2.5 stars

Meh.

The lead up to the action was long and boring. The surprise twist was predictable from fairly early on. The writing could have used a lighter touch - everything felt long and heavy and so deliberate.

I feel like I've read this book before and You Always Come Back didn't do anything unique or exciting to differentiate itself from the pack.

July's testimony was what put your own father in prison for the serial killings of several girls, but when new evidence emerges years later, she must grapply with the possibility that she might have made a mistake. I personally could not get into the book just because personally I prefer a faster pace, but this is not a reflection of the quality of the writing.

This story changes time at each chapter. Them and now.
At first it takes some time to get the story straight on your head but don’t give up. It comes together and is a good story.

I love the strength of characters and the story of “Livewire” & Gabe. Would love to see what comes next for all these characters.

A cinematic psychological thriller, with elements of the southern gothic, that you will want to finish as soon as you dive in.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

You Always Come Back was a pulse pounding suspense mystery book for me. I'm actually surprised that this is the author's debut. I found the plot very compelling, each chapter did a great job of reeling me in with just enough suspense & intrigue to keep me turning those pages. Reading about the quirky & dysfunctional Weaver family was a unique experience for me. Everyone in the family has rough edges & are bound by a common tragedy that saw death take their youngest very early. The plot was riveting & I found myself quite enthralled with whole greenhouse conservatory theme it had going. Needless to say I loved July Weaver despite her eccentricity. The characters too were quirky and strong. Everything about this book appealed to me, but that ending was just something else! If you're looking for slow intrigue, thrills, chills & lots of dysfunctional family drama then this a book for you.

Thank you Netgalley, Emily Smith & Crooked Lane Books for the arc!

Thank you Netgalley. This was a fantastic read. The families dysfunction is like nothing else I have ever read. The story is excellent and characters were well drawn and relatable. Looking forward to more from this author.

July fled her hometown 10 years ago when a fateful summer sent her already fragile family into a tailspin. Her eccentric father was convicted of murdering her younger sister and several other local young women, while her mother was nearly crippled by psychiatric issues. But now, she’s been called back to Pacific Lake by her older brother, Auggie, when her younger brother, facing his own demons, tries to commit suicide. As events begin to resemble those of that fateful summer, July, begins to question everything, including her father’s guilt….

This book is narrated by July, in two timelines: in the present and in the past, chronicling the events of her final summer in Pacific Lake and the events leading to her father’s arrest.

Talk about a suspenseful atmosphere; This book is wound so tight is practically squeaks! I loved the tension as everything built toward the climax in both timelines reached a crescendo and we begin to see both what made July run scared from Pacific Lake and we get answers about the deaths of local women. Was it her dad all along? Or someone working for him? Or none of the above? There’s so many possibilities and the author doesn’t really give much up as she works through the story.

However, I did eventually figure it out before “the big reveal.” It eventually became fairly clear. But there were still enough little surprises and twists that my jaw was hanging open at the end of the book. Let’s just say, there’s quite a few tricks up Emily Smith’s sleeves, and she really capitalizes on all of them.

There’s also a bit of a romance element that I enjoyed. It didn’t take over the story or subtract from the major plot.

Overall, I highly recommend this if you enjoy suspense and dramatic thrillers. I’ll be looking forward to more from this author!

This is my first book by this author and I was wowed! It truly is a great mystery and leaves you wondering who the guilty party is. Highly recommended!

July Weaver is all too familiar with the Pacific Lake Killer. After all, he killed her little sister and almost killed July. She couldn’t believe her father would do these things but he was found guilty and she hasn’t spoken to him since.

Now July has a career in Nashville, writing popular songs for country artists. She left her hometown and vowed to never return. But her brother is in trouble and July is responsible for him. In an effort to save him, July will return to her hometown and face her past.

There are four siblings remaining and July is at odds with all of them. With a disappearance that is eerily similar to that of the Pacific Lake Killer, July starts to question her memory. Did the police convict the right man? If not, will the killer come back to her to finish the job?

A woman comes back to her hometown to help her family out. While there, she must confront her past of whether or not her dad was a serial killer.

I wanted to like this one based on the premise, but I found it to be really slow. The premise made it out to be more suspenseful and thriller-y but I got more family drama vibes. That could just be me though.

I really enjoyed this book and I cant believe that this is her first book. I was engaged the whole way through. Loved the southern setting of Georgia.

I have so many good things to say about this book! First, I really liked the characters (even the ones that were unlikeable) because they were all really well-developed. Second, I loved the family dynamic and different relationships between each of the siblings, and each of the parents - it felt real and believable. Third, the suspense was real. I'm not usually a serial killer thriller fan, but while a major plot point, not the focus of the book. With a classic whodunit edge, and a bit of crime fiction thrown in, this book had many elements for a great thriller. And finally, the ending (thought not completely unpredictable), was heartbreakingly good. I would definitely recommend this book.

July Weaver's sister disappeared nine years ago and July's father Harry was convicted for the murder along with the murders of three others. After leaving home, July made a career as a songwriter and tried to distance herself from the past. When she gets a call from her brother Mark that their brother Deck tried to kill himself, she finds herself going back home and the memories of that time begin to surface. The more she finds out about the events around her sister's disappearance, the more she begins to question whether it really was Harry or if it might have been someone else close to home. Overall, a gripping mystery about how well you know those closest to you and the secrets they may be harboring.

