'Rewind to Us' delivers with a great premise. Dixie Mulligan’s family has a unique gift. One time during their life they get a rewind or a mulligan. They can change a moment from their past year. And the rest of the world will never know it was a do over or rewind. The how’s and why don’t get explained so you have to accept the premise.

Dixie has spent the last four summers staying in a small desert town visiting her aunt and cousin. This summer she wants to tell Sawyer, her best friend and fellow film nerd, that she loves him. They are both going to be attending NYC film school in the fall. But when she arrives she finds he may be with someone else. She wants to use her rewind to go back to a moment from the spring when he came to NYC and they were supposed to meet up but didn’t.

I was drawn into the story from the beginning. I did have to park my brain a bit on the fantasy logistics and just roll with it. Its scenes presented themselves and it led to good discussions on choices and accountability for actions. Would you use a redo if you could? The middle part of the story gets more to the meat. Dixie’s relationship with her parents is complicated. I don’t want to put spoilers in my review, but honestly I was far more invested in Dixie’s anger and feelings towards her parents. That was the relationship I wanted healed. I never got the attraction of Sawyer other than they were friends with common interests.

And honestly I was disappointed in how the rewinds played out. Aunt Kate’s story didn’t make sense when you learned that they’re supposed to get an impact warning about how the rewind will affect others. And why wouldn’t her son have used his rewind to help his mom?

This is a YA/teen novel appropriate for middle school and up. I am new to the author but would absolutely read more from her. And while I enjoyed the story overall, and like where the story ends. I was slightly disappointed, after all the build-up, to how the rewinds play out.

Thank you to NetGalley, Molly Morris, and St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Dixie Mulligan travels to Cielo Springs every summer to visit her Aunt Kate, her cousin Benjamin (otherwise affectionately known as Bunny), and her best friend, Sawyer. This summer, she has one goal in mind: to tell Sawyer she's in love with him. When she catches Sawyer kissing another girl, she makes a drastic decision: use her only chance to use her Mulligan family Rewind and redo the entire moment she thinks went wrong between her and Sawyer.

I was quite surprised as to how much the story sucked me in! I loved the setting of Cielo Springs with the small town vibes but still had that California/West Coast summer feel to it. I also liked the movie buff/cinema aspect to the story; I liked how intertwined it was with every part of the story, from Aunt Kate's movie theater, The Trip, to the entire concept of Rewinds and what they entail, to Dixie and Sawyer's love for movies and their tradition of having a summer movie night every year when Dixie visits.

I know this is the whole entire concept of the book, but I had to giggle a little when Dixie wanted to use her ONE and ONLY Rewind....on a boy. I know she's fresh out of high school and still a teenager, but I had to giggle because I get this is a YA book and that was probably the most YA thing to happen.

Going into the concept of Rewinds itself, I thought that it was an interesting concept in theory, with well fleshed-out ideas and caveats to how they work, but when it was executed, it fell a bit flat. Each chapter begins with a little blurb from Dixie's grandparents, who have a website/blog for the Mulligan family members on how to use their Rewind and what will happen once they use it. It answered a lot of my questions that I had throughout the story about the Rewind. I always get a little wary when it comes to time jump/time travel stories such as this one because I feel like not every base is covered so there'll be plot holes left behind, but I didn't feel this way at all with Rewind to Us. However, once all of those pieces are put into play, it made for a very convoluted, somewhat confusing, middle of the book that made it difficult for me to keep track of what was going on at times.

The thing I still don't understand, even after all of the explanations, is how the Rewinds even get executed in the first place. There's a backstory in the beginning about the very first Mulligan family member who used it and how they just wished for something hard enough to happen that it did. I have no idea how that evolved into things like the Movies the family members see about what will happen post-Rewind and the Impact Reports they get about the potential consequences of using said Rewind. Like, I still don't understand how after the family member requesting their Rewind is all okay with everything, that it just suddenly...happens. Like, who, or what, wills it into existence and how do they get that privilege?

