I loved this book, it is an ideal holiday read, has plenty of emotion and much to make you smile. As a hard core crime fiction fan, It was lovely to read something a bit different to lift the mood.

Outstanding Southern fiction that will engage you and keep you captivated from beginning to end with its lovable and memorable characters and dual storylines.

The setting, characters, and story are well developed and beautifully written, and I recommend picking up a copy of this book!

It All Comes Back to You by Beth Duke

I sit here thankful I found this book in my computer. I thought I had missed the archive date and not downloaded it and then...there it was...and I thought...why not...and once I started reading I could not stop. I was drawn in by by Violet who would have been three years younger than my mother was in 1947. At times I thought of my mother being faced by situations Violet experienced except my mother, thankfully, did not have to deal with all that Violet did.

This is two stories in one. There is Violet’s story that begins in 1947 when she is 17 and from there we move forward every other chapter learning a bit more about her and how her life unfolded. Alternating with Violet’s story is Ronni Johnson’s, a practical nurse working in the nursing home Violet is a resident of. I was impressed by both Violet and Ronni and how they dealt with what life threw their way. Violet’s indomitable spirit in the face of so many difficulties was impressive and the fact that she was able to be happy and giving in spite of everything...amazing. Ronni’s story was much more modern but her formative years were not easy and the fact that she ended up so well adjusted, normal, happy and giving was commendable, too.

I really enjoyed reading this book even during the unhappier moments of Violet’s life. I cared and felt and hoped and became invested in the outcome. There definitely were a few twists and turns within this story and one HUGE whammy toward the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and Books Go Social for the copy to read and review. This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars

'Everybody loved her' is what we keep hearing about Violet; but why? What made Violet such a a special person? Follow Ronni as she writes about Violet's life. With chapters that alternate between Ronni and Violet, we gradually learn more about both women, and what makes them so special . This was a great, heartwarming read.

It has taken me over nine days to finish this book, which is very unusual, and while part of that is just life getting busy for various reasons, I will admit that had it not been a review copy, I would’ve abandoned it once it became clear that it’s fundamentally a romance novel disguised as a Lovely Book. It’s been a difficult week here in New Zealand, and perhaps if I had switched to something more gripping for distraction, and returned to it later, I might have enjoyed it more. Or maybe it was just the wrong book for me.

Ronni Johnson has worked for years in an Alabama nursing home/retirement facility, and when her favourite patient dies, the magnificent Violet, she is stunned to learn that she is to receive a generous bequest, as long as she completes a book about Violet’s life within a year. Violet’s story, told in alternating chapters, begins in the 1940s when she is 17 and in love with handsome basketball star Johnny. Fate is not kind to Violet, however, and we gradually learn how, despite her beauty and charm, she ends up alone in the nursing home. As plump lonely Ronni, damaged by a difficult childhood, struggles to gain confidence, a gorgeous policeman enters her life, and she blossoms.

I think if you have the right kind of heart, it will be warmed by this book. The writing is good, the setting interesting, and the characters well developed. Unfortunately I didn’t like Violet, she’s a 1940s Scarlett O’Hara, vain, wilful, self-centred and dishonest. She does have a good heart, and does not deserve what happens to her and is rather a victim of circumstance and her time, but by the time she has grown into a kind old lady, we only see her through Ronni’s eyes. Ronni is lovely, a dedicated nurse and all round good person, but the fat but beautiful girl who is transformed (and shrunk) by the love of a good man is a trope that I’ve seen too often (and I actively avoid romance/chick lit books.)(Maybe that’s why.) I wouldn’t let my lukewarm feelings put you off if it sounds like your kind of book. If you are thinking of buying it, I recommend seeking out the paperback rather than an ebook as the cover is gorgeous.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc which allowed me to give a voluntary honest review.

It all comes back to you ⭐️
Violet has her life together while Ronni needs help figuring out what she is supposed to be doing with her life. Ronni wants to be a writer and violet convinces her to start that process.
It had potential but didnt make it.
The story was slow and I didnt connect with the characters. The ending, the very, very last few pages ending was good and we finally get to see why the title is the way it is but it took awhile to build up and get there.
This book didnt do it for me.

Thank you so much to booksgosocial via netgalley for sending me an ARC copy of it all comes back to you by Beth Duke . This is already available for your reading pleasure.
All opinions are my own.

It All Comes Back to You is an enjoyable read that will keep your attention. There are many emotions the reader will feel while reading this book - happiness, sadness, surprise, and some anger for starters. Duke weaves together two stories of strong women, one taking place in the 1940s/1950s and the other is current day. Topical themes are explored in It All Comes Back to You, such as adoption, domestic abuse, mother/daughter relationships, and aging.

