Back to September, is wonderful! Melissa Brayden is a gifted author and this truly has to be one of her magical books for dialogue and romantic connection between characters, Parker and Hannah. The book started a little slow for me, but once the two characters met the plot took off on an exciting journey of unexpected romance, honesty, and depth of emotion I never saw coming.. The deep desire to love and the blocks we all have in loving ourselves and connecting with others is beautifully explored in this book. Plus.the author weaves in playful, enjoyable dialogue and the supportive characters like Bo and Amy crafted a beautiful story about love. I really enjoyed this read and I highly recommend this book. I don't want to share the plot, as I was very surprised the way the story unfolded!

When I see a new book available from this author, I don't doubt it for a moment because I know it won't let me down. As for romance novels they have everything I look for: they have a good story that develops with coherence, their protagonists have depth and reflect their actions, there is consistent dialogue and there is always chemistry and a lot of feeling.

This time the story involves two very different women in terms of personality and professional level. Hannah is the owner of a bookstore in which she makes a lot of effort to make it profitable but does not seem to get it. Until a coincidence makes a successful writer, Parker, arrange a book signing in her store. Of course Parker and Hannah connect immediately but they are from worlds so different that nothing lasting can be expected. From the first meeting their story unfolds between ups and downs, with some questionable decisions from them, especially Parker. And being narrated in first person from Hannah's POV, these questionable Parker's decisions become more difficult to understand. But they both put great effort into staying connected, even if only at a friendly level although this is quite difficult given the undeniable attraction. Of course, there is some angst, doubts and almost resign, but that can't happen at all. It is only for an amplified resolution as far as feelings are concerned.

With this book you’ll face excellent moments of pure romance, so that you know.

Received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own


I have read several Melissa Brayden books and loved them, I always know they’re gonna be good. And her covers are always great

I loved all the characters, I found my self smiling at their banter and ribbing. I really loved the build up and the interactions between Hannah and Parker. As the story goes on I actually found myself laughing out loud at 1am, and brought to tears and overwhelmed by emotion at one point. I felt the chemistry Hannah and Parker had. It’s been a while since I’ve been so emotionally invested in a story but Melissa Brayden almost always does it for me. It’s been a while since I read a 5 star book but this is definitely 5 stars! I love that we read it from Hannah’s POV.

And books that reference Harry Potter in a good way is a definite plus for me!
As Hannah said “ I had to pause right then and there because I’d just spouted off a Harry Potter reference, and Parker hadn’t missed a beat. I couldn’t properly explain how much of a turn-on that was.” I feel you Hannah!

Back to 5 stars! I've always loved Melissa Brayden books, but this one is back to one of her better ones in my opinion. The way that Hannah and Parker became friends added some nice juicy tension. I loved both of them, and as with all her books, they were both hot and sassy.

I can't remember if any of her other books were told from just one character's perspective, but I liked that this one was solely Hannah. Personally, it's my favorite way.

This book didn't feel rushed at all, but I did wish the end of the book (and what happens) could have been a bit longer. Beggars can't be choosers, and it didn't take away from how much I enjoyed this one, but had to say it. The epilogue did help a bit!

Loved it, and everyone should read it. The end.

Bookstore owner Hannah Shephard greets her books every morning. It is tearing her up inside that her store has been so slow lately. But she'll do anything to try and ensure that it stays open, even trying to get Parker Bristow, famous romance author, on her book tour. And when that actually happens, Hannah is not only elated, she's shocked to discover how very much she's attracted to Parker. And they spend some magical time together before Parker ghosts Hannah. But then they figure it out and become friends while each is dating someone else. But the attraction is still there. And that isn't the last roadblock the two will have to work through. Which was my biggest problem with this book. I get that this happens in real life, all the sturm and drang but it was Just. So. Much for this book. I liked Brayden's writing overall though and would definitely try another one of her books.

