4.50 Stars. This was Brayden in all her usual brilliance. Brayden is the queen of lesfic romance and I’m not overstating when I say that. This was everything I was hoping for. It’s so nice to read authors like Brayden where you expect a great book and she almost always delivers. I absolutely recommend this one to romance fans.

This is a story about Hannah who owns a small bookstore. The store is struggling to stay afloat so Hannah takes a chance on getting a popular romance author, named Parker, to her store for a book signing. The two meet and have an instant connection. A connection that is so strong that both of their lives will be changed forever.

I’m a big first person fan, especially if it is done well. I think it makes sense to do it in romance when the author wants to hide from the reader what the character, who’s POV we are NOT in, is thinking. We have to figure out from words and little clues what that character actually feels and what their true intentions are. Unlike third person writing where you often know how both characters feel and think. I like the little mystery of first person and that we are along for the ride with the characters whose headspace we are in, in this case it was Hannah.

Hannah is a fantastic character. Of course you are closer to her being in her POV but she was wonderful. A little quirky, witty, and honest with her feeling which I really liked. Hannah is not perfect and has her own flaws but she is a person you would want to know. Parker is the more flawed of the two characters. She is fun loving, sexy, and draws people to her, but she has her baggage that affects her to this day. These two likeable but flawed characters worked really well together.

This book is all about the romance of course. The chemistry is really nice and believable. The dialogue is fantastic in the romantic parts but also the parts with tension. I sometimes think Brayden doesn’t get enough credit for her dialogue. This romance does include plenty of drama and angst. It’s interesting that I actually think I like Brayden’s books that have a bit more drama to them. This book stomped on my heart a bit, I kept grabbing the tissues, but the flow and timing of the angst and dramatic parts is really well done. You believe the journey these two go on which includes a good ending that does NOT feel rushed.

I hate to mention this but the cover does not work for me. September is an important month to the characters so I get the tittle. But you show the month of September with a woman with a thick winter hat on? Come on we don’t wear winter hats in New England in September. Our blood is thick from the harsh winters, we don’t wear winter hats until we damn well have too. We usually have a late summer heatwave in September and are in the 70-80’s. The cover just makes no sense.

When my only big complaint is the cover, I know I have a hit on my hands. If you are a Brayden fan, especially of her books that have a little more drama in them, I think you will love this. If you are a romance fan and have not read Brayden before, you might as well start here. It’s always such a treat to get my hands on a new Brayden book, I just hope we don’t have to wait too long for her next.

Back to September is the story of Hannah, a bookstore owner, and Parker, a novelist who Hannah asks to do a signing to help save her store. They have an attraction, but different lives get in the way. This was my first book by the author. I was pleasantly surprised by the way the characters were written well and I truly enjoyed all the minor characters as well. Although this is not typically my style of book, I truly enjoyed reading this book and would definitely read another book by this author again.

This was a sweet book. This is my first read from this author, so I was unfamiliar with her style. The book has good character development and great descriptions of books. The secondary characters added so much value to the storyline. I felt like the story's conclusion had a long lead up and then a quick finish. Besides that issue, I enjoyed this book and will be reading more from this author.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Cast of Main Characters:

Hannah Shephard, owner of A Likely Story book store in Providence, RI;
Parker Bristow, famous romance novelist;
Belinda "Bo", Hannah's sister, an attorney in Providence
Kurt and Luna, Hannah's employees at the bookstore, each quirky and funny in their own ways.

*****************************************
This book starts with Hannah walking into her bookstore, A Likely Story, turning on the lights and greeting the books in the store. That's really all I needed to read! But Hannah talks to other inanimate objects, like the ceiling of her bedroom, for instance. It doesn't seem strange, though. Just about right for Hannah's personality.

Hannah and Parker meet when Parker does a book signing at Hannah's shop. They are deliciously attracted to each other, but Parker lives in New York, and travels all over on book tours, so their apparently short-lived sizzle seems to fizzle. They cut their losses and move on.

Or do they?

This book has a little bit more than the usual amount of angst and drama, but it's all well-done and with reason. Parker has her own demons and you wonder if she will ever understand them, much less whether Hannah will.

I don't think anyone writes dialog like Melissa Brayden. The conversations her characters have are sometimes hilarious and always written the way people really speak. The thoughts she gives her characters are the thoughts people really think, and the way they think them.

I couldn't put this book down!

