It All Comes Back To You by Melissa Wiesner is a book you need to add to your TBR list. I won’t say too much about the plot because you need to experience it for yourself, but I promise you this book will make you feel every emotion. The way it’s written is simply magical; you will experience everything that happens to the characters as though it’s happening to you. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.

This book was everything to me. I laughed, I cried, I smiled, and yes, I even got angry. I felt every single emotion with each page I turned. If I could give this book 10 stars, I absolutely would it was such an emotional rollercoaster that left a lasting impact on my heart.
The way Wiesner crafted Anna and Gabe’s story is nothing short of extraordinary. Their bond is so beautifully written, that I couldn’t help but become fully immersed in it. There wasn't a single character I disliked—except Anna's mom, but even with her, I found myself feeling sorry for her. That’s the power of Wiesner’s writing.

I lost count of how many times I cried while reading this. I felt like I was living Anna’s life, experiencing her pain and her hope. And then there’s Gabe sweet, gentle, and unwavering in his support of Anna. Everyone needs a Gabe in their life. I can’t stress this enough: Gabe, his parents, and his siblings are an absolute testament to the power of love and family. The way they love Anna, stand by her, and never let her face anything alone is the heart of this story.

It All Comes Back To You is more than just a book. It’s a journey of resilience, second chances, and the healing power of love. If you're looking for a story that will take you through the highs and lows of life with characters who will steal your heart, this one is for you.

I didn't really feel or relate to the romance in this one. I was more interested in the main character's life and her job as an adult.

This packed an emotional punch. I liked how this was more about friendship until the end. You could tell they truly cared about each other. This is more character than plot driven.

I received an arc from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This book has a lot of reviews regarding how emotional it is and I didn't feel it. Maybe I am a robot but that aspect fell short for me. The idea of the story had some potential but the execution fell flat. The pacing was extremely slow going and dragged in many parts. The timeline was too long in my opinion and was drawn out, it took too long to get to any momentum. There were too many tropes used and the plot line was oh so predictable. Anna's constant back and forth irritated me to no end. Her lack of communication meant she lacked character development. Gabe came across as almost too perfect and had no depth whatsoever, he was very one-dimensional. Both of their behaviours were very frustrating.

The book was more feelings than storytelling making the story feel like a soap opera rather than emotional. The story felt like the same old, same old. Over all the book failed to deliver a compelling or original story. While it attempts to tug at the heartstrings, the slow pacing, frustrating characters, and predictable plot ultimately detracted from the overall experience. If you are looking for a unique romance novel, look elsewhere.

I want to move in with the Weatherall family! They are the family I always wished I had. The family that thinks family is the most important thing on earth; the family that loves one another, no matter what; the family that makes time for one another, no matter what. Yep, that family. It's not the sort of family that Anna is from or is used to. It both enchants and terrifies her in equal measures. It is not a light and fluffy romance. It is a story with depth and heart. It is a story of families, and the carelessness of maternal love, the pull of drug addiction, and the unconditional and ever hopeful love of the child.

It All Comes Back to You is the kind of book that completely pulls you in and doesn’t let go. From the very first chapter, I was hooked by the emotional depth of the story and the way Melissa Wiesner masterfully explores love, regrets, and the power of the past.

What I loved most about this book was how beautifully it balanced heartache and hope. The characters felt incredibly real—flawed yet lovable, making me deeply invested in their journey. The dual timelines were handled so well, revealing just enough at the right moments to keep me flipping pages late into the night. It was one of those books where I had to know what happened next but also didn’t want it to end.

Wiesner’s writing is stunning—poetic yet grounded, full of emotion without ever feeling overdone. There were moments that made me tear up, moments that made me smile, and moments that hit so close to home that I had to pause and just feel it all. The themes of lost love, forgiveness, and rediscovery were woven together in such a way that it left me thinking about the story long after I finished.

If you love books that make you feel deeply, reflect on the "what-ifs" of life, and believe in the beauty of second chances, It All Comes Back to You is an absolute must-read. I adored every moment of this story and will be thinking about it for a long time.

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!