First time reading this author but have seen great reviews on her books so was so happy to be granted a wish for a copy of this book. I adore second chance romances, and I really tried to get invested in this story but I just couldn't unfortunately. The characters, plot and writing just didn't work for me and I lost interest sorry.

"And Now You're Back" is classic Jill Mansell! It's a light yet fun read which even in its predictability keeps you reading for the sheer joy of seeing how exactly the story will unfold. The story is a second chance romance between Didi and Shay who fell in love during their teen years and meet again in the present when Shay returns to town to care for his sick father. Their love had not been strong enough to survive doubts in the past, but will it be enough to bring them together in the present which is full of its own obstacles. The novel has well developed side characters with their own romances. There is a bit here for everyone! Definitely recommend this book if you are a fan of Jill Mansell.

3 stars
An fun and engaging book. I think this would make for a great book club book! This is the first book I have read by this author and I definitely will again.

Jill Mansell’s books are always perfect beach reads. Nice and cheesy love stories including a lot of side characters, with their own love stories.

The start of this book surprised me, two teenagers in snowy Venice ( I love YA). I loved to read that chapter, it was fluffy and adorable. When the next chapter started 13 years later, I was a little disappointed because I wanted to read more about how they met and fell in love (and out of love eventually). But I knew that I had to be patient because there would probably be more flashbacks to take me back to that adorable couple falling in love for the first time. But those flashbacks never came! Well, only if you count that very fast paced one where 6 months or so were summarized in just a few pages. That’s not the flashback I needed.

And Now you’re Back is a nice and easy read, a real Jill Mansell book, for those who search for a cosy read on a rainy day or a relaxing beach read. Sometimes it dragged on a little, and I’d wanted to have only Didi’s and Shay’s POV instead of others like Rosa’s and Layla’s. The missing flashbacks might have affected my rating, to be honest.

Thank you so much Sourcebooks for granting my wish!

Well, it was OK. There were moments of enjoyment but overall, I didn't really like most of the characters and it felt like the plot dragged along in parts. I did enjoy the side characters of Rosa, Benny, and Ingrid and their storyline but, for the most part, this book was underwhelming, more like Mansell's earlier work and certainly not at the level of "It Started with a Secret" or any of her other more recent books.

Too bad... I was really looking forward to this.

Many thanks to NetGalley for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks for the advance copy. I usually really enjoy Jills books but sorry to say this one just didn’t get me interested, i started ok with the bad boy turned around but there just wasnt enough going on to keep me entertained. Sorry Jill

A really lovely story of first loves, second chances and friendship.
I loved Shay and Didi's story, but found the other intertwined stories just as good. Many loveable characters, including Shay's dad, the loveable rogue. A few not so nice characters too to even it out!!
A really great read.

Jill Mansell is my favourite author and anytime I get to read one of her books in advance is such a treat.

And Now You're Back was not my favourite of hers, but I still loved every single page. There's just something about the Cotswold setting, the community of characters and second chance love that is like a warm cup of tea for the soul.

I’m a huge fan of Jill Mansell and have read all of her books. I look forward to my birthday every year when the next book is out and this year didn’t disappoint! Jill writes in a style that I love and she creates likeable, and a little damaged, characters that pull you into their story. I really liked Didi and Shay’s story and if you are a fan of Jill’s books, you will too. Grab a hot chocolate, turn off your phone and immerse yourself in this feel good read......

Life has changed a lot in the last 13 years and Didi thought she had her life together until Shay shows up at her family hotel. He was her first love until their family circumstances made them doubt each other. Now things have changed but can they put their past behind them. A story of love and family.

