Back to September grips you from the first page, and doesn't let you go until you've thoroughly experienced the emotional roller coaster.

I was already a fan of Melissa Brayden's writing, so I pretty much knew going in that this was going to be a hit for me. It can be a tough job trying to find a good f/f romance without having to compromise on the actual quality of the writing. But Brayden delivers on all fronts. Lovable characters, exciting settings and fresh plots; there's little room for complaint. As a queer woman, it's exciting to see novels like Back to September hitting the shelves, and paving the way for more in the future!

I loved the book in it's entirety, but I think my favourite part is definitely the first meeting between Parker and Hannah. A Likely Story makes for such a fun setting, and one of my few complains for Back to September is that we didn't get to see more of it. I have to say that most of my favourite moments are set there, I've mentioned the first meeting, but the epilogue is high up there too. There's a certain energy to the setting, and I don't quite know what the root of that is, but I'm certainly not complaining. I'd love to see A Likely Story crop up again in a future novel by Brayden.

There's definitely room for subsequent novels or novellas stemming from Back to September! I think one of Brayden's strengths as an author is her ability to flesh out the secondary characters. Its slightly worrying, the extent to which her writing had me investing myself into characters I may never see again. There's honestly no character I don't want to see more of. Name one, and I'm likely invested. Okay, I'll admit that I have zero real interest in Amy's ex, but other than him, take your pick! I want to see more of Amy and Bo, Pinky, Luna and even Carissa. Was she annoying? Yes. Did she repeatedly irritate me? Yes. Do I still want to see if she matures and ultimately finds someone? YES.

Brayden doesn't just flesh out the secondary characters though. Parker and Hannah obviously have well thought out backstories, and their character growth throughout the book doesn't feel too rushed either. I was curious when they got together so quickly, as to how the narrative would pan out, but I think it works well. Ultimately, it results in a more unique plot structure for Back to September, and doesn't have it feeling too predictable, as some romances definitely are guilty of.

Overall, Back to September is an absolute pleasure to read! I'm excited to see more from Melissa Brayden, and whether she'll revisit any of the settings or characters from this one!

Thank you to Netgalley and Boldstrokes for providing and ARC e-copy for the purposes of honest review.