The story centers around Ronni, a nurse who befriends a beautiful and lovable woman named Violet who lives at the assisted living/nursing home facility where Ronni works. When Violet passes, she leaves Ronni some money along with the challenge that if she writes her story, she will receive more money. Ronni has always wanted to be an author so this provides her with the motivation to try to achieve that goal. The story alternates between Ronni and Violet’s past, which makes the story all that more compelling. The reader gets to know both main characters very well and may very well feel sad to say goodbye to them when the book ends.

It All Comes Back to You is a book about coming to terms with your life and the choices you make. There are second chances and themes of hope, perseverance, love/loss, transformation, plus lots of secrets to discover. There are a few big surprises that I did not see coming at all. I strongly recommend this book for its writing, themes, character development, and relationships.

Thank you to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

Very good book which i enjoyed reading. The poor Ronnie is on a mission to complete a manuscript in time. She isvery talented but is held back by her past and other peoples baggage.

Very nice writing by Beth Duke, with a twist at the end you don't expect at all. Lovely smatterings of humor at the nursing home and while I couldn't necessarily sink my all into Violet's relationships, or the MC's, because there wasn't as much depth as I would have liked, it was a good read.

It All Comes Back to You is a beautiful story about the lives of two women in different times, linked together by memories shared.

Ronni is your typical late-twenties nurse, who has a hidden passion for reading and writing, and has unexpectedly been given the task of writing her late friend Violet's memoir. This new task triggers a rollercoaster journey, where Ronni runs into several obstacles that many of us share: new relationships, battling between the safe road vs pursuing a passion, dealing with painful family memories, and grieving her dear friend while writing her first manuscript while going through every memory and photograph Violet has left behind.

Violet, a vivacious and charismatic woman who leaves a lasting impression on anyone she meets, deals with the pressures of the expectations of being female in the 1940s alongside love, loss, abuse, and many hardships that she handles with class.

As an aspiring writer, lover of books, and female human being, this book spoke to me and I'm excited to purchase a few copies to send to a few of my friends. Ronni and Violet are the kind of characters you come to love, and wish they were real people you could go share a laugh with. This book will make you laugh, cry, shake with anger, fist pump the air in excitement, and inspire a fire in your belly to pursue your passions.

It All Comes Back to You by Beth Duke is a wonderful book, that I really enjoyed. This book was utterly delightful, flashing back from 1947 to present day. This book swept me up with the story line and well written characters. I recommend this book.

I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and the publisher. Thank you.

Alabama, 1947. War's over, cherry-print dresses, parking above the city lights, swing dancing.
Beautiful, seventeen-year-old Violet lives in a perfect world.
Everybody loves her.
In 2012, she's still beautiful, charming, and surrounded by admirers.

Veronica "Ronni" Johnson, licensed practical nurse and aspiring writer, meets the captivating Violet in the assisted living facility where Violet requires no assistance, just lots of male attention. When she dies, she leaves Ronni a very generous bequest―only if Ronni completes a book about her life within one year. As she's drawn into the world of young Violet, Ronni is mesmerized by life in a simpler time. It's an irresistible journey filled with revelations―including revelations about men Ronni knew as octogenarians at Fairfield Springs.

I wasn't sure if this would be my kind of book, but I think the author added just enough drama and surprise twists to keep this story from being too saccharine,. The characters were well written and likable, too. Ronni's transformation as she writes about Violet's life was fairly realistic and a happy addition to learning about the details of Violet's life, loves, and the secrets behind the story.

I am afraid this book was simply not for me. From the cover I had expected something entirely different, but I found the beginning so revolting I simply lost interest. I did not like the author's voice either so I could not but give it up. I hardly ever put down a book unread, but this was simply not for me. I am sorry. Other readers might find it excellent though judging from the reviews.

An interesting tale of two women that I enjoyed. It was definitely intriguing but hard for me to get into, until about halfway through. I probably would have liked it a lot more if it was just Violet's story instead of adding Ronni's timeline into it. Ronni's storyline seemed a bit too fetched and unrealistic (mostly the relationship with Rick and that whole ex-wife drama). If it was a whole book focusing on Violet it would have been a a winner for me, especially with that plot twist at the end which I did not see coming.

Lovely in everyway. If you are looking for a book filled with drama, this isn't the book for you. Violet grew up in a perfect world, loved by everyone. In her twilight years, she is found in a retirement home surrounded by admirers, but was her life as idyllic at is seems? So begins the story of Violet and Ronnie her nurse/aspiring writer.

. I was beguiled by this story filled with joy, warmth, sad stories, yet ultimately uplifting; It was a wonderful example of a Southern woman much like some I have known...all happiness an light on the surface with hidden dark memories beneath the surface...who refuse let them determine her life. Is that an oxymoron? Perhaps you have to be Southern to understand or just read this book.