Thanks NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark and Jill Mansell for an ARC to review.
A cute adorable second chances fairy-tale that I guess is too way sweet for my taste.
Reading thrillers and mysteries portraying hard core crimes and serious psychological dysfunctions made it weird for me to get into this sort of books anymore.. my mistake not the book's mistake indeed : )

Shay and DiDi are two people who were torn apart by circumstances. Now Shay is back and very successful. While The book revolves around Shay and DiDi, there are a lot of other characters in this book. They are all relatable and likable and we see their stories as the book progresses. If you are looking for a light beach read this book is for you. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

I go back and forth on Jill Mansell books, but this one I really enjoyed. Sure, I felt like a few of the characters were a lot more benevolent than they would be in real life, but hey, this is fiction so just enjoy it like you would a Hallmark movie.

Grab a glass of wine or a cup of tea, sink into a cozy chair and dive into Jill Mansell's latest, a satisfying read filled with family, second chances and love. And Now You're Back takes us to a charming note in the Cotwalds where me meet a daughter trying to maintain her father's legal at the hotel, a mother still deriving her spouse and finding companionship and the townsfolk who populate this charming novel. And, of course, being a Mansell book, there is the possibility of love in the form of a teenage crush who returns home. Warm, witty, satisfying.

I love Jill Mansell. I looooove her. But I found myself so bored with this one. 😭 I ended up DNFing at about 35%.

A light and romantic read. The outcomes are satisfyingly predictable which is what readers want from this genre. Second chances abound for all the characters and everything is happily resolved by the end. A nice read for lovers of light, heart-warming fiction.

I am a sucker for all books by Jill Mansell and this one did not disappoint. Full of romance, compassion and entertainment, I loved this storyline! I loved both characters so much and was rooting for their happily-ever-after!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC! It was a joyful read and just what I needed!

Jill Mansell is one of the very best writers of women’s fiction. Her novels always have heart and warmth, along with good plots, likeable characters and smile for readerss. This time readers meet Didi and Shay; Rosa, Red, Benny, Ingrid, Harry, Will and others, including a well-known actress. All are well portrayed and people that readers will enjoy getting to know.

Didi and Shay met as teens and broke up; now, Shay is back. Will their past history derail them or will they find their happy ever after? Shay’s dad has been in and out of jail many times and yet he is a most appealing character. Red is dying and wants to spend time in the town where Shay grew up and where Shay is living in Didi’s hotel. Layla is Didi’s closest friend; will she find love through Shay’s dating site or closer to home? Rosa, Layla’s mother, loved her husband Joe who died. She is offering shelter to Shay’s dad, Red, and becomes involved with Benny, a goodhearted man to whom she sold her house.. And, there is more although this gives a sense of all of the many interrelationships in this heart warming novel.

Readers looking for a relaxing read should mark their calendars for this books’ release date. I highly recommend it. Ms. Mansell has written many novels; readers may want to read them all.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. All opinions are my own.

The publisher's blurb describes And Now You're Back as telling the story of former couple Didi and Shay coming back into each other's lives after 13 years. While Didi and Shay's story definitely plays a role and serves as the catalyst for much of the story, And Now You're Back actually follows a wide cast of characters in the small town of Elliscombe.

That large cast of characters was the downfall for me. The narrative followed too many viewpoints and none of the characters were well developed. All of the main characters felt quite flat and I had a hard time buying them as real people. The very few secondary characters (because everyone was a main character) were even more undeveloped, nothing more than a name and one or two broad traits.

The numerous plot-lines (they might be subplots, but I'm not sure because I couldn't identify the main plot) divided my attention and kept me from being truly invested in any of them. It felt like 4 or 5 different stories interspersed together, rather than one coherent book. The only story line I really cared about was Rosa's, as it felt deeper and more meaningful than the rest of the plot. I would have loved to just read her story!

I think this story would have been better suited to a series of books about Elliscombe, allowing each character's story to be fully developed, or perhaps even a television series. That being said, I didn't dislike the book and would recommended it if you're looking for a lighthearted distraction that doesn't go too deep.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I just...I have Hallmark/Lifetime vibes from this book. Unfortunately, this just didn't work for me and I had to DNF, but I think it would be a great read for those that love the cutesy, Hallmark movie type romances. I really really wanted to fall in love with this book, but I just couldn't.

Thank you Netgalley, author, and publisher for the ARC of this book.