In all seriousness though, I think this book brings up a lot of good discussion about accountability, apologizing when you need to or simply talking things out, and if any mistakes are worth turning back time for. A lot of Dixie and Sawyer's issues could've been solved if they simply had a one-on-one conversation with each other and were 100% transparent with each other from the beginning. It really made me think about the questions, are there ANY mistakes worth turning back the clock for? Or is it better to face the consequences, try to fix them and learn from them, and move forward?

Additionally, the romance was barely there between the two of them, at least not for a vast majority of the book, and I would've liked it if there was more to it considering what the book is supposed to be about. I did like the ending though! It was cheesy but super cute.

(Side note: I really would've liked to learn more about Dixie and her parents, considering who they are in the grand scheme of things. If I went into that more it'd be a spoiler so I won't, but I thought their dynamic was super interesting and I wanted to learn more about it.)

Overall, this was a really cute read! It was fast, fun, and although a little convoluted at times, kept my attention and kept me engaged for the few hours I spent reading it a couple of days ago. It's a good book to get lost in on a summer day and you just want to escape reality for a few hours!

Rewind To Us by Molly Morris, dixie Mulligan has spent her summers with her aunt and cousin Bunny and it’s where she met and became best friends with Sawyer. Every year he picks her up from the airport and this year is no different… Well it’s kind of different. Because this summer will be the summer she tells Sawyer how she really feels about him and after dying her hair traffic cone orange he’s there to pick her up and off to her aunt’s house she goes. except when she’s with her cousin and or aunt she contemplate telling him about her feelings but soon there’s a snag in the mix it seems Sawyer feels the same way only it’s about Claire. Luckily for Dixie her family has a magical ability to rewind one moment in their life and redo it her grandma even has a newsletter about it but while she contemplate using it we first have to get through her teenage angst her identity as a daughter of wealthy parents something that totally shocked me because I did not see that coming and a lot of other minutia that I thought could’ve been left out the book. although I do like the authors writing style that makes the characters feel familiar and like people you would love to hang out with I wasn’t a fan of the MC‘s name especially when Sawyer referred to her as Dick’s I did feel bad Sawyer and his family situation I thought her cousin had an odd name as well being named Bunny. usually by the end of a book I am totally rooting for the MC and whatever dreams she’s wanting but I found this book to be a lot and thought had been shorter it would’ve been much better. Also if her family members get this opportunity once in their life and she’s presented with all the negative happenings from past choices I would think it would’ve made her decision much easier but I digress. Some may like this book and I did find it entertaining and really liked Dixie but I don’t think I’ll read it again but I will definitely recommend it to others. I know people who will eat this book Up it just wasn’t my type of book.#NetGalley, #SaintMartin’sPress, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview, #MollyMorris, #RewindToUs,

AHHHHH, currently feeling all the feels after finishing this gem! This book is beautifully laid out as we follow Dixie on her regular summer trip to Cielo Springs after a regrettable day in Central Park. We watch as her and Sawyer, her CS best friend, Bunny, her cousin, and the Mulligan Family Rewinds help Dixie realize what really matters to her.
This books starts a little slow but wow the plot thickens! The plot twist I never saw coming and let me tell you, I had to go back and re-read because no way, I was shook. Dixie’s character development is an absolute chef’s kiss. The whole book I swear I was chanting “NO, NO, YOU’LL REGRET IT!” until I read the lines of her realization. But on another note, her and Sawyer are to DIE FOR. Like if there was a cutest couple award they have that in the bag. (Bunny and the boy I will not spoil also… 😉) AHHH I JUST FELL IN LOVE WITH THIS BOOK! The family lore is insane though, like made me want to become a Mulligan. Anyways, thank you so much for this ARC and best of luck on the pub date!!

I found the premise of this book genuinely interesting—the plot had potential and kept me curious, especially when I was away from reading. However, the actual experience of reading it was more difficult than I expected. The writing felt overly descriptive in areas that didn’t need it, while skimming over the details I really wanted to understand. Especially with the timeline, it kept alluding to things with out really getting to why we needed to know that info. Then just dragged getting to the point. At times, it felt like trudging through mud just to get through a chapter.

That said, I appreciate the opportunity to read the ARC, and I truly wish the author the best of luck with this release. With some tightening and clearer focus, I believe this story could really shine.

