I’m Gonna Get You Back by Eva Des Lauriers
I’m Gonna Get You Back coming May 19th, 2026 from Henry Holt and Co. (BYR); 352 pages
Content Warning: Foul language, cheating, abandonment, sexual content, drinking
About the Author: “Eva Des Lauriers is a California girl who became a diehard romantic when she married her best friend, the boy she sat next to in eleventh grade Calculus. She holds both an MSW and BA in Psychology. As a clinical social worker, she had the privilege of working with the vibrant and complicated teens for whom she now writes. When she isn’t writing, you can find her wandering through the redwoods, staring at the sea, or pretending she’s in a music video. She lives with her husband, their two children, and her collection of kissing books in Northern California. Visit her at evadeslauriers.com” (Bio from author’s Goodreads profile).
Find Eva Des Lauriers on the following platforms:
At Woodhurst High School, only five students are chosen every year to be a Legacy, receiving a scholarship and the prestige that comes with such a title. However, at the announcement assembly, a video is mysteriously played that ends up costing Clara her spot as a Legacy. All her plans for her future come tumbling down, including her growing relationship with Reid, who also received a Legacy spot. Months later, the five Legacies return to town for the annual Legacy Weekend. But an anonymous social media account, Legacy Lore, is threatening to uncover all the Legacies’ secrets, leaving them scrambling to find out who is behind it. Meanwhile, Clara is still reeling from having lost the Legacy spot and wanting to discover who sabotaged her. Clara and Reid, both still possessing feelings for each other, work together to unravel the mysteries and rebuild connections.
This book was a delightful mystery and love story all rolled into one that I simply could not get enough of. The mystery aspect kept me reading, wanting to uncover what happened to Clara back in high school and also who is behind the Legacy Lore account. I loved how this book was dual point of view (P.O.V.); I am a big fan of dual P.O.V. romance books and this one definitely delivered all the yearning inner thoughts from both Reid and Clara. Those remaining feelings for each other from high school permeated both of their perspectives, making me root for them wholeheartedly and effectively creating a love story that felt realistic to me. The book also has alternating timelines from past to present that helped amplify the mystery of who was behind sabotaging Clara. It was nice to see how the characters have changed and are struggling as they move from high school into college. I think this book will be relatable for a lot of high school and college-aged people feeling academic pressure and struggling to manage all the different aspects of their lives while going through these big changes and moments. This book went beyond being just a romance story and delved into how the Legacy program leads high schoolers to put a lot of pressure on themselves to be perfect and have their lives all figured out—something that made this book relatable to me. There was a perfect blend of serious, emotional scenes with cute and fun ones that made the story both complex and realistic.
I’m Gonna Get You Back releases on May 19th, 2026.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.
Katelyn Burklow, Pine Reads Review Writer
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