Three books
This book comes out November 12th
ARC kindly provided by Bold Strokes Books, Inc. and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

I absolutely loved this book. Hannah owns a bookstore that is not doing well and fears that she will lose the shop if things do not turn around. When famous author Parker is on a book tour and accepts Hannah's offer to do a signing at her shop, sales start to soar. Not only are sales up, but sparks fly between Hannah and Parker. It is an up and down relationship with many twists and turns.
If you like a book about a book store, authors, and a budding relationship, this is for you!
I would highly recommend this book.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Another great book by Melissa Brayden. I always savor looking forward to reading her books, I have yet to be disappointed.

Hannah is a bookstore owner who is perfectly content being alone. Her biggest worry is saving her bookstore from having to close down. That's until she meets famous author Parker Bistow. At first glance, the two couldn't be more different, but Hannah and Parker are immediately taken with each other.

If only it was that easy.

Hannah's insecurities and Parkers' fear of real commitment send the two on an angsty journey towards each other. Especially Parker's habit of running away and denial is hair-pulling frustrating. Especially the cabin scene, when they were still pretending to be friends. It was so cringy.

Hannah's co-workers and sister are a great supporting cast and help to Hannah. They help balance out all the intensity that comes with Parker.

Needless to say, I couldn't stop reading and read this book in one sitting.

I've recently become a big fan of Melissa Brayden's books, although, I must say, I didn't catch the Brayden bug until much later. Yeh, until I read her last book, "Beautiful Dreamer," which sealed the deal for me. My all-time favourite Brayden book yet. Something to be said about one's first, eh? Anyway, since then, I'd raced through her entire catalogue and got all caught up. So, when her latest outing, "Back to September," was released, I had to explore it, obviously.

First off, as I began reading it, I couldn't help but be reminded of one of my favourite movies, "Notting Hill," because the setup sure had the feel of it - a small bookshop, an eccentric staff, bookstore owner encountering a celebrity in the shop, mutual attraction strikes, celebrity visiting owner's home from the get-go, striking a nice, breezy, smooth, natural chemistry between them. In this case, Hugh Grant's character was Hannah, the MC. Speaking of, this story was written in first-person narrative, from Hannah's sole POV. As for Julia Roberts' famous actor-celebrity character, it was Parker, a renowned romance author, the story's other MC. But since this story was written solely as Hannah's journey, I didn't get a chance to get to know Parker's character as well as Hannah's.

Another point of reference to "Notting Hill" was the fact that Hannah was never a fan of romance fiction because she never believed in HEAs. Hence, she didn't have any clue about Parker's work. But after an encounter with the alluring and charming Parker, she decided to give romance fiction a chance by reading Parker's latest release. Remember Hugh Grant's character not knowing Julia Roberts' films because he was never interested in her movies until after their serendipitous encounter? Aha! So, reading the beginning of Parker and Hannah's journey of romance was a delightfully interesting bit for me because hey, I love "Notting Hill," and anyone paying homage to it especially in lesbian romance deserves my absolute attention! And who better to write it than Brayden, our generation's Queen of Romance, eh? Well done and cheers for that, Ms. Brayden!