I was given an ARC of this book by Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

It has been awhile since I have read one of Ms. Brayden's books (I believe the last time was the SoHo Loft series) so was looking forward to this book to catch up on her work. Long and short of it, loved this story-the 2 main characters were very believable (indi bookstore owner meets famous author). The detail Ms. Brayden has for the bookstore and the interactions going on there, I felt like I could just reach out and touch the books and the people myself. The secondary characters were also very well written, the twist with the step-sister was a good touch (not the incident (that was not good in the sense of what happen to Hannah) but just the ability to bring her world into Hannah's with such ramifications made for a good plot twist).

The other main character, Parker, was a well thought out character with lots of depth-which also made this a great read cause it took much of the book to really get to understand her (at first liking her, then questioning her, then angry with her, then back to liking her and cheering for her and Hannah). I also liked the fact that the timeline for this story was over a long period of time, not a 4 month and bang they are HEA. No this one took a long time to develop, with lots of twists and turn to really get into the characters lives, which made it that much more believable.

Bottom line, a great story from Ms. Brayden, read it in one sitting-I look forward to more from her, and will even look to purchase some of her earlier stuff I missed along the way.

I received an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, but would have written the same opinion if I had come across this author on my own.

To see my Amazon review, it is under CC-Couldn't put it down

Melissa Brayden has such a wonderful writing style. I really enjoy her way of writing in the first person to tell a story. Back to September is brilliant in the way the characters get together and battle different obstacles in their way to finally being together. Hannah owns a small-town bookstore in Providence. She isn't really into romance novels or romance at all for that matter, that is until one of her employees pushes her to feature Parker Bristow's newest release in the store window. Further conversations result in Hannah contacting Bristow's publicist about having her do a signing at the store. When the two meet, there is an automatic connection. Hannah's real-life romance novel has begun. Without spoiling the rest of the story, the couple goes through a lot of on-again, off-again moments in their relationship until they realize just how much in love they are and that they can't be apart.

There were times that I really didn't like Parker and the way she would put up walls to protect herself, even though it is a very real thing that is done in relationships. Hannah is just the sweetest character and I found myself engrossed in the story, wanting her to reach her HEA. I think a major plus of the novel is how it looks at an evolving relationship and the different stages, the difficulties that couples go through, and how they are able to work through those things and risk their hearts for the person that they can't live without.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the sweet romance between Hannah and Parker.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

I loved this book! I couldnt put it down. It strayed from the typical Melissa Brayden formula but in a good way that kept me invested and guessing. I absolutely fell in love with Parker because how could you not? And it was nice to have a realistic, down to earth protagonist in Hannah, a rare kind of character in this type of book. I wouldve loved to read from Parker’s perspective if only because I adored her, but part of her story was being somewhat of an enigma so I understand that choice. Overall a fantastic book, I’m so sad it’s over and I’m as always grateful for another Brayden book! Cant wait to reread while I wait for her next one :)

You can't go wrong with a Melissa Brayden romance. Seriously, you can't. Buy all of her books.

Hannah is a semi book snobbish owner of a book store. She prefers the classics to romance novels. An employee convinces her to showcase a romantic new release and try to get the author to visit on a book tour to drum up a bit of publicity for the shop. Since it hasn't been fairing well financially.

Parker is a celebrity romance author as a result of her sharp wit and social media commentary. She meets Hannah at her book store, 'A Likely Story' and becomes instantly smitten.

This is a story of falling for someone that you probably shouldn't. Different professions, different lifestyles, different upbringings, different states, different future goals, etc. Absolutely nothing that would point to a compatible coupling.

But Brayden sure has a way of creating an emotional type of compatibility between her leads, making you root for them against all odds. Great settings, cute interactions, and realistic dialogue. You can feel yourself falling right there with these two.

That makes it doubly heartbreaking as the two of them fumble and stumble, making mistakes, and genuinely frustrating the hell out of you as you follow their journey.

I really enjoyed this one. It beat me up. I cried. Then I was put back together. Why do I continue to enter into this type of relationship with Braydens' books?!

I recommend this to people who love romance, books, self employment, Providence, Texas, LA, celebrity, social media, and being frustrated to the end of earth and back.

It’s safe to say I’m a Melissa Brayden fan. She’s a talented writer that writes great characters, fantastic dialogue and breaks your heart a little before putting it back together. I’ve never been disappointed and several of her titles are favorites and revisits for me.....Back to September will definitely be added to the list.

