I'm delighted to be taking part in the blog tour for Rachael English's Going Back!

Yesterday, the author was talking books over at The Love of a Good Book and don't forget to visit Paperbacks & Protagonists tomorrow for the next stop on the tour.



Title: Going Back.
Author: Rachael English.
Publisher: Orion.
Genre: Romance.
Publication Date: May 22, 2014.
Source: Review copy.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Purchase: Amazon UK

In the summer of 1988, Elizabeth Kelly and her friends leave recession-hit Ireland for a summer of adventure and opportunity in Boston. The next four months change all of them, especially Elizabeth. Quiet and dutiful at home, she surprises herself and everyone else by falling for Danny Esposito, a restless charmer with a troublesome family.

More than twenty years later with opportunities in Ireland scarce once again, a new generation looks to America, awakening memories of a golden summer for their parents. When a crisis occurs, Elizabeth returns to Boston where she is drawn back into the life she once lived. But will she be able to reconcile the dreams of her twenty-year-old self with the woman she has become?

Going Back is a story of family, friendships and love, of difficult decisions and lifelong consequences.






Going Back is the tale of Elizabeth, who having spent a short while in Boston with her college friends when she was younger, returns back there several years later to be faced with a certain charmer from her past. This was a nostalgic, romantic novel – an impressive debut from Rachael English.

Whilst the prologue instantly drew me in, the actual story felt more of a slowburner. As we go back in time to learn about Elizabeth’s time in Boston - her issues with Orla, her growing feelings for Danny – it took me a little while to get into the story and to connect with the characters.

When the plot became more captivating, there was a lot to like about Going Back. I loved seeing Elizabeth’s character grow and change to become less reserved and more outgoing. I enjoyed the humour laced into the plot and the Irish traits used in Boston – the language and the pronunciation from Elizabeth’s side was so different to the US way which brought a wonderful, cultural feel to the book. As the book went on, I was falling for Elizabeth and Danny’s relationship as much as they were falling for each other and then the book moved forward in time.

I loved the concept of Going Back. The second part of the book was different to the first in that whilst romance was still a part of it, it was more grown up rather than the whirlwind, drama filled romance from the younger years. I loved seeing how all the characters were placed years on and how life had changed.

I wasn’t really sure what to expect from Going Back but the author has written an enchanting outlook on how life changes over the years and things don’t always turn out how you expect them to. It’s a book that makes you think about your own life and dreams – an enjoyable, thought-provoking novel perfect for a night-in reading and something to discuss with your friends and family.



Review also posted on Goodreads | Amazon UK


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