4/5 stars! This was my first read by Emily Smith. I really enjoyed this thriller. It was heavy on the twists and at times was a little unbelievable, but I didn't guess the twist until a couple of pages before the reveal, so it was a successful story. The entire Weaver clan was unlikeable as heck haha. But Deck was my favorite. I found myself able to get through this in one day and would definitely pick up more books by this author.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is a really well done debut, full of one of the most complex and interesting families in fiction I've read lately. I had my suspicions early on, and while I was right, the twisty journey was worthwhile. I'm looking forward to more from this author.

This book was a LOT! There was so much sadness, anger, and fucked-up-ness going on! I am glad that it ended on a kind of happy note...but getting there was super tense. And her brother (you have to figure out which one) was a total bag of dicks and totally fucked up! This was a wild ride from start to finish and I was totally here for it! This was my 1st book by Emily Smith but I will be keeping my eyes peeled for her next one!

#YouAlwaysComeBack
#NetGalley

July is back in town, the town she thought she escaped when she was 18, to help her addict brother get back on track with the rest of her family which includes her 4 siblings, and her schizophrenic mother. Absent is her father, the town serial killer, who is in jail for murdering her baby sister, and a whole slew of girls. But things don’t seem right once she’s in her hometown and she starts to question everything she thought about that night she was attacked. This kept me interested and I read it very quickly but figured out the twist way before it was revealed.

**4.5-stars**

Nine years ago, July Weaver's younger sister, May, was the first victim of a serial killer in rural Georgia, dubbed the Pacific Lake Killer. After July's own testimony puts her father away for the crimes, she decides she's had enough. She flees her family home to try to make it on her own in Nashville.

Struggling with addiction and not necessarily achieving all her dreams career-wise, July finds herself in a bit of a rut. Then she gets a call from her family. Ughhh, just when you think things can't get any worse...

It appears her younger brother, Dec, who also struggles with substance abuse, has had a major setback and may even have tried to take his own life. It's one of her older brothers who reaches out to her and he insists that July comes home. They need to fix this as a family. Begrudgingly, she agrees and heads home for the first time in nine long years.

July heads home expecting an uncomfortable family reunion, what she's not expecting is to discover new evidence that will make her question everything; her Dad, her choices and her sister's death. Is it possible the wrong man went away for the crimes? Is the Pacific Lake Killer still out there? And if they are, is there any way for July to make it right?

You Always Come Back was such a delightful surprise. I had no idea what to expect going into this debut, as far as quality goes, and I'll tell you, I'm tickled pink. I listened to the audiobook and recommend that as a format for people who have access to it. The narration brought this story to life and drew me in immediately.

I loved the overall tone of the story. It brought to mind a sort of hillbilly noir quality that I always enjoy. Fans of The Familiar Dark and Out of the Ashes should sit up and pay attention. This one is good!

I really enjoyed the way Smith told this story. The back-and-forth between past and present, as a way to develop the family dynamics and history, was so intriguing. I found both perspectives equally fascinating and for me, the pace never slowed down once July got back home. I do adore the trope of an MC returning to their hometown after many years away, looking into a mystery, or digging into something they have questions about. In that regard, this story fit my tastes to a tee.

In addition to that though, I just feel like this is great storytelling, start-to-finish. Interesting characters, an intriguing mystery and some unsettling atmosphere. What more can you want? I am so happy to have read this and to have a new Mystery/Suspense author to fangirl over. I'm looking forward to reading Smith's next novel!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Crooked Lane Books and Dreamscape Media, for providing me with copies to read and review. This one exceeded all my expectations!

I was absolutely shocked when I read that this book was a debut. It was fantastic!

July Weaver is forced to return to the home she swore off 9 years ago when her father was convicted as a serial killer, because one of her siblings needs her. She never questioned her father's guilt, because she was the last intended victim that got away. While home, women start disappearing in eerily similar ways, but her father is still in prison. There is either a copycat, or she was wrong all those years ago.

This is told in dual timelines with July returning home now, and the summer 9 years ago where everything started with the disappearance of her sister, May.

I loved how the backstory kept you engaged, in addition to the current happenings. The Weaver family were outcasts in the community, due to her mother's bizarre behavior with schizophrenia that her father refused to acknowledge. There were 6 siblings, including July who were all named after the months they were born in, which is just a nice added touch to their oddness (one or two is fine, but when you get to siblings named March and December in addition to the others, it's odd).

I thought I had the plot twist to the story figured out and was a little disappointed for half a second towards the end because it was so easy to guess, but I WAS WRONG. Probably my favorite part of the book was that the plot twist actually got me.

There are some trigger warnings, so check those out, but overall, I thought it was a fantastic read.

You Always Come Back by Emily Smith was a gripping debut!
This book is absolutely phenomenal. There were so many twists and turns that had me on the edge of my seat until literally the last page.
It is a book full of gripping moments and cleverly intertwined characters that builds up to a shocking conclusion.
The story is well written and Smith has a way that keeps you turning the pages till early hours.
This was an amazing debut novel by Emily Smith!

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!