The Day Tripper by James Goodhand is my newest review book from Net Galley. I received the book early and just finished it. I like to write my reviews of books as soon as possible. I want them fresh in my mind. Thats definitely a plus when it comes to this book!

In The Day Tripper by James Goodhand, Alex Dean is happy one moment with the love of his life, Holly, and the next he's beaten badly. After that, he starts living his life out of order. Every day Alex wakes up to a different part of his life. He doesn't know why this is happening or how he can stop it. More important to him, as his life increasingly becomes worse, is how he can change his life for the better.

Since Alex is experiencing his life out of order, the readers are experiencing that too. We get the date: Month, day, year, and his age before Alex does. So we kind of know where we are in his life before he does. This is pretty handy. The Day Tripper isn't always the easiest book to read but once you really get into it and you see where Alex's life is going, you will not want to stop reading this book.

The Day Tripper is a well written, beautiful book that will have you on the edge of your seat. You'll want to know what happens to Alex Dean. There are moments that'll shock you and moments that'll make you laugh and maybe even cry. The Day Tripper is an excellent book.

It took me a little bit to read this one because I tried to read another book along with this. I wouldn't recommend that. The Day Tripper is a complex puzzle that needs your attention and focus. The book is very well written and I don't recall any obvious plot holes. We don't see all of Alex's life but we do see a lot of different events. I thought the ending was pretty satisfactory too.

If you're looking for something different to read, something that has a bit of fantasy but also lots of reality, then you'll want to check out The Day Tripper. The book comes out March 19th, 2024. Thank you to Net Galley and Harlequinn Trade Publishing for providing a digital copy of this book for review.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing me with an eARC of The Day Tripper in exchange for my honest review!

This may not be as polished of a time-hopping book as I want it to be, but it ultimately provides a touching journey that I'm happy to have dived into. It's quite reminiscent of The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, which gets me onboard very fast. However, there are significant chunks of the first act where the plotting feels thin, where it's just jumping back and forth between different points of Alex's life without much structure, where it becomes hard to find his irresponsible and immature self to be all that endearing. Parts of the middle section suffer from these problems, too. But as the book advances forward, I start clicking with it more and more, getting more invested in Alex, rooting for him to grow into a much more mature individual who's able to appreciate his life. Once we get into the third act, I'm fully seated, and then I'm left on a positive note once the affecting ending arrives. Sure, the story isn't doing anything too revolutionary or sending out any strikingly perceptive life messages, but it's moving enough for me to vibe with it.

Overall, I'm officially rating The Day Tripper by James Goodhand 3.25 out of 5 stars, which I'll round down to 3 stars on Goodreads. I'll keep an eye out for more of his books in the future.

I honestly don’t know what drew me to this book because typically I hate time travel in books. When I first read the synopsis I must have skimmed over the part about the time travel and after the first chapter I was a little nervous, but I decided to keep going. I think fans of Oona Out of Order and The Time Traveler’s Wife will love this. What’s weird is I hated both of those books (the former more than the latter) but I really enjoyed this one!
It’s 1995 and Alex Dean is loving life. He’s about to start Uni at Cambridge and he’s head over heels in love with his girlfriend. The date they are on is going swimmingly until a big, beefy guy gets in a fight with Alex and leaves him for dead in the Thames. When Alex wakes up the next day he’s shocked to find it’s now 2010. He goes back to sleep and wakes up in 2019, and the next day in 1999. Each new day he has to piece together where he is in his life and what has happened in the past he hasn’t yet lived to bring him to where he is. He has no clue what became of Cambridge and Holly and he’s really not happy with the path his life has taken, but he quickly realizes he’s the key to changing his future.
This book was super trippy and it’s shocking that I enjoyed it as much as I did. Like Oona Out of Order, Alex lives his life completely disjointed, but unlike Oona because it’s only a day, he’s able to follow his path and learn from what he’s already lived. I think it’s that reason as to why I enjoyed this.
James Goodhand’a writing was fabulous. There is so much character development and while Alex is not likable through most of the book you’ll find yourself cheering him on. Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an advanced copy of this book. The Day Tripper hits shelves on March 19th.

The Day Tripper by James Goodhand
Pub date: March 19, 2024

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for a copy of this e-ARC!

In 1995, Alex has his life all figured out. He has a spot at Cambridge, and is in a relationship with the love of his life. Following a head injury, Alex wakes up one morning suddenly 15 years in his future, and his life did not pan out as he expected, at all. The next morning he wakes up, and he's another nine years ahead... the next, he's back in 1999, but on a different day. This continues on day after day, and when Alex goes to bed every night, he doesn't know which year he'll wake up in, or where he will be.

I requested this book on Netgalley because I absolutely love magical realism, and I thought the concept of waking up in a different day in your life is a really neat concept - if you've read Oona Out of Order, this will sound familiar to you. 

I had a hard time rating this book. Alex wasn't the most likeable character, and there were some trigger warnings that people should be made aware of before picking this up - I'll put those below. It took me a bit longer to get through than most books, but at no point did I ever want to DNF. I wanted to know what happened to Alex and how his topsy-turvey life would be resolved. 