DNF at 10%

It didn't grab my attention. The concept was cool, but she immediately decides to use a Rewind to prevent her best friend from getting with his girlfriend because Dixie might have missed her chance. Wasn't about it.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

So, although I liked the premise of the story it feels like it took the long road to get there. While it was definitely making sure to tackle every part of the story it was a bit long winded and felt like it took forever to get to the good part. I damn near forgot about the romance because it was tackling every part of her life that was messed up. Still, it was a sweet story that I think people will like if they can get through it to the very sweet but very long ending. 3.75 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc

It's incredibly satisfying to find a character as genuinely lovable and easy to root for as Dixie, our charmingly foolish protagonist. Her lovely family and loyal friends only enhance her appeal. I went into this story thinking I knew what to expect, but was delightfully surprised by several unexpected twists, which made this book even more enjoyable. I particularly loved the fresh take on the classic second-chance trope – a wish we all harbor at some point. The fictional town of Cielo Springs, with its abundance of charm, almost becomes a character in itself, making me wish I could visit. I'm truly hoping we'll see another Mulligan story in a future book!

Thanks to @stmartinspress and @weirdmollyyy for an eARC of this book.

3 stars

I enjoyed Morris's _Annie LeBlanc Is Not Dead Yet_ and looked forward to this next effort featuring a world similar to ours with one important twist for the protagonist and her family members: they get to apply for rewinds!

The unfortunately named protagonist of this novel, Dixie (a strange choice in the modern era, but okay, but still), is living an existence that appears somewhat typical until it turns completely unrelatable. Of course, the most outstanding distinction for her is the rewind option, and it's incredibly frustrating, as a reader, to recognize that her family has really not learned the lessons that the grass isn't always greener and things happen as they are meant to happen. Is the temptation real? Yes. Do these folks also have clear evidence that some of their redos don't go great? Absolutely. And yet they persist.

Along with the rewind scenario, Dixie also becomes unrelatable fast through her central issue: famous, wealthy parents. Perhaps the most fantastical aspect of this novel is the idea that she could possibly exist in a space that gives her any level of lasting anonymity. I found the central conflict very frustrating for several reasons, including that the protagonist's "problems" were overshadowed by incredible privilege of all kinds.

This is an intriguing concept, but for me it was not as satisfying as Morris's previous work.

Molly Morris’s "Rewind to Us" is a heartfelt young adult romance with a touch of magic, offering an imaginative twist on the classic “what if” scenario.

The plot centers on Dixie Mulligan and her attempt to fix a fractured friendship, and possibly more, with her longtime best friend Sawyer. The novel blends summer love, regret, and second chances in a light, reflective, and easy to read story.

Morris's writing is warm and accessible, and well-suited to its target audience. She brings a breezy tone to her storytelling while still touching on deeper themes like family conflict, forgiveness, and emotional vulnerability. The magical concept is fun and clearly laid out, adding just enough fantasy to set this story apart from a typical summer romance. The romance between Dixie and Sawyer has many sweet moments, but the tension between them hinges heavily on miscommunication, a common YA trope that may feel familiar rather than fresh. And while Dixie is a likable and relatable main character, her emotional reactions sometimes feel repetitive, and a few supporting characters could have used more development.

"Rewind to Us" offers teen readers a gentle, engaging read with a creative hook and a message about learning from mistakes. While it may not break new ground in the genre, its charm, heart, and wish-fulfillment fantasy are sure to satisfy fans of young adult love stories that feature a bit of the extraordinary.

Rewind to Us surprised me in the best way. What starts as a fun time travel twist quickly turns into a deeply emotional story about grief, second chances, and finding your way back to yourself. Dixie's voice felt genuine and raw, and I loved how the relationships, both romantic and platonic, were layered and meaningful. Molly Morris blends humor, heartache, and hope beautifully, creating a story that stays with you.

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

Dixie’s family is gifted with one rewind. Period. No taking it back, so you better save it for something that you absolutely cannot fathom living with.
After her confession she planned goes awry, she wonders if this is it. She pinpoints the moment it all goes wrong. Using the rewind could either be the best decision ever… or the worst…
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Spoilers🙅🏽‍♀️
Honestly I DNF. There’s barely any dialogue. I feel like the whole thing is mainly inner thoughts. And it’s so repetitive. Also why be so obsessed with this guy who’s your best friend then just not show up when he admits he feels the same? 🥴
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Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Unfortunately, this was. DNF. I gave it until the half way point, but did not find myself wanting to pick it up. There wasn't really any lead up into the rewind aspect and felt a little disconnected to me.

