I thought this was a cute romance novel. It did feel kind of slow and places and like it took me forever to read, but overall I enjoyed it. There were a lot of characters and relationships and storylines to to keep up with, but I felt like they all developed nicely.

I liked the premise of this book, Didi and Shay have a whirlwind romance in Venice, but when they return to Didi’s home, an incident causes Shay to disappear. He returns out of the blue 13 years later. It was a sweet romance, perfect for a afternoon read.

I thought Didi handled his return with grace after everything that happened. She and Shay have a lot of hard work to even become friends again, but can true love triumph?

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

And Now You're Back by Jill Mansell has the perfect balance of renewal, heart wrenching, hilarious, and satisfying. Didi is well to do but not stuck up about it, Shay is of more modest means. However, during a magical winter trip to Venice they find true love. This love is short lived though when a family tragedy for Shay tears them apart.

Fast forward thirteen years and Shay is back. Didi is engaged but something about Shay just can’t be forgotten. We wonder if Shay and Didi will rekindle that long ago romance. What follows is truly some of the most delightful and deliciously satisfying dialogue between Didi and Shay. The gyrations between them will have you rooting that they can find their own happily ever after, but it is far from a sure thing.

There are also delightful casts of characters, long held family drama, and gorgeous descriptions of landscapes that transport you in a time when travel is challenging. This book has it all!

Jill Mansell is a familiar author, and she did not disappoint; she engaged me fully from page one and tugged at my heartstrings! She provides the perfect blend to keep the reading engaged and characters that will not be soon forgotten. I was provided a free advance reader copy from Sourcebooks Landmark in exchange for my honest review on Net Galley. The opinions shared in this review are my own.

And Now You’re Back is a novel by British author, Jill Mansell. It’s thirteen years since Didi Laing has seen Shay Mason. She was seventeen, they had an intense affair that started, ever so romantically, in Venice. Back in Elliscombe, Shay came to work at her parents’ hotel, The Wickham. Then there was an incident. No one blamed Shay outright, but everyone thought he was responsible. Didi was sure it wasn’t his fault Wasn’t she? That hint of doubt: Shay was gone.

And now he’s back. His dad, Red, is dying, and has one last wish: to see out his last days on earth in the family home, Hillcrest. But Hillcrest is run down, unliveable, so instead of a well-earned vacation, Shay is restoring it, and living in a luxury suite in the Wickham while he does. Apparently, Shay is now very well off, and just as gorgeous as he was at eighteen.

Didi, now managing the hotel, shouldn’t be noticing: she’s engaged to Aaron, and their wedding is six months away: “Shay might have come back into her life, but he was a part of her past. Just because her thoughts and dreams were getting distracted by his return didn’t mean they meant anything.”

Didi’s best friend, Layla has just taken a plunge into online dating, and found a wonderful man. Harry Gray is a fit and handsome, a personal trainer recently moved to the Cotswolds, and he seems to be enchanted Layla. Their relationship advances quickly to intimacy, and Layla is deliriously happy, even if she sometimes finds herself making excuses for Harry’s thoughtlessness. It’s puzzling that he never wants to come to her flat, and she senses that Elliscombe’s premier taxi driver, Will, has unvoiced doubts about her new boyfriend.

Layla’s mother, Rosa is trying to cope with widowhood, but she misses Joe terribly. Giving up their home, Compton House, to cover the debts Joe had left behind was a shock, but not being close to him is what hurts the most. So, when she needs to, she sneaks into Compton House backyard at night and chats to him under his favourite tree, where she scattered his ashes.

With Shay and Red back in Elliscombe, certain people are reminded of the unsolved crime that drove Shay away, and secrets they have been keeping for thirteen years. Thrown together, Didi and Shay remember, but try to ignore, what real love felt like: their timing is all wrong.