This book is a sweet, lovely Southern tale. It is good timing for me. I am currently caring for my aging grandmother in a nursing facility who is equally mentally sharp and southern. This was a delightful read. We are also both readers so this is a poignant book from that standpoint as well.
Living in a small southern town, it is fun to read a book with this setting. I appreciate the language and the dialogue.

Beautiful cover as well!

#ItAllComesBackToYou #NetGalley

This was an engaging and enjoyable novel about two women and their amazing relationship. Full of characters I enjoyed, plot twists I didn't expect.

Hard to say how I felt about this book. It was definitely a good story, especially that little ending bit (you'll be wondering why the book is called that right up to the end). But there's just something in it that didn't hook me. The story is quite sad, and then there's the whole thing of me being skeptical of lifelong love stories when the people are not together. So I think it's just me! And you might love it.

The book is wistful, sad and it has some very strong characters that I truly admired in the end. It's told in quite a simple manner, and it's actually two stories in one - the story of Violet, a lady with a complicated life, but of unrivaled elegance and bearing, and then there's Ronni - a nurse with a heart of gold, an unrealized dream of writing and a sore need to be loved. Ronni has low self-esteem, partly because she was barely ever appreciated, bounced between adoptive families and partly because of how she feels about her body and her own self, just in general. Violet is the one that fills the hole in Ronni's life, and not just that. She is the one that will propel Ronni towards her dream of becoming an author - by putting her in her will for a hefty sum, but only if she finishes a book about Violet's life.

So Ronni starts writing. And she finds out more and more, and the more complicated it gets, the more respect and admiration Ronni develops for Violet and her strength. The secrets never stop coming though. And they keep getting more and more bitter.

It's a story about life not always being the way it seems from the outside - what might look perfect to an outsider, can feel broken to the ones actually living it. It is quite a shocking idea, and it made me wonder how many times I've also misjudged people's lives to be wonderful, when they're actually nightmares, only nicely gift-wrapped. But it's also a story about love and forgiveness. And about how wild life can be.

I thank the publisher for giving me a free copy of the book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This has not affected my opinion.

Ronni is a nurse who works in an old people’s home/assisted living. She loves her job and the people she cares for, but she has aspirations to be an author. She is very insecure and holds a lot of hurt in her heart. Taken away from her mother and put in care all Ronni wants is to be loved, she if finally adopted at the age of 16, but encounters heartbreak again when they both pass away.

Ronni has a favourite in the home/assisted living. Violet who even in old age is still stunningly beautiful, they spend a lot of time with each other and form a mother daughter relationship. When Violet passes away Ronni finds out that she has been left a substantial amount of money only if she writes a book about Violets life. After leaving the lawyers office with a cheque in her hand, giving her the option to stop working and write full time.

Ronni is taken on a journey of Violet’s life of lost loves and heartbreak, and searches for people who new Violet to try and fill in the gaps, with the help and support of her new boyfriend. Are the answers what she expected? You’ll just have to read it and find out for yourselves you may surprised at what she finds out.

I really enjoyed this book and fell in love with Ronni and Violet and went through all the emotional highs and lows of their lives. Each chapter focuses either on Ronni present day and Violet in 1947’s Alabama.

There is a quote in the book that I found ver thought provoking: “River says we all drink from the same stream, you know? There is not one drop of water on our planet that is new.”

Everybody loved her – but did she love herself?

Written in today's popular style of alternating two stories between each chapter, Beth Duke entertains us with her novel It All Comes Back To You. Our protagonist, Ginny, is a nurse at an old people's home who has recently lost her favourite resident, Violet. Violet has left Ginny a very generous bequest in her will on the condition that she writes her life story. Ginny already knows much of Violet's back story from the extraordinary amount of time they have spent together but her information is supplemented with Violet's journals and letters that have also come to Ginny.

Thus Duke takes us on a journey through Violet's life, a white women who grew up in Alabama during the 40s and 50s, while simultaneously taking us through Ginny's present day life as she struggles with the many secrets she learns about Violet as she pieces her life story together. Ginny doesn't just write Violet's story but also continues to work full time, throws herself wholeheartedly into the research, becomes involved in a tangled romance and ultimately finds her self esteem while learning Violet's best kept secret.

This novel is not only an interesting read, it is also a commentary on domestic abuse, illegitimate birth, adoption, and a woman's role in society – both now and a generation ago. Duke leads us to reflect on all of these topics while keeping us entertained with the two stories that are playing out on the pages of the book. No easy feat, yet she accomplishes it seamlessly.

I received a free copy of this ebook from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.