This book has way more twists than I was expecting and I enjoyed every single one of them.
Full disclosure- I'm not entirely sure I liked any of the characters. I did like Kate. But the rest? It could be that I'm 35 and they are 18 and written like real and true teens that I don't want to be friends with. Although, I do like Bunny. He's a good dude. The rest. I don't know. The book, however. I really enjoyed. I binged this on a lovely summer Saturday morning.

If you like movies, summer, angst, families, regrets, a little magic, and so many twists, read this one!

CW: language. Like a bunch of swear words. The whole gamut.

Okay, so Rewind to Us by Molly Morris totally caught me off guard in the best way. I went in expecting a sweet little YA romance with a time-travel twist, and it is that, but it's also deeper, funnier, and way more emotional than I expected.

The story follows Lucy, who's dealing with grief, confusion, and this big what-if moment after losing someone close to her. Then she literally gets the chance to rewind time and possibly change how everything played out. It sounds like a dream, right? But of course, it’s more complicated than that.

What really got me was how real Lucy felt. Her voice is so honest, sarcastic, and awkward in a totally relatable way. I was rooting for her the entire time, even when she made mistakes. Especially when she made mistakes. And the relationships in this book, both romantic and otherwise, are so well done. There's depth to them, and they actually feel important to the story, not just something happening in the background.

Also, the time travel element is super clever. It isn’t overly sci-fi or confusing, just enough to make you think about how one small moment can change everything. And the emotional payoff? Yeah, I cried. No shame.

If you're into YA with heart, humor, and a little magical realism mixed in, Rewind to Us is one you shouldn’t skip. It’s the kind of book that makes you want to hug your friends a little tighter and maybe give your past self a break.

This young adult contemporary book was a fast read for me. I liked the magical realism involved around the Rewind, a single chance to change one point in the past year. There were enough twists to keep the story moving at a fairly quick pace, making it hard for me to put down. And some of the side characters were my favorites, including Bunny (the main female character’s cousin) and Harvey (her father’s PA). I liked that it was friends to more than friends, the time travel adjacent plot, and that it was full of movie references.

Thank you St. Martin's Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

I was excited to receive a copy of this book but unfortunately, I could tell from very early on that this book would not be for me. Even though it was marketed as YA, I somehow felt this book was TOO YA for my liking, I am dissapointed because I was hoping this would be a 5 star read.

More Dixie, more Sawyer, more of the Trip!! I loved this light-hearted romantic comedy and ALL the characters including the setting! I want more!!
This book by Molly Morris is about family, love, friendship, movies, and the decisions we make. Her characters are so fully developed they feel like they are your actual friends. The movie references woven throughout are so much fun.

Thank you to Netgalley, St Martin’s Press and Wednesday Books, and the author for this ebook ARC to read. All opinions are my own

This one was really cute! With friends to lovers being my favorite trope, it was a must read. I loved the relationships in this book and the family dynamics that ended up growing as the book went on. A cute little read for the summer!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eArc in exchange for an honest review!

1 Sentence Summary: Dixie Mulligan is in love with her best friend Sawyer, but they haven’t spoken in months—since she ruined everything during spring break; luckily, Dixie has a plan: use her Mulligan family rewind to go back in time and redo the moment that drove her and Sawyer apart.

My Thoughts: This was such a cool concept. I love realistic fiction with a speculative twist. The rewind was a little confusing and you have to suspend your disbelief a little bit, but it was well written and a fun aspect of the story.

The characters were well developed. To be honest, I cared more about Dixie’s relationship with her parents than with Sawyer. I didn’t really care if they ended up together or not. The family dynamics were really interesting, though.

There was also some interesting exploration and commentary of the movie industry and movie theaters that I hadn’t really thought about before.

Overall, this was well written and a fun read!

Recommend to: Fans of YA speculative contemporary fiction and light time travel.

(Warnings: swearing)