This is such a special book, for this to be a ya book it really digs deep at the exploration of grief, Syd and Malcolm are both going through so much and meet each other at the hardest time of their lives,

I've never read a book with a time loop and I was thrown off at first but once I got used to it I understood how it put us in the emotional state the characters were in.

It’s You Every Time begins with a charming meet-cute—Sydney, stressed about a math test, bumps into Marcus at a Dunkin’ in midtown NYC, and spontaneously spends the day with him. But after a tragic accident that night, she wakes up to find the day repeating itself—and she and Marcus are the only ones who remember. As the loop continues, what starts as a fun, almost magical connection turns into something much deeper. Both characters are carrying grief, and their shared September 24ths become a space to process pain, open up, and search for meaning in the repetition. Their conversations, evolving routines, and growing intimacy feel honest and grounded. The emotional beats land hard—this story isn’t about escaping the loop so much as confronting what’s keeping them stuck. The romance is present but never overpowers the heavier themes of loss, healing, and acceptance. That said, the dual first-person narration can be disorienting—Marcus and Sydney’s voices often sound too alike, and the lack of clear POV markers can disrupt the flow. Still, Thomas delivers a heartfelt, inventive story that blends love, loss, and time in a way that lingers long after the last page.

I loved the premise of this one, and honestly the meet-cute aspect was really well done. Their interactions were written well and were compelling, and I enjoyed the time loop aspect as well. The author did a good job with the creativeness of the days in general. It did get a bit too repetitive in the middle to the point where I feel like this could have been about 30 pages shorter without sacrificing anything.

My main issue with this one was the multiple POVs. Both POVs are told using the first person and their voices sounded really similar to me. This became a big issue when there weren't any indications of POV changes, which began to happen more and more often. I'd be reading a paragraph from Sydney's POV then a few paragraphs later it would mention something that could only be from Marcus' POV, and there was no indication of where that shift happened. It was confusing, frustrating, and definitely kept me from staying immersed.

Overall, this was a decent romance that explored some heavier themes like trauma, grief, healing, and self-love in a pretty creative way. My thanks to NetGalley and Scholastic Press for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

TV Rating: Pg for trigger warnings (death of loved one)

Loved it! Slow paced but I was hooked. Needed to find out how it was going to work out in the end. The ending made my jaw drop! I was shocked! Can’t wait to read more of her stuff!

I don't know whether to cry, scream, or ask for a sequel. Just based on the title, I was expecting a fluffy love story... this is not that! This is like Groundhog Day meets 50 First Dates. Sydney quite literally bumps into Marcus in a Dunkin Donuts, and they decide to avoid their responsibilities and skip school. They genuinely have a great time just being with each other, but when it's time to leave, Sydney relives this day... again and again and again.

Sigh, this book had me in all the feels. There were moments of fun, moments of wanting to cry, moments of crying... There were just... moments. Sydney and Marcus were bloody fantastic characters and realistic. They were both experiencing grief and finding ways to deal with it... because everyone deals with grief in their own way. I loved that through each other, they found a way to follow their passions... especially Sydney. It's hard not to live up to your parents' expectations, especially when it's nowhere near what they want for you. I loved Marcus's mom. She was so supportive, and I loved that for him. While there were elements of romance, that wasn't really the focus.

I loved that ending, but I didn't love that ending. LOL. I wanted something different for Sydney and Marcus, but I get it. The writing was phenomenal, and I loved getting both perspectives. I appreciated how this was broken down: Sydney, Marcus, Us, Them. (And that was a bomb playlist.) I'm going to have to add Ms. Thomas to my auto-buy list... even though this is my introduction to her!

They both had a feeling, deep inside them—where the candles and the Christmas Lights hide-that somehow, somewhere, their eyes were always meant to meet.”

Pick me up off the floor, SOMEBODY.

Synopsis:
When Sydney Michaels stops for breakfast in order to put off scholastic ruin a little longer, she never expected to—quite literally—bump into cute-boy stranger, Marcus Burke.

When Marcus invites her to have breakfast with him instead of going to class, she can’t ignore the urge to get to know him better—or the fact that this charming new acquaintance seems just as interested in her.

After a magical day together in their hometown of New York City, Sydney is finally willing to believe that maybe—just maybe—after years of loss and heartache, she’s finally reached the good part.

But when it comes time to say goodbye, as they linger in a crosswalk, something happens. An accident? Sydney isn’t sure—all she knows is that, after screeching tires, blinding headlights, and a moment of searing pain, she opens her eyes and is back in her bed. On September 24–the morning of her big exam—again.

If you love time loops, unexpected loves, grief, wonder, joy, and instalove, this should absolutely be on your radar. It’s You Every Time was SUCH a beautiful read - and I wish nothing but the best for this duo.

I can’t even describe how much I loved this.

Sydney is dreading her calc test and decides to stop at Dunkin instead. When she does, she meets Marcus who happens to have the same order number as her. In perfect meet cute fashion, he asks her to go to the park to eat. Neither one of them realizing that this would change the rest of their lives. They’re stuck in a loop of September 24ths with seemingly no way out. Both reeling from personal tragedies, they’re unsure if they even want to.