I'd say Hannah and Parker's journey was a slow-burn romance....with a twist. Yup. Let's just say these two did things in reverse order, shall we? So, it was interesting to explore how they manoeuvred their intricate situation at every turn. Friendville. Hannah's previously unknown and financially woeful bookshop became a sensation, talked-about venue for book buyers after Parker's book-signing appearance. Whereas, for Parker, what was supposed to be just another one of her book-signing tour stops at Hannah's bookshop became something more personal, thanks to her mutual attraction toward the bookshop owner! I thoroughly enjoyed the development of their relationship at every stage especially when both were tentative about their feelings for each other. The slow-burn had a realistic feel to it, very natural and I must say, Hannah and Parker's chemistry was there from the start. It's all down to Brayden's incredibly conversational dialogue flow that just grabs your attention and before you know it, you're hooked. Plus, her richly described characters, from their non-verbals to their appearances, always gives the reader (at least for me!) a sense of realism and heartfelt resonance. Brayden's characters make you feel like you know them, you know what I mean? Anyway, same thing happened with Hannah, Parker and the rest of the cast of characters. I couldn't help getting invested in Hannah's plight especially when she wasn't a believer in so-called fairy tale happy endings that she insisted only existed in far-fetched, totally unrealistic romance fiction! Something that went against Parker's writings since she wrote in that genre, although she herself never really thought of getting involved in any long-term relationships because of her past. So the push-pull between these two characters, what with their respective fears (read and find out), they settled on being "just friends." Brayden, as usual, gave the reader a good vantage point of Hannah's state of mind as her friendship with Parker deepened, her dilemma when she realised her growing emotional attachment, nevermind her feelings toward Parker became more prevalent than she'd planned. In a typical romance twist, something happened which brings me to one of my favourite scenes in the book, a hilarious scene involving Hannah and Sheila, Parker and Carissa, a cabin in the woods and.... noises in the night..? A sound that "might or might not have signalled one of them being attacked and viciously murdered"! The quips below along with the context of the scene had me guffawing! Oh, what a laugh, indeed! Bloody well done, Ms. Brayden!

"Take me there!" 
"Think she was taken there?"
"I'm going to go with yes."

Anyway, because this was a romance, obviously Hannah and Parker's stint in Friendville had to come to an end eventually before they moved into Relationship-Commitmentville. And I can tell you that the entire slow-burning journey was well worth exploring! You'll know it when you read it! Again, it's Brayden. So it was sheer joy to get invested in her MCs' journey because, as usual, it was filled with humour, neurosis, some drama and angst, brilliantly crafted back-and-forth verbals and non-verbals, not to mention, some eccentric secondary characters getting their 2 cents in, which ultimately weaved its way to a satisfying happy ending. But obviously, in classic Brayden style, not without a last minute hiccup (grrr!!!) to complete the cycle! Dum-dum-dum!!!

Speaking of, whilst I know Brayden's forte and preference is a first-person POV narrative and I like how she does it, for this particular story, though, simply because Parker was such an enigma to me outside of what Brayden had presented, be it her public author persona or private one (albeit from Hannah's POV), not to mention, a polar opposite of Hannah's character, I really wished Brayden had given me a glimpse of Parker's POV, if only for certain circumstances, particularly that critical moment, the catalyst that changed the entire nature of Parker's truth, Hannah's perspective, the brutal truth about how emotional and psychological effects of the past will always rear its ugly head when one least expects it.

As such, I desperately wanted to dive into Parker's inner psyche, how her own truth and reconciliation within her inner being allowed her to let go and face her fears head on. Amongst all of Brayden's signature "hiccups" she seems to always make her characters go through in their romantic journey, I thought the circumstances behind Parker and Hannah's last-minute setback was portrayed with contemplative effect. It was utterly introspective and thought-provoking because it struck at the heart of the matter in a romance/love story. Love. It questioned if love, in and of itself, was enough. It questioned the issue of trust. Love without trust. Is it still called love? Real love? Can love survive without trust? To me, that's the crux of this story, which incidentally became my favourite moment of the book, which brings me to this following quote that, imo, perfectly summed it up ever-so poignantly: "Believe the pattern, not the promises." When you read it in its proper context, I think you'll agree with me...or not...regardless, it's my own interpretation of the situation, mind!

Furthermore, Brayden musingly asked this question: Happy Ever After (HEA). A thing of fiction or realistically tenable? Or, rather, there are many recipes to achieving one's own HEA. It's a matter of perspective, innit?

