Summary: It’s You Every Time
It’s just an ordinary September 24th, and teens Sydney and Marcus have what is probably the cutest meet-cute at a Dunkin’s. They both skip school to spend the day together, and everything seems great until they part ways abruptly in the evening and wake up on September 24… again. Throughout the book, they keep meeting on the same day over 20 times until they can figure out why it’s happening, how to break the cycle, and if they even want to break the cycle.
The Good
I adored the great writing in this story. It’s not a lazy romance that only relies on chemistry — although there’s heaps of chemistry between the main characters — but you can tell that thought goes into the writing at a sentence level. The structure of the novel is also smart and breaks up the monotony of your typical Groundhog Day story. It’s divided into four parts, each written from a different perspective–Sydney, Marcus, Us, and Them.
If you, like me, start this romance thinking it’s simply going to be a lot of swooning, you will be pleasantly surprised by the impressive depth and emotional plot twists as we learn about each character’s motives, why they’re both in this time loop, and the struggles they’ll face trying to get out of it, while figuring out how they feel about each other. Every section of the book came with a shocking and sensitively delivered emotional gut punch as I learned something new about Sydney and Marcus.
Finally, without spoiling too much, this book explores big themes, many of which are unarguably on the minds of young readers — issues like grief, “destiny,” family, resilience, and friendship. It’s impressive how the author manges to show readers so much about Marcus and Sydney’s lives even in a story that’s limited by the bubble of an isolted, all-consuming time loop bubble.
It’s You Every Time
It’s You Every Time is a sweet, cleverly crafted Groundhog Day romance starring two teens trying to outrun life’s challenges. This moving time loop romance explores grief, destiny, family, and facing the trials of today to enjoy the hope of tomorrow. Readers who enjoy romances with substance, well-drawn characters, and a coming-of-age narrative arc will enjoy this one. It’s also the perfect recommendation for middle schoolers who want mature romances without sexual content or profanity.
Star Rating
Content Notes
Here are some specifics to know about the content.
Content Warnings
- Death: References to the death of loved ones.
- Alcohol/substance abuse: None
- Sexual content: None.
- Violence: None
- Religious content: None
- Language: None
Diversity
- Ethnic: Most characters are African-American.
- Sexual orientation: None.
Recommended for ages: 12+
Good for kids who like:
- The Do Over by Lynn Painter and other time loop romances
- Young YA romances
- YA books about food and cooking
- Clean YA romances
Publisher Details
| Publisher details | Scholastic |
| Author | Charlene Thomas |
| Illustrator | N/A |
| Publication date | May 6, 2025 |
| Audiobook? | No |
| Page count: | 308 |
| Cover artists | Designer: |
Buy This Book
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