Except for a nasty player whose comeuppance is very satisfying to witness, Mansell’s characters easily endear themselves to the reader, and if the plot is somewhat predictable, it doesn’t matter one iota because we all want these characters to overcome the obstacles thrown into their paths and find happiness. And it’s no spoiler to reveal that they do. Readers in the market for a Happy Ever After should look no further.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Source Books Landmark.

I am a huge fan of Jill Mansell and this book does not disappoint. I loved the characters and how after so much time they have found their way back to each other. It truly shows that true love can stand the test. A great read.

And Now You’re Back is a solid love story with a dreamy backstory. It deals with fate, family, regrets, and uncovering one’s true self. I look forward to reading more by this author!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for the opportunity to read this book. The opinions in this review are entirely my own.

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If it’s meant to be, it’ll be.

In the wee small hours of the morning, on a snow covered street in Venice, a connection is forged between Didi and Shay. But young love is vulnerable to time, family, and life and their romance comes to an abrupt end after Shay’s father is accused of a crime.

Fast forward thirteen years and Shay is back, grown up and gorgeous. And Didi isn’t quite sure how she feels about him. And Now You’re Back is a fun romance where you just can’t help but root for Didi and fall in love with the cast of characters playing a part in seeing that young love reignited.

What I Liked
There is so much to like about this book. The characters are funny, the storylines interesting yet entirely plausible, and it has a bittersweet happy ending that makes you wish for a sequel. I love the connection between Didi and Shay and really felt for them. Deep down they both know they were meant for each other, all they have to do is figure out how to get out of their own way. The attraction and chemistry between them is electric.

What I Wish Was Different
I’m all for stories that jump into the action, but the first couple of chapters had me running to catch up. At first, I wondered if this was the second book in a series. Quite a few characters are introduced very quickly and I had a bit of a time keeping track of them all initially. But, I’m glad I kept going, the middle and the end of the book were well worth it.

For the lovely chemistry between Didi and Shay, a wonderful cast of characters with satisfying subplots, and the happy ending we all hope for, this book earns 4.5 stars.

Thanks to #Sourcebooks Landmark and #NetGalley for the ARC. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This book is cute and quirky. Great for the beach.
I did feel like there was not enough time spent getting to know each character. Seems like the author just spent about 15 minutes with each one. The book was cute and I would have liked to get to know the main characters instead of spending equal amounts of time with everyone.

This was a wonderfully escapist read. I love it when a romance read transports to me a beautiful and enchanting setting, and this book takes you to not one, but two. The descriptions are detailed and evocative, so you are able to feel like you too are there with the characters.

This is also a dramatic read with lots of twists and turns along the way. It is definitely one that has given me all the feels due to all the ups and downs.

It is a clearly character driven story, and I was introduced to a whole host of likeable main and supporting characters.

This book is a feel-good, uplifting and easy read that is perfect for fans of this genre and authors such as Milly Johnson and Jessica Redland. Jill, for me, has definitely set a high standard for her work and I look forward to reading more by this author, and finally digging into her expansive expansive and impressive back catalogue.

Didi has accompanied her friend, Layla, to Venice to celebrate their school’s half break and Layla’s birthday. Layla’s father has agreed for her to take nine of her friends with her where they would stay in a hotel with the boys upstairs and the girls downstairs. Shay Mason had also been invited. While he goes to a public school and the rest go to a private school, Layla’s father thought it would be nice to invite him too. His mother was dead and his father, Red, had been in and out of prison. The first morning, it started snowing and Didi went out to be in it and there was Shay. They both started building a snowman and had such fun doing so while getting to know one another.

Thirteen years later finds Didi and Layla back in their home town where Didi now owns and runs her parents' hotel. Layla is an accountant and both are single. Didi and Shay had been a couple for a time but broke up when he moved to Australia. Now, he has come back because his father, Red, is terminally ill and wants to live in his home which needs some repair. Shay will coordinate that for him and stay with him.

