It all Comes Back to You by Melissa Wienser is about Anna, a sweet girl from a troubled home. She meets Gabe, a classmate several years her senior and they form a friendship that changes her life in many ways.
This was a quick read, I liked the writing style and the characters. I was happy with the ending as well although I would have liked them to get together sooner than they did, it made sense for them not too. I will definitely read more books by this author.
4 stars

This book was gut wrenching and heartbreaking but at the same time beautiful. The themes of found family in this book are truly beautiful and I love how over and over Gabe's family enveloped Anna. I also loved how intelligent and strong Anna was in spite of how difficult her life had been. I loved how she turned her trauma into a way to help others and how selflessly she did so as an obstetrician.

Gabe was both amazing and infuriating. I loved how he was always there for Anna in so many amazing ways but boy did he drive me insane with some of his mistakes. I'm glad this was a HEA and he redeemed himself. By truly he was exactly what Anna needed even when he was stupid.

This book has some pretty serious triggers. Please check those if you need to. Also you'll probably want Kleenex.

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley. This is my honest review.

A slow-burn romance that reminds you of When Harry Met Sally. Wiesner writes unique stories that stick with you. You root for the characters to the point you want to smoosh them together and say, "Just be together already."

♡ found family
♡ older MMC
♡ (too) independent doctor FMC
♡ slow burn over 15 years
♡ lab partners to lovers
♡ (second) first chance

It's an epic love story

2.5 rounded to 3. This book sucked me right in for part 1, but lost me in parts 2 and 3. I enjoyed the character development but then found myself wishing they would both grow up. It felt dragged out and predictable by the 75% mark. I wanted to love it, but I struggled to stay invested when it lost my interest.

4.5⭐️ Happy Release Day!! The depth of this story hits hard. @melissawiesnerauthor can really give a good story that’s not afraid of the darker side of life. Anna is such a strong character forced to grow up too fast but thriving despite it. Gabe is a true friend and his devotion is everything. If you love slow burn, friends to lovers, found family, and emotional scars, you don’t want to miss It All Comes Back to You.

An unforgettable and heart-wrenching romance about a woman haunted by her past and the man who could never let her go.
Anna works two jobs to get herself through college and never, ever talks about her family. It’s easier to keep her distance from everyone until she can finally leave her old life behind. That is, until chance throws her together with Gabe…

Gabe is top of the class, in an exclusive fraternity, and has a big, perfect, warm-hearted family. He is everything Anna is not, but their connection is undeniable. His silver-blue eyes pierce right through her, and he makes her laugh in ways she never thought possible. But Anna would do anything to stop Gabe from discovering her darkest secret and the real reason she goes home every night to a cold, silent apartment. When Gabe and his family get close to the truth, Anna runs, vowing to never see them again. But forever is a long time…

Years later, tragedy brings Anna back to the town she grew up in—a place she escaped a decade ago. When Gabe wraps his strong arms around her, it’s like finally finding home. But when the truth comes out after all these years, will both their worlds come crashing down? Gabe is the one person Anna trusts most, but what if he has secrets, too? And how much pain can two hearts endure, before they are torn apart forever?

Thank you so much for the #gifted copy @bookedwiththeemilys, @melissawiesnerauthor, @netgalley, and @readforeverpub. #itallcomesbacktoyou #melissawiesner #foreverpublishing #booktour #bookedwiththeemilys #netgalley

It All Comes Back to You by Melissa Wiesner
Contemporary romance, multiple timeliness.
The first time Gabe Weatherall meets Anna Campbell, he’s upset that he’s asked to work on a college level project with a girl in high school. She soon proves she’s more than competent with better ideas than most of the class. Anna’s not willing to share much about herself and he notices her in the library awfully late. Insisting he give her a ride home one night, Gabe encounters the questionable landlord which ramps up his concern. Finding out more about Anna’s situation has Gabe and his family opening their home to her.
Anna and Gabe become good friends but Anna has a line she won’t cross. She holds herself back, afraid to love too much in case it all comes crumbling down.

🎧 I listened to an audiobook copy of this book, narrated by Kate Handford who made the performance both a joy and heartbreaking. The characters go through a lot of emotions which are clearly heard during the story.
I listened at a speed above 1.5 to more closely match my reading and local conversation.

