Charlene Thomas’s "It’s You EveryTime" is an evocative young adult novel that masterfully intertwines the complexities of grief with the compelling pull of fate. Through the innovative use of the time loop trope, Thomas explores how destiny has a way of guiding us back to the people and moments that matter most, no matter how far we stray.

Sydney and Marcus’s journeys are not just about navigating personal loss but also about the serendipitous forces that keep drawing them together. Their emotional arcs are painted with striking authenticity—Sydney’s tug-of-war with denial juxtaposed against Marcus’s fierce grappling with anger and eventual acceptance. Their repeated encounters within the time loop emphasize a larger, universal truth: that fate often orchestrates second chances when we least expect them.

Thomas’s delicate handling of grief, loss, and self-discovery is nothing short of remarkable. The narrative doesn’t shy away from the rawness of heartbreak, yet it balances this with the warmth of hope and the transformative power of love. The cyclical nature of the plot mirrors the repetitive, often unrelenting process of healing, making their story resonate deeply.

What sets "It’s You EveryTime" apart is its poignant reminder that fate isn’t just a backdrop for romance—it’s a force that nudges us toward growth, connection, and understanding. Through Sydney and Marcus, readers witness how, even amidst life’s hardest loops, destiny can always find a way to bring us back together. This novel will linger in your heart, a testament to love’s resilience and the boundless possibilities of second chances.

Thank you partner, Booked with the Emilys, and the author, Charlene Thomas, for providing a gifted e-arc. All opinions are my own!

I loved this sweet, YA romance that explored new love, grief, friendships, family relationships, and finding your place in the world! I loved the sweet protective nature that Sydney and Marcus had for one another, and how they helped each other on their own individual paths to self discovery.

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.

Read this if you like:
✨ Swoony Upper YA Romance
✨ Insta-love
✨ Time loop
✨ Themes of fate, grief and healing
✨ Self discovery
✨ New York City Meet-Cute

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Marcus & Syd have my heart. I usually hate time loop books so I wasn’t sure if I had wanted to invest in this book. Like how much plot can you get from a repeated day? Thankfully I started this and I was invested until the end. This book has so many valuable lessons. Messages on dealing with grief and living for tomorrow. I was smiling and crying through this whole thing. Just a fantastic book that touched my heart. And Marcus was so sweet to Syd! They were so adorable together. I wanted to meet Sebastian and Austin too with how well they were written. Charlene is such a talented writer and I loved this one so so much. Make sure you check it out!

Who says a YA novel can’t bring a grown woman to tears?

It’s You Every Time is a young adult novel about Sydney, a student grappling with grief after a tragic loss. On September 24th, a day meant to be a last ditch effort to study for her precalc exam, she meets charming stranger, Marcus, and the two have a magical day together. After a potential accident, Sydney wakes up in her bed, and it’s September 24th again. And again. She is stuck in a loop, repeating this day with Marcus, and must figure out how to use this unique situation to heal her grief and find a way forward.

This story explores themes of grief, fate, hope, and self-discovery. Charlene Thomas perfectly captures the emotional complexity of the grieving process in a way that’s easily digestible for young adult readers. Grieving can feel like being stuck in a time loop just like Sydney & Marcus. Even though time is moving, the pain & sadness makes the days feel the same.

This story made me think of the idea that no one comes into our lives by chance. God places people in our lives when & where we need them. Sydney & Marcus needed each other (fate). Both are grappling with significant losses in their lives, feeling stuck in their grief and unsure of how to move forward. They keep reliving the same day, providing each other emotional support and healing, but neither of them can have a better tomorrow until they confront their pain.

It’s You Every Time is a story of hope and healing, demonstrating how even in the face of profound loss, it’s possible to find love, meaning, and a new sense of purpose. Highly recommend!

This was a genuinely amazing and heartfelt story. I liked all of the characters and their development. I think anyone who reads this story would have their heartstrings pulled on, because this one has some grief and feelings of hopelessness paired with hope and love. This story exceeded what I was expecting.

Thank you to Netgalley and Scholastic Press for letting me read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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

I requested to read this book for the meet-cute romance but ended up getting hit with so much more. This book was full of rawness, grief, love, friendships, and self discovery. 🥹 This is such a sweet YA romance with magical vibes, emotional moments, and the most lovable characters.

"𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘚𝘺𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘺 𝘔𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘦𝘭𝘴. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘧 𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘥, 𝘭'𝘥 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰."

I just adored Sydney and Marcus, who seriously made me feel all the things. Their protectiveness for one another and their banter was just 😍. This book’s full of quotes and little lessons throughout. Just so good! 💫💖

"𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘪𝘧 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦, 𝘸𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵."

𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚
❥magical realism
❥time loops
❥upper YA romance
❥books w/ NYC setting
❥themes of grief, fate, & healing

Y’all peep these quotes? And there are so much more throughout this book!

Every Single Time is what I would say to myself when I feel upset or down, stuck in my own mind. However when reading this amazing novel I would like to say I want to recommend this book to someone who needs guidance, love,and support! This novel by Charlene Thomas was an absolute good read. 📖 This read allowed us to follow the story of Marcus & Sydney. Jumping right into the story of Sydney's emotions of frustration and that hold of not knowing what to do, which is caused by being stuck in place, is so relatable and had my heart in a twist of emotions. However, meeting Marcus allowed her to branch out of feeling trapped which also allowed her to explore! Let me tell you not only did Sydney story break my heart, but Marcus story had me in for an amazing pov as well which helped push through the many circumstances as well which is just life. 😊 Let me say ‘ It’s You Every Single Time’ was a story that explored the love for life all over again and also showed love living and making it your own! From the dual pov allowed the more indepth connection for the characters and also highlighted their personal struggles, and growth within themselves. Being able to push through and process your emotions is something I needed a reminder of and I’m thankful for this read. Thank you so much Charlene Thomas and Netgalley for allowing me the ability to read this novel in exchange for an honest review. (This read definitely had me in for the plot-twists and turns! ✨)

Do you ever feel like you are trying to move forward, but you just feel stuck? In the case of the characters in It’s You Every Time by Charlene Thomas, grief is what is causing the characters to feel stuck. However, a good old fashioned Groundhog’s Day could be the key to helping them heal.⁠

Hooked from the Start

This book has a few of my favorite things: the @dunkin Sausage, egg and cheese croissantwich, romance, a foodie, and a time warp mystery. But it also deals with an emotion that is very serious and affects people differently: grief. However, even with a heavy topic like that, Thomas intertwines all of the previously mentioned to create a novel that will capture your attention with how sweet, touching and healing it is. She had my attention hooked!⁠
⁠
Grief can keep you stuck, whether you realize it or not. I thought the way Thomas captures grief through the characters getting stuck in time was beautiful. As they encounter the same day over and over again, they not only get the chance to know each other, but they get to slow down and deal with their grief over lost loved ones on their own terms. Because if you don’t deal with your grief, then you can’t really move forward. ⁠
⁠
What Would You Do With Infinite Todays?

I really enjoyed getting to know Sydney and Marcus as they used their “today” to get now each other. It even made me wonder what I would do in their situation. I would definitely steal their idea to spend what you want, because there are technically no consequences the next day. (Great discussion topic educators!!!!)⁠
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I also love that this novel is written in a unique way that both boys and girls would like it, especially with the dual POV, which is not something that I can say about the majority of romance novels. I definitely recommend this one for my teen readers (and adults too)!!!

here we meet Sydney & Marcus, 2 teens in the heart of the greatest city in the world 🗽tbh i was expecting a straight up YA romance with just Syd experiencing grief (based on the synopsis). i was pleasantly surprised to discover that, not only was i incorrect, but I was also in for a wild (& sad) ride. both teens are experiencing grief at different levels & that’s all ima say so i don’t spoil the book since it officially comes out may 6! this book is a 10/10.

-“I know for a fact that the luckiest thing that’s ever happened for me was meeting Sydney Michaels. And if I never had, I’d spend the rest of my life trying to.”

Thank you Hear Our voices book tour, NetGalley, and scholastic press for this arc opportunity.

First read from this author and I would definitely read another book of theirs.

Getting stuck in the same day over and over again is bananas. Well for Sydney and Marcus that was their reality. Everyday they discovered something new about them and the day. While trying to figure out how to break it they start falling for each other. Which was the absolute cutest.

They also dealt with grief and I love how the author wrote those scenes. My heart was hurting for them. The conversation with Aug’s mom was probably my favorite part. Outside of that i loved the chapter names. It was a cool way to keep the reader engaged and move the story along. Loved the balance between the characters with the respect and care they have.

Overall a good book that I would recommend.

Quotes:
-“Sometimes, the universe gives us exactly who we need, for as long as we need—but rarely is it as long as we would like.“
-“You okay?” Marcus asks with a half smile, the sun glinting in his hazel-brown eyes. It’s only been three days but I swear I’ve known his gaze my entire life.
-“Syd, we don’t need a real tomorrow to do the things you want to do. We can just do them. You can just say them and we’ll do them. Okay? So let’s do it.”
-“maybe if we want tomorrow to get here, we have to face today first.”

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.

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.*