For this blog tour, we’re looking at a strong, emotional romance that packs quite a punch. For this blog tour, we’re looking at All The Ways You Save Me by Melissa Wiesner.
First, the review I posted to the book sites (BookHype.com / Goodreads.com / PageBound.co / TheStoryGraph) and YouTube:
Strong Tale Packs A Punch – And Leaves Enough Left For An Exciting Followup. This is one of those books that packs *such* an emotional weight that I think the best comparison I can make goes back nearly a decade now – to Laurie Breton’s Coming Home, which I read circa 2017 or so and was the first book I ever used the term “tour de force” to describe.
This one doesn’t hit *quite* as hard as that one, but it’ll still land a few haymakers. Maybe Mike Tyson vs George Foreman when both were in their primes. In other words, “mere mortal”, prepare for an emotional beatdown with this book… in the best possible ways.
Seriously, this has “summer romance that can go so much further” written *all* over it, and thus its release window – just before Labor Day in the US, after at least some kids (including my nieces and nephew) have started back to school already but right there as college Fall Semester is starting up and summer is coming to a close – is damn near perfect for exactly this story. Even now literally 20 yrs post college and having been married for the vast majority of that time (18 yrs this Fall vs graduating 20 yrs ago this past May), I don’t know, for some reason this season of the year just evokes those kinds of emotions for me, and always has.
There isn’t really any comedy here, so the levity is more in the fact that we’re not in the middle of an emotional scene and are thus riding the swell to the next one (ha! a surfing metaphor, in a book that *does* include some surfing!). And yet the book works perfectly well *because* of this, rather than in spite of the lack of comedy. Not all tales need to be romcoms, and this one in particular is well served by keeping the comedy out. It allows the emotions to have the heft and also the breathing room they need to really work well.
Some may argue that in at least one somewhere between jalapeno and habanero scene that “they’re only 17!!!!”. A valid point, in that exact scene. But it also reflects *reality* going back essentially as long as humanity itself, and that scene helps give the overall tale the weight it needs for what happens later in the timeline. (I don’t remember where this exact scene is in the actual storytelling.) If you’re going to 1 or 2 star this book over that scene, it really says more about you than Wiesner, her storytelling abilities, or this tale in particular, and now that I’ve told you the scene is there, it really is on you, the reader of my review, to just avoid this book if that truly is a dealbreaker for you. I’ll tell you right now you’re depriving yourself of one of the more emotional romance tales I’ve read in my life – maybe even beating out Nicholas Sparks on the emotional side – but that is completely on you, and you do what you need to do. Just don’t be unfair to this book when I specifically made you aware of the existence of this issue here. 😀
Overall, again, truly one of the more emotional and thus stronger overall romances I’ve read in quite some time, and even though it leaves a few threads unanswered, it does so in ways that make it clear that they will be explored in Book 2… which I am very excited to get in my hands ASAP. Per Wiesner herself on social media gearing up for the release of this book, that one is titled All The Ways You Break Me and releases in February 2026 – roughly six months from now. I tell you now that unless Bookouture (the publisher) or Wiesner prevent me from doing so, I will be reviewing that book and on its blog tour as well. I *wish* it were already in my hands. And you’re very likely going to say that last sentence yourself if you read this book near release date, as hopefully you see this review in time to do. 🙂
Very much recommended.
After the jump, the “publisher details” – book info, description, author bio, social links, and buy links.
Book Description:
I stand on the beach and gasp as a wave knocks me over, bringing memories of the night Adam died: the pouring rain, my voice shouting his name. Suddenly, I feel strong arms pulling me from the water. A familiar voice speaks soothing words—and my heart explodes with unspeakable, unbearable hope. I’d know those ocean-blue eyes anywhere. It’s him. It’s impossible. It’s Adam.
Madeline and Adam were high-school sweethearts, and Jason their teasing best friend. The trio did everything together. But one awful night, they lost Adam in a terrible accident.
Ten years later, Madeline and Jason are planning their wedding. They’ll never forget Adam, even though Jason doesn’t like to talk about the past, and happiness feels just around the corner.Until Madeline is saved by a stranger on the beach. As she gazes at his familiar features, she could swear he’s Adam. Her Adam.
It’s been ten years since Adam died. And the man says his name is Garrett. He’s kind, but distant.
Maybe Madeline was confused. This handsome stranger saved her life—no wonder she felt close to him. The fact that his eyes, and lips, and dark wavy hair dripping with saltwater are just the same as Adam’s must be a coincidence. Right?
But a single summer can change everything. And as Madeline searches for answers, she’s forced to question everything she’s ever believed: about her own memories, the boy she once loved, and the life she’s supposed to live.
A totally addictive and unforgettable romance with a touch of spice, about the choices we make when it matters most, and how to follow your heart. Anyone who loves Carley Fortune, Colleen Hoover, or Paige Toon won’t be able to put this down!
Perfect for anyone who loves these tropes:
- High school sweethearts
- New/old flame
- Love triangle
- Rescue romance
- Small town romance
- Mistaken identity
Author Bio:
Melissa Wiesner’s mother didn’t allow her to watch much TV as a child and instead, made her play with paint, colorful pipe cleaners, random bits of fabric, and all manner of other crafty things. This set Melissa up for a lifetime of creative pursuits, and it was only a matter of time before things took a bookish turn.
A night-owl, Melissa began writing novels when her early-to-bed family retired for the evening. She is the award-winning author of contemporary romantic comedies and emotional women’s fiction. Her work has earned praise from Kirkus, Booklist, Library Journal, and Publisher’s Weekly, and has been featured in Women’s World, The Knot, and Book of the Month. Melissa’s novels will soon be translated into a dozen languages. Along with her charming husband and two adorable children, she splits her time between the big city of Pittsburgh, PA and rural West Virginia.
Social Media Links:
Author Website: https://www.melissawiesner.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissawiesnerauthor/
Threads: https://www.threads.com/@melissawiesnerauthor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MelissaWiesnerAuthor
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/melissawiesner.bsky.social
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/melissa-wiesner
BookHype: https://bookhype.com/author/show/9391ef69-fa51-40ef-a02b-a91bb6d43f28/melissa-wiesner
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21307114.Melissa_Wiesner
PageBound: https://pagebound.co/authors/bb105d47-6aed-495c-83af-ba1793ffb283
TheStoryGraph: https://app.thestorygraph.com/authors/67800350-0df6-43b4-a63c-225cd3d2da47
Buy Links:
https://geni.us/B0FFMYPT4Fsocial