The story follows the relationship of two very different characters, from two very different worlds, who pull each other into their orbits as they go through various phases of a relationship together.

Hannah is all about routine, predictability and simplicity. Parker is worldly, a celebrity as a well known author, and lives a busy fast paced life. This alone is a solid equation for a solid read but Melissa Brayden has a way of adding layers to characters which make the story richer and fuller. I found Hannah endearing. I found Parker appealing and then frustrating in her actions but cheering her on the whole time.

The supporting cast was also fantastic. I loved the quirkiness of Luna and Kurt. I enjoyed the sibling relationship with Bo. The over the top Carissa Swain had me both annoyed and cracking up.

The story paced well. The characters were great, and this was well written all around. It’s a solid 4.5 stars with the benefit of rounding up.

Fantastic…Excellent…Very Well Done!
Melissa Brayden has done it again! The story is very well developed, the characters are relatable and there is tons of funny & witty dialogue. In this offering, we meet Hannah a bookstore owner and Parker, a writer of romance novels. These two main characters could not be more different: Hannah is a struggling business owner, Parker is a famous romance novelist. Hanna believes romance books are silly and idealistic, Parker believes love in the real world could be amazing and transformative. Hannah is a homebody and Parker seemingly enjoys the limelight. However, despite their differences, they are drawn to each other and the journey their story takes is absolutely amazing. Would Hannah finally realize “what could be when you finally meet the right person” and could Parker overcome some of the fears she had?
There are so many moments that completely melted my heart as I was reading this book and I completely enjoyed every single moment! The below quote aptly describes and captures exactly what I experienced when reading this book ….”the emotion, the chemistry, the angst, it all came roaring off the page in an incredible unravel.”
I absolutely loved this book and will be reading this again very soon!

Melissa Brayden never disappoints! Another wonderfully written romance that hits you in the feels and makes you want to linger in the story long after it’s over!

Back to September is chock-full of angst, but with enough love and hope that makes it worth sticking it out through the journey. It tells the story of an independent bookstore owner, Hannah, who is struggling to bring in new customers, and a famous romance author, Parker, who may be just the answer she’s looking for.

5 Stars.

Back to September is a romance between a bookstore owner and a romance novelist. Sold!

Hannah owns a bookstore, has a small, close group of friends, and prefers spending the night in with her cats. Parker is a famous romance novelist and internet personality. When Parker does a book signing at Hannah's store, the two feel an immediate connection. Despite connecting romantically, the two begin a long-distance friendship that ultimately leads to more, enduring many ups and downs on the way.

I could really identify with Hannah (introverted book nerds, unite!), although I found Parker mildly irritating. The supporting characters were quirky and fabulously fleshed out.

This was an enjoyable romance that I couldn't stop reading!

Netgally Review:

Back to September was the perfect rainy day read. It had a cute book store ambiance, well-developed mcs, and a roller-coaster plot. It was hard to put down and I was sad when it was over. I have been saying for a while now that MB needs to write more angst, and I feel that she may have heard me on that because this one really dragged out the feels.

'ARC provided by both NetGalley and The Publisher in exchange for a honest review'

**'Sometimes a few sentence can be enough to fill any reader's imagination completely.And sometimes a book's title is enough..Composition is a discipline, it forces us as readers to think or imagine..'

'BACK TO SEPTEMBER' can best be described as a gorgeously rendered, risk filled narration of a friendship turning to a relationship threatened to be derail by fear, guilt and long distance that was set against the backdrop of the literary world. Or it's a rare romantic story that has Ms.Brayden capturing the utter joy and attentiveness felt when someone meets that special someone else whose energy and passion has this sincerity that might shape their life forever -- if both are open to acceptance of that genuine Love.
When Parker, a talented and accomplished author meets Hannah, a struggling bookstore owner, the stars seem to align. Although both came from different backgrounds, they did discover in each other the happy yearning and exhilaration of a close friendship then within a few days enthusiastic lovers -- that left a lasting impression on both.
Interested readers will come to be aware of their many intimate moments and shifting ways in which both are on the defense in revealing their truth about the nature of this close friendship before moving forward as lovers.
Above all, 'BACK TO SEPTEMBER' can also be read as a feel-good evocative story of Love and honesty, well written, offering both a penetrating and exquisite portrait of heartwarming intimacy of prolong physical longings while sometimes in the state of abject loneliness.
The tell tale chemistry and nicely interwoven storyline of these two leading ladies along with their friends and family stayed with me long after and will continue for a long time --- and that, to me, is the mark of a truly good read. A highly recommended book!