Anyway, without further ado, I'd highly recommend that you pick up this book and read it, especially if you're a die-hard romantic or if you love a good ol'-fashioned lesbian (F/F) romance, only this time, with its turning point that elicits thoughts to ponder and reflections. Once again, Brayden has hit her mark with yet another emotionally rewarding and uplifting story with a healthy dose of wit that tugs at your heartstrings. In short, Brayden's "Back To September" was a bloody good read for me! So, what are you waiting for, eh? Check it out for yourself!

p.s. BTW, there's a meaning to the title. Yup, September - the beginning of everything that came full circle in the end as Hannah, the bookshop owner and Parker, the romance author, journeyed through their romance and love story.

**I was given, with much thanks and appreciation, an ARC of this book, by BSB, in return for an honest review.

There are few authors that are a guarantee, Melissa Brayden is definitely one of those.
Every single time I’ve picked up one of her books, it has been impossible to put it down, this one was not the exception.
The characters are incredibly well written, I honestly fell in love with no Parker, she knows all the right things to say, and I’m not ashamed to say it made me feel giddy at times.
One of the many aspects I loved of this book, was that one of the main characters is bisexual, there is a lack of representation and that was definitely welcomed. Another thing I definitely loved, is that one of the characters is a romance writer, and I am pretty sure Melissa tackled a lot of topics that she faces on a daily basis being an author of this genre. The skepticism this genre faces, and how many people dismiss it, was definitively entertaining to read, because the skeptical character came to the same conclusion many of us have when it comes to romance, we all need it, it makes us happy to know there will be a happy ending g after the drama, and we definitely want to experience it.
I had to put the book down at times because the emotions about things that were happening had me do it, it was just that good that I had to reread lines, or put the book down to laugh or just to get upset and say out loud “just kiss, make up, everything will be okay”, or my personal favorite “I can’t believe she said that”.
This is a major win for Melissa, and if you excuse me, I will now go back to reading this book for a second time.

I always look forward to Brayden's new books and I can safely say this one was just brilliant. So many emotions that I walked away from when finishing this book. I was so hooked I read well into the night which I almost never do, I just simply couldn't put the book down until it was finished.

Brayden has an exceptional talent for writing lovable and sweet characters who have normal human faults and fears, this making them realistic for me. The connection between the two was so believable that I felt it through the pages I feel like you could touch the chemistry it felt real.

The storyline has many twists and turns evoking so many emotions from me that I know I will need to re-read or even hope it is on audiobook because it is something I just need to experience again. Once again Brayden hasn't disappointed.

4.5 stars

Hannah Shepard's current goal is to save her failing bookstore, so she hosts a book-signing with bestselling romance novelist Parker Bristow, despite not being a fan of the genre herself. Fan or no fan, sparks fly between the two of them. But Parker has misgivings of her own that might keep them from getting their happily ever after. Can Parker and Hannah beat the odds and stay together, or is that kind of love simply too good to be true?

Ahh! Okay, I need to gush for a bit. I almost always enjoy Melissa Brayden's books, but this one really hit the spot for me. This was so good. I was hooked from the moment Parker and Hannah met. The chemistry was off the charts. Okay, now on to the analysis:

Characters - Hannah is a really down-to-earth character, used to living an ordinary life, so when celebrity Parker Bristow takes an interest in her, it's hard for her to believe. And Parker, despite her current fame, had a rough upbringing which has caused her to shy away from deeper relationships with others. Although neither woman is a romantic, they hit it off immediately. Brayden does a great job of showcasing their instantaneous connection. I couldn't help but cheer for them all the way through. The story is told from Hannah's first-person POV, so we can really understand Hannah's conflicted feelings—in her doubts about and her draw to Parker.
I also like what Brayden did with the side characters. While they weren't totally fleshed out, they all added a little something to the story.

Writing - Yes! I can always count on Melissa Brayden to deliver quality writing. Everything flowed smoothly, the dialogue was witty and touching and heartbreaking and heartfelt.

Loss of .5 stars - If I could change anything at all, I'd wish for a bit more action in the storyline and more angst at the end, but that's just a matter of personal preference. (Don't worry, this book never drags, and it will still get to you emotionally.)

