4.5*
You exist to me.

This Day Changes Everything would make a wonderful movie.

I really enjoyed this story. It was melancholy and heartbreaking at times, especially when we were in Leo's point of view. But it also sweet and fun, and kept me engaged. I loved being along for Leo and Abby's journey through NYC. It was wonderful to see them both enjoy their time in the city, while also learning about themselves. This trip was, unexpectedly, just what they needed. It gave them a chance to just "be", something neither of them really had in their small home towns.

This is one of the best YA books I've read about finding yourself. It's hard being a teen, and when you're even a little bit different than the "norm", it can be even harder. And I think Edward Underhill did a terrific job of showing that, with Leo and Abby's story.

This is a cute book with solid (and realistic, despite the setting) queer rep! Even though they spent a short time together, Abby and Leo’s relationship develops organically and in a genuine way. Plus, their madcap adventures across NYC are fun!

Until SMP actually decides to respond to the readers4accountability demands, no reviews will be posted with any of their imprint books.

I will be holding off on sharing my review until the SMP boycott comes to an end. Rating is also a placeholder.

Abby and Leo are from two different high school marching bands that have the honor of performing in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and they have polar opposite feelings about having made it here. Abby is ecstatic - she's in New York City with her best friend Kat, and she's come up with the perfect plan to tell her she loves her in the city their favorite romance book is set in. Leo, on the other hand, is about to be outed to his very Southern extended family on national television as the trans boy he really is, so you could say he's not exactly happy to be here. Leo and Abby both make the same mistake of getting on the wrong subway train and find themselves lost in the middle of Manhattan. What started as a mistake turns into an unexpected day of running around New York City together, being more free than they've ever felt. Maybe, if they let it, this could be the day that changes everything, for both of them.

Edward Underhill is the kind of author who knows how to simultaneously tug at your heartstrings and make your entire soul happy at the same time. I absolutely tore through this book the same way I did with his debut last year, adoring the complexity of both characters and the incredible representation of queer and trans youth. A common theme in both this book and his debut is that each have musicianship that his characters have, with these teens who find real joy in music, which adds another layer of depth to both books. I think a lot of us can connect to that aspect, where music can be an escape for whatever else is going on in your life!

The setting being in NYC coupled with the whirlwind of a day was the perfect way to allow both of them the freedom to just BE for once too, which I loved. Seeing them both come into their own more and more as the day went on was so beautiful. Also, huge shoutout to both of their friends and being the real heroes here allowing this day to go on as long as it did! No matter your age or if you resonate with the LGBTQ+ aspect of the book, there is happiness to be found in these pages!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

In solidarity with the SMP Boycott I will be withholding my review for this title (which I was given prior to the boycott) until SMP acts on the following:

1. Address and denounce the Islamophobic and racist remarks from their employee.
2. Offer tangible steps for how they are going to mitigate the harm this employee caused.
3. Address how, moving forward, they will support and protect their Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian influencers, authors and readers, in addition to supporting their BIPOC influencers, authors, and readers.

This is not a reflection of the author personally, nor is it a call to boycott buying this particular book. And this star rating is a reflection of how much I enjoyed the book.

One thing I've learned after reading both of Edward Underhill's books now is that you just really cant go wrong with one of Underhill's stories.
Always the Almost was a wonderful YA trans youth story and This Day Changes Everything hits the mark just as strongly. The characters are wonderful and you cant help but love and root for them as the plot progresses. The story of the book is unique and puts you through all kinds of emotions from start to finish. An excellent read I think many will enjoy!

This Day Changes Everything

A queer, YA easy romance. Edward Underhill again brings heavy topics and handles them well, not shying away. He pulls at your heart strings while weaving stories of joy that celebrate finding out who you are. Coming age can be difficult and I think it is handled so well here and in his first novel, Always the Almost.

Once again, Edward Underhill really captures what it’s like to be a super nerdy band kid in high school.

Two teens from different schools both meet in NYC before their respective marching bands appear in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Trans teen Leo is withdrawn and nervous about his extended family seeing him on TV and outgoing but closeted Abby desperately wants to tell her best friend she’s in love with her. When they get separated from their groups and end up on the wrong subway together, they end up having a day in the city that neither of them expected.

This was so cute for the most part and I really did just want to hug these two and tell them that it’ll get so much better than the lives they have now. There are others like them in the world and they’ll grow to find their people. The glimpses they get of this in the city prove to spark their desire to seek out new experiences.

Honestly, I wish this hadn’t been a romance. I wish that these were two people who found each other and became friends. Everything with the romance between them felt wayyyy too fast for happening in less than a 24-hour period. If the book had ended with them feeling like they had a new, good friend in their corner, despite their distance? That would have really sold this for me.

As it stands, this is a 3.5 rounded up to four stars.

I loved this queer romance!! This was my first time reading Underhill’s writing and I found it to be so funny and relatable. Some of the themes throughout of being unapologetically and authentically you, as well as not putting pressure on yourself to find a label for who you are were beautifully fleshed out. Leo was amazing and his predicament with his family was so relatable as there are many queer kids who come out but still have to hide that part of themselves from certain people. Overall it was touching, emotional & overall really fun & endearing. I highly recommend!

Loved it so much for a teen/YA book.

I couldn’t put the book down. So happy I was able to read this!

Give this book a shot!

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for an advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Leo is a trans boy on a high school band trip to perform in the Macy's Thanksgiving day parade in New York City. Abby is a queer girl, also on a band trip to perform in the parade, from a different high school. When they both get on the wrong train and are separated from their groups, they team up and spend the whole day together. Suddenly, they're both questioning so many things that they once thought...