Anna is afraid to trust and it’s heartbreaking as years go by and she holds herself apart.
The story is told in chunks of years together and apart.
It’s a beautiful and poignant romance. Tears of pain, loss, and love are sure to follow. They certainly did for me.
4.5

This novel is an emotionally charged story of love, resilience, and the power of confronting the past. The journey of Anna and Gabe is one of stark contrasts—Anna, a determined young woman carrying deep secrets, and Gabe, the golden boy with an idyllic family and a seemingly perfect life. Their undeniable connection is beautifully portrayed, making their love story compelling and bittersweet.

The dual timelines—one set during their college years and the other a decade later—add depth to the narrative, allowing readers to see how time, distance, and personal struggles shape their relationship. Anna’s internal battle, her fear of exposing her painful past, and Gabe’s unwavering yet complicated presence make for a heart-wrenching read.

The novel excels in its emotional depth, with well-drawn characters and an exploration of themes like trauma, healing, and second chances. The pacing is strong, with just the right amount of tension to keep readers invested. However, some plot twists may feel predictable to seasoned romance readers. That said, the story’s raw emotion and heartfelt moments more than make up for any predictability.

This was a lovely romance. I enjoyed the story and always like this author's writing and it is great that the story doesn’t rush into the romance. Gabe and Anna first became friends, then began to develop feelings for each other as adults which is a healthy progression. However, Anna infuriates me with her rash emotional juvenile reactions to everything (which are heavily influenced by her traumatic family life) and her trust issues. Gabe is a great guy and his choices are always to protect her but eventually, she figures things out and starts acting like an adult. I was satisfied with the ending and can see that more could be written about all these characters. Overall a great story and recommend it for those who love a slow-burn romance.

Thanks to Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) | Forever for this ARC. This is my honest review.

This book was the easiest 4 star I’ve given in AWHILE.
It instantly had me gripped and I couldn’t get through the pages fast enough. (I will note I was a little weirded out about the age gap at first, but that was cleared up, LOL)

The FMC- Anna was such a fighter and strong willed. The MMC- was kind, supportive and over all a great guy. Which is an amazing break from the jerk MMC we often see in books.

The beginning half was a bit dragged out considering how it ended, as we didn’t really get to see anything that we were hoping for. I feel like this could have been just a bit better if it was more evenly written. But overall I really enjoyed Anna’s journey into adulthood.

Overall i definitely recommend picking up this book if you’re in a slump and need of something fast paced and actually a great story line! 🥰

It's hard to review a book when it touches your heart deeply. It sits heavy on your soul but in a good, heart-wrenching way that you take a moment to absorb what you'd just read.
I wouldn't say I would put this book under the romance category, where romance is the centre of the story, but it's heartfelt, soulful, and wholesome. It tells you that love is not about just getting physical but being there for someone all the time.
Meet Anna, a teenager who struggles every day in her life to get things sorted out and to go to a med school. She meets Gabe on a class project, who, though, looks like a cocky college boy, but deep down shows care for Anna.
As time passes, Gabe realizes that there's more to Anna than meets the eye. The kind of bond they grow to strengthen with time is beautiful. He not only becomes her love, but he also becomes her family, and he even provides her with a family that Anna never had—parents, siblings, a comforting home.
The book centres around childhood trauma— the grief that haunts you like a ghost forever. But it also shows that if you have someone to share this grief, if there is one person who understands your trauma, then you can overcome any pain.
I loved Anna and Gabe's characters and the people in Gabe's family. I wish there were actual people like Gabe in this world then; it would be such a nice place to live in.
An absolute 5-stars!

I absolutely love Melissa's writing and character development! I was so excited to receive a gifted eARC for Melissa's trad re-release of It All Comes Back To You.

If you’ve read any of Melissa’s emotional romances, you know how she can pull at the reader’s heartstrings! I enjoyed the span of this story and how Melissa took her time to establish the characters and then jumped a bit at a time to present day.

I can’t wait to read more from Melissa; she’s an auto-buy author for me. If you’ve haven’t read any of her books yet, what are you waiting for? 🤩

Thank you to Forever Publishing for the eARC. All thoughts are my own.