This was a really entertaining, really cute and sweet read. I would absolutely recommend.

An honest review thanks to Netgalley. WOW. This was an outstanding read, I literally could not put it down, staying up way to late to finish this in one sweep. The angst that Brayden put into this was outstanding and pulled all of my heartstrings, all I wanted is more. These characters worked so well together and yet they didn't, I would get massively angry and then plead for them to work it out. This book is a masterpiece!

This is such sweet story. I loved Hannah at certain point I thought she deserved better, the way the author made Hannah handle the situation was so realistic and made her look like a powerful women. I loved that.

Parker tho, I hated and liked her. But mostly i understood where she's coming from.

Very enjoyable reading.

This is now my new Melissa Brayden favorite and part of my all-time favorite books. What can I say? This book was pure perfection. I laughed, I cried, so many emotions! Once I reached 50%, I couldn’t put it down until I finished the book.

I knew I was getting a high-quality romance when I picked up this book (it’s Melissa Brayden after all) but it exceeded my expectations. If I could give it a 10-star rating I would, but it seems a 5-star will have to do :)

You know, Melissa Brayden, simply did it again. This time the story was not like her usual and you'll get it when you start reading. It was not all sunshine and roses. The characters had their issues but you never doubted the love that they had for each other and I was pulling for them like they were real and I actually knew them. Parker and her fear touched me; I think that this is one of my favorites.

I loved this book! Melissa Brayden is one of the best lesfic romance writers, and for good reason! She gives you everything you want in a love story: chemistry, humor, tension, and a good tug on the old heartstrings. She knows how to create main characters that are charming and lovable. The dialog is witty and entertaining, and so well done. Her supporting characters are always such an interesting ensemble; you grow to like them almost as much as the lead characters. However, you must be warned; once you start a Brayden romance, you may not want to put it down. And, you definitely will be a little sad to see it end!

This book was no different for me. I devoured the pages, keeping myself up long into the night. I was drawn to Hannah’s beautiful girl-next-door quality. She was sweet and kind and grounded. She cared about her friends, her sister and her bookstore. She had her life together, and she was okay with being single. She wasn’t a believer of fairy tale love anyway. She thought that kind of love only existed between the pages of romance novels. However, that all changed the day romance writer Parker Bristow entered her store. Parker was drawn to Hannah like a moth to a flame, and Hannah’s settled world began to tilt at the mere thought of Parker.

Hannah and Parker’s love story was a journey filled with passion, humor, friendship and heartache. I laughed. I cried. I enjoyed every page of it. This is a book I know I’ll reread. I would recommend it to anyone that loves a sweet romance with a pleasant little punch and happy little ending.

Oh My God! This has to be one of the best contemporary romance novels I’ve read in quite a while. Melissa Brayden has outdone herself with Back to September, and that is saying something since she is such an outstanding contemporary romance author.

Ms. Brayden tells this story through the eyes of Hannah Shephard using first person POV. Hannah is the owner of a small bookstore in Providence, Rhode Island called A Likely Story. The business is struggling to stay afloat, and Hannah decides to try and get a famous author to do a signing in the store to drum up business. When she meets celebrity romance author Parker Bristow, her whole world changes, not just her bookstore. Thus begins a story filled with romance, love, steamy sex, and of course some tear-creating angst.

It has been a long time since I’ve read a book that caused me to feel so many emotions in such a short period of time. The chemistry between these two characters is absolutely electric. Seeing the story through Hannah’s eyes made me fall a little in love with her (Shh, don’t tell my wife). Using a small independent bookstore as the main setting just made the story even more wonderful. Ms. Brayden created a beautiful world that I happily fell into and didn’t want to leave when I reached the last page. Back to September is definitely one of my favorite books of this year. You really must give this novel a try.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.