I’m a sucker for a time loop novel! I’ll read any of them, all of them and devour every last page! I’m so happy to report that this one was no exception! I LOVED this so much! Marcus and Sydney were perfect and I loved watching their romance develop. This also centered around grief and how these two teens dealt with it in their own ways. It was heartbreaking and beautiful to see. I felt so connected to the characters and I was rooting for them the whole time. Marcus’s story broke me and I felt it in my bones.

I laughed, I cried and I will never forget September 24th.

I bet this will be one of the best books you read this year. 🩷

This was such a sweet story about self-discovery, grief, and destiny that begs the question: How do you keep going when your world has stopped spinning? September 24th is a big day for Sydney and Marcus, how many chances will they have to get it right? I went into this book blind, and I think you should as well! I could not put this book down, I thought it tackled so many tough topics in a real nice way.

What you will find:

Upper YA romance
Time loop
Themes of fate, grief, and healing
Self discovery
New York City Meet-Cute

Thank you to Charlene Thomas and Booked with the Emily’s for the book!!

This was THE sweetest story 🥺🥹. I pretty much highlighted the whole damn book on my kindle. I was so smitten over these two. Watching them become smitten over each other. I love how the book is written journal entry style from both Sydney and Marcus’s POV. I know that this book is YA, but it’s really not because these two deal with some really BIG feelings. I enjoyed this book so much…. 1000% would reread this book. I love the character growth and the setting of New York was perfect. This was truly an adventure. Charlene Thomas hit it out of the park with this one! It was my first time reading this author’s work, but it won’t be my last!

Favorite Quotes (so many 😩):

“because we’re what’s next. And that’s enough for me.” -Marcus

“staying in every single moment, with the person that you’re with, is the hardest, most valiant thing that someone can do.” - Sydney

“but living is a risk. The good kind. Where it’s worth it because stuff could go wrong, stuff could go crazy, but that’s why you do it in the first place.” -Sydney

This sweet story about love and loss is exactly what I needed when I was a teen. Even tho I'm older than the YA audience I still felt myself identity with a lot of the themes of this book cleverly disgused as the perfect 1st date between 2 sweet kids. I loved this story and will definitely be buying the physical copy for my collection. Thank you Netgalley!

I wasn’t sure what to expect going into the read, but It’s You Every Time by Charlene Thomas was a delightful read.

We get to meet teenagers Marcus and Sydney, who are both struggling with the grief of losing someone very close to them. When Marcus and Sydney have a meet-cute picking up their breakfast orders on September 24th, they spend the rest of the day together enjoying their instant-connection. It was perfect, until at 10:15pm, they hear ‘screeching tires’ and feel ‘blinding pain’. When they come to, it’s September 24th all over again…Are they dreaming? Did they die?

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I think Thomas thoughtfully and carefully encompasses the feelings of grief and mourning, while reminding us of the power and necessity of embracing love, practicing acceptance, and seeking support.

I typically don’t love modern-day books that incorporate current slang and trends, but for the most part, it was done well here. The only time it made me cringe was <spoiler>during the funeral,</spoiler> when Marcus threw in “no cap” and “bet”….that was odd.

Honestly, this probably would’ve been a 5-star read for me had it not been for the following:
<spoiler>1. We never find out what happened to Sebastian or how he passed away. The manner and time of Austin’s passing was relevant to the plot and Marcus had to face it in order to continue forward, but I feel like Sebastian’s passing should’ve been more relevant too. Marcus’ and Sydney’s grief is what connects them, yet the focus is mainly on Marcus’ experience of losing Austin.
2. The reasoning for the details of the day they are stuck in are never explained. It’s a month past Austin’s passing, hence the 24th (maybe), but why that day? Again, why is Austin’s passing controlling it but not Sebastian’s? The day ends at 10:15 because that’s when Austin died, but again, why then? What about Sebastian and how/why did Sydney end up stuck too? I kept waiting for the connection to be revealed.
3. At the end, the characters forget the day and that they ever met. Then, the book mentions that they ran into each other on other times, getting different Dunkin’ order numbers each time? So did they relieve different dates multiple times or what? I was so confused. </spoiler>

All that said, Marcus and Sydney shared the sweetest love, and it was so easy to cheer them on. It’s You Every Time had most of what I want from a book: romance, friendship, connection, sadness, healing. This book had me laughing, mourning, and celebrating alongside the characters the entire way.

*thanks to NetGalley for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

Super hard to follow. It was beautifully written but jumped around way too much.
Overall, I enjoyed it, especially by the end when everything was made clear but I almost gave up a lot of times because they didn't give us much to go off of throughout the book.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, and Scholastic for providing this eARC and to Colored Pages book tours for having me as one of the tour hosts for this wonderful book!

This book had me giggling one moment and in tears the next!

It is such a gentle exploration of grief, and the way in which it impacts everybody in one way or another.