Thank you Read Forever Pub for my #gifted copy of It All Comes Back To You! #readforeverpub #itallcomesbacktoyou #melissawiesner

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐈𝐭 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐓𝐨 𝐘𝐨𝐮
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐌𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐚 𝐖𝐢𝐞𝐬𝐧𝐞𝐫
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝟏𝟖, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓

𝟓★

It All Comes Back To You by Melissa Wiesner was nothing short of amazing! If this book is not on your TBR, you need to add it now! I found this book to be so emotional but also so hopeful. If you love romance, this one is for you!

Anna is a high school student taking college level courses when she is paired up to complete a large assignment with a senior named Gabe. Anna quickly learns that Gabe has the perfect life and the most caring family. Essentially, Gabe has everything Anna does not. Gabe and his family welcome Anna into their life but it doesn’t take long for Gabe to learn the truth about her home life, and is one step closer to learning about the secret she is keeping. But Anna is not the only one keeping a secret. Despite the time and distance, Gabe and Anna always seem to find their way back to one another. Can the secret they both have been keeping tear them apart or bring them closer together? Spanning over 15 years, It All Comes Back To You is an emotional and page turning must read book!

I absolutely ADORED Gabe and the Weatherall family. When I think of a book that epitomizes found family, this is it! I found all of the characters in It All Comes Back To You to be so genuine, realistic and relatable. My heart broke multiple times while reading the story of Anna and Gabe, but it was so worth it!

It All Comes Back To You:
🩷Childhood Friends To Lovers
🩷Found Family
🩷Secrets
🩷Second Chances
🩷Strong Female Main Character
🩷Slow Burn Romance

Posted on Goodreads on March 17, 2025: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around March 18, 2025: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on March 18, 2025
**-will post on designated date

Fans of Lucy Score will love It All Comes Back to You by Melissa Weisner. This story takes you on a journey between best friends Anna and Gabe over the course of many years, from high school through adulthood. As their bond grows stronger over the years, so do their feelings for each other. However, the childhood secret Anna cannot let go of keeps pushing her away from Gabe and the family she always wanted but doesn’t think she deserves. Gabe is unwilling to let her go and will do anything to keep her safe. #ItAllComesBacktoYou #NetGalley

Thank you so much, Forever Pub, for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I really enjoyed this book! What I found the most compelling was the unlikely friendship that forms between Gabe and Anna and the decades that follow. Their friendship really becomes quite established before anything happens beyond that and you know friends to lovers is the ultimate trope for me! And oooooh Gabe’s family is incredible. Anytime we stepped into their home, I felt warm and fuzzy and happy. What an amazing family.

Read if you like third person POV, messy family dynamics, emotional romances, a really beautiful friendship journey, threads of secrecy, friends to lovers, and found family.

There’s also some heavy subject matter in this book. Anna’s upbringing is nothing like Gabe’s and their differences serve as a source of conflict often. If you are sensitive to parents with drug issues, depictions of poverty, and food insecurity this may not be the book for you. Additionally, the FMC becomes an OBGYN and there is one full childbirth scene as well as a pregnant patient in a DV situation.

This book is available in trade paperback on March 18!

It All Comes Back To You is a beautiful exploration of found family and healing from the past. Anna didn't have an easy upbringing. Her mother abandoned her at 14, and she managed to live on her own in secret. She does everything she can to survive and figure out how to have a better life.

At 16 she's enrolled into a special program that allows her to take college classes. While Anna thinks it's the ticket to her future life as a doctor, she discovers it's actually the ticket to the family she's never had when she meets Gabe.

Gabe isn't thrilled to be paired up with Anna for a class project, but soon enough, he realizes there's more to her than meets the eye. He also discovers all the secrets she's been holding on to.

I devored this book in 24 hours, which is really saying something because I don't read books that fast unless they have truly hooked me.

Anna's backstory and journey were so incredible and thoughtful. Time and time again, I just wanted things to work out for her because she deserved so much more than life was handing her. Tears were shed several times, especially at her revelations at the end of the book.

If you're a fan of Paige Toon or Colleen Hoover, this is a must-read!

