The Same Backward As Forward (Standard Edition)
The Same Backward As Forward by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers in 2025, is a unique narrative that allows readers to experience a love story from two perspectives. This edition spans 400 pages and is presented in English. The story follows Hannah Rooney, who navigates her life while trying to escape the shadow of her criminal family, and Tobias Hawthorne II, an heir burdened by secrets and a tragic past. Their lives intertwine during a catastrophic event that alters their fates, leading to a complex relationship shaped by grief and unexpected emotions.
Readers will find a compelling exploration of social and family issues, as well as elements of mystery and romance. The narrative structure invites readers to engage with the story in a non-linear fashion, flipping the book to see events unfold from both Hannah’s and Toby’s viewpoints. This edition presents a fresh take on contemporary themes, making it a notable addition to the genres of teen and young adult literature, mysteries, and thrillers.
Official synopsis Publisher
You’ve fallen in love with the Hawthorne brothers, now discover the love story of the lost scion of Hawthorne House. Read Hannah’s side of the story, then flip the book over to experience their love anew through Toby’s eyes in this unforgettable novel that you can read backward or forward.
Hannah Rooney knows how to be invisible. At twenty, she keeps her head down and her eyes open, and so far, she’s managed to avoid being pulled into the dealings of her notorious criminal family. Hannah lives her life in countdown mode, biding her time in nursing school as she waits for her beloved sister, Kaylie, to turn eighteen so Hannah can get them both far, far away from Rockaway Watch and start a new life.
Tobias Hawthorne II acts every inch the entitled heir that he is. As the only son of one of the country’s richest men, there isn’t a door that isn’t open to him. Yet behind his razor sharp cheekbones and devil-may-care attitude, Toby is guarding a nest of deadly secrets and a fiery anger fierce enough to burn everything in his path.
Their lives collide in one tragic, stormy night, where an act of arson and nature leave Kaylie and two others dead and Toby just barely alive–with no memory of who he is. The fisherman who pulls him from the ocean enlists Hannah to help save the very person who she knows took away her sister. Fueled by her hatred, Hannah is determined to deny Toby’s death wish by keeping him alive. He is the last person that she should ever develop feelings for, and she is the first thing he ever remembers seeing.
Some things cannot happen–and some things cannot be stopped.
*Hannah’s side of the story was previously published as a novella in Games Untold
*Reading them all? The ideal reading order is: The Inheritance Games, The Hawthorne Legacy, The Final Gambit, The Brothers Hawthorne, Games Untold, The Grandest Game, Glorious Rivals, and The Same Backward as Forward.
*Looking for more unputdownable reads from Jennifer Lynn Barnes? Check out The Naturals series (The Naturals, Killer Instinct, All In, Bad Blood, and the enovella, Twelve), The Debutantes duet (Little White Lies, Deadly Little Scandals), and The Lovely and the Lost.
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