By Christine McFaul
The Do-Over is a fun and frothy new YA rom-com by bestselling author Lynn Painter (see also, Better Than the Movies).
Sixteen-year-old Emilie Hornsby had the perfect Valentine’s Day planned, down to the perfect outfit, perfect gift, and perfect moment to finally tell her perfect boyfriend, Josh, that she loves him. But what is it they say about best-laid plans...? Instead of the perfectly dreamy Valentine’s Day Emilie had imagined, the day ends up a complete and total nightmare. By the end, all she wants to do is fall into bed and forget it ever happened. But that proves impossible when she wakes up to realize it’s somehow still February 14th.
Emilie soon finds herself stuck in the same heart-bedecked twenty-four-hour time-loop, trying to figure out what possible reason the universe could have for making her re-live the worst moments of her life. But as she continuously experiences different versions of her divorced parents’ ambivalence, the discovery that Josh has been cheating on her (probably), and the crash that has her literally running into her surly, but oh-so-swoony, lab partner Nick over and over again, she begins to realize that maybe she had Valentine’s Day all wrong the first time around. Which begs the question, how many more repeats will it take for Emilie to realize what she’s missed? And what happens if she runs out of do-overs before she finally gets the day right?
In my opinion, this type of Groundhog Day-style plot, where the same twenty-four-hour time period forms the majority of a narrative, must be well-executed or risk the whole story becoming stale. I am happy to report that in The Do-Over, Painter had me hooked from page one and I stayed that way until the end. From its candy-heart-coloured cover, to its larger-than-life plot (with the perfect little twist at the end), reading this book felt like falling into a giddy romp. Painter packs the book with fun, from the hilarious secret confessions that kick-start each chapter through to the recommended playlist at the end. And I would be remiss not to mention the lovely dedication that Painter includes, which can’t help but make her readers feel appreciated and seen (I won’t spoil it, but it couldn’t be a more perfect Valentine’s message).
The Do-Over is a fresh and frothy modern YA romance. Whether you are the type that loves or hates the sugary-sweet holiday that is Valentine’s Day, this book has something for you. For rom-com readers young or old this book would be the perfect sweet treat this upcoming February 14th.
Thank you to Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.