Melissa Brayden always goes to the top of my to read pile whenever a new book comes out so I couldn't wait to read this one. And even though Brayden can never disappoint me it will not join the ranks of my favourites like the Soho loft series. It has the signature romantic scenes she writes so well, but where this one went off me is in being able to connect to one main character, Hannah, and actually not really liking Parker. Could be in part because it is written in first person so you don't understand where Parker is coming from aside from the things she tells Hannah but my overall feeling was that the sweet bookstore owner was being used by the succesfull writer when she wanted a break from her fast-paced life. The story developing was as good as always, the connection is there between the characters, good chemistry and romance all around. So even with it not being her best, for me, it still is a good book which I really enjoyed reading and would recommend to any Melissa Brayden fan and romance lover in general.

I always enjoy books written in the first person, and in this story it works perfectly. We get to experience all of Hannah's quirks and self-doubt and small victories, but Parker's baggage is kept in the background until we need to know.

I thought the concept of a bookseller meeting a best-selling author was genius, especially when said author writes in a genre that the bookseller thinks is beneath her. It seemed a little fantasy-like for me for the best-selling straight romance author to actually be out and proud and not have it affect her readership, but hey, this is fiction.

I appreciated the trope-busting aspects of this book, such as the first chemistry-filled sex scene, where Hannah is okay with it being a one night stand, then going on to online dating to find a girlfriend. Chapter 8, where the two couples meet for a weekend getaway was hilariously funny, worthy of Robin Alexander comparisons. I couldn't help thinking "where's the 80% angst scene" and was totally thrown a curveball. And then another curveball.

Overall, this book was hard to put down and I couldn't wait to find out what was happening next. I loved that it took place over a year, so the reader could really get into the chemistry of the characters. My only complaint is the cover - I don't like "people" on a cover because I like to formulate my own idea of what the characters look like. And for a story that has everything to do with September, I think the beanie and heavy sweater looks a little out of place.

There’s been a lot of internal screaming while I was reading this book. And ache. Because it’s so good. Melissa Brayden is an automatic read for me at this point, and I didn’t even glance at the blurb before opening her latest book. So it came as a very good surprise that, as a romance writer, she created a character who is some sort of a book snob and won’t showcase a book in her bookstore because it’s a romance novel. « I’d read a handful in my teens and enjoyed them well enough, that is, until I outgrew them. » Yeah, Hannah Shephard is one of those. Brilliant idea. And so of course she had to fall for the author of said book, Parker Bristow, because how could she not?

Then Brayden did something I definitely didn’t expect: she stopped everything right there.

I guess even smart people can be stupid sometimes. I mean, Parker and Hannah get along really well, the chemistry is out of this world and they go on to get other girlfriends? What are you thinking, people?! That’s me, screaming in my head. I want to be clear that I wasn’t screaming at the author (that has happened with others, never with Brayden) but at the characters. Their behaviour was believable, and they both had their reasons – and baggage – to act the way they did, I simply didn’t want them to.

Also, I don’t do conflict. I hate it. It makes me want to throw punches and that’s not me. That weekend at the resort? Argh.

So it’s fair to say I had a lot of feelings. Which, in truth, couldn’t make me happier. I loved this book. If I didn’t have so many yet-unread books on my list, I’d probably read it again, like right now. I love Melissa Brayden’s books, I love the way she writes, I love the characters she creates (I think I’ll always be a little bit in love with Jessica Lennox), I love that some are lesbians and some – like Hannah – are bisexual and it doesn’t feel artificial, I love the wit and the quirkiness, and, most of all, I love the dialogue. I’ve rated every Brayden book I’ve read (I still have a few to discover) 5*, which I’m willing to admit is, in some cases, probably a tad overrated, but it’s all because of all these feelings and the dialogue. I’m a sucker for playful banter and heartfelt declarations of love, and Melissa Brayden writes both (and more) splendidly. Hence the 5*, once more.

I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.