The story is not just about a few people, it’s about a whole lot of people who have known one another for years and have history together. As the reader gets to know them, we realize they are all human and they all interconnect in some way. Love and deep friendship abound in this town and as we get to know the characters, we find they are real people and their lives are no different from our own. I loved this story and am amazed at how this talented author can take so many characters and knit them all together so perfectly. Don’t miss this book. It’s wonderful.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Jill Mansell writes lovely escapism books. In And Now You're Back Didi is running the family hotel in the Cotswold and is happily engaged to Aaron when her first love, Shay Mason books into one of the suites.
Shay left Didi and the UK 13 years ago under a cloud but is back to help his father, Red, who was the village reprobate.
Their story is told alongside those of Rosa who trespasses on the garden if her old home to talk to her dead husband Joe and Layla, Didi's best and oldest friend. Layla has eclectic dress sense and really hopes that she has found "The One" in fitness trainer Joe.
Throw in an icy slavic wife and a stunning Hollywood actress and you have another of Jill Mansell's delightful stories. Thoroughly entertaining and heartwarming.

Rekindling old flames love stories are one of my favorites romance themes. There's just something about getting a second chance, maybe the timing wasn't right? After reading the first chapter, I was hooked. As I was reading it I felt that the characters were very real and I could see them in my mind. Such a great lighthearted read and perfect for a beach getaway. My first Jill Mansell book but it won't be my last.

And Now You're Back is a super cute rom-com tracing a MFEO couple over the course of decades. Unfortunately, the book felt a little slow at times and I really had to power through to get back into the good parts. The second chance romance was a little stilted by the love-triangle but overall it was a really fun book.

4/5 Stars

Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for providing me with an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley I was lucky to read an advance copy of this book by Jill Mansell in exchange for my honest review and opinions. I've read several books by this author and you will never be disappointed. Her books are such a feel good read and will stay with you long after you finish them. This is no exception! I highly recommend picking this up and soaking up some sunshine as you read this! :)

This was such a cute story. The premise of it is surrounded by Didi and Shay and their second chance at romance, but theirs wasn’t the only love story to be found in this book, and I loved how it all came together. If you want a nice feel good story this for sure is the book to read.

This has all the hallmarks of a classic Jill Mansell novel, of which I have read more than a few! Reading it is like meeting up with an old friend, it's comforting and cosy and you know that you're going to have a lovely time.

Second chance romance is one of my favorite tropes. I was so excited getting into this because the synopsis alone made me giddy with emotions. It's cute, it's British, a feel-good story all in all. The plot and ending were a bit predictable, but I still had fun reading the book and I loved that it's not just about old flames rekindling but also about finding your way back home. I think if you're looking for a summer read, this would be a good pick. It's full of love and friendship and the setting was brilliant!

i have loved several jill mansell books but this one fell a bit flat for me. i didn't click with any of the characters, felt like there was a little too much going on, certain parts felt a bit similar to other books of hers.

Thank you NetGalley, author Jill Mansell, and Sourcebooks Landmark publishing for giving me a free arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
5 stars
Can one ever move on from their first love?
This book is about first love, family, second chances, and past secrets. During a magical school trip to Venice, Didi and Shay start the beginnings of a romantic relationship, but just when their relationship is becoming stronger, something will happen that will cause a rift and separation between them. Now thirteen years later, Didi and Shay will meet again, will the seeds of first love bloom again or has too much time past?
This was my first book by author Jill Mansell and it will not be my last. From the very beginning, I was rooting for Didi and Shay to get their HEA! Both were such wonderful characters and well developed. I also became very invested in the secondary characters' relationships, but that of Rosa, a widow, and her next-door neighbor Benny. They were so sweet together. The writing, pacing, and setting kept the story moving well, which included the various characters sharing their narratives within the same chapter. The ending was so sweet and perfectly satisfying! I would recommend this book to those who are fans of interlocking love stories of fabulous heart-warming characters or those who know it is never too late to find love. I can't wait for author Jill Mansell's next new release!

This was an entertaining, well-written book. The characters and story lines were described in a way that made me interested in them and cared about them. I didn't want to put the book down. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by this author.