This is one of those books you wish you'd saved for last (when you have a big stack of books like I do) so you have something to look forward to reading and can revel in it for a few days before you go on to your next book. This book was un-put-downable (yeah, I just made that up) and I read it within a few days - HUGE for me because I'm a very slow reader. I even gave up sleep on a red-eye to sneak more than a couple of chapters in on my flight.

This is one of Melissa Brayden's best. I loved the characters - both seem put-together on the outside, but are really so fragile underneath, where no one can see. I loved that there was an instant spark between them. None of the shy or uncertain "does she like me" stuff going on here. Parker comes right out and asks Hannah, "Do you date women?" and then they're off and running.

Perfect amount of angst. I wasn't sure even by the very end if these two would have a happy ending.

Ran into two typos/missing words, but it didn't take away from the story or the great read.

As I sit here thinking about how to exactly explain how much I loved Back to September, all I can do is SMH. Yes, by the end of the first chapter, I was captivated. I knew this was going to be a 5 star Melissa Brayden book. I am going to attempt to express how I can't wait to read this one again.

Hannah Shephard owns a book store called A likely Story. After a few years in business, she finds that she really isn't bringing in enough money and may have to close the store if things change. One of her employees convinces her to apply to have famous romance author Harper Bristow do a book signing at her store. She knows it's a long shot, but after a few days she finds out that her application was accepted. Harper Bristow is well know and well liked among her followers. She comes into Hannah's quiet life and reserved life and blows it to pieces!

This romance is so much of everything. I really liked both Hannah and Harper. I was comparing it to the last Brayden book (which was a 4 star for me) and knew that the main difference is that both MCs appealed to me. They have super exciting off the charts chemistry. They interact well with each other and are very compatible. It's like they are soul mates. I haven't read many romances where I felt that the MCs were meant to be together and Brayden does an excellent job syncing Hannah and Harper. Because of this, the sex is really good. I liked that there was more when it came to sex. This book is sexy!

For those of you who liked angst, it's full of that too. It is done very well and you feel like the author masterfully crafts the twist and turns as you read through the issues. I tend to hate angsty romances, but not this one. OMG, it was so good. I honestly think the angst makes this one even better. Trust me you guys are in for a real treat.

I could go on and on about how much I loved this one. I honestly think it is my new favorite Brayden romance. I give this one an outstanding 5 stars.

Excellent characters drawn with reality & subtlety. I enjoyed the detailed descriptions of her life & it’s routines clearly walls drawn up to protect her from the world that’s just to big. But when opportunity knocks in terms of increasing the profile of the bookshop she is brave enough to take little knowing the fireworks that would rock her world. Thankfully eventually she’s able to grasp ‘her’ life & to own it. A real ‘growing into your own skin’ novel

I really enjoyed reading it.

Oh, it has everything! It's funny, it's emotional, it's warm, it literally makes you fall in love with every single character in it! Melissa Brayden is a mastermind of romance genre! There are a lot of excellent writers of this genre, but what makes a difference between and excellent one and an outstanding one is a minor characters' development. Melissa has it to perfection in every single book of hers! You can't just go through them without actually warming up to them significantly and almost kind of expecting them to be the leading characters in some of the following books! It's almost like you want her to always write series, like Soho loft, Seven Shores etc.
Both Hannah and Parker are the characters you will love, with real problems, flaws, heart-warming and heart-wrenching moments... The book is literally loaded with funny moments, lots of good humor, but also with very serious conversations and very skillfully written dialogues.

This was a sweet romance story.

Hannah is a owner of a bookstore that is struggling. She loves books and pairing them to their rightful owner.

When her co-workers suggest she do a book signing to boost sales she books Parker who is a famous writer. Hannah never read any of her books but when she does she hook on how Parker can do romance and heartbreak at the sametime on her books and still give a happy ending.

When Parker accept her request for a book signing at Hannah bookstore. When they meet Parker is drawn to Hannah as they get to know each other while Parker in town they have a fling and decide to remain friends.

When they both get into a relationship with other people they still feel something for each other especially when they take trip together with their significance others you can tell they have feelings for each other.

Their friendship is ruin because of jealously but then they reconnect but them something else happen because of Parker past and it's giving Hannah emotions into overdrive. This has a lot of asgnt in it but it was worth it to see them be together.

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

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.