It took me a moment to grasp the situation in this story. Once I did, I felt a deep empathy for the characters. It's reminiscent of Groundhog Day, but with a teenage twist. Syn and Marcus cross paths at Dunkin', not in the usual sense, but because they share the same order number. Instead of taking her high school test, they spend the day together, yet they find themselves unable to move on to the next day. This really frustrated me, as I couldn't understand why they were stuck. Both characters are navigating their grief, and it was refreshing to witness their love blossom amid such tragedy.

Absolutely loved this book. A deep and truly moving exploration of grief that doesn’t end in a trite off the cuff way (like so many time loop or meet you in every lifetime stories do!!!) but in a truly refreshing way!

🌟 5/5

Get your tissues ready. From the first chapter, this book was poetic. From the way Syd and Marcus met and spent their first day together to the end.

What you get: Time loops, young love, city adventures, finding life after loss

TW: Grief and loss

•CAUTION: Spoilers Ahead•

While this book may seem like a YA love story, this is more than that.

Syd and Marcus bump into each other in a seemingly normal day. They eventually realize after their first meeting that they are stuck reliving that same day, over and over again – together.

They start by living their best lives on each repeat day, knowing things will reset with no consequences. Despite going on daily adventures, Syd starts yearn for the opportunities a tomorrow brings.
Marcus is on the other spectrum, satisfied with living the best life in the repeats because tomorrow will mean a new day with a hole in his life.

Not only does this book talk about grief, the whole story symbolizes how one can feel during grieving – stuck in a hell of repetitiveness, going through the motions without meaning. Some may be like Syd, who eventually work hard to be unstuck. Some may be like Marcus, who's scared to move forward to a new day because tomorrow will not include that missing love one.

•

It's You Every Time teaches you that you're never alone when grieving or the only one in the world who has grieved. There are plenty of people out there who are trying to get through their day, while missing a loved one.

I recommend this to anyone who is grieving and needs a little light at the end of a dark tunnel. You may feel stuck at the moment, but remember – you are not alone and you'll get through it.

Charlene Thomas is one of my favorite writers, and I think It's You Every Time is her best yet. It's a unique and well-written take on Groundhog Day- I loved how the author used the idea of reliving a day over and over again to explore grief and the loss of loved ones. It's a sweet romance that has a lot of depth- Sydney and Marcus's insecurities and loss were handled deftly and were very touching. I thought the plot twists were GREAT and loved how the story unfolded. It's true, this book will make you teary-eyed, but it is so so worth it.

This book was well-written, with obvious skill in the pacing and scene development. Even with the strong writing, I didn't stay as engaged with the story as I would have liked. Also, some aspects of the NYC setting fell flat for me. If it hadn't been an ARC, I wouldn't have finished it but I'm glad I did because the ending was a good twist. I would be curious about other titles from this author.

This was such a cute YA read! It reminded me of the movie “groundhog day” where they woke up and it was the same day everyday. Not the same but similiar premise. The FMC, Sydney meet MMC, Marcus. Together they realize they are “stuck in time” and subsequently begin to experience the same day everyday. “Tomorrow” never comes. They are forced to experience September 24th. This takes them on all kinds of adventures around NY and beyond as they try to experience something new each day, despite not experiencing a new day. I found the plot interesting and intriguing but admittedly after sooo many days of the same day, It got monotonous despite different activities and experiences they were having. The first portion of the book, I stayed up until 3:30 am reading bc I was determined to discover what was going on! I had to pull myself away!
I found the ending to be a little confusing, but overall I liked the way things tied up! Grief is a huge theme throughout the book as both main characters lost someone very close to them. This book beautifully depicts grief, fate, second chances, self discovery, and facing the hard things no matter how difficult or fearful.

I stumbled upon Charlene Thomas’s debut SETON GIRLS in 2022 and so thankful I did - I’m a big fan now. And I was impatiently waiting for IT’S YOU EVERY TIME.

Short Synopsis:
Sydney is stressing about her precal test, so instead of going straight to school, so stops to get a cheese croissant (because she likes weird food…) and literally runs into Marcus. After hitting it off, she decides to skip school and spend the most magical day with him exploring NYC. But when she wakes up, it’s the same day as her test …again….and again…and again….

My Thoughts:
Sydney and Marcus were so adorable. 🥰 I loved them - both separately but especially together. Sydney’s frustration with being “stuck” felt so real and authentic. And Marcus. His story gutted me. The Sydney, Marcus, Us, Them parts were so clever and I loved having both POVs.

After reading Charlene’s other books, I knew this would be so much more than a light romance. The themes of grief, loss and acceptance are prevalent throughout the book and create such a beautiful and heart wrenching story. Might want to have those tissues handy.

I am team Marcus on food selections though. I don’t trust anyone who can’t eat an Oreo correctly. 😆

But that ending. 🤯 This isn’t my first Charlene Thomas, so I should have expected it. But also did NOT expect it. So clever.

What You’ll Find:
NYC adventures
YA romance
Time loop
Grief
Weird food combinations

This was beautifully written! At first the mystery aspect threw me for a loop, but I loved it! Haven’t read a storyline like that before. I love a YA romance as a pallet cleanser between genres. It was cozy, it gravitated my attention and kept it. Even made me cry in the end and offered the reminder that everyone grieves completely different. I truly enjoyed following Marcus and Sydney on their journey. Grab your tissues and keep them close! You will need them!

Great read! First read from this author. This book makes me want to read more from this author. Kept my attention and interest until the end.

This book had my heart going crazy! Syd + Marcus? Absolute chef’s kiss (literally)! Reliving the same day over and over like it’s straight outta Groundhog Day but make it NYC teens? I was sat for it all!

Let me break it down for you: Sydney and Marcus start their September 24th at Dunkin’—and you know fate had to do its thing. They meet, they connect, and they spend an unforgettable day together… only for that day to hit the repeat button. Over and over. But —this story isn’t just cute vibes. It’s an emotional rollercoaster about grief, feeling stuck, and finding a way forward.

And THAT ENDING? Whew, it had me ugly crying in the best way. Charlene, girl, you DID that! I’m counting down the days till I can physically hug this book and give it a permanent home on my shelf. Hands down, this was a 5-star chick for me⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Cute YA love story that reminds you of 50 first dates. A little heartbreaking but finally comes together.

well-written romance that makes you feel strongly for the FL and ML. FL is exciting and charming and ML is fun. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

5/5 Stars

WOWWWWW!!! Let me tell yall I absolutely loved this book. I mean hands down loved it. Have yall ever come across a book and been like...oh I'm going to remember this book forever? Almost like it gets woven into the fabrics of your being? This is how this book felt for me. I havent felt this way about a book since i read The Invisible Life of Addie Larue about 2-3 years ago.

I'm not sure what the trope is called, but the trope of being stuck in time?? One of my favorites. Truly one of my favorites. Especially when its a YA book, and they are finding themselves, exploring who they are, and navigating hard to understand feelings. Between the romance, the grief, the feelings of being stuck and not knowing what tomorrow could bring or if it existed? YALL MY HEARTTTT.

I absolutely loved Marcus and Sydney. The idea of how Sydney was getting frustrated with being stuck was so real. I actually had some tears during that part i won't lie. But the plot twists in this book when they realized what they had to do? BOYYYYYYYYYY. I was bawlinggggg. I loved this book so much yall.

The ending threw me for just enough of a loop too, and wow. Fate. I mean thats it thats the sentence. I got the warm fuzzy feeling in my heart and I absolutely loved it. I'm smiling right now just from writing this review omg.

I do think that there were some editing mistakes in here, as all my POV markers were a bit mixed up. Yet I did receive an ARC so its understandable lol. I legit think this may be the first ARC i've ever read where I plan on buying the book after just to have. That is how much i legit loved this book. Wow.

Overall yall I loved this. I highly recommend this book. The themes, topics, and emotions alone are enough for me to recommend this, but i wholeheartedly want to recommend this just in general. An amazing read.

Okay honestly- in the very beginning I was confused! I went in completely blind and didn’t know what this story was. After the 3rd repeated day I finally caught on! I’ve watched multiple movies with the same day repeating itself plot, but this was my first book like this!

After pt 2 started I got hooked and couldn’t stop reading! I feel like I HAD to know how this ended.

**The story about Marcus & Aus last night together hit me right in my feels 😭 it was a tragedy I wasn’t expecting at all.

All in all I give this a 3.75 ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

The story introduces us to Sydney Michaels, a young woman grappling with personal loss. A chance encounter with Marcus Burke at a breakfast spot sets the stage for an unexpected journey. This meeting, seemingly orchestrated by fate, becomes a catalyst for both characters to confront their pasts and navigate their intertwined destinies.

Thomas’s writing shines in her portrayal of grief’s complexities. She captures the raw, unfiltered emotions that accompany loss, making Sydney’s journey both relatable and deeply moving. The narrative is enriched by well-crafted dialogues and introspective passages, allowing readers to immerse themselves fully in the protagonists’ experiences.

The chemistry between Sydney and Marcus is palpable. Their relationship unfolds organically, with moments of tension, vulnerability, and genuine connection. Thomas skillfully avoids clichéd romantic tropes, offering instead a nuanced depiction of two individuals finding solace and understanding in each other amidst their personal struggles.