This book was a disappointment. I was kept on the hook for the first 50%, which is why it has more than 2⭐️s. I absolutely adored MW’s Second Chance Year and Wish You Were Here, so i really held out on this hoping it would redeem itself. But the buildup and back story took wayyyy too long. The dialogue felt stilted. The author kept introducing plot points to the reader but keeping it from other characters, so it wasn’t a big reveal when it was finally discussed. It felt very much like a YA book written for adults. Lastly, I think this wasn’t so much an ARC as it was a rerelease, which makes more sense to me, as the writing is just not as high caliber as her more recent books.

Paused all my other reads for this one, and I regret nothing! 🤩 Best found family story ever. Gabe and his family? Absolute perfection. I loved how Anna slipped into their world so effortlessly. She was welcomed in with open arms and that made my heart tugged a little bit. But the suspense of what she's hiding had me on edge! 👀 Like, what did she do in her past that is haunting her so much?

Also... Gabe’s nickname for Anna had me side-eyeing him for a minute, but that one moment when he finally sees her? 😍🔥 Now, I just need answers about Anna's mother!! I will say, Gabe's secret that he's hiding from Anna wasn't even that big of a deal. I thought it was gonna be something as bad or traumatic as Anna's secret but it didn't even come close. The book didn't make me cry but it definitely came close to making me.

Thank you Netgalley and Read Forever Pub for the e-arc and this opportunity to read it before the release date for an honest review.

This romantic story is about a teenage girl (Anna) all alone in a bad situation using her brilliant mind and personal strength to take her out of that situation. When she is paired with a privileged in every way young man (Gabe) in the college class she is taking this changes both their lives. The family Gabe has is everything anyone could ever want and creates the bond for this story which spans over decades as we journey through this realistic story of grief, resilience and unwavering devotion. It also tells how secrets and lies can delay and threaten to destroy true love, but also how love can conquer all of this.

I went through many emotions during this book and could continue on my review for a lot longer but I'm just going to suggest if you are in the mood for a emotional journey of a love story pick this book up!

Thank you to NetGalley, Forever and Hachette for this E-ARC.

I have now read two books by Melissa Wiesner and while they were both absolutely amazing, this one is now in my top 10 reads forever. This book is infinite stars.
It took me a whole day to finish the last 7% because I was sobbing so hard. My dog kept checking on me to make sure I was okay. The attention to detail that Melissa has is insane. I imagine her house during her writing time is just red thread everywhere to make sure she doesn’t forget any details she gave in the beginning. She doesn’t, incase you were wondering. Everything she mentions in any point of the book is brought back and explained in the end. It’s such beautiful writing. She is an autobuy author for me now.

Anna is 16 when she meets Gabe. Gabe is in one of the college classes Anna is taking. Even though she’s still in high school, Anna wants to get ahead of the game for college. She’s incredibly smart, kind, and alone. Gabe’s home life is the opposite of Anna’s. He has a perfect, warm, wild, big family who welcomes Anna with open arms. Things happen in the middle of the book that I can’t even explain. You just need to read it.

This is the most beautiful story of a found family and I need to be adopted by the Weatheralls. If you want to read a book that rips your soul out of your body and crushes it multiple times, then comforts you and returns it to your body… this is the one! It’s beautiful and heartbreaking and I loved every single second of reading it.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of the 2025 edition of this novel.

Anna and Gabe are unlikely friends. Anna is a junior in high school taking advanced college classes, and frat boy Gabe is a graduating college senior. The two are paired together for an important economics project. Soon, the two realize they mean more to each other than what their first impressions predicted.

When Gabe discovers one of Anna's dark secrets, he jumps in to help, but fiercely independent Anna resists. She needs to find her own way out of her situation.

Told in alternating POVs over several years, the story shows Gabe and Anna's friendship growing stronger, and both wonder if it might someday be more.

I adored this story. It's a well-written, slow-burn romance with sweet (not spicy) love scenes. Once I started reading it, I didn't want to put it down.

I look forward to reading the epilogue once the novel is published.

Trigger warnings: Drug abuse, domestic violence, child abuse, and threatened sexual assault.