This book is definitely angsty, but the queer rep feels stellar. Questioning how people will perceive you, especially in smaller towns, is huge, and the author does a great job of portraying that here while being gentle. I also really enjoyed Abby and Leo and their journey. Was some of it a little cringey in how cheesy it was? Sure, but having big feelings in high school is just a day in the life, so this book nails it.

Out now!!

i’m submitting the reviews for books by you that I already have, but I will never request another one. In October one of your employees made a horribly racist statement and you have chosen to do nothing about it. People have continuously asked you to say that you don’t stand with what the employee said, and you refuse to. This is not someone who I want to promote ever because you are sending the wrong message. These reviews will not be posted on social media because you don’t deserve the promotion. By not speaking out you are also not preventing your followers from stalking and harassing people who are participating in the boycott. Your silence speaks volumes. I hope that all of your authors move to other publishers because you are standing with a genocide. You are also currently saying that you support black women in black history month but you have ignored their concerns for months and shown them no support.

Watch this video for more information https://www.tiktok.com/@vivafalastinleen/video/7288407369313307947?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7211704101519296042

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Two teenagers, one a trans boy and the other a girl who is grappling with what label best fits her meet serendipitously on the NYC subway. Both are visiting the city to march with their respective school bands in the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade and both are now highly stressed as their day has quickly gone off the rails. At least they are in this mess together! What a charming YA rom-com full of queer representation and complex human realities. Leo is in New York, but his mind is on what is happening at home in North Carolina as his parents fumble through what they plan to tell, or not tell extended family about his transitioning. Abby is with her best friend, Kat and ready to finally tell her how she feels about her while also breaking the news that she is gay... but she is questioning that label and doesn't know if it quite fits her... I always love a book based in NYC and this one is so fun. I felt like I was there for a whirlwind 24hr trip! I'm a lady in my 40's, so I recognize I'm well out of the YA ranks, however I can appreciate a good book whether I'm the target audience or not and this is one of those! It seems more than ever representation in books matters and I hope word gets out about how charming this book is!

I received a copy from NetGalley for review.

I think this was the perfect book for winter time (I wish it was coming out in November instead of February though). It follows Abby and Leo and their mishaps through New York City while their high school marching bands are there to play in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. After they both mistakenly get on the wrong subway train we follow them through a day of misadventure.

I really enjoyed this and read it in two sittings. I think it's fun and full of whimsy and for those that are looking for something spontaneous and light.

A great YA queer coming of age story that takes place over 24 hours in New York City as two teens get lost together while visiting on a class trip. I loved the fantastic cast of queer characters (a trans boy, a girl questioning her sexuality, another side character is Ace). There was a fun queer book scavenger hunt and lots of Ferris Bueller's day off vibes. Absolutely loved it and also enjoyed the audiobook narration by Logan Rozos and Caitlin Kinnunen. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

This was such a sweet, whirlwind romance—it reminds me so much of Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, with two ill-matched characters finding they have far more pulling them together than they initially thought! I loved watching their journeys on this fated trip to New York.

Abby and Leo are both headed with their schools to New York City to play in the Macy's Day Parade. Abby is excited to tell her best friend that she's in love with her. She has it all planned out and she believes the universe will help her. Leo is less than excited about being on the trip. He knows that his extended family will see him on the TV and know that he is a trans boy. . He knows that his family will see him on the TV and know that he is trans. Abby and Leo end up on the wrong train together, but recognize each other from the hotel lobby. They spend the whole day together, and trying to complete Abby's quest for love. However, along the way they find themselves not wanting the day to be over, so they can spend more time together. I absolutely love this one. I thought it was funny and charming. I flew through it because I just had to know what happened next . The Macy's parade background was fun. The characters were great loved it.

Good grief I loved this book! There is something so wholesome and healing and delightfully youthful and also profound on how Underhill has approached the backstory and development of these characters. It was an adventure from start to finish and I loved every minute!!

This book is endearing and sweet and light-hearted all the other synonyms out there!

The one thing I really want to touch on in this review is that this book does an amazing job of building our main characters: Abby and Leo. In the span of one day, of getting to know each other, and hanging out; they change in their respective ways. There’s so many discussions packed into this book all related to queerness, identity, existing as a transgender person in a heteronormative society, deciding to label yourself or not…just so much that young readers especially those in high school will find relatability and comfort with.

I will say this book felt like a Lifetime movie especially with the backdrop of this novel being winter in New York City. Abby being the sunshine in this sunshine x grumpy pairing believes in the magic of the city/universe while Leo does not—at least not at first. I think one of the things about this book I find a bit unrealistic even though the book weaves in some of that New York traffic realness into the story, is the fact that their legs didn’t completely give out at the end of their twelve hour adventure. For those that don’t know: New York City sidewalks are LONG, like as someone that used to live in the city, I was like how are they not tired? But also I have to say I loved the hints of New York in this book even if I do think that there definitely should’ve been more people giving them a dirty look for standing in the middle of a sidewalk (just saying).

I do wish there was an epilogue of some sort because the end while sweet, it lacked a bit in the sense that I had some unanswered questions. What did Leo’s relatives say and how did his parents handle that? How are Abby and Leo making this long distance relationship work? Does Abby come out in some form to her parents even if she decides not to label herself? I love a good epilogue where it’s a couple months into the future and we see a snapshot of the characters’ lives after the main events in the book.

If you love books about young queer love, this story right here is 100% for you.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.