Review: "Back to You" by Priscilla Glenn

When Lauren Monroe first laid eyes on Michael Delaney back in high school, she had every reason to stay away from him; within minutes of their first encounter, his volatile actions confirmed his notorious reputation. But Lauren saw something in him that caused her to question his bad-boy persona, and against her better judgment, she took a chance. She had no way of knowing that the unlikely friendship they formed would become so important to her or that it would end so painfully. Eight years later, when Lauren begins her new job at Learn and Grow Day Care, Michael is the last person she expects to see. Refusing to revisit the hurt and confusion of their past, Lauren vows to keep her distance from him. But staying away from Michael proves to be more difficult than she thought, despite her lingering grief and her instincts for self-preservation. As Lauren and Michael recall the friendship that changed them forever and the events that tore them apart, will they finally be able to heal? Or will the ghosts of Michael’s past prove to be too much to overcome?
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     "Back to You" had a sweet romance with a very real-life feel to it.  It was told partially in the past and part in the present.  The author did it a little different than the usual flashbacks.  Each jump from Michael's early childhood, Michael and Lauren in high school and them in current day are broken up by chapters and dated.  This really eliminated the confusion that sometimes happens when an author does quick glimpses in the past without clearly defining them.  It also allowed her to be able to let us step back with the characters and get almost as much of the early years of their friendship as what's going on with each of them now.  
     Priscilla Glenn did a wonderful job of really helping you to connect with the characters and feel what they were feeling.  The second half of the book drew about every emotion, good and bad.  The only issue I had, and it was not a big one, was that I found the characters and scenes were not described in detail.  It made it hard to picture it in my head and I really love to feel like I'm right there in every scene.  
     There was a lot of suspense waiting to find out where things were going to go and what happened in their past to get them to this point.  It was definitely a story of friendship and love and what you're willing to do for each other.  Michael also has a daughter and seeing his relationship with her after the troubled past he's had was touching.  This book was just what I needed after coming off a couple of very dark books.  "Back to You" was suspenseful, heartwarming and completely down to earth. This is Priscilla Glenn's first published book, but I will definitely be watching for what she has coming out next.