I really enjoyed this sweet fake dating holiday romance. I loved that one of the characters was Jewish, and I enjoyed the lighthearted low angst coziness of the story. A great holiday read.

Murphy has been trying to finish her degree for a long time, hoping to finally join her BFF Kat at U of I. When Kat brings her new boyfriend along to their big pre-thanksgiving hangout, Murphy is crushed and spends most of the night with Ellie Myers instead. This just wasn’t for me. I didn’t think the Ellie or Murphy had chemistry, I didn’t like that Kat and her didn’t communicate, and most of all, Murphy’s parents at the end, springing a move on her felt really crappy. I just wasn’t invested in any of their stories towards the end and while I appreciated the cozy, nostalgic nature, I think the romance and the internal character development were underdeveloped.

Thank you, Netgalley and Pengiun Books for an arc of I'll Get Back To You by Becca Grischow. This book is a cozy and heartfelt queer holiday romance that captures the messy beauty of growing up and falling in love. Set around Thanksgiving, the story follows Murphy, a struggling college student, and Ellie, her unexpectedly queer former classmate, as they fake a relationship for a weekend that turns into something more. With authentic characters and a Midwest setting, the novel blends humor, vulnerability, and sapphic charm, making it a refreshing and relatable read for anyone who loves queer stories with emotional depth and seasonal warmth

I'll Get Back to You feels like reading a group chat that’s equal parts hilarious, chaotic, and devastatingly tender. Becca Grischow writes with the voice of someone who’s been Very Online for years—but beneath the memes and self-deprecation is a rawness that catches you off guard.

This is nonfiction, but not in a linear “here’s what happened” way. It’s more like a series of emotional dispatches from the trenches of early adulthood, queer grief, dating apps, friendship implosions, and what it means to lose people slowly. The essays ping between formats—emails, texts, monologues, breakup letters—and that fragmentation works. It mirrors how memory actually works when you’re dissociating, scrolling, trying to laugh instead of sobbing.

Grischow is funny as hell, but never mean. There’s a gentleness in her humor, even when she’s dragging herself. Think Samantha Irby with more Tumblr-era damage. She writes about queer identity and mental illness with this “I’m not an authority, I’m just surviving” energy that makes you feel seen—especially if you’re still figuring your shit out.

Some pieces hit harder than others, and yeah, the tonal whiplash might not work for every reader. But honestly? That’s kind of the point. It feels like what living in this moment feels like: constantly toggling between absurdity and heartbreak.

If you’ve ever sent a 3 a.m. voice note you regretted immediately, fallen in love with someone who didn’t text back, or tried to find God in a Wendy’s parking lot, I’ll Get Back to You is for you. It’s messy, weird, deeply queer, and—like the title promises—it lingers.

I really wanted to love this, as a lesbian and a lover of a holiday romance. However.

Thank you for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! I am working through my backlog, and will be momentarily posting reviews for the stories I have yet to get posted but have finished reading.

I’ll Get Back to You is such a fun and lighthearted read! Becca Grischow’s writing is witty and sharp, and the banter between the main characters had me smiling the whole way through. The story strikes a great balance between humor and heart, making it feel both fresh and genuinely sweet.

The characters are relatable, flawed, and real—definitely not your typical rom-com tropes, which was a nice change of pace. The pacing is spot on, keeping things moving without rushing the emotional moments.

Why not 5 stars? A few predictable plot points and some minor clichés, but honestly, it didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment.

If you want a cute, feel-good romance that doesn’t take itself too seriously, this one’s a solid pick.

Nice but predictable romance with many laugh out loud parts! I enjoyed reading as it held my attention and moved at a great pace.

I love a good book with a fake dating trope. Are they overdone? Sure, but they're also fun. I'll Get Back to You is a quick read with Sapphic characters that are actually really likeable. I felt like they had depth. The romance was a bit rushed, but it still felt believable.