I thought Alex's relationships were mostly very well-written, especially his connection with Jazz. I would have liked to see a little more chemistry with his love interest, Holly. 

The Day Tripper publishes March 19, 2024.





TW: suicide, alcoholism, homophobia, SA of a child, bullying, cancer, loss of a parent, estranged relationship with parent, car accident, drunk driving

Thank you to PW for the galley of this title. While the story started out slow for me, it was interesting enough to keep me going. Alex Dean is 20 and is living the good life. He wakes up one day and time has passed and he has no recollection of events and the years that he has skipped. Every time he falls asleep he wakes up to a new year and a new place in his life. What has happened? Can he change what is happening or has happened to him?

First I would like to thank Harlequin Publishers and James Goodhand for allowing me to read and review this arc of “The Day Tripper”

This book is absolutely incredible.
I’m so obsessed. I cannot stop thinking about it
All I have to say is everyone needs to do themselves a favour and read this book.
I will be recommending this book to everyone I know.
Thank you again.

5/5

I think this could be THE book for someone, but sadly not for me. I really enjoyed the overall plot and the main character, but I think the concept of semi time-travel (spoiler free) is a tough topic to write and really come away with a full story. The idea of living your life out of order lends itself to having unanswered questions, but I feel that this story seemed to answer so many questions that could have been left up to the reader, but missed out on a few questions I really needed answered. I feel that this story had the bones to be longer than a novella, but not enough of a plot to last 350+ pages.
Pros- I thought the writing was engaging, I loved the character's attachment to music, there was always a goal working towards
Where it didn't click with me- if only select days of someone's life are being visited- I feel each one should be important to the overall story. If there are questions of impact of decisions/weight of your character, I needed a bit more of an actual ending to what causes and effects are fated vs made.

I would recommend this book to someone who loved the idea of The Time Traveller's Wife and loves rock and roll. Sadly, I think I have read one too many books with similar plots that left me with a deeper connection, but I would pick up another book by this author for sure.

Alex Dean, the titular day tripper, isn’t a likable guy. He seems decent at times, though sometimes too eager, and far too wrapped up in stereotypical guy behavior (acting macho, too much bravado, hooking up). This leads to a life-changing encounter with a childhood pal that propels Alex on an erratic trip through his life. You’ll dislike him more before he, predictably redeems himself. The story is interspersed with music and song titles, adding a bonus layer to Alex’s tale.

This is truly a unique story. Alex gets into a fight and his life is never the same. He wakes up everyday on a different day/year of his life. Each day he is starting over trying to figure out his life with limited information. I am curious if the author wrote all the days in order and then mixed them up or wrote from the start like this. I truly appreciate when an author gives me something different and this is different. The reader is figuring out Alex's life at the same time he is. I really enjoyed the challenge of this book. It will definitely break you out of a reading rut. Thanks for such an interesting book.

Thank you to #NetGalley, #JamesGoodhand, and #HarlequinTradePublishing for a copy of this book.
#TheDayTripper

It’s 1995 and Alex Dean is on a date with a woman he loves. When he sees an old childhood buddy, they get in a fight and nothing is the same. He begins waking up at different time periods.

I loved Oona Out of Order and this sounded similar. It was but it was a male protagonist. I enjoyed the time travel aspect and how everything came together and was resolved. I didn’t connect with the romance subplot that much and felt there could have been more of a deeper relationship show than an infatuation. The best part of this story was the time travel and seeing Alex develop and grow, out of linear time.

“We are all eternally surrounded by our own past and our own future.”

The Day Tripper comes out 3/19.

I just could not find my way into this one. It sounded like an intriguing plot and one that would be right up by alley, but I found the characters irritating and not terribly interesting from the very opening pages - a feeling that never shifted throughout the course of my read. I also struggled with the plot, mostly I just felt confused and like I was reading a different book than that described in the blurb. I wasn't able to generate enough interest to keep reading. This one wasn't for me....

I recently had the chance to read an ARC of "The Day Tripper" by James Goodhand

While I found the concept and story intriguing, I felt like the execution fell a bit short. The characters were well-developed and the plot had a lot of potential, but I found myself getting a bit lost in the storytelling at times. Additionally, the pacing felt a bit off, with some parts dragging on while others felt rushed. Overall, it was an enjoyable read! Thank you to for the opportunity net galley!

This books was so fast and fun. It was fun to follow along on a journey all through time and the not so distance past!

When I first reviewed this, I gave it 4.5 stars. But it's been a few weeks and I can't stop thinking about this book! So now I'm giving it 5 stars.

Alex Dean has a wonderful life in front of him. He’s in love and is about to go to his dream school. Then he wakes up and he’s 15 years older and his life is not good. Then the next day he wakes up and it’s another 9 years later and his life is pretty much a dumpster fire. Each day he wakes up in a different year and with a new clue on what went so horribly wrong for his life to turn out so poorly. Can he change it? Or is he stuck?

