“I’ll Get Back to You” by Becca Grischow is a heartfelt exploration of unspoken emotions and missed connections. It centers on letters written but never sent, delving into the what-ifs of relationships that drifted apart. The story balances nostalgia and regret with the possibility of reconnection, making it relatable for anyone who has wondered about the people they’ve lost touch with. It’s got that mix of bittersweet moments and hope that keeps you turning pages, but the pacing might feel a bit slow at times.

A charming story set in the midwest with a fake-dating trope, coupled with self-realization and the struggles of adulthood. Some scenes really dragged out and the plot was slightly predictable, but the chemistry between Murphy and Ellie shines! Overall it's filled with humor and heartfelt moments making it an enjoyable, festive, queer read!

Sincere thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Books for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was definitely a book I couldn't put down. It had the perfect amount of angst but also was the perfect amount of coziness somehow! I only wish the epilogue was a little bit more in the future rather than a month later.

I live in Chicago, and I should have loved this. However, I found Murphy to be infuriating and hypocritical. The character relationships felt superficial and fluffy. I didn’t feel like any of the resolution was earned.

Hmm.

I don't know what I want to rate this yet so maybe I'll figure it out by the end of this review.

I kind of hated like 3/4 of the cast of this book? Murphy's parents really sucked. 'We put our lives on hold for you, we had plans but we changed them, blah blah blah' umm.... you shouldn't have had a kid then? Idk, I know Murphy is an adult but to come back from vacation and be like 'btw we're moving and selling the house you currently live in but you're not coming with us so you have like a month to find somewhere to live because we want to get on with our lives and you're holding us back'- that's just wild to me. Ellie wasn't great either. Murphy finds out some pretty devastating news at Thanksgiving dinner and Ellie gets mad because she is more focused on what she's going to do next than she is on talking up grad school to her fake girlfriend's mom. Kat also wasn't my favorite, though at least she apologized before the book was almost over (like Ellie waited to do).

I also feel like this is more a coming of age story than a romance. I think I would've liked it better that way.

Idk man, I'm really disappointed because I love a midwest setting and the beginning had the potential! I just didn't really like it. Also, I was expecting a Christmas book from the cover. We got Thanksgiving and then an epilogue a couple days after Christmas.

This was such a sweet read! I’ll Get Back to You is technically a holiday romance, but honestly, it felt more like a coming-of-age story with some cute romantic vibes thrown in.

Murphy’s story of feeling stuck in her small town, working a dead-end job, and trying to figure out her life is super relatable. The fake dating setup with Ellie was fun (who doesn’t love that trope?), and their chemistry was adorable. That said, the romance kind of takes a backseat to Murphy’s personal growth—this is really her story about figuring herself out and taking some big steps forward.

If you’re into cozy, queer stories with a mix of romance and self-discovery, this one’s a great pick!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book!

I loved this book so much! As a product of the Chicago suburbs myself I loved the small-town Geneva setting and related well to the back from college for Thanksgiving feeling at the start of the book. It was such a treat to follow along and root for Murphy and her relationships with Kat, Ellie, and even Daniel and Kara. The perfect cozy holiday read! Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC!

ok so i had to DNF this one, unfortunately.

it sounded like it would be right up my alley! plus usually the fact that it’s sapphic will tide me over! but… the prose here had some weird metaphors that didn’t land, the dialogue was really lackluster, and i couldn’t bring myself to care about the characters and the growth that was (hopefully) to come, especially the POV MC, who had some struggles i related to, but came off to me as really irritating.

just not the one for me!

A well written, fabulous read about growing up and dealing with what life hands you, planned or not. Life is complicated for Murphy. She is attending community college, living at home, and her best friend brings her boyfriend to Murph’s birthday party. The complications continue as Murph meets a new friend and encounters a number of life events that do not go her way. However, rather than whining and being angsty about all of these curve balls, she steps up and meets each challenge head on. Thank you NetGalley for providing the ARC.

This was so cute! Set on Thanksgiving weekend, this book tells the story of Murphy, a 21 year old who is stuck in her hometown working the same job she's been working since she was 16 and going to community college, wishing to transfer to the University of Illinois to join her best friend, Kat. On that weekend, they plan to get blackout wasted and spend the holiday together, but Kat shows up with her new boyfriend. After an awkward reunion, Murphy runs into Ellie, a girl she knew from her high school years but seems to have changed quite a bit. These two were adorable, the fake dating was funny and I really enjoyed the small town vibes. I devoured this book in 24 hours, perfect timing just before Thanksgiving!

I enjoyed this sweet sapphic new adult romance. The pace kept me interested and HEA is what my heart needed. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review.

This was a cute read, it felt very Hallmark holiday movie but in the best way. Sometimes that's exactly what you need and I'm also a sucker for the fake dating trope so that didn't hurt.
I also enjoyed that it was slowburn, which allowed it focus on their coming-of-age and each character's growth.