In this book we get to meet Murphy who is currently stumbling through this thing we call life. She is dealing with taking accounting for the second time, being still home with her parents, her best friend having a boyfriend taking all of her time up while she is at university and Murphy is stuck at community college. She also works full time at the local coffee shop as a barista, social media and event manger. She has to navigate a lot in a short period of time without many willing to actually support her and are doing their own selfish things. I really felt for Murphy through this whole book. I laughed, I cried and I smiled with the happily ever after. If you enjoy sapphic romance, small town near a big city, land messy yet relatable families this is the book for you. Thank you Netgallery, Becca Grischow, and Penguin Books for choosing me to be an arc for this book.

Maybe I'm in a romance slump, but this book unfortunately wasn't for me.

It's positioned in a hard place--it read more like YA than romance for adults, given that new adult isn't really a place in the market. But it also seemed inconsistent: elements that were meant to age up the characters weren't introduced until 50% through.

I think fake dating isn't the trope for me generally, but this was extra contrived. Also, I found nothing redeeming about one of the MCs and would not want anyone to be in a relationship with her.

Such a cute romance. A little short and quick but a great read. Other than the quickness of the plot and relationships, my only note was that some of the specifics of the pitching bugged me. As a former collegiate softball pitcher myself, I’m not sure why the book’s former softball pitcher was throwing a knuckle ball or describing mechanics that implied pitching overhand, but I don’t think that will bother others as much as me. Otherwise, this was a really fun book and I’d love to read more from the author!

I received a copy of the book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

As a primarily romance reader, this book truly fell short for me. I felt unconnected to the characters and felt un-invested.

The romance aspect truly fell short.

I read this awhile ago but struggled to compile my thoughts. I really wanted to enjoy this book but I couldn’t relate to the characters and the story just didn’t pull me in. I liked the small town setting and could relate a bit to that feeling of being left out, but overall I could not relate to the characters.

I enjoyed I"ll Get Back to You by Becca Grischow and found myself getting very involved in Murphy's story. I don't know why it sat on my To be read list so long but I'm glad I finally got to it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of I'll Get Back to You in exchange for an honest opinion. This book is available now.

Becca Grischow's debut is a heartfelt romance that captures the struggles of growing up, finding independence, and looking for love. Struggling with feeling left behind in her small hometown, Murphy strikes a deal with Ellie—she'll pretend to be Ellie's girlfriend to help her win her parents’ approval for grad school, while Ellie’s professor mother might go easier on Murphy’s grades. But as their fake relationship deepens, Murphy realizes that pretending to love Ellie might not be pretend at all. With a fresh take on the fake-dating trope, the novel delivers lovable and relatable characters that feel authentic. Warm, funny, and brimming with charm, this is a perfect feel-good read for anyone who loves romance with a side of real-life challenges.

I really enjoyed this book! It’s more of a coming of age story and a little less romance. Fake dating is my number one romance trope and this one really delivered. I like how Murphy really came into herself and made the right choices for her instead of her friends in the end.

I think I've read this story many times before lol I'm not saying it was bad, but I've read better and more engaging ones. I actually love the new adult era, but this one didn't hit the mark for me. It did feel a little premature. Murphy and Kat had a flare for the dramatics lol

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of I'll Get Back to You by Becca Grischow!

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

I'll Get Back to You by Becca Grischow is a charming queer holiday romance that blends heartfelt self-discovery with delightful fake-dating chaos. The story follows Murphy, stuck in a rut in her small-town life, and Ellie, a former classmate turned unexpected ally. Their plan to navigate family expectations and personal ambitions through a fake relationship delivers humor, tension, and tender moments as genuine feelings bloom.

The small-town setting and relatable struggles give the story depth, though the pacing occasionally slows during introspection. Overall, it’s an enjoyable, heartwarming read perfect for fans of new adult romances with holiday vibes.

I would give it 4 out of 5 stars for its engaging characters, holiday charm, and heartfelt exploration of growth, though it could benefit from a tighter narrative flow.