I loved this one so much. I love time travel books, but often feel that they make changing things way too easy. This book doesn’t do that. It’s dark and gritty at times and there were a few days in there where I really didn’t like the main character. But he didn’t like himself either. I loved the complexity and difficulty of life that this book faced. And it’s not just about Alex. It’s about the people around him and what they go through. I think I could go on and on about how well done this is. I’ll stop though, just put it on your TBR of you like complex feelings in your books!

Thank you NetGalley and Mira books for the advanced digital copy! All opinions are mine.

I am actually really bummed by this book. I love time jumps, and I love following a character and trying to learn what happened to them. But I could not get into the writing in this book. The dialogue was straight up weird and disjointed, and I could not stay with it to follow the story.

I do think others might like the story itself, but this is a pass for me.

This book had a wonderful premise, but the writing style just wasn't for me. I won't be reviewing this book on my social media platforms or on GoodReads, as I'd like the author to find his audience without any bias from me.

*Thank you to Harlequin for providing me an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

**TWs: childhood sexual assault, alcoholism, mentions of suicide, homophobia

In The Day Tripper, Alex is freshly 20 years old, his future ahead of him and his heart with a girl named Holly. After getting into a brawl with an old enemy, Alex begins waking up at different, disjointed points in his future, his whole life seemingly lived without him present. First he’s 20, then 35, then 43, then 23, etc. The biggest problem is that his life kinda…sucks. Does he have the power to be an active participant and change the future, or is everything set in stone and all he can do is watch it burn?

Time travel is typically an instant read or watch for me. Each creator has their own take on rules and what is and isn’t possible for their time travel stories. I wouldn’t say that this book was necessarily unique in that way (and that isn’t a bad thing), but it let the story be governed more by character and hope than complicated workarounds to iffy physics. It is a character driven story at its core, and I wouldn’t want it to be anything else. While it took a few chapters to get me invested in Alex, it did happen. Fleshed out relationships and side characters were something I was left wanting during those first few chapters, and it was delivered in time.

The relationship between Alex and Jazz, a teenager who Alex gives guitar lessons to and who takes care of his grandfather, was a highlight of the book for me. It showed Alex’s selfless nature and contrasted well with the life Alex didn’t really live. I think the moments with Jazz show most of Alex’s humanity. There was a twist with Jazz that made me gasp—you’ll know it when you read it.

You start really thinking “Why would he do this and that?” And the best part is that Alex is wondering the same thing, since he’s not been present for over half his lifetime. I feel the fast paced nature of the plot progression didn’t take away from any of the character points, and the reveals felt naturally placed.

I’m usually quite turned off when a book mentions COVID, but as this one is so rooted in timelines, I didn’t feel too upset about it. I did feel a little weird about Alex forgiving the man who sexually assaulted him when they were 9 and 14 though. I dunno, rubbed me wrong. The ending was sweet, but it could have been more satisfying I think.

I liked it! All in all it’s a fantastic character-driven story about the little things and small choices we make as human beings.

*Crossposted to GoodReads*

Time travel books are either hit or miss and this one was a hit. The timeline made sense and it wasn't confusing. Was definitely a fun adventure.

Time travel books have always been hit or miss with me, and while I thought this one would be a miss, I'm really glad that I stuck with it.

Following a violent attack by the Thames, Alex Dean begins living his life out of order: one day he wakes up 20, the next 43, the next 35. He finds himself in the same city with (mostly) the same people, but Alex's memories can't catch up. As Alex begins each day and age anew, he begins to realize that he can "update" his life through small changes.: befriending a young Londoner named Jazz, telling his mother he loves her, and making healthier decisions for himself. While Alex cannot change everything, he finds joy in the "updates" that keep him moving while he simultaneously tries to figure out what's happening to him.

Alex Dean, while eventually MAYBE redeeming himself, is not one of my favorite characters. I often found myself just as frustrated as he was with himself and his situation. I must say, however, that the idea of the story itself is very thought-provoking, becoming a testament to the power of love. I appreciated Alex's fellow time traveler, but I don't think the story benefitted from attempting to explain the science and history behind the time travel While we know that Alex is trying to figure out WHY he is stuck in this time paradox, the explanation seemed to be more of a filler than anything.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book follows Alex through his life after a tragic accident that leaves him waking years in the future. Day after day, he doesn’t know what day or year he will wake up in and what to expect. But as Alex travels through his life, not in chronological order, he begins to realize that his decisions may alter the route of his or others’ lives; and that he isn’t alone in this. Good decisions beget good decisions.

It was a little hard for me to get into at first, but after the first “time travel”, I was instantly hooked! It was also a little hard to follow the dialogue but I imagine that will be fixed with final copies! I think this books portrays that if maybe we had a chance to see into our future, we may live our lives quite a bit differently. But it also sends a message that we should appreciate what we have while we have it and to make the most out of our lives! I will say this is a 4 star book, and I will say that only because I wish it would have ended a little differently but that’s not to say that I don’t understand why it ended the way that it did. I fell in love with the characters and couldn’t wait to see them pop back in and out of his life. Especially Jazz! MY HEART!