Eva Des Lauriers’ I’m Gonna Get You Back Pairs a School Mystery With Angsty Romance

I’m Gonna Get You Back by Eva Des Lauriers makes its central mystery personal: Gwen wants to know who sabotaged her documentary, and why the fallout landed so unevenly. Published by Henry Holt (Macmillan) in 2026, the 342-page novel is listed at $21. Its reviewer recommends it for high school readers and says it will appeal to several kinds of readers.

A mystery rooted in unequal consequences

Months before the main action, Gwen’s Legacy scholarship was taken away after someone sabotaged the showing of her documentary at the final banquet. Gwen faced consequences over compromising footage in the film. The principal’s son, who also received a scholarship, escaped any loss. That disparity gives Gwen’s search more weight than a simple puzzle: she is trying to identify who hurt her while confronting the sense that the consequences were not shared fairly.

The novel picks up as Legacy weekend brings Reid and the others back home. Gwen has been struggling to keep her life together and has shut out Reid, someone she once thought might be the love of her life. Their reunion arrives amid secrets and unresolved hurt. Gwen is intent on finding and exposing the person responsible, but the information she needs sits alongside a relationship already strained by silence and misunderstanding.

The setup gives the story two connected questions: what happened to Gwen’s film, and what has happened between Gwen and Reid? The reviewer welcomes a mystery that does not revolve around murder. That choice leaves room for the harm caused by sabotage, suspicion and unequal treatment to carry the suspense. Readers looking for a school-set mystery with personal stakes may find that focus appealing.

Two voices, two timelines

Des Lauriers alternates chapters between Gwen and Reid, and between “Then” and “Now.” The reviewer says each shift is clearly labeled, making the structure easy to follow. Moving between the characters gives the romance space to show both sides of its misunderstandings, while the changes in time let readers piece together the events behind Gwen’s present-day determination.

There’s a tradeoff in that approach. The reviewer found that the “Then” chapters drag at points, so the backward-looking sections may slow the pace for readers eager to see Gwen press her investigation forward. Still, the structure supports a story where the past matters: the current strain between Gwen and Reid cannot be separated from what happened before Legacy weekend.

The romance, in the reviewer’s view, is heartfelt and marked by angst and miscommunication. That combination suits readers who enjoy relationships shaped by hurt feelings and things left unsaid, as well as readers who want the emotional thread to sit beside the mystery rather than disappear behind it. The title’s double meaning also pleased the reviewer, adding a playful edge to a story about retaliation, affection and getting answers.

Reader guidance and appeal

The review lists the language as R, with more than 100 swear words, including more than 25 uses of “f.” Mature content is rated PG-13 and includes steamy kissing, removed pants and drinking; violence is rated G. Those content notes give families and teen readers concrete details to consider alongside the reviewer’s high school advisory.

Cindy, a middle school librarian with an MLS, describes the book as advisable for high school readers and says its appeal extends across several reader groups. Its mix of a non-murder mystery, a two-perspective romance and a clearly signposted timeline offers different points of entry. Readers drawn mainly to fast investigation may notice the slower “Then” passages; readers who like emotional friction and a mystery built around a character’s damaged prospects may be more at home in Gwen’s story.

I’m Gonna Get You Back looks suited to readers who want answers, but also care about the personal cost of a secret and the awkward work of reconnecting. The central draw is the balance between Gwen’s resolve to uncover the sabotage and a romance that remains tender beneath its misunderstandings.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS