy end. What an amazing read yet again :D
Also... a coffee shop with a cat wearing PJs? I loved that slight Hearts Like Here reference so much I may have yelled for a second there.
Also... a coffee shop with a cat wearing PJs? I loved that slight Hearts Like Here reference so much I may have yelled for a second there.
DNF - As someone who enjoyed Melissa Brayden’s other novels, I was pretty disappointed by this book.
The main characters are not very relatable, and there is no real plot or true conflict that makes you want to turn the pages. The supporting characters are pretty one dimensional, and there’s a distinct lack of subplots. Generally, I wasn’t hooked at the end of any of the chapters.
I made it 70% through and then had to give up. I still really love her other books, so I’m hoping future novels will grip me a bit more than this one.
The main characters are not very relatable, and there is no real plot or true conflict that makes you want to turn the pages. The supporting characters are pretty one dimensional, and there’s a distinct lack of subplots. Generally, I wasn’t hooked at the end of any of the chapters.
I made it 70% through and then had to give up. I still really love her other books, so I’m hoping future novels will grip me a bit more than this one.