However, the novel’s pacing occasionally falters. Some sections feel prolonged, and certain subplots, though intriguing, could have been more developed. Additionally, while the central themes are compelling, a deeper exploration of supporting characters would have added more depth to the overall narrative.

In conclusion, It’s You Every Time is a heartfelt exploration of love, loss, and the unpredictable paths that lead us to healing. Charlene Thomas offers readers a touching reminder of the resilience of the human spirit and the unexpected connections that can light our way forward. I would rate this novel 4 out of 5 stars, appreciating its emotional depth and character development, while acknowledging areas where the story’s momentum could have been more consistent.

𐙚 𝚂𝚠𝚘𝚘𝚗𝚢 - 𝙸𝚗𝚜𝚝𝚊 𝙻𝚘𝚟𝚎
𐙚 𝚃𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝙻𝚘𝚘𝚙
𐙚 𝚂𝚎𝚕𝚏-𝚍𝚒𝚜𝚌𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢

𝑀𝓎 🅣🅗🅞🅤🅖🅗🅣🅢: 𝙻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚝.

𝙴𝚖𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚊𝚕 𝚛𝚘𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚛𝚌𝚘𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛. 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚎𝚡𝚙𝚕𝚘𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝚐𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚏 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚏𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚊𝚍𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚜𝚘 𝚖𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚍𝚎𝚙𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚢. 𝙱𝚎𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚒𝚏𝚞𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚠𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚗. 𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚖𝚊𝚜 𝚍𝚛𝚊𝚠𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚒𝚗 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚝, 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚚𝚞𝚒𝚌𝚔𝚕𝚢 𝚏𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚗 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚂𝚢𝚍𝚗𝚎𝚢 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙼𝚊𝚛𝚌𝚞𝚜. 𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚢𝚌𝚕𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚗’𝚝 𝚕𝚊𝚜𝚝 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛, 𝚢𝚎𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚘𝚞𝚝𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚎.

𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔𝚜 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚒𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚌𝚘𝚙𝚢.・❥・

where do i even begin. first of all i loveeee a time loop trope. especially when its done well. this story also depicted grief in such a heartbreaking and real way and as someone who recently lost someone, i felt seen. as for the romance, marcus and sydneys chemistry were unmatched and i loved seeing them play out each day together. the ending though, RUINED ME (in the best way possible … i think)

all in all i definitely recommend this one and ill be picking up a physical copy when it comes out later this year

The Sun is Also a Star meets The Do-Over meets “Invisible String”
I’m struggling to write this review because I’m at a loss for words… this book was just SO GOOD!!!

The writing style was amazing- perfectly young adult, capturing the character’s ages while also taking into consideration what they had been through, making them sound a little older than 17, but still keeping the teenageness.

And the way this book handled grief was beautifully done. It showed multiple ways people deal with losing someone close to them. Sydney and Marcus were both grieving, but one was more recent and one was older. The discussions they had about grief were written so thoughtfully.

I loved Sydney and Marcus, as well. They both felt very realistic and I loved their characters! And their banter, joking around, and shenanigans were intertwined nicely with the more serious talks.

I think a lot of people will enjoy this book, even if you don’t usually read YA or feel too old for it. I will for sure be checking out more of this author’s books!

Thanks to Scholastic for letting me read this book early. All thoughts are my own!

It’s You Every Time is a wonderful exploration of grief and how we interact with it and in it. This story is such a wonderful journey through the lives and grief of our main characters, Sydney and Marcus. They both have different versions of grief, but both experience it so strongly. I love these characters so much that I slowed down towards the end just to have more time with them.

Sydney is struggling with her parents’ expectations and missing her brother Sebastian. She’s such a sweetheart, and I want her to get everything she ever wants. She has this really wonderful interaction with her teacher towards the end that made me so emotional, and I just want everyone to read this book. Marcus is grappling with his grief and losing his brother and best friend Austin. His grief is more recent and raw, and his journey to healing, even a small amount, is one of the best I’ve ever read.

They knew each other so completely. They cared for each other so completely. I love how this book gave us the idea of fate and destiny and lives being intertwined even when you don’t know it. Through Sydney and Marcus, we are shown just some of the ways grief is present in people. Marcus wants to stay in that day, and Sydney starts to feel stuck. Together, they have to figure out how to navigate this new world they’re in while deciding if they ever want to leave.

The ENDING?? I gasped, I was so shocked. I do think it’s the perfect way to end it. I don’t want to spoil it for anyone else, but I genuinely think it’s the most wonderful ending this story could have.

Reading this book will be a highlight of my reading this year, and I will be ready and waiting for anything and everything else Charlene Thomas writes.

This book took me a little bit to read. But, because it didn't enjoy it.

It was a bit confusing initially but as I got into it did enjoy it