Thank you Netgalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review. I enjoyed reading this fake dating romance! Murphy is easy to relate to and I enjoyed watching her grow in herself with Ellie. Murphy is helping out Ellie by being her fake girlfriend to get her family off her back and get financial support for her schooling. Murphy benefits from this arrangement for tutoring from Ellie and to also spend time with her. Being able to convince Ellie's family that they are a strong couple may be harder than they thought.

I also appreciated real issues like growing apart from friends. When friends move away, go to college, get boyfriends, etc., that can change a friendship dynamic. In this case, Murphy and her best friend Kat have been growing apart. This was relatable as friendships do change and friends to come and go, but the time with them is always appreciated. Murphy and Kat try to figure out how navigate their friendship with all these new changes.

thank you netgalley for the e-arc. i would have liked this 30% more if the characters were aged up by 10-12 years. i don't understand why about half of the first part was all focused at thanksgiving and the "romance" was way rushed. it was hard to get past the immaturity all around but that's because of them being in their early 20's.

I’ll Get Back to You introduces Murphy, who’s kind of a mess and has some growing up to do. We find her on Thanksgiving weekend, struggling to balance her final class of community college with her marketing job at the local coffee shop, and her best friend’s visit home with her new boyfriend. From there, Murphy reconnects with a high school classmate and they hatch a fake dating scheme they hope will be mutually beneficial.

I love a sapphic romcom and a fake dating plot. Unfortunately these characters and their problems didn’t quite click for me - maybe it’s the age difference from me to them, but Murphy felt tragically immature. It was also not nearly as spicy as I like my romances! Overall, a cute premise but maybe closer to a young adult/new adult romance than a true adult romance.

What’s not to love about a sapphic holiday romance? Of course it’s a bit cheesy but I love to have a cheesy romcom at holiday time.

This title is standout in the holiday romance category. First of all, the majority of it does take place over Thanksgiving weekend, not Christmas. Second, the main characters are college age, so this feels more new adult. Third, this is definitely more angsty than expected. It follows Murphy, a 21 year old who is struggling to leave her hometown and get the transfer credits to leave her community college. Her life gets slightly more interesting when she agrees to fake date a former classmate from high school and falls for her. Murphy was relatable, especially to someone who feels stuck in their hometown, but also frustrating at times. So were nearly all the people around her, which made them feel more real, but also made this harder to read. Her parents and best friend make choices that involve her without ever talking them through with her. It was tough to read, but it was nice to see Murphy grow. The romance itself was okay, but happened way too fast, and I didn't love the love interest. Still, small town readers may enjoy this one and it wouldn't be totally out of place in our library!

Two women connect at an uncomfortable time in their lives when they realize they might be able to help each other out and give themselves the future that they want - separate from each other. That is until they start to get to know each other.

The cover is very cute, just slightly misleading as this story really focuses on and is the result of thanksgiving day. Though I did see the city I have traveled to put up their winter holiday decorations up on the first of November (face palm). The story does take place over a two month period which covers the winter holidays but it focuses on turkey day and new year’s - quibbling. Just saying. (Hmmmm… I must be in a mood, I wonder if I should be writing this review? (chuckle))

I'll Get Back to You is a new adult “happy for right now” fake-dating holiday romance. I like both main characters. (I’m actually shocked I wrote that because lately the trend has been only one way…wow I’m chatty today). Anyhoo. Ellie and Murphy are at a point where they both think that they know where their lives are going. No concrete plans, but a general idea of that they are kind of counting on. As young people sometimes do, they bank on those ideas only to have them start to unravel at the seams. This is where we come into the story.

Becca Grischow doesn’t have to reach for fantastical reasons for fake dating as Murphy and Ellie’s reasons are completely plausible. The path to the future is rarely straight (lmao), and the author demonstrates this realistically. (All I can hear is Stephen King saying to get rid of all words ending in “ly”.) I really like how their stories evolve over the time period.

I’ll Get Back to You is a sweet romance with some spice thrown in at the end. It has some cheesiness thrown in with a realistic spin to balance it out. I really enjoyed the quick trip to Geneva, IL.

This book was a cute, fun, flirty holiday romance that checked all the boxes on my Christmas list. I appreciate when holiday-themed books don’t stray from their lane, but rather give that dash of sugar & spice that I’m looking for in this season. I’ll Get Back To You does exactly what I want it to.

Grischow delivered a Hallmark-like experience that kept my curled up on the couch for a few hours of Christmas love. Don’t go into this book expecting some revolutionary, one of a kind masterpiece that’s never ever been seen before in literature. Instead, enjoy it for what it is— a sweet, sappy, holiday affair.

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Group for this copy in exchange for my review.

I'll Get Back to You is a cozy romcom that follows two women trying to find themselves and deal with the expectations of others. Murphy doesn't do everything perfectly, in fact some of her choices were a bit questionable, but this just makes her all the more relatable. Throw in Ellie and her idea of lying to her professor mother (the very professor that is the bane of Murphy's college existence) and fake dating and this leads to a story with a very slow burn, but cute romance and characters that start to figure out who they are.