I found myself highlighting so many lines as i was reading, as so much of this left a big mark on my heart!

I highly recommend checking this story out!

i was instantly enveloped into this one. the cutest characters living out the cutest plot. each day was the same but different and i found myself just as upset about a day ending as the MCs even tho we all knew what to expect. i cannot begin to describe the emotiomal rollercoaster that was Syd & Marcus’ journey. not only was Charlene able to touch on how different grief looks person to person, but she did it with such grace. i would be lying if i said i don’t tear up at Marcus’ journey the most because it’s just something about detailing such a loving environment for a young black boy to grieve that heals something in me. absolutely loved this story!!

I am not one to get emotional or full-on cry while reading a book. I might shed a tear or feel sad, but this book here!! 😭

Omg. Five stars.

For this to be a YA book it read like it wasn't. I loved the beginning. I loved the end (even though I cried through the last 33% of the book).

Syd and Malcolm are both going through different forms of grief but are stuck living same day over and over again. They both come together to figure out how to fix it & move on to the next day. During the "fix" they find friendship, love & understanding.

The "stuck in a time loop" trope, the wholesome friendship (with a pinch of romance) made this book stand out for me!

I love the way that this book talks about losing a loved one, not knowing what tomorrow brings and breaks down how we ALL grieve in different ways & lengths of time. But sometimes it just takes that one person who will be there for you to show you how to find the light in a dark place & continue shining.

Definitely recommend even for those who don't read YA- my physical copy is pre-ordered 🤭🩷

Thank you to Charlene Thomas and Scholastic Press for the free eARC in exchange for my honest review!

I love a good YA romance story. The title and synopsis lured me in. I thought this was such a beautiful read and enjoyed it a lot. I was a little confused at first, but it all started to come together. It was heartbreaking in a lot of ways, but an awesome exploration of young love, sadness, grief, friendship, and healing. The author did a fantastic job weaving such heavy topics into a love story. It felt very realistic that I know many can relate to. Gosh, I loved the friendship and relationship between Marcus and Sydney. Their banter was my favorite. To me, it was like they were perfect for each other, as if they had known each other their entire lives. There were so many gems throughout this book that I can totally relate to and apply to my life. I can see this book as one I can constantly come back to and read again.

Thank you to Netgalley and Scholastic for this ARC!

Thanks to Booked with the Emilys, Charlene Thomas and Scholastic Press for the gifted copy!

“Because if a day goes by when I haven’t made you happy, I don’t even know what I woke up for.”

After devastating losses, Sydney and Marcus bump into each other at Dunkin Donuts after ordering (almost) the same thing. They end up having a great day together, but it comes to an abrupt end… and then it starts ALLLLL over again because they’re stuck in a time loop.

Well, I am not typically a young adult reader, I really enjoyed this book and its exploration of grief. It was so sweet and tender and I just loved our main characters together. Charlene did a good job of touching on the reality of grief and also how we need other people in our lives to help us through it.

arc review: loved how grief was brought up in this ya, you don’t usually get such heavy topics in this genre. overall, the actual Groundhog Day trope was not my favorite which made the storyline seem to drag a bit and made the ending less climatic.

⭐️:4/5

Thank you to the author, the publisher, & to NetGalley for an eARC to read this early in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very cute story. A swoony YA love story set in NYC telling the story of two soulmates finding each other. This is my first by this author & im so glad I wound up liking it.

This one was one of the most emotional YA books I’ve come across in a long time. Marcus & Sydney meet at a Dunkin and both have the same number called at the exact same time, they make the decision to play hooky together and have the best day together. Until they have the same day…again. It happens again and again until our characters decide they don’t want to anymore.

My thoughts about this book were that: everyone experiences heartache, & that grief comes in stages and it surprises you at every turn.

I loved the quotable lines offered and the banter between the two characters. The formatting of the ARC was a little weird, but it didn’t take away from the story for me. I still thought it was a nice love story between two souls who are somehow drawn together in their grief! Marcus was one of the most caring individuals & Sydney was so optimistic.

I think the only part that “lost me” was the ending. I had a good grasp on the *why* things were happening & when the ending came it kinda lost its meaning. I thought it would have a much different explanation & the shift in POV was a bit jarring but an omnipresent narrator isn’t a bad thing, the switch just caught me off guard. Also it was a tad bit wordy when we could’ve been getting some explanations or some dialogue but that’s literally it.

I thought this was so good! Would for sure recommend & I already plan on buying my physical copy!

It’s You Everytime was a beautiful, emotionally layered read that hooked me from page one. Charlene Thomas has a gift for pulling you into her characters' hearts and making you feel every moment—the love, the tension, the vulnerability.

The chemistry between the characters was undeniable and real. The storyline flowed effortlessly, with just the right balance of drama and tenderness. I loved how the author portrayed love as both healing and complicated—because sometimes the right person is the one who's been there all along.

This book gave me all the feels and left me smiling at the end. Definitely recommend if you’re in the mood for a heartfelt romance with depth and soul.